Issue: 2019 December

Pen of Inspiration – An All-Powerful Saviour

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Shall we choose darkness rather than light because the light shows us our sins and reproves us? Shall we refuse to come to the light, lest our deeds shall be made manifest? When the truth controls the life, there is purity, freedom from sin. The glory, the fulness, the completeness, of the gospel plan is fulfilled in the life. The light of truth irradiates the soul-temple. The understanding takes hold of Christ. The light is not hated because it reproves and warns, but it is accepted and rejoiced in.

Christ declared, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32). If man’s will is submitted to the will of God, the man, though a sinner, will be drawn to Christ. He will realize something of the love manifested by God when He gave His Son to die on Calvary’s cross, to bring life and immortality within the reach of men. The acceptance of the Saviour brings perfect peace, perfect love, perfect assurance. The beauty and fragrance of the Christ-life, revealed in the character, testifies that God has indeed sent His Son into the world. No other power could bring about so marked a change in a man’s words, spirit, and actions.

Without Christ the heart of man is cold. But when one feels his need of the Sun of Righteousness; when he comes to Jesus, saying, Lord, I am sinful, unworthy, helpless; save me, or I perish, he is accepted in the Beloved, and his heart is warmed by the rays of divine love. By this sincere coming to Christ, he opens the door to Him who has long been saying: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). He is accepted, and he knows what it means to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. God says, Let there be light; and there is light (Genesis 1:3). The soul possesses an abiding Christ, who is the light of life.

Christ humbles the proud heart by giving it a view of Himself, His generosity, His great love. He desires to save us, soul, body, and spirit, by uniting us to Himself. He desires us to behold His glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father. Then we can say, “Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). He who shows that he appreciates the grace he receives, by imparting it to others, receives increased grace, in proportion to the grace he imparts. And he is so full of joy that he exclaims, “Thy gentleness hath made me great” (Psalm 18:35, last part)!

The one great lesson all must learn—the poor sinner, dead in trespasses and sins, as well as the professed Christian, who has known the truth, but has clung to his unsanctified traits of character—is that God will save to the uttermost all who come to Him. “Him that cometh to Me,” He says, “I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). The poor, the suffering, the sinful, may find in Christ all they need. As soon as they receive Jesus as a personal Saviour, the cries of distress and woe are changed to songs of praise and thanksgiving.

All may share Christ’s grace if they will confess to the great sin-bearer, whose work it is to take away the sins of all who believe. You have the assurance that as you renounce your own righteousness, you will be clothed with His righteousness. Christ invites you, saying, “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me” (Isaiah 27:5). The door is opened to all. No one is turned away. God proffers to all a priceless treasure—His peace—a peace that the world can neither give nor take away. The everlasting gates of pearl will not open to those who come with the symbols of power, but they will open wide to the trembling touch of the meek and lowly. To be great in the kingdom of God is to be as a little child in simplicity and love. The Lord is able and willing to work in our behalf, and He will work if we come to Him as children. He will lead us by the hand, upholding us that our feet shall not slip.

The Youth’s Instructor, September 28, 1899.

The Easy Yoke

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“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

Matthew 16:24

Ellen G. White makes an interesting comment on Matthew 11:28. She says, “The yoke and the cross are symbols representing the same thing—the giving up of the will to God.” Our High Calling, 100. Christ says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me … and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). Here we find the yoke and the cross are symbols representing the same thing: the giving up of the will to God.

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Taking the yoke and taking up the cross represent the same thing: entering into fellowship with Christ in His life of self-sacrifice and self-denial.

Now the question is, How in the world could that truth be called an easy yoke? Luke records the Savior’s words nearly the same as how Matthew wrote them but in Luke there is an additional word: “And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). The extra word is daily. That means every day. It means Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and each of the remaining days. It does not mean the first day of the month or once a year, but daily. The easy yoke then is not a life of ease. Let me make that clear. The easy yoke that Christ offers us is not a life of ease; it is a life of self-denial.

You may ask How could that be an easy yoke? That is one of the paradoxes of the Bible. It is a paradox but it is the truth. The fact is that this is not one of many ways to be free from worry and fear and anxiety, and useless burdens; it is the only way. Since sin entered this world there is no way to live a life free from the worries and the cares and the heavy burdens that afflict the people in life in general unless you accept the life that Jesus offers in fellowship with Him, and that is the life of the cross.

So Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). A life of ease? No. An easy yoke? Yes.

Now this is like many other things – it is known only by those who experience it. There are many things in life that way. Do you know what a watermelon tastes like? If you do it is because you have experienced it. If you have never tasted a watermelon you do not know what it tastes like. You may have read books, you may have studied seed catalogs, you may have looked at the pictures, you may have heard other people talk about its sweetness, but you do not know what it tastes like. So it is with this experience. The easy yoke that Jesus offers is understood and known only by those who experience it.

Few people really enter with Jesus into this easy life. The majority of the people in this world are not even interested in Christ’s yoke at all; they’re just carrying their own program, wanting to live their own life, do their own thing. But even among those who have chosen to follow Christ, few there are who enter fully into this experience. They are either afraid of the cross or they are afraid to trust themselves with Jesus.

In The Ministry of Healing, 480, 481, we find these inspiring words: “Many who profess to be Christ’s followers have an anxious, troubled heart because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him, for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender they cannot find peace.”

Here is a man who is trying to quit cigarettes and we say to him, Friend, why do you want to quit cigarettes? Well, I’m afraid I might get lung cancer. Or I’m afraid I might have a heart attack. Or I’m afraid I might get an ulcer of the stomach. A dozen other reasons could be given. But he says, it seems so hard to quit cigarettes. As far as a man’s feelings are concerned who, day by day, is in the grip of a cigarette habit, is it easier to quit or easier to go on? It’s easier to go on for most people and that is why most people do it. There are millions of people who would quit tonight if it wasn’t so hard. But tell me, is that the yoke of Christ? Is that what makes it hard? Why, no. The hard part is getting away from the yoke of sin, the yoke of slavery to that evil habit.

Christians who never smoked cigarettes do not feel that not smoking is a heavy burden. They do not feel sorry for themselves because they don’t smoke. It is not a burden or a load to carry – it is easy. But the poor fellow who is in the grip of the tobacco habit, tell him that, and he may say, Yes, I wish I had never started, but believe me, it’s hard to get out. Now Christ is willing to help him. But the way out is the way of self-denial. The way out is the way where the man by faith in Jesus chooses to say no to that craving. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and every selfish, sinful lust and craving. Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” There is no other way. Is it worth it?

Smoking cigarettes is just an example of a hundred things that are troubling people, things that keep people from having real peace, things people are hanging on to. Christians, you saints of God, what is it that is keeping you from having abundant life, abounding peace and joy in the Lord? The Holy Spirit will talk to your heart about it while using this example of the cigarette habit.

Now here’s our man. He’s been smoking three packs a day and he says, I do want to quit but this is so hard. I think I’ll cut down tomorrow to two and a half packs. I’ll try that for a week. If I can make it with that then I think I’ll try just two packs a day, and maybe a year from now I’ll be only smoking one cigarette a day and finally I’ll come to the day when I’ve smoked my last one. Is that a good program? Will it work?

My friends, don’t miss the next point. Even if this method would work, it is not the easiest way to overcome this habit but instead it is the painful way. Some people try to cut sin out of their lives a little at a time. So, they have to go through the pain and the agony and the struggle over and over and over and over again.

Your problem may be something else. When the Spirit of God begins to deal with your soul, when the pruning knife of God’s word is applied, do you cry out, Oh, would you take that out of my life? Why, I have a hard enough time as it is, and if you take that out, what will I do? I’ve got to have a few cigarettes or else I can’t live with myself and the family can’t live with me. I’ve got to have something. That is not the easy yoke, friends—that’s the hard way.

It is the same with every other sin, every other indulgence, every other form of turning away from Heaven’s best program. You apply it to your problems. Why not give yourself soul and body for life or death to Jesus to be everything, all for Him without any reserve of any kind? Put everything on the altar, not holding back anything, not trying to do it on the installment plan. Right now. Everything for God.

When you make that surrender you may not know all that it involves. Tomorrow or six months from now God may bring to your mind something that He wants to come out of your life that you don’t even know about today. But you’ve made the decision now and everything is on the altar. After all, Jesus gave everything for you so that you might be redeemed. The cross of Calvary represents a sacrifice made so that others may be redeemed. Jesus took that cross for you and as you take that cross for Him it means that you link up with Him in giving your life in service for others.

Concerning John the Baptist, Jesus said, “He was a burning and a shining light” (John 5:35). If a candle shines, it burns, and what happens to the candle? In Westminster Abbey where one of the saints of God lies buried is a candlestick, and the candle is burned clear down. There in the granite are chiseled these words: “Burned out.” Would you burn out for God? Would you give your life in service for Him? Or would you seek to consider your desires, your whims, your ambitions, your plans, your purposes, the things that please you? But somebody says, Didn’t you say that God wants to please us? Yes, hence the paradox. The only way you can ever be pleased yourself is to forget all about yourself.

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it” (Luke 9:24). If you are just trying to look after your desires, your plans, what you like, you will never even satisfy yourself. But if you will forget about yourself, put your all on the altar and let Jesus link you in service with Him, taking His yoke, then you will find the real joy and meaning of life.

Paul did it. On the Damascus road he met Christ and from that moment on there was just one thing for him. He summed it all up in those immortal words, “For to me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21, first part). “For me to live is Christ.” That’s all I have to live for, just Jesus. If He wants me to suffer, if He sees that is the best way to advance His cause, that’s all right. If He wants me to die, that’s all right. When Paul appeared before Nero, that cruel monster on the throne of the world’s greatest empire, he wasn’t afraid. He knew that his life was on the altar and if the time had come for the sword to cut his head off, it was all right. He knew that his life was hid with Christ in God and that “When Christ who is our life, shall appear, he would appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). Friends, a Christian cannot lose. “… to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21, last part). This makes a Christian fearless.

One of the early Christian witnesses for God was taken before a Roman provincial governor. It was a time of persecution, and the governor said to this Christian, “Listen, if you don’t give up this Christian religion we are going to take all your goods.” He said, “I have no goods; I gave them all to Christ.” The governor looked at him and said, “If you don’t give this up we’ll take your life!” He said, “I have no life; I gave it all to Christ.”

Oh friends, what is your answer? Is there anything too precious to withhold from Jesus? It is this half and half business that makes people miserable. Too good for hell but not good enough for heaven. One hand with Christ, the other hand with the world and the devil. Why go that way?

Somebody says, Well, I don’t want to go to extremes. What do you mean, extremes? An extremist is someone who goes to the right or to the left farther than God said. You can never be an extremist doing what God said. If you try to do more than He said that’s being extreme. If you do what He says, there’s nothing extreme about that. That is what He expects. “If ye love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

People talk about the middle of the road. The question is, Which road? There is a road that’s broad and leads to death and nearly everybody is going on it. The middle of that road will only take you to hell just like the right hand or the left of it will. There’s only one place to be in the middle of the road and that’s the narrow road and that road is just as wide as one man, the man Christ Jesus. The only way you can get extremes on that road is to get off the road. There’s a ditch on either side and that’s extremes. Do not worry about being an extremist if you just do what Jesus says. That will keep you busy. There’s plenty to do just to do what He says. You don’t have to invent things. We are warned not to invent crosses of our own. We’re not to deny ourselves of nourishing food. There’s no call to get off a comfortable bed and lie down on the floor or on spikes in order to prove we can take it. There are plenty of things that the devil would like to get us into to show that we are sacrificial, but Christ has not called for it.

“Many who profess to be Christ’s followers have an anxious, troubled heart because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him, for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender they cannot find peace.” The Ministry of Healing, 480, 481.

I said to somebody one day, “Will you do something for me?” They responded, “That depends on what it is.” That’s all right to treat me that way but that is not the way to treat God. I might make a mistake. I might ask you to do something you couldn’t do or didn’t want to do. But when God says, Will you do something for Me, there is only one right answer — YES. God appreciates that.

“There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world’s standard. They have chosen its service, accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs. Thus their character is marred and their life made a weariness. The continual worry is wearing out the life forces.” Ibid., 481.

The family next door just got a boat. Well, I better get a boat too. If they have a boat, then we’ve got to get a boat. People up at the corner, they just bought a brand new car. They already have two others but now they have another one. Daddy had better get busy. Somebody had better get busy. Mother may have to go out and work, take a job along with Father to bring in more money to keep up with the neighbors. There are a thousand variations on that same tune. There are a thousand ways to wear your life out just by trying to keep up with what other people are doing.

Take the matter of dress. The idolatry of dress is costing the professed people of God millions of dollars every year – millions of dollars – and at the Judgment somebody will have to give an account. Somebody starts some new fad and the daughters and sons of Zion have to follow along. Some follow right up close; some follow at a respectable distance. But oh to be so linked with Jesus that we don’t have to spend time and money with the shifting fashions, some of which are immodest, some of which are positively indecent, some simply vain, shallow, and unnatural. That is not the way to wear the yoke of Christ. It will wear you out. The men and women who plan the fashions are in it for money and money demands a change of model frequently. The automobile folks know that. So, no matter how bad a fashion is, that fashion won’t last. No matter how good a style may be, it won’t last always, if the fashion makers can have their way. And back of the fashion makers is the devil.

What is the devil trying to do with fashion? He is trying to promote immodesty, indecency, and immorality. He has succeeded. He is trying to promote disease by bringing in all kinds of unhealthful fashions. He is trying to promote vanity and pride. People show themselves off like vain peacocks. They do all kinds of things from the hair on their head to the shoes on their feet just to show off. But underneath it all there is another purpose of the enemy. He wants to wear people out. He wants their minds to be filled with “What shall we eat?” or, “What shall we drink?” or “Wherewithal shall we be clothed” (Matthew 6:31)? Jesus advises that we study the lilies of the field. “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; … even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Matthew 6:28, 29).

If you want the yoke of Christ, which is easy, do not study the fashion plates of this world. Do not try to keep up with Paris or New York or Hollywood or anything else. Try to keep up with Jesus. This doesn’t mean being sloppy; it doesn’t mean being careless. For Christ’s sake, whose witnesses we are, we should seek to make the best of our appearance but that doesn’t take a lot of wearing toil. It doesn’t take a lot of unnecessary expenditure either of money or of time or of thought. Natural simplicity is the way of true beauty. It is the easy yoke that Christ is talking about. So it is with every other phase of life.

Take the matter of food—how people today are spending money and time and thought to create some new sensation to tempt the appetite. Why? Not because they are hungry. Their appetites have been so perverted that they do not know what natural hunger is. Many of them eat all day and into the night. They come to the table with very little genuine appetite so somebody has to be busy thinking up concoctions, all sorts of things to tempt the appetite. This calls for time and money and thought that could be devoted to something better. And again, as on dress, so on diet, the answer is not to be sloppy and slovenly. Just throw the food on the table and let people eat like the cattle from the manger. No, no. God wants us to present the food in a beautiful and attractive way. This reminds me of the Eden that was and the Eden that is to be. And the food that God gave our first parents is still the most delicious, the most palatable and the most nutritious. Do you notice, friends, that the nearer we get to that program, the more time and thought we have to devote to the spiritual side of life? The food itself contributes to that and it doesn’t call for those hours and hours of toil in preparation that the worldly program does.

Someone may say, today we don’t have to spend much time in preparation. We just run down and buy these TV dinners and just sit at the TV and eat. Mother doesn’t have to cook. I believe that is also a heavy yoke.

What was that word Luke used in Luke 9:23? Daily. What a wonderful experience it can be to be alone with God to settle this question. All on the altar. He has got a blessing for you in fellowship with Him. He wants you to be all alone when you enter into this because He has some things to tell you He won’t tell anyone else. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant” (Psalm 25:14).

Lord, tell us what to cut out of our lives so that we’ll have more time, more money, more thought, more love for the things that are worth the most. Teach us how to sense our privileges, to lay aside the yokes of bondage, to accept Thy yoke which is easy and Thy burden which is light.

 

Elder W.D. Frazee studied the Medical Missionary Course at the College of Medical Evangelists in Loma Linda, California. He was called to Utah as a gospel medical evangelist. During the Great Depression, when the church could not afford to hire any assistants, Elder Frazee began inviting professionals to join him as volunteers. This began a faith ministry that would become the foundation for the establishment of the Wildwood Medical Missionary Institute in 1942. He believed that each person is unique, specially designed by the Lord, of infinite value, and has a special place and mission in this world which only he can fill. His life followed this principle and he encouraged others to do the same.

The True Vine

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Nine years ago, after we had started our self-supporting daughter church in the parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica, West Indies, the then President of the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists at a convention notified his members and leaders about our off-shoot church. He stated that we were not Seventh-day Adventists and therefore they should be aware of us! Certainly, this did something to the minds of the sincere members and leaders who truly love their church. They were now put on guard against us by this president who had never spoken to me on the matter. We were now viewed as their enemies because we were presented to them as antagonistic towards the SDA church. It was conveyed to these honest SDAs that we have left “the church” and “the truth.”

Consequently, from that day forward, the majority of Seventh-day Adventists and especially those in the area where we operate despise us, while the others just tolerate us! All because of the irresponsible attitude of one husbandman.

To help you to see the far-reaching effect of this president’s action, I will connect another incident with this one which occurred on a Sabbath evening several years ago when an elder and I decided to pay a visit to an evangelist friend of mine who was conducting a meeting in the same vicinity where our daughter church is located. When we arrived on the site where the tent was erected, it was evident that there was a break in meetings so we went to the back of the tent to see the evangelist but were told by three women who were seated there that he had left for a baptism service at another location.

Interestingly, one of the ladies, who apparently recognized us, asked a very strange question: “Did you come here to be re-baptized?” What really prompted this poor lady to ask us such a question? Evidently, it had to do with what was told to her and others by the conference leadership; that we have apostatized from “the truth” and we are not “under the conference,” therefore we are no longer a part of God’s church.

This experience demonstrated that there exists a great degree of ignorance among many Seventh-day Adventists, members and leaders alike, concerning the phrase “off-shoot,” and equally, who or what is the true source of salvation and what are the qualifying characteristics of a true Seventh-day Adventist Christian! Sadly, this was the very same condition of the Jewish church in the time of Christ.

Isaiah says, “Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes” (Isaiah 5:1, 2).

Israel was a vine planted by God for a special reason—that of being Jehovah’s representatives, fruitful in every good work.

“God’s law must be exalted, His authority maintained; and to the house of Israel was given this great and noble work. God separated them from the world, that He might commit to them a sacred trust. He made them the depositaries of His law, and He purposed through them to preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Thus the light of heaven was to shine out to a world enshrouded in darkness, and a voice was to be heard appealing to all peoples to turn from idolatry to serve the living God.” Prophets and Kings, 16.

Israel was God’s choice vine, planted by Him to be the avenue to Christ—“the true vine”—the only source of salvation for the nations of earth. But ancient Israel did not fulfill God’s purpose. She failed to reflect the lovely character of Jesus to those in darkness. So the Lord reasons, “Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me” (Jeremiah 2: 21)?

Through Hosea God said of His church, “Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images” (Hosea 10:1).

In disappointment the Lord asked, “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt Me and My vineyard. What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. … and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry” (Isaiah 5:3–7, last part).

Israel, the church in the wilderness, was an off-shoot of “the vine” by God’s special favor and faithfulness, and by His goodness He made her into a choice vine. This the Jews should never have forgotten. An off-shoot by definition is a branch or lateral shoot from a main stem of a plant. So then, an off-shoot is not a different species from the parent stock. It has in itself the same nature and features like that of the parent stock from which it springs.

The Jews should always have remembered that they were but an off-shoot of “the vine” as was stated by God through their prophet Jeremiah: “Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me” (Jeremiah 2:21)? The phrase right seed according to the Hebrew means a vine-shoot of the genuine sort. This is how an off-shoot comes about!

According to Ellen White, this choice vine that God planted was His church, His true representative on earth. “The Lord planted His church as a vine in a fruitful field. With tenderest care He nourished and cherished it, that it might bring forth the fruits of righteousness.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 240.

This choice vine was a representation of “the true vine” that God Himself planted in a manger in Bethlehem. Ellen White reveals what Jesus meant by these words, “ ‘I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman’ (John 15:1). Our Heavenly Father planted on earth a goodly vine, whose fruit would impart to the children of men eternal life. But this precious plant appeared to human eyes as a root out of dry ground, seeming to have no form nor comeliness. When it was claimed to be of heavenly origin, the men of Nazareth became enraged, and cast it from them. The inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem took this vine of God’s own planting, and bruised it, and trampled it under foot, hoping thus to destroy it forever. But now the Husbandman removed his precious vine, and planted it in his own garden, beyond the spoiler’s reach. The stock and root were concealed from human sight, but still ‘the branches run over the wall’ (Genesis 49:22). Thus grafts could be united to the vine, and, partaking of its nourishment, these became branches, and flourished and brought forth fruit.

“This figure of the vine is a perfect symbol. God sent His Son from the heavenly courts to a world seared and marred with the curse. In Christ was righteousness, peace, life—every blessing necessary for man’s happiness. But the world hated the Son of the infinite God. The world saw nothing attractive in Him. The best gift of Heaven was slighted and spurned. Christ was ‘a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief’ (Isaiah 53:3). Yet ‘He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed’ (verse 5). Christ was hated by evil men because His character was spotless, His works righteous. He came to be the Redeemer of the world, yet He was taken by wicked hands, and shamefully entreated, and crucified.” The Review and Herald, September 20, 1881.

The Holy Scriptures state, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). “But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him” (Matthew 21:38, 39).

Ellen White continues her explanation, “God raised Him from the dead, and He ascended to Heaven to present His blood as the propitiation for our sins.

“Though hidden from mortal sight, Christ still lives as the world’s Redeemer, the representative of man in the heavenly courts, and the medium through whom all blessings flow to the fallen race. … In this vine is all spiritual life. From Christ’s fullness alone can we obtain nourishment unto eternal life. The vine stock is unseen; but the branches—members of His body—are visible.” The Review and Herald, September 20, 1881.

We see here that Jesus Christ is “the True Vine” and His presence constitutes the church! He alone is the source of salvation for whosoever will!

Whom do the branches represent? Jesus said to His disciples, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). “The branches” Ellen White wrote “represent the believers in Jesus Christ. Those who truly believe, will do the same works that He did. They are united to Christ by the faith that works by love and purifies the soul.” The Southern Work, 52.

It is evident from this next quotation that the branches (Christians) comprise the church and hence are nourished by Jesus Christ, the True Vine. “The branches do not sustain the vine, but the vine supports and nourishes the branches. The church does not support Christ, but Christ, by His vital power, supports the church.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 344.

How do the branches stay connected to the vine? In John 15:8, 9, Jesus said, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples. As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love.” “Every branch of the vine, subjected to the pruning of the wise Husbandman, will bring forth clusters of precious fruit. ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love’ (Galatians 5:22). … The branch can maintain its connection with the living vine only on condition that it bear fruit. Said Christ, ‘If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love’ (John 15:10). …

“Love to God and love to our neighbor is the sum and substance of true piety. Those who are destitute of this love, and yet claim high attainments in spiritual things, may for a time deceive their fellow-men, but they cannot deceive God. Says the True Witness, ‘I know thy works’ (Revelation 2:2, first part). And in the great day of final accounts, God ‘will render to every man according to his deeds’ (Romans 2:6).” The Review and Herald, September 20, 1881.

Ellen White on another occasion explained the importance of unity in relation to this fruit of love that the branches must bear in order to stay connected to Christ. She wrote, “Unity, fellowship with one another and with Christ—this is the fruit borne on every branch of the living vine.” In Heavenly Places, 72. Unity is not a distinct, separate fruit that the branches must bear; it is an offspring of love. This is what the servant of the Lord explains: “The golden chain of love, binding the hearts of the believers in unity, in bonds of fellowship and love, and in oneness with Christ and the Father, makes the connection perfect and bears to the world a testimony of the power of Christianity that cannot be controverted.” Our High Calling, 173.

The Jewish church was destitute of the love of Jesus and the unity that it produces! Is the SDA church destitute of God’s love and unity? We get our answer from an article in The Review and Herald dated February 25, 1902, under the topic “The Need of a Revival and a Reformation.” It states, “ ‘Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent’ (Revelation 2:4, 5).

“I am instructed to say that these words are applicable to Seventh-day Adventist churches in their present condition. The love of God has been lost, and this means the absence of love for one another. Self, self, self, is cherished, and is striving for the supremacy. How long is this to continue? Unless there is a reconversion, there will soon be such a lack of godliness that the Church will be represented by the barren fig tree. Great light has been given to her. She has had abundant opportunity for bearing much fruit. But selfishness has come in, and God says, ‘I will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.’ ”

Also, with reference to unity among SDAs, this is what she wrote: “There is a great and solemn work to be done by Seventh-day Adventists if they will only be converted. The great trouble is the lack of unity among them. This is a sin in the sight of God—a sin which, unless God’s people repent, will withhold from them His blessing.” The General Conference Bulletin, April 7, 1903.

Like so many SDA leaders and members today, the Jewish leaders and people failed to realize that their church was not “the true vine” but a choice vine, an off-shoot of “the true vine” – Jesus Christ. It was because of their constant refusal to understand this important truth that they rejected Christ and consequently were severed from “the vine.”

The Seventh-day Adventist church is, without question, God’s true church, just as the Jewish church was God’s true church in Christ’s time. The rejection of Christ and the path of rebellion and disobedience that the Jewish church took following that rejection led down the very same path the SDA church organization is pursuing. If she fails to repent, then a similar fate—final rejection by God—will be meted out to her that the Jewish church experienced.

It was out of this whole experience that Christ was forced to establish the new Christian church. In the book, The Desire of Ages, pages 231, 232, we see how this all happened. “If the leaders in Israel had received Christ, He would have honored them as His messengers to carry the gospel to the world. To them first was given the opportunity to become heralds of the kingdom and grace of God. But Israel knew not the time of her visitation. The jealousy and distrust of the Jewish leaders had ripened into open hatred, and the hearts of the people were turned away from Jesus.

“The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ’s message and was bent upon His death; therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all nations.

“As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ’s withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church; but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience.”

If there is one reason for the existence of independent SDA churches or self-supporting SDA churches, this would be it: the desire to render loving obedience to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, the question must be asked, Is God opposed to self-supporting SDA churches or ministries? The answer is obvious: No, He is not! The evidence is clear.

“That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today. He has ‘let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen,’ even to His covenant-keeping people, who faithfully ‘render Him the fruits in their seasons’ (Matthew 21:41). Never has the Lord been without true representatives on this earth who have made His interests their own. These witnesses for God are numbered among the spiritual Israel, and to them will be fulfilled all the covenant promises made by Jehovah to His ancient people.” Prophets and Kings, 713, 714.

Let us never forget these words written in 1903: “The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the word of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities. But if these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action, if they do not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord will grievously afflict and humble them, and, unless they repent, will remove them from their place and make them a reproach.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, 102.

Jesus appeals to you and to me, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. … If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:4, 6). The fruit that we all must bear to prove that we are connected to Christ is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is love (Galatians 5:22).

This is what the Jewish leaders and people failed to produce because from the very beginning they rejected the True Vine! Your prayer and my prayer should be, Lord, let this not be my attitude! Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). The question that Jesus is asking you and me today is “Lovest thou Me” (John 21:15)?

 

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

Faith That Works

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We know there is coming a great time of trouble before Jesus returns. Some of us might be in prisons, in mountain caverns, or in the woods somewhere. At that time, it will be comforting to remember the things that we have studied while there was freedom.

In an article by Elder Robinson in The Review and Herald in 1931, he wrote, “There can be no doubt in the mind of any true Seventh-day Adventist that the supreme need of God’s remnant people is true vital godliness as a preparation for the advent of Christ and for the tests that are to come upon them before that event. This need places upon the ministry the solemn responsibility of giving to the flock of God, in a clear, tangible, and definite way, such instruction as will help them to understand how to obtain the experience that will bring into their lives complete victory over sin. On the one hand we see the great success of the enemy in deceiving earnest souls by causing them to depend in a greater or lesser degree upon some works of their own, at least as a partial means of salvation.”

That paragraph records one of the great battlefields between the sixteenth century reformers and the Roman Catholic church, which, in fact, has never changed its position. One day I turned the radio on in my car and listened to a Catholic program. The person speaking was actually attacking Protestantism by trying to prove that salvation came by faith and works. Martin Luther said that no, salvation does not come by faith and works. Works have no merit of any kind to gain any part of your salvation. Ellen White said that if you said to the angels that our works had something to do with our salvation, they would consider it treason against the government of God.

James 2 is used by Roman Catholics in a powerful way to try to prove that salvation comes by faith and works.

Elder Robinson continued in his article, “On the other hand, is there not danger that the minister, in order to emphasize the truth that these deluded souls need, will, while presenting the riches of the grace of Christ in affording a full and complete salvation, fail to make equally clear the part every man himself must act in cooperation with God in order to receive the benefits of the atonement?

“The minister himself may understand this, and his life may be consistent. He may not in the course of his exposition of the doctrine of the righteousness by faith completely ignore the effort that is necessary to maintain a Christian experience. Yet if by dwelling disproportionately upon one side of the question, he leaves his hearers or readers to feel they may enter into a life of victory in which they are more or less passive, trusting Jesus to do everything for them without active, vigilant cooperation on their part, he has seriously failed to bring effective righteousness into their lives.”

That belief is very popular today, even among Seventh-day Adventists. People want a passive religion where Christ does everything and they do nothing, expecting to simply sit in a comfortable seat and allow Jesus to drive them to heaven.

Quoting Matthew 11:28–30 to prove their point, people have often said that it is easier to be saved than lost. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

It says, “My yoke is easy.” However, if you look at the Greek word that is used there, it does not mean easy. The word easy is actually a dynamic equivalence in translation. If you translate it literally it would read “My yoke is kind.”

Though this text is used to try to show that it is easier to be saved than be lost, it is not true. You do not have to do anything to be lost.

Ellen White says, “This is an age famous for surface work, for easy methods, for boasted holiness aside from the standard of character that God has erected. All short routes, all cutoff tracks, all teaching which fails to exalt the law of God as the standard of religious character, is spurious. Perfection of character is a lifelong work, unattainable by those who are not willing to strive for it in God’s appointed way, by slow and toilsome steps. We cannot afford to make any mistake in this matter, but we want day by day to be growing up into Christ, our living Head.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 500. [Emphasis in original.]

When you are a young person growing up in a Christian home, it is very easy to assume that if you work at it you will attain perfection of character. However, attaining perfection of character takes a lifetime of slow, toilsome steps. She says, “We cannot afford to make any mistake in this matter, but we want day by day to be growing up into Christ, our living Head.” Ibid.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (Ephesians 4:14, 15).

Christ is our living head. Concerning Him, Ephesians 1:22 says that “He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.”

At the Minneapolis General Conference in 1888, the subject of righteousness by faith was presented. This message was preached by Jones and Waggoner all over the country, but it was rejected by many Adventist leaders. However, in 1893 Ellen White sent to Elder A. T. Jones a caution concerning his preaching. She said, “I was attending a meeting, and a large congregation were present. In my dream you were presenting the subject of faith and the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. You repeated several times that works amounted to nothing, that there were no conditions. The matter was presented in that light that I knew minds would be confused, and would not receive the correct impression in reference to faith and works.” Notebook Leaflets, vol. 1, chapter 21.

It was the way in which the message was presented that was in error, in a way that minds would be confused, and not the message itself. The result was that the relationship between faith and works would not be understood correctly.

Elder Robinson in this article went on to write, “Surely such a caution should be passed on so that our ministry today may have the benefit of it. In order to make apparent this danger [of not understanding the balance between faith and works] there follow a few of these quoted statements of Mrs. White, pointing out the worthlessness of man’s efforts as being in themselves meritorious as a means of salvation.”

Our works have absolutely no merit in gaining salvation; we are saved on the basis of the merits of Jesus Christ. If you believe that you are saved by both faith and works, Ellen White says the devil knows that he will overcome you.

Elder Robinson writes, “Following each of these quotations in shorter lines are other statements taken from the same article which cannot be ignored if a balanced presentation is to be assured. These statements are designated by the letters A and B, A presenting one side of the question, B the other side of the question. For the sake of brevity, a few typical instances are given, and these are limited to The Review and Herald articles, immediately following the Minneapolis conference.”

“There are many who seem to feel that they have a great work to do themselves before they can come to Christ for His salvation. They seem to think that Jesus will come in at the very last of their struggle and give them help by putting the finishing touch to their life-work. It seems difficult for them to understand that Christ is a complete Saviour, and able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. (See Hebrews 7:25.) They lose sight of the fact that Christ Himself is ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6).” The Review and Herald, March 5, 1889.

The truth is that you need Christ’s help at the beginning of your Christian journey and all along the way. Ellen White says that we cannot keep ourselves from sin for one moment without Jesus (see The Ministry of Healing, 180).

It is in our weakness that Jesus can keep us from falling. When Peter walked on water to reach Jesus provides an illustration of living the Christian life. The impossible becomes possible when we fix our eyes on Jesus, and He is ever willing to help all who call on Him. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, last part). We must not feel that we have to do something first and then Jesus will help us from then on.

In this same article Ellen White says, “Sabbath afternoon I had freedom in presenting to the people the necessity of obeying the law of God. It is not enough to say that we believe. We must have that genuine faith which works by love, and purifies the soul. God has given us a perfect standard of righteousness in His law.” …

“When the Spirit of God begins to work upon the hearts of men, the fruit is seen in confession of sin, and restitution for wrongs. All through the meetings, as the people sought to draw nearer to God, they brought forth works meet for repentance by confessing one to another.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, Chapter 30.

Here Ellen White talks about fruits meet or appropriate for repentance, referring to the statement made by John the Baptist to the Jewish leaders found in Matthew 3:8. She also talks about the faith that works by love. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). We are not saved by faith and works. However, we are saved by faith that works. Works are the result of faith and not the cause of any merit of our salvation.

“We thank the Lord with all the heart that we have precious light to present before the people, and we rejoice that we have a message for this time which is present truth. The tidings that Christ is our righteousness has brought relief to many, many souls, and God says to His people, ‘Go forward.’ The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to our condition.” …

“We thank God that there are souls who realize that they are in need of something which they do not possess—gold of faith and love, white raiment of Christ’s righteousness, eye-salve of spiritual discernment.” The Review and Herald, July 23, 1889.

Christ is our righteousness. Paul says, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). We see from this that Jesus is to us “righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”

In this same article is the following statement: “When the Lord gives us a work to do, if we do it in His fear, it will be wholly acceptable to God. Not one jot or tittle of His promises will fail to those who act their part with fidelity, who live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. We are to believe and obey the commandments of God.” The Review and Herald, July 23, 1889.

Not only are we to believe but we are to obey. To be perfect means to have the love of God within. Those who truly love God will want to obey His word.

“All who profess to believe the Lord is soon coming, should reveal their faith by corresponding works. … diligent zeal must be manifested to set the truth before the people by personal work. But the most enthusiastic zeal will accomplish nothing without the co-operation of God. Divine power must combine with human effort.” Ibid., August 13, 1889.

“The doctrine of justification by faith has been lost sight of by many who have professed to believe the third angel’s message.” Ibid.

“Divine power must be combined with human effort.” Ibid., September 8, 1896.

“If Satan can succeed in leading man to place value upon his own works as works of merit and righteousness, he knows that he can overcome him by his temptations, and make him his victim and prey. Lift up Jesus before the people. Strike the door-posts with the blood of Calvary’s Lamb, and you are safe.” Ibid., September 3, 1889.

Well does the devil know that by believing human works have some merit makes you an easy prey. Salvation is completely of grace. The struggle we do have is to learn to live by faith.

“There is indeed a narrow way in which we must walk; the cross is presented at every step. We must learn to live by faith; then the darkest hours will be brightened by the blessed beams of the Sun of Righteousness. …

“Earthly blessings cannot be obtained without toil, and can we expect that spiritual and heavenly blessings will come without earnest effort on our part? …

“Those who believe that God for Christ’s sake has forgiven their sins, should not, through temptation, fail to press on to fight the good fight of faith. Their faith should grow stronger until their Christian life, as well as their words, shall declare, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth me from all sin’ (1 John 1:7, last part).” Ibid.

We are told, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).

How would you explain the fight of faith? I have discovered that within Seventh-day Adventist circles there are many differences of opinion on this subject.

In 1890 Ellen White wrote an article in The Review and Herald in which she has some interesting statements about the law and the gospel. She says, “Do not stand as many of you have done, apparently wavering between dependence upon the righteousness of Christ, and dependence upon your own righteousness. Deception has come upon some minds until they have thought that their own merits were of considerable value. Their minds are confused and perplexed where all is clear and plain. The end is near! We have no time to halt between two opinions.” Ibid., May 27, 1890.

Now is not the time to remain confused. Our dependence is not on anything that we can do. Our dependence is on Christ alone.

Paul presents this same dichotomy in writing to the Philippian church. He says, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12, 13). [Emphasis supplied.] Here Paul makes it clear that although it sounds like you are working it out, actually, it is God working in you.

In an article recorded in Testimonies, vol. 4, 383, Ellen White was shown a panoramic view of the judgment of the entire world, but more specifically, concerning those who profess to be Seventh-day Adventists.

As she looked, she was particularly concerned about certain people. She said, “They had presumed too much upon the mercy of God.” Ibid., 385. They had not cooperated with the Holy Spirit to develop a perfect character. It is something I believe we should study often so that we don’t become lackadaisical and settle down accepting a passive, easy religion that is so common today. The Bible predicted this to be a problem in the last days. In 2 Timothy 3:5, it says the people will have a “form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away.” Those described here are professed Christians.

Are you aware of the fact that as we approach the end of the world’s history there is going to be a revival such as the world has never seen? It is going to look as if the whole world has been converted. Inspiration tells us that they are going to come to the Seventh-day Adventists and say that the whole world has been converted. If you would just cooperate, the millennium could begin. But because there are a few people who refuse to deny their faith and cooperate with the masses, a decision will be made to introduce a death decree and get rid of the non-conformists.

“We must unite with Christ. There is a reservoir of power at our command, and we are not to remain in the dark, cold, sunless cave of unbelief; or we shall not catch the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.” The Review and Herald, January 24, 1893.

“Satan is now working with all his insinuating, deceiving power, to lead men away from the work of the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with mighty power. When the enemy sees that the Lord is blessing His people, and preparing them to discern his delusions, he will work with his masterly power to bring in fanaticism on one hand and cold formalism on the other, that he may gather in a harvest of souls. Now is the time to watch unceasingly. Watch for the first step of advance that Satan may make among us.” Ibid. Whenever there is a revival and reformation movement, the devil tries to destroy it by bringing in fanaticism on one hand and cold formalism on the other.

“Some will not make a right use of the doctrine of justification by faith. They will present it in a one-sided manner, making everything of faith, and belittling works. Others will seize the points that have a leaning toward error, and will ignore works altogether. Now, genuine faith always works by love; it supplies a motive power. Faith is not an opiate, but a stimulant. Looking to Calvary will not quiet your soul into nonperformance of duty, but will create faith that will work, purifying the soul from all selfishness. In laying hold of Christ by faith, we but just begin our work. Every man has corrupt and sinful habits that must be overcome through vigorous warfare. Every soul must fight the fight of faith. He who is a follower of Christ, cannot deal deceitfully; he cannot be hard-hearted and devoid of sympathy. He cannot be coarse in speech. He cannot be a surmiser of evil, an accuser of the brethren. He cannot be full of pomposity and self-esteem. He cannot be overbearing, using harsh words, and censuring and condemning those around him. …

“To be a Christian requires more than a profession of faith. There must be an earnest effort to conquer through the grace freely given of God.” Ibid.

Today, our prayer should be: “Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Editorial – A New Creature

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“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Just as a good tree will bear good fruit, so will the tree that is actually planted in the Lord’s garden produce good fruit unto eternal life. Besetting sins are overcome; evil thoughts are not allowed in the mind; evil habits are purged from the soul temple. The tendencies which have been biased in a wrong direction are turned in a right direction. Wrong dispositions and feelings are changed, new principles of action supplied, and there is a new standard of character. Holy tempers and sanctified emotions are now the fruit borne upon the Christian tree. An entire transformation has taken place. This is the work to be wrought.

“We see by experience that in our own human strength, resolutions and purposes are of no avail. Must we, then, give up our determined efforts? No; although our experience testifies that we cannot possibly do this work ourselves, help has been laid upon One who is mighty to do it for us. But the only way we can secure the help of God is to put ourselves wholly in His hands, and trust Him to work for us. As we lay hold of Him by faith, He does the work. The believer can only trust. As God works, we can work, trusting in Him and doing His will.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1080.

“The cross of Calvary challenges, and will finally vanquish every earthly and hellish power. In the cross all influence centers, and from it all influence goes forth. It is the great center of attraction; for on it Christ gave up His life for the human race. This sacrifice was offered for the purpose of restoring man to his original perfection. Yea, more, it was offered to give him an entire transformation of character, making him more than a conqueror.” Ibid., 1113.

“Christ declares, ‘I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love’ (Revelation 2:4). Many are holding on to the truth with only the tips of their fingers. They have had great light and many privileges. Like Capernaum, they have in this respect been exalted to heaven. But unless they put away their pride and self-confidence, in the time of trial that is approaching they will become apostates. Unless they have an entire transformation of character, they will never enter heaven.” Review and Herald, February 11, 1904.

“The mighty power of the Holy Spirit works an entire transformation in the character of the human agent, making him a new creature in Christ Jesus. …

“We may talk of the blessings of the Holy Spirit, but unless we prepare ourselves for its reception, of what avail are our works? Are we striving with all our power to attain to the stature of men and women in Christ? Are we seeking for His fullness, ever pressing toward the mark set before us—the perfection of His character? When the Lord’s people reach this mark, they will be sealed in their foreheads. Filled with the Spirit, they will be complete in Christ, and the recording angel will declare, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30).” Ibid., June 10, 1902.