The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Rule Two—True Prophets

We have already learned that all true prophets will speak in harmony with the law of God and the testimony of his word. The apostle John gives another rule describing the teaching of true prophets. He says: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” ⁸ GSAM 302.4

Note carefully the foregoing scripture. It does not say that whosoever confesseth that Jesus Christ “did come in the flesh,” “but is come in the flesh;” that is, that he comes, by his Spirit, and dwells in us, in response to our faith. This, in fact, is the central truth of the gospel, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” ⁹ GSAM 303.1

The practical theme found in all the writings of Mrs. White is the necessity of Christ as an indwelling Saviour if we would make any advancement in the heavenly way. Her writings teach the necessity of Christ first, last, and all the time. As an illustration, of this fact, attention is called to her book, “Steps to Christ,” of which more than one hundred thousand copies have been sold in the English language, to say nothing of the thousands of copies in the eighteen foreign languages in which it is now printed. A Presbyterian minister, having read the book, ordered over three hundred copies for his church-members and friends, and said, “This book was written by some one who is well acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ.” GSAM 303.2