Principles for Christian Leaders

Principle-centered

It is not for men in any part of the world, in any line of His work, to depart from God’s principles in any business transaction. God wants the world to see that business can be carried on in accordance with the principles that mark the character of God in Christ. What are God’s commandments?—They are the wall which is built round His people. There is to be no departure from His principles, no bringing in of worldly policy principles. —GCB, April 3, 1901 PCL 86.1

Those who are born again have a spiritual force and a spiritual knowledge that develops in the character the attributes of the divine nature. The life that they live is a new life, a life conformed to the will of God. Into all the business transactions into which the Christian enters, he is to bring the mind and spirit of Christ. He is to exert a saving influence. He is not to be deceived when men who walk crookedly talk of principle. These men exert a strange, misleading influence, an influence that will ruin anyone who will yield to it.—MS 78, 1905 (1905) PCL 86.2

Always act from principle, never from impulse. Temper the natural impetuosity of your nature with meekness and gentleness. Indulge in no lightness or trifling. Let no low witticism escape your lips. Even the thoughts are not to be allowed to run riot. They must be restrained, brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Let them be placed upon holy things. Then, through the grace of Christ, they will be pure and true.—MH 491 (1905) PCL 86.3

Calebs have been greatly needed in different periods of the history of our work. Today we need men of thorough fidelity, men who follow the Lord fully, men who are not disposed to be silent when they ought to speak, who are as true as steel to principle, who do not seek to make a pretentious show, but who walk humbly with God, patient, kind, obliging, courteous men, who understand that the science of prayer is to exercise faith and show works that will tell to the glory of God and the good of His people. . . . PCL 86.4

The principles of entire consecration must be maintained. Christ Himself has said, “Ye can not serve God and mammon.” “He that is not for me, (voicing my words,) is against me.” God will have no men in His work who offer divided service. His servants are to take the position that they will not sanction any evil work. To follow Jesus requires wholehearted conversion at the start, and a repetition of this conversion every day.—Letter 39, 1899 (February 22) PCL 87.1

God’s work must have workmen connected with it who have solid principles who will in all their lines of work do right because it is right. They must be led by the Lord in all their methods. They will then take the right path because they are doers of the words of Christ.—MS 24, 1894 (April 23) PCL 87.2

The Spirit of Christ must be an abiding, controlling power over the heart and mind. In the world, the god of traffic is the god of fraud. It must not be thus with those who are dealing with God’s cause. The worldly principle and standard is not to be the standard of those who are connected with sacred things.—Letter 34, 1886 (March 1) PCL 87.3

When those in high places of trust do not consider it essential to be true as steel to principle, true to their fellow men, they will not be true to God, the highest sovereignty. If those who are entrusted with responsibilities in high places take as their guide human beings who have no connection with God, they will make shipwreck of the work in every line they handle. Not for any soul living, be they young or old, is there security from the temptations of Satan, and those who choose to bind up with unholy men will imbibe their spirit and bear similar fruit. The only safety for any one of us is in walking humbly with God, in going where the Master leads the way. There is always safety and protection in obeying a “Thus saith the Lord.”—Letter 71, 1898 (August 27) PCL 87.4

We need men who will stand as true to principle as the needle to the pole. God will test the men who are given responsibilities in His work, and unless they show that they have a true idea of what Christlike principles are, He will remove them and put others in their place. God wants us to know what it means to work on the principles of heaven. He wants those in the office to know what it means for everyone to stand in his lot and place, obeying the words, “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” Brethren, let us hang these words in the chambers of the mind. If we live on the plan here outlined, we “shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”—MS 43, 1901 (April 1) PCL 88.1