From Trials to Triumph

God Recognizes and Honors Church Organization

God has made His church a channel of light. He does not give to one of His servants an experience contrary to the experience of the church itself. Neither does He give one man a knowledge of His will for the entire church while the church is left in darkness. He places His servants in close connection with His church, that they may have less confidence in themselves and greater confidence in others whom He is leading. TT 87.1

Those constantly inclined toward individual independence seem unable to realize that independence of spirit is liable to lead the human agent to have too much confidence in himself, rather than to respect the counsel and judgment of his brethren, especially of those in the offices God has appointed for leadership. God has invested His church with special authority which no one can be justified in disregarding, for he who does this despises the voice of God. TT 87.2

It is Satan's effort to separate such ones from those through whom God had built up and extended His work. For any worker in the Lord's cause to pass these by and to think that his light must come through no other channel than directly from God is to place himself where he is liable to be deceived by the enemy and overthrown. The Lord has arranged that close relationship should be maintained by all believers; Christian shall be united to Christian and church to church, every agency subordinate to the Holy Spirit. All believers will be united in an organized effort to give to the world the glad tidings of the grace of God. TT 87.3

Paul regarded his ordination as marking a new epoch in his life. From this time he afterward dated the beginning of his apostleship. TT 87.4

While the light was shining brightly at Antioch, important work was continued by the apostles in Jerusalem. Every year, many Jews from all lands came to worship at the temple. Some of these fervent pilgrims were earnest students of the prophecies, longing for the advent of the Messiah. The apostles preached Christ with unflinching courage, though they knew they were placing their lives in jeopardy. Many converts to the faith were made, and these, returning home, scattered seeds of truth through all nations and among all classes. TT 87.5

Peter, James, and John felt confident that God had appointed them to preach Christ among their countrymen at home. Faithfully and wisely they testified of what they had seen and heard, appealing to the “more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19) to persuade “the house of Israel ... that God hath made that same Jesus ... both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). TT 88.1