Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 23 (1908)

Ms 130, 1908

Words to Believers

1908

Previously unpublished.

The very first lesson many professing godliness will need to learn is that there are evil angels watching a chance to carry out their special works that will be sure to create alienation and strife. Some who are self-centered cannot discern what their baptism means—that they are baptized into Christ’s death. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 1

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Titus 2:11, 12. We are to work out a whole sanctified life in looking unto Jesus and accepting His holiness as our Pattern. “Learn of Me,” said our God in human flesh; “learn of Me,” said our Saviour in human flesh; “for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find” in your death a new life in My spiritual life. [Matthew 11:29.] The very illustration of being buried with Christ in baptism and living a pledged new life unto Christ is the representation of our redemption in and through our genuine faith daily in Christ Jesus. The life is in and through being partakers of the divine nature. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” [Titus 2] Verses 13, 14. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 2

“How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ... Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:2-6. Spiritual life now is to be our aim constantly. Walking after the life of Christ is called regeneration—spiritual life unto the formation of the pattern life of Christ. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 3

In your assemblies there has been strife to be first. And what is the sure result? Satan is served and God is dishonored. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you.” Hebrews 12:14, 15. Now this has been the great hindrance to the advance of the work of God in higher education. Unless we perform to God our solemn vows at baptism—which was death unto sin and a new life in and through Jesus Christ—we shall constantly be working for self-promotion, and our baptismal vows are violated. And unless every soul in our churches shall repent and be converted and see where he made his mistakes, he will have no part with Christ and will not see His glory. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 4

Now I am charged with a message to each member of the church to maintain your baptismal vows. Every camp-meeting is to be a season of heart searching. Let there be no picking flaws in others. The disposition that would lead to this testifies that you have lost your first love and need to repent and be converted and take again upon you the baptismal vows, as we promised in our regeneration, and perform that which our Saviour will commend as working out the similitude of His likeness who hath redeemed us, and bare our sins in His own body, that we might die unto sin and live unto righteousness. Christ has made the provision. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1, 2. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 5

When our people who claim to have so much light will reflect that light in deeds of righteousness, they will show that they are born again, and all this friction and unhappy selfishness will be at an end. Can it truly be said of those who claim to be converted, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Verse 9. If he has a spirit of variance and contention and strife, he loses his special advantages to represent the virtues of true godliness. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 6

“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Verses 10, 11. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 7

I, Ellen G. White, testify to this assurance of the Word. I have had this grace from the Great Physician so many times that it is to me verity and truth. This I can present to you as assurance. There is One in whom I have trusted, and I have tried to do His will. Therefore I speak to all my ministering brethren and sisters in our institutions, filling the place as teachers in our schools and in any department of our work, You are not to trust in human beings, whatever may be their calling, to define to you your duty, but to bear a testimony that is sharp and clear. We are under the appointed unseen agencies. Trust not in any man that lives to be director as to your duty, for this phase of experience God has not pointed out. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 8

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Verses 14-18. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 9

Let every church take heed unto itself individually. I have had representations given me that I was much stirred in regard to human, fallible men being appointed to be directors, to tell men where to labor. Men committed to the charge of men is a phase of experience that the Lord has bid me to declare should not exist, for it is misleading to the ones placed in official positions to take responsibilities to meddle with responsibilities that will only do souls harm and create in the church a state of things that spoils the experience of God’s workmen. Anything of the kind should not exist. Direct every man to look unto Him who is the Author and Finisher of their faith. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 10

The invitation is, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28, 29. Christ is to you the Author and Finisher of your faith. There are no human agencies to be introduced to these souls as able to define their duty. Christ is your perfect Example. There are not to be men placed in authority to tell what another man’s duty is. The very ones who accept such responsibilities are the very men that need the converting power of God upon their own hearts, or they will certainly never become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 11

I say to all our churches, Meet no low standard. Christ is the Pattern to whom you are all to look. Let not any man suppose that his opinion is infallible and that, with all their numerous defects and shortcomings, they can dictate the duty of the Lord’s workers. 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 12

There are those who need to be Bible Christians, but they are not. Romans 14. I listened to words spoken from this chapter. There was power in the words as they were explained, and the words were spoken with the power of the Holy Spirit. And in still another meeting was a speaker that was full of faith and the Holy Spirit who read and explained Romans 15. These Scriptures were spoken in the power of the Holy Spirit. In meetings there were the living testimonies unto life eternal, and such intercessions in prayer, such fervency! And there were conviction and conversions and reconversions. There were souls that were brought from darkness into the light. These words were spoken, (Romans 16:25-27): “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever, Amen.” 23LtMs, Ms 130, 1908, par. 13