“Those who are drifting with the tide, who love pleasure and self-indulgence, and choose the easier way, regard-less of principle so long as their desires are gratified—these will never stand with the overcomers around the great white throne.” –My Life Today, p. 72
“The living Christ demands self-denial and strong faith. Circumstances are not to rule the life. The child of God, the heir of heaven, cannot drift hither and thither.” –The Review and Herald, November 9, 1897
“We can never be saved in indolence and inactivity. There is no such thing as a truly converted person living a helpless, useless life. It is not possible for us to drift into heaven. No sluggard can enter there. If we do not strive to gain an entrance into the kingdom, if we do not seek earnestly to learn what constitutes its laws, we are not fitted for a part in it.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 280
“If you are willing to drift along with the current of evil, and do not cooperate with the heavenly agencies in re-straining transgression in your family, and in the church, in order that everlasting righteousness may be brought in, you do not have faith.” –Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 374
“The lives of many show that they have no living con-nection with God. They are drifting into the channel of the world. In reality they have no part or lot with Christ. They love amusement and are filled with selfish plans, hopes, and ambitions. They serve the enemy under the pretense of serving God. They are in bondage to a task-master, and this bondage they choose, making them-selves willing slaves of Satan.” –Christ Triumphant, p.81
“In the struggle against evil, we must put every muscle to the stretch, exercising every God-given qualification for the right, in order that we may resist temptation and advance step by step in the Christian life. Saved in indolence, in inactivity, we can never be. It is not possible for us to drift into heaven. No sluggard can enter there. If we do not strive to gain an entrance into that king-dom, if we do not seek earnestly to learn what consti-tute its laws, we are not fitted to take part in it. Those who enter there must be loyal and faithful servants of God, yoking up with Christ, working his works, overcoming as he overcame, wrestling day after day with hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong, which must be oft crucified.” –The Signs of the Times, April 1, 1897
“I must tell you that heaven is to be sought for, to be prayed for, to be worked for. We cannot, with our un-converted traits of character, drift into heaven.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 214
“Let us look closely and critically to ourselves. Are not the vows we entered into at our baptism violated? Are we dead to the world and alive unto Christ? Are we seeking those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God? Is the cable cut which anchored us to the eternal Rock? Are we drifting with the current to perdition? Shall we make no effort to press and urge our passage upstream? Let us not hesi-tate longer, but vigorously apply the oars; and let us do our first works ere we make hopeless shipwreck.” –Ye Shall Receive Power, p. 361
“Cease your jealousies and your faultfinding. Turn your attention to your own case and by humble repentance, relying alone upon the blood of Christ, save your own soul. Make thorough work for eternity. . . .Truth, sacred truth, is your anchor, which will save you from drifting in the downward current to crime and destruction.” – Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 90
Ellen G. White