The Knowledge of Evil – Part 2

“Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. Thy blessing is upon Thy people. Selah.” ¹ “Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” ² “Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart.” ³

It wasn’t until after I had read “the Testimony of Jesus,” which is “the Spirit of Prophecy,” I began to understand the controversy that surrounds the writings of Sister Ellen G. White. “Inspiration acts not on the man’s words or his expression but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man are the word of God.” ⁴

The words of the Lord are pure words;
As silver tried in the furnace of earth,
Purified seven times. ⁵
He sheweth His word unto Jacob,
His statutes and His judgements unto Israel. ⁶
Sanctify them through Thy truth:
Thy word is truth. ⁷
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And thy law is the truth. ⁸
For the commandment is a lamp:
And the law is light;
And reproofs of instruction are the way of life. ⁹

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. Because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. ¹⁰

“Often the question arises, Why, then, are there so many, claiming to believe God’s word, in whom there is not seen a reformation in words, in spirit, and in character? Why are there so many who cannot bear opposition to their purposes and plans, who manifest an unholy temper, and whose words are harsh, overbearing, and passionate? There is seen in their lives the same love of self, the same selfish indulgence, the same temper and hasty speech, that is seen in the life of the worldling. There is the same sensitive pride, the same yielding to natural inclination, the same perversity of character, as if the truth were wholly unknown to them. The reason is that THEY ARE NOT CONVERTED.” ¹¹ “They have lived some time watching to keep their brethren straight – watching for every fault to make trouble with them. And while doing this, their minds are not on God, nor on heaven, nor on the truth; but just where Satan wants them —on someone else. Their souls are neglected… Unless they reform, there will be no place in heaven for them, for they would find fault with the Lord Himself.” ¹²

“He who is guilty of wrong is the first to suspect wrong. By condemning another he is trying to conceal or excuse the evil of his own heart.” ¹³ “The great Searcher of hearts knoweth every sin committed in secret by the workers of iniquity.” ¹⁴ “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ¹⁵

“Man will never rise higher than his standard of purity or goodness or truth. If self is his loftiest ideal, he will never attain to any thing more exalted.” ¹⁶ “He judges his character, not by the Holy character of God, but by the character of other men. His mind is turned away from God to humanity. This is the secret of his self-satisfaction.” ¹⁷ “Heaven would be to him a place of torture; he would long to be hidden from Him who is its light, and the center of its joy.” ¹⁸

“There must certainly be a change in our ministers. In heart and character there must be more of Christ and less of self.” ¹⁹ “The church will rareiy take a higher stand than is taken by her ministers.” ²⁰ “The guilty know just what sins to confess that their souls may be clean before God.” ²¹ “A few are now pointing to the roll of fast-fulfilling prophecy and proclaiming, Get ready, show your obedience to God by keeping His commandments.” ²² “However high any minister may have stood in the favor of God, if he neglects to follow out the light given him of God, if he refuses to be taught as a little child, he will go into darkness and satanic delusions and will lead others in the same path.” ²³

“A true minister does the work of the Master. He feels the importance of his work, realizing that he sustains the church and to the world a relation similar to that which Christ sustains. He works untiringly to lead sinners to a nobler, higher life, that they may obtain the reward of the overcomer. His lips are touched with a live coal from the altar, and he uplifts Jesus as the sinner’s only hope.” ²⁴ “And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ²⁵

“Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure,” (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 92) Amen.

1 Psalm 3:8
2 Psalm 119:165
3 Psalm 119:2
4 SM1 p. 21
5 Psalm 12:6
6 Psalm 147:19
7 John 17:17
8 Psalm 119:142
9 Proverbs 6:23
10 John 3:19, 20
11 COL p. 99
12 1Tp. 145
13 MB p. 126
14 5Tp. 211
15 1 John 1:9
16 GCp. 555
17 GC
18 SCp. 18
19 TMp. 245
20 5T p. 277
21 1Tp. 156
22 TM p. 232, 233
23 5Tp. 214
24 AA p. 329
25 Matthew 3:2