I believe this to be a great and needed council from Sister White. There is a solid reason we do not have the Unity and Harmony among us that we should! We must take all our ideas and what we have come to believe to the Word. Then it is a must that we have His Spirit of Truth. EGW emphasizes this also but not in this quote.
How to Search the Scriptures.--"How shall we search the Scriptures? Shall we drive our stakes of doctrine one after another, and then try to make all Scripture meet our established opinions? or shall we take our ideas and views to the Scriptures, and measure our theories on every side by the Scriptures of truth? Many who read and even teach the Bible, do not comprehend the precious truth they are teaching or studying. {CW 36.2}
Men entertain errors, when the truth is clearly marked out; and if they would but bring their doctrines to the word of God, and not read the word of God in the light of their doctrines, to prove their ideas right, they would not walk in darkness and blindness, or cherish error. Many give the words of Scripture a meaning that suits their own opinions, and they mislead themselves and deceive others by their misinterpretations of God's word. {CW 36.3}
As we take up the study of God's word, we should do so with humble hearts. All selfishness, all love of originality, should be laid aside. Long-cherished opinions must not be regarded as infallible. It was the unwillingness of the Jews to give up their long-established traditions that proved their ruin. They were determined not to see any flaw in their own opinions or in their expositions of the Scriptures; but however long men may have entertained certain views, if they are not clearly sustained by the written word, they should be discarded. Those who sincerely desire truth will not be reluctant to lay open their positions for investigation and criticism, and will not be annoyed if their opinions and ideas are crossed. This was the spirit cherished established traditions that proved their ruin. They were determined not to see any flaw in their own opinions or in their expositions of the Scriptures; but however long men may have entertained certain views, if they are not clearly sustained by the written word, they should be discarded. Those who sincerely desire truth will not be reluctant to lay open their positions for investigation and criticism, and will not be annoyed if their opinions and ideas are crossed. This was the spirit cherished among us forty years ago. . . . {CW 36.4}
We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed. {CW 37.1}
Dear ones, He promises us, Joh 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
1Jo 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
the Unity the world is calling for right now asks us to give up our beliefs and the pillars of our faith
Unity will happen when each person believes the Word of God and all have the correct interpretation. That will take the mighty power of the Holy spirit to direct that kind of thinking.
It is a sure thing that when we receive of Him the Truth fully and follow Him precisely we all who do then certainly we are in Unity and Harmony with Him.
Then all of us who do are in Unity and Harmony together and for this we must strive.
He is the answer to it all as without Him we can do nothing!
When these come together in worship to Him these are having True Church as the worship is acceptable and He is Present in the midst thereof and we know His Presence in it only constitutes Church. Other wise it is only a social gathering.
Joh 4:24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him MUST worship him in spirit and in truth.
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
His Word to us is without doubt infallible and is His Words. If we do not believe that, we do not believe God. Without surety that it is His Word your prayer is not answered.
"The fruits of doubt are not desirable. Oh! look around you and see what havoc has been wrought by the . . . evil one. Error and falsehood and heresy have held high carnival in the deceived hearts of men. From century to century the adversary has repeated his experiments with growing success; for, in spite of the sad records of lives that have gone out in darkness, as moths fly to the fire, so men rush on into the ruinous deceptions that he has prepared to entrap them. . . . "Heaven and earth shall pass away," but "the word of the Lord endureth forever;" and unwavering faith in His Word is the only faith that will endure through the perils of the last days." {SD 332.4}
The truth invites investigation and only shines brighter the more it is investigated. When His Spirit of Truth is truly in us we are so hungry for the truth, we are not satisfied until we fully understand it for ourselves. We take no man's word for Biblical things in no way although what one may be teaching will cause us to find for ourselves if it is in fact Truth.
A bit from Sister White,
" Truth is eternal, and conflict with error will only make manifest its strength. We should never refuse to examine the Scriptures with those who, we have reason to believe, desire to know what is truth as much as we do. Suppose a brother held a view that differed from yours, and he should come to you, proposing that you sit down with him and make an investigation of that point in the Scriptures; should you rise up, filled with prejudice, and condemn his ideas, while refusing to give him a candid hearing? The only right way would be to sit down as Christians, and investigate the position presented, in the light of God's word, which will reveal truth and unmask error. To ridicule his ideas would not weaken his position in the least if it were false, or strengthen your position if it were true. If the pillar of our faith will not stand the test of investigation, it is time that we knew it. There must be no spirit of Phariseeism cherished among us. When Christ came to his own, his own received him not; and it is a matter of solemn interest to us that we should not pursue a similar course in refusing light from heaven. {RH, June 18, 1889 par. 5}
We must study the truth for ourselves. No living man should be relied upon to think for us. No matter who it is, or in what position he may be placed, we are not to look upon any man as a perfect criterion for us. We are to counsel together, and to be subject to one another; but at the same time we are to exercise the ability God has given us to learn what is truth. Each one of us must look to God for divine enlightenment. We must individually develop a character that will stand the test in the day of God. We must not become set in our ideas, and think that no one should interfere with our opinions." {RH, June 18, 1889 par. 6}
1Jo 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
By "Persecution will unify both camps", do you mean that those in the camp of error will be unified among themselves in persecuting those in the camp of truth, and those in the camp of truth will be unified among themselves because of the persecution?
For me webmaster "persecution" sets as in hardens the position taken, either in Gods camp or Satan's.
Here is a little of persecution of EGW,
"There are those claiming to be children of God, whose course of action the Lord does not justify. Faithful work is to be done in giving reproof, as well as in giving encouragement. The cross is not to be shunned. No unchristlike course of action is to be justified. The time is right upon us when persecution will come to those who proclaim the truth. Those who teach the truth, opening the word of God to others, must surrender self entirely to God. To them the truth will bring its own reward, filling the soul with joy. {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 8} Will the people of God now humble their hearts before God, confessing and forsaking their sins, that they may receive the forgiveness and favor of God, and come into complete harmony with him? It is not because of a lack of evidence that sinners perish, but because of their unwillingness to appropriate the means whereby God designs they shall learn his will. The ignorance of many is voluntary and inexcusable. {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 9}
The outlook is not flattering, but notwithstanding this, let us not give up our efforts to save those ready to perish, for whose ransom the Prince of Heaven offered up his precious life. When one means fails, try another way. Our efforts must not be dead and lifeless. As long as life is spared let us work for God. In all ages of the church God's appointed messengers have exposed themselves to reproach and persecution for the truth's sake. But wherever God's people may be forced to go, even though, like the beloved disciple, they are banished to desert islands, Christ will know where they are, and will strengthen and bless them, filling them with peace and joy. {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 10}
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
__________________
Page 1 of 1 sorted by
EarlySDA -> EarlySDA -> We Want The Unity For Which Christ Prayed
