Ministers who are preaching present truth should not neglect the solemn message to the Laodiceans. The testimony of the True Witness is not a smooth message. The Lord does not say to them, "You are about right;" you have borne chastisement and reproof that you never deserved; you have been unnecessarily discouraged by severity; you are not guilty of the wrongs and sins for which you have been reproved. {GW92 87.3}
The True Witness declares that when you suppose you are really in a good condition of prosperity, you are in need of everything. . . . Because Christ bears this rebuking testimony, shall we suppose that he is destitute of tender love to his people?O, no! He who died to redeem man from death, loves with a divine love, and those whom he loves he rebukes. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. [Revelation 3:19.] Vol. 3, p. 257. {GW92 87.4}
You profess to be a watchman on the walls of Zion, [FROM A PERSONAL TESTIMONY] a shepherd to the flock, yet you saw the poor sheep torn and scattered, and gave no warning. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. [Ezekiel 3:17-19, 21.]
What is a watchman for, unless it be to watch for evil and give the warning? What is a shepherd for, unless it be to watch for every danger lest the sheep be harmed and destroyed by wolves? What excuse could a shepherd plead for suffering the flock to stray from the true pasture, and be torn and scattered and devoured by wolves? How would an excuse stand made by the shepherd that the sheep led him astray? that they left the true pasture, and led him out of the way? Such a plea would tell with force against that shepherd's ability to watch over the sheep. No more confidence could be placed in him as a faithful shepherd to care for the sheep, and bring them back as they might stray from the right path. Vol. 1, p. 313. {GW92 88.1}
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
