When I read the Bible and Ellen White writings, everything impresses me as being of the highest level of importance.
How can I train my mind, so that I may see things in proper perspective? Ellen White's style of communication is very direct. I am easily overwhelmed by it, thinking everything is critically important.
Would you say that 'The Pillars' of our faith as described by Ellen White are the first-order doctrines? What follows as second-order doctrines and what are the indications of that in SOP writings?
I am asking for myself as I seek to mature as a Christian. I also ask because I am surrounded by progressives who are reluctant to uphold standards, especially when they see them as divisive.
When I read the Bible and Ellen White writings, everything impresses me as being of the highest level of importance.
How can I train my mind, so that I may see things in proper perspective? Ellen White's style of communication is very direct. I am easily overwhelmed by it, thinking everything is critically important.
Hi Shireen, one approach that I've found quite useful is to consider the whole issue of heart religion.
As an example of this, Seventh-day Adventists say that the sanctuary doctrine is of central importance. This is true, but the doctrine is important only as it transforms the human heart.
If I believe in the sanctuary doctrine at an intellectual level, but am not transformed by it, then I'm completely missing the big picture, and having all the right intellectual beliefs is of no value.
The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the centrality of heart religion, and some of the core passages are Jeremiah 31:31-34, John 6:54-57, and Hebrews 8:8-11.
A very central Spirit of Prophecy quote on heart religion is the one below.
It is true that there may be an outward correctness of deportment without the renewing power of Christ. The love of influence and the desire for the esteem of others may produce a well-ordered life. Self-respect may lead us to avoid the appearance of evil. A selfish heart may perform generous actions. By what means, then, shall we determine whose side we are on? {SC 58.1}
Who has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? Of whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affections and our best energies? If we are Christ's, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. All we have and are is consecrated to Him. We long to bear His image, breathe His spirit, do His will, and please Him in all things. {SC 58.2}
[1] Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: [2] Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, [3] According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. [5] And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. [10] Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
As a follow-up to what Nb said about Peter's ladder, I thought I would post the quote below.
The quote makes the point that in our spiritual journey, we must begin with the smallest matters, close to home, and climb the ladder round by round, step by step.
It's a huge mistake to "jump ahead", and immediately try to get to the top of the ladder.
It seems to me that this principle applies directly to Shireen's original question about determining which spiritual issues are of the highest importance. We need to be faithful in small matters, and gradually work our way into the larger issues.
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The apostle Peter presents before us the ladder of progress that we must climb round by round in order to meet the approval of God. He says: "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." Those who would make men of honor, men of trust, men of fidelity, must begin to be faithful in the smallest matters, and they must begin at home. Everyone who would be perfect must mount this ladder of progress. Many have neglected to put their feet upon the first rounds of the ladder. They want to mount to the topmost rounds without the trouble of climbing, but the only sure way is to take the painstaking way of going up by gradual advance, round after round. Many of the youth of today are superficial in all their undertakings. At the very beginning a fatal mistake is made in their education. Their careless habits are passed over by indulgent parents who would criticise with severity the same mistakes in others. Thus many fail to lay the right foundation. Peter says, "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge." A virtuous character must precede all other acquirements. All sowing of wild oats will be followed by a harvest of the same order. "God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." {ST, May 25, 1891 par. 3}
Shireen wrote:When I read the Bible and Ellen White writings, everything impresses me as being of the highest level of importance.
How can I train my mind, so that I may see things in proper perspective? Ellen White's style of communication is very direct. I am easily overwhelmed by it, thinking everything is critically important.
Another way of coming at this issue is to ask ourselves what the ultimate purpose of the church is.
If we look in the Bible, we have passages like Job 42:7, where Job is depicted as speaking of the Lord "the thing that is right". In other words, Job served to vindicate the divine government.
If we look at quotes like the one below, they say a similar thing, with the church depicted as vindicating God's character before the world. This is a very central and very rich theme.
If this is the ultimate purpose of the church, then such a focus would help us to sort through our priorities. In particular, we should emphasize opening our hearts to the divine, so that we can be transformed, and demonstrate the divine character to the onlooking world and unvierse. We are told that angels desire to understand this whole area more fully (1 Peter 1:12).
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Just before us is the closing struggle of the great controversy when, with "all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness," Satan is to work to misrepresent the character of God, that he may "seduce, if it were possible, even the elect." If there was ever a people in need of constantly increasing light from heaven, it is the people that, in this time of peril, God has called to be the depositaries of His holy law and to vindicate His character before the world. Those to whom has been committed a trust so sacred must be spiritualized, elevated, vitalized, by the truths they profess to believe. Never did the church more sorely need, and never was God more solicitous that she should enjoy, the experience described in Paul's letter to the Colossians when he wrote: We "do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."{5T 746.1}
Shireen wrote:When I read the Bible and Ellen White writings, everything impresses me as being of the highest level of importance.
How can I train my mind, so that I may see things in proper perspective? Ellen White's style of communication is very direct. I am easily overwhelmed by it, thinking everything is critically important.
Another way of answering this question is based on what Paul says about "putting on Christ" (Galatians 3:27).
There's a lot of inspired material that makes clear that Christ was uniquely equipped to help fallen humanity, and Hebrews 2:17-18 is an example of this.
In other words, if we walk with Christ moment by moment, He will show us what's important to focus on, and will transform our hearts and develop our characters as the walk continues day by day.
Below are two quotes that develop this theme.
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(1)
As Christ lived the law in humanity, so we may do if we will take hold of the Strong for strength. But we are not to place the responsibility of our duty upon others, and wait for them to tell us what to do. We cannot depend for counsel upon humanity. The Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Our hearts will often burn within us as One draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch. Those who decide to do nothing in any line that will displease God, will know, after presenting their case before Him, just what course to pursue. And they will receive not only wisdom, but strength. Power for obedience, for service, will be imparted to them, as Christ has promised. Whatever was given to Christ -- the "all things" to supply the need of fallen men -- was given to Him as the head and representative of humanity. And "whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." 1 John 3:22. {DA 668.4}
(2)
he knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ expressed in character is an exaltation above everything else that is esteemed on earth or in heaven. It is the very highest education. It is the key that opens the portals of the heavenly city. This knowledge it is God's purpose that all who put on Christ shall possess. {MH 457.4}
