The Life of Self

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 18, 1909

EXTRACTS FROM “TESTIMONIES FOR THE CHURCH,” ARRANGED BY W. B. WHITE.

(Reading for Thursday, December 16)

[If so desired, the leader can cut out the following paragraphs and pass them around before beginning the study, letting different ones in the congregation read them in answer to the questions.]

1. What must be given up to become the follower of the lowly Christ?

TWO CRIBS OF "MEALIES" (CORN) ON THE SOLUSI MISSION FARM, OUR FIRST MATABELELAND STATION, AFRICA

“Many who profess the name of Christ and claim to be looking for his speedy coming, know not what it is to suffer for Christ’s sake. Their hearts are not subdued by grace, and they are not dead to self, as is often shown in various ways. At the same time they are talking of having trials. But the principal cause of their trials is an unsubdued heart, which makes self so sensitive that it is often crossed. If such could realize what it is to be a humble follower of Christ, a true Christian, they would begin to work in good earnest, and begin right. They would first die to self, then be instant in prayer, and check every passion of the heart. Give up your self-confidence and self-sufficiency, brethren, and follow the meek Pattern.”—“Early Writings,” Edition 1906, page 113.

2. For what service has God created us and placed us in the world?

“Some who think themselves excellent Christians do not understand what constitutes service for God. They plan and study to please themselves. They act only in reference to self. Time is of value to them only as they can gather for themselves. In all the affairs of life this is their object. Not for others but for themselves do they minister. God created them to live in a world where unselfish service must be performed. He designed them to help their fellow men in every possible way. But self is so large that they can not see anything else. They are not in touch with humanity. Those who thus live for self are like the fig tree, which made every pretension, but was fruitless.”—“Desire of Ages,” Trade Edition, page 692.

NATIVES COMING TO OUR SOLUSI MISSION TO TRADE

3. As Satan sees that his time is short, what does he seek to lead men to do? When he is successful, what does he do?

“I saw that there were some like Judas among those who profess to be waiting for their Lord. Satan controls them, but they know it not. God can not approve of the least degree of covetousness or selfishness, and he abhors the prayers and exhortations of those who indulge these evil traits. As Satan sees that his time is short, he leads men on to be more and more selfish and covetous, and then exults as he sees them wrapped up in themselves, close, penurious, and selfish. If the eyes of such could be opened, they would see Satan in hellish triumph, exulting over them, and laughing at the folly of those who accept his suggestions and enter his snares.”—“Early Writings,” Edition of 1906, page 268.

4. What change has come over many who formerly loved God and enjoyed his favor? Why the change?

“Some who have formerly loved God and lived in the daily enjoyment of his favor, are now in continual unrest. They wander in darkness and despairing gloom, because they are nourishing self. They are seeking so hard to favor themselves that all other considerations are swallowed up in this. God, in his providence, has willed that no one can secure happiness by living for himself alone. The joy of our Lord consisted in enduring toil and shame for others, that they might be benefited thereby.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IV, page 224.

5. When we sit at the feet of Jesus, what shall we learn regarding the value of our own work?

A BAPTISM OF BELIEVERS IN LISBON, PORTUGAL

“It is the love of self that brings unrest. When we are born from above, the same mind will be in us that was in Jesus, the mind that led him to humble himself that we might be saved. Then we shall not be seeking the highest place. We shall desire to sit at the feet of Jesus, and learn of him. We shall understand that the value of our work does not consist in making a show and noise in the world, and in being active and zealous in our own strength. The value of our work is in proportion to the impartation of the Holy Spirit.”—“Desire of Ages,” Trade Edition, pages 385, 386.

6. What is the cause of the great weakness in our churches? Whose spirit is it that rises up in the hearts of some when things do not please them?

“There is a cause for the great weakness in our churches, and that cause is hard to remove. It is self. Men have none too much will, but they must have it wholly sanctified to God. They need to fall on the Rock and be broken. Self must be crucified in every one who shall enter the gates of the city of God. The fierce spirit which rises up in the hearts of some in the church when anything does not please them, is the spirit of Satan, and not the spirit of Christ.”—“Testimony for Ministers,” page 26.

7. Why does God permit us to come in contact with suffering and calamity?

“Upon your faithfulness in this work, not only the well-being of others, but your own eternal destiny depends. Christ is seeking to uplift all who will be lifted to companionship with himself, that we may be one with him as he is one with the Father. He permits us to come in contact with suffering and calamity in order to call us out of our selfishness; he seeks to develop in us the attributes of his character,—compassion, tenderness, and love. By accepting this work of ministry, we place ourselves in his school, to be fitted

for the courts of God. By rejecting it, we reject his instruction, and choose eternal separation from his presence.”—“Christ’s Object Lessons,” page 388.

8. What should those who live to serve their own interests never expect?

“Let none suppose that they can live a life of selfishness, and then, having served their own interests, enter into the joy of their Lord. In the joy of unselfish love they could not participate. They would not be fitted for the heavenly courts. They could not appreciate the pure atmosphere of love that pervades heaven. The voices of the angels and the music of their harps would not satisfy them.”—“Christ’s Object Lessons,” page 364.

9. With whom will the great Judge place those who have drifted along, and who have sought to please themselves?

“Those who have drifted along, carrying no responsibility, thinking of themselves, pleasing themselves, will be placed by the Judge of all the earth with those who did evil. They receive the same condemnation.”—“Christ’s Object Lessons,” page 365.

10. Instead of withering up with selfishness, with what should our souls be expanding?

“I saw that he is greatly displeased with the least manifestation of selfishness on the part of his professed people, for whom Jesus spared not his own precious life. Every selfish, covetous person will fall out by the way. Like Judas, who sold his Lord, they will sell good principles and a noble, generous disposition for a little of earth’s gain. All such will be sifted out from God’s people. Those who want heaven must, with all the energy which they possess, be encouraging the principles of heaven. Instead of withering up with selfishness, their souls should be expanding with benevolence.”—“Early Writings,” Edition of 1907, page 268.

11. What is the duty of every soul? Name some of the terrible results of permitting self-exaltation to come into the heart.

“I saw that many prayed for God to humble them; but if God should answer their prayers, it would be by terrible things in righteousness. It was their duty to humble themselves. I saw that if self-exaltation was suffered to come in, it would surely lead souls astray, and if not overcome, would prove their ruin. When one begins to get lifted up in his own eyes, and thinks he can do something, the Spirit of God is withdrawn, and he goes on in his own strength until he is overthrown.”—“Early Writings,” Edition of 1907, page 120.

12. What is the sin that is well-nigh incurable?

“God can not connect with those who live to please themselves, to make themselves first. Those who do this will in the end be last of all. The sin that is most nearly hopeless and incurable is pride of opinion, self-conceit. This stands in the way of all growth. When a man has defects of character, yet fails of realizing this; when he is so imbued with self-sufficiency that he can not see his fault, how can he be cleansed?”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VII, page 200.

13. What, more than anything else, mars our communion with God and one another?

“How often our service to Christ, our communion with one another, is marred by the secret desire to exalt self. How ready the thought of self-gratulation, and the longing for human approval. It is the love of self, the desire for an easier way than God has appointed, that leads to the substitution of human theories and traditions for the divine precepts.”—“Desire of Ages,” page 484.

14. What always prevents our beholding the Lord? What kind of spirit in us enables us to see God?

“Selfishness prevents us from beholding God. The self-seeking spirit judges of God as altogether such a one as itself. Until we have renounced this, we can not understand him who is love. Only the unselfish heart, the humble and trustful spirit, shall see God as ‘merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth.’”—“Desire of Ages,” page 351.

15. What will those be sure to do who love self more than they love Jesus?

“Satan is constantly seeking to cause distrust, alienation, and malice among God’s people. We shall be often tempted to feel that our rights are invaded, when there is no real cause for such feelings. Those whose love for self is stronger than their love for Christ and his cause, will place their own interests first, and resort to almost any expedient to guard and maintain them.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, page 242.

16. Before honor comes what?

“Before honor is humility. To fill a high place before men, Heaven chooses the worker who, like John the Baptist, takes a lowly place before God. The most childlike disciple is the most efficient in labor for God. The heavenly intelligences can co-operate with him who is seeking, not to exalt self, but to save souls.”—“Desire of Ages,” page 518.

17. When an individual thinks he is indispensable for the success of God’s work, what results?

“But when men exalt themselves, feeling that they are a necessity for the success of God’s great plan, the Lord causes them to be set aside. It is made evident that the Lord is not dependent upon them. The work does not stop because of their removal from it, but goes forward with greater power.”—“Desire of Ages,” page 518.

18. Of what must we be stripped before God can do anything for us?

“The Lord can do nothing toward the recovery of man until, convinced of his own weakness, and stripped of all self-sufficiency, he yields himself to the control of God. Then he can receive the gift that God is waiting to bestow. From the soul that feels his need, nothing is withheld. He has unrestricted access to him in whom all fulness dwells.”—“Desire of Ages,” page 347.

19. Many have served self so long that in their efforts to uplift Jesus, unconsciously to themselves, whom do they exalt?

“Watch unto prayer. In this way alone can you put your whole being into the Lord’s work. Self must be put in the background. Those who make self prominent, gain an education that soon becomes second nature to them, and they will soon fail to realize that instead of uplifting Jesus, they uplift themselves; that instead of being channels through which the living water can flow to refresh others, they absorb the sympathies and affections of those around them. This is not loyalty to our crucified Lord.”—“Testimony to Ministers,” page 330.

20. What is shut out of our hearts until self is emptied out? What is given us when self has been expelled?

“We can receive of heaven’s light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We can not discern the character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this, the Holy Spirit is given without measure.”—“Desire of Ages,” page 202.

21. When every false god is cast out of the soul, what fills the place?

“When one is fully emptied of self, when every false god is cast out of the soul, the vacuum is supplied by the inflowing of the Spirit of Christ. Such a one has the faith which works by love and purifies the soul from every moral and spiritual defilement. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, can work upon the heart, influencing, directing, so that he enjoys spiritual things. He is after

the Spirit, and he minds the things of the Spirit. He has no confidence in self; Christ is all in all.”—“Testimony for Ministers,” page 370.

22. With what sacrifices is God well pleased?

“‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’ Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus. When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles contain the new wine.”—“Desire of Ages,” page 323.