Character Before Reputation

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Nov 30, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 47.

Character Before Reputation

It matters not what a man's reputation is as long as one's character is good. A good reputation is merely the opinion of men, and does not in any wise effect one's standing in the sight of God. A good character is that which will stand the test of God's law in the judgment. As a rule men are very tender regarding their reputations, far more so than they are about their characters. They are more concerned about the fickle opinions of men than the perfect opinion of God, who holds their destinies in His hands. Jonah was sent to declare the destruction of Nineveh because of the wickedness of the people. But they repented, and God showed them mercy. Then Jonah was angry, because he thought the people would believe him to be a false prophet. He cared more for his reputation than he did for the salvation of penitent sinners. It was not so with Christ, however. His character was perfect before God (Matt. 17: 5; John 8: 29), but He “made Himself of no reputation” (Phil. 2: 7). He did not seek honor from men, and His teachings show the impossibility of those who did seek such honor being His disciples. John 5: 41, 44.