Christian Perfection by Ellen G. White

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 10, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 15.

Christian Perfection

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE

"AND beside this," an apostle writes, "giving all diligence, 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." As man works on the plan of addition, adding grace to grace, God works on the plan of multiplication. Peter declares, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you thru the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, thru the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue."

"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." But a profession of faith without corresponding works is nothing. "He that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." This is a description of a professed Christian who lives a life of sin. He grieves the Lord Jesus, and puts Him to open shame because he manifests a character after the similitude of Satan. He retains the same objectionable traits of character that he had before he claimed to have received Christ. Indulging his corrupt tendencies, he forgets to be a doer of the word. He does not eat the flesh nor drink the blood of the Son of God. He does not practise Christ's words nor do His works.

Then comes the conclusion: "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." This is the life-insurance policy that every one may have. "Wherefore," the apostle says, "I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, tho ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance."

For a man to be effectually saved, the truth of the word must be inwrought in the soul. It is a power that works inwardly to bless the soul of the receiver, and outwardly to bless the souls of others. Take the word just as it reads, and be a doer of it. The Holy Spirit works with the consecrated soul who searches the Scriptures.

Now, just now, is our great opportunity to study the word of life. The hearts of many in this world are hungering for the bread of life and thirsting for the water of salvation. They desire to know the Scriptures; they desire to know what the word of God says to them. The Holy Spirit is impressing their hearts, drawing them to the bread of life. They see everything around them changing. They come to hear the word just as it reads. They desire to build upon a firm foundation; and therefore Christians are counseled to be always ready to give a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness and fear.

A clear, faithful testimony must be borne by every shepherd of the flock of God. The state of the heart is to be our first concern. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Mere speech is nothing. Preaching the word, and then working contrary to that word, makes it of none effect. Lip knowledge, forms and ceremonies, are of little value if Christ does not abide in the soul. We are to watch for souls as they that must give an account. We are to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. Then we shall be men and women of faith and prayer and power. There is a great work to be done. The heart must be faithfully sentinelled, else pride and rebellion will bear rule within. Evils without will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander in its own home-made fog, all the time charging upon some one else the result of its own unchristian course of action.