13:11 Corinthians 13:1

To speak with the tongues of men and of angels is to possess the highest human eloquence and even extraordinary heavenly speech, the greatest possible power of utterance.RH Jul 21, 1904+2 Without charity the speaker has become mere empty noise, worthless and without spiritual value.RH Jul 21, 1904+2 Even prophecy, understanding of all mysteries and all knowledge, and mountain-moving faith are nothing without this love, and giving all goods to the poor or giving the body to martyrdom profits nothing without it.ST Feb 1, 1883+2 The love required is heaven-born love to God and to fellow men, which suffers long and is kind, envies not and vaunts not itself, seeks not its own and is not easily provoked, and bears, believes, hopes and endures all things.5T 168.1–2+4 Talents, learning, eloquence, position and profession cannot take its place or commend anyone to God, and eloquence and the choicest endowments win souls only when mingled with sacred humble love.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10+4

To speak with the tongues of men and of angels is to possess the highest human eloquence together with even extraordinary heavenly languages, the very greatest power of speech.RH Jul 21, 1904+4 Such speech, whether in human or in angelic tongues, remains the standard of remarkable ability and qualification in utterance.RH Jul 21, 1904+4

Without charity the speaker has become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, that is, empty, worthless noise with no spiritual value.RH Jul 21, 1904+4 No matter how high the profession or how great the power of speech, without love for God and for fellow men such speech has no value as Christian witness and leaves its possessor no true disciple.RH Jul 21, 1904+4 Even the most impressive utterance is then only a noisy instrument, a clanging sound devoid of heavenly worth.RH Jul 21, 1904+4

The chapter sets present imperfect gifts against enduring love, placing tongues, prophecy and special knowledge in the present imperfect condition.PP xix.1–xx.1+3 Those gifts will cease when the perfect immortal state comes, because they will no longer be needed.PP xix.1–xx.1+1 Love, by contrast, is the heavenly grace that endures forever, the crowning Christian grace and the greatest of faith, hope and love.PP xix.1–xx.1+3

The verse is to be read every day to obtain comfort and strength, and its lesson is to be taken home to the heart.Lt 23, 1903, par. 1–3 It is to be read with the twelfth chapter of First Corinthians, which sets forth the members composing the body as the church of God and the relation its members should sustain to one another.Ms 59, 1902, par. 39+1 Together with 1 Corinthians 12 it is to be committed to memory and written in the mind and heart, to be studied and digested and not ignored, that church members may be united understandingly and intelligently in humble obedience.Ms 59, 1902, par. 39+1 Its teaching is to be heeded with more weight while being tried and tested and shut in with God, so that the wicked one has no power.Lt 23, 1903, par. 1–3+1

Even the gift of prophecy, the understanding of all mysteries and all knowledge, and faith strong enough to remove mountains are nothing without charity, and the power to explain the deep counsels of God and faith shown in miraculous manifestations have no virtue or credit apart from it.ST Jan 21, 1913+4 Great faith and power to work miracles are worthless without love, and one whose heart is not imbued with love for God and fellow men is not a disciple, no matter how high the profession.ST Feb 1, 1883+2 Without tender forgiveness, brotherly kindness, forbearance and the spirit of Jesus, religious profession itself is worthless.Lt 11, 1880, par. 6–10+2

Bestowing all goods to feed the poor and giving the body to be burned profit nothing without charity, and the person without it is nothing.ST Feb 1, 1883+4 Great liberality bestowed from any motive other than genuine love does not commend anyone to the favor of God.ST Feb 1, 1883+1 Even meeting a martyr's death in zeal without the gold of love leaves a person regarded by God as a deluded enthusiast or an ambitious hypocrite.ST Feb 1, 1883+1 This same charity that is lacking turns selfish hoarding and useless ornamentation into loosing wickedness, undoing heavy burdens, freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry, housing the outcast poor and covering the naked, bringing light, speedy health, righteousness, divine guidance and unfailing spiritual life.Ms 42, 1901, par. 26–29+1

Talents, learning, eloquence, knowledge, capabilities, courage and self-reliance, position and profession, and mere assent to truth and increase in knowledge without a changed heart cannot commend anyone to God, take love's place, or bring salvation.Lt 136, 1902, par. 8–10+4 Even the highest eloquence and possessing all knowledge, including understanding the human system and tracing disease to its cause, are of no special account without power from God received by making God the trust, consecrating self with devotion to the work given, and having Christ in knowledge so that His wisdom is seen instead of one's own.Lt 136, 1902, par. 8–10+2 Courage and self-reliance, though necessary, and knowledge and capabilities essential for the work, are worthless without the love of Christ filling the heart, and the Lord cannot accept the labors of one who has lost first love, for the lack will appear in all plans and work and will misrepresent the Saviour.Lt 136, 1902, par. 8–10+2 Greatness without goodness is valueless, and worth before God comes not from position or profession but from being good and doing good, for true conversion acts like leaven permeating every part of the being, transforming the entire life into conformity with the Spirit of Christ, developing all the powers and filling the heart with desire to serve Christ in active work for others.Lt 136, 1902, par. 8–10+2

Faith, hope and love are essential for service to be accepted by God and benefit the church, and without them even earnest and zealous labor is not accepted and cannot benefit the church.Ms 115, 1908, par. 69+2 All religious manifestations, profession, labor and forms apart from Christ and without heartfelt piety, inward sanctification and the vitalizing power of the Lifegiver are powerless for good and cannot convert souls, for whatever a fallen human being does in religious lines apart from Christ is worthless empty noise.TBC1872 12.1–13.1+4 Profession of the truth that keeps its sanctifying influence out of the heart does no good in leading men to Jesus, and religion that produces no beauty of soul, no softening and mellowing influence on character, and no representation of Christ's righteousness in dealings with fellow men is not what Christ would receive.Lt 178, 1899, par. 27+2 Without the love of Christ abiding within through hearing and obeying Christ from His Word, drawing with Him under His yoke, dying to self and daily seeking the Lord, all labor together with God in different lines is empty, and being Christian only when feeling like it while at other times allowing full control of mind and voice and action to evil is vain religion.Lt 178, 1899, par. 27+3

The charity the verse requires is love to God and love to fellow men, a sanctified, heaven-born, Christlike love of heavenly birth that must be cherished by all who are children of God and must be the prevailing sentiment in the heart because God is love, without which no one can be a laborer together with Him and no one is a disciple of Christ no matter how high the profession.5T 168.1–2+2 Even the greatest power of speech, human or angelic, and even power to explain the deep counsels of God revealed in His Word, is only empty noise and brings no credit without that love, while faith seen in miraculous manifestations is nothing and has no virtue.5T 168.1–2+4 Impressive speech without true Christlike love is worthless, and good impulses arising from mere impulse uncontrolled by reason and principle are a deception, for to go contrary to the verse leaves the senses under a spell so that a person cannot see aright, hear aright, or understand aright.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10+1 The verse is therefore to be read every day to obtain comfort and strength, with its lesson taken home to the heart, expressing what it means to become God's child, to walk in Christ's footsteps, to do His will, and to have the life hid with Christ in God so that when Christ who is the life appears the believer will also appear with Him in glory.Lt 23, 1903, par. 1–3+1

The charity in view suffers long and is kind, envies not, vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth, and bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.15MR 177.2–179.2+3 The same want of love that makes tongues as sounding brass and tinkling cymbal also makes the gift of prophecy, understanding of all mysteries and all knowledge, mountain-moving faith, bestowing all goods to feed the poor, and giving the body to be burned to be nothing and to profit nothing.15MR 177.2–179.2+3 To claim belief in the truth while the spirit, words and deportment show bitter envying and strife, surmising evil, impatience and unforgiveness, criticizing brethren, crediting hearsay, entertaining harsh severe judgments, and manifesting a harsh denunciatory unkind spirit toward opposers or brethren is to lack charity and to represent the attributes of Satan even when it appears as zeal for truth.15MR 177.2–179.2+1 Those abiding in Christ manifest charity instead in unity in sympathy and kindness, tender compassion like Jesus for those who need help and are out of the way, patience, brotherly kindness and forbearance toward those committing sins of ignorance, mild circumspect language, meekness of wisdom, kind forgiving courtesy without partiality and without hypocrisy, piety equity and purity, readiness to forgive, and earnest peacemaking, putting far away every selfish consideration and every unfeeling oppressive spirit that injures and bruises others.15MR 177.2–179.2+1

Love is a fruit of the Spirit, a heavenly grace and precious treasure and heavenly attribute to be possessed and sought, shown in suffering long and being kind, and without it talents, learning and eloquence are meaningless like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal and people cannot live in peace and harmony with one another.ST Feb 1, 1883+2 Enjoying peace and love together requires putting away sin and coming into harmony with God, which brings harmony with one another, because love with joy and peace is the fruit of the Spirit while discord and strife are the fruit of sin and the work of Satan.5T 169.3+1 Pure love comes from God, flourishes where Christ reigns, and is known through action, for God values the love motivating a deed more than the deed's size, so work done from pure love is fruitful and does good.ST Oct 21, 1875

The required love is not selfish or possessive affection that draws devotion from God, nor love that seeks glory or self, for the gift of utterance alone tends to make its possessor vain-glorious, whereas charity seeks not glory or self, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, but is kind.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10+1 It is the purifying love of Christ, which cleanses the heart and is shown in a life of kindness, humility, patience and selfless service, and in supreme love to God and love to neighbors as self after the pure sanctified love shown in Christ's lifework.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10+1 It is not a character centered in and terminating in self but a loving, unselfish, generous regard for others that regards all men as brethren with similar God-given abilities, aspirations, capacities and need of help in view of the infinite price paid to redeem them without distinction of rank, relationship, race or knowledge, and ministers to them, so that any harshness, injustice or cruelty in spirit or words and any commands savoring of an overbearing and dictatorial spirit stand condemned as loveless inhumanity opposite to a righteous humanity built on Christ.Lt 98, 1896, par. 55–57 Work done to exalt self, to have praise sounded abroad and to be called great by the world, even when it aspires to great things and claims to render humanity great service, is empty and worthless, while true greatness is faithful trading on entrusted talents with a solemn sense of responsibility, not expending everything on self but wisely improving lent gifts to aid God's cause and glorify Him.Ms 53, 1899, par. 16

Love binds believers to one another and to God and must be the abiding principle of character and work, for wherever there is union with Christ there is love, and whatever other qualifications a person possesses profit nothing without it.TBC1872 12.1–13.1+1 Faith, hope and love are essential to Christian service, and all gifts are of no value unless controlled by a softened, subduing spirit of love, which has to a large extent dropped out of the heart.TBC1872 12.1–13.1+1 Love for self is not essential, but love for brethren is essential for daily happiness in this life and in the life to come, bearing its fruit in loving what God loves and because God loves, with Christian practice as a revelation of the love of God in compassionate, tender care for others, especially those who are weak or have gone astray.TBC1872 12.1–13.1+1 Love for Jesus necessarily produces love for brethren and earnest effort to make them more holy and righteous, to uplift, ennoble and elevate them, shown in right words spoken in love and kindness that bring harmony of feeling and blessing upon speaker and hearer.Ms 13a, 1891, par. 46–49

Without supreme love to God and love to neighbors as self, talk, Pharisaism, self-praise, display and eloquence can never win souls to Christ, for even the greatest power of speech is nothing without charity.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10+2 Eloquence, extended knowledge of the truth, outward devotion, rare talents and the choicest endowments become fragrant and effective like opened perfume and like Mary's broken box of ointment filling the house with fragrance only when mingled with sacred humble love, doing a work that can scarcely be comprehended.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10+1 Gifts and ability alone can never take love's place, and missionary success requires selfishness removed and replaced by pure sanctified love such as was expressed in Christ's lifework, love for God and for those for whom Christ died, which workers must manifest, cherish and cultivate.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10+1 Words become fruitful when Christ's life is in the soul and the Holy Spirit imparts love, for Christ's love gives power to every message spoken for God.HSP 7.3 The charity required seeks not glory or self, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, but is kind, whereas the gift of utterance alone tends to make its possessor vain-glorious.Ms 22, 1897, par. 9–10

Power to bless and uplift others depends on living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour, on personal devotion and consecration, on actual service, genuine love, and reality of experience. Without these there is no power to help, no connection with heaven, and no savor of Christ in the life, and the person is as salt that has lost its savor and is entirely worthless. Unless the Holy Spirit can use a person to communicate to the world the truth as it is in Jesus, that lack of the grace of Christ testifies that the truth claimed has no sanctifying power and, so far as that influence goes, makes the word of God of no effect. Burning words that reach hearts come only when the speaker has the spirit and power of the truth in the heart and a living connection with God and is worked by the Holy Spirit, for it is the Lord who makes human words the power of God.Ms 177, 1897, par. 24–25 He works with human instrumentality to give additional impetus to the work and, through united effort and cooperation with hearers, puts everything in motion to triumph over every obstacle.Ms 177, 1897, par. 24–25

Those who try to teach others Bible truth while they themselves are not sanctified through obedience to the truth are empty noise with nothing to give.STA 46.1+3 Ministers who do not feed the church fail because their own hearts and minds are full of earthly things with no room to receive the treasures of grace and the rich gifts of the Holy Spirit.STA 46.1+1 What is not received cannot be imparted to others, and words alone cannot impart treasures of grace that the teacher has not received.STA 46.1+2 To speak truth without doing it is of no use, for a worker's actions must not contradict words and practice must harmonize with teaching.STMW7 37.1–2+3 Only a consistent life commands respect and gives words effect, and only deep personal holiness that reveals Christ's character can cooperate with God in saving souls, while striving to inculcate principles not conscientiously practiced accomplishes nothing and puts other souls in peril.STMW7 37.1–2+3 Piety must be based on conscientiously practiced principles, for piety not so based is tasteless and powerless.STMW7 37.1–2+2

Ready speech and sharp intellect do not count with God, but earnest purpose, deep piety, love of truth, and fear of God have telling influence.Lt 38, 1890, par. 16 A testimony from the heart, from lips with no guile, full of faith and humble trust, even when given by a stammering tongue from a truthful, faithful, humble heart, is precious as gold to God.EDFCP 26.1+1 Smart speech and eloquent oratory, clever entertaining speech with witty things, amusing anecdotes, playing upon feelings and pleasing unsanctified hearts, from one entrusted with large talents who is wanting in truthfulness, steadfast purpose, purity, unselfishness, and the Spirit of Jesus, is worthless noise weighed in God's balances of words, spirit, sincerity, and devotion and pronounced altogether lighter than vanity.EDFCP 26.1+1 True eloquence belongs only to those who have tasted the love of Christ, whose hearts are refined by belief in Christ as a personal Saviour, whose lives are renewed by divine grace and hidden with Christ in God, and whose words come direct from such a refined heart.21MR 404.4–5+1 Such preaching makes Jesus the Man of Calvary the sum and substance of every discourse in order to convict sinners and show them what they must do to be saved, speaking with simplicity from the heart while walking willingly in lowly paths in humble subjection to God's will and way, though unappreciated by those who strive for supremacy.21MR 404.4–5+1

Loud talk and shouting without the love of Christ are empty noise that conceal want of true spiritual power, being assumption without the signature of the divine and without the heavenly grace that comes from genuine simplicity and bears fruit of genuine heavenly origin.Ms 24, 1885, par. 18 Truth that sanctifies the mind and heart is always simple and expressed in simple language, and Jesus Christ worked in the most natural simplicity to meet people where they were and to distinguish before them the real from the false, for actions speak louder with Christ than words.Ms 24, 1885, par. 18 Dry, sermon-like prayers that address people rather than God turn prayer into a discourse, as though the Creator needed information about events in the world, and they are counted as nothing in heaven and weary both angels and listeners.2T 581.2+1

All arguments and prayers, whatever their fervor, are as sounding brass when not accompanied by the Spirit of Christ, and those who cherish selfishness and do not have the warmth of Christ's love in the soul cannot by arguments, exhortation, warnings or reproof lead others to higher attainments, better actions, and greater faithfulness.Lt 148, 1899, par. 8–10 If those who know and teach the truth are not transformed by it and made spiritually upright, their work is of no value in saving souls from sin, because the gospel is a system of practical truths designed to uplift fallen men that must be practiced to change the character.Lt 148, 1899, par. 8–10 Outward religious forms without heart service, mere forms and lip service, are worthless noise to God, and singing done for display rather than to praise God with the spirit and with the understanding is condemned as this worthless religion.Lt 5, 1890, par. 8+1 The state of the heart reveals the quality of the religion of the professor of godliness, and God requires heart service and calls men and women to be laborers together with Him who are sound in faith and pure in heart, working to glorify Him by the saving of lost souls.Lt 5, 1890, par. 8+2 Service of form and lip service is wholly inefficient in converting souls to God, and work for God that does not come from the heart is mere empty sound with no power to convert souls unless the heart is stirred with the cooperative energy of the Holy Spirit, so that standing by faith in full view of the cross of Calvary the worker can communicate divine inspiration from a full treasure house and stir the hearts of hearers.Lt 3, 1892, par. 19–21

Brotherhood depends on Christlike love, and without that love nothing can be done toward God's purpose for humanity and all effort is without avail.ST Mar 12, 1902+1 Even speaking the languages of men and of angels without love amounts to worthless empty noise.ST Mar 12, 1902+1 This love works by unselfish endeavor to establish order and harmony in the world and to proclaim peace and goodwill toward men.ST Mar 12, 1902 Grand notions, wonderful ideas and knowledge without love to fellow man are likewise worthless, mere empty noise, for the character required is not centered in and terminating in self but a loving, unselfish, generous regard for others that regards all as brethren with similar God-given abilities, aspirations, capacities and need of help, and ministers to them.Lt 98, 1896, par. 55–57 Living and breathing and acting for self can never perfect a character after the divine similitude, and any harshness, injustice or cruelty in spirit or words, and any commands savoring of an overbearing and dictatorial spirit, is loveless inhumanity condemned here, the opposite of a righteous humanity built on Christ that shows true brotherhood and true love in view of the infinite price paid to redeem man without distinction of rank, relationship, race or knowledge.Lt 98, 1896, par. 55–57

Believers must believe and obey the instruction of love and must not separate into factions, to be read with the twelfth chapter of First Corinthians.Ms 59, 1902, par. 39 Discord and strife give a false witness to the truth, and only unity testifies to the power of the truth.Ms 59, 1902, par. 39 When believers come together for counsel they are to reveal to one another the same unceasing tenderness shown to them, speaking good words that help and strengthen their brethren and uniting in service.Ms 141, 1902, par. 18–19 They are to jealously guard one another's interests even when mistakes are made, instead of standing apart in self-confidence watching for an opportunity to criticize and condemn.Ms 141, 1902, par. 18–19

Love must be cultivated, for excellent qualifications cannot take its place, and even speaking with the tongues of men and of angels without charity leaves speech as empty noise.Lt 6, 1893, par. 21 It is expressed in becoming God's child, walking in Christ's footsteps, doing His will, and having the life hid with Christ in God, so that when Christ who is the life appears the believer will also appear with Him in glory.Lt 6, 1893, par. 21 Fervent charity is to be cultivated among believers and lived daily with steady purpose, together with periods of rest and quietness of mind, peace, and healthful thoughts, so that sunlight is brought into life to bless others as well as self.Lt 3, 1902, par. 4 The instruction of the chapter must be brought into daily experience by crucifying self, so that a strong love for Christ and for one another grows in the heart, with believers bringing into their lives a stronger love for one another and a growing interest in one another, and the talent of speech must be used aright to speak only words that bless and strengthen those who hear.10MR 142.3–143.3+1 This requires study and application for the continual humbling of individual self and for taking self critically in hand through self-examination, each person beginning by denying self and bearing his own cross of self-denial, self-humiliation, and self-sacrifice rather than laying his cross on someone else to carry.Lt 354, 1905, par. 14 It requires crucifying self and surrendering self to God, which gives a strong, steady, broad belief in the truth that casts out all enmity and petty differences from the heart and changes coldness into Christlike affection, making it impossible to love Christ while acting discourteously, drawing apart, and showing no love or sympathy, for the deeper love for Christ becomes, the deeper love for one another becomes.RH Feb 24, 1903

The chapter is a message from God to those who claim to be servants of God, to be borne to them with burden in the power of God, calling them to humility as learners in the school of Christ so the softening, subduing power of God can come into their lives and the Spirit can work with them.Lt 223, 1899, par. 4 This applies especially to responsible men in publishing institutions.Lt 223, 1899, par. 4+1 Church members are taught by the chapter to practice love, for professing godliness without living by the truth departs from the Word and fails to show its power.Ms 177, 1903, par. 11–13 Speaking with eloquence without charity is empty noise, humility is required, and the Holy Spirit cannot work with the selfish and unsympathizing until they become learners in the school of Christ.20MR 86.1

Even speaking with the tongues of men and of angels without charity amounts to empty noise with no value, for charity is love to God and love to man, the grace of God that must be cherished by all who are children of God.Lt 11, 1880, par. 6–10 Without it religious profession is worthless, and even power to explain the deep counsels of God revealed in His Word brings no credit, while faith seen in miraculous manifestations is nothing and has no virtue.Lt 11, 1880, par. 6–10 The same is true of the gift of prophecy, understanding all mysteries and all knowledge, having all faith so as to remove mountains, bestowing all goods to feed the poor, and giving the body to be burned — without charity a person is nothing and it profits nothing.15MR 177.2–179.2+2 Charity is the test of pure religion: charity suffers long and is kind, envies not, vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices not in iniquity but in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.15MR 177.2–179.2+2 To claim belief in the truth while surmising evil, being impatient and unforgiving, criticizing brethren, crediting hearsay, entertaining harsh severe judgments, and manifesting a harsh denunciatory unkind spirit toward opposers or brethren is to lack charity and to represent the attributes of Satan, even when it appears as zeal for the truth, and to claim to believe the truth while spirit, words and deportment show bitter envying and strife is lying against the truth and denying Christ.15MR 177.2–179.2+1

Those abiding in Christ manifest charity in mild circumspect language, meekness of wisdom, kind forgiving courtesy, tender compassion without partiality and without hypocrisy, piety equity and purity, readiness to forgive, and earnest peacemaking.15MR 177.2–179.2 For God's workers this requires unity in sympathy and kindness, tender compassion like Jesus for those who need help and are out of the way, and patience, brotherly kindness and forbearance toward those committing sins of ignorance, putting far away every selfish consideration and every unfeeling, oppressive spirit that injures and bruises others.Ms 42, 1901, par. 26–29 Lack of love, tender forgiveness, brotherly kindness and forbearance shows absence of the spirit of Jesus, while those filled with the mercy and love of God produce a corresponding effect on others by a kind, conciliating, courteous spirit, practicing goodwill toward all men, giving brethren credit for conscientiousness, walking in humility in the garments of peace and righteousness with patience and forbearance as the Bible standard.Lt 11, 1880, par. 6–10 Love is shown in daily life by humility, patience, forbearance, brotherly love, kindness, forgiveness, and tender sympathy toward those who are weak or in error, and without love religious knowledge and self-sacrifice have no real value.4T 133.3–4 The image of sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal also describes a person who through carelessness and lack of prayer lacks the love and spiritual life that make speech meaningful, while humble, prayerful resistance to temptation brings victory and spiritual worth.TBC1882 84.1

Talents, learning and eloquence without love are meaningless and worthless.5T 169.3+1 Love is a heavenly grace and precious treasure that must be possessed and sought, shown in suffering long and being kind.5T 169.3+1 Enjoying peace and love together requires putting away sin and coming into harmony with God, which brings harmony with one another, because love with joy and peace is the fruit of the Spirit while discord and strife are the fruit of sin and the work of Satan.5T 169.3+1 Without the love of God abiding in the soul as a living principle all deeds are worthless empty noise, for the love required is of heavenly birth and must be nourished as a heavenly plant, with the sanctifying influence of Christ's grace in the heart cleansing the soul and turning evil out.16MR 110.3+1 It is love for Jesus, love for those who believe in Him, and love for the wandering and perishing, with stubbornness broken up, and professed followers must no longer catch up little points of difference, meditate on them, talk about them, and magnify them until love is gone from the soul as water from a leaky vessel.16MR 110.3+1

Service without love is worse than failure, for those who serve self grow weary because they want the glory for themselves, while in Christ's service all glory is to be given to God.Lt 197, 1902, par. 19–20 God will not work with a harsh, stubborn, loveless man, and such a man spoils the pattern Christ desires His workers to reveal to the world.Lt 197, 1902, par. 19–20 Workers in every line of service are called to forget self in the effort to save souls, to leave waymarks of love and compassion through life, and to bring the goodness and benevolence and love of Christ into all their efforts.Lt 197, 1902, par. 19–20 Even capabilities, courage and self-reliance essential for God's work are worthless without love, and labors cannot be accepted where first love is lost, for unless the love of Christ burns in the heart the lack appears in all the work and misrepresents Christ.Lt 197, 1902, par. 15–16 Love must be acted out in the life, leaving waymarks along the path, and love so lived always brings a response of gratitude offerings to God, showing true co-workers whose work is in harmony with Christ's self-sacrifice for the sinful race.Lt 197, 1902, par. 15–16 Speaking present truth without an unselfish, giving life makes words empty and powerless before the world, while a living example of unselfish character after Christ's example gives preaching its power.SPBC 135.1+1 Those who use their means to gratify appetite and selfish desire and neglect the needy, who use every dollar on their own supposed wants, conveniences and appetite and do not give for the needs of the saints and the advancement of God's kingdom, show they have not genuine faith, lose the favor of God and the heavenly reward, and their teaching of truth is dismissed as meaningless noise.SPBC 135.1+1

An easygoing religion of lax, careless ideas that disregards rules and principles and lets down the standard is not acknowledged by God but is to Him as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, doing more harm than ten faithful workers can counteract where it tears down.Ms 4b, 1885, par. 13 Without meekness, humility, genuine piety and the indwelling of Jesus a teacher is empty and powerless, no matter how much he preaches.Lt 43, 1887, par. 4–7+1 Getting hold of hobbies and theories that have no connection with the solemn work for this time, instead of teaching the third angel's message and truth as it is in Jesus, proves lack of true conversion, for what saves the soul is not opinions about whether the world is round or flat, but seeking true godliness, heart holiness, freedom from selfishness, envy and jealousy, praying and humbling the soul before God, faithful continuance in well-doing, and believing and obeying.Lt 43, 1887, par. 4–7+1 Speaking, praying and talking long and earnestly in the most important meetings, when done in a boasting, exalted manner without charity, is worthless empty noise, having no humility, full of self-righteousness and self-exaltation, of no benefit to the church, and injuring the cause by giving unbelievers a false, miserable representation of believers.Ms 3, 1861, par. 19–21 Knowledge of the truth is of no benefit if it produces no beauty in the soul and does not subdue, soften, and recreate the person after God's image, but truth that controls the conscience as an abiding principle becomes an active working agent that works by love and purifies the soul, planted in the heart by the Holy Spirit always working from within outward and revealed in words and spirit and actions toward everyone, while knowledge without that inward work is only sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.Lt 20a, 1893, par. 18–21 Faith, wisdom, and righteousness without a correct knowledge of God and eternal realities are only as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, and that knowledge begins with seeing the spotless purity of God's character and the glory of His power, realizing how pure one must be to see His face, and being humbled by one's own nothingness, requiring coming in contrition to the cross of Calvary, renouncing all self-trust, self-confidence, and boasting, and accepting Christ as made unto wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.Lt 99, 1901, par. 11–13