Ephesians 4:14, commentary and pictures

Believers are not to remain spiritually immature and vulnerable like children, but are to grow to mature manhood in Christ instead of wavering unstably like waves or shifting sand when unsettled by every kind of changing and conflicting teaching through human trickery and crafty schemes to mislead. Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to perfect the saints and build up His body till all come to unity of faith and full knowledge of Him, and those gifts continue for those waiting for His return. That growth means speaking truth in love and growing up into Christ the Head, putting off the old corrupt life and putting on the new man in righteousness and holiness, shown in pure edifying speech, kindness, forgiveness, meekness, longsuffering, and keeping unity in peace. Stability comes through diversity of gifts blended on Christ the cornerstone rather than control by one man, with believers united in cooperative labor instead of dissension and faultfinding, and grounded by diligent study of Scripture, testing claims, and living the truth. In the time of confusion after 1844 and in the final sifting when deceptions of every kind increase, those without deep grounding drift, so believers must hold fast every pillar of faith and stand firmly anchored on the Rock.

Childhood and Instability Imagery

To be children is to remain spiritually immature, childish and vulnerable, instead of growing toward mature manhood in faith and knowledge of God and of the Son of God unto the fullness of Christ. Such immaturity leaves believers unsteady in belief, easily swayed by changing teachings and misled by human trickery and cunning schemes designed to deceive. Growth toward Christ and unity in faith guards against that instability, calling for watchfulness, a worthy walk, speaking truth in love, and holding to the truth.

To be tossed to and fro and carried about pictures wavering instability like waves beaten about without sure anchorage, like shifting sand, or like a leaf blown back and forth by every wind. It is spiritual sickness and debility from a wavering course, drifting on the surface of excitement and moving by impulse and feeling instead of clinging to the pillars of faith and settling down to find rock bottom. It includes being raised from footing for lack of personal faith and experience, letting changing thoughts, circumstances and surroundings shape religious experience and teaching, with weakness of character exposed under temptation and trial. Those so described are sensational Christians ever hungering for something new and diverse, tossed here and there, confused and thrown into uncertainty, made worthless to the cause of truth, and left open to subjection to the influence of evil angels. The remedy is to use God-given reasoning, discernment and judgment rather than drift, to hold firmly to the truth as it is in Jesus and hold fast to the end, enduring false accusation without failing or discouragement.

Every wind of doctrine means every kind of teaching — changing, conflicting, new, diverse and strange doctrines — that unsettles, confuses and throws the inexperienced into uncertainty. It includes vain philosophy and falsely named science opposing the truth, restless claims of new light that separate from the people God is leading, and drifting among strange doctrines that deny the personality of God and Christ when the path of truth is left without firm anchor. Steadiness therefore belongs to becoming established in the faith, growing toward maturity in Christ through unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and speaking truth in love, and holding firmly to received truths.

Ministry Gifts for Maturity

Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ, till all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. That gift is given so believers will no more be children, spiritually immature, unstable and swept along by every changing teaching, misled by false teaching and deceit through human trickery and cunning craftiness lying in wait to deceive. God appoints a ministry for the church precisely as the guard against that childish instability under conflicting doctrines. Maturity and stability depend on many different instruments and agencies working together in concurrence and harmony for the prosperity and perfection of the church, as the whole body joined and held together by what every joint supplies works in proper measure to cause growth and build itself up in love, speaking the truth in love and growing up into Christ the head, even as the human body is so united that when even the smallest member like the finger is afflicted the brain feels it and the whole body suffers.

These gifts are to continue until that unity is reached, and together with their role in preparing believers for Christ's return this points to their continuing benefit for those waiting for the end of the age. Stability comes not through one man's mind, ideas and method controlling all, but through diversity of gifts and different minds working in fellowship together, each standing in his lot and place and supplying his part so the whole body fitly joined together increases and edifies itself in love. No man is to hold in low esteem the diverse gifts and instrumentalities of the gospel or treat the Lord's work through His appointed agencies as inferior while carrying the work in his own way as superior, for that is dangerous to himself and others. All these gifts are to be blended in building upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself the chief cornerstone, fitly framed together, each acting his respective part unitedly, growing into an holy temple in the Lord and working unitedly to one end.

Maturity comes when converts are kept from attaching themselves to any one man, bearing his mold and copying his ways in conversation and conduct, and when the variety of workers each do their special work together instead of separating themselves and claiming exclusive ownership and training of souls. No one man's gift is full and perfect enough to supply all the church needs, so every talent and gift placed in the church is to be recognized, yet with great caution to test everything and hold fast only to what is good. Workers must not labor independently of one another while treating their own judgment as best, but must act in concert under Christ as the one supreme Leader, blending together as a perfect whole where one supplies what the other lacks. That growing up into Christ the head by speaking the truth in love means walking in the truth and practicing it in daily dealings, living worthy of the calling, doing works that match the elevating influence of the truth, having a faith that works by love and purifies the soul and makes alive in Christ, and having living water in the soul springing up to everlasting life, reached with lowliness, meekness, long-suffering, forbearance in love, and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The chapter declares God's appointed order and means to keep unity in the church so plainly and simply that all may lay hold upon the truth, so its members may reveal to the world a healthy religious experience and show a sound Christian experience in truth and agreement. It belongs to teaching on members' relation to one another as the body of Christ and on how the Lord works through the church, describing God's order in which gifts serve in the perfecting of the saints and members are to labor according to that order, with its gifts essential to the work. This calls for personal piety with spirit, thoughts and words under subjection to Christ, with no shirking of responsibility on the one hand and no laboring for supremacy on the other, but devoted zeal in everyone to do his best, so that one does not carry a heavy load while another goes lightly loaded and one is not eased while another is burdened. The instruction means much and must be read most solemnly and impressed upon minds, studied in a humble, prayerful spirit by comparing Scripture with Scripture, confronting hardness of spirit where strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit are found, and calling for a great reformation in lives, words, works and spiritual understanding, unto obedience to the commandments, practice of the golden rule, partaking of the divine nature, and a consistent life in courtesy, justice, mercy and unwavering fidelity that magnifies the law.

Deceivers and Their Craft

The sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive means human trickery, manipulation, deceitful skill and crafty schemes designed to mislead the ignorant, unwary and spiritually immature. Christ gives varied ministers and gifts to build up the church toward unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto mature manhood in Christ, so believers will no longer remain like unstable children swept along by every new and changing teaching. That maturity means speaking the truth in love and growing up in every way into Christ who is the head, from whom the whole body fitly joined together under Him works together and grows in love. Such growth shows in speech and temper by putting away lying, corrupt talk, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and malice, speaking truth as members one of another with only what builds up, and being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgave.

Deception works through vain philosophy and falsely named science that unsettle people and oppose the truth. It mixes error with appealing truths to lead people astray, presents error in hidden and deceptive ways that quickly weaken faith and plant skepticism and unbelief so that even those who think they stand firm are in danger of falling. Designing, crafty men lie in wait for the unwary by wily sophistry, giving strength of intellect to perverting the word of God and covering solemn, sacred truth with deceptive theories made plausible, affecting the inexperienced, unsuspecting and those not well informed until truth and error appear on a level in their minds to their ruin. Discernment of Satan's snares, wiles and craftiness calls for renouncing all hidden dishonesty and every crooked and guileful way, retaining no sinful habit, sensing sin in its true hateful character and expelling it from the soul, and having truth brought with divine power into the heart to purify by obedience, with preachers presenting the Word fairly and openly, never handling it deceitfully or hiding the gospel and covering the cross with ornament, but letting the cross of Christ and self-denial stand prominent in all teaching.

Even people whom God has previously used and honored must not be accepted as reliable guides without testing their teaching, for when they cease depending on God they can be led by an evil spirit, become deceived, and act as though God's work depends on their own ability and wisdom. Those who trust in human wisdom rather than God will not be reliable leaders when perplexity comes and many doctrines spread and Satan tries to deceive even the elect, while faithful servants will be revealed in the testing time.

The same danger that threatened in the apostles' day must be met today, for men practice sleight and cunning craftiness and lend themselves as instruments to do the enemy's work, and when the enemy is seen at work through them peace cannot be kept. Being tossed to and fro includes subjection to the influence of evil angels, applied to unstable persons easily driven by outside influences whose instability makes them unfit to interfere in or judge the work entrusted to others. The verse is warning, reproof and encouragement against dissension, talking over defects, spiritual blindness, following one's own way and working on the negative side to divide believers, with the cure in keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, speaking truth in love and growing up into Christ the head from whom the whole body joined together increases unto edifying itself in love. It is a warning to take now against Satan's increasing seducing power that would deceive even the very elect and turn the weak out of the way when straight paths are not made, calling for faith joined with works, gathering every ray of light that substantiates truth, bearing aloft the banner for the last days in the third angel's message, setting churches in order and closing the door of unbelief so souls in peril who do not see their danger may be rescued. In the fast-approaching time of great perplexity and confusion, when God purifies His people and purges His floor in the mighty sifting, Satan clothed in angel robes will try to deceive even the elect, with gods many and lords many and false teachings of every kind spreading.

Unity in Cooperative Labor

Maturity in this verse means converts are not to attach themselves to any one man, bearing his mold and copying his ways in conversation and conduct, but are to receive the united labor of the variety of workers given — apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers — each doing his special work together instead of separating and claiming exclusive ownership and training of souls. Their united labor perfects the saints, carries on the work of the ministry, and edifies the body of Christ till all come in unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, so that by speaking the truth in love believers grow up into Him in all things as the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together makes increase of itself in love. This settled maturity refuses to be controlled by men, because Christ alone is Master and Head and the Holy Spirit directs each member of the body, with each member faithfully doing its own appointed office and no one seeking to be an independent whole. God has appointed leaders to bear responsibilities for the advancement of the truth for the help, encouragement, and strength of His people, and to neglect or despise them is to reject the means He ordained. To pass them by and insist that light must come directly from God through no other channel is the insubordination by which angels who were beautiful and glorious yet dependent on God for happiness, light, and intelligence fell from their high estate through desire for independence, and it places a person where deception can succeed and overthrow follows.

God has not qualified anyone to bear the burden of the work alone, but has joined together men of different minds and varied talents and abilities to counsel with and assist one another, so that deficiency in the experience and abilities of one is supplied by the experience and abilities of another. Workers with different minds, different gifts, and different plans and methods of labor are to be united in harmony, counseling together and praying together, constantly learning and improving, and acting in concert under Christ as the one supreme Leader, blending together as a perfect whole where one supplies what the other lacks. This belongs to the instruction in Ephesians 4:1-16 about relation to one another as members of the body of Christ, calling for growth into Christian maturity rather than instability or deception. It means believers must unite their weakness to Christ's strength, die to self and live to Christ, have strong unchristlike traits of character softened, subdued and purified, and unite one with another that they may be one with Christ in God. That maturity is reached with lowliness, meekness, long-suffering, forbearance in love, and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, through the diversity of gifts given for the perfecting of the saints and the work of the ministry, speaking the truth in love and growing up into Christ the Head, from whom the whole body fitly framed and joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in every part, increases and edifies itself in love.

The verse is warning, reproof, and encouragement against dissension, talking over the defects of brethren and sisters, spiritual blindness, following one's own way, and working on the negative side, all of which are Satan's work to divide. Its cure is keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace, speaking the truth in love, and growing up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together makes increase unto edifying itself in love. Growth toward fullness in Christ, the living Head, is hindered when people cherish selfishness, prejudice, and dissension instead of love and unity; crucifying self and pressing together in Christ enable that growth. Christians must no longer remain children but grow up day by day to the full stature of men and women in Christ as the church builds one another up in the most holy faith and represents the character of Christ to the world, never tearing one another down. Tearing down by faultfinding and unkind speech is doing Satan's work and leaves the door open to the enemy, while mutual upbuilding closes the door to the enemy. The power of speech must be used to bless and edify, not as a curse to cause dissension and strife, for the one who gives himself to finding fault neglects his own precious soul, and those who listen to and leave such unchristlike work unrebuked share accountability before God for injury done to their brethren.

Childish strife and emulation among workers are the conduct to be left behind as believers unite in Christ and persevere in the work, no longer remaining spiritually childish and unsettled by competing teachings. Christian workers must be closely united in love, each helping the other toward courage, hopefulness and perseverance in the work, because they stand in an earnest battle against many strong foes determined to defeat them and they cannot be victorious without special help from heavenly agencies. The same growth requires Christians to take part in regular, systematic service that builds up the church, rather than remain spectators or neglect their duties.

Growing into Christlike Character

Leaving childhood means speaking the truth in love and growing up in all things into Him who is the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies works effectually in proper measure to increase and edify itself in love. That growth into stability depends on many different instruments and agencies working together in concurrence and harmony for the prosperity and perfection of the church, just as the human body is so united that when even the smallest member like the finger is afflicted the brain feels it and the whole body suffers. This stability belongs to the church's growth toward unity in faith and knowledge of Christ, no longer spiritually immature, easily unsettled by changing teachings, or deceived by human trickery and cunning.

Leaving childhood requires no longer walking as Gentiles walk in vanity of mind, darkened understanding, alienation from the life of God, ignorance, blindness of heart, and uncleanness with greediness, but having learned Christ as the truth is in Jesus. It requires putting off the old man corrupt according to deceitful lusts, being renewed in the spirit of the mind, and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. This is the service to render to God, shown when those converted to God have a changed conversation, stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by whom they are sealed unto redemption.

That growth shows in speech and temper by putting away lying and speaking truth to one another as members of one another, letting no corrupt talk come from the mouth but only what builds up others and ministers grace to the hearers. It requires putting away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and malice, and also selfishness, self-sufficiency, self-esteem, jealousy, and evil surmising, giving fellow laborers place to work and encouraging one another with edifying speech. Instead believers are to be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving, as God for Christ's sake forgave. It is shown in righteous anger without sin, honest labor to give to the needy, and not grieving the Holy Spirit.

Maturity is reached by a higher standard of life revealing love, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance in love, walking worthy of calling with lowliness and meekness and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Longsuffering bears many things without seeking revenge by word or act. Workers must not labor independently of one another while treating their own judgment as best, but must act in concert under Christ as the one supreme Leader, blending together as a perfect whole where one supplies what the other lacks.

Believers begin as God's little children but must not remain babes or dwarfs, carry childish traits into later years, or allow faults left unconquered in youth to shape their religious experience. They must not stand still but make advancement daily to the full stature of men and women in Christ, becoming strong in His strength, putting away gloom and unbelief, talking faith, talking of God's goodness and telling of His power. It is the privilege of everyone to grow in grace, daily reaching higher attainments, laying hold of Him who has all power, remembering that every hour and every moment His help is needed, reaching the high standard He holds before them because He died to save them, and being always ready to speak to others of the grace and saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means no longer babes in Christ but bold and firm soldiers of the cross who rejoice in suffering the will of God, because God is the Rock of salvation and a present help in every time of need. Churches should have such mature men and women in place of spiritual babes and dwarfs, marked by purity, temperance, study of the Word, faithful duty and service, representing His character as witnesses, knowing the truth and qualified by the Holy Spirit, ready to carry burdens and serve rather than seek an easy or pleasant time. Those who firmly believe the saving truth entrusted to them act without wavering, and when people are ready to decide about the Sabbath, fear of consequences must not cause the matter to be delayed.

Prophecy History and Testing

After the disappointment of 1844, conflicting claims arose over when the first and second messages had been fulfilled, some placing them in the future and others in the distant past. Those altered reckonings unsettled inexperienced believers, weakened their faith, and drew them away from the shared faith. They produced division and confusion, and those who broke away from the messages as the anchor of the body became driven about by different errors and deceptive teachings.

Maturity requires keeping every pin and pillar of the building of the work of the last sixty years with not one moved. This means especially holding the foundation of faith in the third angel's message, the banner for the last days to be borne aloft, which Satan will make every effort to tear up with increasing seducing power. The warning is to take now, lest even the very elect be deceived and the weak be turned out of the way when straight paths are not made for their feet. Faith must be joined with works, gathering every distinct ray of light that substantiates the truth, setting the churches in order, and closing the door of unbelief so souls in peril who do not see their spiritual danger may be rescued. Steadfastness is not being beaten about by waves of unbelief but having a sure anchorage that holds, remembering past history in order to resist deception. Holding fast to the truth as it is in Jesus to the end means triumphing with the third angel's message when the end of all things is at hand, enduring without failing or discouragement even when men say all manner of evil falsely for Christ's sake as they said against Christ.

In the fast-approaching time of great perplexity and confusion, God purifies His people and thoroughly purges His floor in the mighty sifting. Then Satan clothed in angel robes and disguised as an angel will try to deceive even the elect, there will be gods many and lords many, and false teachings of every kind and every kind of doctrine will spread. Those who trust in human wisdom rather than God will not be reliable leaders, while faithful servants will be revealed in the testing time. The verse describes the present time, when many false teachings blow from every side. Error is presented in hidden and deceptive ways that quickly weaken faith, as Satan works to plant skepticism and unbelief in every mind, so that even those who think they stand firm are in danger of falling.

Those who leave the path of truth and have no firm anchor will drift among strange doctrines and be deceived, blown about by winds picturing changing beliefs under the influence of error. Believers are therefore to hold firmly to the truths they have received and to reject doctrines that deny the personality of God and Christ. Though God's Spirit has illuminated every page of Holy Writ, those on whom it makes little impression because it is imperfectly understood remain children with only superficial knowledge of precious present truth such as the sanctuary question. Having not sunk the shaft deep into the mine of truth to discover the precious ore, they are surface readers anchored nowhere, and when the shaking comes by the introduction of false theories they are tossed to and fro like shifting sand. They slide into any position to suit the tenor of their feelings of bitterness, even to making derision of present truth, as McCullagh has done. Restless people who claim new light but hold conflicting views and separate from the people God is leading exemplify this childish instability. Their errors confuse others and hinder people from accepting the truth, as do those unsound in the faith who withdraw from the body of believers and lead others away.

Standing Firm in Practice

Stability calls for careful discernment, testing every claim and holding fast only to what is good, rather than accepting every teaching at face value. That discernment means holding to what God has plainly said instead of being led by personal ideas and opinions that can mislead others. It also means recognizing Satan's snares and rejecting craftiness and deceit in teaching and conduct, refusing to follow a stranger's voice instead of Christ the true Shepherd. After the call to unity the warning is against remaining like children swayed by every new teaching through deceitful cunning, for no one man's gift is full and perfect enough to supply all the church needs, so every talent and gift placed in the church is to be recognized, yet with great caution. Stability comes by speaking the truth in love and growing up into Christ the head, which is walking in the truth and practicing it in daily dealings, living worthy of the calling with works that match the elevating influence of the truth, having a faith that works by love and purifies the soul and makes alive in Christ, with Christ's living water in the soul springing up to everlasting life.

A firm, informed grasp of revealed truth guards against confusion and prepares for coming trials, so Christians will not be misled by changing doctrines. That grasp comes through systematic, diligent, thorough study and obedience to God's Word, which establishes believers in the truth so false doctrines do not toss them about or move them from the faith. Children who are not firmly grounded in Bible truth can be unsettled by new and conflicting doctrines, but thorough study prepares them to recognize false claims and remain steadfast. Humble, teachable people who study Scripture and obey the light they receive will not be deceived by delusions, and as they learn the truth they grow in grace and knowledge and grow up into Christ the living Head. Truth must be firmly established in people so they are not led astray by deceptive error, and printed books and papers help root and ground them when they cannot retain everything they hear preached.

Inexperienced workers who place themselves among conflicting teachings before they are firmly grounded risk being confused and unsettled by deceptive doctrines, so a worker should become established through communion with God and close study of Scripture before regularly teaching others. The gifts are given for perfecting the saints, for the work of ministry, and for building up the body of Christ until all come into unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood measured by the fullness of Christ, so believers are no longer childlike and unstable, tossed and carried about by every wind of teaching through human trickery and crafty deceit, but by telling truth with love grow up in all things into Christ who is the head, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the working of each part causes growth and builds itself up in love. Christian workers must learn this lesson by being much in prayer, praying publicly with brief direct heartfelt simplicity and confidence as prompted, and claiming promises with faith. Such prayer lets the congregation know they prevail with God, encourages them that the Lord is present, opens hearts to receive rich blessing, builds trust in their sincerity, and makes hearers listen willingly to instruction.

No longer remaining as children tossed to and fro and carried about by deceitful, crafty men lying in wait to deceive means truth and righteousness must be maintained in all surroundings, with believers abiding in Christ to bear fruit, and being perfected and edified through apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the work of the ministry. Instead of instability, they are to speak the truth in love and grow up into Christ the head, joined together as a body that builds itself up in love, and this maturing and stabilizing work must be done now, with God taking men now looked upon as common and putting His words of warning in their lips to make intelligent teachers. Truth must be lived and proclaimed amid evil as well as good report, with God's Word presented unalloyed with human impetuosity but with earnestness, with the authority that truth gives, with meekness yet with assurance and power, by serious and solemn agents presenting simple truth in demonstration of the Spirit so souls are convicted and converted. Maturity requires thoroughly believing the saving truth entrusted to believers and acting on it without fear, especially by bringing the Sabbath question before a congregation promptly when hearts are prepared instead of delaying it for fear of consequences, because God has made His people depositaries of sacred truth with a saving message commanded to be given to the world that carries eternal results and light that must illuminate the world. To discern and escape the one who lies in wait with craftiness, wiles and snares, believers must renounce all hidden dishonesty and every crooked and guileful way, retain no sinful habit, sense sin in its true hateful character and expel it from the soul, and have truth brought with divine power into the heart to purify the heart by obeying it. Those who preach must present the Word fairly and openly, never handling it deceitfully or hiding the gospel and covering the cross with ornament so preaching is made of no effect, but letting the cross of Christ and self-denial stand prominent in all teaching.

Crafty, designing men lie in wait to deceive the unwary by wily sophistry, giving their strength of intellect to perverting the word of God and covering up solemn, sacred truth with deceptive theories made plausible. The inexperienced, unsuspecting, and those not well informed in the strength of the truth are affected by subtle opposing arguments and deceived to their ruin, with truth and error placed on a level in their minds. Publishing the arguments by which opponents battle the truth is unwise, because it furnishes minds of every class with objections many never thought of and exposes people to errors they had not considered. Giving such errors wide publicity makes truth and error appear equally credible to those not firmly informed, so they may be swayed. If the truth were presented in a different manner and under different circumstances, with a fair chance to weigh the arguments and compare Scripture with Scripture, they would be charmed by its clearness, convinced by its strong arguments, and take hold of it.

The warning applies to setting churches in order and guarding the weak from being turned aside as Satan's power to deceive increases. It is a warning to take now against increasing seducing power that would deceive even the very elect and turn the weak out of the way when straight paths are not made for their feet, calling for faith joined with works, gathering every distinct ray of light that substantiates the truth, bearing aloft the banner for the last days, the third angel's message, setting the churches in order, and closing the door of unbelief, so that souls in peril who do not see their spiritual danger may be rescued. Young Christians must not be left to drift and become vulnerable to temptations that can lead them away from steadfastness and integrity. Believers must not be like children easily swept away by changing teachings or deceived by human trickery, but must stand firmly on Christ against worldly influences and customs, conform to God's will, and keep a clear distinction between their practices and those of the world. Young men entering ministry who may drift and be tossed about by changing influences under circumstances if left to themselves should receive faithful guidance, care from conference committees and experienced believers rather than be left to themselves.

Steadfastness means using the reasoning, discernment, and judgment God has given rather than drifting from one direction to another like a leaf blown back and forth by every wind. People can be unsettled and led astray like children when they follow smooth words and human influence, so they must place their feet on the eternal Rock and cease relying on people, standing firmly for the truth. Believers must be prepared to hold firmly to the truth as it is in Jesus and hold fast to the end, not beaten about by the waves of unbelief but having a sure anchorage, and the anchor holds. This steadfastness is urgent because the end of all things is at hand and the third angel's message will triumph, and holding fast means triumphing with it. It includes enduring when men say all manner of evil falsely for Christ's sake, as they said against Christ, without failing or being discouraged.