9:23Jeremiah 9:23

Let not anyone boast in human wisdom, strength, or riches, nor in any other human advantage made a ground for pride.PK 22A+4 Let glorying be only in understanding and knowing the Lord, who carries out loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness on the earth and delights in them.PK 22A+2 That knowledge of God is the highest education, of eternal worth, and no human learning or ability can replace it or give cause for boasting before Him.FE 352.1+4 Wisdom, strength, and riches are gifts entrusted by God, and people are to live in dependence on Him rather than trusting themselves.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 37–38+4 Knowing Him turns all glory from self to God and transforms character to reflect His just and merciful ways in humble, compassionate conduct.PK 69.2+4

Thus says the Lord, no wise person is to glory in wisdom, no mighty person in might or strength or power, and no rich person in riches or wealth.PK 22A+4 Human wisdom and strength and riches are not rightful grounds for boasting or self-glory or human pride.PK 22A+4 Wisdom, strength, and wealth give no one cause for pride before God.Ms 60, 1902, par. 14+2

The same ban reaches every other human advantage when it is made a ground for pride.Lt 8, 1889, par. 20–21+4 It shuts out boasting in endowments, position, and achievements, in power and fame, and in the temporal honor and riches and power sought by the people of this world.Lt 8, 1889, par. 20–21+3 It shuts out boasting in science and foreign languages and in anything else merely human, in personal plans, and even in long years of service, hardship, privation, and trial.COL 399.5–401.1+2 Gifts, abilities, talents, and status cannot be claimed as one's own, since they come from God to be used for Him and returned to Him with increase.Lt 8, 1889, par. 20–21+1

All boasting about personal merit is out of place, whether about wisdom, power, riches, long service, hardship, privation, or trial.COL 399.5–401.1 No one may claim preference, honor, or a larger reward above others on the ground of labors and sacrifices, as if advancement earns a place in the kingdom of heaven.COL 399.5–401.1 Condemned here is the self-gratulatory, querulous, jealous spirit that values reward above the privilege of serving Christ, is eager for flattery, wants to be thought most important, distrusts God, and murmurs at His goodness and liberality to others.COL 399.5–401.1

The prohibition of boasting in human wisdom, strength, and riches or wealth leaves one exception: understanding and knowing the Lord is the only rightful and true ground for glory.PK 22A+4 That knowledge is to be valued above possessions and lived by, not treated as mere profession while relying on one's own judgment, which is vanity.Ms 71, 1896, par. 15+2 Human learning and ability cannot replace it or give anyone cause to boast before God.FE 352.1

To know Him is to know Jehovah as the Lord whose work on earth is loving-kindness, judgment or justice, and righteousness.PK 22A+4 He exercises these things in the earth and delights in them.6T 148.3–149.1+4 Knowing God and Christ in this character leaves no room for self-glory or self-righteousness, for the Lord is the source of wisdom and righteousness, so glory belongs to Him.Lt 43, 1895, par. 13–25+2

That knowing turns all glory away from self to God in praise of His name, magnifying Him with thanksgiving and exalting Him forever.PK 69.2+2 It honors Him for His goodness and mercy rather than pointing to human abilities and possessions.PK 69.2+2 It calls God's people to magnify Christ and represent His character to the world.Ms 7, 1891, par. 55–60 Unlike human judgment by outward appearance, the Lord's righteous judgment looks at the heart.Lt 33, 1894, par. 1–2

The highest kind of education is the knowledge of God, and wisdom and strength and wealth give no ground for human pride or boasting before God.FE 352.1+4 True ground for glory is only in understanding and knowing the Lord, whose work in the earth is loving-kindness and judgment and righteousness, in which He delights.FE 352.1+4 Human learning and ability cannot replace that knowledge, for God is the source of all wisdom and is infinitely wise and just and good, and apart from Christ even the wisest cannot comprehend Him, so mere intellectual knowledge and attainments apart from the great truths centering in Christ are nothingness.FE 352.1+1

That education is not science and literature alone, but includes knowledge of the Word of God, knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent, an experimental knowledge of God's ways, and the lessons of the paternal character of God.RH Feb 13, 1913+2 It is experiential knowledge of God in His character of loving-kindness and judgment and righteousness, gained by prayerful study of Scripture that disciplines and ennobles and purifies and refines the intellect.RH Feb 13, 1913+3

This knowledge is understanding itself, of indescribable value and highest worth in this world and reaching as far as eternity.STE 220.1+1 It supplies all things that pertain to life and godliness, leads to the best development of character, and fits the soul for the life that measures with the life of God, with eternity kept in reckoning.RH Feb 13, 1913+1 To know the only true God and Jesus Christ is life eternal, secured by submission to God and obedience to His holy law, while choosing disobedience decides the future destiny toward sowing to the flesh and receiving eternal destruction.STE 220.1+2

No method of education should crowd out the Word of God, which is to be the counselor, and human wisdom and might and riches must not be made the aim of education.STE 132.1+1 The purpose of education is to take in light in order to impart light in good works, with this knowledge guiding life rather than being displaced by human learning.STE 132.1+1 No teacher is truly educated or fitted to instruct youth without knowing God and Christ in the soul as a learner in the school of Christ under the divine Instructor.STE 53.1–54.1 Boasting belongs in God, not in science or foreign languages or anything merely human, so getting an education in order to gain knowledge that others will regard as wonderful is forbidden, and practicing Christianity in life is made the highest ambition.STE 53.1–54.1+1

Wisdom, strength, and riches are gifts entrusted by God, not independent possessions that give any ground for trust or boasting.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 37–38+4 God is the source of life, light, and glory, and of all power and ability, including intellectual and spiritual power.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 37–38+3 Human ability before Him is finite and fallible, and human wisdom, strength, and wealth are weak before God.Lt 18, 1892, par. 5–6+3 Pride and self-exaltation over these gifts grieve the Holy Spirit and cause people to forget the source of their strength.Lt 150, 1897, par. 4–7

What is needed is a living connection with God rather than confidence in self, human power, or self-reliance.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 37–38+2 Those given minds, talents, and responsibility are tested by whether they follow God's will, seek His guidance, devote their abilities to Him and do His will, rather than trust themselves or misuse what was entrusted to them.Ms 40, 1890, par. 7–9+1 No one is to put personal wisdom, wealth, or power to control where God should be, and such self-reliance and self-righteous trust in one's own experience with desire for supremacy place a person on the losing side.20MR 175.6–176.1+1 Relying on God rather than human power is the opposite of that Christless way.20MR 175.6–176.1+1

Human wisdom is foolishness unless sanctified day by day, and apart from Christ even the wisest cannot comprehend God.CT 66.1+3 God is infinitely wise and just and good, beyond the comprehension of the wisest, and mere intellectual knowledge apart from the great truths centering in Christ is nothingness and cannot bring people to know Him.CT 66.1+1 That includes even knowledge of the physical universe, animal life, natural science, and mechanical invention when separated from Christ.STE 53.1–54.1 Worldly wisdom misuses God-given abilities, and earthly status and possessions lose their value beside eternal interests.Ms 8a, 1888, par. 7+1

Men live on a little atom of a world, while God has unnumbered worlds obedient to His laws and conducted for His glory, with an infinity beyond what scientific research can apprehend.STE 53.1–54.1 A glimpse of the Eternal stops every mouth from boasting.STE 53.1–54.1 Men become truly wise only by realizing dependence upon God and being filled with His wisdom, since God is the source of intellectual as well as spiritual power.STE 53.1–54.1 The greatest standard of manhood is reached when intellectual and moral power are combined, surpassing what the world counts as wonderful heights in science.STE 53.1–54.1 In Christ, God overturns human wisdom and provides what human ability cannot and gives no ground for boasting before Him: wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.FE 415.1+1

Communion with God transforms character and inspires holy endeavor, for wisdom, strength and wealth are entrusted gifts rather than grounds for trust or boasting, and God alone is the source of all power, glory, wisdom and righteousness.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 37–38+3 Pride and self-exaltation in these human advantages grieve the Holy Spirit and lead to forgetting the source of strength, exalting self above others and even oppressing them, while human ability remains finite, fallible and unworthy of confidence.Lt 150, 1897, par. 4–7+2 What is worthy of boasting is understanding and knowing the Lord, who exercises loving-kindness, judgment or justice, and righteousness in the earth and delights in these things.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 37–38+3 Those who know Him are called to cultivate the traits in which He delights and to reflect His just and merciful character, leaving no room for self-glory or self-righteousness.Ms 40, 1890, par. 7–9+3 This reflection is shown in humble, kind, compassionate, merciful and loving conduct that magnifies Christ and represents Him to the world, in keeping with a living connection with God and following His will rather than self-reliance.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 37–38+2

Earthly wealth gives no ground for self-glory, for temporal honor, riches and power sought by worldly ambition are not worthy objects of ambition and lose their value beside eternal interests.6T 257.2–258.2+3 In contrast to ambition for honor, riches and power, the higher aim and highest aspiration is knowing and understanding the Lord, whose work on earth is loving-kindness, judgment and righteousness and in these He delights.RH Aug 25, 1910+2 The rich are accountable to God and should use their means and sympathy to relieve human suffering and serve Him, valuing eternal interests above earthly status and possessions.6T 257.2–258.2+1

This knowledge of God is an encouraging covenant promise for those who serve Him.Ms 15, 1898, par. 15 Such humility accords with willing, wholehearted service even in work that seems small, depending on God rather than relying on personal ability.Lt 12, 1897, par. 22–23+1 It warns against feeling superior to fellow workers and calls instead for working in harmony with them.21MR 48.1–2

Those entrusted with responsibility are warned against self-importance, self-sufficiency and self-conceit.Ms 41, 1890, par. 76–80+2 To profess to follow God while leaning on one's own judgment is vanity and a Christless way.Ms 41, 1890, par. 76–80 Such pride and self-exaltation grieve the Holy Spirit and keep a person from recognizing need of God, since every ability and gift comes from Him.Lt 150, 1897, par. 4–7+1

Praise, exaltation and dependence must not be placed on human beings.TEPD 77.2+2 To exalt a preacher merely for stirring emotion injures both the one praised and those who praise him.TEPD 77.2+1 People are finite, fallible, frail and erring, so trust is to be placed in God and He is to be exalted instead.Lt 8, 1892, par. 6–8+1 To set up influential persons who disregard God's law as objects of reliance, or to put humans where God belongs, dishonors the Creator and is idolatry.Lt 85, 1899, par. 9–13+1

Speakers are called to lay aside self-importance, recognizing worldly wisdom as foolishness before God.Ms 8a, 1888, par. 7 Workers must not rely on personal ability, feel superior to fellow workers, or exalt those disloyal to God, but depend on God and labor in harmony with one another.Lt 85, 1899, par. 9–13+1 Impressive buildings and apparent prosperity do not impart a Christlike character to God's work; righteous principles and resistance to evil are what honor Him.Lt 4, 1896, par. 27–29

Pride that lifts self above others leads to oppressing them.Ms 87, 1894, par. 8–10 Outward religious signs and claims to be God's favored people are worthless when the heart is not devoted to God.Ms 29, 1898, par. 11–13 Self-exaltation, selfishness, impurity, pride and deceit leave the heart unclean, and the Lord distinguishes the obedient from the disobedient.Ms 29, 1898, par. 11–13+1

God's counsel is to be followed in all things because He is infinite in wisdom.RH Feb 13, 1913+2 Where duty to youth and children has been left undone there must be repentance and a redeeming of the time in their training.RH Feb 13, 1913+2 This call presses with special force as iniquity increases and God's restraint is being withdrawn before another destruction of the wicked.Lt 130, 1906, par. 6

In institutions leaders must put God first and honor Jesus as Physician in Chief rather than rely on human policy or ability.Lt 92a, 1886, par. 5+1 When they do, God can give physicians tact, skill and wisdom and work for them.Lt 92a, 1886, par. 5 Every talent comes from God and must be returned to Him with increase, so boasting in ability, position or achievement is forbidden and misuse of His gifts calls for repentance.TEPD 77.1+1

Personal wisdom, wealth or power must not be put to control where God should be.20MR 175.6–176.1+1 Self-righteous trust in one's own experience and desire for supremacy place a person on the losing side.20MR 175.6–176.1+1