Titus 2:14, commentary and pictures

Jesus willingly gave his own life in suffering and death as a complete offering to free people from every transgression of God's law and bring them back to loyalty to it, not to leave them in sin.
Those he redeems he cleanses in soul, body, and spirit to restore God's image in them and make them wholly his own treasured possession.
To be peculiar is to belong entirely to God and be separate from the world in character, conduct, and obedience rather than in name only, avoiding its lusts, customs, and fellowships without seeking oddity for its own sake.
To be zealous of good works is to serve earnestly and eagerly from faith united to Christ, bearing fruit in love, obedience to the commandments, help to the needy, and a light that leads others to glorify God.
In these last days God is gathering and purifying such a commandment-keeping remnant, distinguished by the Sabbath, to proclaim the final message of mercy and stand holy for Christ's appearing.

Verse Words and Setting

The verse stands in Paul's message to Titus that follows the call for young men to be sober-minded and for Titus himself to show a pattern of good works in uncorrupt doctrine, gravity, sincerity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned. It belongs to the sound doctrine of Titus 2:11-15 that faithful ministers must preach with reproving, rebuking, and exhorting. That charge includes stopping the mouths of unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, rebuking them sharply that they may be sound in the faith, and rebuking sin publicly that others also may fear. A minister who shuns this unpleasant duty leaves the blood of souls upon his garments.

The verse belongs with the grace of God that brings salvation to all people and teaches denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. That godly life is lived while looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. That grace works not by forcing obedience through command but by giving divine knowledge. It lays out one path and one Saviour for young and old, rich and poor, refusing conformity to this world but being transformed by the renewing of the mind, remaining not of the world and kept from its evil through sanctification by God's truth, even when that separateness brings hatred, exclusion, reproach, and evil names for the Son of man's sake, with great reward in heaven, leaving pride and unhealthful fashions and the love of display and the love of approbation with the world in order to be renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created us.

To redeem from all iniquity is to free people from every kind of sin and wrongdoing. Iniquity is transgression of the law, and Christ gave himself to bring the transgressor back to loyalty to God's law, not to abolish the law so people can continue in sin. The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. His sacrifice was made so that people might have eternal life, securing both deliverance from sin and a life of holiness and active goodness and a people set apart for faithful living. This happens as Christ dwells in the heart by faith, joining the believer to himself as a branch grafted into the true Vine, cleansing malice, hatred, jealousy and selfishness from the soul and filling it with kindness, patience, longsuffering, benevolence and love, so that loving God supremely and neighbor as self fulfills the law, calling for turning from crooked practices, since professed belief in the truth does not excuse dishonesty or conduct that injures God's cause.

Peculiar means wholly belonging to God, separated from the many to obey and serve Him only, refusing to worship the prince of this world who is the prince of darkness. It is distinctness in character and conduct and not merely in name, separate in character and spirit from the unbelieving world. That distinctness is shown by taking a conscientious stand for Christ with moral courage before unbelievers, leaving worldly fashions, and imitating Christ's self-denying life, even while poor and despised and awaiting the kingdom and immortal inheritance promised to God's heirs. To be singular because duty requires it to exalt and honor God places heaven's dignity upon man and must not be feared, but to be singular for singularity's sake is positively detestable and below the dignity of a Christian. True peculiarity is therefore distinguished by living distinctly when obedience requires it — not seeking to be odd, but refusing sin and honoring God even when the many do otherwise — and by sound essential truths, faith, love, and holiness rather than by unrequired oddities.

To be zealous of good works is to be earnest, eager, and devoted in service like that exemplified in Christ. In Him the Spirit's power was shown through zeal for doing good, not through bodily movements. His example calls for service to God marked by humility, meekness, and earnestness in a Spirit-filled life.

Christ's Sacrifice and Redemption

Who gave himself for us means Jesus voluntarily gave himself in suffering and death as a complete offering and perfect atonement on the cross of Calvary. That self-giving is the believer's hope and crown of rejoicing, and his self-giving love belongs to salvation itself. It calls for binding oneself wholly to him, trusting him, humbling oneself, and giving oneself to be molded by him. Through his grace his followers are to develop Christian character and represent him in this life, showing in conduct and speech that truth has taken hold of them, walking as he walked, leaving worldly pleasures and obeying God's commandments rather than speaking and acting foolishly.

Silver and gold, though all belonging to God, could not purchase salvation; only the precious blood of the Son of God could redeem. The plan of salvation was laid in sacrifice, for though Christ was rich he became poor so that through his poverty believers might be made rich. This redemption is part of God's freely offered gift of grace, and its crowning blessing is forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ. That grace does not permit continuance in sin, but where faith is present God dwells in the believer and awakens zeal for good works, with lasting power for all who rely on it by firm faith.

Christ gave himself to reconcile justice and mercy and fulfill God's everlasting purpose, bridging the gulf between unholy man and a holy God who cannot look on evil and can have no companionship with unholiness. As Sin-Bearer he bears the iniquity of all who repent and believe and accept his robe of righteousness, the Innocent counted guilty so the guilty can be counted innocent through his merits. Where sin abounds grace abounds still more to remedy defects caused by sin and self-indulgence and to bring hope. The great gift must be accepted in cooperation with God with the will conformed to his will, purifying a peculiar people zealous of good works who are filled with knowledge of his will, walk worthy of the Lord, are fruitful in every good work, increase in knowledge of God, and are strengthened for patience and joy.

Redemption restores the image of God in human beings, making them partakers of the divine nature and complete in Christ who is head of all principality and power and spiritual head in whom believers are united. Body and spirit are bought with a price to glorify God, severed from other peoples to belong to God, called to walk perfect and holy before the Almighty. The Majesty of heaven clothed divinity with humanity, left the royal courts above, stood at the head of the race, and lived the principles of the law to show grace has power to redeem men and women and raise them to moral integrity. As God delivered Israel from degrading bitter bondage and made them his peculiar people, he has again set his hand to deliver a people from bondage to sin and adopt them as sons and daughters, forming characters that make them a spiritual temple holy to the Lord. This requires acting one's part as members of his body by copying the perfect Pattern, working out salvation through given grace, striving lawfully, cooperating with Christ who supplies helping and keeping power to win the crown of life, with daily conversion, counting all things loss for Christ, trusting his merits as mediator, since God upholds justice, holiness and truth yet pardons every sin upon repentance.

Christ's redemption began where ruin began, facing temptation at the point of appetite and overcoming Satan to break his power, so that through cooperation with divine influence people can overcome in his name. His work reaches natural, strong, perverted traits of character, drawing people from their own traits toward perfection of his character to elevate, purify, and gladden others' lives. In that process experiences reveal what is in the heart before the person is fitted for God's kingdom, and as selfishness and self-confidence are put away and the Holy Spirit governs, talents and powers can be wisely used and sanctified to God's glory. Continued sin brings no comfort or satisfaction, while God offers eternal life.

Because Christ valued people greatly and gave all he had and then himself in great condescension to meet the necessities of the striving soul, faith in him always leads to willing, cheerful, self-sacrificing obedience with perfect conformity in thought, word, and deed. His self-surrender began a work finished with complete restoration when surrender to him is entire, requiring surrender in return and a life free from all worldliness and corruption. This consecrates all one has and is to his work, laboring diligently and unselfishly rather than for self, learning and doing the will of him who gave himself while awakening others to eternal realities. Serving him means serving with heart and mind and soul and strength, with strict integrity, faithfulness in business, no selfish covetous act, deceit or underhand scheming, refusing to serve the world while professing to be children of God, cleansing the soul temple from every idolatrous shrine, putting away pride, selfishness and sinful indulgence, and advancing his work through self-denial and sacrifice for others. A religion that treats people as of little worth or neglects the poor, suffering, and sinful denies his character, even when its followers bear his name, for he is a personal, sympathizing Saviour who does all things well.

A Purified Peculiar Identity

To purify means to sanctify and perfect soul, body, and spirit, cleansing the conscience from dead works so that people can serve the living God acceptably and glorify Him. God carries this work of perfection forward for human good and His own glory when He is allowed to control, and His truth sanctifies heart and life by removing what is sinful so that His image is reflected. Redemption from all iniquity therefore means sanctification of the whole being, purity like Christ's purity, and perfect conformity to the will of God. He purifies through affliction over inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil, leading His people to acknowledge the greatness and power of the Lord as the true and living King.

The purified are Christ's own purchased possession, wholly His, bought with a price and severed from other peoples to belong to God. They are wedded to Him as His church in close union, chosen from the foundation of the world and redeemed from among men as His precious, specially treasured possession. In their purity and perfection He sees the fruit of His suffering, humiliation, and love and is satisfied. They are called to do willingly whatever He tells them, to gain a sound experience, to walk perfect and holy before the Almighty and glorify God in body and spirit, and to use God-given abilities for His glory and not for selfish purposes. This calls for daily conversion and counting all things loss for the knowledge of Christ, trusting His merits as mediator and passport to grace, since God upholds justice, holiness, and truth yet pardons every sin upon repentance and asking forgiveness. Those connected with His work are to be a pure, distinctive, holy people whose lives are marked by zeal for good works, set apart as a holy nation and chosen generation whose sanctification through truth is shown in all their works and brings truth to a world dead in sin.

This purification requires coming out and being separate from the world rather than mingling with it and conforming to it. Mixing with the world weakens spirituality, purity, and zeal and removes the signs of being God's chosen people. As ancient Israel's rebellion in loving what the world loves and following the abominations of the nations brought judgments and death upon thousands and provoked God to wrath, so in the last days God is purifying a peculiar people, the Israel of God, who must remain distinct and not repeat that rebellion. It forbids friendship with the world, mixing God's work with worldly policy, partnership with worldlings, and conformity to worldly lusts, customs, fashions, and idolatrous practices. It calls for lifting the cross in obeying the commandments of God, turning from living for pleasure-loving, dancing, and amusement to having a care for the soul through Christ and Him crucified, imitating Christ's self-denying life with moral courage to stand before unbelievers and submit to God's will even unto suffering.

Purifying is a refining process designed to purge the church from all unrighteousness and the spirit of discord and contention. Thus purged, members build up instead of tearing down and concentrate their energies on the great work before them. God is thereby leading out a people to stand in perfect unity upon the platform of eternal truth, all coming into the unity of the faith. As a consecrated, distinctive people they encourage faith and love for one another and live without division or dissension.

Redemption requires holiness, for without holiness no one shall see God. Mere profession of Christ while denying Him by works, forwardness in controversy over points of faith joined with sleepiness toward Christianity, apathy, recklessness, and continuing in defects of character contradict the purpose of His death. Those redeemed must be made pure, transformed in life, and active in good works, reaching thorough conversion and a high standard of character whose conduct marks them as God's chosen people. He will have a clean and holy church, and those who persist in wrongdoing and refuse correction and repentance separate themselves from the trusting people He is purifying. Cleansing from all wrong comes through obeying the truth in self-sacrificing obedience, being perfectly conformed to the will of God in thought, word, and deed. Envy, jealousy, evil suspicion, selfishness, fraud, and injustice are to be cleansed away, with self dead and all words and deeds unselfish, pure, and true in Christlikeness to His wholly devoted, unselfish life for the good of others. His offering is so complete that through His grace everyone may reach the standard of perfection, recorded in the book of life as complete without spot or stain, presented to the Father without spot or wrinkle, revealing His attributes free from selfishness in a world of iniquity and corruption. Only spotless purity can live in heaven, and this obedient, cleansed life of kindness and love produces right actions that lead unbelievers to glorify God, gives power to the message for conversion of souls, honors the Maker, reaches God's high ideal of clear minds, sweet tempers, and abounding love, and fits the blood-bought heritage to enter the holy city where nothing that defiles can enter.

Zealous for Good Works

Zeal for good works springs from faith that unites the soul to Christ and stirs it to constant activity and labor of love, for Bible religion is constant work. Busy activities by themselves do not secure salvation or insure it, and a heart still defiled by sin cannot be truly zealous. Christ gave himself to redeem people from iniquity and make them his own purified people, and his redeeming love makes daily victories in well-doing precious while believers persevere against selfishness and sin, so these works are the fruit of his saving work and not a reason for fear-driven obedience. A claim to be God's chosen, peculiar people is empty and found wanting when professed knowledge of God is denied by works and character does not match the light and privileges received.

Good works are the fruit of faith and the sure evidence of passing from death to life, shown by love for fellow believers, though all need not work in exactly the same way. God's people are to be recognized as his own by this zeal, standing ready to serve and receiving the grace, power, and knowledge of the Holy Spirit's work needed for that service. This purified life is expressed in following Christ's example of doing good and loving others, for love fulfills God's law and identifies his disciples. Those who belong to God and are zealous for good works hear and live the truth with honor, uprightness, and sincerity, obeying God even when obedience brings loss. Their belonging to Christ is to be visible in a life governed by the two great principles of supreme love for the Creator and love for neighbor and in witness that reflects his Spirit. Those who claim this set-apart identity should show it by being noble and generous, caring for fellow believers and favoring their interests rather than their own, by helping those in need, bringing sinners knowledge of the Saviour's love, generosity and self-denial, keeping God's commandments, and doing duty to God and fellow people.

By such works God's people, called out of darkness into marvelous light to praise him, let their light shine before others, bear witness to Christ, and lead souls to salvation so others glorify the Father. Their claim to be purified for himself and zealous to do good is contradicted when actions show home and treasure are in this world, as acquiring attractive land displays worldly-mindedness rather than a life shaped by faith and hope in Jesus' appearing. Their lives are to show they do not treat this world as home or make wealth their aim but set affections on heavenly things and declare they seek a better country. They are to preserve their distinctive character as Christ's representatives, each contributing means, influence, wisdom, or virtue to God's work, living in right relation to God so they reflect his glory, with faith and profession visible in lives that honor God and stand apart from the world. Christ's giving his immeasurably costly life makes it possible to copy his character, and grace as Heaven's choicest treasure is to be communicated through believers for saving souls and revealing God's honor and glory by bearing fruit in speech, tone of voice, and kindness of redeeming love in keeping God's commandments, while slighting fruit-bearing and disregarding the Source of power by looks, words, and actions born of evil misinterprets the gift, ignores the Giver, and presents a substitute, and straying from the Lord after he in pity lifts the soul and sets feet in sure paths grieves his Spirit afresh and puts him to open shame. A profession without such good works is valueless and cannot make the Christian faith desirable.

Loyalty to this calling is shown by willing obedience to God's commandments, uprightness, sincerity, and high motives while looking to Jesus, holding fast the truth and following a humble path rather than being led by selfishness, self-exaltation, or corrupt influence. Being one of God's peculiar people zealous of good works means union with Christ as a servant of the Lord, loving God, praying to the heavenly Father, keeping the precepts of God's law, obeying God's Word, and standing distinct from the world by refusing plans and methods in which God is not recognized. Christ gave himself to redeem from all iniquity, which is transgression of the law, not to abolish the law, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in those who walk after the Spirit by bringing the transgressor back to loyalty, elevating humanity, renewing the image of God, and making him a partaker of the divine nature as Christ dwells in the heart by faith like a branch grafted into the true Vine, cleansing malice, hatred, jealousy, and selfishness and filling the soul with kindness, patience, longsuffering, benevolence, and love in supreme love to God and love to neighbor. They can remain untainted by surrounding corruption by holding fast to divine strength and staying closely united to God, knowing their weakness and depending on Christ's wisdom and strength to resist temptation. Claiming to be such a people while grasping for large wages contradicts that calling, for obedience to God's Word leads away from fleshly desires and greed, while dishonesty, crooked practices, and greed displease God and hinder his work.

Last-Days Fulfillment and Mission

In these last days God is by close and pointed truths cleaving out a people from the world and purifying them unto Himself, and this purifying work is now going forward through the risen Christ interceding on high and through soul-purifying present truth. Those baptized with the third angel's message experience a separation from the world never before experienced, for purification means denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world while looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of Christ. It requires leaving pride and unhealthful fashions and love of display and love of approbation with the world in order to be renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created them, walking in harmony with God as obedient children conforming the will to the will of God so the work can go forward without interruption. It includes living for the future immortal life, putting away complaint and faultfinding, letting words and conversation reveal a hope big with immortality, refusing to treat sexual sin lightly or allow it to corrupt the church, and being clean and holy in body and spirit to be presented blameless through Jesus, even to cleanliness and order in homes and places of worship, since dirt and untidiness dishonor God. Satan directs his malice against truth-seekers to hinder their perfection, employing his forces and human agents to hide their light and cause distrust of it, yet he cannot weaken those who keep close to Jesus.

As the same God delivered Israel from degrading bitter bondage in Egypt and made them His peculiar people, He has again set His hand to deliver a people from the bondage of sin and adopt them as sons and daughters. Christ gave Himself to free from all sin and to cleanse for Himself a special people eager to do good, enabling them to share the divine nature and form characters that make them a spiritual temple holy to the Lord, with body and spirit bought with a price to glorify God. As Israel was brought out to keep God's law, God is now separating a people from the churches and the world to be distinct from other people and acknowledge the Lord as ruler. Jesus Himself took despised Israel out of the house of oppression and slavery to make them His own, taking them away from the kingdoms of the world and leading them forty years in the wilderness to prepare them as a representation of what His people should be, manifesting through them His supreme authority so that all other nations feared them because Jehovah was with them.

To be that chosen Israel of God requires being separated from all other people on earth and refusing to mix with the world, love what the world loves, or follow the abominations of the nations, for mixing removes the signs of being chosen. Ancient Israel's rebellion in mingling with the nations provoked God to wrath and brought judgments and death upon thousands, warning the present peculiar people not to depart from God to follow the world. The same injunction to be separate that rested on ancient Israel rests on God's people now, who are in constant danger of mingling and losing all signs of being chosen, while the grace that brings salvation teaches denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and living soberly, righteously, and godly while looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. As ancient Israel would not obey God's law and so were given ceremonies and ordinances to keep God in remembrance and stir their minds to realize their obligations, so present disobedience makes special testimonies necessary to awaken to duty and impress sinfulness and fearful danger in neglecting God's word, for had there been obedience neither the multitude of ceremonies then nor special testimonies now would have been required. Setting aside, neglecting, and despising light blunts conscience, and God will remove these testimonies, deprive of strength, and humble.

The purified people are the remnant endeavoring to keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus amid the perils of the last days, when the masses turn from truth to fables and those who turn to unpopular truth are despised, hated, and persecuted. Those Christ owns at His coming are pure and holy, separate from the world and unspotted by it, purified and made white through suffering, for a profession of faith without a distinct, purified life does not make people His, and the third angel's message must purge pride, selfishness, covetousness, and love of the world. Those looking for His soon return show that zeal through health reform, denying depraved appetite, practicing temperance, and cleansing themselves from bodily and spiritual impurity, becoming thorough reformers more Christlike and better able to understand and live out faith. The peculiar people He is purifying are to be translated to heaven without seeing death, and to be fitted for translation they must know themselves and understand their own physical frames as fearfully and wonderfully made, ever keeping appetite in subjection with the body as servant to the mind and not the mind to the body. Their purification is an active cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit while perfecting holiness in the fear of God, and because their profession is more exalted than that of others they must not be behind the religionists of the day who have no faith in the soon appearing, but must be as far ahead of every other class on earth in good works as their profession is higher, like gold purified seven times.

Their peculiarity is obedience to His commandments, with obedience to the Sabbath commandment as one of its principal features, keeping the seventh-day Sabbath of the Bible that God set apart as holy time in Eden after creating the world in six days. Honoring the fourth commandment is God's test: those who obey it are separated from the world and distinguished as people who serve God, for the Sabbath is a divine requirement, not a human one, and marks a dividing line in the final conflict between truth and error. God has chosen Seventh-day Adventists as His denominated, distinct, commandment-keeping peculiar people, separated from the churches and the world by the foundation of their faith, whose work is to honor God rather than exalt any human name. Fulfilling this calls them to stand openly before the world, to vindicate righteousness and judgment in harmony with the character of God, to act as His representatives and laborers together with Christ, to express no cheap character, and to faithfully handle, publish, multiply, and spread everywhere the greatest wealth of truth ever entrusted to mortals. In the last days, when iniquity abounds and the love of many grows cold, God will have such a people to glorify His name and stand as reprovers of unrighteousness by staying true to the law when the world seeks to make its precepts void, to prepare the way for the Lord, even when converting power working through His servants arrays the hosts of darkness in bitter and determined opposition against them.

Their zeal is for their appointed special work of proclaiming the last message of mercy and the third angel's message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, refusing to obey the principles of the world or conform to its customs, living distinct and eager to do good. Their good works show they are set apart for this work: their lives show they do not treat this world as home or make earthly wealth their aim, but set affections on heavenly things and the immortal inheritance. They stand before the world with appointed work to warn the world, open new fields, and work cities, to call to repentance and remission of sins as before Christ's first coming, letting the light of truth shine in character. They are born again, changed in mind and heart, endowed with increased grace, power, and knowledge of the Spirit, and made a praise in the earth, with workers in the publishing office and the Lord's institutions representing God, spreading knowledge of present truth and witnessing to truth and righteousness, so that when workers are converted daily truth goes forth from them like a burning lamp. When the church retains that peculiar, distinct, and holy character, it will have the Holy Spirit's power confirming it as in apostolic days, as the disciples did: the sick healed, evil spirits rebuked and cast out, and the church mighty and a terror to its enemies.

Separate Holy Daily Life

To be purified unto a peculiar people means to be a living, decided, wholehearted Christian, for half-hearted work avails nothing, requiring the giving up of pride of dress and appearance and pride of opinion, coming down with God's humble people, shaking off every shackle, and taking hold for the salvation of the soul. It means consecration of soul, body, and spirit to God and separation from the fashions and practices of the world in heart, in dress, in language, in every respect, with the evidence of discipleship seen in Christ's likeness in self-denial, cross-bearing, and zeal for good works instead of conformity to the world in eating, drinking, dressing, appearance, and spending God's money. Peculiarity does not come from dress itself, but because they are peculiar and holy they cannot carry marks of likeness to the world, and conformity contaminates religious experience until the mark of distinction is scarcely distinguishable. Their lives, including outward choices, are to reflect that they belong to Him rather than imitate the world, with hearts cleansed from pride, love of fashion, and worldly desires, for pride and needless display reveal corruption in the heart while the purified are to be pure in heart and follow Christ's humble, self-denying example to glorify God. Ancient Israel wore a blue ribbon as a visible sign of belonging to God, but no special garment mark is now required, yet simple dress should still distinguish from the world, glorify God, and rebuke pride, vanity, and extravagance. Not every collar or ribbon is condemned, but expensive, needless adornment pursued for show is, and both showy adornment and careless oddity, coarseness, and disorder are to be avoided, since the one reveals heart corruption and the other dishonors God, destroys influence, and strengthens contempt, with plain, simple, modest dress joined to neatness, order, cleanliness, and correct taste, including in Sabbath worship, and with a conversation in heaven, an example leading brothers, sisters, and friends right to save their souls, and love, honor, and respect to parents ending in nothing sacrificed but a rich and glorious reward.

The call to be a peculiar people includes keeping the body pure from defilements such as tobacco, denying depraved appetite, practicing temperance, and cleansing from bodily and spiritual impurity. Those looking for His soon return and being prepared for translation without seeing death should be thorough reformers, no less earnest in good works than others, becoming more Christlike and better able to understand and live out faith. Habits of eating and drinking show whether they belong to the world or are separated as God's own people, and because they belong to God they are accountable for what they know about physical well-being and must guard every part of the body from harmful practices, since even lawful habits carried to extremes can become destructive. Seeking to become holy, pure, and refined for introduction into the society of heavenly angels, they will not be controlled by appetite, for supplying physical wants does not mean man must be controlled by appetite nor is gratifying appetite the chief end of man. Therefore they will no longer take the life of God's creatures and enjoy their flesh as a luxury, but let meat alone and deny stimulants and unhealthful preparations, for this order of things will be changed and God's peculiar people will exercise temperance in all things. Flesh-eating and indulgence derange the system, becloud intellect, blunt moral sensibility, increase disease tenfold, and impair discernment of sacred things, while means saved are put into the treasury for meetinghouses and missionaries.

Sabbath observance and regular morning and evening prayer alone do not prove one a Christian, for true godliness is shown in a changed life. It is seen in self-control and restraint from fretful or impatient speech, in patient, considerate conduct and speech especially within the family, and in walking as He walked rather than speaking and acting foolishly, with conduct and speech showing truth has taken hold. Purification includes being clean and holy in body and spirit so as to be presented blameless through Jesus, extending to homes and places of worship, for dirt and untidiness dishonor God and those refusing to change may be removed from the community. His self-giving at the cross makes sin too perilous to indulge even in secret thoughts and passions, requiring watching unto prayer in God's presence and shunning unholy thoughts, base passions, and secret indulgence in view of angels and Christ on the borders of eternity.

To be peculiar and zealous of good works is to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world while looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing, refusing conformity to this world but being transformed by renewing of the mind, remaining not of the world and kept from its evil through sanctification by truth. It is to take His name and suffer reproach and shame and be hated, excluded, and evil-spoken of for His sake, with great reward in heaven, refusing the world's esteem, honor, applause, and profits. It forbids friendship with the world, mingling with its spirit and influence, mixing God's work with worldly policy, and partnership with worldlings in leading positions in the sacred work, for those who love the world cannot hear His voice and follow their own wisdom to folly, and world-loving, shrewd, calculating men must either be converted or take up a calling without such eternal consequences. It requires consecration, resistance to conformity, willingness to suffer for truth, and a sanctifying, ennobling influence on those around. When pride and idolatry in a city prevent fully doing God's will or having influence there, surroundings where Christian character can be formed are to be sought, even fleeing to other towns, villages, and cities as directed when not received in one.

That zeal proves allegiance by remaining distinct and set apart, free from worldly policies and from alliances with those who cannot discern the claims of God's law. It separates from the world, from politics and political strife, from any alliance with unbelievers, and from linking interests with the world, keeping out of church and school ideas leading to contention, disorder, and selfish dissension, and making God the center of attraction through clear perception, true and noble dignity, and a steady life worked by the Holy Spirit demonstrating the power of truth. Copying the world's pattern to make work successful is inconsistent, for dependence is to be on God rather than worldly influence, and influence and advantages far above anything worldlings can give come from God Himself. Therefore His people are not to look to unbelievers for experience and knowledge, tie themselves to men to secure standing, unite with those full of error and without respect for His commandments, or send students to worldly institutions for finishing touches, as if acknowledging stronger power with unbelievers than with God's own people, but are to accept God as educator and as strength and righteousness and trust Him to work in their behalf. Sanitarium physicians, managers, and nurses, teachers and managers of schools, publishing houses, and medical workers are to be the Lord's peculiar people, examining themselves as to strict adherence to right principles, standing firm on the platform of eternal truth as memorials for God free from every tarnish of worldliness and evil working, with the Bible central, studying Christ's lessons in the New Testament as the key unlocking the Old, guarding against false doctrine and deception, refusing to conceal distinctive truth to gain acceptance, daily seeking perfection of character fitting for the heavenly city and constantly reaching higher as workers together with God unto a high spiritual standard. In these last days one distinguishing peculiarity is humility and meekness learned from Christ, seeking to be humble faithful servants instead of striving for honor, position, or superiority over others.

Those redeemed honor Him by using God-given talents, means, influence, and youthful energy in organized humble efforts that bless others, glorify God, warn the world, open fields, and work cities, occupying an important position before those who know not truth and preparing for the coming day of trial. To be this people means separation from all worldly ambition and freedom from selfishness and pride, working humbly with God with the one desire to honor God and advance His work, consecrating all resources and wisely improving talents for saving the world, surrendering powers of mind and body as a willing offering, living holy lives upright in word and action and free from all deception, scheming, and dishonesty. Workers in the publishing office and the Lord's institutions represent God and labor with Him, entrusted with the treasure of truth and solemn warnings to spread knowledge of present truth and witness to truth and righteousness in dealings with all, and when workers are converted daily truth goes forth from them like a burning lamp, while publishing houses also test character and show what is in workers. Solid, God-fearing leaders must stay firm in piety and watchfulness and lead in the right way and not onto a sidetrack away from vital interests and principles that have made this eager people what they are, though God is not dependent on any human being yet takes men into partnership with Himself. Selfish covetousness denying generous brotherly care above self contradicts the profession, whereas the purity and unselfishness of His faithful servants show what this purified people may be, a duty resting especially on medical missionaries who must not dishonor the name they bear while preparing for a life lasting as long as the life of God.

Through His grace His followers are to develop Christian character and represent Him in this life, not waiting until His return to receive the virtue and grace needed to live rightly. This redemption and purification prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord and belong to the message given in connection with the hope of His glorious appearing. It is lived out through faith in Christ, sharing His divine life and walking in newness of life, as baptism pictures death to sin and a pledged life to Christ. The risen, ascended, interceding Christ now seeks to purify such a people, which means walking in harmony with God as obedient children conforming the will to His will so the purifying work goes forward without interruption, living for the future immortal life, putting away complaint and faultfinding, and letting words and conversation reveal a hope big with immortality. It means building character in union with the heavenly Father with the will conformed to His will, trusting without doubt, refusing to stop with a half-done work until receiving a new and sanctified nature in which fruits of righteousness appear, since stopping short leaves one a Christian only in name, and walking and working in humility brings grace for grace for diligent work for eternity. This purifying work requires that His church be kept free from all false doctrine, guarded and warned against deception, false teachers, and false sentiments and theories that would lead honest souls away from truth, through counting all loss for Christ, trusting His merits as mediator, humbling, repenting, confessing, and cleansing the soul by obedience to truth through the Spirit.