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Testimonies for the Church Volume 6
the afflicted. He can watch for souls as one who must give an account.
He can present Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. The Scriptures
come clearly to his mind, and he speaks as one who knows the value
of the souls with whom he is dealing.
Conformity to the World
The Lord Jesus has said: “If any man will come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Luke
9:23
. Christ’s words made an impression on the minds of His hearers.
Many of them, though not clearly comprehending His instruction,
were moved by deep conviction to say decidedly: “Never man spake
like this Man.”
John 7:46
. The disciples did not always understand
the lessons which Christ wished to convey by parables, and when the
multitude had gone away, they would ask Him to explain His words.
He was ever ready to lead them to a perfect understanding of His word
and His will; for from them, in clear, distinct lines, truth was to go
forth to the world.
At times Christ reproached His disciples with the slowness of their
comprehension. He placed in their possession truths of which they
little suspected the value. He had been with them a long time, giving
them lessons in divine truth; but their previous religious education,
the erroneous interpretation which they had heard the Jewish teachers
place on the Scriptures, kept their minds clouded. Christ promised
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them that He would send them His Spirit, who would recall His words
to their minds as forgotten truths. He shall teach you all things,” Christ
said, “and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have
said unto you.”
John 14:26
.
The way the Jewish teachers explained the Scriptures, their endless
repetitions of maxims and fiction, called forth from Christ the words:
“This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth
Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.” They performed
in the temple courts their round of service. They offered sacrifices
typifying the great Sacrifice, saying by their ceremonies, “Come, my
Saviour;” yet Christ, the One whom all these ceremonies represented,
was among them, and they would not recognize nor receive Him. The
Saviour declared: “In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men.”
Matthew 15:8, 9
.