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266
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students
the Spirit of God, and their fruit is unto holiness. Their lives are
elevated and pure. Right actions are the unmistakable fruit of true
godliness, and those who bear no fruit of this kind reveal that they
have no experience in the things of God. They are not in the Vine.
Said Jesus, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye
abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in
Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without
Me ye can do nothing.”
John 15:4, 5
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Those who would be worshipers of the true God must sacrifice
every idol. Jesus said to the lawyer, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.”
Matthew 22:37, 38
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first four precepts of the Decalogue allow no separation of affections
from God. Nor must anything share our supreme delight in Him. We
cannot advance in Christian experience until we put away everything
that separates us from God.
The great Head of the church, who has chosen His people out of
the world, requires them to be separate from the world. He designs
that the spirit of His commandments, by drawing His followers to
Himself, shall separate them from worldly elements. To love God
and keep His commandments is far away from loving the world’s
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pleasures and its friendship. There is no concord between Christ and
Belial.
Promises to the Young
The youth who follow Christ have a warfare before them; they
have a daily cross to bear in coming out of the world and imitating
the life of Christ. But there are many precious promises on record
for those who seek the Saviour early. Wisdom calls to the sons of
men, “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall
find Me.”
Proverbs 8:17
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“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to
the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which
hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.”