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Sanctified by Truth, April 19
Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.
John 17:17
.
It is through the truth, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we are to be
sanctified—transformed into the likeness of Christ. And in order for this change to
be wrought in us, there must be an unconditional, wholehearted acceptance of the
truth, an unreserved surrender of the soul to its transforming power....
Many persons cling tenaciously to their peculiarities. Even after they profess to
accept the truth, to yield themselves to Christ, the same old habits are indulged, the
same self-esteem is manifested, the same false notions entertained. Although such
ones claim to be converted, it is evident that they have not yielded themselves to the
transforming power of the truth....
The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those
who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit have become partakers of the
divine nature, and in all their habits and practices, they will give evidence of their
relationship to Christ....
The command, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven
is perfect,” would never have been given if every provision had not been made
whereby we may become as perfect in our sphere as God is in His. We are to be ever
advancing from light to a greater light, holding fast what we have already received,
and praying for more. Thus we shall never be left in darkness (
The Review and
Herald, April 12, 1892
).
The last message of mercy is to be given to the world by the proclamation of
gospel truth.
Truth, Bible truth
—this is what the people need. On our knees we are
to claim the promises of God’s Word, asking that we may receive pure, unadulterated
truth, and that we may realize the necessity of giving this truth to others. Then men
and women will be converted. The hand of God will be recognized in the raising up
of new churches. The Lord will baptize with the apostolic spirit many who will go
forth to do missionary work in places where the people know not the truth.
True missionary work will furnish the churches with a sure foundation, a foun-
dation having this seal, “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” Then God will be
glorified in His people. Christian missions will be built upon Jesus Christ. Under
the supervision of God the work will go forward, and innumerable evidences will be
given of the genuineness of the work. The workers will not seek to glorify self, but
will praise God as the designer and organizer of every holy, ennobling work. They
not only
profess
to be believers; they
are
believers. They are sanctified by the truth;
for truth
acted
as well as
preached
has a purifying influence upon the character (
The
Signs of the Times, August 21, 1901
).
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