Chapter 9—Ministerial Ethics
We should be living examples of what we preach—We shall
seek God earnestly, and as ministers of God preaching the gospel, we
should carry these great truths into our daily lives, and show that we
are living examples of what we preach—that we are carrying into our
everyday life practical godliness—then wherever we go we will be a
power.—
Sermons and Talks, 1:63
.
Ministers who preach one way and live another are wolves
in sheep’s clothing—Wearing the insignia of Christ, they serve the
Lord’s worst enemy, and heed not the injunction, “Let everyone that
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Christ plainly states
that this class of teachers are as wolves in sheep’s clothing. They talk
of grace, they preach of grace, apparently they pray for grace; but they
have not the grace of Christ in their hearts. In the pulpit such ministers
may appear to be excellent; but they destroy the force of their words
when out of the pulpit by such a course of iniquity that they prove
themselves to be ministers of sin, wolves in sheep’s clothing.—
The
Signs of the Times, July 18, 1892
.
Let ministers show to others that the truth has done some-
thing for them—Young preachers, and men who have once been
ministers, who have been coarse and rough in their manners, making
expressions in their conversation which were not perfectly modest and
chaste, are not fit to engage in this work until they give evidence of an
entire reform. One word spoken unadvisedly may do more harm than a
series of meetings held by them will do good. They leave the standard
of truth, which should be ever exalted, lowered to the dust before the
community. Their converts generally come up no higher than the stan-
dard raised for them by the ministers. Men who are standing between
the living and the dead should be just right. The minister should not
be off his guard for a single moment. He is laboring to elevate others
by bringing them up upon the platform of truth. Let him show to
others that the truth has done something for him.—
Testimonies for the
Church 1:445
.
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