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God’s Goodness Displayed, February 11
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath
called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
1 Peter 2:9
.
As the wax takes the counterpart of the seal, so the soul receives and
retains the moral image of God. We become filled and transfigured by be-
holding His purity and righteousness. Our souls will become sluggish and
our faith enfeebled unless we arouse and have a firm, steady, active faith....
The great sin of God’s people at the present time is, we do not appreciate
the value of the blessings God has bestowed upon us. We serve God with
a divided heart. We cherish some idol and worship at its shrine. The truth
of God is elevated and holy, sanctifying the soul, if brought into the life
and interwoven with the character. God is seeking with His truth to make
us a separate and peculiar people. This is the influence of the truth. Our
obedience and devotion are not equal to our light and privileges, and the sacred
obligations resting upon us to walk as children of the light are not fulfilled
by us. As Christians we fail to come up to our high calling. Warnings and
reproofs have been given us from God but only for a time have an influence
upon us because we do not consider it as our lifework to press forward and
upward to the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
Oh, that God’s people would consider their superior advantages, and
understand from the light of God’s Word that we must be judged according
to the light that shine upon our pathway. All the privileges and opportunities
given us of God are for the purpose of making us better men and women.
The people of God must move from a settled principle, making it their first
principle to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then go on
from light to still greater light....
Every soul who really believes the Word of God will show the same by
his works. The great goodness of God is displayed in His will. Whatever His
will or Word requires them to do they cannot be Christians if they neglect
to do this. The truth is able to save our souls, for God by His own Spirit is
a continual agent in it, and the divine agency makes the truth a sanctifying
power.—
Letter 8, February 11, 1887
, to Brother and Sister Lockwood.
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