140
Selected Messages Book 1
promises of God, when ministers and workers have failed to present
Jesus in His relation to the law of God. How often should they have
assured the people that “he that spared not his own Son, but delivered
him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things?” (
Romans 8:32
).
Satan is determined that men shall not see the love of God which
led Him to give His only-begotten Son to save a lost race; for it is the
goodness of God that leads men to repentance. O how shall we succeed
in setting forth before the world the deep, precious love of God? In
no other way we can compass it except by exclaiming, “Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God” (
1 John 3:1
). Let us say to sinners, “Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (
John 1:29
).
By presenting Jesus as the representative of the Father, we shall be
able to dispel the shadow that Satan has cast upon our pathway, in
order that we shall not see the mercy and inexpressible love of God
as manifested in Jesus Christ. Look at the cross of Calvary. It is a
standing pledge of the boundless love, the measureless mercy of the
heavenly Father.—
Manuscript 154, 1897
.
The Holy Spirit
Christ, the Great Teacher, had an infinite variety of subjects from
which to choose, but the one upon which He dwelt most largely was
the endowment of the Holy Spirit. What great things He predicted for
the church because of this endowment. Yet what subject is less dwelt
upon now? What promise is less fulfilled? An occasional discourse
[157]
is given upon the Holy Spirit, and then the subject is left for after
consideration.—
Manuscript 20, 1891
.
Teach Steps in Conversion
Ministers need to have a more clear, simple manner in presenting
the truth as it is in Jesus. Their own minds need to comprehend the
great plan of salvation more fully. Then they can carry the minds of
the hearers away from earthly things to the spiritual and eternal. There
are many who want to know what they must do to be saved. They want
a plain and clear explanation of the steps requisite in conversion, and
there should not a sermon be given unless a portion of that discourse