40
Selected Messages Book 1
God reproves men because He loves them. He wants them to be
strong in His strength, to have well-balanced minds and symmetrical
characters; then they will be examples to the flock of God, leading
them by precept and example nearer to heaven. Then they will build
up a holy temple for God.—
Manuscript 1, 1883
.
Searching the Testimonies for an Excuse
Some who are not willing to receive the light, but who prefer to
walk in ways of their own choosing, will search the testimonies to find
something in them to encourage the spirit of unbelief and disobedience.
Thus a spirit of disunion will be brought in; for the spirit which leads
them to criticize the testimonies will also lead them to watch their
brethren to find in them something to condemn.—
Manuscript 73,
1908
.
The Last Deception of Satan
Satan is ... constantly pressing in the spurious—to lead away from
the truth. The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none
effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. “Where there is no vision, the
people perish” (
Proverbs 29:18
). Satan will work ingeniously, in dif-
ferent ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence
of God’s remnant people in the true testimony.—
Letter 12, 1890
.
There will be a hatred kindled against the testimonies which is
satanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the
churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so clear a track
to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the
warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded.—
Letter 40, 1890
.
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