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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3
The disciples and apostles of Christ had a deep sense of their own
inefficiency, and with humiliation and prayer they joined their weak-
ness to his strength, their ignorance to his wisdom, their unworthiness
to his righteousness, their poverty to his inexhaustible wealth. Thus
strengthened and equipped they hesitated not in the service of their
Master.
Peter urged home upon the convicted people the fact that they had
rejected Christ because they had been deceived by the priests and
rulers; and if they continued to look to them for counsel, and waited
for those leaders to acknowledge Christ before they dared to do so,
they would never accept him. Those powerful men, although they
made a profession of sanctity, were ambitious, and zealous for riches
and earthly glory. They would never come to Christ to receive light.
Jesus had foretold a terrible retribution to come upon that people for
their obstinate unbelief, notwithstanding the most powerful evidences
given them that Jesus was the Son of God.
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the
same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And
they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and
in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul;
and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.”
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From this time forth the language of the disciples was pure, simple,
and accurate in word and accent, whether they spoke their native tongue
or a foreign language. These humble men, who had never learned in
the school of the prophets, presented truths so elevated and pure as to
astonish those who heard them. They could not go personally to the
uttermost parts of the earth; but there were men at the feast from every
quarter of the world, and the truths received by them were carried to
their various homes, and published among their people, winning souls
to Christ.
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