Meeting Opposition
321
of words; for this makes it impossible for the hearers to distinguish
between the word of the Lord to them and your words. Be sure that
you do not make the word of the Lord offensive.
We long to see reforms; and because we do not see that which we
desire, an evil spirit is too often allowed to cast drops of gall into our
cup, and thus others are embittered. By our ill-advised words their
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spirit is chafed, and they are stirred to rebellion.
Every sermon you preach, every article you write, may be all true;
but one drop of gall in it will be poison to the hearer or the reader.
Because of that drop of poison, one will discard all your good and
acceptable words. Another will feed on the poison; for he loves such
harsh words. He follows your example, and talks just as you talk. Thus
the evil is multiplied.
Those who present the eternal principles of truth need the holy oil
emptied from the two olive branches into the heart. This will flow
forth in words that will reform but not exasperate. The truth is to be
spoken in love. Then the Lord Jesus by His Spirit will supply the
force and the power. That is His work.—
Testimonies for the Church
6:120-123
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How to Deal with Objections
Time and strength can be better employed than in dwelling at
length upon the quibbles of our opponents who deal in slander and
misrepresentation. While precious time is employed in following the
crooks and turns of dishonest opponents, the people who are open
to conviction are dying for want of knowledge. A train of senseless
quibbles of Satan’s own invention is brought before minds, while the
people are crying for food—for meat in due season.
It takes those who have trained their minds to war against the truth,
to manufacture quibbles. And we are not wise to take them from their
hands, and pass them out to thousands who would never have thought
of them had we not published them to the world.
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The plan of Christ’s teaching should be ours. He was plain and
simple, striking directly at the root of the matter, and the minds of
all were met. It is not the best policy to be so very explicit, and say