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Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
The Lord often works where we least expect Him; He surprises
us by revealing His power through instruments of His own choice,
while He passes by the men to whom we have looked as those
through whom light should come. God desires us to receive the truth
upon its own merits—because it is truth.
The Bible must not be interpreted to suit the ideas of men, how-
ever long they may have held these ideas to be true. We are not to
accept the opinion of commentators as the voice of God; they were
erring mortals like ourselves. God has given reasoning powers to us
as well as to them. We should make the Bible its own expositor.
Carefulness in Presenting New Views
All should be careful about presenting new views of Scripture
before they have given these points thorough study, and are fully
prepared to sustain them from the Bible. Introduce nothing that will
cause dissension, without clear evidence that in it God is giving a
special message for this time.
But beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger
with our people has been that of depending upon men and making
flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching
the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence
in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus
many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these
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leading brethren do not accept them.
No one should claim that he has all the light there is for God’s
people. The Lord will not tolerate this. He has said,“I have set before
thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” Even if all our leading
men should refuse light and truth, that door will still remain open.
The Lord will raise up men who will give the people the message
for this time.
The Truth Will Stand
Truth is eternal, and conflict with error will only make manifest
its strength. We should never refuse to examine the Scriptures with
those who, we have reason to believe, desire to know what is truth.
Suppose a brother held a view that differed from yours, and he
should come to you, proposing that you sit down with him and make