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Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
Individual Responsibility and Christian Unity
God is leading a people out from the world upon the exalted
platform of eternal truth, the commandments of God and the faith of
Jesus. He will discipline and fit up His people. They will not be at
variance, one believing one thing and another having faith and views
entirely opposite, each moving independently of the body. Through
the diversity of the gifts and governments that He has placed in
the church, they will all come to the unity of the faith. If one man
takes his views of Bible truth without regard to the opinion of his
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brethren, and justifies his course, alleging that he has a right to
his own peculiar views, and then presses them upon others, how
can he be fulfilling the prayer of Christ? And if another and still
another arises, each asserting his right to believe and talk what he
pleases without reference to the faith of the body, where will be that
harmony which existed between Christ and His Father, and which
Christ prayed might exist among His brethren?
Though we have an individual work and an individual responsi-
bility before God, we are not to follow our own independent judg-
ment, regardless of the opinions and feelings of our brethren; for
this course would lead to disorder in the church. It is the duty of
ministers to respect the judgment of their brethren; but their rela-
tions to one another, as well as the doctrines they teach, should be
brought to the test of the law and the testimony; then, if hearts are
teachable, there will be no divisions among us. Some are inclined to
be disorderly, and are drifting away from the great landmarks of the
faith; but God is moving upon His ministers to be one in doctrine
and in spirit.
It is necessary that our unity today be of a character that will bear
the test of trial.... We have many lessons to learn, and many, many
to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think
that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have
occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we
hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we
cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.
When a brother receives new light upon the Scriptures, he should
frankly explain his position, and every minister should search the
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Scriptures with the spirit of candor to see if the points presented can