EGW WritingsColossians 2

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Ms 127, 1901

16LtMs, Ms 127, 1901, par. 28

“I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” [Colossians 2:1-5.]

16LtMs, Ms 127, 1901, par. 29

“I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you.” What was the apostle’s great desire?—“that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love.” [Verses 1, 2.] Such a union is our great need. Upon it depends our success in the work of the Lord.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Ms 48, 1904

19LtMs, Ms 48, 1904, par. 22

“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.” [Colossians 2:1, 2.]

19LtMs, Ms 48, 1904, par. 24

“And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” [Verse 4.] The one who deceived Adam and Eve tries continually to deceive the children of God today. His angels are in this room now; but the angels of heaven are here also, ready to sweep away the fog from your mind if you will let them. Will you not let the glory of God flood your hearts. His grace is for us. If we place ourselves in right relation to Him, we shall reveal this grace as we labor for perishing souls, trying with all the power that He has given us to win them to Christ. God will be with us as we lift up the Man of Calvary, that sinners may see that all who will believe may be saved.

19LtMs, Ms 48, 1904, par. 29

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him; rooted and builded up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” [Verses 6, 7.]

The General Conference Bulletin

April 23, 1901

GCB April 23, 1901, Art. A, par. 24

“I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalities and powers.” Colossians 2:1-10.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 39, 1907

22LtMs, Ms 39, 1907, par. 20

The Lord will not serve with our sins. There is no virtue in judging others. Our time and work are too important for this. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5. Study James 1:19-27 and Colossians 2:1-10; also Titus 2:1-8.

Bible Echo and Signs of the Times

January 15, 1892

BEcho January 15, 1892, par. 1

“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:1-10.

Bible Echo and Signs of the Times

February 1, 1892

Text: Colossians 2:1-10.

Bible Echo and Signs of the Times

February 15, 1892

Text: Colossians 2:1-10

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 11, 1893

8LtMs, Lt 11, 1893, par. 31

Let every student closely examine the ground on which he stands. Let him remember that he is obtaining an education for eternity. He must put persistent effort into his Christian life if he would perfect a right character. It will be to his eternal loss to have a dwarfed, weakly, babyish religious experience. “Ye are complete in him.” [Colossians 2:10.] Please read carefully and prayerfully Colossians 2:1-10.

8LtMs, Lt 11, 1893, par. 32

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” [Verse 6.] This means that you are to study the life of Christ. Study it with as much more earnestness and energy than you manifest in your games, or even in your secular studies, as eternal interests are higher than any earthly enterprise. If you appreciate the value and sacredness of eternal things, you will bring your sharpest thoughts, your best energies, to the solving of the problem that involves your future well being. Every other interest sinks into nothingness in comparison with this.

8LtMs, Lt 11, 1893, par. 33

You have the Pattern, Christ Jesus; walk in His footsteps, and you will be qualified to fill any and every position that you may be required to occupy. “Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” [Verse 7.] Yes, you are not to feel that you are a bondslave, but a son of God, that you are highly favored in that you have been regarded as of so great value that God has made you His by paying an infinite ransom for your freedom. He calls you not servants but friends. An appreciation of such wondrous love will call forth such love and gratitude that your heart will be a wellspring of joy. Instead of complaining, you will send up your thank offerings to God.

8LtMs, Lt 11, 1893, par. 34

Do not, even in your religious life, accept one word of flattery, for this is Satan’s art whereby he lies in wait to deceive, to puff up the human agent with high thoughts of himself. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Verse 8.] This is the kind of food that many of our youth have been fed upon; and those who spoiled them thought they were doing right, but they were altogether wrong. Praise, flattery, and indulgence have done more to ruin precious souls and lead them into false paths than any other arts Satan can devise. They are a part of the world’s policy, but not of Christ’s. Through flattery the human agent, with all his imperfections of character, is puffed up in his fleshly mind. He becomes intoxicated with the idea that he possesses ability which he really has not; he is unbalanced in religious experience, and unless, in the providence of God, he shall be soundly converted and begin to learn his A B C’s in the school of Christ, he will lose his soul.

8LtMs, Lt 11, 1893, par. 40

There is a call for a higher standard, a holier, more determined, self-sacrificing service in the Lord’s work. There is no safeguard for any one but the truth as it is in Jesus. This must be planted in the heart by His Holy Spirit and watered by His grace. Much that is called religion will sink out of sight when assailed by the opposing forces of satanic agencies. Nothing but the truth and wisdom from above can guide, can purify, can bless and sanctify the soul. None must be led to regard self-indulgence as religion. It is a deception. Let not selfishness be pampered. The youth should learn to restrict their desires and beware of extravagance in the outlay of means. To be rooted and grounded in the truth is our only safety. Looking unto Jesus, contemplating His life and character, following in His footsteps, we are safe. “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalities and powers.” [Verses 9, 10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Ms 56, 1898

13LtMs, Ms 56, 1898, par. 22

“For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the Spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:1-10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Lt 58, 1898

13LtMs, Lt 58, 1898, par. 7

There are souls in Stanmore who are deeply convicted, while others are on the very eve of taking their position on the side of truth. Sabbath afternoon a large number were present at the meeting. I had freedom in speaking to them from Colossians 2:1-10.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Ms 76a, 1901

16LtMs, Ms 76a, 1901, par. 25

“I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:1-10.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 217, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 217, 1903, par. 21

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:1-10.]

Manuscript Releases, vol. 15 [Nos. 1136-1185]

MR No. 1152—The Message of 1888; An Appeal for Unity; The Need for the Indwelling Christ

15MR 91.2

This message has not had the influence that it should have had upon the mind and heart of the believers. The true state of the church is to be presented before men, and they are to receive the word of God not as something originating with men, but as the word of God. Many have treated the message to the Laodiceans as it has come to them, as the word of man. Both message and messenger have been held in doubt by those who should have been the first to discern and act upon it as the word of God. Had they received the word of God sent to them, they would not now be in darkness. “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and the Father, and of Christ” [Colossians 2:1, 2].

15MR 91.3

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power” [verses 6-10].

The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials

The Message of 1888; An Appeal for Unity; The Need for the Indwelling Christ

1888 1051.2

This message has not had the influence that it should have had upon the mind and heart of the believers. The true state of the church is to be presented before men, and they are to receive the word of God not as something originating with men, but as the word of God. Many have treated the message to the Laodiceans as it has come to them, as the word of man. Both message and messenger have been held in doubt by those who should have been the first to discern and act upon it as the word of God. Had they received the word of God sent to them, they would not now be in darkness. “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and the Father, and of Christ” [Colossians 2:1, 2].

1888 1051.3

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power” [verses 6-10].

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Lt 24, 1892

7LtMs, Lt 24, 1892, par. 34

“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and the Father, and of Christ.” “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:1, 2, 6-10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Ms 58, 1898

13LtMs, Ms 58, 1898, par. 19

“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalities and powers.” [Colossians 2:1-3, 6-10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Ms 95, 1898

13LtMs, Ms 95, 1898, par. 32

Says the apostle: “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” [Colossians 2:1-3, 6, 7.]

13LtMs, Ms 95, 1898, par. 33

Then the apostle cautions his brethren. He would point out their dangers. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Verses 8-10.]

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 45—Written From Rome

AA 469.1

The apostle Paul early in his Christian experience was given special opportunities to learn the will of God concerning the followers of Jesus. He was “caught up to the third heaven,” “into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” He himself acknowledged that many “visions and revelations” had been given him “of the Lord.” His understanding of the principles of gospel truth was equal to that of “the very chiefest apostles.” 2 Corinthians 12:2, 4, 1, 11. He had a clear, full comprehension of “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of “the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” Ephesians 3:18, 19.

AA 469.2

Paul could not tell all that he had seen in vision; for among his hearers were some who would have misapplied his words. But that which was revealed to him enabled him to labor as a leader and a wise teacher, and also molded the messages that he in later years sent to the churches. The impression that he received when in vision was ever with him, enabling him to give a correct representation of Christian character. By word of mouth and by letter he bore a message that ever since has brought help and strength to the church of God. To believers today this message speaks plainly of the dangers that will threaten the church, and the false doctrines that they will have to meet.

AA 470.1

The apostle’s desire for those to whom he addressed his letters of counsel and admonition was that they should “be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine;” but that they should all come into “the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” He entreated those who were followers of Jesus in heathen communities not to walk “as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God ... because of the blindness of their heart,” but “circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time.” Ephesians 4:14, 13, 17, 18; 5:15, 16. He encouraged the believers to look forward to the time when Christ, who “loved the church, and gave Himself for it,” would “present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing”—a church “holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25, 27.

AA 470.2

These messages, written with a power not of man but of God, contain lessons which should be studied by all and which may with profit be often repeated. In them practical godliness is outlined, principles are laid down that should be followed in every church, and the way that leads to life eternal is made plain.

AA 471.1

In his letter to “the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse,” written while he was a prisoner in Rome, Paul makes mention of his joy over their steadfastness in the faith, tidings of which had been brought him by Epaphras, who, the apostle wrote, “declared unto us your love in the Spirit. For this cause,” he continued, “we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.”

AA 471.2

Thus Paul put into words his desire for the Colossian believers. How high the ideal that these words hold before the follower of Christ! They show the wonderful possibilities of the Christian life and make it plain that there is no limit to the blessings that the children of God may receive. Constantly increasing in a knowledge of God, they may go on from strength to strength, from height to height in Christian experience, until by “His glorious power” they are made “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.”

AA 471.3

The apostle exalted Christ before his brethren as the One by whom God had created all things and by whom He had wrought out their redemption. He declared that the hand that sustains the worlds in space, and holds in their orderly arrangements and tireless activity all things throughout the universe of God, is the hand that was nailed to the cross for them. “By Him were all things created,” Paul wrote, “that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight.”

AA 472.1

The Son of God stooped to uplift the fallen. For this He left the sinless worlds on high, the ninety and nine that loved Him, and came to this earth to be “wounded for our transgressions” and “bruised for our iniquities.” Isaiah 53:5. He was in all things made like unto His brethren. He became flesh, even as we are. He knew what it meant to be hungry and thirsty and weary. He was sustained by food and refreshed by sleep. He was a stranger and a sojourner on the earth—in the world, but not of the world; tempted and tried as men and women of today are tempted and tried, yet living a life free from sin. Tender, compassionate, sympathetic, ever considerate of others, He represented the character of God. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, ... full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

AA 473.1

Surrounded by the practices and influences of heathenism, the Colossian believers were in danger of being drawn away from the simplicity of the gospel, and Paul, in warning them against this, pointed them to Christ as the only safe guide. “I would that ye knew,” he wrote, “what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

AA 473.2

“And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.”

AA 473.3

Christ had foretold that deceivers would arise, through whose influence “iniquity” should “abound,” and “the love of many” should “wax cold.” Matthew 24:12. He had warned the disciples that the church would be in more danger from this evil than from the persecution of her enemies. Again and again Paul warned the believers against these false teachers. This peril, above all others, they must guard against; for by receiving false teachers, they would open the door to errors by which the enemy would dim the spiritual perceptions and shake the confidence of those newly come to the faith of the gospel. Christ was the standard by which they were to test the doctrines presented. All that was not in harmony with His teachings they were to reject. Christ crucified for sin, Christ risen from the dead, Christ ascended on high—this was the science of salvation that they were to learn and teach.

AA 474.1

The warnings of the word of God regarding the perils surrounding the Christian church belong to us today. As in the days of the apostles men tried by tradition and philosophy to destroy faith in the Scriptures, so today, by the pleasing sentiments of higher criticism, evolution, spiritualism, theosophy, and pantheism, the enemy of righteousness is seeking to lead souls into forbidden paths. To many the Bible is as a lamp without oil, because they have turned their minds into channels of speculative belief that bring misunderstanding and confusion. The work of higher criticism, in dissecting, conjecturing, reconstructing, is destroying faith in the Bible as a divine revelation. It is robbing God’s word of power to control, uplift, and inspire human lives. By spiritualism, multitudes are taught to believe that desire is the highest law, that license is liberty, and that man is accountable only to himself.

AA 474.2

The follower of Christ will meet with the “enticing words” against which the apostle warned the Colossian believers. He will meet with spiritualistic interpretations of the Scriptures, but he is not to accept them. His voice is to be heard in clear affirmation of the eternal truths of the Scriptures. Keeping his eyes fixed on Christ, he is to move steadily forward in the path marked out, discarding all ideas that are not in harmony with His teaching. The truth of God is to be the subject for his contemplation and meditation. He is to regard the Bible as the voice of God speaking directly to him. Thus he will find the wisdom which is divine.

AA 475.1

The knowledge of God as revealed in Christ is the knowledge that all who are saved must have. This is the knowledge that works transformation of character. Received into the life, it will re-create the soul in the image of Christ. This is the knowledge that God invites His children to receive, beside which all else is vanity and nothingness.

AA 475.2

In every generation and in every land the true foundation for character building has been the same—the principles contained in the word of God. The only safe and sure rule is to do what God says. “The statutes of the Lord are right,” and “he that doeth these things shall never be moved.” Psalms 19:8; 15:5. It was with the word of God that the apostles met the false theories of their day, saying, “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid.” 1 Corinthians 3:11.

AA 475.3

At the time of their conversion and baptism the Colossian believers pledged themselves to put away beliefs and practices that had hitherto been a part of their lives, and to be true to their allegiance to Christ. In his letter, Paul reminded them of this, and entreated them not to forget that in order to keep their pledge they must put forth constant effort against the evils that would seek for mastery over them. “If ye then be risen with Christ,” he said, “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

AA 476.1

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Through the power of Christ, men and women have broken the chains of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness. The profane have become reverent, the drunken sober, the profligate pure. Souls that have borne the likeness of Satan have become transformed into the image of God. This change is in itself the miracle of miracles. A change wrought by the Word, it is one of the deepest mysteries of the Word. We cannot understand it; we can only believe, as declared by the Scriptures, it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

AA 476.2

When the Spirit of God controls mind and heart, the converted soul breaks forth into a new song; for he realizes that in his experience the promise of God has been fulfilled, that his transgression has been forgiven, his sin covered. He has exercised repentance toward God for the violation of the divine law, and faith toward Christ, who died for man’s justification. “Being justified by faith,” he has “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1.

AA 476.3

But because this experience is his, the Christian is not therefore to fold his hands, content with that which has been accomplished for him. He who has determined to enter the spiritual kingdom will find that all the powers and passions of unregenerate nature, backed by the forces of the kingdom of darkness, are arrayed against him. Each day he must renew his consecration, each day do battle with evil. Old habits, hereditary tendencies to wrong, will strive for the mastery, and against these he is to be ever on guard, striving in Christ’s strength for victory.

AA 477.1

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth,” Paul wrote to the Colossians; “in the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.... Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

AA 477.2

The letter to the Colossians is filled with lessons of highest value to all who are engaged in the service of Christ, lessons that show the singleness of purpose and the loftiness of aim which will be seen in the life of him who rightly represents the Saviour. Renouncing all that would hinder him from making progress in the upward way or that would turn the feet of another from the narrow path, the believer will reveal in his daily life mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, forbearance, and the love of Christ.

AA 478.1

The power of a higher, purer, nobler life is our great need. The world has too much of our thought, and the kingdom of heaven too little.

AA 478.2

In his efforts to reach God’s ideal for him, the Christian is to despair of nothing. Moral and spiritual perfection, through the grace and power of Christ, is promised to all. Jesus is the source of power, the fountain of life. He brings us to His word, and from the tree of life presents to us leaves for the healing of sin-sick souls. He leads us to the throne of God, and puts into our mouth a prayer through which we are brought into close contact with Himself. In our behalf He sets in operation the all-powerful agencies of heaven. At every step we touch His living power.

AA 478.3

God fixes no limit to the advancement of those who desire to be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Through prayer, through watchfulness, through growth in knowledge and understanding, they are to be “strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power.” Thus they are prepared to work for others. It is the Saviour’s purpose that human beings, purified and sanctified, shall be His helping hand. For this great privilege let us give thanks to Him who “hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”

AA 479.1

Paul’s letter to the Philippians, like the one to the Colossians, was written while he was a prisoner at Rome. The church at Philippi had sent gifts to Paul by the hand of Epaphroditus, whom Paul calls “my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” While in Rome, Epaphroditus was sick, “nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him,” Paul wrote, “and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Hearing of the sickness of Epaphroditus, the believers at Philippi were filled with anxiety regarding him, and he decided to return to them. “He longed after you all,” Paul wrote, “and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.... I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”

AA 479.2

By Epaphroditus, Paul sent the Philippian believers a letter, in which he thanked them for their gifts to him. Of all the churches, that of Philippi had been the most liberal in supplying Paul’s wants. “Now ye Philippians know also,” the apostle said in his letter, “that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.”

AA 480.1

“Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all.... And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

AA 480.2

The grace of God sustained Paul in his imprisonment, enabling him to rejoice in tribulation. With faith and assurance he wrote to his Philippian brethren that his imprisonment had resulted in the furtherance of the gospel. “I would ye should understand, brethren,” he declared, “that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds with Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

AA 481.1

There is a lesson for us in this experience of Paul’s, for it reveals God’s way of working. The Lord can bring victory out of that which may seem to us discomfiture and defeat. We are in danger of forgetting God, of looking at the things which are seen, instead of beholding by the eye of faith the things which are unseen. When misfortune or calamity comes, we are ready to charge God with neglect or cruelty. If He sees fit to cut off our usefulness in some line, we mourn, not stopping to think that thus God may be working for our good. We need to learn that chastisement is a part of His great plan and that under the rod of affliction the Christian may sometimes do more for the Master than when engaged in active service.

AA 481.2

As their example in the Christian life, Paul pointed the Philippians to Christ, who, “being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in a fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

AA 481.3

“Wherefore, my beloved,” he continued, “as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”

AA 482.1

These words were recorded for the help of every striving soul. Paul holds up the standard of perfection and shows how it may be reached. “Work out your own salvation,” he says, “for it is God which worketh in you.”

AA 482.2

The work of gaining salvation is one of copartnership, a joint operation. There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness.

AA 482.3

God wishes us to have the mastery over ourselves. But He cannot help us without our consent and co-operation. The divine Spirit works through the powers and faculties given to man. Of ourselves, we are not able to bring the purposes and desires and inclinations into harmony with the will of God; but if we are “willing to be made willing,” the Saviour will accomplish this for us, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5.

AA 483.1

He who would build up a strong, symmetrical character, he who would be a well-balanced Christian, must give all and do all for Christ; for the Redeemer will not accept divided service. Daily he must learn the meaning of self-surrender. He must study the word of God, learning its meaning and obeying its precepts. Thus he may reach the standard of Christian excellence. Day by day God works with him, perfecting the character that is to stand in the time of final test. And day by day the believer is working out before men and angels a sublime experiment, showing what the gospel can do for fallen human beings.

AA 483.2

“I count not myself to have apprehended,” Paul wrote; “but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

AA 483.3

Paul did many things. From the time that he gave his allegiance to Christ, his life was filled with untiring service. From city to city, from country to country, he journeyed, telling the story of the cross, winning converts to the gospel, and establishing churches. For these churches he had a constant care, and he wrote many letters of instruction to them. At times he worked at his trade to earn his daily bread. But in all the busy activities of his life, Paul never lost sight of one great purpose—to press toward the prize of his calling. One aim he kept steadfastly before him—to be faithful to the One who at the gate of Damascus had revealed Himself to him. From this aim nothing had power to turn him aside. To exalt the cross of Calvary—this was the all-absorbing motive that inspired his words and acts.

AA 484.1

The great purpose that constrained Paul to press forward in the face of hardship and difficulty should lead every Christian worker to consecrate himself wholly to God’s service. Worldly attractions will be presented to draw his attentions from the Saviour, but he is to press on toward the goal, showing to the world, to angels, and to men that the hope of seeing the face of God is worth all the effort and sacrifice that the attainment of this hope demands.

AA 484.2

Though he was a prisoner, Paul was not discouraged. Instead, a note of triumph rings through the letters that he wrote from Rome to the churches. “Rejoice in the Lord alway,” he wrote to the Philippians, “and again I say, Rejoice.... Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

AA 484.3

“My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.... The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”

From Trials to Triumph

Chapter 45—The Letters Paul Wrote From Rome

TT 248.1

Paul acknowledged that many “visions and revelations” had been given him “of the Lord.” His understanding of the gospel was equal to that of “the very chiefest apostles.” 2 Corinthians 12:1, 11. He had a clear comprehension of “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of “the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” Ephesians 3:18, 19.

TT 248.2

Paul could not tell all that he had seen in vision; some hearers would have misapplied his words. But that which was revealed to him molded the messages that he in later years sent to the churches. He bore a message that ever since has brought strength to the church of God. To believers today this message speaks plainly of dangers that will threaten the church.

TT 248.3

The apostle’s desire for those to whom he addressed his letters was that they should “be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,” but that they should come into “the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:14, 13. Christ, who “loved the church, and gave Himself for it,” would “present it to Himself ... not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing”—a church “holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25, 27.

TT 248.4

In these messages, written with a power not of man but of God, principles are laid down that should be followed in every church, and the way that leads to life eternal is made plain.

TT 249.1

In his letter to “the saints” at Colosse, written while he was a prisoner in Rome, Paul mentions his joy over their steadfastness: “From the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

TT 249.2

There is no limit to the blessings that the children of God may receive. They may go on from strength to strength until they are made “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” KJV.

TT 249.3

The apostle exalted Christ as the One by whom God created all things. The hand that sustains the world in space is the hand that was nailed to the cross: “For in Him were all things created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, ... all things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

TT 249.4

The Son of God came to this earth to be “wounded for our transgressions” and “bruised for our iniquities.” Isaiah 53:5. He was in all things made like unto His brethren. He became flesh, even as we are. He knew what it meant to be hungry, thirsty, and weary. He was sustained by food and refreshed by sleep. He was tempted and tried as men and women of today are tempted and tried, yet lived a life free from sin.

TT 249.5

Surrounded by the influences of heathenism, the Colossian believers were in danger of being drawn away from the simplicity of the gospel. Paul pointed them to Christ as the only safe guide: “I say this in order that no one may delude you with beguiling speech... . As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught... . See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.”

TT 250.1

Christ had foretold that deceivers would arise, through whose influence “iniquity” should “abound,” and “the love of many” should “wax cold.” Matthew 24:12. The church would be in more danger from this evil than from the persecution of her enemies. By receiving false teachers, they would open the door to errors by which the enemy would shake the confidence of those newly come to the faith. All that was not in harmony with Christ’s teachings they were to reject.

TT 250.2

As men tried in the days of the apostles by philosophy to destroy faith in the Scriptures, so today, by higher criticism, evolution, spiritualism, theosophy, and pantheism, the enemy of righteousness is seeking to lead souls into forbidden paths. To many the Bible is as a lamp without oil, because they have turned their minds into channels of speculative belief that bring confusion. The work of higher criticism, in dissecting, conjecturing, and reconstructing, is destroying faith, robbing God’s Word of power to control and inspire human lives. Spiritualism teaches that desire is the highest law, that license is liberty, and that man is accountable only to himself.

TT 250.3

The follower of Christ will meet with spiritualistic interpretations of the Scriptures, but he is not to accept them. He is to discard all ideas that are not in harmony with Christ’s teaching. He is to regard the Bible as the voice of God speaking directly to him. The knowledge of God as revealed in Christ is the knowledge that all who are saved must have. This knowledge works transformation of character. This is the knowledge beside which all else is vanity and nothingness.

TT 250.4

In every generation and in every land, the true foundation for character building has been the same—the principles contained in the Word of God. With the Word the apostles met the false theories of their day, saying, “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid.” 1 Corinthians 3:11.

TT 251.1

In his letter, Paul entreated the Colossian believers not to forget that they must put forth constant effort: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

TT 251.2

Through the power of Christ, men and women have broken the chains of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness. The profane have become reverent, the drunken sober, the profligate pure. This change is the miracle of miracles—“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

TT 251.3

When the Spirit of God controls mind and heart, the converted soul breaks forth into a new song; the promise of God has been fulfilled, and the sinner’s transgression has been forgiven. He has exercised repentance toward God for the violation of the divine law and faith toward Christ, who died for man’s justification.

TT 251.4

But the Christian is not to fold his hands, content with that which has been accomplished for him. He will find that all the powers and passions of unregenerate nature are arrayed against him. Each day he must renew his consecration. Old habits, hereditary tendencies to wrong, will strive for the mastery, and against these he is to strive in Christ’s strength.

TT 251.5

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

TT 251.6

The power of a higher, purer life is our great need. The world has too much of our thought, and the kingdom of heaven too little. To reach God’s ideal, the Christian is to despair of nothing. Moral and spiritual perfection through the grace of Christ is promised to all. Jesus is the source of power. He brings us to His Word. He puts into our mouth a prayer through which we are brought into close contact with Himself. In our behalf He sets in operation the all-powerful agencies of heaven. At every step we touch His living power.

TT 252.1

The church at Philippi had sent gifts to Paul by Epaphroditus, whom Paul calls “my brother and fellow worker.” While in Rome, Epaphroditus was sick, “near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” The believers at Philippi were filled with anxiety regarding Epaphroditus, and he decided to return to them. “He has been longing for you all,” Paul wrote, “and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill, ... for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete your service to me.”

TT 252.2

Paul sent the Philippian believers a letter by him. Of all the churches, Philippi had been the most liberal in supplying Paul’s wants. “Not that I seek the gift; but I seek the fruit which increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more; I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.”

TT 252.3

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ... . And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, ... so that you may ... be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”

TT 252.4

Paul’s imprisonment had resulted in the furtherance of the gospel. “What has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to all the rest.”

TT 253.1

There is a lesson for us in this experience. The Lord can bring victory out of what may seem to us defeat. When misfortune or calamity comes, we are ready to charge God with neglect or cruelty. If He sees fit to cut off our usefulness in some line, we mourn, not stopping to think that He may be working for our good. Chastisement is a part of His great plan. Under the rod of affliction the Christian may sometimes do more for the Master than when engaged in active service.

TT 253.2

Paul pointed the Philippians to Christ, who, “though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”

TT 253.3

“Therefore, my beloved,” Paul continued, “God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.”

TT 253.4

Paul holds up the standard of perfection and shows how it may be reached: “Work out your own salvation; ... for God is at work in you.” The work of gaining salvation is a joint operation between God and the repentant sinner. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome, but he is wholly dependent on God for success. Without the aid of divine power human effort avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God.

TT 253.5

God wishes us to have self-mastery, but He cannot help us without our consent and cooperation. The divine Spirit works through the faculties given to man. Of ourselves we are not able to bring the desires and inclinations into harmony with the will of God; but if we are “willing to be made willing,” the Saviour will accomplish this for us, “casting down imaginations, ... and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5.

TT 254.1

He who would be a well-balanced Christian must give all and do all for Christ. Daily he must learn the meaning of self-surrender. He must study the Word of God, obeying its precepts. Day by day God works with him, perfecting the character that is to stand in the final test. And day by day the believer works out before men and angels a sublime experiment, showing what the gospel can do for fallen human beings.

TT 254.2

“I do not consider that I have made it my own,” Paul wrote, “but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

TT 254.3

In all the busy activities of his life, Paul never lost sight of one great purpose—to press toward the prize of his high calling. To exalt the cross—this was his all-absorbing motive that inspired his words and acts.

TT 254.4

Though he was a prisoner, Paul was not discouraged. A note of triumph rings through the letters that he wrote from Rome. “Rejoice,” he wrote. “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

TT 254.5

“My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Ms 68, 1886

4LtMs, Ms 68, 1886, par. 15

Spoke to the church assembled this morning from Colossians. Our social meeting was good. I have written eight pages to Brother and Sister Ings. We had a nice shower in the night.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Lt 107, 1898

13LtMs, Lt 107, 1898, par. 9

What does the Holy Spirit do for the receiver? It gives him the mind of Christ. Study the first chapters of Hebrews and Colossians. It makes him a faithful worker for his Lord. The man who has caught the Spirit of God does not pet his own ideas, and make strong his own natural tendencies. He takes himself in hand, and brings “I” into subjection. He will not go forward in any false way, but represses the evil inclination. He will not excuse his faults, but in faith and much prayer will cut away the evil, whatever may be its character. When the Holy Spirit sees this determined effort, man is not left to struggle alone for the mastery.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Ms 200, 1898

Stanmore, Australia

Sabbath, July 9, 1898

First part missing.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 1

“I am the good shepherd. ... I lay down my life for the sheep.” [John 10:14, 15.] He is the only one to whom we can look to give His sheep eternal life. “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” [Verse 10.] The apostle lifts up Jesus and declares, “In him are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [Colossians 2:3.] Why do so large a number seek wisdom from those who have never sought wisdom of Jesus Christ, those who have never learned in the school of Christ? Why not come to Christ in faith?

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 2

Read the fullness expressed in the language of the apostle, verse 2. Here is the connection between the receiver and the giver. The hearts of the receiver must not be estranged one from the other. They are to have the assurance in themselves in understanding and testifying of the mystery of godliness, “and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [Verses 2, 3.] There is made this assurance by the apostle that he speaks thus for their good, that the Father and Christ is their efficiency.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 3

Temptations will come in the form of enticing words to mislead the children of God. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” [Verses 6, 7.] There is, with some, constant danger of their becoming unsettled and seeking originality. They think they see something that is on another line, and they take up with ideas that are new and strange, and flatter themselves they have new truth, a new message to bring before the people, when it is only a snare to captivate their minds and withdraw them from the truth which is the mystery of godliness.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 4

In these last days we need large faith, increasing in the growth of knowledge and wisdom, which cannot be derived from any other source than from the treasure of knowledge in God and Jesus Christ. The warning comes down along the line to our time, for we are living amid the perils of the last days. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Verse 8.] Will we all heed these warnings and not be too ready to accept the production from human minds that is presented as new light?

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 5

We have the truth in the Word of God and the Lord has given to His people the first, second, and third angels’ messages. The burden of these messages in the past is the burden of the messages shown to be proclaimed until the close of the work. We are to heed the injunction, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Verses 6-10.]

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 6

If we have accepted the truth of the third angel’s message, we are to hold it fast by faith and it will hold us fast from drifting into superstitions and theories that will disconnect us from one another and from the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord would have all walk and work in perfect unity. There seems to be a burning desire [with some] to move out on an independent track in some new thing and withdraw themselves from the unity of the faith and love with their brethren, listening to fair words and soft speeches that they cannot discern is false doctrine—unsettling their faith and cutting them adrift to become the sport of Satan’s temptations. [They] watch to see if there is not something which they can criticize of the positions of doctrines and faith that have stood the criticism of the world, of the “wandering stars.” [Jude 13.] His name, Christ Jesus, is to be our watchword; His example, the badge of our distinction; His word, the foundation and principle of our piety and the binding together of our hearts in unity and love. In unity is our strength and action. The unity of those who believe the Word is to carry its credentials before the world. Nothing is to be allowed to divide hearts and create dissension.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 7

There will be those who will give heed to seducing spirits. Satan moving on human minds will frame little differences in the interpretation or application of Scripture—some differences of opinion. [Such persons] stake their faith upon suppositions and false theories which are sure to take minds that have become weakened and warped by some action or words at which they felt hurt. [They have] yielded their minds to be worked by a spirit not of God to become disaffected and alienated from their brethren, closing themselves in walls of separation, and thinking themselves following in the true path. The natural stubbornness of the human heart led to the resistance of light, the natural pride of opinion led to holding the ideas that they had advanced and clung to—their own human suppositions and human philosophy—and unless they fall on the rock and are broken they will be left where were the Jews, in blindness and unbelief of the truth which sanctifies the soul.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 8

We must needs see that one may start up with a new theory in regard to what is truth, and still another, seeking to make their ideas prominent as the truth, irrespective of the influence which these things [they have] advocated in the church must have on human minds. They launch out in contradiction to the truth which has been held by the people called Seventh-day Adventists, which has brought us out from the world into separate churches. The Lord would have everyone who has seen adequate reasons to take their positions and rest their belief in that which they has been convicted of and received as the truth not be lured from the faith by human sophistries and become spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. They cut themselves adrift from their brethren and work directly contrary to Christ’s prayer for His disciples, that they may be one as He was one with the Father. Then the unity that is existing with believers gives the credentials to the world that God has sent His Son into the world. Surrounded with His true believing disciples, He was surrounded with His divine credentials that He was the Sent of God. He took His stand as a living Oracle, demanding faith and credence of all whom He addressed.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 9

As a people we have received a faith in the foundation principles through the Holy Spirit’s working upon human minds, bringing the mind and heart to the living oracles—a “Thus saith the Lord.” The science of the theology of truth we love as Seventh-day Adventists has not been a chance experience. It has been reached by most earnest, careful research of the words of inspiration which has led to faith and obedience. Christ spoke as one having authority, addressing Himself to humanity, enjoining humility, obedience, and implicit faith, rooted, and grounded, and stablished in the faith in strong terms.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 10

When we read of witnesses we know some points are disputed; it may be to settle some matters of importance, as that of sonship. All our present and future hopes depend on this fact; therefore there is with the apostle words to confirm the reality of the Spirit of God, the indwelling of the grace of God in the heart. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; ... for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” Now the conditions: “If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together with him.” [Romans 8:15-17.] 2 Timothy 2:11, 12: “It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.”

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 11

We are called in Christ Jesus to come out of the world and be separate, [living] holy and just lives. The heart is draws nigh to God and the working of the Holy Spirit is life through Christ Jesus. Every true disciple of Christ will reveal the grace of His love in the heart. There is life in Christ. In the place of being in co-partnership in estrangement from God—in harmony with Satan—through learning their lessons of Christ they become partakers of His divine nature, workers of righteousness, preparing to be complete in Christ Jesus, showing to the angels and to men conformity to His character—the soul positively and firmly united with Christ.

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 12

The Holy Spirit dwelling in the heart by faith [will bring] everyone into fellowship with his fellow men, in and through the sanctifying influence of the truth. Those who enlist in the army of the Lord and consider that they [will] have an easy, comfortable time of serving God—[being] paid abundantly in this world for all their service and help to others—will be disappointed. [They] have lessons to learn, that self is alive and not dead. “He that will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” [Mark 8:34.]

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 13

The Holy Spirit, dwelling in the heart, produces the fruit unto righteousness. If so be that we suffer with Him, we deny ourselves for His sake, bearing with patience the trying part of the service with cheerfulness and patience—the trials He permits to refine and purify. Then we are prepared to be glorified with Him together. The sufferings and trials in the aggressive Christian warfare in this present time is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us, “for we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” [Romans 8:18, 24, 25.] Have we this trying process to go through without help? No! No! “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” [Verses 26, 27.]

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 14

This we are to consider, that there is continual battle going on between two powers. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood ...” (Bear this always in mind, for it is best to be wide awake, not soothing ourselves in comfortable, easy lives.) “... But against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.” [Ephesians 6:10-13.]

13LtMs, Ms 200, 1898, par. 15

[Read] Romans 8:28-36. The conflict we shall, of necessity, understand is often terrible, but bear in mind a symbol God has given of the burning bush. God was a consuming fire in that insignificant bush. Moses could look upon an unseen God in representation. God is a consuming fire in the bush, and [yet] the bush is not consumed. Moses hears the voice speaking to him; he knows it is God because the bush is not consumed. Thus it is with all who believe in Him. His power worketh as a refining fire to consume the dross but the human agent is not consumed. Hereby we do know that we have known Him, if we keep His commandments.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)

Lt 32, 1899

14LtMs, Lt 32, 1899, par. 33

I spoke last Sabbath upon the second chapter of Colossians. “I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for those of Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” [Verses 1-4.] This is a danger that requires to be guarded against.

14LtMs, Lt 32, 1899, par. 34

“For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit; after the tradition of men, ... and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Verses 5-10.]

14LtMs, Lt 32, 1899, par. 35

I speak to you, my brother, the words written in this chapter. I have had the same testimony to bear in many places. It is necessary for both to guard against being beguiled by those who know not of what they speak. Be on guard. Believe not every spirit, for their words may not be after the mind of Christ, words which will influence you in a wrong direction. You may lose much by demeriting the words the Lord sends you. There are many kinds of influences at work on human hearts. And you may think that your own judgment is without a flaw, and that those not agreeing with your ideas and opinions are in the wrong. But be careful. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Verse 8.] This verse presents to you your danger.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Ms 1, 1901

16LtMs, Ms 1, 1901, par. 9

Notice was given that I would speak again on Monday afternoon. We found a large company assembled in the church. I presented, verse by verse, part of the second chapter of Colossians. I have read this chapter many times, but it never seemed so impressive and encouraging as on this occasion. Please read this chapter prayerfully and carefully, and the Lord give you understanding. It is a treasure house of encouragement to the believer.

16LtMs, Ms 1, 1901, par. 11

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” [Verses 6, 7.] This work has been neglected. If the heart were filled with gratitude, its precious treasure of love and thanksgiving would flow forth to refresh others. Little grievances would not be noticed. Larger difficulties would be met in the Spirit of Christ. The hearts would go out in prayer to God for patience, perseverance, and forbearance. Then when the enemy came in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord would lift up a standard for tried, tempted souls.

16LtMs, Ms 1, 1901, par. 12

We are warned, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” [Verses 8, 9.]

16LtMs, Ms 1, 1901, par. 23

After dinner we went to the church, where we found a goodly number of people assembled, notwithstanding the fact that it was Christmas day. We praised the Lord that so many were desirous of hearing the truth. I continued my remarks on the second chapter of Colossians and the Lord gave me freedom. My burden during the meetings of this Week of Prayer has been to impress the people that true service makes believers self-denying and self-sacrificing. They keep in view the need of individual holiness and consecration, that through the sanctification of the truth they may abound in works of benevolence to the uplifting of others.

16LtMs, Ms 1, 1901, par. 25

Paul greatly desired to see the Colossians enjoying to the full the blessings of the gospel. He longed to be with them to speak to them words of encouragement, that their hearts might be comforted, “being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding of the acknowledgement of the mystery of God.” [Colossians 2:2.] The Word of God is full of consolation and presents great possibilities and advantages which we should strive to appreciate. Through faith in Christ we may reach the highest standard in Christian perfection.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 161, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 161, 1903, par. 5

I am deeply moved by the unprepared condition of our churches. One thing we must do. We must keep our feet in the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. We must make no missteps now. The first and second chapters of Colossians have been presented to me as an expression of what our churches in every part of the world should be. The great apostle had many visions. The Lord showed him many things that it is not lawful for a man to utter. Why could he not tell the believers what he had seen? Because they would have made a misapplication of the great truths presented. They would not have been able to comprehend these truths. And yet all that was shown to Paul molded the messages that God gave him to bear to the churches.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 167, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 167, 1903, par. 2

I saw One of authority presenting the instruction contained in the book of Colossians to the believers assembled in the Battle Creek Tabernacle. The lessons of this book may with profit be often repeated. Here true, practical godliness is outlined. Here are laid down the principles that are to be preserved in every church that is organized.

That I May Know Him

An Inexhaustible Storehouse, November 28

TMK 338.1

To the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2, 3.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Lt 46, 1891

7LtMs, Lt 46, 1891, par. 18

I have seen the sinfulness of an overflux of sympathy and love for those who are not the obedient children of the commandments of God, while there is not a correspondingly greater degree for those who are seeking to obey and serve the Lord Jesus. Laborers together with God are exhorted to warn every man and to teach every man in all wisdom, that they “may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, whereunto I also labor, striving according to the working which worketh in me mightily.” [Colossians 1:28, 29.] Here is the conscientious faithful work to be done by the followers of Christ. Colossians 2:2, 3. The Word of God abounds with admonitions and injunctions how Christians should treat Christians. Read Galatians 6:1. If there are mistakes made, they are to be treated with all patience and earnest effort to lead them to see the mistakes and correct them; for the unfallen universe of heaven is interested in these souls struggling for eternal life, beset with temptations, and Satan upon their track to oppose every effort they may make to overcome.

Selected Messages Book 1

Teach the Word

1SM 195.1

Please read Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians. He speaks of his earnest desire that the hearts of the believers might be “knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2, 3). “And this I say,” he declares, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:4-9).

Gospel Workers (1915 ed.)

A Warning Against False Teaching

GW 305.4

“And this I say,” he continues, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:2-10.]

Pacific Union Recorder

December 31, 1903

PUR December 31, 1903, par. 15

A warning against such teaching is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The apostle declares that the hearts of the believers were to be “knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say,” he continues, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. . . . As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:2-10.

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8

A Warning Against False Teaching

8T 295.3

A warning against false teaching is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The apostle declares that the hearts of the believers are to be “knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say,” he continues, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:2-10.

The Review and Herald

January 21, 1904

RH January 21, 1904, par. 15

A warning against such teaching is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The apostle declares that the hearts of the believers were to be “knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say,” he continues, “least any man should beguile you with enticing words.... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:2-10.

Testimony Treasures, vol. 3

A Warning Against False Teaching

3TT 273.1

A warning against false teaching is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The apostle declares that the hearts of the believers are to be “knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say,” he continues, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:2-10.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 152, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 152, 1903, par. 20

A warning against such teaching is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The apostle declares that the hearts of the believers were to be “knit together in love; and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” “And this I say,” he continues, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:2-4, 6-10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Ms 145, 1903

18LtMs, Ms 145, 1903, par. 14

A warning against such teaching is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The apostle declares that the hearts of the believers were to be “knit together in love; and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” “And this I say,” he continues, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:2-4, 6-10.]

A Solemn Appeal

Chapter 1—Appeal to Mothers

SA 78.3

Many professed Christians do not labor perseveringly. They make too little effort, and are not ready and willing to deny self. The prayer of the living Christian will be to “be filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.” Colossians 1:9-11. “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3.

The Faith I Live By

Mysteries We Cannot Fathom, January 8

FLB 14.3

If it were possible for created beings to attain to a full understanding of God and His works, then, having reached this point, there would be for them no further discovery of truth, no growth in knowledge, no further development of mind or heart. God would no longer be supreme; and men, having reached the limit of knowledge and attainment, would cease to advance. Let us thank God that it is not so. God is infinite; in Him are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. And to all eternity men may be ever searching, ever learning, and yet they can never exhaust the treasures of His wisdom, His goodness, and His power.29Steps to Christ, 106-109.

The Faith I Live By

Strengthened by the Spirit, May 15

FLB 141.4

Now that you have given yourself to Jesus, do not draw back, do not take yourself away from Him, but day by day say, “I am Christ’s; I have given myself to Him;” and ask Him to give you His Spirit, and keep you by His grace. As it is by giving yourself to God, and believing Him, that you become His child, so you are to live in Him. The apostle says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Colossians 2:3.

From Heaven With Love

Chapter 51—“The Light of Life”

HLv 313.3

“That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Men of giant intellect and wonderful research, whose utterances have opened vast fields of knowledge, have been honored as benefactors of their race. But One stands higher than they. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” “No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” John 1:12, 18. We can trace the line of the world’s great teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of the solar system reflect the light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world’s great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. The true “higher education” is that imparted by Him “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. “He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Christ’s Object Lessons

Chapter 9—The Pearl

COL 115.1

The blessings of redeeming love our Saviour compared to a precious pearl. He illustrated His lesson by the parable of the merchantman seeking goodly pearls “who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Christ Himself is the pearl of great price. In Him is gathered all the glory of the Father, the fullness of the Godhead. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of His person. The glory of the attributes of God is expressed in His character. Every page of the Holy Scriptures shines with His light. The righteousness of Christ, as a pure, white pearl, has no defect, no stain. No work of man can improve the great and precious gift of God. It is without a flaw. In Christ are “hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. He is “made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Corinthians 1:30. All that can satisfy the needs and longings of the human soul, for this world and for the world to come, is found in Christ. Our Redeemer is the pearl so precious that in comparison all things else may be accounted loss.

Education

Chapter 1—Source and Aim of True Education

Ed 13.2

The source of such an education is brought to view in these words of Holy Writ, pointing to the Infinite One: In Him “are hid all the treasures of wisdom.” Colossians 2:3. “He hath counsel and understanding.” Job 12:13.

Heaven

Chapter 7—A Heavenly Atmosphere

Hvn 65.2

Spirit of Unselfish Love Reigns—In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God. Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart. It is not in harmony with God, and finds no joy in communion with Him.

Maranatha

Heaven’s Flawless Pearl, March 5

Mar 72.2

Christ Himself is the pearl of great price.... The righteousness of Christ, as a pure, white pearl, has no defect, no stain. No work of man can improve the great and precious gift of God. It is without a flaw. In Christ are “hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. He is “made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Corinthians 1:30. All that can satisfy the needs and longings of the human soul, for this world and for the world to come, is found in Christ. Our Redeemer is the pearl so precious that in comparison all things else may be accounted loss....

Steps to Christ

Chapter 2—The Sinner’s Need of Christ

SC 17.2

In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God. Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart. It is not in harmony with God, and finds no joy in communion with Him. The sinner could not be happy in God’s presence; he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings. Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him. The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there—every heart responding to the heart of Infinite Love—would touch no answering chord in his soul. His thoughts, his interests, his motives, would be alien to those that actuate the sinless dwellers there. He would be a discordant note in the melody of heaven. Heaven would be to him a place of torture; he would long to be hidden from Him who is its light, and the center of its joy. It is no arbitrary decree on the part of God that excludes the wicked from heaven; they are shut out by their own unfitness for its companionship. The glory of God would be to them a consuming fire. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them.

Steps to Christ

Chapter 12—What to Do with Doubt

SC 109.1

If it were possible for created beings to attain to a full understanding of God and His works, then, having reached this point, there would be for them no further discovery of truth, no growth in knowledge, no further development of mind or heart. God would no longer be supreme; and man, having reached the limit of knowledge and attainment, would cease to advance. Let us thank God that it is not so. God is infinite; in Him are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. And to all eternity men may be ever searching, ever learning, and yet never exhaust the treasures of His wisdom, His goodness, and His power.

The Desire of Ages

Chapter 51—“The Light of Life”

DA 464.4

“That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” The world has had its great teachers, men of giant intellect and wonderful research, men whose utterances have stimulated thought, and opened to view vast fields of knowledge; and these men have been honored as guides and benefactors of their race. But there is One who stands higher than they. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” “No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” John 1:12, 18. We can trace the line of the world’s great teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of the solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world’s great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gem of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world. In these days we hear much about “higher education.” The true “higher education” is that imparted by Him “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Colossians 2:3; John 1:4. “He that followeth Me,” said Jesus, “shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you.”—Matthew 5:11.

MB 34.1

Great is the reward in heaven of those who are witnesses for Christ through persecution and reproach. While the people are looking for earthly good, Jesus points them to a heavenly reward. But He does not place it all in the future life; it begins here. The Lord appeared of old time to Abraham and said, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Genesis 15:1. This is the reward of all who follow Christ. Jehovah Immanuel—He “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” in whom dwells “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:3, 9)—to be brought into sympathy with Him, to know Him, to possess Him, as the heart opens more and more to receive His attributes; to know His love and power, to possess the unsearchable riches of Christ, to comprehend more and more “what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18, 19)—“this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Ms 35, 1902

17LtMs, Ms 35, 1902, par. 21

Beholding Christ, we are changed through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Anything short of this will be to us eternal loss. When this change takes place, the hand, the tongue, the feet will act in accord with the heart’s spiritual advancement. Faith will be as a shining light, shining more and more unto the perfect day. Then we shall never plead for our will to be done, or for our old ways and habits to be left undisturbed. The converting power of God upon character will mold us after the divine similitude—after the likeness of the One in whom “dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily,” “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [Colossians 2:9, 3.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 48, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 48, 1903, par. 12

We shall meet with many difficulties, but if we keep our minds and hearts fixed upon the precious Saviour, if we talk of His love and power, the perplexities will pass away, and we shall become happy in the assurance of a Saviour’s love. We are not dependent upon the world and its changeableness. He in whom dwelleth “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” and “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” is our joy and crown of rejoicing, our peace, our power, our satisfaction. [Colossians 2:9, 3.]

That I May Know Him

Unlock the Storehouse! January 1

TMK 7.4

Jehovah Immanuel—He “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” in whom dwells “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:3, 9)—to be brought into sympathy with Him, to know Him, to possess Him, as the heart opens more and more to receive His attributes; to know His love and power, to possess the unsearchable riches of Christ, to comprehend more and more “what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:18, 19)—“this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17).2Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 34, 35.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)

Ms 69, 1897

12LtMs, Ms 69, 1897, par. 45

God has highly exalted Christ, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. “In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [Colossians 2:3.] “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ... That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. ... And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” [John 1:4, 9, 5.]

12LtMs, Ms 69, 1897, par. 62

The submission that the great Teacher requires is not a craven, cowardly service. It consists in the surrender of the will to God. Those who truly submit to God tremble at His Word. From the altar and from the throne of His mercy they receive celestial truth, which convinces them of their nothingness and of the preciousness of divine wisdom. The soul is never safe unless it is under the divine guidance. Thus it will be led into all truth. The words of Christ will fall with living power upon obedient hearts, and through the application of divine truth, the perfect image of God will be reproduced, and in heaven it will be said, “Ye are complete in him.” [Colossians 2:10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Ms 91, 1901

16LtMs, Ms 91, 1901, par. 25

Too often we fail to draw our strength from Christ. He is saying to us, “If you had asked of me, I should have given you the living water, which would have been in you a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” [See verses 10, 14.] Christ in the soul is as a well of water springing up into everlasting life. When preaching on science, a minister in Australia said that “Christ in His day must have known something about science.” What a statement for a minister of the gospel to make! When I heard what he said, I was astonished, for I knew that all the science that is of any value has been given to humanity by Jesus Christ. Christ is Himself the Door to all truth. In Him “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [Colossians 2:3.] Although He could have astonished the world with the most startling revelations of science which would have occupied the minds of men till He should come the second time, yet this was not His mission. Had He placed before human minds a rich feast of science, it would have been used to gratify unholy ambition.

16LtMs, Ms 91, 1901, par. 40

The work of a teacher does not end in the classroom. Because he is an educator, he is not to divorce himself from the church work. Power is to be brought into the church. Teachers are to strive to bring the church to a higher and still higher standard. God requires of teachers more than they give. They are to be working agencies, and not dwarfs. If they fulfil God’s requirements, He will give them still more intelligence, until it can be said of them, “Ye are complete in Him.” [Colossians 2:10.] If every teacher in this college would come up to the help of God in the church, we should have in Healdsburg one of the most precious churches that could be found anywhere in the world.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Ms 30, 1902

17LtMs, Ms 30, 1902, par. 9

The importance of studying the Word cannot be overestimated. Its promises are large and full of richness. In no case should we fail of securing the heavenly treasure. Christ is our only security. We cannot trust to human reasoning. The world is full of men and women who cherish deceptive theories, and it is dangerous to listen to them. Writing to the Colossians, Paul says, “And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Colossians 2:4-8.] This is the great danger of some. We must be keen, wide awake, spiritual-minded, else we shall imperil our souls by yielding to the enticements of the enemy.

17LtMs, Ms 30, 1902, par. 10

“For in Him (Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principalities and powers.” [Verses 9, 10.] In learning of Christ, in wearing His yoke, we shall become meek and lowly in heart, and we shall learn by experience that which the world cannot explain—that rest is found in service. With joy we shall give the testimony—“His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.” [Matthew 11:30.]

17LtMs, Ms 30, 1902, par. 13

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Colossians 2:6-8.] These words point out our danger. The soldier of the cross is to be always on guard, that the enemy may never take him at a disadvantage. Those who claim that their lives are hid with Christ in God cannot too carefully guard against the principles of the world.

God’s Amazing Grace

Ever Upward, August 21

AG 241.1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Colossians 2:6.

This Day With God

Empty of Pride and Self-esteem, October 16

TDG 298.1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Colossians 2:6.

From the Heart

Walk in Christ, October 12

FH 297.1

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Colossians 2:6.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Ms 20, 1892

7LtMs, Ms 20, 1892, par. 32

Sin is death; righteousness is life. Sin cannot be changed into righteousness, but it can be taken away, and the righteousness of Christ put in its place. The Saviour was manifested to take away our sin. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” [Romans 6:23.] The Pharisees trusted in their own righteousness, of which Christ said, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 5:20.] Of the Jewish leaders, He said, “Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.” [John 5:40.] The righteousness of Christ brings life and healing. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” [Colossians 2:6.] In Him all fulness dwells.

God’s Amazing Grace

Abiding in Christ, October 12

AG 293.3

Do you ask, “How am I to abide in Christ?”—In the same way as you received Him at first. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Colossians 2:6).... You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart, but having given yourself to God, you believed that He for Christ’s sake did all this for you. By faith you became Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow up in Him—by giving and taking. You are to give all—your heart, your will, your service—give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper—to give you power to obey....

Manuscript Releases, vol. 12 [Nos. 921-999]

MR No. 954—Study of Growth of Ellen White’s Theological Understanding

12MR 140.2

Sin is death; righteousness is life. Sin cannot be changed into righteousness, but it can be taken away and the righteousness of Christ put in its place. The Saviour was manifested to take away our sin. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life” (Romans 6:23). The Pharisees trusted in their own righteousness, of which Christ said, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Of the Jewish leaders, He said, “Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). The righteousness of Christ brings life and healing. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him” (Colossians 2:6). In Him all fullness dwells.

Our Father Cares

The Just Shall Live by Faith, March 11

OFC 82.1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Colossians 2:6.

OFC 82.3

Do you ask, “How am I to abide in Christ?” In the same way as you received Him at first. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Colossians 2:6. “The just shall live by faith.” Hebrews 10:38. You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ’s sake did all this for you. By faith you became Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow up in Him—by giving and taking. You are to give all—your heart, your will, your service—give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper—to give you power to obey.

Sons and Daughters of God

By Walking as Christ Walked, October 3

SD 283.1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Colossians 2:6.

Steps to Christ

Chapter 6—Faith and Acceptance

SC 52.1

Now that you have given yourself to Jesus, do not draw back, do not take yourself away from Him, but day by day say, “I am Christ’s; I have given myself to Him;” and ask Him to give you His Spirit and keep you by His grace. As it is by giving yourself to God, and believing Him, that you become His child, so you are to live in Him. The apostle says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” Colossians 2:6.

Steps to Christ

Chapter 8—Growing Up Into Christ

SC 69.2

Do you ask, “How am I to abide in Christ?” In the same way as you received Him at first. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” “The just shall live by faith.” Colossians 2:6; Hebrews 10:38. You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ’s sake did all this for you. By faith you became Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow up in Him—by giving and taking. You are to give all,—your heart, your will, your service,—give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all,—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper,—to give you power to obey.

The Faith I Live By

The Just Shall Live by Faith, April 29

FLB 125.1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Colossians 2:6.

FLB 125.3

Do you ask, “How am I to abide in Christ?” In the same way as you received Him at first. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Colossians 2:6. “The just shall live by faith.” Hebrews 10:38. You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ’s sake did all this for you. By faith you became Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow up in Him—by giving and taking. You are to give all—your heart, your will, your service—give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all—Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper—to give you power to obey.

That I May Know Him

An Individual Work, May 3

TMK 129.1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6, 7.

With God at Dawn

We Shall Be Rooted and Built Up in Him, June 23

WGD 176.1

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6, 7.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 13, 1893

8LtMs, Lt 13, 1893, par. 49

Coming out to Jesus means coming out of the world, and being separate from the world. It means coming out fully on the Lord’s side, realizing that although you are in the world, you are not of it; but are a living representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.” [2 Corinthians 11:3.] Then he beseeches the brethren to walk as dear children, to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,” “being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” [Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10.] He admonishes them to walk in Christ Jesus even as they received Him, that they may be rooted and grounded and built up in Him, and established in the faith. [Colossians 2:6, 7.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Lt 120, 1898

13LtMs, Lt 120, 1898, par. 5

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught.” [Colossians 2:6, 7.] Through faith we receive the Lord Jesus. Through faith we are united to Him. Through faith we are rooted and established in Him. We are united with Christ. We are not to lose our first love. He will each day do for us, who are repenting, believing sinners, just as much as He did when we first surrendered our hearts to Him.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Lt 120a, 1898

13LtMs, Lt 120a, 1898, par. 4

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, ... abounding therein.” [Colossians 2:6, 7.] Through faith we receive the Lord Jesus. Through faith we are united to Him. Through faith we are rooted and established in Him. We are united with Christ. We are not to leave our first love. He will each day do for us, who are repenting, believing sinners, just as much as He did when we surrendered our hearts to Jesus. Now we are to cultivate the life of faith in Christ Jesus. That love that He has manifested for us is to be an increasing love. Self must die. We find this is hard, for self dies hard. It is not our work to uphold self, [for] “Without me ye can do nothing.” [John 15:5.] The life of grace is always a life of faith, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” [Hebrews 11:6.]

A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White

Texts of Scripture Referred to on Page 8

ExV 36.11

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:6-8.

Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White

A Severe Trial

The Fifty Texts Luke 1:20
John 16:15
Acts 2:4
Acts 4:29, 30
Acts 4:31
Matthew 7:6
Matthew 7:7-12
Matthew 7:15
Matthew 24:24
Colossians 2:6, 7
Colossians 2:8
Hebrews 10:35-37
Hebrews 10:38, 39
Hebrews 4:10, 11
Hebrews 4:12
Philippians 1:6
Philippians 1:27-29Philippians 2:13-15
Ephesians 6:10-13
Ephesians 6:14-18
Ephesians 4:32
1 Peter 1:22
John 13:34, 35
2 Corinthians 13:5
1 Corinthians 3:10, 11
1 Corinthians 3:12, 13
Acts 20:28-30
Galatians 1:6-9
Luke 12:3-7
Luke 4:10, 11
2 Corinthians 4:6-9
2 Corinthians 4:17, 18
1 Peter 1:5-7
1 Thessalonians 3:8Mark 16:17, 18
John 9:20-27
John 14:13-15
John 15:7, 8
Mark 1:23-25
Romans 8:38, 39
Revelation 3:7-13
Revelation 14:4, 5
Philippians 3:20
James 5:7, 8
Philippians 3:21
Revelation 14:14-17
Hebrews 4:9
Revelation 21:2
Revelation 14:1
Revelation 22:1-5

Counsels on Health

Counsel to Physicians and Nurses

CH 584.1

The Lord has instructed me to present the following scriptures to our physicians: “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.... For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8.

Early Writings

Texts Referred to on Preceding Page

EW 25.2

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:6-8.

Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2

Chapter 10—Trials and Victories

2SG 59.2

Luke 1:20; John 16:15; Acts 2:4; 4:29-31; Matthew 7:6-12, 15; 24:24; Colossians 2:6-8; Hebrews 10:35-39; 4:10-12; Philippians 1:6, 27-29; 2:13-15; Ephesians 6:10-18; 4:32; 1 Peter 1:22; John 13:34, 35; 2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Corinthians 3:10-13; Acts 20:28-30; Galatians 1:6-9; Luke 12:3-7; 4:10, 11; 2 Corinthians 4:6-9, 17, 18; 1 Peter 1:5-7; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; Mark 16:17, 18; John 9:20-27; 14:13-15; 15:7, 8; Mark 1:23-25; Romans 8:38, 39; Revelation 3:7-13; 14:4, 5; Philippians 3:20; James 5:7, 8; Philippians 3:21; Revelation 14:14-17; Hebrews 4:9; Revelation 21:2; 14:1; 22:1-5.

Life Sketches Manuscript

Some Erroneous Theories

Luke 1:202 Corinthians 4:6-9, 17, 18John 16:151 Peter 1:5-7Acts 2:4, 429-311 Thessalonians 3:8Matthew 7:6-12, 15; 24:24Mark 15:17, 18Colossians 2:6-8John 9:20-27; 14:13-15; 15:7, 8 Hebrews 10:35-39; 4:10-12 Mark 1:23-25Philippians 1:6, 27-29; 2:13-15 Romans 8:38, 39Ephesians 6:10-18; 4:32 Revelation 3:7-13; 14:4, 51 Peter 1:22Philippians 3:20John 13:34, 35James 5:7, 82 Corinthians 13:5Philippians 3:211 Corinthians 3:10-13Revelation 14:14-17Acts 20:28-30Hebrews 4:9Galatians 1:6-9Revelation 21:2; 14:1; 22:1-5Luke 12:3-7; 10, 11

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)

Ms 70, 1901

16LtMs, Ms 70, 1901, par. 17

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:6-10.] These are the vital, practical truths upon which we are to dwell.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Ms 91, 1902

17LtMs, Ms 91, 1902, par. 5

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:6-10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Ms 125, 1903

18LtMs, Ms 125, 1903, par. 10

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:6-10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 279, 1904

19LtMs, Lt 279, 1904, par. 4

“Heed the words given to the apostle for the benefit of the church. ‘As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him; rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.’ [Colossians 2:6-10.] You have given honor to a finite man. Once and again God has honored this man, but he will not heed My word. He has despised Me in the person of My saints.

Manuscript Releases, vol. 20 [Nos. 1420-1500]

MR No. 1490—Minds to Be Spiritual, Not Carnal: The Cross to Be Central in Preaching; Fanaticism and Trivial Ideas to Be Avoided

20MR 337.4

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (chap. 2:6-10). These are the vital, practical truths upon which we are to dwell.

Manuscript Releases, vol. 21 [Nos. 1501-1598]

MR No. 1535—Warning Against J. H. Kellogg and His Book, The Living Temple

21MR 174.4

“Heed the words given to the apostle for the benefit of the church: [Colossians 2:6-10, quoted]. You have given honor to a finite man. Once and again God has honored this man, but he will not heed My word. He has despised Me in the person of My saints.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 91, 1896

11LtMs, Lt 91, 1896, par. 17

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:6-10.] “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” [Colossians 3:15-17.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)

Lt 5, 1897

12LtMs, Lt 5, 1897, par. 33

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Colossians 2:6-10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)

Ms 74, 1897

12LtMs, Ms 74, 1897, par. 18

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; (not in self, not by following your old habits, not by speaking your own words, and acting with foolishness and frivolity) rooted and built up (then there is to be an upward growth), and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Do we, who make so high a profession, have corresponding works? Now comes the caution. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalities and powers.” [Colossians 2:6-10.]

The Upward Look

When Truth Is an Abiding Principle, January 13

UL 27.2

The truth of God revealed in His Word is to be a living, abiding principle. It is not to be looked upon as an influence among many but that which is set over all others. It will exercise a power over the life and conduct until the whole being is assimilated to the image of the Perfect Pattern, and the human agent is complete in Jesus Christ. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up,” not in self, not after men’s ideas, but “in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:6-8).

UL 27.3

Your greatest danger will be that you will not see the need of contemplating the character of Christ with a set purpose to imitate His life and conform your character to His character. You are to show a marked difference between your character and that of the world. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:9, 10).

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 9 (1894)

Lt 70, 1894

9LtMs, Lt 70, 1894, par. 8

The truth of God revealed in His Word is to be a living, abiding principle. It is not to be looked upon as an influence among many others, but that which is set over all others. It will exercise a power over the life and conduct until the whole being is assimilated to the image of the perfect Pattern, and the human agent is complete in Jesus Christ. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up,” not in self, not after man’s ideas, but “in him stablished in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Colossians 2:6-8.]

9LtMs, Lt 70, 1894, par. 9

Your greatest danger will be that you will not see the need of contemplating the character of Christ with a set purpose to imitate His life and conform your character to His character. You are to show a marked difference between your character and that of the world. “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Verses 9, 10.] “Epaphras who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” [Colossians 4:12.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 15 (1900)

Ms 24, 1900

15LtMs, Ms 24, 1900, par. 1

The Lord has instructed me to present the following Scriptures to our physicians: “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk, and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. ... For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know now to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor.” [1 Thessalonians 4:1, 3, 4.] “As ye have therefore received the Lord Jesus, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Colossians 2:6-8.]

15LtMs, Ms 24, 1900, par. 33

The blessing of grace is given to men that the heavenly universe and the fallen world may see, as they could not otherwise, the perfection of Christ’s character. The great Physician came to our world to show men and women that through His grace they may so live that in the great day of God they can receive the precious testimony, “Ye are complete in him.” [Colossians 2:10.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 78, 1905

20LtMs, Ms 78, 1905, par. 8

The rite of baptism is administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. These three great powers of heaven pledge themselves to be the efficiency of all who submit to this ordinance and who faithfully keep the vow they then make. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him; rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” [Colossians 2:6-8.] It is here that the great danger comes in. A worldly spirit and worldly practices have taken the place that Christ should have in the life. “For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power. ... Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.” [Verses 9, 10, 12.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Ms 26, 1902

17LtMs, Ms 26, 1902, par. 47

“Ye are complete in Him.” [Colossians 2:10.]

17LtMs, Ms 26, 1902, par. 51

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” [Colossians 2:6-13.]

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 151, 1903

18LtMs, Lt 151, 1903, par. 20

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” [Colossians 2:6, 7.] It is our privilege to be filled with joy and thanksgiving for the rich grace that Christ bestows upon us. We need to appreciate His mercies and cultivate gratitude.

18LtMs, Lt 151, 1903, par. 21

To us is given the warning, “Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily.” [Verses 8, 9.]

18LtMs, Lt 151, 1903, par. 22

When we trust in the Lord Jesus, and are in union with Him, we shall have clear and decided victories in every line. Paul’s words will be applicable to us: “Ye are complete in Him, which is the head of every principality and power; in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.” [Verses 10-12.]

18LtMs, Lt 151, 1903, par. 23

“And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses. ... If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ... When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” [Colossians 2:13; 3:1, 4.]

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 17—Heralds of the Gospel

AA 175.2

Advancing in faith, Paul labored unceasingly for the upbuilding of God’s kingdom among those who had been neglected by the teachers in Israel. Constantly he exalted Christ Jesus as “the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15), and exhorted the believers to be “rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith.” Colossians 2:7.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 9 (1894)

Lt 83, 1894

9LtMs, Lt 83, 1894, par. 12

Let your rest be in Christ. If you are “rooted and built up on him,” the sudden blasts of temptation will not affect you. [Colossians 2:7.] He says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” [John 15:5.] Jesus communicates the current of spiritual strength to every believer, even as the vine stock sends its life, in the sap, to the outermost twig. As long as you and your associates in your mission reach down into Christ and draw your supplies from Him, there is no danger that you will wither or decay.

Counsels for the Church

Chapter 60—Satan’s Lying Wonders

CCh 329.1

I was directed to this scripture as especially applying to modern spiritualism: Colossians 2:8: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Thousands, I was shown, have been spoiled through the philosophy of phrenology and animal magnetism, and have been driven into infidelity. If the mind commences to run in this channel, it is almost sure to lose its balance and be controlled by a demon. “Vain deceit” fills the minds of poor mortals. They think there is such power in themselves to accomplish great works that they realize no necessity of a higher power. Their principles and faith are “after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

The Upward Look

Beware Seductive Theories, May 18

UL 152.1

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 6 (1889-1890)

Lt 8a, 1890

6LtMs, Lt 8a, 1890, par. 14

My brother, not you only, but others also, have “hewn out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” [Jeremiah 2:13.] Have you felt the necessity of feeding the flock? ... You do not yourself understand enough to teach, and you must present the lessons of Christ in a clear, distinct manner so that people may see the practical application of them and set upon them to the saving of the soul. “Without me,” says Christ, “Ye can do nothing.” [John 15:5.] Woe will be yourself, woe will be the church, if they accept any such confused, tangled theory; these themes will lead to discouragement and despair, because there is no Christ in them; there is no more light in them than there is in the traditions and commandments of men in the days when our Lord was upon the earth. Your theories are what may be termed “vain philosophies.” [Colossians 2:8.] The people are not fed by them. You put the crib too high.

Gospel Workers (1915 ed.)

Faithfulness in Service

GW 16.3

The Lord sends His ministers to hold forth the word of life, to preach, not “philosophy and vain deceit,” nor “science falsely so called,” but the gospel, “the power of God unto salvation.” [Colossians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:20; Romans 1:16.] “I charge thee therefore,” Paul wrote to Timothy, “before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” [2 Timothy 4:1-5.] In this charge every minister has his work outlined,—a work that he can do only through the fulfilment of the promise that Jesus gave to His disciples, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end.” [Matthew 28:20.]

In Heavenly Places

Beware of Satan’s Delusions, December 8

HP 349.1

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8.

Our High Calling

Entangled Minds, April 14

OHC 110.1

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8.

Reflecting Christ

Paul Warns Against “Tradition” and “Philosophy,” November 26

RC 344.1

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8.

Sons and Daughters of God

We Learn to Beware of Vain Deceit and Flattery, March 7

SD 73.1

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8.

The Faith I Live By

A Dangerous Form of Mind Cure, November 10

FLB 320.1

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8.

Manuscript Releases, vol. 19 [Nos. 1360-1419]

MR No. 1375—Experience of Golden Calf an Example for God’s People Today; Danger in Pleasure Seeking, Especially Among Youth; Development of a Christian Character

19MR 117.2

The living God has given in His holy law a transcript of His character. The greatest Teacher the world has ever known is Jesus Christ. And what is the standard He has given for all who believe in Him to reach? “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” [Matthew 5:48]. As God is perfect in His high sphere of action, so man may be perfect in his human sphere. The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. There is opened before us a path of continual advancement. We have an object to reach, a standard to gain, which includes everything good and pure and noble and elevated. There should be continual striving and constant progress onward and upward toward perfection of character. (See 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Romans 15:4; Colossians 2:8-10.)

Special Testimonies On Education

Chapter 24—The Holy Spirit in the Schools

SpTEd 206.1

The religion of Jesus Christ never degrades the receiver, it never makes him coarse or rough, discourteous or self-important, passionate or hard-hearted. On the contrary, it refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, and purifies and ennobles the thoughts, by bringing them into captivity to Jesus Christ. God’s ideal for his children is higher than the highest human thought can reach. The living God has given in his holy law a transcript of his character. The greatest teacher the world has ever known is Jesus Christ. And what is the standard he has given for all who believe in him to reach? — “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” As God is perfect in his high sphere of action, so man may be perfect in his human sphere. The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. There is opened before us a path of continual advancement. We have an object to reach, a standard to gain, which includes everything good and pure and noble and elevated. There should be continual striving and constant progress onward and upward toward perfection of character. (See 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Romans 15:4; Colossians 2:8-10.)

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7

Chapter 40—Danger from Improper Reading

7T 204.3

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him.” Colossians 2:8-10.

Special Testimony to Battle Creek Church

Ideal of Christian Character

PH154 53.1

The Religion of Jesus Christ never degrades the receiver, it never makes him course or rough, discourteous or self-important, passionate or hard-hearted. On the contrary, it refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, purifies and ennobles the thoughts, by bringing them into captivity to Jesus Christ. God’s ideal for his children is higher than the highest human thought can reach. The living God has given in his holy law a transcript of his character. The greatest teacher the world has ever known is Jesus Christ. And what is the standard he has given for all who believe in him, to reach?—“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” As God is perfect in his high sphere of action, so man may be perfect in his human sphere. The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. There is opened before us a path of continual advancement. We have an object to reach, a standard to gain which includes everything good and pure and noble and elevated. There should be continual striving and constant progress onward and upward toward perfection of character, (See 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Romans 15:4; Colossians 2:8-10.)

Testimony Treasures, vol. 3

Reading and Religious Experience

3TT 188.3

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him.” Colossians 2:8-10.

Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Ms 16, 1896

11LtMs, Ms 16, 1896, par. 26

The greatest Teacher the world has ever known is Jesus Christ. And what is the standard He has given for all who believe in Him to reach? “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48.] As God is perfect in His high sphere of action, so man may be perfect in his human sphere. The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. There is opened before us a path of continual advancement. We have an object to reach, a standard to gain, which includes everything good and pure and noble and elevated. There should be continual striving and constant progress onward and upward toward perfection of character. See 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Romans 15:4; Colossians 2:8-10.