Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. Luke 24:45.

The Lord wants every one of us to have a deeper, richer experience in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He desires that we shall grow in knowledge—not earthward, but heaven-ward, upward to Christ our living Head. How high, how great, is this knowledge to be? To the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. We cannot grow too much, we cannot gather up too many of the precious rays of light that God sends us….

We know falsehoods are coming in like a swift current, and that is just the reason why we want every ray of light that God has for us, that we may be able to stand amid the perils of the last days….

O how Christ longs to open before us the mysteries of redemption! He longed to do this for His disciples when He was among them on earth, but they were not far enough advanced in spiritual knowledge to comprehend His words. He had to say to them, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). O how much better could they have borne the terrible ordeal through which they had to pass at His trial and crucifixion if they had advanced and been able to bear the instruction of Christ! Shall we not let Jesus open our understanding? …

We are on the borders of the eternal world, and we must have a testimony with which all heaven shall be in harmony.^{6The Review and Herald, March 4, 1890.}

The Lord is coming, and we must be ready! Every moment I want His grace—I want the robe of Christ’s righteousness. We must humble our souls before God as never before, come low to the foot of the cross, and He will put a word in our mouths to speak for Him, even praise unto our God. He will teach us a strain from the song of the angels, even thanksgiving to our heavenly Father. We can do nothing of ourselves, but God wants to touch our lips with a living coal from off the altar. He wants to sanctify our tongues—to sanctify our whole being.^7Ibid.

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Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. Luke 11:35, 36.

The moment the eye is turned from Jesus, darkness is seen, darkness is felt, for Jesus only is light and life and peace and assurance forever. “If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light” (Matthew 6:22)…. What is it to have a single eye? It is to have a disposition to look upon Christ, for by beholding we become changed from glory to glory, from character to character.

As we keep Christ in view, the bright rays of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon us and flood the chambers of the mind and heart and fill the soul temple with light. As the Light of the world shines upon us, we diffuse it to those around “as when the bright shining of a candle doth give … light.” The soul that is stayed upon God commits to Christ all that perplexes, all that annoys, all that gives anxiety. The light of Christ shines in the soul in all goodness and peace, for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily….

Those who behold Christ will never plead that their own will may be done, or that their old ways and habits may be left undisturbed. As they behold Jesus, His image becomes engraved on heart and soul, and in all their practices they reflect His example upon the world. Day by day the hands, the feet, the tongue, follow the dictates of the spiritual nature, and faith makes their path a path that grows brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Everything that keeps us from attaining unto the likeness of Christ is working out for us eternal loss. Then let no one plead for a continuance of his own way. Let no one seek to excuse his deficiencies of character by saying, It is “my way.” Cooperate with Jesus Christ and you will see that your own way is a way full of deficiency and fault, and that if it is not corrected it will cause you to put into your character building traits that will be as rotten timbers…. Let nothing of these defects of character be found in your building. Build on the rock Christ Jesus.^{5The Youth’s Instructor, September 14, 1893.}

From That I May Know Him

The people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Matthew 7:28, 29.

The world’s men of learning are not easily reached by the practical truths of God’s Word. The reason is, they trust to human wisdom and pride themselves upon their intellectual superiority, and are unwilling to become humble learners in the school of Christ.

Our Saviour did not ignore learning or despise education, yet He chose unlearned fishermen for the work of the gospel because they had not been schooled in the false customs and traditions of the world. They were men of good natural ability and of a humble, teachable spirit, men whom He could educate for His great work. In the ordinary walks of life there is many a man patiently treading the round of daily toil, all unconscious that he possesses power which if called into action would raise him to an equality with the world’s most honored men. The touch of a skillful hand is needed to arouse and develop those dormant faculties. It was such men whom Jesus connected with Himself, and He gave them the advantages of three years’ training under His own care. No course of study in the schools of the rabbis or the halls of philosophy could have equaled this in value. The Son of God was the greatest educator the world ever knew.

The learned lawyers, priests, and scribes scorned to be taught by Christ. They desired to teach Him, and frequently made the attempt, only to be defeated by the wisdom that laid bare their ignorance and rebuked their folly…. They knew that He had not learned in the schools of the prophets, and they could not discern the divine excellence of His character beneath the lowly disguise of the Man of Nazareth. But the words and deeds of the humble Teacher, recorded by the unlettered companions of His daily life, have exerted a living power upon the minds of men from that day to the present. Not merely the ignorant and humble, but men of education, intellect, and genius reverently exclaim, with the wondering and delighted listeners of old, “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46).^{4The Review and Herald, September 25, 1883.}

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For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6.

This knowledge—the knowledge of the glory of God—is the highest class of learning that mortals can obtain. And “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Human fallacies are abundant and specious. Unseen agencies are at work to make falsehood appear as truth; errors are clothed with a deceptive garb that men may be led to accept them as essential to higher education. And these fallacies will deceive many of our students unless they are thoroughly guarded, and unless they are led by the Spirit of God to take the grand and holy truths of the Word into their hearts and minds, accepting these as the principles underlying the higher education. No instruction can exceed in value the pure instruction of God, which comes for the enlightenment of all who will be enlightened…. There can be no education higher than that which was given by the Great Teacher.^{1Letter 98, 1909.}

There is nothing more detrimental to the soul’s interest, its purity, its true and holy conceptions of God and of sacred and eternal things than constantly giving heed to and exalting that which is not from God. It poisons the heart and degrades the understanding. Pure truth can be traced to its divine Source by its elevating, refining, sanctifying influence upon the character of the receiver.^{2Letter 12, 1890.}

At this time when every conceivable thing is being brought in to confuse the people of God, let your spiritual eyesight be strengthened; let your faith in the Word of God be firm. Know for yourselves that the words and teachings of Christ, which are the words and teachings of Jehovah, contain the highest instruction it is possible for men to gain. When any would seek to confuse your minds, repeat to them the words of Christ, “No man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). Let the Word of the Lord stand forth clearly and distinctly.^{3Letter 98, 1909.}

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We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1.

God does not want us to place ourselves upon the judgment seat and judge each other…. When we see errors in others, let us remember that we have faults graver, perhaps, in the sight of God than the fault we condemn in our brother. Instead of publishing his defects, ask God to bless him and to help him to overcome his error. Christ will approve of this spirit and action, and will open the way for you to speak a word of wisdom that will impart strength and help to him who is weak in the faith.

The work of building one another up in the most holy faith is a blessed work, but the work of tearing down is a work full of bitterness and sorrow. Christ identifies Himself with His suffering children, for He says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40)…. Every heart has its own sorrows and disappointments, and we should seek to lighten one another’s burdens by manifesting the love of Jesus to those around us. If our conversation were upon heaven and heavenly things, evil speaking would soon cease to have any attraction for us….

Instead of finding fault with others, let us be critical with ourselves. The question with each one of us should be, Is my heart right before God? Will this course of action glorify my Father which is in heaven? If you have cherished a wrong spirit, let it be banished from the soul. It is your duty to eradicate from your heart everything that is of a defiling nature. Every root of bitterness should be plucked up, lest others be contaminated by its baleful influence. Do not allow one poisonous plant to remain in the soil of your heart. Root it out this very hour, and plant in its stead the plant of love. Let Jesus be enshrined in the soul. Christ is our example. He went about doing good. He lived to bless others. Love beautified and ennobled all His actions, and we are commanded to follow in His steps.^{41The Review and Herald, June 5, 1888.}

From That I May Know Him