For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 1 Corinthians 3:19, 20.

The Word of God is to be our guide. About the truths that this Word contains there is no guesswork. Let us not leave this unerring guide in order to seek for something new and strange…. There are many such doctrines that have not for their foundation, “It is written.” They are but human suppositions. It was with the word “It is written” that Christ met every temptation of Satan in the wilderness, and armed with this weapon, He could say to the enemy, “Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther.”

We cannot with safety accept the opinions of any man, however learned, unless they are in harmony with the words of the Great Teacher. The opinions of erring men will be presented for our acceptance, but God’s Word is our authority, and we are never to accept human teaching without the most conclusive evidence that it agrees with the teaching of God’s Word. We are to know that we do know that we are standing on the platform of eternal truth—the Word of the living God.^{38Letter 25, 1903.}

Truth, precious truth from the Word of God is to be presented, both in public and in families. We have a message that is to prepare a people to stand amid the perils of the last days…. Truth will stand every test that is brought to bear upon it. It cannot be overthrown by the sophistries of Satan. The more it is assailed the more bright and clear it will shine out. As we see indications of the active, earnest efforts of the enemy, shall we not make determined efforts to give the message in clear, decided lines? Shall we not stand forth in the power and Spirit of God, and receive and impart lessons from the Great Teacher? … “O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth” (Isaiah 25:1)…. Let us anchor ourselves to the words of the Lord God of Israel.^{39Letter 268, 1906.}

From That I May Know Him

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. Proverbs 19:11.

There are duties to the body and duties to the soul, and these every human agent must cooperate with God in seeking to perform…. Do not submit to receive a cheap mold. The young need sound common sense, for they are living for two worlds….

Apply the truth to your own individual case. You have a soul to save or a soul to lose. Have a will of your own, but let it be subject to the will of God. Be determined that you will not become angry, that you will not become self-sufficient, that you will not be hasty and overbearing. If this is your weak point, guard that point as a man would guard a broken limb. Watch your spirit, and let not a hasty spirit conquer you. Be careful to examine the weak points in your character, knowing that the evils which exist may be overcome by steadfastly refusing to yield to your weakness. The evil of hasty, wicked, indulgence of temper makes any youth a madman. Keep sane. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Evil can and will grow … through repetition.

Do not underrate the importance of little things because they are little. By action and reaction these little defects accumulate and bind themselves together like rods of steel. That little action, that unguarded word, repeated, becomes habit, … and habit constitutes character….

Cultivate a kind, tender, sympathetic heart, and never call these attributes weakness, for they are the attributes of Christ. Be careful of your influence. Let it be of so pure and fragrant a character that you will never be ashamed to have it reproduced in others.

As drops of water make the river, so little things make up life. Life is a river, peaceful, calm, and enjoyable, or it is a troubled river, always casting up mire and dirt. In this life you may place yourself under the discipline of the Holy Spirit. Through the sanctification of the Spirit you will thus grow more and more like Christ.^{37Letter 46, 1898.}

From That I May Know Him

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27.

There is one great central truth to be kept ever before the mind in the searching of the Scriptures—Christ and Him crucified. Every other truth is invested with influence and power corresponding to its relation to this theme. It is only in the light of the cross that we can discern the exalted character of the law of God. The soul palsied by sin can be endowed with life only through the work wrought out upon the cross by the Author of our salvation. The love of Christ constrains man to unite with Him in His labors and sacrifice. The revelation of divine love awakens in them a sense of their neglected obligation to be light bearers to the world, and inspires them with a missionary spirit. This truth enlightens the mind and sanctifies the soul. It will banish unbelief and inspire faith…. When Christ in His work of redemption is seen to be the great central truth of the system of truth, a new light is shed upon all the events of the past and the future. They are seen in a new relation, and possess a new and deeper significance.^{34Manuscript 31, 1890.}

The Old Testament is as verily the gospel in types and shadows as the New Testament is in its unfolding power. The New Testament does not present a new religion; the Old Testament does not present a religion to be superseded by the New. The New Testament is only the advancement and unfolding of the Old. Abel was a believer in Christ and was as verily saved by His power as was Peter or Paul. Enoch was a representative of Christ as surely as was the beloved disciple John…. That God who walked with Enoch was our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He was the light of the world then, just as He is now.^{35Testimonies for the Church 6:392.}

The truth for this time is broad in its outlines, far reaching, embracing many doctrines, but these doctrines are not detached items which mean little; they are united by golden threads, forming a complete whole, with Christ as the living center.^{36Selected Messages 2:87.}

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To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. John 18:37.

Christ is the author of all truth. Every brilliant conception, every thought of wisdom, every capacity and talent of men, is the gift of Christ. He borrowed no new ideas from humanity, for He originated all. But when He came to earth He found the bright gems of truth which He had entrusted to man all buried up in superstition and tradition. Truths of most vital importance were placed in the framework of error, to serve the purpose of the arch deceiver…. But Christ swept away erroneous theories of every grade. No one save the world’s Redeemer had power to present the truth in its primitive purity, divested of the error that Satan had accumulated to hide its heavenly beauty…. The work of Christ was to take the truth of which the people were in want, and separate it from error and present it free from the superstitions of the world, that the people might accept it on its own intrinsic and eternal merit. He dispersed the mists of doubt, that the truth might be revealed and shed distinct rays of light into the darkness of men’s hearts.^{31The Review and Herald, January 7, 1890.}

The truth came from His lips clothed in new and interesting representations that gave it the freshness of a new revelation. His voice was never pitched to an unnatural key, and His words came with an earnestness and assurance appropriate to their importance and the momentous consequences involved in their reception or rejection.^32Ibid.

He invited men to learn of Him, for He was a living representation of the law of God. He was the only one in human garb that could stand among a nation of witnesses, and looking round upon them, say, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” (John 8:46). He knew that no man could point out any defect in His character or conduct. What power His spotless purity gave to His instructions, what force to His reproofs, what authority to His commands! … He proved Himself to be the way, the truth, and the life.^33Ibid.

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That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:5.

The prevailing spirit of our times is that of infidelity and apostasy. The spirit manifested in the world is one of pride and self-exaltation. Men boast of illumination, which in reality is the blindest presumption, for they are in opposition to the plain Word of God. Many exalt human reason, idolize human wisdom, and set the opinions of men above the revealed wisdom of God…. Among the great mass of professed Christians the grievous character of the transgression of the law of God is not understood. They do not realize that salvation can be obtained only through the blood of Christ….

In the eyes of men, vain philosophy and science, falsely so-called, are of more value than the Word of God. The sentiment prevails to a large extent that the divine Mediator is not essential to the salvation of man. A variety of theories advanced by the so-called worldly wise men for man’s elevation are believed and trusted in more than is the truth of God as taught by Christ and His apostles.^{29The Review and Herald, November 8, 1892.}

The Lord would have us individually search the Scriptures that we may become acquainted with the great plan of redemption and take in the grand subject as far as it is possible for the human mind, enlightened by the Spirit of God, to understand the purpose of God. He would have us comprehend something of His love in giving His Son to die that He might counteract evil, remove the defiling stains of sin from the workmanship of God, and reinstate the lost, elevating and ennobling the soul to its original purity through Christ’s imputed righteousness. The only way in which the fallen race could be restored was through the gift of His Son, equal with Himself, possessing the attributes of God….

God has endowed humanity with attributes whereby we may appreciate God, and though man has revolted from God and has endeavored to supply the place of God with other objects of worship, the true God alone can fill the wants of the soul.^30Ibid.

From That I May Know Him