In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:1-3.

Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,—one in nature, in character, in purpose,—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting…. When he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by him, as one brought up with him” (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; Proverbs 8:22-30).

The Father wrought by His Son in the creation of all heavenly beings. “By him were all things created, … whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16). Angels are God’s ministers, radiant with the light ever flowing from His presence, and speeding on rapid wing to execute His will. But the Son, the anointed of God, the “express image of his person,” “the brightness of his glory,” “upholding all things by the word of his power,” holds supremacy over them all (Hebrews 1:3).^{10Patriarchs and Prophets, 34.}

Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense…. The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by Him as His right….

There are light and glory in the truth that Christ was one with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. This is the light shining in a dark place, making it resplendent with divine, original glory.^{11Selected Messages 1:247.}

From That I May Know Him

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27.

There are many mysteries in the Word of God that we do not comprehend, and many of us are content to stop our investigation when we have just begun to receive a little knowledge concerning Christ. When there begins to be a little unfolding of the divine purposes to the mind, and we begin to obtain a slight knowledge of the character of God, we become satisfied and think that we have received about all the light that there is for us in the Word of God. But the truth of God is infinite. With painstaking effort we should work in the mines of truth, discovering the precious jewels that have been hidden…. Jesus meant just what He said when He directed His disciples to “search the Scriptures” (John 5:39). Searching means to compare scripture with scripture, and spiritual things with spiritual. We should not be satisfied with a superficial knowledge.^{7The Review and Herald, June 4, 1889.}

We do not half realize what the Lord is willing to do for His people…. Our petitions, mingled with faith and contrition, should go up to God for an understanding of the mysteries that God would make known to His saints…. An angel’s pen could not portray all the glory of the revealed plan of redemption. The Bible tells how Christ bore our sins and carried our sorrows. Here is revealed how mercy and truth have met together at the cross of Calvary, how righteousness and peace have kissed each other, how the righteousness of Christ may be imparted to fallen man. There infinite wisdom, infinite justice, infinite mercy, and infinite love were displayed. Depths, heights, lengths, and breadths of love and wisdom, all passing knowledge, are made known in the plan of salvation.^8Ibid.

He who desires the truth in his heart, who longs for the working of its powers upon the life and character, will be sure to have it. Says the Saviour, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).^9Ibid.

From That I May Know Him

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? Job 11:7.

We cannot by searching find out God, but He has revealed Himself in His Son, who is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of His person. If we desire a knowledge of God we must be Christlike…. Living a pure life through faith in Christ as a personal Saviour will bring to the believer a clearer, higher conception of God….

Eternal life is the reward that will be given to all who obey the two great principles of God’s law—love to God and love to man. The first four commandments define and enjoin love to God; the last six, love to our fellow men. Obedience to these commands is the only evidence man can give that he possesses a genuine, saving knowledge of God. Love for God is demonstrated by love for those for whom Christ has died. While enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, Christ gave directions regarding this love. Distinctly and clearly He laid down the principles of heaven as rules that His chosen people were to observe in their dealings one with another. These principles Christ lived out in His life of humanity. In His teaching He presented the motives that should govern the lives of His followers….

Those who partake of God’s love through a reception of the truth will give evidence of this by making earnest, self-sacrificing efforts to give the message of God’s love to others. Thus they become laborers together with Christ. Love for God and for one another unites them to Christ by golden links. Their life is bound up with His life in sanctified, elevated union…. This union causes rich currents of Christ’s love to flow continually into the heart, and then flow forth again in love for others.

The qualities that it is essential for all to possess in order to know God are those that mark the completeness of Christ’s character—His love, His patience, His unselfishness. These attributes are cultivated by doing kind actions with a kindly heart.^{6The Youth’s Instructor, March 22, 1900.}

From That I May Know Him

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10.

There is a wide difference between what God has given men capacity to become, and the degree of excellence to which they actually attain.^{4The Review and Herald, September 25, 1883.}

The Word of God presents the most potent means of education, as well as the most valuable source of knowledge, within the reach of man. The understanding adapts itself to the dimensions of the subjects with which it is required to deal. If occupied with trivial, commonplace matters only, never summoned to earnest effort to comprehend great and eternal truths, it becomes dwarfed and enfeebled. Hence the value of the Scriptures, as a means of intellectual culture…. They lead directly to the contemplation of the most exalted, the most ennobling, and the most stupendous truths that are presented to the mind of man. They direct our thoughts to the infinite Author of all things. We see revealed the character of the Eternal, and listen to His voice as He communes with patriarchs and prophets. We see explained the mysteries of His providence, the great problems which have engaged the attention of every thoughtful mind, but which, without the aid of revelation, human intellect seeks in vain to solve. They open to our understanding a simple yet sublime system of theology, presenting truths which a child may grasp, but which are yet so far reaching as to baffle the powers of the strongest mind.

The more closely God’s Word is searched, and the better understood, the more vividly will the student realize that there is, beyond, infinite wisdom, knowledge, and power….

If the youth will but learn of the heavenly Teacher, as did Daniel, they will know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…. Those who consecrate themselves to God, and who have the protection of His grace and the quickening influence of His Spirit, will manifest keener intellectual power than the mere worldling. They will be able to reach the highest, noblest exercise of every faculty.^5Ibid.

From That I May Know Him

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Ephesians 3:8.

In the Word of God there are rich mines of truth that we may spend our whole lifetime in exploring, and yet we shall find that we have only begun to view their precious stores…. There are unsearchable riches for us. It will take us all eternity to comprehend the riches of the glory of God and of Jesus Christ….

Christ has said: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). Have you exhausted the fountain? No, for it is inexhaustible. Just as soon as you feel your need, you may drink, and drink again. The fountain is always full. And when you have once drunk of that fountain you will not be seeking to quench your thirst from the broken cisterns of this world; you will not be studying how you can find the most pleasure, amusement, fun, and frolic. No, because you have been drinking from the stream which makes glad the city of God. Then your joy will be full, for Christ will be in you.^{1The Review and Herald, March 15, 1892.}

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.}

There is no need for us to hunger, there is no need for us to thirst, while the storehouse of heaven is open for us and the key is given into our possession. What is the key? Faith, which is the gift of God. Unlock the storehouse; take of its rich treasures.^{3The Review and Herald, March 15, 1892.}

From That I May Know Him