1901

January 1, 1901

What God Is

EGW 

What is the Bible interpretation of God? “God is love.” By giving Christ to our world, God manifested His love to mankind. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Yes, everlasting life. His is the love which is the fulfilling of the law. Only he whose heart is filled with compassion for fallen man, who loves to a purpose, showing his love by Christlike deeds, will be able to endure the seeing of him who is invisible. He only who loves his fellowmen to a purpose can know God. This is the reason that there is so little genuine vitality in our churches. Theology is valueless unless it is saturated with the love of Christ. God is supreme. His love in the human heart will lead to the doing of works that will bear fruit after the similitude of the character of God. SW January 1, 1901, par. 1

In the 13th chapter of First Corinthians the apostle Paul defines Christlike love. It would be well to print this chapter in small type in every paper issued by our presses. SW January 1, 1901, par. 2

If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil, rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth, but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophecy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child; now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I have been known. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13. R. V. SW January 1, 1901, par. 3

This chapter is an expression of the obedience of all who love God and keep His commandments. It is brought into action in the life of every true believer. “Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” SW January 1, 1901, par. 4

O blessed leaves of the tree of life! “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity.” SW January 1, 1901, par. 5

“Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name,” because our guide book is so very plain and definite. Others may not follow the plain “it is written,” which Christ used on every occasion to meet the fallen foe, but let us follow the Saviour's example. The less we give expression to our human opinions, the purer and more marked with grace will be our conversation. The Lord calls for sanctified speech, because it is a savor of life unto life. He requires every human agent to take special care of his own soul-temple, allowing nothing that defileth to enter his lips, using no stimulants or narcotics, refusing to eat many kinds of food at meals, because thereby a cesspool is made of the stomach. God calls. Attention all! “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith; quit ye like men; be strong.” “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfastly in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, settle, strengthen you. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” SW January 1, 1901, par. 6

“This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye can not do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under (bondage to) the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have told you also in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” This is the evil fruit of an evil tree. SW January 1, 1901, par. 7

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law (to condemnation.) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and the lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” “Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” SW January 1, 1901, par. 8