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God's Word Our Assurance
by Ellen G.
White
The word of God is the foundation of
our faith, and therefore it is by the word of God that we may obtain evidence
of our standing before God. We are not to make our feelings a test by which to
discern whether we are in or out of favor with God, whether they be what we
consider encouraging or not. As soon as one begins to contemplate his feelings,
he is on dangerous ground. If he feels joyous, he is confident he is in a
favorable condition, but when a change comes, as it will, for circumstances
will be so arranged that feelings of depression will make the heart sad, then
he will be naturally led to doubt that God has accepted him. It is not wisdom
to look at the emotions, and try to test your spirituality by your feelings. Do
not study yourself; look away from self to Jesus. While you acknowledge
yourself as a sinner, yet you may appropriate Christ as your sin-pardoning
Redeemer. Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Satan will not be slow in presenting to the repentant soul suggestions and
difficulties to weaken faith and destroy courage. He has manifold temptations
that he can send trooping into the mind, one in succession of another; but the
Christian must not study his emotions, and give way to his feelings, or he will
soon entertain the evil guest, doubt, and become entangled in the perplexities
of despair. Expel the suggestions of the enemy by contemplating the matchless
depths of your Saviour's love.
Do not exalt your feelings, and be
swayed by them, whether they be good, bad, sad, or joyful. The apostle says,
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the
day star arise in your hearts." It is the word of God that is to be your
assurance. "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name." The soul's supply of nutrition
is in Jesus Christ. A legal religion will always be a troublesome guest, and it
is a deception to imagine that there is such a thing as natural religion that
is acceptable to God. The religion of Christ teaches its possessor
self-distrust, but at the same time enables him to grasp the hand of Christ
firmly, and still more firmly, as temptations press upon the soul.
There is a warfare in which every
soul must engage who would have the crown of life. Inch by inch the overcomer
must fight the good fight of faith, using the weapons of God's word. He must
meet the foe with, "It is written." He must keep the armory well supplied with,
"It is written." In this way he must meet the advances of the enemy, and
educate and train the soul for the still more severe attacks of the foe. Truth,
the word of God, faith and righteousness, and the hope of salvation, must be
the armor of the successful warrior, and his eyes must be anointed to be keen
and sensitive to detect the devices of the enemy. "Finally, my brethren, be
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of
God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." If God had
not made provision by which you might be thoroughly equipped for your warfare
with the powers of darkness, then these commands and promises would be but
mockery to you, and would tantalize your soul; but our God is true. We may
depend upon him under all circumstances. The word of God cannot fail, and in it
we are to find our assurance.
By the word of God we are to overcome
every temptation of the enemy. Satan may present every attraction, bring to our
notice every deceiving, alluring bribe, in seeking to eclipse the brightness of
Jesus from our view, and to obliterate from our minds his plainest
requirements, but we are to meet his deceptions with the word of God. "For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, 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 armor of God, that
ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the
breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
When the enemy begins to draw away
the mind from Jesus, to shut away His mercy, His love, His all-sufficiency, do
not devote precious time to the consideration of your feelings, but flee to the
word. In the Scriptures Christ is presented as the One by whom God made the
worlds. He is the light of the world, and, as the seeker for light studies the
word, he finds heavenly illumination. Christ, the all-absorbing theme, is
revealed to his soul, and he sees the requirements of God to be of a Christlike
character. He studies the conditions on which redemption may be his, sees the
divinity of his Saviour, the value of His atonement, the efficacy of the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost; and Christ becomes all and in all to his
soul. He sees in the Scriptures that which the casual reader does not see, a
significance and value beyond computation. He comes with a teachable spirit to
the word, and is instructed by both the Old and New Testaments.
Christ opens the mind to comprehend
the meaning of the sacred word, and the Holy Spirit conveys its true
significance to the soul, which before had not been seen or appreciated. The
searcher for truth feels as did the disciples when Christ overtook them on
their journey to Emmaus. They told Him their pitiful story, and He reproved
them for their unbelief and slowness of heart. "And beginning at Moses and all
the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning himself." When their eyes were opened, and they realized that it was
Christ Himself who had been talking with them, they said one to another, "Did
not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he
opened to us the Scriptures?"
What do we hope to accomplish by
longing to have the whole world converted to Jesus, by believing in His
pardoning love, when we do not ourselves believe in His love or find rest in
His grace? How can we possibly lead others to a full assurance, to simple,
childlike faith in our heavenly Father, when we are measuring and judging our
love to Him by our feelings? We cannot be lifted up in thought, or know what it
is to be the sons and daughters of God, unless we trust implicitly to the word
of God, for Satan will ever be on the ground to dispute our claims. We must
educate the soul to trust in God's word with unwavering confidence. Let
gratitude and thankfulness flow out of the heart, and cease to hurt the heart
of Christ by doubting His love, which has been assured to us by most astounding
evidences; for He so loved us as to give His own life for us, that we should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
Originally published in The Signs
of the Times, December 3, 1894.
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|  God's
Word Our Assurance
Christ
Our Righteousness A Morning Talk
Through
Faith Alone Part 1
Through
Faith Alone Part 2
What
Was Secured by the Death of Christ
Seek
Those Things Which are Above Part 1
Seek
Those Things Which are Above Part 2
Christ,
Our Loving Comforter and Restorer
Work
to Show Christ to the World
"Let
Him Take Hold of My Strength"
Ellen
G. White's Last Recorded Letter
The
Joy of Giving
A
New Year's Day Letter
Christ
Our Hope
A
Letter of Comfort and Assurance
Prevailing
Prayer
A
Prayer of Consecration
Help
for the Tempted
God
Will Provide
Christ's
Righteousness Avails
Trusting
Christ
The
Fair Flowers of Promise
How
God’s Love is Manifested, Part 1
How
God’s Love is Manifested, Part 2
"Ye
are Complete in Him," Part 1
"Ye
are Complete in Him," Part 2
"Ye
are Complete in Him," Part 3
"I
Will Give You Rest"
Working
as Christ Worked
A
Life-Changing Experience
The
Character of God Revealed in Christ
What
God Desires Us to Be
God's
Plans the Best
A
Peculiar People
God
With Us
Ask
and it shall be given you, Part 1
Ask
and it shall be given you, Part 2
The
Meaning of God's Pardoning Love, Part 1
The
Meaning of God's Pardoning Love, Part 2
The
Foundation of Our Peace
One
Thing Impossible With God
Windows
Wide Open
The
Only Foundation
Christ
Spans the Gulf of Sin, Part 1
Christ
Spans the Gulf of Sin, Part 2
Homeward
Bound
A
New Year's Day Letter
Asking
to Give
The
Mighty and Inspiring Conflict
God's
Word a Treasure House
True
Success
Little
Things
You May Trust
Him
Hearts
Filled with Thankfullnes to God
Calamities
and God’s Love; Sin, Judgment, and the Shortness of Time
Lord
is Risen
The
Sabbath
Some Thoughts
for the New Year
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