True and False Independence 4 quotes

1) “Where there is unity there is strength. United we stand, divided we fall. It is the special, declared plan of the enemy of Christ and man, to break up the church into independent factions....He loves to see discord and want of harmonious action in the church.” Review and Herald, July 10, 1888.

2) God is calling for His people to give up their unsanctified independence and unite together upon the same platform of truth in order to prevent discord and strife among them and instead promote love and unity.

“Those who are truly connected with God will not be at variance with one another. The spirit of harmony, peace, and love, His Spirit ruling in their hearts, will create harmony, love, and unity. The opposite of this works in the children of Satan; there is with them a continual contradiction. Strife, envy, and jealousy are the ruling elements. The characteristic of the Christian is the meekness of Christ. Benevolence, kindness, mercy, and love originate from Infinite Wisdom, while the opposite is the unholy fruit of a heart that is not in harmony with Jesus Christ. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, what fruit do you bear?” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 184.

“It is the will of God that union and harmony should exist among his people. Our Saviour prayed that his disciples might be one, as he is one with the Father. It should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity; but to do this we are not to sacrifice one principle of truth. It is through obedience to the truth that we are to be sanctified; for while Jesus prayed that his followers might be one, he prayed also, ‘Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.’ We are exhorted to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. This is the evidence of our discipleship. ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another;’ and conversely, our Saviour desired that his disciples might be one, that the world might know that the Father had sent him. What a thought! that the love and unity among Christians are presented as proof of our Saviour’s divine mission to the world.” Signs of the Times, May 12, 1881.

“...never, never forget that you are either servants of Jesus Christ, working strenuously for that unity of believers which Christ prayed might exist, or you are working against this unity and against Christ.” Testimonies, vol 5, p 478.

“A strange deception is upon the people of God. Selfishness prevents the unity that should exist....This shows that the members do not love God as they claim to. They give evidence that they need to be sanctified. It is the most fatal deception to suppose that a man can have faith unto life eternal without possessing Christlike love for his brethren.” Youth’s Instructor, March 22, 1900.

“I had a message to the believers...that all who are truly converted unto the proclamation of the third angel’s message must not present to the world, to angels, and to men, division in the place of unity.” Manuscript Releases, vol 4, p 297.

“Now, please stop walking in this unsanctified independence and self-confidence, for it will prove your ruin unless you see the evil and repent of it and submit to follow the way of the Lord.” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 119.

4) Not a single one of our Remnant brothers or sisters, whether they be ministers or lay-members, will ever make it into heaven until they knowingly give up their unsanctified independence, stop opposing a visible unity and oneness among our people, and instead work towards a complete and full union with one another in one faith with Christ as our Head!

“In heaven there is perfect order, perfect obedience, perfect peace and harmony. Those who have had no respect for order or discipline in this life, would have no respect for the order which is observed in heaven. They can never be admitted into heaven, for all worthy of an entrance there will love order and respect discipline. The characters formed in this, will determine the future life. When Christ shall come, he will not change the character of any individual. Precious, probationary time is given to be improved in washing our robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Counsels on Education, p 237.

“...the Lord Jesus has devised a plan whereby He may work counter to the work of Satan. He designs to imbue His human agents, the subjects of His kingdom, with the principles of love and unity. With sanctified heart they are to build one another up and strengthen and extend that which is good. Reciprocating Christ’s love, they are to deal in the goods of heaven. His church is to bear His superscription, and thus testify to the world that God has sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world....Love is to be interwoven as threads of gold in all their actions.” Our High Calling, p 185.

“The object of the gospel is met when this great end is achieved. Its work from age to age is to unite the hearts of his followers in a spirit of universal brotherhood, through belief of the truth, and thus establish heaven’s system of order and harmony in the family of God on earth, that they may be accounted worthy to become members of the royal family above. God, in his wisdom and mercy, tests men and women here, to see if they will obey his voice and respect his law, or rebel as Satan did. If they choose the side of Satan, putting his way above God’s, it would not be safe to admit them into heaven; for they would cause another revolt against the government of God in the heavenly courts.” Review and Herald, July 21, 1891.

“Perfection of character means perfection in unity. ‘That they all may be one,’ Christ said, ‘as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee’ (John 17:21). What possibilities are before us. Shall not our faith grasp them?” Manuscript Releases, vol 11, p 179.

“...they should not take on an independent spirit, but as followers of Christ be subject one to another. This is the very means that God has ordained that one shall have influence over another and all be transformed and molded after the divine Pattern, that all the believers in Christ are to be sanctified through the truth.” Manuscript Releases, vol 15, p 357.

God is trying to perfect each one of His people in righteousness and make them ready for salvation and eternal life with Him through this process of them becoming one in purpose, one in faith, one in work, and one in unity, and thus is preparing them for translation and eternal life!

“There is order in heaven, and it is to be imitated by those upon earth who are heirs of salvation. The nearer mortals attain to the order and arrangement of heaven, the nearer are they brought to that acceptable state before God which will make them subjects of the heavenly kingdom and give them that fitness for translation from earth to heaven...” Testimonies, vol 2, p 697-698.

6) Those who oppose this visible unity are working against God, against Christ, against the plan of salvation, against the gospel message, indirectly opposing the necessity of obtaining perfection of character, and are leading our precious Remnant people to be completely unprepared for translation and eternal life!

“None should feel that it is of no special importance whether they are in union with their brethren or not; for those who do not learn to live in harmony here will never be united in heaven.” Ellen G. White in Europe, p 70.

“I call upon you, my (brethren), in the name of the Lord to unite with us, to close every door through which Satan would enter to cause strife and alienation among brethren. Let us counsel together. There has been altogether too much moving in one’s own independent judgement. Self-sufficiency and self-esteem lay at the foundation of the greatest trials and discords that have ever existed among the people of God. The angel of God has repeated again and again, ‘Press together! Press together! Be of one mind, of one judgement! Let God be your Leader! Follow His footsteps!’” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 369.

As God is only good and holy, and only wishes the best for each one of His followers, then what God desires is only good, holy and best. So as God desires unity, then you can safely seek to be united together, and there is nothing to fear!

“In the carrying forward of God’s work, we shall not be as separate, independent agents. The unity of God’s people is to be to the world a convincing argument that God sent His Son to save the world. Christ prayed for His disciples, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” John 17:21-23.

“It is your privilege and your duty to seek for this oneness, this unity, and thus answer the prayer of Christ. This prayer is full of instruction and consolation. As our intercessor in heaven, Christ is ever working for the unity of His people. In order to be in harmony with heaven, we must seek to be one in faith and in practice.” Manuscript Releases, vol 14, p 175-176.

10) “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Psalms 133:1-3.


	"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries home \| Sermon Quotes TRUE and FALSE INDEPENDENCE, part 4 quotes 1) “Where there is unity there is strength. United we stand, divided we fall. It is the special, declared plan of the enemy of Christ and man, to break up the church into independent factions....He loves to see discord and want of harmonious action in the church.” Review and Herald, July 10, 1888. 2) God is calling for His people to give up their unsanctified independence and unite together upon the same platform of truth in order to prevent discord and strife among them and instead promote love and unity. “Those who are truly connected with God will not be at variance with one another. The spirit of harmony, peace, and love, His Spirit ruling in their hearts, will create harmony, love, and unity. The opposite of this works in the children of Satan; there is with them a continual contradiction. Strife, envy, and jealousy are the ruling elements. The characteristic of the Christian is the meekness of Christ. Benevolence, kindness, mercy, and love originate from Infinite Wisdom, while the opposite is the unholy fruit of a heart that is not in harmony with Jesus Christ. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, what fruit do you bear?” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 184. “It is the will of God that union and harmony should exist among his people. Our Saviour prayed that his disciples might be one, as he is one with the Father. It should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity; but to do this we are not to sacrifice one principle of truth. It is through obedience to the truth that we are to be sanctified; for while Jesus prayed that his followers might be one, he prayed also, ‘Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.’ We are exhorted to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. This is the evidence of our discipleship. ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another;’ and conversely, our Saviour desired that his disciples might be one, that the world might know that the Father had sent him. What a thought! that the love and unity among Christians are presented as proof of our Saviour’s divine mission to the world.” Signs of the Times, May 12, 1881. 3) Are you working with or against Christ in this area of unity? “...never, never forget that you are either servants of Jesus Christ, working strenuously for that unity of believers which Christ prayed might exist, or you are working against this unity and against Christ.” Testimonies, vol 5, p 478. Do you really love God enough to follow His will by uniting with one another, or do you really love yourself more? “A strange deception is upon the people of God. Selfishness prevents the unity that should exist....This shows that the members do not love God as they claim to. They give evidence that they need to be sanctified. It is the most fatal deception to suppose that a man can have faith unto life eternal without possessing Christlike love for his brethren.” Youth’s Instructor, March 22, 1900. Are you really converted to God and working for this unity, or are you still unconverted and living a lie? “I had a message to the believers...that all who are truly converted unto the proclamation of the third angel’s message must not present to the world, to angels, and to men, division in the place of unity.” Manuscript Releases, vol 4, p 297. If you are working against God in this area of unity, then you will be lost! “Now, please stop walking in this unsanctified independence and self-confidence, for it will prove your ruin unless you see the evil and repent of it and submit to follow the way of the Lord.” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 119. 4) Not a single one of our Remnant brothers or sisters, whether they be ministers or lay-members, will ever make it into heaven until they knowingly give up their unsanctified independence, stop opposing a visible unity and oneness among our people, and instead work towards a complete and full union with one another in one faith with Christ as our Head! “A self-confident, independent spirit will never enter into the kingdom of God.” Selected Messages, book 2, p 216. Why can’t self-confident independent Remnant people enter into heaven? “You would act an independent part in heaven as you have acted on the earth.” Kress Collection, p 152. 5) Our fitness for heaven is connected with this issue of unity! “In heaven there is perfect order, perfect obedience, perfect peace and harmony. Those who have had no respect for order or discipline in this life, would have no respect for the order which is observed in heaven. They can never be admitted into heaven, for all worthy of an entrance there will love order and respect discipline. The characters formed in this, will determine the future life. When Christ shall come, he will not change the character of any individual. Precious, probationary time is given to be improved in washing our robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Counsels on Education, p 237. This issue of unity also figures in with the plan of our salvation! “...the Lord Jesus has devised a plan whereby He may work counter to the work of Satan. He designs to imbue His human agents, the subjects of His kingdom, with the principles of love and unity. With sanctified heart they are to build one another up and strengthen and extend that which is good. Reciprocating Christ’s love, they are to deal in the goods of heaven. His church is to bear His superscription, and thus testify to the world that God has sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world....Love is to be interwoven as threads of gold in all their actions.” Our High Calling, p 185. The Gospel message includes this issue of unity! “The object of the gospel is met when this great end is achieved. Its work from age to age is to unite the hearts of his followers in a spirit of universal brotherhood, through belief of the truth, and thus establish heaven’s system of order and harmony in the family of God on earth, that they may be accounted worthy to become members of the royal family above. God, in his wisdom and mercy, tests men and women here, to see if they will obey his voice and respect his law, or rebel as Satan did. If they choose the side of Satan, putting his way above God’s, it would not be safe to admit them into heaven; for they would cause another revolt against the government of God in the heavenly courts.” Review and Herald, July 21, 1891. This process of uniting together involves the perfecting of our character! “Perfection of character means perfection in unity. ‘That they all may be one,’ Christ said, ‘as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee’ (John 17:21). What possibilities are before us. Shall not our faith grasp them?” Manuscript Releases, vol 11, p 179. “...they should not take on an independent spirit, but as followers of Christ be subject one to another. This is the very means that God has ordained that one shall have influence over another and all be transformed and molded after the divine Pattern, that all the believers in Christ are to be sanctified through the truth.” Manuscript Releases, vol 15, p 357. God is trying to perfect each one of His people in righteousness and make them ready for salvation and eternal life with Him through this process of them becoming one in purpose, one in faith, one in work, and one in unity, and thus is preparing them for translation and eternal life! “There is order in heaven, and it is to be imitated by those upon earth who are heirs of salvation. The nearer mortals attain to the order and arrangement of heaven, the nearer are they brought to that acceptable state before God which will make them subjects of the heavenly kingdom and give them that fitness for translation from earth to heaven...” Testimonies, vol 2, p 697-698. 6) Those who oppose this visible unity are working against God, against Christ, against the plan of salvation, against the gospel message, indirectly opposing the necessity of obtaining perfection of character, and are leading our precious Remnant people to be completely unprepared for translation and eternal life! “None should feel that it is of no special importance whether they are in union with their brethren or not; for those who do not learn to live in harmony here will never be united in heaven.” Ellen G. White in Europe, p 70. 7) May those of our Remnant brethren, including ministers and Ministries, who are opposing or who are not in unity, wake up and begin in earnest now to be in and to encourage unity. “I call upon you, my (brethren), in the name of the Lord to unite with us, to close every door through which Satan would enter to cause strife and alienation among brethren. Let us counsel together. There has been altogether too much moving in one’s own independent judgement. Self-sufficiency and self-esteem lay at the foundation of the greatest trials and discords that have ever existed among the people of God. The angel of God has repeated again and again, ‘Press together! Press together! Be of one mind, of one judgement! Let God be your Leader! Follow His footsteps!’” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 369. 8) There is no justifiable reason to fear or avoid uniting together with each other and having one faith! “We may safely seek to be of one accord in doctrine and spirit, and if this were done, we would be in harmony with God's will.” Review and Herald, April 22, 1890. As God is only good and holy, and only wishes the best for each one of His followers, then what God desires is only good, holy and best. So as God desires unity, then you can safely seek to be united together, and there is nothing to fear! “In the carrying forward of God’s work, we shall not be as separate, independent agents. The unity of God’s people is to be to the world a convincing argument that God sent His Son to save the world. Christ prayed for His disciples, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” John 17:21-23. “Such is the unity for which we are to seek,--such unity as exists between the Father and the Son.” Review and Herald, August 15, 1907. 9) Our unity with each other in heaven must first begin here on this earth, or we will never make it to heaven! “To a world that is broken up by discord and strife, their love and unity will testify to their connection with heaven.” Testimonies, vol 7, p 156-157. “It is your privilege and your duty to seek for this oneness, this unity, and thus answer the prayer of Christ. This prayer is full of instruction and consolation. As our intercessor in heaven, Christ is ever working for the unity of His people. In order to be in harmony with heaven, we must seek to be one in faith and in practice.” Manuscript Releases, vol 14, p 175-176. 10) “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Psalms 133:1-3.