Test of Fellowship-2 quotes

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WHAT IS AND IS NOT A TEST OF FELLOWSHIP, part 2 quotes (final)

1) Dress Reform is NOT A Test of Fellowship

“The dress reform was among the minor things that were to make up the great reform in health, and never should have been urged as a testing truth necessary to salvation.” Review and Herald, October 8, 1867 par 16.

“...persons who carry matters to extremes, had been cautioned not to make the dress question a test of Christian fellowship. What influence do these things have to undermine the confidence in my testimonies! It is not the testimony that is at fault, but perverse human nature.” Pamphlet #104, p 12-13.

These inspired passages revealed that dress reform is not a test of fellowship. It is God's will that His people are all to dress sensibly, healthfully, simply, modestly, without display, and according to the character of the climate around them (see Ministry of Healing, p 293-294; 1 Timothy 2:9-10). If a Christian is not following this inspired counsel and is dressing improperly for the weather - thus affecting their health, or is dressing immodestly - thus affecting morality, shouldn’t this be sufficient enough to involve the issue of our continuing to fellowship with them? Inspiration states no, because these improper dressers were not actually themselves breaking any of God’s 10 commandments, and thus they were not themselves living in open sin.

2) All Type of Sins Are NOT the Same.

“If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.” 1 John 5:16-17.

These verses reveal that not all sins are the same. Sins that result unto death are those which break God’s law!

“For the wages of sin is death”. Romans 6:23.

This reveals that those other type of sins which are not unto death deal with either ignoring or disobeying any of the inspired warnings and counsels of God.

3) Those who ignore or disobey any of the inspired warnings and counsels of God break God’s will and commit personal sin, and especially regarding areas on health.

“God gave the light on health reform, and those who rejected it rejected God.” Review and Herald, April 14, 1903, par 24.

“It is willful sin in them to be ignorant of the laws of health or indifferent to them”. Counsels on Health, p 322.

“It is just as much sin to violate the laws of our being as to break one of the Ten Commandments, for we cannot do either without breaking God's law. We cannot love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength while we are loving our appetites, our tastes, a great deal better than we love the Lord. We are daily lessening our strength to glorify God, when He requires all our strength, all our mind. By our wrong habits we are lessening our hold on life, and yet professing to be Christ's followers, preparing for the finishing touch of immortality.” Testimonies, vol 2, p 70-71.

4) Ignoring or disobeying the inspired warning and counsels of God can lead towards openly breaking the commandments of God.

“Practice habits of strictest temperance, and be careful to keep sacred the laws which God has established to govern your physical being. God has claims upon your powers, therefore careless inattention to the laws of health is sin. The better you observe the laws of health, the more clearly can you discern temptations, and resist them, and the more clearly can you discern the value of eternal things.” Temperance, p 188.

“...if after a time they did not reform, they became lax in other things and causes of a grievous character occurred which required an action on the part of the church”. Manuscript Releases, vol 9, p 195, par 2.

5) “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens (with patience), and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:11-16.

“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.

“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.” John 17:21.


	"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries home \| Sermon Quotes WHAT IS AND IS NOT A TEST OF FELLOWSHIP, part 2 quotes (final) 1) Dress Reform is NOT A Test of Fellowship “The dress reform was among the minor things that were to make up the great reform in health, and never should have been urged as a testing truth necessary to salvation.” Review and Herald, October 8, 1867 par 16. “...persons who carry matters to extremes, had been cautioned not to make the dress question a test of Christian fellowship. What influence do these things have to undermine the confidence in my testimonies! It is not the testimony that is at fault, but perverse human nature.” Pamphlet #104, p 12-13. These inspired passages revealed that dress reform is not a test of fellowship. It is God's will that His people are all to dress sensibly, healthfully, simply, modestly, without display, and according to the character of the climate around them (see Ministry of Healing, p 293-294; 1 Timothy 2:9-10). If a Christian is not following this inspired counsel and is dressing improperly for the weather - thus affecting their health, or is dressing immodestly - thus affecting morality, shouldn’t this be sufficient enough to involve the issue of our continuing to fellowship with them? Inspiration states no, because these improper dressers were not actually themselves breaking any of God’s 10 commandments, and thus they were not themselves living in open sin. 2) All Type of Sins Are NOT the Same. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.” 1 John 5:16-17. These verses reveal that not all sins are the same. Sins that result unto death are those which break God’s law! “For the wages of sin is death”. Romans 6:23. This reveals that those other type of sins which are not unto death deal with either ignoring or disobeying any of the inspired warnings and counsels of God. 3) Those who ignore or disobey any of the inspired warnings and counsels of God break God’s will and commit personal sin, and especially regarding areas on health. “God gave the light on health reform, and those who rejected it rejected God.” Review and Herald, April 14, 1903, par 24. “It is willful sin in them to be ignorant of the laws of health or indifferent to them”. Counsels on Health, p 322. “It is just as much sin to violate the laws of our being as to break one of the Ten Commandments, for we cannot do either without breaking God's law. We cannot love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength while we are loving our appetites, our tastes, a great deal better than we love the Lord. We are daily lessening our strength to glorify God, when He requires all our strength, all our mind. By our wrong habits we are lessening our hold on life, and yet professing to be Christ's followers, preparing for the finishing touch of immortality.” Testimonies, vol 2, p 70-71. 4) Ignoring or disobeying the inspired warning and counsels of God can lead towards openly breaking the commandments of God. “Practice habits of strictest temperance, and be careful to keep sacred the laws which God has established to govern your physical being. God has claims upon your powers, therefore careless inattention to the laws of health is sin. The better you observe the laws of health, the more clearly can you discern temptations, and resist them, and the more clearly can you discern the value of eternal things.” Temperance, p 188. “...if after a time they did not reform, they became lax in other things and causes of a grievous character occurred which required an action on the part of the church”. Manuscript Releases, vol 9, p 195, par 2. 5) “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens (with patience), and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:11-16. “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. “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.” John 17:21.