The Sanctified Life
by Ellen G. White
Chapter 8: The Ministry of John
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John saw the dangers of poisonous errors
creeping into the church, and he met them
with promptness and decision.
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The apostle John passed his early life in the society of the
uncultivated fishermen of Galilee. He did not enjoy the training of the
schools; but by association with Christ, the Great Teacher, he obtained the
highest education which mortal man can receive. He drank eagerly at the
fountain of wisdom, and then sought to lead others to that "well of water
springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). The simplicity of his
words, the sublime power of the truths he uttered, and the spiritual fervor
that characterized his teachings gave him access to all classes. Yet even
believers were unable to fully comprehend the sacred mysteries of divine truth
unfolded in his discourses. He seemed to be constantly imbued with the Holy
Spirit. He sought to bring the thoughts of the people up to grasp the unseen.
The wisdom with which he spoke, caused his words to drop as the dew, softening
and subduing the soul. {SL
61.1}
After the ascension of Christ, John stands forth a faithful,
ardent laborer for the Master. With others he enjoyed the outpouring of the
Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and with fresh zeal and power he continued to
speak to the people the words of life. He was threatened with imprisonment and
death, but he would not be intimidated. [62] {SL 61.2}
Multitudes of all classes come out to listen to the
preaching of the apostles, and are healed of their diseases through the name of
Jesus, that name so hated among the Jews. The priests and rulers are frantic in
their opposition as they see that the sick are healed and Jesus is exalted as
the Prince of life. They fear that soon the whole world will believe on Him,
and then accuse them of murdering the Mighty Healer. But the greater their
efforts to stop this excitement, the more believe on Him and turn from the
teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. They are filled with indignation, and
laying hands on Peter and John, thrust them into the common prison. But the
angel of the Lord, by night, opens the prison doors, brings them forth, and
says, "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of
this life" (Acts 5:20). {SL
62.1}
With fidelity and earnestness John bore testimony for his
Lord upon every suitable occasion. He saw that the times were full of peril for
the church. Satanic delusions were existing everywhere. The minds of the people
were wandering through the mazes of skepticism and deceptive doctrines. Some
who pretended to be true to the cause of God were deceivers. They denied Christ
and His gospel and were bringing in damnable heresies and living in
transgression of the divine law. {SL 62.2}
John's Favorite Theme
John's favorite theme was the infinite love of Christ. He
believed in God as a child believes in a kind and tender father. He understood
the character and work of [63] Jesus; and when he saw his Jewish
brethren groping their way without a ray of the Sun of Righteousness to
illuminate their path, he longed to present to them Christ, the Light of the
world. {SL 62.3}
The faithful apostle saw that their blindness, their pride,
superstition, and ignorance of the Scriptures were riveting upon their souls
fetters which would never be broken. The prejudice and hatred against Christ
which they obstinately cherished, was bringing ruin upon them as a nation and
destroying their hopes of everlasting life. But John continued to present
Christ to them as the only way of salvation. The evidence that Jesus of
Nazareth was the Messiah was so clear that John declares no man needs to walk
in the darkness of error while such light is proffered him. {SL 63.1}
Saddened by Poisonous Errors
John lived to see the gospel of Christ preached far and
near, and thousands eagerly accepting its teachings. But he was filled with
sadness as he perceived poisonous errors creeping into the church. Some who
accepted Christ claimed that His love released them from obedience to the law
of God. On the other hand, many taught that the letter of the law should be
kept, also all the Jewish customs and ceremonies, and that this was sufficient
for salvation, without the blood of Christ. They held that Christ was a good
man, like the apostles, but denied His divinity. John saw the dangers to which
the church would be exposed, should they receive these ideas, and he met them
with promptness and decision. [64] He wrote to a most honorable
helper in the gospel, a lady of good repute and extensive influence: {SL 63.2}
"Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an
antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have
wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of
Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and
bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God
speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2
John 7-11). {SL 64.1}
John was not to prosecute his work without great hindrances.
Satan was not idle. He instigated evil men to cut short the useful life of this
man of God, but holy angels protected him from their assaults. John must stand
as a faithful witness for Christ. The church in its peril needed his testimony.
{SL 64.2}
By misrepresentation and falsehood the emissaries of Satan
had sought to stir up opposition against John and against the doctrine of
Christ. In consequence dissensions and heresies were imperiling the church.
John met these errors unflinchingly. He hedged up the way of the adversaries of
truth. He wrote and exhorted, that the leaders in these heresies should not
have the least encouragement. There are at the present day evils similar to
those that threatened the prosperity of the early church, and the teachings of
the apostle upon these points should be [65]
carefully heeded. "You must have charity," is the cry to be heard everywhere,
especially from those who profess sanctification. But charity is too pure to
cover an unconfessed sin. John's teachings are important for those who are
living amid the perils of the last days. He had been intimately associated with
Christ, he had listened to His teachings and had witnessed His mighty miracles.
He bore a convincing testimony, which made the falsehoods of His enemies of
none effect. {SL 64.3}
No Compromise With Sin
John enjoyed the blessing of true sanctification. But mark,
the apostle does not claim to be sinless; he is seeking perfection by walking
in the light of God's countenance. He testifies that the man who professes to
know God, and yet breaks the divine law, gives the lie to his profession.
"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4). In this age of boasted
liberality these words would be branded as bigotry. But the apostle teaches
that while we should manifest Christian courtesy, we are authorized to call sin
and sinners by their right names—that this is consistent with true
charity. While we are to love the souls for whom Christ died, and labor for
their salvation, we should not make a compromise with sin. We are not to unite
with the rebellious, and call this charity. God requires His people in this age
of the world to stand, as did John in his time, unflinchingly for the right, in
opposition to soul-destroying errors. [66] {SL 65.1}
No Sanctification Without Obedience
I have met many who claimed to live without sin. But when
tested by God's word these persons were found to be open transgressors of His
holy law. The clearest evidences of the perpetuity and binding force of the
fourth commandment failed to arouse the conscience. They could not deny the
claims of God, but ventured to excuse themselves in breaking the Sabbath. They
claimed to be sanctified, and to serve God on all days of the week. Many good
people, they said, did not keep the Sabbath. If men were sanctified, no
condemnation would rest upon them if they did not observe it. God was too
merciful to punish them for not keeping the seventh day. They would be counted
singular in the community should they observe the Sabbath, and would have no
influence in the world. And they must be subject to the powers that be. {SL 66.1}
A lady in New Hampshire bore her testimony in a public
meeting that the grace of God was ruling in her heart and that she was wholly
the Lord's. She then expressed her belief that this people were doing much good
in arousing sinners to see their danger. She said, "The Sabbath that this
people present to us is the only Sabbath of the Bible"; and then stated
that her mind had been very much exercised upon the subject. She saw great
trials before her, which she must meet if she kept the seventh day. The next
day she came to meeting and again bore her testimony, saying she had asked the
Lord if she must keep the Sabbath, and He had told her [67] she
need not keep it. Her mind was now at rest upon that subject. She then gave a
most stirring exhortation for all to come to the perfect love of Jesus, where
there was no condemnation to the soul. {SL 66.2}
This woman did not possess genuine sanctification. It was
not God who told her that she could be sanctified while living in disobedience
to one of His plain commandments. God's law is sacred, and none can transgress
it with impunity. The one who told her that she could continue to break God's
law and be sinless was the prince of the powers of darkness—the same
who told Eve in Eden, through the serpent, "Ye shall not surely die"
(Genesis 3:4). Eve flattered herself that God was too kind to punish her for
disobedience of His express commands. The same sophistry is urged by thousands
in excuse of their disobedience of the fourth commandment. Those who have the
mind of Christ will keep all of God's commandments, irrespective of
circumstances. The Majesty of heaven says, "I have kept my Father's
commandments" (John 15:10). {SL 67.1}
Adam and Eve dared to transgress the Lord's requirements,
and the terrible result of their sin should be a warning to us not to follow
their example of disobedience. Christ prayed for His disciples in these words:
"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).
There is no genuine sanctification except through obedience to the truth. Those
who love God with all the heart will love all His commandments also. The
sanctified heart is in harmony with the precepts of God's law; for they are
holy, just, and good. [68] {SL 67.2}
God Has Not Changed
God's character has not changed. He is the same jealous God
today as when He gave His law upon Sinai and wrote it with His own finger on
the tables of stone. Those who trample upon God's holy law may say, "I am
sanctified"; but to be indeed sanctified, and to claim sanctification, are
two different things. {SL
68.1}
The New Testament has not changed the law of God. The
sacredness of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is as firmly established as
the throne of Jehovah. John writes: "Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye
know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth [transgresseth the law]
hath not seen him, neither known him" (1 John 3:4-6). We are authorized to
hold in the same estimation as did the beloved disciple those who claim to
abide in Christ, to be sanctified, while living in transgression of God's law.
He met with just such a class as we have to meet. He said, "Little
children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous,
even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil
sinneth from the beginning" (verses 7, 8). Here the apostle speaks in plain
terms, as he deemed the subject demanded. {SL 68.2}
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The epistles of John breathe a spirit of love. But when he
comes in contact with that class who break the law of God and yet claim that
they are living without [69] sin, he does not hesitate to warn
them of their fearful deception. "If we say that we have fellowship with
him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have
no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and
his word is not in us" (1 John 1:6-10). {SL 68.3}
Click here to read the next chapter:
"John in Exile"
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