Sons and Daughters of God
Page 352
We Receive Our Inheritance
We Hasten His Return With Holy Conversation
2
Peter 3:11, 12
"What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation
and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God?
Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ, are becoming conformed to this world, and seek more earnestly for the applause of those around them, than the approbation of God.
Many of these professed Christians dress, talk and act like the world, and the only thing by which they may be known, is their profession. Though they profess to be looking for Christ, their conversation is not in heaven, but on worldly things.
The way to heaven is rugged. Briers and thorns are in the way; but we can with cheerfulness tread the rough pathway, knowing that Jesus, the King of glory, once trod it before us. We will rejoice that we can follow in His footsteps, and be partakers with Him of His sufferings, that we may finally partake of His glory.
What if reproaches are heaped upon me, even by those who profess to be looking for the Lord? . . . Shall I complain, when Jesus bore the scoffs and derision of His own people? . . . No, I will not complain; I will rather rejoice and be exceeding glad that I am accounted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake, that my reward may be in heaven. Only let me have an inheritance in glory, and it will be enough. . . .
Let us strive to be Christians (Christ-like) in every
sense of the word, and let our dress, conversation and actions preach that
Christ is formed within, the hope of glory, and that we are looking for
that blessed hope and glorious appearing of Jesus. . . . My affections,
interest, treasure, all, is in the bright world to come. I long to see
the King in His beauty."
Manuscript Releases Volume Nine
Ellen White Counsels Regarding Education
Page 53
"Now, there are those who may have been hardhearted, and they may have been foolish in their inclination and desire and indulgence of self. Their thoughts may have been wandering, and their words light and trifling; notwithstanding, the injunction is to be holy in all conversation. "What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness" (2 Peter 3:11).
Peter's Counsel to Parents
Page 19
And Beside This
"And to patience godliness." Godliness is the fruit of Christian character. If we abide in the Vine, we shall bear the fruits of the Spirit. The life of the Vine will manifest itself through the branches. We must have a close and intimate connection with heaven, if we bear the grace of godliness. Jesus must be a guest in our homes, a member of our households, if we reflect His image and show that we are sons and daughters of the Most High. Religion is a beautiful thing in the home. If the Lord abides with us, we shall feel that we are members of Christ's family in heaven.
We shall realize that angels are watching us, and our
manners will be gentle and forbearing. We shall be fitting up for an entrance
into the courts of heaven, by cultivating courtesy and godliness. Our conversation
will be holy, and our thoughts will be upon heavenly things."
The Signs of the Times
02-10-88
Be Diligent
"What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation
and godliness?" The books of Heaven register everything just as it is.
The angels make no mistakes. You cannot afford to speak evil of your brethren;
this is not holy conversation. Whenever you are tempted to criticise and
condemn others, close your lips, and lift up your heart in prayer to God
that you may have power to resist and overcome. We have a great work to
do to remove every defect of character and be a constant light to those
around us, reflecting the character of Jesus, the light of the world. Those
who are heads of families should do as did faithful Abraham. They should
erect an altar to the Lord in their homes, and command their households
after them, bringing up their children in the fear and admonition of the
Lord. I have been very careful in the education of my children that there
should be no element of unbelief woven into their early teaching. They
have never heard one word of questioning or doubt in regard to the word
of God, the plan of salvation, or the truth for this time. I have kept
the Saviour before them. I have repeated the story of his life, pictured
the scenes of his suffering, humiliation, crucifixion, and death. I have
sought to impress them with the importance of faith and obedience. I have
presented before them the mansions of Heaven, and the future immortal life.
We should seek to make these themes attractive to our little ones.
God's Amazing Grace
Page 111
That We Might be Overcomers
"Let no one think he can overcome without the help of
God. You must have the energy, the strength, the power, of an inner life
developed within you. You will then bear fruit unto godliness, and will
have an intense loathing of vice. You need to constantly strive to work
away from earthliness, from cheap conversation, from everything sensual,
and aim for nobility of soul and a pure and unspotted character. Your name
may be kept so pure that it cannot justly be connected with anything dishonest
or unrighteous, but will be respected by all the good and pure, and it
may be written in the Lamb's book of life, to be immortalized among the
holy angels."
Sons and Daughters of God
Page 15
We are Sons and Daughters of God
"All who enter into a covenant with Jesus Christ become
by adoption the children of God. They are cleansed by the regenerating
power of the Word, and angels are commissioned to minister unto them. They
are baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
They pledge themselves to become active members of His church in the earth.
They are to be dead to all the allurements of worldly desires; but in
conversation and godliness, they are, through sanctification of the Spirit
to exert a living influence for God."
Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
01-10-56
"Are we willing to search our own hearts, and compare
our lives with our holy Pattern! We are too well satisfied with a form.
We must have the power of godliness in the soul. We must have our minds
running in the right channel. Our conversation is too much upon things
of earth. And when we meet to worship God, it takes time to get the mind
fixed upon God, or in a heavenly frame to serve him. We have had so few
thoughts of God and heaven, we cannot approach him with confidence in faith;
and we pray and labor in darkness, when it is our privilege to be in the
light."
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
07-20-97
Prepare to Meet Thy God
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some
men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing them that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and
hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on
fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new
earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that
ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace,
without spot, and blameless."
John
16:33
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might
have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world."
1
John 4:4
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
