Ellen G. White: The Baker Letter (Letter 8, 1895) - II

But every truth which is essential for us to bring into our practical life, which concerns the salvation of the soul, is made very clear and positive. The question asked Christ by the lawyer was turned over to himself to answer; for Christ knew that the law was understood by him. “He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou?” To the lawyer’s plain scriptural statements, Christ said, “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” To his questions, “Who is my neighbor,” Christ answered by the parable of the good Samaritan.
Christ revealed to His hearers their deficiency in fulfilling the law of God. With them self-love was supreme. These same principles Christ had spoken to Moses from the pillar of cloud: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he hath commanded you. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.”
This corresponds with the instruction given to the multitude in answer to the lawyer’s question, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” The same answer was given to the young ruler who asked a similar question, “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And he said unto him...”If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” By quoting the precepts of Jehovah, He showed that He referred to the ten holy precepts.
The young man claimed to have kept all these, and asked, “What lack I yet?” Jesus then pointed him to duties he had not done, which the law of God plainly specified - to love God supremely, and his neighbor as himself. “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.” This man loved his possessions above God and His service and more than the souls of his fellow men. Riches were his idol.
Then let none say that there are no conditions to salvation. There are decided conditions, and everyone is put to the strenuous tats of diligently inquiring and searching for the truth from God’s word. At the peril of our souls we must know the prescribed conditions given by Him who has given His won life to save us from ruin. We will certainly be lost if we float along with the current of the world, receiving the sayings of men. By our selfish love of ease and by our indolence we endanger our souls and the souls of others. We are to seek earnestly to know what saith the Lord.
Human assertions, even from priests and rulers, will not help my case. I must know what conditions are imposed on me, that I may cooperate with God in the saving of my own soul. I cannot satisfy the claims of God upon me as His human agent, by meeting the ideas and opinions of even teachers of doctrines, unless they harmonize with the voice of God. “What saith the law? How readest thou?” is the question from the greatest of all teachers.
The popular opinion of what saith the Fathers will not help my case. My work is given me of God to know and understand His will for my own individual self. By thoughtful, prayerful study, I must seek to know for myself the true meaning of the Scriptures. we should thank God every day that we are not left to human traditions and man-made assertions. We cannot be safe in trusting to any other word except “It is written.” We cannot float with the current; we cannot build as did the Jews. “Ye teach for doctrine the commandments of men,” said Christ to them. And this statement is made decidedly plain to us in these last days.
In Sunday observance the commandments of men are made supreme. Human authority and church pretension are made as the word of God, to which all must bow. Should we do this, we would be laborers together with the man of sin, who thought to change times and laws, and who exalted himself above God and all that is written in the word of God.
All who would have the zeal of the living God, must be laborers together with God to make up the breach that has been made in the law of God by the man of sin, and to raise up the foundation of many generations. “You are laborers together with God.” They will turn away their feet from trampling on the law of God, and by precept and example turn the feet of many others from the path of disobedience. They will keep the Sabbath from polluting it;they will call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and will honor Him, not doing their own ways nor finding their own pleasure, not speaking their own words. “Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
We are living in a perilous time, and we need that grace that will make us valiant in fight, turning to flight the armies of the aliens. Dear Brother, you need more faith, more boldness and decision in your labors. You need more push and less timidity. You will ever meet with disappointment unless you move forward with determination. You must not fail nor be discouraged. You need in every place to study the situation. Read less, and do more actual service. Circulate round, and practice the truth you do know. Our warfare is aggressive. Your efforts are too tame; you need more force in your labors, else you will be disappointed in its results. There are times when you must make a charge against the enemy. You must study methods and ways to reach the people. Go right to them and talk with them. study fact, how you can requite them; and be determined you will not fail nor be discouraged.
God help you to daily hang your helpless soul on Jesus Christ. Speak the truth in no hesitating, halting style; but speak it with boldness and assurance and with the spirit of the Holy Ghost resting upon you.
Let the people understand that you have a message that means life, eternal life to them if they accept it. If any subject should enthuse the soul, it is the proclamation of the last message of mercy to a perishing world. But if they reject this message it will be to them a savor of death unto death. Therefore there is need to work diligently, lest your labors be in vain. Oh that you would realize this, and that you would urge the truth upon the conscience with the power of God. Give force to your words, and make the truth appear essential to their educated minds. Please make your labor a subject of earnest prayer, that it may be approved of God, and that you may be a successful worker in His vineyard.
Your ideas are altogether too narrow, too bound about; you need to widen and broaden. Do not educate your mind to see afar off, thus making the subjects on which you dwell not of enough consequence to engage immediate attention. Carry your hearers with you. You can change your manner of labor; you can put energy and deep interest into your subject. You can allow the Holy Spirit to work the man. You can bear responsibilities which are inclined to neglect.
When a laborer is set in a certain portion of the Lord’s vineyard, his work is given him as a faithful laborer together with God to work that vineyard. He is not to wait to be told at every point by human minds what he must do, but plan his work to labor wherever he is needed. God has given you brain power to use. The wants of the believers and the necessities of unbelievers are to be carefully studied and your labors are to meet their necessities. You are to inquire of God and not of any living man what you shall do. You are a servant of the living God, and not a servant of any man. You cannot do the work of God intelligently and be the shadow of another man’s thoughts and directions. You are under God...
As the shepherd is to go after the lost sheep, he is not to have merely a casual interest, but an earnest travail for souls. This calls for most earnest heart searching, most earnest prayerful seeking for God, in order that we may know Him and the power of His grace. “That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus”
Our religious history should not be tame and common place, but an experience marked by the grace and decided working of the power of God with our efforts. Please read Eph 3:7-21. Read carefully and prayerfully; for this is for you and for me, and for every minister in every Conference, whether they have or have not been formally ordained to the work.
Bear in mind that no living man can tell the precise work, or bound the work of a man who is in God’s service. No one can prescribe the days, the weeks that one should remain in a certain locality before pushing on to another place. Circumstances must shape the labors of the minister of God, and if he seeks God, he will understand that his work embraces every part of the Lord’s vineyard, both that which is nigh and that which is afar off. The laborer is not to confine his work to a specified measurement. He must have no circumscribed limits, but extend his labors wherever necessity demands. God is his co-laborer; he should seek wisdom
and counsel of Him at every step, and not depend upon human counsel.
The work has been greatly hindered in many fields because the laborers ask counsel from those who are not working in the field, and who see not and feel not the demand, and therefore cannot understand the situation as well as the one who is on the ground.
Your labors, bro. Baker, need to be improved in order to be successful.
There is danger, great danger with all men of becoming self-deceived. There are certain circumstances when Satan will cunningly and with artful talent, work to hinder the cause of God. Some influence not proceeding from the throne of God will introduce itself. Inborn and cultivated tendencies are fostered that Satan finds a chance to stir up and strengthen. If not discerned by he possessor, these will lead to a development of weakness. When a man is not steadfastly following the Light of Life, he knoweth not at what he stumbleth.
Men must keep their own souls in the love of God, else they will fail to teach others these precious lessons, and will prove their worthlessness and power to form a character after the divine similitude. Great learning and talent will not make a man sufficient for a responsible position which will make him a wise master workman, unless he is proportionately balanced by a symmetrical character, and by making Jesus his heavenly guide, not trusting to his supposed smartness or his talents. Men should never exchange the heavenly Guide for an earthly7 guide, who is himself only a part of the great web of humanity, like unto themselves, finite and fallible.
We often find in human character strong contrasts of light and darkness. The only safety for men and women to whom God has given reason, is to subdue an ambition that is earth-born and they themselves feel the necessity like Mary, or choosing the better part, which shall never be taken from them; sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of Him meekness and lowliness of heart; dying to self, that their life may be hid with Christ in God.
We all need and must have pure religion, not borrowed from another, but form Christ Jesus, the source of all heavenly grace. Then we are to honor God by looking to God, trusting in God, and keeping the truth in the heart pure and undefiled, having that faith that works by love and purifies the souls. The truth, when practices, is a guide. Christ is truth. We must yield to Him who alone is truth, and who alone can give to the troubled heart assurance and peace. To every one of the human family, confident, boasting, or desponding, God the searcher of hearts declares, “I know thy works.” God speaks. “Know him.” There can be hypocrisy on the one hand, or deception on the other. God sees and knows.
My dear Bro. and Sr. Baker, whom I love in the Lord, the Lord will guide you if you will only trust in Him.
--Letter 8, 1895 To W. L. H. Baker and wife.