The Spirit of Prophecy tells us:
“The great truths necessary for salvation are made as clear as noonday.” {Steps to Christ 89}
It seems to me that there can hardly be a greater truth, which can be more necessary for salvation, than the truth expressed in these words of Christ Himself:
“This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” {John 17:3}
I thank God with all my heart, and believe it with all my heart, when He tells us, through the Spirit of Prophecy, that this great truth, which is so necessary for salvation, is made as clear as noonday. Satan may, and will, try with all his demonic might to confuse and pervert this great truth. False teachers, sincerely or otherwise, may, and will, try with all their might to confuse and pervert this great truth. Yet none of them will ever be able to change the fact that God has made this great truth as clear as noonday. But let it be realized, and never forgotten:
“In order to arrive at truth, we must have a sincere desire to know the truth and a willingness of heart to obey it.” {Steps to Christ 111}
The Spirit of Prophecy, as is so often the case, clarifies and broadens our understanding of these great truths that God is trying to communicate to us through the Scriptures:
“Remember that a knowledge of God and of Christ is the sum of all science. God teaches us to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. To know God and Christ—this is eternal life. Incorporated with the life, this knowledge fits us for heaven.” {1 Sermons and Talks 334}
“Paul saw that the character of Christ must be understood before men could love Him or view the cross with the eye of faith. Here must begin that study which shall be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity.” {Acts of the Apostles 273}
There is another “great truth” that goes hand in hand with this “great truth,” and is just as much a motivating factor in the writing of this book as this ‘great truth’:
“The seal of the living God will be placed upon those only who bear a likeness to Christ in character.” {Review & Herald, May 21, 1895}
“…the only way to obtain an inheritance in the heavens is to become like Christ in character.” {Our High Calling 72}
Those last three quotes not only all speak of Christ, but they also share one other word in common: character. We, as Seventh-day Adventists, are so very fortunate to have the Spirit of Prophecy to direct our attentions and energies in the right direction:
“Character building is the most important work ever entrusted to human beings; and never before was its diligent study so important as now.” {Education 225}
Character building and knowing Christ; two subjects of supreme importance. And they are two subjects that must ever be combined. Let it never be forgotten, the first (character building) can never be undertaken successfully apart from the second (knowing Christ). And let it be realized as never before, that “all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto [these].” {Prov. 3:15} These two things are worth more than anything and everything this world has to offer. The fulfilling of these two things will make us a glory to God and a blessing to our fellow man. They will also bring true and eternal happiness.
The Spirit of Prophecy tells us: “Merely to hear or to read the word is not enough. He who desires to be profited by the Scriptures must meditate upon the truth that has been presented to him.” {COL 59, 60} I believe that every quote in this chapter is worth meditating upon; and I would like to finish with a few more worth meditating upon. Please, don’t just read them. Meditate upon them, memorize them, repeat them to yourself often, and determine to make them a living reality in your life.
Character Building
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” {Proverbs 22:1}
“A character formed according to the divine likeness is the only treasure that we can take from this world to the next.” {Christ’s Object Lessons 332}
“When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” {Christ’s Object Lessons 69}
KNOWING CHRIST
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him.” {2 Peter 1:2, 3}
“We must know Christ personally. Then only can we rightly represent Him to the world.” {6 Testimonies 121}
“We can know Christ only by loving and obeying Him.” {Sons and Daughters of God 205}