God's claim is placed in one scale, and man's character in the other; and by the balances of the heavenly sanctuary every man's doom is fixed for eternity. Look at this, you that have lived carelessly and have regarded sin lightly. For years you have continued without a sense of your responsibility to God--years of selfish indulgence in a forbidden course. Consider the perfect, unchanging character of the law whose claims you have verbally vindicated. The law demands perfect, unswerving obedience. In the latter scale is also placed the sin, the folly, the deception, the unclean thoughts, the unholy actions; and the preponderance or the lightness of the weight determines the weal or woe of individuals; and the inscription is written upon the scale of many, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." {TM 439.2}

Will those before whom this letter shall come, consider their own individual cases, pass judgment upon no one else, but consider their own character in the light of God's law? {TM 440.1}

Has your character been transformed? Has darkness been exchanged for light, the love of sin for the love of purity and holiness? Have you been converted, who are engaged in teaching the truth to others? Has there been in you a thorough, radical change? Have you woven Christ into your character? You need not be in uncertainty in this matter. Has the Sun of Righteousness risen and been shining in your soul? If so, you know it; and if you do not know whether you are converted or not, never preach another discourse from the pulpit until you do. How can you lead souls to the fountain of life of which you have not drunk yourself? Are you a sham, or are you really a son of God? Are you serving God, or are you serving idols? Are you transformed by the Spirit of God, or are you yet dead in your trespasses and sins? To be sons of God means more than many dream of, because they have not been converted. Men are weighed in the balance and found wanting when they are living in the practice of any known sin. It is the privilege of every son of God to be a true Christian moment by moment; then he has all heaven enlisted on his side. He has Christ abiding in his heart by faith. {TM 440.2}

A soul united with Christ, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, in accepting and living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God will war against all transgression and every approach of sin. He becomes every day more like a bright and shining light, and more victorious. He goes on from strength to strength, not from weakness to weakness. {TM 441.1}

Let no one deceive his own soul in this matter. If you harbor pride, self-esteem, a love for the supremacy, vainglory, unholy ambition, murmuring, discontent, bitterness, evil speaking, lying, deception, slandering, you have not Christ abiding in your heart, and the evidence shows that you have the mind and character of Satan, not of Jesus Christ, who was meek and lowly of heart. You must have a Christian character that will stand. You may have good intentions, good impulses, can speak the truth understandingly, but you are not fit for the kingdom of heaven. Your character has in it base material, which destroys the value of the gold. You have not reached the standard. The impress of the divine is not upon you. The furnace fires would consume you, because you are worthless, counterfeit gold. {TM 441.2}

There must be thorough conversions among those who claim to believe the truth, or they will fall in the day of trial. God's people must reach a high standard. They must be a holy nation, a peculiar people, a chosen generation--zealous of good works. {TM 441.3}

Christ has not died for you that you may possess the passions, tastes, and habits of men of the world. It is difficult to distinguish between those who serve God and those who serve Him not, because there is so little difference in character between believers and unbelievers. Ye cannot serve God and Belial. The sons of God belong to a different nation--the empire of purity and holiness. They are the nobility of heaven. The stamp of God is upon them. So evident and perceptible is this that the enmity of the world is aroused against them by the contrast. I call upon everyone who claims to be a son of God never to forget this great truth, that we need the Spirit of God within us in order to reach heaven, and the work of Christ without us in order to give us a title to the immortal inheritance. {TM 441.4}

Those who can have such an overpowering, gushing love for human objects, men or women, have an idol which they worship, devoting their heart's affection to it. One of the convincing characteristics of the sons of God is, their conversation, their sympathies, their outflowing love and affection are all in heaven. What is the predominating tone of your feelings, your tastes, your inclinations? Where is the main current of your sympathies, your affections, your conversation, your desires? {TM 442.1}

No man enters the portals of glory but he who sets his heart thitherward. Then let the questions come home, Do you mind earthly things? Are your thoughts pure? Are you breathing the atmosphere of heaven? Do you carry with you the miasma of pollution? Is your heart loving and worshiping a woman whom you have no right to love? Where is your heart? Where is your treasure? Where is your god? Have you been washing your robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb; or are you defiling your robes of character with moral pollution? Let the ministers of the gospel apply this to themselves. You are blessed with an understanding of the Scriptures, but is your eye single to the glory of God? Are you earnest and devoted, serving God with purity and in the beauty of holiness? Ask sincerely, Am I a child of God, or am I not? {TM 442.2}

"Ye are the light of the world." What an impression was produced upon Darius by the conduct of Daniel! Daniel lived a pure and holy life. God was first with him. Whenever real Christianity reigns in the heart, it will be revealed in the character. All will take knowledge of such, that they have been with Jesus. The undivided affections must be given to God. {TM 443.1}

We need a thorough reformation in all our churches. The converting power of God must come into the church. Seek the Lord most earnestly, put away your sins, and tarry in Jerusalem till ye be endowed with power from on high. Let God set you apart to the work. Purify your souls by obeying the truth. Faith without works is dead. Put not off the day of preparation. Slumber not in a state of unpreparedness, having no oil in your vessels with your lamps. Let none leave their safety for eternity to hang upon a peradventure. Let not the question remain in perilous uncertainty. Ask yourselves earnestly, Am I among the saved, or the unsaved? Shall I stand, or shall I not stand? He only that hath clean hands and a pure heart shall stand in that day. {TM 443.2}

I've met people who believe Christians who take stock of themselves and their situation and conclude they are saved are in reality deceived and lost. Is it possible to know we are saved, victorious, righteous, and Christlike without being guilty of sin and self-deception? Indeed, is it imperative that we know it?

I remember you once expressed frustration over posts containing little but quotes Mike. Do you also remember this feeling?

Yeah, quotes without comment and context can be tedious. In this case, I had hoped that the quote itself contained enough comment and context to start a discussion. What do you think - does it? Did my comment and question seem detached and unrelated?

I don't understand how someone can be self-deceived. I've always strived to be completely honest about myself with myself.

Tv phenomena such as "American Idol" clearly illustrates that self deception abounds. That you strive to be completely honest with yourself is very good Rosangela. The question does remain, how can you know if you have been fully successful in this? It is after all very difficult to see that beam in your own eye.

Reading the quoted page, I am thinking, why would anyone in their right mind make pastor their profession with any less than that they are forced to say with Paul "For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"?

Thomas, I don't understand your response to my question. Would you mind spelling it out clearly?

Ellen encourages us as individuals to honestly assess and answer the following questions. "You need not be in uncertainty in this matter." She warns, "Let no one deceive his own soul in this matter." "Let not the question remain in perilous uncertainty."

1. Has your character been transformed?
2. Has darkness been exchanged for light, the love of sin for the love of purity and holiness?
3. Have you been converted, who are engaged in teaching the truth to others?
4. Has there been in you a thorough, radical change?
5. Have you woven Christ into your character?
6. Has the Sun of Righteousness risen and been shining in your soul? If so, you know it.
7. Are you a sham, or are you really a son of God?
8. Are you serving God, or are you serving idols?
9. Are you transformed by the Spirit of God, or are you yet dead in your trespasses and sins?
10. Let the questions come home, Do you mind earthly things?
11. Are your thoughts pure?
12. Are you breathing the atmosphere of heaven?
13. Do you carry with you the miasma of pollution?
14. Is your heart loving and worshiping a woman whom you have no right to love?
15. Where is your heart?
16. Where is your treasure?
17. Where is your god?
18. Have you been washing your robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb; or are you defiling your robes of character with moral pollution?
19. You are blessed with an understanding of the Scriptures, but is your eye single to the glory of God?
20. Are you earnest and devoted, serving God with purity and in the beauty of holiness?
21. Ask sincerely, Am I a child of God, or am I not?
22. What is the predominating tone of your feelings, your tastes, your inclinations?
23. Where is the main current of your sympathies, your affections, your conversation, your desires?
24. Let not the question remain in perilous uncertainty. Ask yourselves earnestly, Am I among the saved, or the unsaved?
25. Shall I stand, or shall I not stand?

Ellen also describes those who are qualified to answer her 25 questions as Jesus would have answered them. "It is the privilege of every son of God to be a true Christian moment by moment; then he has all heaven enlisted on his side. He has Christ abiding in his heart by faith. A soul united with Christ, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, in accepting and living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God will war against all transgression and every approach of sin. He becomes every day more like a bright and shining light, and more victorious. He goes on from strength to strength, not from weakness to weakness."

"The sons of God belong to a different nation--the empire of purity and holiness. They are the nobility of heaven. The stamp of God is upon them. So evident and perceptible is this that the enmity of the world is aroused against them by the contrast. . . One of the convincing characteristics of the sons of God is, their conversation, their sympathies, their outflowing love and affection are all in heaven. . . Whenever real Christianity reigns in the heart, it will be revealed in the character. All will take knowledge of such, that they have been with Jesus. . . He only that hath clean hands and a pure heart shall stand in that day."

PS - Of course, we can only answer the types of questions posed above in the present tense. That is, we can know now, this very instant, the answers to them. We cannot answer them now for tomorrow or for the next minute. We must live by faith one minute at a time. "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

You are quoting Testimonies to Ministers and gospel workers...