God has commanded all men to obey His law. He sees not as man sees. His standard is elevated, pure, and holy; yet all may reach that standard. The Lord sees the soul want, the conscious soul hunger. He regards the disposition of the mind, from whence our actions proceed. He sees whether above everything else respect and faith are evidenced toward God. The true seeker, who is striving to be like Jesus in word, life, and character, will contemplate his Redeemer and, by beholding, become changed into His image, because he longs and prays for the same disposition and mind that was in Christ Jesus. He is not restrained from evil through fear of shame or through fear of loss, for he knows that all he enjoys comes from God, and he would improve his blessings that he may represent Christ. He is not hungry to stand the highest, to obtain praise from human beings. This is not his eager interest. By making a wise improvement of what he now has, he seeks to obtain more and still more ability, that he may give to God greater service. He longs after God. The history of his Redeemer, the immeasurable sacrifice that He made, becomes full of meaning to him. Christ, the Majesty of Heaven, became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich; not rich merely in endowments, but rich in attainments.
(TM 121.1)
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These are the riches that Christ earnestly longs that His followers shall possess. As the true seeker after the truth reads the word and opens his mind to receive the word, he longs after truth with his whole heart. The love, the pity, the tenderness, the courtesy, the Christian politeness, which will be the elements in the heavenly mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for those that love Him, take possession of his soul. His purpose is steadfast. He is determined to stand on the side of righteousness. Truth has found its way into the heart, and is planted there by the Holy Spirit, who is the truth. When truth takes hold of the heart, the man gives sure evidence of this by becoming a steward of the grace of Christ.
(TM 121.2)
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