What Our Churches Should Be—The first and second chapters of Colossians have been presented to me as an expression of what our churches in every part of the world should be (Letter 161, 1903).
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9-11. God′s Will May Be Known—[Colossians 1:9-11 quoted.] How complete this prayer is! There is no limit to the blessings that it is our privilege to receive. We may be “filled with the knowledge of his will.”(Colossians 1:9) The Holy Ghost would never have inspired Paul to offer this prayer in behalf of his brethren, if it had not been possible for them to receive an answer from God in accordance with the request. Since this is so, we know that God′s will is manifested to His people as they need a clearer understanding of His will (Letter 179, 1902).
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15 (Hebrews 1:3; see EGW comment on Acts 1:11). The Perfect Photograph of God—We have only one perfect photograph of God, and this is Jesus Christ (Manuscript 70, 1899).
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8 (1 Timothy 4:1; 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:14-18, 23-26; see EGW comment on 1 John 2:18). Nature Exalted Above Nature′s God—No man can ever truly excel in knowledge and influence unless he is connected with the God of wisdom and power.... All the philosophies of human nature have led to confusion and shame when God has not been recognized as all in all....
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The most profound intellects of the world, when not enlightened by God′s Word, become bewildered and lost while trying to investigate the matters of science and revelation. The Creator and His works are beyond finite comprehension, and men conclude that because they cannot explain the works and ways of God from natural causes, the Bible history is not reliable. Many are so intent upon excluding God from the exercise of sovereign will and power in the established order of the universe, that they demean man, the noblest of His creatures. The theories and speculations of philosophy would make us believe that man has come by slow degrees, not merely from a savage state, but from the very lowest form of the brute creation. They destroy man′s dignity because they will not admit God′s miraculous power.
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God has illuminated human intellects, and poured a flood of light on the world through discoveries in art and science. But those who view these from a merely human standpoint will most assuredly come to wrong conclusions. The thorns of error, skepticism, and infidelity are disguised by being covered with the garments of philosophy and science. Satan has devised this ingenious manner of winning souls away from the living God, away from the truth and religion. He exalts nature above nature′s Creator (Manuscript 4, 1882).
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Beware of Human Sophistries—The natural stubbornness of the human heart resists the light of truth. Its natural pride of opinion leads to independence of judgment and a clinging to human ideas and philosophy. There is with some a constant danger of becoming unsettled in the faith by the desire for originality. They wish to find some new and strange truth to present, to have a new message to bring to the people; but such a desire is a snare of the enemy to captivate the mind and lead away from the truth.
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In our experience we shall see one and another start up with new theories in regard to what is truth, and, irrespective of what the influence of the advocacy of such theories may be on the mind of the hearers, they will launch out into the work of advocating their ideas, even though these teachings may be in opposition to the belief that has called out Seventh-day Adventists from the world, and made them what they are. The Lord would have those who understand the reasons for their faith rest in their belief of that which they have been convinced is truth, and not be turned from the faith by the presentation of human sophistries.... [Colossians 2:8 quoted] (RH August 19, 1909).
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