Talk/A Promise of Life Eternal
Mountain View, California
January 29, 1910
Portions of this manuscript are published in NPUGleaner 03/09/1910. +NoteOne or more typed copies of this document contain additional Ellen White handwritten interlineations which may be viewed at the main office of the Ellen G. White Estate.
(Portion of a talk by Mrs. E. G. White, given during the Pacific Union Conference, Mountain View, California, January 29, 1910.) 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 1
In the first chapter of 2 Peter there are many precious assurances, which, if often read and meditated upon, will prove a source of great comfort and constant encouragement to every follower of Christ. We read in the first verse that the chapter was written by “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 2
Upon those who are of like precious faith with himself, the apostle pronounces a blessing and also exhorts the believers to continued advancement in the Christian virtues. He writes: 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 3
“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 that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 4
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 5
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [Verses 2-11.] 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 6
These assurances constitute an eternal life insurance policy to those who, in the strength of their divine Lord, advance from grace to grace, and give diligence to make their calling and election sure. The terms with which we are to comply are plainly stated. None need make any mistake regarding the course he is to pursue in order to make sure of life eternal. The way has been made plain. As we follow on to know the Lord, we shall learn that His going forth is prepared as the morning, and the light shining on our pathway will ever grow brighter. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 7
“Wherefore,” the apostle Peter continues, “I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” [Verse 12.] No matter how long we may have been traveling in the way of life eternal, we need often to recount the mercies of our heavenly Father toward us and gather hope and courage from the promises of His Word. Daily we are to remember that an eternal life insurance policy is offered to those who give diligence to do those things that will bring growth in grace and in a knowledge of the truth. Laying aside all manner of foolishness and unprofitable conversation, we are to seek to come into right relationship with God, that we may reveal the fruits of the Spirit. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 8
The apostle Peter realized the value of constant vigilance in the Christian life, and he felt impelled by the Holy Spirit to urge upon the believers the importance of exercising great carefulness in the daily life. “Yea, I think it meet,” he says, “as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.” [Verses 13-15.] 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 9
“Always in remembrance.” Oh, if only we were to keep before our minds those things that pertain to our eternal welfare, we should not engage in any foolishness or idle speaking! Our lifework is before us. It is for us to give diligence to make our calling and election sure, by giving heed to the plain instruction contained in God’s holy Word. And whenever we meet with those who are eager to converse with us regarding anything that will not be a help to us in our work of overcoming, let us tell them that we are trying to walk in the way that leads to life eternal; and let us invite them to go with us. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 10
There are many wrong things we allow to pass by unnoticed, when by our godly conversation we might set an example of rightdoing that would be a standing rebuke to the evildoers. We cannot afford by our example to seem to sanction wrongdoing. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 11
There is a heaven to win and a hell to shun. In large churches of believers, as here in Mountain View, there is a special danger of lowering the standard. Where many are gathered together, some are more liable to grow careless and indifferent than they would be if isolated and made to stand alone. But even under adverse circumstances, we may watch unto prayer and set an example in godly conversation that will be a powerful testimony for the right. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 12
The Lord desires us to be in earnest. We cannot afford to speak words that would discourage our fellow pilgrims in the Christian pathway. Christ has given His life, in order that we might live with Him in glory. Throughout eternity He will bear in His hands the prints of the cruel nails by which He was transfixed to the cross on Calvary—and all that we might have life eternal. But we shall never be permitted to live with our Saviour in the earth made new, if in this life we do not labor for souls as they that must give an account. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 13
We carry too light a burden in behalf of souls unsaved. There never was a time when the world needed us more than it needs us now. All about us are cities unwarned. Souls are perishing, and what are we doing? We need to have a burden for these souls, such as many of us have never experienced. In self-denial and self-sacrifice, with Bible in hand, we are to search out the honest in heart and reveal to them the way of life everlasting. May God help us to arouse to a sense of our duty toward those who have never heard the warning message entrusted to us for a perishing world. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 14
“He that lacketh these things is blind.” [Verse 9.] Unless we are transformed in character, from grace to grace, we shall be unable to discern the needs of a dying world. May God help us to be reconverted and to realize our responsibilities in these times of well-nigh universal apostasy, when many know not that the time of their visitation is near. Aroused from our lethargy, the love of Christ will lead us to love every soul that has been purchased with His blood, and we shall try to save all whom we are able to reach. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 15
There are some now claiming to be followers of Christ who in the judgment will be confronted by their friends and neighbors to whom they might have pointed out the way of salvation, but whom they allowed to remain unwarned. Then will be spoken the terrible words: “Why did you not tell us the things you claimed to believe? Why did you not seek to help us understand the truths of God’s word? Why did you not do all in your power to warn us, before it was everlastingly too late? You never told us these things that would have helped us to learn of the truth. You allowed us to come up to the judgment, unwarned and unsaved.” 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 16
There is a world to be saved; and this is why I am so anxious that we, as believers in the Lord Jesus, shall live on the plan of addition, adding grace to grace, and becoming established in the most holy faith. Those who are diligent to make their own calling and election sure are also seeking in every way possible to win many souls to the truth for this time. We need more earnestness, more consecrated zeal. We have a knowledge of the most sacred truths ever committed to mortals, and these truths we must present to the world. We do not half believe these truths. If we did, there would be seen more praying and more diligence in trying to carry these truths to the inhabitants of the cities of our land. God is now calling upon us to open up a strong work in the cities. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 17
Christ is soon coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. He desires us to act our part faithfully in the closing work of warning the world. But unbelief is heavy; it presses upon the soul; and having been received and cherished, it is revealed in our apathy and indifference toward those who are as yet unwarned. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 18
Brethren and sisters, let us put away our unbelief. Let us humble ourselves before God and with sanctified tongue begin to witness for Him wherever we are. Thus we shall give proof to the world that we are indeed followers of Jesus. Our words and actions should be of a character that will win souls to the One whom we claim to love and obey. Oh, we must have more of the love of Jesus in the soul. We must dwell more on the things that have to do with our eternal destiny and the salvation of precious souls all about us. We must seek to come into harmony with the mind of God, as revealed in His Word. We need to feel intensely over these matters and look constantly to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 19
The commission given us of God is unmistakably plain. We are to go into all the world, bearing to every nation, tongue, and people the saving message of present truth. Let us take hold of this work as we have never taken hold of it before, and do our best. We have no time now for controversy. We are bearing to a perishing world the bread of life eternal. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 20
As we labor faithfully in our neighborhoods and in the towns close by, and as we bear a decided message in the great cities of our land, we shall see of the salvation of God. The truth will go forth as a lamp that burneth. Many will unite with us in seeking diligently to do those things that will make their calling and election sure and will at last give them, with us, an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We are now fitting up for the future, eternal life; and soon, if faithful, we shall see the gates of the city of our God swing back on their glittering hinges, that the nations who have kept the truth may enter in to their eternal inheritance. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 21
Oh, that we might allow our minds to dwell more on the rich promises, the comforting assurances, set before us in the Scriptures we have read today! I desire an inheritance among the sanctified. I desire to share with you the reward of the faithful. And while I am now in my eighty-third year, I long to do all I can, while in this world of sin and darkness, to enlighten those who as yet have no hope of heaven and of life eternal. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 22
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In Portland, Maine, our people are erecting a meetinghouse. This will be the only Seventh-day Adventist meetinghouse in all that beautiful city. I have encouraged our brethren to go forward in the work of placing this memorial in Portland, because we desire to revive the proclamation of the third angel’s message in that city. If any of you who are present in this meeting today desire to assist our brethren to erect this memorial for God, we should be glad to have you do so. Our brethren in Portland should also have a small sanitarium in some place close by. They have no medical institution in that field and cannot very well undertake such an enterprise, unless they have some outside assistance, as they are generally poor, and are few in number. Any help rendered them will gladden their hearts and will do much toward strengthening the cause in the East. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 23
May the blessing of God rest upon you and cause you to feel in your hearts a desire to help our brethren in Portland to pay for their meetinghouse. The truth is to go forth as a lamp that burneth in the cities of the East, and our brethren in the West now have the privilege of advancing the cause of God in that portion of the field where the third angel’s message was first proclaimed. 25LtMs, Ms 23, 1910, par. 24