- Foreword
- Preface
- Chapter 1—On the Mountainside
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- “He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:2, 3.
- “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”—Matthew 5:4.
- “Blessed are the meek.”—Matthew 5:5.
- “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”—Matthew 5:6.
- “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”—Matthew 5:7.
- “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”—Matthew 5:8.
- “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”—Matthew 5:9.
- “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:10.
- “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you.”—Matthew 5:11.
- “Ye are the salt of the earth.”—Matthew 5:13.
- “Ye are the light of the world.”—Matthew 5:14.
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- “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”—Matthew 5:17.
- “Whosoever ... shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:19.
- “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:20.
- “Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment.”—Matthew 5:22, R. V.
- “Be reconciled to thy brother.”—Matthew 5:24.
- “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”—Matthew 5:28.
- “If thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee.”—Matthew 5:30, R. V.
- “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?”—Matthew 19:3.
- “Swear not at all.”—Matthew 5:34.
- “Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”—Matthew 5:39, R. V.
- “Love your enemies.”—Matthew 5:44.
- “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”—Matthew 5:48.
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- “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them.”—Matthew 6:1, margin.
- “When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are.”—Matthew 6:5.
- “When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do.”—Matthew 6:7.
- “When ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites.”—Matthew 6:16.
- “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.”—Matthew 6:19.
- “If ... thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”—Matthew 6:22.
- “No man can serve two masters.”—Matthew 6:24.
- “Be not anxious.”—Matthew 6:25, R. V.
- “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.”—Matthew 6:33.
- “Be not therefore anxious for the morrow.... Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”—Matthew 6:34, R. V.
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- “After this manner therefore pray ye.”—Matthew 6:9.
- “When ye pray, say, Our Father.”—Luke 11:2.
- “Hallowed be Thy name.”—Matthew 6:9.
- “Thy kingdom come.”—Matthew 6:10.
- “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”—Matthew 6:10.
- “Give us this day our daily bread.”—Matthew 6:11.
- “Forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us.”—Luke 11:4.
- “Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”—Matthew 6:13, R. V.
- “Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.”—Matthew 6:13.
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- “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”—Matthew 7:1.
- “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye?”—Matthew 7:3.
- “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs.”—Matthew 7:6.
- “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”—Matthew 7:7.
- “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”—Matthew 7:12.
- “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life.”—Matthew 7:14.
- “Strive to enter in at the strait gate.”—Luke 13:24.
- “Beware of false prophets.”—Matthew 7:15.
- “It fell not; for it was founded upon the rock.”—Matthew 7:25, R. V.
“If thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee.”—Matthew 5:30, R. V.
To prevent disease from spreading to the body and destroying life, a man would submit to part even with his right hand. Much more should he be willing to surrender that which imperils the life of the soul.MB 60.2
Through the gospel, souls that are degraded and enslaved by Satan are to be redeemed to share the glorious liberty of the sons of God. God's purpose is not merely to deliver from the suffering that is the inevitable result of sin, but to save from sin itself. The soul, corrupted and deformed, is to be purified, transformed, that it may be clothed in “the beauty of the Lord our God,” “conformed to the image of His Son.” “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” Psalm 90:17; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 2:9. Eternity alone can reveal the glorious destiny to which man, restored to God's image, may attain.MB 60.3
In order for us to reach this high ideal, that which causes the soul to stumble must be sacrificed. It is through the will that sin retains its hold upon us. The surrender of the will is represented as plucking out the eye or cutting off the hand. Often it seems to us that to surrender the will to God is to consent to go through life maimed or crippled. But it is better, says Christ, for self to be maimed, wounded, crippled, if thus you may enter into life. That which you look upon as disaster is the door to highest benefit.MB 61.1
God is the fountain of life, and we can have life only as we are in communion with Him. Separated from God, existence may be ours for a little time, but we do not possess life. “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” 1 Timothy 5:6. Only through the surrender of our will to God is it possible for Him to impart life to us. Only by receiving His life through self-surrender is it possible, said Jesus, for these hidden sins, which I have pointed out, to be overcome. It is possible that you may bury them in your hearts and conceal them from human eyes, but how will you stand in God's presence?MB 61.2
If you cling to self, refusing to yield your will to God, you are choosing death. To sin, wherever found, God is a consuming fire. If you choose sin, and refuse to separate from it, the presence of God, which consumes sin, must consume you.MB 62.1
It will require a sacrifice to give yourself to God; but it is a sacrifice of the lower for the higher, the earthly for the spiritual, the perishable for the eternal. God does not design that our will should be destroyed, for it is only through its exercise that we can accomplish what He would have us do. Our will is to be yielded to Him, that we may receive it again, purified and refined, and so linked in sympathy with the Divine that He can pour through us the tides of His love and power. However bitter and painful this surrender may appear to the willful, wayward heart, yet “it is profitable for thee.”MB 62.2
Not until he fell crippled and helpless upon the breast of the covenant angel did Jacob know the victory of conquering faith and receive the title of a prince with God. It was when he “halted upon his thigh” (Genesis 32:31) that the armed bands of Esau were stilled before him, and the Pharaoh, proud heir of a kingly line, stooped to crave his blessing. So the Captain of our salvation was made “perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10), and the children of faith “out of weakness were made strong,” and “turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Hebrews 11:34). So do “the lame take the prey” (Isaiah 33:23), and the weak become “as David,” and “the house of David ... as the angel of the Lord” (Zechariah 12:8).MB 62.3