“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours; grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.4

There is nothing so profitable as the study of the Scriptures. The Bible is a most wonderful book. No one thought expressed in the Bible can be fathomed by the human mind. That is the reason why the more we study the Word the more we can see in it. Take any portion of the Bible, and you never can exhaust it, because an infinite mind gave it. There are some most precious truths in these words, and I wish to call your attention to them.GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.5

I will state, to begin with, that it was only five years before Paul wrote this epistle that he went to Corinth, the great educational center, and there worked at tent making with Priscilla and Aquila. He was there about two years. He then went from there, taking with him Priscilla and Aquila as self-supporting missionaries. They went to Ephesus. Here Paul preached a few sermons, leaving these believers to work up an interest while he passed on. While they were there, Apollos came preaching, and the Bible speaks of him as being an eloquent man. (There are but few instances in the Bible where God calls a man eloquent); further than that, he was mighty in the Scriptures; but he was not so exalted by his eloquence that he could not be taken home by Priscilla and Aquila, and instructed more thoroughly in the kingdom of God. He had gone to Corinth to preach, and his eloquence, I suppose, from other scriptures taken with this, had created a sort of party spirit in the church at Corinth, so much so that some of them said, Apollos is just the man for me. To correct this evil, Paul sent Peter to Corinth. Peter must have been an old man at this time; and as he could relate many things about Christ, some said, Peter is the man for me. These created another division in the church, while some still said that Paul brought them the truth, and therefore he was the man for them. Still another class had been developed in the church—a class of prophets. Certain individuals claimed to have the spirit of prophecy, and they said, We do not need Paul, nor Peter, nor Cephas; for God instructs us directly from heaven. The proof of this lies in one of the verses that I will read. First I will read verse 11: “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.6

Contentions in the church; and this that I have just stated was the cause. Why did they contend? Let me read another text, and you will see. In the third chapter of this same book (verse 1) Paul alludes to this question: “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.... For ye are yet carnal.” Then this idea that they would have a certain preacher, that they preferred this man to all others, was an evidence of the carnality of the mind, but Paul said, We are all ministers, we all have brought the truth.GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.7

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth thus: “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.” He had seen this church in Corinth before in vision, so when the house of Chloe wrote to Paul the state of things, he said, That is just what I saw would be, and so he began to write to that church. As soon as he began to write, the Spirit of God pointed to his mind something else. He saw that the same devil that tempted them, the same temptations that they had, were to come to every church. The Spirit of the Lord lifted up before his eyes every church and every place, and he saw that this church was a sample church. I know sometimes individuals are troubled with the thought that in the spirit of prophecy some one is an agent of telling, and in that way preparing the testimony that comes. Did not the house of Chloe write to Paul the condition of the church? and did not he write this epistle because he had been informed of their condition just as it was?—Certainly, and can you tell me one act of Christ, one testimony of the prophet from the days of Adam down to the present day, but what it was some circumstance that led the prophet to speak, or led Christ to bear his testimony? Some one either brought him a sick person, or asked him a question, or in some way called his attention to some thought; and that thought was an object-lesson to others, and so this church became an object-lesson, or represented the various churches at every place.GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.8

You will find, in the twelfth chapter of Corinthians, Paul speaks of the various gifts that existed in the church at Corinth. The various gifts that were in that church were in proportion to the establishment of the testimony of Christ. What is that?—The spirit of prophecy. Then just in proportion as the church was established in the spirit of prophecy just in that proportion they possessed every gift. I suppose if we could have our eyes open to-day, we would see that in the church of Christ to-day is every gift that God ever gave to his people in this earth.GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.9

They are not all in the same place, and we do not see them manifest just the same. The sixth verse of the first chapter reads: “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.” Then, reading on, “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now, who are they? I think they are Seventh-day Adventists. They are the ones who are the culminating point in what Paul has here written to the church in Corinth, representing the church which is “waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Let us read verse 8: “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.10

I would like to have you notice the force of this language which I have just read. First, Paul says that every gift shall be established in the church, as the spirit of prophecy, or the testimony of Christ, is confirmed in them. Then is it necessary to have the testimony of Christ confirmed in us, in order that the church may have every gift? You see the thought that is expressed. “Even as the testimony of Christ is confirmed in you, so you come behind in no gift.” Then just in proportion as the church receives the testimony of Christ, or the gift of prophecy, in that proportion will it have all the gifts. What will be the result? The last verse read states it: “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Do you expect to be blameless at the second coming of Christ? If you are not, you will never be saved. What is going to bring you into the blameless state?—It is the various gifts that God has placed in the church, all of which are to be established just as the spirit of prophecy. That is the lesson I get from these words.GCB May 31, 1909, page 227.11

We learn that God distinguishes between the prophets. You remember that he said John the Baptist was the greatest of all the prophets; so there are some prophets that are greater than other prophets. A prophet is one who takes the words of God and gives them to the people; that is the spirit of prophecy. And God has never left his people without the spirit of prophecy. We have been in this world for 6,000 years, and God has given this spirit in his church, and has made an application of what the prophets have said to his people under different circumstances and conditions in this world’s history. If I were going to advise any person as to whether he believes in the present truth or not, the best advice I could give him, after my sixty years’ experience in the work of God, would be, “Read the Bible and the spirit of prophecy; put the two together, and you will have a power against Satan’s snares that he can never step over, and it will bring to your heart the salvation of God.”GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.1

I am going to tell you how you shall know how to believe the spirit of prophecy. You notice I have dwelt to some extent upon the words in the sixth verse, “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.” Then you have these gifts, even as this one gift is confirmed. What is the gift of prophecy? We are told, over and over again, that a prophet is one who takes the words of God from his mouth, and gives them to his people. I may preach to you the truth, and I may have error mingled with that truth, but if God speaks through the prophet, you can not make a discount upon it. If you can make a discount, you are a ship without a rudder. You can steer your little bark through this veil of tears when you have the voice of God to show the way, to make plain a particular application of the truth that God has spoken before. I want to suggest a profitable study to every one who wishes to learn just the relation that the prophet should sustain to his people. Take the history of the kings of Judah, as given in Second Chronicles. In Chronicles we have a list of the kings of Judah, and there are no two kings that sustain the same relation to the spirit of prophecy, but there is a relation between them.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.2

The idea is often expressed that a prophet is God talking; and that everything the prophet says, no matter under what circumstances, he speaks thoughts of God; and that, to a certain extent, is true. But just stop and think of David. There was no prophet just like David. But a prophet had counselors, and David had counselors, but there was not a man who counsel he sought who was not a prophet. You will find it if you will read carefully the books of Chronicles and Kings, in speaking of David’s life. David selected prophets to be his counselors, even though he was a prophet himself. He selected prophets because his early life had been of a character that he did not dare trust his own judgment in applying his own prophecy. He was a warrior; and he saw the mistake that Saul had made, and that others had made before him, so he had prophets surround him. And there is another characteristic of David that is worthy of note. When a prophet spoke, you never heard David resent any particular. Think of that much of the life of David. When God spoke to David, and corrected him of sin and wrong, David said, “Amen.” He never stopped to say, “Well, now, I did not mean to do that; I meant to do right, but I was deceived.” But he said, “Yes, Lord, I have sinned.” He confessed it at once. And he was a greater prophet, I suppose, than any one of his counselors; yet his counselors were all prophets, and they reproved him more than once; and when they did reprove him, he said, “Yes, Lord, I have sinned,” and the Lord forgave his sin.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.3

In the twentieth chapter of 2 Chronicles we find a wonderful record of Jehoshaphat’s experience. He and his associates, when about to meet their enemies in battle, were counseled, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you.” Is not this strange counsel? Yet we learn that the army of Jehoshaphat did as the spirit of prophecy directed, and they were exhorted by the king: “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” Jehoshaphat and all his army had confidence in the spirit of prophecy to such an extent that they obeyed implicitly, even to the extent of going out before their enemies, and then standing still, and waiting for God to work in their behalf.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.4

Often the query arises, “Is everything we find in the Testimonies inspired of God?” Once a good brother in California asked me whether a letter that Sister White had written concerning the purchase of a horse was inspired. In reply I referred him to Paul’s request that his coat be brought him. In another place we learn that the spirit of prophecy told another man to put on his shoes, and put his garment about him, when he went out at night.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.5

Brethren, let us learn to look at these things from a common-sense point of view. Let us remember that some of the things we read in the Word are records of the experiences through which men have passed. Again, we have in the Bible, copies of decrees of kings; we have in the Bible illustrations that will clear every question that may arise regarding the inspiration of various Testimonies from the spirit of prophecy.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.6

Let us notice for a moment some scriptures in the book of Revelation and in Daniel’s prophecy. In Revelation 22:9 we learn that the angel who instructed John the Revelator spoke of himself as, “Thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book.” This and other scriptures, including the statements in Daniel 8:16 and 10:21, show clearly that the angel who stood next to Michael the prince is none other than Gabriel, who, all through the ages, has been the instructor of those who had the spirit of prophecy. And, brethren, is it not clear that the same angel who came to Daniel and to Isaiah and to Jeremiah and to John, and to all the other prophets of old, is to-day instructing God’s people through the spirit of prophecy? We are pre-eminently the people who keep the sayings of the book of Revelation, and so we are, above all other peoples, those referred to by Gabriel in his statement to John that he was the “fellow servant, ... and of them which keep the savings of the book.”GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.7

Since this is the case, is it wise for us to make any discount on the Testimonies that come to us in this generation? We take the writings of the prophets of old just as they read; shall we hesitate to take the Testimonies just as they read? I advise you, my friends, to take the writings of the spirit of prophecy, just as God gives them to us. In this course we shall find our safety and our strength. “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” God looks upon his people with a jealous eye. Oftentimes the devil tries to reprove them, but the Redeemer interposes, and pleads the merits of his atoning sacrifice in their behalf. They are his special treasure. Priceless is the privilege of being connected with God’s remnant people in these last days!GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.8

You will remember that when Balaam tried to curse the Israelites, God acknowledged them as his own people, and declared that he had not seen iniquity in Jacob. All the while the Lord had been reproving them; but when they were accused by the enemy, God denominated them as his special treasure. I thank God, brethren, that he has a precious treasure, and that it is my privilege to be numbered among his jewels.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.9

In the twenty-fifth chapter of Second Chronicles we have a story concerning a certain king, Amaziah by name. He planned to go to battle against the Edomites, and, in order to strengthen his forces, “he hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.”GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.10

The Lord sent a certain prophet to Amaziah, advising him not to hire these men from Israel, and predicting disaster in case he should persist in doing so. Amaziah hardly knew what to do, as he had already paid Israel the hundred talents of silver. “What shall we do?” he inquired, “for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?” The answer of the prophet was, “The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.”GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.11

Amaziah obeyed, and when he went against the Edomites, his forces prevailed. However, after the victory, he took the gods of Edom, and began to bow down before them, and to burn incense unto them.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.12

Again the prophet appeared before Amaziah with a reproof. But this time the king took advice of his royal counselors, and their counsel was opposed to the counsel of the prophet; whereupon the king said: “Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten?” “I know,” the prophet replied, “that God has determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not harkened unto my counsel.” The marginal reading is: “I know that God hath counseled to destroy thee.” and so on.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.13

This circumstance throws much light on God’s dealings with his people. The words, “God hath counseled to destroy thee,” are peculiarly significant. It is a fact, brethren and sisters, that there are council meetings in heaven, at which times the affairs of men inhabiting this world are considered. In a crisis in God’s work in this earth, a council is held in heaven, and then God makes known through his prophet the decisions of this council.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.14

At the present time we are assembled in General Conference, counseling in regard to important interests connected with the cause of God. We are counseling together on earth regarding heavenly things, and there is in heaven a council at which are considered earthly things. And when God wishes in a special manner to make known the decisions of the councils of heaven, he speaks through his chosen servant to his church.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.15

And if, perchance, at some time the counsels of men would not be in harmony with the counsels of heaven, which counsel is of the greater importance? In the case of Amaziah, we find that although he despised the counsels offered by the prophet of God, and followed the counsel given from his advisers at court, there came upon him all that had been predicted by the man of God. This should serve as a solemn warning to those who would choose their own way rather than God’s way, in the conduct of his work in the earth.GCB May 31, 1909, page 228.16

Notice especially that Amaziah’s judgment was destroyed when he lost sight of what God had spoken to him in warning. O my friends, all through the ages God has spoken to his people through his servants the prophets! There has been apostasy, as in the time of Amaziah; and even to-day we sometimes wonder how a man whose testimony concerning the truths of the third angel’s message was once so clear, can pursue a course that is so opposed to that which was once cherished and advocated. Ah, it is because that man has become blinded! When man’s counsel is placed above God’s counsel, as revealed through the prophet he places in his church, the result is spiritual blindness.GCB May 31, 1909, page 229.1

I am profoundly grateful that God has placed in the midst of his people one who reveals to us the counsels of heaven. If there is a people on this earth that should be happy and joyful, it is the remnant. If there is a people who should look forward with joy to the final triumph, it is those who have been united in the third angel’s message. He has not left us to find our own way through this wilderness of woe, but he comes and goes with us. At every step we take, he reveals to us the counsels of heaven. May God help us, brethren and sisters, to be true to him, to be true to the truths that he has placed in the midst of his people.GCB May 31, 1909, page 229.2

The devil is angry because this gift is in the church. He knows that he can never gain to his adherence those who believe and follow the counsels of the spirit of prophecy. Thank God, there will be a people who believe it until the end. Their faith in this gift will bring into their experience every gift that God has placed in his church to perfect a people that they may be blameless. May the Lord help us to be among the number that will be translated when he comes.GCB May 31, 1909, page 229.3

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