Ellen White on Who God Is

“The children of God are those who are partakers of His nature. It is not earthly rank, nor birth, nor nationality, nor religious privilege, which proves that we are members of the family of God; it is love, a love that embraces all humanity. Even sinners whose hearts are not utterly closed to God’s Spirit will respond to kindness; while they may give hate for hate, they will also give love for love. But it is only the Spirit of God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the Highest reveal their high estate.”  Ellen White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 75

“When the sinner comes to him [Jesus] he takes his load of sin, and gives him his righteousness. The vilest sinner may claim all that was provided in the plan of salvation through the merits of Christ. He may have the attributes of the savior. He may go forth to tell of a living Saviour, and to win men to the truth; for he knows what it is to lay hold of Christ by living faith. He has taken the requisite steps in repentance, confession, and restitution, and he can teach others the way of salvation. He can present Christ as one who left his royal throne, who clothed his divinity with humanity that he might save fallen man. He can present him as one who was rich and yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.” Ellen White, Signs of the Times, September 2, 1889

“Come to Jesus, and receive rest and peace. You may have the blessing even now. Satan suggests that you are helpless, and cannot bless yourself. It is true; you are helpless. But lift up Jesus before him: ‘I have a risen Saviour. In Him I trust, and He will never suffer me to be confounded. In His name I triumph. He is my righteousness and my crown of rejoicing.’ Let no one here feel that his case is hopeless; for it is not. You may see that you are sinful and undone; but it is just on this account that you need a Saviour. If you have sins to confess, lose no time. These moments are golden. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).’”  Ellen White, Gospel Workers, p. 413

“You have the pledged word of Jehovah: ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ Only rely with trusting faith as a child relies in the promises of his faithful parent. Here is simple, earnest faith and confidence in Jesus, who loves you, and has paid a dear price for your redemption. Your life may look to you to be full of mistakes; but what if there are mistakes? Jesus knows all about the trials, the weaknesses of humanity, and He has placed on record the most precious promises: ‘If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;’ ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’” Ellen White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, p. 242

Because God manifests long forbearance, many are so hardened that they do not think it possible that certain punishment will fall upon the evil doer. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Instead of being softened by the patience and forbearance and longsuffering of God, wicked men encourage themselves in more obstinate resistance. Because immediate retribution is not visited upon them, they despise the mercy and forbearance of God. Ellen White, Review & Herald, May 2, 1893

Salvation comes only from God and not from our human efforts. Jesus’ death on the cross restored the broken link between God and us. It made forgiveness of our sins possible and showed our complete dependance on God. Forgiveness comes by accepting the perfection of Jesus to cover our sinfulness. He is the only link between God and humanity. [a contemporary language paraphrase of Ellen White, -Ed.]

For the original quote, read on below.

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