“David learned wisdom from God’s dealings with him and bowed in humility beneath the chastisement of the Most High. The faithful portrayal of his true state by the prophet Nathan made David acquainted with his own sins and aided him to put them away. He accepted counsel meekly and humiliated himself before God. ‘The law of the Lord,’ he exclaims, ‘is perfect, converting the soul.’(Psalm 19:7)” [Testimonies for the Church 4:14, 15 (1876).]
(5T 683.1)
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“If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye ... not sons.”Hebrews 12:8. Our Lord has said: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”(Revelation 3:19) “No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”Hebrews 12:11. Though bitter the discipline, it is appointed by a Father’s tender love, “that we might be partakers of His holiness.”Hebrews 12:10.
(5T 683.2)
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Some have taken the position that the warnings, cautions, and reproofs given by the Lord through His servant, unless they come through special vision for each individual case, should have no more weight than counsels and warnings from other sources. In some cases it has been represented that in giving a testimony for churches or individuals I have been influenced to write as I did by letters received from members of the church. There have been those who claimed that testimonies purporting to be given by the Spirit of God were merely the expression of my own judgment, based upon information gathered from human sources. This statement is utterly false. If, however, in response to some question, statement, or appeal from churches or individuals, a testimony is written presenting the light which God has given concerning them, the fact that it has been called forth in this manner in nowise detracts from its validity or importance. I quote from Testimony 31 a few paragraphs bearing directly upon this point:
(5T 683.3)
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