Professing believers who reveal by their actions that they are still clinging to selfish practises, are working upon worldly principles. The principles of justice and integrity are not carried into the life-practise (Manuscript 95, 1902).
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23. Pebbles or Polished Gems—Christians are Christ′s jewels. They are to shine brightly for Him, shedding forth the light of His loveliness. Their luster depends on the polishing they receive. They may choose to be polished or to remain unpolished. But every one who is pronounced worthy of a place in the Lord′s temple must submit to the polishing process. Without the polishing that the Lord gives they can reflect no more light than a common pebble.
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Christ says to man, “You are mine. I have bought you. You are now only a rough stone, but if you will place yourself in my hands, I will polish you, and the luster with which you shall shine will bring honor to My name. No man shall pluck you out of My hand. I will make you My peculiar treasure. On My coronation day, you will be a jewel in My crown of rejoicing.”
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The divine Worker spends little time on worthless material. Only the precious jewels does He polish after the similitude of a palace, cutting away all the rough edges. This process is severe and trying; it hurts human pride. Christ cuts deep into the experience that man in his self-sufficiency has regarded as complete, and takes away self-uplifting from the character. He cuts away the surplus surface, and putting the stone to the polishing wheel, presses it close, that all roughness may be worn away. Then, “holding the jewel up to the light”, the Master sees in it a reflection of Himself, and He pronounces it worthy of a place in His casket.
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“In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, ... and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.”Haggai 2:23. Blessed be the experience, however severe, that gives new value to the stone, and causes it to shine with living brightness (The Review and Herald, December 19, 1907).
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Life Hidden in Christ Preserved—God will not suffer one of His true-hearted workers to be left alone to struggle against great odds and be overcome. He preserves as a precious jewel every one whose life is hid with Christ in God. Of every such an one He says, “I ... will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee”(Haggai 2:23) (Manuscript 95, 1902).
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6-9. A Little-heeded Appeal—[Zechariah 2:6-9 quoted.] How sad it is to contemplate that this touching appeal met with so little response! Had this entreaty to flee from Babylon been heeded, how different might have been the condition of the Jews in the trying times of Mordecai and Esther!
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The Lord′s purposes for His people have ever been the same. He desires to bestow on the children of men the riches of an eternal inheritance. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. When those who choose to become obedient subjects of the Most High are finally saved in the kingdom of glory, God′s purpose for mankind will have been fulfilled (The Review and Herald, December 26, 1907).
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1. Same Work Today—Joshua is represented as pleading with the Angel. Are we engaged in the same work? Are our supplications ascending to God in living faith? Are we opening the door of the heart to Jesus, and closing every means of entrance to Satan? Are we daily obtaining clearer light, and greater strength, that we may stand in Christ′s righteousness? Are we emptying our hearts of all selfishness, and cleansing them, preparatory to receiving the latter rain from heaven?
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Now is the time when we are to confess and forsake our sins, that they may go beforehand to judgment and be blotted out (The Review and Herald, November 19, 1908).
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1-3. False Accuser—Those who honor God and keep His commandments are subject to the accusations of Satan. The enemy works with all his energy to lead persons into sin. Then he pleads that on account of their past sins, he should be allowed to exercise his hellish cruelty on them as his own subjects. Of this work Zechariah has written. “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest” —a representative of the people who keep the commandments of God—“standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.”Zechariah 3:1.
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Christ is our High Priest. Satan stands before Him night and day as an accuser of the brethren. With his masterly power he presents every objectionable feature of character as sufficient reason for the withdrawal of Christ′s protecting power, thus allowing Satan to discourage and destroy those whom he has caused to sin. But Christ has made atonement for every sinner. Can we by faith hear our Advocate saying, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”Zechariah 3:2.
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“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments.”Zechariah 3:3. Thus sinners appear before the enemy who by his masterly, deceptive power has led them away from allegiance to God. With garments of sin and shame the enemy clothes those who have been overpowered by his temptations, and then he declares that it is unfair for Christ to be their Light, their Defender (Manuscript 125, 1901).
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4. Self-admiration Results From Ignorance—All self-exaltation and self-admiration are the result of ignorance of God and of Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. How quickly will self-esteem die, and pride be humbled in the dust, when we view the matchless charms of the character of Christ! The holiness of His character is reflected by all who serve Him in spirit and in truth.
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If our lips have need of cleansing, if we realize our destitution, and come to God in contrition of heart, the Lord will remove the uncleanness. He will say to His angel, “Take away the filthy garments,” and clothe him with “change of raiment”(Zechariah 3:4) (The Review and Herald, December 22, 1896).
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4, 5. A Change of Raiment—Poor, repentant mortals, hear the words of Jesus, and believe as you hear: “And he answered [the accusing charge of Satan] and spake unto those [angels] that stood before him [to do His bidding], saying, Take away the filthy garments from him.” I will blot out his transgressions. I will cover his sins. I will impute to him My righteousness. “And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”Zechariah 3:4.
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The filthy garments are removed; for Christ says, “I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee.”Zechariah 3:4. The iniquity is transferred to the innocent, the pure, the holy Son of God; and man, all undeserving, stands before the Lord cleansed from all unrighteousness, and clothed with the imputed righteousness of Christ. Oh, what a change of raiment is this!
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This is the honor that God will bestow on those who are clothed with the garments of Christ′s righteousness. With such encouragement as this, how can men continue in sin? How can they grieve the heart of Christ (Manuscript 125, 1901)?
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4-7. An Experience Being Re-enacted—[Zechariah 3:4-7 quoted.] The one who was clothed with filthy garments represents those who have committed wrongs, but who have come into so sincere a position of repentance that the Lord, who forgives all sins that are repented of, was satisfied. Satan seeks to place in a humiliating position those who have truly repented of their sins. And those who are continuing in a wrong course of action are prompted by Satan to tantalize the one who has repented....
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Men who have gone to great lengths in transgression, and who have never confessed their sins will seek to bring all the reproach possible upon those whom Satan has worked to destroy, but who have repented and humbled themselves before God, confessing their sins to the sin-pardoning Saviour, and receiving pardon. Men who have not repented of their sins, and have not received pardon, will tantalize the truly repentant ones, repeating their wrongdoing to those who knew nothing of the wrong done. They accuse and condemn the repentant ones as if they themselves were guiltless.
(4BC 1178.12)
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