All our passions, if properly controlled and rightly directed, will contribute to our physical and moral health and insure to us a great amount of happiness. The adulterer, the fornicator, and the wanton do not enjoy life....

The law of God is the mirror to show men and women the defects in their characters. But it is not pleasant to those who take pleasure in unrighteousness to see their moral deformity. They do not prize this faithful mirror because it reveals to them their sins. Therefore, instead of instituting a war against their carnal minds, they war against the true and faithful mirror, given them by Jehovah for the very purpose that they may not be deceived, but that they may have revealed to them the defects in their characters. Should the discovery of these defects lead them to hate the mirror, or to hate themselves? Should they put away the mirror which discovers these defects? No. The sins which they cherish, which the faithful mirror shows them as existing in their characters, will close before them the portals of heaven unless they are put away, and they become perfect before God.

Listen to the words of the faithful apostle, “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” These people who are zealous to abolish the law had far better manifest their zeal in abolishing their sins....

The Lord made humanity upright, but we have fallen and become degraded because we refuse to yield obedience to the sacred claims which the law of God has upon us. All our passions, if properly controlled and rightly directed, will contribute to our physical and moral health and insure to us a great amount of happiness. The adulterer, the fornicator, and the wanton do not enjoy life. There can be no true enjoyment for the transgressor of God's law. The Lord knew this; therefore He restricts us. He directs, commands, and He positively forbids....

Sin does not appear as sinful unless viewed in the truthful mirror God has given us as a test of character. When men and women acknowledge the claims of the law of God and plant their feet upon the platform of eternal truth, they will stand where the Lord can give them moral power to let their light so shine before men that they may see their good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.

Their course will be marked with consistency. They will not justly earn the charge of hypocrisy and sensualism. They can preach Christ with power, being imbued with His Spirit. They can utter truths which will melt and burn their way to the hearts of the people.—The Review and Herald, March 8, 1870. FH 143


There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, “These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, “The Father Himself loveth you.” John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance. SC 64



Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20 (King James Version)