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Purify the Church ( 16 ) - purifying the church

Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .

purify the Church

Related Phrase: purity of the church ( 5 ) - purifying the church ( see below )
- purification of the church ( 17 )

Satan's chief work is at the headquarters of our faith. He spares no pains to corrupt men in responsible positions and to persuade them to be unfaithful to their several trusts. He insinuates his suspicions and jealousies into the minds of those whose business it is to do God's work faithfully. While God is testing and proving these helpers, and fitting them for their posts, Satan is doing his utmost to deceive and allure them, that they may not only be destroyed themselves, but may influence others to do wrong and to injure the great work. He seeks by all the means in his power to shake the confidence of God's people in the voice of warning and reproof through which God designs to purify the church and prosper His cause. {4T 210.5}

The church of Christ on earth will be imperfect, but God does not destroy His church because of its imperfection. There have been and will be those who are filled with zeal not according to knowledge, who would purify the church, and uproot the tares from the midst of the wheat. But Christ has given special light as to how to deal with those who are erring, and with those who are unconverted in the church. There is to be no spasmodic, zealous, hasty action taken by church members in cutting off those they may think defective in character. Tares will appear among the wheat; but it would do more harm to weed out the tares, unless in God's appointed way, than to leave them alone. While the Lord brings into the church those who are truly converted, Satan at the same time brings persons who are not converted into its fellowship. While Christ is sowing the good seed, Satan is sowing the tares. There are two opposing influences continually exerted on the members of the church. One influence is working for the purification of the church, and the other for the corrupting of the people of God. {TM 46.1}

I have been shown that the Lord is reviving the living, pointed testimony, which will develop character and purify the church. But while we are commanded to separate from the world, it is not necessary that we become coarse and rough, and descend to common expressions, and make our remarks as rude as possible. The truth is designed to elevate the receiver, to refine his taste and sanctify his judgment. There should be a continual effort to imitate the society we expect soon to join; namely, angels of God who have never fallen by sin. The character should be holy, the manners comely, the words without guile, and thus should we follow on step by step until we arefitted for translation. {1T 216.1}

I saw the Lord was reviving the living, pointed testimony which will help develop character and purify the church. While we are commanded to separate from the world, it is not necessary that we be coarse and rough, and descend to utter low expressions and make our remarks as rugged as possible so as to disgust people. The truth is designed to elevate the receiver, to refine his taste and sanctify his judgment. {1BIO 466.5}

Just as long as God has a church, he will have those who will cry aloud and spare not, who will be his instruments to reprove selfishness and sins, and will not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men will hear or forbear. I saw that individuals would rise up against the plain testimonies. It does not suit their natural feelings. They would choose to have smooth things spoken unto them, and have peace cried in their ears. I view the church in a more dangerous condition than they ever have been. Experimental religion is known but by a few. The shaking must soon take place to purify the church. {2SG 284.1}

These set notions have been humored and indulged altogether too long. There has been a picking at straws. And when there were no real difficulties in the church, trials have been manufactured. The minds of the church, and servants of God, are called from God, truth, and Heaven, to dwell upon darkness. Satan delights to have such things go on. It feasts him. But these are none of the trials which are to purify the church, and that will increase in the end the strength of God's people. {4bSG 30.1} {1T 144.5}

In the fall of 1853 we attended conferences at Buck's Bridge, N. Y.; Stowe, Vt.; Boston, Dartmouth, and Springfield, Mass.; Washington, N. H.; and New Haven, Vt. This was a laborious and rather discouraging journey. Many had embraced the truth who were unsanctified in heart and life; the elements of strife and rebellion were at work, and it was necessary that a movement should take place to purify the church. {LS 150.4}

In the fall of 1853 we attended Conferences at Buck's Bridge, N. Y., Stowe, Vt., Boston, Dartmouth and Springfield, Mass., Washington, N. H., and New Haven, Vt. This was a laborious and rather discouraging journey. Many had embraced the truth, who were unsanctified in heart and life, and the elements of strife and rebellion were at work, and it was necessary that a movement should take place to purify the church. The "Messenger" party soon drew off, and the cause was relieved. {2SG 184.1}

This reformation was not permanent. Nehemiah himself, returning from an extended visit to the Persian court, found a sad state of affairs. With characteristic zeal he sought to purify the church from its wickedness. So prompt and thorough were his efforts that "all Judah" brought "the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries." But after his death the Israelites again forgot God. {SW, January 3, 1905 par. 2}

Says the True Witness, "I know thy works." Angels of God are weighing moral worth. The Lord is reviving the living, pointed testimony which will help develop character and purify the church. If you had suffered the truth to purify you, your labors would have been blessed to the church, but you chose your own course, to follow your own way, and you have not been baptized with the spirit of the third angel's message, and your labors cannot benefit the cause of God. . . . {5MR 292.4}

purify the family of the church

Those who have too little courage to reprove wrong, or who through indolence or lack of interest make no earnest effort to purify the family or the church of God, are held accountable for the evil that may result from their neglect of duty. We are just as responsible for evils that we might have checked in others by exercise of parental or pastoral authority, as if the acts had been our own. {CG 235.4} {CC 141.7}

purifying the church

Related Phrase:

I have been shown that God here illustrates how He regards sin among those who profess to be His commandment-keeping people. Those whom He has specially honored with witnessing the remarkable exhibitions of His power, as did ancient Israel, and who will even then venture to disregard His express directions, will be subjects of His wrath. He would teach His people that disobedience and sin are exceedingly offensive to Himand are not to be lightly regarded. He shows us that when His people are found in sin they should at once take decided measures to put that sin from them, that His frown may not rest upon them all. But if the sins of the people are passed over by those in responsible positions, His frown will be upon them, and the people of God, as a body, will be held responsible for those sins. In His dealings with His people in the past the Lord shows the necessity of purifying the church from wrongs. One sinner may diffuse darkness that will exclude the light of God from the entire congregation. When the people realize that darkness is settling upon them, and they do not know the cause, they should seek God earnestly, in great humility and self-abasement, until the wrongs which grieve His Spirit are searched out and put away. {3T 265.1}

In the case of the sin of Achan, God has shown how he regards sin among those who profess to be his commandment-keeping people. Those whom he has especially honored with witnessing the remarkable exhibitions of his power, as did ancient Israel, and that will venture to disregard his express directions, will be subjects of his wrath. God would teach his people that disobedience and sin are exceedingly offensive to him, and not to be lightly regarded. He shows us that when his people are found in sin, they should at once take decided measures to put the sin from them, that his frown should not rest upon all his people. But ifthose in responsible positions pass over the sins of the people, his frown will be upon them, and the people of God, as a body, will be held responsible for the sins that exist in their midst. God, in his dealings with his people in the past, shows the necessity of purifying the church from wrongs that exist among them. One sinner may diffuse darkness which will exclude the light of God from the entire congregation. When the people realize that darkness is settling upon them, and they do not know the cause, then they should earnestly seek God in great humility and self-abasement, until the wrongs which grieve God’s Spirit are searched out and put away from among them. { RH September 23, 1873, par. 1 }

He will purify the Church

God's love for his church is infinite. His care over his heritage is unceasing. He suffers no affliction to come upon the church but such as is essential for her purification, her present and eternal good. He will purify the church even as he purified the temple at the beginning and the close of his ministry on earth. All that he brings upon the church in trial comes that his people may gain deeper piety and more strength to carry the triumphs of the cross to all parts of the world. He has a work for all to do. There must be constant enlargement and progress. The work must extend from city to city, from country to country, and from nation to nation, moving constantly onward and upward, established, strengthened, and settled. {RH, September 24, 1903 par. 12}

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Purification of the Church (17)

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