The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 599
to know the will of God. A man is traveling and comes to a place where
there are several roads and a guideboard indicating where each one leads.
If he disregards the guideboard, and takes whichever road seems to him
to be right, he may be ever so sincere, but will in all probability find
himself on the wrong road.
God has given us His word that we may become acquainted with
its teachings and know for ourselves what He requires of us. When the
lawyer came to Jesus with the inquiry, “What shall I do to inherit eternal
life?” the Saviour referred him to the Scriptures, saying: “What is
written in the law? how readest thou?” Ignorance will not excuse young
or old, nor release them from the punishment due for the transgression
of God’s law; because there is in their hands a faithful presentation
of that law and of its principles and claims. It is not enough to have
good intentions; it is not enough to do what a man thinks is right or
what the minister tells him is right. His soul’s salvation is at stake, and
he should search the Scriptures for himself. However strong may be
his convictions, however confident he may be that the minister knows
what is truth, this is not his foundation. He has a chart pointing out
every waymark on the heavenward journey, and he ought not to guess at
anything.
It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn
from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the light and
encourage others to follow his example. We should day by day study the
Bible diligently, weighing every thought and comparing scripture with
scripture. With divine help we are to form our opinions for ourselves as
we are to answer for ourselves before God.
The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved
in doubt and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great
wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual
meaning not apparent in the language employed. These men are false
teachers. It was to
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