"Christ's death proves God's great love for man. It is our pledge of salvation. To remove the cross from the Christian would be like blotting the sun from the sky. The cross brings us near to God, reconciling us to Him. With the relenting compassion of a father's love, Jehovah looks upon the suffering that His Son endured in order to save the race from eternal death, and accepts us in the Beloved." Acts of the Apostles, p. 209.
"The impress of Deity, manifest in the pages of revelation, is seen upon the lofty mountains, the fruitful valleys, the broad, deep ocean. The things of nature speak to man of his Creator's love. He has linked us to himself by unnumbered tokens in heaven and in earth. This world is not all sorrow and misery. 'God is love,' [1 John 4:8.] is written upon every opening bud, upon the petals of every flower, and upon every spire of grass. Though the curse of sin has caused the earth to bring forth thorns and thistles, there are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are hidden by roses. All things in nature testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God, and to his desire to make his children happy. His prohibitions and injunctions are not intended merely to display his authority, but in all that he does, he has the well-being of his children in view. He does not require them to give up anything that it would be for their best interest to retain." Christian Education, p. 66.
"Through the cross we learn that the heavenly Father loves us with a love that is infinite. Can we wonder that Paul exclaimed,'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jes
us Christ'? Galatians 6:14. It is our privilege also to glory in the cross, our privilege to give ourselves wholly to Him who gave Himself for us. Then, with the light that streams from Calvary shining in our faces, we may go forth to reveal this light to those in darkness." Acts of the Apostles, p. 210.
"He made use of the lofty trees, the cultivated soil, the barren rocks, the flowers of beauty struggling through the clefts, the everlasting hills, the glowing flowers of the valley, the birds caroling their songs in the leafy branches, the spotless lily resting in purity upon the bosom of the water. All these objects that made up the living scene around them were made the medium by which His lessons were impressed upon the minds of His hearers. They were thus brought home to the hearts of all, . . . leading them gently up from the contemplation of the Creator's works in nature to nature's God. . . .In one of His most impressive lessons Christ says, 'Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. . . .'
"The Great Teacher is here leading out minds to understand the parental care and love which God has for His children. He directs them to observe the birds flitting from tree to tree, or skimming upon the bosom of the lake, without a flutter of distrust or fear. God's eye is upon these little creatures; He provides them food; He answers all their simple wants. Jesus inquires, 'Are ye not much better than they?' . . .If God cares for and preserves the little birds, will He not have far greater love and care for the creatures formed in His image?" In Heavenly Places, pp. 113-114.
"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6:28, 29.
"The courtly robes of the greatest king that ever sat upon an earthly throne could not compare, in their artificial splendor, wit
h the spotless beauty of the lilies fashioned by the divine hand. This is an example of the estimate which the Creator of all that is beautiful places upon the artificial in comparison with the natural. God has given us these things of beauty as an expression of His love, that we may obtain correct views of His character. We are not to worship the things of nature, but in them we are to read the love of God." In Heavenly Places, p. 115.
"In the contemplation of Christ we linger on the shore of a love that is measureless. We endeavor to tell of this love, and language fails us. We consider His life on earth, His sacrifice for us, His work in heaven as our advocate, and the mansions He is preparing for those who love Him, and we can only exclaim, O the height and depth of the love of Christ!
'Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' 'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' 1 John 4:10; 3:1." Acts of the Apostles, p. 333.
"In every true disciple this love, like sacred fire, burns on the altar of the heart. It was on the earth that the love of God was revealed through Christ. It is on the earth that His children are to reflect this love through blameless lives. Thus sinners will be led to the cross to behold the Lamb of God." Acts of the Apostles, p. 334.
"The impress of Deity, manifest in the pages of revelation, is seen upon the lofty mountains, the fruitful valleys, the broad, deep ocean. The things of nature speak to man of his Creator's love. He has linked us to himself by unnumbered tokens in heaven and in earth. This world is not all sorrow and misery. 'God is love,' [1 John 4:8.] is written upon every opening bud, upon the petals of every flower, and upon every spire of grass. Though the curse of sin has caused the earth to bring forth thorns and thistles, there are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are hidden by roses. All things in nature testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God, and to his desire to make his children happy. His prohibitions and injunctions are not intended merely to display his authority, but in all that he does, he has the well-being of his children in view. He does not require them to give up anything that it would be for their best interest to retain." Christian Education, p. 66.
"Through the cross we learn that the heavenly Father loves us with a love that is infinite. Can we wonder that Paul exclaimed,'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jes
us Christ'? Galatians 6:14. It is our privilege also to glory in the cross, our privilege to give ourselves wholly to Him who gave Himself for us. Then, with the light that streams from Calvary shining in our faces, we may go forth to reveal this light to those in darkness." Acts of the Apostles, p. 210."He made use of the lofty trees, the cultivated soil, the barren rocks, the flowers of beauty struggling through the clefts, the everlasting hills, the glowing flowers of the valley, the birds caroling their songs in the leafy branches, the spotless lily resting in purity upon the bosom of the water. All these objects that made up the living scene around them were made the medium by which His lessons were impressed upon the minds of His hearers. They were thus brought home to the hearts of all, . . . leading them gently up from the contemplation of the Creator's works in nature to nature's God. . . .In one of His most impressive lessons Christ says, 'Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. . . .'
"The Great Teacher is here leading out minds to understand the parental care and love which God has for His children. He directs them to observe the birds flitting from tree to tree, or skimming upon the bosom of the lake, without a flutter of distrust or fear. God's eye is upon these little creatures; He provides them food; He answers all their simple wants. Jesus inquires, 'Are ye not much better than they?' . . .If God cares for and preserves the little birds, will He not have far greater love and care for the creatures formed in His image?" In Heavenly Places, pp. 113-114.
"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6:28, 29.
"The courtly robes of the greatest king that ever sat upon an earthly throne could not compare, in their artificial splendor, wit
h the spotless beauty of the lilies fashioned by the divine hand. This is an example of the estimate which the Creator of all that is beautiful places upon the artificial in comparison with the natural. God has given us these things of beauty as an expression of His love, that we may obtain correct views of His character. We are not to worship the things of nature, but in them we are to read the love of God." In Heavenly Places, p. 115."In the contemplation of Christ we linger on the shore of a love that is measureless. We endeavor to tell of this love, and language fails us. We consider His life on earth, His sacrifice for us, His work in heaven as our advocate, and the mansions He is preparing for those who love Him, and we can only exclaim, O the height and depth of the love of Christ!
'Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' 'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' 1 John 4:10; 3:1." Acts of the Apostles, p. 333.
"In every true disciple this love, like sacred fire, burns on the altar of the heart. It was on the earth that the love of God was revealed through Christ. It is on the earth that His children are to reflect this love through blameless lives. Thus sinners will be led to the cross to behold the Lamb of God." Acts of the Apostles, p. 334.
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