Page 15 - How to Be a Victorious Christian - eBook

The Ellen G. White Comments in the message to the Laodicean church in volume
seven of The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary comprise some eight pages
(pp. 959-967). In these pages are found more than a score of words and phrases that
she used to describe the Laodicean condition. Other descriptions may be found in
other places in her writings.

Each individual church member is called upon to examine frankly and prayerfully
his own religious experience in the light of these descriptions. Among them are:
"selfishness"; "destitute of ... meekness"; a "tame, lifeless, emotionless religious
experience"; "halfhearted Christians"; "self-sufficiency"; "spiritual self-deception";
the taking of a "noncommittal position" in spiritual things; lacking lowliness;
satisfied in their own "self-security"; "selfish egotism"; "self-exaltation";

"hypocrisy"; "self-love"; "vain conceit"; "willfully ignorant"; "indulgence of pride";
"covetousness"; "worldly ambition."

These are stark, flinty, brutally frank observations. "The testimony of the True
Witness is not a smooth message." Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 257. It is a "fearful
message" (ibid., vol. 1, p. 186). We rebel at making personal applications. Our

instinct is to turn from them and to think of more pleasant things, or to decide they
do not apply to us.

But dare we so quickly push them aside? Only, perhaps, at the peril of our souls.

Let us turn to another message brought to the church of the last days by the Lord.

In Matthew 25: 1-13 is recorded Christ's parable of the ten virgins, which virgins
represent those who await His return.

Invited to a wedding, which in the East frequently was held at night, the ten maidens
took their lamps with them. But five neglected to take sufficient oil. The hour began
to grow late; yet the bridegroom had not come, so all ten went to sleep.

Then, at midnight, a shout went up, "Look, the bridegroom is coming. Go out to
meet him."

Startled, the ten awoke and looked at their lamps. Then the foolish maidens were
dismayed to discover that their lamps were going out, and they had no oil in their

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