Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
N E E D o f a s a v i o u r ( 4 RELATED PHRASES )
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The phrase 'need of a Saviour' appears 68 times in the published writings of EGW page not on Original site Related phrase: need of . . . ( 4,873 ) - - need for a Saviour ( ) - - need of revival ( )
| But there was a still greater truth to be impressed upon their minds. Living in the midst of idolatry and corruption, they had no true conception of the holiness of God, of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts, their utter inability, in themselves, to render obedience to God’s law, and their need of a Saviour. All this they must be taught. { PP 371.3} Read entire Chapter 32
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When the law was proclaimed from Sinai, God made known to men the holiness of His character, that by contrast they might see the sinfulness of their own. The law was given to convict them of sin, and reveal their need of a Saviour. It would do this as its principles were applied to the heart by the Holy Spirit. This work it is still to do. In the life of Christ the principles of the law are made plain; and as the Holy Spirit of God touches the heart, as the light of Christ reveals to men their need of His cleansing blood and His justifying righteousness, the law is still an agent in bringing us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Psalm 19:7. { DA 308.3}
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| Just here is a point on which many may err, and hence they fail of receiving the help that Christ desires to give them. They think that they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent, and that repentance prepares for the forgiveness of their sins. It is true that repentance does precede the forgiveness of sins; for it is only the broken and contrite heart that will feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait till he has repented before he can come to Jesus? Is repentance to be made an obstacle between the sinner and the Saviour? { SC 26.1} |
| Without the special power of God to work with your efforts, your spirit subdued and humbled in God, your hearts softened, your words flowing from a heart of love, your labors will be wearing to your self, and not productive of blessed results. There is a point which the minister of Christ reaches, beyond which human knowledge and skill are powerless. We are struggling with giant errors, and evils which we are impotent to remedy, or to arouse the people to see and understand; for we cannot change the heart. We cannot quicken the soul to discern the sinfulness of sin, and to feel the need of a Saviour. But if our labors bear the impress of the Spirit of God, if a higher, a divine power attends our efforts to sow the gospel seed, we shall see fruits of our labor to the glory of God. He alone can water the seed sown.— T estimonies for the Church 3:418. { GW92 267.2 }
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Satan will come to you saying, You are a sinner. But do not let him fill your mind with the thought that because you are sinful, God has cast you off. Say to him, Yes, I am a sinner, and for that reason I need a Saviour. I need forgiveness and pardon, and Christ says that if I come to Him I shall not perish. In His letter to me I read, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” ( 1 John 1:9). I will believe the word He has left for me. I will obey His commands. When Satan tells you that you are lost, answer, Yes, but Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. The greater my sin, the greater my need of a Saviour.— Letter 98b, 1896 { 1MCP 33.1 }
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| “By the law is the knowledge of sin” ( Romans 3:20); for “sin is the transgression of the law” ( 1 John 3:4). It is through the law that men are convicted of sin; and they must feel themselves sinners, exposed to the wrath of God, before they will realize their need of a Saviour. Satan is continually at work to lessen man’s estimate of the grievous character of sin. And those who trample the law of God under their feet are doing the work of the great deceiver; for they are rejecting the only rule by which they can define sin, and bring it home to the conscience of the transgressor. { 1SM 219.1}
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But the Samaritans asked no sign, and Jesus performed no miracles among them; yet they received his teachings, were convicted of their great need of a Saviour, and accepted him as their Redeemer. They were therefore in a much more favorable position before God than the Jewish nation, with its pride and vanity, blind bigotry, narrow prejudice, and bitter hatred of every other people on the earth. Jesus, in face of all these prejudices, accepted the hospitality of this despised people, slept under their roofs, ate with them at their tables—partaking of the food prepared and served by their hands—taught in their streets, and treated them with the greatest kindness and courtesy. { 2SP 149.2 }
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| I saw that you should study every move. You should do nothing rashly. Let God be your counselor. He loves your children, and it is right that you should love them; but it is not right to give them the place in your affections that the Lord claims. They have kind impulses and generous purposes. They possess noble traits of character. If they would only see their need of a Saviour, and bow at the foot of the cross, they might exert an influence for good. They are now lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. They now stand in the enemy’s ranks, under the black banner of Satan. Jesus invites them to come to Him, to leave the ranks of the enemy, and to stand under the bloodstained banner of the cross of Christ. { 2T 285.2}
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| In their bondage the people had to a great extent lost the knowledge of God and of the principles of the Abrahamic covenant.... Living in the midst of idolatry and corruption, they had no true conception of the holiness of God, of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts, their utter inability, in themselves, to render obedience to God’s law, and their need of a Saviour.... God brought them to Sinai; He manifested His glory; He gave them His law, with the promise of great blessings on condition of obedience.... The people did not realize ... that without Christ it was impossible for them to keep God’s law.... Feeling that they were able to establish their own righteousness, they declared, “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient” ( Exodus 24:7). { AG 135.5}
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| It is only when the sinner feels the need of a Saviour, that his heart goes after the One who can help him. When Jesus walked among men, it was the sick that wanted a physician. The poor, the afflicted and distressed, followed after Him, to receive the help and comfort which they could not find elsewhere. Blind Bartimeus is waiting by the wayside; he has waited long to meet Christ. { SD 126.2}
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The sinner must be labored for perseveringly, earnestly, wisely, until he shall see that he is a transgressor of God’s law, and shall exercise repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. When the sinner is conscious of his helpless condition, and feels his need of a Saviour, he may come with faith and hope to “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Christ will accept the soul who comes to Him in true repentance. A broken and a contrite heart He will not despise. { TDG 370.5}
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| As embassadors for Christ, we are intrusted with the important work of presenting the truth before the people; and we are to do this, not merely by voice and pen, but by example also. This God requires of us; nothing short of this will he accept. We must abide in Christ as the branch abides in the vine, or we shall not be fitted to bear the warning message to the world. The Lord has often to prune us, to remind us that a pure and holy God will allow no evil to stand before him unrebuked. Our sins and iniquities separate us from him. Then our first work is to put away sin; but in order to do this, we must come so close to God that we can understand his character and requirements, and thus measure our sinfulness and our need of a Saviour. { RH March 4, 1884, par. 5 }
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It is only when the sinner feels the need of a Saviour, that his heart goes after the One who can help him. When Jesus walked among men, it was the sick that wanted a physician. The poor, the afflicted and distressed, followed after him, to receive the help and comfort which they could not find elsewhere. Blind Bartimaeus is waiting by the wayside; he has waited long to meet Christ. Throngs of people who possess their sight are passing to and fro, but they have no desire to see Jesus. One look of faith would touch his heart of love, and bring them the blessings of his grace; but they know not the sickness and poverty of their souls, and they feel no need of Christ. Not so with the poor blind man. His only hope is in Jesus. As he waits and watches, he hears the tread of many feet, and he eagerly inquires, What means this noise of travel? The by-standers answer that “Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.” With the eagerness of intense desire, he cries, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!” They try to silence him, but he cries the more vehemently, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!” This appeal is heard. His persevering faith is rewarded. Not only is physical sight restored, but the eyes of his understanding are opened. In Christ he sees his Redeemer, and the Sun of righteousness shines into his soul. All who feel their need of Christ as did blind Bartimaeus, and who will be as earnest and determined as he was, will, like him, receive the blessing which they crave. { RH March 15, 1887, par. 3 }
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There are many who have erroneous ideas in regard to the nature of repentance. They think that they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent, and that repentance prepares them for the forgiveness of their sins. It is true that repentance does precede the forgiveness of sins; for it is only the broken and contrite heart that will feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait until he has repented before he can come to Jesus? Is repentance to be made an obstacle between the sinner and the Saviour? Jesus has said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Christ is constantly drawing men to himself, while Satan is as diligently seeking by every imaginable device, to draw men away from their Redeemer. Christ must be revealed to the sinner as the Saviour dying for the sins of the world; and as he beholds the Lamb of God on the cross of Calvary, the mysteries of redemption begin to unfold to his mind, and the goodness of God leads him to repentance. { RH April 1, 1890, par. 1 }
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| Angels of God are waiting, desiring with intense desire that those who claim to believe the truth shall become agents through which, by co-operation with them, they shall be able to communicate light to the world. All heaven is interested in the work that is going on in the world, and the angels desire that men shall become channels by which divine grace may flow to those who are famishing for the waters of life. In new and fresh aspects the truth is to be presented through living agencies to those who are in the darkness of error, who are dead in trespasses and sins. God created all things by Christ Jesus, that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Wake up, my brethren and sisters, before you sleep the sleep of death. God has shown you that he is willing to do great things for you. The salvation of the human soul is the one object of most intense interest to the heavenly host. The value of the soul is infinitely above silver and gold; and why is it that you who have a knowledge of the truth do not impart it to others? It is the highest duty of every Christian to let the light God has given shine forth in steady rays. Have you been converted from error to truth? Have you, through faith in Jesus Christ, been made partakers of his love? Then go to work to save souls that are ready to perish. Personal effort must be put forth, if men who are lost are to be convinced that they are in need of a Saviour. The work of saving souls is not confined to the delegated ministers. To every man God has given his work. Every soul that has been enlightened has a work to do, a mission to perform. Each one is to trade diligently with the talents intrusted to his care. Converted himself, the Christian is to present to others the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, and win souls to Jesus. { RH December 12, 1893, par. 1 }
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| If the Jewish nation had accepted the light that Christ brought to them, it would have revealed to them their need of a Saviour, their need of atonement, their need of the purifying, pardoning love of God. It would have revealed to them the significance of the atonement which they had been celebrating, and fitted them to enjoy the feast of tabernacles and to rejoice before the Lord. They would have realized that God does not require simply a portion of the heart; but that acceptable service to himself means the consecration of heart, mind, soul, and strength. In explaining his teaching to them, Jesus said, “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” He who speaks by his own authority, who presents a message that does not come from God, is only a human teacher, liable to be seduced by the deceptions of the enemy; he seeks but the praise of men, the exaltation of himself; but he who is sent of God, as was Christ, is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. The common people heard him gladly, and many testified, “Never man spake like this man.” { RH July 7, 1896, par. 9 } |
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God loves the children of Brother D, but they are in fearful danger of feeling whole, and in no need of a physician. Trusting in their own righteousness will never save them. They must feel the need of a Saviour. Christ came to save sinners. Said Jesus: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The Pharisees, who felt that they were righteous, and who trusted in their good works, felt no need of a Saviour. They felt that they were well enough off without Christ. { 4T 42.2}
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N o n E E D o f a s a v i o u r
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The phrase 'no need of a Saviour' appears xx times in the published writings of EGW
| Adam and Eve, at their creation, had a knowledge of the law of God; they were acquainted with its claims upon them; its precepts were written upon their hearts. When man fell by transgression the law was not changed, but a remedial system was established to bring him back to obedience. The promise of a Saviour was given, and sacrificial offerings pointing forward to the death of Christ as the great sin offering were established. But had the law of God never been transgressed, there would have been no death, and no need of a Saviour; consequently there would have been no need of sacrifices. { PP 363.1} Read entire Chapter 32
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| Christ might have spoken words to Herod that would have pierced the ears of the hardened king. He might have stricken him with fear and trembling by laying before him the full iniquity of his life, and the horror of his approaching doom. But Christ’s silence was the severest rebuke that He could have given. Herod had rejected the truth spoken to him by the greatest of the prophets, and no other message was he to receive. Not a word had the Majesty of heaven for him. That ear that had ever been open to human woe, had no room for Herod’s commands. Those eyes that had ever rested upon the penitent sinner in pitying, forgiving love had no look to bestow upon Herod. Those lips that had uttered the most impressive truth, that in tones of tenderest entreaty had pleaded with the most sinful and the most degraded, were closed to the haughty king who felt no need of a Saviour. { DA 730.4} also { 3SP 137.1 }
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Again: Satan may try to tempt you by saying that God will not have pity upon you and hear your prayers, because you are such a sinner. Do not listen to his story; but throw right into his face the words of our Saviour, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” If we were not sinners, we would have no need of a Saviour. We are sick with sin from the crown of our head to the sole of our feet, and this is why we need a Physician. While we are not to approach the throne of God in self-righteousness and self-sufficiency, thinking that we have any goodness to recommend us to him; while we are not to forget our weakness and sinfulness, it is at the same time our duty to believe that Jesus will impart to us of his healing, strengthening power. Our faith must grasp the eternal. We must move from principle, looking not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen. { HS 132.3 }
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| Jesus came to impart to the human soul the Holy Spirit, by which the love of God is shed abroad in the heart; but it is impossible to endow men with the Holy Spirit, who are set in their ideas, whose doctrines are all stereotyped and unchangeable, who are walking after the traditions and commandments of men, as were the Jews in the time of Christ. They were very punctilious in the observances of the church, very rigorous in following their forms, but they were destitute of vitality and religious devotion. They were represented by Christ as like the dry skins which were then used as bottles. The gospel of Christ could not be placed in their hearts; for there was no room to contain it. They could not be the new bottles into which He could pour His new wine. Christ was obliged to seek elsewhere than among the scribes and the Pharisees for bottles for His doctrine of truth and life. He must find men who were willing to have regeneration of heart. He came to give to men new hearts. He said, “A new heart also will I give you.” But the self-righteous of that day and of this day feel no need of having a new heart. Jesus passed by the scribes and the Pharisees, for they felt no need of a Saviour. { 1SM 386.2}
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That ear which had ever been open to the cry of human woe, had no place for the command of Herod. That heart, ever touched by the plea of even the worst sinners, was closed to the haughty king who felt no need of a Saviour. { SJ 130.6}
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| No matter who you are or what your life has been, you can be saved only in God’s appointed way. You must repent; you must fall helpless on the Rock, Christ Jesus. You must feel your need of a physician and of the one only remedy for sin, the blood of Christ. This remedy can be secured only by repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Here the work is yet to be begun by many who profess to be Christians and even to be ministers of Christ. Like the Pharisees of old many of you feel no need of a Saviour. You are self-sufficient, self-exalted. Said Christ: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The blood of Christ will avail for none but those who feel their need of its cleansing power. { 5T 218.3}
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The heavenly universe looks upon an absence of meekness and lowliness of heart. The self-exaltation, the feeling of swelling importance, makes the human agent so large in his own estimation that he feels that he has no need of a Saviour, no need to wear Christ’s yoke. But the invitation to each soul is, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” ( Matthew 11:29). { HP 236.3}
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Jesus came to impart to the human soul the Holy Spirit, by which the love of God is shed abroad in the heart; but it is impossible to endow men with the Holy Spirit, who are set in their ideas, whose doctrines are all stereotyped and unchangeable, who are walking after the traditions and commandments of men, as were the Jews in the time of Christ. They were very punctilious in the observances of the church, very rigorous in following their forms, but they were destitute of vitality and religious devotion. They were represented by Christ as like the dry skins which were then used as bottles. The gospel of Christ could not be placed in their hearts; for there was no room to contain it. They could not be the new bottles into which he could pour his new wine. Christ was obliged to seek elsewhere than among the scribes and the Pharisees for bottles for his doctrine of truth and life. He must find men who were willing to have regeneration of heart. He came to give to men new hearts. He said, “A new heart also will I give you.” But the self- righteous of that day and of this day feel no need of having a new heart. Jesus passed by the scribes and the Pharisees, for they felt no need of a Saviour. They were wedded to forms and ceremonies. These services had been instituted by Christ; they had been full of vitality and spiritual beauty; but the Jews had lost the spiritual life from their ceremonies, and clung to the dead forms after spiritual life was extinct among them. When they departed from the requirements and commandments of God, they sought to supply the place of that which they had lost, by multiplying their own requirements, and making more rigorous demands than had God; and the more rigid they grew, the less of the love and Spirit of God they manifested. Christ said to the people: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do ye not after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.... Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” { RH March 20, 1894, par. 7 }
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| The doctrines that Christ taught are essential for the salvation of the soul; for perfection of character is the result of willing obedience to the truth as it is in Jesus. This is the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. It is self-exaltation that results in the rejection of Christ, and this proved the ruin of the Jews. They felt no need of a Saviour, they realized no weakness, they desired no plan of atonement. For many years they had been going through a round of service which had been instituted by Christ, and which typified Christ, yet when the Messiah walked among them in the habiliments of humanity, offering them his grace and pardoning mercy if they would forsake their sins and turn unto God, they did not discern him. Many were loaded with deception and hypocrisy. When the Pharisees and the Sadducees came to the baptism of John, he exclaimed: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” He presented to the Jewish leaders the fact that they must be transformed in character. He said to Nicodemus: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.... Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” { RH July 7, 1896, par. 8 }
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