Principles of justice (33)

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

       P R I N C I P L E S    O F    j u s t i c e         (  2  RELATED  PHRASE )        

          The  phrase  'principles of justice'  appears  33  times in the writings of EGW                             See page on Original site                                      Related Phrase:     principle of justice  (  )

   What right had Christ to take the captives out of the enemy's hands? -- The right of having made a sacrifice that satisfies the principles of justice by which the kingdom of heaven is governed. He came to this earth as the Redeemer of the lost race, to conquer the wily foe, and, by His steadfast allegiance to right, to save all who accept Him as their Saviour. On the cross of Calvary He paid the redemption price of the race. And thus He gained the right to take the captives from the grasp of the great deceiver, who, by a lie, framed against the government of God, caused the fall of man, and thus forfeited all claim to be called a loyal subject of God's glorious everlasting kingdom.  {1SM 309.4}

 

 
   I plead for a different order of things. Changes must be made in the groups of workers in our conferences and institutions. Men of efficiency and consecration must be sought for and encouraged to connect with the burden-bearers as helpers and co-laborers. Let there be a harmonious union of the new and the old, in the spirit of brotherly love. But let not changes of management be made abruptly, in such a way as to bring discouragement to those who have labored earnestly and successfully to bring the work to a degree of progress. God will not sanction anything done to discourage His faithful servants. Let the principles of justice be followed by those whose duty it is to secure the most efficient management for our publishing houses, our sanitariums, and our schools.  {GW 494.2}  {7T 280.2}

 

  Little did the rulers of the land foresee the results of that fateful policy. The teaching of the Bible would have implanted in the minds and hearts of the people those principles of justice, temperance, truth, equity, and benevolence which are the very cornerstone of a nation's prosperity. "Righteousness exalteth a nation." Thereby "the throne is established." Proverbs 14:34; 16:12. "The work of righteousness shall be peace;" and the effect, "quietness and assurance forever." Isaiah 32:17. He who obeys the divine law will most truly respect and obey the laws of his country. He who fears God will honor the king in the exercise of all just and legitimate authority. But unhappy France prohibited the Bible and banned its disciples. Century after century, men of principle and integrity, men of intellectual acuteness and moral strength, who had the courage to avow their convictions and the faith to suffer for the truth -- for centuries these men toiled as slaves in the galleys, perished at the stake, or rotted in dungeon cells. Thousands upon thousands found safety in flight; and this continued for two hundred and fifty years after the opening of the Reformation.  Great Controversy, page 277.3
 
  Keep on the gaining side we must. But what is the use of carrying on this work if we have to sacrifice principles of justice, mercy, and the love of God? What is the use of carrying it on if through its influence, no souls are enlightened and prepared to lay hold upon the word that is their spiritual food? Upon those connected with this work there should be urged the necessity of calling the attention of the people with whom they are brought into contact [to] the truths of heavenly origin.  {HFM 89.2}

 

  From age to age Satan has sought to keep men in ignorance of the beneficent designs of Jehovah. He has endeavored to remove from their sight the great things of God's law -- the principles of justice, mercy, and love therein set forth. Men boast of the wonderful progress and enlightenment of the age in which we are now living; but God sees the earth filled with iniquity and violence. Men declare that the law of God has been abrogated, that the Bible is not authentic; and as a result, a tide of evil, such as has not been seen since the days of Noah and of apostate Israel, is sweeping over the world. Nobility of soul, gentleness, piety, are battered away to gratify the lust for forbidden things. The black record of crime committed for the sake of gain is enough to chill the blood and fill the soul with horror.  {PK 275.2}
 
  Jesus came to the world to reveal, in their beauty, original truths that had been lost sight of through the misconception of men, and had been buried beneath a mass of tradition and error. He severed the old familiar truths from the companionship of error, that they might no longer be clouded and hidden by the customs and superstitions of men, but stand forth in their original, purity. For ages truth had been thrust from its true position, and Jesus reinstated it, reset it in the framework of truth, and established it anew upon the basis of its own eternal merit. The principles of justice and right that through the working of Satan upon the human mind had become powerless in their influence upon men, he revivified, and commanded them, like the stars in the firmament, to stand fast forever and ever.  {ST, May 1, 1893 par. 4}

 

  We are commanded to "search the Scriptures." The whole word of God is our rule of action. We are to carry out its principles in our daily lives; there is no surer mark of Christianity than this. We must carry out the great principles of justice and mercy in our intercourse with one another. We must be daily cultivating those qualities that will fit us for the society of Heaven. If we do these things, God becomes our surety, and promises to bless all that we undertake; and we "shall never be moved." - {ST, February 7, 1884 par. 13}
 
  In this parable are summed up all the principles contained in the law. Eternal life is the theme. And when the principles of justice and mercy are in any way violated in word or in practice, those who thus disobey God's expressed injunctions commit a sin of far greater magnitude than was the sin committed in Eden; because sin was a new thing to our first parents. All have before them the result of Adam's transgression of God's law. The taking of the forbidden fruit,-- seemingly so small a matter, -- resulted in opening the flood-gates of woe upon the world. All the violence and crime now existing in the world can be traced back to this transgression.  {1888 1769.3}

 

   Th 

 

                                              the  principles of  justice  require                                                       
 
   The principles of justice required a faithful narration of facts for the benefit of all who should ever read the Sacred Record. Here we discern the evidences of divine wisdom. We are required to obey the law of God, and are not only instructed as to the penalty of disobedience, but we have narrated for our benefit and warning the history of Adam and Eve in Paradise, and the sad results of their disobedience of God's commands. The account is full and explicit. The law given to man in Eden is recorded, together with the penalty accruing in case of its disobedience. Then follows the story of the temptation and fall, and the punishment inflicted upon our erring parents. Their example is given us as a warning against disobedience, that we may be sure that the wages of sin is death, that God's retributive justice never fails, and that He exacts from His creatures a strict regard for His commandments. When the law was proclaimed at Sinai, how definite was the penalty annexed, how sure was punishment to follow the transgression of that law, and how plain are the cases recorded in evidence of that fact!  {4T 11.3}

 

 
  Infidels and lovers of sin excuse their crimes by citing the wickedness of men to whom God gave authority in olden times. They argue that since these holy men yielded to temptation and committed sins, it should excite no wonder that they too are guilty of wrong-doing. More than this, they even intimate that they are not so bad, after all, since such illustrious examples of iniquity are placed before them. The principles of justice require a faithful narration of facts for the benefit of all who read the Sacred Record. In this we discern the evidences of divine wisdom. We are required to obey the law of God and are not only instructed as to the penalty of disobedience, but we have, narrated for our benefit and warning, the history of Adam and Eve in Paradise, and the sad results of their disobedience of God's commands. The account is full and explicit. The law given to man in Eden is recorded, together with the penalty incurred because of its transgression. The record of our first parents is given as a warning to the children of men, that they may understand how strictly God requires his creatures to conform to all his requirements, and how surely his retributive justice follows disobedience. When the law of Sinai was proclaimed, how definite was the penalty annexed! how sure the punishment that followed its transgression! and how plain are the cases recorded in evidence of that fact!  {RH, January 22, 1880 par. 6}

 

          p r i n c i p l e s    O F    P I E T Y   a n d    j u s t i c e              

                   This phrase appears  3 times  in writings of EGW

   The same principles of piety and justice that were to guide the rulers among God’s people in the time of Moses and of David, were also to be followed by those given the oversight of the newly organized church of God in the gospel dispensation. In the work of setting things in order in all the churches, and ordaining suitable men to act as officers, the apostles held to the high standards of leadership outlined in the Old Testament Scriptures. They maintained that he who is called to stand in a position of leading responsibility in the church “must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” Titus 1:7-9. { AA 95.2} 

 

 
   The same principles of piety and justice that were to guide God’s people in the time of Moses and David were to be followed by those given the oversight of the newly organized church in the gospel dispensation. In setting things in order and ordaining men to act as officers, the apostles held to the standards of leadership outlined in the Old Testament. He who is called to leading responsibility in the church “must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled; he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.” Titus 1:7-9, RSV.  { ULe 36.5 } 

 

   The same principles of piety and justice that were to guide God’s people in the time of Moses and David were to be followed by those given the oversight of the newly organized church in the gospel dispensation. In setting things in order and ordaining men to act as officers, the apostles held to the standards of leadership outlined in the Old Testament. He who is called to leading responsibility in the church “must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled; he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.” Titus 1:7-9, RSV.  { TT 50.5 }   

 

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Related Information

Principle (Separate section) Adhere to principle Departure from right principles Fundamental principles ( 65 ) Great principle (62) Principles of His kingdom Principles of piety Principles of Righteousness Principles that govern (31) Stand firm to principle