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Verse:For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. —Philippians 1:21
On March 17, 1893, Ellen White wrote from Auckland, New Zealand, an extended letter to P. W. B. Wessels, a businessman in South Africa whose faith was wavering. In her letter, she pleaded with him, “Examine closely your own heart, that you may know whether you are walking in safe paths or not. If you study prayerfully the life of Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and are yourself a doer of His words, you will become a power for good.” Later in the same letter, she penned one of her nicest statements on how the whole Adventist message should revolve around Christ and be permeated by Him. She wrote, “Christ, His character and work, is the center and circumference of all truth. He is the chain upon which the jewels of doctrine are linked.
In Him is found the complete system of truth.” Elsewhere in her writings, she asserted, “The very first and most important thing is to melt and subdue the soul by presenting our Lord Jesus Christ as the sin-pardoning Saviour.
Never should a sermon be preached, or Bible instruction in any line be given, without pointing the hearers to the ‘Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 9:37. Every true doctrine makes Christ the center, every precept receives force from His words.”36 Undeniably, Ellen White wholly loved Christ and wanted others to have the same experience. So, she insisted, “Dare not to preach another discourse until you know, by your own experience, what Christ is to you.” “Make Christ first and last and best in everything. Constantly behold Him, and your love for Him will daily become deeper and stronger as it is submitted to the test of trial. And as your love for Him increases, your love for each other will grow deeper and stronger.” How do you evaluate your own experience with Christ? Is your relationship with Him just at the intellectual level? If so, why not enhance the true doctrine of Christ by embracing a living experience with Him? While true doctrine demonstrates your faith in God, a genuine experience reveals your commitment to Him.