Counsels of Caution–
Now or Never

When Jesus rises up in the most holy place, and lays off His mediatorial garments, and clothes Himself with the garments of vengeance in place of the priestly attire, the work for sinners will be done. The period of time will then have come when the mandate will go forth, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; . . . and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” 2T 691

During these hours of probation they are to seek for perfection of character. 5T 557

All our preparation for heaven must be completed here. When Christ comes, our characters will not be changed. These vile bodies will be changed, and fashioned after the likeness of His glorious body; but there will not be a moral change wrought in us then. 2RH 236

Those who have not been self-denying, who have not manifested sympathy for the woes of others, who have not cultivated the precious attributes of love, who have not manifested forbearance and meekness in this life, will not be changed when Christ comes. 3RH 241

Now is our time and opportunity; we are now in the midst of our God-given probation, in which we are to develop characters after Christ’s order. 3RH 219

We are not to settle down, expecting that a change of character will come to us by some miraculous work, when Jesus shall appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. YI 142

It is now that we must wash our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is now that we must overcome pride, passion, and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake, and make determined effort for symmetry of character. 5T 216

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The characters formed in this life will determine the future destiny. When Christ shall come, He will not change the character of any individual. Precious, probationary time is given to be improved in washing our robes of character and making them white in the blood of the Lamb. 4T 429

It is now that our hearts should be pure and holy. We have no promise that we shall be transformed in character when Christ appears. YI 235

The pure and holy garments are not prepared to be put on by any one after he has entered the gate of the city. All who enter will have on the robe of Christ’s righteousness and the name of God will be seen in their foreheads. YI 79

In these precious hours of probation, God desires that we shall form such characters as we shall wish we had perfected, when Christ shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation. YI 260

It will be too late to seek for the righteousness of Christ when the guests are called in and examined. Now is the time to put on the righteousness of Christ, - the wedding garment that, will fit you to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. YI 236

. . . by engaging in this work (purifying our hearts), and by exercising living faith in God, . . . we are to perfect a Christian character. The work of cleansing the soul-temple and preparing for Christ’s appearing must be done while we are in this world of temptation. Just as Christ finds us in character when He comes, so we shall remain. 2ST 153

When Christ shall come, our vile bodies are to be changed and made like His glorious body; but the vile character will not be made holy then. The transformation of character must take place before His coming. Our natures must be pure and holy; we must have the mind of Christ, that He may behold with pleasure His image reflected upon our souls. 2ST 71

Through His merits, men stand before God as candidates for eternal life. We are to be overcomers. We are to gain the victory here and now; we are to obtain a precious experience in the things of God now. If we do not get that experience and victory in this life, we shall never obtain it. 2ST 267

Through the grace of Christ we are to perfect a Christian character. We must not think that we can wait until Christ comes, and that He will then give us the necessary virtue and grace. It is in this life that we are to represent Christ. 2ST 330

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Many are deceiving themselves by thinking that the character will be transformed at the coming of Christ-, but there will be no conversion of heart at His appearing. Our defects of character must here be repented of, and through the grace of Christ we must overcome them while probation shall last. This is the place for fitting up for the family above. 2ST 524

Now is our day of probation, and we are now to perfect characters that will stand the test of the judgment. When Christ comes, there is to be no change of character; this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption; and those who are alive and remain upon the earth will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, if their characters are blameless and pure. Transformation of character must take place during the precious hours of probation. 2ST 508

You are not to look to the future, thinking that at some distant day you are to be made holy; it is now that you are to be sanctified through the truth. 2ST 477

The change from earth to heaven will not change men’s character; the happiness of the redeemed in heaven results from the character formed in this life after the image of Christ. The saints in heaven will first have been saints on earth. 2RH 622

If we do not yield to its requirements in this life, learning to love God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves, we shall meet with no change in character at the appearing of Jesus. Rebellion will not give place to peace and love when He comes in the clouds of heaven. Now is the time to separate the thorns from the precious seeds of truth, that the heart may be wholly occupied with the truth from heaven. 2RH 577

All who are to be saints in heaven will first be saints upon the earth. 2RH 509

Happiness is the result of holiness, and conformity to the will of God. Those who would be saints in heaven, must first be saints upon the earth; for when we leave this earth, we shall take our character with us, and this will be simply taking with us some of the elements of heaven imparted to us through the righteousness of Christ. 2RH 419-20

. . . when Christ comes, He will not change the character. . . Now we are to learn obedience, submission to the divine will, that God may work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. . . . 2ST 425

The preparation for heaven must be made in probationary time. YI 203

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It is now or never that you must perfect Christian character. 1ST 59

If we would be saints above, we must first be saints below. 2RH 276

Opportunity is now given you to improve and become perfect this side of Judgment. 1RH 92

. . . there is no change of character when Christ comes. The character building is to go on during the hours of probation. 1RH 541

When Christ shall come, our vile bodies are to be changed, and made like His glorious body; but the vile character will not be made holy then. The transformation of character must take place before His coming. Our natures must be pure and holy; we must have the mind of Christ, that He may behold with pleasure His image reflected upon our souls. 1RH 543

We must not think that we can wait till we get to Heaven before we perfect pure, chaste, lovely characters. The Christian will be Christ-like here. 1ST 504

The short space of time allotted to men here is exceedingly valuable. Now, while probation lingers, God proposes to unite His strength with the weakness of finite man. 1ST 422

In this day of Christ’s coming, many will cry, “Too late, too late.” Others plead for mercy, but mercy will have folded her wings and taken her departure. 4ST 175-6

God would have us learn the solemn lesson that we are working out our own destiny. The characters we form in this life decide whether or not we are fitted to live through the eternal ages. 5RH 212

It is only those who on earth have learned to glorify God that will be given a place in the courts of glory. If we are translated, we shall be translated just as we are. We are to be made perfect in this life; in this life our tongues are to be sanctified, our thoughts purified. Then let us do those things that we shall wish we had done when the time comes that our work is finished. 5RH 507

. . . when Christ comes, He will not change the character . . . Now we are to learn obedience, submission to the divine will, that God may work in us to will and to do of His good-pleasure. . . . 2ST 425

Let all awake; for the time is at hand when it will be said, “He which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Just now is the time to seek purity and holiness of character, and obtain white

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robes, that we may be prepared for a seat at the marriage supper of the Lamb. 1RH 193

Now is the time to become acquainted with the Scriptures to learn how to perfect a Christian character, to be preparing for Heaven by having a close connection with God, that at last we may be crowned with everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God. 1RH 203

It is in this time of probation that we are to prepare either for eternal life in glory, or for perdition. It is here that we are engaged in the work of character-building; and if we succeed, we shall merit from the Master the welcome, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” 1RH 539

The time of probation is given us that we may perfect a character fit for eternity. 2RH 404

When the wicked dead are raised from the grave, they come up with the tastes, habits, and characters that they formed in the time of probation. A sinner is not raised a saint, neither is a saint raised a sinner. 2RH 466

The Lord has graciously given man a time of probation in which to perfect a character for eternal life. 2RH 588

We cannot wait until the Judgment before we consent to deny self and to lift the cross. It will be too late then to form characters for Heaven. It is here and now that we must take sides with the humble, self-denying Redeemer. It is here we must overcome envy, strife, selfishness, love of money, and love of the world. It is here that we must enter the school of Christ and learn the precious lesson of meekness and lowliness of mind; and here it must be our aim and our earnest effort to be loyal to the God of Heaven, by obeying all His commandments. 2ST 175

Today you are to give yourselves to God, that He may make of you vessels unto honor, and meet for His service. Today you are to give yourself to God, that you may be emptied of self, emptied of envy, jealousy, evil surmising, and strife, everything that shall be dishonoring to God. Today you are to have your vessel purified that it may be ready for the heavenly dew, ready for the showers of the latter rain; for the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement. It is our work today to yield our souls to Christ, that we may be fitted for the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord -fitted for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 1SM 191

When the voice of God awakes the dead, he will come from the grave

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with the same appetites and passions, the same likes and dislikes, that he cherished when living. God works no miracle to re-create a man who would not be re-created when he was granted every opportunity and provided with every facility. COL 270

There will be no future probation in which to prepare for eternity. It is in this life that we are to put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness. This is our only opportunity to form characters for the home which Christ has made ready for those who obey His commandments. The days of our probation are fast closing. COL 319

Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation. . . . This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble. GC 623

When He comes, He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy, will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects, and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process, and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us. 2T 355

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Counsels of Caution– Now or Never

Counsels of Caution–
Now or Never