“If this is sound Bible truth,” she replied, “instead of preventing the salvation of sinners, it will be the means of winning them to Christ. If the love of God will not induce the rebel to yield, the terrors of an eternal hell will not drive him to repentance. Besides, it does not seem a proper way to win souls to Jesus, by appealing to one of the lowest attributes of the mind, abject fear. The love of Jesus attracts; it will subdue the hardest heart.” 1T 39.6 It was some months after this conversation before I heard anything further concerning this doctrine; but during this time my mind had been much exercised upon the subject. When I heard it preached, I believed it to be the truth. From the time that light in regard to the sleep of the dead dawned upon my mind, the mystery that had enshrouded the resurrection vanished, and the great event itself assumed a new and sublime importance. My mind had often been disturbed by its efforts to reconcile the immediate reward or punishment of t…
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
EGW's statement that 'The love of Jesus attracts; it will subdue the hardest heart' directly echoes the principle in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out fear. Both passages emphasize the power of love over fear in spiritual matters.
"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
Both passages emphasize that God's goodness and love should lead to repentance, rather than fear. EGW's passage directly contrasts love and fear as motivators, while Romans 2:4 highlights God's goodness as the path to repentance.
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
Both passages discuss the drawing power of love (Jesus' love in John, God's love in EGW) versus fear. The EGW passage directly contrasts love with fear, echoing the sentiment of being drawn to Christ.
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
The phrase "glorious immortal life" is a clear parallel to the concept of "eternal life" as presented in John 10:28.
"Our family were all interested in the doctrine of the Lord's soon coming. My father had long been considered one of the pillars of the Methodist church where he lived, and the whole family had been active members; but we made no secret of our new belief, although we did not urge it upon others on inappropriate occasions, or manifest any unfriendliness toward our church. However, the Methodist minister made us a special visit and took the occasion to inform us that our faith and Methodism could not agree. He did not inquire our reasons for believing as we did, nor make any reference to the Bible in order to convince us of our error; but he stated that we had adopted a new and strange belief that the Methodist Church could not accept. 1T 40.3"
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:"
1 Peter 3:15 encourages believers to be prepared to give a reason for their hope. While the EGW passage doesn't explicitly state that they *did* give a reason, the context implies that they *could* have, and the minister's failure to ask for their reasons is highlighted. The principle of being ready to explain one's faith is present in both.
"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."
Both passages deal with the conflict between obeying God's perceived will and adhering to the dictates of religious authority. Acts 5:29 is a direct statement of prioritizing God, while the EGW passage illustrates a similar principle in the context of her family's experience with the Methodist church.
"But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
The EGW passage describes a situation where the family's beliefs were challenged by church authorities, similar to Peter and John's defiance in Acts. Both passages highlight the tension between obedience to religious authority and adherence to one's own convictions.