"My heart is pained as I see that, with such wonderful incentives to bring our powers and capabilities to the very highest state of development, we are content to be dwarfs in the work of Christ. God's desire is that all His workers shall grow to the full stature of men and women in Christ. Where there is vitality, there is growth; the growth testifies to the vitality. The words and works bear living testimony to the world of what Christianity does for the followers of Christ. 9T 184.2"
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"
Both passages discuss growing to the 'full stature' or 'fulness' of Christ. EGW uses the metaphor of 'dwarfs' to contrast with this ideal, directly reflecting the principle of spiritual growth towards Christ's likeness found in Ephesians.
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
Both passages connect to the idea of vitality and fruitfulness through connection with Christ. While EGW focuses on growth and vitality as evidence of Christianity's effect, John 15:5 uses the vine and branches metaphor to illustrate dependence on Christ for fruit-bearing. The connection is thematic, focusing on the source of spiritual power.