"Among His hearers many were drawn to Him in faith, and to them He said, “If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” DA 466.1"
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
EGW directly quotes John 8:32.
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;"
EGW directly quotes John 8:31. The context and interpretation are also consistent.
"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."
Both passages discuss the concept of being enslaved or in bondage to sin/evil. The EGW passage speaks of being ruled by the spirit of evil, while John 8:34 states that whoever commits sin is a servant of sin. This is a clear thematic parallel.
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
Both passages discuss the concept of being a servant to sin. Romans 6:16 explicitly states that yielding to sin makes one a servant of sin, leading to death. The EGW passage speaks of being ruled by the spirit of evil, which is a similar concept of servitude to a negative force.
"Every soul that refuses to give himself to God is under the control of another power. He is not his own. He may talk of freedom, but he is in the most abject slavery. He is not allowed to see the beauty of truth, for his mind is under the control of Satan. While he flatters himself that he is following the dictates of his own judgment, he obeys the will of the prince of darkness. Christ came to break the shackles of sin-slavery from the soul. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” sets us “free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2 . DA 466.3"
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Ellen White directly references Romans 8:2 in this passage.
"In the work of redemption there is no compulsion. No external force is employed. Under the influence of the Spirit of God, man is left free to choose whom he will serve. In the change that takes place when the soul surrenders to Christ, there is the highest sense of freedom. The expulsion of sin is the act of the soul itself. True, we have no power to free ourselves from Satan's control; but when we desire to be set free from sin, and in our great need cry out for a power out of and above ourselves, the powers of the soul are imbued with the divine energy of the Holy Spirit, and they obey the dictates of the will in fulfilling the will of God. DA 466.4"
"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
The EGW passage discusses the freedom of choice in redemption and the soul's surrender to Christ, leading to a sense of freedom. This aligns with the concept in John 8:36 that being made free by the Son results in true freedom. The connection is thematic, focusing on the concept of freedom through Christ.
"The only condition upon which the freedom of man is possible is that of becoming one with Christ. “The truth shall make you free;” and Christ is the truth. Sin can triumph only by enfeebling the mind, and destroying the liberty of the soul. Subjection to God is restoration to one's self,—to the true glory and dignity of man. The divine law, to which we are brought into subjection, is “the law of liberty.” James 2:12 . DA 466.5"
"So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty."
Ellen White directly references James 2:12 in this passage.
"The Pharisees had declared themselves the children of Abraham. Jesus told them that this claim could be established only by doing the works of Abraham. The true children of Abraham would live, as he did, a life of obedience to God. They would not try to kill One who was speaking the truth that was given Him from God. In plotting against Christ, the rabbis were not doing the works of Abraham. A mere lineal descent from Abraham was of no value. Without a spiritual connection with him, which would be manifested in possessing the same spirit, and doing the same works, they were not his children. DA 466.6"
"They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham."
The EGW passage directly references Jesus's statement about doing the works of Abraham to prove lineage, mirroring the dialogue in John 8:39. This is a clear allusion to the biblical text.