"The Lord is disappointed when His people place a low estimate upon themselves. He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them, else He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to redeem them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they make the very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His name. They may expect large things if they have faith in His promises. DA 668.1"
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s."
Both passages connect the idea of being bought with a price to glorifying God. The EGW passage emphasizes God's high valuation of humanity, demonstrated by the sacrifice of His Son, and encourages believers to make high demands on God to glorify His name, which aligns with the concept of glorifying God because of the price paid for redemption in 1 Corinthians 6:20.
"But to pray in Christ's name means much. It means that we are to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works. The Saviour's promise is given on condition. “If ye love Me,” He says, “keep My commandments.” He saves men, not in sin, but from sin; and those who love Him will show their love by obedience. DA 668.2"
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
The EGW passage directly quotes John 14:15, making it an explicit allusion.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Both passages emphasize that true faith is demonstrated through obedience and doing the will of the Father. The EGW passage connects loving Christ with keeping His commandments, while Matthew 7:21 states that only those who do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven. The connection is strong and relevant.
"highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us. DA 668.3"
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
The EGW passage directly connects knowing God and appreciating Christ's character with obedience, echoing the sentiment in John 14:15 that love for Christ is demonstrated through keeping His commandments.
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."
Both passages link love for God with keeping His commandments. The EGW quote emphasizes the delight in service and the transformation that makes sin hateful, aligning with 1 John 5:3's assertion that God's commandments are not burdensome when love is present.
As Christ lived the law in humanity, so we may do if we will take hold of the Strong for strength. But we are not to place the responsibility of our duty upon others, and wait for them to tell us what to do. We cannot depend for counsel upon humanity. The Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Our hearts will often burn within us as One draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch. Those who decide to do nothing in any line that will displease God, will know, after presenting their case before Him, just what course to pursue. And they will receive not only wisdom, but strength. Power for obedience, for service, will be imparted to them, as Christ has promised. Whatever was given to Christ—the “all things” to supply the need of fallen men—was given to Him as the head and representative of humanity. And “whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandme…
"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
Ellen White directly references 1 John 3:22 in this passage.
"Before offering Himself as the sacrificial victim, Christ sought for the most essential and complete gift to bestow upon His followers, a gift that would bring within their reach the boundless resources of grace. “I will pray the Father,” He said, “and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you.” John 14:16-18 , margin. DA 668.5"
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."
Ellen White directly references John 14:16-18 in this passage.