"“No fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Ephesians 5:5 , A.R.V. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14 . “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:14, 15 . GC 541.1"
"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
Ellen White directly references Ephesians 5:5 in this passage.
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"
Ellen White directly references Hebrews 12:14 in this passage.
"God has given to men a declaration of His character and of His method of dealing with sin. “The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.” Exodus 34:6, 7 . “All the wicked will He destroy.” “The transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.” Psalm 145:20 ; 37:38 . The power and authority of the divine government will be employed to put down rebellion; yet all the manifestations of retributive justice will be perfectly consistent with the character of God as a merciful, long-suffering, benevolent being. GC 541.2"
"The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy."
Ellen White directly references Psalms 145:20 in this passage.
"God does not force the will or judgment of any. He takes no pleasure in a slavish obedience. He desires that the creatures of His hands shall love Him because He is worthy of love. He would have them obey Him because they have an intelligent appreciation of His wisdom, justice, and benevolence. And all who have a just conception of these qualities will love Him because they are drawn toward Him in admiration of His attributes. GC 541.3"
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
The EGW passage expands on the principle that love for God motivates obedience, which is directly stated in John 14:15.
"And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,"
Both passages emphasize the importance of loving and serving God. Deuteronomy 10:12 outlines what God requires, including love, while the EGW passage explains why we should love Him.
The principles of kindness, mercy, and love, taught and exemplified by our Saviour, are a transcript of the will and character of God. Christ declared that He taught nothing except that which He had received from His Father. The principles of the divine government are in perfect harmony with the Saviour's precept, “Love your enemies.” God executes justice upon the wicked, for the good of the universe, and even for the good of those upon whom His judgments are visited. He would make them happy if He could do so in accordance with the laws of His government and the justice of His character. He surrounds them with the tokens of His love, He grants them a knowledge of His law, and follows them with the offers of His mercy; but they despise His love, make void His law, and reject His mercy. While constantly receiving His gifts, they dishonor the Giver; they hate God because they know that He abhors their sins. The Lord bears long with their perversity; but the decisive hour will come at las…
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
The EGW passage directly quotes and expands upon the concept of loving one's enemies, which is the core message of Matthew 5:44.
"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."
The EGW passage states that Christ taught nothing except what He received from His Father, which aligns with John 5:19 where Jesus says He can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do.
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
Both passages connect love with understanding and knowing God. The EGW passage describes God's character as one of kindness, mercy, and love, while 1 John 4:8 states that God *is* love.