1 Peter 3:15 "Be ready at any time to give a quiet and reverent answer to any man who wants a reason for the hope that you have within you." (Phillips)

30. "Every soul who believes present truth will be brought where he will be required to give a reason of the hope that is in him. The people of God will be called upon to stand before kings, princes, rulers, and great men of the earth, and they must know that they do know what is truth." Review and Herald, Feb. 10, 1890 (2RH 368:3:4); TM 119; cf. 1SM 416; 1888 p. 534; Maranatha 23
31. "Young men should search the Scriptures for themselves. They are not to feel that it is sufficient for those older in experience to find out the truth; that the younger ones can accept it from them as authority. . . (MYP 258)
    "Young men in our ranks are watching to see in what spirit the ministers come to the investigation of the Scriptures; whether they have a teachable spirit, and are humble enough to accept evidence, and receive light from the messengers whom God chooses to send.
    "We must study the truth for ourselves. No man should be relied upon to think for us. No matter who he is, or in what position he may be placed, we are not to look upon any man as a criterion for us. We are to counsel together, and to be subject one to another; but at the same time we are to exercise the ability God has given us, in order to learn what is truth. Each one of us must look to God for divine enlightenment. We must individually develop a character that will stand the test in the day of God." Testimonies to Ministers 109,110; first published in Gospel Workers, 1892 ed., pp. 128,129; cf. 2RH 311:3:1 (RH, June 18, 1889); CW 45; ST, Feb. 6, 1893
32. "Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves. . . . (RC 369)
    "There are today thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour's teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God's word that they are light bearers?" 4SP 413-415 (1884); Great Controversy 595-597 (1888); RH, June 7, 1906
33. "Every human being, created in the image of God, is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator-individuality, power to think and to do. The men in whom this power is developed are the men who bear responsibilities, who are leaders in enterprise, and who influence character. It is the work of true education to develop this power, to train the youth to be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men's thought. . . . Instead of educated weaklings, institutions of learning may send forth men strong to think and to act, men who are masters and not slaves of circumstances, men who possess breadth of mind, clearness of thought, and the courage of their convictions." Education 17 (1903); 1MCP 361; 2MCP 423; RC 155
34. "It does not seem possible to us now that any should have to stand alone; but if God has ever spoken by me, the time will come when we shall be brought before councils and before thousands for His name's sake, and each one will have to give the reason of his faith. Then will come the severest criticism upon every position that has been taken for the truth. We need, then, to study the word of God, that we may know why we believe the doctrines we advocate. We must critically search the living oracles of Jehovah." Review and Herald, Dec. 19, 1888 (2RH 270:1:2); LDE 209
35. "All whom God has blessed with reasoning powers are to become intellectual Christians. They are not requested to believe without evidence; therefore Jesus has enjoined upon all to search the Scriptures. Let the ingenious inquirer, and the one who would know for himself what is truth, exert his mental powers to search out the truth as it is in Jesus. Any neglect here is at the peril of the soul. We must know individually the prescribed conditions of entering into eternal life. . . . We cannot allow these questions to be settled for us by another's mind, or another's judgment. . . . We cannot trust the salvation of our souls to ministers, to idle traditions, to human authorities, or to pretentions. . . . The Lord positively demands of every Christian an intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures." Review and Herald, March 8, 1887 (2RH 117:1:1 - 2:0); The Medical Missionary, May 1, 1892
36. "But beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them." Testimonies to Ministers 106,107; first published in Gospel Workers, 1892 ed., p. 126
37. "When the human agents shall exercise their faculties to acquire knowledge, to become deep-thinking men; when they, as the greatest witnesses for God and the truth, shall have won in the field of investigation of vital doctrines concerning the salvation of the soul, that glory may be given to the God of heaven as supreme, then even judges and kings will be brought to acknowledge, in the courts of justice, in parliaments and councils, that the God who made the heavens and the earth is the only true and living God, the author of Christianity, the author of all truth, who instituted the seventh-day Sabbath when the foundations of the world were laid, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted together for joy. All nature will bear testimony, as designed, for the illustration of the word of God." Special Testimonies on Education, p. 215 (April 22, 1895); Fundamentals of Christian Education 374, 375; CSW 57; 10MR 67
38. "Teachers should lead students to think, and clearly to understand the truth for themselves. It is not enough for the teacher to explain or for the student to believe; inquiry must be awakened, and the student must be drawn out to state the truth in his own language, thus making it evident that he sees its force and makes the application. By painstaking effort the vital truths should thus be impressed upon the mind. This may be a slow process; but it is of more value than rushing over important subjects without due consideration." Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 154 (1900); cf. CT 434; 1MCP 65
39. "It is not safe for us as reformers to repeat the history of the Reformers in every particular; for after those to whom God gave light advanced to a certain knowledge, many of them ceased to be reformers. We must not for a moment think that there is no more light and truth to be given us, and become careless, and let the sanctifying power of the truth leak out of our hearts by our attitude of satisfaction in what we have already attained. . .
    "The people of God have educated themselves in such a way that they have come to look to those in positions of trust as guardians of truth, and have placed men where God should be. When perplexities have come upon them, instead of seeking God, they have gone to human sources for help, and have received only such help as man can give. . . . The president of the Conference is not to do the thinking for all the people. He has not an immortal brain, but has capabilities and powers like any other man. . . . When men place the president of the Conference in the place of God, . . . they are doing that which is exactly opposite to what Christ has told them to do." Review and Herald, Aug. 7, 1894 (3RH 173:1:1 - 3:2 and 174:1:1)
40. "Are you daily working to outgeneral the enemy and save your children from his devices? Are you opening to them the precious truths of the word of God, explaining to them the reasons of our faith, that their young feet may be planted on the platform of truth?
    "The Bible with its precious gems of truth was not written for the scholar alone. On the contrary, it was designed for the common people; and the interpretation given by the common people, when aided by the Holy Spirit, accords best with the truth as it is in Jesus. The great truths necessary for salvation are made clear as the noonday, and none will mistake and lose their way except those who follow their own judgment instead of the plainly revealed will of God." Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 331 (1885); LHU 130; SC 89; CE 57; RH June 11, 1908; ST June 25, 1902; July 11, 1906
41. "The education of children, at home or at school, should not be like the training of dumb animals; for children have an intelligent will, which should be directed to control all their powers. Dumb animals need to be trained, for they have not reason and intellect. But the human mind must be taught self-control. It must be educated to rule the human being, while animals are controlled by a master and are trained to be submissive to him. . ." The Health Reformer, Sept. 1, 1872; Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 132 (1872); FE 15-16;1MCP 282; 2MCP 687; CT 73; CE 6; RH July 14, 1875
42. "The severe training of youth, without properly directing them to think and act for themselves as their own capacity and turn of mind will allow, that by this means they may have growth of thought, feelings of self-respect, and confidence in their own ability to perform, will ever produce a class who are weak in mental and moral power. And when they stand in the world to act for themselves, they will reveal the fact that they were trained like the animals, and not educated. Their wills, instead of being guided, were forced into subjection by the harsh discipline of parents and teachers." The Health Reformer, Sept. 1, 1872; Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 133 (1872); FE 17; CG 227; 1MCP 281; RH July 14, 1875
43. "In some schools and families, children appear to be well trained, . .but when the system which has held them to set rules is broken up, they seem to be incapable of thinking, acting, or deciding for themselves. Had they been taught to exercise their own judgment as fast and as far as practicable, the evil would have been obviated. But they have so long been controlled by parents or teachers as to wholly rely upon them." The Health Reformer, Sept. 1, 1872; Review and Herald, Jan 10, 1882 (1RH 306:2:1); July 14, 1885; 3T 132,133 (1872); FE 16, 57-58; cf. Education 18,19; CT 24; CG 226; 1MCP 282
44. (Comment on Eze. 36:25,26, "A new heart also will I give you . . .")
    "Many who speak to others of the need of a new heart do not themselves know what is meant by these words. The youth especially stumble over this phrase, 'a new heart.' They do not know what it means. They look for a special change to take place in their feelings. This they term conversion. Over this error thousands have stumbled to ruin, not understanding the expression, 'Ye must be born again.' [John 3:3-7]
    "Satan leads people to think that because they have felt a rapture of feeling, they are converted. But their experience does not change. Their actions are the same as before. Their lives show no good fruit. They pray often and long, and are constantly referring to the feelings they had at such and such a time. But they do not live the new life. They are deceived. Their experience goes no deeper than feeling. They build upon the sand, and when adverse winds come, their house is swept away. . .
    "When Jesus speaks of the new heart, he means the mind, the life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives. What is the sign of a new heart?-A changed life. There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride." The Youth's Instructor, Sept. 26, 1901 (YI 523:1:2 - 2:1); 4BC 1164,1165; MYP 71,72; SD 100; OHC 159; AG 100; cf. CT 452
45. "Why is it that our youth, and even those of more mature years, are so easily led into temptation and sin? It is because the Bible is not studied and meditated upon as it should be. If it were made the daily study, there would be an inward rectitude, a strength of spirit, that would resist the temptations of the enemy." Review and Herald, Aug. 21, 1888 (2RH 239:3:4); CT 442; FE 132; MYP 425,426; CE 109; cf. Bible Echoes, Apr. 23, 884
46. "In the Bible the will of God is revealed. The truths of the Word of God are the utterances of the Most High. He who makes these truths a part of his life becomes in every sense a new creature. He is not given new mental powers, but the darkness that through ignorance and sin has clouded the understanding is removed. The words, 'A new heart also will I give you,' mean, 'A new mind will I give you.' A change of heart is always attended by a clear conviction of Christian duty, an understanding of truth. He who gives the Scriptures close, prayerful attention will gain clear comprehension and sound judgment, as if in turning to God he had reached a higher plane of intelligence." Review and Herald, Nov. 10, 1904; Dec. 18, 1913 (6RH 388:3:3); MLT 24; CT 452; 1MCP 98; 2MCP 447; Compare Bible Echoes Sept. 1, 1889; [see also # 44 above]
47. "It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the light and encourage others to follow his example. We should day by day study the Bible diligently, weighing every thought and comparing scripture with scripture. With divine help we are to form our opinions for ourselves as we are to answer for ourselves before God." Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, p. 416 (1884); Great Controversy 598 (1888); Mar 94; RC 116; RH June 28, 1906; Sept. 10, 1914