“The Church is God’s appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God’s plan that through His Church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency. The members of the Church, those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The Church is the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the Church will eventually be made manifest, even to ‘the principalities and powers in Heavenly places,’ [Eph. 3:10] the final and full display of the love of God.” AA:9.1; HB:239.2.

“The Church is God's fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world. Any betrayal of the Church is treachery to Him who has bought mankind with the blood of His only-begotten Son. From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the Church on earth. In every age the Lord has had His watchmen, who have borne a faithful testimony to the generation in which they lived. These sentinels gave the message of warning; and when they were called to lay off their armor, others took up the work. God brought these witnesses into covenant relation with Himself, uniting the Church on earth with the Church in Heaven.” AA:11.2; FLB:281.4.

“The sanctification of the Church is God’s object in all His dealings with His people. He has chosen them from eternity, that they might be holy. He gave His Son to die for them, that they might be sanctified through obedience to the truth, divested of all the littleness of self. From them He requires a personal work, a personal surrender.” AA:557 & 559; HB 107.5; RC:81.3.

“The Church is God’s agency for the proclamation of truth, empowered by Him to do a special work; and if she is loyal to Him, obedient to all His Commandments, there will dwell within her the excellency of Divine grace. If she will be true to her allegiance, if she will honor the Lord God of Israel, there is no power that can stand against her.” AA:600.2; AG:128.4.

“The Church is God’s delegated authority upon earth. Christ has said: ‘Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.’ [Mat. 18:18] There is altogether too little respect paid to the opinion of members of the same Church. It is the want of deference for the opinions of the Church that causes so much trouble among brethren. The eyes of the Church may be able to discern in its individual members that which the erring may not see. A few persons may be as blind as the one in error, but the majority of the Church is a power which should control its individual members.” 5T:107.2.

“Selfishness, the sin of the world, has become the sin of the Church. This ought not to be; nevertheless it is. The Church is God’s depository. It is the influence by which the Divine benevolence of the gospel is to be advanced. The members must bear responsibilities in a much greater degree than they have done in the past. Every Christian is to feel that in establishing a sanitarium, which in its borders will do a work that will remove prejudice and give influence to the Church, he is doing an essential work.” 16LtMs, Lt 35a, 1901, paragraph 3.

 

“Divisions will come in the Church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest.” SM2:114; LDE:172.3.

“There are two opposing influences continually exerted on the members of the Church. One influence is working for the purification of the Church, and the other for the corrupting of the people of God.” TM:46.1.

“The Church is God’s fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world. Any betrayal of the Church is treachery to Him Who has bought mankind with the blood of His only-begotten Son. From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the Church. In every age the Lord’s watchmen have borne a faithful testimony to the generation in which they lived. God has sent forth His angels to minister to His Church, and the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against His people. Not one opposing force has risen to counterwork His work, that God has not foreseen. He has not left His Church forsaken, but has traced in prophetic declarations what would occur. All His purposes will be fulfilled. Truth is inspired and guarded by God, and it will triumph over all opposition. [TT:9.3]

“Enfeebled and defective as it may appear, the Church is the one object on which God bestows His supreme regard. It is the theater of His grace, in which He delights to reveal His power to transform hearts.” TT:9:3-10.1.

“The Church is God’s agency for the proclamation of truth, and if she is loyal to Him, obedient to all His Commandments, there is no power that can stand against her.” TT:313.1.

“The Church is God’s peculiar treasure, precious in his sight, and dear to His heart of infinite love. Christ gave the parable of the vineyard to set before His hearers the wonderful history of His Church. The householder made every provision that the vineyard should receive the best of attention. Nothing was left undone that could be done to make the vineyard an honor to the one who owned it.” RH, July 10, 1900, paragraph 4.

“We take upon ourselves a grave responsibility when we unite with the Church. The Church is God’s family, and the members of this family are to be unselfishly interested in one another. They are to pray and work for one another’s salvation.” RH, January 19, 1905, paragraph 5.