Chapter 19—Worldliness in the Church It is recorded of the holy men of old that God was not ashamed to be called their God. The reason assigned is that instead of coveting earthly possessions or seeking happiness in worldly plans or aspirations they placed their all upon the altar of God and made disposition of it to build up His kingdom. They lived only for God’s glory and declared plainly that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth, seeking a better country, that is, an heavenly. Their conduct proclaimed their faith. God could entrust to them His truth and could leave the world to receive from them a knowledge of His will. {5T 188.1}

(188) Det er nedskrevet af gamle hellige mænd at Gud ikke skammede sig ved at blive kaldt deres Gud. Grunden til dette er at i stedet for, at hige efter jordiske besiddelser eller søge lykke i verdslige planer eller higen, så skulle de sætte alt på Guds alter og gøre brug af det til opbyggelse af hans rige. De levede kun for Guds ære og erklærede tydeligt at de var fremmede og pilgrimme på jorden, søgte efter et bedre land, som er et himmelsk. Deres adfærd kundgjorde deres tro. Gud kunne betro dem sin sandhed og kunne så forlade verden, for at modtage deres kundskab om hans vilje med dem.