“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets,” Matthew 7:12 From the book “Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings,” p. 136 By Ellen G. White The golden rule teaches, by implication, the same truth which is taught elsewhere in the Sermon on the Mount, that “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” That which we do to others, whether it be good or evil, will surely react upon ourselves, in blessing or in cursing. Whatever we give, we shall receive again. The earthly blessings which we impart to others may be, and often are, repaid in kind. What we give does, in time of need, often come back to us in fourfold measure in the coin of the realm. But, besides this, all gifts are repaid, even in this life, in the fuller inflowing of His love, which is the sum of all heaven’s glory and its treasure. And evil imparted also returns again. Everyone who has been free to condemn or discourage, will in his own experience be brought over the ground where he has caused others to pass; he will feel what they have suffered because of his want of sympathy and tenderness. It is the love of God toward us that has decreed this. He would lead us to abhor our own hardness of heart and to open our hearts to let Jesus abide in them. And thus, out of evil, good is brought, and what appeared a curse becomes a blessing. The standard of the golden rule is the true standard of Christianity; anything short of it is a deception. A religion that leads men to place a low estimate upon human beings, whom Christ has esteemed of such value as to give Himself for them; a religion that would lead us to be careless of human needs, sufferings, or rights, is a spurious religion. In slighting the claims of the poor, the suffering, and the sinful, we are proving ourselves traitors to Christ. It is because men take upon themselves the name of Christ, while in life they deny His character, that Christianity has so little power in the world. The name of the Lord is blasphemed because of these things. …......…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ELLEN G. WHITE (1827-1915), one of the most published authors in the world, named one of the “100 Most Significant Americans of All Time” by the Smithsonian Institution in 2014, was a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. *You can read The Desire of Ages in its entirety online at www.whiteestate.org/onlinebooks.
This article is part of our 2025 November/December Issue …......…………………………………………..
Lately there’s been lots of talk about this concept of what it means to be a Christian nation, or a nation under God. For many, that means that we should be uniformed in our practice of Christianity. One of the hallmarks of God’s love and thus Christianity is that it allows for freedom of choice. This principle is embedded in the golden rule. Read Matthew 7:12 Notice the comment at the end of the verse. Jesus clarifies that this sums up all of the Torah and the writings of the prophets. Keep in mind that the New Testament hadn’t been formed yet. Jesus was saying this is the core of the faith. Read Philippians 2:3 The disciples’ mistake was not the first time that religious leaders denied the people from receiving a divine blessing. What kind of worldview must one have to deny a person in need of a blessing, especially small children? What can we do to reverse this kind of thinking? Compare with Matthew 7:12 with 5:38-47 Think on this. Jesus said we ought to even get along with our enemies. An underlying principle here is tolerance. According to Jesus even our enemies deserve to live in peace too. Who are the people you consider enemies? Are they political, ethnic, religious, or childhood foes? Do they deserve the same rights and privileges as you do? Study 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, 10:23-33 It’s important to note that one of the key themes in Paul’s letters to the believers at Corinth is unity in diversity. In a cosmopolitan metropolis, the varying views, values, and practices demanded a level of tolerance. What are some ways we see this playing out in our world today? Study Romans 14 The context in Rome was quite similar to that of Corinth. It needs to be established that Paul was writing to Christian communities. These were people who had (at least in a general sense) asserted to hold in common a set of ideals. Yet, even they were divided. How much more should we employ these principles in an environment where ideas are so varied and oppositional? Read Romans 16:17-18 Paul warned that there would be some who bring division in an effort to serve their own selfish desires. He also prophesied that they would be compelling speakers. Beware of silver-tongued provocateurs peddling certainty, dogmatism, and fundamentalism. Read Romans 12:10, Galatians 5:26, Colossians 3:12-15, Ephesians 4:2-3, 32. A true Christian nation seeks peace, goodwill, grace, compassion, and love. Let’s be careful to manifest the spirit of Christ by practicing the principles that He modeled for us. ……………………………………………………………………….. CHRISTOPHER C. THOMPSON, D.MIN is an adjunct professor in the School of Religion and Theology at Oakwood University. He serves as the Executive Director of Thumbs Up, Inc., and pastor of Lighthouse Church in Beaufort, South Carolina.
This article is part of our 2025 November/December Issue
A REFLECTION: “The Golden Rule: The True Standard of Christianity”
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