What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "What is the difference between a living hope and a dead hope?"
Answer
A living hope is characterized by governing the heart and shaping the character after the image of Christ, rather than being oriented toward worldly values or mere lip service. While a dead or superficial hope is directed toward earthly gain, selfishness, and cold formality, a living hope looks beyond the treasures of the earth to the eternal inheritance. This faith is manifested in the practice of life and finds its anchor in the certainty of the resurrection and the second coming of Christ.
Difference between a Christian and a worldly person
»What then is the difference between a Christian and a person whose heart is not under the controlling influence of the Spirit of God? One has fallen upon the rock and is broken; the self is dead, and Jesus lives in him and forms and shapes him according to His own divine image. His connection with God is revealed in his business transactions and in all matters of life, whether great or small; for he keeps the way of the Lord. His affections and hopes are not focused on the things of this life, but are directed toward what is above. The selfish one lives for himself and seeks worldly honor, worldly gain; it will become evident that his hopes are concentrated on the things of the earth.«
The living vitality of religion versus a useless form
»The difference between living religion and the heartless form of religion can be illustrated by the just-cited passage from God's Word. The living Christians have no idols, but worship the Lord alone as God... But those who are adapted to the spirit of the world have many gods, mute idols that they worship—since they have not turned away from them to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven, they have as little answer to their prayers as the prophets of Baal. [...] To those who at this time are undecided about what to choose—the living vitality of religion or a useless form, a mere shell—how appropriate is the question: “How long will you limp on both sides?”«
A living hope through Jesus
»We have a good hope through Jesus. It is sure and firm and reaches into the inner behind the curtain. It gives us comfort in affliction, it gives us joy amidst fear, drives away the darkness around us and allows us to look through all of it to immortality and eternal life. [...] Earthly treasures are not an incentive for us, for as long as we have this hope, it extends far beyond the treasures of the earth that pass away, and grasps the imperishable inheritance, the treasures that are lasting, incorruptible, unstained and do not wither. We will nurture this hope. We will cling ever more tightly to it. It will live when everything else dies.«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
EGW Vision helps you find topics, statements, and quotes faster, especially when many original sources are not yet fully available in your language. The tool searches semantically, groups relevant content by topic, and presents matching results as clearly as possible in your language.
My hope is that this tool supports personal Bible study, strengthens trust in the original sources, and helps more people discover the message of these writings with clarity, depth, and joy.
