The fire that comes down from heaven is the blazing sign in which the God of the covenant draws near to men. For He is the creative Spirit of the central fire who created heaven and earth, sun, light and glowing warmth and all life.

- Eberhard Arnold

What does Jesus tell us? Show your love to those who represent the government. You are not to take revenge but to meet the authorities with love. Then too, pray for the government. (1 Tim. 2:1–2) It is utterly different from the Body of Christ, but it too serves God, though in a completely different sphere. The authorities are necessary; crime could not be kept under any kind of control without them. So you should recognize government authority but not become part of it. You are members of Christ, and Christ specifically rejected becoming a ruler. When they wanted to make Him a king, He escaped. (John 6:15) And when the Tempter came to Him and said, “Here, I will give you all the kingdoms of the world,” He refused. (Matt. 4:8–10) But He treated the authorities with respect.

- Eberhard Arnold, January 1935

The springtime of the climbing sun alone could bring over the earth and all its inhabitants the sunny time, the longed-for, expected time, which alone can awaken life, strong, prolific and abiding life. At the end of the days, light was to triumph over darkness. The final springtime of all worlds and of all ages was one day to melt away the whole present age which is the cold, dead and dark wintertime, the deadening ice age of the present world, and do away with it for all time.

- Eberhard Arnold