Unbelief Strengthens ( strengthened )
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| Unbelief Strengthens as it is encouraged |
| Distrust of God is the natural outgrowth of the unrenewed heart, which is at enmity with Him. But faith is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and it will flourish only as it is cherished. No man can become strong in faith without a determined effort. Unbelief strengthens as it is encouraged; and if men, instead of dwelling upon the evidences which God has given to sustain their faith, permit themselves to question and cavil, they will find their doubts constantly becoming more confirmed.--GC 527 (1911). {2MCP 672.2} |
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| And this is the object which Satan seeks to accomplish. There is nothing that he desires more than to destroy confidence in God and in his word. Satan stands at the head of the great army of doubters, and he works to the utmost of his power to beguile souls into his ranks. It is becoming fashionable to doubt. There are many who seem to feel that it is a virtue to stand on the side of unbelief, skepticism, and infidelity. But underneath an appearance of candor and humility, it will be found that such persons are actuated by self-confidence and pride. It is a terrible thing to lose faith in God or in his word. Unbelief strengthens as it is encouraged. There is danger in even once giving expression to doubt; a seed is sown which produces a harvest of its kind. Satan will nourish the crop every moment. Those who allow themselves to talk of their doubts will find them constantly becoming more confirmed. God will never remove every occasion for doubt. He will never work a miracle to remove unbelief when he has given sufficient evidence for faith. {4SP 349.1} |
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| God is very merciful. He has hedged up the way for Dr. Russell, time and again, for his good. Graciously has God borne with Dr. Russell, and given him evidence upon evidence, which has impressed his mind for the time, then he has turned again to his unbelief, and cherished darkness as did the unbelieving Jews. He has shown ingratitude to his best friend in his unreasonable unbelief. When he sees professed Christians walk inconsistent with their profession of faith, unbelief strengthens, and faith becomes very dim. But God is unchangeable; and all his promises are upon conditions of obedience. When his children fulfill the conditions, there is no delay on the part of God. Faith has not lost its power, nor humble obedience its reward. God has honored his children whenever they have forsaken their sins, and believed in him, and walked in the truth. Christ could not do many mighty works in Nazareth, because of their unbelief. God will not compel Dr. Russell to believe. He will give a reasonable amount of light, and if he neglects to follow the light, if he finds more pleasure in infidel doubts, and in talking these doubts, he throws wide open the door of his heart, and bids Satan welcome. He is in this, an enemy to Christ. {PH138 23.1} |
| The more they conversed upon these things, the greater the difficulties appeared, and the more determined their opinion that the conditions imposed upon them were such as they could not meet; that the Lord was unreasonable and severe with them. Satan presented matters before them in the worst light, and they felt that they were an abused people. They appealed to their own sympathies, and forgot the wondrous works of God in their behalf. They lost faith in God at the very time when it should have been strongest. When the Lord was about to manifest to them his great power and goodness, to make his name glorious in the earth, and exalt his people as a nation favored and honored of Heaven, they became discouraged. They knew that whenever they had trusted in God he had mightily wrought for them. Yet their unbelief strengthened into rebellion; their own perverse wills obstructed the way, making walls before them higher than had been built by their enemies. {RH, November 29, 1881 par. 6} |
| As at different times during Christ's work divinity flashed through humanity, and He stood transfigured before the people, the Jewish leaders were deeply impressed. But as they talked it over with one another, their unbelief strengthened, and the evidence that should have convinced them was rejected. The strongest evidence was no evidence to them, while the weakest, most superficial arguments, if against the truth which the Saviour brought, were sound in their estimation. They had started upon a path leading to eternal ruin. {RH, March 26, 1901 par. 7} |