Harm to the cause of Truth (4 ) / cause of God
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| harm to the cause of truth |
| Related: harm to the cause of present truth ( see below ) |
| Does anyone suppose that the messages of warning will not come to those whom God reproves? The ones reproved may rise up in indignation and seek to bring the law to bear upon God's messenger, but in doing this, they are not bringing the law upon the messenger, but upon Christ, who gave the reproof and the warning. When men endanger the work and cause of God by their own wrong course of action, shall they hear no voice of reproof? If the wrongdoer only were concerned, and the work reached no farther than him, he alone should have the words of warning; but when his course of action is doing positive harm to the cause of truth, and souls are imperiled, God requires that the warning be as broad as the injury done. The testimonies will not be hindered. The words of rebuke and warning, the plain "Thus saith the Lord," will come from God's appointed agencies; for the words do not originate with the human instrument; they are from God, who appointed them their work. If a suit is instituted in earthly tribunals, and God suffers it to come to trial, it is that His own name may be glorified. But a woe will be upon the man who gives himself to do this work. God reads the motives, whatever they may be. I pray that the Lord will teach our brethren to be straightforward, and make no compromise in the matter. The cause of God has been bruised and wounded by any such men connecting with it, and the sooner they are separated from it, the better. . . . {2SM 152.4} |
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| Does anyone suppose that the messages of warning will not come to those whom God reproves? The ones reproved may rise up in indignation and seek to bring the law to bear upon God's messenger, but in doing this, they are not bringing the law upon the messenger, but upon Christ, who gave the reproof and the warning. When men endanger the work and cause of God by their own wrong course of action, shall they hear no voice of reproof? If the wrongdoer only were concerned, and the work reached no farther than him, he alone should have the words of warning; but when his course of action is doing positive harm to the cause of truth, and souls are imperiled, God requires that the warning be as broad as the injury done. The testimonies will not be hindered. The words of rebuke and warning, the plain, "Thus saith the Lord," will come from God's appointed agencies; for the words do not originate with the human instrument; they are from God, who appointed them their work. If a suit is instituted in earthly tribunals, and God suffers it to come to trial, it is that His own name may be glorified. But a woe will be upon the man who gives himself to do this work. God reads the motives, whatever they may be. I pray that the Lord will teach our brethren to be straightforward, and make no compromise in the matter. The cause of God has been bruised and wounded by any such men connecting with it, and the sooner they are separated from it, the better. . . ." {1NL 104.3} |
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| It is possible for a man to think himself a Christian, and yet have entirely incorrect ideas of Christianity. He may regard himself as a follower of Christ, and think he is doing an essential work, and yet do that work with such a spirit and in such a way as to stir up the worst passions of the human heart. There are many intelligent men who mean to be Christians, but who deceive themselves. Their religion is not after the order of Christ, but is a shadow of some other man's mind, and does great harm to the cause of truth when brought into connection with the work. If these persons would study the works of Christ, they would see that in their lives are revealed the attributes of Satan, rather than the beauty of the meek and lowly Jesus. {RH, April 10, 1900 par. 5} |
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| the cause of truth might suffer loss |
| An all-wise Providence had permitted Luther to realize his peril, that he might not trust to his own strength and rush presumptuously into danger. Yet it was not the fear of personal suffering, a dread of torture or death, which seemed immediately impending, that overwhelmed him with its terror. He had come to the crisis, and he felt his insufficiency to meet it. Through his weakness the cause of truth might suffer loss. Not for his own safety, but for the triumph of the gospel did he wrestle with God. Like Israel's, in that night struggle beside the lonely stream, was the anguish and conflict of his soul. Like Israel, he prevailed with God. In his utter helplessness his faith fastened upon Christ, the mighty Deliverer. He was strengthened with the assurance that he would not appear alone before the council. Peace returned to his soul, and he rejoiced that he was permitted to uplift the word of God before the rulers of the nations. Great Controversy, page 157.1 Entire Chapter 8 |
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| Harm to the cause of Christ |
| Professed Christians have by their inconsistent course done greater harm to the cause of Christ than can be done by open opposers. The world at large judge of Christianity by the course of its advocates. If this be evil, the system itself is rejected. When a missionary once urged an Indian chief to be a Christian, "the plumed savage drew himself up in the consciousness of superior rectitude, and with indignation quivering on his lip and flashing in his eagle eye, replied, 'Christian lie; Christian cheat; Christian steal, drink, murder; Christian rob me of my lands, and slay my tribe;' adding as he turned haughtily on his heel, 'I will be no Christian.'" Alas that this incident truly represents the course of some who are looked upon by the world as the representatives of Christ! {ST, December 8, 1881 par. 10} |
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| harm to the cause of present truth |
| And while God's people are justified in a lawful manner to secure church property, they should be careful to maintain their peculiar and holy character. I saw that unconsecrated persons would take advantage of the position the church have recently taken, and will overstep the bounds, carry matters to extremes, and wound the cause of God. Some will move without wisdom or judgment, and engage in lawsuits that might be avoided, mingle with the world, partake of their spirit, and influence others to follow their example. One professed Christian who moves unadvisedly, does much harm to the cause of present truth. Evil takes root much more readily than good, and flourishes when good and right languish, unless they are carefully nourished. {4bSG 46.1} {1T 212.2} |
| I have a message to bear to some who hold positions of responsibility in the Southern California Conference. They have lost from their experience that true fervor which the presence of the Holy Spirit gives, and which would teach them to subdue self and walk humbly in the way of Christ. The responsible worker who will not become a humble follower of Christ will do great harm to the cause of God, by molding and fashioning the experience of the conference to a common, cheap standard. The sacred work that we handle will never, if performed in a spirit of consecration, cheapen the experience of a single soul. {ChL 25.2} |
| I have presented these things to you that you may not provoke the Lord's anger by adding any more to your wrong by appropriating for your own selfish purposes means that do not belong to you. Those who gave you their confidence, and sustained you, were given instructions of your purpose to injure and betray the cause of God, but they did not believe that you would do as you have done. They were afraid of you, and kept in association with you, fearing that by disconnecting with you, they would bring harm to the cause of God. The people of our faith did not know how the means they were investing to sustain the cause of God was being used, and now an empty treasury stares them in the face. This has been brought about largely through your suggestions and management, when connected with those who did not see or understand your purposes. {1888 1672.1} |
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| All are to work for unity and harmony of purpose. Everything that is done in connection with the work of God must be divinely done. Truth is something that must be passed on to others. There are souls to be saved, souls who must have the truth for this time from the Word of God, to prepare them for that which is opening before us. Satan is moving with intensity from beneath and is bringing all his forces to bear to unsettle those who have once been established in the truth. These are the very ones who, by yielding up the truth which they have once advocated, can do the greatest harm to the cause of God. Quite a large number will enter this path because the truth they once believed has not been brought into their life-practice. But those who depart from the faith and refuse to give the last message of warning to the world will walk in paths in which the Lord does not lead. Satan goes before them clothed as an angel of light. They will follow on in false paths until they shall discern what is comprehended in the wrath of the Lamb.-- Letter 98a, 1897, pp. 6-8, 10-19. (To Bro. McCullaugh, Apr. 9, 1897.) {10MR 172.2} |
| All who are in Christ will do the work of Christ, ever learning of Him. My brethren, you are missionaries, and may you be so transformed that your strong traits of character shall do no harm to the cause of God. The Lord has revealed many things to me concerning the manner in which the work should be carried forward in new fields, and has shown me that if a certain course were pursued, it would narrow the work and cause it to be marred. Perfect harmony can exist only through the abundant grace of Christ. Self-sufficiency is a hindrance to the work. Be an example to those who shall accept the truth. May the Lord give you light and wisdom and His righteousness, is my prayer. -- Letter 4, 1890. {TSA 27.1} |
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| There has been great dishonor to God by church members engaging in the real estate agent's business. It is not proper or consistent. In every case there is injustice and fraud, and this has been allowed to do great harm to the cause of God. There is a business that is more nearly like the broker's business, and many have been deceived, deluded, and brought into want. Widows and orphans have had to suffer. There is fraud and dishonesty and corruption, and these things are carried on without decided measures to purify the church from these things that defile the soul and rob the widow and the fatherless and poor. {21MR 186.5} |