Under Suspicion ( 7 ) / above ( 5 )
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| Satan is constantly seeking to deceive men and lead them to call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. How successful has been his work! How often censure and reproach are cast upon God's faithful servants because they will stand fearlessly in defense of the truth! Men who are but agents of Satan are praised and flattered, and even looked upon as martyrs, while those who should be respected and sustained for their fidelity to God, are left to stand alone, under suspicion and distrust. Great Controversy, page 192.3 Entire Chapter 10 |
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| Since his fall Satan has continued the same work of rebellion and falsehood. He is constantly laboring to deceive the minds of men, and lead them to call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. How successful has been his work! How often are censure and reproach cast upon God's faithful servants because they will stand fearlessly in defense of the truth! Men who are but agents of Satan are praised and flattered, and even looked upon as martyrs, while those who should be respected and sustained for their fidelity to God, are left to stand alone, under suspicion and distrust. Satan's warfare did not end when he was expelled from Heaven; it has been carried on from century to century, even to the present year of our Lord 1883. {ST, October 25, 1883 par. 26} |
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| "Whosoever maketh himself a king," they continued, "speaketh against Caesar." This was touching Pilate in a weak point. He was under suspicion by the Roman government, and he knew that such a report would be ruin to him. He knew that if the Jews were thwarted, their rage would be turned against him. They would leave nothing undone to accomplish their revenge. He had before him an example of the persistence with which they sought the life of One whom they hated without reason. {DA 737.4} |
| This was touching Pilate in a weak place. He was already under suspicion by the Roman government, and he knew that a report of this kind would be his ruin. {SJ 137.4} |
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| The unrest caused by the representations of the false prophets brought Zedekiah under suspicion of treason, and only by quick and decisive action on his part was he permitted to continue reigning as a vassal. Opportunity for such action was taken advantage of shortly after the return of the ambassadors from Jerusalem to the surrounding nations, when the king of Judah accompanied Seraiah, "a quiet prince," on an important mission to Babylon. Jeremiah 51:59. During this visit to the Chaldean court, Zedekiah renewed his oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar. {PK 447.1} |
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| Satan is constantly seeking to deceive men, and lead them to call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. How successful has been his work! How often are censure and reproach cast upon God's faithful servants because they will stand fearlessly in defense of the truth! Men who are but agents of Satan are praised and flattered, and even looked upon as martyrs, while those who should be respected and sustained for their fidelity to God, are left to stand alone, under suspicion and distrust. {4SP 151.2} {GC88 192.3} |
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| The seven days of the feast of the Passover were ended, and the large company from Galilee, which Joseph and Mary had joined, commenced their homeward journey. In the excitement of travel and visiting with their friends and relatives, Joseph and Mary had not observed the absence of Jesus; but when they stopped to rest from the fatigue of travel for the night, they missed the ever-ready help of their obedient Son. His conduct had not cost them a moment's anxiety. They had trusted him implicitly. They ever expected, as a matter of course, that he would be ready to help them when they needed him, anticipating their wants as he ever had done. They had not had the least solicitude in reference to him. They had not felt that they must guard his course of action; for his principles were so pure and faultless, and his judgment so discreet, that he was above suspicion. The words of inspiration have told us in regard to the childhood of Christ, that the child grew, waxed strong in spirit, was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. {YI, July 1, 1873 par. 1} |
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| Oh that all who know the way of life and truth would walk in the light, lest that light become darkness! Oh that all who know God's requirements would respond to his claims, and would become channels of light to others! The Lord has a right to the service of every soul. "Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." There are men who are large-hearted, generous, unselfish, noble-spirited,-- men who are above suspicion, fraud, and meanness. Satan seeks to hold these men away from the truth by various devices and temptations, because he knows that if they were to become Christians, they would exercise a power for good. People would believe in their religion, for they would live it. Even the enemies of Christ would respect them. {RH, October 14, 1884 par. 15} |
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| He stated he should have done so, but that he considered he was a minister, above suspicion and above temptation, he had thought, and therefore it was safe for him to do that which would be sin in another. He acknowledged that this was wrong reasoning, but every time the matter was talked upon he brought forward the same excuses.- - Letter 53, 1888 (written Feb. 10, 1888). {TSB 148.2} |
| He stated he should have done so, but that he considered he was a minister, above suspicion and above temptation, and therefore it was safe for him to do that which would be sin in another. He acknowledged that this was wrong reasoning, but every time the matter was talked upon he brought forward the same excuses. {20MR 377.1} |
| Not Above Suspicion |
| Ministers Not Above Suspicion and Temptation. Elder M has been very imprudent with Mrs. or Sister N, and I have handled this familiarity with decision in the fear of God, under a great burden. He stated that it was his privilege for the superintendent to ride with the matron; and he told me, quite aggrieved, that the church members had much talk of his always taking Sister N to the meeting; and when the matter came up in the camp meeting at Oakland in the presence of about twenty, he justified himself that he had, he said, been spoken to in regard to Sister N riding with him and her husband not being with them, but he knew that this was no moral wrong, and therefore he went on just the same. {TSB 147.3} |
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