God hates Hypocrisy ( 4 )
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| But God hates hypocrisy and falsehood. Ananias and Sapphira practiced fraud in their dealing with God; they lied to the Holy Spirit, and their sin was visited with swift and terrible judgment. When Ananias came with his offering, Peter said: "Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Acts of the Apostles, page 72.2 |
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| But a holy God hates hypocrisy and falsehood. The apostles were impressed by a sense of the true state of the case, and when Ananias presented himself with his offering, representing it as the entire proceeds of the sale of his property, Peter said to him, "Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on all them that heard these things." {3SP 284.3} |
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| Man alone, he for whom this great sacrifice was made, manifested indifference. He who should above all other have been interested, charmed, captivated, and filled with the deepest gratitude was unmoved. This indifference is apparent today not only in those who are in open rebellion to God, but in those who profess to be followers of Christ. These will receive the greater condemnation; for Christ is more greatly dishonored by those who profess his name, yet in works deny him, than by those who stand in open rebellion to his will. Christ is not put to shame by the sinful lives of sinners as he is by professed Christians whose lives are not circumspect, and sanctified by the truth they profess. RH, July 15, 1909, par. 4 |
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