Sin in the Leaders ( 5 ) - sin in a leader ( 2 )
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| Related Phrase: sin in a leader ( 2 ) - - sin of a leader ( 1 ) below |
| The necessity for the manifestation of divine power made the occasion one of great solemnity, and the servants of God should have improved it to make a favorable impression upon the people. But Moses and Aaron were stirred, and in impatience and anger with the people because of their murmurings, they said, “must we fetch you water out of this rock?” thus putting themselves in God’s place, as though the power and virtue lay in themselves, men possessing human weakness, and human passions. This was a virtual admission to murmuring Israel that they were correct in charging Moses with leading them from Egypt. The exhibition of self in this intemperate, fitful speech, changed the purpose of God in regard to Moses and Aaron, and excluded them from the promised land. God had forgiven the people greater transgressions than this error on the part of his chosen servants, but he could not regard a sin in the leaders of his people as in those who were led. God is not glorified when men chosen for high responsibilities, mingle their own ways, their own spirit and plans, with his holy work. Men have not wisdom to separate the sacred from the common. The exhibition of self will mar the character of the work, and will result in the ruin of souls. { ST September 30, 1880, par. 6 } |
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| Not even the integrity and faithfulness of Moses could avert the retribution of his fault. God had forgiven the people greater transgressions, but He could not deal with sin in the leaders as in those who were led. He had honored Moses above every other man upon the earth. He had revealed to him His glory, and through him He had communicated His statutes to Israel. The fact that Moses had enjoyed so great light and knowledge made his sin more grievous. Past faithfulness will not atone for one wrong act. The greater the light and privileges granted to man, the greater is his responsibility, the more aggravated his failure, and the heavier his punishment. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 420.3 Read entire Chapter 37 |
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| God had forgiven the people greater transgressions, but He could not deal with sin in the leaders as in those who were led. He had honored Moses above every other man upon the earth. . . . The fact that Moses had enjoyed so great light and knowledge made his sin more grievous. Past faithfulness will not atone for one wrong act. The greater the light and privileges granted to man, the greater is his responsibility, the more aggravated his failure, and the heavier his punishment. {CC 110.3} |
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| God had forgiven the people greater transgressions, but He could not deal with sin in the leaders as in those who were led. He had honored Moses above every other man upon the earth. The fact that he had enjoyed so great light and knowledge made his sin more grievous. Past faithfulness will not atone for one wrong act. The greater the light and privileges granted to man, the more aggravated his failure and the heavier his punishment. { EP 293.3 } |
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| God had forgiven the people for greater transgressions, but He could not deal with sin in the leaders the same way He did in those who were led. He had honored Moses above every other person on earth. The fact that he had been blessed with such great light and knowledge made his sin more serious. Past faithfulness will not make up for one wrong act. Greater light and privileges given to someone only make failure less excusable and the resulting punishment heavier. { BOE 206.3 } |
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| This necessity for the manifestation of God’s power made the occasion one of great solemnity; and Moses and Aaron should have improved it to make a favorable impression upon the people. But Moses was stirred; and in impatience and anger with the people because of their murmurings, he said, “Hear, now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” In thus speaking, he virtually admitted to murmuring Israel that they were correct in charging him with leading them from Egypt. God had forgiven the people greater transgressions than this error upon the part of Moses; but he could not regard a sin in a leader of his people as in those who were led. He could not excuse the sin of Moses, and permit him to enter the promised land. { 1SP 310.2 } |
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| This necessity for the manifestation of God’s power made the occasion one of great solemnity, and Moses and Aaron should have improved it to make a favorable impression upon the people. But Moses was stirred, and in impatience and anger with the people, because of their murmurings, he said, “Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock?” In thus speaking he virtually admitted to murmuring Israel that they were correct in charging him with leading them from Egypt. God had forgiven the people greater transgressions than this error on the part of Moses, but He could not regard a sin in a leader of His people as in those who were led. He could not excuse the sin of Moses and permit him to enter the Promised Land. { SR 166.1} |
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| sin of the leader |
| More than this, Moses and Aaron had assumed power that belongs only to God. The necessity for divine interposition made the occasion one of great solemnity, and the leaders of Israel should have improved it to impress the people with reverence for God and to strengthen their faith in His power and goodness. When they angrily cried, “Must we fetch you water out of this rock?” they put themselves in God’s place, as if the power lay in themselves. By these words they greatly dishonored Christ, their invisible Leader. God, not man, should have been glorified. The Lord reproved these leaders, and declared that they should not enter the Promised Land. Before the Hebrew host He demonstrated that the sin of the leader was greater than the sin of those who were led.—Manuscript 169, October 12, 1903, “Words of Warning Against Present Dangers.” { UL 299.5} |
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