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Life contradicts ( 8 ) Lives contradict ( 8 )

Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .

Life contradicts

Related phrase: lives contradict ( 8 ) below

Those who profess to keep the law of God, and yet at heart are indulging in sin, are condemned by the True Witness. They claim to be rich in a knowledge of the truth; but they are not in harmony with its sacred principles. The truth does not sanctify their lives. God’s word declares that the professed commandment-keeper whose life contradicts his faith, is blind, wretched, poor, and naked. { RH March 8, 1881, par. 9 } { FW 31.3}

A partial observance of the Sabbath law is not accepted by the Lord and has a worse effect upon the minds of sinners than if you made no profession of being a Sabbathkeeper. They perceive that your life contradicts your belief, and lose faith in Christianity. The Lord means what He says, and man cannot set aside His commands with impunity. The example of Adam and Eve in the garden should sufficiently warn us against any disobedience of the divine law. The sin of our first parents in listening to the specious temptations of the enemy brought guilt and sorrow upon the world, and led the Son of God to leave the royal courts of heaven and take a humble place on earth. He was subjected to insult, rejection, and crucifixion by the very ones He came to bless. What infinite expense attended that disobedience in the Garden of Eden! The Majesty of heaven was sacrificed to save man from the penalty of his crime. { 4T 248.1}

Means is needed that we may do quickly the work that must be done in building up the waste places and raising up the foundations of many generations. We are not to spend our money on things that are not essential. God requires that every available dollar shall be given to the work of opening new fields for the entrance of the gospel message and in lessening the mountains of difficulty that seek to close up our missionary work. For Christ’s sake, I ask you to carry out God’s purposes for the opening of missions in every city, in every place. Satan is working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish. Is it not time that we awake out of sleep? Our apparent devotion to the things of this life contradicts the faith we profess to hold. { 10MR 216.4 }

Reports also reached me that a sister had stated in Memphis and Lapeer that the Battle Creek church had not the slightest confidence in Sister White’s testimony. The question was asked if this referred to the written testimony. The answer was, No, not to her published visions, but to the testimonies borne in meeting to the church, because her life contradicts them. I again requested an interview with a few select, experienced brethren and sisters, including the persons who had circulated these things. I there requested that they would now show me wherein my life had not been in accordance with my teachings. If my life had been so inconsistent as to warrant the statement that the church at Battle Creek had not the slightest confidence in my testimony, it could not be a difficult matter to present the proofs of my unchristian course. They could produce nothing to justify the statements made, and they confessed that they were all wrong in the reports circulated, and that their suspicions and jealousies were unfounded. I freely forgave those who had injured us, and told them that all I would ask on their part was to counteract the influence they had exerted against us, and I would be satisfied. They promised to do this, but have not done it. { 1T 594.1} (See Matthew 18: 15-18 )

Let none of our students who have learned to love and fear God, undervalue the acquisition of this knowledge; for the pen of inspiration has declared that the fear of the Lord lies at the very foundation of all knowledge. He who fears and loves God, and is making it his aim in the strength of God to be brave to duty, will exemplify in his religious life the love, the wisdom, and the power of God. The Pharisaical religionist, whose life contradicts his profession, will be disliked and shunned by those who admire truth, honesty, and integrity; but he who has indeed learned of Jesus, and who manifests in his life the meekness of humility, will, by his deportment and religious life, exert a winning influence upon his associates. No one should feel that in becoming an acknowledged follower of Christ he has taken a position to be ashamed of, or that he should wish to hide. This would evidence weakness of moral character, and cowardice. To be connected with the God of Heaven is to be allied to the richest and mightiest sovereign that ever held a scepter. To be sons and daughters of the Almighty, is to bear relationship to the King over all kings, the Monarch of the heavens and the earth. This is the highest exaltation. { CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 3 }

God calls upon these men to repent and humble their hearts, to rend their hearts and not their garments. Many are rending their garments while their hearts are unbroken. This I know is the state of many in Battle Creek. Wm. Gage is wholly unfitted to engage in the work of God. He does not see or sense his true condition. He has not an experimental knowledge of heart holiness, of communion with God. He talks glibly, poll-parrot like, but the genuine work of grace upon the heart he knows but little about. Oh, how often he catches at Satan’s bait, which is presented in various forms. He has not been balanced by the Spirit of God. He has not guarded the first risings of desire to hold every emotion and passion in calm subjection to reason and conscience. He has not been careful to suppress all unsanctified imaginings, and bring into captivity every thought to obedience to Christ. Wm. Gage will prove a snare to the people of God wherever he shall take an active part; for he will lead away from right principles to carelessness and indifference in religious things. He has not the weight and burden of the work. He is superficial. He has ever been a curse to the church in Battle Creek, and ever will be unless he is a thoroughly converted man. He will mingle in the company of worldlings, full of wit and mirth, and then rise in the desk and preach a straight-forward discourse. “Walk in the light.” Such men will do tenfold more harm than good; because their daily life contradicts their teachings. They are destitute of the spirit of truth, unsanctified, unholy. I warn the people of God not to take this man as their pattern. I present such as beacons to warn, and not examples to imitate. { PH155 5.1 }

lives contradict

We are living in the last days of this earth’s history, and we may be surprised at nothing in the line of apostasies and denials of the truth. Unbelief has now come to be a fine art which men work at to the destruction of their souls. There is constant danger of there being shams in pulpit preachers, whose lives contradict the words they speak; but the voice of warning and of admonition will be heard as long as time shall last; and those who are guilty of transactions that should never be entered into, when reproved or counseled through the Lord’s appointed agencies, will resist the message and refuse to be corrected. They will go on as did Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, until the Lord takes away their reason, and their hearts become unimpressible. The Lord’s word will come to them; but if they choose not to hear it, the Lord will make them responsible for their own ruin. { 2SM 147.1} { 1NL 101.1 }

What an account will those have to give in the day of final reckoning, who profess to be keeping the commandments of God, while their lives contradict their profession, for they bear no precious fruit. { FLB 92.3}

We are living in the last days of this earth’s history, and we may be surprised at nothing in the line of apostasies and denials of the truth. Unbelief has now come to be a fine art, which men work at to the destruction of their souls. There is constant danger of there being shams in pulpit preachers, whose lives contradict the words they speak; but the voice of warning and of admonition will be heard as long as time shall last; and those who are guilty of transactions that should never be entered into, when reproved or counseled through the Lord’s appointed agencies, will resist the message and refuse to be corrected. They will go on as did Pharaoh, and Nebuchadnezzar, until the Lord takes away their reason, and their hearts become unimpressible. The Lord’s Word will come to them; but if they choose not to hear it, the Lord will make them responsible for their own ruin. (NL No. 31, p. 1) { 4BC 1170.4 }

Here Jesus taught an important lesson that should be received by all who profess his name to the end of time. It was this: That even the heathen, who live according to the best light they have, doing right so far as they are able to distinguish right from wrong, are regarded with greater favor by God than those who, having great light, make high pretensions to godliness, but whose daily lives contradict their profession. Thus Jesus stood before the Jews, calmly revealing their secret thoughts, and pressing home upon them the bitter truth of their unrighteousness. Every word cut like a knife as their corrupt lives and wicked unbelief were laid before them. They now scorned the faith and reverence with which Jesus had at first inspired them, and they refused to acknowledge that this man, who had sprung from poverty and lowliness, was other than a common man. They would own no king who came unattended by riches and honor, and who stood not at the head of imposing legions. { 2SP 113.3 } { 4Red 7.1 }

In Elisha’s time, the lepers of Israel were passed by for the same reason. But Naaman, a heathen nobleman, was ready to receive the gifts of God’s grace. He was not only cleansed from leprosy but blessed with a knowledge of the true God. The heathen who choose the right as far as they can distinguish it are in a better condition than those who profess to serve God but disregard light and whose daily lives contradict their profession. { HH 103.5 }

I consented to go to the desk, and if my throat and lungs prevented my speaking I would call upon another to take my place; but the Lord blessed me greatly, and gave me a testimony to bear to the people. I felt very free in the Lord, and very grateful that Jesus is a present help in every time of need, if we will only believe. “My grace is sufficient for thee,” has been my assurance while engaged in laboring in the cause of God. I have claimed this promise again and again, and his word has never failed me. We have a mighty helper, and he invites us to trust in him fully. This is the Christian’s privilege, to believe and still to continue to believe that God will be an ever present help in time of need. The Lord spoke through his servants with clearness and power; and I was led to inquire, Will these words spoken by the ministers of Christ be a savor of life unto life to those who hear them, or of death unto death? Who will accept the light of truth? Who will reject the words of life to their own eternal loss? Who of that number who profess the truth, but whose lives contradict their faith, will heed the words of God through his servants? Those who neglect to take heed will not know real happiness. How will those who neglect the words God has spoken through his messengers meet their Saviour, whom they have not honored in conversation or by their example? All these opportunities and privileges will rise up in the Judgment to condemn them. Every one must meet a record of his life just as it is. The work he has been doing stands to testify for or against him. If that work is evil, he stands stripped of his own righteousness, and without the white garments on,—the righteousness of Christ,—without the friendship of Jesus. How terrible the position! standing alone amid the terrible dignitaries of heaven, confronted by the Lord Jesus who gave his life for them, but whom they rejected, saying, We will not have this man Jesus to reign over us. These are the fearful words heard, “Depart, I know you not.” { RH December 11, 1883, par. 10 }

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