Falsehoods
Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
| The position that it is of no consequence what men believe is one of Satan's most successful deceptions. He knows that the truth, received in the love of it, sanctifies the soul of the receiver; therefore he is constantly seeking to substitute false theories, fables, another gospel. From the beginning the servants of God have contended against false teachers, not merely as vicious men, but as inculcators of falsehoods that were fatal to the soul. Elijah, Jeremiah, Paul, firmly and fearlessly opposed those who were turning men from the word of God. That liberality which regards a correct religious faith as unimportant found no favor with these holy defenders of the truth. Great Controverse, page 520.2 |
| It is no easy matter to train and educate children wisely. As parents try to keep judgment and the fear of the Lord before them, difficulties will arise. The children will reveal the perversity bound up in their hearts. They show love of folly, of independence, a hatred of restraint and discipline. They practice deception and utter falsehoods. Too many parents, instead of punishing the children for these faults, make themselves blind in order that they shall not see beneath the surface or discern the true meaning of these things. Therefore the children continue in their deceptive practices, forming characters that God cannot approve. {CG 233.2} |
| The black balls which were thrown after the saints, were the reproachful falsehoods put in circulation concerning God's people, by those who love and make a lie. We should take the greatest care to live a blameless life, and abstain from all appearance of evil, and then it is our duty to move boldly forward, and pay no regard to the reproachful falsehoods of the wicked. While the eyes of the righteous are fixed upon the heavenly, priceless treasure, they will become more and more like Christ, and thus they will be transformed and fitted for translation. {CET 167.4} |
| It takes those who have trained their minds to war against the truth to manufacture quibbles. And we are not wise to take them from their hands, and pass them out to thousands who would never have thought of them had we not published them to the world. This is what our opponents want to have done; they want to be brought to notice, and to have us publish for them. This is especially true of some. This is their main object in writing out their falsehoods, and in misrepresenting the truth and the characters of those who love and advocate the truth. They will die out more speedily to be left unnoticed, to have their errors and falsehoods treated with silent contempt. They do not want to be let alone. Opposition is the element that they love. If it were not for this, they would have but little influence. . . . {CW 55.2} |
| The time has come when a large portion of those who once rejoiced and shouted aloud for joy in view of the immediate coming of the Lord, are on the ground of the churches and the world who once derided them for believing that Jesus was coming, and circulated all manner of falsehoods to raise prejudice against them and destroy their influence. Now, if any one longs after the living God, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and God gives him to feel His power, and satisfies his longing soul by shedding abroad His love in his heart, and if he glorifies God by praising Him, he is, by these professed believers in the soon coming of the Lord, often considered deluded, and charged with being mesmerized or having some wicked spirit. {EW 108.1} |
| Ministers who would not accept this saving message themselves hindered those who would have received it. The blood of souls is upon them. Preachers and people joined to oppose this message from heaven and to persecute William Miller and those who united with him in the work. Falsehoods were circulated to injure his influence; and at different times after he had plainly declared the counsel of God, applying cutting truths to the hearts of his hearers, great rage was kindled against him, and as he left the place of meeting, some waylaid him in order to take his life. But angels of God were sent to protect him, and they led him safely away from the angry mob. His work was not yet finished. {EW 234.1} |
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The great conflict that Satan created in the heavenly courts is soon, very soon, to be forever decided. Soon all the inhabitants of the earth will have taken sides, either for or against the government of heaven. Now, as never before, Satan is exercising his deceiving power to mislead and to destroy every unguarded soul. We are called upon to arouse the people to prepare for the great issues before them. We must give warning to those who are standing on the very brink of ruin. God's people are to put forth every power in combating Satan's falsehoods and pulling down his strongholds. To every human being in the wide world who will give heed, we are to make plain the principles at stake in the great controversy--principles upon which hangs the eternal destiny of the soul. To the people far and near we are to bring home the question: "Are you following the great apostate in disobedience to God's law, or are you following the Son of God, who declared, 'I have kept My Father's commandments'?" {7T 141.2} {PM 49.4}
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| The purity and holiness of Christ, the spotless righteousness of Him who did no sin, was a perpetual reproach upon all sin in a world of sensuality and sin. In His life the light of truth was flashed amid the moral darkness with which Satan had enshrouded the world. Christ exposed Satan's falsehoods and deceiving character, and in many hearts destroyed his corrupting influence. It was this that stirred Satan with such intense hatred. With his hosts of fallen beings he determined to urge the warfare most vigorously; for there stood in the world One who was a perfect representative of the Father, One whose character and practices refuted Satan's misrepresentation of God. Satan had charged upon God the attribute he himself possessed. Now in Christ he saw God revealed in His true character -- a compassionate, merciful Father, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Him in repentance, and have eternal life. {LHU 28.4} {1SM 254.3} |
| Prophets were continually arising and claiming to have special messages to this effect. Judah was to be honored as the place of power and glory. The kingdoms of the world and the riches of the Gentiles were to be placed at their feet, and they were to be exalted as priests and kings unto God. Those who did not believe in these great things for the Jewish nation were pronounced infidels. If their prayers did not abound in these glowing expectations, they were treated as worse than useless. . . . The people were so infatuated by the falsehoods of Satan that their minds were wholly unprepared for the real Christ. {LHU 135.3} |
| There is no such thing as weakening or strengthening the law of Jehovah. As it has always been, so it is. It can not be repealed or changed in one principle. It is eternal, immutable as God Himself. To "honor" or "dishonor" it is but the speech of men. The law is to awaken respect and honor in the minds of the human family. Christ honored the law of Jehovah by giving it His implicit obedience. The law of Jehovah was always holy, just, and good, and complete in itself. The law is altogether a different thing from what in their ignorance men have considered it. It is because of Satan's falsehoods that such blindness exists in regard to the law. {ST, March 20, 1901 par. 6} |
| Satan is fruitful in bringing up devices to evade the truth. But I call upon you to believe the words I speak today. Truth of heavenly origin is confronting Satan's falsehoods, and this truth will prevail. . . . Opposition and resistance only serve to bring out truth in new, distinct lines. The more truth is spoken against, the brighter it will shine. Thus the precious ore is polished. Every word of slander spoken against it, every misrepresentation of its value, awakens attention, and is the means of leading to closer investigation as to what is saving truth. The truth becomes more highly estimated. New beauty and greater value are revealed from every point of view.-- Manuscript 8a, 1888. {Ev 305.1} |
| Satan is fruitful in bringing up devices to evade the truth. But I call upon you to believe the words I speak today. Truth of heavenly origin is confronting Satan's falsehoods, and this truth will prevail. We do well to remember that Christ is the light of the world, and that fresh beams of light are constantly reflected from the Source of all light. {1888 140.2} |
| The sophistry in regard to the world being created in an indefinite period of time is one of Satan's falsehoods. God speaks to the human family in language they can comprehend. He does not leave the matter so indefinite that human beings can handle it according to their theories.-- Letter 31, 1898. {3MR 307.3} |
| Elder Corliss feels very much troubled over it, but he has agreed to accept the challenge if the minister will consent to continue the discussion for six evenings, for one night would not be sufficient to do justice to the subject. He hopes that the proposition will be rejected, for the interest is great and is extending through all the region round about. Meanwhile he has decided to go on, pressing into his discourse all the important matter possible, and carrying the interest as far as he can before the discussion shall begin. We think the minister will not accept the conditions, for all he wants is to throw in a mass of objections to confuse the minds of the hearers; and as he has no weapons furnished him in the Bible with which to war against the truth, he must supply the great necessity from the armor of the prince of darkness -- with assertions, Satan's falsehoods prepared for him to handle, such as are presented in Canright's book. These he can use in one evening and claim that he has extinguished the law of God and the Sabbath. But when he has to keep to the point for six evenings, the weakness of his arguments will become apparent to the people. {21MR 281.2} |
| Falsehood (see separate page ) |
| False-speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, as falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor's reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale-bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others, is a violation of the ninth commandment. {SD 64.3} |