Mistakes of . . .(131)

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

                M I s t a k e s    o f  .  .  .         (  5  RELATED  PHRASES )                      

                          The  phrase  'Mistakes of . . .'  appears  131  times in the published writings of EGW               See page on Original site                                        Related Phrase:   Mistakes of a brother  ( below )  - -  mistakes of a fellow-worker  ( below )  - -  mistakes of a similar character  ( below )  - -  mistakes of the past  (  )

As Saul yielded himself fully to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, he saw the mistakes of his life and recognized the far-reaching claims of the law of God. He who had been a proud Pharisee, confident that he was justified by his good works, now bowed before God with the humility and simplicity of a little child, confessing his own unworthiness and pleading the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Saul longed to come into full harmony and communion with the Father and the Son; and in the intensity of his desire for pardon and acceptance he offered up fervent supplications to the throne of grace. { AA 119.2}  also  { ML 43.3 } 

 

  Oh! when will parents be wise? When will they see and realize the character of their work in neglecting to require obedience and respect according to the instructions of God’s Word? The results of this lax training are seen in the children as they go out into the world and take their place at the head of families of their own. They perpetuate the mistakes of their parents. Their defective traits have full scope; and they transmit to others the wrong tastes, habits, and tempers that were permitted to develop in their own characters. Thus they became a curse instead of a blessing to society.  { CG 276.3} 

 

  Those in responsible positions who have the least conscientious scruples in reference to their own course of action are the ones who watch most jealously for the mistakes of others. Position does not make the man. Only by a living connection with God is the Holy Spirit implanted in the heart. Those who have this connection are faithful and true and will not betray holy trust.—Letter 77, 1898, p. 4 (August 26, 1898, to Brother and Sister Waggoner). { ChL 58.1} 

 

 We are not to copy the mistakes of the past, and become more and more involved in debt. We are rather to endeavor to clear off the indebtedness that still remains on our institutions. Our churches can help in this matter if they will. Those members to whom the Lord has given means can invest their money in the cause without interest or at a low rate of interest, and by their freewill offerings they can help to support the work. The Lord asks you to return cheerfully to Him a portion of the goods He has lent you, and thus become His almoners.— Review and Herald, August 13, 1908. { CS 283.2}

 

 Satan led men to conceive of God as a being whose chief attribute is stern justice—one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor. He pictured the Creator as a being who is watching with jealous eye to discern the errors and mistakes of men that He may visit judgments upon them. It was to remove this dark shadow, by revealing to the world the infinite love of God, that Jesus came to live among men.—Steps to Christ, 11 (1892). { 1MCP 250.1 } 
 
  The withdrawal of divine favor during the period of the Exile led many to repentance, yet after their return to the Land of Promise the Jewish people repeated the mistakes of former generations and brought themselves into political conflict with surrounding nations. The prophets whom God sent to correct the prevailing evils were received with the same suspicion and scorn that had been accorded the messengers of earlier times; and thus, from century to century, the keepers of the vineyard added to their guilt. { PK 21.2} 

 

 In continuing this course lay Rehoboam’s opportunity to redeem in large measure the mistakes of the past and to restore confidence in his ability to rule with discretion. But the pen of inspiration has traced the sad record of Solomon’s successor as one who failed to exert a strong influence for loyalty to Jehovah. Naturally headstrong, confident, self-willed, and inclined to idolatry, nevertheless, had he placed his trust wholly in God, he would have developed strength of character, steadfast faith, and submission to the divine requirements. But as time passed, the king put his trust in the power of position and in the strongholds he had fortified. Little by little he gave way to inherited weakness, until he threw his influence wholly on the side of idolatry. “It came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.” 2 Chronicles 12:1. { PK 93.1} 

 

  Conditions were now changed. In tender mercy the Lord had again visited His people and allowed them to return to their own land. Sadness because of the mistakes of the past should have given way to feelings of great joy. God had moved upon the heart of Cyrus to aid them in rebuilding the temple, and this should have called forth expressions of profound gratitude. But some failed of discerning God’s opening providences. Instead of rejoicing, they cherished thoughts of discontent and discouragement. They had seen the glory of Solomon’s temple, and they lamented because of the inferiority of the building now to be erected. { PK 564.2} 

 

 In the New Testament we are exhorted to be warned by the example of the Hebrews in neglecting their duty and in departing from the living God. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” The failures and mistakes of ancient Israel are not as grievous in the sight of God as are the sins of the people of God in this age. Light has been increasing from age to age, and the generations that follow have the example of the generations that went before. The Lord does not change, and a sin which he condemned in former generations should be avoided by us. We should heed the admonition that has been given in the past, and lay hold of the promises that are made for the encouragement of the obedient. If we are learning lessons in obedience, following the path of faith and virtue, we have a living connection with God, and he will be our strength and support, our front guard, and our rearward. The same conditions must be fulfilled by us now as were by those who received rich blessings in former days. The reason we do not have more of the blessing of the Lord is that the professed people of God serve him with divided hearts, as verily as did ancient Israel. They profess to be worshipers of God, but many as verily worship idols as did the Hebrews. { RH May 21, 1895, par. 9 }

 

  In the Scriptures the past is brought down to our time. The Word of God offers us the treasures of inspired wisdom that have been accumulating from age to age. Before us are examples of piety and devotion. The lives of these men have been placed on record, not to exalt them, but to make us wise unto salvation, to show us the errors and mistakes of good men, and to lead us to imitate their virtues. Let those who talk of the patriarchal and prophetic age as a Christless age, read their Bibles with humble heart, praying for power to follow the example of holy men of God. { ST January 13, 1898, par. 6 }

 

                                                            the  mistakes  of  a  fellow-worker                                                             
Related phrase:  correct their mistakes  ( 8 )

My brother, my sister, you are forbidden to make the mistakes of a fellow worker the subject of conversation. By speaking evil of another, you sow the seeds of criticism and denunciation. You can not afford to do this. Go to the one who you think is in the wrong, and tell him his fault "between thee and him alone." If he will hear you, and can explain the matter to you, how glad you will be that you did not take up a reproach against him, but followed instead the Saviour's directions.  {RH, May 12, 1903 par. 5}

 

My brother, my sister, you are forbidden to make the mistakes of a fellow-worker a subject of conversation. By speaking evil of another, you sow the seeds of criticism and denunciation. You cannot afford to do this. Go to the one who you think is in the wrong, and tell him his fault "between thee and him alone." If he will hear you, and can explain the matter to you, how glad you will be that you did not take up a reproach against him, but instead followed the Saviour's directions!   {PH151 84.1}

 

 MR No. 1044—Deficiencies and Mistakes of Gospel Workers not to be Publicized
I received your present of the book entitled Life in Christ [Life Only in Christ], and thank you for the gift. I have been so overloaded with cares and responsibilities, having had so much writing and speaking to do, that I have not yet had time to read the book. Since coming to Granville, we have had to take a circuit, dividing up our labors among different churches, and going from one to another from week to week, in order to do our duty to all. I have been worn, and sometimes much prostrated with overwork. At these times the Lord is my only trust. I can look to Him, and to Him alone, to help and strengthen me, and I know He does strengthen me. { 13MR 269.1

 

See:   Matthew 18: 15 - 17 

 

                                                            the  mistakes  of  a  brother                                                              

 

I know of nothing more injurious to the soul than this habit of talking of one another's errors, of reporting every unfavorable tale that is brought to your ears, and of magnifying the mistakes of a brother. When a brother's fault comes to your notice, how much better it would be to go to him with it, following out the Bible rule that has been given by Him who owns the souls of all men! An infinite price has been paid to ransom the souls of men from the power of the enemy, and how terrible it is for one who professes to love God, to set forth the mistakes and errors of his brethren in high colors, doing a wicked work against Jesus in the person of his saints. The rebuke of God is upon every one that engages in such work; it is the work of Satan. The Lord has declared, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  {RH, July 22, 1890 par. 11}

 

I know of nothing more injurious to the souls than this habit of talking of one another's errors, of reporting every unfavorable tale that is brought to your ears, and of magnifying the mistakes of a brother. When a brother's fault comes to your notice, how much better it would be to go to him with it, following out the Bible rule that has been given by Him who owns the souls of all men. An infinite price has been paid to ransom the souls of men from the power of the enemy, and how terrible it is for one who professes to love God to set forth the mistakes and errors of his brethren in high colors. He is doing a wicked work against Jesus in the person of His saints. The rebuke of God is upon all who engage in such work; they are doing the work of Satan. The Lord has declared, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25: 40).  {15MR 155.2}

 

I know of nothing more injurious to the souls than this habit of talking of one another’s errors, of reporting every unfavorable tale that is brought to your ears, and of magnifying the mistakes of a brother. When a brother’s fault comes to your notice, how much better it would be to go to him with it, following out the Bible rule that has been given by Him who owns the souls of all men. An infinite price has been paid to ransom the souls of men from the power of the enemy, and how terrible it is for one who professes to love God to set forth the mistakes and errors of his brethren in high colors. He is doing a wicked work against Jesus in the person of His saints. The rebuke of God is upon all who engage in such work; they are doing the work of Satan. The Lord has declared, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” ( Matthew 25:40). { 15MR 155.2 } 

 

  When laboring in Nimes, France, we made it our work to save souls. There was a young man who had become discouraged through the temptations of Satan and through some mistakes of our brethren who did not understand how to deal with the minds of the youth. He gave up the Sabbath and engaged to work in a manufacturing establishment to perfect his trade in watchmaking. He is a very promising young man. My watch needed repairing, which brought us together. { Ev 449.4} 

 

 God will charge those who unwisely expose the mistakes of their brethren with sin of far greater magnitude than he will charge the one who makes a misstep. Criticism and condemnation of the brethren are counted as criticism and condemnation of Christ.—Letter 48, 1894. { 3SM 345.2} 

 

                                                         mistakes  of  a  similar  character                                                              

 

If you indulge stubbornness of heart, and through pride and self-righteousness do not confess your faults, you will be left subject to Satan's temptations. If when the Lord reveals your errors you do not repent or make confession, his providence will bring you over the ground again and again. You will be left to make mistakes of a similar character, you will continue to lack wisdom, and will call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. The multitude of deceptions that will prevail in these last days will encircle you, and you will change leaders, and not know that you have done so.  {RH, December 16, 1890 par. 19}

 

Read the entire article with appeared in Review & Herald under the title "The Duty of Confession"

 

 

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Related Information

Mistakes Correct their mistakes (8)