Greater Injury (15)

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

                            G R E A T E R     I N J U R Y            (  5  RELATED  PHRASES )                      

                          The  phrase  'greater injury'  appears  15  times in the published writings of EGW                   Page not on Original site                                   Related Phrase:      greatest injury  (  )  - -  great harm  ( 136 )   - -  grave injury  (  )  - -  great injury to the church 

 I am instructed by the Lord to say that position never gives a man grace or makes him righteous. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Some men entrusted with positions of responsibility entertain the idea that position is for the aggrandizement of self. Let no manager think that all minds must be subjected to his mind, that all wills must be subordinate to his will, and that all methods must be laid aside for his methods. Greater injury cannot be done to any institution than by allowing such a man to remain in his position, after proper test and trial. It is a sin against God to permit unfaithful stewards to remain in positions of trust; for the Lord's people are liable to be misled by their unfaithfulness. -- MS. 154, 1902.   {MM 165.4}

 

One great object in the mission of Christ was to establish in every believer a sense of the guiding and controlling power of God. This lesson is to be repeated again and again. No greater injury can be done to our churches than for members to be taught to look to their fellowmen for guidance. And there is no man so humble in heart and so respectful of his brethren that he can safely take upon himself this work. { LLM 212.1 } 

 

Parents should set their children an example of strict truthfulness. They should never utter one word that is not true. They should train their children to respect Christians. Parents, do not allow your children to see that you take their word before the statements of older Christians. You cannot do them a greater injury By saying, I believe my children before I believe those whom I have evidence are children of God, you encourage in them the habit of falsifying. { RH April 13, 1897, par. 9 }
Do not allow your children to see that you take their word before the statements of older Christians. You cannot do them a greater injury. By saying, I believe my children before I believe those whom I have evidence are children of God, you encourage in them the habit of falsifying.  { CG 273.4} 
 
It is time that we as Christians reach a higher standard. God forbid that any institution that He has planted shall become a means of decoying souls, a place where iniquity is taught. Let all learn in the school of Christ, lowliness of heart; let them lean their helpless souls on Jesus. Live in the light from the oracles of God. Educate your minds and hearts to pure, elevated, holy thoughts; “be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” Whatever influence you have, let it be directed to exalt Jesus. Unless you do this, you are a false guideboard, leading souls away from the truth, the life, the light of the world; and the more pleasing and attractive your manners, the greater injury you do to souls.... { MM 145.3} 
 
  Christians misrepresent their heavenly Father when they go mourning and groaning, as though they were burdened with an enormous load, when their countenances are expressive of gloom and despondency, and the shadow encompasses their souls. But let them not think they are serving God in so doing; they are doing Satan’s work in misrepresenting God and his service. They should go before the Father, and plead with him for a view of his goodness. They have lost sight of Jesus and his love. Let them go to Christ and study his character, for he came to represent the Father. Shall we receive Satan’s misrepresentations of our God, and go on in discouragement, lacking peace and joy in the Holy Ghost? Shall we go on mistrusting our heavenly Father’s love and doubting his goodness? What greater injury could we do to our children and our friends than to give them such false impressions of Christian life? It was at an infinite cost to the Father that man’s salvation was purchased. The Father suffered with the Son to bring salvation within our reach. It is not his will that one soul should perish, but that all should come to repentance and receive eternal life. He has done all that it is possible to do to save fallen man. There was no other way by which man could be brought into harmony with his unchangeable law, save by the death of Christ. Christ became our surety, our sacrifice, Saviour, and example, and when all Heaven has been poured out to us in this gift of God, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? { ST September 2, 1889, par. 7 }
You are now in the decline of life, and will not be able to wrestle as you have done. You want now more decidedly to seek those things which are above, where God sitteth. You want now to be fitting for those mansions Christ has gone to prepare for those who love him. I do not want that you should make a failure here. And for you to get mixed up with elements which I know that you cannot harmonize with, will do the very worst injury to them, and not only this, but a greater injury to yourself and to the precious cause of God. { 20MR 365.3 } 

 

                                                                Greater  Injury   and  Great  injury   in same sentense                                                                                

 

  The motives that prompt men in responsibility to action when they are dealing with our brethren or with worldlings, must be according to the word of God, for they are acting as God’s representatives. Not one of your council meetings, not one of your board meeting but was attended by angels of God, who waited to impart wisdom and to co-operate with every principle sustained by the law of Jehovah. In his books the Lord traced every motion made in these meetings, which his eye could discern as clearly as though there were no other interest in the world. He weighs every motive, every action. He has been grieved that his character has been misrepresented. A plan of working not at all according to Christ’s plan has been followed. Men have been urged and induced by specious reasoning to agree to the terms of other men, and to sell their rights and publications. Men in positions of trust departed from veracity, and by their over bearing spirit and their arguments, they have prevailed over their fellow-men. Their course has been a great injury to the workers in the Office, and a still greater injury to themselves, because they have clouded their own discernment, and lost their spiritual eyesight. Thus the office established by sacrifice was fast becoming a cage of unclean birds. It was not an increase of light that was needed to cure these spiritual maladies; for the wrong doers chose darkness rather than the light that discovers darkness. God did not acknowledge these wrong-doers as workers together with him.  { 1888 1669.1 } 

 

 

                                                                      Greater  Injury  than .  .  .                                                                                

 

  Sabbath-keepers who profess to be God’s chosen, peculiar, people, should discard hoops, and their practice and example should be a living rebuke to those who wear them. Some may plead convenience. I have traveled much, and have seen a great deal of inconvenience attending the wearing of hoops; and those who plead the necessity on account of health, wear them in winter, which is a greater injury than quilted skirts. While traveling in the cars and stages I have often been led to exclaim, O modesty, where is thy blush? I have seen large companies crowding into the cars, and in order to make any headway, the hoops had to be raised and placed into a shape which was indecent. And the exposure of the form was ten-fold more with those who wore hoops, than with those who did not; and were it not for fashion, those who immodestly expose themselves would be hissed at, but modesty and decency must be sacrificed to the god of fashion. May the Lord deliver his people from this grievous sin. God will not pity those who will be slaves to fashion. But supposing there is some little convenience in wearing hoops, does this prove that it is right to wear them? Let the fashion change, and convenience would no longer be mentioned. It is the duty of every child of God to inquire, Wherein am I separate from the world? Let them suffer a little inconvenience and be on the safe side. What crosses do God’s people bear? They mingle with the world, partake of their spirit, dress, talk, and act, like them. { 4bSG 68.1 }  { RH June 25, 1861, par. 6 }

 

From what has been shown me, hoops are an abomination. They are indecent; and God’s people err if they in the least degree follow, or give countenance to, this fashion. Those who profess to be God’s chosen, peculiar people, should discard hoops, and their practice should be a living rebuke to those who wear them. Some may plead convenience. I have traveled much, and have seen a great deal of inconvenience attending the wearing of hoops. Those who plead necessity on account of health, wear them in the winter, when they are a greater injury than quilted skirts. While traveling in the cars and stages, I have often been led to exclaim: O Modesty, where is thy blush! I have seen large companies crowding into the cars, and in order to make any headway, the hoops had to be raised and placed in a shape which was indecent. And the exposure of the form was tenfold more with those who wore hoops, than with those who did not. Were it not for fashion, those who thus immodestly expose themselves would be hissed at; but modesty and decency must be sacrificed to the God of fashion. May the Lord deliver His people from this grievous sin! God will not pity those who will be slaves to fashion. But supposing there is some little convenience in wearing hoops, does this prove that it is right to wear them? Let the fashion change, and convenience would no longer be mentioned. It is the duty of every child of God to inquire: “Wherein am I separate from the world?” Let us suffer a little inconvenience, and be on the safe side. What crosses do God’s people bear? They mingle with the world, partake of their spirit, dress, talk, and act like them. { 1T 277.1} 
 
 
They should have realized that even though all their suppositions were true, it was not wise to discuss the errors of a church member and the head of a school with students, to be carried by them to the world. The object of Christ in His teachings is to preserve the sacred, holy character of His church. These brethren have done a greater injury to the cause and work of God than they can comprehend. { PCO 111.5 } 
There were errors in the church in the days of Christ, but He taught that when a member followed an injudicious course, the knowledge of this was not to be made public property, but was to be confined to the members of the church. { PCO 111.6 } 


 

                                                                 greater   injury   than   good                                                                     

 

   He has been exacting, which has encouraged a spirit of faultfinding in the church. He has been severe where it was uncalled for, and has lorded it over those upon whom he dared to exercise authority. His prayers and exhortations have led the brethren to think that he was a devoted Christian, which has prepared them to be affected by his wrong course. He has been notional, and his oddities have had a bad influence upon the minds of many. Some have been so weak as to imitate his example. I saw that he had done far greater injury than good to the cause. { 1T 227.2} 

 

 I desire now to state facts. I have been shown that your life and your labors in the cause of God for some years have been a greater injury to the precious cause of present truth than a benefit. Had you had no part in this work and been separated entirely from it, you would have saved much heart sorrow to those who love the cause of God; and you would have saved them much hard labor which has been forced upon them to counteract your wrong influence. { TSB 169.3} 

 

 
He has felt that due respect was not shown him in not publishing all his articles, when some of them would have made unfavorable impressions upon minds, and worked against the interests of the cause, by presenting the mistakes and errors of those who have to bear burdens of responsibility. These thrusts in public are not in the order of God, and would prove a greater injury to the cause than the mistakes he would reprove. { PH043 28.1 } 

 

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Injury (1,217) Great injury (169) Injury done to . . .