Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
s i n o f P R E S U M P T I O N ( 2 RELATED PHRASES ) |
The phrase 'sin of presumption' appears 29 times in the published writings of EGW See page on Original site Related Phrase: presumptuous sin ( ) - - presumptuous sinner ( )
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But Saul presumed upon his exaltation, and dishonored God by unbelief and disobedience. Though when first called to the throne he was humble and self-distrustful, success made him self-confident. The very first victory of his reign had kindled that pride of heart which was his greatest danger. The valor and military skill displayed in the deliverance of Jabesh-gilead had roused the enthusiasm of the whole nation. The people honored their king, forgetting that he was but the agent by whom God had wrought; and though at first Saul ascribed the glory to God, he afterward took honor to himself. He lost sight of his dependence upon God, and in heart departed from the Lord. Thus the way was prepared for his sin of presumption and sacrilege at Gilgal. The same blind self-confidence led him to reject Samuel's reproof. Saul acknowledged Samuel to be a prophet sent from God; hence he should have accepted the reproof, though he could not himself see that he had sinned. Had he been willing to see and confess his error, this bitter experience would have proved a safeguard for the future. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 633.1
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The Sin of Presumption - The sin of presumption lies close beside the virtue of perfect faith and confidence in God. Satan flattered himself that he could take advantage of the humanity of Christ to urge Him over the line of trust to presumption. Upon this point many souls are wrecked. Satan tried to deceive Christ through flattery. He admitted that He was right in the wilderness in His faith and confidence that God was His Father under the most trying circumstances. He then urged Christ to give him one more proof of His entire dependence upon God, one more evidence of His faith that He was the Son of God, by casting Himself from the Temple. He told Christ that if He was indeed the Son of God He had nothing to fear, for angels were at hand to uphold Him. Satan gave evidence that he understood the Scriptures by the use he made of them. Confrontation, page 48.2 and {1SM 282.1}
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| But Jesus came off victor from the second temptation, by spurning the sin of presumption. While manifesting perfect trust in his Father, he refused to voluntarily place himself in such peril that it would be necessary for the Father to display divine power in order to save his Son from death. This would have been forcing Providence to come to his rescue, and thus he would fail to give his people a perfect example of faith and trust in God. {2SP 94.2}
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| Success Must Not Lift One Up.-- [2 Chron. 26:16-21 quoted.] The case of Uzziah the king reveals how God will punish the sin of presumption... The Lord has ordained men to certain positions in His church, and He would not have them step out of the places to which He has appointed them. When the Lord gives them a measure of success, they are not to become lifted up, and think themselves qualified to do a work for which they are not fitted, and to which God has not called them (RH Aug. 14, 1900). also {3BC 1132.6}
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| Parents, warn your children against the sin of presumption. Teach them that it is presumption to educate an appetite for tobacco, liquor, or any hurtful thing. Teach them that their bodies are God's property. They are His by creation and by redemption. They are not their own; for they have been bought with a price. Teach them that the body is the temple of God, and that it is not to be made strengthless and diseased by the indulgence of appetite. {Temperance 61.2}
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| Foiled in the attempt to provoke Christ to manifest his divine power in his own behalf, and seeking to awe Him by a display of superior power, Satan bore the Son of God from the wilderness, and set Him upon a pinnacle of the temple at Jerusalem. He there admitted that Jesus had been right in manifesting unqualified trust in God, and, declaring that God had promised to give his angels charge over Him that He should not dash his foot against a stone, he urged Christ to manifest still more faith in the Word of God. He said to Him, "If Thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence; for it is written, He shall give his angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee; and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash thy foot against a stone." Satan thought to take advantage of Christ's humanity, and urge Him beyond the limits of trust into the sin of presumption. But while manifesting perfect trust in his Father, He refused to place Himself in a position which would necessitate the interposition of his Father to save Him from death. He would not force Providence to his rescue, and thus fail to give man an example of perfect trust and submission. {BEcho, November 15, 1892 par. 3}
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| Satan then took Christ to the pinnacle of the temple, and challenged Him to cast Himself down, saying, "If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee; and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone." Thus Satan tried to lead Christ to commit the sin of presumption. He reminded Him that God had promised to protect Him by angel ministration. But no temptation could induce the Saviour to accept the challenge. "It is written again," He said, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Christ's time to show His divine power had not yet come. He was fully aware of the glory He had with the Father before the world was. But then He willingly submitted to the Divine will, and He was unchanged now. This was His time of trial and temptation; He must endure the test however cruel and cutting it may be. He saw Himself uplifted on the cross of Calvary, having suffered a shameful rejection at the hands of His own nation. But He knew that by suffering and sorrow and a cruel death He was to bruise the serpent's head. The giving of His life was to be the price of the world's redemption. {BEcho, July 23, 1900 par. 6}
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| Some will plead that they lived up to the best light that they had, and did not know that they were sinners before God. Therefore they claim that they were guiltless, and have nothing to repent of. But the word of God was plain, and all who had a prayerful anxious desire to understand it might have known what was truth; and for this sin of ignorance God will demand an offering as truly as in the days of Moses,-- even the offering of a broken and contrite heart. With the Bible in our hands we ought all to know and practice the truth. But some do not wish to change their faith or course of action, and argue that if they are only honest they will be saved. Such will be in great danger of committing the sin of presumption, of not living up to all the light they have. Critical self-examination, united with a diligent searching of the Scriptures and earnest prayer, is essential, not that some way may be found to evade the cross, but that they may be led into all truth however much self-denial it may cost, and however inconvenient it may be to obey. {ST, July 22, 1880 par. 12}
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August 14, 1900 The Sin of Presumption - - Mrs. E. G. White.
- In his dealings with the human race, God bears long with the impenitent. He uses his appointed agencies to call men to allegiance, and offers them his full pardon if they will repent. But because God is long-suffering, men presume on his mercy. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." The patience and long-suffering of God, which should soften and subdue the soul, has an altogether different influence upon the careless and sinful. It leads them to cast off restraint, and strengthens them in resistance. They think that the God who has borne so much from them will not heed their perversity. If we lived in a dispensation of immediate retribution, offenses against God would not occur so often. But though delayed, the punishment is none the less certain. There are limits even to the forbearance of God. The boundary of his long-suffering may be reached, and then he will surely punish. And when he does take up the case of the presumptuous sinner, he will not cease till he has made a full end. {RH, August 14, 1900 par. 1} |
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March 4, 1886 The Sin of Presumption - By Mrs. E. G. White.
- When the Christian worker is pressed by the adversaries of God and his truth, and is thus brought into difficult places, he should remember the example of Christ, and learn from it not to be presumptuous. Instead of rashly attempting to make a providence for himself, he should patiently wait for God to deliver him. And none should feel that they have a right to ask for an interposition of divine power in their behalf, simply that they may be saved from personal annoyance, or that they may not suffer humiliation and anxiety. The great inquiry should be, How can God be glorified, and his truth vindicated? {ST, March 4, 1886 par. 1} |
| We are guilty of the sin of presumption when we defile our bodies. Paul declares, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." Our bodies are a wonderful exhibition of God's incomprehensible skill and unceasing goodness. They are not to be trifled with. With all the power of a sanctified mind and a purified soul, they are to be consecrated to God. {ST, April 4, 1900 par. 15}
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The sin of presumption lies close beside the virtue of perfect faith and confidence in God. Satan flattered himself that he could take advantage of the humanity of Christ to urge him over the line of trust to presumption. Upon this point many souls are wrecked. Satan tried to deceive Christ through flattery. He admitted that Christ was right in the wilderness in his faith and confidence that God was his Father, under the most trying circumstances. He then urged Christ to give him one more proof of his entire dependence upon God, one more evidence of his faith that he was the Son of God, by casting himself from the temple. He told Christ that if he was indeed the Son of God he had nothing to fear; for angels were at hand to uphold him. Satan gave evidence that he understood the Scriptures by the use he made of them. {RH, August 18, 1874 par. 18}
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| The sin of presumption lies close beside the virtue of perfect faith and confidence in God, and Satan endeavored to take advantage of Christ’s humanity and urge him over the line of trust into presumption. He now admitted that Christ was right in the wilderness, when he placed such perfect confidence in the Father, and he now urged that one more proof should be given of his entire faith in God, by casting himself from the temple. He assured him that if he were indeed the Son of God he had nothing to fear, for the angels would uphold him. Satan was well aware that if Christ could be prevailed upon to fling himself from the temple, in order to prove his claim to the protection of his Heavenly Father, he would, by that very act, exhibit the weakness of human nature. { 2SP 94.1 }
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The sin that resulted so disastrously to Uzziah was one of presumption. In violation of a plain command of Jehovah, that none but the descendants of Aaron should officiate as priests, the king entered the sanctuary “to burn incense upon the altar.” Azariah the high priest and his associates remonstrated, and pleaded with him to turn from his purpose. “Thou hast trespassed,” they urged; “neither shall it be for thine honor.” Verses 16, 18. Prophets and Kings, page 304.1 Read entire chapter 25
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| Though when first called to the throne Saul was humble and self-distrustful, success made him self-confident. The valor and military skill displayed in the deliverance of Jabesh-gilead roused the enthusiasm of the whole nation. At first he ascribed the glory to God, but afterward took honor to himself. He lost sight of his dependence on God and in heart departed from the Lord. Thus the way was prepared for his sin of presumption at Gilgal. The same blind self-confidence led him to reject Samuel’s reproof. Had he been willing to confess his error, this bitter experience would have proved a safeguard for the future. If the Lord had then separated Himself entirely from Saul, He would not have again spoken to him through His prophet, entrusting him with a definite work to perform, that he might correct the errors of the past. { EP 459.4 } |
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Warn Against Presumption — Parents, warn your children against the sin of presumption. Teach them that it is presumption to educate an appetite for tobacco, liquor, or any hurtful thing. Teach them that their bodies are God’s property. They are His by creation and by redemption. They are not their own; for they have been bought with a price. Teach them that the body is the temple of God, and that it is not to be made strengthless and diseased by the indulgence of appetite. { Temp, 61.2}
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| Satan desired Christ to make Himself guilty of the sin of presumption by needlessly exposing His life. He did not repeat the whole of the quotation, but left out the words “in all thy ways,” that is, in the path of duty. If Christ had presumed on God’s mercy by risking His life to give Satan evidence of His Messiahship, He would not have been in the path of duty. { CTr 200.5} |
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Sin of Presumption -- -- There are many who fail to distinguish between the rashness of presumption and the intelligent confidence of faith. Satan thought that by his temptations he could delude the world’s Redeemer, to make one bold move in manifesting his divine power, to create a sensation, and to surprise all by the wonderful display of the power of his Father in preserving him from injury. He suggested that Christ should appear in his real character, and by this masterpiece of power, establish his right to the confidence and faith of the people, that he was indeed the Saviour of the world. If Christ had been deceived by Satan’s temptations, and had exercised his miraculous power to relieve himself from difficulty, he would have broken the contract made with his Father, to be a probationer in behalf of the race. { RH April 1, 1875, par. 1 }
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We are guilty of the sin of presumption when we defile our bodies. Paul declares, “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” Our bodies are a wonderful exhibition of God’s incomprehensible skill and unceasing goodness. They are not to be trifled with. With all the power of a sanctified mind and a purified soul, they are to be consecrated to God. { ST April 4, 1900, par. 15 }
Parents, warn your children against the sin of presumption. Teach them that it is presumption to educate an appetite for tobacco, liquor, or any hurtful thing. Teach them that their bodies are God’s property. They are His by creation and by redemption. They are not their own; for they have been bought with a price. Teach them that the body is the temple of God, and that it is not to be made strengthless and diseased by the indulgence of appetite. { ST April 4, 1900, par. 16 }
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| guilt of presumption |
| David and his people had assembled to perform a sacred work, and they had engaged in it with glad and willing hearts; but the Lord could not accept the service, because it was not performed in accordance with His directions. The Philistines, who had not a knowledge of God's law, had placed the ark upon a cart when they returned it to Israel, and the Lord accepted the effort which they made. But the Israelites had in their hands a plain statement of the will of God in all these matters, and their neglect of these instructions was dishonoring to God. Upon Uzzah rested the greater guilt of presumption. Transgression of God's law had lessened his sense of its sacredness, and with unconfessed sins upon him he had, in face of the divine prohibition, presumed to touch the symbol of God's presence. God can accept no partial obedience, no lax way of treating His commandments. By the judgment upon Uzzah He designed to impress upon all Israel the importance of giving strict heed to His requirements. Thus the death of that one man, by leading the people to repentance, might prevent the necessity of inflicting judgments upon thousands. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 705.3
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