Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
c o n d e m n o t h e r s ( 4 RELATED PHRASES )
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The phrase 'condemn others' appears 58 times in the writings of EGW page NOT on Original site Related phrase: condemnation ( ) - - condemn in others ( ) - - condemn your brethren ( )
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. The reason is plain why Christ has said, “Judge not;” for it is natural for man to exalt his own goodness, to shun a candid examination of his own heart, and depreciate others. If we looked upon things in the right light, we should see that we need mercy from Christ every moment, and should render the same to our brethren. Jesus has not placed man upon the judgment-seat; for he knew human nature too well to give man the power to judge and condemn others. He knew that in their fallible judgment, they would root up some as tares, who were worthy of their sympathy and confidence, and would pass by others who deserved to be dealt with in a decided manner. When there are cases in the church which need to be dealt with decidedly, let the rule of the Bible be carried out. If the influence of erring members has an influence that corrupts others, they should be disfellowshiped; and heaven will ratify the action. It is the work of the enemy to sow tares among the wheat; and there will be men found in the church whose influence, as far as we can discern from outward appearance, is no blessing to the church. But even in cases of this character we are to move cautiously; for Christ and heavenly agencies are at work to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. { RH January 3, 1893, par. 9 }
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| Those who act as Pharisees may not be guilty of exactly the same sins they condemn in others, but they may be guilty of sins much greater in the sight of God. Each will be rewarded according to his work. Let those who condemn others take heed to themselves, lest they be condemned by God for Phariseeism.— Manuscript 37, 1902. { TSB 265.2}
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| If a brother does you a wrong, you are not to retaliate by doing him a wrong. If you have done him a wrong, you must go to him, and ask him to forgive you. You must not let an injury to your brother remain unrepented of, and unforgiven, for even one night. You must say, “I will get this out of the way. I will have harmony between my soul and my brother’s.” In pursuing this course, you are giving others an example. If there is any one backslidden from God, how anxious we should be that he might forsake his evil ways, and return to the Lord, who will have mercy upon him, and to our God, who will abundantly pardon! If we see a brother stumble, it is our first duty to seek to set his feet in the path of life again. We should let the love of Jesus into the soul. We must be merciful to all around us, for to the merciful, God will be merciful; but those who judge and condemn others, will be judged by the Judge of all the earth. God wants parents and their families to come to the foot of the cross. The settled peace of Jesus should abide with every member of the family: If Jesus comes into your home, he will say, “Peace be unto you;” but he cannot come into your house if you are scolding, and fretting, and finding fault with one another. What says the word?—“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” { RH August 14, 1888, par. 7 }
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| But gradually a change came. The believers began to look for defects in others. Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and His love. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory than the practice of the faith. In their zeal to condemn others, they overlooked their own errors. They lost the brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss. They did not realize that happiness and joy were going out of their lives and that, having shut the love of God out of their hearts, they would soon walk in darkness. { AA 548.1}
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| But the early Christians began to look for defects in one another. Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and of the great love He had revealed for sinners. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory of the faith, more severe in their criticisms. In their zeal to condemn others they forgot their own errors. They forgot the lesson of brotherly love that Christ had taught. And, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss. They did not realize that happiness and joy were going out of their lives, and that soon they would walk in darkness, having shut the love of God out of their hearts. { CCh 44.1} also { 8T 241.3} and { UL 358.4}
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| I saw that the very spirit of perjury, that would turn truth into falsehood, good into evil, and innocence into crime, is now active. Satan exults over the condition of God’s professed people. While many are neglecting their own souls, they eagerly watch for an opportunity to criticize and condemn others. All have defects of character, and it is not hard to find something that jealousy can interpret to their injury. “Now,” say these self-constituted judges, “we have facts. We will fasten upon them an accusation from which they can not clear themselves.” They wait for a fitting opportunity and then produce their bundle of gossip and bring forth their tidbits. { CCh 176.4} also { 5T 94.3} also { 2TT 22.2}
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| You must feel your utter helplessness without Christ, and be much with God in prayer. The more ignorant of Bible truth the people are, and the lower they have sunk in ignorance and superstition, the more they need the arm of infinite power to lift them up. Pity rather than censure them. Recall your own sins and how long the Lord bore with your neglect of his great salvation, and walk with fear and trembling before him. Christ has said, “Without me ye can do nothing.” You need to be imbued with his Spirit. The human heart, uncontrolled by the Spirit of God, is void of the meekness of Christ, but loves to battle for the truth. Those who are proclaiming God’s message to the world must not be captious or overbearing. They should not be too free to criticise or condemn others. They should be careful not to let their words wound, but should let pure Bible truth cut its way to the heart. When tempted to speak impatiently, remember, brethren, that when Jesus was reviled, he reviled not again. Give the reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. With fear lest you have not the truth? — No; but with fear lest by some unwise, impatient word, you may close hearts against the truth. If you cannot be calm in answering the accusations of enemies, it is better to keep silent. { GW92 396.2 }
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| The followers of Christ should not praise and flatter one another; for Satan will do a plenty of this work, and if persons have a high opinion of their own ability, it will prevent them from learning in the school of Christ. Let none censure and condemn others; for in doing this they are co-laborers with him who is the accuser of the brethren, who would steal from their hearts every particle of love for one another. Christians will not seek to tear one another down in order to build up self, but all will endeavor to strengthen and encourage one another. { GW92 459.3 } also { RH July 1, 1884, par. 15 }
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| We know but little of our own hearts and have but little sense of our own need of the mercy of God. This is why we cherish so little of that sweet compassion which Jesus manifests toward us and which we should manifest toward one another. We should remember that our brethren are weak, erring mortals like ourselves. Suppose that a brother has through unwatchfulness been overborne by temptation and contrary to his general conduct has committed some error, what course shall be pursued toward him? We learn from the Bible that men whom God had used to do a great and good work committed grave sins. The Lord did not pass these by unrebuked, neither did He cast off His servants. When they repented, He graciously forgave them and revealed to them His presence and wrought through them. Let poor, weak mortals consider how great is their own need of pity and forbearance from God and from their brethren. Let them beware how they judge and condemn others. We should give heed to the instruction of the apostle: “Ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” We may fall under temptation and need all the forbearance which we are called to exercise toward the offender. “With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” { 5T 246.2} |
| When you indulge your own harshness of character by manifesting a hard, unfeeling spirit you are repulsing the very ones whom you should win. Your harshness destroys their love of assembling together and too often results in driving them from the truth. You should realize that you yourselves are under the rebuke of God. While you condemn others, the Lord condemns you. You have a duty to do to confess your own unchristian conduct. May the Lord move upon the hearts of the individual members of the church until His transforming grace shall be revealed in the life and the character. Then when you assemble together, it will not be to criticize one another, but to talk of Jesus and His love. { 5T 608.2} also { RH November 30, 1886, par. 15 }
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| Now, while probation lingers, it does not become one to pronounce sentence upon others and look to himself as a model man. Christ is our model; imitate Him, plant your feet in His steps. You may professedly believe every point of present truth, but unless you practice these truths it will avail you nothing. We are not to condemn others; this is not our work; but we should love one another and pray for one another. When we see one err from the truth, then we may weep over him as Christ wept over Jerusalem. Let us see what our heavenly Father in His word says about the erring: “If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” ( Galatians 6:1).... { AG 78.4}
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| While you condemn others, the Lord condemns you.... May the Lord move upon the hearts of the individual members of the church, until His transforming grace shall be revealed in life and character. Then when you assemble together it will not be to criticize one another, but to talk of Jesus and His love ( Review and Herald, November 30, 1886). { LHU 334.7}
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| Upon us there rests the solemn responsibility of presenting the truth to unbelievers in the most forcible manner. How careful we should be not to present the truth in a way that will drive men and women from it. Religious teachers stand where they can do great good or great evil. If every one will now awake to the responsibility resting on him, and be determined not to place himself on the judgment seat, to criticize and condemn others, but to go to work, to preach the gospel as never before to those in darkness, many souls will be turned from iniquity to righteousness. { TDG 229.2}
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| “Ye shall find rest.” How? By living experience — because Christ’s yoke is a yoke of patience and gentleness and long-suffering. Those who learn His meekness and lowliness learn also how to love one another as He has loved them. They reach the place where they refuse to criticize and condemn others. They learn that there is committed to them a work that no one else can do for them — the work of learning of Christ. When we place ourselves in His hands, He shows us the possibilities and probabilities before us, and bids us go for help to One infinitely higher than erring human beings. { UL 359.4} |
| When Christ left the world, he gave to his disciples the work of carrying the gospel. The professed followers of Christ are held responsible for the warning of the world. How are we doing this solemn work committed to us? We must humble ourselves before God, and not follow the ideas of men. We must come before the world, speaking the words of God, that the world may know that God has sent us, and that Heaven’s mold is upon the work. O, we must grow up into a glorious temple in the Lord. The enemy will come in, and try to draw our minds away from the important work to be done for this time. He will seek to keep us engaged on trivial matters, make us think that it is our province to criticise and condemn others; but our work is to deal faithfully with our own souls. We must search our hearts and see if we are right in the sight of God. Peter said to Christ in regard to John, “Lord, what shall this man do?” But the Lord answered him, “What is that to thee? follow thou me.” We each have a work to do for ourselves, and while we are criticising others, we are neglecting the most important work of all. { RH August 18, 1891, par. 8 }
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