What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "I am looking at 2 Corinthians 11:1‑15, where Paul describes the challenges posed by false teachers. One sees how strongly he reacts to errors. What should this mean for today's deacons, elders, pastors, and even church members?"
Answer
The decisive resistance of the Apostle Paul against false teachers in 2 Corinthians 11 demonstrates that leaders and church members today need a firm spiritual character and moral backbone to withstand the subtle attacks of the enemy. Pastors, elders, and deacons are called to protect the congregation from soul‑endangering errors through proven biblical order and to give no room for false tolerance of false teachings. At the same time, each individual church member bears the responsibility to study the Holy Scripture daily and humbly on their own, in order to discern errors and remain preserved in the true faith.
Strength of Character and Vigilance Against Satanic Temptations
»Some people lack firmness of character. They are like a lump of putty and allow themselves to be molded into any conceivable shape. [...] This weakness, indecisiveness, and ineffectiveness must be overcome. A true Christian character possesses an unyielding steadfastness that cannot be shaped or subdued by adverse circumstances. People must have a moral backbone, a righteousness that does not bow to flattery, bribery, or intimidation. I am greatly concerned for the church. As Paul expressed: “I fear, however, that just as the serpent deceived Eve with its cunning, so also your thoughts will be turned away from simplicity toward Christ.” Paul then goes on to explain that the enemy will attack the church’s faith through corrupt teachers: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. And this is no wonder; for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. It is therefore not great if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” The more we learn about the early days of the Christian church and see how subtly Satan acted to weaken and destroy, the better prepared we will be to resist his schemes and face coming dangers.«
Fearless Resistance of God’s Servants Against Soul‑Destroying Errors
»From the beginning, God’s servants have fought against false teachers, not merely as sinful people, but as disseminators of falsehoods that are fatal to the soul. Elijah, Jeremiah, and Paul stood firmly and fearlessly against those who turned people away from the word of God. That laxity which regards a correct religious faith as unimportant found no approval among these holy defenders of truth. The vague and fanciful scriptural interpretations and the many contradictory theories about religious belief found in the Christian world are the work of our great adversary, intended to confuse minds so that they do not recognize the truth.«
Protection of the Flock Through Biblical Order and Faithful Stewardship
»I saw that this door through which the enemy comes in to confuse and disturb the flock can be closed. I asked the angel how it could be closed. He said, “The congregation must flee to the word of God and base itself on the order of the gospel that has been overlooked and neglected.” This is absolutely necessary to lead the church into the unity of faith. I saw that in the days of the apostles the congregation was in danger of being deceived and defrauded by false teachers. Therefore the brothers selected men who had provided good proof that they were capable of standing well over their own household and maintaining order in their own families, and who could illuminate those who were in darkness. [...] I saw that we today are no safer from false teachers than they were in the days of the apostles; and we should likewise take special measures as they did to secure the peace, harmony, and unity of the flock.«
The Duty of Each Individual to Personal Scripture Study
»It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from Scripture what truth is, and then to walk in the light and encourage others to follow his example. [...] We should study the Bible diligently day by day, weigh every thought, and compare Scripture with Scripture. With divine help we must form our own opinions, for we are accountable to God Himself. The truths that are most clearly revealed in the Bible have been shrouded in doubt and darkness by learned men who, under the pretense of great wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, secret, spiritual meaning that is not evident in the actual wording. These men are false teachers.«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
EGW Vision helps you find topics, statements, and quotes faster, especially when many original sources are not yet fully available in your language. The tool searches semantically, groups relevant content by topic, and presents matching results as clearly as possible in your language.
My hope is that this tool supports personal Bible study, strengthens trust in the original sources, and helps more people discover the message of these writings with clarity, depth, and joy.
