What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Were there errors or sins in the life of John the Baptist or other prophets?"
Answer
The Scriptures make clear that infallibility—i.e., errorlessness—is an attribute that belongs to God alone and not to His messengers. All prophets and biblical writers were human beings with a sinful nature and therefore could succumb to errors, doubts, and temptations. Even John the Baptist experienced moments of disappointment and dark spiritual struggles during his imprisonment, which caused him to doubt his mission.
Infallibility belongs to God alone
»Regarding infallibility, I have never claimed it; only God is infallible. God and heaven alone are infallible. Infallibility does not belong to Ellen G. White. She never claimed it. Infallibility belongs to no human—only God. Therefore, even the authors of the Holy Scriptures are subject to possible human errors and inaccuracies.«
Human weaknesses of the biblical leaders
»The pen of inspiration truthfully reports the sins that overwhelmed Noah, Lot, Moses, Abraham, David, and Solomon, and that even Elijah's strong spirit fell under temptation during his dreadful trial. Jonah's disobedience and Israel's idolatry are faithfully recorded. Peter's denial of Christ, the sharp dispute between Paul and Barnabas, the shortcomings and infirmities of the prophets and apostles are all revealed by the Holy Spirit.«
Inner struggles of John the Baptist
»The desert prophet seemed to find all this a mystery he could not fathom. There were hours when the whispering of demons tormented his spirit and the shadow of a terrible fear crept over him. Could it be that the long‑awaited Deliverer had not yet appeared? ... John was bitterly disappointed with the outcome of his mission. He had expected God's message to have the same effect as it did in the days of Josiah and Ezra.«
Prophets were people with the same passions
»The prophets did not differ essentially from other people. Even Elijah ... is called by another prophet a "person with the same passions as we have." Not only were the prophets subject to the same passions as we are, but, like Moses in Kadesh and David in his dealings with Uriah the Hittite, they were at times overwhelmed by temptation and sinned against God. Elijah was discouraged and wished to die; Jonah was despondent when his prediction did not come true. Abraham misrepresented his true relationship with Sarah twice because he was afraid.«
Peter's misstep in Antioch
»God allowed Peter to reveal this weakness so that he might recognize that he had nothing of his own to boast about. Even the best people will err when left to themselves. ... This report of the apostle's weakness was proof of his fallibility and that he was by no means above the other apostles.«
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.
