What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "What should one rely on more: one's own line of thought or experience?"
Answer
One should not rely blindly on one's own mind nor uncritically on mere personal experiences, because feelings and false habits often deceive one's judgment. True experience is valuable, but it must be in harmony with God's Word and the laws of nature, and be complemented by the counsel of experienced fellow humans. At the same time, God calls each person to think independently, to use his conscience, and to seek wisdom directly from Him.
Deceptions through Misunderstood Experience
»It is said that experience is the best teacher. True experience indeed surpasses book knowledge. But habits and customs bind men and women like iron bands, and they are usually justified by experience according to the common understanding of the term. Many have abused the precious experience. They have clung to their harmful habits, which severely weaken physical, mental, and moral health; and when one tries to instruct them, they justify their actions by referring to their experience. Yet true experience is in harmony with natural law and science. ... Many examples could be cited to show how men and women were deceived by relying on their experience.«
Independent Thinking and the Need for Divine Wisdom
»However, while education, training, and the counsel of the experienced are indispensable, workers should be taught that they should not rely entirely on the judgment of any one person. As free agents of God, all should seek wisdom from Him. If the learner depends wholly on another's thoughts and does not go beyond adopting that person's plans, he sees only through that man's eyes and is therefore merely an echo of another. ... He intends that each person use his mind and conscience for himself. He does not intend for a person to become the shadow of another and merely express that other's views.«
The Danger of Following One's Own Counsel Exclusively
»You must change your way of life and be guided by the counsel of experience, and through the wisdom of those whom the Lord teaches, align your will with the will of God. ... Yet if you are determined to heed no counsel except your own and try to solve every problem for yourself, be assured that you will reap what you have sown. You will completely miss the right path, or you will be wounded, crushed, and, having withered in religious character, repentantly return to the Lord and acknowledge your mistakes.«
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.
