How to Win Back the Erring

"If you are grieved because your neighbours or friends are doing wrong to their own hurt, if they are
overtaken in fault, follow the Bible rule. 'Tell him his fault between thee and him alone.' As you go to
the one you suppose to be in error, see that you speak in a meek and lowly spirit; for the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God. The erring can in no other way be restored than in the spirit of
meekness, and gentleness, and tender love. Be careful in your manner. Avoid anything in look or
gesture, word or tone of voice, that savours of pride, or self-sufficiency. Guard yourself against a word
or look that would exalt self, or present your goodness and righteousness in contrast with their failings.
Beware of the most distant approach to disdain, overbearing, or contempt. With care avoid every
appearance of anger; and though you use plainness of speech, yet let there be no reproach, no railing
accusation, no token of warmth, but that of earnest love. Above all let there be no shadow of hate or ill-
will, no bitterness, nor sourness of expression. Nothing but kindness and gentleness can flow from a
heart of love. Yet all these precious fruits need not hinder your speaking in the most serious, solemn
manner, as though angels were directing their eyes upon you, and you were acting in reference to the
coming Judgement. Bear in mind that the success of reproof depends greatly upon the spirit in which it
is given. Do not neglect earnest prayer that you may possess a lowly mind, and that angels of God may
work upon the hearts you are trying to reach, before you, and so soften them by heavenly impressions,
that your efforts may avail. If any good is accomplished, take no credit to yourself. God alone should
be exalted. God alone hath done it all." {RH July 17, 1879, par. 1}*

This is quite the list. No human is equal to the task, but with God all things are possible.

Be emptied of the following:

1) wrath of man
2) pride and self-sufficiency in word, look, or tone, or manner
3) self-exaltation
4) present your goodness and righteousness in contrast with their failings
5) Disdain
6) Overbearing
7) Contempt
8) Appearance of anger
9) Reproach
10) Railing accusation
11) Shadow of hate
12) Ill-will
13) Bitterness
14) Sourness of expression

And be filled instead with the following:

1) Meek and lowly spirit
2) Gentleness
3) Tender love
4) plainness of speech
5) earnest love
6) Kindness and gentleness flow from a heart of love

© New Life Mission Canada 1

7) Serious and solemn manner
8) act in reference to the coming judgment
9) earnest prayer for a lowly mind
10) Give God alone the glory for any success

Just imagine what a heaven on earth we would have if this rule were always followed!!!!! When
persons offer unsolicited advice and counsel with the attitude of the first list rather than the second,
together with the body language of aggression and “you'd better follow my advice if you know what's
good for you,” today we call it verbal and emotional abuse. It is SIN. Set a watch over the door of your
lips. Don't do it! First gain the victory over yourself before attempting to straighten anyone else out.
Beware!

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote
out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine
own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” (Mt 7:1-5)

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou
condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is
according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them
which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the
riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath
and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them
who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them
that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and
anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and
peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons
with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in
the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law
shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Behold, thou art
called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things
that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the
blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form
of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou
that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost
thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the
law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of
the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the
law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature,
if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew,
which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but
of God.” (Ro 2:1-29)

© New Life Mission Canada 2

*The opening quote is excerpted from an article on the same subject that can be found in its entirety at
www.whiteestate.org. Search the complete published writings with this reference to find it.

© New Life Mission Canada 3