The Bible does not sugarcoat its main characters. It is precisely this honest portrayal of human weaknesses that makes them credible and offers hope for our own journey of faith. By Ellen White

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The biographies in the Bible are authentic accounts of people who actually lived. From Adam to the time of the apostles, we have, across all generations, a clear, unvarnished account of what really happened and of the genuine experiences of real people.

Unvarnished Accounts

Many are surprised that the divinely inspired accounts describe facts from the lives of good people that cast a negative light on their moral character. Unbelievers point to these sins with great satisfaction and mock the perpetrators. Interestingly, the inspired writers did not resort to falsehoods to prevent the pages of sacred history from being tarnished by accounts of human weaknesses and errors. God’s authors wrote what the Holy Spirit inspired them to write; they had no influence over the content itself. They recorded the literal truth. Dismal and offensive facts have been revealed for reasons that our limited minds cannot fully comprehend.

Evidence of Credibility

One of the strongest proofs of the credibility of Holy Scripture is that it neither conceals the truth nor glosses over the sins of its principal characters. Many will object that it is not at all difficult to report what took place in an ordinary life. But it is a proven fact that it is simply not humanly possible to provide a portrayal of a contemporary that does justice to all sides. And it is nearly as difficult, without deviating from the exact truth, to recount the life story of any individual or people whose history we know.

The Limits of Human Historiography

The human mind is so prone to prejudice that it is almost impossible for it to treat its subject impartially. Either a person’s flaws are highlighted most sharply in a biography, or his virtues shine in the brightest light, depending on whether the writer is for or against him. No matter how much the historian may intend to judge impartially, all critics will agree that it is very difficult to achieve this goal.

But divine anointing, elevated above the weaknesses of humanity, speaks the pure, naked truth. How many biographies have been written about faultless Christians who distinguished themselves in their family and church life as examples of spotless piety! No blemish mars the beauty of their holiness; no fault is reported to us, lest we forget that they were ordinary sinners and thus subject to the everyday temptations of humanity.

What Human Biographies Omit

How different they would appear, however, if the pen of divine inspiration had written their life stories. Human weaknesses would have been revealed: the struggle against selfishness, hypocrisy, and pride—perhaps even against hidden sins—and the constant conflict between the spirit and the flesh.

Honesty Has Its Limits

Even diaries not accessible to the public do not reveal the writer’s sinful deeds on their pages. Sometimes they recount struggles with evil, but usually only when good has emerged victorious. These diaries may nevertheless be an honest account of praiseworthy deeds and noble aspirations, especially if the writer made a sincere effort to keep a conscientious record of his life. Yet people rarely manage to reveal their faults to their friends.

Am I a hopeless case?

If people had written the Holy Scriptures without divine inspiration, they would present a completely different picture. Studying the Bible would then be downright discouraging for erring mortals who struggle with natural weaknesses and the temptations of the cunning enemy. But as the Bible stands, it gives us an accurate account of the faith experiences of important figures in biblical history.

Fallen Humans in God’s Hands

Men whom God favored and to whom He entrusted great responsibility were sometimes overcome by Satan’s temptations and sinned just as we today strive, waver, and often fall into error. Yet it is encouraging for our discouraged hearts to know that, through God’s grace, they were able to draw fresh courage to rise above their evil nature once again. When we keep this in mind, we too will be ready to take up the fight once more.

Learning from Mistakes

Both the grumbling of ancient Israel and its rebellious discontent, as well as the mighty miracles God performed for them and the punishment for their idolatry and ingratitude, are recorded for our benefit. The example of ancient Israel is given to God’s people as a warning, so that they may avoid unbelief and escape God’s wrath. Had the misdeeds of the Hebrews not been included in the sacred accounts, but only their virtues mentioned, we would not learn from their history what it is intended to teach us …

The pen of divine inspiration, faithful to its task, recounts the sins that overwhelmed Noah, Lot, Moses, Abraham, David, and Solomon—indeed, that even Elijah’s strong inner resolve collapsed under the trials he endured during his terrible ordeal. Jonah’s disobedience and Israel’s idolatry are truthfully recounted. Peter’s denial of Jesus, the sharp dispute between Paul and Barnabas, the mistakes and human weaknesses of the prophets and apostles—all of this was laid bare by the Holy Spirit, who removes the veil from the human heart.

No Superhumans

There before us lies the life of the believers, with all its faults and follies, intended as a lesson for all future generations. Had they not had weaknesses, they would have been a kind of superhuman. We would be driven to despair by the question of whether our sinful nature could ever reach such heights. But when we see how they struggled and fell, gathered their courage again, and ultimately triumphed through God’s grace, we draw new courage. We are led to overcome the obstacles that our degenerate nature places in our path.

Is my sin excusable?

God has always conscientiously punished all crimes. He sent His prophets to warn the guilty, to denounce their sins, and to pronounce judgment upon them. All who wonder why the Word of God brings the sins of His people to light so clearly—so clearly that scoffers laugh at them and the devout weep over them—should consider this: Everything was written to instruct us, so that we may avoid the evils mentioned and imitate only the righteousness of God’s servants.

We need precisely such teachings as the Bible gives us. For along with the revelation of sin, the retribution that follows is also recounted. The repentance and penance of the guilty, as well as the lamentations of the sin-sick soul, echo from the past and tell us that people then, as now, need God’s forgiving mercy. The Bible teaches us that God punishes crime but has mercy on the repentant sinner and forgives him …

David learned wisdom from the way God dealt with him, and he humbly submitted to the discipline of the Most High. The prophet Nathan’s precise description of David’s condition revealed his sins to him and helped him to cast them off. He accepted the counsel with gentleness and humbled himself before God. “The law of the LORD is perfect and revives the soul,” he exclaims (Psalm 19:8).

The truth is healing

Repentant sinners have no reason to despair when they are reminded of their transgressions and warned of dangers. It is precisely this concern for them that shows how much God loves them and how important their salvation is to Him. They need only follow His counsel and do His will to inherit eternal life.

God brings all sins before the eyes of His wayward children so that they may recognize them in all their abhorrence in the light of divine truth. Then it is up to them to renounce these sins forever.#

God’s Power Remains Unbroken

God is just as powerful today to save people from sin as He was in the days of the patriarchs, David, the prophets, and the apostles. The great number of instances recorded in biblical history in which God has delivered His children from their sins should encourage Christians today to seek divine instruction with a thirst for knowledge and to zealously develop a character capable of withstanding the scrutiny of divine judgment.

Courage from the Experiences of Others

Biblical history sustains the despondent heart because it gives us hope in God’s mercy. We need not lose heart. For we see how others have struggled through difficulties similar to ours; how they have fallen into temptation just as we have, yet have regained firm footing and been blessed by God.

The words of divine inspiration comfort and delight the wandering soul.

Overcomers Through Faith

Although the patriarchs and apostles were prone to human weaknesses, they nevertheless attained a good reputation through faith, fought their battles in the strength of the LORD, and remained victorious. So may we trust in the healing power of the atonement and become overcomers in the name of Jesus. Humanity has not changed from the time of Adam to our present generation, and God’s love has remained unparalleled throughout the ages.

From: Testimonies to the Church, Volume 4, pp. 9–15; cf. Testimonies for the Church, Volume 4, pp. 13–20.