"There are many whose names are on the church books, but who are not under Christ's rule. They are not heeding His instruction or doing His work. Therefore they are under the control of the enemy. They are doing no positive good; therefore they are doing incalculable harm. Because their influence is not a savor of life unto life, it is a savor of death unto death. COL 304.1"
"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."
The EGW passage directly echoes the sentiment of Matthew 12:30, stating that those not actively working for good are, in effect, working against it. The phrase "He that is not with me is against me" is clearly reflected in the idea that those not doing positive good are doing incalculable harm.
"The Lord says, “Shall I not visit for these things?” Jeremiah 5:9 . Because they failed of fulfilling God's purpose, the children of Israel were set aside, and God's call was extended to other peoples. If these too prove unfaithful, will they not in like manner be rejected? COL 304.2"
"Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?"
Ellen White directly references Jeremiah 5:9 in this passage.
"In the parable of the vineyard it was the husbandmen whom Christ pronounced guilty. It was they who had refused to return to their lord the fruit of his ground. In the Jewish nation it was the priests and teachers who, by misleading the people, had robbed God of the service which He claimed. It was they who turned the nation away from Christ. COL 304.3"
"They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons."
Both passages refer to the parable of the vineyard and the unfaithful husbandmen. EGW's interpretation directly connects the husbandmen to the priests and teachers in the Jewish nation, which aligns with the overall message of the parable in Matthew 21.
"The law of God unmixed with human tradition was presented by Christ as the great standard of obedience. This aroused the enmity of the rabbis. They had set human teaching above God's word, and had turned the people away from His precepts. They would not give up their man-made commandments in order to obey the requirements of the word of God. They would not, for the truth's sake, sacrifice the pride of reason and the praise of men. When Christ came, presenting to the nation the claims of God, the priests and elders denied His right to interpose between them and the people. They would not accept His rebukes and warnings, and they set themselves to turn the people against Him and to compass His destruction. COL 304.4"
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
The EGW passage directly references the conflict between Christ and the religious leaders regarding human tradition versus God's law, echoing the sentiment expressed in Matthew 15:9 about teaching the commandments of men as doctrines.