Avoiding The Two Extremes

Avoiding The Two Extremes

The lesson says that a correct understanding of the inspiration and authority of the writings of Ellen White will avoid two extremes: 1. regarding these writings as functioning on a canonical level identical with Scripture; or 2. considering them as ordinary Christian literature. This is said to be a conclusion derived from a statement prepared by an ad hoc committee of the General Conference on the relationship between the Bible and Ellen G. White. It is true that it is perhaps to easy to fall on either extreme.

As we read part of this statement - the one quoted below - many of us will think of people that fall partially or in total opposition to the following portion of the statement. (Maybe it is us that fall in this category.)

"(3) We do not believe that the writings of Ellen White function as the foundation and final authority of Christian faith as does Scripture.

(4) We do not believe that the writings of Ellen White may be used as the basis of doctrine.

(5) We do not believe that the study of the writings of Ellen White may be used to replace the study of Scripture.

(6) We do not believe that Scripture can be understood only through the writings of Ellen White.

(7) We do not believe that the writings of Ellen White exhaust the meaning of Scripture.

(8) We do not believe that the writings of Ellen White are essential for the proclamation of the truths of Scripture to society at large."

On the one hand, Sister White said many times that her writings point toward the (Colporteur Ministry, p. 125; Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 663, 664 ). In fact, she says that her ministry would not be needed if people studied the Scriptures*. On the other hand, all her writings have been tested against the standard which is,

Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

We can safely say that we do not have to "… despise [her] prophecies". We have tested them all; and held fast to them because they are good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 NKJV).

Since Ellen White was inspired then what she wrote or spoke did not come by her own will, but she spoke or wrote as she was moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). Since her writings are inspired then they are also "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

How can we have a correct understanding of the inspiration and authority of the writings of Ellen White? Is it any different than doing it with the Bible? Can we do this on our own?

Paul says 1 Corinthians 2:14 that "…the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can have a correct understanding of the Bible. This is also true with Sister White's writings (or any other prophet).

Testing the Prophecy

Testing the Prophecy

There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!" The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces. "Don't cry 'wolf', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "When there's no wolf!" They went grumbling back down the hill. Later, the boy sang out again, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" To his naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away. When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!" But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more. Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, "Wolf! Wolf!" But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come. At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn't returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping. "There really was a wolf here! The flock has scattered! I cried out, "Wolf!" Why didn't you come?" An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village. "We'll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning," he said, putting his arm around the youth, "Nobody believes a liar...even when he is telling the truth!" This means that liars can tell the truth. So there is a danger in judging what is said by the person who says it. Perhaps we should spend more effort testing what is said instead of testing who says it.

This seems to be the emphasis of 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 NKJV

20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

It does not say test the prophets, but test the prophecies. This also seems to be what is stressed on Isaiah 8:20 NKJV

20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

The emphasis here is on what they say, if it does not agree with “the law and the testimony,” then there is no light in them. (This text also tells what the criteria are for testing the prophecy.)

A prominent Rabbi was given one of Ellen G. White books to read: Patriarchs and Prophets. After reading it he was convinced that she had to be inspired. He knew nothing of her or any other of her writings. He knew nothing of her life and her hardships. He knew nothing of her vision episodes. But, he believed that Sister White had to be led by God to write this book, because she wrote the book in an ancient style that was unknown in her time and only discovered years after her death. To this Rabbi only God could do something like that. This Rabbi knew the “law and the testimony.” He tested Sister White’s writings against this standard. He found that it was good – therefore of God, so he held fast to it.

As with this rabbi, many recipients of prophecy in the Bible did not know the prophet and heeded his message believing it was the Word of God. (Consider the Ninevites with Jonah). Others who knew the prophets all along rejected the message. As Jesus said in Matthew 13:57, “… A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.” So, as we can see in the end is not about the prophet, but about who sent the prophet. It is not about the life of the prophet, but about the death of Christ.

In the end, no matter who God sends the issue is, do we believe the message? Do we have the faith, belief and trust in God as the Ninevites had. They knew nothing of Jonah, but they did not despise the prophecy, they tested it, found it good, and held fast to it and repented. Are we?

What is the prophet’s work?

What is the prophet’s work?

Andrea had a disturbing dream about Julia. They were friends for many years. Julia was married and wanted children. Andrea thought it was a good idea at first, but after she had her dream, she changed her mind. She prayed to find out more, to make sure this was from God. The more she prayed she realized that it was not God’s will that Julia should have any children. Andrea approached Julia with the news. Julia got angry, and said to her, “How do you know this is from God. For all I know you could just be telling me this because you are jealous of me, you always have. Besides, why did God choose you to tell me this? He can tell me also. And, why would he choose you, period? With all that stuff you have done. I know, because we did a lot of those things together. I am having a child, and that is the end of it. You are not going to take my joy away. And, I know God certainly wants me to be joyful.”

Andrea and Julia did not speak for years. Andrea did not stop praying for her. And, often hoped they still would speak. Julia had her child. She was born with a rare genetic defect that led to mental retardation, seizures, and other symptoms. Julia was now spending most of her time taking the child to doctors and hospitals. This was also putting a strain in her marriage. Tom - her husband - understood the child’s need for care, but he still felt that she was not caring for him enough. And, to make matters worse, she would not let him be involved as much, saying he did not know what to do. Later she complained that since he was not involved, the entire burden fell on her. This drove him to say, “I cannot take it any more.”

Andrea ran into Julia once. Andrea approached her to talk. Julia received her a little cold at first, giving her the usual response, “everything is fine.’ Andrea prayed and pressed further, Julia opened up slowly. And, finally she cried. “Why would God do this to me?” She said out loud. With tenderness Andrea embraced Julia. Julia cried more. Finally, Andrea told her, “Remember I told you about that dream I had, and I told you I that it was not God’s will that you have any children. God loves you and wanted to spare you from all of this” “O, Julia, I should have listened to you. I feel so bad. I love Tom and I love my child. What do I do now?” Andrea had had another dream, and she knew she had to tell Julia. In this case Andrea was a prophet, and this is what prophets do.

In Hebrews 1:1 it says that God … “at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” In 2 Peters 1:21 Peter said that “… prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Prophets, in other words, were God’s spokesperson. A spokesperson is a man or woman who speaks as the representative of other or others. The prophet speaks as the representative of God.

Most of the time, the prophets’ work is revealing Sin. The Bible is full of instances in which God called on these men or women to reveal the Sin of others. However, it is not to keep you from “having fun,” advancing in life, control you or to humiliate you, it is because of Love. By Love we mean agape – God’s unconditional love.

God wants to spare you from earthly consequences for you and others, and also from eternal death. As it says in 2 Timothy 3:16,

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

John puts it very simply in Revelation 3:19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”

But, just as many misrepresent God and misinterpret His intentions, they also do His prophets. In order not to feel the guilt and feel good about themselves they reject the prophet. In many instances they will say, “That is your opinion.” Sister White addresses this issue in the next quote.

Yet now when I send you a testimony of warning and reproof, many of you declare it to be merely the opinion of Sister White. You have thereby insulted the Spirit of God. You know how the Lord has manifested Himself through the Spirit of prophecy. Past, present, and future have passed before me. I have been shown faces that I had never seen, and years afterward I knew them when I saw them. I have been aroused from my sleep with a vivid sense of subjects previously presented to my mind and I have written, at midnight, letters that have gone across the continent, and arriving at a crisis, have saved great disaster to the cause of God. This has been my work for many years. A power has impelled me to reprove and rebuke wrongs that I had not thought of. Is this work of the last thirty-six years from above or from beneath? . . .
. . . In these letters which I write, in the testimonies I bear, I am presenting to you that which the Lord has presented to me. I do not write one article in the paper, expressing merely my own ideas. They are what God has opened before me in vision—the precious rays of light shining from the throne.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 27.

This is what prophets do: Spread God’s words of love (Agape). The question is, will we heed them and their message?

What happens when we reject the Lord’s messenger?

What happens when we reject the Lord’s messenger?

What happens when we reject, ignore or misinterpret the message from the Lord? Consider Sarah and Abraham? Ishmael is the answer. Consider Lot’s wife – a pillar a salt is the answer. Consider Jonah – He did not heed in the beginning. He suffered through a terrible storm, thrown in the sea, and swallowed by a big fish. What if the word comes from a prophet? Is there any difference? Consider Jezebel and Ahab. He repented so he did not die the horrible death predicted he would die. Jezebel did not repent, she died as was predicted. What happens when we listen and heed? The people Jonah spoke to repented and they were spared from earthly destruction and possibly eternal death.

What happens when we emphasize part of a prophecy and not the other? We do that with the first ‘leg’ of the 1st Angel’s Message. Apostle John tells us about the first Angel,

Revelation 14:6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Revelation 14:7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

When talking about what the angel has to say, many focus on verse 7. Thus, they emphasize the judgment and the law – specifically the Sabbath. But, they ignore verse six. What does verse six say? It says that the angel has the everlasting Gospel to preach to the entire world. The Gospel is the good news of Salvation. This is the news that salvation is by faith through grace. This is the news that the righteousness of Christ save us, not our own. In other words, it is the good works of that Christ save us, not our own faulty works. This is why Sister White says that 3rd Angels Message is Righteousness by Faith in verity. Let us read the quote,

Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel's message, and I have answered, "It is the third angel's message, in verity." The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890. {1SM 372.2}

Many claim that the message of Justification by faith makes the law void. However, Sister White has this to say,

Some of our brethren have expressed fears that we shall dwell too much upon the subject of justification by faith, but I hope and pray that none will be needlessly alarmed; for there is no danger in presenting this doctrine as it is set forth in the Scriptures. If there had not been a remissness in the past to properly instruct the people of God, there would not now be a necessity of calling a special attention to it.... The exceeding great and precious promises given us in the Holy Scriptures have been lost sight of to a great extent, just as the enemy of all righteousness designed that they should be. He has cast his own dark shadow between us and our God, that we may not see the true character of God. The Lord has proclaimed Himself to be "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." {1SM 372.1}

She echoes the Apostle Paul. In Romans 3: 19 – 31 Paul expounds on this topic. Let us read the passage,

Romans 3: 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Romans 3: 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3: 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Romans 3: 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Romans 3: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3: 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Romans 3: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Romans 3: 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 3: 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Romans 3: 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 3: 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Romans 3: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Romans 3: 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

So it is the good news of salvation by grace through faith on the Righteousness of Christ that the 1st Angel preaches unto the whole world. The keeping of the law and the knowledge of the judgment will come as a result of that faith. As we live by faith, the Holy Spirit will renew our minds into the likeness, perfection, maturity and stature of Christ. Trying to live by the law so we can stand the judgment will not help us. We will be found wanting. By letting the Spirit fill us with the fullness of Christ that will transform us into holy and selfless beings, we will meet God’s and the Law’s approval. Will you let the Spirit do this work in you?