Problem #2 - Just One Misstep: Analyzing Prophecy

According to Seventh-day Adventist’s official position as I noted in my previous post, the official positions of the denomination are:

1. Scripture is Sufficient and Complete

2. Ellen White is a prophet

3. Ellen White corrects interpretation of Scripture

Are these biblical positions?

Scripture being sufficient is foundational and a no-brainer, yes. Then that means we need to analyze the official position of Ellen White.

Ellen White as a prophet and her ‘revelations’ regarding Scripture.

Using Scripture, we need to test the position of Ellen White.

“ What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.  If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:26-32).”

The word ‘revelation’ used here by Paul is apokalupsis. The greek meaning, means to reveal something, unveil, to show an aspect of Christ or in regards to Christ. This is something that Ellen White most certainly did, she provided ‘revelation’ to the church in regards to the work of Christ, the character and nature of Christ. Ellen White, and by no means am I supporting her, gave new revelation to the church AND prophecy.

Seventh-day Adventism has a greater responsibility to all Christendom to prove its positions, to engage in scrutiny of it’s own beliefs, and to pursue discussion and discourse with the greater Christian church. Why?

“ And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18 -19).””Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:4-6).”

Jesus makes promises to His church, and through His apostles to the corpus present at that time, that He would guide, grow, and be with His church. If Seventh-day Adventism does not see or accept this responsibility, then as a denomination, it is stating that they believe God has a gap in his promises. Yet, the denomination gets around this by discussing a ‘remnant.’ This idea, which will be elucidated and expounded on in a later article, is that there has always been a faithful remnant of believers throughout the church’s history that God has guided up through to the Seventh-day Adventists. Is this a biblical concept? No.

Remnant is discussed in Scripture. Eighty-four times. Yet the definition, given by Seventh-day Adventists is that the remnant are the believers God is with and that the greater corpus of ‘believers’ are apostate and God is not with them.

The first time we see remnant discussed is in Genesis 45:7 when God is telling Joseph that he is using Him to preserve a remnant. “And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.” Does remnant mean the definition that Seventh-day Adventists have given remnant to mean? No. The term here is referring to Jacob’s descendants as a whole who would stand apart from the greater humanity and serve God. It does not mean, as the Seventh-day Adventist definition states, a body within a body of God’s people. Remnant, in the Old Testament sense, is ONLY defined as those who follow the Messiah whom we know as Jesus, out of Judaism.

“Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he[a] had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land (Jeremiah 23:3-9).”

Per the definition given remnant in Scripture, the early church was the remnant prophesied about and drawn out of Judaism. In the New Testament, remnant is only discussed three times.

“And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old (Acts 12:12-18).’”

Here, remnant is referring back to the prophesy made to Joseph, that it will be a line drawn from humanity at large, not from within the body of Believers. In Romans 9:19-27, Paul enters into a dialogue with himself discussing the validity of gentiles being saved….

“ You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”  But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”  “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people, ’there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”  And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah (Romans 9:19-27).”

Again in Romans 11:1-8, Paul uses Remnant in again referring to the church corpus at his time being justified in their views that moved away from the teachings and views of the Jewish faith at that time.

The Seventh-Day Adventist view of the remnant is that the remnant is a body of believers drawn from the world, then drawn from the churches, then drawn from within Seventh-day Adventism itself.

“Many look with horror at the course of the Jews in rejecting and crucifying Christ; and as they read the history of His shameful abuse, they think they love Him, and would not have denied Him as did Peter, or crucified Him as did the Jews. But God who reads the hearts of all, has brought to the test that love for Jesus which they professed to feel. All heaven watched with the deepest interest the reception of the first angel’s message. But many who professed to love Jesus, and who shed tears as they read the story of the cross, derided the good news of His coming. Instead of receiving the message with gladness, they declared it to be a delusion. They hated those who loved His appearing and shut them out of the churches. Those who rejected the first message could not be benefited by the second; neither were they benefited by the midnight cry, which was to prepare them to enter with Jesus by faith into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. And by rejecting the two former messages, they have so darkened their understanding that they can see no light in the third angel’s message, which shows the way into the most holy place (Early Writings, pg. 261).”

Remember that Ellen White is describing a vision here, that officially has weight theologically and authoritatively. Her message here is based on Revelation 14:6-11. By her vision, Seventh-day Adventist are to interpret the three angels message as three distinct events. The first angel’s message occurred at the cross. The second angel’s message occurred in 1844, and the third angels message is occurring.

“I saw that as the Jews crucified Jesus, so the nominal churches had crucified these messages, and therefore they have no knowledge of the way into the most holy, and they cannot be benefited by the intercession of Jesus there. Like the Jews, who offered their useless sacrifices, they offer up their useless prayers to the apartment which Jesus has left; and Satan, pleased with the deception, assumes a religious character, and leads the minds of these professed Christians to himself, working with his power, his signs and lying wonders, to fasten them in his snare. Some he deceives in one way, and some in another. He has different delusions prepared to affect different minds. Some look with horror upon one deception, while they readily receive another. Satan deceives some with Spiritualism. He also comes as an angel of light and spreads his influence over the land by means of false reformations. The churches are elated, and consider that God is working marvelously for them, when it is the work of another spirit. The excitement will die away and leave the world and the church in a worse condition than before.

I saw that God has honest children among the nominal Adventists and the fallen churches, and before the plagues shall be poured out, ministers and people will be called out from these churches and will gladly receive the truth. Satan knows this; and before the loud cry of the third angel is given, he raises an excitement in these religious bodies, that those who have rejected the truth may think that God is with them. He hopes to deceive the honest and lead them to think that God is still working for the churches. But the light will shine, and all who are honest will leave the fallen churches, and take their stand with the remnant (Early Writings, pg. 261).”

Ellen White gives even more elucidation on what the remnant actually is, according to her prophetic authority.

“I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. I gazed on Jesus’ countenance and admired his lovely person. The Fathers person I could not behold for a cloud of glorious light covered him. I asked Jesus if his Father had a form like himself; He said he had, but I could not behold it; for, said he, if you should for once see the glory of his person, you would cease to exist. Before the throne was the Advent people, the Church, and the world. I saw a company bowed down before the throne, deeply interested while most of them stood up disinterested and careless. Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their prayers and look to Jesus, then he would look to his Father and appeared to be pleading with him. Then a light came from the Father to his Son and from him to the praying company. Then I saw an exceeding bright light come from the Father to the Son and from the Son it waved over the people before the throne. But few would receive this great light. Many came out from under it and immediately resisted it. Others were careless and did not cherish the light and it moved off from them. Some cherished it and went and bowed down before the throne with the little praying company. This company all received the light, and rejoiced in it as their countenances shone with its glory. Then I saw the Father rise from the throne and in a flaming chariot go into the Holy of Holies within the vail, and did sit. There I saw thrones which I had not seen before. Then Jesus rose up from the throne, and most of those who were bowed down rose up with him. And I did not see one ray of light pass from Jesus to the careless multitude after he rose up, and they were left in perfect darkness. Those who rose up when Jesus did, kept their eyes fixed on him as he left the throne, and led them out a little way, then he raised his right arm and we heard his lovely voice saying, wait ye, I am going to my Father to receive the Kingdom. Keep your garments spotless and in a little while I will return from the wedding, and receive you to myself. And I saw a cloudy chariot with wheels like flaming fire. Angels were all about the chariot as it came where Jesus was; he stepped into it and was borne to the Holiest where the Father sat. Then I beheld Jesus as he was before the Father a great High Priest. On the hem of his garment was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Then Jesus shewed me the difference between faith and feeling. And I saw those who rose up with Jesus send up their faith to Jesus in the Holiest, and praying, Father give us thy spirit. Then Jesus would breathe on them the Holy Ghost. In the breath was light, power and much love, joy and peace. Then I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne. They did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne and pray, My Father give us thy spirit. Then Satan would breathe on them an unholy influence. In it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy and peace. Satan’s object was to keep them deceived and to draw back and deceive God’s children. I saw one after another leave the company who were praying to Jesus in the Holiest, go and join those before the throne and they at once received the unholy influence of Satan (Day Star, March 14, 1846).”

Here we see that Ellen White prophesies through attesting to a revelation she is given that the remnant of God are drawn from the remnant of God, i.e. Christians, because they reject / rejected the truth of 1844 and are also in open apostasy with not observing Sabbath as Saturday. Most Seventh-day Adventists will assume that one is a part of the ‘remnant’ if they belong to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, observe Saturday as Sabbath, and do their best to keep the tenants of faith laid out by Ellen White and Scripture.

Most Seventh-day Adventists are sorely mistaken, or ignorant of the fact, that the remnant are a group within Seventh-day Adventism.

“Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed. There are many even among those who teach the truth to others who will not receive the seal of God in their foreheads. They had the light of truth, they knew their Master’s will, they understood every point of our faith, but they had not corresponding works. These who were so familiar with prophecy and the treasures of divine wisdom should have acted their faith. They should have commanded their households after them, that by a well-ordered family they might present to the world the influence of the truth upon the human heart.

By their lack of devotion and piety, and their failure to reach a high religious standard, they make other souls contented with their position. Men of finite judgment cannot see that in patterning after these men who have so often opened to them the treasures of God’s word, they will surely endanger their souls. Jesus is the only true pattern. Everyone must now search the Bible for himself upon his knees before God, with the humble, teachable heart of a child, if he would know what the Lord requires of him. However high any minister may have stood in the favor of God, if he neglects to follow out the light given him of God, if he refuses to be taught as a little child, he will go into darkness and satanic delusions and will lead others in the same path.

Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.

We are too easily satisfied with our attainments. We feel rich and increased with goods and know not that we are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Now is the time to heed the admonition of the True Witness: “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

In this life we must meet fiery trials and make costly sacrifices, but the peace of Christ is the reward. There has been so little self-denial, so little suffering for Christ’s sake, that the cross is almost entirely forgotten. We must be partakers with Christ of His sufferings if we would sit down in triumph with Him on His throne. So long as we choose the easy path of self-indulgence and are frightened at self-denial, our faith will never become firm, and we cannot know the peace of Jesus nor the joy that comes through conscious victory. The most exalted of the redeemed host that stand before the throne of God and the Lamb, clad in white, know the conflict of overcoming, for they have come up through great tribulation. Those who have yielded to circumstances rather than engage in this conflict will not know how to stand in that day when anguish will be upon every soul, when, though Noah, Job, and Daniel were in the land, they could save neither son nor daughter, for everyone must deliver his soul by his own righteousness.

No one need say that his case is hopeless, that he cannot live the life of a Christian. Ample provision is made by the death of Christ for every soul. Jesus is our ever-present help in time of need. Only call upon Him in faith, and He has promised to hear and answer your petitions.

Oh, for a living, active faith! We need it; we must have it, or we shall faint and fail in the day of trial. The darkness that will then rest upon our path must not discourage us or drive us to despair. It is the veil with which God covers His glory when He comes to impart rich blessings. We should know this by our past experience. In that day when God has a controversy with His people this experience will be a source of comfort and hope.

It is now that we must keep ourselves and our children unspotted from the world. It is now that we must wash our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is now that we must overcome pride, passion, and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake and make determined effort for symmetry of character. “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” We are in a most trying position, waiting, watching for our Lord’s appearing. The world is in darkness. “But ye, brethren,” says Paul, “are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” It is ever God’s purpose to bring light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow, and rest out of weariness for the waiting, longing soul.

What are you doing, brethren, in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth—these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity.

Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God—candidates for heaven. Go forward, my brethren and sisters. I can only write briefly upon these points at this time, merely calling your attention to the necessity of preparation. Search the Scriptures for yourselves, that you may understand the fearful solemnity of the present hour (Testimonies For The Church, Vol. 5, pg. 213-216).”

Ellen White’s words in the Testimonies are fairly straight forward, however, they directly insinuate that the obeying the truth, as is stated in the above quoted section, is obeying Scripture according to the correct interpretation presented in the writings of Ellen White. In the Great Controversy, Ellen White is even more pointed in her laying out that the remnant of God is a group within Seventh-day Adventism that will perfectly keep God’s law and thus fulfill the requirement for Christ’s return to be presented with a perfect church body.

“Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14.

When this work shall have been accomplished, the followers of Christ will be ready for His appearing. “Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.” Malachi 3:4. Then the church which our Lord at His coming is to receive to Himself will be a “glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” Ephesians 5:27. Then she will look “forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” Song of Solomon 6:10…Men cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in mercy sends them. A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah’s day, and their salvation depended upon the manner in which they treated that message. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in the waters of the Flood. In the time of Abraham, mercy ceased to plead with the guilty inhabitants of Sodom, and all but Lot with his wife and two daughters were consumed by the fire sent down from heaven. So in the days of Christ. The Son of God declared to the unbelieving Jews of that generation: “Your house is left unto you desolate.” Matthew 23:38. Looking down to the last days, the same Infinite Power declares, concerning those who “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved“: “For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. As they reject the teachings of His word, God withdraws His Spirit and leaves them to the deceptions which they love (The Great Controversy, pg. 425 - 430).”

The remnant church lays WITHIN the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and NOT, as is so often stated in Seventh-day Adventist meetings, the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a corpus. For one, it does not follow the biblical pattern, and extends into new revelation what God’s remnant is, solely based on the prophetic revelations and interpretations given through Ellen White.

Is what Ellen White’s statements biblically backed? They have to be and they are often claimed to be, from liberal Adventists to conservative Adventists. Yet, Ellen White leaves us no room to disagree with her.

Let’s work in revers, can we ever be without a mediator and rely on our own works for salvation? Can we purify ourselves through our own diligent effort? Paul hits this firmly on the head in Romans 7:8-25,

“But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

In case Paul was not clear enough, that even he himself struggled with keeping to the course God has laid out, states again in Ephesians 2:8-10, that works have no bearing on are ability to be saved.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 64:6-9, pointing at humanities need for a savior and need for redemption writes,

“We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls upon your name,
    who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
    and have made us melt in[c] the hand of our iniquities.

But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
    we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.
 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
    and remember not iniquity forever.
    Behold, please look, we are all your people.”

I know what many argue, works are an expression of faith and salvation. Yes, and yet there is even disagreement among Christians on just exactly that relationship is regarding sanctification and the outward appearance through works equates too. However, this is not at all what Ellen White means. She means that we work with Christ, she is quite clear, “our own diligent effort,” to make ourselves righteous, pure, and clean. She does not imply that the remnant are those who stand before God sanctified and perfect through the work of Christ, and they outwardly demonstrate that through their actions. Ellen White, as can be seen in the passages above, states that A.) we will not have Christ as a mediator and our salvation will be based on our own effort B.) that Christ will only come when that group (remnant) is perfect, through their obedience to God’s law and the teachings of Ellen White.

As we saw in my post regarding Problem #1 - according to Ellen White, you cannot disagree or vary from what she states, or you are an agent of Satan. So what do we do when Scripture is officially sufficient and complete, and yet Ellen White goes beyond and adds to the meaning of Scriptures? When she contrasts the words of the Apostles and the Prophets. Isaiah correlates our righteous works with used feminine hygiene products (Sorry ladies, but back then that was considered unclean and the highest sign of Eve’s choice to bring sin into the world). Let’s continue to unpack what Ellen White has prophetically laid out. It really is of the utmost importance, for it is true and accurate has profound impacts on the lives of the believers.

In the Day Star March 14, 1846 article, Ellen White recounts her first vision, which the Seventh-day Adventist Church upholds as authoritative. I aforementioned a portion of that vision, however we need and will examine a larger portion of the vision with Scripture.

“I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. I gazed on Jesus’ countenance and admired his lovely person. The Fathers person I could not behold for a cloud of glorious light covered him. I asked Jesus if his Father had a form like himself; He said he had, but I could not behold it; for, said he, if you should for once see the glory of his person, you would cease to exist. Before the throne was the Advent people, the Church, and the world. I saw a company bowed down before the throne, deeply interested while most of them stood up disinterested and careless. Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their prayers and look to Jesus, then he would look to his Father and appeared to be pleading with him. Then a light came from the Father to his Son and from him to the praying company. Then I saw an exceeding bright light come from the Father to the Son and from the Son it waved over the people before the throne. But few would receive this great light. Many came out from under it and immediately resisted it. Others were careless and did not cherish the light and it moved off from them. Some cherished it and went and bowed down before the throne with the little praying company. This company all received the light, and rejoiced in it as their countenances shone with its glory. Then I saw the Father rise from the throne and in a flaming chariot go into the Holy of Holies within the vail, and did sit. There I saw thrones which I had not seen before. Then Jesus rose up from the throne, and most of those who were bowed down rose up with him. And I did not see one ray of light pass from Jesus to the careless multitude after he rose up, and they were left in perfect darkness. Those who rose up when Jesus did, kept their eyes fixed on him as he left the throne, and led them out a little way, then he raised his right arm and we heard his lovely voice saying, ‘wait ye, I am going to my Father to receive the Kingdom. Keep your garments spotless and in a little while I will return from the wedding, and receive you to myself.’

[Here again we see Ellen White setting the prophetic course that it is our own diligent efforts to remain spotless. The greater theological implication is that Christ ascended to heaven in order to receive the earth as his kingdom. Mark 1:14-15, Matt. 4:17, John 3:35, John 18:36 and Revelation 1:4-6 state that Christ had already received the kingdom and established it on earth. In fact Christ directly states why he is ascending to heaven after the crucifixion. For those that argue that this vision encompasses events preceding 1844, so from Christ’s time through her present time in 1846, it does not. Ellen White’s words and intent of vision centers on the Advent people.]

And I saw a cloudy chariot with wheels like flaming fire. Angels were all about the chariot as it came where Jesus was; he stepped into it and was borne to the Holiest where the Father sat. Then I beheld Jesus as he was before the Father a great High Priest. On the hem of his garment was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. Then Jesus shewed me the difference between faith and feeling. And I saw those who rose up with Jesus send up their faith to Jesus in the Holiest, and praying, Father give us thy spirit. Then Jesus would breathe on them the Holy Ghost. In the breath was light, power and much love, joy and peace. Then I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne. They did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne and pray, My Father give us thy spirit. Then Satan would breathe on them an unholy influence. In it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy and peace. Satan’s object was to keep them deceived and to draw back and deceive God’s children.

[This statement in regards to not knowing that Jesus had left his throne and was replaced by Satan is troubling and deeply counter to promises made by Christ himself, yet it is also the basis for how Seventh-day Adventists view all other Christians. That view is that everyone else, no matter how genuine, is actually worship, praising, and proclaiming what they think is Jesus and yet is not Jesus. This one aspect deeply invalidates and counters promises by God in Scripture, several times. Isa. 43:11-13, 1 Tim. 4:4-5, Matt. 21:21-22, Mark 11:24, Matt. 7:7-11, Jhn. 12:31-36, Jhn. 16, Rom. 8:38-39]

I saw one after another leave the company who were praying to Jesus in the Holiest, go and join those before the throne and they at once received the unholy influence of Satan.Jesus told me it was the time of Jacob’s trouble, and that we should be delivered out of it by the voice of God. Just before we entered it, we all received the seal of the living God. Then I saw the four Angels cease to hold the four winds. And I saw famine, pestilence and sword, nation rose against nation, and the whole world was in confusion. Then we cried to God for deliverance day and night till we began to hear the bells on Jesus’ garment. And I saw Jesus rise up in the Holiest, and as he came out we heard the tinkling of bells, and knew our High Priest was coming out. Then we heard the voice of God which shook the heavens and earth, and gave the 144,000 the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. Then the saints were free, united and full of the glory of God, for he had turned their captivity. And I saw a flaming cloud come where Jesus stood and he laid off his priestly garment and put on his kingly robe, took his place on the cloud which carried him to the east where it first appeared to the saints on earth, a small black cloud, which was the sign of the Son of Man. While the cloud was passing from the Holiest to the east which took a number of days, the Synagogue of Satan worshiped at the saints feet (Day Star, March 14, 1846).”

Seventh-day Adventism rests on the assumption that the rest of Christianity has been allowed to fall to Satan’s deception while believing that they are following Christ, feeling Christ, seeing Christ, and demonstrating a life lived in submission to Christ and Scripture without recognizing that in an ironic way, Seventh-day Adventists might be the ones who have fallen to the deceptions of something that appears Christian and Christlike. The question that is not asked, that desperately needs to be asked is, “if we have a faith based on a mass scale deception, could we ourselves actually be the ones that have fallen to that deception and not the rest of Christendom.” Remember that all that the serpent spoke to Eve was a lie. It was deep truths twisted in with deceptive lies. This will be the foundation for our next Problem article.

Seventh-day Adventism

The purpose of this series is not to copy what so many others have done. Whether that is to regurgitate the same talking points and criticisms regarding the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, or to capitalize on today’s social media and create a new podcast, or vlog. No, this is strictly personal. I’ve grown up in a generational Seventh-Day Adventist family. One that was not conservative Adventist and yet not on the side of cultural or ‘liberal’ Adventist either. I was born at a Seventh-Day Adventist hospital, attended Adventist schools through my undergraduate degree, a Bachelors in Arts in Religion with a minor in History. My parents have worked in Adventist Education and administration. I’ve served, along with my wife, as a missionary, pastor, and educator, all within the Seventh-Day Adventist context.

Yet, as of five years ago….no more. In complete candor, I completely understand how most leave and never look back, the church is toxic, the culture is noxious. Why? It wasn’t because of church hurt, it wasn’t to unshackle the constraints of Christianity only to pursue some hedonistic life. Truth be told, it has been in the pursuit of Truth. Plain and simple, Truth.

What readers, if there are any, need to understand is that ultimately what I lay out is acknowledged and affirmed by many theologians and administrators in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. There is nothing new I am stating, writing, challenging or laying out. This is not a ‘new’ discovery by only me. The questions and material I lay forward in the proceeding articles are in fact based on evidence the church provides. This is what has lead me here…

What is the purpose and point of being Seventh-Day Adventist?

You will get some common answers when asking that question to congregants, and yet the answer will be widely different depending on the region, culture, or country you are in when you ask. Also, the influence and practices will vary, depending on the region you are in, even within a country. Which, is contradictory and invalidates the belief system.

For me, through surgical analysis and methodical research, I’ve been taken to a point of grieving over the denomination. Many protestant beliefs have been adopted by the church, ones that were once the foundation of protestantism, and yet when you dive into Adventism, you realize, everything is not as it seems, it has all been skewed. The rules of sound exegesis, hermeneutics, and more are applied differently at various points in interpreting scripture, only to support current and foundational positions. Ironically, this practice is the very thing that Adventist accuse other Christian’s of doing.

So, for my conscience, and sharing what I’ve come to find, I lay it out for you. A fluid work that I am continually searching and finding. Always hoping to prove myself wrong, and prove Adventism right…and yet, as of now, only the opposite. I welcome discussion, the desire to see something I am not seeing, to engage, to be shown where and how I am wrong. Because the claims of Seventh-day Adventism are such, that if right, they damn nearly everyone outside the denomination, and even within.

It is either a church that desperately needs to change, or a cult that is deceptively moving throughout our lives.

Foundation of the SDA Church: Ellen White

The foundation of Seventh-day Adventism is resting on the shoulders, spiritual life, and words of Ellen Gould White (Harmon). No matter how you view things, that will not change the facts that every…single…doctrine, belief, practice is INFLUENCED via the interpretation or word of Ellen White.

A common response when discussing with other Adventists is, “well I just don’t see what you are saying, we never had Ellen White preached from the pulpit, or crammed down our throats.”

But unknowingly, all Adventists do.

A pastor, and I would know having been educated as one, is going to be trained to read Scripture and compose his or her sermons according to these steps…

1. Pray and read over what you are lead to preach on.

2. Write you sermon.

3. Utilizing the SDA Bible commentary to illuminate passages and understand meanings.

4. See if it agrees with Ellen White or not. Compare.

The SDA Bible commentary is composed with the idea that when conflicts between the writings of Ellen White and Scripture arise, the commentators will remain silent. If a pastor presents anything that counters Ellen White’s statements, well he will either be talked to by the parishioners, the church board, the conference, or all of the above. Record will be noted and never forgotten. (I wish I was joking). Even if what the pastor says agrees with Ellen White, if it disagrees with a position taken BASED on Ellen White by the parishioners, drama will follow.

The church does not allow us to downplay Ellen White…

The Biblical Research Institute is the final authority of belief, or voice giving the final authority of the General Conference it’s authority.

“In Scripture we find canonical prophets like Moses and Jeremiah, whose writings became part of the biblical canon, and non-canonical prophets like Nathan, Ahijah, and Iddo (2 Chron 9:29) whose books, though inspired, did not become part of the biblical canon. Why God selected some books and not others we do not know. Obviously, he knew what mankind would need to understand the plan of salvation. However, what the non-canonical prophets said or wrote was just as authoritative and binding for the people of their time as were the books of Moses and Isaiah (2 Sam 12:7-15). The authority of a prophetic book lies in its inspiration not in the book’s place in the canon. But since John the Revelator’s time the canon has been closed, and no other inspired books can be added to it.

If archaeologists would find the book of Nathan today it would not be added to the canon but would remain an inspired book outside of the canon. And whatever theological statements were to be found in it would remain inspired and authoritative statements outside of the canon. The canon is simply the collection of books which under God’s guidance was put together as the rule of faith and practice for God’s people by which everything else has to be measured. It contains everything a person needs to know to be saved.

The apostle Paul wrote a number of inspired letters which were lost, e.g., his letter to the Laodiceans (Col 4:16), or his first letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 5:9). If these letters were found today, they would not become part of the canon, but would remain inspired letters outside of the canon….

In 1982, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists issued a statement of affirmations and denials in regard to the Ellen G. White writings (Ministry, August 1982). One of the affirmations said, “We believe that Ellen White was inspired by the Holy Spirit and that her writings, the product of that inspiration, are applicable and authoritative especially to Seventh-day Adventists.” The denials made clear that while the quality or degree of inspiration in the writings of Ellen White is no different from that of Scripture, Seventh-day Adventists “do not believe that the writings of Ellen White are an addition to the canon of Sacred Scripture.”

It was concluded, therefore, 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.” Seventh-day Adventists reject the idea that there are degrees of inspiration. They believe that Ellen White was a messenger of God and that she was inspired like the Old and New Testament prophets. Now, if Ellen White was as inspired as the Old and New Testament prophets, what authority do her writings have? The answer can only be: They have the same authority the writings of the non-canonical prophets had for their time.

Ellen White left her readers in no doubt about the source of her writings. There were only two possibilities, “God is either teaching His church, reproving their wrongs, and strengthening their faith, or He is not. This work is of God, or it is not. God does nothing in partnership with Satan. My work . . . bears the stamp of God, or the stamp of the enemy. There is no halfway work in the matter. The Testimonies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil” (5 T 671). In a letter to the church in Battle Creek she wrote, “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. ” (1 SM 27).

Because the source of what she wrote was divine, her words have authority. To those who refused to accept her writings as having divine authority she said, “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 [a metonym for the writings of Ellen White]” (1 SM 27).

At the same time she emphasized her submission to the Bible, which she called “the greater light” (CM 125). “We are to receive God’s word as supreme authority” (6T 402), she wrote, and “The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience” (GC vii). Therefore, she said, “the testimonies of Sister White should not be carried to the front. God’s Word is the unerring standard . . . Let all prove their positions from the Scriptures and substantiate every point they claim as truth from the revealed Word of God” (Ev 256). At a meeting held in the Battle Creek College library on the eve of the General Conference of 1901 she told the leaders, “Lay Sister White right to one side. Don’t . . . ever quote my words again as long as you live, until you can obey the Bible” (SpM 167).

Yet, for her, this did not negate the manifestation of the prophetic gift in her ministry. “The fact that God has revealed His will to men through His word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour, to open the word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings” (GC vii).

From the beginning, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has recognized the tremendous value and the authority of the writings of Ellen White. As early as 1855 the leadership of the Advent Movement publically stated that they regarded the writings of Ellen White as coming from God. Therefore, “we must acknowledge ourselves under obligation to abide by their teachings, and be corrected by their admonitions” (RH Dec. 4, 1855). Ever since then, General Conferences in session have from time to time issued statements expressing confidence in the writings of Ellen White “as the teaching of the Spirit of God” (RH, Feb. 14, 1871).

In 1980, the General Conference in session in Dallas, Texas, voted the adoption of the 27 Fundamental Beliefs. Belief number 17 deals with the gift of prophecy as manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. It reads in part as follows: “As the Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.” Though nearly a century has elapsed since Ellen White laid down her pen, her inspired and therefore authoritative writings continue to be a guiding and unifying factor in the rapidly growing Seventh-day Adventist Church.”

There is a lot to unpack even within that official statement by the BRI. At the heart of it all no matter what flavor of Seventh-Day Adventist you are, you are under the ‘prophetic’ authority of Ellen White when you are a member of the church, whether you agree with her or not, whether you heard her or not.

My hypothesis…

The authority placed on the writings and person of Ellen White is not biblically sound, nor is it warranted. The church has kept its position out of fear of collapsing the church, and yet it has known that she does not stand on biblical grounds to hold the authoritative position she holds.

Ellen White does not allow anyone claiming to be Seventh-Day Adventist to downplay, to bypass, nor to ignore her writings. She places a standard for herself and writings, and gives us only one of two options.

““I took the precious Bible and surrounded it with the several Testimonies for the Church, given for the people of God. Here, said I, the cases of nearly all are met. The sins they are to shun are pointed out. The counsel that they desire can be found here, given for other cases situated similarly to themselves. God has been pleased to give you line upon line and precept upon precept. But there are not many of you that really know what is contained in the Testimonies. You are not familiar with the Scriptures. If you had made God’s word your study, with a desire to reach the Bible standard and attain to Christian perfection, you would not have needed the Testimonies. It is because you have neglected to acquaint yourselves with God’s inspired Book that He has sought to reach you by simple, direct testimonies, calling your attention to the words of inspiration which you had neglected to obey, and urging you to fashion your lives in accordance with its pure and elevated teachings (Testimonies for the Church 5, pg. 671-664).”

““I said further: As the word of God is walled in with these books and pamphlets, so has God walled you in with reproofs, counsel, warnings, and encouragements. Here you are crying before God, in the anguish of your souls, for more light. I am authorized from God to tell you that not another ray of light through the Testimonies will shine upon your pathway until you make a practical use of the light already given. The Lord has walled you about with light; but you have not appreciated the light; you have trampled upon it. While some have despised the light, others have neglected it or followed it but indifferently. A few have set their hearts to obey the light which God has been pleased to give them (Testimonies for the Church 5, pg. 671-664).”

““God is either teaching His church, reproving their wrongs and strengthening their faith, or He is not. This work is of God, or it is not. God does nothing in partnership with Satan. My work ... bears the stamp of God or the stamp of the enemy. There is no halfway work in the matter. The Testimonies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil.” [Testimonies for the Church 4:230.] It is Satan’s plan to weaken the faith of God’s people in the Testimonies.” “Satan knows how to make his attacks. He works upon minds to excite jealousy and dissatisfaction toward those at the head of the work. The gifts are next questioned; then, of course, they have but little weight, and instruction given through vision is disregarded.” “Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.” [Testimonies for the Church 4:211; Testimonies for the Church 1:236] “By giving place to doubts and unbelief in regard to the work of God, and by cherishing feelings of distrust and cruel jealousies, they are preparing themselves for complete deception. They rise up with bitter feelings against the ones who dare to speak of their errors and reprove their sins.” [Testimonies for the Church 3:328.], I was shown that many had so little spirituality that they did not understand the value of the Testimonies or their real object. They talked flippantly of the Testimonies given by God for the benefit of His people, and passed judgment upon them, giving their opinion and criticizing this and that, when they would better have placed their hands upon their lips, and prostrated themselves in the dust; for they could not appreciate the spirit of the Testimonies, because they knew so little of the Spirit of God. [Testimonies for the Church 4:443.] (Testimonies for the Church 5, pg. 671-672).”

“From the beginning of my work, as I have been called to bear a plain, pointed testimony, to reprove wrongs, and to spare not, there have been those who have stood in opposition to my testimony and have followed after to speak smooth things, to daub with untempered mortar, and to destroy the influence of my labors. The Lord would move upon me to bear reproof, and then individuals would step in between me and the people to make my testimony of no effect (Testimonies for the Church 5, pg. 678).”

“If God has given me a message to bear to His people, those who would hinder me in the work and lessen the faith of the people in its truth are not fighting against the instrument, but against God. “It is not the instrument whom you slight and insult, but God, who has spoken to you in these warnings and reproofs.” “It is hardly possible for men to offer a greater insult to God than to despise and reject the instrumentalities that He has appointed to lead them.” [Testimonies for the Church 5:235; Testimonies for the Church 3:355.], (Testimonies for the Church 5, pg. 680).”

““The volumes of Spirit of Prophecy, The Great Controversy, and also the Testimonies, should be introduced into every Sabbathkeeping family, and the brethren should know their value and be urged to read them. It was not the wisest plan to place these books at a low figure and have only one set in a church. They should be in the library of every family and be read again and again. Let them be kept where they can be read by many.” [Testimonies for the Church 4:390 (1880).] (Testimonies for the Church 5, pg. 681).”

Remove her or Uphold her. There is no middle option. After interviewing, surveying, reading, researching, listening, and living within the church, Ellen White needs to be thoroughly presented and all matters resolved concerning her contradictions with Scripture, her contradictions with herself, and the secrets hidden within the vaults of the White Estate. The Seventh-Day Adventist Church needs to accept, embrace, and lean into reform. If not, it remains a Christian Cult.

How can Seventh-day Adventism be a Christian cult?

Notice in the above quotes, Ellen White states that she has ‘walled in Scripture,’ with the Testimonies, Spirit of Prophecy, and other works. This means that you cannot get through to Scripture unless you pass through her writings. There is no other way around this repeated statement and the insinuation she makes regarding her ‘work.’

By defecto, she is also stating that a right understanding of Scripture cannot be made outside of her writings, which means anyone outside of Seventh-day Adventism. The implication is that you cannot understand Scripture fully or come too an understanding of God, theology, or discipleship unless they pass through the walls of her writing.

Many Adventists would uncomfortably disagree, giving the off the cuff defense, “well she always said she was the ‘lesser light.’” Implying that she said that the Bible always supersedes her writings. However, look at the origins of the ‘lesser light’ defense many Adventists give…

"The Lord has sent His people much instruction, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. Little heed is given to the Bible, and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light. Oh, how much good would be accomplished if the books containing this light were read with a determination to carry out the principles they contain! There would be a thousandfold greater vigilance, a thousandfold more self-denial and resolute effort. And many more would now be rejoicing in the light of present truth (Colporteur Ministry, pg. 125).”

Erroneously, Ellen White is always defended as though she implies that one can lay your Bible, next to her writings, and if her writings prove counter to Scripture, then go with Scripture. She assumes the position of being a guardian of Scripture that allows one to be lead to the meaning of things in Scripture. You cannot approach Scripture without her writings guiding you.

This always plagued the church, in a letter in 1915, W.W. Prescott, a founding Adventist wrote to Ellen White’s Son, W.C. White…

“Dear Brother White:

I appreciated your letter of March 12 and I thank you for your message of sympathy concerning my father’s death.

I have noted what you have said about your mother’s condition, although you neglected to enclose the statement which you mentioned. When I see these early believers, like your mother, my father, and Elder Olsen passing away so rapidly, and then think of how little has really been accomplished in seriously warning the whole world of the impending second advent, I am led to wonder whether any of us now connected with this movement will, after all, live to see the consummation. It is a serious question.

It seems to me that a large responsibility rests upon those of us who know that there are serious errors in our authorized books and yet make no special effort to correct them. The people and our average ministers trust us to furnish them with reliable statements, and they use our books as sufficient authority in their sermons, but we let them go on year after year asserting things which we know to be untrue. I cannot feel that this is right. It seems to me that we are betraying our trust and deceiving the ministers and people. It appears to me that there is much more anxiety to prevent a possible shock to some trustful people than to correct error.

Your letter indicates a desire on your part to help me, but I fear that it is a little late. The experience of the last six or eight years, and especially the things concerning which I talked with you, have had their effect on me in several ways. I have had some hard shocks to get over, and after giving the best of my life to this movement, I have little peace and satisfaction in connection with it, and I am driven to the conclusion that the only thing for me to do is to do quietly what I can do conscientiously and leave the others to go on without me. Of course this [is] far from a happy ending to my life-work, but this seams to be the best adjustment that I am able to make. The way your mother’s writings have been handled and the false impressions concerning them, which is still fostered among the people, have brought great perplexity and trial to me. It seems to me that what amounts to deception, though probably not intentional, has been practiced in making some of her books, and that no serious effort has been made to disabuse the minds of the people of what was known to be their wrong view concerning her writings.

But it is no use to go into these matters. I have talked with you for years about them but it brings no change. I think, however, that we are drifting toward a crisis which will come sooner or later and perhaps sooner. A very strong feeling of reaction has already set in.

It has been very quiet here for a few weeks, as many of the brethren are in the field. The weather has been quite cold and we had about five inches of snow last Sabbath, but it is more like spring today.

My mother is quite feeble, although she bears up full better than I really expected. She misses Father very much. They lived together more than 67 years.

The work of the office seems to be prospering, and we are all very busy trying to meet the demands upon us.

I should be glad to hear from you at any time. If you can properly do so, I would be glad to have you express to your mother my sympathies for her in her affliction.

Yours faithfully,

W. W. Prescott”

Many critics of Seventh-day Adventism, pursue the same lines. Some of the examination of which I am presenting, may incorporate aspects of previous critics. However, it is much simpler, does Ellen White’s claim and the churches affirmation of her claim and authority a valid claim?

Ellen White is the authority in the church for interpretation, theological doctrine, discipleship, and polity. It is simply all or nothing in regards to her authority and writings.

The SDA Official View When Approaching Scripture

Again, we will turn to the Bible Research Institute for an ultimate understanding of how Seventh-day Adventists approach Scripture.

“A fundamental principle set forth by Scripture concerning itself is that the Bible alone is the final norm of truth, the primary and absolute source of authority, the ultimate court of appeal, in all areas of doctrine and practice. The classical text which expresses this basic premise is Isa 8:20 (NIV): “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.” The two Hebrew words tōrāh (“Law”) and tecudah (“testimony”) point to the two loci of authority in Isaiah’s day which now constitute Holy Scripture: the Pentateuch (the Torah or Law of Moses) and the testimony of the prophets to the previously revealed will of God in the Torah. Jesus summarized the two divisions of OT Scripture similarly when He referred to the “Law and the prophets” (Matt 5:17; 11:13; 22:40). The NT adds the authoritative revelation given by Jesus and His apostolic witnesses (see Eph 2:20; 3:5). The principle of sola Scriptura implies two corollaries: the primacy and the sufficiency of Scripture.

1. The Primacy of Scripture. Isaiah warned apostate Israel against turning from the authority of the Law and the Prophets to seek counsel from spiritist mediums (Isa 8:19). In the NT era other sources of authority were threatening to usurp the final authority of the biblical revelation. One of these was tradition. But Jesus and Paul clearly indicate that Scripture is the superior authority over tradition, including the tradition of the religious authorities (Matt 15:3, 6; Col 2:8). This does not deny the usefulness of Judeo-Christian tradition, as some wrongly interpret sola Scriptura, but rather upholds the primacy of Scripture over all tradition as the final norm of truth. Tradition, even ecclesiastical tradition, must be judged by Scripture.

2. The Sufficiency of Scripture. The principle of sola Scriptura implies the further corollary of the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible stands alone as the unerring guide to truth; it is sufficient to make one wise unto salvation (2 Tim 3:15). It is the standard by which all doctrine and experience must be tested (2 Tim 3:16-17; Ps 119:105; Prov 30:5, 6; Isa 8:20; John 17:17; Acts 17:11; 2 Thess 3:14; Heb 4:12). Scripture thus provides the framework, the divine perspective, the foundational principles, for every branch of knowledge and experience. All additional knowledge and experience, or revelation, must build upon and remain faithful to, the all-sufficient foundation of Scripture. The sufficiency of Scripture is not just in the sense of material sufficiency, i.e., that Scripture contains all the truths necessary for salvation. Adventists also believe in the formal sufficiency of Scripture, i.e., that the Bible alone is sufficient in clarity so that no external source is required to rightly interpret it….

A second general principle of biblical interpretation is the totality of Scripture (tota Scriptura). It is not enough to affirm the primacy of Scripture. Those like Martin Luther, who called for sola Scriptura, but failed to fully accept the Scriptures in their totality, have ended up with a “canon within the canon.” For Luther this meant depreciating the book of James (as an “epistle of straw”) and despising other portions of Scripture (as presenting the way of Law and not the Gospel).

The self-testimony of Scripture is clear in 2 Tim 3:16-17: “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

All Scripture--not just part--is inspired by God.”

For Seventh-day Adventists Scripture is A.) Sufficient and B.) Complete. As we saw, Ellen White is a voice of authority within Seventh-day Adventism.

Isn’t there a conflict though with Seventh-day Adventist’s belief in Sola Scriptura and the authority and belief placed in Ellen White?

According to the denomination’s own official position is…

Scripture is sufficient

Scripture is Complete

[Ellen White is used to interpret Scripture]

“We reaffirm our conviction that her writings are divinely inspired, truly Christ-centered, and Bible-based. Rather than replacing the Bible, they uplift the normative character of Scripture and correct inaccurate interpretations of it derived from tradition, human reason, personal experience, and modern culture.

We commit ourselves to study the writings of Ellen G White prayerfully and with hearts willing to follow the counsels and instructions we find there. Whether individually, in the family, in small groups, in the classroom, or in the church, a combined study of the Bible and her writings provide a transforming and faith-uplifting experience. We encourage the continued development of both worldwide and local strategies to foster the circulation of her writings inside and outside the church. The study of these writings is a powerful means to strengthen and prepare His people for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Problem #1 - You Can’t Even ‘Do’ What the Bible Says…

The majority of those who examine Seventh-day Adventism, regurgitate. Now, I am not saying that what I am about to say is fresh, but I am fairly certain, it hasn’t been discussed as the number one reason why people question Adventism. You cannot have a discussion regarding Adventism, you can’t. Sure, philosophically speaking you can, but according to the church, you actually can’t.

Huh?!

What?!

I encountered early on in my professional pursuits in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church that questions are not encouraged, and are actively discouraged. And it is actually the official position….

Here’s what I mean. We saw in the last article as we built our examination of Seventh-day Adventism that Ellen White is seen officially as a prophetess like an Old Testament prophet. Ellen White is also used to interpret and correct understanding of Scripture. What that means is, you can’t disagree with her, and what that means is, you can’t question her, because it has already been settled.

Also, since she is held in such a place, officially, what she says goes, officially.

“Satan is ... constantly pressing in the spurious—to lead away from the truth. The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony.—Letter 12, 1890. There will be a hatred kindled against the testimonies which is satanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so clear a track to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded.—Letter 40, 1890 (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 48.).”

Then in an even more detailed outline, Ellen White shuts down the ability to ask questions or demonstrate doubts regarding her writings and her authority…

“It is Satan’s plan to weaken the faith of God’s people in the Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction (Testimonies For The Church, Vol. 4, pg. 211).”

Again, the quagmire of Seventh-day Adventism stating that Ellen White’s writings are not on the same authority as Scripture and yet Ellen White writes, prophetically, that if you doubt her works you will deny and doubt Scripture. Yet this prophecy is proven wrong a million fold when many Christians have analyzed, left, or even avoided Seventh-day Adventism because of Ellen White’s writings and held firm to Scripture and being Christian. Yes, it has and does happen. The above statement is in fact meant to be read in a ‘prophetic’ light, as Ellen White states very pointedly and directly that the Testimonies are given directly by the Holy Spirit. Yet, to get around what she states as not being a false prophecy, one has to do a little side stepping and prophetic gymnastics, by interpreting Ellen White, even though she is meant to be a prophetic voice to clear up interpretation….”then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures,…” this is often meant to mean doubting the Scriptures in how they are meant to be read, via the prophetic voice of Ellen White. Thus, the quagmire. In order for Ellen White to not be wrong, and uphold the position she gives herself, and the church supports, we then take a position that one has to hold to Seventh-Day Adventist beliefs according to Ellen White in order to not be in rebellion and on the way to perdition…thus making the denomination a cult. Yet, the church claims and fought not to be a cult, even publishing, “Questions on Doctrine,” when confronted with being accused of being a Christian cult in the late 1950’s.

As a member, you cannot openly ask, write, or assume a posture opposing, critiquing, or criticizing Ellen White’s writings, visions, or beliefs because you are then demonstrating that you are an agent of Satan. Not my words, but hers…officially.

Is this a biblical position? No. Not even close.

First, the Bible is straight forward.

Second, there is no theological room for an Old Testament prophet type, that Ellen White is officially seen as, or takes the position as passively or directly. There were two covenants in Scripture, the Old Covenant, established at Sinai with Moses and the Israelites, and the New Covenant, prophesied about by Jeremiah, affirmed by Jesus, and confirmed by the day of Pentecost.

Jeremiah 31:31-34

“31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.””

Matthew 23:8-12

“8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.[c] 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

2 Corinthians 3

“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Hebrews 8:6-7

“But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.”

Hebrews 9:15

“Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

Under the New Covenant promise, it is quite clear, God lives, knows, and guides inside in intimacy, individually. Jesus quite clearly states in Matthew 23:8-10, “But you are not to be called [teacher], for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.” Under the New Covenant, there is no hierarchy, nor is there a separation between God and ourselves. Jesus is affirming that all believers are on equal terms, holding equal status, and the ability to hold Spiritual gifts that collectively discern, interpret, and live out Christ as the church. John even writes, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1, ESV).” The word ‘test’ in the original greek is dokimazete - meaning to test, discern, try, examine. Yet, in the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination, questioning, testing, examining, discerning, and trying (meaning to put on trial) the works of Ellen White is ecclesiastical suicide, condemned, discouraged, and labeled as the work of Satan.

Prophecy and prophets are handled very different under the New Covenant. We see this clearly in Paul, who affirms the New Covenant among believers by stating that we as believers are all equals as believers,

“Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise (Galatians 3:23-29).”

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul holding the authority as an Apostle, gives clear and direct guidance in the purpose of prophecy, how the church is to implement prophecy.

“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent.31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order.”

Paul directly challenges, and invalidates Ellen White’s ministry in one chapter.

“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent.31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:29-33).”

Paul even recognizes that prophesy in the church occurs in the plural and not at all in the singular. If it occurs in the singular, then there is no way to test it, as “the spirit of prophets are subject to prophets.” Ellen White breaks the biblical pattern set with Moses and even held through Christ that prophecy occurs in the plural, multiples.

“26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp (Numbers 11:26-29).”

During Elijah’s time, there are hundreds of prophets, even those prophesying to king Ahab such as Micaiah in 1 Kings 22. Under Jesus, Simeon and Anna confirm Jesus, both being prophets in Luke 2. Then again Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus in Matthew 17. There is not a single occurrence in Scripture where a prophet appears or prophesies to a people in the singular. So why Ellen White?

The early Seventh-day Adventists had a responsibility as does the church even now, that if the denomination holds to Scripture as it’s final authority, then it needs to explain why there are not more people prophesying the same message as Ellen White at the same time as Ellen White. Why is Ellen White’s ministry of being a guide to understanding Scripture spoken directly against by Scripture itself under the New Covenant? Why is the church not promoting spiritual gifts and having Ellen White’s writings scrutinized under the finest microscope by people with demonstrable spiritual gifts of prophecy? The list could go on.

Anytime the church has attempted to follow Scripture and examine, scrutinize, and test Ellen White’s works as they are instructed too do. Heads roll, jobs are lost, politicking takes place. At the 1919 Bible Conference, Glacier View, and even now. That does not demonstrate the Spirit of God, that demonstrates a completely opposing spirit.

The biblical position looks much different than the position practiced by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, officially.

“Come now, let us argue together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
    you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
    you shall be eaten by the sword;
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken (Isaiah 1:18-19).”

Here in Isaiah 1, we have God calling out the empty religion of God’s people. They are going through the motions, offering the sacrifices, and maintaining the temple service, and yet they are not doing what God really wants from them, following them with their hearts. Even as bad as their evils are, God directly asks them to come and argue with Him. The Hebrew term is often translated into English as reason, and yet the word means to argue or dispute with God. Reason is such a light, pleadable word. The Hebrew word means to stand in front of God and to argue back and forth, to defend and attack your positions and actions. This arguing and disputing is put into better light in Isaiah 43.

“Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
    but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,
    or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
    or wearied you with frankincense.
24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money,
    or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
    you have wearied me with your iniquities.

25 “I, I am he
    who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
    and I will not remember your sins.
26 Put me in remembrance; let us argue together;
    set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
27 Your first father sinned,
    and your mediators transgressed against me.
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary,
    and deliver Jacob to utter destruction
    and Israel to reviling (Isaiah 43:22-28).”

The people of God have stopped following God with their hearts, have caused Him to promise destruction to them, to profane them, and yet He still invites them to come and argue with him, in a courtroom setting, to dispute, attack, analyze, and object. This is not God being sarcastic, this is God demonstrating that relationship with him isn’t about obedience to laws and rituals, relationship with him is presence, remembering him, conversing, discussing, arguing, and present with Him.

““Let me have silence, and I will speak,
    and let come on me what may.
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
    and put my life in my hand?
15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
    yet I will argue my ways to his face (Job 13:15).”

God’s response to Job is telling. He doesn’t send a prophet, a friend, a messenger. God shows up directly to Job, after listening to Job and his friends discuss God and God’s ways, current events, and theology, God shows up. This is a direct lesson, New Covenant promise of God, through the interaction between Job and God. Seventh-day Adventism should take note. The New Covenant promise, demonstrated by Jesus, promised by Jesus, established at pentecost, and continued through the DIRECT work of the Holy Spirit to believers Individual and Corporately (the church corpus), is that God shows up directly now.

““Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Dress for action[a] like a man;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me (Job 38:2-3).”

Even though Job was wrong in his assumptions about God, God still honors Job by showing up, by not destroying him, and by….confronting him, testing himself before Job, analyzing, scrutinizing, and arguing with Job.

Why do we not follow the biblical model in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church?