Examining Seventh-day Adventism

The Authority of Ellen White - Adventist Biblical Research Institute

“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.” 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. 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 (https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/articles/the-authority-of-the-ellen-g-white-writings).”

The Purpose of Examining Seventh-day Adventism

The purpose of this examination of Seventh-day Adventism is to discover what is the core of being Seventh-day Adventism and two demonstrate that a re-examination, discussion, and correction on the authority, position, and place of Ellen White needs to occurr. If not, the hypothesis is, that Seventh-day Adventists hold extra biblical beliefs and counter biblical beliefs and do not heed the warning found in Revelation 22:16-18, “16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” As Ellen White builds on the words in Revelation, gives definition and meaning to Revelation, as well as other theological concepts and symbols throughout Scripture.

Having been raised in Seventh-day Adventism, minister within her church, and feeling the force of her doctrines, Seventh-day Adventism has a schism. Having spent the last five years studying the doctrines, criticisms, theological positions, and works of Ellen White and other founders it is clear that there needs to be a thorough examination. This work is simply a personal project that I am conducting, for if I am wrong, and one must always be suspicious of self, others may see what I do not and be able to quill the positions I have set forward within this examination.

A statement is commonly made, “Ellen White was not preached or pushed on us...” by many members. That has no bearing, for the official position of the church is the official position and interpretations that she sets forward. After finishing this work I now realize that I was the one who stood in error when it comes to Seventh-day Adventism. As will be seen in this examination, Last Generation Theology, Perfectionism, and many other ‘ultra-conservative’ beliefs that I was tasked to push against as a minister in the Seventh-day Adventist church are in fact the core of Adventism. Those who I pushed against and long spoke against are in fact, Seventh-day Adventists. Those of us who do not hold to those beliefs, nor those of us who do not fully accept or comply with Ellen White stand condemned as pseudo-Adventists. That is not support for ‘ultra-conservative’ Seventh-day Adventism, it is simply an admonition that I was wrong, erred, and have respect that they live out the definition blatantly of what it means to be a Seventh-day Adventist while I and many others cherry picked what we wanted to believe and practice. Ellen White leaves no room for cherry picking. The conclusion has to be all or none.

Note on The Authority of Ellen White

For many Seventh-day Adventists, the above statement holds no anxiety and is fully agreed upon. Yet for many others, the above statement, which is the official position of the church, stirs disagreement and concern. It needs to be stated plainly that Ellen White holds corrective, theological, spiritual, and ecclesiastical authority in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. By her own words, as stated above, to disagree with her is to disagree with the Holy Spirit. For members of the Seventh-day Adventist church, it does not matter whether you agree or not with the above statement. The church has collectively agreed upon the position and authority of Ellen White.

The Sanctuary / Temple Doctrine Unique to Seventh-day Adventism

“A Word to the Little Flock,” by Ellen White

“As God has shown me in holy vision the travels of the Advent people to the Holy City, and the rich reward to be given those who wait the return of their Lord from the wedding, it may be my duty to give you a short sketch of what God has revealed to me... While praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. (pg. 14).”

“The light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected. They fell all the way along the path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming.... When God spake the time, he poured on us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai (pg. 15).”

Note on “A Word to the Little Flock,” by Ellen White

This vision (A Word to the Little Flock) is the first ‘vision’ by Ellen White and is seen as her first authoritative vision. In the section, “ To the Remnant Scattered Abroad,” we see that Ellen White gives a prophetic authority that this vision was given to her by God. She self confirms this in the first to paragraphs of the section.

Matthew 24:36,43-44

“36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.... But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Question:

Christ is returning at an hour no one is to expect, except Adventists, who God reveals the exact day, hour, and time?

Revelation 19:10

“10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Revelation 22:8

“8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

“I noticed red as a border on their garments; their crowns were brilliant; their robes were pure white. As we greeted them, I asked Jesus who they were? He said they were martyrs that had been slain for him. With them was an innumerable company of little ones; they had a hem of red on their garments also.... and I saw the little ones climb, or if they chose, use their little wings and fly to the top of the mountains, and pluck the never fading flowers. (pg. 17).”

Questions:

We will have wings in heaven? or just children?

The belief is that Christ came to restore humanity to it’s sinless and righteous position. If humanity gains wings, then does that imply Adam and Eve had wings and could fly? Does God change the purpose for humanity then after the Second Advent and we grow beyond what we were created for and fell away from?

“Mount Zion was just before us, and on the mount was a glorious temple, and about it were seven other mountains, on which grew roses and lilies. And I saw the little ones climb, or, if they chose, use their little wings and fly to the top of the mountains, and pluck the never-fading flowers. There were all kinds of trees around the temple to beautify the place; the box, the pine, the fir, the oil, the myrtle, the pomegranate, and the fig-tree bowed down with the weight of its timely figs—these made the place all over glorious. And as we were about to enter the holy temple, Jesus raised His lovely voice and said, “Only the 144,000 enter this place,” and we shouted, “Alleluia.” This temple was supported by seven pillars, all of transparent gold, set with pearls most glorious. The wonderful things I there saw, I cannot describe. Oh, that I could talk in the language of Canaan, then could I tell a little of the glory of the better world. I saw there tables of stone in which the names of the 144,000 were engraved in letters of gold. After we beheld the glory of the temple, we went out, and Jesus left us, and went to the city. Soon we heard His lovely voice again, saying: “Come, My people, you have come out of great tribulation, and done My will; suffered for Me; come in to supper, for I will gird Myself, and serve you.” We shouted, “Alleluia! glory!” and entered into the city (pg. 17 - 18).”

Revelation 21:22

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. ”

Revelation 3:12

“The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.”

John 2:18-22

“18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.”

Questions:

John states that Jesus is THE Temple, that there is no need for a temple in the New Jerusalem or on the New Earth. So the temple that comes down from heaven is outside the New Jerusalem and serves as a housing unit for the 144,000? Negating the sole purpose of the temple that is given throughout Scripture, the place for ministering on the behalf of believers? Jesus changes it’s purpose from being up in heaven to when it is down on earth? So John missed this fact and got it wrong, there will be a temple, it just won’t be the temple anymore?

Ezekiel 47:1-12

“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. 3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits,[a] and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. 4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. 5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. 9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea[e] may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

Revelation 22:1-5

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Revelation 21:22

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. ”

John 7:37-39

“37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

John 4:13-14

13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

(Repeated from above)

This temple was supported by seven pillars, all of transparent gold, set with pearls most glorious. The wonderful things I there saw, I cannot describe. Oh, that I could talk in the language of Canaan, then could I tell a little of the glory of the better world. I saw there tables of stone in which the names of the 144,000 were engraved in letters of gold.

After we beheld the glory of the temple, we went out, and Jesus left us, and went to the city. Soon we heard His lovely voice again, saying: “Come, My people, you have come out of great tribulation, and done My will; suffered for Me; come in to supper, for I will gird Myself, and serve you.” We shouted, “Alleluia! glory!” and entered into the city (pg. 17 - 18).”

Questions:

Here Paul makes it emphatically clear that we are the temple of God, as Christ resides in us, through the Holy Spirit, what then is the purpose of the literal heavenly Sanctuary?

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

“16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

2 Corinthians 6:16-18

“16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.’”

Hebrews 9:11-28

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come,[e] then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify[f] for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our[g] conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 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.[h] 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Questions:

Hebrews 9 is a foundational text in Seventh-day Adventism, supporting a heavenly sanctuary and temple. However it should be noted that there are key difficulties. In the book of Hebrews, the author is intentional about speaking of the ‘tent’ or tabernacle. This is what is referred to as a copy of heavenly things. When it comes to temples in the Old Testament, God does not provide the blue prints for the temples that are physically or intended to be built, as some will point to Ezekiel 47, yet that temple was prophetic and speaking of the work of the Messiah, which the temple service pointed too. Ellen White, in a vision given by God, says that the temple that is in heaven that then comes to the earth is not the tent / tabernacle. Why is there a disconnect if there is a literal temple in heaven? Why do Seventh-day Adventists use Hebrews 9 as literal support for a literal temple when it does not speak of the Temple but the Tabernacle, which Scripture is ALWAYS intentional about designating a difference?