In a previous post I noted that the SDA equates the writings of Ellen G.
White on an equal par with that of the Bible. There is no question
that the SDA Cult/church believe she was a prophetess, despite the
failure of hundreds of her prophecies from coming to pass. This is
fact, and has been verified.
Consider some quotes from their writings:
"Seventh Day Adventists believe that Mrs. Ellen G. White exercised the true prophetic gift. They believe
that God graciously spoke to her in divine revelations, and that through her He sent inspired messages to
His church. ... The Seventh-day Adventist Church is indebted to her as a spiritual leader and a pioneer
builder and guide. In most of the soul-winning activities of the church, from its very beginnings, the
leaders received guidance from what they believed were the prophetic insights of this servant of God."
-(D.A. Delafield, 'Ellen G. White and the Seventh-day Adventist Church' pg. 2, 10-11).
"The Holy Spirit that inspired Moses, Paul, and John, also inspired Sister White. The inspiration of the
is one thing" -('The Spirit of Prophecy Treasure Chest', pg. 30).
"The Ellen White books have been likened also to a telescope which is greatly enlarges the vision of
God's plan as revealed in His word" -('Ellen G. White and the Seventh-day Adventist Church', pg. 34).
"These messages, we believe, should be faithfully
followed by
every believer. Next to the Bible, and in
connection
with it, they should be read and studied. They throw a floodlight
upon
the Sacred record."
-('Prophetic Lesson 16' pg. 60).
"Consistency calls for acceptance of the Spirit of Prophecy writings as a whole. We cannot justify
accepting part and rejecting part. For example, to accept one of Mrs. White's books of a devotional
character while questioning what she has written on doctrine, morals, or health standards, is really
accepting one part and rejecting another." -('Prophetic Guidance' Lesson 18, pg. 70).
We always have to ask, what does the Bible say? Mrs. White taught
doctrine that deviated from New Testament revelations. See Isaiah 8:20;
Romans 16:17-18. The fact that a group holds many true doctrines does
not mean we are to overlook its false heretical teachings. False
imitations of Christianity have always been characterized by a mixture
of truth and error. As I have said before, rat poison is at least 95%
harmless.
Romans 16:17 warns us to mark and avoid those that cause division
contrary to the doctrine which we have learned from the Bible. SDA is
guilty of this big time. They cause divisions contrary to the apostolic
doctrine of death, of sabbath-keeping, of Hell, of the ministry of
Christ Jesus during this present age, of the Mosaic Law, of the woman's
place in the church, and of the apostolic doctrine of the last days, and
others.
Ellen G. White contradicted herself and was a hypocrite. Consider these two examples:
++She taught that women should abstain from wearing jewelry:
"To dress plainly, abstaining from display of jewelry and ornaments of every kind, is in keeping with our
faith." -('White, Testimonies, vol. 3, pg. 366)
Ellen G. White did not follow her own teachings. She wore jewelry,
including broaches, expensive pins with white stones, and gold chains.
In "Did Ellen White Wear Jewelry?" S.Cleveland and D. Anderson, SDA leaders document that fact.
++She taught that photography is idolatry:
"This making and exchanging of photographs is a species of
idolatry. Satan is doing all he can to eclipse heaven from
our view. Let us not help him by making picture-idols."
Mrs. White often sat for pictures, contrary to her own teaching.
I would grant the reader that these are not serious objections, but they
are mere examples of hundreds of her teachings that raises the issue
about her being an authority figure, attempting to rule people's lives.
Ellen G. White taught that women are not to teach nor usurp authority
over men. God called men, not women, to lead the Churches -(1 Timothy
2:11-12). There were no female apostles, and women are not qualified to
be pastor-elders -(1 Timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:5-6). Ellen G. White lived
in direct opposition to those commands. She was a leading figure in
the development of the SDA cult/church. She addressed large crowds of
men in meetings and conferences.
I need to note, this issue of women in the church has been a "hot
potato" issue in the church for more than a half century. Very few
denominations have not surrendered on this issue, but for the most part,
when asked privately, they will state it was a mistake. As far as I
know, only the Baptist churches have remained firm on this issue but for
one Baptist group in the northeast, where they do accept women in
leadership positions. I can only speak of what ordaining women did for
the Methodist Church. The private picture is not pretty at all. Women
have been accepted as pastors going back to 1956. As long as I was a
UMC pastor, from 1965-1998, the majority of women in ministry viewed
themselves as a "victim" and on voting issues, always sided with
minority movements, such as sodomites, lesbians, and anyone seeking
special rights and privileges. Most were contentious with their local
church boards and committees.
Male clergy were regularly taken to task for being bigoted, male
chauvinists, anti-women. The United Methodist Church prides itself on
equal representation of all groups, gender, race, ethnicity, and after
sixty years, still presents a facade that is not completely reflective
of the church leadership. The Methodist Church merged with the
Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1968, and the combined
denomination has grown from 12.6-million in 1968 to 7.8-million in 2014.
My experience has been, as a UMC pastor, you walk lightly through the mine fields of denominational politics.
Back to the teachings of Ellen G. White and her so-called prophetic
gifts. The true prophetic gift was to cease when its purpose for this
age were fulfilled.
"Charity never faileth, but WHETHER THERE BE PROPHECIES, THEY
SHALL FAIL; whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there be
knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy
in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in
part shall be done away" -(1st Corinthians 13:8-10).
The context of 1st Corinthians 13 pertains to spiritual gifts. The
entire section from chapter 13:8-10 deals with the subject. 1st
Corinthians 13:8-10 refers to the revelation gifts of prophecy,
knowledge, and tongues, through which God spoke to the early churches.
These gifts were to pass away upon completion of their divine purpose,
just as many other elements of God's program for the ages have passed
away.
Since the Bible says that point prophecy will cease, when did this
happen? The answer is found in Ephesians 2:20. This verse about the
gospel, groups the prophets and the apostles together and says that they
laid the foundation for the church. They preached the gospel,
established the first churches, and wrote the New Testament Scriptures
under divine inspiration. Their job was then complete. The foundation
was firmly laid, and that the early church sense, there are also no
prophets in the sense of receiving and imparting revelation. In this
sense, "prophecy" has "failed".
Ellen White could not have had the New Testament gift of prophecy,
because that gift ceased with the passing of the apostles and prophets
and the completion of the Bible. But more so is the proof that hundreds
of her prophecies failed to materialize. Scripture is explicit about
only 100% qualifies a prophet to be called a prophet!
The Christian faith was delivered once for all to the saints during the
days of the apostles -(Jude 3). It is not to be added to or tampered
with. Rather, it is to be contended for. The Holy Spirit has given everything necessary to make the "man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works"
-(2nd Timothy 3:16-17). This refers to the completed Scriptures, and a
seal was placed in the last chapter of the Book, Revelation 22:18-19),
warning against claiming to have some new or fresh word from God.
Did Mrs. White add to the things of that contained in the Bible? In just one vision that is in the 'Early Writings',
pages 14-20, she added the following things: She said that Jesus' hair
is curly and shoulder length and that His trumpet is silver. She said
that it takes seven days to ascend to heaven. She described tree trunks
of transparent gold, fruit that looks like gold mixed with silver,
houses that have the appearance of silver supported by pillars set with
pearls, and shelves of gold, fields of flowers, "little ones" with
wings, tables of stone engraved with the 144,000, and a silver table
many miles in length.
She also said that God offered Satan a pardon -('The Great Controversy', pgs. 495-496, that the serpent had wings -('Spiritual Gifts', vol. 3, pgs 39-40), that Enoch's face radiated light -('Spiritual Gifts', vol. 3, pg 57), and that angels had golden cards that they carry with them -(Early writings', pg. 39).
There is no reason that Ellen G. White's visions added anything of truth
to the Bible's prophecies. Those who refuse to accept the Bible as the
final Word of God for this age always receive another word through
false visions and prophecies. Seventh-day Adventism is the product of
this great error.
Ellen G. White's prophecies did not come to pass. See Deuteronomy 18:22. In the book 'Seventh-day Adventism and the Writings of Ellen White',Mark Martin documents many false prophecies that were published by Mrs. White. These include the following:
"Old Jerusalem Never Built Up"
"I also saw that Old Jerusalem never would be built up; and that Satan was doing his utmost to lead the
minds of the children of the Lord into these things now, in the gathering time" -('Early Writings', pg. 75).
In fact, old Jerusalem has been built up extensively since the birth of the modern state of Israel in 1948.
"Adventists Living in 1856 Would See Jesus Return"
In May of 1856, Ellen G. White declared in a meeting in Battle
Creek, Michigan, that some present would "remain upon the earth to be
translated at the coming of Jesus" ('Testimonies for the Church', vol. 1, pgs 131-132).
"England Would Attack the United States"
"... when England does declare war, all nations will
have an interest of their own to serve, and there will be
general war, general confusion. ... this nation
[the United States]
will ... be humbled into the dust"
-('Testimonies for the Church', vol. 1, pg. 259).
In fact, England did not declare war and the United State was not humbled into the dust.
One has to question the rationality of such men today that persist in
promulgating the writings of this, obviously mentally unstable women
they call their prophetess. It helps to explain why several hundred
thousand SDA member leave their church/cult yearly. At times, when I
hear video clips of Steven "Mark" Wohlberg and even Doug Batchelor on
his site "Amazing Facts", which periodically airs on commercial and
cable television stations, I can't help but think they are seriously
deluded from the truth of the Bible.
In the next post on the SDA Aberrations we will look at perhaps, her wildest teachings on "The Investigative Judgment."
God Bless,
Pastor Bob