In other words, Steps to Christ and The Desire of Ages are great, but throw out The Great Controversy, Counsels on Diet and Foods, and Messages to Young People. Instead, they will nuance something about her being pastoral and devotional. Most critical Adventists will not say that she is totally fake. Lewis analogy about Christ's claims to Divinity, either she is who she claimed to be - a messenger of the Lord - or she is an imposter, a wannabe, a fake. 3, page 84Įllen White herself identifies the source of her inspiration as God. It is the Lord, who has given me a message to bear to you." Selected Messages, Vol. It is not I against whom you are so embittered. "The testimonies I have borne you have in truth been presented to me by the Lord.It is not I whom you are betraying. Thus, it is God, not Ellen White, who is being rejected when we deign to have the ability to discern what is inspired and what is not: God is the source of her counsel, her messages, to the church. You have thereby insulted the Spirit of God." Testimonies, Vol. "When I send you a testimony of warning and reproof, many of you declare it to be merely the opinion of Sister White. They make of none effect the counsel of God by their tradition." Selected Messages, Vol.
Everything that sustains their cherished ideas is divine, and the testimonies to correct their errors are human - Sister White's opinion. "If the preconceived opinions or particular ideas of some are crossed in being reproved by testimonies, they have a burden at once to make plain their position to discriminate between the testimonies, defining what is Sister White's human judgment, and what is the word of the Lord. This suits those who do not love reproof and correction, and who, if their ideas are crossed, have occasion to explain the difference between the human and the divine. "Many times in my experience I have been called upon to meet the attitude of a certain class, who acknowledged that the testimonies were from God, but took the position that this matter and that matter were Sister White's opinion and judgment. EGW's own comments remind us that this mindset isn't new: The theory that Ellen White's inspiration was either self-generated or influenced by her peers or culture fits nicely for those who want to paint a Jesus after their own likeness. I have enough to write of what has been shown me, without falling back on my own opinions." Selected Messages, Vol. In no case have I given my own judgment or opinion. "I have given you the light God has given to me. They are what God has opened before me in vision-the precious rays of light shining from the throne." Testimonies, Vol. I do not write one article in the paper expressing merely my own ideas. "In these letters which I write, in the testimonies I bear, I am presenting to you that which the Lord has presented to me. While we're at it, we might as well let her speak as to which of her published writings are inspired, and which are not, since many Adventists take the smorgasbord approach to her writings: Let's take a look at Ellen White's own views on the source of her inspiration. Peter states it clearly: "No prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." 2 Peter 1:21 NRSV Nothing in these verses suggests that the inspiration for a prophet's messages comes from his or her family, friends, or cultural milieu. What does the Bible teach about how God communicates messages to His people? In Numbers 12:6, God spoke directly to doubters Aaron and Miriam, saying "Hear my words! When there are prophets among you, I the Lord make myself known to them in visions I speak to them in dreams." The chain of communication in Revelation 1:1 is God–Jesus–angel–prophet–people. Often this theory of the source of Ellen White's inspiration goes hand in hand with the concept that she was a gloomy, morose, depressed, melancholy Christian until - Oh! Day of Days! - she heard the messages of righteousness by faith from Jones and Waggoner. Prescott preached a sermon, motivating Ellen White to begin work on The Desire of Ages. But she still wasn't quite certain about the centrality of Jesus until W. Here's how it goes: Ellen White at last understood righteousness by faith in Jesus when a couple of young Californians introduced the concept at the 1888 General Conference session. I've heard it before, and I'm regretfully sure I'll hear it again.