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QUESTION: Are Ellen White's writings fallible or infallible?
ANSWER:
[Robert Sanders, www.TruthOrFables.com]
I have a copy of the 1985 video of the John
Ankerberg and Walter Martin debate with Bill Johnsson, Editor of the Adventist
Review that was broadcasted on TV.
Dr. Walter Martin an author on cults interviewed Dr. William Johnsson Editor of the Adventist Review in
1985. General Conference President Wilson and other SDA leaders were invited to defend their beliefs
but choose declined the invitation. The SDA denomination has often denied
that EGW was an infallible interpreter of Scripture, but official SDA
publications tell us this is not true.
I also was interested in three SDA publication
sources quoted made by Walter Martin where it was said that Ellen White was an
infallible interpreter of Scripture. I wrote to a SDA Library to verify
the quotes and I have received a copy of the following number 1 and 2 quotes
from the library. Quote number 3 could not be found.
1. Adventist
Review, June 3. 1971, p, 6. The Source of Final Appeal, By Roderick S.
Owen.
"The Bible is an infallible guide but it needs to be infallibly
interpreted, to avoid confusion and division. When will the people of God cease
trusting in their own wisdom? When will they come to the place where they will
cease to measure, construe, and interpret by their own reason what God says to
them through His appointed channel? When we come to the place where we place no
trust in man or in the wisdom of man, but unquestionably accept and act upon
what God says through this gift, then
will the spirit of prophecy
as set before us in the Bible and confirmed among us and become in fact a
counselor, guide and final court of appeal among
God's people".
2. Sabbath
School Quarterly, April-June 1976, p. 92. Lesson Author Gordon M. Hyde, Editor
W. Richard Lesher.
"How advantaged the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to have a modern
inspired interpreter of both the Old and New Testaments! Surely there is every
logical reason to give the inspired interpretation top priority in arriving at
our understanding of the world today."
3. Quote by
Robert Olsen cannot be found. "It is clear that this Investigative
Judgment is the correct interpretation of Scripture, because Ellen White does
indorse it." "The Spirit of Prophecy is the only infallible interpreter of Bible
principles since it is Christ through this agency giving the real meaning of His
own words." [My topic this afternoon is on Ellen G. White as an inspired
interpreter.]
EGW being the "infallible interpreter of Scripture" makes
it impossible for SDAs to test her writings with Scripture to determine if
they are true. EGW has now replaced the Holy Spirit as the interpreter of truth.
G. A.
Irwin, General Conference President: “It
is from the standpoint of the light that has come through the Spirit of Prophecy
(Mrs. White’s writings) that the question will be considered, believing as we do
that the Spirit of Prophecy is the only infallible interpreter of Bible
principles, since it is the Christ, through this agency, giving
real meaning of his own words.”
from the
tract The Mark of the Beast,
p. 1.
The highest officer of
the Church confesses that E.G. White’s writings is the only infallible
interpreter of Bible principles. Believing this how do we then test the
writings of E.G. White as being true? The Roman Catholic Church has an
infallible interpreter of Scripture the Popes for nearly 2000 years and now the
SDA Church has a Pope to infallibly interpret Scripture. The good news is that
God has given his true Church a true infallible interpreter of Scripture the Holy Spirit all else is Satan’s counterfeit.
“As
with ancient prophets, the talking is done by the Holy
Spirit through her vocal organs. The prophets spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost.” Review and Herald, Oct. 5, 1914.
Did the Holy Spirit
Speak through Ellen White's vocal organs? If this were true, then EGW would not
have contradicted the Bible.
Is it any wonder these men believed EGW was
an infallible interpreter of Scripture? Look what EGW claimed about her
Testimonies, books, and letters.
Ellen G. White’s Writings
Are Infallible?
Many Seventh-day Adventists have written me with
the belief that the mistakes made by EGW in her writings such as Bible
contradictions, failed visions, and her hypocrisy, were the result of her
claim that she was not infallible. Did EGW view her writings as infallible?
Ellen G. White Claimed to have the "Words of Eternal
Truth".
Those that claim that EGW's "WORDS" are not infallible do not agree with EGW.
EGW: It has
been presented to me that, so far as possible, I am to
impart instruction in the language of the
Scriptures; for there are those whose spiritual discernment is
confused, and when their errors are reproved, they will
misinterpret and misapply what I might write, and thus make of none-effect
the words of warning that the Lord sends. He desires that the message He
sends shall be recognized as
the
words of eternal truth."
-- Letter 280; 1906,
page 4 (To "My Brethren and Sisters in Denver and Boulder,"
August 27, 1906); cited in Manuscript Releases Volume Five, page
151; Chapter Title: Ellen White Comments on Her Work and Inspiration
The facts are this:
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EGW did not claim infallibility for herself.
-
EGW did claim infallibility for her Testimonies and books.
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And even more, EGW considered her writings equal to the
prophets and apostles.
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She also claimed to have the amazing ability to
tell the difference between truth and error which would make what she writes infallible.
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SDA Leaders teach that EGW is infallible.
Did Ellen G. White
Claim Infallibility For Herself?
NO!
“In regard to infallibility, I never claimed it, God alone is infallible.
His words is true, and in him is no variableness of turning.” Letter 10.
1895, 1 Selected Messages p. 37.
Did
Ellen G. White Claim Infallibility For the Testimonies?
YES!
“Yet, now when I send you a testimony of warning and reproof, many of you
declare it to be merely the opinion of Sister White. You thereby insulted the
Spirit of God.” Testimonies 5, p.64.
E.G. White makes
the claim of infallibility for her Testimonies and
anyone that would question them, "thereby insulted the Spirit of God."
“In these letters which I write, in the testimonies I
bear, I am presenting to you that which the Lord has presented to
me. I do not write one article in the paper expressing merely my own ideas.
They are what God has opened before me in vision--the
precious rays of light shining from the throne.”
Testimonies 5 p. 67.
“If
you seek to turn aside the counsel of God to suit yourselves,
if you lessen the confidence of God’s people in the
testimonies He has sent them, you are rebelling against God as were Korah, Dathan, and Abriam.”
Testimonies 5
p. 66.
Any person that rejects
EGW's counsel or speaks against her testimonies are rebelling against God. Wow! E.G. White compares
herself to Moses, when Korah, Dathan, Abriam and others that rebelled against the
leadership of Moses, which God destroyed. Numbers 16. EGW was always
putting the fear of God in those that would rebel against her and her Testimonies.
Are we really doing the
work of the Devil and fighting against God when we see that the Testimonies
contradicts the Bible? No. We would be doing the work of the Devil by
accepting the Testimonies over the Word of God.
I have to plead guilty, as I "lessen
the confidence of God's people (SDAs) in the Testimonies," but I do not plead guilty to
rebelling against God for exposing EGW's heresy. A Christian cannot serve two
masters at the same time. If you accept what EGW writes which contradicts the
Bible as truth, then EGW is your master.
"God does nothing
in partnership with Satan. My work for the past thirty years 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. In arraying
yourself against the servants of God you are doing a work either for God or for
the devil.” Testimonies 4, p. 230.
The Testimonies of EGW certainly are
not the Spirit of God as they fail the Bible test. They are the result of her childhood brain injury, which
caused her to be delusional when she went into her catatonic seizers which she
called "visions." Were
EGW's Testimonies in partnership with Satan? I will leave that for God to judge! We
do know they fail the Bible test.
Did
Ellen G. White Claim Infallibility For Her Books?
YES!
“In
my books, the truth is stated, barricaded by
a ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ The Holy Spirit traced these truths upon my heart and
mind as indelibly as the law was traced by the finger of God upon the tables of
stone.” Letter 90, 1906
Ellen considered her
books as infallible as the Ten Commandments and she compared them both as written by
the finger of God. This is blasphemy!
EGW's books are full of Bible contradictions and non biblical doctrines.
EGW could not have said it any plainer that what she wrote was infallible, when
she said, "In my books, the truth is stated."
Did Ellen G. White Claim
to Be Equal
to the Prophets and Apostles?
YES!
EGW: “In
ancient times God spoke to men by the mouth of prophets and apostles.
In these days He speaks to them by the testimonies of His
Spirit. There never was a time when God instructed His people more
earnestly then He instructs them now concerning His will and the course that He
would have them pursue.” Testimonies 4 p. 147 and in Testimonies 5
p. 661 (1876)
Bible:
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and
in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.”
(Heb 1:1,2 NIV)
Was this instruction to
a small group of SDA’s in 1876 more earnest than when God instructed Israel by
the prophets, or people of the world by Noah and more earnest than the teaching
of the Gospel by Jesus? Or was it E.G. White’s vivid and colorful
imagination? EGW gives herself a promotion, that her work is “more earnest”
than that of the prophets, apostles, and Jesus. Is this not infallibility?
Hebrews
1:1,2, tells us that Jesus will speak to men in the last days and EGW changes
the Word of God to tell us that it is "the Testimonies of His Spirit." By saying
"the Testimonies of his Spirit," she means her writings. Which do you believe,
Jesus or Ellen White?
Did Ellen
G. White Claim to be Able To Tell the Difference
Between Truth and Error?
YES!
Selected Messages Book 3, page 31,
paragraph 4
Chapter Title: The Primacy of the
Word
Ellen White Enabled to Clearly Define Truth and Error.--At that time
[after the 1844 disappointment] one error after another pressed in upon us;
ministers and doctors brought in new doctrines. We would search the Scriptures
with much prayer, and the Holy Spirit would bring the
truth to our minds. Sometimes whole nights would be devoted to
searching the Scriptures and earnestly asking God for guidance. Companies of
devoted
32
men and women assembled for this purpose. The power
of God would come upon me, and I was enabled clearly to define what is truth and
what is error.
Selected Messages Book 3, page 32,
paragraph 1
Chapter Title: The Primacy of the
Word
As the points of our faith were thus established,
our feet were placed upon a solid foundation. We accepted the truth
point by point, under the demonstration of the Holy Spirit.
I would be taken off in vision, and
explanations would be given me. I was given illustrations of heavenly things,
and of the sanctuary, so that we were placed where light was shining on us in
clear, distinct rays.-- Gospel Works, p. 302.
If EGW was able to "define truth" why did she
contradict the Bible, have failed visions, have quack health reform?
Published Truth Will Stand
I was shown that the truth once
published now, will stand, for it is the truth for the last days; it
will live, and less need be said upon it in future. Numberless words need not be
put upon paper to justify what speaks for itself and shines in its clearness.
Truth is straight, plain, clear, and stands
out boldly in its own defense; but it is not so with error. It is so winding and
twisting that it needs a multitude of words to explain it in its crooked form--Early
Writings, p. 96. (1853.)
The SDA Church cannot renounce any of
EGW's false doctrines such as the Investigative Judgment, EGW makes it clear
that once her doctrines are published they will stand. The Mark of the Beast, The
Remnant Church, and etc., without renouncing their prophetess. This is what makes
the SDA Church a cult.
http://www.truthorfables.com/SDA_Cult.htm
To Deny the work of Adventists is to deny the
Holy Spirit
I testify the things which I have seen, the things which I
have heard, the things which my hands have handled of the Word of life.
And this testimony I know to be of the Father and the Son.
We have seen and do testify that the power of the Holy Ghost has accompanied the
presentation of the truth, warning with pen and voice, and giving the messages
in their order. To deny this work would be to deny the Holy
Ghost, and would place us in that company who have departed
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits. Selected
Messages Book 2, page 388.
EGW puts her stamp of approval on her false interpretation of three angels
messages of Revelation 14, the failure of Christ coming in 1844 under the first
angels message of Wm. Miller that she calls truth, the Investigative Judgment,
the Mark of the Beast, Seal of God, tithe paying, etc. Anyone that challenges
her doctrines means that to deny the Holy Spirit.
What Is The
Difference?
Between
the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church when he speaks ex cathedra?
(Speaks without error or infallible, from Saint Peter’s Chair as
final authority on doctrines and morals) and E.G. White speaking through her
visions and Testimonies as "coming from the throne of God?"
The
Catholic Church teaches, “tradition” is of equal authority with the Bible
(Bible and tradition); and the Seventh-day Adventists teach the (Bible
and Testimonies) of Mrs. White’s visions and dreams as their
authority of
infallibly
interpreting Scripture.
E.G. White was not
infallible by her own admission. Her Testimonies and writings are not
infallible even if she and the leaders of the Church have White-Washed their
members into believing EGW had the "Spirit of Prophesy."
SDA Leaders teach that EGW
is infallible.
What has the leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church through the years
claimed for the writings of Ellen G. White?
On
February 7, 1887, the General Conference passed the following resolution
-- “That we re-affirm our binding confidence in the Testimonies of Sister
White to the Church, as the teaching of the Spirit of
God.” SDA Year
Book for 1914,
p. 253.
Question?
If the Testimonies are as claimed by the Church, “the teachings of the Spirit
of God,” would they not be infallible?
“Our position on the Testimonies is like the
key-stone to the arch.
Take that out and there is no logical
stopping-place till all the special truths of the Message are gone...Nothing
is surer than this, that the Message and visions (of Mrs. White) belong
together, and stand or fall together.”
Review and Herald Supplement, August 14, 1883.
Question?
What is the message that the SDA Church is built upon, Jesus Christ and the
Bible or E.G. White and her Testimonies? By the Church’s admission if you take
away the key-stone, EGW's Testimonies the Adventist message falls. This
message is what Adventists call "the truth". To remove EGW's testimonies would be like
removing Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints and their message falls.
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