Is the Bible Enough?

By Brother Anderson

Mrs. White claims her testimonies were given because of the fact that Seventh-day Adventists were ignorant of the Bible:

"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."¹

In the same paragraph she places her writings on par with the writings of Holy Scripture:

"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. ... God has been pleased to give you line upon line and precept upon precept."²

Just as the Mormons add the Book of Mormon to the Scriptures, Mrs. White, describes in visual terms how she places her Testimonies side-by-side with the Holy Word of God. She also claims God speaks to His people through her, just as in times past He spoke through the Bible authors:

"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."³

Is the Bible Enough?

Is the Bible enough? Are Ellen White's writings needed to direct people back to the Bible? Are they needed to help people discern what are the truths of the Bible?

Jesus delivered "the faith" or the doctrines of the church to his apostles. One must assume Jesus was successful in delivering the doctrine because He was the greatest teacher who ever walked this earth. Jude said "the faith" was already "delivered unto the saints" (Jude 1:3). The apostles and those who knew the apostles, recorded "the faith" in the New Testament. This revelation has been sufficient to guide the Church of God for two thousand years.

But what about the last days? Do we not need further light in order to live a godly life in these last days? Paul answers that very question:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 1 Timothy 3:16,17

Scripture contains everything necessary in order for a child of God to be "perfect." The Greek word for "perfect" is artios which means, "complete, sufficient, completely qualified." The Bible is complete. It is sufficient. We do not need anything else. In fact, other writings may distract not only our time from studying the Scriptures, but may also lead us down incorrect paths.

We don't need the writings of "Church Fathers"
We don't need the Book of Mormon
We don't need the Testimonies of Ellen White

"In these last days spoken unto us by his Son," whose words were recorded faithfully in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:2). God speaks to us through His Word, and His Word is the Holy Scriptures. The Bible, the inspired, inerrant revelation of "the faith," is His one and only written instrument to inspire His followers with faith and hope:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:17)

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Rom. 15:4)

Thus, the Bible is sufficient to make us perfect and complete, to inspire us with faith and hope, and to show us our duty towards God and man. A book that is "complete" needs nothing added to it. It is done. It cannot be improved upon. The Bible is the complete and perfect revelation of God's plan for mankind. The Bible needs no additions. We would do well to heed the words written by the apostle John in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible:

If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. (Rev. 22:18)

Citations

1. Ellen White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 605.

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid., p. 661.