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Commentary on "The Gift of Prophecy and
God's Remnant Church"

DALE RATZLAFF

 

Day 1: Sabbath Afternoon, January 17, 2009

Before we study the details of this lesson it is important to grasp the significance of it. It is at the very core of Adventist theology and self-understanding. Without this belief the Adventist church would lose it self-identity. Consider the following two statements taken from the current Fundamental Beliefs:

13. Remnant and Its Mission: The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness. (Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.) 

Notice that this remnant announces “the arrival of the judgment hour”. Historically, this phrase refers to the Investigative Judgment that started October 22, 1844. Therefore, the doctrine of the “remnant church” is tied to the 1844 Investigative Judgment.

18. The Gift of Prophecy: One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. As the Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)

Here we see additional information that must be considered. The “remnant” is linked not only to the October 22, 1844 Investigative Judgment doctrine but also to the belief that the ministry of Ellen White is “an identifying mark of the remnant church.”

Good hermeneutics—the principles and presuppositions of Bible interpretation—hold that doctrine should come from clear, didactic portions of Scripture, primarily the Epistles which interpret and apply the Christ event. Correspondingly, doctrine should never be founded on apocalyptic writings that may be interpreted many different ways. So at the outset, recognize that the connection of Adventist’s “remnant” to the October 22, 1844 Investigative Judgment doctrine—which is based on Daniel 8:14, one of the most unclear texts in Scripture, make us suspicious of the “remnant” doctrine’s authenticity. Next, consider that the book of Revelation has been interpreted by sincere Christians throughout Christian history in many and varying ways. Why is this? Because it is an apocalyptic book filled with images and symbols that do not convey with certainty the meaning presented. Therefore, at the outset of our study, recognize that Adventist’s “remnant” has a very sandy foundation.

 

Summary

  1. Adventist Fundamental Belief #13 states that the remnant church announces the judgment—the Investigative Judgment, a doctrine based upon a unique interpretation of the apocalyptic passage in Daniel 8:14 described only by Ellen White and her adherents and found nowhere else in Christian literature.
  2. Fundamental Belief #18 connects the doctrine of the remnant church with Ellen White, calling her its “continuing and authoritative source of truth” and her ministry “an identifying mark of the remnant church.”
  3. Good hermeneutics require doctrines to be derived from clear didactic portions of Scripture, especially the epistles, never from figurative apocalyptic passages.

 

Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 17, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

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The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

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