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Commentary on "The Inspiration of the Prophets"
Day 7: Friday, January 30, 2009
Today's lesson is a quotation from Ellen White in which she commends herself as a prophet and her writings as her record of what the Lord has presented to her – which is not “merely the opinion of Sister White”—and that those who say so have “insulted the Spirit of God.” She also gives a list of accomplishments throughout her life.
Problems with Ellen White
COLLEEN TINKER and JEREMY GRAHAM
Yet a true prophet of God will never speak things that are opposed to the gospel or contradict the Bible. No matter how much we may attempt to justify her by comparing her to Bible writers, the fact remains: her writings oppose the gospel.
A handful of examples from her later years will illustrate her opposition to the gospel and the finished work of Jesus that guarantees our salvation completely apart from our good works:
"His [Jesus’] example declares that our only hope of eternal life is through bringing the appetites and passions into subjection to the will of God." (The Desire of Ages, page 122, paragraph 2.)
In the context of this passage, Ellen White emphasizes that Jesus’ fasting and victory during His 40 days in the wilderness are directly linked, that His refusal to indulge His temptations thwarted Satan. Jesus’ example of restraining his appetites, therefore, is our example as to how we achieve righteousness that qualifies us for salvation.
The Bible, however, teaches that the condition for entrance into the kingdom of heaven is being born again.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6, NASB). The new birth is possible only by believing in—placing one’s complete trust in—the Lord Jesus and His finished work and thus being saved (Acts 16:31). When we believe, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) and made alive with Christ, even while we are dead in our sins, and seated in heavenly places with Him (Ephesians 2:4-6). This spiritual resurrection and consequent salvation has nothing to do with our own works, not even the work of bringing our “appetites and passions into subjection” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We are saved entirely by God’s miraculous work in us through Jesus’ substitutionary death and resurrection (Romans 3:21-30). Our self-discipline does not play a part in our salvation or our true victory over sin. Romans 8 teaches that believers overcome temptation not primarily by self-denial but by submission to the Holy Spirit. We surrender our desires to the Lord Jesus and release to Him our “right” to indulge in sin. We interact with Jesus in surrender instead of interacting with temptation by rationalizing and self-denial.
"Every one who by faith obeys God's commandments, will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression." (The Signs of the Times, 07-23-1902, paragraph 14.)
First, nowhere does the Bible support this statement. On the contrary, Paul describes his own struggle with sin in Romans 7:14-24. Our bodies, he says in Romans 8:10, are dead because of sin, but our spirits are alive because of righteousness. We have living spirits inside mortal, dead bodies.
Second, in Romans 8:1 Paul states that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He proceeds to explain that our deliverance from bondage to sin is accomplished by living by the Spirit (Romans 8:2-14).
Finally, commandment-keeping is never a component of being saved. Salvation is apart from the law (Romans 3:21). It is a gift of God’s own grace, not by our works (Romans 3:23-28; Ephesians 2:8-9).
The Bible never says the saved will attain sinlessness prior to the resurrection. What we do gain, however, is a Mediator who intercedes “always” for us and is “able to save forever those who draw near to God through him” (Hebrews 7:25).
"But in the struggle for immortality we have a part to act. [...] We can never be saved in inactivity and idleness. We might as well look for a harvest from seed which we have not sown, and for knowledge where we have not studied, as to expect salvation without making an effort. It is our part to wrestle against the evil tendencies of the natural heart." (The Youth's Instructor, 03-05-1903, paragraph 4.)
This statement is unbiblical. The Bible is clear that our effort has nothing whatsoever to do with our salvation: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Our trust in the Lord Jesus is what God counts as our righteousness: “But to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5).
Moreover, we are saved the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).
We have no “part to act” in our salvation. Our activity of wrestling “against the evil tendencies of the natural heart” does not produce any movement toward salvation. Salvation is entirely an act of God bringing us to life through Jesus. We do not contribute to our salvation by any effort or struggle.
"He came to this world and lived a sinless life, that in his power his people might also lead lives of sinlessness." (Atlantic Union Gleaner, 01-17-1906, paragraph 5.)
Again, “sinlessness” is not God’s intention for us on this earth. His intention for us is to be credited with righteousness which is alien to us (Philippians 3:9, “…not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith”).
His purpose in sending Jesus was to break the power of sin and to open a new, living way by which we can approach the Father freely (Hebrews 10:19-20).
Jesus’ sinless life was not for the purpose of being our example so we could live without sin as He did. Rather, His sinless life qualified Him to be our “merciful and faithful high priest” and “to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17). His sinlessness qualified Him to offer “Himself without blemish to God” (Hebrews 9:14) as our Substitute, the perfect Sacrifice for all our sins.
Jesus’ sinlessness qualified Him to purchase our salvation by dying in our place and to bring us into His life when we believe—even while we are still in mortal, sinful bodies. Our spirits are alive because of Christ, but our bodies are dead because of sin (Romans 8:10).
"Christ came to this earth and lived a life of perfect obedience, that men and women, through his grace, might also live lives of perfect obedience. This is necessary to their salvation." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 03-15-1906, paragraphs 8.)
Ellen White gives no Bible passages to support this statement. In fact, the Bible does not teach that “perfect obedience” on our part is necessary for salvation.
The only thing necessary for salvation is to believe in the Lord Jesus (John 5:24). Anyone who believes “is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already” (John 3:18a). “Perfect obedience” is not required for salvation.
"Man is no passive being, to be saved in indolence. Let no one think that men and women are going to be taken to heaven without engaging in the struggle here below. We have a battle to fight, a victory to gain. God says to us, 'Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.' How?—'For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' Man works, and God works. Man is called upon to strain every muscle, and to exercise every faculty, in the struggle for immortality; but it is God who supplies the efficiency." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 04-28-1910, paragraph 3.)
The text which Ellen White uses in this passage is Philippians 2:12-13: “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for {His} good pleasure.”
In its context, this text is not referring to how one is saved. Rather, Paul is writing to people who are already saved. He is saying that believers must persevere and express their salvation—their new birth—by honoring the Lord Jesus and dedicating themselves to spiritual growth and obedience to the Lord Jesus.
Paul never addresses unbelievers by telling them to “work out their own salvation” in a joint effort with God whereby they may be saved. On the contrary, unbelievers are always admonished to “believe in the Lord Jesus” (see Acts 16:31). Only believers have any salvation to “work out”, or share, from within themselves—and that is a gift from God.
Ellen White is misusing this text and is using it to instill guilt and fear into those who are not confident they are saved. Instead, this text is a statement of how to live from a position of victory, of knowing one is saved. Those who are saved are admonished to express their salvation in the ways they live and interact with others.
"He died a shameful death upon the cross, that we might have eternal life; and shall we dare to flatter ourselves that we may follow a course of sin, choosing our own way, shunning the cross, avoiding reproach and self-denial, and yet have a home in the kingdom of heaven?—No; through faith in Christ we must render obedience to all requirements of God; through his merits we may be elevated to keep God's commandments." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 05-08-1913, paragraph 4.)
Once again, Ellen White says that obedience to all the commandments is the requirement for our salvation. This is not a biblical requirement.
Jesus’ sinless life, His death and resurrection were not merely “down payments” on our salvation. They were not arbitrary requirements He performed to motivate us to emulate Him. His entire life, death, and resurrection purchased us for God.
The Bible never asks us to keep God’s commandments as our proper response to beholding Jesus’ suffering. On the contrary, we are asked to believe (John 5:24) and be born again (John 3:5-6). No one is justified by the works of the law (Romans 3:20). Rather, the righteousness of God that becomes ours when we believe is completely “apart from the law” (Romans 3:21, 28).
The righteousness God gives us is His blessing to us in response to our faith in Him (Romans 4:5, 13).
Jesus’ work on the cross was not for the purpose of “elevating” us to keep the commandments. His death and resurrection accomplished complete payment for our sin and give us His own righteousness and direct access to God when we believe. Salvation is not a “maybe”. Salvation, if we place our faith in the Lord Jesus, is a certainty, and our works are not part of our being saved.
"The great crisis is before us, and every one is to act as if his own soul was at stake. The most important question of all is, How shall I save my soul, for which Christ died? How shall I be holy as he is holy?" (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 05-15-1913, paragraph 2.)
The Bible never instructs us to ask how we may save our souls. Christ’s death and resurrection guarantee our salvation when we believe. We become holy by receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are totally covered with His own personal righteousness which is alien to us. We do not begin to become saved or to achieve holiness; rather, when we place our trust in Jesus, we are at that moment sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) and made alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).
We are made holy, or “set apart” for God’s use, from the moment we believe, for we are His own workmanship, created for the good works which He prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
God saves us; we do not participate in that salvation.
Jesus is all we need
Let me commend to you Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate prophet, the one who speaks for God, the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18 (God speaking):
I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)
Jesus said of himself:
Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. (John 14:10)
And Jesus is much, much more than a prophet. He is the Son of God. Think of the authority his status and his title give to His words! God the Father spoke to us over Jesus: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. Listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5)
God, after He spoke to the fathers long ago in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom He made the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
Jesus comforts us with his words, as Isaiah prophesied: “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word” (Isaiah 50:4). He is our “wonderful counselor,” and the Holy Spirit continues this ministry to our hearts, as Jesus promised: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17). “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Finally, let us heed the words of the writer of Hebrews regarding Jesus:
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking, for if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. (Hebrews 12:25)
Jesus also warns us regarding His words:
There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. (John 12:48)
In light of these things, God the Father is making an appeal to you, to listen to His Son, Jesus Christ. He has left the words of Jesus and the testimony about Him as a witness to us, and we will be held accountable for listening. Jesus wept over Jerusalem and spoke these words:
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. (Matthew 23:37)
Jesus longs to gather us, to love us, to be gracious to us. Let's sit at His feet and listen to Him as He speaks, as Mary did, instead of hustling and bustling about in activity. “Only one thing is necessary,” Jesus said, “for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42; emphasis mine). So with Mary and all true disciples, let us come to Jesus, listen to Him, continue in His word, and find true life and freedom in Him.
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)
Summary
- Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy that God would raise up a prophet to speak His words.
- Jesus is more than a prophet; He is the son of God. His words are God's words to us: words of truth, comfort, instruction, and life.
- We must heed the words of Jesus; we will be held accountable for listening to Him.
- Let us come to Jesus and listen to Him – this is the one thing that is necessary.
Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 30, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com. Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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