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Commentary on "The Promise of Prayer"
Day 1: Sabbath Afternoon, March 3, 2012 - Introduction
Overview
The lesson for Saturday begins with a list of texts recommended for the week. The author then simply uses a quote from Ellen G. White taken from, Steps to Christ, to drive home the point that Christians do not pray enough. Ellen G. White’s words are left hanging as the focus of the day’s meditation with one sentence from the author, “That about sums it all up, doesn’t it?”
Observation
Saturday’s “Sabbath School Bible study” is in no way a Bible study. The Seventh-day Adventist organization prides itself on being the only true religion that is sola scriptura. From day one of this weeks quarterly we can see that this is absolutely not the case, and this fact is only proven all the more as the week progresses. Adventists rely heavily on their prophet to explain God and His word, and require their members to believe that she is a continuing and authoritative source of truth. See fundamental belief number 18: http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html.
Born again Christians who truly rely on the Bible alone do so by allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate the truths of scripture while remaining respectfully faithful to the context of God’s words. Christians who rely on the sufficiency of God and His word do not simply profess this truth but reveal this dependance on God alone through their actions.
Many Adventists will say that Adventism does not rely on Ellen G. White to teach. It never ceases to amazing me how words and actions do not line up among most Adventists. I am yet to see a Sabbath School “Bible study guide” that does not rely on her to teach their doctrine and world view. I challenge you, Seventh-day Adventist teachers and leaders, to take just one quarter and write your “Bible study” without using Ellen G. White ideas or quotes. You absolutely cannot.
The title of this Sabbath School Bible study guide reveals the nature of Adventist teaching in that it is called a guide. Certainly without the guiding of these authors and Ellen G. White, readers of the word would not land at the conclusions of Adventist doctrines. The only way to get there is through the guidance of another man’s well crafted arguments or the visions of their “continuing authoritative source of truth” Ellen G. White.
Take a look at the quote from the inside cover of this quarters “Sabbath School Bible Study Guide” :
“Let Ellen G. White help you study! E.G. White notes for the Sabbath School lessons is an indispensable study tool designed to hep you gain new insights and fresh perspectives from your Sabbath School Bible study. This attractive booklet contains E.G.White comments addressing the topics of the day, week, and quarter in the Adult Bible Study Guides. Don’t miss out! Start getting more from your daily Bible study with E.G.White notes today.”
There are a couple of things I want to point at in this quote. First is their use of the word “indispensable”. At first glance it may simply appear to be a dramatic pitch for the product, using flowery words to describe how much a person could benefit from the purchase of this book. Taken seriously, however, it truly uncovers the level at which the Official Seventh-day Adventist organization venerates Ellen G. White’s writings with scripture.
According to the Merriam-Websters Dictionary (1828 version) Indispensable is defined as:
“Not to be dispensed with; that cannot be omitted, remitted, or spared; absolutely necessary or requisite. Air and water are indispensable to the life of man. Our duties to God and to our fellow men are of indispensable obligation.”
The other point I would like to make is simply that the function of the Sabbath School quarterly is misleading. It is not a “daily Bible study” as this advertisement would like its readers to believe. A “memory text” at the top of the page followed by the commentary of a prophetess from the 1800’s does not qualify as a Bible study. Furthermore, pontificating over a selection of passages taken out of context is not a study of the Bible but rather the vein use of the Word of God for a discussion starter that will inevitably lead to the conclusion of the teacher-- further Adventist indoctrination.
Do not be deceived into thinking that the faithful setting aside of time to do a Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath School quarterly lesson qualifies as abiding in God’s Holy Word. The writers of this commentary and Ellen G. White have no advantage that you do not have. In fact, I would argue they are at a disadvantage in that they love to hear themselves ponder and discuss their own conclusions and “revelations” about God.
The Holy Spirit was poured out for the teaching and leading of all men to God. The Holy Spirit is a person of the Godhead, He is not an “it” and is not given in measure. Either a believer has all of Him or they do not. Ellen G. White did not have “more” of the Holy Spirit than you do, nor do any of the Seventh-day Adventist teachers or leaders. If you do not believe that you have the Holy Spirit than I encourage you to study the gospel as it is laid out in scripture alone and place your faith in Christ’s finished work for your salvation. The promise is that when we bow the knee and give up our own will to the Lord we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and He will illuminate God’s word to God’s children.
Summary Points:
- Bible study requires time spent studying the Bible.
- Ellen G. White is indispensable to Adventists who need to understand the Bible according to Adventist doctrine. Without her scripture tells a different story.
- Trust the Holy Spirit. Put Ellen G. White away and trust the Word of God alone. How could a move like that be a misleading move? It is blasphemy to say that reading God’s word without Ellen G. White is a step away from God toward Satan’s great deception.
Copyright 2012 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised March 2, 2012. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Camp Verde, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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.
Official Adventist Resources
Standard Edition Study Guide Week 10
Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 10
Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 10
Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings
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