The prophetic authority of Ellen G. White

[Reddogs]

I got a question that kind of surprised me, but I think might be of interest to those in the forum here. The question was 'what is the prophetic authority of Ellen G. White?'

My answer was this:
As for the 'prophetic authority of Ellen G. White', I always ask this question. Was Martin Luther led by God, and how do you know...

You judge by their works and allow the Holy Spirit to unveil the answer, and each person must do that whether John Calvin, John Wycliffe, Huldrych Zwingli, etc... You have to look closely and study carefully and decide for oneself.

Now AI came up with this which surprisingly appears pretty close to the mark..
The Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes Ellen G. White (1827–1915) as a divinely inspired prophet. Her writings are considered an authoritative source of truth, providing comfort, instruction, and correction, while always maintaining that the Bible remains the ultimate standard by which all teachings are tested.

The nature of Ellen G. White's prophetic authority can be understood through several key tenets officially held by the church:

The "Lesser Light": Adventists view her writings as a "lesser light" designed to lead people to the "greater light" (the Bible). According to the Biblical Research Institute, they provide authoritative counsel but do not hold the same universal canonical status as Sacred Scripture.

Identifying the Remnant: The church teaches that the "Spirit of Prophecy" (as described in Revelation 12:17) is a defining characteristic of the end-time remnant church, which they believe was manifested in her ministry.

Doctrinal Sufficiency: White herself famously maintained that the Bible is sufficient for forming doctrines, stating, "the Bible, and the Bible alone, is our rule of faith". Her visions and writings are used to amplify, apply, and protect these biblical doctrines.

So were the Reformers men of God, and led by Him, or where they just coming up with ideas of self?

[RabbiKnife]

They were not prophets in the way that either White or the SDA claims

They were fallible humans speaking to the church

When self proclaimed prophets seek affirmation you always know by their false teachings.

QED

[Reddogs]

They were not prophets in the way that either White or the SDA claims

They were fallible humans speaking to the church

When self proclaimed prophets seek affirmation you always know by their false teachings.

QED

But were they led by God or by the adversary? They were led by God, and if you look you will see that all agree that Ellen White was a God fearing woman, and from her writings its clear she was writing what was from Gods Word not the adversary, so the only question is does God say the Holy Spirit will be poured out at the end....?

[Reddogs]

Acts 2:17
King James Version
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

From what we read in scripture God's people will have the spirit of prophecy poured out on them and there is nothing more dangerous to Satan, than the truth. The clear revelation of the will of God is powerful especially prophecy, so that the people are given an understanding of the end times and how Satan will try to fool them. It is therefore important that we understand the Biblical criteria for the manifestation of the gift of prophecy and see if Ellen G. White passes the test as a messenger of God and prophet and is in harmony with Gods word. Did she exalt the Word of God and the Law of God? Lets look...

The Word of God - The Bible - She wrote:
The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience. Great Controversy, p. 7​

Her writings, which collectively are referred to as the Spirit of Prophecy, were never intended to give new light, but were always intended to illuminate the greater light, the Scriptures. She wrote:​
Little heed is given to the Bible and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light. Colporteur Ministry, p. 125
The written testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed. Man's duty to God and to his fellow man has been distinctly specified in God's word; yet but few of you are obedient to the light given. Additional truth is not brought out; but God has through the Testimonies simplified the great truths already given and in His own chosen way brought them before the people to awaken, and impress the mind with them, that all may be left without excuse...The Testimonies are not to belittle the word of God, but to exalt it and attract minds to it, that the beautiful simplicity of truth may impress all. Testimonies, Vol. 2, pp. 605,606

To those who criticized the word of God, she wrote:
Cling to your Bible as it reads and stop your criticism in regard to its validity and obey the word, and not one of you will be lost. Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 18

The Bible was to be the only creed:
The Bible and the Bible alone is to be our creed, the role bond of union... God's word is infallible... lift up the banner on which is inscribed the Bible, our rule of faith and discipline. Selected Messages Vol. 1, p. 416, 1885; Early Writings, p. 78

Just as the great Reformers, Ellen G. White lifted up the Bible banner against false doctrines and practices, she wrote:
As darkness thickens and error increases, we should obtain a more thorough knowledge of the truth, and be prepared to maintain from the Scriptures the truth of our position. Review & Herald, August 11, 1853, p. 53

We must stand barricaded by the truths of the Bible. The canopy of truth is the only canopy under which we can stand safely. MM 88, 1904


Her position regarding the Word of God is the same as that held by Protestants since the beginning. Protestants have always rejected the claim of Roman Catholicism that tradition as well as Scriptures should dictate beliefs.

The Westminster Confession underscores this point:
The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures. Yet notwithstanding our full persuasion and assurance of infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. Westminster Confession, chapter 1, part 10,5.."

I think its clear she was a follower of God and made clear His truths, but everyone must look and decide for themselves.

[RabbiKnife]

So did Jesus return in 1843 or 1844?

I forget

Were her 2000+ visions from an angel, Jesus, or a spirit guide…. She said all three

Saved by works- mongerism….
Legalism
Dietary restrictions



No thanks

You can have her

She’s no more a prophet than my great aunt Fanny, but only when Fanny had been hitting her rheumatism medicine a bit too regular

[RabbiKnife]

They were not prophets in the way that either White or the SDA claims

They were fallible humans speaking to the church

When self proclaimed prophets seek affirmation you always know by their false teachings.

QED

But were they led by God or by the adversary? They were led by God, and if you look you will see that all agree that Ellen White was a God fearing woman, and from her writings its clear she was writing what was from Gods Word not the adversary, so the only question is does God say the Holy Spirit will be poured out at the end....?

So what does the Bible say about false prophets and prophets who refuse to submit to the judgment of their prophesies by the local church?

[tango]

So did Jesus return in 1843 or 1844?

I forget

Were her 2000+ visions from an angel, Jesus, or a spirit guide…. She said all three

Saved by works- mongerism….
Legalism
Dietary restrictions



No thanks

You can have her

She’s no more a prophet than my great aunt Fanny, but only when Fanny had been hitting her rheumatism medicine a bit too regular

I wish Jesus would make up his mind. He seems to keep returning and every time it happens I miss it.

[Reddogs]

They were not prophets in the way that either White or the SDA claims

They were fallible humans speaking to the church

When self proclaimed prophets seek affirmation you always know by their false teachings.

QED

But were they led by God or by the adversary? They were led by God, and if you look you will see that all agree that Ellen White was a God fearing woman, and from her writings its clear she was writing what was from Gods Word not the adversary, so the only question is does God say the Holy Spirit will be poured out at the end....?

So what does the Bible say about false prophets and prophets who refuse to submit to the judgment of their prophesies by the local church?

Not sure what you are trying to say especially with submit to 'local church'. But in the Bible we have Jonah predicting the destruction of Ninevah, and we have Abraham trying to bargain with God on the destruction of Sodom, to say nothing of Balaam, so prophecy can get into a bit of a conundrum, its not always as clear cut as one would think.

[Reddogs]

No as for Ellen White herself, she was continually pointing the Gods Word as when they should be looking to. Ellen White specifically told the church not to use her as their source of truth, but learn from the truths from the Bible.

Ellen White herself said: "Let all prove their positions from the Scriptures and substantiate every point they claim from the revealed Word of God."397 To the delegates of the General Conference in 1901, she said, "Lay Sister White right to one side: lay her to one side. Don't you never [sic] quote my words again as long as you live, until you can obey the Bible. When you take the Bible and make that your food, and your meat, and your drink, and you make that the elements of your character, when you can do that you will know better how to receive some counsel from God. But here is the Word, the precious Word, exalted before you today. And don't you give a rap any more what 'Sister White Said' [sic]—'Sister White said this,' and 'Sister White said that,' and 'Sister White said the other thing'. But say, 'Thus saith the Lord God of Israel.'398 ..."

"...The final court of appeal must always be the Bible.
This was the strong conviction of her husband James White who wrote: "There is a class of persons who are determined to have it that the Review and its conductors make the views of Mrs. White a test of doctrine and Christian fellowship. . . . What has the Review to do with Mrs. White's views? The sentiments published in its columns are all drawn form the Holy Scriptures.
No writer of the Review has ever referred to them as authority on any point. . . . It's motto has been, 'The Bible, and the Bible alone, the only rule of faith and duty.'. . .
206​

"Every Christian is therefore duty bound to take the Bible as the perfect rule of faith and duty. He should pray fervently to be aided by the Holy Spirit in searching the Scriptures for the whole truth, and for his whole duty. He is not at liberty to turn from them to learn his duty through any of the gifts. We say that the very moment he does, he places the gifts in a wrong place, and takes an extremely dangerous position."395
He could see that, very early in Adventism, some were inclined to give her writings an authority over and above the Scriptural authority for the work of a prophet. "They conclude that if it be true that God is reviving some of the gifts, 'for the comfort of his people, and correct those who err from Bible truth.' That all errors would at once be corrected by these gifts, and the church be saved the trouble of searching the Word for truth to expose error. . . . They would put the gifts where they do not belong. . . . The revival of any, or all of the gifts, will never supersede the necessity of searching the Word to learn the truth."396 ...."

"...the Bible is its own interpreter and every Christian is free to study the Bible (guided by the Holy Spirit) to find truth for themselves. The following points support James White in his stand:
1. Jesus left a promise to His Church. "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." ( John 14:25-26)
2. Recognising this point and practicing it is part of being Protestant. The Catholic Church tried to impose upon Christians the role of the pope as the infallible interpreter of Scripture. This concept was rejected by Protestants, because it violated the principle of sola Scriptures. Besides, once you have any external authority telling you what the Bible means, you make that authority more powerful than the Bible itself.
​
3.The Bible is a completed book. Hebrews 1:1 gives the reason for this, "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. . . . " The generation of Jesus' day were taught by Christ and individuals wrote down what they had learned. Jesus was the fullest, most complete revelation of God. Nothing that comes after Him will ever add to or eclipse the revelation of God in Him. All that comes after will be but a reflection of the light that shone through Him. Therefore the work of prophets is to call people back to study and obey that final, complete, revelation in Jesus. The work of prophets is to point out duties already revealed and neglected...."

[RabbiKnife]

They were not prophets in the way that either White or the SDA claims

They were fallible humans speaking to the church

When self proclaimed prophets seek affirmation you always know by their false teachings.

QED

But were they led by God or by the adversary? They were led by God, and if you look you will see that all agree that Ellen White was a God fearing woman, and from her writings its clear she was writing what was from Gods Word not the adversary, so the only question is does God say the Holy Spirit will be poured out at the end....?

So what does the Bible say about false prophets and prophets who refuse to submit to the judgment of their prophesies by the local church?

Not sure what you are trying to say especially with submit to 'local church'. But in the Bible we have Jonah predicting the destruction of Ninevah, and we have Abraham trying to bargain with God on the destruction of Sodom, to say nothing of Balaam, so prophecy can get into a bit of a conundrum, its not always as clear cut as one would think.

So what percentage of false prophesy is acceptable?

Ellen White never made a single actual prophesy that came true

And all of her predictions about Jesus’ return were patently false.

[Fenris]

Not sure what you are trying to say especially with submit to 'local church'. But in the Bible we have Jonah predicting the destruction of Ninevah, and we have Abraham trying to bargain with God on the destruction of Sodom, to say nothing of Balaam, so prophecy can get into a bit of a conundrum, its not always as clear cut as one would think.

I would make the point that prophecy is closed. The last prophet was either Malachi (if one is Jewish) or Jesus (if one is Christian). One would have to explain why prophecy suddenly "came back" after thousands of years. After that one would have to apply the "false prophet" tests in Deuteronomy. 

[Athanasius]

I got a question that kind of surprised me, but I think might be of interest to those in the forum here. The question was 'what is the prophetic authority of Ellen G. White?'

My answer was this:
As for the 'prophetic authority of Ellen G. White', I always ask this question. Was Martin Luther led by God, and how do you know...

You judge by their works and allow the Holy Spirit to unveil the answer, and each person must do that whether John Calvin, John Wycliffe, Huldrych Zwingli, etc... You have to look closely and study carefully and decide for oneself.

Now AI came up with this which surprisingly appears pretty close to the mark..
The Seventh-day Adventist Church recognizes Ellen G. White (1827–1915) as a divinely inspired prophet. Her writings are considered an authoritative source of truth, providing comfort, instruction, and correction, while always maintaining that the Bible remains the ultimate standard by which all teachings are tested.

The nature of Ellen G. White's prophetic authority can be understood through several key tenets officially held by the church:

The "Lesser Light": Adventists view her writings as a "lesser light" designed to lead people to the "greater light" (the Bible). According to the Biblical Research Institute, they provide authoritative counsel but do not hold the same universal canonical status as Sacred Scripture.

Identifying the Remnant: The church teaches that the "Spirit of Prophecy" (as described in Revelation 12:17) is a defining characteristic of the end-time remnant church, which they believe was manifested in her ministry.

Doctrinal Sufficiency: White herself famously maintained that the Bible is sufficient for forming doctrines, stating, "the Bible, and the Bible alone, is our rule of faith". Her visions and writings are used to amplify, apply, and protect these biblical doctrines.

So were the Reformers men of God, and led by Him, or where they just coming up with ideas of self?

I'm surprised the AI didn't point out you're engaged in a false dichotomy. The question remains unanswered, by the way.

[Reddogs]

Not sure what you are trying to say especially with submit to 'local church'. But in the Bible we have Jonah predicting the destruction of Ninevah, and we have Abraham trying to bargain with God on the destruction of Sodom, to say nothing of Balaam, so prophecy can get into a bit of a conundrum, its not always as clear cut as one would think.

I would make the point that prophecy is closed. The last prophet was either Malachi (if one is Jewish) or Jesus (if one is Christian). One would have to explain why prophecy suddenly "came back" after thousands of years. After that one would have to apply the "false prophet" tests in Deuteronomy.

But why would you come to that conclusion when Gods Word clearly says it will be poured out again at the end times..

Joel 2:
28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Acts 2:
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

[Fenris]

But why would you come to that conclusion when Gods Word clearly says it will be poured out again at the end times..

Where is the evidence that we are living in End Times?

[Reddogs]

But why would you come to that conclusion when Gods Word clearly says it will be poured out again at the end times..

Where is the evidence that we are living in End Times?

Turn on CNN or open the NYT..