by Robert Folkenberg
Originally appearing in From the G.C. President Jan 22, 1996 through April 22, 1996 under the title Off the Back Burner.
Ellen White gives us two examples of "parasites upon the tree of truth." "In the professedly Christian world . . . men hang with admiration upon the lips of eloquence while it teaches that the transgressor shall not die, that salvation may be secured without obedience to the law of God. . . The existing confusion of conflicting creeds and sects is fitly represented by the term Babylon" (PP:124).
Here we have two good tests of whether the "wine of Babylon," (what she calls "parasites" and "floating germs") is contaminating one's theology: 1) Does that theology teach that transgressors will not die the second death, because of such concepts as (a) universalism, (b) the "immortal soul" notion, especially as modified in "new age" thought, or the common Christian belief that salvation need not be reflected in a changed character? 2) Are references to "obedience to the law of God" as the evidence of salvation by faith in Christ taught as part of righteousness by faith or an element of "another gospel" which teaches that salvation need not be reflected in a changed character.
I thank God for the balance of the Lord's servant. On the one hand, she makes it plain that salvation is by faith alone and that we can enjoy the assurance of salvation in Christ covered by His righteousness. "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). If you have nothing else to plead before God, but this one promise from your Lord and Saviour, you have the assurance that you will never, never be turned away... Present this assurance to Jesus, and you are as safe as though inside the city of God" (Manuscript Releases Vol. 10, p. 175).
On the other hand, she makes it equally clear that our salvation experience will result in submission to God's will and obedience to His law. "The condescension and agony of God's dear Son were not endured to purchase for man liberty to transgress the Father's law and yet sit down with Christ in His throne. It was that through His merits and the exercise of repentance and faith the most guilty sinner might receive pardon and obtain strength to live a life of obedience" (R&H 3/8/81).
Next we will look at how others saw Ellen White fulfill her job description.
How did Ellen White fulfill her job description (see Segment #6)? How did others know that she was "doing her job?" What kind of evaluation or peer review would she receive today? Would Adventists today permit her to fulfill her job description? Her unique participation in the formation of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine illustrated how the Bible was kept "in front" (as her contemporaries warrant). Bible study preceded confirmation by revelation.
We all know of those instances in the late 1840s when Adventist thinkers were putting together the elements of the "third angels message" with Ellen White present. At times, agreement seemed impossible "hardly two were agreed." Some held "serious errors ... declaring that they were according to the Scriptures." Then Ellen would be shown "some of the errors of those present, and also the truth in contrast with their errors." The impasse would be broken, "the brethren renounced their errors, and united upon the third angel's message" (3SM:31-32; See also lbid, p. 38 and 1T:86).
Adventists who deny this historic equation (Bible study + EGW confirmation = Adventist distinctives), for whatever reason, are forced to go back into the confusion of that Volney barn in 1848 with the resulting, predictable impasse. To ignore history would put us back to the same uncertain playing field where all other churches are each contending that it alone believes in "the Bible and the Bible alone." The deep doctrinal struggles within Evangelicalism today are fought by strongly convinced men and women who believe their positions rest on the Bible only. Without Ellen White, that same impasse would continue to fragment the Adventist denomination.
How important is it that Adventists today understand Ellen White's job description as her contemporaries, who lived through the experience, understood it? In the last segment we noted that early Adventists were often at impasses in their Bible study and thus fragmented (like all other Bible-believing churches) until Ellen White confirmed certain Bible explanations. But, in addition to biblical clarity, the study of Ellen White's writings directly affects the spiritual tone and missionary activity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church today. In the landmark research conducted by the institute of Church Ministry (Ministry, Oct. 1982), we learned that "those who regularly study the writings of Ellen White are also more likely to be stronger Christians in their personal spiritual life and in their witness to their communities than those church members who don't." For example, in the area of personal Bible study: "82 percent of the readers of Ellen White usually or always have personal Bible study, only 47 percent of the nonreaders do, etc."
In summary: "Seldom does a research study find evidence so heavily weighted toward one conclusion.... On every item that deals with personal attitudes or practices, the member who regularly studies Ellen White's books tends to rank higher than does the member who reads them only occasionally or never.... Certainly the implication is that the regular reading of Ellen White's materials does make a positive difference in Christian life and witness."
Next we will consider possible results of not accepting Ellen White's role as comforter and corrector.