A Gift from our Father

It is a worthwhile study to see how the prophetic gift bestowed upon Ellen G White was used to give the early pioneers of the Seventh Day Adventist church illumination and understanding of the holy bible. The foundational pillars of our faith were laid by diligent study and a reverent appreciation of both. Another way of saying this is that the visions and inspiration sent to Mrs White from God was given to help us in our weakened condition, so that we may better understand the authority of the greater light, the bible.

There are many parallels in determining whether or not we receive God’s intended blessings in both our attitude and methodology towards approaching the writings of the bible and that also of Mrs White. For instance, if I read the bible to find fault, inconsistencies and contradictions, then naturally, no blessings or power will be perceived or received in scripture. The same is true for the spirit of prophecy.

If I take one or two bible texts to fit a preconceived idea and ignore all else written and not honestly seek for truth and harmony in the word, then the truth will not be found. The same is true for the spirit of prophecy.

William Millers rules of bible interpretation express it this way:

4. “To understand doctrine, bring all the Scriptures together on the subject you wish to know; then let every word have its proper influence, and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in an error.”

This wise counsel could also be applied to the writings of Sister White.

With these thoughts in mind I would like to put some recent comments from Gary Hullquist and myself, added to a post submitted by Frank Klin:  J.S. Washburn letter to J.L. McElhany, 1940 Posted by Frank Klin on Wednesday, 13 February 2013 in Adventist History

Consider carefully all the following statements made by Mrs. White and compare it with the way the editors of the book Evangelism 613-617 arranged other statements she made. Did they follow an honest approach to what Sister White really understood on the Father Son and Holy Spirit?

Gary began:

Gary Hullquist Friday, 27 November 2015

Had the editors of Evangelism had access to and been familiar with the recently released and previously unpublished manuscripts of Ellen White like the following, they would have had to reconsider adding the titles they did to this section of their compilation:

"God gave His only begotten Son to the world to revealthe Father as supreme in heaven and in earth." {Lt132-1910 (December 1, 1910) par. 6}

"Satan, knowing thatChrist had the first place next to God, began to insinuate to the angels that he should be next to God." {Ms90-1910 (April 1910) par. 4}

"Christ is declared in the Scriptures to be the Son of God. From all eternity He has sustained this relation to Jehovah." …{Ms22-1905 (March 7, 1904) par. 4}

"We want the Holy Spirit, which is Jesus Christ." {Lt66-1894 (April 10, 1894) par. 18}

"In giving His commission to His followers, Christ did not tell them they would be left alone. He assured them that He would be near them. He spoke ofHis Omnipresence in a special way. Go to all nations, He said. Go, to the farthest portion of the habitable globe, but know that My presence will be there. Labor in faith and confidence, for the time will never come when I shall forsake you." {Ms138-1897 (December 2, 1897) par. 21}

"As a King, He [Christ] has received from His Father all power in heaven and in earth.” "He assumes no power. “All power is given Me.” He was legally entitled to this power, invested with it from the Father, the Fountain of all truth and power." {Lt76-1902 (January 25, 1902) par. 14}

"Who is this that was to come to our world and become incarnate? The only begotten Son of God." {Ms37-1898 (March 10, 1898) par. 13}

"The statement is made that the devil believed and trembled. He believed that Christ was the Son of God while he was in heaven..." {Ms5-1886 (June 19, 1886) par. 10}

"Study carefully the first chapter in Patriarchs and Prophets." {Lt256-1906 (August 1, 1906) par. 7}

I then wrote:

John Penman Tuesday, 08 December 2015

Thank you Gary for your comments.
This inspired me to do some research myself and I am filled with joy because of the clear plain statements of Mrs White in regards to the Holy Spirit. This aligns perfectly with this passage of scripture.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Not the leaven of malice; not the leaven of jealousy; not the leaven of evil surmisings, but it is the leaven of the spirit of Jesus Christ, which is sent down from heaven, called the Holy Ghost, and that Spirit affects the heart and the character. {1SAT 209.2}
{I had to read and reread this over and over again. What a blessing that statement is in my personal search. I just kept repeating it over and over in my thoughts all day.}
 

Workers in the Master’s vineyard must be imbued with the spirit of Christ in his love for souls. . {RH March 8, 1887, par. 1}

And as we separate those things from us which will be a hindrance to our advancement, the Holy Spirit will come in. We want to be filled with the spirit of Jesus, and if you are not closely connected with Christ, then the thoughts of your mind will be upon unimportant things;.” {1SAT 40.2}

When you get up in the morning and things do not go just exactly as you want, have you just stepped aside into a room and prayed to the Lord to give you His Spirit? . {Ms111-1909 (November 6, 1909) par. 24}

(End quotes)

I pray someone is blessed by this in their journey