Ellen White on photographs
- By tall73
- Denomination Specific Theology
- 44 Replies
As a member of a traditional church, I have to say I wouldn’t be commenting at all on the SDA were it not for the continual and relentless criticism of my denomination by a vocal minority of the members of your denomination on this forum. Most of the Adventist members I’ve never had any issue with and one of them I regard as a friend.
I don’t see why you can’t simply stop criticizing our churches.
It won't stop. The vocal minority are the ones actually following Adventist doctrine.
Ellen White in Great Controversy says:
The Great Controversy, by Ellen G. White. Chapter 21: A Warning Rejected
Babylon is said to be "the mother of harlots." By her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful alliance with the world. The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God's people must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith.
As you can see, Rome is the harlot, and protestant churches her daughters.
Eastern Orthodox, of course, since you were with Rome for a 1000 years are lumped in with them, from their perspective.
So there could be people of God in those churches. But if one of them hears the last day message of warning, they must come out of Babylon, join the remnant, or they will be opposed to God. There will be no quarter. They will continue criticizing.
Ellen White is part of Adventist doctrine. But she is also indispensable to their remnant status:
From the Fundamental Belief:
The Gift of Prophecy 18
The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Num. 12:6; 2 Chron. 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10; 22:8, 9.)
Note the texts listed:Revelation 12:17
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (KJV)
Revelation 19:10
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (KJV)
That is why for some Adventists, finding that Ellen White contradicts Scripture, or does not meet the tests of a prophet, is the beginning of leaving the remnant concept, and criticism of other churches, and sometimes the SDA church completely.Of course, some don't leave, but just decide that they can pick and choose from what she says, even though she counseled against that. Or some drop Ellen White all together, but still support the general biblical framework, minus Ellen White. But without Ellen White, you undercut the remnant.
The truth is, it is those who need to defend this remnant concept who are stuck in these threads. They are stuck defending it because to do otherwise is to concede the remnant theology.
And that is why they tend to show up in every one of them, claim they don't like these threads, but always keep coming back.
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