Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Eschatology—last-day events confusion Nature of man—immortal soul notions Kind of God running the universe How salvation happens—works, easybelievism, or unconscious legalism New Spirituality and “emergent”churches, focusing on “God within”and false hopes of world peace

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! That Bible package reveals itself in itssystematic unity and coherence Every church has its own systematicunity and coherence depending on itsfounder’s main principle about God andsalvation. The Adventist unity and coherence restson the Great Controversy Theme.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Here enters Ellen White whom I call“the Adventist Advantage.” Her self-stated mission was tocomfort those who neededencouragement and to correct thoseerrors that either misrepresent Godor incorrectly define how men andwomen are saved.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Our primary purpose here today is tofocus on Ellen's major, over-archingcontributions, without which wewould not be talking about hertoday. Let’s look at some of theseinescapable contributions inunfolding “present truth” for us in

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Loma Linda University and Hospital Advanced health principles of the midnineteenthcentury, so wise then andvalidated today. Adventist educational philosophy has provenitself wherever faithfully implemented Adventists would have no idea of suchphrases as Latter Rain, Loud Cry, SealingWork, Close of probation, etc.

Paul Harvey, coast to coastSeptember 25, 1997. “I can name an American woman author[whose] writings have been translatedinto 148 languages. More than Marx orTolstoy, more than Agatha Christie,more than William Shakespeare. Onlynow is the world coming to appreciateher recommended prescription foroptimum spiritual and physical health, . .. Ellen White. You don’t know her? . . .Get to know her!”

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Adventists today would have noclue as to what is meant by theMessages of the Three Angels inRevelation 14 or the other angelof Revelation 18.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Most every denominational crisis for 70years of ministry was definitely andsubstantially rescued by Ellen. Early struggles to begin healthinstitutions The immortal 1888 General Conference 1901 General Conference—reorganization Sanctuary/Ballenger Crisis, 1905.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! I. The seventh-day Sabbath is ourCreator’s way of reminding us He isworthy of our worship and also theSabbath is the central, deciding issue inthe end-times. 2. Jesus is not only our Redeemer butalso our Empowering Example: He paidthe price for our sins and promised tohelp us overcome those sins, “even as I(He) overcame.” Revelation 3:21.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! 3. Ellen made clear that Jesus came intothis world “in the likeness of sinfulflesh,” just like all babies are born,accepting “all the results of the workingof the great law of heredity.” Why?“With such a heredity to share oursorrows and temptations, and to give usthe example of a sinless life.”—TheDesire of Ages, 49

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! This is powerful good news.Ellen is light years ahead ofother Christian thinkers insimply letting the Bible frameher thinking. Those who resist this emphasison “overcoming” call it“perfectionism.”

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! 4. Because of this promise thatovercoming sin was possible, John theRevelator could speak boldly about howthis promise was core truth that woulddetermine last-day events. Ellen is veryrelevant! Without Ellen, we would neverunderstand why God has been holdingback the Seven Last Plagues for perhaps acentury (Rev. 7)!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Revelation 7 sums up why Jesus hasdelayed His Return: “The restraining Spirit of God is evennow being withdrawn from the world.Hurricanes, storms, tempests, fire andflood, disasters by sea and land, followeach other in quick succession. Scienceseeks to explain all these. . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! “The signs thickening around us, tellingof the near approach of the Son of God,are attributed to any other than the truecause. Men cannot discern the sentinelangels restraining the four winds thatthey shall not blow until the servants ofGod are sealed; but when God shall bidHis angels loose the winds, there will besuch a scene of strife as no pen canpicture.” 6T:408.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Revelation 14 continues thisremarkable forecast of end-times:The seal is God’s signature ofendorsement. Think: Tiger Wood’s endorsement onyour golf clubs! God’s signature tells the world youcan be trusted with eternal life.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever! Revelation 22:4: Those sealedwill see God’s face “because Hisname shall be on theirforeheads.”That’s some future!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever What kind of people will be sealed? “Will this seal be put upon the impure inmind, the fornicator, the adulterer, heman who covets his neighbor's wife? Letyour souls answer the question, Does mycharacter correspond to the qualificationsessential that I may receive a passport tothe mansions Christ has prepared forthose who are fitted for them? Holinessmust be inwrought in our character.”TM 446.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellen would not be more relevant!All this because of her simpleunfolding of what God wants to dofor you in being an overcomer! TheGreat Controversy theme determinesevery aspect of her salvationtheology.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Remember those TV ads forHanes clothing? Can’t you seethat determined femaleinspector on the assembly line,with all of her formidablecharm, looking over each item:“The quality goes in before thename goes on.”

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Down here in these days of the heldwinds, that is what God is telling theuniverse when He writes His namein the foreheads of His willingfaithful: “Listen to them,” He issaying, “You can trust what they say.I am proud to give them my seal ofapproval : “The quality goes in beforemy name goes on.”

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Would you rather have Ellen’srelevancy, or the psycho-babbleof others who keep their eyes oneverything else except whatreally is going on?

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellen is even more relevant and graphicwhen she describes the people who aresealed down through history and in thelast days as vindicators of God’scharacter. The standard argument bythose who do not buy into the principleof overcoming is that only Jesus couldand did vindicate the character of God.Obviously, very few question that. But.. .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever But there is more to why He came.“Those who keep the commandmentsof God should make it manifest that thetruth is sanctifying the soul, refiningand purifying the thoughts, andelevating the character and life. Christhas died that the moral image of Godmight be restored in our souls and mightbe reflected to those around us.“ FW 61.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Something more was neededafter the cross to completeGod’s rescue plan for us onPlanet Earth!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Plan A was for Jesus to vindicatethe character of God. Jesus wasGod’s Exhibit A. But thoughtfulChristians have sensed there mustbe more—for who would havereally known what actuallyhappened on that gloomy Friday2000 years ago?

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever “Yet Satan was not then destroyed. Theangels did not even then understand allthat was involved in the greatcontroversy. The principles at stake wereto be more fully revealed. And for thesake of man, Satan's existence must becontinued. Man as well as angels mustsee the contrast between the Prince oflight and the prince of darkness. Hemust choose whom he will serve.” DA761.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever The Christian church was and isGod’s Plan B. This is what Jesusmeant when He said in His awesomeprayer in John 17: “As You sent Meinto the world, I also have sent Theminto the world.” John 17:5.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever In Plan B we have the same mission andpurpose for the church that God had forAdam and Eve and for the Jewish nation:“Through His people Christ is tomanifest His character and theprinciples of His kingdom. . . . Hedesires through His people to answerSatan’s charges by showing the resultsof obedience to right principles.”COL:296.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever This core thought has oftenbeen diluted into mush thatsays, “Well, she is talkingabout the church in general!”Hardly!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever These “right principles” in contrastto satanic principles “are to bemanifest in the individual Christian. .. . All are to be symbols of what canbe done for the world. They are tobe types of the saving power of thetruths of the gospel. All are agenciesin the fulfillment of God’s greatpurpose for the human race.”COL:296, 297.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ezekiel gives us some insights asto how ancient Israel had failedin their day to vindicate God.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever “But when they came to the nations,wherever they came, they profaned myholy name, in that men said of them,‘These are the people of the Lord, andyet they had to go out of his land.’ But Ihad concern for my holy name, whichthe house of Israel caused to be profanedamong the nations to which they came. . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Therefore . . . It is not for your sake, Ohouse of Israel, that I am about to act, butfor the sake of my holy name, which youhave profaned among the nations. . . .And I will vindicate the holiness of mygreat name, which has been profanedamong the nations. . . . and the nationswill know that I am the Lord . . .whenthrough you I vindicate my holinessbefore their eyes” (36:20-23, RSV).

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Israel failed to recognize thattheir highest task was tovindicate the character ofGod.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever After the Cross, Christians are tocomplete the task that Israel failed to do.God and the church are both on trial forthe same reasons: to prove Satan andhuman beings wrong in all the chargesand misrepresentations against thecharacter and government of God. Itcould be argued that God needs you asmuch as you need Him to get the GreatControversy settled!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever No wonder Ellen White was concernedenough to ask: “In this crisis, where isthe church to be found? Are its membersmeeting the claims of God? Are theyfulfilling His commission, andrepresenting His character to the world?Are they urging upon the attention oftheir fellowmen the last mercifulmessage of warning?”—COL: 303.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever And she is does not muffle her words:“If there was ever a people in need ofconstantly increasing light from heaven,it is the people that, in this time of peril,God has called to be the depositaries ofHis holy law and to vindicate Hischaracter before the world. Those towhom has been committed a trust sosacred must be spiritualized, elevated,vitalized, by the truths they profess tobelieve.” 5T 746.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Again: “It becomes every child ofGod to vindicate His character.You can magnify the Lord; youcan show the power of sustaininggrace.” 5T 317

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever And again: “The angels are, as it were,just loosening the four winds, but theycannot loose them yet. The church is toofar behind her privileges. The people ofGod are too indolent. Many areunfaithful; many are unclean andpolluted. We are not prepared for thecrisis. The question is, How long willGod wait for our tardy movements?”Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 86.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever To put it another way: “To disproveSatan’s claim is the work of Christand of all who bear His name.”Education, 154.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever No wonder Ellen could keep this themethroughout her ministry. For instance:“The Saviour came to glorify the Fatherby the demonstration of His love; so theSpirit was to glorify Christ by revealingHis grace to the world. The very image ofGod is to be reproduced in humanity. Thehonor of God, the honor of Christ, isinvolved in the perfection of the characterof His people.” DA 671.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Only Ellen has told us how God’ssalvation plan truly works in thisend-times—all the while unfoldingthe big picture of the Bible story!Who else on Planet Earth is tellingthe truth about The GreatControversy and how it will workout before Jesus returns!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellen has given us a balanced pictureof the plan of salvation. To put it bluntly, The Christianchurch has been divided for morethan 2000 years, leading topersecution and death, over how thesalvation should work.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than EverSimple words such as faith, grace,works, law, justification have beenterribly misunderstood. Every churchon earth today is divided over theseNT words. But Ellen has not got caught on oneside or the other in these awfuldebates. Why?

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellen sees the Big Picture—not justpart of the truth: Jesus not only cameto earth to vindicate the character ofGod—that He is not the kind of Godthat Satan and men have made Himout to be. He did more . . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Because Jesus was also the Son ofMan, He revealed the kind ofmen and women that they werecreated to be: Ellipse #1: Jesus as Saviour andas Example

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellen rests the Big pictures on her use ofthe theological ellipse. We all know whatan ellipse—something shaped by afootball, not a baseball. An ellipse doesnot have a center but two focuses –and touse only one focus is to destroy theellipse. It becomes only two circleswarring with each other. This is thehidden secret of all theological divisions.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever We can build truth only on theellipse of truth. About everytheological truth I can think ofmust be said within the ellipseof truth.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellipse #2: Saviour and all-powerfulMediator “The archdeceiver hates thegreat truths that bring to view anatoning sacrifice and an all-powerfulmediator. . . .Those who would sharethe benefits of the Saviour's mediationshould permit nothing to interfere withtheir duty to perfect holiness in the fearof God.” GC 488

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellipse #3: Redeemer andIntercessor. “The intercession ofChrist in man's behalf in thesanctuary above is as essential to theplan of salvation as was His deathupon the cross.By His death Hebegan that work which after Hisresurrection He ascended tocomplete in heaven. . . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Through defects in the character,Satan works to gain control of thewhole mind, . . . Therefore he isconstantly seeking to deceive thefollowers of Christ with his fatalsophistry that it is impossible forthem to overcome. . . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever “But Jesus pleads in their behalf Hiswounded hands, . . . "My grace issufficient for thee." 2 Corinthians12:9. . . Let none, then, regard theirdefects as incurable. God will givefaith and grace to overcome them.”GC 489.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellipse #4: Sacrifice of Jesus and HolySpirit “The Spirit was to be given as aregenerating agent, and without this thesacrifice of Christ would have been of noavail. . . .Sin could be resisted andovercome only through the mightyagency of the Third Person of theGodhead, who would come with nomodified energy, but in the fullness ofdivine power. . . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever “It is the Spirit that makes effectual whathas been wrought out by the world'sRedeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heartis made pure. Through the Spirit thebeliever becomes a partaker of thedivine nature. Christ has given His Spiritas a divine power to overcome allhereditary and cultivated tendencies toevil, and to impress His own characterupon His church.” DA 671.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Everyone who will break from the slaveryand service of Satan, and will stand underthe blood-stained banner of PrinceImmanuel will be kept by Christ'sintercessions. Christ, as our Mediator, at theright hand of the Father, ever keeps us inview, for it is as necessary that He shouldkeep us by His intercessions as that Heshould redeem us with His blood. If He letsgo His hold of us for one moment, Satanstands ready to destroy.” OHC 50.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellipse #5: Righteousness byFaith—Imputed and Imparted.“Our only ground of hope is inthe righteousness of Christimputed to us, and in thatwrought by His Spirit working inand through us.” SC 63.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellipse #6: God’s part and man’s in thesalvation process. “God works andcooperates with the gifts He hasimparted to man, and man, by being apartaker of the divine nature and doingthe work of Christ, may be an overcomerand win eternal life. The Lord does notpropose to do the work He has given manpowers to do. . . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever “Man's part must be done. He must be alaborer together with God, yoking upwith Christ, learning His meekness, Hislowliness. God is the all-controllingpower. He bestows the gifts; manreceives them and acts with the power ofthe grace of Christ as a living agent. . . .Divine power and the human agencycombined will be a complete success, forChrist's righteousness accomplisheseverything.” FW 26, 27.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellipse #7. Faith and works.“Abraham's faith was made manifestby his works. "Was not Abraham ourfather justified by works, when hehad offered Isaac his son upon thealtar? Seest thou how faith wroughtwith his works, and by works wasfaith made perfect?" James 2:21, 22.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Many more examples exist whereinEllen has been the corrector oftheological errors that have beencoming down through thecenturies. These corrections insimple English contain herremarkable contribution andrelevancy to her church in 2008.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellen White is exactly what Godknew was needed in these lastdays, if ever the world was to begiven a fair chance to hear Hislast appeal in this end-times.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Whoever chooses to dismiss Ellenand resort to doctrinal positions ofthose who live with a limited gospel,in our church or in any church, willcome up personally wanting. Wheneverything shakes out, the profoundrelevancy and authority of EllenWhite will stand as tall and asrugged as Mount Everest.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever When so many people talk aboutrelevance these days, we can see thatit is a tricky word. Too many thinkof relevance in terms of personaldesirability or whether it isconvenient or whether their groupfinds it conforming to their beliefs.Such is the prevailing post-modernmood of sheer relativity.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever The problem with this modernmood, even infecting our church, isthat its appeal for relevance trumpsauthority. Dangerous spot to be in,personally.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever How does one properly growchildren with that bankrupt viewof relevance? In other words,what are other parents doing?Every child should be given hisroom to make his/her owndecisions, etc.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever How does one respond to the appealof the Three Angel’s in Revelation14 who describe God’s loyal andwilling followers as those who keepthe commandments of God and havethe faith of Jesus. Here authoritytrumps relevance: authorityprecedes relevance.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Another example of the ellipse oftruth: Authority and Relevance aremelded together as a glass ofwater!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever If you want a glass of water, youdon’t ask for a glass of Hydrogenor a glass of Oxygen. If you arethirsty, you want H 2 O—forwater, you can’t have onewithout the other. It is as simpleas the ellipse of truth.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever If relevance is sought merely in aconsensus of men and womenwho share common feelings, thenGod help that group, no matterhow many doctoral degrees theymay have. The authority of truthwill be smothered!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever God (authority) has anchoredHis Spirit of prophecy for thelast days (relevance). He knewhow much we would need a LastdayMessenger that could betrusted!

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever Ellen’s personal life, and her lifework in speaking and writing,has stood the test of integrity—any way we look at her.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever And the security and strengththat our movement experiencedduring her 70 years of leadershipdid not vanish when she died.

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever In 1907 she wrote: “Whether ornot my life is spared, mywritings will constantly speak,and their work shall go forwardas long as time shall last. . . .

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever My writings are kept on file inthe office, and even though Ishould not live, these words thathave been given to me by the Lordwill still have life and will speakto the people.” –Letter 371, 1907,in Selected Messages, Bk 1, 55

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever

Ellen White, More Relevant and Needed Today Than Ever I will let her have the last word. As one who found her in my earlyteens, as one who led me through theBible to Jesus and who continuallyenriches my heart and my mind andwho satisfies every theologicalquestion that comes down the road,no authority I know can possibly bemore relevant.