We, the delegates assembled in Utrecht for the fifty-sixth session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, express praise and thanksgiving to God for His gracious gift of the Spirit of Prophecy.

In Revelation 12, John the Revelator identifies the church in the last days as the "remnant . . . which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (verse 17). We believe that in this brief prophetic picture the Revelator is describing the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which not only keeps "the commandments of God" but has "the testimony of Jesus Christ," which is "the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10).

In the life and ministry of Ellen G White (1827-1915), we see God's promise fulfilled to provide the remnant church with the "spirit of prophecy." Although Ellen G White did not claim the title "prophet," we believe she did the work of a prophet, and more. She said: "My commission embraces the work of a prophet, but it does not end there" (Selected Messages, Book One, p 36); "If others call me by that name [prophetess], I have no controversy with them" (ibid., p 34); "My work includes much more than this name signifies. I regard myself as a messenger, entrusted by the Lord with messages for His people" (ibid., p 36).

Ellen G White's chief burden was to direct attention to the Holy 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" (Review and Herald, January 20, 1903). She believed that although her writings are a "lesser light," they are light, and that the source of this light is God.

As Seventh-day Adventists, we believe that "in His Word God has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation. 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" (The Great Controversy, p 7). We consider the biblical canon closed. However, we also believe, as did Ellen G White's contemporaries, that her writings carry divine authority, both for godly living and for doctrine. Therefore, we recommend:

1) That as a church we seek the power of the Holy Spirit to apply to our lives more fully the inspired counsel contained in the writings of Ellen G White, and

2) That we make increased efforts to publish and circulate these writings throughout the world.

 

This statement was approved and voted by the General Conference session in Utrecht, the Netherlands, June 30, 1995.

I'm in complete agreement with the statement regarding confidence in the Spirit of prophecy.

Our church, its message and mission would be quite different apart from the activity of God as seen in the prophetic ministry of Ellen White.

I have complete confidence in the Spirit of Prophecy.

The Spirit of Prophecy is God's Holy Spirit, who chose to work through Ellen White, and can work through men and women in all times and places as He chooses.

The Spirit of Prophecy is not Ellen White. It is a mistake to have complete confidence in any human being, no matter how "good" or godly they are.

aldona

"In the life and ministry of Ellen G White (1827-1915), we see God's promise fulfilled to provide the remnant church with the 'spirit of prophecy.'"

In a biblical sense the Spirit of prophecy includes all the prophets of both the Old and New Testaments, but it also includes the visions and dreams given by God to Ellen White for the church and the world. It's the Holy Spirit that inspires all of the true prophets of God. (Verse 10 may also be understood to mean that the primary characteristic of prophecy will be testimony concerning Jesus Christ.)

Just as some have greater confidence than others in the Bible and trust it as God's Word, so with Ellen White. And just as confidence in the Bible must come through personal study, wide reading and prayer, so, again, also with Ellen White. No one should believe in either the Bible or in the Spirit of prophecy on the basis of other people's belief. "Let every man be persuaded in his own mind."

The legalists in the SDA church have a very high regard for EGW. Ironic?

Amen on that Suzanne!

Some of my favorite quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy.

"Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. 'With His stripes we are healed.' " --Desire of Ages, p. 25.

"There is no limit to the usefulness of one who, by putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God. --The Desire of Ages, p. 250, 251.

"When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disiposition and effort as man's best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit." --1 Selected Messages, p. 382.

"We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history," --Life Sketches, p. 196.

"Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing."--Desire of Ages, p. 330.

"Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?" --Steps to Christ, p. 94.

"God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him." --Desire of Ages, p. 224, 225.

"The greatest want of the world is the want of men--men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its righit name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall." -Education, p. 57.

"If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one." --Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 189.

"A kind, courteous Christian is the most powerful argument that can be produced in favor of Christianity." --Gospel Workers, p. 122.

"Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died." --Desire of Ages,p. 480.

"Through the grace of Christ we may accomplish everything that God requires." --Christ's Object Lessons, p. 301.

Suzanne