The Trinity and The Argument of Progressive Revelation

Questions and conversation about religious beliefs, Scripture, the Spirit of Prophecy, and Creation 7th Day Adventism
JamesPrest
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Joined: July 27th, 2013, 6:48 am

Re: The Trinity and The Argument of Progressive Revelation

Postby JamesPrest » August 4th, 2013, 5:41 am

Here are my thoughts on the greater and lesser lights:

The statement in consideration:

“The Lord has sent his people much instruction, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. 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 par. 9}

Here are two likely uses of Adventism in general, one from the liberal, and the other from the conservative side, in their use of the “greater” and “lesser” lights with the same statements.

Conservative’s View:

Lesser Light – “You who are possessed of worldly treasure are to become poor by following your Redeemer's example, devoting your substance to the advancement of the cause of God, and not to self-indulgence. Those who acquire wealth for the purpose of hoarding it, leave the curse of wealth to their children. It is a sin, an awful, soul-periling sin, for fathers and mothers to do this, and this sin extends to their posterity.” {Manuscript Releases, Volume 16, 48.1}

Greater Light – “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children.” Proverbs 13:22.

In light of these statements, the conservative Adventists, who always hold Ellen White as a prophetess, and love the strict discipline, need for self-denial, and obedience she presents, hold to the statement of Ellen White while ignoring the Bible verse. Their plea may be virtually anything, but a likely one is that the Bible was giving instruction for its time, and that Ellen White spoke more for our time right before the end of the world when the gospel needs to be preached more than ever before (that makes logical sense doesn’t it?). Because of this, they leave no inheritance to their children, arguing that the Lord will provide for them and they don’t want to curse them by leaving them an inheritance. They also argue that while Ellen White is a lesser light, she is still a light, and should not be disregarded merely because the greater light appears to teach differently. The conservative stresses the word “light” from the “lesser light” phrase.

Now let us look at the liberal’s take on it.

Liberal’s View:

Greater Light – “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children.” Proverbs 13:22.

Lesser Light – “You who are possessed of worldly treasure are to become poor by following your Redeemer's example, devoting your substance to the advancement of the cause of God, and not to self-indulgence. Those who acquire wealth for the purpose of hoarding it, leave the curse of wealth to their children. It is a sin, an awful, soul-periling sin, for fathers and mothers to do this, and this sin extends to their posterity.” {Manuscript Releases, Volume 16, 48.1}

In light of these statements, the liberals, who do not like Ellen White’s plain rebuke of their sins of self-indulgence, nor her seemingly extreme statements on many different topics, hold to the Bible verse over the writing of Ellen White. Their plea is rather simple. The Bible is the greater light, and Ellen White’s writings are the lesser light, so they hold to the greater light because it’s greater. Why go with a lesser light in this dark world, when you can go with a greater light? (You’ve got to admit, this makes good logical sense as well.) The liberal stresses the word “greater” from the “greater light” phrase.

Introduction to a Christian’s View:

We find difficultly with both views above. The reason, is because both of them are, in one way or another, making null and void some portion of the inspired writings by explaining why the statement that they hold to “trumps” the other statement. This is an unscriptural approach to the inspired writings. What is the inspired writings take on how to approach them? While many verses could be given in answer to this question, we will only give one here for the sake of simplicity.

“The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” 1 Corinthians 14:32.

We do not wish to offer an interpretation to this verse, but we personally gather from this and many other statements, that the inspired writings, if truly inspired by the same Holy Spirit, will not contradict themselves, but will always be in harmony. The teachings of the Spirit of God will always be in harmony, or, “subject,” to the teachings of the same Spirit.

So where then lay the difficulty in the statements above. We claim something rather simple, there is none. The difficulty, discrepancy, contradiction, and disharmony, lay not in the inspired writings, but in those who are taking these harmonious statements, written under the inspiration of the same Spirit, and making them like unto a deck of playing cards. The ace trumps the king, the king the queen, the queen the jack, the jack the 10, and so forth. But the inspired writings are not to be treated like a deck of cards.

The answer to the seeming disharmony between these statements is rather simple. One is rebuking giving “hoarded wealth” to you children, and one is advocating giving an inheritance to your children. No one should have “hoarded wealth” to begin with, much less, should they pass such curse on to their children. Instead of “hoarding” wealth, we should spend our money in supplying the necessities of life and furthering the gospel. An inheritance, which often consisted of land in Bible times, cannot be justly considered as “hoarded wealth.” God’s people must live somewhere, and land is just the place for them to do it. But without land being left to them by their parents, it can be difficult to obtain, especially in the present day United States of America. Does one of God’s people need a thousand acres? No, but few of God’s people have such amount, and a great blessing would it be to their children, and to them, should they leave property to their children, and children’s children. While we don’t want to curse them with “hoarded wealth,” we also don’t want to place them in temptations way to get caught up in “the cares of this world” which Jesus says, “choke the word.”

Now back to our battle of the lesser light versus the greater light. Who is going to win?

Which of the two statements in each section below is the greater light? Which teaching of the two statements in each section should we believe, and which one should we discard?

Section 1

#1: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived.” 1 Corinthians 6:9.

#2: “In Christ is our righteousness. Jesus makes up our deficiencies because He sees we cannot do it ourselves.” {Manuscript Releases, Vol. 4, 179.1}

Section 2

#1: “He that committeth sin is of the devil.” 1 John 3:8.

#2: “When we do our best, He becomes our righteousness.” {1888 Materials, 242.1}

Section 3

#1: “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8.

#2: “When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service, and he makes up for the deficiency with his own divine merit.” {Signs of the Times, June 16, 1890 par. 6}

Section 4


#1: “There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Ecclesiastes 7:20.

#2: “Whenever one renounces sin, which is the transgression of the law, his life will be brought into conformity to the law, into perfect obedience.” {Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 91.4}

Response to Above Sections:

“Which of the two statements in each section below is the greater light?”

We answer, neither. If we place a verse from the John next to a statement from Ellen White, we have no place to say that one statement is a greater light and the other is a lesser. Why not? Because the writings of John are not the greater light. If you go back to the “greater light” statement, you will find that Ellen White said that the “Bible” is the greater light. The writings of John are not the Bible. The writings of John are the writings of John. John was a true prophet, and Ellen White was a true prophet, both inspired by the same Spirit. Their works then are going to be in perfect harmony with each other. If we find them contrary to each other, or we find ourselves holding more to one statement that we agree with, and disregarding another statement that we disagree with and seems to be out of harmony with the statement that we are holding to, then it is highly apparent that we do not have a proper understanding of the topic. God will never contradict himself. No. “God is not the author of confusion.” 1 Corinthians 14:33.

If we quote a verse from Jeremiah, and a statement from Ellen White, it is not a matter of the Bible (greater light) next to Ellen White (lesser light), but Jeremiah next to Ellen White. Question: Is Jeremiah a greater light than the Bible? We say no. Jeremiah, as we believe, is a "lesser light" and the Bible is a "greater light," if for no other reason, than simply because Jeremiah doesn't contain anywhere near the amount of light as does the rest of the Scriptures. The same holds true with Ellen White. Ellen White, as we believe, is a "lesser light" and the Bible is a "greater light," if for no other reason, than simply because Ellen White’s writings do not contain anywhere near the light as does the 66 books that make up the Bible.

While Jeremiah’s writings do a appear in the Bible, they are not the Bible. While Jeremiah’s writings are a part of the greater light, they are not the greater light. The same with Ellen White. In the whole of God’s inspired works, written under the prophetic pen, each individual prophet’s writings help to constitute the whole of God’s inspired works, Ellen White’s included.

“Which teaching of the two statements in each section should we believe, and which one should we discard?”

We should believe them both and discard nothing. To do away with the inspiration of God, is to endanger our eternal welfare.

Why was a “lesser light” given?


“The Lord has sent his people much instruction, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. 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 par. 9}

If we are going to claim that Ellen White was a prophet, and thus hold to the position that she is the “lesser light,” we should equally hold, from the same statement, that “little heed” has been given to the Bible and that “the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light.”

If the lesser light (Ellen White) speaks a truth, and the point of the lesser light is to point you to the greater light (Bible), there is a very substantial reason to believe the truth of the lesser light (Ellen White) may also found in the greater light (Bible). Even the mention of the terms, “lesser light,” and, “greater light,” should help to point this out. Is it not written,

“And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.” Genesis 1:16.

The “greater light” here mentioned, is the sun, and the “lesser light” is the moon (See Psalms 136:7-9). And does not the moon shine by the reflected light of the sun? Does not the moon testify of a greater light? Does it not point to one brighter than itself?

“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 par. 9}

Notice even further, that the greater light is to rule the day, and the lesser light is to rule the night. Both lights rule. They both have authority, as does all truth. And, it is the same light that is seen in both, only viewed from a different angle. To disregard the light of the moon, is to disregard the greater light which it reflects. Much more then, to disregard the light of the sun, is to disregard the light of the moon. To deny either of them is to deny them both. So it is with the inspired writings. To disregard the Spirit of Christ in the “lesser light,” is to disregard the same Spirit in the “greater light.” Much more so, to disregard the Spirit of Christ in the “greater light,” is to disregard the same Spirit in the “lesser light." To deny either of them is to deny them both.

“Whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33.

Conclusion:

We should not hold Ellen White’s writings above the Bible, just as we should not hold Jeremiah’s, Zechariah’s, or John’s writings above the Bible. One true prophet can never trump the rest, nor can the rest trump the one, for “the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets.” They all wrote under the inspiration of the same Spirit. While we are not to place Ellen White’s writings above the Bible, we are to hold her writings equal in truth and authority to any other one prophet’s writings.

Personal Evaluation:

If you have been believing a Bible prophet over Ellen White on a topic, you should realize that you are probably taking a wrong position on that topic, because God will never contradict Himself. The same light shines in both sources. Equally so, if you have been believing Ellen White over a Bible prophet on a topic, you should realize that you are probably taking a wrong position on that topic, because God will never contradict Himself. Once again, the same light shines in both sources. If under the closest, honest investigation, there is truly no harmony between the two, then someone is a false prophet. Someone is lying, and you have a right to know who it is.

Would love to know your thoughts. Blessings!


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