Since when have we decided that our acceptance of the Spirit of Prophecy writings must depend upon someone's definition of "inspiration"? For many years this has been the attitude of many people of other faiths toward the Word of God. Someone sets himself up as an authority on the Bible and determines what parts are inspired and which ones are not. Some portions they approve, some they disapprove and question. The fact that God has never given them this responsibility does not seem to affect them in any way. They are the all-wise ones who sit in judgment on God and His Word. They are the final word on the matter. And the tragedy is that there are thousands of ministers and millions of their people who follow the skeptic's line.
We have come to the time when the same attack is being made on the writings of the servant of the Lord. Some self-appointed critics bring in their ideas about inspiration and set themselves up as authorities on -what parts of the writings of Ellen G. White are inspired and what parts are not. They make themselves judge and jury in such matters and vigorously defend their position. They reject that which cuts across their way of life and their personal prejudices and accept that which requires no sacrifice or no yielding to the messages of reproof and counsel that God has given to His people. If it does not satisfy the natural desires of their hearts they charge that it is not relevant or meaningful in our modern society and is therefore not inspired.
Here again the tragedy is that some unsuspecting people among them, even a few ministers at times, grab the bait and run off with it, sharing their doubts with anyone who will listen. But again, God has not appointed any man anywhere to sit in judgment on the gift of prophecy to the remnant church. No person has been designated to determine whether this or that is inspired. The evidence is in the gift itself. "By their fruits ye shall know them." "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." That is to say, it is either all good or it is all bad. It is all of God or it is all of man. There is no middle ground.
We have been warned that such an attack would be made on the writings of the servant of the Lord. "The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. 'Where there is no vision, the people perish' (Prov. 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony.
"There will be a hatred kindled against the testimonies which is satanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so clear a track to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded." —Selected Messages, book 1, p. 48.
The fact that God has warned us of this danger should place us on guard against the attempts of anyone to pass judgment on what portions of the prophetic messages are not inspired. In writing from Sanitarium, California, under date of July 8, 1906, Mrs. White states, "There are some who think they are able to measure the character and to estimate the importance of the work the Lord has given me to do. Their own mind and judgment is the standard by which they would weigh the testimonies.
"My instructor said to me, Tell these men that God has not committed to them the work of measuring, classifying, and defining the character of the testimonies. Those who attempt this are sure to err in their conclusions. The Lord would have men adhere to their appointed work. If they will keep the way of the Lord, they will be able to discern clearly that the work which He has appointed me to do is not a work of human devising.
"Those who carefully read the testimonies as they have appeared from the early days, need not be perplexed as to their origin. The many books, written by the help of the Spirit of God, bear a living witness to the character of the testimonies." —ibid., pp. 49, 50.
" 'It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith of God's people in the Testimonies.' Satan knows how to make his attacks. He works upon minds to excite jealousy and dissatisfaction toward those at the head of the work. The gifts are next questioned; then, of course, they have but little weight, and instruction given through vision is disregarded.' Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knbws the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.' "— Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 672.
Whenever we hear men endeavor to classify the Testimonies and pass judgment on what parts are inspired and what ones are not, we should remember these words and be quick to close our minds to the doubts which they express. Let us, as ministers, be sure where we stand. Let us not partake of the spirit of doubt and unbelief that is typical of the age in which we live. Let us be so firmly grounded in the truth of God's Word and in the counsels of the Lord to His people today that no one's interpretation will cause us to lose faith in or question the goodness of the Lord as manifested to His people in this matchless gift to His remnant church. Our people need to have shepherds who know the way and are able to lead safely in the paths so clearly pointed out for us by the Spirit of God. Let us declare our faith in and acceptance of the gift of prophecy. Let our position be so clearly stated that no one can be in doubt as to where we stand. "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper."
No man has a right to do as he pleases, except when he pleases to do right.
