Editorial

"The truth about truth"

Ellen White has a way of expressing profound realities with such a quality of simplicity that her insights tend to be concealed from over-intellectualized minds.

Willmore D. Eva is the former editor of Ministry Magazine.

Ellen White has a way of expressing profound realities with such a quality of simplicity that her insights tend to be concealed from over-intellectualized minds. The well-educated reader, committed to estimating the worthiness of theological writing by whether or not it is sufficiently loaded with the prevailing currents of sophisticated expression, tends to bypass what is concealed beneath Mrs. White's unaffected language.

The insights shrouded in Mrs. White's simple literary style shine only on those who are actually humbly searching for truth. Truth, as expressed in these writings, presents itself in much the way it did in the case of the "stone that the builders rejected" (see Acts 4:11, NIV). Perhaps this characteristic is in fact a worthy test of whether or not a body of writing is "inspired."

As you might already suspect, I am saying this because recently I was struck squarely between my spiritual eyes by something that tackled not only my mind, but my heart as well. It pressed its way through the well-guarded doors of conscious thought and broke in on the private world of my well-barricaded conscience! Here's the sentence that especially struck me:

"The disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love, they would deny Him, whatever the profession." 1 As you can see by the way I have introduced this sentence, I am keenly aware that in and of itself there appears to be nothing new in it. In fact, it is a thought we often repeat, especially at ministers' meetings. After all, this particular statement was written in the context of the full-time evangelistic work of Jesus' disciples.

But three things convict me in this sentence:

1. The disciples are not only pictured as speaking, but they are doing it "fluently."

2. As they speak, they might even be "repeat[ing] the words of Christ Himself."

3. But all this impressive communication may well in fact "deny Him" if certain elements are absent from their speech or witness.

When we look at this sentence carefully, it seems that truth in fact is not even being communicated in the first place if crucial, supernatural, and experiential realities are absent. In other words, as we proclaim truth it may be that no viable witness is actually taking place, even though deft, elegant expressions of theologically pristine proclamation are flowing from our lips. There is a striking sense in which truth is not even truth if the Truth Himself is not present in the proclamation. Truth lies much more in the Heavenly Presence that is behind or within the thought and word, than in the word or thought itself. Truth is at its heart a particular Person He who called Himself "the truth"(see John 14:6).

This, of course, has huge implications for our witness. We are not merely asked to impart information, to educate or instruct. Our communication does not merely involve telling people how to get from point A to point B. We are instead summoned to be mediums of conviction and of the healing grace of God. Such a role resoundingly transcends the necessity of mere theological and homiletical training, professional skill, and even charisma (which easily masquerades as the voice of God). If we want to be authentic Christian ministers, there is nothing for it but to possess the genuine article.

Along this line, I once heard the story of two businessmen who were visiting a certain city. One night they went together to a nearby church to hear the preaching of a renowned minister. After the meeting they returned to their hotel in awe of the preaching and unable to stop savoring the impressiveness of the sermon.

The next night the two men went their separate ways. One went back to hear the same minister while the other went to hear a second, less renowned preacher. When they met later, the first man could again hardly contain his enthusiasm, saying that he wished his friend had come with him to once more hear the minister they had heard the first night. If anything, his second sermon had been even greater than his first.

The man then asked his colleague how it had gone with the sermon preached by the second minister. His friend, unable to express what had actually happened to him, could only whisper, "I could hardly wait to get back to my room, fall on my knees, and cry out, 'God be merciful to me a sinner!'" That's real preaching.

What is it we are trying to achieve in our witness, either in the pulpit Sabbath by Sabbath, in our evangelistic preaching or elsewhere? This question badly needs to be regularly assessed before God by every Christian minister. I think that to quite some extent, we achieve what we aim for. I find myself increasingly uneasy with the desire to be seen merely as "a good speaker."

So, in clear, deductive language what are the elements so crucial to proclaiming a living witness? Here again are the simple, convicting, inspiring words of Ellen White:

1. "He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him."

2."... Unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love ..."

3. And "He cannot communicate that which he has not received."2

1. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press® Pub.Assn., 1898),357.

2. Ibid.


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Willmore D. Eva is the former editor of Ministry Magazine.

August 2000

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