| Author | Message | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 538 Registered: 11-2004 |
How did SDA's come to call EGW the sop or her writings the testimonies? Anyone know? They read her into the Bible whenever they see those words. Just wondering how they got there in the first place. | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 499 Registered: 12-2004 |
I will also be interested in how this came about. I am sure someone here will be able to fill us in. I do have to say, it was a very clever bit of marketing. I mean who could argue with "the Spirit of Prophecy". | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1623 Registered: 9-2006  |
They believed the “visions” she was having were of God, they had to have somewhere to go with this. So they glommed her onto Pauls teaching for Corinth where he talked about the gifts of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:10-11. Of course her stuff does not in the slightest resemble the gifts of the Holy Spirit either then or now. The purpose of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is for the comfort, edification and up building of the body of Christ, his church. One who has the gift of prophecy in the context that Paul spoke of is not relegated to a particular person so that we may hear from God, all Christians may hear from God because the middle wall of partition has been taken down. When a person is used of God with the gift of prophecy (speaking forth what the Holy Spirit says to a congregation) it is for the comfort, edification and up building of the body of Christ and it is as the Holy Spirit give utterance to whomsoever that he should give utterance through. God may use any Christian to do this, we don’t glom onto them as Gods official mouth piece, and if a person does speak through a word of prophecy, the others sitting by are to judge 1 Cor. 14:29. What do they judge? They judge if the word spoken is according to the word of God. A person who prophecies is not for the purpose of extra Biblical revelation, but again, as I say it is for the comfort, edification of the up building of the body of Christ and directed to that particular audience at that particular instant in that particular time in history. The prophets of old were Gods chosen people to relay and to communicate to the people his warnings and directions. The prophet of today as it pertains to the gifts is the Holy Spirit working in his own body, the church. But they took it away and glommed onto her as Gods official mouth piece, although none of her writings and visions holds the slightest resemblance to any word of prophecy I have ever heard. I have seen people used in the gifts and it does not even hold the slightest resemblance. Now all of this is just IMHO and it is not for the purpose of starting a big hairy argument over the gifts. It is just an honest effort to answer u2’s question, but I believe that pretty much resembles the answer to this question. I have given the question much thought in the past and I think that pretty much is it. In other words it’s just another big old hairy mistake the Advents have made among the many. Just flop that one right out there on top of the others. That’s what comes from building on a rebellious foundation in the first place, mistake after mistake, after mistake. Other of the folk may have a better explanation, but I think it is a perfect example of following a person instead of hearing from God on ones own. So, IMHO.  River | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 540 Registered: 5-2002 |
The term "Spirit of Prophecy", as used within SDAism, comes from the cross-referencing of two linchpin SDA proof-texts, Revelation 12:17 and 19:10 "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:17. This is a cornerstone text "confirming" the remnant as a commandment-keeping people. Enter the Sabbath doctrine... "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10 There you have it. If you are looking for God's remnant church, look for one that keeps all 10 commandments - including the Sabbath - and has a prophet. It is more than simply convenience that the SDA church markets itself as just such a church! This dovetails very neatly with SDA Fundamental Belief #18 which states: 18. The Gift of Prophecy: One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.) "The Spirit of Prophecy" is a longstanding SDA cultural colloquialism that always refers to the writings attributed to Ellen White. It is frequently used in inter-Adventist marketing of her literature, and this phrase is found often within other Adventist literature and conversation. It always refers specifically to all writings published under her name. | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1624 Registered: 9-2006 |
Quote: "They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)" Of course if you apply the same testing to E.G or their doctrine, it then becomes unbelief and persecution. River | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 541 Registered: 5-2002 |
Here are a couple of current examples of usage of the term within SDA culture: Notice that this month is "Spirit of Prophecy Month" at the Adventist Book Centers: http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/ Hurry, only 16 days left to save up to 25% on most Ellen White books and CD's! And, on the official Ellen White Estate website, there is a link to "Spirit of Propecy Day" which just so happens to this Saturday. http://www.whiteestate.org/sop/2007/resource.asp | ||
| Snowboardingmom Registered user Username: Snowboardingmom Post Number: 368 Registered: 11-2005 |
Spirit of Prophecy month? You've got to be kidding. Grace | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 505 Registered: 12-2004 |
I certainly think that referring to Ellen White as the "Spirit of Prophecy" is a denigration of the meaning of this term found in Revelation. I would say it borders on blasphemy. The ABC's "Spirit of Prophecy" month, is a blatant commercial play, with an eye to the bottom line. As to the official "Spirit of Prophecy Day", what more can be said. I am just amazed. I suspect the reasoning is; Jesus has Christmas, why shouldn't Ellen have Spirit of Prophecy Day. I am just surprised it isn't October 22. Colleen, a collective sigh? Continuing to be amazed at the methods of manipulation. Randy (Message edited by randyg on October 16, 2007) | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 822 Registered: 7-2004  |
It looks to me like there is still a connection. "Spirit of Prophecy Month" is in October. "Spirit of Prophecy Day" is the closest Sabbath to October 22 (October 20 this year). Hasn't the SDA church always (as long as I've known) formally recognized October 22 on the closest Sabbath and it's always mentioned in the sermon then. It makes perfect sense to have the "special day" on a Sabbath - that way it can be made a bigger deal of and get more mileage. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 7006 Registered: 12-2003  |
Ooh, Raven, good points! You're onto something. The church has had a "mandate" for several years to have a Spirit of Prophecy day...it's all part of keeping the distinctives before the people, I guess. But a spirit of prophecy month?? Yes, Randy--collective sigh. Colleen | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 1304 Registered: 4-2000  |
Regrettably, I once preached a sermon entitled, "The Adventist Advantage." It was all about Ellen White for the annual "Spirit of Prophecy Day." The title of my sermon was suggested by the White Estate. I remember feeling very sanctimonious (hypocritically pious) in presenting the sermon to a receptive SDA audience. Thankfully, I eventually discovered that Ellen White is really "The Adventist Disadvantage." Dennis Fischer |
