Visions, at Times, Modified Ellen White’s Theological Opinions

Prophets grow in grace and knowledge as do other believers. In choosing His prophets and prophetesses, God has always selected the best for His purposes—but only the best at that time! He has chosen polygamists and doubters, even some who lied (e.g., Abraham and David).MOL 155.2

No prophet saw the whole picture from start to finish. All prophets went through “on-the-job-training.” If we knew all the facts about each prophet, we would discover that each one kept learning more and more about his or her assignment, more and more about God’s plan for them and for His people. They had much to learn, much to unlearn. As a result, their messages became more precise as time continued.MOL 155.3

Think of John the Baptist whom Jesus declared to be “more than a prophet.... Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:9, 11). Yet John “did not understand the nature of Christ’s kingdom.” ^{26The Desire of Ages, 215.} In his dramatic ministry, he misapplied Isaiah’s prophecies and, to some extent, misunderstood the character of God. In prison, he was “bitterly disappointed in his mission” and considered himself a failure. John, with all of his Bible study and prophetic mission, “had not fully comprehended the future, immortal life through the Saviour.” ^{27Counsels on Diet and Foods, 220.} Later, he even doubted the experience at the Jordan, the day he baptized Jesus: “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).MOL 155.4

Yet, Jesus applied to John Malachi’s term, “My Messenger.” Messenger, yes, but a “lesser light, which was to be followed by a greater.” ^28Ibid.MOL 155.5

Think of Peter whom God chose to be the gospel link to Cornelius, the Gentile centurion (Acts 10). Peter, blessed by Pentecost, still believed that the gospel of Christ was meant only for the Jews. He needed his theology changed, and a vision did it. Every step to the home of Cornelius was taken reluctantly. ^{29The Acts of the Apostles, 137.} His “shut-door” theology was changed into a wide open door into the Gentile world and finally to Rome and his own crucifixion.MOL 155.6

Ellen White was the first to recognize that her judgment and perception had greatly broadened and deepened through the years. She was a human messenger who, with all the human baggage common to prophets, constantly followed the Light. She spoke of this lifelong development process: “With the light communicated through the study of His word, with the special knowledge given of individual cases among His people under all circumstances and in every phase of experience, can I now be in the same ignorance, the same mental uncertainty and spiritual blindness, as at the beginning of this experience? Will my brethren say that Sister White has been so dull a scholar that her judgment in this direction is no better than before she entered Christ’s school, to be trained and disciplined for a special work? Am I no more intelligent in regard to the duties and perils of God’s people than are those before whom these things have never been presented? I would not dishonor my Maker by admitting that all this light, all the display of His mighty power in my work and experience, has been valueless, that it has not educated my judgment or better fitted me for His work.” ^{30Testimonies for the Church 5:686.}MOL 155.7

Ellen White did grow, led along by the Spirit of God. Most Millerites who did not reject the 1844 experience believed that the “door was shut” (Matthew 25:10) to those who had rejected their “midnight cry” message as well as to the general population. ^{31For a discussion of the “Shut-Door” issue, see chapter 44.} The developing group that came to be known as Sabbatarian Adventists, of which James and Ellen White were a part, also retained this belief for a few years.MOL 156.1

But Mrs. White’s first visions showed her the significance of October 22, 1844, and that the door was shut only to those who had consciously rejected the light of truth. Most probably, without the visionary leadership of Ellen White, the Sabbatarian Adventists would not have seen the larger picture of heavenly events relating to October 22. Her encouraging and instructive development of thought as to the role of Seventh-day Adventists in completing God’s last-day invitation to the world, became the church’s central, unifying element.MOL 156.2