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Warnings about New Light

Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .

Warnings about New Light

From that which the Lord has been pleased to show me, there will arise just such ones all along, and many more of them, claiming to have "new light," which is a side issue, an entering wedge. The widening will increase until there is a breach made between those who accept these views, and those who believe the third angel's message. Just as soon as these new ideas are accepted, then there will be a drawing away from those whom God has used in His work, for the mind begins to doubt and withdraw from the leaders because God has laid them aside and chosen "more humble" men to do His work. This is the only interpretation they can give to this matter, as the leaders do not see this important "light." {9MR 27.2}

If we only knew what is before us, we would not be so dilatory in the Lord's work. There are ministers and workers who will present a tissue of falsehoods as testing truths, even as the Jewish rabbis presented the maxims of men as the word of God. These are given to the people as meat in due season, while their souls are starving for the bread of life. Even now there seems to be a burning desire to get up something startling and bring it in as new light. Men are presenting as important truth that which is only fable and falsehood. This imaginary food which is being prepared for the household of God will cause spiritual consumption, decline, and death. {MC 69.1}

Shun the burning desire to get up something new and bring it in as new light -- If we only knew what is before us, we should not be so dilatory in doing the work of the Lord. There are ministers and workers who will present a tissue of nonsensical falsehoods as testing truths, even as the Jewish rabbis presented the maxims of men as the bread of heaven. These are given to the flock of God, as their portion of meat in due season, while the poor sheep are starving for the bread of life. Even now there seems to be a burning desire to get up something startling, and bring it in as new light. Thus men are weaving into the web as important truths a tissue of lies. This imaginary food that is being prepared for the flock will cause spiritual consumption, decline, and death.-- RH Jan. 22, 1901. {PaM 30.1}

Maintaining Truth Not to Preclude New Light -- It is a fact that we have the truth, and we must hold with tenacity to the positions that cannot be shaken; but we must not look with suspicion upon any new light which God may send, and say, Really, we cannot see that we need any more light than the old truth which we have hitherto received, and in which we are settled. While we hold to this position, the testimony of the True Witness applies to our cases its rebuke, "And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Those who feel rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, are in a condition of blindness as to their true condition before God, and they know it not.-- Review and Herald, August 7, 1894. {CW 33.1}

It is a fact that we have the truth, and we must hold with tenacity to the positions that cannot be shaken; but we must not look with suspicion upon any new light which God may send, and say, Really, we cannot see that we need any more light than the old truth which we have hitherto received, and in which we are settled. While we hold to this position, the testimony of the True Witness applies to our cases its rebuke, "And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Those who feel rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, are in a condition of blindness as to their true condition before God, and they know it not. But the True Witness declares, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see." {RH, August 7, 1894 par. 2}

Our numbers are increasing, our facilities are enlarging, and all this calls for union among the workers, for entire consecration and thorough devotion to the cause of God. There is no place in the work of God for half-hearted workers, for those who are neither cold nor hot. Jesus says, "I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Among those who are half-hearted are the class who pride themselves on their great caution in receiving "new light," as they term it. But their failure to receive the light is caused by their spiritual blindness; for they cannot discern the ways and works of God. Those who array themselves against the precious light of heaven, will accept messages that God has not sent, and will thus become dangerous to the cause of God; for they will set up false standards. {RH, December 6, 1892 par. 5}

Danger of Straining to be Original -- Some are always straining to get something original. This places them in great danger. They produce something new that is not according to the Word of God, and they have not the discernment to see the real harm that results from their ambition to excel some other one in new and strange productions. Thus error comes to appear to them as truth, and they present it as wonderful new light, when it is an innovation that makes of none effect a "Thus saith the Lord." {PM 102.3}

The warning comes down the line to our time: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Let us heed this warning, and not be too ready to accept the productions of those who come to us presenting new light. We have the truth in the Word of God; we have the light that has come to us in the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels' messages. The injunction is given us, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." {RH, August 19, 1909 par. 5}

I have a warning for those who suppose that they have been given the work of revealing Scripture in a new light. This work means substituting human interpretation for the interpretation that God has given. Thus did the heavenly messengers pronounce upon the effort into which Brother Ballenger has entered. {MR760 12.1}

We are to pray for divine enlightenment, but at the same time we should be careful how we receive everything termed new light. We must beware lest, under cover of searching for new truth, Satan shall divert our minds from Christ and the special truths for this time. I have been shown that it is the device of the enemy to lead minds to dwell upon some obscure or unimportant point, something that is not fully revealed or is not essential to our salvation. This is made the absorbing theme, the "present truth," when all their investigations and suppositions only serve to make matters more obscure than before, and to confuse the minds of some who ought to be seeking for oneness through sanctification of the truth. -- Letter 7, 1891. {1SM 159.3}

Thought he was obtaining New Light

For some time he [a patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium] had thought he was obtaining new light. He was very ill, and must soon die. . . . Those to whom he presented his views listened to him eagerly, and some thought him inspired. . . . To many his reasoning seemed to be without a flaw. They told of his powerful exhortations in his sickroom. Most wonderful views passed before him. But what was the source of his inspiration? It was the morphine given him to relieve his pain. {Mar 233.3}

A man who is spiritually blind is easily led by those who improve every favorable opportunity to advance theories and conjectures regarding God. The one deceived by Satan imparts to a fellow being the new light that he supposes he has received, as Eve placed the forbidden fruit in the hand of Adam. Unenlightened heathen are in no worse condition spiritually than is the man who has known the truth but has accepted error. . . . {MM 93.3}

The hardest task I ever had to do in this line was in dealing with one who, I knew, wanted to follow the Lord. For some time he had thought he was obtaining new light. He was very ill, and must soon die. And oh, how my heart hoped he would not make it necessary for me to tell him just what he was doing. Those to whom he presented his views listened to him eagerly, and some thought him inspired. He had a chart made, and reasoned from the Scriptures to show that the Lord would come at a certain date, in 1894, I think. To many his reasoning seemed to be without a flaw. They told of his powerful exhortations in his sickroom. Most wonderful views passed before him. But what was the source of his inspiration? It was the morphine given him to relieve his pain. {2SM 113.1} {17MR 16.3}

For some time he [a patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium] had thought he was obtaining new light. He was very ill, and must soon die. . . . Those to whom he presented his views listened to him eagerly, and some thought him inspired. . . . To many his reasoning seemed to be without a flaw. They told of his powerful exhortations in his sickroom. Most wonderful views passed before him. But what was the source of his inspiration? It was the morphine [NOTE: THE SOURCE OF MORPHINE IS OPIUM. A FAST-WORKING DERIVATIVE OF MORPHINE IS HEROIN.] given him to relieve his pain. [SELECTED MESSAGES, BOOK 2, P. 113.] {NL 53.3}

I hope that you will seek to be in harmony with the body. I have been shown that you would not exert a saving influence in teaching the truth, because your mind is restless, and unless you drank deeper of the Fountain of life, you would make the mistake that many others have made, of thinking that you have new light, when it is only a new phase of error. {14MR 180.1}

I desire with heart and soul to do the work that God has given me as His messenger. I am anxious to give people the evidences of our faith as found in the Scriptures. There are many today who present strange doctrines, giving the Scriptures a wrong meaning. Elder Ballenger thinks that he has new light and is burdened to give it to the people, but the Lord has instructed me that he has misapplied texts of Scripture and given them a wrong application. The Word of God is always the truth, but the doctrines that Elder Ballenger advances, if received, would unsettle our faith in the sanctuary question. Already Elder Ballenger has mystified minds by his large array of texts. These texts are true, but he has placed them where they do not belong. {MR760 15.2}

I would not feel that I could present these things, if the Lord had not given me this work to do. There are others besides yourself, and more than one or two, who like you think they have new light, and are all ready to present it to the people. But it would be pleasing to God for them to accept the light already given and walk in it, and base their faith upon the Scriptures, which sustain the positions held by the people of God for many years. The everlasting gospel is to be proclaimed by human agents. We are to sound the messages of the angels which are represented as flying in the midst of heaven, with the last warning to a fallen world. If we are not called upon to prophesy, we are called to believe the prophecies, and to cooperate with God in giving light to other minds. This we are trying to do. {17MR 19.2}

There is danger - - regarding New Light

Those who put the whole strength of their mind into one subject, are greatly deficient on other points. The subject before them enchains their attention, and they are led on and on, and go deeper and deeper into the matter. They become interested and absorbed, and see new light and beauty as they advance. But there are few minds that can follow them, unless they have given the subject the same careful thought. There is danger of such men planting the seed of truth so deep that the tender, precious blade will never find the surface. {ST, October 28, 1886 par. 7}

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