The Testimony of Jesus

Chapter 10—Not an Addition to the Sacred Canon

Do the writings of Mrs. E. G. White constitute for the church of Christ a new Bible? We answer emphatically, No. Do they constitute an addition to the Sacred Canon? We answer again unqualifiedly, No, indeed. In what we term the Holy Bible there is comprehended an all-sufficient revelation, revealing man’s origin, the entrance of sin, the provisions of divine grace for his redemption as represented in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the necessary steps to make the gospel effective in human experience through the work of repentance and the exercise of faith by the operation of the Holy Spirit, and the final awards of life and death to be meted out to those who accept of this free salvation or to those who reject the proffers of God’s great mercy. TOJ 67.1

God in His providence selected from the writings of the prophets of the past those portions which contain that expression of His divine will best suited to constitute a great spiritual guidebook for all nations, times, and conditions. It evidently was not the divine purpose that any instruction which His Spirit might impart to His church in the latter days should be regarded as an addition to the completed canon of Scripture. TOJ 67.2

Not only should Mrs. White’s writings be regarded as making no addition to the Bible, but only as they stand the test of the Sacred Canon can their claims be accepted. Indeed, it is by the Bible that the writings of Mrs. E. G. White and of every other person claiming divine revelation, are to be judged. The Bible is the great gauge, or rule, by which all other writings are tested and proved. To the truthfulness of these statements the Lord’s messenger bears decided testimony. We quote from one of her leading publications as follows: TOJ 67.3

“In His Word, God has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experiences. ‘Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.’ 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, R. V. TOJ 68.1

“Yet the fact that God has revealed His will to men through His Word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour, to open the Word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings. And since it was the Spirit of God that inspired the Bible, it is impossible that the teaching of the Spirit should ever be contrary to that of the Word. TOJ 68.2

“The Spirit was not given—nor can it ever be bestowed—to supersede the Bible; for the Scriptures explicitly state that the Word of God is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. Says the apostle John, ‘Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.’ 1 John 4:1. And Isaiah declares, ‘To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.’ Isaiah 8:20.”—The Great Controversy, Introduction, vii. TOJ 68.3