Seventh-day Adventists and Life Insurance

Ellen G. White and Life Insurance

Life insurance, however, was seen in a different light. In the main, those who took a position against life insurance did so in response to statements by Ellen White, beginning with her two-page article, “Life Insurance,” first published in 1867 in Testimony No. 12. Because it is her earliest and most extensive discussion of the subject, it is reproduced here in full: SDALI 2.2

“I was shown that Sabbathkeeping Adventists should not engage in life insurance. This is a commerce with the world which God does not approve. Those who engage in this enterprise are uniting with the world, while God calls His people to come out from among them and to be separate. Said the angel, ‘Christ has purchased you by the sacrifice of His life. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ ‘For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.’” Here is the only life insurance which heaven sanctions.

“Life insurance is a worldly policy which leads our brethren who engage in it to depart from the simplicity and purity of the gospel. Every such departure weakens our faith and lessens our spirituality. Said the angel: ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that he should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.’ As a people we are in a special sense the Lord’s. Christ has bought us.

“Angels that excel in strength surround us. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without the notice of our heavenly Father. Even the hairs of our head are numbered. God has made provision for His people. He has a special care for them, and they should not distrust His providence by engaging in a policy with the world.

“God designs that we should preserve in simplicity and holiness our peculiarity as a people. Those who engage in this worldly policy invest means which belong to God, which He has entrusted to them to use in His cause to advance His work. But few will realize any returns from life insurance, and without God’s blessing even these will prove an injury instead of a benefit. Those whom God has made His stewards have no right to place in the enemy’s ranks the means which He has entrusted to them to use in His cause.

“Satan is constantly presenting inducements to God’s chosen people to attract their minds from the solemn work of preparation for the scenes just in the future. He is in every sense of the word a deceiver, a skillful charmer. He clothes his plans and snares with coverings of light borrowed from heaven. He tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit by making her believe that she would be greatly advantaged thereby.

“Satan leads his agents to introduce various inventions and patent rights and other enterprises, that Sabbathkeeping Adventists who are in haste to be rich may fall into temptation, become ensnared, and pierce themselves through with many sorrows. He is wide-awake, busily engaged in leading the world captive, and through the agency of worldlings he keeps up a continual, pleasing excitement to draw the unwary who profess to believe the truth to unite with worldlings. The lust of the eye, the desire for excitement and pleasing entertainment, is a temptation and snare to God’s people.

“Satan has many finely woven, dangerous nets which are made to appear innocent, but with which he is skillfully preparing to infatuate God’s people. There are pleasing shows, entertainments, phrenological lectures, and an endless variety of enterprises constantly arising, calculated to lead the people of God to love the world and the things that are in the world.

“Through this union with the world, faith becomes weakened, and means which should be invested in the cause of present truth are transferred to the enemy’s ranks. Through these different channels Satan is skillfully draining the purses of God’s people, and for it the displeasure of the Lord is upon them.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:549-551.

A careful reading enables us to see the five reasons Ellen White gives for opposing life insurance: SDALI 3.1

1. It encumbers believers excessively with the world.

2. It encourages a worldly, secular spirit contrary to the simplicity and singlemindedness of Christian service.

3. It diminishes one’s sense of God’s providence.

4. It represents a denial of true stewardship before God by diverting His funds to risky ventures in hope of gain.

5. It manifests greed comparable to speculation in rights to patents and inventions.

From an analysis of Ellen White’s reasoning it is clear that she regarded participation in life insurance both as a threat to spiritual experience, and as defective because it is a speculative venture. SDALI 3.2

Following her initial article of 1867, Ellen White made only occasional references to life insurance in her writings. Her principal later statement was addressed to N. D. Faulkhead, a prominent worker in Australia, who, along with his deep involvement with the Masonic Lodge, carried an insurance policy in the amount of 200 pounds. Ellen White, in urging him to sever connections with the Lodge, also counseled him to discontinue his life insurance policy. Responding to her appeals, Faulkhead wrote: SDALI 3.3

“I have also seen wisdom in your testimony regarding the life insurance. I held a policy in one of the offices in town, and with the help of God I have let that go too.”—N. D. Faulkhead to Ellen G. White, September 18, 1893.

Sister White wrote him in reply, saying: SDALI 3.4

“Your letter has been received and has been read with deep interest. I am very thankful to our gracious heavenly Father that He has given you the strength through His imparted grace, to cut yourself loose from the Free Mason Lodge....I rejoice also that you have been cut loose from the life insurance policy....

“The assurance of heaven is the best life insurance policy you can possibly have. The Lord has promised His guardianship in this world, and in the world to come He has promised to give us immortal life.”—Letter 21, 1893.

Ellen White’s several subsequent references to life insurance do not reflect further philosophical development, but are largely metaphorical uses of the term “life insurance,” frequently related to the assurance found in 2 Peter 1:10, 11. For example, she wrote: SDALI 4.1

“No one need to spend sleepless moments in regard to his life insurance papers. His title deed as heir to God, and joint heir with Jesus Christ is to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.”—Ms 63, 1899.

A review of the Ellen G. White statements brings us to the conclusion that life insurance, as it was practiced during her lifetime, was contrary to Christian principles both from a spiritual viewpoint and as good stewardship over the goods of the Lord. SDALI 4.2