Ellen G. White and Her Critics

Are Prophets Infallible?

Let the critic make what he can of her admission. This much is certain, he cannot make anything out of it in support of the charge he has raised. No one thought up a vision for Mrs. White. No influence from outside framed the words she employed. Perhaps he may wish, now, to change his charge and contend that if she had been a prophet she would not have made any mistake, never would have done “wrong,” never would have been guilty of an error of judgment. But nothing in the Bible supports the idea that prophets are infallible when they are exercising their private judgment. EGWC 501.3

Do we not all feel sad that Elijah, after his glorious triumph of faith on Mount Carmel, should have made so great an error of judgment as to decide to flee when someone informed him that Jezebel threatened to take his life? And do we not all think that he made a sorry blunder in contending, “I, even I only, am left”? A Bible critic may argue that if Elijah had been a true prophet, the Lord would have revealed to him that Jezebel could not succeed in her evil plan, and that there were seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal. But no lover of the Bible and its prophets is impressed by such an argument. We are not concerned with the mysterious question of just how much God should have revealed to Elijah. We hold that the credentials of the prophet are to be judged only by what he claims to know by revelation from God. EGWC 502.1

Might it not be that the Lord purposely refrains from giving prophets all knowledge of events and developments, lest they become filled with unholy pride over their ability to steer their way with magical skill through all the mazes of changing events? Prophets are as much in danger of pride as are all others. A limitation to their knowledge, with resulting errors of judgment on their part, and confessions that they are “wrong” and can of themselves do nothing wisely or correctly may be ordained of God for their salvation. EGWC 502.2