Yes, Jesus is speaking of himself as the Petra- massinve fountaion rock. Not to of simon.
David

I agree with this whole heartedly...Stick with the bible...while she does give insights, and she gives permission to use the insights, that does not necessarily mean for us to stop using our imaginations, sanctified with our bibles, to proclaim the Gospel message.

Some good points Gerry.

You know ... it takes little ... VERY little knowledge or even NO knowledge to be saved.

This does not diminish the need to study. It just puts study in its place.

Hi David. And welcome. I may not agree with much of what you have said. No problem. But what you have said here is true. And Ellen White would not disagree with you. She never claimed this. And she has already turned over in her grave ... over and over and over again at the misuse of her writings. So, I would say that many here are in agreement on what you have said here.

However ... many of us can find some encouragement from her writings or at least SOME of her writings ... if we look hard enough. And it is OK that we have to over look some things to find the good things. Her writings have cultural messages that were not intended for our edification. SO ... when you study her ... just skip over the parts that don't help you. I would say ... just toss them out ... but the true blue followers object to that language. Either way ... if you look ... you can find blessings just as you would with any Christian author.

However ... if you are not a "weak" Christian then you could always go directly to the Bible. For Ellen White said the purpose of her writings were to just POINT people to the Bible.

Do you believe that the SDA church and Ellen White taught and teach lies about 1844? What do you believe those "lies" to be?

The SDA doctrine on 1844, the heavenly sanctuary, and the Third Angels Messages don't rely on Ellen White alone. Those teachings are based squarely on the testimony of Scripture. See, for instance, http://investigativejudgmentgospel.org/ This is a fairly new book which shows the Bible evidence for the doctrine of the Investigative Judgment.

If those are/were lies, then the SDA church is a lie and our message is a lie, because without 1844, our church and our message wouldn't even exist, and we have no justification for existing as a distinct movement or denomination.

Regards,
"John 3: 17"

Of course we should study the Bible and base our doctrines it. But anyone who thinks that Ellen White teaches that we should not study her writings and accept them as the truth doesn't know Ellen White's writings. Either she is a false prophet and a liar, or she is a true prophet and someone we need to take seriously. For instance, see 1 SM 24-48.

Regards,
"John 3: 17"

When I go fishing, I go to catch fish....

When I agree with someone, I want them to know what I agree with....

When I disagree with someone, I don't usually go fishing....

Here is what my Bible says:

1. "For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ..." 2 Cor 5:10 NIV; cf Rom 14:10
2. "Each of us will give an account of himself to God." Rom 14:12 NIV
3. Judgment begins in God's house, 1 Pet 4:17.
4. This is necessary because not all professed believers who say, "Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven." Mt 7:21 NIV.
5. The gospel net brings in both good and bad fish, so He has to separate them, Mt 13:47. He has to separate by a judgment process the sheep from the goats, the foolish virgins who have the lamp but no oil from the wise who have both, Mt 25, the chaff from the wheat, Mt 3:12; separate by a judgment process the wheat from the tares, Mt 13, the fools who hear the Word but do not build on it but rather on sand from those who do, Mt 7.
6. The assurance for true believers is that there will be NO CONDEMNATION, i.e. judgment against them, Rom 8:1, judgment will be made in their favor, Dan 7:22.

Gerry

I find no justification for such a statement. I happen to believe in the message. But it is just a message.

The reason for our church is the Gospel. The simple message of the Gospel. We do not stand on just one small doctrine alone. We stand on the life and sacrificial death of Christ.

That is what this church stands on. Doctines are made by man. I would not place a lot of puffed up importance on a single doctrine ... unless it would be the doctrine of LOVE.

She said we would not need her writings if we studied the Bible as we should.