Ellen White Speaks of Greater Light

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"In public labor do not make prominent and quote that which Sister White has written as authority to sustain your positions. To do this will not increase faith in the testimonies. Bring your evidences, clear and plain, from the Word of God. A Thus saith the Lord is the strongest testimony you can possibly present to the people. Let none be educated to look to Sister White, but to the mighty God, who gives instruction to Sister White..." (5MR 140.2)

"... God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its support". (GC 595.1)

"How can the Lord bless those who manifest a spirit of “I don’t care”—spirit which leads them to walk contrary to the light which the Lord has given them? But I do not ask you to take my words. Lay Sister White to one side. Do not quote my words again as long as you live until you can obey the Bible. When you make the Bible your food, your meat and your drink, when you make its principles the elements of your character, you will know better how to receive counsel from God. I exalt the precious Word before you today. Do not repeat what I have said, saying, 'Sister White said this,' and 'Sister White said that.' Find out what the Lord God of Israel says, and then do what He commands. Christ said, 'I must work the works of Him that sent Me.'" (13MR 200.1)

"But don't you quote Sister White. I don't want you ever to quote Sister White UNTIL you get your vantage ground where you know where you are. Quote the Bible. Talk the Bible. It is full of meat, full of fatness. Carry it right out in your life and you will know more of the Bible than you do now." – Ellen White, Spalding and Magan Collection, p. 174.1

"Little heed is given to the Bible, and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light. O, how much good might be accomplished if the books containing this light were read with a determination to carry out the principles they contain. There would be a thousandfold greater vigilance, a thousandfold more self-denial and resolute effort. And many more would now be rejoicing in the light of present truth." (PH164 6.1)

"Some have asked me if I thought there was any more light for the people of God. Our minds have become so narrow that we do not seem to understand that the Lord has a mighty work to do for us. Increasing light is to shine upon us; for “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”" (RH June 18, 1889, par. 4)

"The Lord deigns to warn you, to reprove, to counsel, through the testimonies given, and to impress your minds with the importance of the truth of His word. The written Testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed. Man's duty to God and to his fellow man has been distinctly specified in God's word; yet but few of you are obedient to the light given. Additional truth is not brought out; but God has through the Testimonies simplified the great truths already given, and in His own chosen way brought them before the people, to awaken and impress the mind with them, that all may be left without excuse." (LS 198.2)

There has been every hindrance to keep us in earthliness and commonness [so] that we should not grasp the eternal. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” [John 17:3.] The truth and light given to us of God is as a priceless treasure hidden in a field. We are to buy the field and work every foot of it. The more we look at the promises of the Word of God, the brighter they grow. The more we practice them, the deeper will be our understanding of them. Our position and faith is in the Bible. And never do we want any soul to bring in the Testimonies ahead of the Bible. (16LtMs, Ms 143, 1901, par. 86)

"In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. Old truths are all essential. New truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it ... He who rejects or neglects the new does not really possess the old." (COL 127)

"The significance of the Jewish economy is not yet fully comprehended. Truths vast and profound are shadowed forth in its rites and symbols. The gospel is the key that unlocks its mysteries." (COL 133)

"We must not think, Well, we have all the truth, we understand the main pillars of our faith, and we may rest on this knowledge." The truth is an advancing truth, and we must walk in the increasing light." (CS 33)

"New light will ever be revealed on the word of God to him who is in living connection with the Sun of Righteousness. Let no one come to the conclusion that there is no more truth to be revealed. The diligent, prayerful seeker for truth will find precious rays of light yet to shine forth from the word of God. Many gems are yet scattered that are to be gathered together to become the property of the remnant people of God." (CW 35.1)

"There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation." (CW 35.2)

"Great truths that have lain unheeded and unseen since the day of Pentecost, are to shine from God's word in their native purity. To those who truly love God, the Holy Spirit will reveal truths that have faded from the mind and will reveal truths that are entirely new." (FCE 473)

"The Reformation did not, as many suppose, end with Luther. It is to be continued to the close of this world's history...From that time to this, new light has been continually shining upon the Scriptures, and new truths have been constantly unfolding." (GC 148-149)

"There are many at the present day thus clinging to the customs and traditions of their fathers. When the Lord sends them additional light, they refuse to accept it, because, not having been granted to their fathers, it was not received by them. We are not placed where our fathers were; consequently our duties and responsibilities are not the same as theirs. We shall not be approved of God in looking to the example of our fathers to determine our duty instead of searching the word of truth for ourselves. Our responsibility is greater than was that of our ancestors. We are accountable for the light which they received, and which was handed down as an inheritance for us, and we are accountable also for the additional light which is now shining upon us from the word of God." (GC 164)

"Different periods in the history of the church have each been marked by the development of some special truth, adapted to the necessities of God's people at that time." (GC 609)

"No matter by whom light is sent, we should open our hearts to receive it with the meekness of Christ. But many do not do this. When a controverted point is presented, they pour in question after question, without admitting a point when it is well sustained. O, may we act as men who want light! May God give us His Holy Spirit day by day, and let the light of His countenance shine upon us, that we may be learners in the school of Christ." (GW 301, 1915)

"We must not for a moment think that there is no more light, no more truth, to be given us... While we must hold fast to the truths which we have already received, we must not look with suspicion upon any new light that God may send." (GW 310)

"When you gather up the rays of light which God has given in the past, then will He give an increase in light." (LS 200)

"Brethren, it will grieve the Spirit of God if you close your understanding to the light which God sends you. Truth will loose nothing by investigation. If he [Brother Waggoner] is in error, you should in a calm, rational, Christlike manner seek to show him from the word of God where he's out of harmony with its teachings. If you cannot do this, you have no right as Christians to pick flaws, to criticize, to work in the dark, to prejudice minds with your objections. This is Satan's way of working... They resist the truth without going to the scriptures for themselves to learn what is truth. Because those in whom they have had confidence oppose the light, they oppose it not knowing they are rejecting the council of God against themselves. When God unfolds truth to His people and it does not come in harmony with their ideas many are ready to despise and reject it. Brethren, who should give your authority to the people from God's word. You should not believe any doctrine simply because another says it is truth." (MS 15, 1888, A letter to the brethren assembled at the General Conference.)

"When the mind is kept open and is constantly searching the fields of revelation, we shall find rich deposits of truth. Old truths will be revealed in new aspects, and truths will appear which have been overlooked in the search." (MS 75, 1897)

"Those who will devote their powers to the study of God's word, and especially to prophecies referring to these last days, will be rewarded by the discovery of important truths." (MS 75, 1899)

"Satan has led many to believe that the prophetic portions of the writings of Daniel and of John the revelator cannot be understood. But the promise is plain that special blessing will accompany the study of these prophecies. "The wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:10), was spoken of the visions of Daniel that were to be unsealed in the latter days." (PK 547-8)

"This is what we shall see if we are connected with God. God wants us to depend upon him, and not upon man. He desires us to have a new heart; he would give us revealings of light from the throne of God. We should wrestle with every difficulty, but when some controverted point is presented, are you to go to man to find out his opinion, and then shape your conclusions from his?--No, go to God. Tell him what you want; take your Bible and search as for hidden treasures." (3RH, 1890, How to Meet a Controverted Point of Doctrine)

"Amid the confusing cries, "Lo, here is Christ! Lo, there is Christ!" will be borne a special testimony, a special message of truth appropriate for this time, which message is to be received, believed, and acted upon." (5RH 83)

"We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed." (RH July 26, 1892, par 7)

The rebuke of the Lord will be upon those who would be guardians of the doctrine, who would bar the way that greater light shall not come to the people. A great work is to be done, and God sees that our leading men have need of greater light, that they may unite with the messengers whom he shall send harmoniously to accomplish the work that he designs they should. The Lord has raised up messengers and endued them with his Spirit, and has said, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Let no one run the risk of interposing himself between the people and the message of heaven. The message of God will come to the people; and if there were no voice among men to give it, the very stones would cry out. I call upon every minister to seek the Lord, to put away pride, to put away strife after supremacy, and humble the heart before God. It is the coldness of heart, the unbelief of those who ought to have faith, that keeps the churches in feebleness. (RH July 26, 1892, par. 9)

When God's people are at ease, and satisfied with their present enlightenment, we may be sure that He will not favor them. It is His will that they should be ever moving forward, to receive the increased and ever-increasing light which is shining for them. (GW 300.2)

"We are not safe if we neglect to search the Scriptures daily for light and knowledge." (1SM 259-60)

"If we come to the Word of God with a teachable, humble spirit, the rubbish of error will be swept away, and gems of truth, long hidden from our eyes, will be discovered." (1SM 360)

"We have only the glimmerings of the rays of the light that is yet to come to us." (1SM 401)

"The truth is constantly unfolding and presenting new features to different minds. All who dig in the mines of truth, will constantly discover rich and precious gems." (1SM 404)

"Even truth cannot be presented in its fullness before minds that are in no preparation spiritually to receive it. I have many things to say, but persons to whom the messages apply cannot in their present unconsecrated state bear them." (3SM 57)

"When the time shall come, in the providence of God, for the world to be tested upon the truth for that time, minds will be exercised by His Spirit to search the Scriptures, even with fasting and with prayer, until link after link is searched out and united in a perfect chain. Every fact which immediately concerns the salvation of souls will be made so clear that none need err or walk in darkness." (2T 692)

"The time for the unfolding of special truth in relation to the closing scenes of this earth's history is during the last generations that shall live upon the earth." (2T 692-3)

"Mental culture is what we as a people need, and what we must have in order to meet the demands of the time... Search, study, and pray . . . and then dig more earnestly till the gem of truth lies before you, plain and beautiful, all the more precious because of the difficulties involved in finding it... Thus mystery after mystery will be unfolded to your comprehension... The key found to unlock one mystery may develop also other precious gems of knowledge heretofore undiscovered." (4T 414)

"All the light does not burst upon us at once, but it comes as we can bear it." (4T 446)

"There are mines of truth yet to be discovered by the earnest seeker. Christ represented the truth as treasure hid in a field. It does not lie right upon the surface; we must dig for it. But our success in finding it does not depend so much on our intellectual ability as on our humility of heart and the faith which will lay hold upon divine aid." (5T 704)

"Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly obtaining a clearer understanding of His word. They will discern new light and beauty in its sacred truths. This has been true in the history of the church in all ages, and thus it will continue to the end." (5T 706)

"Whatever may be man's intellectual advancement, let him not for a moment think that there is no need of thorough and continuous searching of the scriptures for greater light. As a people we are called individually to be students of prophecy. We must watch with earnestness that we may discern any ray of light which God shall present to us. We are to catch the first gleams of truth; and through prayerful study clearer light may be obtained, which can be brought before others." (5T 708)

"Mysteries into which angels desire to look, which prophets and kings and righteous men desired to understand, the remnant church will carry in messages from God to the World. The prophets prophesied of these things, and they longed to understand that which they foretold; but to them this privilege was not given." (6T 19)

"Those who think they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change a cherished opinion, will be disappointed. When a brother receives new light upon the Scriptures, he should frankly explain his position and every minister should search the Scriptures with the spirit of candor to see if the points presented can be substantiated by the inspired word." (TM 30)

"When we as a people understand what this book means to us, (Revelation) there will be seen among us a great revival. We do not understand fully the lessons that it teaches, notwithstanding the injunction given us to search and study it." (TM 113)

"When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart." (TM 114)

"Light and grace will be given to those who thus obey God. They will behold wondrous things out of his law. Great truths that have lain unheeded and unseen since the day of Pentecost, are to shine from God's word in their native purity. To those who truly love God the Holy Spirit will reveal truths that have faded from the mind, and will also reveal truths that are entirely new. Those who eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God will bring from the books of Daniel and Revelation truth that is inspired by the Holy Spirit. They will start into action forces that cannot be repressed. The lips of children will be opened to proclaim the mysteries that have been hidden from the minds of men. The Lord has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty." (TM 116, RH Aug. 17, 1897)

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Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah (Deut8:3; Mt4:4)

-Sid Nash: 03/09/2024. Latest version: http://sidnash.org/docs/GreaterLight.html