9T 19 says that Seventh-day Adventists are called by God to proclaim the three angels’ messages (Revelation 14:6-12) to the world. They “should allow nothing else to absorb their attention.” In the past, much time and attention has been lost by those consumed with advocating errant theology and non-issues.
This short position statement briefly addresses three issues affecting many in God’s Church today. It also lists resources available for those wrestling with these debates. Whereas these are the positions of White Horse Media, we believe they are in line with those of the world church.
The supposed 2,520 prophecy in Leviticus 26. The 2,520 was on the earliest 1843 Millerite chart. It was on the 1850 chart, but in smaller print. When the SDA church was organized in 1863, it was removed from the 1864 chart (which EGW supported, 1T 666), and never reappeared. Thus, while taught by our Millerite forerunners, it was never part of official SDA doctrine. We believe the SDA church abandoned it because it wasn’t biblical. We agree with James White’s January 26, 1864 Review article that such a prophecy doesn’t exist. In all of her writings, EGW never specifically mentioned the 2,520 even once. That is enough for us. Resource: Prophecy’s Blind Date: 2520(https://www.whitehorsemedia.com/produ...), by Steve Wohlberg. Available from White Horse Media.
Keeping the feasts. GC 605 says that “The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty; for it is the point of truth especially controverted.” Nowhere in GC are feasts included as tests of loyalty. The Sabbath was given before sin (Gen. 2:1-3), is one of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:8-11), and was written with God’s finger (Ex. 31:18), whereas the feasts entered after sin, were written by Moses, and are types pointing to Jesus. EGW never directly commanded feast-keeping. On the night of the Lord’s supper, “Christ was standing at the point of transition between two economies and their two great festivals…He would thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four thousand years had pointed to His death…The national festival of the Jews [the Passover] was to pass away forever.” DA 652. Resource: Feast Days(http://www.worldincrisis.org/Harvesti...), by Vance Ferrell. Available from White Horse Media.
The Trinity. Yes, many of our pioneers opposed a Trinity. Overall, their writings are very valuable, but not infallible. SDA doctrines should be based on the Bible and SOP, not on men’s words. Jesus said people should be baptized in “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). EGW wrote, “In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived.” DA 530. She also wrote, “Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power.” DA 671. About the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “I will send Him to you.” John 16:7. “The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it…Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden.” AA, 52. We believe our current SDA position on the Godhead reflects an advancement of truth in harmony with the Bible and SOP. Resource: The Trinity Debate: Defending the Indefensible(https://www.scribd.com/document/13926...), by Brian Neumann.
We don’t wish to have our attention absorbed in debating these issues, but to do God’s work of lifting up Jesus Christ, leading sinners to His love, and to His cross, and focusing our attention on giving the three angels’ messages to the world.
Here we stand.