Ellen G. White’s Devotion to Jesus

Ellen White responded wholeheartedly to this love, and made it a major theme of her writings. Wherever one turns in her voluminous books and letters to family, friends, and co-workers, one sees evidences of her deep love for the Saviour. Many whose first contact with Seventh-day Adventists was through the writings of Ellen White have expressed amazement at her awareness of, and deep appreciation for, the dimensions of our God’s “Gift” to this rebel planet.MOL 5.4

Her spiritual insights began early. In her early teen years, deeply affected by William Miller’s preaching, she longed for a deeper religious experience: “As I prayed, the burden and agony of soul that I had so long felt left me, and the blessing of God came upon me like the gentle dew. I gave glory to God for what I felt, but I longed for more. I could not be satisfied till I was filled with the fullness of God. Inexpressible love for Jesus filled my soul.” ^{6Early Writings, 12.}MOL 5.5

Ellen White was, above all, a spiritual person, full of appreciation for her Saviour and Lord. This personal sense of God’s presence put her online with God, enabling Him to reveal much more of Himself and His plans for this world. Her personal experience in responding to the simple gospel preceded theology—Jesus was the core and center of all her theological thought.MOL 5.6

Here is one example of her pervasive theme of extolling Jesus: “It will be profitable to contemplate the divine condescension, the sacrifice, the self-denial, the humiliation, the resistance the Son of God encountered in doing His work for fallen men. Well may we come forth from contemplation of His sufferings exclaiming, Amazing condescension! Angels marvel, as with intense interest they watch the Son of God descending step by step the path of humiliation. It is the mystery of godliness. It is the glory of God to conceal Himself and His ways, not by keeping men in ignorance of heavenly light and knowledge, but by surpassing the utmost capacity of men to know. Humanity can comprehend in part, but that is all that man can bear. The love of Christ passes knowledge. The mystery of redemption will continue to be the mystery, the unexhausted science and everlasting song of eternity. Well may humanity exclaim, Who can know God? We may, as did Elijah, wrap our mantles about us, and listen to hear the still, small voice of God.” ^{7The Bible Echo, April 30, 1894.}MOL 5.7

Ellen White walked with Jesus, through sunshine and shadow. Writing to son William and his young bride, Mary, she spoke of her husband James’s companionship and their common walk: “We are trying to humbly follow in the footprints of our dear Saviour. We need His Spirit and His grace every hour, or we shall make blunders and shall do harm.” ^{8Letter 18, 1879, cited in Arthur White, Ellen G. White Biography, 3:105 (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1984). Hereafter, references to Arthur White’s biography of Ellen White, six volumes, will be Bio., followed by volume number and pages.}MOL 5.8

A few weeks later, during a very strenuous covered-wagon trip from Texas to Kansas, she wrote again to Mary: “I am worn and feel as though I was about 100 years old.... My ambition is gone; my strength is gone, but this will not last.... I hope that by the cheering light of the countenance of my Saviour, I shall have the springback power.” ^{9Letter 20, 1879, cited in Ibid., p. 117.}MOL 5.9

Contemplating Christmas in 1880, now 53, she wrote to a friend, “Christmas will be spent in seeking Jesus to be a welcome guest in my heart. His presence will drive all the shadows away.” ^{10Letter 51, 1880, cited in Ibid., p. 149.}MOL 6.1

Ellen White wrote hundreds of articles for both the Review and Herald and the Signs of the Times. Almost every article contained some reference to her Lord, who had become not only her strength but the joy of her life. At 69, she wrote: “I love to speak of Jesus and His matchless love.... I know that He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto Him. His precious love is a reality to me, and the doubts expressed by those who know not the Lord Jesus Christ, have no effect upon me.... Do you believe that Jesus is your Saviour, and that He has manifested His love for you in giving His precious life for your salvation? Take Jesus as your personal Saviour. Come to Him just as you are; give yourself to Him; grasp His promise by living faith, and He will be to you all that you desire.” ^{11The Review and Herald, June 23, 1896.}MOL 6.2

Ellen White considered Jesus her Saviour and best Friend. ^{12See James Nix, “Oh, Jesus, How I Love You!” Adventist Review, May 30, 1996, pp. 10-14.} But more than that, He was her Lord. In Europe she was told that people would be more receptive to the advent message, “if we dwell on the love of Jesus.” They warned that there was “danger of losing our congregations if we dwell on the sterner questions of duty and the law of God.”MOL 6.3

Having heard that kind of talk before, she wrote in her travel notes, “There is a spurious experience prevailing everywhere. Many are continually saying, ‘All that we have to do is to believe in Christ.’ They claim that faith is all we need. In its fullest sense, this is true; but they do not take it in the fullest sense. To believe in Jesus is to take Him as our redeemer and our pattern. If we abide in Him and He abides in us, we are partakers of His divine nature, and are doers of His word. The love of Jesus in the heart will lead to obedience to all His commandments. But the love that goes no farther than the lips is a delusion; it will not save any soul. Many reject the truths of the Bible, while they profess great love for Jesus; but the apostle John declares, ‘He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.’ While Jesus has done all in the way of merit, we ourselves have something to do in the way of complying with the conditions.” ^{13Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 188, (Basle, Switzerland: Imprimerie Polyglotte, 1886); see also Bio. 3:320.}MOL 6.4