“The Bible is the voice of God speaking to us just as surely as though we heard it with our own ears” — this thought by Ellen White (My Life Today, p. 283) reveals the essence of what Holy Scripture is for the believer. Not an archive of antiquity and not a collection of moral instructions — a living encounter with God, who speaks.
What this quote means
White is not speaking metaphorically. When a person opens the Bible with an open heart — they are not merely reading a text composed thousands of years ago. They hear the voice of the One who speaks now, to them.
The Apostle Paul explains the theological foundation of this:
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Tim. 3:16
“Given by inspiration of God” (Greek: θεόπνευστος — “God-breathed”) means that God breathed Himself into the text. Therefore, the Word is living and active (Heb. 4:12).
Why it is important to have a translation in understandable language
If the Bible is the voice of God, then the task of translators and teachers is that this voice should sound clearly. God Himself speaks the languages of the peoples — that is why Scripture exists in hundreds of translations:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… teaching and admonishing one another… in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Col. 3:16
If a young person reads a spiritual quote in a foreign language they do not understand, the voice of God is, as it were, “encrypted.” A translation into the native language removes this barrier: a person hears God instead of fearing a strange phrase.
How to listen to this voice in practice
White emphasized: Scripture is not only for theologians. Every person can hear God through it if they:
- Read regularly — not only in crisis or on holidays.
- Read prayerfully—asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning.
- Reflect—do not rush on after a merely formal reading.
- Apply—look for how what you have heard relates to the specific day.
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it… this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25
“The voice of God” is not about mystical experiences. It sounds through the pages of Scripture every day. The task is to open the Book and listen.
