Questions and answers
Deep biblical answers to the questions people ask—about faith, life, forgiveness, fear, and salvation. With quotations from Holy Scripture and Ellen White.
523 reply in the library
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Is it true that Ellen White borrowed texts from other authors?
Yes, Ellen White did indeed use the works of her contemporaries—especially in health descriptions and historical sketches. But this is not “plagiarism” in the modern sense. It was standard practice in the 19th century, and White herself did not hide that she relied on other sources.
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Is it true that 90% of Ellen White’s books are plagiarism?
The claim that “90% of White’s writings are plagiarism” is often quoted in anti-Adventist materials, but it does not reflect the results of academic research. The actual figures and the nineteenth-century context present a much more complex and accurate picture.
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Why is perfect obedience to God's Law necessary for eternal life—and how can a sinner be saved?
God does not lower the standard of the Law because of human weakness—He gives Someone who fulfilled that standard in our place. The perfect obedience required by the Law was accomplished by Christ for us—and this righteousness is credited by faith.
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Does Ellen White teach that to be saved one must completely stop sinning?
In White’s writings there are strong calls to holiness, and some phrases may seem to go beyond grace. But they should be understood correctly in the context of her whole system: salvation is a gift, and holiness is the fruit, not the condition for receiving that gift.
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Do Ellen White's words about justification by faith and the heavenly judgment contradict each other?
“The character of Christ takes the place of your character”—and at the same time there is the description of the heavenly judgment. Is that a contradiction? No—if we understand that justification in Christ is the foundation of the judgment, not something the judgment cancels. The judgment confirms the believer’s justification; it does not call it into question.
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Does the Adventist court of inquiry contradict John 5:24 and Romans 8:1?
"Whoever believes will not come into judgment" (John 5:24) and "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ" (Rom. 8:1)—it may seem that the investigative judgment contradicts these words. But in the Bible, "judgment" has several meanings. For the faithful, judgment is not a threat of condemnation, but a confirmation of the justification that has already taken place in Christ.
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What does it mean that «judgment begins with the house of God» in 1 Peter 4:17?
The apostle Peter wrote to the persecuted, and the “judgment” in his words is first of all a trial that purifies and strengthens. But this text also has a broader theological dimension: God begins judgment with His own people—those who have received more light and greater responsibility.
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What did Ellen White write about “judgment begins at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17)?
Ellen White often referred to 1 Peter 4:17, connecting this verse with the theme of the heavenly investigative judgment. She emphasized that judgment upon God's people is not punishment, but a confirmation of His justice and a call to seriousness. Those who have received more light bear greater responsibility.
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Does the Epistle to the Hebrews contradict the Adventist doctrine of the investigative court?
The Epistle to the Hebrews is often used against the Adventist teaching on the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment. But careful reading shows that Hebrews confirms the reality of the heavenly sanctuary and Christ’s ongoing high-priestly ministry—the very foundation on which this doctrine stands.
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What does “the sanctuary shall be cleansed” mean in Daniel 8:14?
The Hebrew word nitsdaq in Daniel 8:14 means “justified” or “restored to righteousness”—not simply “cleansed.” But in biblical thought, justification and cleansing are inseparably connected. The Adventist understanding rests not on one word alone, but on the whole context of the prophecy about the heavenly Yom Kippur.
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How can I properly choose Bible texts and order for a Sabbath School lesson?
The Sabbath School lesson is not just reading verses. It should lead a person from question to discovery. Start with the key text, build a logical bridge between the Old and New Testaments, and finish with practical application. Jesus Himself showed this principle in Luke 24.
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Who was the first to realize the true significance of the event of 1844?
After the Great Disappointment, a small group of people did not reject the Bible but returned to it again. Hiram Edson in a cornfield, then Crosier, Hahn, and Byington—together they discovered the principle of the heavenly sanctuary. It was not man, but the Bible, that revealed the meaning of that date.
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