Ellen White on Sinlessness

In the EGW notes for Friday's lesson, it is suggested we read Selected Messages, "The Claim to Sinlessness," book 3, p. 353. The last paragraph on the page reads, "Why is it that so many claim to be holy and sinless? It is because they are so far from Christ. I have never dared to claim any such a thing. From the time that I was 14 years old, if I knew what the will of God was, I was willing to do it. You never have heard me say I am sinless. Those that get sight of the loveliness and exalted character of Jesus Christ, who was holy and lifted up and His train fills the temple, will never say it. Yet we are to meet with those that will say such things more and more." So, is Ellen White saying here that we are not able to or expected to have victory over sin? Many SDAs today think yes, she is saying that. But any student of Ellen White's writings has to recognize that it is a repeated theme throughout her writings that we are both able to, and expected to, have victory over sin by the power of Christ. As a quick example of this, in the Review and Herald, April 1, 1902, paragraph 8, she wrote, "Christ came to this world and lived a sinless life, that in His power His people might also live lives of sinlessness."  So, here is an example of Ellen telling us that we **are** to be sinless - that in Christ's power, we **can** live lives of sinlessness like He did! In this study, we look closely at what Ellen was referring to by the word "sinlessness" in each of these contexts, and examine if she was in conflict with her own writings, or in conflict with the scriptures on the point of living a life of "sinlessness." For further study, please see: Justification by Faith - A Sinless Life? - https://youtu.be/7YGsaSd-mqA Freedom From Sin Indeed - https://youtu.be/GZf6ecBfyrA The Lost Gospel of Christ by Trent Wilde - https://youtu.be/OjvrBR3GQMg Even the Unsaved Will Praise His Judgments - https://youtu.be/9jlEfDR7bKE Sabbath School Q2 2023: Three Cosmic Messages - Week 6, "The Hour of His Judgment" A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. www.bdsda.com Email us at [email protected] for comments and literature requests.