The Great Controversy (Opening a New Series With This Powerful Book) – Pastor Ted Wilson

This week, Pastor Ted Wilson opens a new series discussing The Great Controversy by Ellen White. George, the only child of George and Dorothy Rice, grew up in Bethlehem, Connecticut, with a love for books. One day, he came across an old box with many books and found one written by Ellen G. White. Reading it, he learned the truth about God’s Word, and at 15, he got baptized into a local Seventh-day Adventist church. His family and relatives soon followed in baptism. Later, he became a pastor, professor, and author. The book George Rice read was The Great Controversy. In it, Ellen White affirms: "I am more anxious to see a wide circulation for this book than for any others…for in The Great Controversy, the last message of warning to the world is given more distinctly than in any of my other books" (Colporteur Ministry, page 127). Realizing the timeliness of its message, the leaders of the Adventist world church voted this book as the Missionary Book of the Year for 2023 and 2024 with the intention of having it read by millions of people through The Great Controversy Project 2.0. In the introduction of the book, Ellen White explains the nature of inspiration and unfolds how the Bible was written: "The Bible points to God as its author, yet it was written by human hands…The truths revealed are all 'given by inspiration of God'' (2 Timothy 3:16), yet they are expressed in the words of men. The Infinite One, by His Holy Spirit, has shed light into the minds and hearts of His servants. He has given dreams and visions, symbols and figures; and those to whom the truth was thus revealed have themselves embodied the thought in human language" (The Great Controversy, page x). Speaking of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, she cites Joel 2:28 (NKJV): "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Ellen White continues, "Through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the scenes of the long-continued conflict between good and evil have been opened to the writer of these pages. From time to time, I have been permitted to behold the working, in different ages, of the great controversy between Christ, the Prince of life, the Author of our salvation, and Satan, the prince of evil, the author of sin, the first transgressor of God's holy law” (The Great Controversy, page xi). Though written by human hands, The Great Controversy is inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is to "unfold the scenes of the great controversy between truth and error; to reveal the wiles of Satan, and the means by which he may be successfully resisted; to present a satisfactory solution of the great problem of evil, shedding such a light upon the origin and the final disposition of sin, as to make fully manifest the justice and benevolence of God in all His dealings with His creatures; and to show the holy, unchanging nature of His law" (page xii). To learn more about this book, you can find a printed copy or download a digital copy at https://greatcontroversyproject.org/. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF6pjueQsHI