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The third day of the Spirit of Prophecy Convention started with a moving devotional message delivered by Pastor Dianito P. Pantaleon, D.Min., the church pastor of Cebu City Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

The SOP Convention, held at Adventist Academy Cebu International Church in Bulacao, Talisay City, Cebu, took place on Oct. 9-12, 2024, and participated by all missions and conferences across the Central Philippine Union Conference.

Pastor Pantaleon's message centered on the life of Joshua the high priest, focusing on the theme of "Priesthood Can Be Restored." Drawing inspiration from the book of Zechariah, chapter 3, he divided Joshua's story into two main parts: the accusation and the promise.

Satan accused Joshua of being unworthy to lead God's people due to his sinful nature. Pastor Pantaleon highlighted that Joshua's "weak spiritual relationship with God" was the root cause of his unworthiness. Satan pointed to Joshua's "sinner's cloth" (Ezra 10:18) or "unclean robe" (Zechariah 3:3), emphasizing that these were symbols of habitual sin. Pastor Pantaleon then explained that Satan often uses immorality as a tool to trap God's people.

The second part of Zechariah Chapter 3 revealed a wonderful promise: God's willingness to address the issue of sin. Pastor Pantaleon described this as a promise of obedience. "If we are obedient to God and His word, we can receive His grace and forgiveness. Jesus cleansed Joshua in response to his repentant heart."

One of the day's keynote speakers, Pastor Felixian Felicitas, field secretary of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, discussed "Revelation and Inspiration."

Pastor Felicitas started by differentiating the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible. He emphasized that a wrong understanding of 'Revelation and Inspiration' will lead to a misinterpretation of God's precious gift to the remnant church, which is the gift of prophecy.

He further elaborated that the writings of Ellen G. White are not the basis of the doctrine. Doctrines are based on the Bible, since according to him, "Adventist but have one creed: the Bible, and the Bible alone," in which the Bible is an "inspired literature."

Pastor Felicitas then gave a reminder that "when doing a Bible study on the Gift of Prophecy, give it in a context of the Gift of the Spirit."

Pastor Edgar Bryan Tolentino, SOP and Adventist Heritage director of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, discussed the valuable resources available in Ellen G. White's writings. He began his presentation by introducing the "The Ellen G. White's Writings" application or website.

Pastor Tolentino provided detailed instructions on how to use the application or navigate the website. He emphasized the wide range of resources available, including Bible stories, educational materials, faith-building content, and games suitable for all ages.

Moreover, Pastor Eldyn Toledo, director of the Ellen G. White Study Center and Spirit of Prophecy, delivered a message on "Systematic Benevolence." He emphasized that the financial stability of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church is largely due to the financial guidance of its pioneers, particularly Ellen G. White.

White's understanding of systematic benevolence is closely tied to the tithing system. She emphasized the importance of tithing as a spiritual principle, quoting, "Rob not God by withholding from him your tithes and offerings" (E.G. White, 1861, p.19).

Pastor Toledo addressed various interpretations of the tithing system, including its applicability to Old Testament people, church-building projects, and support for ministry workers. He clarified that while Christians have some freedom in how they use their tithes, the overall principle of systematic benevolence provides a framework for understanding tithing.

Furthermore, Donny Chrissutianto, Ph.D., an associate professor of Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, tackled the controversial topic, "Is Ellen G. White a Plagiarist?"

Ellen G. White, a prominent figure in Seventh-Day Adventist history, has faced accusations of plagiarism. To address these claims, Dr. Chrissutianto explored the concept of plagiarism and its implications for the authenticity of White's writings.

He outlined two key issues related to plagiarism: originality and literary theft. If White's messages were not original, they could not be considered inspired by God. Similarly, if she quoted from others without attribution, it would raise questions about her divine inspiration.

To refute these accusations, Dr. Chrissutianto cited several biblical authors who employed literary borrowing techniques. He emphasized that understanding the concept of biblical inspiration is crucial to addressing these concerns.

Dr. Chrissutianto concluded that God is the true author of inspired writings, and prophets are merely vessels for delivering His messages. Therefore, Ellen G. White's practice of literary borrowing, common among inspired authors, does not diminish her authenticity as a prophet.

To the delegates, the third day of the SOP Convention was another day filled with inspiring messages, a comprehensive review of prophetic events, and Ellen White's writings.

By Emmee Jane Espinosa, Mandaue City Center Church