What Does Ted Wilson Believe?
We will take a look at a few times that Elder Ted Wilson who is the General Conference President within the Seventh-day Adventist church has stated what he believes. This is a good indicator and representative of what comes from the leadership. From this, we can compare with our historical statements of our early people that established this denomination that were led by the Spirit of God. Ted Wilson’s quotes will be in bold with “quote marks.”
“The Seventh-day Adventist church membership and its leadership stand strongly on a clear understanding and acceptance of the entire word of God as it reads. Number two. Confusion and misinformation about the Godhead and the trinity—I am telling you from my perspective, what the Bible says. The trinity, Seventh-day Adventist believe there is one God and that this one God is three co-eternal persons who work together in unity. We fully embrace our fundamental belief number two which indicates that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have always been and always will be. Make no mistake about it, the divine trinity work in unison as one within the Godhead from eternity to eternity. Allow God to use you, every one of you to share this wonderful truth of a triune god who is carrying out his plan of salvation for each of us.” - Ted Wilson, undated video statement
In a live broadcast in 2019, Andrews University President Andrea Luxton asked Ted Wilson some questions, one in particular about beliefs on the trinity doctrine. Here is Elder Ted Wilson’s response:
“I am happy to share my personal convictions on that and I tell people publicly, I have been doing that, because unfortunately, I don’t know why we seem to have a movement by people in various places around the world who want to go back to a particular viewpoint which is, and you mentioned, is an Arian viewpoint which many of our early Pioneers did adhere to, but as they moved into a fully understanding of what Scripture says and also what Ellen White very strongly affirms through her prophetic writings that God, the Father, god the son, god the holy spirit have been together from eternity and will be through eternity.” – Ted Wilson
Actually when you go through Ellen White’s writings, the only time you will see the words, “god the son” is when the word “God” follows up with a comma, or a period ending a sentence and then the beginning of the next thought or sentence begins with the words “The Son….” And the same thing happens when you search for “god the holy spirit.” The words “The Holy Spirit begins with a new thought or sentence, never used to express it as a third co-eternal, co-equal being. And those early Adventist Pioneers did not express the same sentiments or expressions of belief. This is bearing false witness by Elder Ted Wilson. And you will blush from embarrassment trying to find the words “god the son” or “god the holy spirit” in the Bible as well.
What could be stated is that, the next century of Adventists, not Adventist Pioneers, were
fooled into bringing in a trinity doctrine with such belief and expressions. As Sabbath keepers, who were we witnessing to? Sunday keepers. And those Sunday keepers came in like a flood, and the majority of them came in with their ideology of God (a trinity) and just practiced their ideology on a different day. So what has taken place is, is that our religion has been changed, and Ellen White did prophesy that in 1903.
“The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice; but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.” {Lt242-1903.13}
The very next year, the denomination became a new organization when it became the General Conference CORPORATION of Seventh-day Adventist. It has repudiated its original fundamental principles and replaced them with fundamental beliefs and have accounted their origins as error and declared that they changed who is being worshipped when they officially brought in the trinity god in 1980. Here she is writing in 1903 and noting that the last FIFTY years (1853-1903) would be accounted as error. So the God that inspired our early movement through His Spirit has been lightly regarded and replaced. Since the 1920’s they have produced over time, numerous books to re-educate the masses into transforming the standard foundation of the church which is built on the personality of God and Christ. Back to Ted Wilson’s conversation….
“And in my simple way of understanding, and I am not an expert on the Godhead, and I challenge anyone here who might think they are; that’s a subject I think… you know Ellen White indicated there are certain things we just, I mean, who can understand it? They work in complete harmony. I don’t believe it is the CEO model, where you have a CEO and two vice-presidents. I think they are working in complete harmony, they are the Godhead. They cannot work in opposition to each other. Yes, they have specific roles. But they work in absolute harmony.” – Ted Wilson
Please review the pages with the chapter titled, Godhead. There are only three verses in the Bible with this word. It doesn’t matter which version of about 30 translations you might consider and compare, they are in unison that the word means “divine nature” and “eternal power.” That is it! The Father is the God head. And the third Scripture says that this is found in His Son. Back to Ted Wilson….
“And I don’t think, you eluded to it, and there was a question about the headship understanding, which is actually a Biblical topic that is in 1 Corinthians 11, but I don’t believe that when Christ was here on this earth he was fully human, 100%, fully divine, 100%; 200%...I don’t understand that, I accept it by faith. And I think the Son was subordinate, or submitted, let me put it that way, to the Father in the setting here on this earth. But do I think that the Holy Spirit and the Son tell the Father, well, they have a disagreement, well I guess you’ll have to settle it, it’s not that way, it doesn’t work that way. They work in such unity and harmony, they are the Godhead. So I don’t think that particular concept is related personally to the woman’s ordination discussion, or to the headship concept. Because the Godhead works in a way that is beyond our understanding but they work in perfect unity and harmony.” - Ted Wilson
“So I would beg with those, especially around the world, who seem to be so passionate and so fervent in going back to what they say were our Pioneer’s viewpoint, Ellen White did not hold that, after a certain time, James White did not, we had one prominent person who did; continue to maintain that particular view. But the church moved into a setting where they understood that the Godhead was equal and they were working in harmony and together.” – Ted Wilson
He. never mentions who that one person is in his thought. These early Adventist’s died with their non-trinitarian beliefs. A significant number of them that led the denomination passed onto their rest in the 1880’s and 1890’s. That is how change was able to be made, but it took time. You will see from the many witnesses in the latter part of this booklet what the early Adventists had to say about the Son of God, and what they said about what was the trinity doctrine at their time. Today, pastors are taught to carefully say that today’s description of a trinity doctrine is not what the description was back in time that the Pioneers rejected. The messaging of the dogma has changed some over the centuries, but the root and error is the same.
Here we have James White and what he had to say, just months before he would pass away. Was he suppose-to change what he believed on his death bed? Definitely not! He was consistent his whole life in what he believed and was a stalworth non-trinitarian along with the others that came out of the Great Disappointment of 1844.
“The Father was greater than the Son in that he was first. The Son was equal with the Father in that he had received all things from the Father.” – James White, Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, January 4, 1881
That is not a statement that a trinitarian could make. Here is one that is similar from Ellen White:
“The Scriptures clearly indicate the relation between God and Christ, and they bring to view as clearly the personality and individuality of each. [Hebrews 1:1-5 quoted]. God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father.” – Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 8, 268, 1904
“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;” – John 5:26
Back to Ted Wilson’s last comment from this presentation:
“This church is named, “Pioneer Memorial Church.” Its named because of what those Pioneers did and what they stood for. And those fundamental beautiful truths, those pillars that never changed and will not change.” I don’t know who the Lord is going to help us to deal with that situation, I had a conference President, this is again coming to social media and to what people say as opposed to real facts. I had a conference President email me, or text me a few days ago, someone in the congregation has said that you said this and this… acting as if I was in support of a anti-trinitarian as we call it, viewpoint. And I wrote back and explained the full truth, that absolutely not. I wouldn’t believe everything that you read on the internet, probably not even half. Ask, and find out, what the truth is and in some way we might be able to find a way to work together to help people who seem to be distracted on this particular subject. One of the greatest challenges we have focusing on the future is a lack of confidence in this word (holds up a Bible), as opposed to what somebody told you on the internet.”– Ted Wilson
Here we have on record, over and over and over, Ellen White expressing in her latter years, after she supposedly changed her beliefs (if you listen to theologians), going back in time reflecting on what she had believed for the previous 50 and 60 years. She never changed and we should hold onto those truths.
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Historical Record of Ellen White
1905 – last fifty years (1855-1905)
“We are to repeat the words of the pioneers in our work, who knew what it cost to search for the truth as for hidden treasure, and who labored to lay the foundation of our work. They moved forward step by step under the influence of the Spirit of God. One by one these pioneers are passing away. The word given me is, Let that which these men have written in the past be reproduced.” — Ellen White, Review & Herald, May 25, 1905, par. 21
“In the future, deception of every kind is to arise, and we want solid ground for our feet. We want solid pillars for the building. Not one pin is to be removed from that which the Lord has established. The enemy will bring in false theories, such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is the one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith. Where shall we find safety unless it be in the truths that the Lord has been giving for the last fifty years?” — Ellen White, Review & Herald, May 25, 1905, par. 28
“We are not to receive the words of those who come with a message that contradicts the special points of our faith. They gather together a mass of Scripture and pile it as proof around their asserted theories. This has been done over and over again during the past fifty years. And while the Scriptures are God’s Word, and are to be respected, the application of them, if such application moves one pillar of the foundation that God has sustained these fifty years, is a great mistake. He who makes such an application knows not the wonderful demonstration of the Holy Spirit that gave power and force to the past messages that have come to the people of God.” — Ellen White, Letter 329, December 11, 1905, par. 19 (past fifty years – 1855-1905)
“Those who seek to remove the old landmarks are not holding fast; they are not remembering how they have received and heard. Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith concerning the sanctuary or concerning the personality of God and Christ, are working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to set the people of God adrift without an anchor.” – Ellen White, Manuscript Release 760, p. 9, 1905
"After the passing of the time, God entrusted to His faithful followers the precious principles of present truth. These principles were not given to those who had had no part in the giving of the first and second angels’ messages. They were given to the workers who had had a part in the cause from the beginning. Those who passed through these experiences are to be as firm as a rock to the principles that have made us Seventh-day Adventists. They are to be workers together with God, binding up the testimony and sealing the law among His disciples. Those who took part in the establishment of our work upon the foundation of Bible truth; those who know the waymarks that have pointed out the right path are to be regarded as workers of the highest value. They can speak from personal experience, regarding the truths entrusted to them. These men are not to permit their faith to be changed to infidelity; they are not to permit the banner of the third angel to be taken from their hands. They are to hold the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end. The Lord has declared that the history of the past shall be rehearsed as we enter upon the closing work. Every truth that He has given for these last days is to be proclaimed to the world. Every pillar that He has established is to be strengthened. We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We cannot now enter into any new organization; for this would mean apostasy from the truth." — Ellen White, Ms 129, par. 5, 6, December 24, 1905
"That which I have written is what the Lord has bidden me write. I have not been instructed to change that which I have sent out .... The straight line of truth presented to me when I was but a girl is just as clearly presented to me now.” — Ellen White, Review & Herald, Jan 26, 1905
"We want solid pillars for the building. Not one pin is to be removed from that which the LORD has established.” — Ellen White, Review and Herald, May 25, 1905
"I should be an unfaithful watchman, were I to hold my peace, when I see the very foundations of our faith being torn away by those who have departed from the faith, and who are now adrift, without an anchor. In this time, when false doctrines are being taught, we are to teach the same truth that we have taught for the past half century. I have not changed my faith one jot or one tittle.” — Ellen White, Letter 150, May 15, 1906
1906 – looking back on 1844, 1845, 1846
“And now, after half a century of clear light from the Word as to what is truth, there are arising many false theories, to unsettle minds. But the evidence given in our early experience has the same force that it had then. The truth is the same as it ever has been, and not a pin or a pillar can be moved from the structure of truth. That which was sought for out of the Word in 1844, 1845, and 1846 remains the truth today in every particular.” — Ellen White, Letter 38, 1906 (It was in this three year period that the pillars of faith were established; 1844, 1845 and 1846.)
“The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in an answer to our urgent prayers. The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy Spirit. Light, precious light from God, established the main points of our faith as we hold them today. And these truths are to be kept before the mind. We must arouse from the position of lukewarmness, from being neither cold nor hot. We need increased faith and more earnest trust in God. We must not be satisfied to remain where we are. We must advance step by step, from light to greater light.” — Ellen White, Letter 50, 1906.3
1906 – sixty years – 1846-1906
“I understood that some were anxious to know if Mrs. White still held the same views that she did years ago when they had heard her speak in the sanitarium grove, in the Tabernacle, and at the camp-meetings held in the suburbs of Battle Creek. I assured them that the message she bears today is the same that she has borne during the sixty years of her public ministry. She has the same service to do for the Master that was laid upon her in her girlhood. She receives lessons from the same Instructor. The directions given her are, “Make known to others what I have revealed to you. Write out the messages that I give you, that the people may have them.” This is what she has endeavored to do.” — Ellen White, Review & Herald, July 26, 1906, par. 20
(This is Sister White talking about herself using what is called third person language or technique. The same grammatical usage was done by Jesus speaking about himself as the Son of Man, the Spirit of Truth, and in the context of the Comforter and the Son of God.)
“The Word of the Lord has guided our steps since the passing of the time in 1844. We have searched the Scriptures; we have built solidly; and we have not had to tear up our foundations and put in new timbers.” — Ellen White, Letter 24, 1907, p. 3
God reveals enough about himself and His Son in that we do not have to be guessing and left in darkness. To those that are His, we are given wisdom and understanding. Jesus Christ said to have eternal life is to know the Father and the Son. Not only is Christ subordinate to the Father on earth, but even in the end after sin and death are put away, we find what it says in 1 Corinthians 15:28:
“And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”
This will be a restoration of how things were in the beginning.