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Further Analysis

Notice what else Sanders quotes from the pen of the "apologists":

Apologist: The Bible has several texts like the ones listed above placing the Plan of Salvation before the creation of the world, but Revelation 13:8 is a bit ambiguous and says that Jesus was slain at the foundation of the world not before (KJV, NKJV, NIV, AMP, Weymouth, Young's, LTV).  Technically Christ was slain "from the days of eternity" was He not?  Did the prophet John make a mistake?  No.  The plan had to go into effect at the Fall of Adam and Eve, but when did Infinite Wisdom foresee sin and the need for a Savior?  From the days of eternity, of course.  (Some may point out that some versions of the Bible use "the foundation of the world" to refer to when the Lamb's Book was written as opposed to when the Lamb was slain.  However, the majority of the Bible scholars who put together the English Bible translations did not come to this conclusion.  Of the major Bible versions King James,  New King James, NIV, AMP, Weymouth, Young's, and LTV (Green) all point to "slain;" (the NIV says in the margin that it could be written the other way, and the AMP renders it both ways in the text itself).  NASB has it pointing to the "Book," with the margin stating that it could be referring to "slain."  The RSV and Darby do word it so that that the "foundation" is referring to the writing in the Lamb's Book.  Yet even without this text, Ellen White's statements don't contradict anything the Bible says in this regard.  She agreed that the plan had been in existence from "the days of eternity.")

It appears to us that the apologists have a point, for Revelation 13:8 definitely says that Christ was slain from the foundation of the world. Incidentally, the word order in the Greek of Revelation 13:8 is as follows:

"And shall worship him all who are dwelling upon the earth who not having been written the names of them in the book of the life of the Lamb having been slain from foundation of world."

To refute the obvious implications of this verse, Sanders asserts:

The apologists try to confuse you by saying that we do not know when Christ was slain; was it before the creation of the world or at the foundation of the world?  The key word in Revelation 13:8 is the Greek "kosmos" (Strongs #G2889) which means "universe, heavens, earth, world."  It is where we get our English word "cosmos" from.  In English, "cosmos" means "the universe regarded as an orderly, harmonious whole."  The entire text is speaking in symbolic terms: there is no literal beast, Jesus is not a literal lamb and He was not literally slain at creation.  But, through these symbolic terms we clearly understand that Jesus was "as good as dead" from the beginning of the universe � to say nothing about from the beginning of the world.  Everything in this text refutes EGW's apologists no matter how much they try to twist the Scripture!

Yet what Sanders fails to tell his readers, and which they have a right to know, is that the Greek word kosmos most certainly does mean "world" and not "universe" in Scripture. Or at the very least, one is hard pressed to find a place where kosmos unequivocally means "universe." For example:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world [kosmos], and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world [kosmos], and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15) That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world [kosmos], may be required of this generation; (Luke 11:50) He was in the world [kosmos], and the world [kosmos] was made by him, and the world [kosmos] knew him not. (John 1:10) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world [kosmos]. (John 1:29) For God sent not his Son into the world [kosmos] to condemn the world [kosmos]; but that the world [kosmos] through him might be saved. (John 3:17) The world [kosmos] cannot hate you; but me it hateth. (John 7:7) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world [kosmos] shall keep it unto life eternal. (John 12:25) Yet a little while, and the world [kosmos] seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19) Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [kosmos] may become guilty before God. (Rom. 3:19) Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world [kosmos], or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world [kosmos]. (1 Cor. 5:10) By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world [kosmos], and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Heb. 11:7) And spared not the old world [kosmos], but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world [kosmos] of the ungodly; (2 Pet. 2:5) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world [kosmos] through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (2 Pet. 2:20) Whereby the world [kosmos] that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: (2 Pet. 3:6) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world [kosmos]. (1 Jn. 2:2) Love not the world [kosmos], neither the things that are in the world [kosmos]. If any man love the world [kosmos], the love of the Father is not in him. (1 Jn. 2:15) For all that is in the world [kosmos], the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world [kosmos]. (1 Jn. 2:16) Marvel not, my brethren, if the world [kosmos] hate you. (1 Jn. 3:13) And we know that we are of God, and the whole world [kosmos] lieth in wickedness. (1 Jn. 5:19) The kingdoms of this world [kosmos] are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev. 11:15)

Rest assured that Revelation 13:8 is speaking of Christ being slain since the Creation of our planet, not the creation of the universe.

Give Us Your Opinion

Did Ellen White contradict the Bible on this point?

That strong language Sanders used, it just made me wonder if he's bitter about something. Did someone offend him? What's driving him to write such things? 68.2% Honestly, I don't think Ellen White contradicted the Bible on this one. She puts the devising both before and after Creation, and so does the Bible. 23.9% All this quibbling over nothing wearies me. It's all so absurd, and an utter waste of time. "That make a man an offender for a word" (Is. 29:21). 5.0% The mental gymnastics you're willing to do! Can't you just accept the fact that Ellen White, John, and Jesus contradicted the Bible and made God a liar? 3.0% Total Votes: 201

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