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| Q13: An Ellen White study about grace and love..
(22) : "Chen" : Grace (Beauty). Hypothesis: Does Ellen White follow the Ancient Hebrew idea for grace? Introduction: Grace is a favourite King James translation, that bears little resemblance to Ancient Hebrew meaning of "chen". The Hebrew people were concrete and not abstract in their thinking. The meaning of "chen" as "grace" is abstract. What is the Ancient Hebrew meaning for "chen" and it this meaning reflected in Ellen White messages, proving her messages to be inspired? The Ancient Hebrew reads "Outside over the people" Jeff Benner translates this word as "Beauty". The idea is the camp is like when a horse returning home sees the beauty of the camp and gallops home. However we you look at all the verses the idea of "kindness" seems more applicable than "beauty". Testing the idea of "grace" as "beauty". {AH 222.3} Tell the children that however much time may be wasted in attempts at display, our appearance can never compare, for grace and beauty, with that of the simplest flowers of the field. {AH 425.1} The Bible enjoins courtesy; and it presents many illustrations of the unselfish spirit, the gentle grace, the winsome temper, that characterize true politeness. These are but reflections of the character of Christ. All the real tenderness and courtesy in the world, even among those who do not acknowledge His name, is from Him. And He desires these characteristics to be perfectly reflected in His children. It is His purpose that in us men shall behold His beauty. {CG 144.1} Help the children to think of this, and they will smooth the path of the aged by their courtesy and respect, and will bring grace and beauty into their young lives as they heed the command to "rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man." Leviticus 19:32. {CG 398.1} Both are promoted by healthful dress. It should have the grace, the beauty, the appropriateness of natural simplicity. Christ has warned us against the pride of life, but not against its grace and natural beauty. {CG 398.2} Testing the idea of coming into the "beauty of the camp" as "grace" {GC 426.1} In the summer and autumn of 1844 the proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," was given. The two classes represented by the wise and foolish virgins were then developed--one class who looked with joy to the Lord's appearing, and who had been diligently preparing to meet Him; another class that, influenced by fear and acting from impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God. {DS, January 24, 1846 par. 1} And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and said the City was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising his glorious right arm, and from his arm came a glorious light which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted, Hallelujah! �..And on it sat the Son of Man, on his head were crowns, his hair was white and curly and lay on his shoulders. His feet had the appearance of fire, in his right hand was a sharp sickle, in his left a silver trumpet. �.Then we all cr ied out, who shall be able to stand? Is my robe spotless? Then the angels ceased to sing, and there was some time of awful silence, when Jesus spoke, Those who have clean hands and a pure heart shall be able to stand, my grace is sufficient for you. (23) : "Ahab" : Love. (24) : "Ahabah" : Love. The Ancient Hebrew reads "Strong Person Behold in the home" Strong's 160. The Ancient Hebrew reads �Strong Person Behold in the Home to another person Behold!� Jeff Benner does not translate these two different Hebrew words differently, but with the same word "love". And yet if we look at the Hebrew words, they are different. These kinds of love do not necessarily associate with gender, for both genders show both types of love. The first consideration from Scripture is there are TWO words for "love" not one. The concept of "love" comes entirely from family and relationships in a family. Maleness-love is mostly a personality characteristic of gender males, femaleness-love is mostly a personality characteristic of gender females. In Maleness-love we have the Strong Person Behold in the Family Home, the Father. In Femaleness-love we have the Strong Person in the Home making relationship to another Person in the Home, the wife or partner or comrade. See studies of It would be a difficult ask to test if the Holy Spirit records two types of love in the writings of Ellen White, even as the Author's meaning of maleness-love and femaleness love, because these terms are quite new to our kind of thinking. However we could test the presence of love associated with family. And perhaps, test if God is a heavenly parent associated with differences in love personalities. Ellen White uses the term maleness-love as a Father's love and femaleness-love as brotherly love. In today's world these are really good meanings for these two Hebrew words for love. The only reason why the Authorhas different expressions, is to bring the meanings back to Genesis, to the orginal way mankind was made, in the family home. Genesis 1:26. {CG 266.1} I know that parents feel the shame of the wrongdoing of a child that has dishonored them very keenly, but does the erring one wound and bruise the heart of the earthly parent any more than we as the children of God (Elohim reference) bruise our heavenly Parent, who has given us and is still giving us His love, inviting us to return and repent of our sins and iniquities and He will pardon our transgression? Elohim is a simile of a heavenly parent. {YRP 284.1} Oh, what amazing love and condescension! The Lord Jesus encourages His believing ones to ask for the Holy Spirit. By presenting the parental tenderness of God (Elohim reference), He seeks to encourage faith in the reception of the gift. The heavenly Parent is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children. This statement implies the following picture as a simile : "that the Holy Spirit is a parent along with the Father", as earthly families are similes of the heavenly family. {ST, February 28, 1878 par. 5} But if love and reverence are due our earthly parents how much more is reverence and love due our heavenly Parent. {AA 550.1} In the church of God (Elohim reference)today brotherly love is sadly lacking. Many who profess to love the Saviour do not love one another�. Christians are all members of one family, all children of the {AH 17.2} God (Elohim reference) would have our families symbols of the family in heaven . Let parents and children bear this in mind every day, relating themselves to one another as members of the family of God. Then their lives will be of such a character as to give to the world an object lesson of what families who love God and keep His commandments may be. Christ will be glorified; His peace and grace and love will pervade the family circle like a precious perfume. This is another statement describing "love" as a "family simile of God's love for human families". Now let's test for two types of love. Through the cross we learn that the heavenly Father loves us with a love that is infinite.{AA 210.1} This is "maleness-love" (Maleness-love) Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another--this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power. (Femaleness-love) "We love Him, because He first loved us." In the heart renewed by divine grace, love is the ruling principle of action. It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, and ennobles the affections. This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and sheds a refining influence on all around. {AA 551.2} In the one passage Ellen White records two types of love here, one that provides, and one that is more brotherly. Isa 49:14 But Zion said, The LORD (Son-Yahweh) hath forsaken me, and my LORD (Son-Yahweh) hath forgotten me. 15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Jesus who demonstrates brotherly love or femaleness-love to us on earth is a simile of earthly mothers providing the same kind of family love. Parents are to realize that they are responsible before God for making their children acquainted with their heavenly Father . . . . That God (Elohim reference) is love is to be taught by every lesson. {CG 487.1} The opening of our hearts to our heavenly Father, the acknowledgment of our entire dependence, the expression of our wants, the homage of grateful love --this is true prayer. {CG 518.3} The mother should have less love for the artificial in her house, and in the preparation of her dress for display, and should find time to cultivate, in herself and in her children, a love for the beautiful buds and opening flowers.{CE 8.4} Do not make your dear, loving, heavenly Father a tyrant; but see His tenderness, His pity, His large, broad love, and His great compassion. His love exceeds that of a mother for her child. The mother may forget, yet will not I forget thee, saith the Lord. Oh, my dear, Jesus wants you to trust Him. May His blessing rest upon you in a rich measure is my earnest prayer.{DG 147.4} There is enough evidence for "maleness-love" or "agape" or "ahab" or "Fatherly love" shown in the above examples. However, for completeness, consider the uses of Bible texts with "agape love" the Greek equivalent of "ahab love" the "maleness-love" of GOD:- Christ came to the world to sow it with truth. He held the keys to all the treasures of wisdom, and was able to open doors to science, and to reveal undiscovered stores of knowledge, were it essential to salvation. He presented to men that which was exactly contrary to the representations of the enemy in regard to the character of God (Elohim reference), and sought to impress upon men the paternal love of the Father, who "so loved "agapao" the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." [John 3:16.] {DA 468.3} Abraham had greatly desired to see the promised Saviour. He offered up the most earnest prayer that before his death he might behold the Messiah. And he saw Christ. A supernatural light was given him, and he acknowledged Christ's divine character. He saw His day, and was glad. He was given a view of the divine sacrifice for sin. Of this sacrifice he had an illustration in his own experience. The command came to him, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest "ahab", . . . and offer him . . . for a burnt offering." Genesis 22:2. Examples of "maleness-love" ('apage' love or 'ahab' love) shown as a personality trait of the Father in heaven. Now let's test for femaleness-love, which is termed differently in Ellen White writings because of the King James translation of the Greek word "philos" and other related child roots such as "philadelphia". In Ellen White writings the term used is "brotherly love" which is a good term for "femaleness-love" except it does not show where this kind of love came from, the family. In the church of God today brotherly love is sadly lacking. Many who profess to love the Saviour do not love one another.{AA 550.2} Thus it was with the believers at Thessalonica. "As touching brotherly love ," the apostle wrote, "ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. {AA 262.3} 1Th 4:9 � But as touching brotherly love "philadelphia" ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. {AA 548.1} John, realizing that brotherly love was waning in the church, urged upon believers the constant need of this love. His letters to the church are full of this thought. "Beloved, let us love one another," he writes; "for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. {AA 548.2} 1Jo 4:7 � Beloved (158), let us love(157) one another: for love(157) is of God; and every one that loveth (157) is born of God, and knoweth God. Here is a passage that disagrees with Ellen White statement for "brotherly love". It is included to be fair in the study. Part of the problem is, does the term "brotherly love" always refer to "femaleness-love"? In the Jeff Benner's image we have four related words for love:- The children of God the world over are one family, and the same spirit of love and conciliation should govern them. "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another" (Romans 12:10), is the teaching of our Saviour. Ro 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love "philadelphia"; in honour preferring one another; Here in this passage Ellen White writings correctly identify "femaleness-love" with a Greek child root "philadelphia". Now let us test some Scriptures known to have the "femaleness-love" word in Greek "phileo" in them. At the last meeting of Christ with His disciples by the sea, Peter, tested by the thrice-repeated question, "Lovest "phileo" thou Me?" (John 21:15-17), had been restored to his place among the Twelve. His work had been appointed him; he was to feed the Lord's flock. Now, converted and accepted, he was not only to seek to save those without the fold, but was to be a shepherd of the sheep. {AA 515.2} Not much is described here about "phileo love". Christ after His resurrection thrice tested Peter. "Simon, son of Jonas," He said, "lovest "phileo" thou Me more than these?" Peter did not now exalt himself above his brethren. He appealed to the One who could read His heart. "Lord," he said, "Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love "phileo" Thee." John 21:15, 17. {COL 154.2} Then he received his commission. A work broader and more delicate than had heretofore been his was appointed him. Christ bade him feed the sheep and the lambs. In thus committing to his stewardship the souls for whom the Saviour had laid down his own life, Christ gave to Peter the strongest proof of confidence in his restoration. The once restless, boastful, self-confident disciple had become subdued and contrite. Henceforth he followed his Lord in self-denial and self-sacrifice. He was a partaker of Christ's sufferings; and when Christ shall sit upon the throne of His glory, Peter will be a partaker in His glory. {COL 154.3} Here Ellen White messages do confirm that "femaleness-love" is more broader, deeper and delicate than "ma leness-love" which Peter could relate to being a gender male, the comradeship love for His Master Jesus, but Jesus wanted more, the "femaleness-love" for souls as one who could network with them. And notice Peter finally confesses to "femaleness-love" to Jesus, which went against his ego and pride, and Peter became humble , meek and with GOD's love, in all it's fullest forms. Conclusion: This study was not very comprehensive looking for evidence for and against the hypothesis, but it does show a fair analysis that suggests the Holy Spirit recorded two types of love in Ellen White writings: One, love is a Father's love, one that provides, protects and cares for family; and two, brotherly love, that is more relational and nurturing and networking of families. The Author terms these types of love as "maleness-love" and "femaleness-love" simply to cast their origins back to the family when GOD engineered mankind with different personality traits in the Family Garden of Eden's Home. |
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Strong's 2580. 
Strong's 157. "Love"
