Radiation and Technology Through the Lens of the Bible and Ellen White

Yes, both the Bible and Ellen White provide insights into various forms of light, energy, and specific treatments that relate to the concept of radiation.

Spiritual Radiation and Divine Power

The most profound form of "radiation" mentioned is the glory emanating from Christ, which serves as the source of all life and power.

• The prophet Habakkuk described Christ in His glory as having bright beams coming out of His side, which is the very hiding of His power Habakkuk 3:4GC88 674.1.

• This divine light is not merely symbolic; it is a soul-energizing force that gives vitality to the spirit and mindSW February 27, 1902, par. 14+1.

• When the Savior revealed Himself to Paul, the bright beams of His glory were so powerful they caused physical blindness while simultaneously awakening his spiritual perceptions6BC 1058.2.

• In the future, the saved will experience ceaseless streams of light flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, a transporting glory that increases the capacity for eternal enjoymentCCh 186.2.

Natural Healing Rays: Sunshine

Abundant instruction is given regarding the health-promoting properties of the sun’s rays, which act as a natural form of beneficial radiation for the body.

• The life of God is received through the sunshine and the pure air, which are His gifts to sustain our existence hour by hourTEd 63.5+1.

• Sunlight is described as one of nature’s most healing agents and a powerful "elixir of life" that acts as a tonic and beautifier2T 527.1+1.

• It is essential for recovery that the sick be placed in the warm sunshine, as it helps counteract the effects of wrong habits and aids digestionST January 6, 1876, Art. A, par. 12+1.

• Rooms should be flooded with light to purify them, as the sun's rays are Heaven's own gift to keep dwellings free from impuritiesHR April 1, 1871, par. 4+1.

• Parents are encouraged to let their children play in the sunshine to gain strength of mind and body17LtMs, Ms 87, 1902, par. 15.

Cautions Regarding Man-Made Radiation

Specific guidance is provided concerning technological applications of energy in medical treatments.

• The X-ray is noted as not being the great blessing some suppose it to be, as it can do much harm if used unwiselyPH095 19.4.

• Certain electrical treatments can produce results similar to stimulants, leading to a subsequent weakness in the systemPH095 19.4.

• In contrast, "radiant heat" is mentioned as a helpful means to relieve physical ailments such as a persistent cough18LtMs, Lt 94, 1903, par. 5.

The Increasing Light of Truth

The progression of spiritual truth is compared to the rising of the sun and the power of its rays.

• The Sabbath light is described as starting in weakness but increasing in power like the sun, with rays that are warming, powerful, and sanctifying to the soulPM 15.2+1.

• This light will continue to rise higher and higher until the saints become immortalPOSDAI 60+1.

• Those who walk in the light of truth will see it shine in clearer, more distinct rays amid the moral darkness of the worldT33 14.1+1.

Biblical Foundation of Life and Light

The Bible confirms that God is the author of all light and the sustainer of all things.

• God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all 1 John 1:5.

• He is the fountain of life, and it is in His light that we are able to see light Psalms 36:9.

• The Sun of Righteousness arises with healing in His wings for those who fear the name of the Lord Malachi 4:2.

• God made the heaven of heavens, the earth, and the seas, and He preserves them all Nehemiah 9:6.

Man-made radiation is discussed in the context of specific medical technologies like X-rays and electrical treatments, which can cause harm or subsequent weakness if applied unwisely2SM 303.7+1. While these technologies can sometimes be used to remove physical marks or assist in diagnosis, they are also associated with significant risks and should not be viewed as a universal blessing2SM 303.7+2.

Medical Applications of Radiation and Electricity

Though modern discoveries allow for the observation of internal structures through substances like wood or aluminum, the actual application of these rays requires great cautionPTUK February 20, 1896, page 113.2+1.

• The X-ray: This technology has been used to successfully remove skin blemishes, such as a black spot on the forehead, through a series of multiple treatments2SM 303.7+1. However, it is not considered the great blessing some believe it to be, as unwise use can result in much harmPH095 19.4.

• Electrical Treatments: Some electrical appliances used in sanitariums for treating the sick have been identified as unsafeSpM 389.6. The application of certain electrical treatments can involve patients in serious difficulties and even imperil lifeSpM 389.6.

• Stimulant-like Effects: Certain electrical treatments produce a reaction similar to that of using stimulants, which is followed by a period of physical weaknessPH095 19.4.

The Danger of Drugs and Poisonous Substances

In contrast to natural healing, man-made remedies often involve "slow poisons" that can cripple the body's natural efforts to recover2SM 453.2.

• Drug Invalids: Many individuals remain in a state of constant sickness because they depend on drugs that undermine the constitution and make the condition worse rather than better2SM 453.2.

• Artificial Habits: In this age, life has become increasingly artificial, leading to human degeneracy and a loss of the vigor seen in the first generations of the raceTEd 128.2+1.

• Artificial Stimulants: Substances such as tea, coffee, tobacco, and alcohol are classified as artificial stimulants that irritate the system and contribute to a state of diseaseTe 84.1+1.

God's Design for Healing

True healing is found by turning away from human-made devices and looking toward the natural laws established by the Creator3BC 1144.10+1.

• Natural Sunlight: The sun's rays are ministers of God's will, providing natural energy and warmth to the earth3BC 1144.10+1.

• Simple Remedies: Thousands who are afflicted could recover their health if they discarded drugs and lived simply, allowing the light of the Lord to shine upon themTe 84.1.

• The Power of Christ: Ultimate healing and vigor come from Christ, the source of life, who can restore even those who have been lame from birth Acts 3:1-16ARSH June 23, 1859, page 34.1+1.

• Trust in the Divine: We are warned not to put our trust in human agents or man-made tests that divert the mind from God’s power and grace14MR 192.2+2.

Biblical Context on Light and Health

The Bible establishes that while man-made inventions can be a "snare," God's word and His natural world are the only safe guides14MR 192.2+1.

• The Source of Life: God is the one in whom there is everlasting strength, and without Him, man can do nothing Isaiah 26:4+19T 203.2.

• Restoration: In the future restoration, all infirmities will be removed, and the being will glow with the vigor of eternal youth Isaiah 66:22-23ARSH June 23, 1859, page 34.1.

• The Rainbow: This natural phenomenon serves as a token of God's covenant, formed by the reflection and refraction of the sun's rays Genesis 9:13ARSH November 21, 1865, page 196.8.

The distinction between a godly life and a worldly life is defined by a clear line of demarcation established by God Himself14MR 150.2+1. While Christians must live in the world to serve as missionaries, they are strictly forbidden from adopting its customs, fashions, or principlesCH 291.1+2.

The Scriptural Call to Separation

God explicitly commands His people to "come out from among them, and be ye separate" 2 Corinthians 6:17. This separation is not merely physical but involves a distinct difference in spirit, pursuits, and practiceRH January 8, 1884, par. 5.

• Serving Two Masters: It is impossible to serve both God and mammon; the heart cannot be divided between the two Matthew 6:24CH 291.1+1.

• The Friendship of the World: To be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God James 4:44LtMs, Lt 70, 1886, par. 21.

• A Peculiar People: Followers of Christ are to be a "peculiar people," governed by the Bible standard rather than worldly patternsCH 291.1+1.

• The Love of the Father: If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2:152T 196.1+1.

Defining the Line of Demarcation

The line between the holy and the profane is intended to be unmistakably distinct, though many professing Christians attempt to break down this barrierRH January 8, 1884, par. 5+1.

• Customs and Fashions: Following the tyrannical rule of fashion or adopting worldly standards of dress and conversation obscures the Christian identityCG 432.1+2.

• Pleasure and Amusement: Those under the control of the Holy Spirit will not seek their own pleasure in worldly amusements where Jesus cannot be foundCH 291.1+2.

• Business Transactions: The line of demarcation must be visible in every commercial and secular transaction, which should be fragrant with the presence of God16LtMs, Ms 120, 1901, par. 1+1.

• Politics and Society: Christians are citizens of heaven and should not mingle with the world in political strife or social alliances that weaken moral powerPaM 91.3+1.

Characteristics of a Godly Life

A godly life is a constant onward march that requires a painful work of detaching from worldly idols while attaching to Christ5BC 1143.8+2.

• Practical Godliness: True religion is the imitation of Christ, manifested in obedience to all His commandments1888 1303.2+1.

• Right Thoughts and Purposes: Pure motives do not come naturally; we must strive for holy purposes through the grace of GodCH 291.1+1.

• Fruit of the Spirit: A godly life is known by its fruits: righteousness, purity, and unselfish actions Matthew 7:20MYP 377.1+1.

• Self-Denial: To follow Christ means to deny self, take up the cross, and trample underfoot every interest that conflicts with dutyST October 22, 1885, par. 10+1.

The Danger of Worldly Conformity

When the church patterns after worldly institutions or adopts worldly policy to gain patronage, it loses its spiritual power and invites the curse of GodCH 291.1+2.

• A Form of Godliness: Many maintain a "cheap" profession of faith while their hearts are absorbed in worldliness, leaving them with the shadow but not the substance of religion19MR 159.4+2.

• Spiritual Blindness: Devotion to the world dims spiritual perception, making it difficult to distinguish between the common and the holy1SM 38.4+1.

• Loss of the First Love: Mixing worldliness with service causes believers to lose their missionary zeal and their living connection with Christ5T 187.1+2.

• The End of All Things: Because the heavens and earth will be dissolved, believers are urged to live in all holy conversation and godliness 2 Peter 3:11PCP 61.1.

Ultimately, we are to be like rough stones hewn from the quarry of the world, brought into God’s workshop to be polished and prepared for a heavenly building 1 Corinthians 3:99LtMs, Ms 37, 1894, par. 22. Success in this life depends on a total surrender to God and a resolute refusal to be conformed to this worldRH August 17, 1905, par. 19+1.

While the specific technology of a cell phone is not named in historical texts, the principles regarding modern inventions and worldly customs provide a clear framework for their use. Using a cell phone is not inherently a worldly custom, as mechanical skill and scientific discovery can be consecrated to God’s servicePTUK December 20, 1894, page 812.1+1. However, a cell phone becomes a medium for adopting worldly customs when it is used to follow the fashions, pride, and commercialism of the world rather than the principles of Christ5T 81.1+1.

The Purpose of Modern Inventions

God has allowed for an increase in knowledge and the development of mechanical arts in the last days Daniel 12:4DAR1909 332.1. These advancements are intended to be tools for His work.

• A Means of Communication: Just as the power press and steam engine were seen as important agencies to multiply books and papers, modern communication tools can be used to spread the truth rapidlyARSH April 30, 1861, page 188.6+1.

• Consecrated Skill: Mechanical skill and the "inventions of mechanical art" are of great value when the user is a learner in the school of ChristST March 14, 1900, par. 10+1.

• Efficiency in Labor: Labor-saving machines and improvements are recognized as blessings that can augment personal comforts and increase the ability to accomplish work1BC 1089.6+1.

When Use Becomes a "Worldly Custom"

The danger lies not in the device itself, but in whether its use leads to conformity with the world.

• A Source of Idolarty: Satan uses enterprises and inventions to occupy the mind so that men have no time to think of heavenly things25LtMs, Ms 27, 1910, par. 2. If a device crowds the thought of God out of the mind, it becomes a snareST January 4, 1883, par. 6+1.

• Aping Fashions and Display: Using technology to "ape worldly customs and fashions" or to seek an "outside polish" that is esteemed by the world is of little value to God8MR 11.2+1.

• Commercialism and Pride: When inventions are used to foster "ungodly ambition" or to seek "supremacy" in worldly things, they become part of the "worldly policy" that God's people are told to avoid1SAT 175.2+1.

• Neglect of Duty: Parents are warned not to let "worldly customs and maxims" or "business cares" have controlling power over them to the point that they neglect the instruction of their childrenAH 183.2.

The Line of Demarcation

The line between godly and worldly use is determined by the fruit of the practice Matthew 7:2019MR 257.4.

• A "Thus Saith the Lord": Those who are least bound up with worldly ideas and "display and vanity" are the ones to whom God reveals the meaning of His word2MCP 560.3.

• Simplicity vs. Extravagance: Following the world’s customs often leads to a "longing to conform to worldly plans" and a desire for "gains and honors"ST July 13, 1882, par. 20. God's people are to be "peculiar" and stay far in advance of the standards of worldlings5T 54.2+1.

• The Spirit of the Message: Young people are encouraged to be imbued with the missionary spirit rather than depending solely on "machinery" or "mechanical working," which can sometimes retard the workPH078 45.1.

Biblical Principles for Modern Life

The Bible provides the ultimate standard for evaluating our relationship with any modern custom or invention.

• Avoid Vain Deceit: We are cautioned to "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit... after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" Colossians 2:8.

• No Provision for Lust: Believers are commanded to "put you on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof" Romans 13:14.

• Self-Denial: Christ’s example of self-denial is the standard; any custom that encourages "display" or "vanity" is a departure from His path Matthew 16:2419LtMs, Lt 145, 1904, par. 14.

In summary, a cell phone is a "human invention" that can be used either to serve God or to follow "worldly customs"ARSH June 21, 1892, page 387.16+1. The decisive factor is whether the device helps you "draw apart from worldly customs" to seek the Lord with the whole heart, or whether it leads you to "conform to worldly customs" and thus separate from the source of your strength13MR 386.2+2.

Maintaining the health of the body is a sacred duty because our physical organism is the property of God by both creation and redemptionTSDF 186.3+1. Any practice that involves a reckless or careless treatment of the body is a violation of natural law, which is as truly the law of God as the Ten CommandmentsCOL 347.1+1. If technology or "human inventions" result in the enfeeblement of our physical, mental, or moral powers, they conflict with the divine requirement to preserve the living machinery in the best possible condition7MR 337.3+1.

The Sacredness of Physical Law

God is the author of our physical being and has written His law upon every nerve and fiber of the bodyTe 213.4+1. We are under a solemn obligation to study the laws of life and conform to themTSDF 186.3+1.

• Ignorance is Sin: Failing to understand the requirements of our own bodies is considered a sin because it leads to "physical, mental, and moral feebleness"TSDF 186.3.

• A Living Temple: We are to keep the body as a temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit rather than sacrificing its health to worldly ideas or practices 1 Corinthians 6:19TSDF 186.3.

• The Penalty of Violation: Nature will always utter a protest against transgression; those who violate the laws of their being will surely suffer the penalty in the form of disease or inefficiency1T 588.1+1.

Human Inventions and the Health Laws

While there are many modern inventions and improvements, they must be evaluated by whether they aid or hinder the restoration of the moral image of God in man1BC 1089.6+1.

• Dangers of Unwise Use: Many human inventions have been used to carry out plans according to the mind of man rather than the will of God4BC 1179.4+1. If a device or practice "benumbs" the faculties or interferes with the harmonious action of the body, it is a departure from natural law7MR 337.3+1.

• Self-Preservation is a Duty: Every human being is under a moral obligation to preserve the "living machinery" that is so fearfully and wonderfully made Psalms 139:14Te 213.4.

• Science vs. Truth: Much that is called science today is compared to "dishes of human invention" or "adulterated food" that does not provide the true manna found in God's Word2TT 412.3.

Responsibility for Sickness and Suffering

A large portion of the sickness in the world is not the work of Providence but the result of individuals following their own ways in opposition to natural lawCH 19.5+1.

• Avoidable Woes: God would have us live out the full measure of our days in health; it is unjust to charge Him with suffering that results from our own disregard of the laws of health2MCP 570.2+1.

• Careful Investigation: We are encouraged to use our reason and "study from cause to effect" regarding our habits and the tools we useCH 566.3.

• The Duty of Parents: Parents are particularly responsible for educating children to conform to physical law so that they do not inherit or develop weakened constitutionsGosHealth May 1, 1898, par. 3+1.

The Biblical Standard for Health

The Bible provides clear principles that should guide our use of any technology that impacts our physical well-being.

• The Promise of Health: God promises that if we diligently listen to His voice and keep His statutes, He will preserve us from disease Exodus 15:26.

• Sowing and Reaping: We are warned that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"; this applies to the treatment of the body as much as to the soul Galatians 6:7PHJ May 1, 1902, par. 3.

• Reasonable Service: Presenting our bodies as a "living sacrifice" requires us to keep them holy and acceptable to God, which is our "reasonable service" Romans 12:1CTBH 10.1.

Ultimately, if any man-made device causes injury to the physical structure or clouds the brain, its use becomes a transgression of the laws of life6MR 309.3+1. We are called to "obey religiously" what reason and the Word of God reveal to be truth concerning our healthCH 566.3.

Faithful believers who study the movements of God’s providence have identified a clear connection between the use of modern devices and the violation of God’s law when such things are used to follow human inventions rather than a "Thus saith the Lord"6BC 1054.8+1. While the specific term "cell phone" is not used, the overarching principle is that many are content with a surface work and take the "sayings of others" for truth instead of digging for the hidden treasures of God’s WordCOL 109.1.

The Danger of Human Inventions

The peril of this generation is a strange absence of principle and a disregard for the laws of life and healthCT 81.3.

• Replacing God's Voice: Human inventions and plans are often allowed to eclipse sacred things, excluding divine instruction and placing man where God should bePH080 10.2+1.

• A "Thus Saith the Lord": God's people are to be educated not to trust in human inventions or uncertain tests, but to seek a plain command from the Word of God6BC 1054.8.

• Mental and Spiritual Detriment: Turning away from God's plan to follow human inventions is done to the detriment of spiritual life and fails to fit the mind for the severe conflicts of the last daysFE 220.3+1.

Violation of Physical and Moral Laws

Adopting practices that undermine the nervous force or corrupt the blood through a disregard of health laws is a direct violation of the duty we owe to GodCT 81.3.

• Corrupting the System: The majority of people remain in ignorance of the laws of their being, indulging habits that undermine nervous force and bring upon themselves sickness and deathCT 81.3.

• The Brain and Nerves: Every organ, including the brain and nerves, requires proper nutrition and care; any invention that interferes with this process disrupts a "wonderful process" designed by GodCCh 221.1.

• Weakened Moral Powers: When men and women will not live in obedience to the laws of health, their moral powers are weakened, making it easier for Satan to lead them into false excitement and curious developments1MCP 42.1+1.

The Line of Separation

There is a high and holy standard for those who handle sacred things, and they must keep their spirits free from the "alloy of human devising"16MR 298.1.

• New and Strange Things: We are warned that "new and strange things" will continually arise to lead people into false excitement; however, we should not be subjected to tests of human invention that create controversy1MCP 42.1.

• Walking in the Light: It is essential to walk in the light while we have it; those who claim to believe in reform but work counter to its principles in daily practice are hurting their own soulsCH 128.1.

• True Education: True education consists in searching the Scriptures for hidden treasures rather than relying on human inventions, which are both unreliable and dangerousCOL 109.1+1.

Biblical Admonition

The Bible is the ultimate safeguard against the delusions of the enemy and the "flashing speculations" of the human mindST July 31, 1893, par. 5+1.

• The Old Paths: We are urged to ask for the "old paths" where the good way is, and to walk therein to find rest for our souls Jeremiah 6:16.

• Judgment of Every Work: Every human invention substituted for the commandments of God will be found worthless when God brings every work into judgment Ecclesiastes 12:14.

• Divine Wisdom: If any man lacks wisdom regarding how to navigate these modern challenges, he should ask of God, who gives to all men liberallyAUGleaner June 9, 1909, par. 3.

The weight of evidence suggests that any device or practice, including modern technology, that is used to "incorporate human inventions" into the life or to "pacify the conscience" while clinging to worldliness is a transgression of the principles of the law of GodST June 4, 1894, par. 4+1.