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In Testimonies For The Church Vol. 1  (1855-1868) Chapter 96, Ellen G. White dedicated a full chapter admonishing Adventists from Life Insurance. She says that Life Insurance is synonymous with “uniting with the world”, while God is telling us to be separate. Her statement is quite disturbing to me because before I read her counsel, I am a staunch supporter of Life Insurance. When my Mother died from an accident, it was her Life Insurance that kept me and my father from being bankrupt. It was her Life Insurance that allowed us to cope for at least 2 years before we can financially recover.

To many Adventists, E. G. White’s counsel against Life Insurance is very clear. The words she used are strong, and the emphasis against Life Insurance is unquestionable. “I was shown ... “ she says. And that means that it was a direct command from God through a vision. There is no room for mis-interpretation... or is there?

When the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy tells us something that is against what we thought was right, we have a tendency to rationalize our position. We might think that “maybe it doesn’t mean what it says”, “maybe there is a deeper meaning”, or “maybe, I misunderstood it”. It is very dangerous to discredit what the Bible says just because it disagrees with us. However, it would also be very irresponsible on our part if we don’t try to understand what the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy is really telling us.

A responsible researcher of Truth understands that the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy was written in and for a specific time, and in and for a different cultural background than today. A truth seeker would also know that words can evolve and can have a different meaning in the past and present.

To understand Mrs. White, we must put our feet to the shoes of the people in her time. We should understand her by how the people at her time understand her writings.

So the fundamental question is: Did the meaning of “Life Insurance” change 100+ years after she wrote that Chapter?

To answer this question, we can search the library for historical references on Life Insurance practices during 1800s. However, I think I don’t need to go that far. Like the old mantra on understanding the Bible, “Let the Bible Interpret Itself”, I shall say “Let E. G. White Interpret herself”. We don’t need to go very far because E.G. White defined Life Insurance in that very Chapter. Here it is in full:

Testimonies For The Church Vol. 1  (1855-1868) Chapter 96

I was shown that Sabbathkeeping Adventists should not engage in life insurance. This is a commerce with the world which God does not approve. Those who engage in this enterprise are uniting with the world, while God calls His people to come out from among them and to be separate. Said the angel: "Christ has purchased you by the sacrifice of His life. 'What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.' 'For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.'" Here is the only life insurance which heaven sanctions.

    Life insurance is a worldly policy which leads our brethren who engage in it to depart from the simplicity and purity of the gospel. Every such departure weakens our faith and lessens our spirituality. Said the angel: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." As a people we are in a special sense the Lord's. Christ has bought us. Angels that excel in strength surround us. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without the notice of our heavenly Father. Even the hairs of our head are numbered. God has made provision for His people. He has a special care for them, and they should not distrust His providence by engaging in a policy with the world.

    God designs that we should preserve in simplicity and holiness our peculiarity as a people. Those who engage in this worldly policy invest means which belong to God, which He has entrusted to them to use in His cause, to advance His work. But few will realize any returns from life insurance, and without God's blessing even these will prove an injury instead of a benefit. Those whom God has made His stewards have no right to place in the enemy's ranks the means which He has entrusted to them to use in His cause.

    Satan is constantly presenting inducements to God's chosen people to attract their minds from the solemn work of preparation for the scenes just in the future. He is in every sense of the word a deceiver, a skillful charmer. He clothes his plans and snares with coverings of light borrowed from heaven. He tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit by making her believe that she would be greatly advantaged thereby. Satan leads his agents to introduce various inventions and patent rights and other enterprises, that Sabbathkeeping Adventists who are in haste to be rich may fall into temptation, become ensnared, and pierce themselves through with many sorrows. He is wide awake, busily engaged in leading the world captive, and through the agency of worldlings he keeps up a continual pleasing excitement to draw the unwary who profess to believe the truth to unite with worldlings. The lust of the eye, the desire for excitement and pleasing entertainment, is a temptation and snare to God's people. Satan has many finely woven, dangerous nets which are made to appear innocent, but with which he is skillfully preparing to infatuate God's people. There are pleasing shows, entertainments, phrenological lectures, and an endless variety of enterprises constantly arising calculated to lead the people of God to love the world and the things that are in the world. Through this union with the world, faith becomes weakened, and means which should be invested in the cause of present truth are transferred to the enemy's ranks. Through these different channels Satan is skillfully draining the purses of God's people, and for it the displeasure of the Lord is upon them.

I made the key points bold. By deciphering what she said, we can deduce these key points on her definition of life insurance.

Life Insurance is a gesture of distrust to God’s providence
Life Insurance is an unreasonable Investment (Overpriced)
Life Insurance is unreliable and risky
Life Insurance is one of the enterprises that are “get rich quick” schemes.

Checking historical sources can clarify what she meant. For instance, check

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_insurance
http://ca.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560031_7/Insurance.html#s54
http://ca.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560031_8/Insurance.html

You must read the articles in those links first to fully understand the culture and environment in Ellen White’s time.

Life Insurance in Her Time Means Distrusting God while Spending Unreasonable Amounts of Money

When E.G. White wrote that chapter, it was during the time of the Civil War. Due to high risks involved, insurance policies became very expensive. Yet no matter how expensive, buying insurance has become a trend because of fear. Mrs. White said that buying an insurance policy is a waste of money, money that could have been used to further God’s cause. Why would God’s people invest so much money in Life Insurance if the primary reason why one should buy is the threat of War? This would mean that you’re distrusting God’s promise that He will protect you. The most important priority is God’s work, and a lot of money that should be spent in support for God’s work is spent on Expensive Life Insurance Policies that was bought because of Fear.

It was a no-brainer, even if I didn’t receive a vision from heaven, I would discourage everyone against Life Insurance given this kind of environment.

Life Insurance is a Risky Investment and Very Unreliable

When Mrs. White said that “few will realize any returns from life insurance, and without God's blessing even these will prove an injury instead of a benefit”, it was a reflection of the practices of Insurance Industry at that time. Life Insurance is unregulated and uncalculated. Meaning that Insurance Companies can close anytime if they don’t have the reserves to fund the Claims. So this means that buying Life Insurance is more like “Life Gamble”. You buy insurance not knowing if your family can claim it later.

Fraudulent practices are also prominent in her time. People can buy insurance for other people. Meaning that you can buy insurance for a stranger, then just kill the stranger so you can profit from him. Thus it is true, Life Insurance can prove an injury instead of benefit.

Then and Now

So, did the meaning of Life Insurance change from her time to our time? I think so, albeit partially. Although the system didn’t change much, just regulated, I think that the overall motivation to buy life insurance has changed. Now, it is not for Fear, but the acceptance that you can die anytime. There’s a lot of difference between accepting that you can die anytime, and fearing that you can die anytime. By accepting that you can die anytime, you can still trust God fully. But Fear, by its very meaning entails distrust in God.

Life Insurance is a means to provide for your dependents at the event of your untimely death. Through Life Insurance, you can make sure that your children, and your widow can have sustenance even when you’re gone. It’s very consistent to what St. Paul was teaching in 1 Timothy 5: 8.

8. Whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for the family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

It seems that one of the earliest insurance system can be traced back to the Apostles' time. The Apostles commanded Christians to support orphans and widows. By doing this, they are setting up some kind of insurance system, when one of the church members die, other members should support that person’s family. So if you’re in their time, you can happily help other member’s bereaved, knowing that when it’s your time to go, other members will take care of your bereaved.

Life Insurance system is not very far from that system. A life insurance policy is an agreement with other policy holders. In the agreement, when one of the policy holders die, each living policy holder agree that their money can be used to finance the bereaved. If you die, they agree that their money can be used to help your bereaved.

Life Insurance system, properly regulated and properly applied, does not contradict any Christian principles from the Bible. In fact it upholds a fundamental principle to support your family.

The price of Life Insurance has also significantly gone lower compared to her time due to less mortality risk, and increased average life span. By properly calculating the insurance that you need, you wouldn’t have to buy Insurance with a large chunk of your income. Moreover, by properly saving and investing, you don’t need to be insured for a long time. You only need insurance while you are still saving for your family’s future. Through proper Financial Planning and Discipline, you can become self-insured. Learn more about “Buy Term and Invest the Difference” strategy.

In E.G. White’s time, insurance is fraudulent and can be abused to get rich quickly. Nowadays, you can’t buy life insurance policies for strangers if the beneficiary is yourself. You can only buy Insurance Policies for yourself and relatives. And the only beneficiaries allowed are your immediate relatives.

Life Insurance claims can also be a real danger specially if it is received in lump sum. If your beneficiaries are still young, or worse, if your widow is not financially disciplined, a large sum of money can cause more evil than good. Back in Mrs. White’s time, this is what happens. Claims are given in Lump Sums. Nowadays, you can make your insurance policy as a last will of testament. You can specify how you want the money to be claimed. An example would be limiting withdrawals to 10% a year or 2% a month.

How Insurance Can be a Waste of Money?

If you don’t understand how insurance works, you can fall victim to an overpriced Policy. Such money you spend could have been used for God’s work. Understand how insurance works and you’ll see that Whole Life Insurance plans are a waste of Money. The most practical is “buying term insurance, then investing the difference”. The money you would pay for Whole Life Plans can be used to buy a cheaper term insurance, the money that’s left can be used in a different investment vehicles that can gain interest throughout the years, beating or alleviating inflation. If you’re wondering what it means, you can contact me, and I’ll gladly explain it to you.

Am I Rationalizing?

By enumerating the different cultural conditions on her time and comparing them to our time, am I irresponsibly rationalizing my position about Life Insurance? Only you can answer. I personally do not distrust God by buying an Insurance Policy. In fact I see it as a manifestation of my love for my family. It is also consistent with the practice of early Christians. If your motivation to buy life insurance is Fear, I think E.G. White’s counsel is for you. But if your motivation is to provide for your family, because you love them, you are upholding Paul’s counsel.

For Further Reading, check the position of the General Conference and Adventist Biblical Research Institute:

http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/Life%20Insurance.htm