Ellen Chat Conversation

Ellen White does not explicitly use the Hebrew term "nefesh" for plants in the provided documents, but she frequently describes them as possessing a specific "life" implanted by the Creator. While she reserves the term "living soul" primarily for human beings and certain animal life, she emphasizes that "there is life in the seed" and "every plant develops, by the power of God" (COL 63.2). In her writings, the designation of a "living soul" is most clearly applied to the creation of humanity. She explains that when God "breathed into that form the breath of life," then "man became a living, breathing, intelligent being" (8T 264). This process made Adam a "partaker of His life, His nature" (10MR 326.4). She further clarifies that as a "living soul," man was "endowed him with intelligence and power" (MH 415.1), distinguishing human life from other forms of biological existence. However, the term "living soul" is also used in a broader biblical context within her works to describe marine life. In discussing the final plagues, she quotes the book of Revelation, noting that "the sea ‘became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea’" (GC 627.3). This indicates that in a scriptural sense, the term can encompass sentient creatures beyond humanity. Regarding plants, Ellen White focuses on the divine energy required for their existence rather than labeling them as "souls." She writes: * "The life which the Creator has implanted, He alone can call forth" (Ed 104.4). * "There is life in the seed, there is power in the soil; but unless an infinite power is exercised day and night, the seed will yield no returns" (MM 7.5). * She also uses the "life in the plant" as a metaphor for spiritual growth, stating that if we receive the word of God, "it will bring forth a character and a life after the similitude of the character and the life of God" (COL 38.2). Practically, she encourages us to look at the "miracles wrought by the divine Husbandman" in nature to learn about the "renewing of the heart" (TM 242.2). While plants have a God-given life force, they are presented as object lessons for the development of the human soul rather than being called "souls" themselves. --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:** • What is the specific difference between the "life" in a plant and the "living soul" of a human? • How does Ellen White describe the "breath of life" given to Adam at creation? • What spiritual lessons did Ellen White say we should learn from the growth of seeds and trees? --- 📚 **15 passages found** containing these search terms — [Explore in Full-Text Search](/advanced-search?q=plants+vegetable+life+%22living+soul)