Why God’s People Don’t
Understand the Deeper
Things
of The Word
The Testimony For The Church—The Laodicean Church—“What
greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are
right when they are ALL WRONG.” Testimonies, Vol. 3, pp. 253, 254.
Jer 7:4 Trust ye
not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The
temple of the LORD, [are] these. [Do professing Seventh-day Adventists prattle
this same sentiment in other words especially at their camp meetings?]
The
Jews were and still are noted for their bigotry. They were corrected by
Jeremiah for their strong belief that no matter what they and their leaders did,
they staunchly maintained: “The Temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the
Temple of the Lord are these,” referring of course to themselves.
"The Jews had deceived themselves by
misinterpreting the words of the Lord through his prophets, of his eternal
favor to his people Israel.
'Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a
light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by
night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar the Lord of hosts is
his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the
seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever. Thus
saith the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the
earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all
that they have done, saith the Lord.' Jer. 31:35-37.
These words the Jews applied to themselves. And
because God had shown them so great favor and mercy, they flattered
themselves that, notwithstanding their sins and iniquities, he would still
retain them as his favored people, and shower especial blessings upon them.
They misapplied the words of Jeremiah and depended for their salvation upon
being called the [chosen] children of Abraham. If they had indeed been worthy
of the name of Abraham's children, they would have followed the righteous
example of their father Abraham, and would have done the works of Abraham.
This
has been the danger of the people of God in all ages and
especially is this the danger of those living near the close of time. . . .
God would in no wise excuse sin in a people who had
been enlightened, even if he had, in their days of faithfulness and purity,
loved them, and given them especial promises. These promises and blessings were always upon condition
of obedience upon their part.
The Lord pronounced, by the mouth of Moses,
blessings upon the obedient, and curses upon the disobedient." E. G. White, Review and
Herald, Vol. 1, 123.
Laodicean
Adventists have that same problem with bigotry and misinterpreting the promises
of God to them via our prophetess Ellen G. White. They feel that they are the
last church. Laodiceans always say there is no eighth church, implying that God
is stuck with them. There was no eighth church in the day of the disciples
either, yet they gathered out the true church from the apostate Temple in
Jerusalem.
And
unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the
Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or
hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich,
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou
art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation
3:14-22.
The
gold tried in the fire is defined by Ellen White. “The gold tried in the fire is
faith that works by love.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 158.
“It is
contrition and faith and love that enable the soul to receive wisdom from
heaven. Faith working by love is the key
of knowledge, and everyone that loveth "knoweth God." 1 John 4:7. Desire of Ages,
139.
The
white raiment is the righteousness of Christ—His robe of righteousness that we
may have by faith. The eyesalve is spiritual discernment provided by the
indwelling of His Holy Spirit who will teach us all things if we value such
more than any other treasure in the world.
So
the clear and sheer reasons why Laodiceans and their leaders cannot understand
the deeper things of God’s word are:
· They are neither hot or cold. They are lukewarm and
indifferent to advanced knowledge of the Word. The truth of the Reformation was
to be ever unfolding. God intended that intelligent minds should have a thirst
for new truth for eternity. But Laodiceans are not interested in that quest.
· Laodiceans want the “believe only” doctrine of the
Nicolaitans, whereby they embrace the half-gospel of grace as pardon rather than
pardon and power. Grace is also the Holy Spirit given as power for obedience,
Rom. 1:5.
“They
must have His grace, the Spirit of Christ, to help their infirmities, or
they cannot form a Christian character. Jesus loves to have us come to Him,
just as we are—sinful, helpless, dependent.” Faith and Works, p. 38.
“There
must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before man
can be changed from sin to holiness. That
power is Christ. His grace [the Spirit of Christ] alone can quicken the
lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.” (ST, May
28, 1902, par. 3).
· Laodiceans believe they know
all the truth already. Thus they are indifferent know-it-alls. They believe
there is no new light to be had and that if there was new light to be received,
it would come through their leaders. Many times Laodiceans have told me that if
God had any new light for His church He would sent it through the leaders!
Isaiah 56:10-12 precludes this. Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 199, 200,
(quoted later in this document) precludes
this. (This is the 1884 Great Controversy).
· Laodicea was a rich textile
town. The people thought themselves rich, increased with goods, and in need of
nothing. So why would they search anywhere else, even in God’s Word, for hidden
treasure? They concluded they already possessed all the treasure to be had. Why
search for truth as for hidden treasure if you believe you already have it
all?!
· Laodiceans are not interested
in overcoming. The course they take to obtain their riches often comes by dishonest
means and trampling on others. Like the rich young ruler, they value their
possessions more than anything else. They often like to be where the truth is
spoken, but they don’t want to comply with the conditions that would render the
truth more deeply understood. Understanding will simply not be given to the
disobedient. So the Laodicean usually rejects truth and goes into midnight
darkness in proportion to the truth he/she has rejected.
· Truth involves inconvenience
and sacrifice. Laodiceans are indifferent to these aspects that are always
associated with the truth. For example, the life of Christ was a life of
self-sacrificing love and service to others. The Laodicean is selfish and
self-serving. Thus, they disqualify themselves from receiving the Holy Spirit
and the discernment He brings that would teach them all things.
· Laodiceans always choose the
easier, positive (peace and safety) side of things. An awesome illustration of
this fact is found in A. Leroy Moore’s book Theology in Crisis, wherein the
first chapter of his book teaches one to choose the positive statements by
Ellen White over the negative rather than interpret both so that nothing
contradicts. An example will be given further along in this document.
· For all of the above reasons, Laodicean Adventists have
ceded to an evangelical meltdown, where they try to fit into the mold of
mainstreamed religion, to be accepted among those who have an entirely
different gospel—the doctrine of the Nicolaitans—the Billy Graham syndrome—only
believe.
· Laodicea desire to be liked and accepted by Babylonians,
the fallen churches. Laodiceans cannot stand up to ridicule—the ridicule of
being called a cult, when Jesus was called a demon.
· Laodiceans love
peace and safety false prophesyings: "The Lord commanded one of his ancient
servants, 'Pray not thou for this people [Jer. 7:16 and 11:14], neither lift up
cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear
thee.' The prophet thus describes the sins which had called forth this fearful
denunciation: 'The
prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means and my
people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof?' 'From the
least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to
covetousness and from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth
falsely. They
have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.' The apostles declare
that this state of things will find its COUNTERPART in the last days. Many have a form of
godliness, but in their daily life deny the power thereof. They have ceased to be convicted of their sins or alarmed at their
state. They say in their hearts, 'The church is flourishing. Peace and spiritual
prosperity are within her borders.' The words of the prophet may well apply to these
self-deceivers, 'They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in
their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their
fears upon them." E. G. White, Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 11-07-82.
COUNTERPART: "In the time of the Saviour, the
Jews had so covered over the precious jewels of truth with the rubbish of
tradition and fable, that it was impossible to distinguish the true from the
false. The Saviour came to clear away the rubbish of superstition and
long-cherished errors, and to set the jewels of God's word in the framework of
truth. What would the Saviour do if he should come to us now as he did to the
Jews? He would have to do a similar work in clearing away the rubbish of
tradition and ceremony. The Jews were greatly disturbed when he did this work
[As are SDA’s today!]. They had lost sight of the original truth of God, but
Christ brought it again to view. It is our work to free the precious truths of
God from superstition and error." E.G. White, Review and
Herald, vol.
2, 308.
There is a modern COUNTERPART to the ancient
apostate "chosen people" of God. That modern COUNTERPART is the
people who claim to be the modern "chosen people" of God, the
remnant, God’s commandment-keeping people if you will.
"The church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of God is not in her midst."
E.G. White, Notebook Leaflets, p. 99, 1898.
"The state of the Church represented by the
foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the Laodicean state." E.G. White, Review
and Herald, 8/19/1890.
"To the end of time, the presence of the Spirit is to abide
with the true church."
E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 55.
"If the church of God becomes LUKEWARM
[LAODICEAN] it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the churches
that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of devils and
the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Those who have had opportunities to hear and receive the truth, and who have
united with the Seventh-day Adventist church, calling themselves the
commandment keeping people of God, and yet possess no more vitality and
consecration to God than do the nominal churches, will receive of the plagues
of God just as verily as the churches who oppose the law of God." E.G.
White, Letter 35, 1898.
If Laodicea is not regarded with any more favor by
God than the fallen churches, and the call of Laodicea is to all churches, then
there is no difference between Laodicea and the fallen churches as far as being
in a fallen state is concerned. Different churches believe different aspects of
Babylonian teachings, but Ellen White equates them all as far as falling from
the favor of God is concerned, and as far as constituting the habitation of
devils and the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and
hateful bird.
A very wise student of the Word once said to me
when I complained of the lack of spiritual discernment by members of the
church: “What do you expect from Laodiceans?” I relay that response to folk who
ponder this same question. What do you expect from foolish virgins? Why do you
expect that they should understand and/or accept the hidden treasures of the
Word, when they have no spiritual discernment nor inclination to even hear new
and deeper truth—because they feel that they have it all and that there is no
new truth to be had—and that if there was, it would come through their leaders
who are just as Laodicean as they are. It is because of this attitude that
Isaiah 58:10-12 is still so true and applicable in our day. The “dumb-dog”
watchmen simply cannot understand, and God says all of them three times. Count the use of the word all in your KJV.
Ellen White says that the laity seldom aspire
any higher than their leaders, so if the leaders cannot understand, how will
the laity that looks to the leaders for learning, wisdom and truth, ever arrive
at such? Sheep are usually followers, and if the shepherds are dumb-dogs that cannot understand, what do we expect
from the sheep? How can we expect anything more from the sheeple? Add to this
state of things the fact that they regard themselves as all right and in need of
nothing, and you have the mix for a brand of bigotry excelled by none
other. God does not bless such an attitude with spiritual discernment prompted
by His Holy Spirit, so such folk simply cannot understand the deeper things of
the Word—the hidden treasures for which we are to sell all, buy the field (the
Word) and dig in it as for hidden treasure. All who do so will find the pure
truth which is ever unfolding and will be for eternity, as God’s truth is
limitless.
The Channel of Communication to the people:
"The disciples were the channel of communication between Christ and the
people. This should be a real encouragement to His disciples today. Christ is
the great center, the source of all strength. His disciples are to receive
their supplies from Him. The most intelligent, the most spiritually minded,
can bestow only as they receive. Of themselves they can supply nothing
for the needs of the soul. We can impart only that which we receive from Christ
and we can receive only as we impart to others. As we continue imparting, we
continue to receive and the more we impart, the more we shall receive. Thus we
may be constantly believing, trusting, receiving, and imparting." The Desire of
Ages, 370.
Some
Typical Laodicean Responses and Interpretations--The A. Leroy
Moore Syndrome
Here
is an excerpt from A. Leroy Moore’s book The
Theology Crisis. This is a classic example of how SDA leaders reason:
"What
can we do for members who have joined a separation movement?" "It
would be nice if we could simply point out the other 3 Fs like Jesus did for
those two disciples on the road to Emmaus. "But notice when it was that
Jesus was finally able to get those disciples to see the other 3 Fs. He had to
wait until everything had fallen apart for them. `Then He said unto them, O
fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.'
Ron’s
comment: How is it that Dr. A. Leroy Moore cannot discern that the omega of
apostasy new movement as defined by Ellen White in Selected Messages, Bk. 1,
pp. 204-5, is a separation movement from the church of SDA pioneers? How is it
that he cannot discern that in 1949 the church changed the book Bible Readings to reflect Babylon’s
antichrist position on the human nature of Christ? How is it that Dr. A. Leroy
Moore, cannot discern that the trinity doctrine sweeps away the entire
Christian economy and how it achieves this when Ellen White said the omega
would involved the personality of God and Christ? How is it that A. Leroy Moore
does not see the implications of the new movement’s ecumenical liaisons with
Babylon?
Sanctuary Gone Atonement Gone -- "In a
representation which passed before me, I saw a certain work being done by medical
missionary workers. Our ministering brethren were looking on, watching what was
being done, but they did not seem to understand. The foundation of our faith,
which was established by so much prayer, such earnest searching of the
Scriptures, was being taken down, pillar by pillar. Our faith was to have
nothing to rest upon--the sanctuary was gone, the atonement was gone."
E.G. White, The Upward Look, 152.
In the alpha of apostasy, the ministering brethren,
the think-tank elite of the church could not understand the implications of
Kellogg’s teachings. Now, in the omega, they cannot understand the serious
implications of the trinity doctrine, which involve the personality of Christ,
and sweep away the entire Christian economy by negating the Sanctuary and
Atonement sacrifice in the heavenly Sanctuary at the Incarnation of Jesus
Christ.
"A new order of things has COME INTO the
ministry. There is a desire to pattern after other churches and simplicity and
humility are almost unknown. The young ministers seek to be original, and to
introduce new ideas and new plans for labor. Some open revival meetings, and by
this means call large numbers into the church. But when the excitement is over,
where are the converted ones? Repentance and confession of sin are not seen.
The sinner is entreated to believe in Christ and accept Him, without regard to
his past life of sin and rebellion. The heart is not broken. There is no
contrition of soul. The supposed converted ones have not fallen upon the Rock,
Christ Jesus." E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 2, pp. 18, 19.
End
Ron’s comment.
Leroy
Moore’s book cont:
"Jesus
had tried to explain all that to them before, but they could not see it. So
what can we do for those who join a separation movement? We can pray for humbling
circumstances, such as the disciples faced, that will make them able and
willing to see `all that the prophets have spoken.' Of course, it is helpful if
we ourselves are not one-sided in our view of truth.
"It's a struggle to bring together the
various aspects of truth on any polarized issue. `Your only safety is in coming to Christ and ceasing
from sin this very moment.' This beautiful truth highlights the urgency of the
hour. "But it is also true that, `Day by day the mists of
selfishness and sin that envelop the soul are dispelled by the bright beams of
the Son of Righteousness' (PP 134).
"If you come down on just one of those
two sides, and build that one side to the neglect of the other, you may have
difficulty experiencing the fullness of the gospel. But how do we connect `ceasing from sin this very
moment' to `dispelling sin day by day'?
Ron’s
comment: The emboldened statement above is true, but please note that it is
totally violated further down where the reader is asked: Which would you prefer—the
positive or negative pole. End Ron’s comment.
"It's
really quite elementary. Our decision and commitment is that sin must cease in
our lives today. However, the depth of our sin problem is such that it cannot
be dealt with in one day. Both sides
have to be brought together. Like a car battery, nothing works until we connect
both the positive and negative poles.
"But
what about Mrs. White's statement: `We hoped that there would not be the
necessity for another coming out'?
"We'll
call that the negative pole of truth. Now notice the positive pole: `No advice
or sanction is given in the Word of God to those who believe the third angel's
message to lead them to suppose that they can draw apart. This you may
settle with yourselves forever'
“Which
do you prefer, the positive or the negative pole?”
Ron’s
Comment: This is unbelievable! Moore’s book is quoting two statements from
Ellen White that “appear” to contradict, and then poses the question: Which do you prefer, the positive or the negative pole—the
positive or the negative statement? This is
foolish Laodicean reasoning. Moore would have the reader think there is no
other interpretive option. That is not the case. There are qualifying words in
the second statement and they are: “…those who believe the third angel's…” Of
course we should never draw apart from those who truly believe the three angel’s messages and obey them. But what about a new movement that has violated the
second angel’s message and the Midnight Cry (Matt. 25) that gave power to the
second angel’s message via ecumenical liaison with Babylon? How do you call
people out of Babylon when you are members of its associations,
counsels/councils, girdings, and conspiratorial confederacies yourself? Is that
belief in the three angel’s messages? Notice Ellen White’s statement about the National Reform Movement which was the ecumenical movement in her day:
"The peculiar work of the third angel has not
been seen in its importance. God meant that His people should be far in advance
of the position which they occupy today. But now, when the time has come for
them to spring into action, they have the preparation to make. When the
National Reformers [the title of the ecumenical movement before it became the
Federal Council of Churches in 1908, and then the World Council of Churches, in
1948] began to urge measures to restrict religious liberty, our leading men
should have been alive to the situation and should have labored earnestly to
counteract these efforts. It is not in the order of God that light has been
kept from our people--the very present truth which they needed for this time. Not all our ministers who are giving the third
angel's message really understand what constitutes that message. The National
Reform [Ecumenical] movement has been regarded by some as of so little
importance that they have not thought it necessary to give much attention to it
and have even felt that in so doing they would be giving time to questions
distinct from the third angel's message [the Everlasting Gospel of Revelation
14]. May the Lord forgive our brethren for thus interpreting the very message
for this time." E.G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 714, 715.
The
Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing
the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves
see whither the undercurrent is tending. . . .They are working in
blindness. They do not see that if a Protestant government sacrifices the
principles that have made them a free, independent nation, and through legislation
brings into the Constitution principles that will propagate papal falsehood and
papal delusion, they are plunging into the Roman horrors of the Dark Ages.--RH
Extra, Dec. 11, 1888. {LDE 125.3}
Here is what pre 1957 SDA leaders thought about the
ecumenical movement:
SDA
Encyclopedia
on the Ecumenical Movement—“On the basis of Bible prophecy and the writings of
Ellen G. White, SDA’s anticipate the eventual success of the ecumenical
movement, both in eliminating the divisions of Protestantism and in reuniting
Christendom by bridging the gulf that separates non-Catholic communions from
Rome. The ecumenical movement will then
become a concerted effort to unite the world and to secure universal peace and
security by enlisting the power of civil government in a universal
religio-political crusade to eliminate all dissent. SDA’s envision this crusade as the great
apostasy to which John the Revelator refers as “Babylon the great.” They understand, also, that God’s last
message of mercy to the world prior to the return of Christ in power and glory
will consist of a warning against this great apostate movement, and a call to
all who choose to remain loyal to Him to leave the churches connected with
it. See Rev. 13:15-17; 14:6-11;
16:12-14; 17:1-6; 18:1-4; GC 444, 445, 573, 588, 589, 615.” SDA Encyclopedia, p. 411, and page 362 in some
later editions.
Moore’s
book is interpreting Ellen White’s two quoted statements above as though she
directly contradicted herself. That is exactly what he is doing. In one
statement she says they hoped there would not be the necessity for another
coming out—connoting that there could be another coming out—and in the other
statement they interpret that the church believes the third angel’s message and
we could never draw apart from those who believe the third angel’s
message—never questioning whether or not the church has imbibed acts that
confess a manifest disbelief in and violation of the second angel’s message and
the Midnight Cry that called us out of Babylon.
Do the Leaders Believe the Three Angel’s
Messages?
Begin at My Sanctuary -- "Here we see that the
church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of
God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood
as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their
trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the
marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed.
These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is
too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus 'Peace and safety" is
the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to
show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These
dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an
offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together." E.
G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.
Moore’s book (cont)
“Which
terminal on your battery do you concentrate on in getting your car started?
Your answer, of course, is that we must connect both. For neither without the
other transmits power. Notice this negative pole of truth found in Manuscript
Releases: "`Take the young men and women, and place them where they will
come into as little contact with our churches as possible, that the low grade
of piety which is current in this day shall not leaven their ideas of what it
means to be a Christian' (MR 995).
"We kind of wish these quotes and
those who bring them to our attention just didn't exist. However, we ought to say to them, `Yes, that is one of
my favorite quotations.' And then show them how it fits with its contrasting
pole, such as:
"`When
anyone is drawing apart from the organized body of God's commandment-keeping
people ... then you may know that God is not leading him. He is on the wrong
track' (3SM 18).
Ron’s
Comment: Instead
of attempting to make a sincere interpretation so that nothing contradicts, as
Ellen White advised, Moore’s book expresses the sentiment that “We kind of wish
these quotes and those who bring them to our attention
just didn’t exist.”
Imagine,
Moore’s book expresses the wish that certain of Ellen White’s statements did
not exist, and goes beyond that heresy to say those who bring the quotes to our
attention just didn’t exist either! That is like the Jews wishing that the
“negative” sayings of the prophets of the Bible didn’t exist and that they
wished that those prophets did not exist as well!
Again,
Moore’s book interprets Ellen White in a manner that makes her appear to be a
foolish, self-contradictory and errant prophetess. How so? Because her counsel
in the Alpha of apostasy was clear: "`Take the young men and women, and place them where they will
come into as little contact with our churches as possible, that the low grade
of piety which is current in this day shall not leaven their ideas of what it
means to be a Christian'”(MR 995).
So the way Moore’s book
interprets the two statements, just take the positive and conclude that Ellen
White was errant in her MR 995 statement because in another statement she said
that we should never draw apart from those who believe the three angel’s
message. In the final analysis, Moore’s book is saying! Just take the
positive—what you want to believe about the church and what Ellen White says.
It is not necessary to follow Ellen White’s weight of evidence formula! Moore’s
book advises a method of interpreting that makes Ellen White’s statements
contradict one another. That is totally against her advice for arriving at the
truth and knowing you cannot be in error.
Weight of Evidence Formula: "1. Every word
must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible 2. All
Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by diligent application and study
3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in
faith, not wavering 4. To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures
together on the subject you wish to know, then let every word have its proper
influence and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot
be in error 5. Scripture must be its own expositor, [interpreter] since it is a
rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess
at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or
to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and
not the Bible." E.G. White, Second Advent Review and Herald, 11-25-84, pr. 24.
End Ron’s comment.
Moore’s Book cont:
“We sense strong tension
between these poles of truth for a good reason. On one hand Mrs. White speaks
of possible necessity for separation, but on the other hand she tells us to
settle within yourselves forever that there will be no drawing apart. This
tension is designed to prevent us from developing a blind confidence in the
institution of the church while, at the same time, preventing us from jumping
ship because everything on board is not in order. "If we take just one
side of truth, ignoring the other or use the one to diminish the other, we are
in just as much danger of deception sitting here in the true church as is the
separatist who clings to the other side of truth out there in his home church.
The wise will believe and accept both poles as true, permitting their unity to
lead them into a deeper level of understanding regarding the church and their
relationship to it."
Ron’s comments: Why speak of
the possibility of separation if such a thing would never be? That would be
redundant and foolish counsel by the Holy Spirit. Ellen White did not say there
will be no drawing apart. She said there will be no drawing apart from those
who believe the three angel’s messages.
Manifest unbelief in those messages is evinced
by disobedience to them. The writer is taking one side of the truth and
interpreting according the positive pole only without considering all the
evidence and interpreting so that nothing contradicts.
Ellen White Prophesied the Church Would Separate Itself From God’s Love
"Jesus sends HIS PEOPLE a message of warning to prepare them for his
coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing work in the great plan of
man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to
every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice,
Fear God, and give glory to him for the hour of his Judgment is come and
worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of
waters [Rev. 14:6, 7.].
The angel represented in prophecy as delivering
this message, symbolizes a
class of faithful men, who, obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit
and the teachings of his word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of
earth. This message was not to be
committed to the religious leaders of the people. They had failed to
preserve their connection with God, and had REFUSED THE LIGHT FROM HEAVEN
therefore they WERE NOT of the number described by the apostle Paul: 'But ye,
brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye
are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the
night nor of darkness' [1 Thess. 5:4, 5].
The watchmen
upon the walls of Zion should be the first to catch the tidings of the
Saviour's advent, the first to lift their voices to proclaim him near, the
first to warn the people to prepare for his coming. But they were at ease,
dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins. Jesus
saw HIS CHURCH, like the barren fig-tree, covered with pretentious
leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the
forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence and
faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to God--was lacking.
Instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride, formalism,
vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A
BACKSLIDING CHURCH closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did
nor forsake them, or suffer his faithfulness to fail but they departed from
him, and SEPARATED
THEMSELVES from his love. As they REFUSED TO COMPLY
WITH THE CONDITIONS, his promises were NOT FULFILLED to them."
E.G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, pp. 199-200 [The 1884 edition of The Great
Controversy, 199, 200].
Why Most Professing Seventh-day Adventists Don’t
Sigh and Cry for ALL the Abominations in the Church
I don’t
know who wrote the following piece that was posted to Adventist-fm forum by Gar
on July 9, 2010, but I know it was not Gar. He did not give proper credit to
the writer. But his item will serve to portray a prime errant reason why SDA’s
don’t sigh and cry for all the abominations.
-----
Original Message -----
From: Gar
To: Adventist-fm@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 11:23 AM
Subject: [Adventist-fm] Before Jesus Comes
“It is not a matter of
"optimism" on my part which constrains me to insist that the
organized Seventh-day Adventist Church will be purified of apostasy at the end
of time. Ellen White is unmistakably clear on this point. What is
especially remarkable about her statements on this issue is that she states
this purification will occur DESPITE the departure of the great majority of
church members. If she simply said the church would triumph, without giving
specifics, one might be able to say this was a conditional prophecy. But
when she writes so many times that the "great majority" will prove to
be base metal, and that this great majority will be purged "out of the
church" (4T 89; see also 2SM 380; GC 608; 20MR 320)), it is difficult to
see this as conditional. Because if we say the eventual triumph of the
church is conditional on obedience, the question invariably arises, Whose
obedience are we talking about? That of the majority?
Obviously not, since she already tells us the "great majority" are
going to be disobedient in the end, but that God will save his church anyway,
by sifting the disobedient out.
This misunderstanding regarding the nature of the
church and the eventual triumph of organized Adventism, has been one of the
most destructive forces among the striving faithful in the denomination.
The suggestion of far too many that official Adventism might
collapse and that the faithful had best direct their energies elsewhere, has
caused many otherwise salvageable situations in the church to go from bad to
worse. The faithful must ever bear in mind that according to Ezekiel 9,
the saints who are sealed are found "in the midst of Jerusalem,"
exactly where all the abominations are taking place. The sealing angel is
not told to go around the edge of the city and seal the little groups who have
separated because they can't stand the apostasy any longer. Rather, the
sealed saints and the abominations are found in the same place, and when the
sealing is over and the
slaughter of the faithless accomplished, the sealed saints are left INSIDE
Jerusalem. See also Zephaniah 3 for a more involved portrayal of this
event in Scripture.
Regarding Dan Jackson, his support for women's
ordination is clear. But it is equally clear that Elder Ted Wilson, our
new GC president, is the one calling the shots on key issues, not the
Division presidents. Consider how Jackson, only three days ago, held a
news conference in which he urged a more "tolerant" attitude toward
the La Sierra situation, then when the vote on six literal days of creation
took place on the floor, he instantly followed the president's lead by putting
in place a resolution that will make it untenable for theistic evolutionists
(like those at La Sierra) to
maintain their position. Jackson and the others are playing "follow
the leader," in other words. This vindicates what Ellen White says
so often about strong and godly leadership--that when leaders take a strong a
decisive stand for the right, even those who are weak and indecisive--even
wrong perhaps--will follow the right when a leader leads the way.” End Gar’s
post of someone else’s remarks.
So let’s examine Zephaniah 3 and the other chapters of
Zephaniah.
Zephaniah
3
1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! 2
She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the
LORD; she drew not near to her God. 3 Her princes within her are
roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have
polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. 5 The
just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth
he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no
shame. 6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I
made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so
that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. 7 I said,
Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling
should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and
corrupted all their doings. 8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the
LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to
gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine
indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with
the fire of my jealousy. 9 For then will I turn to the people a pure
language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with
one consent. 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants,
even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. 11 In
that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast
transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that
rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy
mountain. 12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor
people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. 13 The remnant
of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful
tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none
shall make them afraid. 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice
with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 The LORD hath taken away thy
judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is
in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. 16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to
Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. 17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over
thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. 18
I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee,
to whom the reproach of it was a burden. 19 Behold, at that time I
will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather
her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land
where they have been put to shame. 20 At that time will I bring you
again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a
praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before
your eyes, saith the LORD. Zephaniah 3.
Proper
Assessment and Interpretation of Zephaniah 3
Let’s compare Zephaniah 3 with Isaiah 62 to
find out more about the Bible players—Jerusalem and Zion. In Isaiah 62, it
speaks of Jerusalem and Zion. In verse 5, Zion is married. She is the bride of
Christ.
Isaiah
62
1 For Zion's sake will I not
hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake
I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the
salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the Gentiles shall
see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a
new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. 3 Thou shalt also
be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of
thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy
land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy
land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young
man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom
rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. 6 I
have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their
peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 7
And give him no rest, till he establish, and till
he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. 8 The LORD hath sworn by his right
hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be
meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine,
for the which thou hast laboured: 9 But they that have gathered it
shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall
drink it in the courts of my holiness. 10 Go through, go through the
gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather
out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. 11 Behold, the
LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his
reward is with him, and his work before him. 12 And they shall call
them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called,
Sought out, A city not forsaken.
Isaiah 4:1-4 can be easily misunderstood just
as the writer of Gar’s post misunderstood Zephaniah 3 if one does not know the
players in the Bible.
Isaiah 4
1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We
will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy
name, to take away our reproach. 2 In that day shall the branch of
the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be
excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. 3 And it
shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in
Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the
living in Jerusalem: 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the
filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem
from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion,
and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming
fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6 And
there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for
a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” Isaiah 4:1-6.
One might think that Isaiah means we must
remain in Zion and Jerusalem to be holy. But we know that the faithful Jews did
not remain there. There were two headquarters in Jerusalem—that of the
disciples and the apostate Temple. God washed away the filth and blood by
burning up the murderous city, Matthew 22:7, which is the same event as Ezekiel
9:6. The faithful remained in true Zion and true Jerusalem, the home churches
established by the disciples from A.D. 34 and on. This is further proven by the
fact that the same author, Isaiah, says this in Isaiah 37:
31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah
shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: 32 For out of
Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the
zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. Isaiah 37:31, 32.
Isaiah
does not contradict himself. As the dross (bad) were gathered into the midsts
of Jerusalem for burning and melting, Ezekiel 22:17-31, the good were gathered
out to escape that Ezekiel 9 “cleansing.” That is the only way apostate
Jerusalem is cleansed—by slaughter of its Temple and city proper.
The
writer of Gar’s piece directly contradicts God’s Word in saying that apostate
Jerusalem will be cleansed at the end-time:
23 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24
Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained
upon in the day of indignation. Ezekiel 22:23.
The
day of indignation is at the end-time, Rev. 14:10-12.
Important
Conclusions:
·
Zion is the bride of Christ—the church triumphant.
·
The disciples were called the bride in Desire of Ages, 179. The bride is the 144,000 as compared to the
guests who are not translated without seeing death.
·
Jerusalem is the daughter of Zion, verse 11. She represents the
guests at the wedding feast. If guests they cannot be the bride and if the
bride they cannot be the guests, The
Great Controversy, p. 426.
·
Jerusalem is the wise virgins. The bride is distinguished from the
ten virgins she awakens, Christ’s Object
Lessons, pp. 405-406. It is the voice of God and the voice of the bride
that awakens all ten virgins. All those virgins slumbered and slept, Matthew
25.
·
Zephaniah 3 in referring to Jerusalem and Zion, verse 16, is
referring to the church triumphant—the bride Zion, and the guests, true
Jerusalem, the wise virgins who heed Zion’s Midnight Cry call, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 406.
Lest we misinterpret Zephaniah 3, let’s look
at Zephaniah 1:12, 13. These verses refer to apostate Jerusalem, the Laodicean
Jerusalem faction that teaches that the Lord will not do good, neither will he
do evil, the peace and safety faction.
12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will
search Jerusalem with candles, and
punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will
not do good, neither will he do evil. 13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their
houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and
they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.
Begin at My Sanctuary -- "Here we see that the
church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of
God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood
as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their
trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the
marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed.
These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit
His people in judgment. Thus 'Peace and safety" is the cry from men who
will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions
and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the
ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little
children all perish together." E. G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.
According to Zephaniah 2, the faithful of true Zion
and true Jerusalem gather themselves together before the decree of the
abomination of desolation is brought forth, just like the disciples gathered
out the faithful from apostate Jerusalem from A.D. 34-66, at which time they
all fled to Pella before the decree of the abomination of desolation, Rome, was
brought forth against the Jews. When is the day that passes as the chaff? The
National Sunday law apostasy, Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 81. Here is the
statement below my initial comments, for your convenience.
The following statement portrays that there will be
a final separation of the gold from the dross, the wheat from the
tares, at the Sunday Law. That will be the final test. This is speaking of the
Sabbath test coming to “EVERY SOUL.” This is the test of the Sabbath, not the
test of separation from apostasy. How do we know this for sure?
· Ellen White parallels the
Sunday Law to the ascension of the Roman army upon Jewish soil (considered by
the Jews as the abomination of desolation) in A.D. 66, with the Sunday Law, Testimonies,
Vol. 5, 451, 464.
· The disciples had been
gathering out the faithful Jews from the apostate Temple (apostate thorns)
since A.D. 34, 32 years prior.
· It is impossible for the wheat
to mature amongst thorns says Scripture, for the thorns will choke out and kill
the wheat. Thus, true Christians have had to separate from apostates in every
succeeding generation since Christ. Desire of Ages, 232.
If
tares (dross) were the same as gross apostates, the disciples should have let
the wheat dwell with the tares (dross) until A.D. 66, when the parallel to the
end-time Sunday Law occurred, namely the ascension of Roman soldiers under the
General Cestius Gallus, upon Jewish soil so many furlongs from the Temple.
“And the Saviour warned His followers: "When ye
therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the
prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let
them which be in Judea flee into the mountains." Matthew 24:15, 16; Luke
21:20, 21. When the idolatrous standards of
the Romans should be set up in the holy ground, which extended some furlongs
outside the city walls, then the followers of Christ were to find safety in
flight. When the warning sign should be
seen, those who would escape must make no delay. Throughout the land of Judea,
as well as in Jerusalem itself, the signal for flight must be immediately
obeyed. He who chanced to be upon the housetop must not go down into his house,
even to save his most valued treasures. Those who were working in the fields or
vineyards must not take time to return for the outer garment laid aside while
they should be toiling in the heat of the day. They
must not hesitate a moment, lest they be involved in the general destruction.
In the reign of Herod,
Jerusalem had not only been greatly beautified, but by the erection of towers,
walls, and fortresses, adding to the natural strength of its situation, it had
been rendered apparently impregnable. He who would at this time have foretold
publicly its destruction, would, like Noah in his day, have been called a
crazed alarmist. But Christ had said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away." Matthew 24:35. Because of her sins,
wrath had been denounced against Jerusalem, and her stubborn unbelief rendered
her doom certain.
The Lord had declared by the
prophet Micah: "Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and
princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with
iniquity. The heads thereof judge for
reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine
for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us?
none evil can come upon us." Micah 3:9-11.
27
These words faithfully
described the corrupt and self-righteous inhabitants of Jerusalem. While claiming to observe rigidly the precepts of God's
law, they were transgressing all its principles.” The Great Controversy, pp.
26, 27.
· Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 81, is
the last time for SDA’s to learn of the apostasy and take their leave of the
apostate new movement before it is destroyed in a literal Ezekiel 9 slaughter,
beginning at His Sanctuary, the House of Jacob, those who have been privileged
with great light. Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211. It is self-evident that the
following statement applies to the final separation of the faithful from all
churches by the second sentence and the words “every soul” in the second paragraph.
81
“There are precious ones now hidden who have not
bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated
blaze upon you [SDA’S]. But it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure
brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed. In the day time
we look toward heaven but do not see the stars. They are there, fixed in the
firmament, but the eye cannot distinguish them. In the night we behold their
genuine luster. {5T 80.1}
The time
is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those
who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly
customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather
than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and
death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of
men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True
godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it.
Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in
darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places
where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the
sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness, will appear in the
shame of their own nakedness. {5T 81.1}
When
trees without fruit are cut down as cumberers of the ground, when multitudes of
false brethren are distinguished from the true, then the hidden ones will be
revealed to view, and with hosannas range under the banner of Christ. Those who
have been timid and self-distrustful will declare themselves openly for Christ
and His truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church will be as
David--willing to do and dare. The deeper the night for God's people, the more
brilliant the stars. Satan will sorely harass the faithful;” Testimonies,
Vol. 5, p. 81.
Zephaniah 2
1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not
desired; 2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the
fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD's anger come
upon you. 3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have
wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be
hid in the day of the LORD's anger. 4 For Gaza shall be forsaken,
and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and
Ekron shall be rooted up. 5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea
coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O
Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall
be no inhabitant. 6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and
cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast shall
be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the
houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God
shall visit them, and turn away their captivity. 8 I have heard the
reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have
reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 9
Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab
shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of
nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people
shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 10
This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and
magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. 11 The
LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth;
and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the
heathen. 12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. 13
And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and
will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. 14 And
flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both
the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their
voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he
shall uncover the cedar work. 15 This is the rejoicing city that
dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me:
how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one
that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Conclusions
· Whoever wrote
the piece posted by Gar, simply does not know his Bible players as regards true
Zion and true Jerusalem, versus apostate Jerusalem.
· One prime
reason nominal, Laodicean SDA’s don’t sigh and cry for the abominations, the
very condition of their sealing, is because they errantly believe that all the
bad are purged from the church militant. Rather, the bad are purged from the
kingdom of heaven church by the bride and those who assist her in giving the
final Midnight Cry, Loud Cry, to come out of Babylon—all fallen churches and
the world.
· Laodiceans like
the writer of Gar’s post errantly teach that one must remain in apostate
Jerusalem to be sealed. All one has to do is look at what happened in the last
literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 from A.D. 27-70. Not a single person was ever
sealed in the apostate Temple church. Rather, the faithful were sealed by
gathering together out of that church. That was the seal of the man in Linen
and the disciples performed the mission of gathering out the faithful into home
churches from A.D. 34 and on.
· The general
attitude is: If God is going to right every wrong of the church militant, why
sigh and cry for all its abominations?
When
Matters Need Adjusting at Headquarters
Another prime reason Laodicean SDA’s do not
sigh and cry for all the abominations in and of the church is because of a
wrong interpretation of the following statement by Ellen White:
"There is no need to doubt, to be fearful that
the work will not succeed. God is at the head of the work, and He will set
everything in order. If maters need adjusting at the head of the work, God will
attend to that, and work to right every wrong. Let us have faith that God is
going to carry the noble ship which bears the people of God safely into port."
E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 2, 390.
The above statement refers to minor matters (adjustments) that need attention.
Every wrong of the church militant will not be righted! If He did, Ezekiel 9
slaughter would not BEGIN AT HIS SANCTUARY. Nor is the apostate church militant
the noble ship which bear the people of God safely into port. True Zion, the
bride, the 144,000, and True Jerusalem, Zion’s daughter, the guests at the
wedding, GC, pp. 426-427, is the noble ship.
In the event of apostasy, God gave us an example of
how He rights the wrong of such abominations in the history of apostate Israel.
He removed the faithful and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their temple
and their city. Matthew 22:7, which is the same event as Ezekiel 9:6.
Ellen White gave the following qualifications as to
when and how God deals with the “regular lines,” headquarters, when mere
adjustments need to be made. Abominable apostasy involves far more than mere
adjustments. Here is the rest of the story on how God makes mere adjustments at
headquarters:
Regular lines -
“So often the same old difficulties arise and are presented in regard to
disturbing the ‘regular lines.’ But God will work in some way to make His
people understand that THE REGULAR LINES HAVE BECOME FULL OF IRREGULAR
PRACTICES…God alone can make men understand that working on REGULAR LINES has
led to IRREGULAR PRACTICES. God alone
can make men’s minds as they should be. The
time has come when we should hear less in favor of the REGULAR LINES. If we can GET AWAY FROM THE REGULAR LINES
into something which, THOUGH IRREGULAR, IS AFTER GOD’S ORDER, it may cut away
something of the IRREGULAR WORKING which has led away from Bible
principles.” E.G. White, Manuscript
Release, #1450,
p. 3, 4, 1901.
“When we see the regular lines are altered and
purified and refined, and the God of the heavens mold is upon the regular
lines, then it is our business to
establish the regular lines.” E.G.
White, Spaulding-Magan
Collection, p. 162-168.
We establish by our support.
“The present showing is sufficient to prove to all
who have the true missionary spirit that the regular lines [organization] may
prove to be a failure.” E.G. White, Spaulding-Magan
Collection, p. 175. Written to Brother Daniels, June 28,
1901.
And the regular lines have proven to be a
failure.
“The regular lines had need to be broken as a
potter’s vessel is broken, and reconstructed.” Ms.
29, 1903. pp. 1, 3 (General
Manuscript, The Southern Work, undated).
"There are
fearful woes for those who preach the truth, but are not sanctified by it, and
also for those who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified to minister
to them in word and doctrine."
Testimonies, vol. 1, p 261-62
If
you pay your sacred tithe and offerings to any church that embraces two or more
gospels, forms liaisons with Babylon, teaches an antichrist position on the
Godhead and the human nature of Christ, which sweeps away the entire Christian
economy, then you lend support to "another gospel," a false gospel.
Is this "doing what you can to
correct the evil"?
Tithe
“Clearly, plainly, earnestly, tell them how
thousands of men and women are using God's money to corrupt themselves and to
make this world a hell. Millions of dollars are spent for that which makes
men mad. Present this matter so clearly that its force cannot but be seen. Then
tell your hearers of the Saviour, who came to this world to save men and women
from all sinful practices. "God so loved the world, that He gave His
only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life." Evangelism,
p. 530.
Tithe Chap. 191 - The Gift God Accepts
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give
into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again. Luke 6:38. {OHC 197.1}
I
maintain that if the church members had been awake and withdrawn their
financial support from the leaders after the apostasy of the 1950’s, the
leaders might have altered their course. But it is too late now, for the church
has committed unpardonable sin apostasy, that we are not even to pray for. It
has crossed God’s line in the sand—conspiratorial confederacy with His
enemies—the world and Babylon per liaison with the fallen churches.
Other Ship Statements the Positive Pole
People Wish Ellen White had never Mentioned
Here
are some more statements that men like Leroy Moore wish Ellen White had never
stated and that men like me did not exist to enumerate:
Which Ship
Defective Ship: We can know that if a ship has
false teaching it will not survive the rigors of the ocean of strife and
turmoil: "You have had too great confidence in the ability of these men. A
ship may be sound in nearly every respect but if there is one defect,--a bit of
timber worm-eaten,--the lives of all on board are imperiled." E.G. White,
Testimonies, vol. 4, 322.
Ship Drifting at Sea Without Chart or Compass:
"The facts concerning the real condition of the professed people of God,
speak more loudly than their profession, and make it evident that some power
has cut the cable that anchored them to the Eternal Rock, and that they are
drifting away to sea, without chart or compass." E.G. White, Selected
Messages, vol. 2, p. 128, (Review and Herald, Vol. 2, p. 231). (Also see
Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 348).
"The
people to whom God has entrusted eternal interests, the depositaries of truth
pregnant with eternal results, the keepers of light that is to illuminate the
whole world, have lost their bearings." Testimonies to Ministers, p. 397.
"Every ship sailing the sea of life needs to
have the divine Pilot on board but when storms arise, when tempests threaten,
many persons push their Pilot overboard, and commit their bark into the hand of
finite man, or try to steer it themselves. Then disaster and wreckage generally
follow, and the Pilot is blamed for running them into such dangerous
waters." E.G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 348.
Is the Pilot on board the SDA New Movement, New
Organization Ship described in Selected Messages, vol. 1, 204-5? Page
205 says He [God] has been removed!
Noble Ship #1: "I lately read of a NOBLE SHIP
that was plowing its way across the sea, when at midnight, with a terrific
crash, it struck upon a rock the passengers were awakened only to see with
horror their hopeless condition, and with the ship they sank to rise no more.
The MAN AT THE HELM [VERSUS CHRIST] had mistaken the beacon light, and hundreds
of souls were at a moment's warning launched into eternity." E.G. White, Selected
Messages, vol. 2, 128.
Noble Ship #2: "There is no need to doubt, to
be fearful that the work will not succeed. God is at the head of the work, and
He will set everything in order. If maters need adjusting at the head of the
work, God will attend to that, and work to right every wrong. Let us have faith
that God is going to carry the noble ship which bears the people of God safely into
port." E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 2, 390.
Immediately preceding the above statement is the
admonition:
"We cannot now step off the foundation that
God has established. We cannot now enter into any new organization for this
would mean apostasy from the truth.--Manuscript 1290, 1905. Selected
Messages, vol. 2, 390.
In light of all the statements involving a ship, we
must interpret them all so that none contradict. The best way to achieve this
goal is to look for qualifying words. In the above statement the qualifying
words are NOBLE SHIP and THE PEOPLE OF GOD. Who are the people of God? Those
who keep His commandments and heed the Laodicean message.
Change Leaders
and Know it Not
Change Leaders: "There is manifested on the
part of men in responsible positions an unwillingness to confess where they
have been in the wrong and their neglect is working disaster, not only to
themselves, but to the churches....You will be left to make mistakes of a
similar character, you will continue to lack wisdom, and will can sin
righteousness and righteousness sin. The multitude of deceptions that will
prevail in these last days will encircle you, and you will change leaders, and
not know that you have done so." E.G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 2,
448.
Change Leaders: "Men in positions of
responsibility are in danger of changing leaders. This I know, for it has been
plainly revealed to me." E.G. White, Series B, #2, p. 48.
Change Leaders: "Men who might have stood in
clear light, doing valiant service as ministers of the gospel and medical
missionaries, have been accepting false theories and sophistries which
originated with the father of lies, and yet they do not realize that they have
changed." E.G. White, Special Testimonies, Series B, #7, p. 13-16, November
20, 1905.
Change Leaders: "Satan will set up his hellish
banner right in your homes, and you will be so blinded to the real nature of
his deceptions that you reverence it as the banner of Christ." E.G. White,
The 1888 Materials, p. 505.
Change Leaders: "They will not recognize him
[Satan] as their enemy, that old serpent, but they will consider him a FRIEND,
one who is doing a good work." Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 294.
Change Leaders: Satan has laid his plans to
undermine our faith in the history of the cause and work of God. I am deeply in
earnest as I write this. Satan is working with men in prominent positions to
sweep away the foundation of our faith. Shall we allow this to be done,
brethren?" E.G. White, Review and Herald, Nov. 19, 1903.
Note: The foundation of our faith involves pillar
doctrines, and Newell Hammond says this is not now, was not and never will be a
problem. Again, Ellen White refutes such foolhardy error.
Change Leaders if Mistakes are not Admitted and
Changed: "If when the Lord reveals your errors you do not repent or make
confession, his providence will bring you over the ground again and again. You
will be left to make mistakes of a similar character, you will continue to lack
wisdom, and will call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. The multitude
of deceptions that will prevail in these last days will encircle you, and you
will CHANGE LEADERS, AND NOT KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE SO." E.G. White, Review and Herald,
vol. 2, p. 449.
Change Leaders: "Satan has COME IN with his
specious temptations, and has led the professed followers of Christ away from
the [PILOT] Leader (Christ), classing them with the foolish virgins." Testimonies to Ministers, p. 130.
Change Leaders: "Refusing to follow in the
path of obedience, they transferred their allegiance to Satan. The enemy
rejoiced in his success in effacing the divine image from the minds of the
people that God had chosen as His representatives. Through [ECUMENICAL]
intermarriage with idolaters and CONSTANT ASSOCIATION WITH THEM [Isa. 8:9-20],
Satan brought about that for which he had long been working,--a national
apostasy." Fundamentals to Christian
Education, p. 449.
Change Leaders: "The recreant priests added
licentiousness to the dark catalogue of their crimes yet they still polluted by
their presence the tabernacle of the Lord, and, laden with sin, dared to come
into the presence of a holy God. As the men of Israel witnessed the corrupt
course of the priests, they thought it safer for their families not to come up
to the appointed place of worship. Many went from Shiloh with their peace
disturbed, their indignation aroused, until they at last determined to offer
their sacrifices themselves, concluding that this would be fully as acceptable
to God, as to sanction in any manner the abominations practiced in the
Sanctuary." E.G. White, The Signs of the Times, Vol. 1, p. 264, col. 3, December 1, 1881.
DOES
GOD HOLD US RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SINS OF THE CONFERENCE?
If
we blindly support the conference no matter what sins it commits, does God hold
us responsible for the sins we know are taking place at the head of the work or
at the local level? Mrs. White tells us we are not to vote for
politicians, as we will be held accountable for the sins they commit while in
office. Wouldn’t supporting the conference no matter what it does be the
same thing as far as supporting their apostasy is concerned (not their personal
sins)? If we support a ministry we know is sinning against God, He will
hold us responsible for those sins (Jer. 26:15), as we have chosen to
"vote" for apostasy.
The
sin of Achan, and the sins of Hophni and Phinehas [Story of Redemption, p. 183-193] which caused 34,000 men to die and
the Ark to be taken from the Israelites, is a further example of sinful
leaders causing the destruction of those in the camp. Purity must
be found in the organization we support, and most of all, among the
leadership! These leaders would like you to believe they can do
anything, drive the church off the cliff of perdition, and we are to stand back
and say nothing since they are behind the wheel of the church.
I
have heard many conference leaders, even the leader of the independent ministry
Amazing Facts, tell us that we are not to criticize the church. Many will
liken this criticism to criticizing fellow church members, but that is
incorrect. The word of God tells us we are supposed to stand up against
error and demand purity in the church. "Cry aloud, spare not,
lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and
the house of Jacob their sins." Isaiah 58:1 God is telling
us to protest the rebellion we see in the church. If we do not, we are
condoning sin and pleasing the devil. How can sins be corrected or
addressed if no one says anything? We have every right to demand purity
in the church, as that is God's desire.
We are to Repudiate the Abominations of the
Omega Apostate New Movement
"The enemy of souls has sought to bring
in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day
Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines
which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of
reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The
principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church,
would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles
that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as
error. A NEW ORGANIZATION would be established. Books of a new order would be
written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders
of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath
of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing
would be allowed to stand in the way of the NEW MOVEMENT. The leaders would
teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place
their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their
foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away
the structure.
WHO HAS AUTHORITY TO BEGIN SUCH A [NEW] MOVEMENT?
We have our Bibles.
We have our experience, attested to by the
miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no
compromise. Shall
we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth?” E.G. White, Selected
Messages, Vol. 1, 204-205.
—rwb