The
Wheat Separated From the Dross at the National Sunday Law
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the
tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of
harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and
bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew
13:29, 30.
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Dear Reader, According to the way most
professing Seventh-day Adventists interpret Matthew 13:29, 30, (cited in the
heading), there should not have been ONE SEPARATION since Matthew 13 was
written! Why? Because Adventists do not understand the
conditions under which the Word demands separation. They view open sin apostasy as mere tares. If open sin apostasy is no worse than
tares, then we must all return to Rome as quickly as we can because the tares
dwell together with the wheat until the harvest, and there is still wheat
(sincere Christians) dwelling in Rome! Some Adventists conclude that
because there is wheat in the apostate church, we should remain as long as
there is wheat there. We need to
discover that apostasy is classed in Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy as
THORNS, not TARES. We need to investigate the claim by some well meaning Seventh-day
Adventists, that the wheat can mature among THORNS, open sinning apostates
for if they are right, then all who have separated from the SDA church are
errant and should return to that sheepfold. Many professing Seventh-day Adventists,
believe that according to Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 81, we are not to leave the
church until the National Sunday Law, and/or that the bad will be shaken out
of the professing Seventh-day Adventist church militant at that time, leaving
it the purged and purified SDA church triumphant. At the time of the National Sunday Law,
the gold will be separated from the dross in all churches. That is the
context of the statement in Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 81. Follow closely. I will review
the qualifying words on the page for you and others. Point 1--Context established by the
first paragraph on the page: "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." Ellen White is speaking of
non-Adventists, those who have not had the light which has shone on
Seventh-day Adventist. Point 2--"The time is not far
distant when the test will come to EVERY SOUL." Here Ellen White includes EVERY
SOUL. The Sunday Law is the time when EVERY SOUL in EVERY CHURCH will
be separated either into the camp of the wheat or the camp of the dross. Point 3--"In this
time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church." Ellen White is not speaking of the SDA
church particularly. She is speaking of all churches in general which is
attested by the first paragraph and the words EVERY SOUL in the second
paragraph. There are wheat and tares, gold and dross in all churches
right now--even in SDA home churches, and amongst the most faithful of true
reformers. In the time of the National Sunday Law, the tares, the
dross, will be separated from all churches. But dear friend, that has nothing to do
with our responsibility for separating from open sin apostasy. Tares are not
open sinners. We cannot join OPEN SINNERS who have removed God. It is
impossible to unite with OPEN SINNERS and remain pure. It is IMPOSSIBLE
for the wheat to mature amongst open sinners. That is why there is
always to be separation from OPEN SINNERS. Tares are insincere believers
whose motives we would have to judge in order to remove them. We are
not to judge motives. Therefore, the wheat and tares dwell togather until the Sunday
Law. But we are NEVER to dwell together with open sinners—thorns. Wheat can develop amongst tares: The messages given to the churches in Asia, portray the state of things
existing in the churches of the religious world today. The names of the
churches are symbolic of the Christian church in different periods of the
Christian era the number of the churches--SEVEN--indicates completeness and
is symbolic of the fact that the messages extend to the end of time, and are
enforced today while the figures used are symbolic of the state of God's
professed people,--the
wheat developing among the tares; truth standing on its own eternal basis in contrast with error.
Ms 81, 1900, pp. 17, 18. ("Solomon's
Reign," 1900.) {1MR 372.2} We can deduce from the following
statement that open sin is different from tares because persistent open
sinners are to be separated from the church, but tares are not open sinners
because they dwell with the wheat until the harvest, the end of the
world. "Christ has plainly taught that those who
persist in open sin must be separated from the church, but He has not committed to us the
work of judging character and motive. He knows our nature too well to entrust
this work to us. Should we try to uproot from the church those whom we
suppose to be spurious Christians, we should be sure to make mistakes. Often
we regard as hopeless subjects the very ones whom Christ is drawing to
Himself. Were we to deal with these souls according to our imperfect
judgment, it would perhaps extinguish their last hope. Many who think
themselves Christians will at last be found wanting. Many will be in heaven
who their neighbors supposed would never enter there. Man judges from
appearance, but God judges the heart. The tares and the wheat are to grow together until the
harvest; and the harvest is the end of probationary time. {COL 71.3, 72} So what are tares? 1. Tare ARE NOT open sinners? 2. Wheat can grow to maturity among tares. 3. We would have to judge the motives
of tares in order to uproot them. 4. We don't have to judge motives to
see open sin. It is apparent. 5. Tare and wheat grow together until the
harvest. 6. Open sin is to be separated from the
church. 7. If and WHEN the church will not remove
open sinners, we must leave the church. Can wheat develop and mature among
THORNS, open sinners? "Thorns sprung up.--The thorns made it impossible for the
wheat to mature (see Luke 8:14). In the same way secular interest prevent
the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) from reaching maturity. Religion is relegated to the
subordinate position of being only one interest among many. For lack of
cultivation it withers and eventually dies. That which the thorny-ground
hearers lack is a moral transformation (COL 50). To them, justification is the sum and
substance of religion, and they fail to realize that the Christian life
consists essentially in the process known as sanctification--the process by
which evil traits and tendencies are replaced by the perfect life-pattern of
Jesus Christ." SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, 405. Characteristics of the Thorns: 1. Thorns make it impossible for the what to mature. 2. Religion is relegated to the subordinate
by the thorns. 3. Thorns are thorny-ground hearers. 4. They lack and do not teach moral
transformation. 5. To the thorns, justification is the sum
and substance of religion. They focus on forensic justification, and
relegate sanctification as being subordinate. 6. The thorns do not believe that evil
traits and tendencies can be replaced by the perfect life-patter of Jesus
Christ. 7. Thorns choke out the wheat and so
discourage them that it is impossible for the wheat to mature among thorns. Luk 8:14 And
that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go
forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and
bring no fruit to perfection. Mat 13:7 And
some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked
them: Mat 13:22 He
also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word;
and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word,
and he becometh
unfruitful. Mat 7:16 Ye
shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or
figs of thistles? Mar 4:7 And
some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it,
and it yielded no fruit. Isa 34:13
And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the
fortresses thereof: and it shall be an
habitation of dragons, [and] a court for owls. Jer 4:3 For
thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow
ground, and sow not among thorns. "It is our work to know our special
failings and sins, which cause darkness and spiritual feebleness, and
quenched our first love...Is it the sin of the Nicolaitans, turning the grace
of God into lasciviousness? There will be apostasies. But 'nevertheless the
foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his.' There will be those who are evil, who hold
the truth in unrighteousness...who
are controlled by the master-worker in all evil, who will have to be
separated from the church." E.G. White, Advent
Review and Sabbath Herald, 06-07-1887, pr. 16. The apostates should be separated from
the church. But in the Omega, they are the leaders of the New
Movement. The Celebration DVD proves that it is SDA North American Divisiaon Leaders who are
sponsoring the "strange fire" Celebration movememtn. They cannot be separated from the
church because they are the leaders of the New Movement. That is why
God's true people have to leave these THORNS, open sinners. "It is necessary to be diligent,
lest thorns find their way into the soil of the heart, and the precious
plants of heavenly origin be crowded out; for they cannot grow in the heart
together. Christ says, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Those who
attempt it bring no fruit to perfection. There are those who attempt to serve
two masters. They take the precious promises of God to themselves, but refuse
to comply with the conditions on which the promises are given. They are not
doers of the words of Christ, laboring together with God. In heart and in
practice they are of the world, and yet they make a profession of godliness.
Brain and muscle are devoted to the acquirement of property or position, as
though the gaining of these temporal things would give them a passport into
heaven. But it is not learning, position, or wealth, that commends a man to
God. The psalmist says, "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt
not despise." Many who profess to be Christians know not what it is to
give up their all for Christ, who paid an infinite price for the redemption
of the lost. {RH, June 21, 1892 par. 5} In the above statement, Ellen White is
speaking of the affect of thorns in the personal experience, but the same
principle works in the church. That is why there have been many
separations from thorn iniquity since Christ's withdrawal from the prevailing
apostasy of His day. Christ could have routed the apostate leaders of
His day from the organization. But He does not force anything.
Rather, He left: "Christ was a protestant...The
Reformers date back to Christ and the apostles. They came out and separated
themselves from a religion of forms and ceremonies. Luther and his followers
did not invent the reformed religion. They simply accepted it as presented by
Christ and the apostles." E.G. White, Review and Herald, vol. 2, 48, col. 2.
"The Sanhedrin had rejected
Christ's message and was bent upon His death therefore Jesus departed from
Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people
who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim
His message, and to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all
nations. As the light and life of men was
rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has
been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of
Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached
the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the
established church but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light,
and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing
for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are
actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready
to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow
in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they
love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many
times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to
leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience." E.G.
White, Desire of Ages, 232. Paul left: "And as they persisted in their
rejection of the gospel the apostle (Paul) went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space for three
months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way
before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples,
disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus." Acts,
19:8, 9. "Fearing that the faith of the
believers would be endangered by continued association with these opposers of
the truth, Paul separated from them, and gathered the disciples into a
distinct body." E.G. White, Acts
of the Apostles, p. 286. "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.
Faithful Jews left in the days of
Shiloh. Jesus left the apostate organization of His day. Paul left.
Protestants left apostate Rome in the Reformation. SDA's left the apostate
churches in 1844. Why? Because the wheat cannot
mature amongst open sinning thorns. SEPARATION FROM OPEN SINNERS IS NOT AN
OPTION! IT IS AN ABSOLUTE DUTY AND CONDITION OF BEING SAVED. Proof of the condition? Sure, the first and second
angel's message and God's admonitions to come out and be separate from open
sin apostasy. "It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite
with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15
quoted). God and Christ and the heavenly host would have men know that if he
unites with the corrupt he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review
and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 137. 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light
with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? for ye
are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty. II Corinthians 14:-18. "Any
connection with infidels and UNBELIEVERS which would identify us with them is
FORBIDDEN by the word. We are to come out from them and be separate. in no case are we to link
ourselves with them in their plans or work." E. G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education,
482. Are THORNS believers? Not according to God! Not according to Ellen White! Not according to the SDA Bible Commentary! It is the THORNS in the SDA New Movement
Church who are teaching the false gospel that all that is required for
salvation is forensic justification and that sanctification this side of
glorification is IMPOSSIBLE. We are
not to member with ANY, even an angel, who comes with ANOTHER GOSPEL. Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now
again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed. Do you think Jesus would approve of
joining and supporting any New Movement that was teaching another false gospel? He told us through Paul to accurse such. Again: "It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite
with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15
quoted). God and Christ and the heavenly host would have men know that if he
unites with the corrupt he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review
and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 137. This statement is also foolish,
superfluous and redundant, if we cannot judge what Ellen White brands as
corrupt. If judging corruptness is only idle and ill conceived criticism,
based on focusing on mere flaws, defects and weaknesses, then we should have
remained with Rome and/or with her fallen daughtter churches, and Jesus should have remained
in the apostate Jewish organization. Those who do not understand the
difference between tares and thorns are not to be relied upon for teaching
the truth to God's people. The same is
true for those who believe that the bad (the dross, the tares) leave the SDA
church militant to leave it the purged and purified church militant. That is not true. The angel of Ezekeil 9 searches all of professing Jerusalem,
the church militant, and places a mark on all who are sighing and crying for
the abominations in the church. Then
the men with the slaughter weapons go forth and slay, just as in the prefigure of A.D. 70. According to Ezekiel
22:17-31, the bad (dross and tares) are shaken into the midsts of the
church militant and burned.
That is precisely what occurred in what Ellen White, The Great Controversy, p. 25, referred
to as a prefigure, which begins at His church, His Sanctuary, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211. The SDA Church Triumphant is the Church
That Shakes the Wheat From the Tares. Who Does That? Are The Bad Shaken From the Church Militant? "I then saw the THIRD ANGEL. Said my accompanying angel, 'Fearful is his work. Awful is
his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares, and
seal, or bind, the wheat for the heavenly garner." E.G.
White, Early Writings, 118. Who is
the THRID ANGEL? "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." E.. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 199,
200. There
is your proof that the bad are shaken from the SDA church triumphant, by
faithful (triumphant) men. This is
proven in Ezekiel 20:34-38, Ezekiel 22:17-31, Matthew 13:47-30, and Hebrews
12:22, 23. There would be no need to begin at His
church, His Sanctuary, if all the bad were shaken out. The bad are shaken out of the church
triumphant by their shaking message. God bless all who are interested in
meeting His conditions, Ron |