There has been a Church Triumphant
On Earth in Every
Succeeding Generation
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Yesterday,
February 24, 2010, a certain Mr. Marko, from Switzerland, called a backer of
min in Romania, George Jordache, to tell him that I was errant in teaching
that there is a church triumphant on earth in every generation. George typed
out the phone conversation and I responded to it in this document: https://omega77.tripod.com/markoresponse1.htm However,
early this a.m. (the 25th), the Lord prompted me that I had
omitted an important piece of evidence, to wit: "Characteristics
of True Reformers.--Here are given the characteristics of those who shall be
reformers, who will bear the banner of the third angel's message, those who
avow themselves God's commandment-keeping people, and who honor God, and are
earnestly engaged, in the sight of all the universe, in building up the old
waste places. Who is it
that calls them, The
repairers of the breach, The restorers of paths to dwell in? It is God. Their
names are registered [written--Heb.
12:22, 23] in heaven as reformers, restorers, as raising the foundations
of many generations." E.
G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1151. True Reformers Constituting the
Church Triumphant in Every Generation These true reformers have been
present in every succeeding generation as earthly representatives of the
heavenly Sion (Zion) of Heb. 12:22, 23. They are registered in the heavenly
church of Sion. It is they who cooperate with angels to come to the aid of
God’s people in all churches if they will receive that aid. "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, p. 232. September
8, 1903 Power from Above “As the end draws
near, the work of God is to increase in strength and purity and holiness. The
workers are to be filled with love for God and for one another. They are to
cherish principles of strictest integrity. When the true keynote is struck,
God will reveal himself as the God of mercy and love. Angels of heaven
will ascend and descend the ladder of shining brightness, to co-operate with human workers. {SW,
September 8, 1903 par. 1} Mr. Marko cited the above statement to prove I was errant in
my interpretation of the following statement. He said that members of the
church triumphant are only those who are in heaven and that there is no
church triumphant on earth. But we see that angels of heaven co-operate with faithful,
true reformer human workers on earth, and that indeed it is these human
workers on earth that constitute the church triumphant. There is always a
church triumphant on earth known as true reformers. And these true reformers
have been present in every succeeding generation which we witness in Desire of Ages, p. 232, (quoted
above). “The members of the
church triumphant,--the church in heaven--will be permitted to draw near to the
members of the church militant, to aid them in their necessity. Let us ever
remember that we are laborers together with God. In this heavenly
union we shall carry forward his work with
completeness, with singing and rejoicing. In every
soul will be kindled the fire of holy zeal. Company after company will leave
the dark standard of the foe, to come up to the help of the Lord, to the help
of the Lord against the mighty.” {SW, September 8, 1903 par. 2} In the heavenly union between the church (Sion) in heaven, and
angels, we will carry forward God’s work to completeness singing the song of
victory that only the 144,000 sing. “God's workers must
gain a far deeper experience. If they will surrender all to him, he will work
mightily for them. They will plant the standard of truth upon fortresses till
then held by Satan, and with shouts of victory take possession of them. They
bear the scars of battle, but there comes to them a comforting message that
the Lord is teaching them terrible things in righteousness. He will lead them
on, conquering and to conquer.”
{SW, September 8, 1903 par. 3} Mr. Marko said if one studied deeply enough, he would see the
error of my teaching on the church triumphant. It appears that he did not dig
quite deep enough. —rb |