SDA
Ecumenical Union With the
Opposers of Truth
The
following article by Hermann Kesten, describes
succinctly the Warning Message about SDA Ecumenical Involvement that Omega
Countdown Ministries has been sounding for over ten years:
The Alpha
& the Omega of Apostasy, Part II
Babylon,
the Ecumenical Movement and the Three Angels' Messages
"Among Adventists, the
clear understanding of the term 'Babylon' is diminishing more and more and is
giving way to confusion. A conference leader told me years ago that 'Babylon is
in us.' My question, of how would it be possible under these circumstances to
follow the call to leave Babylon, remained without an answer. Some other
definitions, from Adventist publications are that Babylon is the 'wickedness of
my city,' 'evil influences' and to 'attempt to gain salvation through one's own
works.' Adventist Review, December 31, 1992; Signs of the Times, June
1992; Adventist Review, December 31, 1992.
Here in
Germany, 'Babylon' is a hot topic. The reason for this is the MEMBERSHIP of both of the Adventist German Unions in the ACK (Confederacy
of Christian Churches), the national ecumenical council. This MEMBERSHIP was
brought about secretly, and the people were only informed afterwards.
Discussions were forbidden.
To
cover themselves, the Adventist leadership, here in Germany, has tried to show
that our historic definition of 'Babylon' cannot be true. R. Nickel, a high-ranking minister, said this about the
Adventist's membership in the ACK, in a sermon at the Adventist theological
seminary of Friedensau. 'In the classic exegesis of
our denomination 'Babylon' means the following: the mother whore of Revelation
or the Roman Catholic Church. Her corrupted daughters are the fallen Protestant
organizations of the different churches of Protestant faith.... The question
is: Is what was once valid and present truth still valid? I want to come
back to the discussion about the ACK, because here it can be shown: If the
Protestant churches are truly a part of Babylon, how can one possibly unite
with them and obtain membership in the ACK? If we would take the classic
interpretation seriously, all of us would have to be against the ACK.' R.
Nickel in a sermon held in Friedensau on November 2,
1996.
It is a fact that (nearly) all the ministers and leaders
are in favor of an ACK MEMBERSHIP. The logical conclusion therefore is that we
cannot hold to the historic interpretation of 'Babylon' and at the same time be
a MEMBER in the ecumenical alliance. (See Luke 16:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14.) The
content of the Three Angels' Messages is opposed directly to the ecumenical
movement, because we are warned explicitly of the image to the beast. The
proclamation of this message is contrary to the rules of ecumenism, because no
church is allowed to proselytize [try to convert]
members of other churches. How then is it possible to proclaim, 'Come out of
her, my people!' if one is a member of that alliance?
Of one thing we can be assured: neither Catholics nor
Protestants accepted Adventists as MEMBERS in the ecumenical ACK without a
prior confirmation from them that the historic understanding of the Three
Angels' Messages had been REJECTED. And that is precisely what happened. In the
ACK meeting, where the recommendation was given to accept the SDA Church as a
MEMBER, the Adventist representatives were asked directly whether the historic
interpretation of the Three Angels' Messages was still valid.
The protocol documents of the ACK meeting, on June 3 and
4, 1992, in Arnoldshain gives this report. 'On
request of the Roman-Catholic representative, Dr. H. J. Urban, it was asked
concretely, whether the traditional Adventist interpretation of Revelation 13,
to identify the beast as being popery, which was equaled with the Antichrist,
was still held as true. The answer to that question was that this was a case of
tradition which dated back to the Reformation and doubtlessly would still
exist, [among some SDAs\ but that they [SDAs] were for the most part cured of
institutionally identifying the office of the pope with the Antichrist. Rather
it is held that the Antichrist is characteristics, which possibly could also be
found in the Adventist denomination. [How true now that betrayal of the Three
Angels' Messages has occurred!] Therefore the
traditional critique of Revelation 13 could, in principle, also be directed
against the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This explanation satisfied the
Catholic side. After that the leadership of the ACK decided to recommend the
application of the Adventists approvingly to the united members to be voted
upon.' 54 Fragen, Document 3, 3. [Emphasis supplied].
The president of the Northern German Union, Mr. Rupp also denied our God-given
message in his letters to the president of the ACK, Bishop Held, and in his
personal communication with him. Babylon was only identified a condition of
things that could also be found in the SDA church. Bishop Held obviously
interpreted the opinions in the union president's letters as not a mistake, as
can be seen in his answer:
"Dear Mr. Rupp....Above the views are explicitly
confirmed that you--as speaking at least for the leadership of the SDA
Church--told us that SDAs no longer believe that 'in the historical development
of the religious-political power of popery is seen the fulfillment of Biblical
prophecies. (Daniel 7, Revelation 13 and 17.)'" Document 1.[Emphasis supplied].
K. Schwarz, a high-ranking official of a Protestant Church in Germany writes:
'For the GUEST--MEMBERSHIP of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the ACK, it is
understood that... The tensions you mentioned [the Adventist belief that the
pope is the antichrist]... no longer exist as a part
of SDA doctrines.' (In Kobialka, M. 1994. Ecumenical
Movement and World Government, 100).
Omega Ministry Note: This "guest membership"
title is to placate possible irate SDA members. Why would the church give up a
cardinal belief of the Three Angel's Messages--the belief that the pope is the
antichrist, for mere "guest membership" in any World Council of Churches
subsidiary organization?!!!
(Back
to Keston's Article) "The leaders of the SDA
Church have always said that the affiliation with the ecumenical movement is a
wonderful occasion to witness for our faith. They say that in that way the
Advent Message can be given much more effectively to other churches. What a
mockery and hypocrisy! Membership in the ecumenical movement is a betrayal of
our message and means crucifying Christ anew. ('I saw that as the Jews
crucified Jesus, so the nominal churches have crucified these messages.' E.
G. White, Early Writings, 261).
There are many inspired instructions concerning alliances with unbelievers of a
different faith. I just want to point you to two quotations from the pen of
Ellen White: 'The wicked are being bound up in bundles, bound up in trusts, in
UNIONS, in CONFEDERACIES. Let us have nothing to do with these organizations.
God s our Ruler, our Governor, and He calls us to come out from the world and
be separate.' Manuscript Releases Volume
4, 87.
'Let the watchmen on the walls of Zion not join with those who are making of
none effect the truth as it is in Christ. Let them not join the confederacy of
infidelity, popery, and Protestantism.' E. G. White, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1141.
We should realize what the ACK really is and how the pope sees this ecumenical
entity. While visiting Germany, Pope John Paul II declared in Paderborn on June
22, 1996: 'Good ecumenical connections have been formed to the churches in this
country. They work actively together with the ecumenical committees, especially
in the 'Alliance of Christian Churches in Germany' (ACK). By that, some helpful
suggestions for the formation of church community came to Germany.... The unity
we aim for has to grow step by step.... Therefore, it
is our duty to reduce barriers and to seek for a greater amount of communion,
trusting firmly that the Lord will lead us to that glorious day when full unity
of faith is accomplished and we are able to celebrate harmoniously the holy
Eucharist of the Lord together.' Verlautbarungen des Apostolischen Stuhls, 126, Bonn
6/1996, 22ff.
What are Adventists looking for in the ACK? Do they want to celebrate the
Eucharist together with the Catholics? The Omega is already here. May the Lord
help us to see it and to act accordingly.
What is
to be Done?
How do we need to respond to this situation? Many
Adventists are confused and do not know what to do. It seems as if no one
expected the vast dimensions of apostasy, although Sister White wrote: 'The
omega will be of a most startling nature.' Selected Messages, Book 1, 197. As Adventists we have heard about the soon coming test and
talked about it ourselves, but now it is present and only a few are aware of
it.
The question of how we are to deal with the Omega crisis is answered clearly in
the inspired writings concerning the Alpha crisis. In the Omega crisis the same principles have to be applied, for history
is repeating itself.
What advice did Ellen White give during the Alpha crisis? Here is one example:
"Elder and Mrs. Farnsworth have been requested to
spend some time in Battle Creek, laboring for the church. In encourage them to
do so, and shall counsel them how to labor. It will be well for Elder
Farnsworth and Elder A. T. Jones to stand shoulder to shoulder preaching the
Word in the tabernacle for a time, and giving the trumpet a certain sound.
There are in Battle Creek souls who need bracing up. Many will gladly hear and
distinguish the note of warning. But Elder Farnsworth should not remain in
Battle Creek long. I write these things to you, because it is important that
they should be understood. God would have men of talent who will not deviate
from the principles of righteousness to stand in defense of the truth in the
tabernacle at Battle Creek. One man should not be stationed in Battle Creek for
a long time. After he has faithfully proclaimed the truth for a time, he should
leave to labor elsewhere, and some one else be appointed who will give the
trumpet a certain sound.' Paulson
Collection, 108.
In this testimony the inspired pen gives us an exact
description of our duty in both the Alpha and the Omega crisis. [I wonder whom
Mrs. White copied this from! R.W.B.] Two aspects are explicitly emphasized. On
the one hand we are called to give the trumpet a
certain sound to warn our brothers and sisters. On the other hand
we are warned not to expose ourselves to the influence of apostasy for too
long.
The first aspect, giving the trumpet a certain sound, should be our first step if
we are part of a church infected with apostasy. Over and over
again Ellen White called for decided action during the Alpha crisis.
Here are some quotations:
"I was shown a platform, braced by solid
timbers--the truths of the Word of God. Someone high in responsibility in the
medical work was directing this man and that man to loosen the timbers
supporting this platform. Then I heard a voice saying, 'Where are the watchmen
that ought to be standing on the walls of Zion? Are they asleep? This
foundation was built by the Master Worker, and will stand storm and tempest.
Will they permit this man to present doctrines that deny the past
experience of the people of God? The time has come to take decided
action.'" Selected Messages Book
1, 204.
"'The battle is on.... Where are His watchmen? Are they standing on the
high tower, giving the danger signal, or are they allowing the peril to pass
unheeded?" ibid., 194.
"Will the men in our institutions keep silent, allowing insidious
fallacies to be promulgated to the ruin of souls?. . .
. Is it not time that we asked ourselves, Shall we
allow the adversary to lead us to give up the work of proclaiming the
truth" Ibid., 195.
"Vigilant action is called for. Indifference and sloth will result in the
loss of personal religion and of heaven.' Ibid.
"If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it
is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a
religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very
worst type of hostility against God.' Testimonies,
vol. 3, 281.
To help us really understand the horrible danger of this emergency we are in,
God gave Ellen White a vision of an iceberg. 'One night a scene was clearly
presented before me. A vessel was upon the waters, in a heavy fog. Suddenly the
lookout cried, 'Iceberg just ahead!' There, towering high above the ship, was a
gigantic iceberg. An authoritative voice cried out, 'Meet it!' There was not a
moment's hesitation. It was a time for instant action. The engineer put on full
steam, and the man at the wheel steered the ship straight into the iceberg.
With a crash she struck the ice. There was a fearful
shock, and the iceberg broke into many pieces, falling with a noise like
thunder to the deck." Selected
Messages Book 1, 205.
"I am instructed to speak plainly. 'Meet it,' is the word spoken to me.
'Meet it firmly, and without delay.' ...In the book 'Living Temple' there is
presented the alpha of deadly heresies. The omega will follow, and will be received
by those who are not willing to heed the warning God has given.... I have an
intense longing to see them standing free in the Lord. I pray tat they may have
courage to stand firm for the truth as it is in Jesus, holding fast the
beginning of their confidence unto the end." Selected Messages Book 1, 200.
"They have seen wrong transactions and heard wrong words spoken, and seen
wrong principles followed, and have not spoken in reproof, for fear that they
would be repulsed. I cal upon those who have been connected with these binding influences to break the
yoke to which they have long submitted, and stand as free men in Christ.
Nothing but a determined effort will break the spell that is upon them." Selected Messages Book 1, 197.
How possibly can a call to decided action be more urgent?
Everyone who perceives the apostasy has the duty to protest
against it without compromise. If there ever was a time to sit and keep
silent and to listen to an erroneous sermon up to the end (which I doubt), so
that the pernicious error can be addressed to the whole congregation, that time
is over. It is not enough just to talk to the minister afterwards, privately,
when error has made its way to the minds of the people.
"Let every man now arouse, and work as he has opportunity.
Let him speak words in season and out of season, and look to Christ for
encouragement and strength in welldoing.... My
message to you is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the
perversion of truth. Unmask the pretentious sophistries which, if received,
will lead ministers and physicians and medical missionary workers to ignore the
truth. Every one is now to stand on his guard. God
calls upon men and women to take their stand under the blood-stained banner of
Prince Emmanuel. I have been instructed to warn our people; for many are in
danger of receiving theories and sophistries that undermine the foundation
pillars of the faith." Selected
Messages Book 1, 195, 196.
Save Our
Youth
Ellen White many times warned that the young people should
not be sent to the college in Battle Creek. She feared for the Adventist youth
because of the pernicious influence prevailing there. 'Those who have crowded
into Battle Creek, and are being held there, see and hear many things that tend
to weaken their faith and engender unbelief." Paulson Collection, 109.
But what about our colleges and seminaries today? Is the condition any better
than it was then in Battle Creek? I do not have that much information about the
condition of Adventist schools in the U.S., but I know something about the
German seminaries. In these schools, the historical Adventist sanctuary
teaching is rejected, Bible criticism is taught, the seven-day-creation period
and the expectation of the imminent second coming of Christ are denied. Etc.
These things are well documented and confirmed by students of the German
seminary.
What is the professed purpose of such a school? It is to
pass on the truth of our faith to the next generation? But, if the school
imparts error to the students today, the ministers of Tomorrow will impart
these errors to their churches. In this manner the
truth is torn down and the people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
This situation is very dangerous, especially for our
young people. What is the condition of the Adventist youth today? I remember
one night, when my wife and I had a season of payer in which she prayed for the
Adventist friends she had during her youth. Thinking about them, my wife sat
down and cried and cried and count not stop. Very few of her old friends were
still in the truth. Almost all had gone into the world; some as members of the
SDA church, others having completely rejected their profession.
But is that surprising to anyone? What are the young
people doing when they gather together on Sabbath afternoon? I have seen it so
often: after an obligatory short devotion (if at all) they begin to play
basketball, table tennis or whatever. Once I met a minister who gathered the
young people of his church for a night session to watch videos. They watched
movies with sex and crime scenes till morning.
I wonder how many Adventists think that they have
fulfilled all their duty when they trust their children to ministers and
Sabbath schools for religious education. How few consider how their children
are effected by the influence of the church they go to every Sabbath?! Even in
the Alpha crisis Ellen White warned over and over again
that we should not expose our selves to such a faith-destroying influence. That
applies in a special way to the moldable youth. She
wrote: "I would say, be careful what moves are made. It is not God's
design that our youth should be called to Battle Creek." Battle Creek Letters, 4.
"We protest in the name of the Lord God of Israel, against the calling of
our youth into a place to which the Lord declared they should not go." Battle Creek Letters, 4, 5.
"The light given me by the Lord--that our youth should not collect in
Battle Creek to receive their education--has in no particular been changed. The
fact that the Sanitarium has been rebuilt in Battle Creek does not change the
light. All that in the past made Battle Creek a place unsuitable for our youth
exists today, so far as influence is concerned." Battle Creek Letters, 4.
When the faithful Elder Haskell and his wife received a call to come to Battle
Creek, Ellen White counseled: "'That you should receive an invitation o go
to Battle Creek, and give Bible lessons to the nurses and medical students, is not
a surprise to me. I have been instructed that an effort would b made to obtain
your names as teachers to the nurses at Battle Creek, so that the managers of
the Sanitarium can say to our people that Elder and Mrs. Haskell are to give a
course of lessons to the Battle Creek Sanitarium nurses, and use this as a
means of decoy in to battle Creek those who otherwise would heed the cautions
about going there for their education." Paulson Collection, 108.
"Some say that Ellen White's calls to leave Battle Creek were given only
to prevent centralization at that place. But this is only part of the truth.
The following statement to Brother and Sister Haskell may sound incredible to
many ease-loving souls: 'There is a little hope in one direction: Take the young
men and women, and place them where they will come as little in 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." Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 333.
If your
protest against the apostasy is unheeded you have the
choice: either you stay and tolerate the apostasy or you leave and save
yourself and your family from these influences. The influence you allow to
affect your soul will decide your eternal destiny. 'Every one
will reveal the character of the bundle with which he is binding himself.' 1888
Materials, 995, Ellen White brings this point home to us: "'Out of Battle
Creek' is my message." Paulson
Collection, 111.
Application
and Conclusion
Some might say: "In my church there is no pantheism
being taught. I cannot apply these statements to my local situation."
Maybe you are right. Praise God for every local church that is still standing
on the fundamental truths of the Three Angels' Messages. There are still some
of them, but their number decreases day by day. Remember, however, when you are
evaluating your church, that pantheism alone is not the topic of the Omega
crisis, it embodies many more principles. Ask yourself the question, How do they treat the Spirit of Prophecy? Is it upheld as
the inspired and infallible word of God given to us through His last time
prophets? How did the church leaders react when you tried to correct them? Did
they understand and repent?
Omega
Ministries' Comment on the above statement regarding one's "local
situation:"
Apparently the writer of this article, Hermann Kesten,
does not understand or is not familiar with the principle of corporate responsibility whereby every member of the church is responsible for the
actions of the leadership. Because of the representative system of organization
in the SDA church, no "local church" is exempt from the apostasy of
any other body within the church via the principle of corporate responsibility.
(Back
to Kesten's Article) "Of those who are
constantly working to undermine faith in the message God is sending to His
people, I am instructed to say, 'Come out from among them, and be ye
separate.'" Ellen G. White, Review
and Herald, July 23, 1903.
Is your
church part of an ecumenical organization? How did the men n responsible
positions react when you stood up to protest against it? Did they understand
and repent?
Maybe you can agree with me on being separated from the
ecumenical movement, but not on being separated from professed Adventists who
approve and uphold an ecumenical membership. You would do well to consider the
example of faithful Nehemiah:
"When
those who are uniting with the world, yet claiming great purity, plead for
union with those who have ever been the opposers of the cause of truth, we
should fear and shun them as decidedly as did Nehemiah." E. G.
White, Prophets and Kings, 660.
Is strange fire offered in your church in the form of
theater performances, worldly or charismatic music? Does your minister use NLP
or anything similar? How did your church react as you protested against it? Did
they understand and repent?
"As
the men o 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, Signs of the Times, December 1, 1881.
Will we learn our lessons from the past? Will we
recognize the time of our visitation? Will we act upon right principles? May
the Lord help us in this most crucial hour when our eternal destiny, and that
of our families, is being decided." Hermann Kesten, Historic Adventist LandMarks, May 1999, pp. 16-20.
Adventists
Left the Mainline Churches Because They Became Fallen For
Rejecting the First Angel's Message--What Should Our Response be Now That
Adventists Have Rejected All Three Angels' Messages?!
Adventists were instructed by the first and second
angels' messages, along with the Midnight Cry, to come out from the fallen churches
and be a separate, peculiar people unto the Lord. Any breach of these
requirements constitutes a violation of sacred trusts and the work of the Lord,
in fullfilling the Divine Commission of the
Everlasting Gospel and the Midnight Cry. Any deviance from these responsibilitiles constitutes taking the eye off the
Midnight Cry Light and ones feet from the Midnight Cry
Lighted Path. Ellen White specifically stated that all who so do, would
fall off the path and it would be impossible to get on the path again, which
implies unpardonable sin.
This concept of unpardonable sin or a "shut door," to all violators
of the Everlasting gospel, after hearing and understanding it, equates with
Isaiah's account of what happens to all who associate, take counsel, gird,
and confederate with the opposers of truth. He said three times in succession
that all such would be "broken in pieces." Not reconciliated, not begged, not cajoled by God, but "broken
in pieces."
This is one concept that Ellen White really meant by her
shut door statement! This statement is thus totally misapprehended,
misinterpreted, and misapplied by her critics. Those who saw and understood,
but who either refused the light, or embraced the light and later strayed from
the lighted path, experienced a shut door on salvation, because rejection of
light is rejection of the Holy Spirit, and rejection of the Holy Spirit is
unpardonable sin. Once the light of truth is spurned and rejected, God has no
other appeal to the human soul. The Biblical rendition of this principle is:
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for
sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment
and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised
Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was
sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Sprit of grace. For
we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto
me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his
people. It is a fearful thng to fall into the hands
of the living God. . . .
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have
no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of
them that believe to the saving of the soul." Hebrews 10:26-39.
Looks like God believes and teaches a shut door also!
"As
the churches refused to receive the first angel's message, they rejected
the light from heaven and fell from the favor of God. They trusted to their own
strength, and by opposing the first message placed themselves where they could
not see the light of the second angel's message. But the beloved of God, who
were oppressed, accepted the message, 'Babylon is fallen,' and left the churches."
E. G. White, Early Writings, 237.
The professing SDA church, via its president, Neal Wilson
at the time, rejected all three angel's messages by telling a California
Federal Court, that the notion that Rome was the beast power along with her
fallen daughters, has been consigned to the traditional trash heap by the
professing SDA church. That effectively constitutes rejection of all three
angel's messages. So, if the mainline churches were pronounced as morally
fallen for rejection of the first angel's message, what about a church which
has understood, taught, and then rejected and trashed all three angel's
messages?! Surely, to be consistent, such a church would have to be regarded as
morally fallen also!
"When
the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the advent message, the
Lord rejected them. The first angel was followed by a second, proclaiming,
'Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations
drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." (Rev. 14:8). This
message was understood by Adventists to be an announcement of the moral fall of
the churches in consequence of their rejection of the first message.
The proclamation, 'Babylon is fallen' was given in the summer of 1844, and as
the result, about fifty-thousand withdrew from these churches." E. G.
White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, (1884 edition), pp. 166-167.
What part of the advent message
did the churches reject? The first angel's message, and thus were not able to
discern the second angel's message.! Because the churches rejected just one
of the three Angel's messages, they were pronounced morally fallen as corporate
bodies, and a call was made to come out of them. Now friend, what if it can be
proven beyond a particle of doubt that the professing Seventh-day Adventist
church since circa 1957, has rejected the first and second angel's messages, as
well as Isaiah 8:9-20, and the Midnight Cry, by establishing forbidden
association, counsel, girding and confederacy with the fallen churches of
Babylon?
The first angel's message has
been further violated by the adoption of certain doctrines of the fallen
churches which totally destroy every foundational pillar and structure of
historic Seventh-day Adventism. Those Babylonian doctrines as adopted by professing
Adventism are:
1.
That the
Atonement was fully completed at the cross.
2.
That Christ
had a nature different from man in that He has a special mind different from
the mind of man.
3.
That Christ
did not take the sinful nature of man because He did not take upon Himself
certain (ALL) sinful infirmities of man. Ellen White said that Christ took ALL
of our infirmities!
4.
That grace
means only pardon for continued sinning rather than forgiveness for sins past,
and power for obedience after conversion as testified by Romans 1:5.
These
Evangelical doctrines accepted by Adventists in 1956-7, in ecumenical meetings
held with Walter Martin and Donald Grey Barnhouse, destroy every vestige of
historic Adventism. Why? How? Because if Christ's nature was not like ours, we
indeed cannot overcome, and if we cannot overcome we cannot be the people of
Revelation 12:17, and Revelation 14:10, who keep the commandments of God. And
if these texts cannot be fulfilled, then Scripture is errant. Commandment
keeping would be impossible. Sabbath observance would be impossible, and any
attempt at such would be nothing more than a utopian legalistic effort to do
so, rendering professing Seventh-day Adventists as the most legalistic, phoney,
religious cult on the earth since 1956-7!
The above
listed Evangelical doctrines adopted by Adventism in 1957, and published to the
world in their book entitled Answers to Questions on Doctrine, in answer
to questions posed by Martin and Barnhouse, effectively render the requirements
of the Everlasting Gospel of Revelation 14, and the Three Angel's Messages, as
impossible requirements imposed by a tyrannical God! If it is impossible to
overcome perfectly because Christ had something we do not possess, then it is
impossible to fear God and worship Him, the admonition of the first Angel's
Message! Fear and worship of God, means respect and obedience to His commands.
It means love for God and obedience based on love. It means
faith--righteousness by faith based on motives of love, 1 John 5:2-4. If this
righteousness is impossible, then the entire Bible is a tyrannical fraud by a
god who is commanding His subjects to do something it is impossible for them to
do, and then consigning them to hell because they cannot do what He has ordered
them to do!
New Movement professing Adventists mark themselves as
insanely deluded imposters by saying that it is impossible to overcome
perfectly, while imposing Sabbath keeping, unity, and tithe paying on their
members. Somehow, when it comes to 10% tithe, the ability to keep the command
perfectly becomes possible! If it is impossible to overcome perfectly, it is
intrinsically impossible not to rob God of tithes and offerings; it is
impossible to keep Sabbath; and it is impossible to be in unity because no of
us could muster the works to do any of the following:
·
Sabbath observance
·
Tithe paying
·
Unity
·
Peace
·
Love for the
brethren
·
Doing unto others as
we would have other do unto us
·
Man living as an
example to others which is the result of the power of the gospel in converting
lives
·
Worshipping of one
God
·
Avoiding taking the
name of God in vain
·
Avoiding indulging
idolatry
·
Respecting parents
·
Avoiding murder
·
Avoiding
covetousness of thy neighbor’s property and wife
·
Avoiding fornication
and all manner of evil
·
Being able to truly
repent
Adventist
leaders who met with Martin and Barnhouse did their best to try and convince
them that Adventists were Evangelical, and that the denomination had changed
from its historical position on many subjects. Because of this, one of the main
thrusts of Martin and Barnhouse was to get SDAs to put their actions where
their mouth was, and by that I mean they prevailed
upon SDA leaders to prove their Evangelical spirit by becoming members of the
World Council of Churches, National Councils of Churches, and local arms of
these bodies referred to as Ministerial Associations. They also prevailed upon
Adventists to associate more with the other churches and to come into joint
fellowship with them and participate in joint ventures and activities, such as
join Easter Sunrise Services. This the Adventists promptly complied with to the
complete abandonment of Isaiah 8:9-20, and the three angels' messages.
~rwb