Why
Most SDA’s Don’t Want to Hear a Warning Message and Will not be Saved
“The messengers sent by God
to deliver His warnings are hated
by those whom they warn. The people charge upon them the calamities which are the result of their own departure from righteousness.
Those who thus place themselves in
Satan's power do not see things as God sees them. They are blinded by Satan. When God's mirror is held up before them,
instead of repenting and turning from sin, they become indignant to think that they should be reproved. They
think that an uncalled-for attack is being made upon them, and that the
messengers of God are their enemies.” {RH, October 22, 1901 par. 10}’ E.G. White, Review and
Herald, Vol. 4, 345. Click to go to our Home Page
Some have been puzzled as to why my warning
message has not received more acceptance amongst professing Seventh-day
Adventists. In light of the following Ellen White and Bible statements, no
one should have the slightest wonderment as to why few pay any attention to
the serious warnings. "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 above statement is from the 1884 edition of The
Great Controversy. The Spirit of Prophecy series of four volumes is
different from the Testimonies series of 9 volumes]. "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 [leaders] prophesy falsely [peace
and safety], 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. SDA leaders are not warning their patrons of
the coming wrath of Satan and his devices. For the most part they act like
nothing is wrong. Where are the articles in their flagship papers warning the
people that the antichrist will soon be set up and that most true and
faithful Adventists will have to give their lives in martyrdom for their
faith if they are saved. SDA leaders fail to distinguish between the
144,000 that is translated without seeing death and the great multitude and
the martyrs. The following statement clearly distinguishes between these
three groups: "Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous
in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have
followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst
of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the
Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith.
And beyond is the "great multitude, which no
man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and
tongues, . . . before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands." Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is
ended, their victory won. They have run the race and reached the prize. The
palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an
emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs."
E.G. White, The
Great Controversy,
p. 665. By teaching that all the faithful of the church
are the 144,000, the church implies that none who are faithful will be
martyred. That is a deceptive lie. Ellen White said there will be many
martyrs. SDA
leaders are not preparing the people to deal with the following
eventualities: Chap. 10. - The Little Time of
Trouble A Time of Trouble Before Probation Closes On
page 33 [of Early Writings] is given the following: ". . . At the
commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we
went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully." {LDE 143.1} This
view was given in 1847 when there were but very few of the Advent brethren
observing the Sabbath, and of these but few supposed that its observance was
of sufficient importance to draw a line between the people of God and
unbelievers. Now the fulfillment of that view is beginning to be seen.
"The commencement of that time of trouble," here mentioned, does
not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they
are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the
work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the
nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the
third angel.--EW 85, 86 (1854). {LDE 143.2}
The End of Religious Liberty in the
United States The
law of God, through the agency of Satan, is to be made void. In our land of
boasted freedom religious liberty will come to an end. The contest will be decided
over the Sabbath question, which will
agitate the whole world.--Ev 236 (1875). {LDE 144.1} A
great crisis awaits the people of God. Very soon our nation will attempt to
enforce upon all the observance of the first day of the week as a sacred day.
In doing this they will not scruple to compel men against the voice of their
own conscience to observe the day the nation declares to be the Sabbath.--RH
Extra, Dec. 11, 1888. {LDE 144.2}
Seventh-day Adventists will fight the battle over the seventh-day
Sabbath. The authorities in the United States and in other countries will
rise up in their pride and power and make laws to restrict religious
liberty.--Ms 78, 1897. {LDE 144.3} The
Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands
across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the
abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this
threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling
on the rights of conscience.--GC 588 (1911). {LDE 144.4}
Church and State Oppose God's
People All
who will not bow to the decree of the national councils and obey the national
laws to exalt the sabbath instituted by the man of sin, to the disregard of
God's holy day, will feel, not the
oppressive power of popery alone, but of the Protestant world, the image of
the beast.--2SM 380 (1886). {LDE 145.1} Those
religious bodies who refuse to hear God's messages of warning will be under
strong deception and will unite with the civil power to persecute the saints. The Protestant churches will
unite with the papal power in
persecuting the commandment-keeping people of God. . . . {LDE 145.2} This
lamb-like power unites with the dragon in making war upon those who
keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.--14MR
162 (1899). {LDE 145.3} The
church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and in this work papists and
Protestants unite.--GC 607 (1911). {LDE 145.4} Before the Courts Those
who live during the last days of this earth's history will know what it means
to be persecuted for the truth's sake. In the courts injustice will prevail. The judges will refuse to listen to the
reasons of those who are loyal to the commandments of God because they know
the arguments in favor of the fourth commandment are unanswerable. They
will say, "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die."
God's law is nothing to them. "Our law" with them is supreme. Those
who respect this human law will be favored, but those who will not bow to the idol sabbath have no favors shown
them.--ST May 26, 1898. {LDE 145.5} In
cases where we are brought before the courts, we are to give up our rights,
unless it brings us in collision with God. It is not our rights we are
pleading for, but God's right to our service.--5MR 69 (1895). {LDE 146.1} Adventists Will Be Treated
With Contempt The
same masterful mind that plotted against the faithful in ages past is still
seeking to rid the earth of those who fear God and obey His law. . . . {LDE
146.2} Wealth,
genius, education, will combine to cover them with contempt. Persecuting
rulers, ministers, and church members
will conspire against them. With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and
ridicule, they will seek to overthrow their faith.--5T 450 (1885). {LDE
146.3} There will come a time when, because of
our advocacy of Bible truth, we shall be treated as traitors.--6T 394
(1900). {LDE 146.4} Those
who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as
breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and
corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their
conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and
contempt of authority. They will be
accused of disaffection toward the government.--GC 592 (1911). {LDE
146.5} All
who in that evil day would fearlessly serve God according to the dictates of
conscience, will need courage, firmness, and a knowledge of God and His
Word, for those who are true to God will be persecuted, their motives
will be impugned, their best efforts misinterpreted, and their names cast out
as evil.--AA 431, 432 (1911). {LDE 147.1} All Kinds of Persecution The persecutions
of Protestants by Romanism, by which the religion of Jesus Christ was almost
annihilated, will be more than rivaled when Protestantism and popery
are combined.--3SM 387 (1889). {LDE 147.2} Satan
has a thousand masked batteries which will be opened upon the loyal,
commandment-keeping people of God to compel them to violate
conscience.--Letter 30a, 1892. {LDE 147.3} We
need not be surprised at anything that may take place now. We need not marvel
at any developments of horror. Those who trample under their unholy feet
the law of God have the same spirit as had the men who insulted and betrayed
Jesus. Without any compunctions of conscience they will do the deeds
of their father the devil.--3SM 416 (1897). {LDE 147.4} Let those
who desire to be refreshed in mind and
instructed in the truth study the history of the early church during and
immediately following the Day of Pentecost. Study carefully in the
book of Acts the experiences of Paul and the other apostles, for God's people
in our day must pass through similar experiences.--PC 118 (1907). {LDE
148.1} Note: I have said that the history of the early
church is a prefigure. Ellen White reapplies that history above and she
reapplies Matthew 22:1-10 to our day. Don’t forget the above statement.
Every Earthly Support Will Be
Cut Off
Hoarded wealth will soon be worthless. When the decree shall go forth
that none shall buy or sell except they have the mark of the beast, very much
means will be of no avail. God calls for us now to do all in our power to
send forth the warning to the world.--RH March 21, 1878. {LDE 148.2} The
time is coming when we cannot sell at any price. The decree will soon go
forth prohibiting men to buy or sell of any man save him that hath the mark
of the beast. We came near having this realized in California a short time
since, but this was only the threatening of the blowing of the four winds. As
yet they are held by the four angels. We are not just ready. There is a work
yet to be done, and then the angels will be bidden to let go, that the four
winds may blow upon the earth.--5T 152 (1882). {LDE 148.3} In the
last great conflict in the controversy with Satan those who are loyal to
God will see every earthly support cut off. Because they refuse to break
His law in obedience to earthly powers they will be forbidden to buy or
sell.--DA 121, 122 (1898). {LDE 148.4} Satan
says . . . "For fear of wanting food and clothing they will join with
the world in transgressing God's law. The earth will be wholly under my
dominion."--PK 183, 184 (c. 1914). {LDE 149.1} Some Are Imprisoned for Their Faith Some
will be imprisoned because they refuse to desecrate the Sabbath of the
Lord.--PC 118 (1907). {LDE 149.2} As the
defenders of truth refuse to honor the Sunday-sabbath some of them will be thrust into prison, some will be
exiled, some will be treated as slaves. To human wisdom all
this now seems impossible, but as the restraining Spirit of God shall be
withdrawn from men and they shall be under the control of Satan, who hates
the divine precepts, there will be strange developments. The heart can be
very cruel when God's fear and love are removed.--GC 608 (1911). {LDE 149.3} If we
are called to suffer for Christ's sake, we shall be able to go to prison
trusting in Him as a little child trusts in its parents. Now is the time to
cultivate faith in God.--OHC 357 (1892). {LDE 149.4} “Persecution in the Battle Before the Last Closing Conflict.—The two armies will stand distinct
and separate, and this distinction
will be so marked that many who shall be convinced of the truth will come on
the side of God's commandment-keeping people. When this grand work is to take
place in the battle, prior to the last closing conflict, many will be
imprisoned, many will flee for their lives from cities and towns,
and many will be martyrs for Christ's sake in standing in defense of the
truth. . . . You will not be tempted above what you are able to bear.
Jesus bore all this and far more. . . . {3SM 397.4} Many Will Be Put to Death [Many Martyrs] The
best thing for us is to come into close connection with God and, if He
would have us be martyrs for the truth's sake, it may be the means of
bringing many more into the truth.--3SM 420 (1886). {LDE 149.5} There
is a prospect before us of a continued struggle, at the risk of imprisonment,
loss of property and even of
life itself, to defend the law of God.--5T 712 (1889). {LDE 150.2} Men
will be required to render obedience to human edicts in violation of the
divine law. Those who are true to God will be menaced, denounced,
proscribed. They will be "betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and
kinsfolks, and friends," even
unto death.--PK 588 (c. 1914). {LDE 150.3} We are
not to have the courage and fortitude of martyrs of old until brought into
the position they were in. . . . Should there be a return of persecution
there would be grace given to arouse every energy of the soul to show a true
heroism.--OHC 125 (1889). {LDE 150.4} The
disciples were not endowed with the courage and fortitude of the martyrs
until such grace was needed.--DA 354 (1898). {LDE 150.5}
How to Stand Firm Under
Persecution We shall
find that we must let loose of all hands except the hand of Jesus Christ. Friends
will prove treacherous and will betray us. Relatives, deceived by the
enemy, will think they do God service in opposing us and putting forth the
utmost efforts to bring us into hard places, hoping we will deny our faith.
But we may trust our hand in the hand of Christ amid darkness and peril.--Mar
197 (1889). {LDE 150.6} The
only way in which men will be able to stand firm in the conflict is to be
rooted and grounded in Christ. They must receive the truth as it is in
Jesus. And it is only as the truth is presented thus that it can meet the
wants of the soul. The preaching of Christ crucified, Christ our
righteousness, is what satisfies the soul's hunger. When we secure the
interest of the people in this great central truth, faith and hope and
courage come to the heart.--GCDB Jan. 28, 1893. {LDE 151.1} Many,
because of their faith, will be cut off from house and heritage here, but if
they will give their hearts to Christ, receiving the message of His grace,
and resting upon their Substitute and Surety, even the Son of God, they may
still be filled with joy.--ST June 2, 1898. {LDE 151.2}
Persecution Scatters God's
People As
enmity is aroused in various places against those who observe the Sabbath of
the Lord, it may become necessary for
God's people to move from those places to places where they will not be so
bitterly opposed. {LDE 151.3} God does not require His children to remain
where, by the course of wicked men, their influence is made of no effect and
their lives endangered. When liberty and life are imperiled it is not
merely our privilege, it is our positive duty to go to places where the
people are willing to hear the Word of life and where the opportunities for
preaching the Word will be more favorable.--Ms 26, 1904. {LDE 151.4} The
time is soon coming when God's people, because of persecution, will be
scattered in many countries. Those who have received an all-round
education will have the advantage where they are.--5MR 280 (1908). {LDE
152.1} "I saw the nominal church and nominal
Adventists, like Judas, would betray us to the Catholics to obtain their
influence to come against the truth. The
saints then will be an obscure [hidden] people, little known to the
Catholics but the churches and nominal Adventists who know of our
faith and customs (for they hate us on account of the Sabbath, for they could
not refute it) will betray the saints and report them to the Catholics
as those who disregard the institutions of the people that is, that they keep
the Sabbath and disregard Sunday. Then the Catholics bid the Protestants to go
forward, and issue a decree that all who will not observe the first day of
the week, instead of the seventh day, shall be slain. And the
Catholics, whose numbers are large, will stand by the Protestants. The
Catholics will give their power to the image of the beast. And the
Protestants will work as their mother worked before them to destroy the
saints. But before their decree bring or bear fruit, the saints will be
delivered by the Voice of God. Then I saw that Jesus' work in the sanctuary
will soon be finished. And after His work there is finished, He will come to
the door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel upon the head
of the Scape Goat. Then He will put on the garments of vengeance. Then the
plagues will come upon the wicked, and they do not come till Jesus puts on
that garment, and takes Hs place upon the great white cloud. Then while the
plagues are falling, the Scape Goat is being led away. He makes a mighty
struggle to escape, but he is held fast by the hand that leads him. If he
should effect his escape, Israel would lose their lives. I saw that it would
take time to lead away the Scape Goat into the land of forgetfulness after
the sins were put on his head. The great white cloud I saw was not the holy
place, but entirely separate from the holy and most holy place, entirely
separate from the sanctuary. Then the angel repeated these words, and said,
'This is the time spoken of in Isaiah. He saw that there was not man, and
wondered that there was no intercessor. He had no mediator between God and
man, and these plagues could be withheld no longer, for Jesus had ceased to
plead for Israel, and they were covered with the covering of the Almighty
God, and they could live in the sight of a holy God, and those who were not
covered, the plagues fell upon them, for they had nothing to shelter or
protect them from the wrath of God." E.G. White, Dorchester, Maine,
October 23, 1850, Spalding--Magan's Unpublished Mss.
Testimonies, pp. 1, 2. Do
we have any nominal Adventists today? “Nominal”
Definition 3a - “existing or being something in name or form only”
–Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary Sounds like lukewarm churches doesn’t it? Adventists like to
confine the definition of nominal Adventists to the group who did not accept
the Sabbath circa 1844. That is a great mistake because Ellen White and
Scripture speaks to those who “have a name to live,” and that is being a
“nominal” Christian. Also, Ellen White
defined as nominal those who reject present truth: "Nominal Adventists.--"Those who united
in sounding the first and second angels' messages but who rejected the third
angel's message with its Sabbath truth, but nonetheless continued to espouse
the Advent hope, are referred to by Mrs. White as the 'nominal Adventists.'
or those who 'reject the present truth'(p. 69), also 'different parties of
professed Advent believers (page 124)
or...those who 'reject the present truth.." Early Writings,
p. 299, Appendix. Let alone being nominal,
Ellen White said how the church could become a sister to fallen Babylon: ·
By adopting spiritualism. ·
By unlawful intimacy and licentiousness practices, thus being a
sister to fallen Babylon. ·
By becoming and remaining Laodicean--not heeding the Laodicean
message. ·
By marrying the church to the world. ·
By judgment beginning at the House of God, 5T 211. ·
By being the antitype of the PREFIGURE TYPE of Israel, GC, p. 25. ·
By being the COUNTERPART to ancient Israel. ·
By betrayal of Sacred trust. UL, 131. ·
By violating Isaiah 8:9-13. ·
By not keeping the commandments of God. ·
By violating the three angel's messages as the fallen churches
did in 1844. ·
By not keeping up with advancing light and present truth, the church
becomes nominal Adventists, EW, ·
By departure from the Lord and alliance with the heathen. ·
By being a counterpart to ancient Israel. ·
By being converted to the world. ·
By being worse than heathen graven image worshippers. Testimonies,
vol. 2, 441-442. ·
By being a harlot. ·
By letting Satan come in to lead the church. ·
By forming a New Movement that removes God. ·
By instructing the people to keep Sunday. ·
By concord with unbelievers. ·
By conspiracy with unbelievers. ·
By any connection with unbelievers--Babylon. ·
By rejecting the counsel of the Holy Spirit. ·
By following the same path as ancient Israel. ·
By refusing light from Heaven. ·
By letting the "regular lines" become a failure. ·
By dumb-dogs that will never again bark to show the House of Jacob
their sins. ·
By peace and safety messages. ·
By backsliding. ·
By refusing the conditions to salvation. ·
By teaching a false gospel. ·
By teaching the false Trinity Doctrine that countermands Ellen
White's definition of the Holy Spirit. ·
By straying off the Midnight Cry Lighted Pathway to Heaven, WTLF, p.
14. ·
Partnership with the world. ·
Retention of open sinners in the church making it impossible for the
wheat to mature. May God awaken His sleeping
people is my every prayer. —rwb
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