This is a response to Gar’s view as to why some leave the church. In his
evidence below, he fails to give the serious evidence I will add to his
reasons why some leave. It is a compounded tragedy that Gar still continues
to ignore and discount the following evidence that I have given him over the
last decade. It is just as much a tragedy that Ulicia Unruh, the wife of an
SDA pastor, rejects the same evidence.
It is sad to see that some view leaving the church as leaving
the faith—the faith of the pioneer Adventists. It is more sad to see that
most professing Adventists will not discern that the new movement (1SM 204-5)
had left both—the church and the faith of pioneer Adventists. How so? Because
they have formed a new movement and discarded pillar doctrines, thus removing
God, as Ellen White prophesied. She says that only the presence of God can constitute
a church, so they have thus left the church as well as the beliefs of pioneer
Adventists.
What Gar leaves out is the following CONDITIONAL statements by
Ellen White. If Gar will respond to “the rest of the story” evidence I
present in this document, I will publish his response on my Website.
If we are not to even pray for the church, that means it has
committed unpardonable sin. The only qualifying counterpart to the “chosen”
Jewish people is the “chosen” professing Adventist church.
COUNTERPART: "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 Sodas 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, if you will.
There are
over 100 statements to the affect that SDA’s are repeating the history of
ancient Israel. Here are just a few of them:
"I
have been shown that the spirit of the world is fast leavening the church.
You are following the same path as did ancient Israel. There is the same
falling away from your holy calling as God's peculiar people. You are having
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Your [ecumenical] concord
with unbelievers have provoked he Lord's displeasure. You know not the things
that belong to your peace, and they are fast being hid from your eyes. [The
very words applied to fallen Israel on page 17 of The Great Controversy] Your
neglect to follow the light will place you in a more unfavorable position
than the Jews upon whom Christ pronounced a woe." Testimonies,
Vol. 5, pp. 75-76.
"Like
ancient Israel, the church has dishonored her God by departing from the
light, neglecting her duties, and abusing her high and exalted privilege of
being peculiar and holy in character. Her members have violated their
covenant to live for God and him only. They have joined with the selfish and
world-loving. Pride, the love of pleasure, and sin have been cherished, and
CHRIST HAS DEPARTED. His Spirit has been quenched in the church. Satan works
wide by side with professed Christians yet they are so destitute of spiritual
discernment that they do not detect him." E.G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 2, pp. 441-442.
"Among
the professed followers of Christ, there is the same pride, formalism, vainglory,
selfishness, and OPPRESSION, that existed in the Jewish nation." E.G.
White, Sketches
from the Life of Paul, 251-252.
"God's
professed people are selfish and self-caring....They are idolaters, and are
worse, in the sight of God, than the heathen, graven-image worshippers who
have had no knowledge of a better way." Testimonies, Vol. 2,
440-441.
"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].
"Of those who boast of their light, and yet fail to
walk in it, Christ says, 'But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for
Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum
[Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], with art exalted unto
heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell...'
"'And now, because ye have done all these works, saith
the Lord, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard
not; and I called you, but ye answered not; therefore will I do unto this
house, which is called by My name, wherein ye trust, and
unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to
Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all
your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim'" 3RH 69, August 1, 1893
[brackets in original].
I do not in any way contest
the many wrong reasons why folk have left the Adventist faith since its
inception. However, in many of Ellen White’s statements quoted by Gar wherein
she mentions those who go out from us, she means those who go out of the church
triumphant, Zion, which gives the final Loud Cry message.
Zion is the church that is
married, Isaiah 62. It is from her and by her that all are shaken out of the
heavenly Zion (Sion) of Hebrews 12:22, 13. Zion is the true reformers—the 144,000.
It is the church of Ezekiel 20:34-38.
Ezekiel 22:17-31 tells us where the dross is gathered. A huge
mistake made by Gar and most professing Seventh-day Adventist, is made in
thinking one must depart from the church to depart from the faith, and/or
that any departure from a new movement church that has removed God (1SM
204-5), means departure from the faith.
Always remember that the only church that appears as about to
fall, but ultimately does not, is the church triumphant, Zion, and that is
the church from which, and by which, all of the lost are shaken from the
Kingdom of heaven. That church appears as about to fall when it is surrounded
by the enemy when Satan attempts to abolish it from the earth in a decisive
blow in one night. It certainly appears as about to fall. But it does not.
Jesus intervenes to save the church triumphant. There will be many who are
shaken out of Zion even after the apostate SDA new movement should have
ceased to exist—the time of the enforcement of the National Sunday Law.
But Ellen White said that church will merely tell its members
to keep Sunday sacred.
"The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men
in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued
by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves,
but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of
custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air
[campmeetings], ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping
the first day of the week." Review
and Herald, Vol. 1, p. 405.
Please keep in mind that most of the religious people of this
world already worship on Sunday. So it is not their ministers who are urging
them to worship on Sunday. It will be our own professed SDA leadership who
will urge the necessity of keeping Sunday holy!
Remember, "We have far more to fear from within than from
without." 1 SM 121.
This should come as no surprise when the church long ago
(circa 1970’s) instructed parents in Russia to send their children to school
on Sabbath. So the church is not the commandment-keeping people of God.
—rwb
----- Original Message -----
From Gar
To: Adventist-fm@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2010 11:40 AM
Subject: [Adventist-fm] Why Some Leave
Why Some Leave
Unjust Criticism Causes Loss of Souls
Even in our day there have been
and will continue to be entire families who have once rejoiced in the truth,
but who will lose faith because of calumnies and falsehoods brought to them
in regard to those whom they have loved and with whom they have had sweet
counsel. They opened their hearts to the sowing of tares, the tares sprang up
among the wheat, they strengthened, the crop of wheat became less and less,
and the precious truth lost its power to them.--TM 411 (1898).
False Doctrines Draw Some
Away
Science, so-called, and religion
will be placed in opposition to each other because finite men do not
comprehend the power and greatness of God. These words of Holy Writ were
presented to me, "Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse
things, to draw away disciples after them" [Acts 20:30]. This will
surely be seen among the people of God.--Ev 593 (1890).
When the shaking comes, by the
introduction of false theories, these surface readers, anchored nowhere, are
like shifting sand. They slide into any position to suit the tenor of their
feelings of bitterness.--TM 112 (1897).
Not having received the love of the truth, they will
be taken in the delusions of the enemy; they will give heed to seducing
spirits and doctrines of devils and will depart from the faith.--6T 401
(1900).
The enemy will bring in false
theories, such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the
points on which there will be a departing from the faith.--Ev 224 (1905).
Rejection of the Testimonies Results in Apostasy
One thing is certain: Those
Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan's banner will first
give up their faith in the warnings and reproofs contained in the Testimonies
of God's Spirit.--3SM 84 (1903).
The very last deception of Satan
will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18). Satan
will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to
unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony.--1SM
48 (1890).
The enemy has made his masterly efforts to unsettle
the faith of our own people in the Testimonies. . . . This is just as Satan
designed it should be, and those who have been preparing the way for the
people to pay no heed to the warnings and reproofs of the Testimonies of the
Spirit of God will see that a tide of errors of all kinds will spring into
life.--3SM 83 (1890).
It is Satan's plan to weaken the
faith of God's people in the Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard
to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as
to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the
Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows
the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he
launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in
destruction.--4T 211.
Defections Among Church Leaders
Many a star that we have admired
for its brilliance will then go out in darkness.--PK 188 (c. 1914).
Men whom He has greatly honored
will, in the closing scenes of this earth's history, pattern after ancient
Israel. . . . A departure from the great principles Christ has laid down in
His teachings, a working out of human projects, using the Scriptures to
justify a wrong course of action under the perverse working of Lucifer, will
confirm men in misunderstanding, and the truth that they need to keep them
from wrong practices will leak out of the soul like water from a leaky
vessel.--13MR 379, 381 (1904).
Many will show that they are not
one with Christ, that they are not dead to the world, that they may live with
Him; and frequent will be the apostasies of men who have occupied responsible
positions.--RH Sept. 11, 1888.
Unsanctified Ministers Will Be Weeded Out
The great issue so near at hand
[enforcement of Sunday laws] will weed out those whom God has not appointed
and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter
rain.--3SM 385 (1886).
Many will stand in our pulpits
with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish
torch of Satan. . . .
Some will go out from among us who
will bear the ark no longer. But these can not make walls to obstruct the
truth; for it will go onward and upward to the end.--TM 409, 411 (1898).
Ministers and doctors may depart
from the faith, as the Word declares they will, and as the messages that God
has given His servant declare they will.--7MR 192 (1906).
The Church May Appear as About to Fall
The shaking of God blows away
multitudes like dry leaves.--4T 89 (1876).
Chaff like a cloud will be borne
away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich
wheat.--5T 81 (1882).
Soon God's people will be tested
by fiery trials, and the great proportion of those who now appear to be
genuine and true will prove to be base metal. . . .
When the religion of Christ is most held in
contempt, when His law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest
and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of
truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of
the Lord when champions are few--this will be our test. At this time we must
gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and
loyalty from their treason.--5T 136 (1882).
The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It
remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated
from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must
take place.--2SM 380 (1886).
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith
in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience
to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the
opposition.--GC 608 (1911).
God's Faithful Will Be Revealed
The Lord has faithful servants who
in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. 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. But it may be
under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine
Christian character will be revealed. In the daytime 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,
81 (1882).
On every occasion that persecution takes
place, the witnesses make decisions, either for Christ or against Him. Those
who show sympathy for the men wrongly condemned, who are not bitter against
them, show their attachment for Christ.--ST Feb. 20, 1901.
Let opposition arise, let bigotry
and intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be kindled, and the
half-hearted and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true
Christian will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his hope brighter
than in days of prosperity.--GC 602 (1911).
New Converts Will Take the Places of Those Who
Leave
Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless
and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation
enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they
were left behind in darkness, and their places were immediately filled by
others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks.--EW 271 (1858).
The broken ranks will be filled up
by those represented by Christ as coming in at the eleventh hour. There are
many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive
judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have no opportunity to
learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of
mercy is touched, His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is
closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in
these last days hear the truth for the first time.--Letter 103, 1903.\
Standard after standard was left to trail in the
dust as company after company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe
after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping
people of God.--8T 41 (1904).
Conclusion
"The church may appear as about to fall, but it does
not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff
separated from the precious wheat."
--2SM 380
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