A
Correct Response to the Issue as to Whether or Not There is an Eighth Church
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Dear Reader, One of the diversionary tactics of Satan
regarding the apostasy of the professing New Movement, New Organization Seventh-day
Adventist Church leaders is to suggest that if one leaves that New Movement,
he/she would be entering some eighth church because the last church mentioned
in God’s list of seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, is Laodicea. Satan has convinced professing SDA’s that
as long as a New Movement—New Organization is formed “among,” (within) the
church, it is not an eighth church, but to leave the apostate SDA church
would involve forming an eighth church, even though the “organized” church
has removed God, per Selected Messages,
Vol. 1, 204-5. To any true Reformer, this is one of Satan’s most clever
deceptions ever perpetrated upon God’s people. God’s
Intended Design in the Seven Churches of Revelation As of the writing of this document, there
are thousands of different denominations within the Christian church itself.
It is purported that there are 33,830 different Christian denominations. World
Religions Religion Statistics Geography Church Statistics
How do 33,830 Christian denominations fit
in God’s schema of seven churches described in Revelation 2 and 3? If SDA
leaders are correct in saying that additional organized churches add to God’s
list in Rev. 2 and 3, any new SDA church would not be an eighth church but
rather the 33831 church. But what is the truth of the matter? The
truth regarding this issue is that all 33,830 of the professing Christian
denominations fit one or more of God’s seven descriptions of the various
states (era’s) of the church during history. One could form any number of
additional church organizations and they all would fall into one or more of
the categories of the Seven Churches of Revelation 2 and 3! They would not
constitute an eighth, ninth, tenth etc., church! And it is foolish of any SDA leader or member to ever make that
assumption. Let’s
analyze the above statement to get it’s full meaning in mind: · The seven churches of
Revelation 2 and 3 existed concomitantly (all at the same time) in the days
of the disciples. · Those seven churches and
their defined traits are symbolic of the church in different periods of the
Christian era. · But wait a minute! The
messages (Plural—all seven messages) extend to the end of time. All the
messages APPLY to the end of time. · The descriptions (symbols
used) reveal the general condition of the Christian church at different
periods in the history of the world. Let’s
take the well known and more popular Christian denominations by way of
example to illustrate what I am saying. In 1844, the following denominations
were popular: · Methodists · Baptists · Presbyterian · Catholic · Anglican etc. All
of the above (and there were more) fell into the category(s) of the seven
churches of Rev. 2 and 3, although they all had the predominant traits of one
of the seven church eras, namely Sardis. It is demonstrable from the
following evidence, that a church can exhibit the traits of more than one
state of the seven church eras at a time except for Philadelphia, which is
not faulted on one score. Philadelphia is true Zion, the true bride of Jesus
Christ in all ages. It
has been aptly observed: Why
is the SDA church fixated on the Laodicean condition of 1859 (and earlier) when
in Nov. 2, 1886 the warning to the Sardis church was applicable to the SDA
church at that time. (See Review & Herald, 11/2/1886). And in Review
& Herald, 2/25/1902 the Ephesus condition was "applicable to the
Seventh-day Adventist churches in their present condition." And these
(Sardis and Ephesus) conditions are reiterated as applying to "us as a
people" in Manuscript (MS) 18, 1903. The
concept that the Philadelphian period terminated in 1844, is not divinely
inspired but is rather a totally human construct. Consequently, it's not a
matter of going back to it, but of coming into it. (Again, compare EW: 13,
37; TM: 446; GC: 560; Word to the Little Flock, p. 12, to Rev. 3:7-12.) In
a September 1850 article by the Advent Review Publishing Committee, which was
composed of Hiram Edson, David Arnold, George W. Holt, Samuel W. Rhodes, and
James White who apparently wanted to leave a permanent record of what their
stand was on God's last true church, the article states: "Now
just as sure as the Philadelphia church is the true church of the last days,
just so sure the 144,000 are sealed, just before the coming of the Lord" In
addition, E.G. White counseled Haskell to write on Daniel and the Revelation
for she knew he had truth, and he quotes in his book Story of the Seer of
Patmos, pp. 86, 87: "The message to the Philadelphian period reaches
to the end of time. And all who receive the crown will have passed through
its experiences... The messages to Sardis and Philadelphia separately cover a
period extending to the second coming of Christ; but in addition to the
experiences portrayed in the fifth and sixth messages, that which is directed
to Laodicea is also applicable... The cry. Babylon is fallen, 'was proclaimed
when the churches rejected the advent message; and as in the Thyatira period
the true separated from those who turned from the light; so in the days when
the principles of Protestantism are again discarded, this time by the
daughters of Babylon, a separation is necessary." Stephen Haskell, Story of
the Seer of Patmos, pp. 86, 87 So
here we have these church pioneers-James White himself and the others, S.N.
Haskell, and E.G. White who all support the position that the last true church
is Philadelphia-and we should take their word ahead of any expositors who
claim that 1844 was the closing of that period. Especially since their
conclusions are not supported by inspiration. Ellen White’s Reference
to Sardis "I beseech my brethren and
sisters to lay aside their darling luxury of tea and coffee, the use of which
creates an unnatural state of mind and body. 'Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their
garments' [Rev. 3:4]. How are their garments defiled? By eating of that which
brings disease and infirmity." (MR Vol. 20, p. 6). Another reference to Sardis: “Read the Third Chapter of Revelation.—In the message to the church at Sardis two parties are presented—those
who have a name to live, but are dead, and those who are striving to
overcome. Study this message, found in the third chapter of Revelation. [Rev.
3:1, 2 quoted]. Who are meant by those that are ready to die? And what has
made them thus? The explanation is given, ‘I have not found thy works perfect
before God.’” [Vs. 3-5 quoted.] To the church of the PRESENT DAY this
message is sent. I call upon our church members to read THE WHOLE of the third chapter of Revelation, and to MAKE AN
APPLICATION OF IT. The message to the church of the Laodiceans applies
especially to the people of God today. It is a message to professing
Christians who have become so much like the world that no difference can be
seen [vs. 14-18 quoted]. (RH Aug. 20, 1903). SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 7a, p. 959. Chapter 3 of Revelation includes the
messages to Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea! But don’t forget that Ellen
White said that ALL THE MESSAGES apply to the end of time! Let’s take the message to Ephesus. It
lost its first love. It was admonished to repent and return to its first love
state or have its candle removed. What was the first love of Adventism? It
was Philadelphia perfection—coming out of Babylon to be a holy, peculiar and
separate people unto God. That is what we left. That is the state of the
church we are to return to. Thus, it is not a matter of any eighth church! It
is a matter of returning to our first love, the sixth church—the church of
brotherly love, Philadelphia. Thus, it is positively foolish,
redundant and moot to even make mention of an eighth church! If that were
possible, the New Movement—New Organization formed “among” SDA’s, as defined
in 1SM 204-5, that is described as “removing God,” would certainly be an
eighth church by so doing and by fulfilling all of the specifications
mentioned on those two pages as part of the Omega of Apostasy. But rather,
the professing SDA church became cold, apostate Laodicea. All who are saved
will return to the church’s state of first love—Philadelphia, which is not
faulted in one case. Notice that Philadelphia is given the
promise of being pillars in the Temple of God in heaven. Would that mean that
folk of the last generation and the 144,000 who are without guile, would not
qualify for position in the Temple of God, and the New Name, because they
were born in the wrong generation?! Of course not friend. The message to
Philadelphia and ALL THE MESSAGES apply to the end of time and every
professing church on earth will fall into one or more of the categories
defined in the messages to the Seven Churches of Revelation 2 and 3. It is interesting to consider that
there is no record that literal Laodicea in the time of the disciples ever repented!
She will be spewed out in the judgment. According to Ellen White, the omega
of apostasy was to surely develop and continue until Jesus comes. Thus,
modern day Laodicea will follow the course of literal Laodicea. It is most foolhardy to conclude that
by returning to and maintaining our first love, Philadelphia, that we would
be starting an eighth church! Even the New Movement formed “among” (within)
the SDA church that has removed God, is not an eighth church. It is cold,
apostate Laodicea. God bless, Ron Beaulieu |