How
the Apostates Take Over the Church
The process is the same in all churches! “The
human desire to be accepted, to not be seen as' outside the mainstream,' can be
overwhelming. But that desire is our weakness, our downfall."
"When apostate
Christians and agnostics were allowed to set the agenda and define the
arguments, the faint of heart self-consciously sought to surrender. Quickly
abandoned were Martin Luther's words: 'Here I stand. I can do no other.'"
It’s really quite amazing how an Evangelical has come to the
same conclusion Ellen White penned many decades ago!
"A new order of things has COME INTO the ministry. There
is a desire to pattern after other churches and simplicity and humility are almost unknown. The young
ministers seek to be original, and to introduce new ideas and new plans for
labor. Some open revival meetings, and by this means call large numbers into
the church. But when the excitement is over, where are the converted ones?
Repentance and confession of sin are not seen. The sinner is entreated to
believe in Christ and accept Him, without regard to his past life of sin and
rebellion. The heart is not broken. There is no contrition of soul. The
supposed converted ones have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus." E.G.
White, Selected Messages, Bk. 2, pp.
18, 19.
"The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition
that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and
that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as
the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were
this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that
God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our
religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the
work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A NEW ORGANIZATION
would be established. Books of a NEW ORDER would be written. A system of
intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would
go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be
lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to
stand in the way of the NEW MOVEMENT. The leaders would teach that virtue is
better than vice, but GOD BEING REMOVED, they would place their dependence on
human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built
on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.
Who has authority to begin such a [NEW] movement? We have our Bibles, we have
our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We
have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with
this truth? E.G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 1, 204, 205.
The new movement did indeed come in and changed pillar doctrines
to antichrist teachings the following issues:
· The human nature of Christ.
· The Godhead.
· Association and confederacy with fallen
Babylon in violation of Isaiah 8:9-12, the Midnight Cry and the second angel’s
message.
· Consulting Babylon on growing churches—dependence
upon human power and human philosophy rather than God’s gift of the Spirit of
Prophecy to the church.
· Forming partnerships with the world vis-à-vis SDA Health Care Institutions.
· Accepting the world’s accreditation
standards for our educational facilities.
· Celebration (the Celebration Movement)
and rejoicing when doing evil (Jeremiah 11:9-15).
· Licentiousness has continued to the
point that the church has the same percentage divorce rate as the world. Ellen
White said that a continuum of licentiousness would make the church part of
Babylon, a worse part, because the church knows the truth.
· The church rejected the Laodicean
message and transcended lukewarmness to cold,
unpardonable sin apostasy.
· A hierarchical system of church
governance which “rules or ruins” all who do not agree with it.