My Vision on The Church Militant
Part 2
“We should NEVER give sanction to sin
by our words or our deeds, our silence or OUR PRESENCE.” Desire of Ages, p. 152}
During the night hours of
September 25, 2018, I was given a vision on the church militant which is
supposed to be the body of Christ, engaged in a continuous war against evil.
The life example of Christ was an example of what the church militant is
supposed to be—a message about the love of God and the great sacrifice Christ
made for man, which was characterized by grace, humility, truth in addition to
the three angel’s messages. The church militant is to war against all evil and
misrepresentations of the truth, and all apostasy, by crying aloud to show
God’s people their sins. Isaiah 58:1.
Since truth is a contingent
chain and new light is to never contradict the old, I back up my vision with
truth that must be restated as evidence. Ellen White did the same thing and
that is why much of her work is a repetition of what she said many times over.
This process is necessary to back up any new truth. The gems are always nestled
in amongst the old.
It is most important to
understand precisely what the church militant is and what it is not, because
SDA leaders and members have advanced the cherished error that we are never to
war against what they regard as the church militant; meaning their new
movement, new organization omega apostate church—no matter what it does. I was
shown that this is a serious error on their part that needs to be exposed and
corrected. It should be obvious that if God did not spare His first chosen
people church militant, that once a church militant does not mean always a
church militant. That principle is made very plain by Ellen White, as well, in The Upward Look, p. 131.
God’s
first chosen people made the serious mistake of thinking once chosen, always
chosen. This was first proven false when He divorced both Israel and Judah:
Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby
backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and
given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but
went and played the harlot also.
Yet, even today, many Jews
believe very adamantly that they are still God’s chosen people, and that all the
CONDITIONAL promises of the Bible will still be fulfilled to them. They are so
deluded by Satan, that they intend to build a third temple and begin sacrifices
again. That is the epitome of self-deception.
In spite of that Biblical example, and Ellen White’s Upward Look 131 instruction, every
MEMBER of the SDA church believes that since Laodicea is the last church named
in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, that God is stuck with them no matter what they
do! They believe He UNCONDITIONALLY NEEDS THEM, no matter what the church does,
to deliver the final Loud Cry warning to the world. Ellen White’s UL 131
statement is most apropos here. She said: “God is not ‘worshipped with men’s
hands, as though he needed any thing’ (Acts 17:25).”
“The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to
serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life. He took from them the kingdom
of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this
principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the
work of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their
calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear
important responsibilities. But, if these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action,
if they do not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then
the Lord will grievously afflict and humble them and, unless they repent, will
remove them from their place and make them a reproach.
God is not
'worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing' (Acts 17:25).” E. G. White, The Upward Look, 131.
If you don’t happen to believe
Ellen White, here it is from God Almighty:
Act
17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's
hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath,
and all things;
How God will Now Give the Final Message to the World
God showed me long ago precisely
how the last warning message will be given to the entire world. He has ways and
means that exclude one thread of man’s devisings.
I was shown that God is going to
use His bride, the 144,000, that is without fault, to give the final Loud Cry
warning to the world. I was shown that this group includes a firmament of
chosen ones who have never heard the name Seventh-day Adventist.
Rev
14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb
stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty
and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev
14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven,
as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard
the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev
14:3 And they sung as it were a new
song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man
could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were
redeemed from the earth.
Rev
14:4 These are they which were not
defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the
firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev
14:5 And in their mouth was found no
guile: for they are without
fault before the throne of God.
A Firmament of Chosen Ones
"A
Firmament of Chosen Ones.--Among earth's inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who
have not bowed the knee to Baal. Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at
night, these FAITHFUL ONES
will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people. In heathen
Africa, in the Catholic lands of Europe and of South America, in China, in
India, in the islands of the sea, and in all the dark corners of the earth, God has in reserve a firmament of CHOSEN ONES that
will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to an apostate world
the transforming power of obedience to His law. Even now they are
appearing IN EVERY NATION, AMONG EVERY TONGUE AND PEOPLE and in the hour of deepest apostasy, when Satan's
supreme effort is made to cause 'all, both small and great, rich and poor, free
and bond,' to receive, under penalty of death, the sign of allegiance to a
false rest day, these faithful ones, 'blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,' will 'shine as light in the world.'" The darker
the night, the more brilliantly will they shine." E.G. White, Evangelism,707, and Prophets and
Kings, pp. 188, 189.
God
has “chosen ones” in every land who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They are
in all the dark corners of the earth. In the hour of deepest apostasy, when the
Sunday Law is ENFORCED, these faithful ones, BLAMELESS AND HARMLESS, WITHOUT
REBUKE, will give the final message to the world.
There
can be no doubt that God does not need Laodicea, which Ellen White defines as
the foolish virgin state of the church, to give the final message to the world.
Let that cherished delusion from Satan, be forever laid to rest.
"The
state of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as
the Laodicean state." E. G. White, Review and Herald Articles, Vol. 2, 420,
8/19/1890.
The
foolish virgins are NOT saved. See E. G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons,
last chapter.
"The
church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of God is not in her
midst." E.G. White, Notebook Leaflets, p. 99, 1898.
"To
the end of time, the presence of the Spirit is to abide with the true
church." E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 55.
“The
Testimony For The Church—The Laodicean Church—What
greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are
right when they are ALL WRONG?” Testimonies, Vol. 3, pp. 253, 254.
Laodicea IS NOT the Last
Church
Another
of the cherished errors of professing Seventh-day Adventists, is the oft cited
lie that Laodicea is the final church and there is no eighth church. Laodicea
is not the last church because Ellen White said that ALL THE MESSAGES APPLY TO
THE END OF TIME, TO WIT:
"The
names of the seven churches are symbolic of the church in different periods of
the Christian era. The number seven indicates completeness,
and is symbolic of the fact that the messages [Plural] extend to the end of time,
while the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods
in the history of the world." Acts of the Apostles, p. 585.
Philadelphia is the final
church, because it is the 144,000, that is without fault. How can you KNOW that
for sure? Philadelphia is said to be made PILLARS [LEADERS] in the Temple of
God in heaven (Rev. 3:10-12). Ellen White said that only the 144,000 go into
that temple. Early Writings, p. 19.
James White recognized that Philadelphia is the True
Church of the Last Days
"The
history and description of the 144,000 apply to those who are to be changed at
the coming of the Lord, and to no other class. First, 'having his Father's name
written in their foreheads.' Said the true Witness to the Philadelphia church,
'Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God. And he
shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God.' Where? 'In
their foreheads,' just where John saw the Father's name.' 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." James
White, The Advent Review, pg. 56.
Listen friend of mine: If Laodicea is the
foolish virgins, how can it be the final church triumphant? Why can’t the leaders
understand this simple truth? God answers that
question in Isaiah 56:10-12.
Laodicea in Carnal Security
The blind
state of Laodicea is made blatantly obvious when they won’t admit to being in
apostasy, when God instructs us to sigh and cry aloud for all the abominations
in the midst thereof, to wit:
“Mark
this point with care; those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them
by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by the man in linen, are those "that sigh and cry for all
the abominations that are done" in the church. Their love for
purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they
are represented as being in an agony, even sighing and crying.” {RH, June 8,
1886 par. 2}
Isa
58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their
transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Some
as knowledgeable as Professor Walter Veith, are teaching that all we have to do is give the three angel’s messages; that sighing
and crying for all the abominations and showing God’s people their sins is
turning one’s guns on the church militant. They could not be further from the
truth of the matter. Many worship and follow men
rather than God’s Word. The consequences will be eternal.
“The Lord here shows us that the
message to be borne to His people by ministers whom He has called to warn the
people is not a peace-and-safety message. It is not merely theoretical, but practical in every particular. The people of God are represented
in the message to the Laodiceans as in a position of carnal security. They are
at ease, believing themselves to be in an exalted condition of spiritual
attainments. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." {3T 252.3}
“What greater
deception can come upon human minds than
253
a confidence that they are right when they are
all wrong! The message of the True
Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that
deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God.
While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted
spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by
the startling denunciation of their true condition of spiritual blindness,
poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so
cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks,
and His testimony must be correct.” {3T 252.4}
“Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known
little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the
influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those
who have cherished the spirit of kindness; before the words of life had fallen
upon their ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to
them at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who worship
God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human
instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the
written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that
the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the
children of God.” Desire of Ages,
638.
Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to
be given with greatest power, the Lord
will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who
consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by
the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of
faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the
words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful
results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the
inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal
power--all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be
stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like
these. In amazement they
607
hear
the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and
sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven. As the
people go to their former teachers with the eager inquiry, Are
these things so? the
ministers present fables, prophesy smooth things, to soothe their fears and
quiet the awakened conscience. But since many refuse to be
satisfied with the mere authority of men and demand a plain "Thus saith
the Lord," the popular ministry, like the Pharisees of old, filled with
anger as their authority is questioned, will denounce the message as of Satan
and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile and persecute those who
proclaim it.
"Those
whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but
they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit
they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those
who have cherished the spirit of kindness before the words of life had fallen
upon their ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to
them at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who worship
God ignorantly, those to
whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not
perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His
voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the
things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has
touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God.
How
surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations, and among the
heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, "Inasmuch as ye have done
it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me"!
How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His followers look up with
surprise and joy at His words of approval! E.G. White, DA, "The Least of
These My Brethren", p 638. from link from Romans 2:14-16 in Ellen White
Study Bible."
"The members of the church
triumphant--the church in heaven--will be permitted to draw near to the members
of the church militant, to aid them in their necessity." E. G. White, The Southern
Watchman, Sep. 8, 1903.
As the end draws near, the work
of God is to increase in strength and purity and holiness. The workers are to
be filled with love for God and for one another. They are to cherish
principles of strictest integrity. When the true keynote is struck, God will
reveal himself as the God of mercy and love. Angels of heaven will ascend and
descend the ladder of shining brightness, to co-operate with human
workers. {SW, September 8, 1903 par. 1}
The members of the church triumphant,--the church in
heaven--will be permitted to draw near to the members of the church militant,
to aid them in their necessity. Let us ever remember that we are laborers
together with God. In this heavenly union we shall carry forward his work with
completeness, with singing and rejoicing. In every soul will be kindled the
fire of holy zeal. Company after company will leave the dark standard of the
foe, to come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the
mighty. {SW, September 8, 1903 par. 2}
God's workers must gain a far deeper experience. If
they will surrender all to him, he will work mightily for them. They will plant
the standard of truth upon fortresses till then held by Satan, and with shouts
of victory take possession of them. They bear the scars of battle, but there
comes to them a comforting message that the Lord is teaching them terrible
things in righteousness. He will lead them on, conquering and to conquer.
{SW, September 8, 1903 par. 3}
When God's servants with consecrated zeal co-operate
with divine instrumentalities, the state of things that exists in the world
will be changed, and soon the earth with joy will receive her King. Then
"they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and
they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever." E. G. White, The Southern Watchman, Sep. 8, 1903.
"Characteristics of True Reformers.--Here are given the
characteristics of those who shall be reformers, who will bear the banner of
the third angel's message, those who avow themselves God's commandment-keeping
people, and who honor God, and are earnestly engaged, in the sight of all the
universe, in building up the old waste places. Who is it that calls them, The
repairers of the breach, The restorers of paths to dwell in? It is God. Their
names are registered [written--Heb. 12:22, 23] in heaven as reformers,
restorers, as raising the foundations of many generations." E. G. White, SDA Bible
Commentary,
Vol. 4, 1151, & Review and Herald, Oct. 13, 1891.
“We are to hold aloft the banner
bearing the inscription, “The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” We are to hold the beginning of
our confidence firm unto the end. Let no one attempt to dilute truth with a
mixture of sophistry. Let no one attempt to tear down the foundation of our
faith, or to spoil the pattern by bringing into the web threads of human
devising. Not one
thread of pantheism is to be drawn into the web. Sensuality, ruinous to
soul and body, is always the result of drawing these threads into the
web.—Letter 249, 1903. {MM 97.5}
The omega heresies of the new
movement have torn down the foundation of our faith by removing pillar
doctrines on the human nature of Christ, the Godhead, the Sanctuary, and the
Investigative Judgment. The truth on these doctrines has not been taught in SDA
Universities for many years now, except to cast doubt upon their validity.
The commandments of God, which
include no association with God’s enemies (Isaiah 8:9-20) have been broken as
though the church is immune from God’s threat of “breaking in pieces” all who
do so. When the World Council of Churches was first organized, it admitted non-christian religions of the world into membership. That
makes any religion associated with them corporately responsible for the
pantheism and other errors of some of
the members of that organization invented by Satan. Search for the word
“pantheism” at this link: http://www.pravoslavieto.com/docs/eng/gospel_accord_marx.htm
As part of this vision, I asked
the Angel of the Lord, why the innocent must suffer with the guilty per the
principle of corporate responsibility. I was given a very good and interesting
answer to this question which I will cite further along in this series.
By way of review:
We have learned that a church
militant must do the following things to qualify as a valid church militant:
1.
Have the presence of
Christ, which alone, can constitute a church. The Upward Look, p. 315.
2.
Engage in a
continuous war against evil and the enemies of Christ.
3.
Not be a new
movement that has removed Christ by its apostasy. War against any who
compromise truth for unity. GC, p. 45.
4.
Cry aloud to show
God’s people their sins. Isaiah 58:1.
5.
Sigh and cry for all
the abominations in the once church
militant. Ezekiel 9:4.
6.
Repudiate any
compromise with error. 1SM 204, 205.
7.
2Ti 4:2 Preach the
word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine.
Any
organization referring to itself as a church militant must do all of the above, or it ceases to be a valid church
militant, and it then becomes part of the Synagogue of Satan. That is what
Jesus called the apostate Jewish once church
militant. John the Baptist called them a generation of vipers, and Isaiah
called all their leaders dumb-dogs who cannot understand. Isaiah 56:10-12.
Jesus said that they cross land and sea to make one proselyte, and then make
him twice the child of hell they themselves are. 23:15.
Some,
like SDA leaders, refer to their new movement as the church militant. That new
movement fails every test of a valid church militant. Thus, they err in citing
Ellen White’s statement that we should not turn our weapons upon their new
movement.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/church-militant
Origin
1.
those Christians on earth who are engaged in a continuous war against evil and the enemies of Christ.God’s church
upon the earth are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. God leads His authentic
church militant, which is not stray offshoots here and there, but a people who
believe the same truth of heaven. Indeed, there are tares among the wheat, but
the tares are insincere believers whose motives we would have to judge in order to uproot them. They are not open sinners, and we
know that from the Bible, because God calls His church out to be separate from
the world and sin.
The members of any church
militant must manifest the same qualities if he/she would eventually join the church
triumphant. The living presence of Christ must be in any valid church militant,
so no true church militant that is warring against evil and the enemies of
Christ can imbibe the evil apostasy of the fallen churches and the world.
The church militant includes
those who are warring against personal temptations to sin. It is a hospital for
sinners in that regard, but it is not for the purpose of
membering open sinners who clamor after the manner of
worldlings. Such persons must be worked with in a
kind, loving, Christian manner, in every effort to reform them, but if they
refuse to be reformed, they must be separated from the church for the same
reason God called us out of the world. The continuous influence of the world corrupts and it is impossible to unite with the corrupt and
become or remain pure.
"It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite with those
who are corrupt, and still remain pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15 quoted). God
and Christ and the heavenly host would have men know that if he unites with the
corrupt he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 4,
p. 137.
God’s Word makes it plain that
the presence of Christ can exist only amongst those who keep His commandments.
Since the church militant wages against evil, which is sin, which is
transgression of the law, which is a transcript of the character of God, how
can any church militant be in evil apostasy and still qualify as a church
militant, militating against evil and the enemies of Christ. How can we join in
evil and join with the enemies of Christ, and still qualify as a church
militant that professes to war against such forces?
Classic Example of an Imposter Church Militant
I was given a clear illustration of an
imposter church militant. I was shown that the most apostate church on earth
claims to be the church militant. Please note:
The Catholic Church claims to be
the church militant, as do many other churches that are seeped in apostasy, and are in bed with the world and ecumenical
liaisons.
https://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/chura1.htm
https://www.churchmilitant.com/mission
Those who are imbibing apostasy and
are using the sacred tithe to disseminate error are not the church militant. We
are not to turn our weapons upon the true church militant that teaches the pure
truth. But what if a professing church militant is teaching a doctrine that
sweeps away the entire Christian economy? I refer to the blasphemous Trinity
Doctrine, that is totally subversive to the Atonement by teaching that there
are three co-ETERNAL persons to the Godhead.
Only two of the persons are co-ETERNAL.
The humanity of Christ is not co-eternal
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, which is the Son before His Incarnation
into humanity. That Incarnation sacrifice produced a third person in the
humanity of Christ. So, to say that there are three co-ETERNAL persons to the
Godhead, bypasses the Incarnation Atonement Sacrifice that produced a third
NON-ETERNAL PERSON in the person of Christ’s humanity. Humanity was NO PART of
the Godhead before the Incarnation, so it is total error to refer to the
humanity of Christ as co-eternal with the other two persons of the Godhead.
That act, by men who cannot understand (Isa. 56:10-12), sweeps away the entire
Christian economy by doing total despite to the Incarnation which produced
another person to the Godhead.
In John 14, the human Jesus is
speaking. He speaks of His Holy Spirit person that will come to us. He speaks
of His Father as coming to us (vers 23).
Jhn 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will
love him, and we will come
unto him, and make our abode with him.
The reason they both come to us
is because they both are of the same essence and substance, ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT,
which makes them ONE GOD.
Ellen White had it Right
Why did SDA leaders adopt the Trinity
Doctrine in 1980, 136 years after the birth of Philadelphia, when Ellen White
had it right? God would not have let the church be ignorant of this most
fundamental of all Christianity for 136 years (1844-1986). It’s just that the
leaders were pressured to be in line with the other churches via their
association with the World Council of Churches.
"Christ declared
that after his ascension, he would send to his church, as his crowning gift, the Comforter,
who was to take his place. This
Comforter is the Holy Spirit,--the soul of his life,
the efficacy of his church, the light and life of the world. With his Spirit Christ sends a
reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin.
In the gift of the Spirit, Jesus
gave to man the highest good that heaven could bestow....
The Spirit was given as a
regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been
of no avail....
It is by the Spirit that the
heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the
divine nature. Christ has given his Spirit as a divine power to overcome all
hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress his own character
upon the church." E.G. White, Review
and Herald Articles, May 19, 1904, vol. 5, p. 42.
If the Holy Spirit, THE
COMFORTER, is the soul of His (Christ's) life, that is a very close union considering there are three
distinct persons to the Godhead. That close union means that the Holy Ghost
(first mentioned in Matthew) is the ghost of His Pre-Incarnation state of being
as DIVINE HOLY SPIRIT ONLY. Then when He was Incarnated, He had to divest
Himself of that DIVINE ONLY state of being, because His humanity cumbered that
Holy Spirit.
“Cumbered
with humanity Christ could not be in every place personally,
therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them to go
to His Father and send
the Holy Spirit [THE COMFORTER--THE SOUL OF HIS PRE-INCARNATED LIFE] to
be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and
independent thereof. He
would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit.” E.G.
White, (Manuscript Releases Volume 14
(No’s 1081-1135) MR No.1084.
Christ’s Holy Spirit LIFE, PERSON was divested from His
humanity, which is an INDEPENDENT PERSON of the Godhead. If there had been
three CO-ETERNAL persons before the Incarnation, before this divestment
process, there would be FOUR after the Incarnation, and that is NOT the case.
"The
apostle would call our attention from ourselves to the Author of our salvation.
He presents before us His two natures, divine and human. . . . He voluntarily
assumed human nature. It was His own act, and by His own consent. He clothed
His divinity with humanity. He was all the while as God, but He did not appear
as God. He veiled the demonstrations of Deity which had commanded the homage, and called forth the admiration of the universe of
God. He was God while upon earth, but He
divested Himself of the form of God, and in its stead took the form and fashion
of a man.” E. G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7a, p. 446.
Note:
HIS FORM AS GOD WAS HIS PRE-INCARNATION STATE OF BEING AS HIS HOLY SPIRIT
DIVINE (ONLY) NATURE, VS. HIS COMBINATION WITH HUMANITY AT HIS INCARNATION
WHICH CUMBERED THAT DIVINE ONLY NATURE.
Christ's pre-Incarnation Holy Spirit is HIMSELF divested of
Christ's personality in His humanity. When HIS HOLY
SPIRIT was divested at the Incarnation because His humanity cumbered His
Holy Spirit DIVINE ONLY NATURE, it became a THIRD DISTINCT PERSON. Up to
that time, the Holy Spirit existed as the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT, common both to
the Father and the Son. There were two distinct persons until the Incarnation.
At the Incarnation THREE PERSONS ACCRUED:
18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Ephesians 2:18
1.
The Father and
His share of the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT.
2.
The Holy GHOST which
was the PRE-INCARNATION state of the Son of God, constituting His
share of the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT.
3. Jesus as combined with humanity forever. FULLY DIVINE AND
FULLY HUMAN SAYS ELLEN WHITE. How He was fully human and fully divine being
divested from His former soul of His life Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, is a
mystery.
"The reason why the
churches are weak and sickly and ready to die, is that the enemy has brought
influences of a discouraging nature to bear upon trembling souls. He [Satan] has sought to shut Jesus from their view as
the Comforter, as one who reproves, who warns, who admonishes them,
saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." Christ has all power in
heaven and in earth, and he can strengthen the wavering, and set right the
erring. He can inspire with confidence, with hope in God; and confidence in God
always results in creating confidence in one another [E.G. White, Review and Herald, August
26, 1890].
Not to Turn Our Weapons on the True Church Militant
When Jesus denounced the
Jewish once church militant, He chose
others. Those others were the disciples and the home churches they organized. That
is exactly what He did when the SDA church formed a new movement that removed
God and pillar doctrines.
“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Those who have any
realization of what this warfare means will not turn their weapons against the
church militant, but with all their powers will wrestle with the people of God
against the confederacy of evil. {TM 50.2}
“Let every one
who is seeking to live a Christian life, remember that the church militant is
not the church triumphant. Those who are carnally minded will be found in the
church. They are to be pitied more than blamed. The church is not to be judged
as sustaining these characters, though they be found within her borders. Should
the church expel them, the very ones who found fault with their presence there,
would blame the church for sending them adrift in the world; they would claim
that they were treated unmercifully. It may be that in the church there are those who are cold, proud,
haughty, and unchristian, but you need not associate with this class.
There are many who are warm-hearted, who are self-denying, self-sacrificing,
who would, were it required, lay down their lives to save souls. Jesus saw the
bad and the good in church relationship, and said, “Let both grow together
until the harvest.” None are under the necessity of becoming tares because
every plant in the field is not wheat. If the truth were known, these
complainers make their accusations in order to quiet a
convicted, condemning conscience. Their own course of action is not wholly
commendable. Even those who are striving for the mastery over the enemy, have
sometimes been wrong and done wrong. Evil prevails over good when we do not
trust wholly in Christ, and abide in Him.
Inconsistencies of character will then be manifested that would not be revealed
if we preserved the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. {FE 294.2}
Note by Ron: I have stated many
times that the tares are insincere believers whose motives we would have to
judge in order to uproot them. Those who are cold,
proud, haughty and unchristian, are not regarded as open sinning apostates.
Open sinner apostates embrace apostate doctrines that confuse the members of
the church. Ellen White made it clear that every effort is to be made to reform
open sinners and that if they will not change, they must be separated from the
church, to wit:
"Christ has plainly taught that those
who persist in open sin must be separated from the church, but He has not committed to us
the work of judging character and motive.
He knows our nature too well to entrust this work to us. Should we try to uproot from the church those
whom we suppose to be spurious Christians, we should be sure to make
mistakes. Often
we regard as hopeless subjects the very one whom Christ is drawing to Himself,
it would perhaps extinguish their last hope.
Many who think themselves Christians will at last be found wanting. Many will be in heaven who their neighbors
supposed would never enter there. Man judges from appearance, but God judges the heart. The tares and the wheat are to grow together
until the harvest; and the harvest is the end of probationary time." COL
71.
In
the case of God’s first chosen people, the Jews, it was the leaders who were
open sinners. They would allow NOTHING to stand in their way, NOT EVEN JESUS
CHRIST. That is exactly the case with His second chosen people. It is apostate
leaders who have brought in apostasies that have replaced pillar doctrines on
the human nature of Christ, the Godhead, and strictly forbidden ecumenical
association. Isaiah 8:9-12.
Ellen
White prophesied that the new movement leaders would permit nothing to stand in
their way. What then? In such an event, the example of Jesus and His disciples
is the proper course for us to follow.
"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.
One
does not have to judge character or motive to recognize open sin. If an
organization or individual is participating in open sin, such is not part of
God's church.
“The names of those who sin and
refuse to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the saints be
held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course of
transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse to
repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with the
rules laid down in the Word of God.” {11MR 208.3}
We are not compelled to choose
as familiar associates those who reject the love of God that has been expressed
in giving His Son to our world, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.” Those who love God will not choose the
enemies of God to be their friends. The question was asked, “Shouldest thou
help the ungodly, and love them which hate the Lord?” Will you prefer the
association of the irreligious and disloyal, to that of those who are obeying
the commandments of God? Will you choose to separate yourself from those who
love God, and place yourself as far as possible from the channel of light? You
want to keep in an atmosphere of purity and faith, and
bring into your character principles that will be as solid timbers. Christians
will not choose and cultivate the society of non-Christians. If the Lord gives
you a special position in the world, as He did Joseph and Daniel, then he will
sustain and keep you in the midst of temptation. But
you will never be where you will find too much light, in our world. Then how perilous it is to
choose the association of those who love darkness rather than light, and will
not come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved.”—The Review and Herald, January 16, 1894.
{FE 295.1}
Rather than Unity by the Compromise of Truth, let There
be Difference, Even War
Half baked converts are teaching
that all we need to do is teach the truth of the three angel’s messages, and
NOTHING ELSE; that we need not sigh and cry aloud for all the abominations and
show the House of Jacob its sins. This is not speaking according to the Law and
the Testimony, Isaiah 8:20, and the testimony of Ellen G. White.
“After a long and severe
conflict, the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church
if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They saw that
separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God. They
dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls, and
set an example which would imperil the faith of their children and children’s
children. To secure peace and unity they were ready to
make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the
sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of
truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war.”
{GC, p. 54).
How long did Jesus remain in
Jerusalem before “gathering out” those who would take the gospel to the world? Desire of Ages, 232.
How long did Paul remain at the
Temple? "And as they persisted in
their rejection of the gospel the apostle (Paul) went into the synagogue, and
spake boldly for the space
of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the
kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil
of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the
disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus." Acts, 19:8, 9.
How
long did Ellen White say we should feed with milk, and how long did she give
the people in 1844, who heard and understood the second angels message, before
they had a “shut door” if they would not believe? Answer: 8-12 weeks.
"I
saw that in '44 God had opened a door and no man could shut it,
and shut a door and no man could open it. Those who rejected the light which was brought to the
world by the message of the second angel went into darkness, and how great was
that darkness." {1BIO 259.3}
The Midnight Cry of 1844, lasted about 12 weeks, 3 months before the
disappointment.
"I
was shown in vision, and I still believe, that there was a shut door in 1844. All who saw the light of the
first and second angels' messages and rejected that light were left in
darkness. And those who accepted it and received the Holy Spirit which
attended the proclamation of the message from heaven, and who afterward
renounced their faith and pronounced their experience a delusion, thereby
rejected the Spirit of God, and it no longer pleaded with them." {1BIO
260.8}
"The fifty-eighth chapter of
Isaiah contains instruction for TODAY. 'Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice
like a trumpet, and show MY PEOPLE their transgression, and the house of Jacob
their sin...." The work would not have been hindered as it has been for the
past several years if Dr. Kellogg were a converted man. "Come," I call,
"come ye out and be separate from him and his associates whom he has
leavened." I am now giving the message God has given me, to give to all
who claim to believe the truth: "Come out from among them, and be ye
separate,' else their sin in justifying wrongs and framing deceits will
continue to be the ruin of souls." E.G.
White, SpTB07, Testimonies for the Church Containing Messages of Warning and
Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, pr. 02, p. 64.
Corporate responsibility: Why the Innocent Suffer with
the Guilty:
Open sin "Christ has plainly taught that those who
persist in open sin must be separated from the church..." E. G.
White, Christ's Object Lessons, 71.
The plainest example of
corporate responsibility taught by Scripture is that Christ is the head and we
are the body of His Church. The head of the body cannot endure sin in the body.
Thus, Christ Himself would be corporately responsible if He permitted sin in
His body, His church.
“God regards as his enemies those who will by any act of negligence
shield the guilty. They are in his sight partakers in the evil deeds of
the sinner.{ST January 20, 1881, par. 15}
“Here are lessons which God’s
people at the present day should take to heart. There
are grievous sins indulged by individual members of the church,—covetousness,
over-reaching, deception, fraud, falsehood, and many others. If these sins are neglected by
those who have been placed in authority in the church, the blessing of the Lord
is withheld from his people, and the
innocent suffer with the guilty. The officers in the church should be
earnest, energetic men, having a zeal for God, and they should take the most prompt
and thorough measures to condemn and correct these wrongs. In this work
they should act, not from selfishness, jealousy, or personal prejudice, but in
all meekness and lowliness of mind, with a sincere desire that God may be
glorified. Inhumanity, false
dealing, prevarication, licentiousness, and other sins, are not to be palliated or excused; for they will
speedily demoralize the church. Sin may be
called by false names, and glossed over by plausible
excuses and pretended good motives, but this does not lessen its guilt in the
sight of God. Wherever it may be found, sin is offensive to God, and will
surely meet its punishment.” {ST January 20, 1881, par. 16}
Corporate Responsibility
The Lord showed me in this vision
that anyone professing to be a leader of His people, is leading in false paths
if he/she does not teach the biblical principle of corporate responsibility.
This principle is of far greater consequence than most imagine. Most of God’s
people do not believe in this biblical principle, and it will be to the
damnation of all who continue to disregard this great lesson of Scripture.
"The plain straight testimony
must live in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His people as
surely as it did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds His
people, as a body [corporately], responsible for the sins existing in
individuals among them." Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 269.
"The names of those who sin
and refuse to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the
saints be held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course
of transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse
to repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with
the rules laid down in the Word of God." {11MR 208.3}
“Achan’s
sin brought disaster upon the whole nation. For one man’s sin the displeasure
of God will rest upon His church till the transgression is searched out and put
away. The influence most to be feared by the church is not that of open
opposers, infidels, and blasphemers, but of inconsistent professors of Christ.
These are the ones that keep back the blessing of the God of Israel and bring
weakness upon His people.” {PP 497.2}
“When the church is in
difficulty, when coldness and spiritual declension exist, giving occasion for
the enemies of God to triumph, then, instead of folding their hands and
lamenting their unhappy state, let its members inquire if there is not an Achan
in the camp. With humiliation and searching of heart, let each seek to discover
the hidden sins that shut out God’s presence.” {PP 497.3}
"When I say unto the
wicked, Thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not
warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life
the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at
thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness,
nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered
thy soul." Ezekiel 3:18-19.
"The names of those who sin
and refuse to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the
saints be held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course
of transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse
to repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with
the rules laid down in the Word of God." {11MR 208.3}
In the church that is the real
bride of Christ, “no soul can be made independent of the rest,” because Christ is the head and the bride is His body. Thus there is corporate responsibility in the true church,
amongst the true body of Christ.
“It
is of the highest importance that the youth understand that Christ’s people are
to be united in one; for this unity binds men to God by the golden cords of love, and lays each one under obligation to work for his
fellow men. The Captain of our salvation died for the human
race that men might be made one with Him and with each other. As members
of the human family we are individual parts of one
mighty whole. No soul can be made independent of the rest. There is to be no party
strife in the family of God; for the well-being of each is the happiness of the
whole. No partition walls are to be built up between man and man. Christ as the
great center must unite all in one. {FE 479.1}
"The plain straight
testimony must live in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His
people as surely as it did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds
His people, as a body [corporately], responsible for the sins existing in
individuals among them." Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 269.
"The names of those who sin
and refuse to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the
saints be held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course
of transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse
to repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with
the rules laid down in the Word of God." {11MR 208.3}
“The
Scripture bids us, “Confess your faults
one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” James 5:16.
To the one asking for prayer, let thoughts like these be presented: “We cannot
read the heart, or know the secrets of your life. These are known only to
yourself and to God. If you repent of your sins, it is your duty to make
confession of them.” Sin of a private
character is to be confessed to Christ, the only mediator between God and man. For
“if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous.” 1 John 2:1. Every sin is an offense against God and is to be
confessed to Him through Christ. Every open sin should be as openly confessed.
Wrong done to a fellow being should be made right with the one who has been
offended. If any who are seeking health
have been guilty of evilspeaking, if they have sowed
discord in the home, the neighborhood, or the church, and have stirred up
alienation and dissension, if by any wrong practice they have led others into
sin, these things should be confessed before God and before those who have been
offended. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. {CCh 304.4}
"We should NEVER
give sanction to sin by our words or our deeds, our silence or OUR
PRESENCE." —{The Desire of
Ages, p. 152}
“Any connection
with infidels and unbelievers which
would identify us with them isforbidden
by the word. We are to come out from them and be separate. In
NO CASE are we to link ourselves with them IN THEIR
PLANS OR WORK.” –{E.G. White, FE 482}
We are counselled in
Scripture to come together and reason. We were given licence to reason things
out. The SDA Bible Commentary on Isaiah 29:16, calls the Jewish leaders virtual atheists:
Virtual atheists—SDA Bible Commentary on
Isaiah 29:16:
Isa 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down
shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made
it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had
no understanding?
16. “Upside down.
They were attempting, as it were, to have the potter take orders from
the clay. They regarded themselves as
having wisdom greater than that of the Creator. These spiritual leaders were
virtual atheists, who masqueraded under the guise of religion.” SDA Bible
Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 216.
In describing the end-time SDA church, “His
church,” “the Sanctuary,” the “House of Jacob,” indicts the leaders with
UNBELIEF, to wit:
“Here we see
that the church the Lord's sanctuary
was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to
whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual
interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position
that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power
as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief,
and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too
merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus "Peace and safety" is
the cry from men who will never again lift up their
voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of
Jacob their sins. These
dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an
offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together."
E.G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 211.
Ellen White also says in more than 100 statements
that SDA’s are following exactly in the path of the ancient Jews. How is
unbelief of SDA leaders at the end-time, any different from the atheism of the
Jewish leaders? How can we have ANY CONNECTION with infidels and unbelievers.
“Any connection with infidels and unbelievers which would identify us with them is forbidden
by the word. We are to come out from them and be separate. In
NO CASE are we to link ourselves with them IN THEIR
PLANS OR WORK.” –{E.G. White, FE 482}
Jesus
and His disciples came out:
"Christ was a protestant...The Reformers date
back to Christ and the apostles. They came out and separated themselves from a
religion of forms and ceremonies. Luther and his followers did not invent the
reformed religion. They simply accepted it as presented by Christ and the
apostles." E.G. White, Review and Herald, vol. 2, 48, col. 2.
We are supposed to be Reformers:
"We are
reformers; we are
not to accept a human standard, but to be governed by the principles of heaven.
It does not become reformers to confine the work of reform to some special
points which they may choose, to the neglect of others. If wealth is brought to
the Sanitarium by the sacrifice of one Christlike attribute or principle, souls
will be discouraged; and one soul is worth more than the whole world. Remember
that Christ will deal with you just as you deal with those under your
care." {PH066 9.1} 1890.
"Characteristics of True Reformers.--Here are given the
characteristics of those who
shall be reformers, who will bear the banner of the third angel's
message, those who avow themselves God's commandment-keeping people, and who
honor God, and are earnestly engaged, in the sight of all the universe, in
building up the old waste places. Who is it that calls them, The repairers of
the breach, The restorers of paths to dwell in? It is God. Their names are
registered [written--Heb. 12:22, 23] in heaven as reformers, restorers, as
raising the foundations of many generations." E. G. White, SDA Bible
Commentary,
Vol. 4, 1151, & Review and Herald, Oct. 13, 1891.
If
you believe Ellen G. White, in the 1950’s, the church formed a new movement
that removed pillar doctrines and God’s presence. (1SM 204-205). That act was
manifest UNBELIEF. Any connection with them is forbidden by the Word. They are
going to meet with Ezekiel 9 slaughter of men, maidens and little children.
It is
one of the most amazing facts in the religious world today, that God Almighty
and Adventism’s prophetess say that their “church” will be brought down to hell, and that
Ezekiel 9 will BEGIN at their church and their Sanctuary, the once House of Jacob, and most of
the members don’t even know about these AMAZING FACTS, AND AMAZING DISCOVERIES.
The
leaders of AMAZING FACTS AND AMAZING DISCOVERIES ministries, never, ever, tell
their unwary “converts,” these amazing facts. Andrew Henriques never tells his
patrons these AMAZING FACTS. Doug Batchelor never tells his listeners these
most startling facts. Ted N.C. Wilson never tells the people he is “King” over,
these serious warning words.
If
Joseph Smith had said that about the Mormons, every Seventh-day Adventist would
know it! If Charles Russell, the Jehovah Witnesses prophet had said that about
his church, every Seventh-day Adventist would know it! And you know that! It is
one of the best keep secrets in the religious world today, that Adventism’s
prophetess says they will be brought down to hell, and that Ezekiel 9 will
begin at their Church, the Sanctuaries around the world.
“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], which art exalted
unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the
mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have
remained until this day." Ellen G. White, Review and Herald
Articles, Aug. 1, 1893. [THE BRACKETED COMMENTS ARE BY ELLEN WHITE.] {LDE
48.2}
Study Ezekiel 9—"Study the 9th chapter
of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled yet the time is passing,
and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be
converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have
such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these
truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling will
YOU hear? Will YOU receive His message? Will YOU be converted before it is too
late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106,
1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To "The churches in Oakland and Berkeley, September
26, 1909.)" E. G. White Manuscript Releases Volume One, p. 260.
“The
time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that
prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very
letter.”— Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1303.
The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880: “The desolation of Jerusalem
stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern
Israel.”
“The
desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern
Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen
instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.” Prophets and
Kings, 416.
"In the very courts of the temple,
scenes will be enacted that few realize. God's people will be proved and tested, that He
may discern 'between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.' Vengeance
will be executed against those who sit in the gate, deciding what the people
should have and what they should not have. These take away the key of knowledge. They refuse to enter
in themselves, and those who would enter in they hinder. These bear not the
seal of the living God. All who now occupy responsible positions should be
solemnly and terribly afraid lest in this time they shall be found as
unfaithful stewards." E.G. White, Manuscript 15, 1886, Paulson
Collection, p. 55.
This
is hugely important and teaching. Take special notice of these words:
In
the very courts of the temple scenes will be enacted that few realize. (The
church is involved, not just individuals).
God's
wrath in vengeance will be executed IN THE VERY COURTS OF THE TEMPLE, against
those who sit in the gate at Washington, deciding what you and I should have
and what we should not have. God gave it to Ellen White FOR ALL OF US!
What
they ellipse is so important that she says they take away the KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
They
refuse to enter the straight way and hinder those who do--the true Reformers.
They
will never bear the seal of God. This shows that those who do not receive the
seal of Ezekiel 9 will be slaughter in the very courts of the Temple, and not
just some who have LEFT the Temple.
It
proves that God's vengeance will be executed at His Sanctuary, like 5T 211
says.
No other prophets have told the churches of their
fate. They ALL will experience a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. First,
“spiritual Jerusalem,” and then Babylon. This is why
Isaiah 37:31, 32, applies to all who are saved at the end-time.
“Christ foretold the destruction
of Jerusalem, as well as of the temple. His words were spoken in the hearing of
a large number of people; but when He was again alone,
Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to Him, saying, “Tell us, when shall these
things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the
world?
Jesus did not answer His
disciples by taking up separately the destruction of Jerusalem, and the last
great day of His coming. The city of Jerusalem represented the world, and the
utterances regarding its destruction are to be connected with
the world’s more terrible destruction. In speaking of Jerusalem, His prophetic
words reached beyond that event to the conflagration that will take place in
that day when the Lord shall rise “out of His place to punish the inhabitants
of the earth for their iniquity.” The description of the two events is mingled,
and the entire subject is a warning to those who shall live in the last scenes
of earth’s history....The
events that took place at the overthrow of Jerusalem will be repeated.”
{ST February 20, 1901}
Twofold GENERAL DESTRUCTION
Since
Ezekiel 9 BEGINS at His Sanctuary, His Church, the House of Jacob, and the
forces of Babylon will execute that Ezekiel 9 destruction, Babylon’s Ezekiel 9
destruction (GC 653-656) comes after spiritual Jerusalem’s destruction, though
Ellen White referred to the total of both Jerusalem’s and Babylon general
destruction individually as “general” destruction”. There is a general
destruction of Adventist sanctuaries around the world that is perpetrated by
Babylon, and then Babylon is ripe for destruction (GC 653). They both do not go
down the tube at the same time, for Babylon will be the slaughterers.
“The future was mercifully
veiled from the disciples. Had they at that time fully comprehend the two awful
facts-- the Redeemer's sufferings and death, and the destruction of their city
and temple--they would have been overwhelmed with horror. Christ presented
before them an outline of the prominent events to take place before the close
of time. His words were not then fully understood; but their meaning was to be
unfolded as His people should need the instruction therein given. The prophecy which He uttered was twofold in its meaning; while
foreshadowing the destruction of Jerusalem, it prefigured also the terrors of
the last great day.
Jesus declared to the listening
disciples the judgments that were to fall upon apostate Israel, and especially
the retributive vengeance that would come upon them for their rejection and
crucifixion of the Messiah. Unmistakable signs would precede the awful climax.
The dreaded hour would come
Page 26
suddenly and swiftly. And the
Saviour warned His followers: "When ye therefore shall see the abomination
of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso
readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judea flee into the
mountains." Matthew 24:15, 16; Luke 21:20, 21. When the idolatrous
standards of the Romans should be set up in the holy ground, which extended
some furlongs outside the city walls, then the followers of Christ were to find
safety in flight. When the warning sign should be seen, those who would escape
must make no delay. Throughout the land of Judea, as well as in Jerusalem
itself, the signal for flight must be immediately obeyed. He who chanced to be
upon the housetop must not go down into his house, even to save his most valued
treasures. Those who were working in the fields or vineyards must not take time
to return for the outer garment laid aside while they should be toiling in the
heat of the day. They must not hesitate a moment, lest they be involved in the general destruction.” E.G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 25, 26.
The PREFIGURE of the terrors of
the last great day, BEGIN AT HIS CHURCH, HIS SANCTUARY, THE HOUSE OF JACOB,
after a faithful remnant has escaped, OUT OF JERUSALEM, AND NOT JUST BABYLON,
Isaiah 37:31, 32:
Isa 37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house
of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:
Isa 37:32 For out of Jerusalem
shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of
the LORD of hosts shall do this.
“In the prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction
Christ said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come." This prophecy will again be
fulfilled. The abounding iniquity of that day finds its counterpart in this
generation. So with the prediction in regard to the
preaching of the gospel. Before the fall of Jerusalem, Paul, writing by the
Holy Spirit, declared that the gospel was preached to "every creature
which is under heaven." Col. 1:23. So now, before the coming of the Son of
man, the everlasting gospel is to be preached "to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people." Rev. 14:6, 14. God "hath appointed
a day, in the which he will judge the world." Acts 17:31. Christ tells us
when that day shall be ushered in. He does not say that all the world will be
converted, but that "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all
the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." By giving the gospel to the
world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return. We are not only to look
for but to hasten the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12, margin. Had the church of Christ done
her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have
been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great
glory.” {Mar 19.1}
Is There Hope for Individuals in the Apostate SDA Church?
Always remember that the entire
scenario from the time of Christ’s first advent to the destruction of Jerusalem
in A.D. 70, was a PREFIGURE of what will literally occur at the end-time. As
faithful Christians came out of the apostate Jewish Temple organization, so
faithful Christians will come out of the apostate SDA new movement into home
churches, just as the disciples established home churches. The final Midnight
Cry Call will come at the legislation of a National Sunday Law.
The Midnight Loud Cry Call is to
ALL TEN VIRGINS, for they all slumbered and slept, Matthew 25 and COL, pp.
405-406. It is the voice of God and the voice of bride, the 144,000 that awakens ALL TEN
VIRGINS. (COL 405.) Those who want to be the bride will have to be ready BEFORE
the Midnight Cry is given.
Ellen White says that we are
responsible for responding to truth when we hear it. This is relative to the
Biblical lesson involving Felix. A more convenient time may never come after
one rejects the wooing’s of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus called His bride, the
disciples, who were prepared by John the Baptist (DA 179), they readily
followed Him. That is what the bride will do today.
Act 24:25 And as he reasoned of
righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I
will call for thee.
Can we reject knowledge now and
respond later. That would be contrary to the teachings
of Scripture, and the injunction that we are responsible for light when we hear
it. Life if fragile, and who knows how long he/she will live. Who knows when
some accident or natural disaster will take their life, especially if they have
resisted the call of advanced truth.
COUNTERPART:
"The members of our churches are not
incorrigible; the fault is not so much to be charged upon them as upon their
teachers. Their ministers do not feed them." Special Testimonies, Series
A, No.1, p.46.
COUNTERPART:
"The Lord commanded one of his ancient servants, 'Pray not thou for this
people [Jer. 7:16 and 11:9-15], 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.
"Shall
the Lord be compelled to say, `Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up
cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to Me: for I will not hear
thee' [Jeremiah 7:16]? `Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there
hath been no latter rain....Wilt thou not from this time cry unto Me, My
Father, thou art the guide of my youth' [Jeremiah 3:3-4]?...
We
are to be judged by the light that has been given us,(159) and we can find no
excuse by which to extenuate our course." Review and Herald, Vol. 3, p 69-70 (August 1,
1893). (Brackets by Ellen White)
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 SDAs 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.
My Angel’s Answer as to Why the Innocent Must Suffer With the Guilty
I was shown the following
reasons why, according to the principle of corporate responsibility, the
innocent must suffer with the guilty. I was pointed to the following statement
as being most instructive of the reasons why the “innocent” suffer with the
guilty:
COUNTERPART:
"The Lord commanded one of his ancient servants, 'Pray not thou for this
people [Jer. 7:16 and 11:9-15], 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.
· God’s people in general love
the false peace and safety prophesyings of their
atheistic (unbelief) leaders.
· Every one is given to covetousness and
from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely. The word
prophet in this context means “representative of God.” The leaders claim to be
representatives of God, and one broad definition of a prophet is “a
representative of God.
· Dumb-dog leaders (Isa.
56:10-12) will NEVER AGAIN show the house of Jacob its sins. 5T 211. So, the
sins go unnoticed, to the extent that no leader today will admit that the
church is in apostasy. That is a very, very serious state of affairs.
· As it was with the Jews, so
the apostles declare that this state of things have their counterpart in the
last days. God’s second chosen people have proved to be just as disobedient as
His first chosen people.
· Members have ceased to be
convicted of their personal sins and the apostasy of the church.
· Members believe the church is
flourishing, rich, increased with goods, IN NEED OF NOTHING, while it is naked,
blind and wretched, and will not receive reproof and instruction.
· Rather than sigh and cry for
all their abominations, their souls delight in their abominations. This is
demonic delusion to the degree of blasphemy, especially in consideration of the
fact that our very sealing (salvation) is CONDITIONAL upon sighing and crying
for all the abominations, to wit: Eze 9:4 And
the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of
Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry
for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
· “Mark this point with care;
those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the
Holy Ghost, represented by the man in linen, are those "that sigh and cry
for all the abominations that are done" in the church. Their love for
purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they
are represented as being in an agony, even sighing and crying.” {RH, June 8,
1886 par. 2}
SAME
RESPONSIBILITY AS EZEKIEL TO BE A WATCHMAN AND TO WARN: “So far as his opportunities extend, every one who
has received the light of truth is under the same solemn and fearful
responsibility as was the prophet of Israel, to whom the word of the Lord came,
saying: "Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel;
therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man surely die; if thou dost not
speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his
iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his
way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way,
he shall die in his iniquity, but thou has delivered thy soul.” Eze 33:7-9. The Great Controversy, p. 459.
From the above statement, it is easy to comprehend
the blood that is going to be on the backs of the infidel leaders who refuse to
admit to any apostasy, let alone warning their patrons of it!
· The church’s prophetess states
that the Laodicean condition of the church is the foolish virgin state, while
foolish Laodicea brags that she is the last church. If Laodicea is the last
church, the foolish virgins will be saved, AND WE KNOW THAT IS NOT TRUE.
“The state of
the church represented by the foolish virgins is also spoken of as the
Laodicean state.” Review and Herald,
Vol. 2, Aug. 19, 1890.
“The warning
for the last church also must be proclaimed to all who claim to be Christians.
The Laodicean message, like a sharp, two-edged sword, must go to all the
churches...It is our work to proclaim this message. Are we putting forth every
effort that the churches may be warned?” Testimonies,
vol 6, p 77.
“I wish to
emphasize the fact, that the churches to which John was told to send the
instruction given him represent all the churches in our world...” Manuscript Releases, vol 1, p 372.
"The
warning for the last church also must be proclaimed to all who claim to be
Christians. The Laodicean message, like a sharp, two-edged sword, must go to
all the churches: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich,
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou
art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to
buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment,
that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;
and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest
see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent.” Verses 15-19. It is our work to proclaim this message. Are we putting
forth every effort that the churches may be warned? {6T 77.2}
We have a work
to do for the ministers of other churches. God wants them to be saved. They,
like ourselves, can have immortality only through faith and obedience. We must
labor for them earnestly that they may obtain it. God wants them to have a part
in His special work for this time. He wants them to be among the number who are
giving to His household meat in due season. Why should they not be engaged in
this work?" {6T 77.3}
"Those who
are controlled by policy rather than by principle are not to be trusted. They
will pervert the truth, conceal facts, and construe the words of others to mean
that which was never intended. They will employ flattering words, while the
poison of asps in under their tongue. He who does not earnestly seek the divine
guidance will be deceived by their smooth words and their artful plans." 2
B.C.1005.
Additional Reasons as to Why the “Innocent”
are to Suffer With the Guilty
1. God’s presence (His Holy Spirit) cannot be made manifest
in a church body that imbibes sin. He says He will not smell in such a church.
Therefore, holding the innocent guilty with the perpetrators is designed to
serve as a deterrent to open sin in the camp.
Lev
26:31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto
desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.
Amo
5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn
assemblies.
When
open sin apostasy was found in the early Hebrew camp, Moses removed the Ark
until the sin was discovered and the violators who would not repent were
killed. THEN it was that Moses prayed for the rest of the people who repented.
When
sin occurred in Joshua’s camp, God could not bless their efforts until sin was
put out of the camp. Thirty-six men of Joshua’s army had to die (Jos 7:5)
before Joshua would search out the sin in the camp that cause the withdrawal of
God’s presence and aid against their enemies.
That principle still obtains today.
2.
God says His people
are stiff-necked. God knew that mankind would be reticent to expel open sinners
who would be well liked and/or provide important financial contributors to the
church. Thus, He made the provision that the innocent must suffer with the
guilty, so that due vigilance, diligence, and faithfulness would be wrought in
seeking out the sin and putting it out of the camp. Jer 17:23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their
neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
3.
The so-called
“innocent” elect their church leaders and support them with the sacred tithe. "It would be poor policy to support
from the treasury of God those who really mar and injure His work, and who are
constantly lowering the standard of Christianity" (Testimonies,
Vol. 3, p. 553).
4.
God knew that
thorn-like open sin in the church would choke and kill the wheat, making it
impossible for the wheat to ever mature.
"Thorns sprung up.--The thorns made it impossible
for the wheat to mature (see Luke 8:14). In the same way secular
interests prevent the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) from reaching
maturity. Religion is relegated to the subordinate position of being only one
interest among many. For lack of cultivation it withers and eventually dies.
That which the thorny-ground hearers lack is a moral transformation [E.G. White,
Christ's Object Lessons, p. 50] To them, justification is the sum
and substance of religion, and they fail to realize that the Christian life
consists essentially in the process known as sanctification--the process by
which evil traits and tendencies are replaced by the perfect life-pattern of
Jesus Christ." Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 405.
This (above) is precisely what New Movement Seventh-day
Adventism (Selected Messages, vol. 1,
204-205), teaches—that Last Generation
Theology which teaches that sanctification if possible with the aid of the
Holy Spirit’s empowerment, is IMPOSSIBLE before glorification.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns
sprung up, and choked them:
Luk 8:14 And that
which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and
are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit
to perfection.
Isa 33:12 And the people shall be as the burnings of
lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
Hos 2:6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with
thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
5.
God knew that it is
impossible to unite with the corrupt and remain/become pure.
"It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite with
those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15 quoted).
God and Christ and the heavenly host would have men know that if he unites with
the corrupt he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 137.
6.
God knew that it
would be the leaders who would be ring-leaders in bringing in the apostasy, and
that men would tend to worship their leaders and regard them as sacrosanct,
just as the Jews did. Thus, the church must come to a reckoning day when men,
maidens and little children must perish together. Ezekiel 9. Thus, even in the
final analysis, the “innocent” must suffer with the guilty, but the fact that
makes corporate responsibility fair and just is that there is no excuse for
anyone to be considered as truly “innocent,” and “ignorant,” of the apostasy.”
If all would study the Word as for hidden treasure, they would learn to
recognize and hate open sin as God does, because they would be sufficiently
sensitive as to all the implications of the results of sin.
7.
In the SDA church,
the leaders are elected by the laity. Thus, they are doubly responsible for the
apostasy they permit within their camp.
8.
A church that
retains open sinners, especially open sinning leaders, is a false witness to the
world, and all members should recognize this truth. A church that is violating
the commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus, and thus the Spirit of
Prophecy, is no longer considered a church by God. It then becomes the
Synagogue of Satan. This includes all the principles of the Law. Again, it was
repeated to me that such a church, in fact of truth, has no innocents. They
only “appear” innocent to those who are weak in the Word.
9.
I was shown that
Ellen White’s mention of the innocent suffering with the guilty, means that the
so-called innocent were not the perpetrators of the abominations. They are
“innocent” only in that regard. They are guilty for not knowing the truth
regarding the abominations, and for not sighing and crying aloud (Isa. 58:1) and
showing God’s people the abominable OPEN SIN apostasies whether they will hear
or forbear. In this view of the “innocent,” they are not innocent at all.
For example, the leaders prophesy falsely
and the people love to have it so. The people don’t do the false prophesying,
but they love to have it so. Therefore, they are not innocent.
The
following Letter by Ellen White, to Peter Wessels, is most instructive on the
principle of Corporate Responsibility:
Lt
120, 1897
Wessels, Peter
“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong,
New South Wales, Australia
March 10, 1897
Portions of this letter are
published in TSB 128-129.
I am sorry that you feel injured
because I let Brother Robinson have a copy of the letter I sent to you. I did
not do this to injure you in any way. You had yourself written me that you had
made matters known to him concerning yourself, and he thought you should
confess the whole matter to the church. I thought that letter would prevent any
such movement, and keep the matter as private as
possible. I do not in any way favor his reading the matter to your mother. She
has an abundance of sorrows to carry. I did not sanction any public exposure. I
thought that the letter, which condemned the sin, also encouraged you to hope
and trust in God. I supposed that it would help Brother Robinson to help you.
If it has added to your affliction, making matters any worse for you, I am
sincerely sorry.
Whenever I have written a
message of reproof, I have always sent one copy to the minister who is
officiating in the church, that he may have wisdom to recover such ones as are
in danger through temptation, giving them such advice as they need. I also
knew, under existing circumstances, that it would not be possible to give you
credentials as a shepherd, recommending you to the confidence of the people,
because knowing your course of action, if you should in any way be overcome,
the Lord would make the conference guilty of the sin of which you are guilty.
The Lord would not favor the children of Israel, because of Achan’s sin, and the displeasure of God was not only upon
Achan, but upon all Israel. “The children of Israel committed a trespass in the
accursed thing: ... and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children
of Israel.” [Joshua 7:1.] He permitted thirty and six men to be slain to
signify His displeasure against the sin in the encampment of Israel. Joshua was greatly afflicted. He knew not of the sin, or
of the reason why the army of Israel was defeated. “And Joshua rent his clothes
and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the
eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
“And Joshua said, ... O Lord,
what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! ... And
the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest
thou thus upon thy face? Israel
hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded
them; for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and
dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before
their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were
accursed; neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed
thing from among you.” “Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify
yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an
accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before
thine enemies, until ye take the accursed thing from among you.” [Verses 6-8,
10-13.]
You can see that the unknown sin existing among the
tribes of Israel was charged against the whole church in the wilderness. Success in warfare
against their enemies could not be given them until this evil thing was
searched out, until they had done all in their power to expel the wrong and
cleanse it from the encampment. God had testified, “Neither will I be with you
any more, except ye destroy the accursed thing from among you.” [Verse 12.]
Note by Ron: The church militant
is in warfare with the world, and it cannot successfully give ALL THE VITAL
TRUTH, while it is violating the three angel’s messages and the commandments of
God, itself. In such as state, Jesus said that the church would only cross land
and sea to make a convert, only to make him twice the child of hell than
themselves. Walter Veith said that he sometimes fears to bring others into the
church, and well he should! A new movement that has removed God (1SM 205) IS
NOT A CHURCH, but rather the Synagogue of Satan and a generation of vipers.
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go
in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is
made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. End note by Ron.
E. G. White (Cont)
I present this before you that
you may not feel that the church has done a grievous thing against you, that they
have done you a personal injury and desire to hurt you as a man. The Lord has
placed men in responsible positions to guard the church which is the flock of
God, and certain duties which the Lord requires of His church are enjoined upon
them as His appointed agencies. Should they neglect to do this
work devolving on them, the Lord charges the guilt of the wrongdoing upon the
whole church.
Until that wrong is corrected, and thoroughly purged from the church, the
blessing of God will not rest upon it.
The Lord will be honored by the people [finally true people] who claim to
be His children. Any hidden impurities He will have searched out and thoroughly
corrected, that the evil may in no wise exist and bring the displeasure of God
upon the church. The sons of Eli did
wickedly, and a message was sent to Eli in regard to
their wicked practices. “Now Eli was very old, and
heard all that his sons did unto all Israel. ... And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of all your evil doings by
all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make
the Lord’s people to transgress. If one man sin
against another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord,
who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of
their father, because the Lord would slay them.” [1 Samuel 2:22-25.]
Note by Ron: If Ellen White was
speaking of hidden impurities being removed from the omega of apostasy new
movement, she would have contradicted herself in saying that Ezekiel 9
literally begins at His Church, His Sanctuary, the House of Jacob. 5T 211. She
was referring to the real true church militant at the end-time. More on this
further along. End note by Ron.
Eli did not remove the
transgressors from their office. “And there came a man of God unto Eli, and
said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly
appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s
house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to
offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I
give unto the house of the fathers all the offerings made by fire of the
children of Israel? Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering,
which I have commanded in mine habitation; and honorest
thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with all the chiefest
of the offerings of Israel my people? Wherefore the Lord God Israel saith, I said indeed that thine house, and
the house of thy father should walk before me forever; but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and
they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” [Verses 27-30.]
Please read the first, second, and third chapters of 1 Samuel carefully
and attentively.
I present this matter again
before you, for your attentive consideration. If the officers who have charge in any branch of the work
of God dishonor Him in any line connected with His work, the Lord lays that
charge upon the
whole church. He
will not serve with any man’s sin. Those in positions of trust are to
honor God by a faithful duty toward all, ministers or laymen. They are to do
faithful work as representatives of the character of Jesus Christ, to maintain
order and purity of morals in the church, so that there shall be no
unrighteousness practiced in selfish dealing, brother with brother, or in
breaking down the barriers which the Lord has erected to preserve the clean,
pure virtues of His people. No liberties must be indulged, men with women or
women with men, to become familiar with the uncovering of their nakedness.
This, by searching the Scriptures, you will see that the Lord expressly forbids
as a crime, a sin.
But, as I have placed this
matter so fully before you, I need not repeat. My brother, your sin was not
confined to yourself. You were doing great dishonor to God by lustful
practices, educating the young girls in practices which are ruinous to their
morals, and also destroying to their bodies. All such
things are an abomination in the sight of God. I do want you to understand this
sin, and never approach unto anything of this character again, as long as life shall last, for it is a crime against the
youth, which you should see, and see in all its destructive influence. These
very ones you have educated will submit their bodies for others to corrupt. The
restraints are gone. A minister, a shepherd of the flock has done this.
I know also that the Lord has
not left you, that He will pardon your transgression. But I do not want you to
create a sentiment with your mother or with any one else that knows of the
matter that Brother Robinson is your enemy. He has a work to do as one whom the
Lord has entrusted with large responsibilities. It is a duty devolving upon the
officers of the church to guard the flock of God over which they are overseers.
Should they neglect to do this, the Lord will call them to an account.
I hope you will not feel bitter
toward Brother Robinson, even though you think he has done you harm,
needlessly, in reading matters to your mother which were very humiliating for
her to know. If you do entertain these feelings, the Lord will not bless you,
but will turn His face away from you.
I do not advise that this matter
be made public before the whole church. It may be that you will be unwise, and pursue a course that will make this a necessity.
But if you will walk humbly before God, as you should do, and draw nigh to God,
He will draw nigh to you. If you are contrite in heart, He will pardon your sin
if you repent. The Lord loves you, but you have hurt and wounded Christ in
injuring the souls of His heritage.
My brother, it behooves you to
walk carefully and softly before God. The greatest hindrance to the perfection
of your Christian character will be putting a light importance upon the matter
under consideration. You have a wife and precious children to live for, to
teach and to encourage in every holy practice. Here is a
sufficient work to keep your affections pure and uncontaminated. The
conscientious regard and discharge of all your duties will help you to preserve
alive the love of God in your heart for wife and children, and above all, the
love for God, remembering that God is ever present with you.
Now, as one that loves your
soul, I entreat you for Christ’s sake not to have hard feelings toward the
officers of the church, whose duty it is to keep the church as pure as possible
in every respect. Therefore you should not feel bitter
against them because they do their duty in the fear of God. If they make a
mistake, bear in mind that your course of action has placed them in great
perplexity to know just what they should do. Do not create a sympathy in the
mind of your mother, which will lead her love for her children to cause her to
have feelings which should not exist in her heart. Because you think you are
injured, you will separate her affections from, and destroy her confidence in,
the church officers in the very things they are required to do.
Now, my dear brother, come close
to Jesus, and He will pardon your transgressions and forgive your sins.”
Ellen G. White Estate
Silver Spring, Maryland,
September 14, 1989.
Entire Letter.
Extremely Important Commentary on the Above Statement
I have often commented that
Ellen White made a few statements that make it “appear” that God will purify
and purge the church militant, no matter what it does, so that the bad will all
leave and all the evil will be corrected in the once SDA church militant. Below is one
of those statement which I have excerpted from the above Lt 120, 1897 written
to Peter Wessels:
“The Lord will be honored by the people who claim to be His children. Any
hidden impurities He will have searched out and thoroughly corrected, that the
evil may in no wise exist and bring the displeasure of God upon the church.”
There are a
number of statements wherein Ellen White quotes 1 John 2:19, but she is
speaking of those who remain faithful to the message, lest she contradict
herself in saying that Ezekiel 9 will begin at His Church, His Sanctuary, the
once House of Jacob. 5T 211, and lest she contradict herself in saying SDA’s
will be brought down to hell, and that God’s promises are not fulfilled to them
because they refused the conditions. Those statement will be included further
down.
1Jo 2:19 They went out from us,
but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have
continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that
they were not all of us.
Obviously, John was speaking of
those who went out from the true Christian body, (Zion, Sion) and not the
apostate Jewish Temple organization. And when all the evidence is searched out
very carefully so that nothing contradicts, that is exactly what Ellen White is
referring to: Those who leave the final faithful Zion, the Third Angel, the
true reformers, which is exactly what Christ and His disciples were:
"Christ
was a protestant...The Reformers date back to Christ and the apostles. They
came out and separated themselves from a religion of forms and ceremonies.
Luther and his followers did not invent the reformed religion. They simply
accepted it as presented by Christ and the apostles." E.G. White, Review and
Herald, vol.
2, 48, col. 2.
Paul Left
"And
as they persisted in their rejection of the gospel the apostle (Paul) went into
the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and
persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were
hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he
departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school
of one Tyrannus." Acts, 19:8, 9.
"Fearing
that the faith of the believers would be endangered by continued association with
these opposers of the truth, Paul separated from them, and gathered the
disciples into a distinct body." E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles,
p. 286.
The
Church That Appears as About to Fall
Ellen White is speaking of the
church triumphant, for sinners will be shaken out of the Kingdom of God, Zion
(Sion) Heb. 12:22, 23, not any once church
militant:
"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
[AFTER THE CLOSE OF PROBATIONARY TIME--CHRIST'S OBJECT LESSONS 72]. This is a
terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have
been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will
be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile
in their mouths...
The REMNANT that purify their souls by obeying
the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of
holiness amid the surrounding apostasy. All these, He says, 'I have graven . . . upon the palms of my hands' (Isa. 49:16)...
That
which God required of Adam before his fall was perfect obedience to His law.
God requires now what He required of Adam, perfect obedience, righteousness
without a flaw, without shortcoming in His sight....We cannot do this without
that faith that brings Christ's righteousness into daily practice." E.G.
White, Selected
Messages, Vol. 2, 380.
Sinners are shaken out of Zion
(Sion Heb. 12:22, 23) the church in heaven (Matthew 13) by Zion, the bride, the
144,000, and not any once church
militant. Ezekiel 22:17-31 is repeated because Ezekiel 9 is literally
fulfilled, and Ezekiel 22:17-31 is exactly how it was fulfilled in the last
A.D. 70 literal fulfillment.
It is
not the SDA church militant (wheat and tare co-ed church) that appears as about
to fall but does not fall. The once church militant that became a new
movement that removed God, DOES FALL.
Ellen White clearly stated that "nothing would be allowed to stand
in the way of the new movement." So how could it appear to fall? The real
church that appears as about to fall is the church in the wilderness that is
surrounded by its enemies at the very end, just before that church triumphant
is delivered by the voice of God. Ellen White parallels that church as about to
fall with the experience of Jacob, when he was going forth to meet his brother
Esau and his armies. In Great Controversy, pp. 616, and 630, Ellen White
refers to the church that appears as about to fall in this context. So SDA leaders and members have taken that statement totally
out of context, to try to convince its members that the apostate new movement
will appear as about to fall but won't--no matter what it does.
It is most unfortunate that many
SDA’s misapply the above statement to themselves, when they cannot truly claim
to be His children when they have formed a new movement that has removed Him
and pillar doctrines. 1SM 204-205. The above statement must be understood in light of the fact that only those who keep the
commandments of God, and the Testimony of Jesus, are the church, for only the
presence of Christ can constitute a church, to wit:
"God
has a church. It is not the great cathedral, (or the super mega church),
neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various
denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments. 'Where
two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in
the midst of them.' Where Christ is even among the humble few, THIS IS
CHRIST'S CHURCH, for the
presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute
a church." Upward Look, p. 315.
An
omega of apostasy new movement that has removed God and pillar doctrines, does
not qualify as a church. Such a movement is the Synagogue of Satan, because God
being removed, there is only one other master.
Apostate
Israel continued to think of themselves as “The Temple of the Lord,” no matter
what they did. At the destruction of Jerusalem, GC Chapter 1, the leaders
instructed the people to come to the city of Jerusalem and the Temple for
protection, saying they were God’s people and that the enemy would never be
able to penetrate the gates to their city.
Jer 7:4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple
of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
Ezekiel 9 would not begin at
His Church, His Sanctuary, the once House of Jacob, if God should do what Ellen
White says above. Such sinners are shaken out of Zion, by Zion, the bride, Isa.
62 and Matthew 13, and not any Synagogue of Satan.
The Church That Appears as
About to Fall
"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
[AFTER THE CLOSE OF PROBATIONARY TIME--CHRIST'S OBJECT LESSONS 72]. This is a
terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have
been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will
be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile
in their mouths...
The
REMNANT that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the
trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy.
All these, He says, 'I have graven . . . upon the
palms of my hands' (Isa. 49:16)...
That
which God required of Adam before his fall was perfect obedience to His law.
God requires now what He required of Adam, perfect obedience, righteousness without
a flaw, without shortcoming in His sight....We cannot do this without that
faith that brings Christ's righteousness into daily practice." E.G. White,
Selected
Messages, Vol. 2, 380.
It should be obvious to any
thinking reader that the church that does not fall is the church triumphant,
Zion (Sion) Matthew 13. Sinners are shaken out of Zion, the church in heaven,
Heb. 12:22, 23, by earthly representatives of that church who are known as true
reformers as Christ and His disciples were true reformers:
"Characteristics of True Reformers.--Here are
given the characteristics of those who shall be reformers, who will bear the
banner of the third angel's message, those who avow themselves God's
commandment-keeping people, and who honor God, and are earnestly engaged, in
the sight of all the universe, in building up the old waste places. Who is it
that calls them, The repairers of the breach, The restorers of paths to dwell
in? It is God. Their names are registered [written--Heb. 12:22, 23]
in heaven as reformers, restorers, as raising the foundations of many
generations." E. G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1151, & Review
and Herald, Oct. 13, 1891.
There is much deep knowledge that must be sought
out by much devout prayerful searching, and the great majority of the laity
does not even read the books, let alone compare the huge weight of evidence and
interpret so that nothing contradicts. That is why it is so easy for the
leaders to deceive them to remain at an omega of apostasy new movement no
matter what it does. And for the elderly, who are seeped in misinterpretations
fed to them by the leadership for decades upon decades, the sense is that they
already have it all, and are in need of nothing.
God says His people perish for a lack of knowledge,
and the knowledge I have presented in many manuscripts since 1986, is the
knowledge, a lack of which, they perish. For example, if all
of my visionary interpretations are not true, the question looms: Why
does Ezekiel 9 begin at His Church, His Sanctuary, spiritual Jerusalem (Ezekiel
9)? And why did Ellen White prophesy that the church would be brought down to
hell and that God’s promises were not fulfilled to them because they rejected
the conditions, to wit:
“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], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be
brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had
been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day." Ellen
G. White, Review and Herald Articles, Aug. 1, 1893. [THE BRACKETED
COMMENTS ARE BY ELLEN WHITE.] {LDE 48.2}
proʊˈlɛpsɪsShow
Spelled[proh-lep-sis] Show
IPA
noun, plural pro·lep·ses -siz
Spelled[-seez] Show
IPA.
1.
Rhetoric .
the anticipation of possible objections in
order to answer them in advance.
2.
the assigning of a person, event, etc., to a period
earlier than the actual one; the representation of something in
the future as if it already existed or had occurred; prochronism.
3.
the use of a descriptive word in
anticipation of its becoming applicable.
4.
a fundamental conception or assumption in Epicureanism or
Stoicism arising spontaneously in the mind without conscious reflection;
thought provoked by sense perception.
5.
Pathology .
the return of an attack of a periodic disease or of a
paroxysm before the expected time or at progressively shorter intervals.
PROLEPSIS PROPHETIC STATEMENT:
Here
is the Spirit of Prophecy prophesied prolepsis statement regarding the final
fate of that once Noble Ship. This is a major LYNCHPIN to my warning message.
Can you explain it away? Are you a passenger on this once NOBLE SHIP, that is
about to sink to rise no more? NOTICE WHO SEPARATES FROM
WHOM:
"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].
Note these important delineations in
the above statement:
·
Ellen
White is addressing HIS PEOPLE.
·
Ellen
White is addressing those to whom God committed the EVERLASTING GOSPEL of
Revelation 14.
·
Ellen
White is defining the angel represented in prophecy as symbolizing a class of
faithful men.
·
Ellen
White is saying emphatically that the final Loud Cry message is delivered NOT
BY THE LEADERS OF THE SDA CHURCH, but by a class of faithful men, because
the leaders had failed to preserve their connection with God and had refused
light from heaven!
·
Ellen
White is addressing "watchmen upon the walls of Zion," NOT FALLEN
BABYLON!
·
Twice
Ellen White mentions HIS CHURCH, NOT FALLEN BABYLON.
·
It is the MEMBERS of
said church that SEPARATE FROM GOD, AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO SEPARATE FROM
THEM OR BE CORPORATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR APOSTASY.
·
The above reasons
are why there is another coming out of a faithful remnant FROM APOSTATE
JERUSALEM AS WELL AS FALLEN BABYLON.
·
Isa 37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house
of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:
·
Isa 37:32 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant,
and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do
this.
Ellen White is addressing a BACKSLIDING CHURCH
whose leaders and laity alike failed and rejected light from heaven and
who refused to comply with the conditions so that God's promises are not
fulfilled to them. Consider the following commentary on the 1884 Great
Controversy that the above statement is quoted from:
“Consider for a few moments the chapter in the
first edition of Great Controversy, Volume IV, published by Pacific
Press in 1884. In Chapter XXVII, ‘The Snares of Satan,’ you find that about
four pages in the latter part of the chapter were omitted from the later
editions of Great Controversy. These four pages are to be found in
Testimonies to Ministers, pages 472 to 475. The information contained in these
four pages is very valuable to Seventh-day Adventists and was very
appropriately included in the first edition of Great Controversy, Volume IV,
which when it was published was like the other volumes considered to be A
MESSAGE ESPECIALLY TO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, and to [all] Christian people
sympathizing with them in beliefs and aims.” W. C. White, Selected Messages,
Appendix C, pp. 452, 453.
In the
LITERAL fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 example of apostate Israel, (A. D. 27-70) all
the good left the apostate Jewish church, the Synagogue of Satan. Ezekiel
22:17-31. In the next LITERAL fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, the good leave the bad
and the apostate church is destroyed:
Isa
37:31 And the remnant that is escaped
of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit
upward:
Isa
37:32 For out of Jerusalem shall go
forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD
of hosts shall do this.
Another Coming Out
“I was confirmed in all I had
stated in Minneapolis, that a reformation must go through the churches. Reforms
must be made, for spiritual weakness and blindness were upon the people who had
been blessed with great light and precious opportunities and privileges. As
reformers they had come out of the denominational churches, but they now act a
part similar to that which the churches acted. We
hoped that there would not be the necessity for another coming out. While we
will endeavor to keep the “unity of the Spirit” in the bonds of peace, we will
not with pen or voice cease to protest against bigotry.”—EGW ‘88 356, 357
(1889). {LDE 48.1}
The
hope of every SDA pioneer was that because they were the Philadelphian bride of
Christ, that they would be the final faithful church. But that church early
fell into the Laodicean condition, which Ellen White defined as the foolish virgin state of
the church.
In GC,
p. 25, Ellen White said that the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70, was a
PREFIGURE (TYPE) of the terrors of the last great day. In Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211, she says that it all BEGINS at His
Church, His Sanctuary.
The
following quote is from a chapter that begins quoting Ezekiel 9 on page 207:
“Here we see that the church the Lord's
sanctuary was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to
whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual
interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position
that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power
as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief,
and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too
merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus "Peace and safety" is
the cry from men who will never again lift up their
voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of
Jacob their sins. These
dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an
offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together."
E.G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 211.
See
Isaiah 56:10-12 for God’ view on the dumb dogs.
Mocking of the Older Workers
in the True Reform Movement
I
have witnessed the mocking by some of the older leaders in God’s True Reformer
cause. This is tantamount to the 40 children who mocked Elisha. Though the
punishment might be delayed, all who mock God’s true messengers will receive
their just end.
MR No. 1469—Older Workers to Be Honored and Conserve
Their Strength; God's Law on Tables of Stone in Ark of the Testament
(Written February 5, 1902, from
“Elmshaven,” Sanitarium, California, to Elder and
Mrs. S. N. Haskell.)
I have received and read your
encouraging letter in reference to the doors that are
opening in different parts of New York for the entrance of truth. Thank the
Lord, my brother and sister, that you are able to
stand in your lot and in your place. The Lord is giving you evidence that He is
going before you. But while you are anxious to do all that you possibly can, remember, Elder Haskell, that it is only by
the great mercy and grace of God that you have been spared these many years to
bear your testimony. Do not take upon yourself loads that others who are
younger can carry.
It is your duty to be careful in
your habits of life. You are to be wise in the use of your physical, mental,
and spiritual strength. We who have
passed through so many and such varied experiences are to do all that it is
possible for us to do to preserve our power, that we may labor for the Lord as long as He permits us to stand in our lot and in our
place to help to advance His work.
The cause needs the help of the old hands, the aged workers, who have
had so many years’ experience in the cause of God, who have seen many going
into fanaticism, cherishing the delusion of false theories, and raising all the
efforts made to let the true light shine forth in the darkness to reveal the
superstitions that were coming in to confuse judgment, and to make of none
effect the message of truth that in these last days must be given in its purity
to the remnant people of God.
Many of the tried servants of
God have fallen asleep in Jesus. We greatly appreciate the help of those who
are left alive to this day. We value their testimony. Read the first chapter of
First John, and then praise the Lord that notwithstanding your many infirmities
you can still bear witness for him. The Lord has brought you through many
trying, difficult places. And He has given you the opportunity of laboring in
connection with your wife. He has given her to you to help you, to be one with
you, to have a care for you in her stronger physical strength. The Lord has
given Sister Haskell a knowledge of the Scriptures, so that at the times when
you are called away for a season of rest, she is able to take your place. I can
see that the good hand of the Lord has been with you. He will uphold you by His
strong arm, saying, “Lean
on Me. I will be your strength and your exceeding great reward.”
We can easily count the first
burden bearers now alive. Elder Smith was connected with
us at the beginning of the publishing work. He labored in connection with my
husband. We hope always to see his name in the Review and Herald at the head of
the list of editors; for thus it should be. Those who began the work, who
fought bravely when the battle went so hard, must not lose their hold now. They
are to be honored by those who entered the work after the hardest privation had
been borne.
I feel very tender toward Elder
Smith. My life interest in the publishing work is bound up with his. He came to
us as a young man, possessing talents that qualified him to stand in his lot
and place as an editor. How I rejoice as I read his articles in the Review—so
excellent, so full of spiritual truth. I thank God for them. I feel a strong
sympathy for Elder Smith, and I believe that his name should always appear in
the Review as the name of the leading editor. Thus God
would have it. When, some years ago, his name was placed second, I felt hurt.
When it was again placed first, I wept, and said, “Thank God.” May it always be
there, as God designs that is shall be, while Elder Smith's right hand can hold
a pen. And when the power of his hand fails, let his sons write at his
dictation.
I am thankful that Elder
Loughborough can still use his abilities and his gifts in God's work. He has
stood faithful amid storm and trial. With Elder Smith, my husband, Brother
Butler, who joined us at a later period, and yourself, he can say: [1 John
1:1-10, quoted].
It is with feelings of
satisfaction and of gratitude to God that we see Elder Butler again in active
service. His gray hairs testify that he understands what trials are. We welcome
him into our ranks once more, and regard him as one of our most valuable
laborers.
May the Lord help the brethren
who have borne their testimony in the early days of the message, to be wise in regard to the preservation of their physical, mental, and
spiritual powers. I have been instructed by the Lord to say that He has endowed
you with the power of reason, and He desires you to understand the laws that
affect the health of the being, and to resolve to obey them. These laws are
God's laws. He desires every pioneer worker to stand in his lot and place, that
he may do his part in saving the people from being swept downward to
destruction by the mighty current of evil—of physical, mental, and spiritual
declension. My brethren, He desires you to keep your armor on to the very close
of the conflict. Do not be imprudent; do not overwork. Take periods of rest.
The church militant is not the
church triumphant. The Lord desires His tried servants, as
long as they live, to advocate temperance reform. Unfurl the temperance
banner. Teach the people to practice temperance in all things, and to be
champions in favor of obedience to physical laws. Stand firmly for God's truth.
Exalt before the people the banner bearing the inscription, “Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
Those who bear the seal of the living God will be tested; for we read:
“The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make
war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
A few of the old standard-bearers are still living. I am intensely
desirous that our brethren and sisters shall respect and honor these pioneers. We present them before you as men who know what trials
are. I am instructed to say, Let every believer
respect the men who acted a prominent part during the early days of the
message, and who have borne trials and hardships and many privations. These men
have grown gray in service. Not long hence they will receive their reward.
Writing of the last days, John says: “The nations were angry, and Thy wrath is
come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou
shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and
them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which
destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was
seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings, and
voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great
hail.”
When God's temple in heaven is
opened, what a triumphant time that will be for all who have been faithful and
true. In the temple will be seen the ark of the testament in which were placed
the two tables of stone, on which are written God's law. These tables of stone
will be brought forth from their hiding place, and on them will be seen the ten
commandments engraved by the finger of God. These tables of stone now lying in
the ark of the testament will be a convincing testimony to the truth and
binding claims of God's law.
From every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people is to be gathered out a people who keep the commandments of
God and have the testimony of Jesus. This is the work to be accomplished in
these last days. Since Satan's
rebellion in heaven against the commandments of God, he has kept up a continual
warfare against these commandments, and he will continue to carry on his work
relentlessly to the end. To counteract the effects of the enemy, the Lord desires His servants
who have grown gray in the advocacy of truth, to stand faithful and true,
bearing their testimony in favor of the law.
God's tried servants must not be put in hard places. Those who served
their Master when the work went hard, those who endured poverty and remained
faithful in the love of the truth when our numbers were small, are ever to be
honored and respected. Let those who have come into the truth in later years,
take heed to these words. God desires all to heed this caution.—Letter 47, 1902.
If you love your fellow
Adventists and other of God’s children, you will faithfully give them these
warnings, for God says that His people perish for lack of knowledge. Let not
that lack be laid upon your back in the soon coming day of reckoning.
In the Name of the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
R. William Beaulieu