The
Two Calls of Matthew 22 Repeated
by
Laval Picard
Dear Reader,
My responses to Laval’s treatise on Matthew 22 will be in this color print. At the end of Laval’s treatise, I will give Ellen White’s
manuscript release which says that Matthew 22 is repeated. Ron
***
This is Part 1 of the study of the parable of
Matt.22. You are invited to study this thread carefully and for those who
want to pursue further, Part 2 will follow soon. Tanx
[Thanks] for your attention!
Part 1
The first event in the prophecy is the making of the
marriage by the King for His Son. This prophecy has received a most striking fulfillment in the history of the Jews. With this past fulfillment, we are no longer so deeply concerned except
as it serves as a clear cut picture of how the prophecy will be fulfilled
again. What happened then must happen again as we shall see very shortly.
The teaching of this parable will show that, while individuals
did respond to the call, the body did not. The acceptance by a minority of
individuals within the body is not mentioned in the parable. It is concerned not with this, but with
the response of the body as a whole.
THE FIRST
CALL
The first call was given by the twelve and the
seventy apostles before the crucifixion of Christ. Of this we read: "The
call to the feast had been given by Christ's disciples. Our Lord had sent out
the twelve and the seventy proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand and calling upon men to repent and
believe the gospel. But the call was not heeded. Those who were bidden to the
feast did not come." C.O.L.308.
Thus came the first call and
its rejection. But this did not yet close the door of opportunity on the
Jewish people. In this prophecy there are two calls to the bidden ones, no
more and no less. Therefore when the first call was ended, the second was yet
to come. But when that call came, it would be the last. There could never be
a third opportunity. Their rejection
of that call would seal their fate as a church.
THE SECOND
CALL
The second call came in the giving of the gospel in
the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The fact of this is given in the
immediate continuation of the statement quoted above.
"The servants were sent out later to say,
'Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and
all things are ready.' This was the message borne to the Jewish nation after the crucifixion
of Christ; but the nation that claimed to be God's peculiar people
rejected the gospel brought to them in the power of the Holy Spirit. Many did
this in the most scornful manner. Others were so exasperated by the offer of
salvation, the offer of pardon for rejecting the Lord of glory,
that they turned upon the bearers of the message. There was 'a great
persecution.' Acts 8:1. Many both of men and women
were thrust into prison, and some of
the Lord's messengers, as Stephen and James, were put to death." C.O.L. 308.
Before it
ever happened, Jesus foretold that this would be the response to the second
call and it was. The event exactly
fulfilled the prediction. Until the second call had been given, both Christ
and the disciples were able to remain in the Jewish Church, but just as soon
as the rejection of the second call was complete, 'a great persecution'
forced the disciples of Christ out of that Church.
Her day of opportunity was past. Now the call will go to another people.
Ron responds: Likewise, before the
second call to professing Seventh-day Adventists ever happens, Jesus has
foretold what the response will be:
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it , and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated
them spitefully, and slew them .
7 But when the king heard thereof , he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
This burning up of their city (world church) will be
the next literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9.
Of this it is written in the continuation of the
above statement, "Thus the Jewish people sealed their rejection of God's
mercy. The result was foretold by Christ in the parable. The king sent forth
his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city."
The judgment pronounced came upon the Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and in the scattering of the nation.
Ron’s Commentary: Ellen White said in The Great Controversy, p. 25, that the
events that occurred in the destruction of Jerusalem were a prefigure of the
destruction of the world at the end-time. In Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211, and in
Ezekiel 9:6, we find that the destruction begins with the house of God.
1Pe 4:17 For the time [is come] that judgment
must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what
shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?
THE THIRD
CALL
"The third call to the feast represents the
giving of the gospel to the Gentiles. The king said, 'The wedding is ready,
but they which were bidden were not worthy. God ye therefore into the
highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.'" C.O.L309.
The giving of the gospel to the Gentiles began in
A.D.34, which year marked the end of the 490 years of opportunity for the
Jewish church. "Thus the Jewish people sealed their rejection of God's
mercy." C.O.L.308. So we read in Acts 13:46, "Then Paul and Barnabbas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the
word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from
you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, Lo, we turn to the
Gentiles."
Ron’s Commentary: Though there is a
parallel to the prophecy of Matthew 22, in the case of professing Seventh-day
Adventists, there are differences that must be noted. Adventists have been
making the call to the “Gentiles,” or Babylon since 1844, before its own
(SDA) probation is over at the second call to Adventists at the time of the
Loud Cry. Laval Picard fails to discern this difference. There would not be
the need for another call to the SDA church if it had not apostatized. Such a
second call would be superfluous and redundant. It is gross apostasy of the
SDA leadership that makes the second call apply to the SDA church and its
members.
Laval Picard fails to see that there
were two calls to Christianity before the SDA church apostatized. There was a
Midnight Cry call to come out from Babylon (Rome) in the Reformation. Then
there was another call to come out of Babylon (Rome and her fallen daughters)
in 1844. But the Reformers were treated spitefully. Many of them were slain,
and then the call went to the Gentiles—the three angel’s message commission
to the world. Thus, the two calls to reformer Christians have already taken
place. But since the SDA church has apostatized, the final loud cry call will
apply to individuals in that church as well as sincere individuals in all
fallen churches. As stated above, the response to the third Midnight Cry call
(the Loud Cry to come) has already been given us—it will be rejected by all
formally organized ecclesiastical churches (Isaiah 4:1-4), and only a
faithful remnant will be saved out of all of them, Isaiah 37:31, 32, which
God and Ellen White apply more to us than the Jews of old because we have
their example.
The SDA church has committed
unpardonable sin apostasy by violating Isaiah 8:9-13, and all the principles
of Jeremiah 11:9-15, and by forming a new movement that has removed God. We
were never to join and/or support ANY new movement whether it be formed
“among,” or outside the SDA church.
What I want you to see is that there is
no direct parallel with the Matthew 22 prophecy as it relates to the SDA
church, because the SDA church began to give the gospel to the world since
1844. In other words, in the Jewish fulfillment of Matthew 22, there were two
calls to that apostate church BEFORE any call was made to the world. In the
case of SDA’s, there has been a gospel commission call to the world BEFORE
THE NEXT MIDNIGHT CRY CALL TO THE SDA CHURCH AND THE WORLD.
Because there is no direct parallel in
being two calls to the SDA church BEFORE the third call to the Gentile world,
there can be no direct parallel as to any probation’s close for the church.
Jeremiah 11:9-15, proves that probation can close for any generation of the
church ON A GENERATIONAL BASIS. God said not to even pray for the Jews of
that generation and Ellen White said that instruction will have a COUNTERPART
at the end-time, and the only people on earth who can COUNTERPART the Jews, being
a “once chosen, professedly commandment-keeping remnant,” is the professing
Seventh-day Adventist church. All the above having been said, I do not deny
that the final Loud Cry call is to individuals in all fallen churches,
including the professing, apostate SDA church, but hasten to add that we are
responsible for light as soon as we encounter it, and those who choose to
remain in an apostate new movement church that has removed God, AFTER
LEARNING OF SUCH APOSTASY, are corporately responsible for that apostasy.
What example of Jesus Christ and His
disciples, proves beyond any doubt that I am correct in my reasoning above? I
will tell you friend. Jesus and His disciples began to separate from the
apostate Jewish church as one of the first acts of Christ’s ministry in A.D.
27, seven years before the close of Israel’s probation at the stoning of
Stephen in A.D. 34. In light of the following statements, Laval Picard has
told me that Jesus did not separate. That is defiance of the Spirit of
Prophecy.
"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 for 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
recreant priests added licentiousness to the dark catalogue of their crimes
yet they still polluted by their presence the tabernacle of the Lord, and,
laden with sin, dared to come into the presence of a holy God. As the men of Israel
witnessed the corrupt course of the priests, they thought it safer for their
families not to come up to the appointed place of worship. Many went from
Shiloh with their peace disturbed, their indignation aroused, until they at
last determined to offer their sacrifices themselves, concluding that this
would be fully as acceptable to God, as to sanction in any manner the
abominations practiced in the Sanctuary." E.G. White, The Signs of the Times, vol. 1, p. 264, col. 3, December 1, 1881.
"The
Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's message and was bent upon His death therefore
Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious
leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another
class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the
gospel to all nations.
As the light
and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of
Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and
again the history of Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When
the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating
themselves from the established church but the religious leaders would not
tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class,
who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of
the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice
of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented.
Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away
from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the
word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same
teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render
obedience." E.G. White, Desire of Ages, 232.
"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.
Thus the call turned to the highways and the hedges
and another class are given the invitation the Jews spurned. With great
patience, God had waited for the work to be completed, but He had been
disappointed by the failure of His people. Now he
looked for it to be completed through the Apostolic church but again He is
disappointed for after having reached a certain glorious peak, they fell away
until we have the dark ages.
Ron’s Commentary: Again, Laval leaps
from the Dark ages to the Midnight Cry of 1844, when the Reformation was
certainly a cry to “go ye out to meet Him.” Matthew 25. But I am very content
with applying Matthew 25 to the SDA church beginning with the first Cry in
1844, and one to follow. But I still maintain that there is not an exact
parallel because SDA’s went to the “Gentile” world BEFORE a second call was
made to them and then apostatized themselves by joining Babylon’s
Associations, Councils, Girdings and Confederacies.
It is in the second complete and final fulfillment of this prophecy that we are most interested
and most vitally concerned. We have seen how exactly to the letter the first fulfillment actually matches the prophecy. We shall see
as we proceed how exactly the prophecy is again being fulfilled today.
Ron’s Commentary: We HAVE NOT seen that
the first fulfillment EXACTLY met and matches the prophecy of Matthew 22! It
does not! Because the SDA church has carried its commission to the “Gentile”
world, BEFORE receiving a second call itself! For Matthew 22 to be exactly
fulfilled in the SDA church, it would have to receive two calls for its
apostasy before any gospel was taught to the world, and that simply is not
the case.
Laval uses Matthew 22 to extend
probation for a church that has committed unpardonable sin apostasy via
ecumenical liaison with Babylon, and Celebration worship with Babylon, as
well as holding joint Easter sunrise worship services with Babylon. After
such acts, it becomes nearly impossible to call folk out of Babylon. God
tells us the results of the next Loud Cry call! The SDA church will reject
that call because it has already rejected its commission and has betrayed its
sacred trust by ecumenical liaison with Babylon. In Isaiah 8:9-13, there is
one option to breaking those commands: BROKEN IN PIECES, stated three times!
Can any church close its probation
BEFORE the future Loud Cry call which is to individuals in ALL fallen
churches? Let Jeremiah 11:9-15 answer the question for you! Let the following
statement by Ellen White answer the question for you:
"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.
When does God NO LONGER WORK with a
church?
“When
a church proves unfaithful to the work of the Lord,” that is when! Not
at some future Loud Cry! That Loud Cry is to INDIVIDUALS to go out of the
fallen churches.
"The great work of the gospel is not to close
with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The
prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the
opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its
close." G.C.611.
This will be the subject of our next study.
Laval
Part 2
"The parable of the
wedding garment—Matt.22—opens before us a lesson of the highest
consequence." E.G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p.307.
THE SECOND AND FINAL FULFILLMENT
So when the Jews refused
to come to the marriage and, in turn, the Apostolic Church having failed to
gather the guests from the highways and byways, drifted down hill into the
apostasy of the Dark Ages, the whole plan broke down completely and the
marriage had to be postponed until another day of opportunity.
Ron’s
Commentary: It should be remembered that in Desire of Ages, 179, the disciples are called the bride of
Christ.
For certain there could be
no consummation of the marriage during the long captivity (1260 years) as
surely as ever the Jews were during the Babylonian captivity in Daniel’s day,
(P.K.714), and the best which could be done then was to hold things together
so the church could not be destroyed entirely. And yet God did more than
this. He never ceased to work toward the creating of a situation wherein the
marriage could be made and the guests called to it for the consummation.
And in 1844 such an
objective was realized. There again, the marriage was made by the King for
His Son and guests were bidden to it, through the proclamation of the
midnight cry, “Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him.” Everyone
who is familiar with the history of the Advent Movement will know that a
marriage was to take place in Heaven in 1844. However, we will spend a little
time in establishing this as a fact beyond contradiction.
In the book Early Writings is given a description of
what took place in the Heavenly Sanctuary at the close of the 2,300 years
which ended on October 22, 1844. This is a more detailed description of
Daniel 7:9, 10. The most Holy or Second Apartment of
the Heavenly Sanctuary is the judgment room so that here in Daniel, at the
right point in the sequence of events in this prophecy, the Ancient of days,
who is God the Father, is seen taking His place in that room. This event took
place at the close of the 2,300 years of Daniel 8:14. Early Writings, p. 54, 55.
JESUS GOES TO THE WEDDING
In the passage from Early Writings under consideration,
the Father and the Son are seen sharing a throne which we soon learn is in
the Holy Place of the first apartment of the Heavenly Sanctuary.
This is in harmony with the vision of John in Revelation four and five, where
the Father and the Son are seen together in the apartment wherein the seven
golden candlesticks which we know were always in the first apartment of the
sanctuary. It is in harmony too with Hebrews 1:1 and 8:1 where Jesus is shown
as being seated on the right hand of the throne of the heavens. But the
ministry of the Holy Place gives way to the ministry in the Most Holy Place which requires a moving of the Father and the Son
in this apartment. This is pictured as quoted above in Daniel 7:9, 10, and also in verse 13 where, the Son of Man is
brought before the Ancient of Days to receive His kingdom.
In closer detail the scene
is described thus in Early Writings
page 55: “I saw the Father arise from His throne,
and in a flaming chariot go into the Holy of Holies within the veil and sit
down.” For what purpose? The answer is to make the
marriage for His Son. This is evident from the following statement: “Then
Jesus rose from the throne… Then He raised His right arm and I heard His
lovely voice saying, ‘Wait here, I am going to My Father to receive the
kingdom and in a little while I will return from the wedding
and receive you to Myself.’”
This fact
is most plainly stated in The Great
Controversy, page 427. “The proclamation ‘Behold the Bridegroom cometh,’
in the summer of 1844, led thousands to expect the immediate Advent of the
Lord. At the appointed time, the Bridegroom came, not to the earth as the
people expected, but to the Ancient of Days in Heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom.”
These references make it
very clear then that the Father went into the Most
Holy Place to prepare the wedding for His Son in 1844. It must be equally clear
that those who had responded to the message to come out of Babylon to rebuild the great sanctuary truth, just as in
the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, were the ones who had been bidden to the
marriage. They had given heed to the call of the Midnight Cry, “Behold the
Bridegroom cometh.”
This is to say that in
1844, God brought His people to the same point of opportunity and advantage
as He had brought them in 457 B.C. Then, in 457 B.C., He had appointed to
them a specific period of time, namely of 490 years, in which to finish the
work and cut it short in righteousness. And in 1844, He called upon them to
the same work without specifying the allotted portion of time. This time is
described in these words: “In the days of the seventh angel, when he shall
begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.” Revelation 10:7. The
finishing of the mystery of God is the finishing of the work of Christ being
formed within the true believer, for the mystery of God is “Christ in you the
hope of glory.” Col.1:27. And when that work is done the marriage will have
been consummated and the union will be complete.
The finishing of the
mystery of God is the consummation of the marriage.
THE STAGE IS SET
In 1844, everything had been brought to a point of readiness wherein this
work could speedily be done. The marriage was made. All things were ready and
it was but for the people of God to make speedy work of having the mystery of
God finished in them and Christ could come and receive them to His Kingdom.
But, exactly as pictured in the parable of Matt.22, which we are studying,
they that were bidden experienced a falling away instead, time tarried and
the Bridegroom and His Father were kept waiting, and waiting.
“Had Adventists, after the
great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith, and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving the
message of the third angel, and in the power of the Holy Spirit proclaimed it to the world, they
would have seen the salvation of God, the Lord would have wrought mightily
with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have
come to receive His people to their reward.” The Great Controversy, p. 457, 458; Evangelism, p. 695.
This was penned in 1883
and shows clearly that the bidden ones should, before that, have gone into
the marriage, but they had not. Again, the event fulfilled the prediction.
THE FIRST CALL
Therefore, just as the parable indicates, and just as had been necessary in
the first fulfillment in regard to the Jews, the King
had to send a special call to those who had been bidden. Insomuch as there
have been numerous stirrings and messages among the people
of God, our task is to identify just what event actually fulfilled the
prediction.
The first call to the bidden ones
(Adventists in this case) would have to be a message telling them more than
what they should do. After all, the Advent people had preached “the law until
they were as dry as the hills of Gilboa that had
neither dew nor rain.” Review and
Herald, March 11, 1890.
The
Adventists knew what they should do but they needed a message telling them how
to do it. There is but one event which could possibly meet this specification
and that was the sending by the Lord, in 1888, “a most precious message”
which light was to “illuminate the whole earth with its glory.” Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91, 92.
Ron’s
Commentary: Laval thus makes the first call to SDA’s to be 1888. That is not
true. The first Midnight Cry call was in 1844. Ellen White said that the
Midnight Cry gave power to the second angel’s message at that time. Laval
already quoted Ellen White as saying that Christ could have come in 1844!
That means that the marriage could have been consummated at that time and
there would have been no need for another call. That was the first call—1844.
The message in a nutshell:
“The people needed to have their eyes directed to Jesus, to His divine
Person, to His merits and His changeless love for the human family.” Ibid, p.92. In
other words, "the people were invited to lay right hold upon the merits
of a crucified and risen Saviour to bring His
righteousness into the life.” Ibid, 92; Faith and Works, p.65, 66. They were made to understand that
unless they made it their life business to look to Jesus and accept His merits
which it was their privilege to claim, in order to receive His righteousness
which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God, they
could not be saved! Testimonies
to Ministers, p. 92.
Here was the foundation of
their faith: “The merits of Christ’s sacrifice are SUFFICIENT to present to
the Father in our behalf,” for “Jesus was treated as we deserve that we might
be treated as He deserves.” Steps to Christ, p. 36; Desire
of Ages, p. 25. But the invitation to lay hold upon the merits of
Christ in order to bring His righteousness into the life as their only hope
for time and eternity was resisted! 1 S.M. 234, 235.
The event exactly matched
the prediction. This was the first
call to the Advent people. Note how that the twelve and the seventy
disciples were given the task to bring their message only to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel and this they did. In like manner Ellen White and
Elders Waggoner and Jones bore their message to the Advent people. They were
not evangelists to the world but to the church. But how sad
the outcome. Looking down with the prophetic vision down the stream of
time, Jesus had said, “They would not come.” Matt.22:3. And He was exactly
correct in His forecasting as He, the greatest of all the prophets, could
only be.
Ron’s
Commentary: 1888 was not the first call. The first Midnight Cry call was in
1844. Then, in the tarrying time since that call, the church fell into
Laodicean slumber. If anything, 1888 was the second call. Laval has this all
turned on its head, because in the parable of Matthew 22, who could deny that
there WAS NOT any call to the Gentiles (world) until two calls were made to
the Jews. But in the case with SDA’s, they made a call to the world after
1844 and before 1888; BEFORE A SECOND CALL TO SDA’S! That does not follow the
pattern of Matthew 22. My scenario of the Reformation call out of Babylon and
the 1844 Midnight Cry call, would meet the requirements of two calls before
going to the Gentile world. But there are two calls to the other fallen
churches as well, and the Loud cry is a call to INDIVIDUALS in all fallen
churches.
A great deal of argument
and debate has arisen as to whether the church of 1888 did in fact reject the
message sent to it. Many today claim the message was never rejected in the
end, but rather that out of the crisis arose a
healthier and a better church. To support their view, some point to the fact
that there were indeed some who did receive it and again a large section who were uncertain as to which stand to take. But as
already seen, the whole teaching of this parable
shows that, while
individuals did respond to the call, the body did not. The acceptance by a minority of individuals within
the body is not mentioned in the parable. It is concerned not with this, but
with the response of the
body as a whole.
We will not enter into any
lengthy argument here to substantiate the fact of this for there is no need.
That the purpose of God was frustrated is evident on three counts. In the
first case we have the prophetic prediction of it already referred to. Before
it ever happened, God had stated prophetically that the people would refuse
to accept the call. To refuse to accept it is to reject.
Ron’s Commentary: And as well, God has prophesied
the result of the final call to ALL fallen formally organized churches,
including the fallen SDA church.
In the second case, when
it did happen the Lord through His servant, gave, in
unmistakable language, His evaluation of what really did happen in Minneapolis during the years 1888 and the following years. He
said, “The prejudices that prevailed at Minneapolis are not dead by any means.” Testimonies to Ministers, p. 467.
Prejudice and opinion are never
found at work on the side of the Lord. Never! They are the weapons of the
enemy of truth whereby he seeks to vanquish the truth. There are times when
he is very successful, in fact it seems to be most of the time. The word
“prevailed” means to gain the upperhand, to be the
victor in the contest. Therefore it is plain that the victory in 1888 was not
gained by the Lord and His message but by the enemies of that message. There
is just no other meaning that could be taken from this statement. No amount of
human reasoning will make these words of none effect.
Ron’s
Commentary: It is errant prejudice and opinion to say that the first Midnight
Cry call was in 1888. That is a lie. 1844 was called a Midnight Cry call by
Ellen White. She said that it gave power to the second angel’s message.
Midnight Cry Repeated: "My mind
was carried to the FUTURE, when the signal WILL BE GIVEN, 'Behold, the
Bridegroom cometh God ye out to meet Him.'" E.G. White, Review and
Herald, Vol. 3, p. 331, Feb. 11, 1896. Notice the date, Feb. 11, 1896.
- [Rev. 18:1, 2, 4, quoted.] This scripture
points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of Babylon,
as made by the second angel of Revelation 14 (verse 8), is to be
repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been
entering the various organizations that constitute Babylon, since that
message was first given, in the summer of 1844. . . . These
announcements, uniting with the third angel's message, constitute the
final warning to be given to the inhabitants of the earth. . . . {LDE
199.2}
- This proves that the fallen churches do
not get better! They get worse.
- "I saw that since the second angel
proclaimed the fall of the churches, they have been growing more and
more corrupt. They bear the name of being Christ's followers yet it is
IMPOSSIBLE to distinguish them from ...Satan has taken FULL POSSESSION
of the churches as a body." E.G. White, Early Writings, 273.
Violation of the Midnight Cry by
Ecumenical Straying From That Midnight Cry Lighted Path is Unpardonable Sin
While praying at the family
altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to be rising higher and
higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in
the world, but could not find them--when a voice said to me, "Look
again, and look a little higher." At this I raised my eyes and saw a
straight and narrow path, [MAT. 7:14.] cast up high above the world. On this
path the Advent people were traveling to the City, which was at the farther
end of the path. They had a bright
light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which an angel told me
was the Midnight Cry. [MAT. 25:6.] This light shone all along the path, and gave
light for their feet so they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes
fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were
safe. But soon some grew weary, and they said the City was a great way off,
and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them
by raising his glorious right arm, and from his arm came a glorious light
which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted Hallelujah! Others rashly denied the light behind
them, and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The
light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they
stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell
off the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to
the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected. They fell all the
way along the path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like
many waters, [EZE. 43:2. JOEL 3:16. REV. 16:17.] which gave us the day
and hour of Jesus' coming. [EZE. 12:25. MARK 13:32.] The living saints,
144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it
was thunder and an earthquake. [JOHN 12:29.] When God spake the time, he
poured on us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with
the glory of God as Moses' did when he came down from Mount Sinai. [ISA.
10:27.] {WLF 14.2} Word to the Little Flock, p. 14.
True, men have attempted
to make the history of 1888 appear to be different from the Lord’s evaluation
of it. But when the Lord has spoken and told us that it was prejudice and
opinion which prevailed at Minneapolis, then that is the last word on the matter. Let all
argument cease and let us, in humility, confess the fact of it and ask in
sincerity as to how we can recover the ground which is lost. But this is not
the only word from the Lord to this effect. Again we read :
“An unwillingness to yield
up preconceived opinions and to accept the truth lay at the foundation of a
large share of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis against the Lord’s message… By exciting that
opposition Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great
measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to
them. The enemy prevented them from obtaining that efficiency which might
have been theirs in carrying the truth to the world as the apostles
proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost. The light that is to
lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted and by the action of our
own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world.” Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 234, 235.
Again what language could
be plainer than this? It was Satan who was the successful one in this
struggle to bring the light and the efficiency of the last warning to a
perishing world. Therefore the Lord was unsuccessful and in a large measure
the message was not received or accepted and acted upon. This is so plain
that none need be deceived thereby.
Now in the third case, the
simple witness of time has declared that it was never accepted by the
church in sufficient proportion to make it a victory for the Lord. If it had
been, the Loud Cry would long ere this have sounded
and today the faithful would be in the kingdom. But we are not. No one can
deny this fact, therefore all should frankly admit
the reason for that fact being that the message was never accepted as it
should have been. Referring to the message and the messengers, the Lord,
through His servant declared:
“The time of test is just
upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the
revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer. This
is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole
earth.” Review and Herald, Nov.22, 1892. But “The
light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted.” 1 S.M.
234, 235.
Ron’s Commentary: Ellen White said the same thing about the
finishing of the work in 1844—that Christ could have come then if the church
had gone onward and upward!
MATT.22 PART 3
THE SECOND CALL REMAINS
It must be emphasized that the failure to accept the first call, does not
bring the church to the fatal point where the Lord says to His servants,
“They which were bidden are not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and
as many as you find, invite them to the wedding.”
It does not bring the
church to this point because there yet remains the second call, and until it
is given, the church remains as the people of God, and just as the disciples
of Christ remained with the Jewish church, despite the depth of her apostasy,
so there is to be no separation from the church of today until, as it is
portrayed in the parable, “a great persecution” arises at the time when the
second call is being proclaimed and followed by its complete and final
rejection.
Ron’s
Commentary: It is an abject lie that Christ remained with the Jewish church
despite the depth of her apostasy! Christ and His disciples came out and
SEPARATED from a religion of forms and ceremonies. They started coming out at
the inception of Christ’s ministry in A.D. 27, 7 years before the close of Israel’s
probation at the stoning of Stephen in A.D. 34. I have shown the following
statement to Laval on numerous occasions, and he persists in his lie.
"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.
The very fact that Adventists separated from the
other churches in 1844, BEFORE A SECOND CALL TO THEM AT THE END TIME, a
second Midnight Loud Cry call, is proof that separation from apostasy is not
predicated on two calls being given to a church before it is to be separated
from! I will give more hard evidence of this fact.
The Jews separated in the time of Shiloh, which
is where they first settled after coming out of their 40 years in the Sinai
desert.
"The recreant priests added
licentiousness to the dark catalogue of their crimes yet they still polluted
by their presence the tabernacle of the Lord, and, laden with sin, dared to
come into the presence of a holy God. As the men of Israel witnessed the
corrupt course of the priests, they thought it safer for their families not
to come up to the appointed place of worship. Many went from Shiloh with
their peace disturbed, their indignation aroused, until they at last
determined to offer their sacrifices themselves, concluding that this would
be fully as acceptable to God, as to sanction in any manner the abominations
practiced in the Sanctuary." E.G. White, The Signs of the Times, vol.
1, p. 264, col. 3.
"The
Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's message and was bent upon His death therefore
Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious
leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another
class to proclaim His message, and to gather
out those who should carry the gospel to all nations.
As the
light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the
days of Christ, so it has been rejected in
every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ's
withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word
of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established
church but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that
bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In
our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their
spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in
whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps of
the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order
to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who
are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of
their fathers, that they may render obedience." E.G. White, Desire of Ages, 232.
Were all those true reformers
wrong in leaving the churches of their fathers because the ecclesiastical
leaders would not tolerate and teach light? Nay! That is the ONLY REASON
Ellen White gives for their separation! Yet, Laval would contradict Ellen
White by saying in essence that those true reformers should not have left the
church of their fathers until it had received two Midnight Cry warnings! That
is the illogical and errant conclusion of his great error.
That it will be rejected
is made clear to our minds by the prophetic declaration it would be, and this
time more definitely and finally than on the first rejection between 1888 and
1903. One has but to turn again to our prophecy in Matt.22 to see that the
rejection would be double-natured. Many will disdainfully consider it a
matter not even worth consideration while the remainder will object violently
to the coming of the message.
Ron’s
Commentary: The 1888 message was not a Midnight Cry PERIOD! It was not a call
to come out of Babylon. That is what the Midnight Cry is. THE FIRST CALL WAS
THE MIDNIGHT CRY. The next and final call is THE MIDNIGHT CRY of Matthew 25.
The call is: “Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him.” Mark my
word, 1888 was not a Midnight Cry to go out of Babylon! To maintain that is
was, is tantamount to calling the SDA church of 1888, Babylon!
This is the final answer
the church ever has the opportunity to give to the Lord of the marriage.
There will never be a third call, never be another opportunity. From then on
the church will be as completely on her own without God as the Jews were, and
ever have been, from A.D.34 on.
Ron’s
Commentary: The first two calls of Matthew 22, were made to an apostate
church. They were made BEFORE any call to the world (Gentiles) was made. Laval
is taking that chapter out of context because the SDA church took the gospel
to the Gentile world after 1844 and after 1888! According to Laval’s interpretation,
there should be no call by the SDA church to the world WHATSOEVER, until
AFTER the second call to the SDA church itself. That is the way it worked in
the parable of Matthew 22.
Jeremiah
11:9-15, is proof positive that probation can close on any GENERATION of the
church before any general probation closes.
The question now remains
as to whether that second call has come to the Adventist Churches. There are
some who claim that it has already come. It is true that in the early fifties
Wieland and Short spoke a great deal about the 1888 rejection and the
necessity of accepting that message but they themselves admitted that they
had not discovered the heart of the message yet. In 1950, they published a
book titled, THE 1888 MESSAGE RE-EXAMINED, and on pages 242 and 243 they made
this honest confession:
“Many, even in the world,
are trying to discover the light which God revealed to His people in 1888. No
one has so far been successful. Religious thinkers are yearning for something
no one clearly understands, though it would seem that a few are on the verge
of discovery.”
Ron’s
Commentary: The understanding and acceptance of the 1888 message was never
tantamount to Weiland and Short understanding that message. They called for
corporate repentance for the rejection of that message in 1888. They knew
that it has been rejected and that is all they called for, and they were
correct in so doing.
Laval Picard
is still faced with the dilemma that the SDA church has gone to the world (Gentiles)
with a call which, according to Matthew 22, should not have been made until
two calls were made to the professing SDA church ITSELF!
Thirty-seven years later,
they were still yearning for that message. In humility, they acknowledged
that they were still in search of it. This they acknowledged in 1987, in
their revised edition of THE 1888 MESSAGE RE-EXAMINED:
“It would seem,” they
wrote, “that 1888 presents a problem unique in the long history of God’s
confrontation with His people. There is a precious truth involved therein
that seems more elusive than any in the history of past ages.” Wieland and
Short, The 1888 Message Re-Examined, Second Edition,
1987, p.184.
Though they knew that the
message was “just as simple as ABC,” they were forced to admit that they did
not understand it. Ellen White had said, at that time, "The matter of
salvation (as presented in 1888) is just as simple as ABC. But we don't
understand it." See Faith and
Works, p. 64.
But the time has come for this
message to be received, believed, and acted upon! Since the matter of
salvation is just as simple as accepting the alphabet, it would be impossible
to imagine how it could be more simple. Can you think of something easier to
do than to accept the alphabet? And this simple message God designed it
should come to His people as the latter rain. Here it is, again, in a few
words:
“How long will you hate
and despise the messengers of God’s righteousness. God has given them His message. They bear the
word of the Lord: THERE
IS SALVATION FOR YOU BUT ONLY THROUGH THE MERITS OF JESUS CHRIST.” Testimonies to Ministers, p.97.
In other words, “We are accepted through Christ’s
merits alone.” 5 B.C.
1122. “The blood of Christ, in an ever-abiding efficacy is our only
hope, for through its
merits alone we have pardon and peace.”
Our Father Cares, p.143.
“Unless he makes it his life business to behold the uplifted Savior and to accept His merits, which it is his privilege to claim,
the sinner can no more be
saved than Peter could walk upon the
water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus.” Testimonies to Ministers, p.93.
This message is to be
carried to the church in demonstration of the Spirit and power of God for the
last time. This will be the second call of the parable of Mat.22 to the
bidden ones, the Seventh-day Adventist body. This development is an extremely
important one in the moving along of the order of last day events. In harmony
with His principles of working, the Lord cannot turn to another class of
people until the church has confirmed her refusal to accept this message.
When that question is settled, the Lord will therefore commission another
class of people to do the work which the bidden ones might have done, but
would not!
Ron’s Commentary:
Ellen White said that she had taught the message of Righteousness by Faith
before Jones and Waggoner did. Would that not be a warning? Is not the three
angel’s message predicated on righteousness by faith in verity?! Was that not
a call?
And what’s
more, the church of Philadelphia, in 1844, until it fell into Laodiceanism
circa 1856 or so, had to have an understanding of true righteousness by faith
because Philadelphia is not faulted on one point by God. That is proof that the first call was heard and heeded in 1844!
The second would have been 1888, and the third will be to the world and ALL
fallen churches including the professing, SDA, apostate New Movement that has
removed God, 1SM 204-5.
Sadly, in the prophecy it
is made abundantly clear that only the servants and the individuals who
accept the message and are transformed by it—“We are to be transformed through the merits of Christ.” Our Father
Cares, p. 204—can give the loud cry to the world.
Here is the prophetic word
to tell us so: “Then saith He to His servants, the
wedding is ready, but they which were bidden are not worthy. Go ye therefore
into the highways and as many as he shall find, bid to the marriage.”
Matt.22:8, 9.
THE THIRD CALL IS THE LOUD CRY
“The third call to the feast
represents the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles.” So “The king’s servants
who went out into the highways ‘gathered together all as many as they found,
both bad and good.’ It was a mixed
company.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 309.
Ron’s
Commentary: So was the first call the Loud Cry, which Ellen White said would
be repeated! The first call in 1844,
was just as much a call to Adventists as anyone else! Only Adventists heeded
that call!
These are to grow together
until the harvest and the harvest is the close of probation. “The tares and
the wheat are to grow together until the harvest; and the harvest is the end of probationary
time.” Ibid, p.72.
Ron’s Commentary: Laval Picard does not know the difference
between tares and thorns. Tares, as defined by Ellen White, are insincere
believers whose motives we would have to judge in order to expel or root them
up. Thorny ground hearers, on the other hand, are open sinning apostates who
teach a false gospel. We do not have to judge their motives in order to root
them out. But the “dumb dogs who will NEVER AGAIN BARK,” to show the House of
Jacob its sins, will not expel the thorns so that they choke out the wheat
and make it impossible for the wheat to mature, and that is according to the
Bible and the SDA Bible Commentary! Indeed, there will be tares even in home
churches until the harvest. But THORNS, open sinners, should not be permitted
as members. We are to separate from open sin and sinners. The bride of Christ
will never be defiled by open sin and a church that retains open sinners.
Those whom God is leading
and directing are His people, His church. Who at that time will He be
leading? Will it be the bidden ones who have rejected His invitation for the
second time or will it be the servants and those who have accepted the call?
There is no question about the answer. The bidden ones will not be the ones.
But instead it will be the little company (a remnant) of servants.
The
gathering in from the highways, or the beginning of the third call, takes place
immediately upon the rejection of the second call to the bidden ones and will
swell into a loud cry to the world. And, “When the mission of the
gospel is completed, the judgment (of the living)
will accomplish the work of separation.” Christ’s Object Lessons,
p.123.
Ron’s
Commentary: I can tell you against my salvation that Ellen White is speaking
(in the above statement) of the separation of the wheat from the tares. We
cannot judge the tares. Only God can know the heart to know who is insincere.
This has no reference to open sinning apostates whom we were never to unite
with. That is why Christ and His disciples separated BEFORE the harvest! That
is why the Reformers separated from Rome BEFORE the harvest! That is why
Adventists separated BEFORE the harvest in 1844! That is why true Reformers
must separate now BEFORE the harvest!
The judgment mentioned
here is represented by the coming of the King into the room to examine the
guests. “By the King’s
examination of the guests at the feast is represented a work of judgment.” Ibid,
p.310.
This event--judgment
of the living--is followed by the seven last plagues, the time of
Jacob’s trouble and the Second Coming of Christ in glory.
Matt.22 Part
4 Final
THE CRUCIFIXION
In the first fulfillment , between the first call of
the parable and the second call, Christ was crucified. The time between the
crucifixion of Christ and the year 34 A.D. is referred to as a time of “added probation” for the church:
“With what unwearied love
did Christ minister to Israel during this period of added probation.
Upon the cross Christ prayed, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they do.’ Luke 23:24. After His ascension the gospel was preached first at Jerusalem. There the Holy Spirit was poured out. There the
first gospel church revealed the power of the risen Savior. There
Stephen—‘his face as it had been the face of an angel’ (Acts 6:15)—bore his
testimony and laid down his life. All that heaven itself could give was
bestowed. ‘What could have been done to My
vineyard,’ Christ said, ‘that I have not done in it?’ Isa.5:4. So His care and labour
for the Jews were not lessened but increased. Still He says, ‘I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every
moment, lest any hurt it. I will keep it night and day.’ ”
Isa.27:3.
Ron’s Commentary: Even though Christ demonstrated His
long-suffering by adding to the time of probation for apostate Israel, that
did not preclude His coming out, separating Himself and His disciples, and
“gathering out” those who would take the gospel to the world, Desire of Ages, 232. And Christ
started this separation process as the first act of His ministry in A.D. 27,
seven years before the close of Israel’s probation at the stoning of Stephen.
And Ellen White called that entire period, A.D. 27-70, a prefigure.
The Lord did so until they sealed their rejection of His mercy in 34 A.D.
“Then God withdrew His protection from them and removed His restraining power
from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the control of the
leader she had chosen.” The Great
Controversy, p.28.
“Their sufferings are
often represented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of
God. It is thus that the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work. By
stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy, the Jews had caused the
protection of God to be withdrawn from them, and Satan was permitted to rule
them according to his will.” Ibid, p.35,36.
THE CRUCIFIXION IN THE SECOND FULFILMENT
Now, in the second fulfillment, when, after the rejection of the first call
in 1888, do we find a crucifixion taking place among Adventists? Between 1955
and 1957 we held 18 conferences with the Evangelicals who were to decide,
upon examination of our doctrines, whether we could be accepted by them
either as members of the body of Christ or rejected as an anti-christian cult. Sadly to say the leaders of the Church
were eager to compromise the pillars of our faith in order to avoid being
categorized among the cults. After enough compromises were made, the
Evangelicals declared that they were satisfied that they had been mistaken
about us, and offered sincere apologies for having categorized us among the
cults in the past.
Ron’s
Commentary: Indeed, Christ has been crucified afresh by “being removed” by
the New Movement formed “among” within the professing SDA church, 1SM 204-5.
Shortly after the
repudiations of the pillars of our faith, the Church published a book
entitled, “Questions on Doctrines,”
which was to be sent to the ministers of the other churches, in which it was
declared that we were now one with them! This declaration is found on page 32
of the book in a section under the subtitle, RELATIONSHIP TO PAST POSITIONS.
Here are the exact words of this most startling declaration:
“We are one with our
fellow Christians of denominational groups in the great fundamentals of the
faith once delivered to the saints.”
By such a declaration, we
unwittingly declared that we were one with “the churches that have taken sides with the first great
apostate.” 1 S.M.
222.
This most
startling declaration which was published in 1957 was followed by similar
ones some years later:
“Today, the old largely
negative approach—emphasizing the things wherein we differ from all religious
groups—is past, definitely past. And it is as it should be.” Ministry Magazine,
March 1966, p.10.
“The Adventist Church today is better prepared to make common cause with
these other evangelicals than at any previous time in its history.” Ministry Magazine, June 1966, p. 19, 20.
This was our
"crucifixion" of Christ. We crucified Him afresh by our repudiating
the messages He had entrusted to us. Therefore, we are living in the time of
“added probation” when “God’s care and labor for us are not lessened but increased.” C.O.L.218.
Ron’s
Commentary: In the prefigure of A.D. 27-70, even though Christ “added” to the
time of Israel’s probation, it is a matter of historical FACT that He
separated Himself and His disciples from the apostate Jewish church and began
doing so as a first act of His ministry in A.D. 27, Desire of Ages, 232. What is more, faithful Jews were separating
from the Temple way back in their days in Shiloh—the time of Jeremiah. (See
the recreant priest quote I gave earlier above, and see Jeremiah 11:9-15.
This was a separation that occurred CENTURIES before A.D. 27 and/or A.D. 34.
In other words, through
men of God’s own choosing, upon whom the Holy Spirit will be poured out, a
message is to be proclaimed to the church, a message appropriate for this
time and which is to be received, believed, and acted upon! If the church
rejects this message, she will seal her rejection of God’s mercy as did the
Jews in 34 A.D. and the Lord will be forced to turn to another class of
people through whom He will finish the work and cut it short in
righteousness. This last opportunity for the church is represented by the
second call of the parable we have been studying.
Ron’s
Commentary: The Elijah warning is going through many agencies, but some of
them are mixing error with it in order to deceive God’s remnant people. Laval
Picard is one of those men. He would have the bride of Christ defiled with
women (fallen churches) when the true bride cannot be so associated in any
wise. (Rev. 14:1-4)
“Oh that we would remember
that it is court week with us and that our cases are pending!” E.G. White, Maranatha, p. 39. But “Jesus loves to have us come to Him as
we are, sinful, helpless, dependent.” F.W. 38.
"Present your helpless
case before God, pleading the merits of the blood shed for you upon Calvary’s cross.” Ibid, p.106. Say
to Him, “Lord, I have no merit or goodness whereby I may claim salvation, but
I present before you the all-sufficient merits of the all-atoning blood
of the spotless Lamb of God. This is my only plea.” Ibid, 106.
“None who trust in the merits of Christ
will be left to perish.” P.P.432. Why?
Because those who daily appropriate to themselves His all-sufficient merits
receive the gift of His righteousness which is made manifest in obedience to
all the commandments of God! Testimonies to Ministers, p.92.
“’I
want,’ says one, ‘to reason out this matter.’ Well, reason it out if you can. ‘The wind bloweth where it listeth,’ and
you hear the sound thereof, but you cannot explain it. And no more can you
explain the things of God upon the human heart. You cannot explain this faith that
lays right hold upon the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Savior
to bring Christ’s righteousness into the life. Clothed with the robe of His righteousness and not your own
righteousness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will
do..." for "Christ’s
righteousness accomplishes everything.”
F.W. 65, 66, 27.
Ron’s Commentary:
A correct concept of the Godhead goes hand in hand with the process and the
power by which we appropriate the merits of Christ, but Laval rejects Ellen
White’s definition of the Holy Spirit.
And “When we are clothed with
the righteousness of Christ, we shall have no relish for sin, for Christ will
be working with us. We may make mistakes, but we will hate the sin that
caused the sufferings of the Son of God.” 1 S.M. 360.
This is the Bible truth
that is so little understood: “There is not one in one hundred
who understands for himself the Bible truth on this subject that is so
necessary to our present and eternal welfare.” Ibid, p.360.
“That living faith is
essential for our salvation that we should lay hold upon the merits of the blood of the crucified and risen Savior.” F.W.64.
Therefore, “We must daily
apply to the merits of the blood of Christ that we may become
vessels fit for the Master’s use.” Ibid, p.86.
So the last message of
mercy to the church is the offer of salvation through faith in the merits of
the Savior which we rejected in 1888 and the offer of pardon for crucifying
afresh the Lord of glory in 1957 by compromising the messages which He had
entrusted to us—the pillars of the Advent Movement.
ECUMENISM
"The wide diversity
of belief in the Protestant churches is regarded by many as decisive proof
that no effort to secure a forced uniformity can ever be made. But there has
been for years, in churches of the Protestant faith, a strong and growing
sentiment in favor of union based upon common points of doctrine. To secure
such a union, the discussion of subjects upon which all were not
agreed—however important they might be from a Bible standpoint—must
necessarily be waved.” The Great
Controversy, p.444.
Ron’s Commentary: Laval Picard can sing the abominations
committed by the SDA church as often as he wishes, but he and every MEMBER of
an apostate New Movement they were never to join, is corporately responsible
for those abominations THAT THEY KNOW OF.
"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.
"There are fearful
woes for those who preach the truth, but are not sanctified by it, and also
for those who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified to minister to
them in word and doctrine." Testimonies, vol. 1, p 261-62.
Every MEMBER of the professing
new movement SDA church is responsible for the apostasy of its leaders IF
THEY KNOW OF THAT APOSTASY, and really, are any inexcusable for not knowing?!
As startling as they were,
the quotations we have seen in the previous chapter, as you all know, were
taken from official Adventist periodical magazines. To my knowledge, the
leadership of our beloved church has never raised any objection in protest to
their appearances in our official papers!
Very few realize that the
positions taken in the quotations above were the direct result of the
compromises made with the Evangelicals some fifty years ago. These statements
show that at that time, the leaders of our church betrayed sacred trusts. The
very pillars of our faith, even the central pillar of the Advent Movement,
were totally discarded simply so our denomination might be recognized and
numbered among the churches of Christendom.
It is a well-known fact
that prior to the denial of our pillars, we were perceived by them as an
“anti-christian cult.” However, since 1957,
following the compromises which we made with them, we have had congenial
fellowship with them until in 1990 it was declared by one of their leaders
that we were holding all things in common!
Joan Campbell, director of
the United States office of the World Council of Churches, was
addressing an Adventist audience and made this most startling statement:
“It is my pleasure to be
with you again. I bring the warmest of greetings from the World Council of
Churches and from all our member churches around the world. When I was at
your worship service yesterday, it seemed as though it was my own time of
worship, as well as yours. And it said to me that there are many things we
hold in common. So as fellow Christians, like those of Pentecost in the
earliest of days, we look at one another, and we say that we hold all things
in common.” Adventist Review, July 10, 1990, p.6.
But what was more
startling is that this declaration was printed and published in our own
Review! And what is even more startling is that no one objected! It ought to
have raised at least a few eyebrows!
All these statements are a
powerful confirmation that our religion has been changed! 1
S.M.204. This is represented by the crucifixion that took place
between the first call and the second call of the parable of Matt.22, which
is “a more sure word of prophecy.” 2 Peter 1:20.
This should help us
understand why since then, the Lord’s care and labor for us have not lessened
but increased! C.O.L.218.
We must individually
accept His last call if we are to have a part in giving the loud cry message
to the world and be prepared to meet Him in the air when He comes! The
parable teaches in no uncertain terms that the body as a whole will, one more
time, refuse the invitation and turn upon the bearers of the message! There
will be "a great persecution."
THE END
Conclusion by
Ron:
The Lord has
shown me that Laval, being a trained minister, knows that he will not get
much support and/or following if he should take a stand on separation, and
that this is a large factor involved with his teachings whether he realizes
it or not.
Unfortunately,
Laval has taken it upon himself to misrepresent me and my father. He has told
treacherous lies about both of us on SDA Internet forums. When the despots
cannot attack the truth, they turn on the messenger and try to discredit
him/her by personal character assassination. That is a Satanic, Jesuit-like
tactic.
Ellen White’s Manuscript Reapplying
Matthew 22
Matthew 22 Sermons and Talks
Called to the Wedding Feast
(Sermon by Ellen G. White In Washington, Township, Iowa, Cir.
1874.)
The words which I
have selected as a foundation for a few remarks you will find in the 22nd
chapter of Matthew, beginning at the first verse. [Verses 1-10, quoted.]
{1SAT 4.1}
The portion of Scripture presented before
us, which I have referred to and have presented before your minds, is of
intense meaning--much more than I am able to explain. It is of great interest
to us, and we should consider it, and let it have due weight upon our minds.
We find by perusing God's sacred Word of inspiration that when the promised
Messiah, the Son of God, came into the world His own people, even His own
nation--the Jews--would not and did not receive Him. As we are told in the
first chapter of St. John, "He came unto His own, and His own received
Him not" (John 1:11). {1SAT 4.2}
The provision was
made, but they would not receive it. The Father Himself provided a ransom,
even a sacrifice. His own dear Son submitted Himself to His Father's requirements,
came into this sinful world, became a man of sorrow and acquainted with
grief. He went about doing good, speaking in tones of tenderness, saying in
the deepest and most fervent and sweetest accents ever uttered, "Come
unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart"; and He assures us we shall find rest to our souls. {1SAT 4.3}
"Again, he sent
forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have
prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are
ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their
ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise."
-5- {1SAT 4.4}
The great King
Himself hath made a marriage for His Son. He hath sent forth His servants for
many hundreds of years, saying, "Come, for all things are ready."
But how little do the [people of the] world heed the invitation! They make
light of it and go their ways to their worldly pursuits and worldly
pleasures, the same as they have done for centuries. But the King sendeth
forth His armies and destroys those murders and burns up their city, and we
are told in the ninth chapter of Daniel, the 26th verse, that "the
people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the city...; and the end
thereof shall be with a flood." {1SAT 5.1}
"Then saith he
to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the
marriage." {1SAT 5.2}
In the 14th chapter
of Luke, verse 16, we find that there was made a great supper and many were
bidden. Servants were sent forth to say to those that were bidden,
"Come; for all things are now ready" [verse 17]. But they made
excuses. {1SAT 5.3}
The King of the
kingdom hath made a marriage supper for His Son. He hath sent forth His
servants to say to those which are bidden, "Come to the marriage."
The Lord is sending His servants, saying unto all who will hear, "Come,
make ready for the great marriage supper of the Lamb; He is soon coming to
receive all the faithful to the mansions prepared by Him, to partake of the
feast which He hath prepared." He is sending, and hath been sending His
servants for some thirty years past to say unto His people, "Come, make
ready, put on your wedding garments; clothe yourselves with meekness,
humility, and truth, and have yourselves clad in the righteousness of Christ,
that you may be
-6-
able to appear before Him, and enter into the guest chamber
with those who shall sit with Me at the wedding of My Son." {1SAT 5.4}
All must be clothed with
the wedding garment in order to be accepted, lest we be found speechless.
{1SAT 6.1}
Is it not of the
greatest importance that we be found having on the robe of righteousness,
that we be ready when the Bridegroom cometh to enter in to the marriage
supper? May we heed the invitation given and make ourselves ready that we may
have admittance into the Master's house, that He say not unto us that none
which were bidden shall taste of His supper. In the parable, those who were
bidden heeded not its invitation, but continued excusing themselves, feasting
upon the pleasures of this world as the masses do at the present time. {1SAT
6.2}
The servants of God
are inviting and entreating them to come away from the alluring scenes of
this vain and fleeting world, to make ready for the marriage supper, but they
will not come. We hear them saying, There's no danger; tomorrow shall be as
this day and much more abundant; no need of being disturbed. We must needs
attend to farms and merchandise and the things of this life, lest we lose
worldly interests, and become poor and suffer want. They forget that He who
careth for the little sparrows and clotheth the lilies of the field, careth
for the humble, trusting soul, and will guide and direct all those who are ready
to do His will, and bestow upon His dear children such things as they need.
To all who through patience and perseverance overcome, He hath promised to
give a crown of never fading glory, a robe of righteousness, and an entrance
into the beautiful city of our God. {1SAT 6.3}
This same King is
sending forth His servants today. He is inviting His guests, saying,
"Come, for all things are now ready." The Lord of the marriage
-7-
is soon coming: behold, He is at the door. Delay not to open
the door, lest He turn away from receiving you and you enter not into the
marriage feast. Open the door and receive the Master, that you may enter into
the mansions of everlasting rest and never fading glory prepared for all those
that love Him. Who will make ready for the coming of Him who hath said,
"Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give to every man
according as his work shall be" [Rev. 22:12]. {1SAT 6.4}
If we neglect our
spiritual interests, neglect to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto
God, which is our reasonable duty, we become entangled with the trifling
cares of this life. If we even once omit our daily duty of calling upon God
for His divine aid, His care and protection, we lose one day's enjoyment. We
have not the sweet, melting influence of God's Holy Spirit attending us
through the day, but we feel cast down and easily discouraged. The enemy of
souls is ready to take advantage [of us] and often does, bringing us into
captivity and sin. {1SAT 7.1}
We may sometimes be
cumbered about much serving, like Martha; but how much more commendable was
the act of Mary, who sat and listened to the teachings of Jesus. He says,
"Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but . . . .
Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her"
(Luke 10:41, 42). {1SAT 7.2}
How many times the
things of this vain, deceitful world come between us and our eternal
interests! Temporal things spring up within our hearts and choke those things
which are spiritual. We permit the enemy of righteousness to persuade us that
we should attend to the things of this life. We now and then neglect greater
duties lest we suffer want. If we faithfully entreat God to
-8-
give us strength and to perform temporal duties, and at the
same time to give us grace and wisdom to overcome evil; if we have our hopes
centered above and our conversation in heaven, whence we look for the Son of
man who has bidden to the marriage all who will come: who has gone up on high
to prepare mansions for all those who love and keep His sayings, and has told
us He is coming to receive us, we may enter in to the wedding feast with Him,
that where He is there we may be also. If we turn away from those calls and
invitations, what will be the consequence? {1SAT 7.3}
In the 13th chapter
of the Acts of the Apostles, 46th verse, we find that if we put God's work from
us, and judge ourselves unworthy of everlasting life, we have no reason to
expect an entrance into the kingdom. The 24th verse of the 14th chapter of
Luke informs us that "none of those men which were bidden shall taste of
my supper." {1SAT 8.1}
The great eternal Father has prepared a
marriage feast for His Son. Will we give heed to His servants who have been
and are being sent forth to proclaim unto us the solemn invitation? Or shall
we make light of it? Oh, why refuse to make ready for the marriage of the Son
of God? There is room for all who will accept the invitation. None can say
[that] those things were not duly represented. Remember, when the good man
returns, those who are ready will go in to the feast and the door will be
shut, and there will be no further entrance, for we read that when "the
master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door" (Luke
13:25), then those who would find admittance will hear the answer, "I
know you not. . . ; depart from Me." {1SAT 8.2}
May we heed well the
solemn warning and make ready to enter into the wedding, that His house may
be filled. God's Word informs us, "Blessed are they that do His
commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in
through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14). May we be found faithful,
and give diligence to our calling, and possess the promised reward of the
faithful, is my prayer.--Ms 8, 1874. (MR 900.56) {1SAT 8.3}
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