Biblical
Tests of a True Prophet
Mat 10:41 He that receiveth a
prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he
that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a
righteous man's reward.
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Sometimes our
visualizations of and expectations of a prophet are not very realistic. It is
because of that common reality that I am writing this document. But I fully
warn you, this may be a bit shocking to some. So put on your spiritual
seat-belt for some of you are in for a rough ride. The Test of a
True Prophet According To the Law and to the Testimony What is a
prophet? First I will give the Bible definition from its first use of the
word in Scripture. 1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. 4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? 5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. 6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. 7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. Meaning of
the Word Prophet in Genesis 20:7: Number 5030
Transliteration: nabiy' {naw-bee'} Word Origin: from 5012 TWOT: 1277a Part of Speech: noun masculine Usage in the KJV: prophet 312, prophecy 1, them that prophesy
1, prophet 0376 1, variant 1 Definition: 1. spokesman, speaker, prophet A. prophet B. false prophet C. heathen prophet TDNT - Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament Definition of a prophet according to the Random House
Unabridged Dictionary: proph⋅et
–noun
Origin:
proph⋅et⋅hood,
noun proph⋅et⋅less,
adjective proph⋅et⋅like, adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam Company, 1965, defines a prophet
as: “1: one who utters divinely
inspired revelations. 2: one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and
moral insight; 3: one who foretells future events; 4: an effective or leading
spokesman for a cause, doctrine, or group.” It is of
paramount interest and importance that in the very first incident in
Scripture wherein the word prophet
is used, the prophet, Abraham, lied about his wife, telling Abimelech, king
of Gerar, that Sarah was his sister. Why is this interesting and of paramount
importance? The reason it
is so interesting as well as important is because so many folk have the wrong
impression of what constitutes a prophet. They have this nebulously imagined
concept that in order to be a prophet, one must be just about perfect, and
God could not use anyone who wasn’t as perfect as they have decided a prophet
should be. But here we
have Abraham, whom God said was a prophet, and the father of the faithful,
telling a lie, which clearly violates one of the tests of a true prophet,
Isaiah 8:20. And God called him a prophet while he was involved in the lie!
He had not even admitted to it and confessed it yet, before God told
Abimelech that Abraham was a prophet. Another moral
factor as regards Abraham, is the fact that even as an old man, far into the
future from his run-in with Abimelech, he took a concubine in an effort to
have a child. In the minds of many, that would surely have disqualified him
from being a prophet and the father of the faithful as designated by God. But
it seems that God sees things in individuals that others don’t seem to see. Then there
was Jacob. He had two wives and two concubines. Many don’t know that he had
two concubines as well. Then there
was David, who was called a man after God’s own heart. He had a man killed so
he could have his wife. Then there
was Solomon, who had 700 official wives and 300 concubines. Some would scorn:
How did he ever make the Sacred Canon?! 1.
King Solomon's Wives, Solomon's Women, Concubine, 1
Kings 11 Solomon
held fast to them in love. He had 700 official wives and 300 concubines.... The Holy Bible 1 Kings 11:1-3. I remember trying to tell a man
who was ...www.kingsolomonsgate.com/xxx.htm Do all Prophets Experience All of the Tests
of a Prophet? Vance
Ferrell, John Grosboll, and most folk, expect all prophets (messengers) to
manifest all twelve signs of a true
prophet, and that just is not a realistic expectation. There is no account in
Scripture that all the prophets, major and minor, exhibited all twelve of those signs. Not even
John the Baptist exhibited all those
signs. At least all those signs are certainly not recorded in Scripture, as
applied to all prophets, and since John is mentioned as being the greatest of
all prophets, one would think it would have been recorded that he experienced
those tests. Were the Prophets of Scriptures
Self-Announced? It is God via
the agency of the Holy Spirit who appoints prophets and they could not
successfully function as such without that appointment. It is often
said that so and so is a self-appointed prophet. Exactly how would one know
that as long as one spoke according to the Word and the Spirit of Prophecy?
As far as being self-announced is concerned, all of the prophets did indeed
announce that they had a message from the Lord, and pray tell, how would
anyone else know that but them—initially, that is? Bible Justification for Self-Announcement Jer 23:28 The prophet that
hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak
my word faithfully. What [is] the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. All of the prophets except Jesus, were self announced. In the
Temple system, when persons entered the Temple they were asked if they had a
message from the Lord. If they did, they could relate it. Thus, the custom of
self-announcing was entrenched in Jewish society and that carries through in
the Bible, where all of the prophets self-announce what they are told by God.
If one receives a revelation from the Lord, pray tell, who else can confess
or announce it? So try to remember these facts of Scripture when you read or
hear that Ron Beaulieu is a self-appointed prophet. All the prophets were
self-announced by their message which could come through none other than
themselves. Self
announced: 1Cr 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual,
let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the
commandments of the Lord Jones and Waggoner—Messengers Jones and
Waggoner were selected by God to deliver the righteousness by faith message
in 1888. God knew their end from their beginning. He knew that Waggoner would
leave his wife and marry a nurse in England. He knew that both Jones and
Waggoner would unite themselves with Kellogg’s Alpha of Apostasy. Yet, He saw
something in those two men that He chose to use. I read A.T. Jones’ last
words and Testament and it caused me to weep. I believe he will be saved. Were all of the Prophets Righteous all of
Their Lives? What about
Abraham, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Jacob, Paul and the disciples. Were
they righteous throughout their lives? We have already discussed Abraham, so
what about Moses and the rest? Deu 34:10 And
there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew
face to face, Exd 7:1 And
the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron
thy brother shall be thy prophet. Aaron was appointed
by God as a prophet helper for Moses. But look what he did in the golden calf
incident! Did God not know what Aaron would do? Of course he knew, but
nonetheless, He had a purpose for Aaron. Consider
David, called a man after God’s own heart, BY GOD, and yet he had more than
one wife and he had a man killed so that he could have Bathsheba, his wife.
David sorely repented, but nevertheless, his favorite son died. Then there
was Solomon with 700 wives and 300 concubines. But Ellen White says that he
will be saved. And many of his writings made it into the Sacred
Canon—Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and Song of Solomon, and it is believed that he
penned some of the Psalms. Consider
Jacob, who had two wives and two concubines. But he was faithful to God in the
end. And Paul killed Christians for a time. God called a killer to work for
Him. What is the purpose of all this? To demonstrate that it would be wise to
be careful when we carelessly judge one another and ascend the judgment seat
reserved for God alone. In no way am I trying to condone sin in these men.
But their example could well encourage one to persevere in the Christian walk
when he/she might otherwise feel too far gone to be important to and used of
God. True Prophets are not Psychics 1Ki 13:11 Now
there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel;
and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done
that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they
told also to their father. Were the
father a psychic, he would not have needed his sons to tell him all about the
work of the man of God who did the works in Bethel. Prophets tell only what
God tells them to say. They do not read minds or know all. While we’re
considering prophets, let’s take some interesting considerations concerning
Ellen White. She said at one time that she would not change one word of The Great Controversy. Yet, the
following statement which appears in the 1884 edition of the GC, is nearly
beyond recognition in the 1911 edition, and its meaning is nigh totally
distorted. Maybe she did not change it. Maybe others did. This statement
gives the end result of the SDA church militant: "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]. Then there is the issue over
her very first vision, which is cited in Early Writings, pp. 14, 15.
It was first given in Word to the Little Flock, p. 14. I will give
both versions and let you pick out the important difference. Remember, this
is her first VISION: First, the original Word to
the Little Flock, p. 14, publication: "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 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. 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 of, 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, which gave us the
day and hour of Jesus' coming.... By this
time the 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was
written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious Star containing Jesus' new
name." E.G. White, Word to the Little Flock,
p. 14. Now the Early
Writings version: Look for the words: “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.”
But don’t look too long, for they are not there. “While I was praying at the family altar,
the Holy Ghost fell upon 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, 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 beginning of the path, which an angel
told me was the midnight cry. This light shone all along the path and gave
light for their feet so that they might not stumble. 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 said the city was a great way off, and
they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage
15 them by
raising His glorious right arm, and from His arm came a light which waved
over the Advent band, and they shouted, "Alleluia!" 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 lost sight of the mark and of Jesus, and fell
off the path down into the dark and wicked world below. Soon we [SEE
APPENDIX.] heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and
hour of Jesus' coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and
understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an
earthquake. When God spoke the time, He poured upon 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. {EW 14.1} The 144,000 were all sealed and
perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a
glorious star containing Jesus' new name. At our happy, holy state the wicked
were enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us
into prison, when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the Lord,
and they would fall helpless to the ground. Then it was that the synagogue of
Satan knew that God had loved us who could wash one another's feet and salute
the brethren with a holy kiss, and they worshiped at our feet.” {EW 15.1} So we find that even Ellen
White had some problems. You just read her first VISION. Why is it not
related in Early Writings, when that book is for SDA’s? Those words
are still true. They merely referred to the final time of the end when all
who have violated the Midnight Cry light, all along the pathway, will find it
impossible to get back on the pathway to heaven. So important! Yet expunged
from Early Writings, so that most of God’s “chosen” people are oblivious
to those words and thereby the eternal implication of them. The Rationale—Primarily Known Only to the
White Estate! Chap. 5 - An Explanation
of Early Statements
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Test Number
Eleven: 1 John 4:1-3
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they,
are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it
should come; and even now already is in the world."
A
true prophet believes in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and will never
question the fact that Jesus came in man's fallen nature, in our fallen
flesh. The Bible says any person, or church, claiming that Jesus Christ
came to this earth in any other way, than in the fallen flesh that you and I
have, is the spirit of antichrist.
In other words, it's imperative that you and I understand correctly Christ's
human nature while on this earth. Ellen White believed and taught the
correct biblical definition of Christ's human nature: He came to this earth
in our nature, in our fallen, human flesh. But in spite of that, He
never yielded to temptation; He was sinless, and you and I can be victorious
over all sin in our life through the power, and the blood, and the strength
of our Lord, Jesus Christ, our perfect Example. Hebrews 4:15: "For
we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities [not Adam's - the infirmities before he fell - he didn't have
any - our infirmities]; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin."
Don't you see, Jesus' perfect life on this earth was an example for us to
follow. 1 Peter 2:21, "For even hereunto were ye called:
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye [we]
should follow his steps."
This test, Number 11 plainly states that God's true messengers on this earth
will be teaching victory over sin, and that Jesus' perfect life is not our
substitute, but our example! Very important: Christ was our
substitute only on Calvary. His perfect life is our example!
Through the power and strength of Jesus Christ, can we stop sinning?
Yes! Jude 24: "Unto him that is able to keep you from
falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy."
There is not one sin in our life that Jesus cannot give us victory over, if
we will just let Him do so.
Test Number Twelve: Matthew 7:15-16
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.
. ."
In other words, look at what their ministry produces. If all they
produce is a good time, with theme parks and water slides, and all they spend
their time doing, is telling people to send them money, on the authority of
the Word of God, that person is a false prophet.
Answer one question: why do all these false prophets today, insist you
send them your money? If they're truly of God, they should be happy for
it going anywhere in God's work. But no, they tell you that you must
send it to them before God will bless you. Well, "by their
fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20). This is exactly
what God showed Ellen White about false prophets in the last days.
Look at the fruits of a ministry, look at the fruits of a messenger.
Are they preaching the truth, or lining their own pockets? Very
important!
Note by Ron:
We need to be concerned with exactly all Ellen White said about the tithe and
support of those with a message. Ellen White said that the “dumb dog”
watchmen would never again cry aloud to show God’s people their abominations
(sins) Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.
She indicted them in the same reference with unbelief and implied that men,
maidens and little children would perish in another literal fulfillment of
Ezekiel 9 beginning at His Sanctuary, the House of Jacob. Why would anyone
give such “peace and safety” false watchmen the sacred tithe? Here is whom
Ellen White said should receive support:
April 1,
1850 To the "Little Flock."
Dear Brethren.--The Lord gave me a view, January 26, which I will
relate. I saw that some of the people of God were stupid and dormant; and were
but half awake, and did not realize the time we were now living in; and that
the "man" with the "dirt-brush" had entered, and that
some were in danger of being swept away. I begged of Jesus to save them, to
spare them a little longer, and let them see their awful danger, that they
might get ready before it should be for ever too late. The angel said,
"Destruction is coming like a mighty whirlwind." I begged of the
angel to pity and to save those who loved this world, and were attached to their
possessions, and were not willing to cut loose from them, and sacrifice them
to speed the messengers on their way to feed the hungry sheep, who were
perishing for want of spiritual food. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 1}
As I viewed poor souls dying for want
of the present truth, and some who professed to believe the truth were
letting them die, by withholding the necessary means to carry forward the
work of God, the sight was too painful, and I begged of the angel to remove
it from me. I saw that when the cause of God called for some of their
property, like the young man who came to Jesus, [Matt. xix, 16-22,] they went
away sorrowful; and that soon the overflowing scourge would pass over and
sweep their possessions all away, and then it would be too late to sacrifice
earthly goods, and lay up a treasure in heaven. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 2}
I then saw the glorious Redeemer,
beautiful and lovely, that he left the realms of glory, and came to this dark
and lonely world, to give his precious life and die, the just for the unjust.
He bore the cruel mocking and scourging, and wore the platted crown of
thorns, and sweat great drops of blood in the garden; while the burden of the
sins of the whole world were upon him. The angel asked, "What for?"
O, I saw and knew that it was for us; for our sins he suffered all this, that
by his precious blood he might redeem us unto God. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 3}
Then again was held up before me those who were not
willing to dispose of this world's goods to save perishing souls, by sending
them the truth, while Jesus stands before the Father,
pleading his blood, his sufferings and his death for them; and while God's messengers
were waiting, ready to carry them the saving truth that they might be sealed
with the seal of the living God. It was hard for some who professed to
believe the present truth, to even do so little as to hand the messengers
God's own money, that he had lent them to be stewards over. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 4}
Then the suffering Jesus, his sacrifice and love so deep, as to give his life
for them, was again held up before me; and then the lives of those who
professed to be his followers, who had this world's goods, and considered it
so great a thing to help the cause of salvation. The angel said, "Can such
enter heaven?" Another angel answered, "No, never, never, never.
Those who are not interested in the cause of God on earth, can
never sing the song of redeeming love above." {RH, April
1, 1850 par. 5}
I saw that the quick work that God was doing on earth would soon be cut short
in righteousness, and that the swift messengers
must speed on their way to
search out the scattered flock. An angel said, "Are all messengers? No, no,
God's messengers have a message." RH, April 1, 1850 par. 6}
I saw that the cause of God had been
hindered, and dishonored by some travelling who had no message from God. Such
will have to give an account to God for every dollar they have used in
travelling where it was not their duty to go; for that money might have helped on the cause of God, and for the lack of it, souls
have starved and died for the want of spiritual food, that might have been
given them by God's called and chosen messengers if they had had the means.
{RH, April 1, 1850 par. 7}
The mighty shaking has commenced, and
will go on, and all will be shaken out who are not willing to take a hold and
unyielding stand for the truth, and sacrifice for God and his cause. The
angel said, "Think ye that any will be compelled to sacrifice. No. no.
It must be a free-will offering. It will take all to buy the field."--I
cried to God to spare his people, some of whom were fainting and dying. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 8}
I saw that those who have strength to
labor with their hands, and help sustain the cause, were as accountable for
that strength, as others were for their property. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 9}
The I saw that the judgements of
Almighty God were speedily coming. I begged of the angel to speak in his
language to the people. Said he, "All the thunders and lightnings of
Mount Sinai would not move those who will not be moved by the plain truths of
the word of God; neither would an angel's message awake them." {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 10}
I then beheld the beauty and
loveliness of Jesus. His robe was whiter than the whitest white. No language
can describe his glory and exalted loveliness. All, all who keep the
commandments of God, will enter in through the gates into the City, and have
right to the tree of life, and ever be in the presence of the lovely Jesus,
whose countenance shines brighter than the sun at noonday. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 11}
Then I was pointed to Adam and Eve in
Eden. They partook of the forbidden tree, and then the flaming sword was
placed around the tree of life, and they were driven from the Garden, lest
they should partake of the tree of life, and be immortal sinners. The tree of
life was to perpetuate immortality. I heard an angel ask, "Who of the
family of Adam have passed that flaming sword, and have partaken of the tree
of life?" I heard another angel answer, "Not one of the family of
Adam have passed that flaming sword, and partaken of that tree; therefore
there is not an immortal sinner. The soul that sinneth it shall die an everlasting
death; a death that will last for ever, where there will be no hope of a
resurrection; and then the wrath of God will be appeased." {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 12}
I saw that the saints will rest in the
Holy City, and reign as kings and priests one thousand years; then Jesus will
descend with the saints upon the mount of Olives, and the mount will part
asunder, and become a mighty plain for the Paradise of God to rest upon. The
rest of the earth will not be cleansed until the wicked dead are raised (at
the end of the one thousand years) and gather up around the city; for the
feet of the wicked will never desecrate the earth made new. Then fire will
come down from God out of heaven and devour them; burn them up root and
branch. Satan is the root, and his children are the branches. The same fire
that will devour the wicked, will purify the earth. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 13}
In hope of immortality at the
appearing of Jesus.” E. G. White. {RH, April 1, 1850 par. 14}
Regular
lines - “So often the same old
difficulties arise and are presented in regard to disturbing the ‘regular
lines.’ But God will work in some way to make His people understand that THE
REGULAR LINES HAVE BECOME FULL OF IRREGULAR PRACTICES…God alone can make men
understand that working on REGULAR LINES has led to IRREGULAR PRACTICES. God alone can make men’s minds as they should
be. The time has come when we should
hear less in favor of the REGULAR LINES.
If we can GET AWAY FROM THE REGULAR LINES into something which, THOUGH
IRREGULAR, IS AFTER GOD’S ORDER, it may cut away something of the IRREGULAR
WORKING which has led away from Bible principles.” E.G. White, Manuscript
Release, #1450, p. 3, 4, 1901.
“When we see
the regular lines are altered and purified and refined, and the God of the
heavens mold is upon the regular lines, then it is our business to establish
the regular lines.” E.G. White, Spaulding-Magan Collection, p. 162-168.
“The present
showing is sufficient to prove to all who have the true missionary spirit
that the regular lines [organization] may prove to be a failure.” E.G. White, Spaulding-Magan
Collection, p. 175. Written to Brother Daniels, June 28, 1901.
“The regular
lines had need to be broken as a potter’s vessel is broken, and
reconstructed.” Ms. 29, 1903. pp. 1, 3 (General Manuscript, The Southern Work, undated).
"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
If you pay your sacred tithe and offerings to any
church that embraces two or more gospels, then you lend support to
"another gospel", a false gospel. Is this "doing what you can to correct the evil"?
Tithe “Clearly, plainly,
earnestly, tell them how thousands of men and women are using God's money to
corrupt themselves and to make this world a hell. Millions of dollars are
spent for that which makes men mad. Present this matter so clearly that its
force cannot but be seen. Then tell your hearers of the Saviour, who came to
this world to save men and women from all sinful practices. "God so
loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Evangelism, p. 530
Tithe Chap. 191 - The Gift God Accepts
Give,
and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38.
{OHC 197.1}
Let us
not complain because we are often asked to give for the upbuilding of the
cause. What is it that makes these frequent calls a necessity? Is it not the
rapid increase of missionary enterprises? Shall we, by refusing to give,
retard the growth of these enterprises? . . . {OHC 197.2}
All
who possess the Spirit of Christ will have a tender, sympathetic heart, and
an open, generous hand. . . . To us has been entrusted the work of
proclaiming the last message of mercy to be given to our world--the message
that is to prepare a people to stand in the day of God. Do we realize our
accountability? Are we acting our part in the proclamation of the message?
The present time is burdened with eternal interests. We are to unfurl the
standard of truth before a world perishing in error. {OHC 197.3}
The more
we bring to God's treasure house, the more we shall have to bring; for He
will open ways before us, increasing our substance. I have found this to be
true in my own experience. As God multiplies His gifts to us, we must not
grow selfish, and withhold from Him our tithes and offerings. We each have a
part to act in the work of salvation. {OHC 197.4}
“Gifts
and offerings will not purchase salvation for any of us. The religion of the
Bible is that development of our moral natures in which the soul holds
converse with God, loves that which God loves, and hates that which God
hates. God will not accept your offerings if you withhold yourself. He asks
not only for that which is His own in the means entrusted to you, but for His
own property in your body, soul, and spirit, purchased at the infinite price
of the blood of the Son of God.” {OHC 197.5}
It is
the humble, grateful, reverential heart that makes the offering as a
sweet-smelling savor, acceptable to God. {OHC 197.6}
Can you support such apostasy with your sacred
tithe and offerings?
What about the following:
"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.
"To divide our interests with the leaders of
error is aiding the wrong side and giving advantage to our foes. The truth of
God knows no compromise with sin, no connection with artifice, no union with
transgression." Testimonies, vol. 4, p.
81. End note by Ron.
Now friend, we just looked at the twelve biblical tests of a true
prophet. You can examine the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you
can apply these twelve tests to any person who has ever lived since the time
of John the Revelator, which was around 100 A.D. You can take these
twelve tests of Scripture and line them up with anyone who has lived in the
past 1800 years. As far as I know, they will only match up with one
person that we know of-- a little woman who lived from 1827 to 1915 by the
name of Ellen G. White.
Ellen White passed all 12 tests of a
prophet!
Look at these wonderful passages from scripture showing us the necessity of a
prophet: Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord God will do nothing,
but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
Hosea 12:13: "And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of
Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved." 2 Chronicles
24:19: "Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto
the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear."
2 Chronicles 20:20: ". . . Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye
prosper." But are you sure you understand the significance of
this Gift of Prophecy?
You see, God manifested Himself to us in His Son. Jesus came and dwelt
among us, and after He left, He promised us something: it was the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit manifests Himself to us through the gifts.
When we reject the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we reject the Holy Spirit.
When we reject the Holy Spirit, we reject Jesus. When we reject
Jesus, we reject salvation. Do you see that? When we reject the
gifts the Holy Spirit gives, we reject Jesus Christ, and the sin that God
cannot forgive is the continual rejection of His Holy Spirit!
Do you see the ramifications of this? Do you see the magnitude of
rejecting the gift of the Holy Spirit? What we've got to do is to
"test the spirits." We must see if what we're seeing is of
God, because if we reject it, we are rejecting the Holy Spirit.
You know, I feel sorry for these people who say, "Just give me the Bible
and the Bible only -- no modern day prophet, just the Bible." Now
doesn't that sound pious? There's only one problem with that: you
can't separate the two, because the Bible testifies of latter-day prophets;
each testifies of the other. If you truly take the Bible as the Word of
God, then you must accept the true Gift of Prophecy because the Bible
testifies to it.
Joel 2:28-29: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will
pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour
out my spirit."
God has given the true Gift of Prophecy to His church in these last days for
one reason: we have a fearful, yet exciting job to do. We must
warn a sensual, seduced world of a coming Savior. God has given the Spirit of
Prophecy, its admonitions and its counsels, to prepare His people to do that
task. Will you join with God's people? Will you accept this
precious Gift of Prophecy? Will you realize its value? Will you
let it prepare you for eternity? If you do, your success is
guaranteed. If not, nothing but doom can be prophesied concerning you.
Proverbs 1:24-26, 28 simply says: "Because I have called, and ye
refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have
set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I will also laugh
at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; . . . Then shall they
call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall
not find me."
Oh
friend, God has given the true Gift of Prophecy to lead His children down
through the ages, and in these last days we need it now more than ever.
"How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation. . . ?"
(Hebrews 2:3).
Will you pray with me?
Lord, I realize many people are reeling from the message they have just
read. They don't know who Ellen White was, they've never heard her name
before, and if they have, it was probably negative.
Lord, help these dear folks reading this page right now to read and study
this out for themselves, and to not be swayed by the stigma Satan has tried
to attach to your true prophet and your true church.
Please, dear Lord, help us to not be swayed from the truth by the opinions of
others, but to read, and study, and pray, and permit Your Holy Spirit to lead
us into all truth, and to "hold fast to that which is good,"
regardless of the consequences.
Thank you for the strength to stand for the truth in these trying times --
the strength that only comes from you. In the name of Jesus we pray
these things. Amen, and amen. (Unveiling the Apocalypse, pp 49-60)
Read
a personal testimony from someone who knew Mrs. White
Note by Ron:
Are we to assume that all those referred to in Joel 2:28-29, will have all
the 12 tests enumerated above? I think not! They may or may not cease to
breathe and go into a trance state. They may or may not exhibit super-human
strength. There is no record that every prophet in Scripture met all of the
above twelve tests. The important thing is that none of their prophesying will
contradict the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy. God has ordained things in the
spiritual realm so that man can even form a theory and if there is nothing in
the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy that contradicts, he/she cannot be in error:
1.
Weight of Evidence Formula: "1. Every word must have its proper
bearing on the subject presented in the Bible 2. All Scripture is necessary,
and may be understood by diligent application and study 3. Nothing revealed
in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering 4.
To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures together on the subject you
wish to know, then let every word have its proper influence and if you can
form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error 5. Scripture must be its
own expositor, [interpreter] since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a
teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to
have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his
guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible." E.G.
White, Second
Advent Review and Herald, 11-25-84, pr. 24.
2.
Likewise, one
can have dreams, visions and/or revelations, and if they do not contradict
one word in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy, they cannot be in error.
That formula, in essence, is Ellen White’s formula for a true prophet, and
for arriving at truth at the end time, whether or not ALL other elements (tests) accrue. End note by Ron.
Joel
2:28-29: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour
out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see
visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those
days will I pour out my spirit."