Should We Leave the Church?

Vance Ferrell SDA Minister

The following article by Vance Ferrell is one of his vacillations on the issue as to whether or not one should leave the professing SDA church. In other publications he has said that He is not going to say leave, nor is he going to say stay! Ellen White said that what is not yea or nay is of the devil. Vance’s position is not yea or nay.

It is interesting that Vance Ferrell was once an SDA minister. He said that he resigned because he could not in good conscience serve the church as a minister because of what he disagrees with as regards the SDA General Conference’s requirements.

A former Adventist Minister, Elder Robert Priebe, an uncle to pastor Dennis Priebe, told me personally that he went to visit Vance, and Vance told him that he admired his stance. What is/was Elder Robert Priebe’s stance? He was/is a staunch separationis! He said the room they were in had large mailbags full of mail and money, and he wondered if Vance’s position is because of the fact that the money would dry up if he said leave the omega of apostasy new movement? I wonder the same thing in light of the fact that Vance commended Elder Priebe on his personal stance. This is another example of Vance’s history of vacillating on a serious issue.

I request that you participate in an interesting experiment when reading the following article by Vance Ferrell. TRY TO FIND ONE BIBLE OR SPIRIT OR PROPHECY REFERENCE IN HIS WORDS. He is giving his personal opinion.

My commentary will be in this color print.

Should We Leave the Church?

Vance Ferrell SDA Minister

http://www.sdadefend.com/Defend-foundation/Leave%20Church.htm

Last week I received a letter from a person in the Northwest, who said I was a devil because I was not giving a call out of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

A week or so before that, I received a letter declaring I was doing wrong because I did not make it my first work to tell people that all those, not in the organization, cannot be saved.

The individuals who write these letters may be well-meaning in their intentions, but their position is not mine.

There is a great controversy. It has been fought for over six thousand years, and is now being waged in our world, and among the Advent people.

But that controversy is not the church. It is something quite different. Yet there are those who are trying to change the terms of the great controversy—and make it a battle over organizational relationship.

The heart of the controversy lies somewhere else. Only those who recognize the fact will be able to relate themselves properly to other believers.

Let me say that again, but in different words: Only those who place as top priority the true basis of the controversy, will be able to come into close harmony with all the other children of God. In contrast, to make interpersonal relationships the foundation stone of Christianity—can only lead, ultimately, to friction, exclusiveness, and, efforts to dominate, and, frankly, I-am-better-than-you Phariseeism.

Ron’s Commentary: Did Adventists make interpersonal relationships the foundation stone of Christianity which could only lead to friction, exclusiveness, and efforts to dominate, and frankly “I am better than thou Phariseeism” when they left the fallen denominations in 1844 and on?

When Christ and His followers came out and separated themselves from the apostate Jewish organization, did they close the door to coming into harmony with all the other children of God at the apostate Temple? Did they make interpersonal relationships the foundation stone of Christianity that lead ultimately to friction, exclusiveness, and efforts to dominate, and frankly I am better than you Phariseeism?

"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.

What then is the key issue in the great controversy?

The question of paramount importance concerns obedience to God and His Word. Is the Creator true and just in all that He does? Does He have a right to command us? Are we obligated to obey Him?

The issue is not the church, it is obedience. People are not the basis of the great controversy, it is the Word of God. Organizational groups are not the center of the crisis, it is God, His character, and whether we will submit to and obey Him.

The Final Crisis will be fought over obedience to the Bible Sabbath, part of Gods holy law. Does God have a right to be obeyed, or not? Should creatures obey their Creator? Should they live clean, honest lives, in harmony with the Ten Commandments—when He, by the great sacrifice of Calvary, makes it possible for them to do so?

Ron’s Commentary: Does obedience to God’s command to come out of Babylon involve fallen churches? Is that an issue? Is that a prime issue at the end-time? Ellen White said that the Midnight Cry (Matthew 25), which gave power to the second angels message, WILL BE REPEATED AT THE LOUD CRY. Does that make fallen churches an issue?

The Final Test will come over your loyalty and your obedience to God and His law. Organization will not be the test. The question will be whether you keep the Bible Sabbath and violate the Sunday Law. Organizational membership will not be the issue.

Ron’s Commentary: Amazing! Positively incredible coming from an SDA minister! No matter what the SDA church does, Vance says that organizational membership in that church will not be part of the important issue. In other words, the final Loud Cry will call folk out of Babylon, but if the SDA church should become a sister to fallen Babylon, as it surely has, then that is not an issue with Adventists!

I was taught that the three angel’s message includes a Midnight Cry call to come out of fallen, apostate religious organizations IS A KEY ISSUE OF SCRIPTURE. Ellen White said that all who heard the Midnight Cry call in 1844, and understood it, but rejected it, received a shut door to salvation. IS THAT AN ISSUE INVOLVING APOSTATE ORGANIZATIONS? She never reneged on that stance. Indeed, could she or anyone renege on obedience to the Midnight Cry and the second angel’s message that call out of Babylon, and still be saved? Was that a test? Will it be a test when the Midnight Cry is repeated? Is it a test to Babylonians now when they hear and understand the truth?

Like most SDA ministers, Vance does not understand the breadth of the three angel’s messages. He does not understand the link, the serious implications, between the three angel’s messages, the Midnight Cry (which Ellen White said gives power to the second angel’s message) and ecumenical involvement by the SDA church.

"The peculiar work of the third angel has not been seen in its importance. God meant that His people should be far in advance of the position which they occupy today. But now, when the time has come for them to spring into action, they have the preparation to make. When the National Reformers [the title of the ecumenical movement before it became the Federal Council of Churches in 1908, and then the World Council of Churches, in 1948] began to urge measures to restrict religious liberty, our leading men should have been alive to the situation and should have labored earnestly to counteract these efforts. It is not in the order of God that light has been kept from our people--the very present truth which they needed for this time. Not all our ministers who are giving the third angel's message really understand what constitutes that message. The National Reform [Ecumenical] movement has been regarded by some as of so little importance that they have not thought it necessary to give much attention to it and have even felt that in so doing they would be giving time to questions distinct from the third angel's message [the Everlasting Gospel of Revelation 14]. May the Lord forgive our brethren for thus interpreting the very message for this time." E.G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 714, 715.

“The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the undercurrent is tending. . . .They are working in blindness. They do not see that if a Protestant government sacrifices the principles that have made them a free, independent nation, and through legislation brings into the Constitution principles that will propagate papal falsehood and papal delusion, they are plunging into the Roman horrors of the Dark Ages.”--RH Extra, Dec. 11, 1888. {LDE 125.3}

SDA Encyclopedia on the Ecumenical Movement— “On the basis of Bible prophecy and the writings of Ellen G. White, SDA’s anticipate the eventual success of the ecumenical movement, both in eliminating the divisions of Protestantism and in reuniting Christendom by bridging the gulf that separates non-Catholic communions from Rome. The ecumenical movement will then become a concerted effort to unite the world and to secure universal peace and security by enlisting the power of civil government in a universal religio-political crusade to eliminate all dissent. SDA’s envision this crusade as the great apostasy to which John the revelator refers as “Babylon the great.” They understand, also, that God’s last message of mercy to the world prior to the return of Christ in power and glory will consist of a warning against this great apostate movement, and a call to all who choose to remain loyal to Him to leave the churches connected with it. See Rev. 13:15-17; 14:6-11; 16:12-14; 17:1-6; 18:1-4; GC 444, 445, 573, 588, 589, 615.” SDA Encyclopedia, p. 411, and page 362 in some later editions.

I have a book published by the World Council of Churches, entitled Directory of Christian Councils, which says that SDA's are FULL MEMBERS in five different countries of the world, and associate MEMBERS in a number of other countries of the world. On the last page, 244, it says that SDA's are in WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WCC. A working relationship is more than observer status! Thus, the church has lied by saying over and over is has only "observer status," and not membership. The Adventist Review stated in the latter 1980's that it had been a MEMBER of the Hungarian Council of Free Churches for over 30 years. That MEMBERSHIP was protested by 1500 members of the SDA church in Hungary. They had more integrity than SDA's anywhere else in the world! They knew that such liaison was forbidden by the Word. They were kept at bay from entrance to their churches on Sabbath mornings by body guards placed at all entrances. End note.

At that time, there is a good possibility that nationwide Sabbathkeeping organizations will be dismantled or taken over. When the crisis comes, Adventist organizational structures will very likely come to an end. The Inspired Writings indicate that denominational positions, committees, policy books, and chain of command will have been shattered. No longer will your pastor witness and give Bible studies for you. No longer will an organization tell you what to do, keep you in line, or do your missionary work for you. You, and a few faithful ones in your locality, will do it yourself. In that day, you will stand almost alone.

Ron’s Commentary: The truth is that Ellen White said that SDA leaders will instruct Adventists to keep Sunday sacred. The rest of the truth is that Babylonians are going to mop up on the SDA church because they will be angry at them for “sheep stealing” for 160 years plus, with the Sabbath issue being one of the major premises for so doing! Then, like an opportunistic world class whore, when the crunch comes, SDA leaders tell their members to keep Sunday sacred! That will infuriate Babylon and so it should! They mop up on the SDA church as the slaughtering force fulfilling a literal manifestation of Ezekiel 9, and then Ezekiel 9 is fulfilled upon Babylon later, GC, 653-656. Notice the last paragraph on page 653, which sets the context—BABYLON IS RIPE FOR DESTRUCTION—Not Jerusalem. Judgment begins at the house of God and Ezekiel 9 BEGINS AT HIS SANCTUARY, THE SDA CHURCH, 5T 211, and then progresses to Babylon later.

But is not denominational loyalty and membership certificates integral to the great controversy? Organizational connections are an effect, not a cause, in Christian experience and in the coming conflict.

Ron’s Commentary: Tell that to Babylonians when you try to convert them to Adventism! Tell them they don’t need to come out of their fallen church because denominational loyalty and membership is not an integral part of the three angel’s messages and the Midnight Cry (which Ellen White said gave power to the second angels message), so they don’t have to bother coming out of their fallen church! Tell them their membership in Babylon is just “an effect, not a cause,” in Christian experience” so they don’t have to come out!

You will not overcome in the Final Crisis because you are a church member, but because you have put away sin from your life, and are so thoroughly dedicated and obedient to God’s Word, that you can face death and, and by His grace, carry on through to the end.

Ron’s Commentary: Obedience to God’s Word, the three angel’s messages and the Midnight Cry light, are part of the obedience as well! But Vance is so blinded he cannot see this fact.

Let no one imagine that church membership is going to deliver him in that final hour, or in all the hours before then. It is a personal, full relationship with God which alone can enable one to resist temptation, obey Gods Word, and prepare for the hour of death—or the Final Crisis which the National Sunday Law will bring upon us all.

Ron’s Commentary: Church membership surely will not deliver anyone in the final hour, or in all the hours before then, BUT FAILURE TO HEED THE CALL OUT OF FALLEN CHURCHES WILL CAUSE ONE TO BE LOST. Notice what Ellen White said about those who failed to heed the second angel’s message and the Midnight Cry in 1844:

But the situation becomes even more complicated, when we consider the fact that, because of their consistent obedience to the Inspired Writings, many of Gods faithful ones have been disfellowshiped from the church! Are they going to be lost because they do not have church membership? Of course not.

How could organizational membership be the central issue, when so many have been forced to leave the denomination?

Ron’s Commentary: I will tell you how organizational membership COULD be a central issue. I have already mentioned what will happen to those who reject the call out of the other fallen churches. But what will happen to SDA’s who reject the call out of their fallen church?

· Corporately responsible.

· Ezekiel 9 slaughter BEGINNING AT HIS SANCTUARY.

· Disciples and Christ left.

· True reformers in all ages left. Why?

· Recreant priest quote.

· Impossible to mature amongst thorns.

· Impossible to remain/become pure says God.

There are faithful souls who have been disfellowshiped for sincerely doing their best to help all in their local congregation to see the importance of study and obedience to our precious heritage, the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy writings.

Disgusted with the repeated calls they have given to obedience and a return to earlier teachings and standards, men have ejected them from local congregations. Are they going to be lost because wicked men cast them out? Of course not.

It is clear that organizational relationship is rapidly becoming less of an issue. There was a time when, being a true Seventh-day Adventist, could generally be equated with being an accepted, on-the-books church member. But, especially since the early 1980s, the entire matter has become very confused. Many of Gods most faithful, commandment-keeping people are now outside the denomination. In view of this situation, it is rather foolish to declare that only those in the denomination are Gods people, and only they will be saved.

Ron’s Commentary:

· Ellen White said that the apostasy would wax stronger until Jesus comes.

· If we are held corporately responsible for all the abominations, then organizational MEMBERSHIP relationship will become MORE OF A SERIOUS ISSUE because all MEMBERS who know of the apostasy will be corporately responsible for it.

· Camp meetings at close of probation QUOTE.

· What about those who declare that one must be a MEMBER of the apostate SDA organization in order to receive the Ezekiel 9 sealing? End note.

Well, then, what about those outside the organization—who declare that the denomination is Babylon, and that everyone in it is destined to burn in hellfire?

That is a devilish teaching, and it is inspired by Satan!

Ron’s Commentary: I agree that it is devilish to believe or teach that everyone in the apostate SDA church is destined to burn in hellfire! But is it devilish to declare as Ellen White did that if the church became and remained Laodicean, it would be the cage of every unclean and hateful bird—language that God uses to define Babylon in Revelation 18? Any true Adventist Reformer believes that there are many good folk in the church who will leave when they hear of the apostasy and corporate responsibility for that apostasy. Vance Ferrell was a credentialed SDA minister. They don’t seem to understand the principle of corporate responsibility.

Ellen White on Babylon

“A similar work will be accomplished when that other angel, represented in Revelation 18, gives his message. The first, second, and third angels’ messages will need to be repeated. The call will be given to the church, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins.” “Babylon, the great, is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.... Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities” [Revelation 18:2-5]. {16MR 270.1}

"The world must not be introduced into the church, and married to the church, forming a bond of unity. Through this means the church will become indeed corrupt, and as stated in Revelation, 'a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.'" Testimonies to Ministers, p. 265.

The church was married to the world in the early 1930's when a few leaders adopted the world's Accreditation Standards for our educational facilities. Satan could have no finer track to the youth of the church than through the world's education curriculum.

According to Vance Ferrell, Ellen White is devilish because the church became worse than Laodicean lukewarm, it became cold apostate, and Ellen White said that even if it became Laodicean it would be BABYLON—THE CAGE OF EVERY UNCLEAN AND HATEFUL BIRD! Read it for yourself! First read Revelation 18 on God’s definition of Babylon, to wit:

1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Revelation 18:1, 2.

According to Vance Ferrell, the following teaching by Ellen White is devilish and inspired by Satan because she called the Laodicean state of the church BABYLON:

"If the church of God becomes LUKEWARM [LAODICEAN] it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the churches that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Those who have had opportunities to hear and receive the truth, and who have united with the Seventh-day Adventist church, calling themselves the commandment keeping people of God, and yet possess no more vitality and consecration to God than do the nominal churches, will receive of the plagues of God just as verily as the churches who oppose the law of God." E.G. White, Letter 35, 1898.

Did the church become Laodicean? Has the church remained Laodicean? No! It has become both COLD APOSTATE AND LUKEWARM. The liberals are cold apostate, and the conservatives are lukewarm.

If Laodicea is not regarded with any more favor by God than the fallen churches, and the call of Laodicea is to all churches, then there is no difference between Laodicea and the fallen churches as far as being in a fallen state is concerned. Different churches believe different aspects of Babylonian teachings, but Ellen White equates them all as far as falling from the favor of God is concerned, and as far as constituting the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

"We must as a people arouse and cleanse the camp of Israel. Licentiousness, unlawful intimacy, and unholy practices are coming in among us in a large degree...We are in danger of becoming a sister to fallen Babylon, of allowing our churches to become corrupted and filled with every foul spirit, a cage for every unclean and hateful bird, and will we be clear unless we make decided movements to cure the existing evil? E. G. White, Manuscript Releases No. 449, pp. 17, 18. (Letter 51, 1886 to Elder Butler) Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, p. 193.

An Adventist Review article says that the church has the same divorce rate per capita percentage ration as the world. Does that sound like the unlawful intimacies have been curbed and the camp has been cleansed?

"In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and advantages that she has had. . . .I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness. Stripping them of, He laid bare he defilement beneath. Then He said to me: 'Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character? How is the faithful city become an harlot?" E. G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 8, pp. 247-250.

Can anyone tell me when the church reformed and revived from it's harlot stance?

"The church cannot measure herself by the world nor by the opinion of men nor by what she ONCE was. Her faith and her position in the world as they NOW ARE must be COMPARED (JUDGED) with what they would have been if her course had been continually onward and upward. The church will be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. If her moral character and spiritual state do not correspond with the benefits and blessings God has conferred upon her, SHE WILL BE FOUND WANTING." Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 83, 84.

"When this church is weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, it is found wanting, having left its first love....What is the fatal deficiency?--'Thou has left thy first love...'

The light that gladdened your heart when you first understood the message for this time is an essential element in your experience and labors, and this has been lost out of your heart and life. Christ beholds your lack of zeal, and declares that you have FALLEN, and are in a perilous position." E.G. White, Review and Herald, vol. 2, pp. 462-3.

LAODICEA AS BABYLON? Was Ellen White devilish. Was Jesus devilish when in the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, He called the apostate church of His day The Synagogue of Satan? Is the Synagogue of Satan better than Babylon, or is Babylon part of the Synagogue of Satan?

Is it devilish to declare as Ellen White did that if the church continued in licentiousness that it would become a sister to fallen Babylon? End note.

It is the prince of darkness who prompts individuals to declare that true Advent believers—any of them—are reprobate and destined for perdition.

Ron’s Commentary: Is a person who knows of all the abominations and chooses to be a MEMBER any way, a true Advent believer?

Yes, we are to protest the evils in the denomination, so that those evils will be put away. Contrary to what some imagine, that is a good work and very necessary. But we are not to denounce Gods faithful ones as evil! The track of error lies close beside the track of truth. It is right to reprove sin; but it is wrong to denounce Gods faithful ones as being of the devil.

Ron’s Commentary: Ellen White said that the evils won’t be put away. She said the omega of apostasy will continue until Jesus comes. She said the apostate new movement, new organization would allow NOTHING TO STAND IN ITS WAY. End note.

There are men, just now, who are eagerly holding meetings; whose message is that Seventh-day Adventists are Babylon, and that the entire Adventist denomination is Babylon.

But the God of heaven has given them no such message. The Seventh-day Adventist denomination has thousands upon thousands of faithful souls who love their Lord and obey His Word. Enter any local Adventist church and you will find many faithful children of God. They are not making a big noise, but are quietly doing the best they can under adverse circumstances in their homes and, frequently, in their local church.

Ron’s Commentary: Ellen White laid out the following conditions upon which the church would become a sister to fallen Babylon. The Mother of Babylon is Rome. The sisters are fallen church daughters of Mother Rome. Ellen White clearly stated the following conditions by which the church could become a part of Babylon—the cage of every unclean and hateful bird:

Scan your sight over the entire world field, and you will find large numbers of true, solid Advent believers, and many faithful workers.

Ron’s Commentary: It is true that there are true, solid Advent believers and many faithful workers who do not know of the apostasy. God does not hold them corporately responsible if they do not know of all the abominations—UP TO A POINT THAT IS. We are supposed to study and dig in the mines of the Word so that we recognize apostasy and truth, so God is the judge as to whom He holds corporately responsible for the apostasy. But regarding those members who are informed all about it, that is a different matter entirely! God holds us responsible for truth when we learn of it. End note.

Look at the official teachings of the church. Yes, they were damaged somewhat at the Dallas Session, and the official doctrinal books and magazine articles since then have not helped, but the official teachings are still, for the most part, relatively close to our original positions.

Ron’s Commentary: Damaged SOMEWHAT?!!! The church’s view on the human nature of Christ is antichrist because it tries to convince us that Christ was different from us in a way that gave Him some kind of advantage in overcoming. That teaching is antichrist in light of the fact that Christ sacrificed the soul of His life, His Holy Spirit, that He might take the death that was ours and give us the life that WAS His—eternal life.

"He (Christ) suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which WAS His." Desire of Ages, p. 25 1 Cor. 11:24-265, cf. John 6:53, 54, Titus 3:5, 6.

To say, imply or insinuate that Christ had an advantage, does despite to the fact that His Holy Spirit is all powerful and enabling in providing power for obedience, Romans 1:5, so that there is no excuse for continuing in sin. Ellen White said that we may overcome as Christ overcame! He received His Father’s Holy Spirit for overcoming, and we receive Christ’s Holy Spirit for the same purpose. They are ONE AND THE SAME SPIRIT, for Scripture says that God is a Spirit, and that there is ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT.

It is correct to say that there is rapidly-growing apostasy in our denomination, but it is a wicked error—a lie—to declare that the denomination is totally evil. That is just not so. Neither the beliefs, the actions, nor the people are totally evil.

Ron’s Commentary: Fascinating Vance, positively fascinating! Ellen White said if the church became Laodicean (lukewarm) no apostasy, just lukewarm, THE CHURCH would be regarded by God as no better than Babylon, and you admit that the church is Laodicean and WORSE because in addition to lukewarmness there is rapidly growing apostasy, but the church, the denomination is not a sister to fallen Babylon, the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Incredible! You reason that because the church is not totally evil, because there is good there, it could not possibly be any part of Babylon, and that it is a lie, and devilish to call it a part of Babylon!

Let’s analyze Vance’s reasoning a bit more. Ellen White says that the Roman Catholic church and all fallen churches have good people in them. By Vance’s spurious reasoning, the only conclusion to his faulty logic would be that since there are good people in the Catholic church and her daughter protestant churches, it would be devilish to call them BABYLON! Now I understand Isaiah 56:10-12 a lot better Vance. You have helped me to understand God’s description of the watchmen.

The above statement by Vance about good people in the church is a smokescreen. Ellen White says that there are many good, devout Christians in the Catholic church, so even Mother Babylon is not totally evil either. But God still calls us out of Babylon! The Protestant churches are not totally evil for the reason that Satan mixes truth and error, but Ellen White says that Satan has taken over the churches and 1SM 205, says that the new movement SDA church has removed God. So who is left as master of the church? The Jewish church was not TOTALLY EVIL when Christ, His disciples and their followers (all true Christians) separated from that apostate church!

Paul Left

"And as they persisted in their rejection of the gospel the apostle (Paul) went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus." Acts, 19:8, 9.

"Fearing that the faith of the believers would be endangered by continued association with these opposers of the truth, Paul separated from them, and gathered the disciples into a distinct body." E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 286.

That brings us to another point. If it is not our work now to condemn the denomination as of the devil, how then are we to relate ourselves to it? Should we be in it? Should we be out of it? Should we avoid it as the plague? Should we obey whatever church officers tell us to do?

Ron’s Commentary: How is it that we can condemn the other fallen churches as Babylon, but it is not our work to call Laodicean SDA’s as no better than Babylon, the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. And if there is corrupt apostasy in the church and the church is in apostasy by introducing antichrist doctrines, and imbibing ecumenical liaison with Babylon, how do we escape God’s instruction that it is impossible to unite with the corrupt and remain/become pure?

"It is IMPOSSIBLE for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. (II Corinthians 6:14-15 quoted). God and Christ and the heavenly host would have men know that if he unites with the corrupt he will become corrupt." E. G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 137.

We should pray for fellow Advent believers, and former believers who once rejoiced in the truth, and try to help them. Some of these fellow believers are still in the church, and some have been cast out. Some of the former believers are no longer in the church, but many are—some of them in high positions as pastors, teachers, and administrators!

The God of heaven did not place you and me here merely to slavishly obey church leaders, nor did He assign us the task of forsaking fellow believers.

Instead, He expects us to obey His Word implicitly, and to work for all those about us—including true and backslidden believers.

God has many faithful souls who are out of the denomination, and He has many who are in it. They need your prayers and your help. Many, in and out of the organization, have backslidden from Gods truth. They also need your help.

Stop and ask yourself: What would the devil like me to do? The answer is obvious: Satan would prefer that you not witness to others. You know so much, and he wants you to keep quiet. An effective way to do that is to tempt you to think that you would do well to retire from the battle, and stop trying to encourage others to obey God.

Ron’s Commentary: When Christ and His disciples separated from the apostate Jewish church, did that make it impossible to witness to members of that church? When SDA’s separated from the fallen churches in 1844, did that make it impossible to witness to them? When protestants separated from Rome, did that make it impossible for them to witness to Rome?

We do not have to join Babylon in order to warn and work for its members. Conversely, we do not have to join the SDA church to aid them. Ellen White said to leave those who are working on wrong principles and to fear and shun them. Vance’s admonition is directly contrary to the following counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy:

Fear and Shun "'They that forsake the law praise the wicked.' Proverbs 28:4. When those who are uniting with the world, yet claiming great purity, plead for union with those who have ever been the opposers of the cause of truth, we should fear and shun them as decidedly as did Nehemiah. Such counsel is prompted by the enemy of all good. It is the speech of timeservers, and should be resisted as resolutely today as then. Whatever influence would tend to unsettle the faith of God' people in His guiding power, should be steadfastly withstood." E.G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 660.

"Even though you may not be able to speak a word to those who are working on wrong principles, leave them. Your withdrawal and silence may do more than words. Nehemiah refused to associate with those who were untrue to principle, and he would not permit his workmen to associate with them. The love and fear of God were his safeguard-Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone. Thus as did Moses, you will endure the seeing of Him who is invisible. But a cowardly and silent reserve before evil associates, while you listen to their devices makes you one with them. Come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Review & Herald Vol. 4, p. 42.

But remember the remarkably true-to-life illustration of the man traveling through the snow drifts. He is about to give up, lay down, and enter the sleep of death—when he stumbles upon a fellow traveler already fallen! In his urgency to save the other one, he must rouse himself to still greater effort—and, in the process, he himself is kept from drifting off to sleep.

You will notice that I have repeatedly emphasized the words, denomination and organization. I have not said much about the church.

In times of relative peace from intense persecution, Gods church has organization. In times of great persecution, each faithful soul and the few around him must stand alone or in little companies, without any organizational support or guidance whatsoever. Then there are those times of apostasy, when faithful souls dare not lean on their church organization for encouragement or guidance.

Gods church has organization, but the organization is not the church. What then is the church? The true church is composed of faithful souls. In the Spirit of Prophecy, we are told it is commandment-keeping people who compose Gods true church. However, we are also told that there will be tares in the church.

Ron’s Commentary: Vance does not distinguish between tares and open sinning thorns. The wheat can mature amongst tares (insincere believers whose motives we would have to JUDGE in order to uproot them—COL 72 and on). But thorns, open sinners, choke the wheat and kill it making it impossible to mature, and they thus make it impossible to remain/become pure as well.

“The Lord will not write as wise those who cannot distinguish between a tree that bears thorn-berries and a tree that bears olives.” {EGW, RH, September 7, 1897 par. 15}

Neither are those wise who cannot tell the difference between a tare and a thorn. Wheat can mature amongst tares, but not thorns. Open sinners were always to be dismissed from church fellowship if they would not reform said Ellen White. She said that tares are insincere believers whose motives we would have to JUDGE in order to uproot them. We don’t have to judge the motives of open sinning apostates, just the apostasy—judged by the law and the testimony.

In regard to church organization, many people tend to swing to one or the other of two extremes. They either fear it, or idolize it. Some want to have nothing to do with organization, while others want it to do their work for them and save their souls. They hope that the work it does in their stead will help get them to heaven.

But the truth is that neither the organization nor the church is the issue. The basic issue throughout the ages, and in the Final Crisis, is your and my personal relationship to Jesus Christ, and our obedience to His Inspired Writings. Organizational relationship is only on the periphery of the matter.

Ron’s Commentary: If organizational relationship is only on the periphery of the matter, why would God hold us corporately responsible for the open sins of apostasy in the church, to wit:

"The plain straight testimony must live in the church, or the curse of God will rest upon His people as surely as it did upon ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds His people, as a body [corporately], responsible for the sins existing in individuals among them." Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 269.

"The names of those who sin and refuse to repent should not be retained on the church books, lest the saints be held accountable for their evil deeds. Those who pursue a course of transgression should be visited and labored with, and if they then refuse to repent, they should be separated from church fellowship, in accordance with the rules laid down in the Word of God." {11MR 208.3}

The prime reasons apostate churches have always been separated from by the faithful of all ages are:

1. Because God says it is impossible to unite with the corrupt and remain/become pure.

2. Because God says that open sinning thorns (not tares) will choke out the wheat and kill it.

3. Because of the Biblical principle of corporate responsibility.

"Thorns sprung up.--The thorns made it impossible for the wheat to mature (see Luke 8:14). In the same way secular interests prevent the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) from reaching maturity. Religion is relegated to the subordinate position of being only one interest among many. For lack of cultivation it withers and eventually dies. That which the thorny-ground hearers lack is a moral transformation [E.G. White, Christ's Object Lessons, p. 50] To them, justification is the sum and substance of religion, and they fail to realize that the Christian life consists essentially in the process known as sanctification--the process by which evil traits and tendencies are replaced by the perfect life-pattern of Jesus Christ." Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 405.

This (above) is precisely what New Movement Seventh-day Adventists (Selected Messages, vol. 1, 204-205), teaches.

... The Lord will not write as wise those who cannot distinguish between a tree that bears thorn-berries and a tree that bears olives. {EGW, RH, September 7, 1897 par. 15}

Ellen White said that the leaders (dumb dogs 5T 211) will NEVER AGAIN show God’s people, the House of Jacob, their sins. How could they remove open sinners from the church if they will NEVER AGAIN show them their sins? Answer this Vance Ferrell.

Persecution or apostasy may drive us out of an organization, blessed fellowship may bring us into one. But, more and more, as we near the end, we will have to stand alone or nearly alone. Yet, through it all, we should continue trying to help and bless others—even those who have cast us out.

Read carefully in every description of Gods people after the National Sunday Law crisis begins—and you will note that they are alone or in small groups. Not once are we told about even a medium-sized Adventist congregation.

Ron’s Commentary: That is a lie Vance Ferrell! We are told that SDA camp meetings will continue to bring in every lewd thing right up to the close of probation and probation does not close until the first plague begins! We are told that Ezekiel 9 slaughter BEGINS AT HIS SANCTUARY, LITERALLY. How could Ezekiel 9 begin at His Sanctuary if it ceased to exist after the National Sunday Law. We are also told that SDA leaders will instruct us to keep Sunday sacred. This will occur when the Sunday Law comes into effect.

And what kind of work are they doing? Read the books, and you will find they are doing an individual work of ministry: healing the sick with natural remedies, and going from home to home giving Bible studies. Not once will you find a reference about evangelistic efforts, church councils, policy decisions made or enforced, ministerial retreats, or even campmeetings.

Ron’s Commentary: How about SDA campmeetings bringing in every uncouth thing just before the close of probation, when the close of probation is signified by the first plague?

"The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. The truth for this time needs nothing of this kind in its work of converting souls. A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and pervert that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirits working." Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p. 36.

When the crisis hits, it will be illegal to be a Seventh-day Adventist. We cannot know with certainty whether the structure of our denomination will go on past the National Sunday Law edict. There are three possibilities:

Ron’s Commentary: When the Sunday law is first legislated, it will not be illegal to be a Seventh-day Adventist, because it will not be enforced at first. It will be illegal when Sunday-keeping is enforced.

(1) The tares in the denomination will flee from it, and become Sunday keepers. The organizational structure and buildings which remains, will not be featured (according to the Spirit of Prophecy, as we have noted above) in final events, therefore it is very possible that it will have been closed down by governmental powers.

(2) The tares in the denomination will at that time eject the last of the faithful ones, fully take control,—and the Seventh-day Adventist Church will become Sundaykeepers!

A key point here is whether the organization will go through to the end. There is no doubt that the church, the faithful, commandment people of God, will; but what about the organization? Let us review the facts again:

First, as noted, above, we find no indication, even a hint, that the people of God will be in a centralized—or even decentralized—organization, from the beginning of the National Sunday Law crisis onward.

Ron’s Commentary: That is not true as I proved in the following statement further up:

We are told that SDA camp meetings will continue to bring in every lewd thing right up to the close of probation and probation does not close until the first plague begins! We are told that Ezekiel 9 slaughter BEGINS AT HIS SANCTUARY, LITERALLY. How could Ezekiel 9 begin at His Sanctuary if it ceased to exist after the National Sunday Law. We are also told that SDA leaders will instruct us to keep Sunday sacred. This will occur when the Sunday Law comes into effect.

"The Lord has a controversy with his professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers, will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week." E.G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 1, p. 405, col. 3.

· The controversy is “with His professed people in these last days—not Babylon from centuries past to the end-time.

· Men in responsible positions means the leaders.

· In the last days men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. Babylon took that course centuries ago!

“The enemy knows that if the church can be controlled by political enactments, if she can be led to unite with the world, she virtually acknowledges him as her head. Then the authority of man-made commandments will work to oppose the rule of the government of heaven. Under the leadership of Satan men will dispense with the righteous, holy enactments of God concerning the Sabbath, the observance of which is to be a sign between God and His people forever. {ST, November 22, 1899 par. 1}

· Ellen White is speaking of the SDA church, because she says in Early Writings, pp. 273, 274, that Satan took over the fallen churches as a body long, long ago.

· In the same reference (EW), she says that the fallen churches cannot be distinguished from the world. In the above statement she is speaking conditionally of the SDA church; that if the church can be controlled by political enactments, IF SHE CAN BE LED TO UNITE WITH THE WORLD, she virtually acknowledges him (Satan) as her head.

· She is speaking of the future in saying “men will dispense with the righteous, holy enactments of God concerning the Sabbath.” The fallen churches dispensed with the Sabbath millenniums ago.

The most serious proof that the SDA church will keep going after the Sunday Law is Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211 and Ellen White’s statements that Ezekiel 9 will be literally fulfilled.

Begin at My Sanctuary -- "Here we see that the church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus 'Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together." E. G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.

Someone has to do the slaughtering, and the Lord has shown me that it is Babylonians who do it. As well, lost SDA’s will kill one another as the Jews did in the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9. The Lord has shown me WHEN they do it. They will begin Ezekiel 9 slaughter at SDA churches even 30 days before the Sunday Law is ENFORCED, by anticipating that enforcement and Ellen White says that the authorities will turn their heads in indifference.

"Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling will YOU hear? Will YOU receive His message? Will YOU be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106, 1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To "The churches in Oakland and Berkeley, September 26, 1909.)" E. G. White Manuscript Releases Volume One, p. 260.

“The time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.”— Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1303.

The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880: “The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.”

“Christ would have averted the doom of the Jewish nation if the people had received Him. But envy and jealousy made them implacable. They determined that they would not receive Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. They rejected the Light of the world, and thenceforth their lives were surrounded with darkness as the darkness of midnight. The doom foretold came upon the Jewish nation. Their own fierce passions, uncontrolled, wrought their ruin. In their blind rage they destroyed one another. Their rebellious, stubborn pride brought upon them the wrath of their Roman conquerors. Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple laid in ruins, and its site plowed like a field. The children of Judah perished by the most horrible forms of death. Millions were sold, to serve as bondmen in heathen lands.” {COL 295.3}

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.” Prophets and Kings, 416.

In order for Ezekiel 9 to be literally fulfilled it would have to involve a literal Sanctuary because the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 in A.D. 70, did indeed involve a literal Temple Sanctuary of the Jews. Josephus, an eye witness, says that the Romans began at the Temple and then progressed to the city of Jerusalem, destroying both, and then they moved to outlying areas. This is proof perfect evidence that the church attempts to keeps going after the Sunday law is legislated and even after it is enforced, because no such slaughter of SDA sanctuaries around the world would be possible before the enforcement of the National Sunday law.

Second, we instead find that they will be standing alone or in very small groups.

(3) Third, we find that they will be doing their missionary work as individuals or, possibly, in two-by-two teams.

(4) Fourth, we find no indication that any denominational institution will still be in operation after the crisis begins—with the sole exception of the publishing work . No hospitals, no conferences or union offices,—and no conferences or unions!

Ron’s Commentary: Not so! Ellen White says the church will be bringing every uncouth thing into its campmeetings just before the close of probation, and she says probation closes at the first plague. She also says that the leaders will take a course directly different from Nehemiah. He would not come down to work with apostate elements of God’s people. She says the leaders who take a course different from Nehemiah will instruct the church members to keep Sunday sacred.

(5) Fifth, the people of God, during the final crisis, and beyond, are going through a special experience that is marked by their having to rely upon Christ alone. No longer are others doing their Christian work for them, or telling them what to do.

(6) Sixth, we are all well acquainted with the concept in Testimonies to Ministers, page 300, which stipulates that God will directly and personally guide each of His people in the Final Crisis. At that time, there will be no leaders to organize the work and tell people what to do. That time will be past.

Ron’s Commentary: We are instructed that because of the apostasy, God takes the reins in His own hands and guides His faithful people individually, but that does not preclude the apostate church from its attempt to keep going in a “business as usual fashion.”

The most complete collection of Spirit of Prophecy statements on final events is to be found in our End Time Booklet Series on last-day events. Read them through, and see if you can find any quotations which run contrary to the above points; that is, that indicate there will be an Adventist denomination after the crisis begins.

Ron’s Commentary: Okay Vance. I did what you suggested above A LONG TIME AGO. Here are more than one SOP statement that indicates there will be an apostate Adventist denomination after the crisis of the Sunday Law begins:

In order for Ezekiel 9 to literally BEGIN AT HIS SANCTUARY, a literal sanctuary denomination has to exist! We have the last literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 9 from A.D. 27-70 as depicted in The Great Controversy, Chapter 1, and Matthew 22:1-10, wherein verse 7 is the destruction of the murderous city of Jerusalem. The Jews could not be judged by any Ezekiel 9 Mark by the Man in Linen before their 490 years of probation per Daniel 9 ended in A.D. 34. All we need do is look at what occurred in that prefigure, literal type. All we need do is look at Ezekiel 9:6, where it says: “Begin at my sanctuary.” All we need do is look at Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211 where is says:

Begin at My Sanctuary -- "Here we see that the church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus 'Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together." E. G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.

"Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling will YOU hear? Will YOU receive His message? Will YOU be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106, 1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To "The churches in Oakland and Berkeley, September 26, 1909.)" E. G. White Manuscript Releases Volume One, p. 260.

“The time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.”— Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1303.

The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880: “The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.”

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.” Prophets and Kings, 416.

Who is modern Israel (below) in your estimation? Is it BABYLON? Or is it the professing SDA church?

The Lord has shown me that Rome and her fallen daughters will execute the Ezekiel 9 slaughter. He has shown me that it BEGINS at the SDA sanctuaries around the world just before probation closes and at the time that the National Sunday Law is ENFORCED. Then Ezekiel 9 has an application to Babylon at the very end of time—The Great Controversy, pp. 653-656. If one believes, as most SDA’s do, that Ezekiel 9 is manifest against Adventists at the very end per the GC reference stated, then the SDA church would have to exist at the very end of time. But GC page 653 specifies that Babylon is ripe for destruction, but it all BEGINS AT HIS SANCTUARY—APOSTATE SPIRITUAL JERUSALEM, THE PROFESSING SDA CHURCH, at an earlier time. The logical time is when faithful SDA’s are killed as martyrs as seed for fruit at the beginning of the ENFORCEMENT of the National Sunday Law. This coincides with Ezekiel Chapter 5, wherein the SDA church as “Jerusalem,” is made a taunt, an example, before the other denomiNATIONS of what God does to a chosen people who apostatize.

SDA leaders will say keep Sunday, and Babylonian leaders will see this as just another sleazy attempt on the part of Adventists to steal their sheep. This will infuriate Babylonian leaders because they know SDA leaders have used the Sabbath for over 150 years as one of the pretexts for (to their minds) stealing their sheep! This abandoning of long held Sabbath observance by SDA’s will be viewed by Babylonian leaders as an act of opportunistic world class whoredom on the part of SDA leaders and laity, and they will be correct!

There is no doubt that God desires that His people be organized. There is thorough organization in heaven, and there ought to be among His people on earth. The leaders, fully dedicated to Gods glory, should lead, and the people, cheerfully willing, should gladly give themselves to the work. Yet, due to human imperfections, it appears that, in the final great crisis, the Lord will take the work personally in His hands. We can be thankful for that.

Ron’s Commentary: When Jesus and the disciples separated from the apostasy of His first chosen people, the Jewish Temple organization, to form home churches all over Judea, was that work unorganized? When Jesus takes the reins in His own hands, as He has already done, is His work unorganized just because He is not visibly here to manage it, or can He manage it via His Holy Spirit?

Oh, how we wish we had a perfect organization now! Oh, how we wish we could yield ourselves fully as cogs working in that organized work. But Gods plan at this time is to fit us to carry on through to the end. Because of apostasy in standards and beliefs, He is having to fit a people individually for the Final Crisis, which is soon to break upon us all. Day by day, He is having to prepare us to draw warmth from the coldness of others, to trust in Him when others around us fail.

Ron’s Commentary: How is it that “because of apostasy in standards and beliefs, Christ is having to fit a people individually for the Final Crisis, but He needs an apostate church NOW in order to do that? Let’s look back as the prefigure example of what He did with the Jews. Did Christ use the apostate Jewish organization to fit His disciples for their task of giving the gospel to the world. No! Emphatically NO! Here is what He did:

Paul left

“And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9But 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. 285, 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.

Why did true reformers in every succeeding generation leave the church of their fathers?

· The light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities. There are many ways to do this, like teaching an antichrist doctrine on the human nature of Christ, and adopting Rome’s central doctrine, the Trinity Doctrine, which denies the heavenly Sanctuary/Atonement sacrifice that resulted in a THIRD PERSON to the Godhead. As well, the church can divorce Christ and marry into strictly forbidden liaison with Babylon’s associations, counsel/councils, girdings, and confederacies, Isaiah 8:9-13.

· The religious leaders would not tolerate the light.

Have SDA leaders done all of the above? Yes indeed. So true SDA reformers have separated from the church of their fathers so as to not be defiled with women (fallen churches), Revelation 14:1-4, because the bride, the 144,000, cannot be involved in an illicit marriage with Babylon, God’s enemies and be married to Him at the same time. That would be bigamy as well as harlot adultery, and the bride could never mature and become/remain pure under such abominable acts.

You are very special to your God. He has a special plan for your life, and He is gradually working it out.

Rejoice that He wants you for His own! Rejoice that he wants to use you to help others!

Pray earnestly that He will show you your duty, individually.

And, may I add, beware of the itinerant preachers who travel about denouncing Adventists, still in the denomination, as Babylon; who preach strange new theories; who get angry when you show them clear Bible/Spirit of Prophecy reasons why they are wrong.

Do not war against faithful believers in the church or out of the church. They are not your enemies. The problem are those who are compromising their faith, disobeying Gods Word, lowering their standards and trying to import strange, new doctrines.

Ron’s Commentary: We should not war against faithful believers in or out of ANY CHURCH! But we are to war against apostasy:

"To secure peace and unity they [the reformers in context] were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war." (Great Controversy, p. 45).

What is our responsibility now that the church has formed a new movement, new organization that has given up pillar doctrines on the Godhead and violates the three angel’s messages and the Midnight Cry via ecumenical liaison with Babylon?

"The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A NEW ORGANIZATION would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the NEW MOVEMENT. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.

WHO HAS AUTHORITY TO BEGIN SUCH A [NEW] MOVEMENT? We have our Bibles. We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth?" E.G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 1, 204-205.

"Even though you may not be able to speak a word to those who are working on wrong principles, leave them. Your withdrawal and silence may do more than words. Nehemiah refused to associate with those who were untrue to principle, and he would not permit his workmen to associate with them. The love and fear of God were his safeguard-Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone. Thus as did Moses, you will endure the seeing of Him who is invisible. But a cowardly and silent reserve before evil associates, while you listen to their devices makes you one with them Come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Review & Herald Vol. 4, p. 42.

Fear and Shun "'They that forsake the law praise the wicked.' Proverbs 28:4. When those who are uniting with the world, yet claiming great purity, plead for union with those who have ever been the opposers of the cause of truth, we should fear and shun them as decidedly as did Nehemiah. Such counsel is prompted by the enemy of all good. It is the speech of timeservers, and should be resisted as resolutely today as then. Whatever influence would tend to unsettle the faith of God' people in His guiding power, should be steadfastly withstood." E.G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 660.

"We should never give sanction to sin by our words, our deeds, our silence or our presence." Desire of Ages, 152.

· We are in a spiritual WAR with those who have compromised truth and righteousness.

· We are to repudiate everything that is not in harmony with truth.

· We are to leave those who work on such wrong principles for to remain MEMBERS with them makes us corporately responsible for their abominations of apostasy.

· We are to fear and shun those who claim purity while pleading for (by making excuses for) ecumenical union with the opposers of truth (Babylon).

If ever there was a time when we needed to study Gods Word, it is now.

Vance Ferrell

Ron’s Commentary: It is the leaders of omega of apostasy new movement, new organization Adventism who have imported strange, new doctrines, such as the Trinity Doctrine, Rome’s Central doctrine. It is the leaders who have led us into ecumenical liaison with Babylon. It is the leaders who led out in the adoption of Rome’s Trinity Doctrine, which sweeps away the entire Christian economy by disavowing the heavenly Sanctuary/Atonement which resulted in the formation of a THRID PERSON to the Godhead. Without that prescribed limit of a sacrifice by the Testator, Christ, there would be NO SANCTUARY, NO ATONEMENT. They are thus rendered GONE, just as in the alpha of apostasy.

True reformers don’t compromise their faith or disobey God’s Word. Neither do they lower their standards. Here is what the do:

"Characteristics of True Reformers.--Here are given the characteristics of those who shall be reformers, who will bear the banner of the third angel's message, those who avow themselves God's commandment-keeping people, and who honor God, and are earnestly engaged, in the sight of all the universe, in building up the old waste places. Who is it that calls them, The repairers of the breach, The restorers of paths to dwell in? It is God. Their names are registered [written--Heb. 12:22, 23] in heaven as reformers, restorers, as raising the foundations of many generations." E. G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1151.

Conclusions:

· I was told by someone in the 1980’s who had cause to know that Vance Ferrell’s patrons mailing list was tens of thousands long. He has said that he is the only pastor many of those patrons have. I can tell you in all surety that if Vance Ferrell advised a correct response to the apostasy in light of the fact that every member who knows of the apostasy is corporately responsible for the apostasy, his mailing list would dwindle down to nothingness. Elder Robert Priebe felt the same way about Vance. Is it possible that Vance just cannot bring himself to give up the massive inflow of money? Is the love of mammon his problem that contributes to the fickle, feeble, foolish virgin reasons he gives for remaining a member of a church that has committed antichrist unpardonable sin?

· Vance Ferrell Directly Contradicts God and Ellen White on More Prophets https://omega77.tripod.com/dreamdreamsvisions.htm

· Vance Ferrell directly contradicts Ellen White and Scripture on ecumenical liaison with Babylon.

· Vance Ferrell directly contradicts Ellen White on corporate responsibility.

· Vance Ferrell says there are but a few abominations in the church.

· Vance Ferrell teaches an antichrist view on the Godhead. He omits the prescribed limit of a sacrifice that produced a third person to the Godhead. https://omega77.tripod.com/ferrellongodhead2.htm

· Vance Ferrell’s teaching to remain members of a church that is in ecumenical association, counsel/council and confederacy with Babylon’s World Council, National Councils and Ministerial Associations, would render the bride, the 144,000 as defiled by women (fallen churches) in violation of Revelation 14:1-4, via such ecumenical liaison with Babylon. Vance fully exposes the church’s ecumenical involvement and but does not teach the truth of Jeremiah 11:9-15, that conspiracy/confederacy with God’s enemies is unpardonable sin. He does not teach that Isaiah 8:9-12 teaches this same fact of truth, and that all members of the church who know of this apostasy are corporately responsible for this sin. Vance is corporately responsible for the church’s ecumenical involvement for he has written voluminously on this apostasy of the church.

· Vance never teaches the Bible and/or the Spirit of Prophecy position on corporate responsibility, and if he ever should teach such, he would have to advise his tens of thousands of supporting patrons to leave the church because they are corporately responsible for every abomination of the church he exposes.

· Vance Ferrell says that the church will cease to be a visible organization after the Sunday Law is legislated, but Ellen White says it will instruct its members to keep Sunday sacred and that it will bring every uncouth thing into its camp meetings right up until the close of probation.

· The Lord has shown me in vision that at first the Sunday Law will be legislated, but not enforced. When it is enforced, Ezekiel 9 will be literally fulfilled beginning at SDA sanctuaries around the world. The church will keep going after the Sunday law is legislated and even until the Sunday law is enforced. The slaughter will then ensue.

· Vance Ferrell, like the watchmen described in Isaiah 56:10-12, is leading a lot of people down the path to certain destruction. Isaiah 9:16 says it all! Do you believe God?

—rwb