I don’t like to say good-by, and one of these days, if we are faithful, we will no longer have to say good-by.  That is going to be one of the great joys of heaven.  But before the victory is won, the battle has to be fought.  We are in the time of battle now.

There is an army of the Lord, and there is also an army of the devil.  There is a great war going on.  We may think that we are in battle, but actually we are just having little skirmishes right now that are practice runs for the big war.  It will be the final struggle of the great controversy, which looms right ahead of us.

The only people that will survive the battle and have eternal life are the people that have made the decision to be a soldier in the Lord’s army, do or die.  It is going to require that kind of dedication and consecration.  Nobody else in the church will be left.  They will all be gone.  In Revelation 17 the final war is described.  The defeat of Babylon is described in Revelation 18, and the great worldwide confederacy against the army of the Lord is described in Revelation 17.  Revelation 17:13 says that they will have one mind; they will be unified; there will be a worldwide confederacy against the truth of God, the commandments of God, and the people of God.

But notice what it says in verse 14: “These [that is this world wide confederacy] will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them.”  He will conquer them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings.  And those who are with Him—notice these three expressions—“are called, and chosen, and faithful.” 

Have you been called?  It is not enough to only hear the call, you must accept the call.  If you accept the call, then you will be one who is chosen.  But, my dear friend, it is not even enough to be one who is called and to accept the call.  It is necessary to be faithful.

By way of introduction, let us read a few statements from the Spirit of Prophecy.

The first statement is from Early Writings, 125.  “God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us.  The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness.”

When Ellen White wrote that counsel, in the 1850s, she was telling the people not to go to the meetings of the nominal Adventists.  She said that one of the big problems at the end of time is going to be between the true Adventists and the nominal Adventists.  Do you think that we are at the end of time? 

Another statement, written during the same time period, is found in Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, 425: “Again I was shown the necessity of those who believe we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily receiving or imbibing new error.  I saw that neither young nor old should attend the assemblies of those who are in error and darkness.  Said the angel, ‘Let the mind cease to dwell on things of no profit.’ ”

Then there is this familiar statement from Upward Look, 315.  “God has a church.  It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations . . . .”  Did you get that?  Is the church one or another denomination?  No, according to the Spirit of Prophecy it is not.  This building is not the church.  You say, “Oh!  We are organized.  We have a treasurer, and we have elders and deacons.  We are even associated in a sisterhood of churches, and we are all working together.”  Is that the church?  No, that is not the church.  “Neither is it the various denominations.”  That takes in all of them.  No denomination can say, “We are the true church.”  You are not the true church because you are a denomination—even if your denomination believes the truth.

When Steps to Life began broadcasting on Internet radio, the radio station owner and staff were very happy with our programming.  They called our program their premier program.  One day, shortly after our programming began, a lady from a very large denomination came into the radio station to talk to the manager.  She said she knew that she was in the right church—that her church was the right church, but she was really feeling bad that her church had decided to ordain homosexual pastors.

This lady wanted to find out about getting time on the radio station, and the manager, a friend of ours, told her, “Not under any condition will we have a homosexual on this radio station.  Not under any condition will we have their teaching on this radio station.  We will close this radio station down before we will allow that sort of thing.”

The lady asked her what church she attended, and the manager responded that she attends a very fundamental Holiness Church.  The lady said, “Oh! You’re a cult!”  Well, I would rather belong to a cult than to a church that is ordaining homosexuals as pastors.

As the manager was trying to recover from this exclamation, she told the lady that the radio station was broadcasting Steps to Life Ministries’ programs.  Steps to Life is quite well known in Wichita [Kansas].  We’ve been on television there every week since 1987.  And when this lady, who was upset that her church was ordaining homosexual pastors—but she knew that she was in the right church—heard this, she said, “Oh, they are a sect!”

I thought that isn’t too bad.  I kind of like that, because in Acts 28, it says that the apostle Paul belonged to a sect.  And it says that the sect that he belonged to was spoken against all over the world.

What is the church?  People are so confused.  I feel so sorry for that lady.  Here she is, sure that she is in the right church, even though they are ordaining homosexual pastors, and she knows that is wrong, but she still thinks that this is the church.  That is how people get deluded in their minds.  They have a certain mind set, and they are in a trap, in prison in their minds, and they don’t even know it.  Lots of people all over the world are like this.  Let me tell you, when the latter rain is poured, these chains are going to be broken off of people, and they are going to see things they have never before seen.

I remember so well a man who used to attend our church.  I tried to understand this man who was a very staunch Roman Catholic.  He died recently, and I believe he received a Roman Catholic funeral.  He had watched our television program, and he had studied his Bible, and he knew that the seventh day was the Sabbath, so he was a Seventh-day Catholic. 

In fact, I just recently learned of another man who died, and he also was a very staunch Roman Catholic.  He heard about the Sabbath, and he was telling all of his friends that they needed to start keeping the Sabbath—that is what the Bible says.

Now, I don’t understand how the human mind works.  How can someone be a staunch Roman Catholic, become a Sabbath keeper, and still attend the Catholic Church?  I don’t understand all that.  But all these chains are coming off those who are faithful and true at heart and want to follow the Lord.  One of these days we are going to see multitudes of people coming into Adventism.  We have to get ready first.  The reason they can’t come in now is because we are not ready.

“God has a church.  It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments.  ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20).  Where Christ is even among the humble few, this is Christ’s church, for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church.”  Ibid.

You see, unless the Holy Spirit is here, we are not a church at all.  Do you understand that?  It is only the presence of the high and holy One that can constitute a church.  In the old covenant, they had what they called a temple.  Do you know what a temple is?  A temple, by definition, is the house or the habitation of God or the Deity.  There is a temple in heaven where God dwells.  God wants to make your body, your mind a temple.  That is what the New Testament teaches in I Corinthians 6.

When His people come together, God wants to meet with them and bless them.  Talking to the whole church, in I Corinthians 3, He says, “You are a temple.”  But if we do something to grieve the Holy Spirit away from our congregation—like allowing open sin to go on in the church unrebuked—then we are just playing church.  We can play church all we want.  There are some churches that have been playing church for hundreds of years; they have not had the Holy Spirit there for hundreds of years.  That is why they have to have all the things they have in order to keep the people. 

I was in Colorado a few weeks ago, and as I was walking, I passed by a big, Sunday church.  Every Sunday they have rock bands; they have movies; they have dancing; and they have doughnuts and coffee at the door.  They have all kinds of gimmicks to get people to attend.

You don’t need the gimmicks, if you have the Holy Spirit.  If you have the Holy Spirit, the people that have the Holy Spirit on the inside will be drawn to that church.

Ellen White wrote, “Those who keep God’s commandments, those who live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, compose the church of the living God.”  Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 949.

Well, that is a little introduction to what I want to study with you.  The first major thing I want to study with you is modern Israel.  Who and what is modern Israel?

“Satan is continually seeking to overcome the people of God by breaking down the barriers which separate them from the world.  Ancient Israel were enticed into sin when they ventured into forbidden association with the heathen.  In a similar manner are modern Israel led astray.”  The Great Controversy, 508.  Who is this modern Israel of which Mrs. White is speaking?

Let’s read a few more statements and see if we can figure out.  “There is a limit beyond which the judgments of Jehovah can no longer be delayed.  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, 417.  Ok, who is this modern Israel about which she is talking?

Let’s come right to the point.  The following statement will tell us exactly who it is.  “I was shown that those who are trying to obey God . . .” She doesn’t even say that they are obeying God yet, but they are trying to obey God.  “. . . and purify their souls through obedience to the truth are God’s chosen people, His modern Israel.”  Testimonies, vol. 2, 108.  Does God have an Israel today?  Oh, yes, He does!

The New Testament is full of instruction about Israel.  I love this passage of Scripture in Romans 9:6 that is about Israel: “It is not as if the word of God is taken none effect.  For they are not all Israel who are Israel.”  What is that talking about?  “Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your seed be called.  Those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God.  No, but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed.”  Verses 7, 8.  We could have a whole sermon just on who is Israel in the New Testament!  The apostle Paul talks about it; Peter talks about it; James talks about it; John talks about it.  It is all through the New Testament. 

Galatians 3:26–29 says, “For you are all the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ you have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” 

All the distinctions of society are going to be obliterated when Jesus comes.  We are going to be one.  We are going to join the angelic family.  We are going to have families like the angels.  We don’t understand it all yet, but it’s surely going to be exciting to find out.  Sometimes I think I can hardly wait.

Who is Israel?  “Those who are trying to obey God and purify their souls through obedience to the truth are God’s chosen people, His modern Israel.” 

What happened to ancient Israel?  “Their dead bodies were strewn in the wilderness because of their transgressions.  Modern Israel are in greater danger of forgetting God and being led into idolatry than were His ancient people.  Many idols are worshiped, even by professed Sabbathkeepers.”  Ibid., vol. 1, 609.  That is scary, isn’t it?

“The unbelief and sins of ancient Israel were presented before me, and I saw that similar wrongs and iniquity exist among modern Israel.”  Ibid., vol. 4, 491.

“The sin of ancient Israel was in disregarding the expressed will of God and following their own way according to the leadings of unsanctified hearts.  Modern Israel are fast following in their footsteps, and the displeasure of the Lord is as surely resting upon them.”  Ibid., vol. 5, 94.  It doesn’t sound very good, does it?

“The great sin of ancient Israel was in turning from God to idols.  This is also the great sin of modern Israel.”  Review and Herald, June 3, 1889.  Mrs. White says, “We are less excusable than was ancient Israel.”  The Signs of the Times, April 15, 1880.  It’s amazing that over and over again she points out what their problem was, then she says we have the same problem.  In fact, she says we have done worse than they did.

“Unmistakable evidence is given that God is a jealous God, and that he will require of modern Israel as he did of ancient Israel, that they obey his law.”  Ibid., May 27, 1880.

“We urge modern Israel to lay aside their ornaments, their jewels of silver and gold and precious stones, to put off their costly-apparel, and to seek for the inward adorning, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit . . . .”  Ibid., May 26, 1881.  She goes on to say that we are not to be devotees of fashion.  Why do we see the problems we do in Adventism today?  Because of these things.

“The cause of Israel’s weakness lay in their departure from God by disobedience to his commandments.  The reason of the weakness and backsliding of modern Israel is their neglect to obey the divine law.”  Ibid., June 9, 1881.  That is the reason for our problems!

“God has given to modern Israel warnings, counsel, and reproof, to bring them to repentance and reformation of life.  But too often these produce but a momentary impression.  The persons warned soon return to their own ways.  They flatter themselves that because they have a form of godliness they will be accepted of the Lord, and they go on presumptuously devising and executing plans in accordance with their own finite judgment, and giving little heed to the special manifestations of divine providence.  It is one thing to acknowledge the claims of God’s law, and quite another thing to render faithful and willing obedience to all its requirements.  And let it be remembered that to the obedient alone will the promises of blessing, support, and guidance be fulfilled.”  Ibid., December 22, 1881.

In ancient Israel, God specified that a difference was to be made between the sacred and the common, between the holy and unholy.  When the priests Nadab and Abihu disregarded that, they were killed.  A divine fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them.  After that happened, the Lord told Moses and Aaron to put a difference between the sacred and the common.

Who is modern Israel?  “This command [the command in II Corinthians 6:17 to separate from the unclean] is just as valid today as when God gave it to Moses to give to the children of Israel.  The sins against which ancient Israel were warned have led modern Israel into byways and forbidden paths.  The professed people of God have made those who are trampling under foot His commandments their counselors.”  Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 130.  Do you know what a byway is?  That is when you are no longer on the main highway.  You are off on a side road.  You may wonder how in the world we could do such a thing?  Well, we’ve done it.  We’ve done it for years.

Do you know where we send our ministers for training?  They go to a Sunday-keeping university to get their doctorate degrees and to learn from the theologians there, then they can come back and train other ministers.  We have had this problem among us for years.  That’s what she says: “The professed people of God have made those who are trampling under foot His commandments their counselors.”

How do we figure out how to make our churches grow?  We send our ministers to Sunday-keeping churches to learn how to make the churches grow.  We’ve been doing it for years.  Who does she say modern Israel is?  She says that it is the professed people of God.  Modern Israel is the professed church. 

The following references on the professed church are alarming too.

“Satan has woven his spell even over the professed church of Christ. . . .  A part of these professors arouse and repent, and do their first works; but those who take comfort in their legal religion [Pharisaism], in their form of godliness that is devoid of the power, feel that they have been personally rebuked and injured by the repentance of those who have aroused and returned unto the Lord.  Instead of humbling their hearts and confessing their backsliding, they resist and oppose the message the Lord has sent.  They oppose their finite wisdom against the wisdom of the Infinite.  They allow their prejudices and passions to hold sway; they work on Satan’s side of the question.”  The Bible Echo, March 26, 1894.  Now, look at what happens: “Thus the advocates of truth are brought into an unexpected conflict, and they are forced to bear witness to the truth, and to resist the hostility and hatred of those who would make the truth of God of none effect.  Thus dissension comes in like a sword to divide believers and unbelievers.”  Ibid.  That is in the professed church!

That is exactly what has been happening, friend, all over the world.  Just the other day I heard about an elderly lady from England who said that when she was a little girl, her parents were Seventh-day Adventists, and Ellen White visited in her parents’ home.  This lady sat at the table as Mrs. White, her parents, and other Adventists talked.  Finally, in this conversation, one of the Adventists asked Mrs. White whether the Lord had shown her what was going to happen to the Seventh-day Adventists—in other words, the Seventh-day Adventist Church.  This lady remembers, as a little girl, sitting at the table watching, and when Ellen White was asked this question, her head dropped and tears began to run down her cheeks.  She began to cry, and she never answered that question.

We are finding out today—and we are going to find out a lot more in the very near future—why she was crying.  These statements were prophecies when they were written, but they are not prophecies any more.

“The professed church of Christ has wandered from her privilege, her duty, and her God.  Like ancient Israel, she has forsaken the covenant, and joined herself in harmony with the world.”  The Signs of the Times, October 4, 1883.  That is why, friend, when a minister stands up and preaches the Three Angels’ Messages, he gets in trouble with the Adventist Church.

That is why, when friends of ours in Europe secured some printing presses and began printing literature in German and other European languages and sending these things by the millions all over Europe, especially eastern Europe, they ran into trouble.  They thought that when people would see this literature proclaiming the Three Angels’ Messages that they would need to know how to get in contact with an Adventist church.  So they put the address and telephone number of the conference office on the literature so people could call there and find out where a Sabbath-keeping church was near them, so they could visit it.

The conference in Germany is affiliated with the ecumenical movement, which affiliates with all the Sunday-keeping churches and the papacy.  When these other church leaders saw this literature bearing the conference telephone number, they came to the conference people and asked why the conference telephone number was on it.  They told the conference leaders that they thought the conference was part of them, cooperating and working with them.  The conference leader said that yes, they were part of them.  They took our brothers to court, sued them, and forced them to take off the conference telephone number.  Praise the Lord that at the present time they can’t force them to quit printing and distributing the literature, but they can force them to not put their telephone number on it.  

I received a communication from our friends asking if we would be willing to have Steps to Life’s phone number on the literature.  They needed a phone number some where in the world so people can find out where there is a Sabbath-keeping church.  We told them that they could put our telephone number on it.  Someone has to risk something to preach the Three Angels’ Messages.  When you go to war, you have to be willing, if you are a soldier, to take some risks.

“Like ancient Israel, she has forsaken the covenant, and joined herself in harmony with the world.  Pride, luxury, and pleasure are invited into the sanctuary, and her holy places are defiled.  Those who have pledged their allegiance to God, enjoy the company and spirit of his avowed enemies.”  Ibid. 

Let me ask you something.  Is that being a faithful soldier, if you have pledged your allegiance to God but you are enjoying the company and fraternizing with His deadliest enemies?  In the world, we call those people traitors, and until a few years ago, in most countries, those people were put to death by a firing squad.  Mrs. White says, “Their choice determines their character. Strong is the Lord God who judges them.”  Ibid.

“The professed church of God may be possessed of wealth, education, and knowledge of doctrine, and may say by her attitude, ‘I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;’ but if its members are devoid of inward holiness, they cannot be the light of the world.  The church is to reflect light into the moral darkness of the world, as the stars reflect light into the darkness of the night.  These who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, do not reflect light into the world, and will not have power to reach the hearts of the unsaved.”  Ibid., September 11, 1893.  And people ask me, “Why are we spending so much money in evangelism with so little results?”  Part of the answer is right here.  She says that if the members of the church are devoid of inward holiness they cannot be the light of the world.  They will not have power to reach the hearts of the unsaved.  See, that is why evangelism is ineffectual.  That is the very same thing that happened in the ancient church.

When I studied church history in graduate school, we learned that after the apostles died the church of God tobogganed into apostasy.  How did they toboggan into apostasy so quickly?  The devil is a schemer, and he persuaded most of the leaders of the early Christian church that they needed to be more successful in evangelism.  By the time the last of the apostles died, it is estimated that between five and ten percent of the Roman Empire were Christian.  That was a lot of people!  In fact, Paul says, in Colossians 1:23, that the gospel had gone to every creature under heaven.  They had all heard it. They didn’t all accept it, but they had all heard it.

The church leaders wanted to be more successful in evangelism.  I’m always scared when church leaders decide that they are going to set a goal for evangelism.  It is all right for God to set goals, but it is different for you and me to set a goal for what God is going to do.  Convicting the heart is the work of the Holy Spirit.  When we start setting goals, then we have to reach them. Otherwise we are disappointed.

It’s like this story I was told by a well-known Seventh-day Adventist evangelist.  This happened many years ago.  He always advertised in his evangelistic meetings that on a certain night in his series he would have a baptism.  He got into a little town in the western United States, and the people were not very receptive to what he was preaching.  It was coming up to the time he was supposed to have a baptism, and he didn’t have anybody to baptize.  He had a problem!  He should have never advertised that in the first place.  We don’t baptize people until the Holy Spirit has them ready, and we can’t tell the Holy Spirit how fast to get somebody ready.  But he had already advertised it to the whole town, so he was in a fix.  Well, there was a fellow in this town that was one or two bricks short—there is somebody like that in every town of any size.  Sometimes they are the town drunk or something else.  Anyway, he got in contact with this fellow, and he talked him into being baptized—that way he wouldn’t be embarrassed, you see.

This person should never have been baptized, but the advertised night came for the baptism.  The baptismal tank had been prepared, but the water was not quite warm enough.  When this fellow stepped into that tank of cold water, he started to swear.  After he was baptized, the evangelist told him to quit swearing or he would baptize him again, and then he swore some more.  That minister was so embarrassed, that after that unfortunate incident, he learned his lesson.  He never advertised that he was going to have a baptism a certain night in his evangelistic meetings any more. 

You see, if we don’t have inward holiness, then we do not reflect the light to the world from Jesus, and we will not have the power to reach the hearts of the unsaved.  In the early church, they evidently began setting baptismal goals.  They wanted to be more successful in evangelism, so they lowered the standard that was required to come into the church.   

When we start lowering the standard, it seems like there is no end.  It just keeps going down, down, down.  After the early church lowered the standard, they couldn’t convert anybody anymore, except hypocrites, because only hypocrites would join such an organization.  Even the heathen pagans who were outstanding, moral people wouldn’t join it, because the people of the early church didn’t have as good morals as the pagans. 

When you lower the standard to bring people into the church, eventually the church becomes powerless to convert anybody except hypocrites.  Then the church becomes full of hypocrites.  Do you see why it is important that we not tolerate open sin in the church and why we should not lower the standard in the church?  If we do, eventually the church will actually be worse than the world.  It will be full of hypocrites.

“The professed church of Christ is strengthening the hand of sinners in their evil work by making void through their traditions [that is their church rules and regulations that are not according to the Bible], the commandment of Jehovah.”  Ibid., March 12, 1894. 

We have now read a whole series of awful, awful statements.  But here is the bright spot in the picture: “There will be a remnant who will do the will of God.” Ibid.  Mrs. White then quotes Isaiah 58:12–14.  Isn’t that wonderful?

We have looked at all these awful statements.  We know modern Israel is those who make a profession of the Adventist faith; they make a profession of keeping the laws of God, of following the Lord, and living according to the Bible—those people that have the testimony of Jesus and keep the commandments of God.  The people who make that profession are modern Israel, but remember most of modern Israel are not going to be saved.  There will be a remnant that is going to go all the way through to the end and go to heaven.  That is the focal point of our study.

The remnant!  Oh, friend, everything is for naught, even if you are a part of Israel.  Everything is for naught, if you don’t become part of that remnant.  Most of modern Israel is going to lose their souls, but there is going to be a remnant

When I started to understand this, I began to ask some questions.  The big question I had was, What is the difference?  What is going to distinguish the remnant of Israel from all the rest of modern Israel?  Is that a fair question to ask, if you are going to be part of the remnant that goes through to glory?  Wouldn’t you like to know what is the difference between the remnant and the rest of Israel?

That is not a question for which the answer is easily apparent, because they all profess to believe the same thing.  It is easy, if you study Bible prophecy, to tell the difference between Israel and Babylon.  Babylon doesn’t keep the commandments; they don’t even profess to.  They deliberately break them, and they tell you that you are going to be saved in sin.  That is what Babylon does.

The apostle Paul, in II Thessalonians 2 calls that the lie.  That is the lie that is going to take the whole world captive in the last generation.  It is the lie that you can be saved in sin.  There is no verse in the Bible that promises salvation in sin, not one.

New Testament theology is, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21.  In the Greek language, the words from and in have the same characteristical marks as they do in English.  Right now I am from Kansas, but I’m not in Kansas.  Quite a bit of difference isn’t there?  There is a lot of difference where you are in and where you are from.  You can’t be in something and from something at the same time.

So it is easy to tell the difference between Israel and Babylon, if you study Bible prophecy.  The distinguishing marks are easily discerned.  We have people come to Steps to Life’s Prophecy Seminar and in three weeks they can tell the difference.  In fact, I had a woman come to me during our last Prophecy Seminar in Wichita.  It has become my custom, when talking to non-Adventists, to never mention the pope by name or to even mention the Roman Catholic Church by name, because I don’t know where the people are coming from.  But I preach the Three Angels’ Messages right from the Bible.  I show them all the marks of Babylon—what the antichrist is and what Babylon is.  This lady came to me after a meeting, and she said, “You are talking about the Roman Catholic Church, aren’t you?”

I said, “Yes.”

It is so plain in the Bible that if you know just a little, tiny bit of history, you can figure out what the Bible is saying.  Just so you don’t get mixed up, do you how many of the distinguishing marks of Babylon, the antichrist, God put in Daniel 7, II Thessalonians 2, and Revelation 13?  One Sabbath I was scheduled to preach, and I wondered how many actual distinguishing marks there are.  I knew that there were over 20.  I just took a pen and paper and I went to Daniel 7 and started writing down a list.  Then I went to II Thessalonians 2, and I kept writing.  Then I went to Revelation 13, and I kept writing.  I had over 66 distinguishing marks written down in just a few minutes!

As I say, if you know Bible prophecy, it’s easy to tell the difference between Israel and Babylon.  But we are not talking about that.  We are talking about all the people that are in Israel now.  See, the remnant are all in Israel.  When you are talking about modern Israel, are you talking about the remnant?  The remnant is a smaller group within a bigger group called Israel.  What we want to know is how to tell the difference.

I will try to make it as simple and practical as I can.  I will tell you the answer in one sentence, and then we will prove it from the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible. 

The difference between the remnant and the rest of modern Israel is that the remnant actually do what the other people profess to do.  Did you get it?  The remnant actually do what the other people profess to do.  That is the only difference, but it ends up being a huge difference.

Is it a huge difference to you if your son or your daughter profess to obey you or whether they actually do?  Is that a difference to you?

Let us look at some statements.  “John saw the remnant church on the earth, in an age of lawlessness, and he points them out in unmistakable language.”  The Signs of the Times, February 3, 1888.  What is this unmistakable language?  Ellen White quoted the text that she says is unmistakable language that points out the remnant: “Here is the patience [an active patience; steadfast endurance] of the holy people [the saints], those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”  Revelation 14:12.

The remnant will be people who actually keep the commandments of God.  All of Israel profess to keep the commandments of God, but the remnant actually do.  They keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.  Do you know what the faith of Jesus is?  The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, but what is the faith of Jesus?

The faith of Jesus is a faith that is powerful enough that you will receive the grace from the Holy Spirit, and you can overcome sin.  If you are overcoming sin, you are experiencing the faith of Jesus.  If you are not overcoming sin, you are not yet experiencing the faith of Jesus. 

A. T. Jones preached between 20 and 30 sermons on this subject at the 1895 General Conference.  He showed that unless you have the faith of Jesus, you won’t be able to keep the commandments.  And that is true.  So, first of all, the remnant are people who actually keep the commandments and have the faith of Jesus.

Second: “The remnant church of God are to give the warning of the third angel to the world.”  Ibid., June 18, 1894.  That is Revelation 14:6–12, the Three Angels’ Messages.  The remnant are going to give the Three Angels’ Messages to the whole world. 

Interestingly, we have arrived at a time when, if anyone tries to give the Three Angels’ Messages anywhere, they receive opposition from people who call themselves Seventh-day Adventists.  If you are opposed to giving the Three Angels’ Messages to the world, you are not going to be part of the remnant.

 Incidentally, so you will not be deceived, the time is coming that it will be at the peril of our lives to give the Three Angels’ Messages to the whole world; but they still must be given to the whole world.  The people of the world have to have one last chance before they burn up.  It is worth it, when you consider that every soul is worth so much that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary.  It is worth taking a risk for whomever you can save.

The remnant church of God is to give the warning of the third angel to the world.  I just learned a few days ago of a man in Canada who set up a web site, and on it he put Bible studies in Chinese.  He’s in contact with many people in China, and he is getting the gospel into China.  He’s getting the third angel’s message to China through the internet.  But he made the “mistake” of putting some pictures in these Bible studies from a certain, very well known, Adventist conference ministry.  Some time back they threatened him that he had to immediately quit using these pictures, or they were going to take him to court and sue him for using their material. 

I could hardly believe it.  If it had been the General Conference, I would have thought, “Yes, they have been doing that kind of thing for years.”  But this isn’t the General Conference.  This is a ministry that, historic Adventists tell me, is preaching the historic message and getting out the real truth to the world.  The historic Adventists, fortunately or unfortunately, have supplied this ministry with probably millions of dollars.  People think that this ministry is giving the Three Angels’ Messages to the world.  Very strange things are happening today.  The people that you thought were going to take the Three Angels’ Messages to the world will sue somebody that is trying to get the messages to China!

I’m going to try to get in contact with this man and tell him that he can use the Steps to Life Bible Studies any time he wants.

I could tell you many more stories.  I already told you one about Germany.  I have now told you one about trying to get the message to China.  Let me tell you, friend, you are going to see things in the very near future that you didn’t think could ever happen, and they are already starting to happen.

The people that are called Israel are going to be listening to and following Lucifer.  They are not going to wind up being the remnant.  The remnant are going to take the Three Angels’ Messages to the world.  Don’t ever forget this.  If you decide that you are afraid to be a soldier in the army of the Lord—because the Lord expects you to take the Three Angels’ Messages to the world, and it is too dangerous to do so, and you decide to duck out of the army on that account—don’t forget that you won’t be a part of the remnant.

Somebody says to me, “Pastor John, don’t you understand what it says in Counsels to Writers and Editors [156] about how we are not to make strong thrusts at the Catholics and other churches?”  Yes, I’ve read all those statements many, many times.  I’ve thought about it, and I’ve prayed and meditated about it, and I’m willing to learn from anybody the best and most tactful and most kind ways of delivering the Three Angels’ Messages.  But after it is all said and done, I still have to deliver the Three Angels’ Messages to the people, and they still have to know who antichrist is, and when we get done, they have to know what the mark of the beast is.  They have to know that.  How can they avoid getting something that they don’t know what it is?

I believe in being tactful, and I believe in being kind.  I believe in treating the Catholics and Muslims and people of all religions with the utmost courtesy and respect, because I believe that Jesus would.  I try to be kind.  I try not to embarrass them, but listen.  Suppose somebody is in a building that is on fire.  What’s the kindest thing to do?  Is the kindest thing to do to say, “Everything is all right,” or to say, “You better get out of here or you are going to burn up”?  What is the kindest thing to do?  The person that really loves you is going to scream to you to get out of there.

People today don’t know what love is.  I believe in kindness; I believe in tact; I believe in courtesy.  I used to be a lot more blunt, but Ellen White tells us that as we draw near the end of time we will have less to say about the Catholics.  I have studied these statements.  I have prayed about it, and I have tried to figure out how to do what the Lord wants me to do the way He wants me to do it.  I don’t even mention the name of the pope; I don’t even mention the name of the Roman Catholic Church.  I do quote from their own writings.  I don’t see how they can be offended if I quote from their writings and say from where I’m quoting.

By the time I finish quoting from their writings, everyone knows everything they need to know.  Just read the Bible and quote their writings and you know everything you need to know.  Quote from Converse Catechism, and they say they don’t worship on Saturday, if that is the Sabbath, because the Roman Church changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday in the Council of Laodicea in 364 A.D.

If we get so timid and scared that we decide we are not going to take the Three Angels’ Messages to the world, because it is too dangerous and we are waiting for a more opportune time, let me tell you something, the more opportune time isn’t coming.  The more opportune time is right now. 

Remember the remnant are going to take the Three Angels’ Messages to the world.  We must be soldiers.  We are going to have to go out on the front lines, at the risk of our lives, to tell the people that they are going to receive the mark of the beast; they are going to get destroyed by the seven last plagues and in hell fire, if they go along with this thing.  We are going to be up against the entire world.  Read Revelation 17.

They are going to be all of one mind.  There is going to be a worldwide confederacy against the truth, and the Lord’s soldiers are going to stand up to this thing.  If we have enough faith, it’s going to be the most wonderful, exciting time in our lives.  If we don’t have enough faith, it is going to be terrifying, and we will go down with the rest of Israel that are not part of the remnant.

I hope that you have decided in your mind that, by the grace of God, you are going to be faithful to the Three Angels’ Messages, and you are going to get them out to all the world the best you can.

The best method does not mean that you stop working.  Learning to do God’s work the best way and not doing the work are two different things.  The best way of doing God’s work is not to muffle the voice and not get the Three Angels’ Messages out, because you are scared somebody will get angry.  People will get angry, but they have to have an opportunity to choose their eternal destiny, and it is your job and mine to give them the opportunity to decide if they are going to have eternal life or not.

The third characteristic of the remnant is given in The Signs of the Times, April 22, 1889: “Although the law of God will be almost universally made void in the world, there will be a remnant of the righteous that will be obedient to God’s requirements.  The wrath of the dragon will be directed against the loyal servants of Heaven.”  She then quotes this Scripture: “The dragon was enraged against the woman, and he went out to wage war with the remnant [that is the rest of her seed], those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus.”  Revelation 12:17.  There will be a remnant that will be obedient, and the dragon will direct his wrath against these.

After quoting Revelation 12:17, Ellen White wrote: “We can see from this scripture that it is not the true church of God that makes war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”  Ibid.  Do you know what that means?

A few years ago I was in Florida.  The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was making a lawsuit against Rafael Perez.  When they sued John Merick a few years before, John Merick actually went to jail.  When you sue somebody, you are waging legal war against that person.  For what was Rafael Perez being sued?  He was getting the Three Angels’ Messages out in big newspapers.  Some may think that he wasn’t doing it right.  Well, friend, if he wasn’t doing it right, show him a better way of doing it, but don’t tell him to do nothing; that would violate his conscience.

I’ve been at Rafael’s place a number of times.  He goes on the radio live every Sunday morning for a call-in program.  He has all sorts of people call.  They ask questions about everything.  He’s doing a work for the Lord.  Keep him uplifted in your prayers.  He has been under attack like everyone is under attack that is trying to get out the Three Angels’ Messages.  The more successful you are at getting the message out, the more you are going to be attacked.

Ellen White said, “We can see from this scripture that it is not the true church of God that makes war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”  I’m sorry to tell you, friends, but on the basis of this statement, I can tell you that the General Conference is not the true church today.  They are making war all over the world with people who are trying to keep the commandments and get out the Three Angels’ Messages.  They are making war with them all over the world.  Oh, somebody says, “But they are Israel.”  Well, sure they are Israel, but thy are not the remnant.  They are not the true church.

I want to be part of the remnant, because when Jesus comes, He isn’t coming for all of Israel.  He is only coming for the remnant.  Everyone else is going to get destroyed when Jesus comes.

“We can see from this scripture that it is not the true church of God that makes war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.  It is the people who make void the law, who place themselves on the side of the dragon, and persecute those who vindicate God’s precepts.”  Ibid.  That is point number three of who are the remnant.

The fourth point will bring clearly into focus who are the remnant today.  “The opposition which Christ received came from his own nation, who would have been greatly blessed had they accepted him.  In like manner the remnant church receive opposition from those who profess to be their brethren.”  Review and Herald, August 28, 1883.  From whom is the remnant church going to receive opposition?  Is it going to be from the heathen?  Is it going to be from Babylon?  Is it going to be from the apostates?   No, it is going to be from Israel.  The remnant are going to receive opposition from modern Israel.

I’ve had people say to me, “But they are the anointed.”  Well, friend, Saul was the anointed one, too, but when he started chasing David, it wasn’t the Lord’s will.  Do you understand that?

The remnant church are those people that keep the commandments; they have the testimony of Jesus—the Spirit of Prophecy.  They have the faith of Jesus, and they are getting the Three Angels’ Messages out to the world.  They are receiving opposition from the people that claim and profess to be their brethren.  That is who the remnant are.  Do you still want to be part of the remnant?

I want to be part of the remnant.  I want to be one of those remnant soldiers.  And here is one of the main reasons why: Because the remnant, in the final analysis, are going to triumph.  It is going to look like they are going to get defeated.  Ellen White said that it is going to look like the devil has won the great controversy, but the remnant finally are going to triumph.  “In holy vision the prophet saw the ultimate triumph of God’s remnant church.”  The Acts of the Apostles, 590.

We read also in Prophets and Kings, 728, that “the prophet beholds the Lord of glory descending from heaven with all the holy angels, to gather the remnant church from among the nations of earth.”  Who is He going to gather?  The remnant.  That is all.  He is going to gather the remnant church from among the nations.

What is going to happen to the rest?  The same thing that happened to ancient Israel. 

People say to me, “The church is going through.”  Of course the church is going through.  The church is always going through.  The church went through in Jesus’ time, but what happened to most of Israel?  The destruction of Jerusalem is what happened.  The church has always gone through.

This will be interesting for you to study, for those who are Bible scholars and want to study this out historically.  If you want, you can start in the Book of Genesis and go right through the Old Testament, and you will find that, in every age of the church, God has always had a remnant that went through.  Always.  And in every age of the church, the majority of God’s people didn’t make it.  So when people say to me, “The church is going through,” I can tell them that the remnant church has always gone through, and it always will.  The question is, Are you going to be part of it?  Do you have the characteristics of those who will be part of the remnant?

The remnant church will ultimately triumph.  It will be gathered from among the nations.  The question is not, Are you part of Israel?  When you get baptized, you are part of Israel, but that does not make you part of the remnant.  Remember what we read in Revelation 17.  Jesus is going to have some people with Him.  He is going to have a battle-hardened army in the last days.  That is why we are going through a few little skirmishes.  It is not much yet, compared to what it is going to be in just a little while, but what we are going through right now is to get us ready for the big one.  Jesus is going to have, in the last days, a battle-hardened army.  Those who are with Him are “called, and chosen, and faithful.”  That is the remnant.  Where are you going to be?  Where are you going to be, when the only ones that are left are the remnant?

Isaiah 4:3 says, “And it shall be the ones that are left in Zion, and those that remain in Jerusalem, they will be called holy; everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem.”  There is the remnant, friend.  The word remnant comes from the Hebrew and Greek words that mean “those that are left.”  The remnant are those that are left when everybody else gets destroyed.  All the sinners in Zion are going to get destroyed; all that is going to be left are the remnant.  Oh, friend, where are you going to be when the remnant is all that’s left alive?