To be a Free Seventh-day Adventist, you must first be a Seventh-day Adventist.
To be a Seventh-day Adventist, you must first be an Adventist.
As God’s work for this world is in its final stages, having a clear conscience becomes more and more important. To have a clear conscience, we must be where God wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do. Whatever the work may be: building a house, repairing an automobile, working on a farm, growing plants, working in an industry, a factory, or a business.
Free Seventh-day Adventists around the world are interested in and trying to restore and practice the New Testament church organization. We must study the New Testament church of the first century—when it was founded, organized, and how it functioned—to understand this type of organization.
To Help the Sincere
The book of Daniel was written so that sincere heathen and idolatrous peoples could learn the truth about the God of heaven and choose to follow Him.
In Daniel 3, we find the account of the three Hebrew young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. The whole world at that time knew of their religion and how they were thrown into the fiery furnace because, regardless of the cost to themselves, they would bow down and serve only the God of heaven. They were taken from the fiery furnace and examined by representatives from all over the then world. There was no evidence that the fire had affected them at all—no smell of smoke, no damage to their clothes or person. This report went to the whole world as evidence that there is a God in heaven and He could deliver even from the fiery furnace.
We see in the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar had made a symbol of an established religion. This religion did not teach that one should love and serve the God of heaven, but rather, Nebuchadnezzar put himself as God before the people.
In Daniel 2, Daniel interprets a dream for Nebuchadnezzar.
“There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these … . In the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Daniel 2:28, 44
In Daniel 4, we find that the heathen king had another dream and he called upon Daniel to give him the interpretation of it. A year after hearing the interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar declared:
“Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” Verse 30
We are told that while the words were still in his mouth, a voice from heaven said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” Verses 31, 32
“Then he [Nebuchadnezzar] was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. ‘But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.’ ” Daniel 5:21–23
At the end of his seven-year period of insanity, Nebuchadnezzar said, “At the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ ” Verses 34, 35
“Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end.” Daniel 6:25, 26
Written for a Different Purpose
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.” Revelation 1:1
Revelation is a special message from Jesus Christ written especially to His church. Jesus said “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.” Revelation 22:16, first part
By the time Revelation was written, Jerusalem had been destroyed and was no longer the center of Christianity in the world. Chapters 2 and 3 document messages to seven different churches throughout history. The first is the church at Ephesus.
If we look at the writings of the apostles Peter in 1 Peter 2 or Paul in Ephesians 2, we will clearly see that both taught that Jesus Christ was the chief Cornerstone of the church. He was the Rock on which the church was built.
How Is the Sinner Bound or Let Loose?
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
What are the keys to the kingdom of heaven? The words of Jesus Christ. We have those words today because of Jesus’ apostles. Jesus gave them the keys, and they wrote down the words that He spoke; and we call them the gospel.
When the gospel is presented, we have but two choices—acceptance or rejection. Jesus said we cannot sit on the fence. We are His or we are not. And those who are not with Jesus are against Him. So when you hear the gospel, you are forced to make a decision. If you accept the gospel, committing your life to Jesus Christ, your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, and you are bound for glory. If you reject the gospel, you are set free from salvation, ultimately however, you will pay the price for your sins.
The Churches
The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia. It is a group or assembly of people who have been called out from the world. Prior to the organization of the Christian church, human society tended to be bound together by a common religious loyalty. Society was held together by a common religion to which all members of that society were expected to be committed. The Old Testament talks about the Egyptians, Amorites, and Canaanites, each nation having its own gods. But when Jesus came, He said He would call out a people from all nations to serve and follow Him; society would no longer be homogeneous.
Paul uses church to describe the church universal (the world-wide church). For example, we find it used this way in the book of Ephesians. “And He [the Father] put all things under His [the Son’s] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22, 23
- T. Jones used this verse to prove that the church was the biggest thing in the universe. He talks about the church again specifically in Ephesians 5:24, 25, and 32.
“And He [Christ] is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:17, 18. Jesus must have first place in our hearts and lives.
“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter [petros], and on this rock [Petra] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’ ” Matthew 16:15–18
We find many texts in the New Testament that talk about the church universal, but the vast majority of New Testament texts are about the local church.
“Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.” Romans 16:5
The churches mentioned in the Scriptures were all organized.
“So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Acts 14:23
Every church was organized with elders and eventually deacons as well. The New Testament church was not organized as a hierarchy. The Jewish church in Christ’s day was organized as a hierarchy. A hierarchy is a ruling body of clergy organized into orders or ranks, each subordinate to the one above it; and a hierarchical church organization is one of the marks of Babylon.
Read that carefully, I did not say that every church with an established hierarchical system is part of Babylon. However, it is still true that a hierarchical system is one of the identifying marks of Babylon.
Where Is the Catholic Church?
Contrary to what many people think, the Roman Catholic church was not yet in existence when Christ was here. How do we know?
- There were no Christian churches anywhere when Christ was here.
- Roman Catholic theology believes that Peter was head of the church. However, Acts 15 shows us that James was the presiding elder at the church council, not Peter.
- Paul wrote the book of Romans to the church in Rome, well after Christ’s crucifixion and ascension to heaven.
- It is thought by millions of Christians that Peter was the first bishop of the church of Rome, but there is no proof of that. In Romans 16:3–23, Paul sends greetings to many different people in the Roman church. If Peter was the bishop of the church of Rome, wouldn’t Paul have sent greetings to Peter, too? In fact, Peter is never mentioned in the book of Romans.
- The book of Romans teaches that the law will be fulfilled in the life of a Christian. “But now having been set free from sin [set free from breaking the law and you’re not in bondage anymore], and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” Romans 6:22
“As many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.” Romans 2:12. The Bible is saying that sin is transgression of the law and the penalty for transgression is death. “For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.” Verse 13. “That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:4 - The book of Romans teaches that the righteousness of the law must be fulfilled in your life, making you a doer of the law. That’s the strongest proof that I know that the Roman Catholic church did not yet exist when the book of Romans was written. One of the central doctrines of Roman Catholicism is that Sunday is the Lord’s day. In keeping Sunday, people break the fourth commandment. There were no Sunday-keeping churches when Romans was written.
- While visiting Budapest a number of years ago, I entered a large Roman Catholic church. While admiring the beautiful stained-glass windows and paintings, I noticed in a corner a life-sized crucifix and a young woman kneeling in front of it. As I left the church, I saw that she was still kneeling there. She was breaking the second commandment. Luke says, “As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, ‘Stand up; I myself am also a man.’ ” Acts 10:25, 26. It is wrong to kneel down and worship a man, a statue, an image, a relic. It is wrong to bow down in worship of the created instead of the Creator.
Ephesus
At the inception of the Christian [apostolic] church, Jesus ordained 12 apostles. Then in counsel with the church, these 12 apostles ordained seven deacons (Acts 6). In Acts 15, there arose a theological difference among the church members, so a church council was convened to study and pray about the issue. It is evident, with careful study, that at the time of Christ, the world headquarters of the church was in Jerusalem. However, after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, it appears that the world headquarters of the apostolic church was moved to Ephesus.
The best evidence we have that Ephesus became the center of the Christian church is seen after the apostle John was delivered from the Isle of Patmos. Domitian (Caesar Domitianus Augustus), who exiled the apostle to the Isle of Patmos, had died. Nerva (Nerva Caesar Augustus) reversed Domitian’s decisions and set the apostle John free. Upon his release, John returned to Ephesus.
Second Timothy, Paul’s letter to Timothy, written while Paul was in prison, instructs Timothy to come to visit him in prison before he is martyred, and tells him that he is sending Tychicus to watch over things in Ephesus while Timothy is away visiting Paul. This tells us that the church in Ephesus was organized. Timothy was its bishop. There was a church membership list.
There are people in Adventism today who engage in theological speculation that there are two true churches. These two churches are known as the visible and invisible churches. Material—tapes, letters, mimeograph materials, videos, and all sorts of things—have been sent all over the world teaching that there are two true churches. These people do acknowledge that the invisible church has no human leadership, no planned mission, no system of discipline, no church membership. However, there is no invisible church, and the Bible clearly states that there is only one true church.
The Visible True Church
- Jones taught that there was an invisible church, but if you look at the context of his teaching, you will understand that he meant you could never literally see all the members of the church at the same time.
- All the churches spoken of in the New Testament are visible, organized, and with human leaders called elders and deacons.
- The true church has a membership list. This church has many times had to go underground, and during those times, its membership list was kept secret.
- It has a system of church discipline. “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars.” Revelation 2:2
- It has a mission to take the gospel to the world.
Society Divided
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s foes will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34–39
Society is to be divided—those who accept Christ and those who will not.
Jesus Taught Respect and Obedience
We are to respect worldly government in its proper sphere. Regarding paying taxes He said, “ ‘Whose image and inscription is this?’ They said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ And He said to them, ‘Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ ” Matthew 22:20, 21
The government (federal or state) has a right to know that its citizens are married or not. (Romans 13). It has the right to enforce the last six commandments of the law—you do not steal from or murder your neighbor. Although it is no longer enforced anymore, you are not to commit adultery with or covet anything your neighbor has. You are not to lie to the government or lie about your neighbor. And if you do these things, it has a right to put you in prison or punish you in some other way. But there are things that belong only to God. (See Romans 13 and 14.) In other words, we are to respect and obey our government and our leaders, but only as they do not interfere with our obedience to God and His law.
An example of this is worship. The government has no authority or right to force its citizenry to worship God in a certain way or on a certain day. That is God’s business, between you and Him. Caesar has no seat at the table.
In the World, but Not of It
The early Christians knew that it was the Master’s will that they be the salt of the earth, partakers of an anointing, a transaction where they would live in contrast to, being separate from, the world around them. They were to be holy and seek peace with all men.
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14
Early Christianity learned that Jesus had come to create a people from within a people. It realized that it is by an act of faith that men become the sons of God, that this sonship to God is not simply continuous with being in a certain area of the country or belonging to a certain country. Primitive Christianity knew that although God is a Saviour of all men, He is especially the Saviour of those who believe.
However, a split occurred in Christianity. Constantine took things back to the Old Testament idea that if you belonged in a certain country, you were part of the Christian church. In this way, he established the Roman Empire as part of Christianity; he made Rome Christian and then everyone who lived in Rome automatically became a Christian.
Secular and Sacred Blended
The Donatists were a group of people who believed that a true church could not exist if secular rule and the Christian church were blended. Both the government and the church viewed them as deadly enemies and eventually destroyed them. Why were the Catholic church and the Roman Empire so against the Donatists? Augustine understood why. He said, “The issue between us and the Donatists is about the question of where this body is to be located, that is, what and where is the church.” Both the Donatists and the Catholics had their own definition of who and what the church is.
Down through history, one group after another has said we need to go back to New Testament church organization where the church is comprised of people who are called out from the world. That was the issue with the Waldenses, the Huguenots, the Albigenses, and the Anabaptists, and it will be the issue at the end of time.
Have you been called out? You cannot be a Christian if you are still part of the world. Christ’s true church is made up of people who have been called out from the world and who, having completely left the world and the things of the world behind, have fully surrendered themselves to Christ.
Pastor John J. Grosboll is the Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be reached by email at historic@stepstolife.org or by telephone at 316-788-5559.