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Babylonian Captivity, Part II

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In part one of this article, we learned that the messages of the true prophet, Jeremiah, were rejected because: (1) Zedekiah, the king, did not humble himself and obey; (2) the false prophets had great influence with their smooth messages; (3) the king trusted to his own wisdom; and (4) the truth was contrary to the inclinations of the human heart.

Agreeable Religion Desired

People today—not just people of the world, but people who say they are Christians, people who say they are part of God’s remnant people—want a religion that agrees with the inclinations of the human heart. The Bible religion does not agree with the inclinations of the human heart. That is why Jesus said, “If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24. That is why the apostle Paul said that the old man has to be crucified. (See Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6.)

The religion of the Bible—the truth of the Bible—is contrary to the inclinations of the human heart. People want a religion that is agreeable, that is not contrary to their human inclinations. That is why the false prophets have always been more popular than those who are preaching the truths of the Bible.

Message of Mercy

If Zedekiah had not been afraid and had accepted the message that he actually believed to be true, God would have been merciful.

“Even to the last hour, God made plain His willingness to show mercy to those who should choose to submit to His just requirements. Had the king chosen to obey, the lives of the people might have been spared, and the city saved from conflagration; but he thought he had gone too far to retrace his steps.” Prophets and Kings, 457.

Interesting! I wonder if anyone reading this article right now is in that situation. Preachers meet a lot of people who have gone contrary to what God has said to do for so long that they think there is no hope.

Now, there was hope. Remember that Jeremiah, when speaking to Zedekiah, said, “If you will just submit to the king of Babylon, you will save your life, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your family will all live.” Jeremiah 38:17. But he thought he had gone too far to retrace his steps.

Friend, the devil is the one that is trying to convince you to believe that you have gone too far to come back to Jesus, that you have gone too far to repent. Jesus says, “He that comes to me I will in no case cast out.” John 6:37.

Too Far to Retrace

Ellen White wrote, “None have fallen so low, none are so vile, but that they can find deliverance in Christ.” The Desire of Ages, 258.

Zedekiah could have found the same deliverance. He could have stood up and said, “I am going to make an about face. I have been living in rebellion and transgression against the warnings of Jeremiah, but now I am going to follow the Lord’s instructions.” I believe that if he would have had the moral backbone to take that stand, he would have saved his life, saved his eyes, saved the lives of his children, saved the city from being burned, and saved the lives of thousands of other people who would have followed his example. But he thought he had gone too far to retrace his steps.

How is it with you? Parents, are you in a situation where your young children or teenagers are rebelling, because they have not seen the example of a godly father or a godly mother? It may be very late, but if you will now stand up for the right, you will have a better chance than anything else you may do to redeem the time. But many people feel they have gone so far that they cannot turn around; they cannot retrace their steps. That is how Zedekiah felt.

Choose to Stand

In addition, Zedekiah was afraid. He was afraid of the Jews around him who had been influenced by the false prophets. He was afraid of the Jews; he was afraid of their ridicule; he was afraid he would lose his life. Are you afraid of people around you who have been influenced by false teachers?

Zedekiah had been rebelling against God for years, and he thought it would be too humiliating to admit that he had been wrong all that time. It would be too humiliating to say that he had made the decision to accept the word of the Lord and not war against it anymore.

Friend, how is it with you? Are you willing to say the following to the people in your family? “You know, for a long time now, I have gone the wrong way. I have set a bad example, but I am choosing to turn around. From now on, I am going to set a godly example; whatever God tells me to do, I am going to obey. I hope you in my family will choose with me to obey God, but whether or not you do, I am going to stand for God no matter what.”

You must be willing to stand alone. If you will stand alone, through your influence, God will save others.

Zedekiah was not willing to take this stand. As a result, the city was burned; he saw the rulers of Judah slaughtered; he saw his children slaughtered; his eyes were put out, and he was taken to Babylon.

The Faithful Blamed

As time was building up to the final crisis, the false prophets were creating confusion and rebellion by prophesying lies and encouraging people to look upon sin as a light thing. When the terrible results of the evil deeds were made manifest, they sought to put the blame on Jeremiah. Concerning this, Ellen White wrote: “To the end of time, men will arise to create confusion and rebellion. . . . When the terrible results of their evil deeds are made manifest, they will seek, if possible, to make the one who has faithfully warned them, responsible for their difficulties . . . .” Prophets and Kings, 442.

It will be that way until the end of time. If God has called you to preach or to teach His people, remember this: If you preach the truth, those who are preaching lies will blame you for everything that is going wrong. They will blame you for discouraging the people, and they will say, “You are reproving them so much that you are causing them to be discouraged. You have got to be a little easier on them; you cannot be reproving all the time; you have got to talk more about the love of God.” That is what they said regarding Moses; that is what they said regarding Jeremiah; that is what they said regarding all the prophets.

History Repeated

It is so easy for people to read this account in the Bible and simply think that they are reading a story—an ancient story about what happened to God’s people long, long ago. But the captivity of God’s people into Babylon, during the time of Zedekiah, is not just a story of long ago. It is something that will occur again in the future.

“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.” Ibid., 417.

“The church will yet see troublous times. She will prophesy in sackcloth.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 594. Is there going to be another Babylonian captivity? Yes, there is.

There was a Babylonian captivity in Jeremiah’s time, and there was a Babylonian captivity predicted in Revelation 2, which occurred from 538 a.d.–1798 a.d. “The holy city,” or the church, “shall they tread under foot forty [and] two months.” (Verse 2.)

Another Captivity

But friend, there is going to be another Babylonian captivity at the end of time. Are you ready for it? Do not listen to the voices that say, “Oh, do not worry; everything is going to be all right. We are going to be right here until the Lord comes.” How do you know you are going to be right here until the Lord comes?

Another Babylonian captivity is coming, friend. The Bible clearly predicts it in Micah 4:1: “And it shall come to pass in the last days . . . .” Are we living in the last days? Is this a prophecy about the last days? The answer to both of those questions is Yes.

The very opening words in the fourth chapter of Micah are: “It shall come to pass in the last days.” Then it speaks of the great, worldwide, international, religious, peace movement. It is described in language very similar to the description given by Isaiah in the second chapter of his book. Micah 4:9 says, “Now you, why do you cry? Why do you cry out? There is no king among you.” Zedekiah was the last king. In the Book of Ezekiel, the Lord said that, after Zedekiah, there would never again be a king over His people “until he come whose right it is; and I will give it [him]”—that is, the Messiah. Ezekiel 21:27. (See also Ezekiel 37:22.)

Abide in the Field

“Now you, why do you cry? Why do you cry out? There is no king among you. Your advisors, have they perished? For pain has seized you, labor pains as a woman giving birth. Have labor pains and give birth, O daughter of Zion, as a woman giving birth. Because now you shall go out from the city, and you shall abide in the field.” Micah 4:9, 10, first part.

“You are going to go out from the city.” People say, “We are going to stay right here.” The false prophets say, “You are going to stay right here.” But the Lord says, “No, you are not going to stay here; you are going out from the city. You are going to dwell in the field.” Some of God’s people are already dwelling in the field. Some have already been driven out of the city, but that is not all. “Because now you shall go out from the city, and you shall abide in the field, and you shall go even to Babylon.” Are God’s people going to go to Babylon again? Yes, they are. “You shall go even to Babylon. There you shall be delivered; Jehovah will redeem you there from the hand of your enemies.” Verse 10.

From where is the Lord going to deliver his people? They will have been driven out of the city; they will have been dwelling in a field, and then they will have been even to Babylon. From there, the Lord says, “I am going to deliver you; I am going to redeem you.” Ibid.

Troublous Time

There is coming a time, friend, when some of God’s children will be driven out of the city into the fields, the rocks, and the mountains. Some will be in Babylon, down in the belly of the beast, and some will be in dungeons. But from those places the Lord is going to deliver them; He is going to redeem them.

There is another Babylonian captivity coming. The church is going to see troublous times. She is going to prophesy in sackcloth. Do not let any false prophet tell you otherwise. In verse 7, we read: “I will make the lame for a remnant, and she who has been removed for a strong nation, and Jehovah will reign over them in the mountain of Zion from now, even for ever.”

Are you going to be one of that remnant? Oh friend, not all that profess to be Israel will be saved. In fact, only a remnant will be saved. That is what the Bible says, because another Babylonian captivity is coming. Another time of trouble is coming.

Troublous times are coming when again the church is going to prophesy in sackcloth. Are you ready for it? Do not say, “Well, everything is going to be all right.” Do not listen to the false teachers who are telling you not to worry about getting ready. It is coming whether you are ready or not.

Free of Fear

What is going to happen to the people who, as Zedekiah, are afraid of the Jews? Read again the story of Zedekiah. From this study we already know that he lost his life; thousands of people around him who were God’s professed people lost their lives; his family was slaughtered; his rulers lost their lives; his eyes were put out, and he was brought to Babylon. Why? Because of fear of the Jews, he was not willing to stand up alone for the truth.

How Will You Stand?

How is it with you? Are you waiting for someone else to stand up, or are you willing to stand up for truth and say, “Lord, help me to never have the fear of the Jews—the fear of man”? There is a reason, friend, that the Three Angels’ Messages open with the words, “Fear God.” As we approach the end of this world’s history, each of us will be in one of two categories. We are either going to fear God and be obedient to His law, or we are going to fear man and be obedient to him—even when it is contrary to the Law of God. Where are you going to be? How are you going to stand for the truth then, if you cannot stand for the truth now?

You see, friend, every day you are making decisions, which are going to determine your eternal destiny, and when the final Babylonian captivity comes, where will you be? Will you be with the great majority who, because of the fear of the Jews, is afraid to stand alone? Will you end up losing your life, and will those around you lose their lives, because you are afraid to stand up for the truth? That is what happened to Zedekiah. That is what will happen today with those who listen to the false prophets.

Troublous times are coming. Now is the time to get ready. Now is the time to be studying your Bible and praying, “Lord, teach me the truth, so I will be ready to give witness for you to anyone in the world—a king, a legislature, government officials, the learned men of the earth.” If we do not know our Bibles, the wisdom of the world’s men will be too great for us. Now is the time to get ready, so we will not be afraid of the Jews.

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

The Seven Churches, Part VIII: The Church of Sardis

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The people of Sardis had a name depicting they were alive, but they were dead. They thought they were alive, because they had followed Martin Luther. Because he was alive, they thought they were alive as well. They, for some reason, thought that if they were followers of someone who was spiritually alive, they would be alive also.

That is especially applicable to our young people. Have you ever heard about preachers’ kids or teachers’ kids or doctors’ kids—kids of people who are especially religious? Sometimes those kids grow up to be absolutely irreligious! That can happen. Do you know why it can happen?— because, as the followers of Luther who said, “Luther’s great, and I am a follower of him. He is a Christian; I must be a Christian too,” they grow up thinking, “My mother is a Christian; my father is a Christian. They go to church; I go to church. They go to Sabbath School; I go to Sabbath School. We have family worship. They are Christians; I must be a Christian too!” These people fool themselves. It is one thing to fool others, but it is worse to fool yourself.

It was a noble act for Martin Luther and even his followers to put their lives on the line for the gospel. The message had to be lived. It had to be more than just heard and believed. It had to be lived.

Implanted Word

In James 1:21, we read: “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” The Word must be received within, not just heard. Is there something in the Word that can save our souls? Yes, if it is implanted, if it is written on our hearts and minds.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Verse 22. It is bad to deceive others, but it is worse to deceive yourself. That is the picture of Sardis. They thought they were alive, but they were dead. That is the picture of Laodicea. They thought they were rich, but they were poor. This will be the picture of most Christians as Jesus is about to come again. They think they are Christians, but they have absolutely deceived themselves.

I hope and pray with all of the fervor I have that your church is filled with the Holy Spirit and the love of God, and that it is on fire for Him. But I want to tell you, it does not matter whether the whole church is on fire for God; that will not save you, unless you are on fire for God too. Being in the midst of Christians will never save you; you must become a Christian too.

James continues, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” Verses 23, 24. I guess he supposes that Jesus will cover him with His righteousness regardless of what he does, as long as he hears the Word and accepts Him. He immediately forgets what kind of a man he was. It is not that important, you see, for he thinks his sins are forgiven.

Hearers or Doers

“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues [in it], and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” Verse 25. What does it say in Revelation? Those are blessed who read and hear and keep the things that are written therein.

Many of the Reformers were hearers, and they outwardly performed the work. Inwardly, they were unconverted. In short order, they allowed Jesuits to start schools in their midst, and outwardly, they were good schools. They decided to send their young people to these schools, because they wanted them to have a liberal education. They put the arts and the sciences above the integrity of the faith. Were they truly converted? No, they were not.

Follow the Leader?

Moreover, the early Protestants trusted their leaders. However far their leaders went, they went equally as far. When their leaders died, they died. They thereby showed that their faith was not built upon God but upon people, upon their leaders. When others came along and preached something different or taught more light, they persecuted them.

When Wesley appeared, these good, strong Protestants threw stones at him and threatened his life more than once. In one attempt to kill him, they found a wild bull, and, by poking it, they got it to cause a great disruption by stampeding right through the audience, straight toward Wesley. If it had not been for the grace of God, these Protestant brethren would have killed Wesley, just as the Catholics killed the earlier Protestants.

These later Protestant Reformers began to understand the dangers of building their faith on their leaders. John Robinson, a pastor of the Pilgrims, was not able to come to America, because he was too old by the time they finally crossed the ocean. When the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower, he preached a closing sermon. He said, “Brethren, we are now erelong to part asunder, and the Lord knoweth whether I shall live ever to see your faces more. But whether the Lord hath appointed it or not, I charge you before God and His blessed angels to follow me no farther than I have followed Christ. If God should reveal anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth of my ministry; for I am very confident the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy word.” The Great Controversy, 291, 292.

Oh, if only the early Protestant Reformers could have heard that word and accepted it. We must learn from God’s instrumentalities. The Bible says that He ordains preachers, evangelists, and teachers. If we do not hear the word that God sends to us through human instrumentalities, most of us will never hear it. We will be lost.

I think of the eunuch out in the desert. (Acts 8:27–39.) If he had not listened to Philip, would God have somehow raised up another instrumentality? Would He have said, “Well, he was not good enough for you; I will raise up somebody else”? No, the eunuch would have gone down to his grave in ignorance. I think of the centurion and how God sent Peter to enlighten him. (Acts 10.) If he had rejected Peter, would God have sent someone else? No, he had his one opportunity.

God uses human instrumentalities, and we need to listen when God sends them, but our faith must be grounded, not in the people, but in God. As with Paul, we are counseled that we should study the Word daily to find whether those things are so. (Acts 17:11.) Then, when the Word is preached, it must be more than believed; it must be lived. We must not just know the truth; we must be converted.

Death of Reformation

For the great majority of the Protestant followers, this was not the case, and that is why the Protestant Reformation was cut short. The historians look back to that era of the 1500s, when the Protestant Reformation mowed down the Catholic theology until whole countries, one after the other, became Protestant. It appeared that the Catholic Church was dead, never to recover again. But the Protestant Reformation died, and the deadly wound, as the Bible calls it, was healed. (Revelation 13:3, 12.) The Bible says that there is coming a time when the entire world will once again follow after the beast. (Revelation 13:3.)

The Protestants did the same thing as did the Israelites when they entered into Canaan. God had told them to conquer all of Canaan, to take all of their images, and to get rid of their religion. But they only conquered a few and then decided they were tired of fighting and would rather settle where they were and plant gardens. Then they let the Philistines live among them. They told themselves that there was no reason for concern, because they were stronger than the Philistines. But sooner or later the Philistines came back to conquer them.

A Good Beginning and Ending

In Revelation 3:2, God says, “Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.” It is not just a good beginning that assures one’s position in heaven; it is a good ending as well! We must remain faithful; we must grow every day.

No one is ever getting to heaven by just making a good beginning. We are not getting to heaven unless we also continue unto the end. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” That is a conditional statement. There are a lot of people who are claiming, “once saved, always saved.” They think that as long as they make a good beginning, that is all that is necessary. That is a soothing philosophy from the devil, which he has spread upon the church of today.

That is what happened in Sardis. There were many people who made a good beginning by listening to Martin Luther, but they did not continue to the end. They grew discouraged. In the last days, we are told, the same thing will happen. In Matthew 24:13, Jesus said, “He who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Parable of Virgins

In Matthew 25, Jesus told a parable about some virgins, or bridesmaids, who went out to a wedding, and as it was the custom to do in Bible times, they waited for the bridegroom and his attendants. Back then, the wedding attendants went into the wedding with the bridegroom, so they waited for him. When the bridegroom went in, the door was shut and locked.

This is similar to an old tradition in America. In the past, when the wedding began, the door was locked, and no one else could enter. If a guest arrived five minutes late and the marriage ceremony had begun, he or she was left outside the wedding.

So the bridesmaids waited. The trouble was, the bridegroom did not come when he was expected. They had made a good beginning, but they had not prepared for a delay. The delay was a lot longer—the trial a lot greater—than what they had anticipated. By the time the bridegroom finally arrived, half of the virgins’ lamps had gone out, so they had to go in search of more oil. While they were searching, the bridegroom went into the marriage with those who were ready, and closed the door.

At the close of time, half of the virgins will still be looking for oil for their lamps, but the door of probation will be shut. The bridegroom will then enter into the marriage supper (Revelation 19:9) with those who are ready and waiting. Those who will be left out will be left out forever, and those who are taken in will be taken in forever. It is not just a good beginning that counts.

Complete to the End

In giving prophecy seminars, many times have I seen people who have come and heard and listened and enjoyed and believed and accepted, but they never went on to complete what was beginning. What good did it do them, if they did not complete the beginning? It did not do any good at all. Dear friends, all of us have made a good beginning. But what counts is how we finish the race. Are we going to finish?

Jesus spoke of two classes of Christians in Matthew 7, represented by two builders who both heard the word. One did as he was told and built his house on the rock. When the storm came, the house stood. The other heard but did not do, and his house was likened to a house that was built on the sand. He also had a Christian house; they were both Christians. But when the storm came—and I want to tell you, the storm is coming to every life; no one is getting to heaven without having to weather a storm—the house did not stand.

We will not get to heaven by being Christians in the sunlight. We will get to heaven by being Christians through the storm. In the parable that Jesus taught, both believers built a house. They both built a house in the sunlight. They were both Christians, but were both saved? Only the house that withstood the storm was saved. During the storm, Christianity is tested to show whether or not it is genuine.

Good Enough for Dad

Revelation 3:3, 4 says, “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” Just as those virgins in the parable. “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.”

Another problem with many of the Reformers was that they somehow thought that whatever religion was good enough for their fathers was good enough for them. How many people today have I heard say, “Well, my parents kept Sunday. It was good enough for them; it is good enough for me.” The Bible tells us to repent. We are held accountable for more than for what our fathers were held accountable. They were held accountable for their lives, but if we go no farther than they, we are dead, though we may have a name that we are alive.

Verses 5 and 6 say, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Today, the torch has been passed to us. We are held accountable for more than any other generation of people. Dear friends, we are held accountable for more than were the Reformers in Martin Luther’s day. We are held accountable for more than were the Reformers in Wesley’s day. We are held accountable for more than were the Adventists 20 or 50 years ago. I want you to contemplate that the Adventists 50 years ago never finished the work. Today, God is calling for 144,000 people who come up to a higher plain than anyone has ever before come. If we live the way our fathers lived, they may be saved, but we are dead.

Remember This

In summary, let me share three things I would like you to remember. First, the church of Sardis teaches us that we must be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Second, the church of Sardis teaches us that we must go beyond the faith of our fathers. Third, the church of Sardis teaches us that we must not just make a good beginning, but we must remain faithful unto the end, or our names will be blotted out of the Book of Life.

Your name and my name may have been written in the Book of Life at one time. The only way it can be written there is if you have been saved at some time. But the Bible says that although you have once been saved, although you have once accepted Jesus, although at one time you were converted, your name will be blotted out of the Book of Life unless you go on to higher ground. May that not happen to any of us. May we be clothed with the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness.

To be continued . . .

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington state, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

Babylonian Captivity, Part I

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In the Hebrew Bible, 11 Chronicles is the last book of the Bible. If you turn in the Hebrew Bible to 11 Chronicles 36, the last chapter in the Hebrew Bible, you find this statement in verses 15 and 16: “And Jehovah God sent to their fathers [warnings], sent to them by His messengers, rising early and sending, because He had pity upon His people and upon His dwelling place. But they mocked His messengers, and they despised His words, and they scoffed at His prophets, until it came up the wrath of Jehovah upon His people, until there was no healing [no remedy].”

In this passage of Scripture, we see the reluctance of God to bring judgments or punishments upon His people. In an effort to avert the punishment, He sends messengers to them to tell them what will happen if they continue in their sinful ways and to appeal to them to repent. To repent means to change your mind, to turn around and go in a different direction. So God, it says, rose up early and sent messengers—many messengers—to try to get His people to repent, because He “had pity on his people.” But they would not listen. Not only would they not listen, but they scoffed at His messengers; they despised their words. Finally, it says, there was no healing. There was no remedy, and the lightest punishment that a merciful God could bring upon His rebellious people was to send them into captivity.

A large portion of what we call the Old Testament was written throughout that period just before, during, and right after the captivity. For example, both Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied during that time. Daniel prophesied in Babylon during that time, and not too long before it happened, Isaiah was sent to appeal to the people that they might turn around. There were also prophets such as Hosea, Micah, and Amos who were sent to God’s people with a message of warning, but as we just read in 11 Chronicles 36:15, 16, God’s professed people, His chosen people, would not listen. As a result, doom was approaching, doom that could not be averted.

A Solemn Warning

To understand the significance of what we are going to read, we need to understand that these Old Testament prophecies—these stories—were not just given to tell us the history of God’s people in ancient times. They were given to describe to us what is going to happen in our time and to warn us of what will happen should we give the same regard to the prophets—the messengers—that God sends to us as ancient Israel gave to the messengers He sent to them.

“Let none who claim to be the depositaries [sic] of God’s law flatter themselves that the regard they may outwardly show to the commandments will preserve them from the exercise of divine justice. Let none refuse to be reproved for evil, nor charge the servants of God with being too zealous in endeavoring to cleanse the camp from evil-doing. A sin-hating God calls upon those who claim to keep His law to depart from all iniquity. A neglect to repent and to render willing obedience will bring upon men and women today as serious consequences as came upon ancient Israel. 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, 416, 417.

The desolation of Jerusalem, Ellen White wrote, is a solemn warning to modern Israel. Please think this through. What does that sentence mean?

A very similar sentence appeared in The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880: “The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.” Let me tell you, friends, doom is approaching modern Israel today.

During those days, when Jeremiah was prophesying, he was in constant danger. Once, he was placed in prison. Once, he was placed in a dungeon. Once, he was beaten. A number of times his life was threatened. The rulers went to the king and told him to have this man put to death, because he was weakening the arms of the people. (Jeremiah 38:4.)

Peace, Peace

During that same time, there were false prophets that were very popular among the people. This might seem ironic or paradoxical to the person who is not a student of sacred history, but anyone who has studied the Bible from beginning to end knows that this is a common reaction among God’s professed people. They love the messages of the false prophets, and they hate the messages of the true prophets. Peter stated, when he wrote his last letter to the Christian church, that, in the future, it would be this way. (11 Peter 2.)

He talked briefly first about what happened in Old Testament times, and then he told what would transpire in the future. He said: “And there were false prophets among the people, as also there should be among you false teachers, which will secretly bring in heresies of destruction, even denying the Sovereign who purchased them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow after them in sensuality [or in licentious living], through which the way of truth will be evilly spoken of.” 11 Peter 2:1, 2. So Peter said it would be exactly the same in the future as it was in the past.

Of course, the false prophets told ancient Israel, “Do not worry. The Lord is going to break the power of the king of Babylon. You are not going to go into captivity. You are going to stay right here. There is going to be prosperity. There is going to be peace.”

Jeremiah told of such prophecies. (Jeremiah 14:13, 14.) Ezekiel spoke of the same thing. He said that these false prophets cry “Peace, peace,” when the Lord has not spoken peace. (Ezekiel 13:16.)

Do you remember the story in Jeremiah 28 where the Lord instructed Jeremiah to take the yoke of wood, put it on his neck, and go and prophesy, not only to the children of Israel but also to the other nations? He was to tell them that God had given them to the king of Babylon. They were to serve under this king, and if they submitted to the servitude and rebelled not against it, things would become better for them. The false prophets did not like this.

Hananiah, for one, became so angry that he took the wooden yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. He said, “Listen, the Lord is going to break the power of the king of Babylon.” So the Lord told Jeremiah to go prophesy again and this time to take with him yokes of iron instead of yokes of wood, and tell them that the Lord was going to place these yokes upon them. The yokes of iron would not be broken. (Verses 13, 14.) In fact, Jeremiah said that even if the entire Babylonian army was wounded, they would still rise up and take the city captive.

Jeremiah also had a message for the false prophets. He said, concerning Hananiah, that because he had spoken without the Lord having given him a message, he would die within the year. He died two months later.

History Repeated

It is the false prophets who prophesy peace when there is no peace. Will the same thing happen in our time? It has been happening for a long time already. Ellen White predicted that it would happen. People say, “There is no reason to worry. Everything is going to be all right.” I have heard people say that we are going to stay here till the Lord comes. That is what the false prophets said to the people, but Jeremiah said, “No, you are not going to stay here. You are going to Babylon.”

Ellen White wrote: “The patience of God has an object, but you are defeating it. He is allowing a state of things to come that you would fain see counteracted by and by, but it will be too late. God commanded Elijah to anoint the cruel and deceitful Hazael king over Syria, that he might be a scourge to idolatrous Israel. Who knows whether God will not give you up to the deceptions you love? Who knows but that the preachers who are faithful, firm, and true may be the last who shall offer the gospel of peace to our unthankful churches? It may be that the destroyers are already training under the hand of Satan and only wait the departure of a few more standard-bearers to take their places, and with the voice of the false prophet cry, ‘Peace, peace,’ when the Lord hath not spoken peace. I seldom weep, but now I find my eyes blinded with tears; they are falling upon my paper as I write. It may be that erelong all prophesyings among us will be at an end, and the voice which has stirred the people may no longer disturb their carnal slumbers.

“When God shall work his strange work on the earth, when holy hands bear the ark no longer, woe will be upon the people.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 77.

Standing Alone

It is the false prophet who cries, “Peace, peace,” when the Lord has not spoken peace. The message of the false prophet is more popular. They do not have to stand alone, as did Jeremiah and the other true prophets. Are you willing to stand alone for God’s truth?

In 1888, Mrs. White wrote: “It does not seem possible to us now that any should have to stand alone; but if God has ever spoken by me, the time will come when we shall be brought before councils and before thousands for his name’s sake, and each one will have to give the reason of his faith.” Review and Herald, December 18, 1888.

Are you ready for this situation? Are you ready to appear before councils, before thousands, for Jesus’ sake and to stand completely alone, giving the reasons why you believe what you believe? Can you do it? Are you ready to do it?

Mrs. White wrote, in 1893: “Many will have to stand in the legislative courts; some will have to stand before kings and before the learned of the earth, to answer for their faith. Those who have only a superficial understanding of truth will not be able clearly to expound the Scriptures, and give definite reasons for their faith. They will become confused, and will not be workmen that need not to be ashamed. Let no one imagine that he has no need to study, because he is not to preach in the sacred desk. You know not what God may require of you.” Ibid., February 14, 1893.

Are you ready? Are you ready to stand alone and to give your testimony?

Know that you will never actually be alone. The angels of God will always be with you, but from a human point of view, with your natural sight, you may not be able to visibly see anyone with you.

Troublous Times to Come

The church has yet to see troublous times. Any preacher who is not warning you of these times is giving you the message of the false prophet, because it is the false prophet, Ellen White wrote, who speaks, “Peace, peace,” when the Lord has not spoken peace. God has not spoken peace today, friends.

God has told us, “Until Christ shall appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, men will become perverse in spirit and turn from the truth to fables. The church will yet see troublous times. She will prophesy in sackcloth.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 594.

So the church will yet see troublous times. Some people think such times are in the past—that the church prophesied in sackcloth from 538 to 1798. Yes, that is true, but notice what we just read. The church will have to prophesy in sackcloth again. Some people say, “Oh, the Babylonian captivity—that was back in Jeremiah’s time.” Yes, it was. Or some may say that the Babylonian captivity in the new covenant times was during the time of 538 to 1798. Yes, it was. But we are going to see that the Lord predicts there will again be a time like the Babylonian captivity at the end of time.

Appeal to Repent

God had not spoken peace. He appealed to the people to repent. The time came when, because of their sins, the Babylonian captivity was allowed, as the lightest punishment that could be given, and even then, God decided to make their lot lighter by telling them to cooperate with their conquerors. In fact, if you read through the middle chapters of the Book of Jeremiah, you will see that right up until the last, God repeatedly appealed to them. He appealed to the leaders and to the king to listen, to obey, and to turn around, giving them one chance after another.

Here is the last chance. Jeremiah 38:17 says, “And Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, ‘Thus says Jehovah, God of hosts, God of Israel: if you will indeed go out to the rulers of the king of Babylon, your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire; you will live and your house.’ ”

There it is. There is the last chance. Jeremiah tells Zedekiah, “If you will surrender, if you will do what the Lord tells you to do, this city will not be burned with fire. You, then, will not only live, but your house also will live.”

Would you think—if you knew that the God of heaven was speaking to you and that if you would listen to His message, you and your family would live, and the city would be saved from destruction—that obeying the message would be the thing to do? The king did not do it. Why? Because of fear of the Jews.

Fear of the Jews

Verses 19 and 20 say, “And he said, the king Zedekiah, to Jeremiah, ‘I am afraid of the Jews, those who have fallen out to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me.’ And Jeremiah said, ‘Not they will deliver; not they will give you. Please, listen to my voice, the voice of Jehovah, just as I am speaking to you, and it will be well with you, and your soul will live.’ ”

From our point of view, if we step back from our future vantage, we may wonder why Zedekiah would not listen to what God told him to do. But he said he was afraid of the Jews. He was afraid of the people around him. He secretly wanted to know the truth, but he was not willing to obey it. Why was this king not willing to listen to divine counsel, even when he believed? Over and over again, he would secretly send for Jeremiah, and he would ask, “Tell me, is there a message from Jehovah for us? Tell me, I want to know.” Yet, when he received the message, he did not believe it. He did not obey it for fear of the Jews.

Price to Pay

How did such terrible fear take hold of Zedekiah’s mind that he eventually lost everything? Not only was the city burned, but also thousands of people lost their lives as a result of his example and disobedience. There was a terrible price to pay. Look what it says in Jeremiah 39:4–7: “And it was, just as Zedekiah the king of Judah saw, and all the men of war [they were seeing the walls of the city broken down and the armies coming in], they fled, and went out by night from the city, by the way of the king’s garden, in the gate between the walls. And they went out by the way of Arabah [that is, through the desert]. But they pursued the army of the Chaldeans after them, and they overtook Zedekiah at Arabah [in the plains of Jericho]. And they took him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he gave him there judgments. And the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes, and all the rulers of Judah he slaughtered. And the eyes of Zedekiah he blinded, and he bound him with bronze fetters, and brought him to Babylon.”

What a terrible story! The city was burned. Thousands of God’s people were killed. The rulers were slaughtered. Zedekiah watched his own family be slaughtered, and after that, his eyes were put out, and he was then taken to Babylon.

Consequences of Disobedience

Ellen White wrote, in 1905, about this. She said, “The calamities came, because he [Zedekiah] would not, through obedience, place himself under the protection of God. With his eyes put out, he was led in chains of captivity to Babylon.

“What a sad and awful warning is this to those who harden themselves under reproof, and who will not humble themselves in repentance, that God may save them! (Letter 281, 1905).” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, 1040.

False Prophets Still

Why did this happen? Well, one reason was that Zedekiah would not humble himself and obey. Of course, another reason was because of the false prophets. The false prophets were very popular with the people and with the rulers. Jeremiah was not popular, but the false prophets were very popular. There are still false prophets who are very popular—more popular than are God’s servants.

Ellen White wrote about them in words like this: “There are many false prophets in these days, to whom sin does not appear specially repulsive. They complain that the peace of the people is unnecessarily disturbed by the reproofs and warnings of God’s messengers. As for them, they lull the souls of sinners into a fatal ease by their smooth and deceitful teachings. Ancient Israel was thus charmed by the flattering messages of the corrupt priests. Their prediction of prosperity was more pleasing than the message of the true prophet, who counseled repentance and submission.

“The servants of God should manifest a tender, compassionate spirit and show to all that they are not actuated by any personal motives in their dealings with the people, and that they do not take delight in giving messages of wrath in the name of the Lord. But they must never flinch from pointing out the sins that are corrupting the professed people of God, nor cease striving to influence them to turn from their errors and obey the Lord.

“Those who seek to cloak sin and make it appear less aggravating to the mind of the offender are doing the work of the false prophets and may expect the retributive wrath of God to follow such a course.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 185.

False Prophets Believed

The false prophets of ancient Israel said, “Why are you making these poor people to be continually reminded of their sins and threatened with punishment?” By giving such messages, they strengthened the people to resist the message of the true prophet. That is one of the reasons why the message of the true prophet was rejected. The message of the false prophet, predicting prosperity, was so much more flattering and sounded so much more wonderful.

Here is another reason. Concerning Zedekiah, Mrs. White wrote: “Foremost among those who were rapidly leading the nation to ruin was Zedekiah their king. Forsaking utterly the counsels of the Lord as given through the prophets, forgetting the debt of gratitude he owed Nebuchadnezzar, violating his solemn oath of allegiance taken in the name of the Lord God of Israel, Judah’s king rebelled against the prophets, against his benefactor, and against his God. In the vanity of his own wisdom he turned for help to the ancient enemy of Israel’s prosperity, ‘sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people.’ [Ezekiel 17:15.]” Prophets and Kings, 450, 451. [Emphasis supplied.]

What was the problem? He turned to the vanity of his own wisdom. There is no insanity so dreadful as human philosophy and wisdom unaided and undirected by the wisdom and knowledge of God. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” 1 Corinthians 3:18. That was the third reason.

A fourth reason is given in Prophets and Kings: “Through Jeremiah, Zedekiah and all Judah, including those taken to Babylon, were counseled to submit quietly to the temporary rule of their conquerors. It was especially important that those in captivity should seek the peace of the land into which they had been carried. This, however, was contrary to the inclinations of the human heart; and Satan, taking advantage of the circumstances, caused false prophets to arise among the people, both in Jerusalem and in Babylon, who declared that the yoke of bondage would soon be broken and the former prestige of the nation restored.” Ibid., 440, 441. The truth was contrary to the inclinations of the human heart, and Satan took advantage of the situation.

Friends, it is predicted that this will be the exact same situation in the last days. Notice what the apostle Paul wrote about it: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only the One holding back until now [will do so] until He shall be taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, with all unrighteous deception among those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And on account of this God will send them powerful delusion, that they might believe in the lie, in order that they all might be condemned who do not believe in the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 11 Thessalonians 2:7–12.

To be continued . . .

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

The Seven Churches, Part VII : The Church of Sardis

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Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed [is] he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time [is] near.” The Bible says that there is a special blessing for those who read the words of Revelation. The Bible’s blessings are not like a salutation that we may put in a letter or like saying “blessings on you” when someone sneezes or saying “good luck” to someone. When God gives blessings, they are real, tangible blessings.

When He gave the Sabbath, He blessed it. We are accustomed to the simple, meaningless blessings from mankind, but when God blesses something, there is meaning in it. His blessing on the Sabbath means that we can learn things out of God’s Word, as we worship and study on that day, that we cannot learn were we worshipping Him on any other day. It is that simple. There is a blessing on the Sabbath that is not given on any other day.

People can be saved who are living up to all the light they know and who have never heard of the Sabbath, but they still are missing the blessing. There is a blessing on the Sabbath. God blesses people. He loves people. There is a blessing on the Sabbath that will never be found on any other day of the week. It matters not how sincere a person is or if he or she is saved.

When we begin reading the Book of Revelation, it says that there is a blessing in the reading of it. There is life in the reading of Revelation, but not only in the reading. “Blessed are those who read and hear and keep.” Do you suppose that we can hear the Word without keeping it and end up with at least half a blessing? No, it does not work that way. It is like a man and a woman. Both of them are blessed with the ability to create, but alone they cannot create half a being, can they? It takes both to create a whole being. So it is here; there is no half blessing in hearing only. It has got to be the whole thing in order to receive the blessing. That is the message of Sardis. The church of Sardis was especially adept at hearing without doing. That is why they did not receive a full blessing. In fact, they did not receive any blessing at all.

A Review

Before going any farther, perhaps a little review would be helpful. Revelation was written as a blessing—if people read it. What was it that God gave at the very beginning of the Book of Revelation that was to be a blessing to mankind? It says, “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” You see, there is a blessing! John was keeping the Lord’s Day, and that is when Jesus came down and communicated with him. There is a blessing in the keeping of the Sabbath, and on the Sabbath Day—the Lord’s Day—John had a vision. “And I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,’ and, ‘What you see, write in a book and send [it] to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.’ ” Verses 9–11.

These seven churches represent seven different periods of the earth’s history—the seven periods of the Christian church from Jesus’ day to the end of time. God, as He is so skillful in doing, has here used illustrations. I guess we are all of kindergarten maturity when it comes to our understanding of truth, so God has to keep drawing simple illustrations for us. Old Babylon became illustrative of the churches in the end of time. When we read, in Revelation 18:2, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,” God is using an example from old Babylon to illustrate the last days. Revelation 16:12 refers to the drying up of the river Euphrates. That is an illustration from old Babylon.

All through Revelation, God uses illustrations, as He is doing when He speaks of the seven churches. God chose seven different, real, literal, tangible churches that were meeting every Sabbath morning. Each of them had special problems or special attributes—one or the other. He picked out seven churches to represent the different periods of earth’s history. As you can see, all of these counsels applied to one or another of these churches, just as all of these counsels apply to different churches today. There may be a church that more closely represents one than another, but in general, each church in a special way represented a special era of Christian history.

Ephesus

Ephesus was the church the apostles started. It lasted from the time of Jesus’ ascension until the apostles died. They were a faithful church, faithful to the gospel. They were a hardworking church, but the Bible says they were lacking their first love. The Bible tells us that even if you have all faith and all knowledge and even if you give your body to be burned, but do not have love, it will profit you nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2, 3.) God says, “You have all these things, but because you do not have love—the first love, My love—and have not made Me first in your life and in your affections, your candlestick will be removed.” (Revelation 2:1–5.)

Smyrna

Then we come to the church of Smyrna. This is the church that existed during the pagan persecution. It continued to the time when Constantine was “converted,” in the early part of the fourth century. That is when Constantine became kind, even though he was not truly converted. The church of Smyrna existed during an age when thousands of Christians were persecuted and lost their lives. The ones who were not killed had their goods confiscated. They were poor, dirt poor. They had nothing—any legal property—for it was all taken from them. The Bible says, “You think you are poor, but actually you are rich.” (Revelation 2:9.) You see, they were poor for only a few short years while on this earth, compared to the riches of eternity.

Pergamos

The church of Pergamos, which was the compromising church, followed the church of Smyrna. That was the time when the church became popular, which is a danger. If a persecuted church suddenly becomes popular, that is one of the greatest temptations that can happen. If Steps to Life suddenly became extremely popular with the conference—which probably will not happen—do you suppose there would be a temptation to compromise a little bit here or there in order to retain that favor? That is what we see happening with the church of Pergamos.

The church had been extremely unpopular; people would spit on Christians. Then the emperor became a Christian! Suddenly it was popular to be a Christian; everyone wanted to be a Christian. Do you suppose there was a little temptation to want to hold on to those good public relations for a little while? I want to tell you, the church began to slide, and it never stopped sliding.

The church promoted worship on Sunday and the wearing of clerical vestments, and the people started to wear the clothing styles of the world that they had not before worn. One thing after another began to happen after they first compromised until—believe it or not, and totally beyond the wildest imagination of the people—they not only were worshipping on the pagan day of the sun and believing in various pagan customs, allowing their children to celebrate Easter bunnies and Easter eggs and those kinds of things, but they began worshipping idols in the church. They changed the names of the idols to St. Peter, St. Mary, or St. Somebody Else, but the church came to a place where they were worshipping idols. Of course, they did not like the word idols, so they called them images or statues or whatever else. I remember hearing a saying once: “A rose by any other name is still a rose.” That is right! I want to tell you, an idol by any other name is still an idol!

The church even came to the place where—and this was straight from paganism—they began to pray to the dead. God condemned this act so straightly in the Old Testament. He said, “If anyone communicates with the dead and prays to the dead, they are to be stoned and killed.” (See Leviticus 20:27.) That is from the devil, straight from hell. We are to pray to God. When praying to the dead came into the church, they decided to make it “kosher.” The people called the dead, to whom they prayed, saints, but whatever you call them, “A rose by any other name is still a rose.” A dead person by any other name is still a dead person. The church began praying to the dead. That was a compromising church.

Thyatira

God had little good to say about the church of Pergamos, but an even worse church followed it. The church of Thyatira, the church of Jezebel, was the church during the Dark Ages from a.d. 538 until about the Protestant Reformation, when the church was united with the world, even legally. During this time, there was a union of church and state, and the Christian church persecuted people for trying to practice their faith. When the church itself begins to persecute, that is a very serious situation.

Sardis

That brings us to Sardis, the church that we are now studying. Sardis was the church of the Protestant Reformation—those stalwart men and women who stood up and said, “We will die rather than sacrifice our faith.” During that time, people died and were burned at the stake for owning a Bible and for believing it.

We can expect to hear many good things about the church during the Sardis era. We think of those great men, such as Martin Luther, who were willing to stand against all the forces of medieval bigotry and the perverted religion that had overtaken the world. We think of Zwingli, Melancthon, Calvin, Knox, and Tyndale.

Many men gave their lives for the Lord. The favorite method of torture for these Protestant heretics was burning at the stake. These stalwart men of the cross changed the face of Europe and impacted history and our lives. It was the principles of these Protestant reformers that were incorporated into the United States’ Bill of Rights, guaranteeing liberty and the separation of church and state.

So, we expect to hear many wonderful things about the church of Sardis, but what a surprise! What a shock to find that the very time we expect to hear the greatest blessing and acclamation of praise, it is not so.

Spiritually Dead

A church is made up of more than its leaders. Sometimes there are good leaders and bad churches. Sometimes there are bad leaders and good churches. A church seldom rises higher than those who lead it. Most people are like sheep, sad to say, in blindly following evil, and they will never rise higher than their human teachers. Sometimes—more often—God will have sent leaders, but the church lags behind, and thus it was with the Protestant reformers.

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.’ ” Revelation 3:1. What are the seven Spirits of God? What are the seven stars? We read in Revelation 1:20 that these seven stars represent the seven angels, the seven messengers. In some Bible versions, “seven stars” is translated as the seven preachers, the seven ministers, the seven messengers, or the seven angels. These are God’s messengers to the churches—such as Huss and Jerome, Luther, Zwingli, and Melancthon. God held them in His hands; He protected them; He gave them a message.

But what does He say to the church? “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” Revelation 3:1. This text is very appropriate for us in the last days, because it also applies to Laodicea. Over and over again, this is the description of God’s people in the last days.

Matthew 7:21 is part of the Laodicean message, and it applies to the people of God immediately before the last days. It says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ . . . .” These people have a name that says they are Christians, and they believe they are saved. They have a name, but Jesus says that not everyone who has a name “shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” It is not just hearing; it is doing.

“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” Verses 22, 23. They had a name that they were living, but they were spiritually dead. This is the message of Sardis.

Shut Door

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door,” that is the close of probation. Luke 13:24, 25. This is at the end of time. Notice that there are people still living and arguing, but the door is shut, just as the door of the ark was shut. In Revelation, we find that the door is going to be shut; probation is going to close. Some at that time are going to be found wise with extra oil; some are going to be found foolish.

When once the door is shut, many will find themselves standing on the outside, knocking at the door, and saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” This is going to be the experience of a multitude of Seventh-day Adventists. They are going to say, “We are still Adventists; our names are still on the church books. Open the door to us,” but the door will be shut. The Lord will answer and say to them, “I do not know you, where you are from.” Verse 25.

These people have a name. They say, “Lord,” but the Lord does not know them. They have a name that they are living, that they are Christians, but they are dead. That is the greatest, most awful deception that can come upon anyone—to think that they are saved when they are most assuredly lost.

“Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence [they partook of the Lord’s Supper], and You taught in our streets [we listened to You preach].’ ” Verse 26. They thought the messengers were teaching the Words of God, and they listened. That was Sardis. They listened to Martin Luther; they listened to the messengers. God taught in their streets, and they accepted the message, but they were never converted.

First Shall be Last

“But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.” Verses 27–30. There was never a more appropriate message for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for the Christian church, or for the world today.

It is a solemn reality. There are many people who have been Adventists all their lives—even church leaders—who are going to find that they are thrust out, while God brings others in to take their places. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Hide It Not

Why do you suppose God likened the church to a candlestick? Because, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” But God says, “Do not hide the light under a bushel.” Matthew 5:14; Luke 11:33. Is it possible for the church to hide the light under a bushel? It happened in the Jewish church, and millions of people were lost.

God has given freedom. You see, sin is the misuse of freedom. The Jewish people misused their freedom, and God held them accountable, more so than the pagans, because they were to be the light of the world, but they hid it. Is it possible for the light to be perverted? Yes, it is. When once a people have the light but then they hide it or pervert it, they are worse off than if they had never had the light in the beginning.

Do you remember what Jesus told His true people—those who went to church on the Sabbath, paid their tithe, had the oracles of God, and who were the Jewish people of Capernaum? He said, “You people are worse than those of Sodom and Gomorrah,” who were homosexuals who died of the judgments of God, because He sent fire down from heaven, when they became so wicked. God told the people of Capernaum, “You are worse than they.” (See Matthew 11:23–25.) Is it important what we do with the light?

Do you know what I want to see happen in all of our churches? I want to see people who have the love of Jesus within, who love the Lord with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and who are going to share this message and love one another as themselves. They did not do that in Sardis.

To be continued . . .

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington state, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

The Seven Churches, Part VI : The Church of Thyatira

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In our survey of the seven churches, we are now in the middle—there are three churches before Thyatira and three churches after it. The middle church is an appropriate place to analyze where we have been and where we are going. The messages to the seven churches were given to the seven churches in western Turkey during biblical times. They also represent seven periods of time between the time of the apostles and the end of time. During this time—with the exception of the great revivals that took place during the second advent awakening in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and early nineteenth centuries—the course of the church of Christ since the days of the apostles has been mostly downward.

We see striking evidence of this fact if we look at the churches in sequence with the description given them by Jesus in the Revelation. The list would look like this: (1) Ephesus—the loveless church; (2) Smyrna—the persecuted church; (3) Pergamos—the compromising church; (4) Thyatira—the corrupt church; (5) Sardis—the dead church; (6) Philadelphia—the faithful church; and (7) Laodicea—the lukewarm church.

There is not much question about the period of the Ephesus church—the time of the apostles until the latter part of the first century. The Smyrna church covered the period of the great pagan persecutions in which “Paganism foresaw that should the gospel triumph, her temples and altars would be swept away; therefore she summoned her forces to destroy Christianity.” The Great Controversy, 39. This period lasted from the time of Nero (see Ibid., 40) until the edict of Milan in 313 a.d. We see, then, that almost immediately (less than ten years) after the edict of Milan, there was a tremendous compromising with the world by the Christian churches that lasted for over 200 years.

Tolerating Jezebel

When did the compromising have such an effect that the church could be described as corrupt? The church at Pergamos is described as a compromising church, but the church at Thyatira is described as tolerating the harlot Jezebel. This is a similar description to that of Babylon in Revelation 14:8; 17 and 18. The church is to be espoused to Christ and is to be presented as a pure virgin to Him at His coming. She is to have no other liaison or relationship.

“He who was our example kept aloof from earthly governments. Not because He was indifferent to the woes of men, but because the remedy did not lie in merely human and external measures. . . .

“Not by the decisions of courts or councils or legislative assemblies, not by the patronage of worldly great men, is the kingdom of Christ established, but by the implanting of Christ’s nature in humanity through the work of the Holy Spirit. . . .

“Now, as in Christ’s day, the work of God’s kingdom lies not with those who are clamoring for recognition and support by earthly rulers and human laws, but with those who are declaring to the people in His name those spiritual truths that will work in the receivers the experience of Paul: ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.’ Galatians 2:20.” The Desire of Ages, 509, 510. [Emphasis supplied.]

Amalgamation

When the church unites with the world instead of being united to Christ, she is called an adulteress in the Scriptures. When did the church compromise so much that she could be described as tolerating Jezebel in the church? Jezebel represents a union of paganism with the people of God—Israel—so much so that Jezebel—paganism—controls the people of God.

In the early 1980s, when it was being publicly debated whether the United States should have an official ambassador to the Vatican (as was established by President Ronald Reagan in 1984), it was stated that the Catholic Church is not just a church like Protestant churches. Rather, the Roman Catholic Church is both a church and a state government. Since Jesus said, as recorded in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world,” whenever a church also becomes a kingdom of this world, that church is allowing that which the founder of Christianity would not allow—a mixture of churchcraft and statecraft. Jesus taught a strict separation of church and state. (See Matthew 22:21.)

When did the church first engage in this amalgamation? By decree it happened first in a.d. 533 when Justinian, the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, legally recognized the bishop (pope) of Rome as the head of all the Christian churches. However, because of the Arian domination of some of the Roman Empire by the barbarian tribes—Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and Vandals—this authority could not be exercised by the bishop of Rome until a.d. 538 when the Ostrogoths, the last of the barbarian kingdoms, retired from the city of Rome. So the date when the church could be said to be corrupt by allowing in Jezebel with all her abominations would be a.d. 538.

The Dark Ages, a long period of time lasting almost 1,000 years—a longer period of time than that of any of the other churches—began in a.d. 538. The letter to Thyatira is the longest of the seven letters to the seven churches.

Addressing the Church

The title of the one addressing the church at Thyatira is “the Son of God.” Revelation 2:18. This is the only time this title is used for Jesus in the letters to the churches or in the entire Book of Revelation. It was during this period that Jezebel usurped the place and authority of Jesus in the church. Since the church at Thyatira had usurped the place of Christ, the witnesses of Jesus were put in dungeons and sent to stakes and inquisitions.

No longer does Jesus picture a Balak who has induced some of the leaders of the church to apostatize for worldly honor, as in the church at Pergamos, but rather, this church has a Jezebel at the very heart of the church. The antichrist has come right into the temple of God (the church, see Ephesians 2:19–22) and has seated himself there, showing himself that he is God.

A Little About Thyatira

Thyatira was located about 25 miles southeast of Pergamos. It was founded by Seleucus Nicator, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. It was a city built on the plains with no natural fortifications, such as Pergamos had, and was captured and destroyed and rebuilt many times.

When the Book of Revelation was written, this city was a manufacturing city, and its citizens were mostly poor, laboring people—just the opposite of Pergamos. In addition to various metallurgy industries, this was a center for dyeing cloth, especially of the royal purple. (See Acts 16:14.)

No Safety in Church Membership

There are many people who have assumed that if you belong to the church and stay with the church you will be saved. The letter to the church of Thyatira proves that this reasoning is false. Jesus predicts that he is going to destroy not only Jezebel but her entire family—all her children will be slain. (See Revelation 2:23.) If you are one of Jezebel’s children in character, even if your name is on the church books and you are professing to be a part of God’s people, the Lord says that you will be killed if you do not repent of your works. (See verse 22.) This letter shows that being part of the church by profession will not save you. If the church tolerated Jezebel inside of it, then all that participate in the works of Jezebel and do not repent will be killed.

There were some others in the church at Thyatira who did not have this teaching—that is, they did not tolerate Jezebel within their borders. They did not allow the amalgamation of the kingdom of God with the kingdoms of this world. Since they did not allow Jezebel within their church, “they did not have this teaching”—the teaching of Jezebel whereby the church and the state were united, forming an adulterous marriage between the church and the world. (See verses 20, 24.) As a result, they “did not know the depths of Satan” as the family of Jezebel did who claimed the right to be the teachers of all Christians. The Lord said to them, “I will not place on you any other burden. However, what you have hold fast till I come.” Verses 24, 25.

Character of the Professed

There are many lessons that we can learn from the instruction to the church at Thyatira.

First of all, in spite of the fact that there was a Jezebel in the heart of the professed church of Christ and the whole family of Jezebel who did not repent of the spiritual fornication taking place was destined to be slain, there were many Christians during the Dark Ages who lived up to all the light that they had and were commended for it by the Lord. Jesus says, “I know your love and faith and service and steadfast endurance, and your last works [are] more than the first.” Verse 19. This reveals clearly that the eyes of Him who has “eyes as a flame of fire” (verse 18) discern and detect not just profession of Christianity or profession of being members of the body of Christ, but Jesus detects the real character of the professed believers.

All the letters to the seven churches reveal this fact, and this fact shows us that in which Jesus is really interested. He values His church, not by the numbers of its professed believers or by the outward measurements that we use to evaluate, but by the character of His professed followers. He knows whether or not we have the first love. He knows whether our faith and love make us spiritually rich or poor. He knows whether or not our lives deny His character, whether we are spiritually dead or alive, whether our hearts are faithful, and whether we are hot, cold, or lukewarm.

The True Church

Second, Jesus knows what doctrines we are allowing to be taught in the church we attend. In the church at Thyatira, there were some people that would not go along with the teachings of Jezebel. In other words, they would not consent to an adulterous union of the church of Christ with the kingdoms of this world. As a result, not only were they excommunicated from the “church,” but they were also persecuted and martyred by the millions. They were told that they were cast out from the true church and therefore relegated to everlasting punishment, but actually, they were the true church.

These people were the true church at Thyatira, and Jesus addresses them as such. The counsel to them is as follows:

  1. They are referred to, in the King James Version of the Bible, as “the rest in Thyatira.” Verse 24. The Greek word translated “rest,” loipois, is the same Greek word that is translated as “remnant” in Revelation 12:17. They were the “remnant” or the “remaining”; that is, those who remained faithful in the midst of a worldwide apostasy.
  2. They did not learn, teach, or subscribe to the false teachings that resulted in Jezebel’s family knowing the depths of Satan.
  3. Jesus said, “I will not place on you any other burden. However, what you have hold fast till I come.” God did not expect as much of the Christians during the Dark Ages as He does of us. Most of them did not have ready access to the Bible, and gospel preaching was outlawed. God’s expectations are based upon opportunity. It is not good enough for any of us to say that our parents and grandparents did things in such and such a way, and they were good Christians, so it must be all right for us to do it that way also. Each of us is held accountable according to our opportunities.
  4. Those who conquered or were overcomers and kept unto the end Christ’s works would be given “power over the nations.” Revelation 2:26. During the Dark Ages, millions of Christians—the true church—were put to death by the various nations at the instigation of Jezebel and her family, but Jesus revealed that the time was coming when the circumstances of these Christians would be reversed. They would be the ones in power, and their former persecutors would be subject to their decision. (See 1 Corinthians 6:2.)
  5. The time is coming when the general to whose army these martyrs belong will shepherd the nations with a scepter of iron. (See Revelation 19:15.) After the manner that the persecutors have judged, they will be judged. They will be given a double reward for everything they have administered to others. (See Revelation 18:6; Isaiah 40:2.)
  6. The nations that have persecuted the saints, which will include every nation at the end of time, will be shattered in pieces or, in other words, completely destroyed. (See Revelation 16, 17, 18:7–24; 19:11–16.) The complete break-up and destruction of the old nations of this world must precede the new order of things that Jesus is coming to create. Before the first dominion can be restored to the church of Christ—the dominion of Adam before his fall and the kingdom of David with Christ ruling as King of kings and Lord of lords—He must bring to an end all rule, authority, and power. (See Revelation 19:16–21; 1 Corinthians 15:24.)
  7. The climax of the promise to the remnant or the faithful in Thyatira is that they will receive the Morning Star. (Revelation 2:28.) There are many morning stars written about in the Bible. (See, for example, Job 38:7.) The covering cherub, Lucifer, was one of these morning stars. (See Isaiah 14:12—the literal translation is “daystar,” “morning star,” or “shining one.”) In the future life, there will be those among the saved who are described as stars (see Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43), but when the Bible speaks of the Morning Star in the singular or, in other words, the Chief Star of the morning, it is referring to Jesus Christ. (See 11 Peter 1:19; Revelation 22:16.) He is the Royal Star that arose out of Jacob. He is the Daystar that changes night to day.

The morning star rises during the darkest part of the night, just before dawn. To those who lived during one of the darkest periods of earth’s history—“such persecution as the world had never before known,” The Desire of Ages, 631—was given the promise that they would receive the Morning Star—the Arbiter of all destinies; the General of all battles; the Ruler of all rulers; the Creator of the heavens and of the earth; the One whom the Father has appointed as the Heir of all things; the One who created the entire universe and Who upholds numberless worlds, solar systems, and galaxies by the Word of His power; the One who by Himself made a purification for our sins and Who sits on the right hand of His Father’s throne. This One unites His interest, presence, sustaining power, and grace with His torn, bleeding, scattered, persecuted flock who have been excommunicated, denounced, proscribed, persecuted, and sentenced to death by the professed church of Christ.

“Through the agency of Romanism, Satan took the world captive. The professed church of God was swept into the ranks of this delusion, and for more than a thousand years the people of God suffered under the dragon’s ire.” The Signs of the Times, November 1, 1899.

False Teachings Transmitted

Third, Jesus understands how false teachings and practices are transmitted from generation to generation. The tragedy and abomination of Jezebel in the church includes the fact that she has children. The false teaching and doctrine that Jezebel brought into the church in the past has been handed down by her children from generation to generation and will have to be dealt with by God’s people in the end of time. These false doctrines are what have caused a shaking among God’s people today.

“God’s Spirit has illuminated every page of Holy Writ, but there are those upon whom it makes little impression, because it is imperfectly understood. When the shaking comes, by the introduction of false theories, these surface readers, anchored nowhere, are like shifting sand. They slide into any position to suit the tenor of their feelings of bitterness.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 112.

In the final generation, the great mother harlot is spoken of as having “daughters” who are also harlots. (Revelation 17:5.) As already demonstrated, a church becomes a harlot when she becomes joined to a state government instead of being joined only to Christ, as was the apostolic church in the first century. The result of churches becoming joined to state governments always results in persecution of non-conformist Christians and churches. The threatened judgments in the letter to Thyatira include not only the mother but also all the daughters—the entire family of Jezebel will be destroyed. This is Christ’s own verdict on all churches that retain the teachings and practices introduced into the church by Jezebel.

They may claim to have separated from Jezebel, but if they still cling to any of her doctrines and practices, and commit spiritual fornication with the kings and nations by uniting with them when opportunity presents itself, they will receive the same punishment as Jezebel herself. These threatened judgments, then, include all Christians and all Christian churches—including Seventh-day Adventist churches that refuse to give up all the doctrines and practices introduced into the church by Jezebel.

End of Time Challenges

The following quotations show that the church in the end of time will have to deal with the same theological controversies with which the church of Thyatira had to deal.

“Past history will be repeated; old controversies will arouse to new life, and peril will beset God’s people on every side. Intensity is taking possession of the human family.” Review and Herald, August 31, 1897.

“Old controversies which have apparently been hushed for a long time will be revived, and new controversies will spring up; new and old will commingle, and this will take place right early. The angels are holding the four winds, that they shall not blow, until the specified work of warning is given to the world; but the storm is gathering, the clouds are loading, ready to burst upon the world, and to many it will be as a thief in the night.” Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 01b, 38.

“In history and prophecy the Word of God portrays the long continued conflict between truth and error. That conflict is yet in progress. Those things which have been, will be repeated. Old controversies will be revived, and new theories will be continually arising.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 109.

“The last great conflict will be short, but terrible. Old controversies will be revived. New controversies will arise.” Ibid., Book 3, 419.

Searches Affections and Minds

Fourth, Jesus understands the issues that will determine the eternal destiny of every professed church member. No one is saved because he or she professes to be a Christian or because his or her name is on the church books of any church. “It is the character, not the placing of our names on the church books, that makes us Christians.” The Upward Look, 28.

Jezebel claims to be a prophetess and a teacher of God’s people, but she teaches them to break the Law of God. (See Revelation 2:20.) The fact of her professed membership and leadership of God’s true church will not keep her and her children from the great tribulation that Christ will bring upon her for refusing to repent of her sins. (See verse 22.) The punishment of Jezebel and her children is going to be just as worldwide and well known as the sin was worldwide and well known—all the churches are going to know that Jesus is the One who searches the affections and minds (literally the “kidneys and hearts”). (See verse 23.)

In ancient times, the kidneys were thought to be the seat of the will and the affections, and the heart was thought to be the seat of intellect. So, using speech that they understood, Jesus is telling us that He is the One who searches the will and affections and intellect. In other words, He is the One who searches both the thoughts and the emotions or feelings.

Moral Character

“The thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 310. Jesus is teaching us here that it is our moral character that will determine our eternal destiny. Our thoughts and our feelings find expression in our works or actions. So, when Jesus says, “I will give to each of you according to your works,” He is saying, “I will reward each of you according to your character.” If we say it in the simplest way, character determines destiny. (See Christ’s Object Lessons, 74.)

Hold Fast

Fifth, Christian excellence is an attainment that requires holding fast. It is very easy when most of the church is compromising, as was the Pergamos church, to begin to compromise with the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans in order to retain friendship with others who are compromising.

“Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influence to bind his captives. He secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the silken cords of affection to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Whatever this attachment may be, parental, filial, conjugal, or social, the effect is the same; the opposers of truth exert their power to control the conscience, and the souls held under their sway have not sufficient courage or independence to obey their own convictions of duty.” The Great Controversy, 597.

It is very easy, in times of persecution, to begin to compromise to avoid trouble, loss, and suffering. But compromise, once started, never seems to end. The devil continually agitates for even more compromise. This is the way Babylon developed in the first place. There will be an army of people in the last generation just as there was in Thyatira who will hold fast.

“There will be an army of steadfast believers who will stand as firm as a rock through the last test.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 390. If we are going to stand firm as a rock then, we must stand firm as a rock now. “Those who would not receive the mark of the beast and his image when the decree goes forth, must have decision now to say, Nay, we will not regard the institution of the beast.” Early Writings, 67. [Emphasis in original.]

“We must know individually the prescribed conditions of entering into eternal life. We must know what is the voice of God, that we may live by every word that proceeds out of his mouth. We cannot allow these questions to be settled for us by another’s mind, or another’s judgment. We must search the Scriptures carefully with a heart open to the reception of light and the evidences of truth. We cannot trust the salvation of our souls to ministers, to idle traditions, to human authorities, or to pretensions. We must know for ourselves what God has said.” Review and Herald, March 8, 1887.

You Must be Faithful

Sixth, this letter contains a clarion call for Christian fidelity in the midst of an internal apostasy within the borders of the church as well as the unbelief of the world. The counsel is, if you have been part of Jezebel’s family by your teachings or practices, you must repent. And if you have been part of the remnant who have not partaken in the apostasy, then you must hold fast to the truth that you understand and be faithful to the truth that you know until Jesus comes. You must be faithful to the end. You must be an overcomer, a conqueror in the battle for Christian character, and you must keep until the end the works (character) of Christ. It is required that you be faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2; Matthew 24:13.) Every church member must be an overcomer if he is to be retained in the church when it becomes triumphant.

One with Him

Seventh, as Christians, we are united in a close fellowship with our Captain, Lord, and King—Jesus Christ—closer fellowship than exists between any earthly general and his troops. As we are united in battle and war, we will be united in victory and triumph at the end. In this world, we are together in witnessing to the truth of the gospel. We are together at the stake, the prison, the dungeon, and the headsman’s chopping block. We serve our Lord here in the midst of great tribulation with many tears and temptations. We are crucified together; we die together and are buried together. (See Romans 6.) But we are destined to rise together, to live together, and to be glorified together. As we become one with Him in heart, life, and suffering, we are destined to become one with Him in triumph and glory.

Broken to Shivers

We open our affections and minds to be searched by the Lord, but we also have the promise that we will be part of the future victory. When reigning with Christ, all opposition will be shattered into fragments. Our weapons are not fleshly, but spiritual and mighty through God. Our watchwords, if we are part of the remnant, will be: “The Word of God only! The cross of Christ only! The might of the Spirit only!”

The day of Christ’s triumph will become the day of our triumph. The enemy someday will flee, and the armies of the living God will take the field. The ultimate triumph will involve the breaking into shivers all opposition from Jezebel and her children. If we suffer with Him now, we will reign with Him then.

In that day, those who have raged against our Lord Jesus Christ will be broken into shivers, as the vessels of the potter. Then the dominion will be given to the saints of the Most High. Let us all remember from the letter to Thyatira that we each one have a dreadful alternative between which we now stand—either we will reign with Christ or, if we have clung to any of the teachings or practices of Jezebel, we will be broken to shivers.

[Some Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

The Seven Churches, Part V : The Church of Pergamos

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After a long and severe conflict, the faithful few . . .”—there were only a few left. The changes that came in when the church began to compromise took a lot more souls than the sword of pagan Rome. Only a few were left. “. . . the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church . . .” The Great Controversy, 45. This was the Christian church. There was only one church, but there were two churches within that one church—the faithful and the apostate. “. . . if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls, and set an example which would imperil the faith of their children.” Ibid.

I have often wondered at the incredible naïveté of Christians today—especially those in God’s remnant church, who somehow unbelievably think they can sit and listen to any kind of thing being preached or taught without affecting their souls or even the souls of their children. “Just go on,” they think, “it is God’s church; do not worry about it. God will take care of it.” The incredible naïveté! I am telling you that people are being affected in their thinking, in their practices, and in their activities, and they do not even know it.

Ellen White continued, “To secure peace and unity they 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.

“Well would it be for the church and the world if the principles that actuated those steadfast souls were revived in the hearts of God’s professed people.” Ibid., 45, 46.

No, no, no! We do not want anything to stir the waters or rock the boat or bring any kind of dissension or trouble. We just want to have peace and love, even at the expense of truth. No, not any big truths, of course, but those little truths that go step-by-step. Some of those little truths are a lot bigger than most people think, I tell you.

So it was that God commended the faithful few who would be true to duty and principle no matter what—those who were willing to die rather than sacrifice their principles, who would not yield to nor maintain ministerial or administrative apostasy in the church. Do you think we need that same attitude today that will not go along with apostasy? Some people think that it is a terrible attitude!

Curse of Compromise

Mrs. White wrote, “There are fearful woes for those who preach the truth, but are not sanctified by it, and also for those who consent to receive and maintain the unsancti-fied to minister to them in word and doctrine.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 261, 262. That was the trouble with the church of Pergamos. A few chose not to receive unfaithful ministers, but the majority chose to receive them and just try to live a good, consistent life at home. Step-by-step, they and their children began to make the same compromises they saw in the leadership.

The people are to make the choice whether they will receive a minister or not. As stated in the above statement, it is a sin to receive one who is not sanctified.

The papacy began to teach that those congregations that made their own choice as to whether they would receive a minister or not, were insubordinate and troublemakers. One of the first departures of Rome was to teach that the central leadership was to make the choices of who was to minister to all the churches. “It is one of the leading doctrines of Romanism that the pope is the visible head of the universal church of Christ, invested with supreme authority over bishops and pastors in all parts of the world.” The Great Controversy, 50.

That was not true of the church in the purest of days. In the New Testament, who had authority over who was to preach in the church? The church had that authority, not a central administration. Let us look at the way God had set up the church in the earliest of times. In Acts 20:17, Paul calls for the elders—plural; these are the local elders of Ephesus. He counsels them, in verses 28 and 29: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” Then he continued his counsel to these local elders of the church: “Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” Verse 31. Who was it that was to guard and protect the flock? The local elders of the church; they were to maintain their purity in the providence of God.

Lessons from the Past

God allowed some circumstances to develop even in the early church, in order for it to be a guiding counsel to us throughout the history of Christianity on this earth. Ellen White says God allowed Peter to make a serious mistake in Galatia, in order to correct the abuses of the papacy throughout the Middle Ages. (See The Acts of the Apostles, 197, 198.)

One of the abuses of the papacy was to think that they had supreme authority over all the church leaders, over all the churches. Look at what it says in Galatians 2:11–13: “Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him.” Now, here were Peter and James from the central headquarters church in Jerusalem—the two greatest leaders at that time from the headquarters church.

In Galatians 3:1, Paul exclaimed, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?” It was the leadership from the headquarters church that had bewitched them. Satan, of course, was working through them, but from a human standpoint, it was the church leadership.

Paul counseled them further in chapter 5, verse 1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” That is talking about the ceremonial law and the method by which these laws were again being enforced upon the people of Galatia. But the Pergamons chose to allow themselves to be entangled with the yoke of bondage to an apostate leadership, and God said, “I will come and fight against you with the sword, because you would not fight against those leaders.”

God commended those who were suffering martyrdom rather than yielding to apostasy, but he condemned those who were allowing the apostasy to enter into the church. “I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.” Revelation 2:14. Balaam, in the Old Testament, as you will remember, came into the camp of Israel and caused them to make friends with the Moabites. This led to compromise with heathenism and to God’s blessing being withdrawn from the church. Likewise, there were leaders in the early church, after the church became popular, who wanted to make compromises with the pagan church. There were a few faithful, but many of the leaders decided to make some compromising concessions.

“He [Satan] led the heathen idolaters to embrace a part of the Christian faith. . . . Some thought that if they should come down and unite with those idolaters who had embraced a portion of the Christian faith, it would be the means of their full conversion.” Early Writings, 211, 212. Oh, they had high ideals and principles behind what they were doing. They were going to convert these people. Have you ever heard of someone marrying a non-Christian in order to convert the person—I love this person; maybe if I marry him or her, I can convert him or her? That is exactly what the church leaders tried to do. These were not non-Christians. They all believed in Jesus now. They all professed to be Christians. Why not unite with them and help them to come up to an even higher standard? But that is not what happened.

“At last the standard was lowered [instead of being raised], and . . . the heathen were uniting with the Christians. . . . As the followers of Christ gradually united with them, the Christian religion became corrupted and the church lost its purity and power.” Ibid., 211. Oh, God, save us from that today.

Thus some people, thinking to be tolerant, thinking to convert, thinking to unite, thinking to cooperate with these other people who were claiming Christianity, came together in unity—but who was converted? The Christians were converted to paganism instead of the pagans being converted to Christianity. This was the opposite of the people in the apostolic days, the church of Ephesus. “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.

Pergamos’ Great Mistake

This was Pergamos’ great mistake. It was one of the two things that God held against them; thus God said that He would become their enemy. Oh, that we would learn the lesson of the Pergamons. Soon those who were perseveringly trying to uphold the standard of truth and would not go along with the majority began to be persecuted. Those who had once been brothers and sisters now began to persecute each other.

We are told that the same thing will happen in the last days. “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them.” The Great Controversy, 608. This is an exact parallel with what happened in Pergamos.

The Bible tells us, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 11 Timothy 3:12. If the church as a whole is godly, they will suffer persecution by the world. Satan has enough agents yet to bring persecution. But if the church becomes worldly, then those within the church who remain pure will suffer persecution by the rest of the church. That is what happened in Pergamos. The church of Smyrna was a pure church, and the pagans persecuted them. When the church itself became corrupted, then those within the church persecuted those who would remain true, firm, and faithful.

Second Mistake

Besides Balaam, what was the other thing that God had against the church of Pergamos? Revelation 2:15 says, “Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” From our study of the church of Ephesus, you will remember that the Nicolaitans were those who believed that, as long as you had faith, it did not matter what you did. The Nicolaitans had a pseudo love; they believed that as long as you professed love to God, it did not matter whether or not you kept His commandments.

Today, “The doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has made the law of God of no effect; that by ‘believing’ we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned.” The Signs of the Times, January 2, 1912.

We are counseled that, “It is our work to know our special failings and sins, which cause darkness and spiritual feebleness, and quenched our first love. Is it worldliness? Is it selfishness? Is it the love of self-esteem? Is it striving to be first? Is it the sin of sensuality that is intensely active? Is it the sin of the Nicolaitans, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness? Is it the misuse and abuse of great light and opportunities and privileges, making boasted claims to wisdom and religious knowledge, while the life and character are inconsistent and immoral? Whatever it is that has been petted and cultivated until it has become strong and overmastering, make determined efforts to overcome, else you will be lost. It is these cherished sins, abhorrent to God, that make enfeebled moral courage, and leave you to choose to walk apart from God, while you retain a miserable, heartless, outward form. Once the soul was all aglow with love for Jesus; but all this is changed. The great Head who moves in the midst of his candlesticks will never be without a church. There will be faithless ones who will go out from us because they were not of us. There will be apostasies. But ‘nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.’ [11 Timothy 2:19.]” Review and Herald, June 7, 1887.

May you separate yourselves from the religion of Balaam and the Nicolaitans.

To be continued . . .

Pastor Marshall Grosboll, with his wife Lillian, founded Steps to Life. In July 1991, Pastor Marshall and his family met with tragedy as they were returning home from a camp meeting in Washington state, when the airplane he was piloting went down, killing all on board.

From Mourning to Celebrating, part 2

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Editor’s Note: In last month’s article we looked at eight objectives which the Vatican II Council wished to achieve by introducing the Celebration Movement. The underlying purpose was to promote ecumenism and lead the whole world to Sunday observance. We saw how these goals are being worked out in Adventism today. In this article, we will look at another of the devil’s great deceptions, which is masked in the Celebration Movement.

There is a another deep spiritual issue involved in the celebration worship style. It has to do with the most fundamental issues in your existence as a Christian. Is there any sin in your life that is not totally overcome? The apostles in New Testament times taught the people that they must overcome their sins if they were going to have eternal life. Read 1 John 3, James, the words of Jesus in John 8, or what the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6 or Romans 8.

One of the most fundamental of Christ’s teachings is self-denial. (See Matthew 16:24.) Jesus said that if we were going to follow Him we must take up our cross daily. But we are living in a time when instead of crucifixion of self, as Jesus and the apostles taught, many have accustomed themselves to self-indulgence. The Christian religion is a rebuke to self indulgence and worldliness. But many people like a religion that no longer rebukes worldliness and self indulgence but endorses it and incorporates it as a fundamental element in the service of God; a religion that allows them to remain in their sins and still celebrate the idea that they are saved. It would be almost impossible to experience a greater delusion.

Jesus says to the church in Laodicea, “as many as I love I rebuke.” But there is no place for rebuke in the celebration type of worship service or religion. The rebuke of sin is eliminated. It is like the patient who has cancer—if the cancer is not cured he is going to die, but the physician says let’s pretend that everything is alright, everything is going to be fine, just experience love, acceptance and forgiveness and be happy. What is going to happen to that patient and what should happen to that physician? You see, it is the greatest delusion imaginable to be celebrating and rejoicing if you have a serious disease and your celebrating and rejoicing is taking the place of getting rid of the problem that will cause your death. God’s ancient people had this very same problem and the Lord told them that they would lose eternal life as a result. (Study Isaiah 22.)

 

Celebration — The Cradle of Carnal Security

 

We are living in the great anti-typical day of atonement, as brought to light not only in the book of Hebrews, but in Revelation 14:6, 7. This is a time for us to examine ourselves and ask the question, “Is my robe of character spotless? Does my robe of character have a spot or stain upon it? Am I ready to go to the marriage supper of the Lamb? Are my garments in condition for me to attend that great celebration?” Those who are celebrating while their garments of character are still stained and wrinkled with the sins and earthliness of this life will meet with an eternal loss. It is this great deceptiveness that is most serious about the celebration worship style. People who are lost are taught to believe that they are saved. They cannot be touched anymore with the preaching of the gospel because they are so content in the cradle of carnal security.

It is not a message of love that teaches people to celebrate in their sins. There will be a great celebration for God’s people when the sin problem is solved, but God’s word does not teach us to celebrate when we should be mourning for those, all around us, who are going to destruction. Maybe even members of our own family or ourselves, if we are self deceived and celebrating while we are living in sin! It is a great insult and outrage, to the Holy Spirit, for any Christian to be celebrating while he is living in sin. The Bible says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.” The context of that statement, in James 4:8–10, is that the day and hour of judgement is here, as you can see in the next verses.

The message of the Bible, to sinners, is not a message to rejoice and celebrate. It is a message to lament, to mourn and weep, to seek the Lord that we may be purified and made whole. The fact that a person participates in religious services and ordinances does not guarantee his salvation. A wicked person does not become righteous simply by associating with the righteous at worship service or in celebrating. A man is only made holy and acceptable with God when his heart is made clean by the grace of Christ through faith and by obedience to words of truth and righteousness. We must accept all the truth that God reveals to us, choosing to obey Him if we are going to be cleansed from the defilement of sin. We cannot receive forgiveness and acceptance with God unless there is repentance—true heart sorrow for sin. Repentance is not a work of rejoicing or celebration. By its very definition, repentance is a work of sorrow of heart, sorrow for sins committed and a turning away from sin.

There is no such thing as real love to God without obedience to His law. This so called love, acceptance and forgiveness that does not include a preaching of the law of God, a call for sinners to repent, is a delusion. It is not real love at all, but a soul-destroying deception. Repentance means being sorry for sin and turning away from it. All eloquent portrayals of love and charity will never save a soul who does not repent!

 

The Celebration Movement Foretold

 

We will list, from the pen of Ellen White, certain erroneous methods and deceptive theories which she foretold would be a part of the apostasy to come just before the close of probation. She wrote: “The things you have described as taking place in Indiana the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 36. What are these things that would take place just before the close of probation?

  1. “A bedlam of noise that shocks the senses and perverts 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 Spirit’s working.” Ibid.
  2. “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.” Ibid.

This group in Indiana maintained the theory that when Christ passed through the agony of Gethsemane He obtained holy flesh such as Adam possessed before his fall. And that those who follow the Savior must also acquire this same “holy flesh” in preparation for translation. In their meetings, people were worked up to a high pitch of excitement by the use of musical instruments such as organs, flutes, fiddles, tambourines, horns, and a drum, the people sought a physical demonstration and shouted and prayed and sang until someone in the congregation would fall prostrate and unconscious from his seat. Then this person would be dragged up to the rostrum and about a dozen individuals would gather around the prostrate body, some singing, some shouting and some praying all at the same time. When the subject revived, he was counted among those who had passed through the Gethsemane experience and had obtained holy flesh and had translation faith. Therefore, it was asserted he could not sin and would never die. We see in this description, a breaking down of normal inhibitions between people, in these services in Indiana, which were a type of what would happen before the close of probation.

Another part of the experience in Indiana, which is typical of what will happen again, was the playing of dance tunes with sacred words, which is all too common with much of today’s so-called “Christian” music. The syncopated jazz-like beat of music had its beginnings in bordellos of New Orleans around 1900. This jazz music went through various stages—boogie-woogie, swing and finally rock, which is a mixture of Negro rhythm blues and country western. The stimulation of sexuality was the primary purpose sought after with this music. This type of music, with its varying degrees of syncopation and beat, still appeals to bodily movement and sensual responses.

Ellen White had this to say about it: “Angels are hovering around yonder dwelling. The young are there assembled; there is the sound of vocal and instrumental music. Christians are gathered there, but what is that you hear? It is a song, a frivolous ditty, fit for the dance hall. Behold the pure angels gather their light closer around them and darkness envelops those in that dwelling. The angels are moving from the scene. Sadness is upon their countenances. Behold, they are weeping . . . Music has occupied the hours which should have been devoted to prayer. Music is the idol which many professed Sabbathkeeping Christians worship. Satan has no objection to music if he can make that a channel through which to gain access to the minds of the youth . . . When turned to good account, music is a blessing; but it is often made one of Satan’s most attractive agencies to ensnare souls.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 506. To the shame of many Adventists, the world knows what they claim not to know—namely, that drugs, acid rock and perverted sex go together.

 

Drama—Never a Part of God’s Work

 

Another point we can learn from the Indiana episode, which is to be repeated at the end of time, was the theatrical performing and intense bodily gestures and movements engaged in by the participants. Concerning theatrical performances Ellen White has the following to say: “In my very first labors the message was given that all theatrical performance in connection with the preaching of present truth were to be discouraged and forbidden…The light given me was to give this no sanction. These performances which savored of the theatrical were to have no place in the proclamation of the solemn messages entrusted to us. The enemy will watch closely and will take every advantage of circumstances to degrade the truth by the introduction of undignified demonstrations. None of these demonstrations are to be encouraged. The precious truths given us are to be spoken in all solemnity and with sacred awe.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 125.

“Can the Lord Jesus accept the theatrical exhibitions as service done for Him? Can He be glorified thereby? No. All this kind of work is done in the service of another leader.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 335.

Ellen White said that no encouragement should be given to the kind of worship that took place in Indiana. She said, “I was instructed to say that at these demonstrations demons in the form of men are present working with all the ingenuity that Satan can employ to make the truth disgusting to sensible people.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 125.

The liberal development of celebration worship, the failure to have trust and confidence in the Spirit of Prophecy and the activities which go directly contrary to her inspired counsels on these points, were predicted and are happening. However, this is only part of the present day apostasy that we see in Adventism. This apostasy today is so deceptive that often the word celebration is not even used, but what is practiced is the same as the celebration type worship that was introduced in the 80’s and early 90’s into Adventist churches. As the saying goes, “A rose by any other name is still a rose.” But the apostasy in Adventism is much broader and much more multi-faceted than what we have been able to portray so far. In another article, we hope to show another side of the apostasy on a completely opposite end of the spectrum, in Adventism.

 

No Place to Go

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“And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled.” Luke 14:23.

Some time ago, I received a phone call from Indiana. One of God’s true saints seemed to have a very serious problem. “Pastor,” she began, “I have no place to go. What am I going to do?” For a moment I was speechless. I was not sure I was hearing this woman correctly.

So I asked this lady, “What do you mean you have no place to go?” She explained what she meant. The church where she attended had gone full celebration. The music was horrible (in her words), syncopated by the beating of drums. No longer did she feel the spirit of divine worship, but rather that of another spirit. She continued: “And during the eleven o’clock service, drama has filled God’s house with the spirit of excitement and entertainment. The pastor’s message is nothing but psychology and New Theology.”

She wanted to hear the simple preaching of the Word of God and to feel God’s divine presence in the worship service, but it was not there. She felt that she could no longer attend her local home church. So she decided to look elsewhere. Can you imagine how surprised she was, after visiting other churches in the city where she lived, to discover that these, too, were all caught up in the fervor of celebration?

Then someone told her of a small country church some twenty miles out of the city. The next Sabbath, with her family, she drove to this little church, thinking that they would find a place to worship God in a pure Seventh-day Adventist atmosphere, a place that would be distinct from the world. As they arrived at this little country church, a nice looking gentleman kindly greeted them. But on entering the church sanctuary they noticed banners hanging on the chapel walls and displayed on the pulpit, the same kind that you would see in the churches of Babylon. She was disappointed to see ladies leading out in the Sabbath School who had large earrings dangling from their ears. However, a bigger surprise awaited them, for suddenly they noticed that many of the ladies in the audience were wearing gold necklaces with sizeable gold crosses attached to them. She and her family began to wonder if they had entered the wrong church. Perhaps this was a Sunday keeping church. But then they remembered that this was indeed the Sabbath day.They felt so out of place and so disappointed that they walked out.

As they left, the man that had greeted them, upon their arrival, approached them and asked, “Why are you leaving? You just came in.” Politely they began to explain, when he broke in with the words, “Oh, the members of this church pride themselves on being very liberal. I know that you are leaving because of the jewelry. I, too, am very much concerned.”

Then the lady said, “Why do you not speak up and do something about it?” But he just shrugged his shoulders as if nothing could be done. So the lady and her family drove to a nearby hill. There in the midst of nature they spread a blanket and listened to one of my tapes for a Sabbath sermon. Once more she lamented, “Oh, pastor, how I miss my good old Seventh-day Adventist Church. I long to attend where I know God’s blessing is waiting. But, pastor, I have no place to go!”

That just broke my heart. What happened to this lady and her family is happening in other places. I am getting calls from the north, the south, the east and the west with like experiences. It is certainly a tragic situation.

Some time ago, in a nearby church, the Conference speaker began his tirade by belittling God’s last day prophet with these words, “This little old lady.” As he continued his antics, he stated that Sister White was not inspired by God, and that he was opposed to God’s last day prophet. My wife and I walked out, and so did a number of others. Later my wife told me that she became so depressed that week that she did not want to go back there any more. And I felt the same.

Shortly after this experience, I happened to meet a man who had been baptized recently by the pastor of this church. I asked him why he did not go to that church anymore. He answered, “When I joined the church, I thought I was joining a church that had left Babylon. But last Christmas I found paganism in the church and the sermons my pastor gives, week after week, were exactly the same as I used to hear in the church that I left to join the Adventist Church. I want to go to a church where the pastor is preaching a spirit filled message from God’s word that helps me to get ready for the coming crisis.” My mind began to recount how God has told us that such things would happen within our church in the end time. Two parties would be found within a church that was once united. One group would cry and sigh for the abominations seen within the church. The other would stress the need to compromise so that we could be more attractive to the surrounding churches.

 

What Are We to Do?

 

What are the faithful historic Adventists to do, for more and more of those who are crying and sighing over the abominations so prevalent within Adventism are being disfellowshipped? Perhaps God is trying to tell His faithful few that we are nearing the time of trouble when we shall be forced to go from door to door with our Bibles in our hands. We will visit our neighbors and those in the surrounding countryside to explain to them our peculiar faith and to study the Scriptures with those who are interested.

This is to be done in preparation for a soon coming Sunday law, when this will be the only way in which we can obey the law of the land and still be faithful to our God. God is shutting the door of mercy upon a compromising church. He is opening the door to His faithful few who are lamenting the abominations of celebration. It is time for us to begin the long awaited house-to-house missionary work to our surrounding neighborhoods on Sabbath afternoon in preparation for Sunday missionary work. The church has failed to do this in a time of ease, on the Sabbath day, and soon it will be more difficult.

I believe there are thousands upon thousands just waiting to hear the truth of the Three Angels’Messages. What an opportunity to start Branch Sabbath Schools and Bible studies as we used to do. We can personally visit the needy with packages of love and start being concerned for those who are sick. We can obtain necessary training for medical missionary activity. Perhaps God is just waiting for you to start a Branch Sabbath School of new believers without any celebration and drama. Then you will never say that you have no place to go! A great soul-winning program needs to be initiated by historic Adventists.

 

A Feast Without Guests

 

In Luke 14, Christ told a parable that is very appropriate for our situation. In this parable, a king invites many people to attend the wedding feast he has prepared for his son. Sadly, all of those invited make excuses and do not answer the invitation. “The master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” Luke 14:21. This master was deeply concerned. This is a very serious crisis. The king has spent a fortune for this supper. The truth is that the stability of his kingdom is involved. The refusal to accept this invitation is rebellion, for this invitation involves the wedding of the king’s son. To refuse to attend is looked upon by the king as treason.

Now what will the king do about this? He is a godly king, with his rulership based on love. So he executes a plan to solve the problem. He will reveal his mercy, his longsuffering and his loving care. Since the first effort failed, he will try again. The supper must be attended by guests. His determination is amazing. His attitude should electrify all who bear his name. He gives this challenging command, “Go out quickly into the streets and the lanes of the city, and compel them to come in that my house may be filled.” This is God’s command for you and me today.

Why is the command so urgent? Why does the master say, “Go quickly?” It is because “all things are now ready.” Luke 14:16, 17. The feast is prepared: the food is cooked and everything is in order, all that is missing is the guests. Likewise, God also predicted a list of conditions that must take place here on this earth so it could also be said of the world, “All things are now ready.”

Consider the following areas and how they are being fulfilled before our eyes.

  • Increase in knowledge: Eighty percent of all the scientists that ever existed on the face of this world are alive today. Technology increases by quantum leaps every day. New discoveries continually change the way we live and work.
  • Destruction: You may be startled to know that Russia still has over a thousand nuclear warheads pointed at some of our larger cities in America. If these were all launched, the effects would be so complete as to destroy every living being in the United States.
  • Famine: This world has now reached a population of between six and seven billion inhabitants, and experts predict a massive famine in the Orient and in Africa in the near future.
  • Employment: One out of every four workers in the world is unemployed today.
  • Diseases: There are scores of new outbreaks of terrible diseases. One hundred million will die of AIDS. One out of every thirty college students test positive for the HIV virus.
  • Disasters: We hear so much about disasters today, that we have almost become hardened to the daily entourage. Often, the news that hundreds or thousands have been killed in still another catastrophe initiates little more than a moment of pity.
  • Divorce: When I was a boy, one out of three marriages ended in divorce. Today it is one out of every two. I am sure that you will agree that this is terrible. But consider Russia, where divorce is twenty-six percent higher than it is in the United States.
  • Morals: We now have ten million homosexuals in America. But when you look at the small country of Holland, it boasts of thirteen million homosexuals!

 

“Go” Means You!

 

This world has indeed become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Surely the earth is ready for Christ to come and destroy the sinners and the supposed saints. “All things are now ready,” but the guests have ignored the invitation. There is much to be done by you and by me. No wonder God says, “Go.” That word taken to heart and put into action has great power. “GO” scattered the disciples abroad after the Savior’s crucifixion and they finished their task in just one generation. Today, we have come to a place where we like to juggle the wording of Scripture or change the spelling of Inspiration. Some would spell “GO” with the letters LOOK, WRITE, GIVE or SEND, for they believe it best to work by proxy. After all, the preacher gets paid for it. Let him do the work. He is better qualified.

When God says, “GO,” He is speaking to every member of His church. He means GO into the streets and the lanes—to wherever there is a soul to be found, into the huts of poverty, the camp of sin, the abode of outcasts, into the castle of the rich or down the street to our neighbors. Preach the gospel to every creature. Go out to where you find the unregenerate heart. This is our personal missionary field. Often I hear people say, “But, I do not know what to say.” If this is the case, you need to check your own heart, because inspiration tells us that, “Everyone who is connected with God will impart light to others. If there are any who have not light to give, it is because they have no connection with the source of light.” Historical Sketches, 291.

I well remember a preacher giving a message in which he made the statement that every

Christian can win someone to Christ. There was a poor seamstress in his church who worked early and late to feed her fatherless children. She remained after the service to talk to the pastor.

She said, “This is the first time, Pastor, that I have ever heard you say something that I felt was unfair.” The pastor listened. Then he said, “A word to the wise is sufficient.” And he left her. She began to think and to pray about it. She had no transportation. But she thought about her sewing customers. Then she thought about the milkman. So the next morning she was up bright and early and when she heard the rattle of the empty bottles at her door, she opened it and stammered a bit.

The milkman thought that she had just gotten up and he began to leave when she finally said, “Wait. Do you know Christ?” The milkman almost dropped the empty bottles. For two nights he had been despondent over his sins. Yes, he would love to come to her home and have Bible studies. Do you know, one year later she presented her pastor with seven people for baptism. I personally met a young man who lived in a large community, in the Ozarks, who had visited every home within fifteen miles of where he lived. He was giving a Bible study every night of the week, and he still held a regular job in a factory working five days a week. Where is your mission field?

 

Have You Passed Your Neighbor By?

 

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves. And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.” Luke 10:30–37.

This man fell among thieves. Those who are without Christ are being robbed. The world offers tinsel pleasures but they soon lose their appeal. The devil robs and strips them, revealing their nakedness, just as he did to Adam and Eve. Sin is a cruel master. The man in Christ’s parable was in a pitiful condition. Bruised and badly beaten, he was half dead.

That is what Satan does to his victims. The Scripture says we are dead in trespasses and sin. Christ, in telling this story, is teaching us that sinners are spiritually dead in sin but alive in the body. In other words, they are half dead. Only the Great Physician can resurrect them to new life.

What about the Levite and the priest? “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.” Luke 10:31, 32. The priest was on his way to the temple when he came near to this dying man. He looks, but he does not stop. How can he determine if this man is worthy of his help. He decides to report the matter when he gets to Jerusalem. Perhaps the Dorcas will help him. So he passes by.

Next comes the Levite, a servant of God. His business is to conduct worship and ceremonies. He had better not get his robes dirty helping this poor wretch. After all, this man was at fault. He came down this road of sin, and the law had warned him not to engage in sin. How could love be extended to such a man?

The case seems hopeless. Already, two men have passed by the wounded man, leaving him to die. But wait, there is someone else coming. “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.” Luke 10:33. The wounded man could not come to Jesus, for he was about to die. So Christ came to the wounded man and He was prepared to help. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. Paul further states: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15.

 

The First Aid Kit

 

Notice that Christ was carrying a medical First Aid Kit. “And [he] went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” Luke 10:34. Nothing soothes and heals like the oil of the Holy Spirit. The wine is a purifying remedy, the cleansing blood of Jesus. This First Aid Kit contained bandages, emollients, antiseptic, oil (the Holy Spirit) and wine (the blood that cleanses from sin). The kind man exchanges places with this poor man. For the wounded man is placed on the Master’s donkey to be carried to a hospital (the church). Jesus sees the man’s terrible condition, caught and wounded by sin. So He comes down to earth and takes on humanity. He travels down the road to Jericho looking for sinners that He might save. Who do you know who is half dead, discouraged and whose religion does not answer their need? What they need is the touch of the Great Physician and God wants you to go and bring these individuals the good news of the Saviour. “Go and do thou likewise.” Luke 10:37. Christ says, “Go!” Go out into the streets and the lanes of the city. Go where the lost are to be found.

“Love for God, zeal for His glory, and love for fallen humanity, brought Jesus to earth to suffer and to die. This was the controlling power of His life. This principle He bids us adopt.” The Desire of Ages, 329.

Christ says to you, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:23. If your first effort fails, try again. You are offering a compelling force of love. God will stand by you and help you, for He has promised, “Go thou and do likewise.” We must go and fetch them and bring them to the remnant church.

But now I hear someone say, Brother Nelson, I cannot invite individuals to my present church. It has become too much like Babylon. Then start a home church by personal visitation and Bible studies until you have a group where the Spirit of God is manifested. Remember, dying men cannot come to the inn by themselves. Do not leave your work to the minister, the radio or the TV. God has given you the means you need—the two pence. “And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.” Luke 10:35. What is the two pence? It is the provision by which you have access to every power that Christ possessed. And any effort you put into the work will be rewarded. Christ promised, “When I come, I will repay.” And you know that He is coming soon. So be true to your Saviour. Keep the faith. Obey His command, “This do and thou shalt live.” Luke 10:37.

If you are truly converted, if you are washed in His blood, filled with the oil of His Spirit and bathed in His love, then go out into the streets and the lanes and compel them to come “that My house may be filled” and Christ may come. Do not stand around and cry, I have no place to go. Start a Branch Sabbath School that will eventually become a place of worship.

“God requires everyone to be a worker.” Bible Echo, 1901. “God demands that every soul who knows the truth shall seek to win others.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 103. “God expects personal service from everyone.” Ibid., 30. “We must participate in His labors for their redemption.” The Desire of Ages, 142.

So, GO, go out quickly into the streets and the lanes of the city and compel them to come in.

 

New Theology

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What is happening in our beloved Seventh-day Adventist Church? Many of our members do not know what to believe. Some are attending home churches because they hear an unscriptural gospel preached from their Adventist pulpit. Our church is facing a very critical emergency. It is being divided into two camps, each teaching a different gospel, affecting the conscience of pastors, teachers and laymen.

The dividing question revolves around faith and works in the Christian life. James explained the subject this way: “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:20–26.

Inspiration clarifies this Scripture so clearly that there can be no possible misunderstanding. ” ‘. . .Without faith it is impossible to please Him, . . . He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ Hebrews 11:6. There are many in the Christian world that claim that all that is necessary to salvation is to have faith; works are nothing. But God’s word tells us that faith without works is dead, being alone. Many refuse to obey God’s commandments, yet they make a great deal of faith. But faith must have a foundation. God’s promises are all made upon conditions. If we do His will, if we walk in truth, then we may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us. While we earnestly endeavor to be obedient, God will hear our petitions; but He will not bless us in disobedience. If we choose to disobey His commandments, we may cry, ‘Faith, faith, only have faith,’ And the response will come back from the sure word of God, ‘Faith without works is dead.’ (James 2:20.) Such faith will only be as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal. In order to have the benefits of God’s grace we must do our part; we must faithfully work and bring forth fruits meet for repentance . . .

“Faith and works will keep us evenly balanced and make us successful in the work of perfecting Christian character. Jesus says, ‘Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.’ (Matthew 7:21.) Speaking of temporal food, the apostle said, ‘For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.’ 2 Thessalonians 3:10. The same rule applies to our spiritual nourishment; if any would have the bread of eternal life, let him make efforts to obtain it. We are living in an important and interesting period of this earth’s history. We need more faith than we have yet had; we need a firmer hold from above. Satan is working with all power to obtain the victory over us, for he knows that he has but a short time in which to work. Paul had fear and trembling in working out his salvation and should not we fear lest the promise being left us, we should any of us seem to come short of it, and prove ourselves unworthy of eternal life? We should watch unto prayer. Strive with agonizing effort to enter in at the straight gate.” Faith and Works, 47, 49.

For years, modern Babylon has been teaching that Jesus kept the law for us, therefore it is not necessary for us to keep the law. It is commonly said that all that we need to do is believe that Christ obeyed the law for us, and we may continue to sin till Jesus comes and still be saved. Such teachings come straight from the doctrines of devils!

 

How the Pioneers Established Truth

 

It is amazing to discern how the Holy Spirit, through the servant of the Lord, guided our pioneers so clearly that they were able to distinguish truth from error and separate from Babylon’s false teachings. In Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 412, Ellen White described this process: “My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder Edson, a man who was keen, noble, and true, and many others whose names I cannot now recall, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for truth. At our important meetings, these men would meet together and search for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly; for we felt that we must learn God’s truth. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light, and studying the Word. As we fasted and prayed, great power came upon us. But I could not understand the reasoning of the brethren. My mind was locked, as it were, and I could not comprehend what we were studying. Then the Spirit of God would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given to me, with instruction as to the position we were to take regarding truth and duty. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was plainly marked out before me, and I gave my brethren and sisters the instruction that the Lord had given me. They knew that when not in vision I could not understand these matters, and they accepted as light direct from heaven the revelations given me. The leading points of our faith as we hold them today were firmly established. Point after point were clearly defined, and all the brethren came into harmony.”

We need to consider that if we are tempted to embrace new doctrinal teachings, which differ from the faith delivered to our pioneers, that we are in danger of rejecting the light given by the Holy Spirit. God has always promised to increase our light by fuller development, but He never changes His truth. “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls . . .” Jeremiah 6:16.

 

Warnings for Adventists

 

In view of this divine counsel, let us consider how we have been warned of what will happen in this end time and what God is expecting of His servants, the shepherds.

“God calls for men of decided fidelity. He has no use in an emergency for two-sided men. He wants men who will lay their hand upon a wrong work and say, This is not according to the will of God.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 153.

“All who believe that the Lord has spoken through Sister White, and has given her a message, will be safe from the many delusions that will come in these last days.” Selected Messages, vol. 3, 83, 84.

“In these last days, false teachers will arise and become actively zealous . . . False theories will be mingled with every phase of experience . . . In the very midst of us will arise false teachers, giving heed to seducing spirits whose doctrines are of satanic origin. These teachers will draw away disciples after themselves . . . Confessions may be made, but no real reformation takes place, and erroneous theories bring ruin upon unsuspecting souls because these souls believe and rely upon the men advocating these theories.” Review and Herald, January 7, 1904.

“When the power of God testifies as to what is truth, that truth is to stand forever as the truth. No after suppositions contrary to the light God has given are to be entertained. Men will arise with interpretations of Scripture which are to them truth, but which are not truth . . . One will arise, and still another, with new light, which contradicts the light that God has given under the demonstration of the Holy Spirit . . . We are not to receive the words of those who come with a message that contradicts the special points of our faith. They gather together a mass of Scripture, and pile it up as proof around their asserted theories . . . And while the Scriptures are God’s Word, and are to be respected, the application of them, if such application moves one pillar from the foundation that God has sustained these fifty years, is a great mistake. He who makes such an application knows not the wonderful demonstration of the Holy Spirit that gave power and force to the past messages that have come to the people of God.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 161.

“He (Satan) works today as he worked in heaven, to divide the people of God in the very last state of this earth’s history. He seeks to create dissention, and to arouse contention and discussion, and to remove if possible the old landmarks of truth committed to God’s people. He tries to make it appear as if the Lord contradicts Himself.

“It is when Satan appears as an angel of light that he takes souls in his snare, deceiving them. Men who pretend to have been taught of God will adopt fallacious theories and in their teaching will so adorn these fallacies as to bring in satanic delusions. Thus Satan will be introduced as an angel of light, and will have opportunity to present his pleasing fables.” Manuscript Releases, No. 222.

In October of 1903, Ellen White urged immediate action to forestall the invasion of the New Theology teachings that God had revealed would soon enter the church in the end time. “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 that stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of re-organization. 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 . . . 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 . . . 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 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?” Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, 39, 40.

It is no wonder that there is an apostate theology of assurance and salvation being promoted today from the very top of the structure. I believe this apostasy to be exactly what the servant of the Lord called “The Omega,” as found in Selected Messages, vol. 1, 177, 205.

We are told that there would be few champions of truth within the church at the end time, and that the majority would reject the pure gospel. We see the fulfillment of Paul’s prophecy in 1 Timothy 4:1. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” “Every wind of doctrine will be blowing.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 80.

It is not uncommon to hear the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which God says in Revelation 2:6 that He hates, preached from Adventist pulpits. This “gospel” teaches that we may sin and still be saved.

The liberals among us are teaching Calvinistic concepts so that we are losing our distinctive pillars of faith. We are taught to blindly accept anything from the leadership. The results are inevitable. God’s professed people are becoming ecumenical and losing sight of the true identity of the antichrist. It is plain to see that there are those in leadership today who are attempting to remove the landmarks of truth, just as inspiration predicted. “There will be a removing of the landmarks and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 985.

 

The History of the New Theology*

 

Dr. Leroy Froom began the New Theology by misquoting Ellen White in order to substantiate a coexistence with the Evangelicals. The original statement by Mrs. White reads as follows: “In taking upon Himself man’s nature in its fallen condition, Christ did not in the least participate in its sin.” The Faith I Live By, 49. Froom changed it to read, ” . . .took the sinless nature of Adam before his fall.” He thus implanted words which Ellen White never said.

This New Theology was further upheld by Dr. Edward Heppenstall, the Chairman of the Systematic Theology Department at Andrews University. He wrote a book on perfection in which he made twenty-one statements that say it is impossible for Christians to stop sinning, even by the power of God. In one such statement he said: “The Bible rejects every possibility of our reaching sinless perfection in this life.” The Impossible Possibility, 73.

Next came Dr. Desmond Ford, a teacher at Avondale College in Australia and later at Pacific Union College. He made an all out attack on the Sanctuary doctrine, in 1979.

Many other books of a similar nature have now been printed by Pacific Press. One of the most blatant is Beyond Belief, by Jack Sequiera, in which the author denies many of our basic beliefs. But the worst apostasy is that which is being promoted by our General Conference President in which he totally ignores the instructions of the Spirit of Prophecy, claiming to have made a new discovery.

In his book, We Still Believe, he asserts that assurance of salvation is based on grace alone and that our response of sanctified obedience has nothing to do with our salvation.

In the following quotations, I shall compare Ford, Sequiera and Folkenberg in their new beliefs concerning the basis of our salvation. “The justification imputed to us is a righteousness which is one hundred percent, but it is not eternal. It is an alien righteousness that is outside of us. The righteousness of sanctification, however, is internal. It is the fruit of our cooperation with the Holy Spirit, but it is not one hundred percent. Thus we are ever dependent upon the merits of Christ; ever dependent upon justification for our standing with God.” The Only Two Religions in the World, 15, by Desmond Ford.

Someone says, “That sounds pretty good.” We will find out what is wrong with this as we compare this statement with Sequiera’s teaching. “The righteousness God obtained for all humanity in Christ, justification, is full of merit. It is this alone that qualifies us for heaven, now and in the judgment. See Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5. The righteousness God provides in us, on the other hand, has no saving value. It is never complete in this life.” Beyond Belief, 170.

The General Conference President believes the same as Ford and Sequiera. “Whatever changes God brings about in us, our salvation must always be based upon what He has done for us.” “Will the Evangelical Adventist Please Stand Up?” by Robert Folkenberg, The Review, April, 1997.

In the Scriptures, the righteousness of God includes both justification and sanctification. As we compare the writings of these men further, we note that Ford declares that the righteousness of God is not one hundred percent. Sequiera agrees that the righteousness of God has no saving value. And the General Conference President writes that the only thing that counts is what Christ did for us. Yet anyone who accepts the writings of Paul in the Holy Scriptures must agree that the righteousness of God includes both justification and sanctification.

God’s righteousness is never to be questioned, for the pardoning righteousness of Christ becomes a living power within us to enable us to overcome all sin. A righteous life cannot be separated from the divine living power that breaks the bondage of sin. For as we become united with Christ, the righteousness of God becomes our personal property so that in the final judgment, no trace of unrighteousness remains. This is the true meaning of the words, The Lord our Righteousness, Who changes the believers heart the moment he is united by faith in Christ and eventually purifies the heart from every sin.

 

Ford, Sequiera and Folkenberg on Christ’s Nature

 

Now, in comparison, let us see what Ford states. “We were ruined by our first representative, Adam, and we had nothing to do with that. The good news of the gospel is that we have been redeemed by our second representative, Jesus. And we had nothing to do with that either.” Good News for Adventists, 14. Now we see where this New Theology is leading. Ford states that we have nothing to do with Christ’s redemption for us.

Sequiera teaches the same. “If the down side of the idea of corporate oneness is that we all fell in the one man, Adam, the glorious up side of the idea is that God likewise has redeemed all of us in the One Man, Jesus Christ, Who is the second Adam.” Beyond Belief, 34.

The General Conference President agrees. “According to the Bible, two individuals, Adam and Christ, sum up and comprehend all those who have ever lived on the earth. We are all in Adam by reason of our birth, in him, in sin and death. But the glorious truth of the gospel is that Jesus died for us all, and we were in Him on the cross.” In Christ, 5, by Robert Folkenberg.

“We are all in Adam by reason of our birth”? If this is true, this applies to Christ. “Like every child of Adam, He (Christ) accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity.” The Desire of Ages, 49. But these men do not accept that Christ was born of the same flesh as you and I, yet without sin. They insist that Christ was born with the sinless nature of Adam before his fall!

As we compare further, we hear the New Theology continually emphasizing the unconditional good news. Ford would have us believe this by stating, “Justify never means to make righteous. Deuteronomy 25:1; Exodus 23:7. Down through the centuries false religion has made justify mean make righteous, in the sense of becoming more righteous.” Good News for Adventists, 15.

If justify never means to make righteous, there can be no conditions to salvation. Sequiera bluntly states this. “The gospel is the unconditional good news of salvation for all mankind.” Beyond Belief, 36.

The General Conference President reveals where this New Theology is leading the church. “This is why the gospel is unconditional good news. Our assurance of salvation is based, not on our behavior, but on Christ’s. Our assurance of salvation is based not on reaching some level of character development, but on our relationship with Jesus.” We Still Believe, 41. And on page 42 we read. “Such people, legalists, carrying an “anti-cheap grace” banner, back themselves in the other extreme, falling into the ditch of “conditional justification” and sacrificing the peace of mind that is born of assurance in Christ.”

Here is another gospel, which is contrary to the writings of both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. For the assurance taught by Ford, Sequiera and Folkenberg, teaches that we need do nothing but believe. That our behavior has nothing to do with our character development. “We can sin and yet live.”

This is what Ford teaches. “As soon as the sinner exercises faith in the atonement of the cross, he or she is declared righteous, perfect and without condemnation. These blessings are retained as long as he or she believes, despite personal mistakes and failures. Note it well, justification does not cover only our past but all our days.” Good News for Adventists. That is the teaching of once saved, always saved.

Sequiera teaches the same. “Stumbling under grace, falling into sin, does not deprive us of justification, neither does it bring condemnation.” Beyond Belief, 166. Such a statement is unbelievable in view of David’s sin and his response to the prophet’s words, “Thou art the man!” Who would ever think that the time would come in our beloved church when books would be printed with another gospel telling us that we can sin without condemnation?

And Folkenberg agrees with this New Theology. “We obtain salvation through agreeing to enter a relationship of trust in Jesus and occasional good deeds and misdeeds neither make nor break that relationship.” Called in Grace, 22. “Finally I discovered that our assurance of salvation is based on God’s grace by faith, not on our behavior or character development. Each sin we may commit does not turn off salvation in our lives.” We Still Believe, 40.

 

New Theology and the Sunday Law

 

New Theology teaches that deportment, behavior and character development mean absolutely nothing. You may sin until Jesus returns and you will still be saved. This is exactly what Satan would have us believe. When the Sunday law becomes a final issue, since our behavior means nothing, we will be urged by the leadership to go along with the law. The New Theology will have successfully evaded the issue of the Mark of the Beast, preparing the people to keep Sunday.

Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us and, in that wrought by His Spirit working in and through us. “The work of gaining salvation is one of co-partnership, a joint operation . . . Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works.” Acts of the Apostles, 482.

There is no such thing as the “sin and be saved” doctrine that is taught in the New Theology. Jesus clearly contradicted it with His teachings. In Matthew 19 He told us how we can be saved: “And, behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:16, 17.

“And, behold a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all they strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And He said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” Luke 10:25–28.

“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified).” Romans 2:7, 8, 13.

“And being made perfect, He (Christ) became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.” Hebrews 5:9. “The gospel that is to be preached to all nations, kindreds, tongues and peoples represents the truth in clear lines, showing that obedience is the condition of gaining eternal life.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 972.

“When the lawyer came to Christ saying, ‘Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ The Saviour did not say, Believe, only believe, and you will be saved. ‘What is written in the law?’ He said, ‘How readest thou?’ Here the false doctrine that man has nothing to do but believe is swept away. Eternal life is given to us on the condition that we obey the commandments of

*Material for this part of the article was taken from an appeal to the General Conference President by Elder Ron Spear.

 

SDA Roots, part 3

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“Follow the fascinating, expanding course of a tiny rivulet. Fed at first from a single spring, it wends its solitary way down the broad valley from the highland. Soon it is joined by other brooklets, and is fed by streamlet after streamlet, until it expands into a modest river. This, in turn, is joined by other streams and rivers, large and small. And these are augmented by melting snows and swelled by drenching rains, until a giant continental waterway results—growing wider, deeper, swifter with each passing mile, and flowing resistlessly onward until it pours its impressive volume into the mighty ocean. Mill wheels are turned and power is developed on its banks, and sizable ships sail on its bosom. Such is the life story of a great river like the Mississippi.

“And thus it was with what became the great Millerite or second advent movement of America, starting in the early nineteenth-century. Perhaps no phenomenon in the history of American Christianity is comparable to aspects of the great nineteenth-century second advent, or Millerite movement. Without question it made a greater impress upon the consciousness of the American populace within the short space of thirteen years than any other religious development in the annals of the nation.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4. 443.

The founder of the Millerite or American Advent movement was William Miller, born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in February 1782. “He possessed a strong physical constitution, an active and naturally well-developed intellect, an irreproachable moral character. He had enjoyed the limited advantages of the district school but a few years before it was generally admitted that his attainments exceeded those of the teachers usually employed.” The Great Second Advent Movement, 118. By J. N. Loughborough.

He had an insatiable desire to read and spent many hours by the light of candlewood (splinters of pitchy wood and pine knots) reading books. This made an impression upon several men in Miller’s community, including Judge James Witherill, Congressman Matthew Lyon and Alexander Cruikshanks of White Hall, formerly of Scotland, and they offered him free access to their libraries. His parents had warned him not to stay up late reading but he persisted in reading before the fireplace after the family had gone to bed.

“He was blessed with a strong mind and a remarkably retentive memory, and earnestly longed to obtain an advanced formal education. But that was not to be, despite his earnest attempts. He was, nevertheless, fitted for vigorous living and became a leader among his fellows. He was unusually well read and self-educated, and conspicuously methodical in all his ways. He came to be recognized as on a parity with the best-trained minds of the community, with whom he constantly associated. He was also a kind of community scribe, an excellent penman and versifier.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4, 456.

At the age of 23, in 1803, he married Lucy Smith and they set up housekeeping in Poultney, Vermont. There was a large library in this town and Miller spent much time there. His ability to write verse made him popular at public occasions. He joined the Literary Society and also became a Mason. The men with whom he associated were deeply into deistic theories and principles. They rejected the Bible as the standard of religious truth and attempted to make this acceptable by referring to such writers as Voltaire, Hume, Volney, Paine and Ethan Allen, among others.

Voltaire’s concepts were built around the false idea of the ruin of human nature which completely ignored God’s redeeming love and provisions. Volney’s philosophy was concerned with the ruin of human habitation, not realizing that God did not design that man be in his present state or to leave him there forever. Paine argued against the supernatural, using pagan mythology.

Because of his keen mind and ready wit, Miller enjoyed philosophical discussions. He was perturbed over the inconsistencies he observed among professing Christians. He was even more perplexed over the seeming contradictions in the Bible, as asserted by his deist friends.

To solve these problems, Miller sought the counsel of various preachers, but he became more confused by their various conflicting and irreconcilable opinions. He studied writings of Voltaire, Hume and Paine, among others, and eventually declared himself a deist. But the study of these atheistic writers only brought more confusion to his mind. He came to look upon life as a gamble and the Bible as “a creation of crafty fabrication rather than a system of revealed truth.” Ibid., vol.4, 457. He continued in this vein of thinking for twelve years, beginning in 1804. In spite of all this he still believed in a Supreme Being that manifests Himself in providence and nature.

“Despite his playful mimicry of the devotional mannerisms and the very tones, words, and gestures of the preachers—and all done with the utmost gravity—Miller sought to be good and to do good, and gave liberally for the support of Christian objectives. He was honest, truthful, and clean. Even in the days of his greatest devotion to Deism he always desired something better. Despite his difficulties he could not rationally abandon his belief in the existence of God. At the outset of this conflict of soul, in 1803 he had expressed his outcry after God in a touching strain. It was in a bit of verse entitled ‘Religion’:

‘Come, blest Religion, with thy angel’s face, Dispel this gloom, and brighten all the place; Drive this destructive passion from my breast; Compose my sorrows, and restore my rest; Show me the path that Christian heroes trod, Wean me from earth, and raise my soul to God!’ ” Ibid., 458.

Having served as constable and justice of the peace, and sheriff from 1809-1811, he became familiar with the baser side of human nature, making him distrustful of all men. In spite of these experiences Miller still had a desire for good character more than for fame and money. He thought this could be attained by patriotic service so he joined the army, receiving the rank of captain, and served from 1812-1814.

By now he had become disillusioned with Deism and its principles and became disgusted with the sinful character of men. He was horrified by the deistic doctrine of total annihilation for everyone at death. Soon Miller was discharged and he returned to Poultney with a comfortable income. In 1816 he moved to Low Hampton, New York, following the death of his father, to take care of his mother and begin life as a farmer. Now he had more time to read and study the things which he had desired to for so long.

One day Miller found himself taking the name of God in vain, in an oath, and he was convicted that it was wrong. He pondered how a just being could save the violators of law and justice. The answer did not appear in nature or in providence. Only the Bible professed to be a revelation from God, and to offer a solution.

He said, “Annihilation was a cold and chilling thought, and accountability was sure destruction to all. The heavens were as brass over my head, and the earth as iron under my feet. Eternity! What was it? And death! Why was it? The more I reasoned, the further I was from demonstration. The more I thought, the more scattered were my conclusions. I tried to stop thinking, but my thoughts would not be controlled. I was truly wretched, but did not understand the cause . . . Soon after, suddenly the character of the Saviour was vividly impressed upon my mind. It seemed there might be a Being so good and compassionate as to Himself atone for our transgressions, and thereby save us from suffering the penalty of sin. I immediately felt how lovely such a Being must be; and imagined that I could cast myself into the arms of, and trust in the mercy of such a One.” The Great Second Advent Movement, 118, 119.

William Miller’s home was only a quarter of a mile from his uncle’s Baptist church, which he attended on a regular basis when his uncle was there. He excused his absence by saying that he was not edified by the faulty way in which the sermon was read by the substitute. He suggested that if he could read sometime he would attend, and the church elders agreed to this. That was the beginning of Miller’s public religious life. All the while he was groping for light and rest of soul.

One Sunday a visiting clergyman preached a sermon that made a profound impression on Miller. On the following Sunday, in the absence of his uncle, he was asked to give the sermon which the leaders selected for him. The selection was taken from Proudfit’s Practical Sermons, on Isaiah 53. “In the midst of the presentation he was overwhelmed by the sense of God’s goodness and His loving provision for lost sinners. The redemptive character of the Saviour as an atonement for sin was vividly impressed upon him. He was soundly converted, and accepted Christ as his personal Saviour. His mind was now satisfied, and his heart found rest.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 461.

“I saw that the Bible did bring to view just such a Saviour as I needed; and I was perplexed to find how an uninspired book should develop principles so perfectly adapted to the wants of a fallen world. I was constrained to admit that the Scriptures must be a revelation from God. They became my delight; and in Jesus I found a friend . . . The Bible now became my chief study, and I can truly say, I searched it with great delight. I found the half was never told me. I wondered why I had not seen its beauty and glory before, and marveled that I could have ever rejected it.” The Great Second Advent Movement, 118, 119.

“He at once erected the family altar and publicly professed the Christian faith, joining the Hampton Baptist church and becoming one of its staunch pillars.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 461.

“This right about-face was, of course, much to the chagrin of his former deist friends who began to assail his new faith and allegiance. He became the butt of sharp ridicule and the subject of their mirth. But all this proved a blessing in disguise. He came to know their mode of attack and their processes of thought, as well as their arguments. This doubtless accounts for his later skill in successfully handling deists. He had considered every conceivable objection, more than his opponents were able to muster, and was unable to find one really valid objection to the Christian faith. Thus it was that his faith was established.” Ibid., 461.

“Miller publicly professed his faith in the religion which he had despised. But his infidel associates were not slow to bring forward all those arguments, which he himself had often urged, against the divine authority of the Scriptures. He was not then prepared to answer them; but he reasoned that if the Bible is a revelation from God, it must be consistent with itself; and that as it was given for man’s instruction, it must be adapted to his understanding. He determined to study the Scriptures for himself, and ascertain if every apparent contradiction could not be harmonized.” The Great Controversy, 319, 320.

For the next two years the Bible became the center of his studies and meditation. He had discovered that God was a Being that he could trust. His unbelieving friends accused him of being blind in his faith, just as he had done to others while he was involved in Deism. He had gained great joy in propounding perplexing questions to Christians and triumphed over their discomfiture. Now he received the same and must meet the issue. His answer was to ask for time and he would harmonize the apparent contradictions. It was the challenges of the deists and his own desire to know the truth which drove him to earnestly study the Bible for himself.

Miller now began his study by laying aside all commentaries and preconceived opinions and using only the Bible, Cruden’s Concordance, marginal notes of the Bible and history books. His studies were so intensive that he would often spend all night followed by whole days in study. His determination was to methodically and systematically examine the Bible to find the answers to his questions. So he began at Genesis, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and proceeded no faster than the meaning became clear.

“At times Miller was delighted with truth that soon became apparent. At other times he was puzzled by the imagery of the prophecies, and was still troubled by seeming contradictions. This prolonged study eventuated in the formulation of a set of rules to be noted later. Symbols and metaphors became clear, and parables and similes were satisfactorily defined. He became profoundly and intelligently convinced that the Bible is ‘a system of revealed truth.’ ” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 462.

As Miller studied the prophecies, he became convinced even more of the inspired origin of the Bible. Though they were expressed symbolically, they were obviously fulfilled literally and could be proven from history. He reasoned that the past fulfillments were the guarantee of the integrity of the portions of the prophecies not yet fulfilled. He was sure that the Second Advent was near. He said: “Finding all the signs of the times and the present condition of the world, to compare harmoniously with the prophetic descriptions of the last days, I was compelled to believe that this world had about reached the limits of the period allotted for its continuance. As I regarded the evidence, I could arrive at no other conclusion.” Ibid., 463.

The next time we will continue with the story of William Miller: his methods of study, his findings and his preaching experiences.