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The New Theology, part 2

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Editor’s Note: Last month we looked at the history of New Theology and compared statements by Desmond Ford, Jack Sequiera and Robert Folkenberg. We noted that the same line of false theology ran through the writings of all three.

Many find it difficult to believe that the very top leadership within God’s Remnant Church is teaching false doctrines, such as those referred to in the first article of this series. But the public statements by these leaders leave undeniable evidence. Statements such as this one by the General Conference President: “Our assurance of salvation is based on God’s grace by faith, not on our behavior or character development.” Called in Christ, 22. Sadly, this is not an isolated statement. This is the message of the New Theology that he consistently writes and preaches.

Some fifty-five years ago, when I was ordained to the ministry, I was admonished that I was to be a watchman on the walls of Zion. I have diligently tried to do this over the years. Along my course, I have noticed that there are always some who, when error is condemned, will say “That is criticism.” But I wish to make it clear that I am still a watchman on the walls of Zion pointing out error to alert our people that some of the books and articles written today, by Adventist authors, will lead you to apostasy.

Keeping this in mind, you will see why I am so alarmed as I read the outrageous falsification of the gospel, which Elder Folkenberg expressed in his closing prayer at the Hope, British Columbia, Camp Meeting in 1991. He prayed, “Lord, thank You for the assurance. Thank you for the promise that if I claim Your name and look up to the cross of Jesus, my name is written in the Book of Life. It has nothing to do with how good I am or how I live or anything else.”

This prayer gives a clear example of how this apostate New Theology embraces a Christ who died to keep us from the penalty of sin, but who will, at the same time, allow us to continue to live in sin with the assurance of eternal life. Such teachings are contrary to the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy. Our General Conference President is in need of our prayers that he may awaken from the Omega of apostasy in which he is leading the flock of God.

The basis for this study is in Jude 3, 4, which says, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God unto lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As we contend for the faith as delivered to the saints by the Holy Spirit, we need to heed the inspired counsels. Sister White wrote: “Few appreciate the importance of striving constantly to overcome. They relax their diligence and, as a result, become selfish and self-indulgent. Spiritual vigilance is not thought to be essential. Earnestness in human effort is not brought into the Christian life.

“There will be some terrible falls by those who think they stand firm because they have the truth, but they have it not as it is in Jesus. A moment’s carelessness may plunge a soul into irretrievable ruin. One sin leads to the second, and the second prepares the way for the third, and so on. We must, as faithful messengers of God, plead with Him constantly to be kept by His power. If we swerve a single inch from duty, we are in danger of following on in a course of sin that will end in perdition. There is hope for everyone of us, but only in one way, and that is by binding ourselves to Christ, and exerting every energy to attain to the perfection of His character.

“That religion which makes of sin a light matter, dwelling upon the love of God to the sinner regardless of his actions, only encourages the sinner to believe that God will receive him while he continues in that which he knows to be sin. This is what some are doing who profess to believe present truth. The truth is kept apart from the life, and that is the reason it has no power to convict and convert the soul.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 540.

There is no question in my mind that we are entering the Omega of apostasy. Compare how inspiration describes it to what we see today. “Be not deceived, many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the Alpha of this danger. The Omega will be of a most startling nature.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 197.

Part of the Omega of apostasy will be the making of none effect the Spirit of Prophecy. “Satan is . . .constantly pressing in the spurious—to lead away from the truth. The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. ‘Where there is no vision the people of God perish.’ Proverbs 29:18. Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony.

“There will be a hatred kindled against the testimonies which is satanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so clear a track to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 48.

This, so called, New Theology is really nothing more than the old theology of Satan, for the devil has always tried to make void the law of God. In the days of the apostles, there was a group called the Nicolaitans who were teaching that the law of God could not be kept. Speaking about this false doctrine Sister White wrote: “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. To the church of Ephesus He says: ‘But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.’

“Those who are teaching this doctrine today have much to say in regard to faith and the righteousness of Christ; but they pervert the truth, and make it serve the cause of error. They declare that we have only to believe on Jesus Christ, and that faith is all sufficient; that the righteousness of Christ is to be the sinner’s credentials; that this imputed righteousness fulfills the law for us, and that we are under no obligation to obey the law of God. This class claims that Christ came to save sinners, and that He has saved them. ‘I am saved,’ they repeat over and over again. But are they saved while transgressing the law of Jehovah?—No; for the garments of Christ’s righteousness are not a cloak for iniquity.” Signs of the Times, vol. 3, 363.

Does the Holy Word make void the law of God through faith, as many claim? Paul answers unequivocally, “God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Romans 6:12, 14, 18.

New Theology is so clearly denounced by the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, why then is it so common in Seventh-day Adventist churches? It is because there is a sinister plan, devised by the mastermind of evil, seeking the destruction of all who follow Christ. Inspiration has forewarned us of what the devil’s device will be. “Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” Testimonies to Ministers, 409, 410.

This New Theology, which I believe is called the Omega, is taking a dreadful toll in many of our churches. I will show you four areas where this is most apparent:

  1. In most churches only about half of the members are present in the Sabbath School. When you examine the church membership list, it is alarming to see that thousands upon thousands of those whose names are still listed as members never attend anymore.
  2. Another saddening statistic is the divorce rate among Seventh-day Adventists. You will find that it is nearly fifty percent—just like that of Babylon.
  3. The disaster signal that I find most alarming is the fact that over seventy percent of our youth are leaving the church. And why should they stay, when they have been taught at our colleges and universities to question many of the fundamental doctrines of Adventism, such as the Creation week.
  4. God’s standards are being pushed aside until it is difficult to discern by dress and jewelry the difference between the remnant church and Babylon.

These results of the New Theology are apparent to anyone who has his eyes open. Recently, I received an unsolicited letter of courage from one of our many faithful pastors. I have never met this pastor, but I praise God that he is awake to the results of the New Theology. He wrote:

“Dear Brother Nelson: “From time to time I have had someone give me one of your tapes or have read one of your articles in one of the independent magazines. I want to encourage you to keep up the good work of warning our people of what is coming and what is happening to our beloved church. I, too, have been a minister for many years and am appalled at what is transpiring today, and it seems it is nearly impossible to stop the tide. If one speaks out, he is labeled as a troublemaker and finds himself ostracized. The liberals have well nigh taken over our denomination. Standards have fallen by the wayside and Sabbath keeping is almost non-existent.

Your brother in the true faith, Pastor___” That is not the only letter that I have received from some of our pastors. This letter, from an active pastor, reveals that he knows what is taking place. Could this be the reason for the delay of Christ’s return?

“It was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be thus delayed. God did not design that His people, Israel, should wander forty years in the wilderness. He promised to lead them directly to the land of Canaan, and establish them there a holy, healthy, happy people. But those to whom it was first preached went not in ‘because of unbelief.’ Their hearts were filled with murmuring, rebellion, and hatred, and He could not fulfill His covenant with them.

“For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years. We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years as did the children of Israel; but for Christ’s sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequences of their own wrong course of action.” Evangelism, 696.

I believe that this Omega apostasy began in the mid-fifties when some of our leaders reached across the gulf to clasp hands with the evangelicals. This was followed by a compromise on the nature of Christ and the atonement, as agreed upon with Donald Barnhouse and Walter Martin. The pillars of our faith, which had been held sacred since our beginning and were the very heart of the precious message given by Ellen White, have been torn down. The results being that we no longer fearlessly preach the Three Angels’ Messages, as we should, with the power of the Holy Spirit, that could have finished the work long ago.

In 1977, Elder Robert Pierson, the General Conference President, explored the ramifications of Omega in ten points, which he took from Selected Messages, vol. 1, 193. Look at what he found would be coming into our church:

  1. The principles of truth that God in His wisdom had given to the Remnant Church would be discarded.
  2. It would make of none effect the truth of heavenly origin.
  3. Our religion would be changed.
  4. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it.
  5. There would be a supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists and this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith.
  6. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced.
  7. It would seek to weaken the preaching of the second advent by teaching that scenes just before us are not of sufficient importance to be given special attention.
  8. Books of a new order would be written.
  9. A new organization would be established.
  10. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of this new movement.

God has promised that where the shepherds are not true, He will take charge of the flock Himself.

“Every wind of doctrine will be blowing. Those who have rendered supreme homage to ‘science falsely so called’ will not be leaders then . . . Those who have proven themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock . . . They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking testing time will be disclosed to view.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 80.

We should take courage! God’s truth will triumph. Elder Ron Spear in his appeal to the General Conference President has correctly shown the parallel between the day of Christ and the time just before His return. “Helenism and Humanism had captured the church in Christ’s day. Helenism was operative in all the church’s activities. It infiltrated the Jewish educational system and was taught by Jewish schools. The Sadducees became the Helenistic party within the church and to a great degree the Helenistic philosophy was responsible for the crucifixion of Christ, the second power of the Godhead. The humanistic worldly system of education has crept into the educational system of the Adventist Church and today it must be held guilty for what has happened in the Omega apostasy. Humanism and Helenism are the same philosophy. This philosophy leads to a bootstrap religion. You can do anything your mind decides to do, which minimizes the power of God in the life to keep us from sinning and asserts that we cannot keep God’s law. In the great test to come, it will be Humanism to a great degree that will be responsible for the rejection of the third power of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, when the door is shut for unprepared Seventh-day Adventists.” Appeal to the General Conference President, 34, by Ron Spear.

Our present situation is well summed up in the following quotation from Testimonies, vol. 5, 210,211. “While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any. Here we see that the church—the Lord’s sanctuary—was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their belief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit his people in judgment. Thus ‘peace and safety’ is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together.”

According to Ezekiel 9, the only ones on whom the sealing angel can place the mark of God’s approval are those who are sighing and crying for the corruption that is taking place within the church. They are also the ones who are personally striving for perfection of character, as we are commanded, over and over, that we must do.

The following are just a few of these clear Bible commands:

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48.

“Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16.

“Therefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if we do these things we shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:10.

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21.

“He has made it possible for every human being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart; the will is merged in His will; the mind becomes one with His mind; the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him. We live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garments of His righteousness.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 312.

Praise God! We can overcome, fully and entirely. Jesus died to make a way of escape for us that we might overcome every sin and sit down with Him in His throne. Will you follow in His footsteps today?

 

Food for Life — Vegetables and Fruit

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Thanksgiving time again! How quickly time flies, especially at this time of year! “Thank you Lord for all You have done for each one of us in the past year . . . for bringing us through the valley of the shadow of death, being close beside us and giving us of Your strength. Also thank You for the healing you have given so many of us, and thank You for answering the prayers of Your people the world over! We praise Your holy name for everything we have to be thankful for, because if it were not for Thy great goodness we would all be eternally lost.”

“In order to maintain health, a sufficient supply of good, nourishing food is needed.

“If we plan wisely, that which is most conducive to health can be secured in almost every land. The various preparations of rice, wheat, corn, and oats are sent abroad everywhere, also beans, peas, and lentils. These, with native or imported fruits, and the variety of vegetables that grow in each locality, give an opportunity to select a dietary that is complete without the use of flesh meats.

“Wherever fruit can be grown in abundance, a liberal supply should be prepared for winter, by canning or drying. Small fruits, such as currants, gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, can be grown to advantage in many places where they are but little used and their cultivation is neglected.

“For household canning, glass, rather than tin cans, should be used whenever possible. It is especially necessary that the fruit for canning should be in good condition. Use little sugar, and cook the fruit only long enough to ensure its preservation. Thus prepared, it is an excellent substitute for fresh fruit.

” Wherever dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, apples, pears, peaches, and apricots are obtainable at moderate prices, it will be found that they can be used as staple articles of diet much more freely than is customary, with the best results to the health and vigor of all classes of workers.

“There should not be a great variety at any one meal, for this encourages overeating and causes indigestion.

“It is not well to eat fruit and vegetables at the same meal. If the digestion is feeble, the use of both will often cause distress and inability to put forth mental effort. It is better to have the fruit at one meal and the vegetables at another.

“The meals should be varied. The same dishes, prepared in the same way, should not appear on the table meal after meal and day after day. The meals are eaten with greater relish, and the system is better nourished, when the food is varied.

“It is wrong to eat merely to gratify the appetite, but no indifference should be manifested regarding the quality of the food or the manner of its preparation. If the food eaten is not relished, the body will not be so well nourished. The food should be carefully chosen and prepared with intelligence and skill.” The Ministry of Healing, 299–300.

Tofu Pecan Loaf

1 cup pecans, ground

1 medium onion,

1 1/4 cup tofu, crumbled chopped fine or mashed

1/4 t. celery salt

2/3 cup soymilk

1/2 t. onion salt

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 t. garlic salt

1 cup celery, chopped fine

1 T. Bragg’s liquid aminos

Mix and place in sprayed casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

 

A Root out of Dry Ground

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God’s Word contains the word of life. When Jesus was in the wilderness, He said to the tempter, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4. Every word of the Bible is pure and true, but there are some portions that we are especially admonished to memorize. One such chapter is Isaiah 53. In this chapter we see a picture of Christ, the Lamb of God, and His great sacrifice for us.

It begins with these words: “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” Isaiah 53:1. A news report that is unbelievable is in this chapter. Here the story is told of the manifestation of the power of God to save humanity. And this unleashing of God’s power through humanity is unbelievable! The arm of the Lord is a symbol of His power. He said, “My arm is not shortened that it cannot save. Neither is My ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your sins have separated between Me and you so that I cannot reach out and save you.” (See Isaiah 59:1, 2.)

In this chapter, Isaiah gives a description of this Person and the qualifications He has that allow the power of God to work through Him. The first one is tenderness: “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant.” Verse 2. Are we tender? Are our hearts soft towards each other? Jesus’ heart was tender. He was not hardhearted. His heart was touched with the feelings of others.

How did people respond to Christ’s tenderheartedness? Isaiah says He was “as a root out of a dry ground.” Ibid. Jesus did not fit in. He was misplaced like roots growing on top of the ground.

“He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Verse 3.

Jesus lived on this earth with people like you and me. He went to a synagogue, He worked in a carpenter’s shop and He worked and talked with people. But, despite all that He had in common with these people, He was not accepted. They rejected Him and scorned Him. (See The Desire of Ages, 84–92.)

What is so very amazing is that the Scripture says, “He hath borne our grief and carried our sorrows.” Verse 4. He carried the grief and sorrows of the very ones who mocked and derided Him. And what did He receive in return? “Yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Ibid. Seeing Him burdened with the heavy load of our sins, we looked at Him and scoffed, saying that God must have given Him this heavy burden to carry to punish Him! But it was not His burden; it was ours.

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes, we are healed.” Verse 5. I need to be healed from the scars of sin, and there is healing through His stripes. That is a promise that each one of us can claim. I do not understand the working of the divine agency, but I know it works because I have experienced it. He heals the broken hearted and brings comfort and joy.

“All we like sheep have gone astray.” Verse 6. Who is this chapter written to? It is written to all of us, because we have all gone astray. Do not let the devil tempt you into thinking that you are in such a bad condition that Christ’s stripes cannot heal your sins. His stripes can bring each one healing and joy—no matter how low we have fallen. What wonderful news!

“We have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Verse 6, 7. When you are oppressed and ridiculed do you give a quick and angry reply? Whenever you are tempted to do this, think of Jesus before His persecutors. He did not open His mouth to speak a word in retaliation.

“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death.”Verses 8, 9. How was this Scripture fulfilled? The wicked was the thief on the cross who never repented. The rich is described in a beautiful passage in The Acts of the Apostles, 104: “At this time of peril, Nicodemus came forward in fearless avowal of his faith in the crucified Saviour. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin and with others had been stirred by the teaching of Jesus. As he had witnessed Christ’s wonderful works, the conviction had fastened itself upon his mind that this was the Sent of God. Too proud to openly acknowledge himself in sympathy with the Galilean Teacher, he had sought a secret interview.” Nicodemus asked for a secret interview because he was proud. He did not want anyone to see him, one of the top leaders in the nation, associated with Jesus. “But when at last Christ had been uplifted on the cross, Nicodemus remembered the words that He had spoken to him in the night interview on the Mount of Olives . . . and he saw in Jesus the world’s Redeemer.” Ibid.

Another man, who before Christ’s death had been too proud to associate with Him, was Joseph of Arimathea. “With Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus had borne the expenses of the burial of Jesus. The disciples had been afraid to show themselves openly as Christ’s followers, but Nicodemus and Joseph came boldly to their aid. The help of these rich and honored men was greatly needed in this hour of darkness. They had been able to do for their dead Master what it would have been impossible for the poor disciples to do; and their wealth and influence had protected them, in a great measure from the malice of the priests and rulers. Now, when the Jews were trying to destroy the infant church, Nicodemus came forward in its defense. No longer cautious and questioning he encouraged the faith of the disciples and he used his wealth in helping to sustain the church at Jerusalem and advancing the work of the gospel. Those who in other days had paid him reverence, now scorned and persecuted him.” Ibid.

Nicodemus was experiencing the steps in Isaiah 53. He, too, became a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And besides being scorned and persecuted, “he became poor in this world’s goods, yet he faltered not in defense of his faith.” Ibid.

All the prophecies about the life of Christ were fulfilled just as the prophets gave them. “And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” Isaiah 53:9.

The next phrase stuns your mind. It is the type of passage that I often feel that the angels should read, because it is far above mortal humans to understand the great love of God it portrays. It reads: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.” How can this be? The Father and Son were closer than any human beings have ever been on this earth. They loved more because they had more to love with. And yet, the Lord loves you and me so much that it delighted Him to send His Son to save us. He made a way of escape for us through the only way possible—the death of His precious Son. This is what our Redeemer did to save us.

“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” Isaiah 53:10.

What is the pleasure of the Lord? Jesus said, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32. In other words, in His hand there is all the power that is needed to bring you and me into a condition to inherit His kingdom.

“He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:11, 12.

What a touching representation of Christ’s love is given to us in this chapter. No wonder inspiration tells us: “This chapter should be studied. It presents Christ as the Lamb of God. Those who are lifted up with pride, whose souls are filled with vanity, should look upon this picture of their Redeemer, and humble themselves in the dust. The entire chapter should be committed to memory. Its influence will subdue and humble the soul defiled by sin and uplifted by self-exaltation.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 4, 1147.

If you are struggling to follow the meek and lowly Savior, then memorize this chapter and let your mind contemplate it word by word. If the truth it contains becomes a part of your life, your heart will be melted and changed into the likeness of our meek and lowly Savior.

Water From a Different Source

In the remainder of this article I would like to focus on just one phrase from this chapter. It is found in verse 2. It says that Christ was as “a root out of a dry ground.” Consider this carefully. When you pull up a weed, throw it on the ground and leave it in the sun for a few hours, it wilts. Why does it wilt? Because, it no longer has a water supply, and the cells in the plant begin to wither and die.

Jesus was looked upon as a root out of dry ground because He did not draw His nourishment from earthly sources. Jesus’ source of nourishment was streams of heavenly origin. Streams that those who were blinded by worldliness did not want to see. Because they could not see, they could not understand where He derived His strength. To them He was as “a root out of a dry ground.”

What characteristics did Christ have that showed that His nourishment did not come from earthly sources? “Our Redeemer did not come to our world with outward display.” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, July 19, 1887. He was not trying to dress, eat, live or to speak so as to draw attention to Himself. The people who rejected Him saw nothing of heaven in His appearance. “They could not see hidden beneath the humble disguise of humanity the world’s Redeemer. They saw before them a ‘Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.’” Ibid. And that is not what they wanted to see.

What is it that they wanted to see? Luke 17:20, 21, records a conversation that Jesus had with the Pharisees on this very subject. “And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation (outward show, margin), neither shall they say, Lo, here! or lo, there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” These people were looking for something on the outside of Him, but Jesus came to do something to the inside of us. He said, “My kingdom is not with outward show.”

“The afflicted, suffering ones who saw Christ as their helper, were charmed with the divine perfection, and beauty of holiness, that shone forth in His character. But the Pharisees could see no beauty in Him that they should desire Him. His simple attire, and humble life, devoid of outward show, rendered Him to them as a root out of dry ground.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1111.

They wanted a king, dressed with the latest and the most expensive clothing as they were. But this was not Christ’s way. “Through all the lowly experiences of life He consented to pass, walking among the children of men, not as a king to demand homage, but as One whose mission it was to serve others.” The Mount of Blessing, 14.

Unless you accept in your own life the principle of self-sacrificing love, you cannot know God. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14. “The kingdom of God comes not with outward show. The gospel of the grace of God with its spirit of self-abnegation can never be in harmony with the spirit of the world. The two principles are antagonistic.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 14.

Each one of us will have only one of these two principles (roots) operating in our lives. The root is the foundation of a plant. From the root, moisture and nutrition are gathered for the plant to give it life. While the plant is growing, you cannot see the root, you can only see the leaves and the fruit. But it is the root that determines the character of the plant. Each one of us will be one of two kinds of roots. We have our choice. Either we will be self-denying and thinking of the good of others or we will be self-serving.

The Tie of Worldly Associations

There was another reason why the Jewish people rejected Jesus, and the same influence causes many today to reject Him. “Worldly associations attract and dazzle the senses so that piety, the fear of God, faithfulness, and loyalty hath not power to keep them steadfast. The humble, unassuming life of Christ seems altogether unattractive.” Adventist Home, 461. If our lives are knit with worldly associations, the life of Christ will not appear attractive to us. It does not make any difference what theory we claim to believe. If we associate with those who love the world, His life of self-abnegation will be to us as a root out of dry ground. We will not want Him, because the people we are associating with have not accepted His invitation. They love the things of this world just as the Pharisees loved pomp, power, fancy clothes, and the admiration of other people. They have the root of the Pharisees instead of the root of Christ.

What is the root of the Pharisees? Evangelism, 633 says, “There is nothing that so much retards and cripples the work in its various branches as jealousy and suspicion and evil surmisings. These reveal that disunion prevails among the workers for God. Selfishness is the root of all evil.” The root of the Pharisees produced a plant with lots of pretty leaves. But that root built up self at the expense of others.

Christ’s own disciples were influenced by this root of selfishness. Inspiration tells us: “Even His disciples were so blinded by the selfishness of their hearts that they were slow to understand Him Who had come to manifest to them the Father’s love.” The Mount of Blessing, 25.

They could not understand the nature of Christ because they still had the root of selfishness in their hearts. With this mindset it was easy for them to accept the theory of the Pharisees that told of a great kingdom where they would rule the earth. This should be a warning to us. We cannot understand the Word of God in its fullness until selfishness is rooted out. If it has not been, then we can interpret any part of the Bible to build ourselves up.

Roots and Their Fruits

How deceptive the devil’s kingdom can be. Since the root is buried, how do you know the root of the situation? “For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” Romans 11:16.

You cannot have a holy root that grows thorns and thistles. If the root is holy, then the fruit is holy.

How can we know for certain what is good fruit and what is bad? Have we been told exactly what Jesus’ root is, so that there can be no mistake? In Christ’s Object Lessons, 128 we read: “Many who claim to believe and to teach the gospel are in a similar error. They set aside the Old Testament Scriptures, of which Christ declared, ‘They are they which testify of Me.’ John 5:39. In rejecting the Old, they virtually reject the New; for both parts are of an inseparable whole. No man can rightly present the law of God without the gospel, or the gospel without the law. The law is the gospel embodied, and the gospel is the law unfolded. The law is the root.”

With the law as the root, the gospel is the fruit. In the new covenant, Jesus said, “I will write them [My laws] in their hearts.” Hebrews 8:10. “I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26.

If the law is written in our heart and is the foundation of our life, then the fruit will be humility and meekness. David said, “Oh, how I love thy law. It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97. If we want the root of selfishness and pride uprooted from our hearts, we must love God’s law as David did and allow it to purify us completely.

John the Baptist told the Pharisees how the root of selfishness could be removed from their hearts. He said, “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Matthew 3:10.

A tree cannot be changed by picking off its bad fruit. The axe of God’s Word needs to be laid to the root of the problem. (See Hebrews 4:12.) The root of selfishness needs to be removed. There is no reformation program for the Pharisees plan of action that will make it acceptable to God; a total change must be made.

John the Baptist told the Pharisees, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.” Matthew 3:9. They claimed to be the heirs of His kingdom. Let us call them the Seventh-day Adventists of their day. When these leaders came to John he looked them straight in the eye and he said, Do not even think of calling yourselves Seventh-day Adventists. Until the root is taken out, you can call yourself whatever you want, but profession is nothing. It all depends on the fruit.

John the Baptist continued: “For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now, also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Matthew 3:9–11.

Here is a promise you can claim if you want the root of selfishness taken out of your heart. This prophecy of Christ says, “Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:12.

Get down on your knees with this verse under your fingers and say, “Lord, I want the floor of my heart clean. I want the axe laid at the root of selfishness. I want selfishness, covetousness and the love of money pulled out.” God will answer your prayer. However, when you surrender your sinful self to God you must understand that you will be treated as Jesus was. Do not look for worldly acclaim, for it will not come to you.

On the hills of Palestine, our heavenly Father planted a goodly vine and He Himself was the husbandman. He had no remarkable form that would at first sight give an impression of its value. It appeared to come up as a root out of dry ground and attracted but little attention. But when attention was called to the plant, it was by some declared to be of heavenly origin. The men of Nazareth stood entranced as they saw its beauty. But when they received the idea that it would stand more gracefully and attract more attention than they could, they wrestled to uproot the precious plant and cast it over the wall.

The men of Jerusalem bruised the plant and trampled it under their unholy feet. Their thought was to destroy it forever. But the Heavenly Husbandman never lost sight of His plant. After men thought that they had killed it, He replanted it on the other side of the wall and hid it from the view of men. May you be as humble as Jesus was, and may you have joy as Jesus did. And when you are persecuted, may you endure it as Jesus did, and someday may your future be as glorious as His.

Will Freedom Survive?

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Paul wrote 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.” What a warning to every Seventh-day Adventist, that, in the last days, there will be those who have heard and proclaimed the faith, have been convicted by it, but who will allow themselves to be seduced by fables and will accept the doctrines of devils.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.” 2 Timothy 3:1–3. Can you imagine Christians despising those who are good? But we know that they are not true Christians, but only professors of truth, because verse 5 tells us that they have “a form of godliness” but they deny the power thereof. They profess to be servants of Christ, but actually they are “traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” 2 Timothy 3:4.

How are we commanded to deal with people like this? God says, “From such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5. We are not to have any part with those who do not practice their profession. God’s warning is very plain. If we socialize with these sort of people, we will eventually become like them. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3, 4.

What a pitiful representation of those who claim to be a part of the company that believes the truth. And yet, these prophecies are fulfilled in our ears. I hear so many people today in churches of every color and stripe that state, “Why do we worry about doctrine?” That is the cry of the ecumenical movement. They say, “Let us just preach the love of Jesus. The greatest doctrine in Scripture is Jesus’ love.” Every doctrine is vital; for the center of each doctrine is the love of Jesus. How can we preach the Sabbath if we do not love the One who is the Lord of the Sabbath? How can we believe in the state of the dead if we do not follow the One who is the resurrection and the life? How can we study the sanctuary message and that doctrine if we do not believe in our High Priest and Mediator?

Christ is the center of every doctrine. If we destroy the doctrines of Scripture, then we have destroyed our knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Doctrines are essential because the doctrines lead us to the foot of the cross, to Jesus Christ. It is the devil who would destroy the doctrines of Scripture. That is the reason why it is stated here that “they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” They will not endure sound doctrine.

We are living in extremely serious times and as Seventh-day Adventists, we need to be alert. Paul’s warning to the Thessalonians is very appropriate for us today: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 5. The signs of the times give us startling proof that the day of Christ’s return is very near. Multiple events make it daily more clear that the closing scenes of earth’s history are upon us.

The Pope’s Letter

On July 6, 1998, Pope John Paul II issued an official apostolic letter entitled, “Dies Domini” (The Day of the Lord). This letter, which received a great deal of media publicity, was a call by the Pope for Catholics to come back to faithful Sunday keeping.

The Pope’s letter began with these words, “The Lord’s day—as Sunday was called from apostolic times . . . ” (This is the first falsehood of a continual line that is found in this letter.) As proof for this supposition, the Pope refers us to Revelation 1:10, the only reference to “the Lord’s day,” in the Bible. It is the Pope’s contention that the Lord’s day spoken of here is Sunday. But the Bible never says that. The text simply states, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day . . . ”

We are on a weak and faulty foundation when we rely on the mind of man to decide a matter which is not clear to us, for God has commanded us that the Bible is its own interpreter. This verse is interpreted clearly for us in Luke 6:5. “And He [Jesus] said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.” Which day is the Lord’s day? It is plain and clear. The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath day, not the first day of the week, the devil’s counterfeit, Sunday. The only day that God hallowed is confirmed also in Matthew 18 and Matthew 12:8: “For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.”

Clearly, without any possibility of dispute, the Scripture testifies that the Sabbath is the Lord’s day. But here, in the very initial words of this apostolic letter, the Pope states that the Lord’s day was called Sunday from apostolic times. If that were true, we should be able to search the Scripture and find the evidence there, because many of the apostles authored Scripture. All of them were written decades after the death of Jesus Christ. Instead we find that in the eight brief mentions that are made of the first day of the week, in the New Testament, not once is it called the Lord’s day! The Sabbath is mentioned sixty times, and never once was it referred to as “the former Sabbath that we kept,” or “the old Sabbath.” It is always used in the setting of a sacred day which was still being observed. The apostles knew nothing of Sunday being the Lord’s day.

The Psalmist and Sunday

If that were not enough, at the commencement of the second paragraph, the Pope makes a statement that any elementary school child, reared in a Christian home, would not be so foolish as to make. He wrote, “Rightly then, the Psalmist cry is applied to Sunday. ‘This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ Psalm 118:24.”

Did the Psalmist ever conceive that the day on which he was rejoicing was Sunday? It never entered his mind. But here the Pope is saying, “Rightly, the Psalmist cry is applied to Sunday.” Wrongly it is applied to Sunday! It is astonishing to see that the Pope, who was considered a very fine Roman Catholic theologian before he became Pope, reaching to such lengths of elementary reasoning in an attempt to prove his point. And he was not working alone. This letter is a product of the best theological minds in the Vatican.

What a disgrace to see how the Pope has been applauded by Protestants around the world. The Anglicans said what a wonderful letter it was, and in England he received the same response. The South Pacific Division Record reported that one of the senior lecturers in theology at Avondale College commented on the “wonderful scholarship” of the Pope’s letter! There is only one reason I would give the Pope an “F” for his scholarship in this and that is because you cannot give him anything lower. There is no scholarship at all!

The Pope Explains Sunday Laws

There are other ominous matters in this apostolic letter which we need to give attention to. One such statement is: “Wherefore also in the particular circumstances of our times, Christians will naturally strive to insure that civil legislation respects their duty to keep Sunday holy.” What does he mean? Was he merely saying, “Every convicted Sunday keeper should have the right to follow his convictions?” If that were all that the Pope was saying, we would not contend with it. We believe that every man has the right of religious liberty. However, the Pope did not have religious liberty in mind at all.

Earlier on the same page, he tries to underestimate what happened in centuries past in the Roman Catholic Church. “When through the centuries she has made laws concerning Sunday rest, the church has had in mind above all the work of service and worship.” In other words, “Our laws were only made to give a time of rest for workers and families.” Then you ended at the stake if you did not obey! He forgets to mention the millions of people who lost their lives standing against the evil of the devil’s counterfeit “sabbath.”

He goes on to say, “In this matter, my predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Rerum Novarum, spoke of Sunday rest as a worker’s right, which the state must guarantee.” (Pope Leo XIII, was the Pope, at the end of the nineteenth century, who stated that it was diabolical doctrine to preach religious liberty.) From these statements it is clear—religious liberty is certainly not what the Pope has in mind.

Why an Apostolic Letter Now?

What was the atmosphere in which the Pope sent out this letter full of Biblical falsehoods and scholarship of the poorest type? Many people have been studying this letter, without seeing it in the context of his prior letter that was sent out on May 28, 1998. That letter was sent out in order to inject into the Roman Catholic Canon law some additional penance. Every one of these new laws deals with punishment! And that is the context in which this letter follows.

Those of us who are well acquainted with Revelation 13:15–17, know that the time is nigh when persecution will come to those who are faithful to the law of God, who desire to worship God in holiness on His holy day.

One of these new Canons, number 1436 states: “Whoever denies a truth which must be believed with divine and Catholic faith or who calls into doubt or who totally repudiates the Christian faith and does not retract after having been legitimately warned is to be punished as a heretic or an apostate with a major excommunication. A cleric moreover can be punished with other penalties not excluding these positions. In addition to these paces, whoever obstinately rejects the teaching that the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops exercising the authentic magisterium have set forth to be held definitively or who affirms what they have condemned as erroneous and does not retract after having been legitimately warned, is to be punished with an appropriate penalty.”

Why did the Roman Catholic Church have to create this new Canon law in May, 1998, just prior to the issuing of this apostolic letter on Sunday, which is calling for civil legislation in the matter of Sunday worship? It is time for us to WAKE UP! We are at the end of earth’s history. Prophecy is being fulfilled and everything is in place. In the United States everything is in place for the enactment of Sunday laws and penalties of a severe nature.

Another new Canon, which was enacted, was Canon 1371. It states: “The following are to be punished with a just penalty: [We know how much justice there was in the penalties meted out during the Dark Ages.] Apart from the case mentioned in Canon 1364, a person that teaches a doctrine condemned by the Roman Pontiff or by an ecumenical council or obstinately rejects the teachings mentioned in Canon 750 or in Canon 752 when warned by the apostolic See or by the ordinary, does not retract, a person who in any other way does not obey the lawful command or prohibition of the apostolic See or the ordinary or superior and after being warned persists in disobedience.”

Did you notice how vague was the designation of those who would be punished? Nowhere does it say, “Those who are faithful to the Catholic faith” or “members of the Roman Catholic Church.” It says only “whoever denies” or “a person” who does these things will receive these punishments. A person means any person. It has not defined that these laws and punishments are applicable to Roman Catholics and Roman Catholics alone.

And did you notice how vague the penalties were? Such words were used as: “punished as a heretic,” “punished with an appropriate penalty” and “punished with a just penalty.” There is no limit placed upon the punishments. However, we do not have to study very far into Catholic history to see what it means to be “punished as a heretic.” Just read the stories of the Waldenses or the Reformers, and you can clearly see what the Papacy calls “an appropriate penalty.” It is time to awake! These things are happening before our eyes and we need to know where we are.

A New View for Catholicism

In this letter, the Pope takes a new view on Sunday keeping that Catholicism has never taken before. In his first statement he asserted that Sunday has been known as the Lord’s day from apostolic times. The Roman Catholic Church has never before proclaimed that their sabbath, Sunday, commenced in apostolic times. That is an absolute denial of what, for For example read the Catechism of Catholic Doctrines, which has the primature of the Catholic Church and was edited by a Roman Catholic priest, Peter Greerman. There a question and answer dialogue is given about Sunday keeping.

“Question: What is the Sabbath day?

“Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.

“Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

“Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea 336 A.D., transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”

Another example from a different priest’s catechism asks the question, “Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals?”

“Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her. Here are Bible believing Protestants who claim to base their religion on the Bible and the Bible alone, sola Scriptura, and yet they are following that which the Roman Catholic Church has instituted. That is the pagan sabbath of Sunday. Had not she had such power she could not have done that which all modern religionists agree with her, she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.”

Over two and a half centuries passed, beyond apostolic time, before the introduction, by the Roman Catholic Church, of Sunday observance. But now the Pope is taking a new route. He is appealing to those beguiled Protestants who believe that Sunday was kept by the apostles. He wants to have the Protestants of America concur with the Sunday legislation.

Christ, Our Only Safety

Reader, do you see the signs that Jesus is coming very soon? Is it now time for us to ponder what Jesus did to save us from our sins? It is only as we contemplate that amazing mystery that we can possibly be drawn so close to Jesus in love, that we will stand in the mighty test.

I know of no passage of Scripture, in either the Old Testament or New Testament, that so wonderfully brings home to me what Jesus did in order that I might be saved, than Psalm 22. As I read this chapter, I am drawn to Christ in love because of the love that He first had for me. Because of this love, I want to keep His commandments and be prepared to meet Him. (John 14:15.)

These are Christ’s words found in Psalms 22:1–19: “My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken Me? Why art Thou so far from helping Me, and from the words of My roaring? “O My God, I cry in the daytime, but Thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. “But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

“Our fathers trusted in Thee: they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them.

“They cried unto Thee, and were delivered: they trusted in Thee, and were not confounded.

“But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted in the Lord that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him.

“But Thou art He that took Me out of the womb: Thou didst make Me hope when I was upon My mother’s breasts.

“I was cast upon Thee from the womb: Thou art My God from My mother’s belly.

“Be not far from Me; for trouble is near: for there is none to help . . .

“I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of My bowels.

“My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and My tongue cleaveth to My jaws; and Thou hast brought Me into the dust of death.

“For dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet.

“I may tell all My bones: they look and stare upon Me.

“They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

“But be not far from Me, O Lord: O my strength, haste Thee to help Me.”

Each time I read that passage I feel so ashamed, for it was my sins that caused His suffering. My heart goes out in love to my Savior. I just so much want to meet Him face to face and thank Him for His matchless gift. I know that anything that I say in gratitude will be very, very inconsequential compared with what I ought to say, but maybe throughout eternity, I will be able to add to my gratitude as I express it to my Savior.

Jesus is coming soon! What we have just studied in these two apostolic letters and the alteration of course the Papacy is now taking, is evidence beyond dispute that everything is coming to the climax of Scripture. I pray, dear reader, that you will be ready, with your family, to meet our dear Savior when He comes.

A House Divided, part 2

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“A HOUSE DIVIDED.” These words come directly from the words of Jesus. In Matthew 12:25, He said, “A house divided against itself will not stand.” President Lincoln, in a speech that he based on these words, gave some very wise advice. He said, “If we first understand where we are and whither we are tending, then we could better judge what to do and how to do it.” How true this is today for Adventism. We must face reality. Only when we realize that we are in a divided house can we work to be a part of the solution.

A divided house is not new. A division came into the early church because of apostasy. God sought to lead His people back out of that apostasy through the reformation. At each stage there were people that would go so far and no farther. In the 1830s and 1840s, God sent the Protestant churches a special message of reformation, warning that the hour of God’s judgment was come. But most rejected it! With this rejection, they fell from favor with God. (See Early Writings, 237.) Only a few accepted God’s special message, and, out of that few, Adventism was born.

The devil hates this message regarding the investigative judgment, and he is trying to divide Adventism on this point. Tragically, he has been successful. We are living in a house divided. Let me explain. Some Adventist preachers say that we are, and always will be, slaves to sin, unable to keep God’s law perfectly until Jesus comes again. Others say that we can be delivered and set free from sin through the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit working within our lives. One group says we are hopelessly enslaved; the other that we can be set free.

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln said that our country could not long exist half slave and half free. His words proved true, and it took a civil war to solve the problem. Our church is in a parallel condition to the United States, at that time. We are divided. Some teach that you can be free from sin, while others teach that we are all slaves to it. Our church is half slave and half free. The more conviction both sides have, the greater is the guarantee of a civil war. And that is precisely what we have been experiencing in Adventism for several years.

 

Dividing Doctrines

 

Satan exults as he sees how successfully his different methods have worked to divide God’s people, through the years. One of his first major efforts was with the pantheism crisis around the turn of the century. By these theories he attempted to destroy the distinctive doctrine of the investigative judgment. Sister White wrote: “There are already coming in among our people spiritualistic teachings that will undermine the faith of those who give heed to them . . . I have seen the results of these fanciful views of God in apostasy, spiritualism and free-loveism. These theories followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy. They do away with the necessity for the atonement [which is a part of the investigative judgment].” Testimonies, vol. 8, 291, 292.

About the same time as the pantheism crisis, Albion Ballinger, one of our leading ministers, propagated the theory that Christ went into the Most Holy Place in 31 A.D. It did away with the doctrine of the investigative judgment, which began in 1844 when Jesus went into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. In 1905, Ellen White condemned the theory as contrary to the Bible, and, because of her opposition and that of other leading ministers, it failed to develop in the Adventist Church at that time. However, the devil kept trying until finally he was successful in persuading a large number of our people to accept this theory!

The teachings that were introduced by Desmond Ford in the 1960s and 1970s have their origin in Ballinger’s theories. It is the same old heresy and if you accept it you must throw out the investigative judgment and you will end up out of the truth. The Bible teaches that we are judged on the basis of our works. For every person, the deciding question will be, “Has this person kept My law?” The answer to that question proves whether or not you have been born again. If you have been born again, the Holy Spirit will give you the power to keep God’s law. (See Romans 8; 1 John 5; 1 John 3; Romans 6). You do not earn salvation by obedience. Salvation is a gift. But you cannot receive the gift if you have not been born again.

Ford’s teaching, which so influenced Adventism, and brought many to reject the investigative judgment, has born fruit and today the natural results—sinful indulgence—are rampant in Adventism. Thrown out with the doctrine of the investigative judgment is the standard by which we will be judged. Instead of teaching that one must keep God’s law to be saved, Adventist pastors now tell people that they can have the assurance of salvation, while they are living in sin, breaking God’s law. This presumption is plainly denounced by God. (See Christ’s Object Lessons, 155.)

These false doctrines have brought a division and civil war to the house. Those who have stood for the truth have been ridiculed and disfellowshipped. And the civil war will go on! Abraham Lincoln later said about the civil war in our nation: “It is possible that the Lord will let it go on until every drop of blood that has been extracted by the lash will be extracted again by the sword.” We do not know how long our war will go on. That is in God’s hands. But we cannot retreat from it. It will continue until there is only one side left and God’s truth has prevailed.

How fittingly inspiration describes our current condition: “The prevailing spirit of our time is that of infidelity and apostasy—a spirit of pretended illumination because of a knowledge of the truth but in reality of the blindest presumption. There is a spirit of opposition to the plain word of God and to the testimony of His Spirit. There is a spirit of idolatrous exaltation of mere human reason above the revealed wisdom of God . . . But the spirit of antichrist is prevailing to such an extent as never before . . . The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. Satan clothed in angel robes will deceive if possible the very elect. There will be gods many and lords many. Every wind of doctrine will be blowing [that is happening]. Those who have rendered supreme homage to ‘science falsely so called,’ will not be the leaders then. Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 79, 80.

After describing these events, Mrs. White next describes the Sunday law crisis which she says will take place shortly thereafter. (See Ibid., 81.) Are we near this crisis? If you do not think we are near a Sunday law crisis, dear reader, you need to pray that the Lord will open your eyes! Signs all around tell us that it is right at the door.

It is through this crisis that the Lord is going to solve the problem of the divided house. “The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness . . . There are few really consecrated men among us, few who have fought and conquered in the battle with self.” Ibid., 81, 82.

What a solemn warning this is. We must ask ourselves, “Have I gained the victory over self? Have my words and thoughts been brought under the control of Christ?” A Christian does not allow his thoughts to run riot on anything that the imagination seems to suggest. The temptations the devil throws in at every step must be resisted. The devil tries in every possible way to get you involved in sinful thoughts. You cannot go to the grocery store without seeing lurid pictures. Billboards, television programs, videos, magazines, books, pictures and music all carry the devil’s messages. He works so hard in this line because he knows that if our thoughts are sinful, our feelings will also be sinful. And these together make up our moral character. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 310.)

Another way the devil controls people is through their appetite. Have you gained the victory over appetite? This does not mean going to a monastery or a convent and fasting until you nearly kill yourself. That is what Ellen White calls voluntary humility and rigorous severe treatment of the body that is absolutely worthless. Paul says do not have anything to do with it. (See Colossians 2.) Victory over appetite involves eating temperately of good food, and eating for strength and not for drunkenness. Appetite is under our control, we are not controlled by appetite. This is a part of the battle that we must fight in order to conquer self.\

 

Liberalism and Kingly Power

 

Liberalism denies that we can win this battle. By denying such fundamental doctrines as the investigative judgment, the Three Angels’ Messages and the sanctuary truth, the power of the gospel is limited. Many will be lost because they have followed these liberal leaders and have been rocked into carnal security while they are enslaved to sin.

However, liberalism is not the devil’s final attempt to divide and conquer the people of God. Around the turn of the century, as Adventism was facing pantheism and the Ballenger crises, the General Conference leaders believed that they needed a strong centralized controlling power to safeguard against all the heresies that were dividing the church. Elder A. G. Daniels and his associates held that the General Conference should control all contributions (meaning all the power and decision making capabilities). This was one of the major disagreements between Elder Daniels and Sutherland, Magan and Ellen White when the self-supporting school in Madison, Tennessee was started.

Through this attempt to control the work by kingly power, the devil was very successful in dividing the house. This sin, which is all too commonly found among our ranks today, goes all the way back to the devil’s original sin in Heaven. He wanted to control others; in fact, he wanted to be a part of the godhead. Ellen White says God refused to let Lucifer be part of the godhead because he was not qualified. But that is what the great controversy started over. He wanted to be like God, but he was a created being.

The devil leads men to seek for the same thing. The result is always terrible trouble. God’s counsel says, “It is right for the workers to counsel together as brethren; but that man who endeavors to lead his fellow workers to seek his individual counsel and advice regarding the details of their work, and to learn their duty from him, is in a dangerous position . . . For years there has been a growing tendency for men placed in positions of responsibility to lord it over God’s heritage . . . In 1905, I had to bear my testimony of warning against it . . . I write thus fully because I have been shown that ministers and people are tempted more and more to trust in finite man for wisdom, and make flesh their arm. To conference presidents, and men in responsible places, I bear this message: Break the bands and fetters that have been placed upon God’s people.” Testimonies to Ministers, 477–480.

God’ people have been shackled, they have been in slavery. The house has been divided in parts—half slave and half free. How long can a house stand in this divided condition? The Bible says not long. The sure result will be civil war, and it will go on until God’s people have been set free.

Does this mean, then, that we should all work independently, refusing to work with others because we might lose our total independence? Inspiration answers: “The Lord desires His workers to counsel together, not to move independently . . . In this work there is no such thing as every man’s being independent . . .This does not authorize any one man to undertake the work of ordering his brethren arbitrarily to do as he thinks advisable, irrespective of their own personal convictions of duty . . . Organizations, institutions, unless kept by the power of God, will work under Satan’s dictation to bring men under the control of men, and fraud and guile will bear the semblance of zeal for truth and for the advancement of the kingdom of God.” Ibid., 485–494.

It is in this context that she said that we are going down the track of Romanism. When you place men under the control of other men, you follow the track of Romanism. “All of Satan’s plans make of some men the slaves of other men.” That is the way the devil has worked from the beginning.

 

One Solution

 

How is this problem of a divided house to be solved? Many of God’s people are discouraged. They see civil war going on and they see divisions because of apostasy, fanaticism and kingly power, exercised in the church, and they are ready to give up. But there is a solution—and that solution can be found at the foot of the cross. There we see a lesson in humility, and a lesson in the denial of self and sacrifice for the salvation of others. As our heart is broken, we are freed from the desire to rule others.

In the cross there is also a lesson as to where this division, that was begun by Satan, would lead. You see, the division is also a division of the mind that causes a person to have sympathy for both sides. The problem of the divided house cannot be solved as long as people have divided minds.

An example of this is the angels who did not choose to follow Lucifer. Until the cross, a trace of sympathy lingered in their hearts for Lucifer. They said, “We are on God’s side but we still have some sympathy for the other side.” But at the cross, “Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. Henceforth his work was restricted. Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christ’s brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin. The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken.” The Desire of Ages, 761.

 

A Division No Longer

 

The time is coming when there will no longer be a division in our house. The civil war will continue until one side or the other comes out conqueror. And we know that God will win the battle. He will set His people free and He does not need the majority to do it. He did not need the majority in Gideon’s nor in Jonathan’s time. He just needs a few people that are totally committed to Him.

As in the days of Christ, the house that is divided will not stand. It will perish, and every one in the house will go all the way to one side or the other. “In the day of final judgment every lost soul will understand the nature of his own rejection of truth. The cross will be presented, and its real bearing will be seen by every mind that has been blinded by transgression. Before the vision of Calvary with its mysterious victim, sinners will stand condemned. Every lying excuse will be swept away. Human apostasy will appear in its heinous character. Men will see what their choice has been. Every question of truth and error in the longstanding controversy will then have been made plain. In the judgment of the universe, God will stand clear of blame for the existence or continuance of evil. It will be demonstrated that the divine decrees are not accessory to sin. There was no defect in God’s government, no cause for disaffection. When the thoughts of all hearts shall be revealed, both the loyal and the rebellious will unite in declaring, ‘Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? . . . for Thy judgments are made manifest.’ Rev. 15:3, 4.” The Desire of Ages, 5.

God will solve the problem of a divided house, but not everyone will be saved. Your salvation depends on which side you decide to join. Have you learned the lesson of the cross? The cross solved the problem of the divided house for the angels. It solved the problem of the divided house for the apostles. And only if we come to the cross and understand what it means will the problem of the divided house in Adventism be solved. Are you willing to endure whatever you need to endure so that you can be on God’s side of the question? That is what I want and that is my prayer for you.

 

Editorial — The Fruits of the Spirit

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If Jesus is dwelling in our hearts (John 15:4), then all the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing. (See The Desire of Ages, 676.) But if our hearts are under the control of Satan, one or more of the seventeen works of the flesh, listed in Galatians 5:19–21, will be seen. “Those in whose hearts Christ abides will show in their lives the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness. Those who are controlled by the enemy will be filled with envy, strife, malice, and evil-surmising.” Upward Look, 210.

If any of these works of the flesh are evident in us then we are under the control of the evil one. We must pray for a genuine conversion and to be delivered from the devil’s power. Just as surely as you are converted every day, you will be fruit-bearing branches—branches full of rich clusters of fruit. And what kind of fruit? The fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, kindness, meekness, faith, temperance, and godliness. These are the clusters which grow on that tree. If everyone of us is converted, if we remain in connection with the Vine every day, we shall bear the fruits of His character. (See Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 70, 71.)

The works of the flesh are what make the home miserable: “Unless we control our words and temper, we are slaves to Satan. We are in subjection to him. He leads us captive. All jangling and unpleasant, impatient, fretful words are an offering presented to his Satanic majesty. And it is a costly offering, more costly than any sacrifice we can make for God, for it destroys the peace and happiness of whole families, destroys health, and is eventually the cause of forfeiting an eternal life of happiness. The restraint which God’s word imposes upon us is for our own interest. It increases the happiness of our families and of all around us. It refines our taste, sanctifies our judgment, and brings peace of mind, and, in the end, everlasting life.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 310.

In 1886, Ellen White wrote an article in the Review and Herald about these fruits of the Spirit. In this article are the following words of encouragement: “Any one can be just what he chooses to be. Character is not obtained by receiving an education. Character is not obtained by amassing wealth, or by gaining worldly honor. Character is not obtained by trying to have others fight the battle of life for us. It must be sought, worked for, fought for; and it requires a purpose, a will, a determination. To form a character which God will approve, requires persevering effort. It will take a continual resisting of the powers of darkness to stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, to be approved in the day of Judgment, and have our names retained in the book of life. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering. Are you in a position where you do not possess these graces? Just as soon as any one crosses you, or offends you, does there arise in your heart a feeling of bitterness, a spirit of rebellion? If this is the spirit you have, bear in mind that you have not the spirit of Christ. It is another spirit. It is the Satan side of your character that is ruling rather than the spirit of Christ. We want a spirit of gentleness.

“We are to believe in God and His promises, and in His power to help and save us. We must believe Him; for He is well able and more than willing to help us in time of trouble, to comfort us in times of affliction and distress, and to deliver us out of all our trials and difficulties. Troubles and difficulties will come, and we must confide in God.

“Christ says: ‘I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.’ How?—By the cultivation of the graces of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith. We want the living faith that will grasp the strong arm of Jehovah. Christ said: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’

“We all need the graces of the Spirit of God in the heart. God help us to seek for this. Do not rest until you have received it. Break the chains of darkness asunder. Come where the living waters flow, and drink of salvation.” Review and Herald, December 21, 1886.

 

Food for Life – Sautéed Mushrooms

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The importance of yeast and leavened bread was presented in this feature last month. Yeast is used in the Bible as a symbol of the gospel and the kingdom of Christ, and it is used in this way in the writings of Ellen White too: “As leaven, or yeast, though hidden in the flour, and deposited only in one place, brings all surrounding it under its leavening process, so the working of truth continues secretly, silently, steadily, pervading all the faculties of the soul and all the kingdoms of the world.” The Home Missionary, July 1, 1897.

In addition to common bread, other foods that are commonly eaten which have been through a process of fermentation include cottage cheese or soured or clabbered milk. This is what Abraham fed to the angels, and even to the Lord (Genesis 18:2–8), and is also what Isaiah predicts that the Messiah will eat. (See Isaiah 7:15.) Also in this category of foods are sauerkraut, soy sauce, yogurt, buttermilk (these last two products can be made with soy milk for those who do not use cow’s milk or goat’s milk), and a few others.

There are some Adventists who believe that no one should eat fermented foods, but the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy do not uphold this view. In fact, many people who have a weak digestion have received benefit by ingesting cultures of helpful microorganisms either through the use of yogurt or buttermilk or, in the United States, cultured acidophilus, which is available in capsule or in a free powder form that may be mixed with various drinks. It is impossible for proper digestion to take place without some of these helpful microorganisms being present in the small intestine. Incidentally, this is one of the reasons why infants should be breastfed, because the mother’s milk, in addition to providing immune functions for the infant, helps the baby to develop a healthy flora (culture of microorganisms) in the small intestine.

Yeast is not the only kind of fungi. Mushrooms are another kind of fungi. There are over 800 varieties of mushrooms known. The domestically cultivated varieties are free of any toxic substance, as far as we know today, but because they are often grown commercially in horse manure, it is best to eat them only after they are cooked. However, there are poisonous species of mushrooms that should never be eaten. Some of the poisonous varieties so much resemble the safe varieties of wild mushrooms that, unless you are an expert in identifying mushrooms, it is not safe to collect wild mushrooms and eat them. Some of these wild mushrooms are poisonous enough to cause death, which is often preceded by convulsions and coma. There is no effective antidote for these poisonous mushrooms.

Dr. John J. Grosboll, Director of Steps to Life, is also trained in the field of nutrition, having earned a Doctor’s Degree in Health Science and a Master of Public Health degree in Public Health Nutrition from Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.

Recipe – Sautéed Mushrooms

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1/2 cup olive oil

7 fresh garlic cloves, crushed

3 Tablespoons garlic-herb seasoning

1 pound large, whole mushrooms

Wash and quarter the mushrooms. Mix remaining three ingredients to make a marinade, increasing the amounts of each as needed. Toss mushrooms with marinade and marinate overnight. Place mushrooms with oil in a glass or stainless steel baking dish. Broil for 10 to 15 minutes, turning the sautéed mushrooms as they brown. Serve hot.

Mark Royer owns a construction company in Walsenburg, Colorado. He may be contacted by e-mail at: markyroyer@aol.com, or by telephone at: 719-738-2360.

Children’s Corner – Three in a Row, Part 1

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She looks awful white today, and thin,” said Hiram, dejectedly, at the same time cleverly tying a knot in a broken suspender. “I don’t know what we’re going to do with her. She’ll die, maybe,” and the boy stopped with a sudden gulp.

Nettie’s blue eyes grew large and pathetic under her pink sunbonnet. “She’s hungry, I guess,” she remarked sagely. “Sick folks can’t eat such coarse food as we have. She told me one day”—here her voice dropped to a whisper and she glanced half guiltily toward the door of the little cabin—“that she wanted a piece of rich cream toast dreadfully; said she dreamed about it. But she wouldn’t ask Pa to get her cream. ’Twould only make him feel bad because he couldn’t, she said. He can hardly get us enough to eat, anyway, and cream costs a lot. But seems as if Mother ought to have it.”

Little Tony said nothing, only dug his toes into the gray dust. He was only six, and small for his age.

The three children were sitting near a small hut, or cabin, which clung to the side of one of the great mountains looking down upon the mining town of Silver Plume, Colorado. Half a mile from them on one side was a mine, where their father toiled from morning till night. In the other direction lay the town and the church and Sabbath School. Above and around them were the rocky, towering mountains. Beyond these boundaries their knowledge of life was very small.

“Hiram!” called a tremulous voice from somewhere within the cabin. “Children!”

The three rose and looked at one another.

“She wants us,” said Tony, “Come on.”

“Once more—sing that once more,” she called faintly, and they sang again, “There’ll be no dark valley when Jesus comes,” while the tears rolled down over the white face.

“Well, good-bye, Mother,” said Hiram later, cheerfully putting his head in at the bedroom door again. “It’s almost train time. We’ll try to get some pennies, and we won’t stay long. Don’t you be lonesome till we get back. Perhaps,” he added hesitatingly, “you can go to sleep.”

Outside, the trio halted, holding their wooden boxes filled with minerals—“speciments” they called them—doubtfully in their hands.

“ ’Tain’t a bit of use,” said Hiram mournfully; “there’s too many selling, and folks have got enough of them anyway. But just to satisfy Mother . . .”

“Say, Hi,” broke in Nettie, speaking slowly, as if in surprise at her own thought, “you don’t suppose we could sing for the train folks? Mother likes to hear us; perhaps they would too.”

The boy turned sharply about and stared at his sister with a kind of startled admiration. “You’re the greatest!” he exclaimed. “How’d you think of it? They have to sit in that car and wait two hours, some of them. Can’t get out and walk, it makes them puff so. We’ll try it this very morning just as we do for Mother, you know. We’d better stand in a row,” he mused, “Net in the middle, and we’ll sing about three songs. Tony, will you sing up good and loud to the car folks? Maybe they will give you a penny.”

To be continued . . .

Nature Nugget – Mystery Birds of the Marsh

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The family Rallidae, which occurs worldwide on every continent but Antarctica, consists of 150 species of rails, crakes, and wood-rails, and also includes the moorhens, gallinules, and coots. They are found everywhere except in Polar Regions, completely waterless deserts, and mountains above snowline. They occupy various habitats from forests to wetlands, grasslands to remote, scrub-covered islands, and coral cays. Many live a secretive and skulking existence on the ground in dense vegetation and are difficult to observe. Their bodies are short and often laterally compressed for ease of movement through dense, low vegetation, whence comes the expression “thin as a rail.” In spite of their apparent weak flight, many rails undertake intercontinental migrations and have even colonized remote and widespread oceanic islands.

In North America, there are six species of rails, all of which are secretive and closely tied to marsh and wetland habitats. The largest, the King Rail at a length of up to 19 inches, inhabits freshwater wetlands throughout much of the eastern United States. It is bright rufous overall with a long, slightly drooping bill, which it uses to catch crayfish, small fishes, amphibians, and insects. Incubating birds seldom flush from their nest until an intruder comes within ten feet; then they will often flush toward the intruder and strike him. The rail then gives a distraction display and leads the intruder away from its nest. The Clapper Rail of the coastal marshes is a paler, saltwater version of the King Rail. Its diet, habits, and calls are very similar to those of the King Rail, and many scientists believe they are the same species. Downy young of both the King and Clapper Rails have vestigial claws at the carpal joints of their wings.

The most common rails in North America are the Virginia Rail and Sora. These medium-sized rails are common migrants, breeding in the north and wintering in the south. They prefer freshwater marshes, especially ones with cattails. The Virginia Rail is a small, half-sized version of the King Rail, but with gray cheeks and reddish legs and bill. It feeds on invertebrates and fish, which it catches with its long bill. The Sora has a very short, stubby bill that is bright yellow. It is mostly a seedeater but will also take insects and snails.

The two smallest North American rails are also the most difficult to see. The Yellow Rail, at five inches in length, breeds in wet meadows of southern Canada and the northern United States, where it gives its Morse-code-like ticking calls. It winters in hay meadows and coastal marshes along the Gulf Coasts. It has a short, stubby, yellow bill, like the Sora’s, and a similar diet. Seen in flight, it has a bold, white patch in the secondaries, which no other North American rail has. At 4.5 inches, the Black Rail is the smallest rail in the world. It is quite probably the most secretive and difficult to see bird in all of North America. In spite of its secretiveness, its call, which is given usually at night, can be heard a mile away. It prefers the high portion of salt marshes, wet meadows, and shallow freshwater marshes. It is found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and locally inland and in the west.

“He who studies most deeply into the mysteries of nature will realize most fully his own ignorance and weakness. He will realize that there are depths and heights which he cannot reach, secrets which he cannot penetrate, vast fields of truth lying before him unentered.” Education, 133.

David Arbour writes from his home in DeQueen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.