church

Last Call to the Church

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The primary concern and most happy thought of the Seventh-day Adventists church today is the nearness of the second coming of Jesus. I remember as a boy how time used to go by so slowly. It seemed like it was almost an eternity from one birthday to the next. We anticipated some special event coming up in a week or a month, and time just seemed to stand still.

As we get older, all of that changes. Now it seems like I have two or three birthdays a year. Time just keeps going faster and faster. But it was not like that when I was a boy.

I remember one Sabbath morning, when I was a young child, a visiting minister had come to our little church. I do not remember all that he spoke about that Sabbath, but I do remember that over and over again, he kept repeating the statement, “Jesus is coming soon!”

In my childish mind, that indicated something extremely imminent. I could almost imagine that Jesus would be back before the very next Sabbath! “What does he mean,” I asked myself.

On the way home from church that Sabbath morning, I decided to consult with the best authority that I knew, my father. My father tried to put my mind at ease by saying, “Son, Jesus is coming soon, but we do not know exactly when He is coming.”

My birthday was only a couple of months away and I was afraid that Jesus might come back before my birthday. So I asked, “Daddy, is it possible that Jesus will be back before my birthday.”

He smiled, and said, “He may not come back before your birthday, but I know that He is coming soon.”

Jesus did not come back before my birthday, or even within the next year. In fact, that conversation took place fifty years ago.

A half century has passed since my childish mind was disturbed with a message of the nearness of Jesus’ coming. I am still wondering when Jesus is coming. I cannot tell you, but certainly His coming is nearer than when we first believed.

Today Jesus gives, to you and to me, a final warning message. It is a call specifically to His chosen people—His church. We find this last call recorded in Revelation 2:7: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

This is an invitation to those who have spiritual discernment. Invitations should always create excitement. I remember the very first invitation I received to visit the home of my wife’s parents. Charlotte and I were attending the same college. Our friendship was growing, but I had never met her parents who lived in Colorado.

Charlotte and I both sang in the college choir, which was planning a tour to Colorado and the western part of Nebraska. One day, not long before the planned tour, I found a strange looking envelope from Boulder, Colorado, in my mailbox.

I tore that envelope open and, to my amazement, inside I found an invitation to go and visit Charlotte’s parents. You can be sure that because of the excitement that the invitation created, I made great preparations for that day. I made sure that my clothes were cleaned and pressed. I began studying politeness and manners, in order to leave a good impression. I believe invitations always create an excitement.

Today there is a special invitation to each of us from Jesus Christ Himself. He says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:7. Are we listening?

It seems that we are too busy to listen. We seem to live on the basis of “business as usual,” when neither business nor anything else is as usual, nor will it ever be again. We too often determine what kind of program we want for the church. We make our plans with a long range planning strategy. But today we need to be planning for a short range emergency. Time is very short. We do not have time to be doing some of the things we are doing.

As a people we do not spend the time in meditation and prayer or in active service that we should. We think that because we have to make a living, and are so busy, we are excused. It is easy to put a dollar or two or even a hundred in the offering plate, but to spend time with the Lord and spend time telling others about the wonderful plan of salvation, we do not have time to do that.

We are listening to many other voices but the Spirit. It says, “Listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” We decide what kind of revival we want, what kind of evangelism we want, and then if the results are not what we anticipated, we are disappointed. We need to let God direct in our lives.

Ask yourself the questions, “Am I really doing all I can to hasten Jesus’ return? How much time do I spend in meditation? In the study of God’s Word? In the study of the Spirit of Prophecy And on my knees?” We are negligent when it comes to the amount of time that we spend making our daily bread, in proportion to how much time we spend laying up treasure in God’s kingdom.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.” The church, according to Scripture, is the bride of Jesus Christ. It is the body. It is the organism that God has ordained to carry forward His work.

The church is not an organization or an institution. The church is God’s people, and God’s program will never bypass His people. This message is for God’s people. God’s church is where two or three are met together. This is an invitation to them. Spend time trying to discern what the Holy Spirit wants you to do. Spend time with God fasting, pleading for an outpouring of His Holy Spirit. His Spirit will never bypass the church—His people. The Spirit speaks to the churches.

Look at your own sphere of influence. What about your home? Some are pained because they live in divided homes. The Lord’s servant said that in a divided home, the shadows are never lifted. (See Adventist Home, 67.) Some are troubled because it is difficult to serve the Lord with all the heart when one is being opposed by members of his own family. They use this as an excuse not to overcome.

I have an older brother who has wandered in the ways of the world for some sixty years. In his heart there is conviction that he wants to come back to the church. He knows what is right. He knows the message. He was brought up in it as a boy. But somewhere along the way he gave it up and drifted away. Because of family opposition and uncertainty, he is reluctant to come back.

We can never influence anyone in favor of the truth by waffling around in sin. We have to make a firm decision regardless of what happens with our friends and our family. There are some today who are suffering because members of their family oppose them. Jesus said, “A man’s foes or enemies) shall be they of his own household.” Matthew 10:36.

What is happening in our circle of activity? What is happening in our homes? What is happening in our communities? What is happening in our towns or cities? This is a desperate hour for the world, for the cause of the Gospel and for the individual experience that we are going through. If anything can be shaken, it will be shaken. It is the time for us to stand firmly for the right.

 

He that Hath An Ear, Let Him Hear What the Spirit Says to the Church

 

The Spirit is trying to say something to us. In the Gospels, our Lord repeated eight times, “He that hath an ear, let him hear.” Again in the book of Revelation eight times we have this message, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

To the Laodiceans Jesus said, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him.” Revelation 3:20. This invitation is wide enough to include everyone. It says, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door.” It is limited, however, in its fulfillment to those who hear His voice and who open the door. Our ears must be open. We have to be listening to what the Spirit is saying.

The message of the Holy Spirit to each of the seven churches was, “Repent.” That has become a very unpopular message. There are those who say, “Just leave sin alone. Do not disturb the status quo. Leave that stone rolled up against Lazarus’ tomb. Let Achan keep his wedge of gold. Let Jezebel raise up her altar to Baal in Thyatira. Do not worry about that immoral brother over there in Corinth. Just leave sin alone.”

There are those who are watching and praying, and who are trying to bring about a revival and reformation. Sometimes they become discouraged and want to give up. But we must follow the example of our Savior who tried in every possible way to awaken the churches to their great spiritual need. Five of these seven churches in Asia Minor were in a lamentable spiritual condition. He called them to repentance.

What a wonderful change would take place in our churches today if we would all get on our knees and say, “I am sorry.” Some people, when they reach a certain level of responsibility in the church, feel that they cannot say they are sorry. They think they are too big to say, “I am sorry.”

God expects us to be able to say, “I am sorry. I am a sinner. I have done wrong.” The Bible tells us that we are all sinners. None of us have reached the level where we do not have to repent of our sins. We must each do this individually. It is not something that can be done corporately.

We have all reached different levels in our spiritual pilgrimage. We cannot be the judge for someone else. We need to be careful that we do not try to set up a measuring stick that we expect everyone else to live up to. As individuals we must make sure that our relationship is right with God, and repent of what we have done to bring pain, suffering and anguish to our Savior.

Jesus, who is our example in all things, told His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. All of us have problems and trials, but it is wonderful to know that we serve a God who has already been there. He knows what we are going through, and He suffers with us. Although He tells us we will have tribulation, He says, “I have overcome and through my grace you can also.”

“To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and am sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21. We can each overcome all sin and its influence in our lives.

We all have the same basis to overcome that Jesus had. Just as He said, “I can of mine own self do nothing . . .because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which sent me.” John 5:30. The answer to sucessfully overcoming sin in our lives is to make a complete surrender to Jesus. This is not a once and for all transaction. We must die daily as Paul did. Every day he was aware of the fact that he had to crucify self.

Self is our biggest enemy. The big “I” is the thing that gets in the way of Christ working out His will in us. We have to make a complete surrender of our selfish will, and choose God’s will instead. Not just when we are baptized and join the church, but we must do it daily.

In our own strength it would be completely impossible to make that surrender. “Whatever may be our inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrong, we can overcome through the power that He is ready to impart . . . We cannot change our hearts, we cannot control our thoughts, our impulses, our affections . . . But we can choose to serve God, we can give Him our will . . . By yielding up the will to Christ, we ally with divine power . . . A pure and noble life, a life of victory over appetite and lust, is possible for everyone who will unite his weak, wavering human will to the Omnipotent,unwavering will of God.” Ministry of Healing, 176. [All emphasis supplied.]

Who says we cannot overcome all sin? There it is! It is wonderful to be able to link up with Jesus and His divine power. To be able to overcome through the power that He is willing to give. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot be an overcomer. If we will grasp the divine hand, God has unlimited strength to impart to us.

 

A Panoramic View

 

The panorama of heaven and earth passed before the enraptured eyes of John there on that lonely island of Patmos. In vision he saw the glories of the new earth. He saw the gates of pearl. He saw that wall around the city, glistening in the glorious radiance of Jesus Christ Himself. He saw the throne of God with the Tree of Life silhouetted on both banks of the river as it flowed from God’s throne. He saw those glistening streets paved with pure gold. He saw the radiance shining in the faces of the redeemed. Can we imagine anything more wonderful than a world bathed in the rays of sunshine and love without the least trace of suffering, of hatred, of prejudices, of disease or of death?

In the mind of poor, lonely John, there on that little rocky island all by himself, came the question, “Who is going to inherit all of this?” The answer came back, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” Revelation 21:7. A beautiful promise was given to each of the seven churches if they would overcome.

To the church in Smyrna, was given the promise of a crown of life. To the church in Pergamus, He says, “And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17. I like this promise because I do not think there is anything on this earth more devastating than to have your name destroyed. I know what that experience is like. I am looking forward to the day when I get a new name. The same promise was also given to the church in Philadelphia, as well as the promise to make them a pillar in the temple and to write upon them the name of God.

To the church in Thyatira He will give power over the nations and give them the Morning Star if they would be overcomers. To the church in Sardis He will give white robes. Finally, to the church in Laodicea, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21.

It is not easy to overcome. There are many things that get in the way. One of the powerful things that impede us is the power of appetite. “The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, when, if they had conquered on this point, they would have had moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation of Satan. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail in perfecting Christian character . . . And as we near the close of time, Satan’s temptations to indulge appetite will be more powerful and more difficult to overcome.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 491, 492.

” ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ If you ‘hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches’ and meditate upon the instruction given to them, your ears will be closed to the folly and nonsense which surround you. You will neither hear and repeat these things, nor will you ever hanker after them. When Christ satisfies the soul hunger, these trivialities are to you distasteful and disgusting. You have no desire to feast on them, but choose instead the bread of heaven.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 957.

May God give us the strength to reach the point in our experience as overcomers, when the things of the world appear to us distasteful and disgusting. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7. Soon the time of trial will be over. Soon our problems, our difficulties, will all be past. Jesus is coming to take His faithful home. Before that day, terrible scenes will come upon the world and before God’s people, a time of trial that will try our faith without parallel.

My invitation to you today is to open your ears to the message of the Holy Spirit and surrender your heart and lives to His power. Let us lift up our heads, our redemption draws nigh.

 

Sinful Independence, part 4

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The 1888 Problem

 

In the papal church, one central power decided who was called and who was not called, what should be preached and what should not be preached, what people could read and what they could not read, and what meetings could be held and what could not be held. The church was a controlling element, and it was being controlled by human wisdom, with “the eyes of a man.” Daniel 7:8. That was the same type of controlling element that ruled the church in Jesus’day. The people came to worship the system as their lord and master, rather than Jesus.

This false gospel of system worship, where the organization became the master rather than the servant, was what Ellen White recognized as the main problem of the General Conference of 1888. In talking about the problems of the church, she related the cause of these problems in the following letter: “This is largely due to the feeling of Elder Butler [the General Conference President] that position gave unlimited authority . . . God designs that men shall use their minds and consciences for themselves. He never designed that one man should become the shadow of another, and utter only another’s sentiments. But this error has been coming in among us, that a very few are to be mind, conscience, and judgment for all God’s workers. The foundation of Christianity is ‘Christ our Righteousness.’ Men are individually responsible to God and must act as God acts upon them, not as another human mind acts upon their mind; for if this method of indirect influence is kept up, souls cannot be impressed and directed by the great I AM. They will, on the other hand, have their experience blended with another, and will be kept under a moral restraint, which allows no freedom of action or of choice . . . If we would be wise, and use diligently, prayerfully, and thankfully the means whereby light and blessings are to come to his people, then no voice nor power upon earth would have authority over us to say, ‘This shall not be.’ ” 1888 Materials, 110–113.

In a letter to Elder Butler, Ellen White related what was shown her in vision: “My guide . . .stretched out his arms toward Dr. Waggoner, and to you, Elder Butler, and said in substance as follows: ‘Neither have all the light upon the law; neither position is perfect.’ ” 1888 Materials, 93.

The question was not simply theology—Elder Waggoner and Elder Jones’ positions were not perfect, but God had given them a message, even though still imperfect, to give to the church. But the leadership thought that every message should have to go through them for their approval. These young men from the West—Jones and Waggoner—had no right to work without the permission of the General Conference officers.

“Never, never feel the slightest disturbance because the Lord is raising up youth to lift and carry the heavier burdens, and proclaim the message of truth. It has been at this point that Elder Butler has failed, and he is a deceived man . . . I hope there will never be the slightest encouragement given to our people to put such wonderful confidence in finite, erring man as has been placed in Elder Butler, for ministers are not as God, and too much reliance has been placed upon Elder Butler in the past. Even the messages and testimonies were made of none effect through the influence of the words and ideas of Elder Butler. This sin has not been repented of by some of our people, and they will have to go over the ground again and again unless they cease from man, and put their whole trust in the living God.” 1888 Materials, 975.

There is a place for counsel, and even for warnings against false teachings, to be given by the leadership. But all such counsel and warnings are to be based upon sound, Biblical principle, not upon hierarchical authority. People are thus to be taught to depend upon the counsels and warnings of the Word, rather than that of man. We are to teach people to respect leaders, but not to depend upon human wisdom and leadership. “When our people in the different places have their special convocations, teach them, for Christ’s sake and for their own soul’s sake, not to make flesh their arm . . . To place men where God should be placed does not honor or glorify God. Is the president of the General Conference to be the god of the people? Are the men at Battle Creek to be regarded as infinite in wisdom? When the Lord shall work upon human hearts and human intellects, principles and practices different from this will be set before the people. ‘Cease ye from man.’ Isaiah 2:22.” Testimonies to Ministers, 375, 376.

As one reads through the over 1,800 pages of The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials and the book Testimonies to Ministers, he cannot help but be impressed with both the seriousness and the present prevalence of corporate independence. This was the chief problem in 1888, and it seems that it was never corrected. Supposedly a correction came in 1901, but two years later Ellen White commented: “The result of the last General Conference [1901] has been the greatest, the most terrible sorrow of my life. No change was made. The spirit that should have been brought into the whole work as the result of that meeting was not brought in because men did not receive the testimonies of the Spirit of God.” Manuscript Release, vol. 13, 122. It was in 1901 itself that she said, “We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel.” Evangelism, 696.

 

Two Kind of Kings

 

Kings are independent. That is why the messenger of the Lord associated independence with kingly power. In 1901, Ellen White warned our leaders against independence, insubordination and rebellion. At the same time she told how this had come into the church—through the exercise of “kingly power,” so that God’s rulership was replaced by human kingship. In her opening address to the delegates of the 1901 General Conference, Ellen White repeatedly stated that we were being governed by “kingly power.” (See Ellen White’s speech in Spalding and Magan, 162–174.)

But there are two kinds of kings, both of which lead to independence from the Lord. First, there are those kings who have enough charisma and influence to get followers. We call them the successful kings. There are also those kings that cannot get anyone to follow them, but they are, nevertheless, going to do whatever they want to anyway, as a king without any subjects, independent of the Lord.

Some individuals might wrongly suppose that because there are bad leaders, that gives them the right to become independent and do whatever they want to do. If they do this, they are no better off than the “bad” leaders they are critical of. God has not called anyone to be independent or to act independently. God has called us all to be servants of one another and to draw together in true unity and love. God is not calling for separationism, but for a purifying of the church, where all can work together in true harmony for the finishing of the gospel. It is true that truth must be paramount, but wherever truth and the salvation of souls are not at stake, we are to do everything we can to live peaceably with all men and to work together in unity and harmony. We are to consider others first and self last. The true following of the principles of God will not lead to disunity, but to the true unity that was manifested at Pentecost, where all “were with one accord in one place.” Acts 2:1.

God has a church, and it is the Seventh-day Adventist church. This is the church of prophecy and providence, and only God can start a church—it is to be built upon Him, not upon any human founder. (See Ephesians 2:20.) True, God’s remnant church is described as “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” in the Laodicean message of Revelation 3, but it is still God’s church. Leaders and members may not always exemplify God’s character, and for this reason we are still on earth. Whole congregations, institutions, or even conferences may apostatize —the organization itself may become so independent of God that He cannot use them any more, just as happened with Israel—nevertheless, God will always have true and faithful Seventh-day Adventist people, registered on the books of Heaven (Hebrews 12:22, 23), who will constitute His church and who will go through victorious to the end. God wants every conference, institution, and congregation to triumph with them, if they will be purified of every sin. Although we should strive to live peaceably with all men, nevertheless, when God sends His message to purify the church of sin and selfishness, it will cause a reaction. “Just as long as God has a church, He will have those who will cry aloud and spare not, who will be his instruments to reprove selfishness and sins, and will not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men will hear or forbear. I saw that individuals would rise up against the plain testimonies. It does not suit their natural feelings. They would choose to have smooth things spoken unto them, and have peace cried in their ears . . .The shaking must soon take place to purify the church.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, 284.

The Lord is calling for individuals today to do the work of Elijah and John the Baptist, in all humility. But there are many who rise up to give a message on their own charge, without a commission from the Lord. There are many who would seek to steady the ark of God, as Uzzah did, with their own human wisdom and might. How can a person know whether he has been called of God or is simply motivated by feelings of importance?

Those who are truly called of God must be faithful, humble servants, not seeking for notice or first place. Moreover, whenever God calls for an individual to be His instrument, He always lays the burden upon more than that one. Even when Jesus began His ministry, though He was not recognized or acknowledged by the church leadership, He was, nevertheless, acknowledged by John the Baptist and by the Holy Spirit at His baptism. David was anointed by Samuel. The disciples were called by Jesus. Paul received a vision and was set aside by the church at Antioch. Timothy was called by Paul. Daniel and Joseph were set apart by a series of circumstances and providence called forth by the Lord—but both had been faithful in the little things of life before being called to positions of prominence.

 

A Day and Age of Independence

 

As never before, a spirit of independence from the Lord afflicts many, just as it did the Jewish church in the days of Korah and again in the days of John the Baptist. (See Selected Messages, vol. 1, 406.) We are living in a day and age of independence. When I was pastoring, I was talking to a conference president about the local Adventist hospital. It had become so large that it was only able to fill a small percentage of its job openings with Adventist help, yet they were building it still larger. In conversation one day, I kindly pointed out that the Spirit of Prophecy counsels against building large hospitals and staffing them with those not of our faith. His response was that those counsels do not apply today. In our educational work, our administrative work and our medical work, it seems that self-rule and independence has become the rule of the day. God’s counsels, they reason, do not apply any more. “Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 211.

I was talking to a Union president once. He brought up the subject of tithing, and accused another ministry, that we at Steps to Life work with and support, of being a “thief” because they accept tithe. “Why,” I asked, “are they a thief? Who have they stolen from?”

The response was that all the tithe should go through the organization because it is the storehouse. I then asked, “What about Quiet Hour, Voice of Prophecy, and Amazing Facts, all of which accept tithe and always have. Are they thieves also?”

This was indeed hard to answer. He would not suggest that other ministries were stealing, but he still maintained that the ministry he was opposed to was stealing the tithe, even though this particular ministry was doing nothing different than most of the accepted ministries always have! The problem was that the ministry he was opposed to was preaching the straight testimony and that was what he was really opposed to—the tithe was only a smoke screen. Nevertheless, I pursued the issue.

“What about Ellen White’s example and counsel?” I asked. She paid her tithe directly to various ministers and women Bible workers who were not being paid by the conference. Moreover, she accepted other people’s tithe who gave it to her and who did not want it to go to the conference. “Was she a thief?”

“Well,” he wanted to know, “do you base your beliefs on the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy?””I thought they were the same,” I replied. But he then informed me that Ellen White did not understand tithing. So I asked him whether he understood the Biblical principles of tithing better than Ellen White did.

He responded, “Yes I do. I understand tithing better than Ellen White.” I thought I had misunderstood, so I asked him again just to make sure I had heard right, and I received the same assurance that he understood this principle better than Ellen White. I asked him for his Biblical references for his understanding, but he could produce none!

It is interesting that in 1905 when the Colorado Conference president tried to set up his will as the governing rule, stating that all tithe should come into the conference treasury rather than being sent directly to people who were not on the conference payroll, Ellen White warned him that if he agitated this question she would have to make known to others what she did with her tithe. In referring to disagreements with the management of the tithe by the conference, she said that we should make our complaints known but that we should not withhold our tithe. (See Testimonies, vol. 9, 249.) However, in the case of apostasy and false teaching by the ministry, and in the case of the conference neglecting or refusing to support those whom the Lord had called and chosen, Ellen White made it crystal clear that it was not only the privilege but the duty of herself and others to send their tithe directly to where they thought it would do the most good. (See Testimonies, vol. 1, 261, 262; vol. 2, 552; Spalding and Magan, 117, 215.) Moreover, she stated that those who simply trusted the conference to expend their means, without taking responsibility themselves as to the out-come of the money God had made them stewards of, would not be held “guiltless” before the Lord for their stewardship. (See 1888 Materials, 1443, 1444.) Some have formed such strong opinions and policies that they think they know more than the Spirit of Prophecy in these and other kindred areas.

Today, prideful independence from the Lord and His counsels has become the rule of the day.

 

Two Kinds of Independent Ministries

 

As there have always been, so today there are two kinds of independent ministries. We read about Jesus: “From childhood He acted independently of the rabbinical laws.” Desire of Ages, 84. John the Baptist had a ministry independent from the Sanhedrin. (See Desire of Ages, 132.) Elijah and Paul had independent ministries. Madison Sanitarium and school was ordained by the Lord with direct counsel from the messenger of the Lord that they were to become an institution independent from the General Conference. God has always had independent ministries.

Many of these ministries have not been appreciated. When Elder A.T. Jones was not allowed to speak in Battle Creek in 1891, Ellen White said, “We will secure a hall in the city and the words God has given Bro. Jones to speak, the people shall have them.” 1888 Materials, 847, 848. Jesus spoke by the seashore, Wesley in the fields, and William Miller in tents.

And so there is a healthy, God-ordained place for independent ministries. God has never tied His hands to any set counsel of men, but has always had the privilege of choosing whom and how He desires. God has always used independent ministries.

There is sinful independence today also, as there always has been. Any independence that puts human wisdom and authority above God’s wisdom and authority, making man independent of God, is sinful independence. This was what Eve was tempted to do. Whenever a Christian hospital rejects, either openly or in practice, the counsels of the Lord, it has become an independent ministry. Whenever a church school, union college or university accepts the standards of the world in the place of the standards of the Lord, it has become an independent ministry. Whenever a conference or a church receives counsel from psychologists and philosophers or from religious institutions that do not keep the Sabbath, as Ahaziah did when he sought the god of Ekron (2 Kings 1:2), and rejects the plain counsel of the Lord, it has become an independent ministry [A new organization]. Whenever a ministry, that is designated as independent because they are not under the conference structure, departs from the teachings and practices of the Lord, it has become independent in the wrong way. May the Lord save us from sinful independence.

 

A Reformation Needed

 

It is time to humble our hearts before the Lord so that He can send upon us the true revival and reformation that was displayed at Pentecost. It was there that unity was achieved through believing the truth, through humility toward self and love toward one another. There the full gospel was preached in all its purity and power; and there the principles of the government of heaven were followed, with Christ as the true head of the church and all its members were fellow servants.

Kingly power in the hands of religious rulers will never save or exalt the church. Unity through centralization will never exalt Christ. Blindly following religious teachers will not save a single soul. But humble cooperation, where every member is a fellow worker with Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9) and organized together in a body according to the call of God, and where dependence is placed first and foremost upon the revealed will of God, will bring the long sought-for blessings of the latter rain and the soon return of Jesus Christ. This is that primitive godliness that will be revealed among God’s people before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth. (Great Controversy, 464).

 

The End of Series

 

Appendix

 

“You who are finite, erring, and unsanctified, have supposed that God’s children were put under your jurisdiction, for you to plan for them, and bring them to your terms. The policy you have labored so hard to establish in your connection with the work is an offense to God. He has never justified any arrangement, through organization, discipline, or laws, whereby men who have evidenced that they are not susceptible to the Holy Spirit’s moving, shall use their power to sustain others in a like disregard of the Spirit’s work. But such has been the arrangement that has prevailed. You have made it hard for those whom you do not especially like, while others who are self serving have been favored and exalted. Partiality and hypocrisy have excluded the Spirit of God from many hearts, and left them as destitute of his grace as the hills of Gilboa were destitute of dew or rain.” Paulson Collection, 408.

“There are ministers’ wives, Sisters Starr, Haskell, Wilson and Robinson, who have been devoted, earnest, whole-souled workers, giving Bible readings and praying with families, helping along by personal efforts just as successfully as their husbands. These women give their whole time, and are told that they receive nothing for their labors because their husbands receive their wages. I tell them to go forward and all such decisions shall be reversed. The Word says, ‘The laborer is worthy of his hire.’ When any such decision as this is made, I will in the name of the Lord, protest. I will feel it in my duty to create a fund from my tithe money, to pay these women who are accomplishing just as essential work as the ministers are doing, and this tithe I will reserve for work in the same line as that of the ministers, hunting for souls, fishing for souls. I know that the faithful women should be paid wages proportionate to the pay received by ministers. They carry the burden of souls, and should not be treated unjustly. These sisters are giving their time to educating those newly come to the faith, and hire their own work done, and pay those who work for them. “All these things must be adjusted and set in order, and justice be done to all. Proofreaders in the office receive their wages, two dollars and a half and three dollars a week. This I have had to pay, and others have to pay. But ministers’ wives, who carry a tremendous responsibility, devoting their entire time, have nothing for their labor. This will give you an idea of how matters are in this conference. There are seventy-five souls organized into a church, who are paying their tithe into the conference, and as a saving plan it has been deemed essential to let these poor souls labor for nothing! But this does not trouble me, for I will not allow it to go thus.” Spaulding and Magan, 117.

The Use of the Tithe

Mountain View, Calif., Jan. 22, 1905.

Elder Watson:

“My brother, I wish to say to you, Be careful how you move. You are not moving wisely. The least you have to speak about the tithe that has been appropriated to the most needy and the most discouraging field in the world, the more sensible you will be.

“It had been presented to me for years that my tithe was to be appropriated by myself to aid the white and colored ministers who were neglected and did not receive sufficient properly to support their families. When my attention was called to aged ministers, white or black, it was my special duty to investigate into their necessities and supply their needs. This was to be my special work,

and I have done this in a number of cases. No man should give notoriety to the fact that in special cases the tithe is used in that way.

“In regard to the colored work in the South, that field has been and is still being robbed of the means that should come to the workers of that field. If there has been cases where our sisters have appropriated their tithe to the support of the ministers working for the colored people in the

South, let every man, if he is wise, hold his peace.

“I have myself appropriated my tithe to the most needy cases brought to my notice. I have been instructed to do this; and as the money is not withheld from the Lord’s treasury, it is not a matter that should be commented upon; for it will necessitate my making known these matters, which I do not desire to do, because it is not best.

“Some cases have been kept before me for years, and I have supplied their needs from the tithe, as God has instructed me to do. And if any person shall say to me, Sister White, will you appropriate my tithe where you know it is most needed, I shall say, Yes, I will; and I have done so. I commend those sisters who have placed their tithe where it is most needed to help to do a work that is being left undone; and if this matter is given publicity, it will create knowledge which would better be left as it is. I do not care to give publicity to this work which the Lord has appointed me to do, and others to do.

“I send this matter to you so that you shall not make a mistake. Circumstances alter cases. I would not advise that any should make a practice of gathering up tithe money. But for years there have now and then been persons who have lost confidence in the appropriation of the tithe who have placed their tithe in my hands, and said that if I did not take it they would themselves appropriate it to the families of the most needy minister they could find. I have taken the money, given a receipt for it, and told them how it was appropriated.

“I write this to you so that you shall keep cool and not become stirred up and give publicity to this matter, lest many more shall follow their example.”

 

(Signed) Ellen G. White.

Spaulding and Magan, 215, 216.

 

Driven With the Wind

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On November 15 and 16, 1996, Elder Willard Santee, a minister of the Oregon Conference, delivered a series of five messages in a tent on the grounds of Prophecy Countdown in Mt. Dora, Florida. As a result of these messages, as well as some more private conversations, the leader of Prophecy Countdown, John Osborne, along with some of his staff, responded to an altar call by Elder Santee in which he appealed to them to “return to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.”

As he stood on the platform beside Santee, John Osborne said, “I don’t want to be a historic Seventh-day Adventist.”

These words created consternation on the part of many historic Seventh-day Adventists who have been trusting in the leadership of John Osborne and have been giving generous financial support to his ministry. What did these words mean?

A historic Seventh-day Adventist is by definition a person who is holding steadfastly to the principles of truth that were established by the pioneers of our church, and that have been repeatedly confirmed and re-confirmed by the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Had John Osborne decided to abandon these principles of truth? This was the question that troubled many hearts, and triggered many anxious inquiries. An apparent attempt to answer these questions was made one week later by Dianne Osborne, the president of Prophecy Countdown. She stood before the television cameras and made a statement that included these lines:

“We are seeking to have unity with God’s Church, but we will not unify with apostasy. We must be separate from the evil practices, from apostasy, and from sin both inside and outside the church . . . We realize that you cannot go where error is being preached, nor allow your children to go where error is being taught . . . We will continue to defend the truth.”

Thus the question about abandoning the historic principles of our faith appears to have been answered, at least for the time being. But the entire situation is calling forth another kind of question, which is proper and valid. Members of the historic Seventh-day Adventist community are asking, “What did Elder Santee tell the people of Prophecy Countdown? Did he present new evidence or new light that we all should be considering? Did he point out evidence that we have overlooked? What relevance do his messages have to the entire community of historic Seventh-day Adventists?”

In order to present an accurate answer to these questions, I have listened very carefully to the five messages presented by Elder Santee, and have reached conclusions that I will now share with you. I will first make some general observations as an overview.

  1. Elder Santee brought forth no new light, presented no new evidence, and advanced no new or overlooked principles of truth. All of the Biblical materials and Spirit of Prophecy materials that he used are very familiar to historic Seventh-day Adventists.
  2. Elder Santee’s burden of concern appeared to be for individuals or groups who had, a) separated themselves from the organized Seventh-day Adventist Church for invalid reasons; b) were fighting the organized church and manifesting unchristian hatred and contempt for its leaders and members; c) were calling the organized Seventh-day Adventist Church Babylon and calling people to come out of her; and, d) were engaging in theological hair-splitting and needless discussions of theological questions and the nature of Christ.

It is immediately apparent that these descriptions could be properly applied to only a minuscule portion of the members of the historic Seventh-day Adventist community, perhaps one or two percent. The vast majority of them are still members of the organized church, (and this includes John Osborne and his family). Most of the very few who are now separated from the “organized church” did not withdraw of their own volition, but were disfellowshipped over their protests. It would be wildly inaccurate to describe them as persons who had separated themselves from the church for invalid reasons. They are neither fighting the church nor manifesting hatred and contempt for its leaders or members, and they would not dream of calling the church Babylon. Their clinging to the principles of our historic faith is most emphatically not theological hair-splitting. So with whom is Elder Santee contending?

My conclusion is that Elder Santee’s messages may have limited application to those few persons who fit his descriptions, but to the vast majority of the members of the historic Seventh-day Adventist community they have no relevance at all. He appears to be contending with imaginary foes—shadow boxing.

The central theme of Elder Santee’s presentations seemed to be that there can never be any justification for separating oneself from the church for the reasons stated above. I view this from the sidelines, so to speak, as one not involved in the situation. But I do have some questions. Was it wrong for the first Christians to leave the Jewish church, for the Protestants to leave the Catholic church, for the Methodists to leave the Anglican church, and for our pioneers to leave the Protestant churches? If Elder Santee’s reasoning is correct, then these persons should have all stayed in their churches and left it to the Lord to clean the churches up. That is what he urges his hearers to do now. As evidence to support this position, he argues that in spite of the wickedness of the Jewish church, Jesus put His name on the books of that church and never took it off. (Actually, the name of Jesus was put on the Jewish church books by Joseph and Mary, when Jesus was a babe in arms. Jesus had nothing to do with it.)

Elder Santee concedes that there is much apostasy in the organized church, even going beyond most historic Adventists by stating that the church is in apostasy. Few of us would go that far. Most of us have pointed out apostasy in the organized church, but have not regarded the church as in apostasy. That might be an over-statement. Elder Santee does say this, but nevertheless affirms in another place that the church is “right on course.” I do not understand how one can hold to both of these positions. Nor do I understand how Elder Santee can urge his hearers on the one hand to be silent in the church and make no criticisms of evil doing, and on the other hand quote Ellen White statements that vigorously condemn such silence. Does she not call for men who are not afraid to call sin by its right name? (See Education, 57.)

Elder Santee manifests a curious unawareness that we who are trying to protect ourselves from error are dealing with theological problems. He sets forth an illustration that he says God gave to him. It consists of two circles which represent two kinds of church members, the “Liberals” and the “Conservatives,” and he states that the two circles are drawing apart. But as they draw apart, there is created a small ellipse where the two circles overlap. This is where God wants us to be, Elder Santee says, in the ellipse in the center, which is partly liberal and partly conservative.

But we are not primarily concerned about the differences between liberals and conservatives. Our major concern is theological. And one has only to recognize this fact and change the labels in the circles from “Liberal” and “Conservative,” to “True Theology” and “False Theology” to see the inappropriateness of this illustration. Does God want us to have a theology that is partly true and partly false? Have we not been warned that truth mixed with error is more dangerous than error alone? (See Great Controversy, 587.)

We may disguise poison by mingling it with wholesome food, but we do not change its nature. On the contrary, it is rendered more dangerous, as it is more likely to be taken unawares. It is one of Satan’s devices to combine with falsehood just enough truth to give it plausibility.

As for seeking unity by theological compromise, the inspired messenger is equally clear: “Christ calls for unity. But He does not call for us to unify on wrong practices. The God of heaven draws a sharp contrast between pure, elevating, ennobling truth and false, misleading doctrines . . . I urge our brethren to unify on a true, scriptural basis.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 175.

“We are to unify, but not upon a platform of error.” Series B, Freedom in Christ, 47.

The same unawareness of the theological dimensions of our problem is seen in Elder Santee’s description of his own experience. He devotes almost one entire message to a harrowing description of his own sufferings when he was put out of the ministry by “the brethren.” It seems that “the brethren” had dealt with a case of adultery and wanted Santee to stay out of the matter, but he insisted on dealing with it himself. For this, he says, he was put out of the ministry. If his report of the situation is accurate and fair, (which we have no way of knowing) we sympathize with him, but we see no connection between this and our theological problems in the church. To compare this experience with the experience of those who are being put out of the church because they will not accept false theology is hardly appropriate. Procedural problems and theological apostasy are two different categories.

A third and even more astonishing example of Elder Santee’s theological unawareness is placed before us in a passage in which he describes the contributions of a correct theology that have been made by various religious groups. He credits the Greek Orthodox church with getting rid of the doctrine of papal infallibility, and the Anglicans with getting rid of Mariolatry; he credits Lutherans for a true doctrine of justification and the Methodists for a true doctrine of sanctification; he credits the Congregationalists and Presbyterians for getting rid of excessive form and ceremony in worship and the Baptists for getting rid of sprinkling as a method of baptism; he credits Millerite, George Storrs for correcting the immortal soul error and the Seventh-day Baptists for correcting the error of the day of worship. He concludes this litany with the stunning statement that: “the Seventh-day Adventists contributed nothing at all.”

This leaves us gasping! Is this man a Seventh-day Adventist minister? Has he never heard of the sanctuary doctrine, that Ellen White describes as: “the very message that has made us a separate people, and has given character and power to our work.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 54.

Elder Santee’s use of both the Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy is curious, to say the least. In a lengthy exposition of Exodus, chapter 32, he labors to prove that Moses was never angry with Aaron on the matter of the golden calf, but rather that he was always tender, gentle, and kind, both to Aaron and the people. He quotes verses both before and after verses 26-28 in which Moses is described as calling the faithful to his side, and then ordering them to take their swords and go through the camp and “slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.” This command of Moses resulted in the slaughter of 3000 men, but

Elder Santee does not read these verses, for obvious reasons. They would not fit his theory very well.

Similarly, he quotes words from Series B, Part 1, 15, in which Ellen White writes, “No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth,” and asserts that this means to protest on your knees. This is in harmony with his teaching that church members should make no comment on evils that they see in the church, but only pray about them. In like manner he refers to Ellen White’s warnings against listening to error, but limits her warning to errors presented by non-Adventist teachers and preachers. One can hardly feel comfortable with such handling of inspired writings, nor with his reference to himself and others as “secondary prophets.” We are left to speculate as to what this might mean.

The general tenor of all of the messages was to support Elder Santee’s doctrine that there is no salvation outside of the organized church. This is inferred and implied throughout all of the messages and was firmly and clearly stated in these two passages: “If I want to be in God’s kingdom, I must be part of the organized church,” and “You are going to be lost if you are outside of the church.”

These strong affirmations were followed by an appeal to “return to the church.” We find this puzzling in view of these realities.

  1. Probably 99% of all historic Seventh-day Adventists have never left the “church,” and have no intention of ever leaving the “church” unless forced out by being disfellowshipped.
  2. John Osborne, to whom Elder Santee’s words were presumably addressed, has never left the “church.” He and his family have for years held membership in a church in California.
  3. As noted before, the historic Seventh-day Adventists are not calling the church Babylon, or calling people to come out of her. They are rather trying as best they can to survive spiritually and spread the Three Angels’ Messages to all the world. They understand from statements like the following that listening to error greatly diminishes their chances of survival.

“No error can sanctify the soul . . . Sanctification comes not through error, but through belief in the truth.” Review and Herald, September 30, 1890.

“Truth sanctifies. Error corrupts.” Review and Herald, December 2, 1875.

“Error is falsehood and deception. Those who partake of it must suffer in consequence.” Upward Look, 125.

“Error is never harmless. It never sanctifies, but always brings confusion and dissension. It is always dangerous.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 47.

“There is in error and unbelief that which bewilders and bewitches the mind.” Selected Messages,vol. 1, 46.

“I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings . . . God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings, where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffeting of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels, and the light around us becomes contaminated with darkness.” Early Writings, 124.

This makes it impossible for us to accept Elder Santee’s recommendations that we attend worship services where error is presented, and simply ignore the error. This is far too dangerous to be attempted, and the inspired warnings against it are unmistakably clear. We firmly reject the proposition that we are attacking the church, or fighting against the church. If one can not speak against sin without attacking the church, what does that say about the church? If one can not speak against apostasy without attacking the church, what does that say about the church?

We have to recognize that if a church leader is misusing his office and performing evil actions, and if church members protest against the evil actions, probably the best defense that the church leader could contrive would be to set up a shrill cry that: “The church is being attacked! The church is being attacked! Come to the defense of the church everybody! Defend the church! Protect the church!”

The Lord will deal with such persons as He sees best. We can safely leave that problem to Him. Meanwhile we are faced with a very practical problem. How shall we avoid the apostasy that is raging in the church today, and survive the great shaking time that will purge all unworthy elements out?

If Elder Santee wants to be helpful, let him cease his shadow boxing with imaginary foes, and address himself realistically to this grimly relevant question. He concedes that there is great apostasy in the church, even saying that the church is in apostasy. The word “apostasy” denotes a departure from theological truth. In disregard of the inspired warnings about listening to error, Elder Santee counsels us to continue worshiping in the churches where theological untruths are being presented, and to remain silent and do nothing but pray about the evils we see and hear. He seems to feel that to do other than this is to be guilty of attacking the church and fighting against the church.

We can only pray that his understanding will be improved, and that he will be able to offer better counsel to us. Until this happens, we will just have to say that he is not really speaking to the historic Seventh-day Adventist community, or ministering to our needs. In the final analysis, the church is described in these words: “God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations, it is the people who love God and keep His commandments.” Upward Look, 315.

The Shadow of the Stanton Controversy, part 1

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Two brethren, one whose name was Stanton, after attending the General Conference in the first months of 1893, published a pamphlet called the Loud Cry. In this tract the Seventh-day Adventist Church was denounced as Babylon (the great Spiritual Babylon of Revelation 18), and it called upon the people to come out of her. This tract was widely circulated.

In Wellington, New Zealand, these pamphlets came to the post office with instruction to the postmaster to distribute them to Seventh-day Adventists. Ellen White who was there during this time began writing pointed rebuttals against this pamphlet, and the two men publishing and circulating it.

The Stanton manuscripts, if they may be called that, have been used far and near by people in the General Conference, in local conferences, and by some self-supporting ministries. It is concluded from these articles that special ministries do not have a right to exist, or at least do not have a right to promote and organize home churches, and that such people are condemned by God through the Spirit of Prophecy.

Some of these manuscripts, written in 1893, were published in The Review and Herald during August through October, 1893 and in November of 1956. Some of them were later published in Testimonies to Ministers (see the first 62 pages), and in various devotional compilations, in volumes two and three of Selected Messages and in Notebook Leaflets. As you can see, someone can quote to you, apparently from all over the Spirit of Prophecy writings on this topic, but when you look it up they are really quoting from these “Stanton manuscripts.”

 

A Weapon Against Historic Adventism

 

These articles have been used to try to persuade people of the following: it is wrong to start home churches, it is contrary to the Spirit of Prophecy not to be in a conference church, and you are listening to and following the devil if you are not subject to the conference, etc. Any series of articles, used this extensively in an attempt to prove the revival and reformation movement within Adventism to be a false movement, is certainly deserving of serious study. If we are deceived about the most fundamental issues of our faith, it is certainly time that we knew about it.

A number of attacks against historic Adventists, meeting in home churches, have been launched using statements from these articles. The authors and speakers apparently believed that these statements conclusively proved historic Adventists to be in error.

One of the main attacks against the revival and reformation movement within Adventism has been over the issue of who and what is the church. When observing arguments, which were intended to prove that Ellen White taught that the church was the “organization,” it is curious that some of the main statements quoted are from the Stanton manuscripts. Since these manuscripts are thought to be able to destroy our understanding of who and what the church is, and force us, for conscience sake, to submit to control by conferences, we need to find out exactly what Ellen White was teaching in these manuscripts.

 

Context

 

All Ellen White statements and Bible statements have a context. In her writings, Ellen White repeatedly urged that time and place be considered: “Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; nothing is cast aside; but time and place must be considered. Nothing must be done untimely.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 57. Part of the context is the time and the place, and part is the way that words are used in the paragraph (the linguistic context).

If the Stanton manuscripts teach that the organization is the church, or if they teach that historic Adventists are in error, we should find in them a “plain thus saith the Lord” to show us how to change our beliefs. (See Great Controversy, 595.)

 

Consistant or Conflifting?

 

If these manuscripts teach a different definition of the church than the explicit statements historic Adventists have already found in the inspired writings, then we are in dire difficulty. Truth does not contradict itself. Ellen White said: “All truth, whether in nature or in revelation, is consistent with itself in all its manifestations.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 114. The Bible also says, that “no lie is of the truth.” 1 John 2:21. If these manuscripts teach a different definition of the church than all other inspired writings, then we have a severe problem.

One of the reasons for the theological problems in Adventism today is that so many have tried to give Ellen White a rubber nose—force her writings to teach opposite and contradictory things. As a result, anyone who believes these distorted views eventually loses confidence in the testimonies of God’s Spirit. They are then ripe for the last delusion among God’s professed people, namely: “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 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.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 48.

For example, an historic Adventist quotes Ellen White’s statement that, “from the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth.” Acts of the Apostles, 11. This is an unrestricted definition statement. Its time context is universal, and it has no time limit. It states that it is that way now (perfect tense) and has been this way all the way “from the beginning” and refers to it “in every age.” Not only this but the context of the statement is unrestricted in regard to place. The church described is not local, but the church in the “world,” the “earth” and the church in “earth” and “heaven.” But a theological opponent tries to refute this universal statement by quoting a statement from the Stanton manuscripts, attempting to show that the church is something completely different than how it is defined in the first chapter of The Acts of the Apostles. Two things that are both true cannot be in opposition to each other. This problem has been recognized for a long time and many ministers and teachers have attempted to add qualifications to the definition statements of the church in the The Acts of the Apostles in order to force Ellen White’s definitions to agree with their definition statements. The most common way of doing this is to create models in which there is more than one true church.

 

Definition

 

It would be advisable for anyone who decides to tell historic Adventists that they are wrong about their definition of the church, and then attempts to prove it from the Stanton manuscripts, to first know how Ellen White defines the church in the Stanton manuscripts. Surely this would be the only fair course if we are searching for the truth. A prophet must be allowed to define the terms he or she is using, and certainly it would be utterly presumptuous for us to place our own preconceived definitions on terms that the prophet had explicitly defined.

Surprising as it may seem, in the Stanton manuscripts, Ellen White defines who and what the church is approximately a dozen times! Let us look at how she herself defines the church in these articles. The following quotations are all from the Stanton manuscripts. The actual definition statement is in italics.

Definition 1: This first definition is a definition by antithesis—Ellen White defines what the true church is NOT:

“The world was stirred by the enmity of Satan, and when asked to choose between the Son of God and the criminal Barabbas, they chose a robber and murderer rather than Jesus. The ignorant multitudes were led, by the deceptive reasonings of those in high position, to reject the Son of God, and choose a robber and murderer in his stead. Let us all remember that we are still in a world where Jesus, the Son of God, was rejected and crucified, where the guilt of despising Christ, and preferring a robber rather than the spotless Lamb of God, still rests. Unless we individually repent toward God because of transgression of his law, and exercise faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the world has rejected, we shall lie under the full condemnation that the action of choosing Barabbas instead of Christ, merited. The whole world stands charged to-day with the deliberate rejection and murder of the Son of God. The word bears record that Jews and Gentiles, kings, governors, ministers, priests, and people, —all classes and sects who reveal the same spirit of envy, hatred, prejudice, and unbelief manifested by those who put to death the Son of God,—would act the same part were the opportunity granted, as did the Jews and people of the time of Christ. They would be partakers of the same spirit that demanded the death of the Son of God.” The Review and Herald, August 22, 1893. [All emphasis supplied] (A religious denomination can be defined as a sect.)

Conclusion: The church is not any group or denomination who reveals a spirit of envy, hatred, prejudice and unbelief; such as the Jews did at the time of Christ’s crucifixion.

Definition 2: “In the scene representing the work of Christ for us [the church], and the determined accusation of Satan against us, Joshua stands as the high priest, and makes request in behalf of God’s commandment-keeping people. At the time, Satan represents the people of God as great sinners, and presents before God the list of sins he has tempted them to commit through their lifetime, and urges that because of their transgressions, they be given into his hands to destroy. He urges that they should not be protected by ministering angels against the confederacy of evil. He is full of anger because he cannot bind the people of God into bundles with the world, to render to him complete allegiance. Kings, and rulers, and governors have placed upon themselves the brand of antichrist, and are represented as the dragon who goes to make war with the saints,—with those who keep the commandments of God, and who have the faith of Jesus. In their enmity against the people of God, they show themselves guilty also of the choice of Barabbas instead of Christ.” The Review and Herald, August 29,1893.

Conclusion: The church is the people of God who keep His commandments and have the faith of Jesus. (The faith of Jesus is a faith that is sufficient to give victory over sin.)

Definition 3: “However weak and compassed with infirmity the people of God may be, those who turn from disloyalty to God in this wicked and perverse generation, and come back to their allegiance, standing to vindicate the holy law of God, making up the breach made by the man of sin under the direction of Satan, will be accounted the children of God, and through the righteousness of Christ will stand perfect before God. Truth will not always lie in the dust to be trampled under foot of men. It will be magnified and made honorable; it will yet arise and shine forth in all its natural luster, and will stand fast forever and ever.” The Review and Herald,August 29, 1893.

Conclusion: The church keeps God’s commandments and is especially singled out in these manuscripts as keeping the Sabbath—it is those who keep the Sabbath commandment who are making up the breach. (See Isaiah 58:12–14.)

Definition 4: The church is “the people whom God is leading.” The Review and Herald, August 29, 1893.

Definition 5: “At the great heart of the work, men opened their treasures of light, and while the Lord was pouring out His Spirit upon the people, did these men receive of the heavenly anointing? While the deep movings of the Spirit of God were made manifest among the people, and souls were being converted, and hard hearts broken, there were those who were listening to the suggestions of Satan, and they were inspired with zeal from beneath to go forth and proclaim that the very people receiving of the Holy Spirit, who are to receive the latter rain and the glory that is to lighten the whole earth, were Babylon. Did the Lord give these messengers their message?—No; for it was not a message of truth.” The Review and Herald, September 5, 1893.

Conclusion: The church is the people who are receiving the Holy Spirit, and who are to receive the latter rain and give the loud cry of Revelation 18.

Definition 6: “God has a church on earth who are lifting up the down-trodden law, and presenting to the world the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. The church is the depositary of the wealth of the riches of the grace of Christ, and through the church eventually will be made manifest the final and full display of the love of God to the world that is to be lightened with its glory. The prayer of Christ that His church may be one as He was one with his Father, will finally be answered. The rich dowry of the Holy Spirit will be given, and through its constant supply to the people of God, they will become witnesses in the world of the power of God unto salvation.” The Review and Herald, September 5, 1893.

Conclusion: The church are those exalting the law, presenting to the world the gospel and who will make a final and full display of the love of God to the world (the loud cry).

Definition 7: (Repeats the third definition) “There is but one church in the world who are at the present time standing in the breach, and making up the hedge, building up the old waste places.” The Review and Herald, September 5, 1893. This statement again points out God’s true church in the last days as being a Sabbath-keeping church.

Definition 8: (Repeats second definition) “Those who keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus” The Review and Herald, September 5, 1893.

Definition 9: “The whole world is filled with hatred of those who proclaim the binding claims of the law of God, and the church who are loyal to Jehovah must engage in no ordinary conflict.” The Review and Herald, September 5, 1893.

Definition 10: “God has a church, a chosen people, and could all see as I have seen, how closely Christ identifies Himself with His people, no such message would be heard as the one that denounces the church as Babylon. God has a people who are laborers together with Him, and they have gone straightforward, having His glory in view.” The Review and Herald, October 17, 1893.

Conclusion: The church is a people who are laborers together with God.

Definition 11: “Beware of those who arise with a great burden to denounce the church. The chosen ones who are standing and breasting the storm of opposition from the world, and are uplifting the downtrodden commandments of God to exalt them as honorable and holy, are indeed the light of the world.” The Review and Herald, November 8, 1956.

Definition 12: “The church, His chosen people, who are keeping His commandments,” The Review and Herald, November 8, 1956.

 

The Spirit of Prophecy Vindicated

 

We hope to later look at a number of charges made against historic Adventists using the Stanton manuscripts. Always remember that Ellen White emphatically and explicitly defined what she meant by the word “church” in these articles, and our conclusions must never be based on a different definition of the church than the prophet was using.

We are also much relieved to find out that her definitions in these articles are precisely and exactly consistent with all her other definitions of the true church in her writings, and her claim to the gift of prophecy is not in jeopardy on this issue. She does not have a rubber nose, saying that the true church is one thing in one place, and is something completely different or opposite in another place. All sincere students of the Spirit of Prophecy may rest assured that Ellen White is consistent on this topic in all her writings. She says that “from the beginning faithful souls have constituted the church on earth,” and nobody need listen to false conclusions of those who try to give her a rubber nose saying, that the church includes both the faithful and the unfaithful, in direct contradiction to the Spirit of Prophecy. The Spirit of Prophecy is internally consistent and does not give conflicting and contradictory messages, like we erring men are apt to do.

PartII

Sinful Independence, part 3

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The Basis For True Authority

But though they tried, and verily thought they had succeeded, they could not disfellowship Jesus from the church. Jesus was the church. They merely succeeded in disfellowshipping themselves from the true church. For God “has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22, 23.

The church is still to be “built upon Christ as its foundation; it is to obey Christ as its head. It is not to depend upon man, or be controlled by man. Many claim that a position of trust in the church gives them authority to dictate what other men shall believe and what they shall do. This claim God does not sanction. The Saviour declares, ‘All ye are brethren.’ All are exposed to temptations, and are liable to error. Upon no finite being can we depend for guidance. The Rock of faith is the living presence of Christ in the church. Upon this the weakest may depend, and those who think themselves the strongest will prove to be the weakest, unless they make Christ their efficiency. ‘Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.’ . . .Jeremiah 17:5.” Desire of Ages, 414. “This principle bears with equal weight upon a question that has long agitated the Christian world,—the question of apostolic succession. Descent from Abraham was proved, not by name and lineage, but by likeness of character. So the apostolic succession rests not upon the transmission of ecclesiastical authority, but upon spiritual relationship. A life actuated by the apostles’ spirit, the belief and teaching of the truth they taught, this is the true evidence of apostolic succession. This is what constitutes men the successors of the first teachers of the gospel.” Ibid., 467.

Within Christ’s church there is to be no hierarchical, centralized, controlling power that supersedes the headship of Christ. As the messenger of the Lord said, “Battle Creek is not to be the center of God’s work. God alone can fill this place.” Testimonies to Ministers, 375. There is a place for order, but it is to be a simple, humble order, always uplifting the primacy of Christ. For “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18.

Thus, as Christ is the head of the body, He is always to “have the preeminence.” Whenever the church assumes preeminence over Christ or His word, it thereby becomes an idol to the people.

Christ created the structure—it is holy—but it is always to remain subservient to the Word and to Christ as its head. Anything that supersedes God becomes a false God. That is what the Jews did with their temple. The temple became more important than the truth, or even God’s dear Son. A word of criticism spoken against the temple was worse than a false teaching being taught from its precincts. The final charge brought against Christ was that He spoke against the temple.

In view of this danger of making the system and its leadership a false God, Ellen White has a whole chapter in Testimonies to Ministers entitled, “Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me”—she was referring to Battle Creek, its system and the leadership. She also warns that “the trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ—how the enemy sought every occasion to take control of the minds of the Jews, and today he is seeking to blind the minds of God’s servants, that they may not be able to discern the precious truth.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 406.

Jesus was rejected by most because He was not sanctioned by the visible church, and those who rejected Him were lost. According to the Spirit of Prophecy, this will likewise be our test. “To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 136.

 

The Head Of The Church

 

“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:28. God is the One who has promised to place various gifts in the church. When the church is pure, God is the One who calls and ordains through His chosen instrumentalities. He chooses through the official channels when He can, but when He cannot, He will call people directly, as in the case of David and John the Baptist. Never has God turned the entire control of His church over to human instrumentalities.

The Lord wants to direct His heritage and His church far more than we give Him opportunity to do. “If ministers and men in positions of authority will get out of the way, and let the Holy Spirit move upon the minds of the lay brethren, God will direct them what to do for the honor of his name. Let men have freedom to carry out that which the Holy Spirit indicates. Do not put the shackles upon humble men whom God would use.” Review and Herald, July 9, 1895.

It is not being independent for humble men and women whom God has called to act upon their God given responsibilities. In various places around the world I have been told by laymen that they cannot even give a Bible study without the pastor’s permission. In most places, a layman is not even permitted to hold a prayer meeting in his own home, if it is called a prayer meeting, without the church’s permission —and if the pastor wants to come in and take control, he assumes that prerogative. Not long ago I was asked to have some meetings in one of the major cities of America. Previous to my coming they had had Ron Spear and Colin Standish in to speak. This meeting was held in a private hall and one of the local elders was in attendance and expressed great appreciation for the meetings. However, the pastor of the largest church in town, where this layman held office and membership, asked him not to have these meetings. The layman, however, felt that the Lord wanted these meetings, and as they were not a part of any church function or on church property, and as those who were asked to speak were all ordained Seventh-day Adventist ministers and members in good and regular standing, he felt impressed to quietly go on with the meetings. He had no intention of having a conflict with the pastor, but was simply trying to serve the Lord. Yet, because of his supposed “independence” from the pastor, he was duly disciplined by the church by way of official censor and removed from being an elder.

But who was acting independently—the layman or the pastor? There is no law in the Bible, or even the manual, forbidding people from getting together and reading and studying the Bible together. For the pastor to arbitrarily make these rules is independence indeed! During the Dark Ages it was against the law to hold private meetings, but America guarantees that right—have we lost it in the church? It is “Satan . . . [who] works to restrict religious liberty, and to bring into the religious world a species of slavery. Organizations, institutions, unless kept by the power of God, will work under Satan’s dictation to bring men under the control of men . . . His methods are practiced even among Seventh-day Adventists, who claim to have advanced truth.” Testimonies to Ministers, 366.

Today if someone tries to raise up a new congregation or hold a meeting for Bible study and prayer, the question asked is: “By whose authority are you holding these meetings?” That was the question that was asked of John the Baptist and Jesus. “Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?’ ” Matthew 21:23.

“Laws and rules are being made at the centers of the work that will soon be broken into atoms . . . The Lord does not ask permission of those in responsible positions when He wishes to use certain ones as His agents for the promulgation of truth . . . Those who know the truth are to be worked by the Holy Spirit, and not themselves to try to work the Spirit. If the cords are drawn much tighter, if the rules are made much finer, if men continue to bind their fellow laborers closer and closer to the commandments of men, many will be stirred by the Spirit of God to break every shackle, and assert their liberty in Christ Jesus.” Review and Herald, July 23, 1895.

God has appointed leadership to act under Him, but never in His place. There is a place for organization —heaven is a place of order. God’s church, all through the ages, has been a place of order. The Old Testament church was a church of order, and God’s church today is to be just as ordered and orderly as was the Old Testament church. There is a place for leadership, a place for elders, a place for deacons and administrators. But their job description was never intended to be that of being the head of the church or of controlling the church, but rather they were to be the servants of God to the people. “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25–28.

Do you suppose that I, or anyone else, could ever get to the place where we could supersede God’s authority in the church? We could try, but that would be a false, sinful and assumed authority that God and His true people would not recognize anymore than John the Baptist did. (See Desire of Ages, 132.) Suppose that I had charisma and good leadership abilities, made a lot of friends, and made some good business or political decisions and so began to climb the corporate ladder in the church until I got to the very top. Could I ever get to the place where I had enough authority to supersede God’s authority? Could I tell someone whom God had called to preach, for example, that God had not called him to preach, as they told John the Baptist and Jesus? I could tell him, but no matter how much authority I might have assumed or think I had, I could never get enough authority to supersede God’s authority. That would be the epitome of independence. But in my blind presumption, I would probably think that the person whom God had called and who was merely fulfilling His God-given mission was being independent because he had not listened to me!—what pride!

“But,” someone might insist, “someone must have that kind of authority in order to maintain order in the church.” That is exactly the claim of the papal church. “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 . . . God has never given a hint in His word that He has appointed any man to be the head of the church.” Great Controversy, 50, 51.

While God has not given any man the authority to say who cannot preach when the Holy Spirit has made it plainly evident that God has called him to preach, likewise God has not given any man the authority to say that someone can or should preach whom God has not called. No local church should ever be forced by some higher human authority to allow a conference–appointed pastor or leader to speak when the congregation and elders feel, based upon biblical evidence, that God has not called him to speak.

In fact, for men to receive those sent to them from the conference whom God has not sent, causes them to become independent from God along with the pastor, and results in the withdrawal of God’s blessings. “As there are woes for those who preach the truth while they are unsanctified in heart and life, so there are woes for those who receive and maintain the unsanctified in the position which they cannot fill.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 552. “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 unsanctified to minister to them in word and doctrine.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 261, 262.

Yet, how many ministers whom God has never recognized are lauded and applauded by men, and how many ministers have been scourged and even put to death who were the chosen instrumentalities of God.

For a central, ruling authority to assume controlling power over the local membership, telling them who will preach to them and who will not preach to them, is to place one’s self in the place of God over the people. God has entrusted to His people certain inalienable rights and obligations, such as the right and the obligation to carefully and prayerfully decide who they will receive and maintain to minister to them. The Bible predicted that there would come a power that would seek to put itself in the place of God. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4. That, in a special way refers to the papacy of the Middle Ages, and we can adopt some of the same policies, until we are “following in the track of Romanism.” Testimonies to Ministers, 362.

“The high-handed power that has been developed, as though position has made men gods, makes me afraid, and ought to cause fear. It is a curse wherever and by whomsoever it is exercised. This lording it over God’s heritage will create such a disgust of man’s jurisdiction that a state of insubordination will result . . . The spirit of domination is extending to the presidents of our conferences . . .They are following in the track of Romanism . . .Rule, rule, has been their course of action. Satan has had an opportunity of representing himself.” Testimonies to Ministers, 361–363.

These statements from the Spirit of Prophecy were not written to imply that the church does not, or should not, have proper authority. The church is to have a great amount of authority under God. When a point or a decision can be shown from God’s word and from the leading of the Holy Spirit to be from the Lord, the leaders are to have a great deal of authority. Whenever the church utters the utterances of God, it is as the voice of God. But when they become independent of God and assume authority such as the Sanhedrin assumed, then they are no longer the voice of God. It was when the leaders were becoming independent of God, that Ellen White said, “That these men should stand in a sacred place, to be as the voice of God to the people, as we once believed the General Conference to be,—that is past.” General Conference Bulletin, April 3, 1901.

 

The Rise of the Papacy

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In the previous article it was shown that the Waldenses and their rule of faith go back at least to the fourth century, and their beliefs are derived from those of the apostles. Now we will trace the history of the church and see that there came a dividing of ways and two distinct paths are evident. One path leads into the wilderness church while the other brings us to the papacy which persecuted that church (Waldenses, Albigenses, et. al.).

“The spread of Christianity during the first three centuries was rapid and extensive. The main causes that contributed to this were the translation of the Scriptures into the languages of the Roman world, the fidelity and zeal of the preachers of the Gospel, and the heroic deaths of the martyrs. It was the success of Christianity that first set limits to its progress. It had received a terrible blow, it is true, under Diocletian. This, which was the most terrible of all the early persecutions, had, in the belief of the pagans, utterly exterminated the ‘Christian superstition.’ So far from this, it had but afforded the Gospel an opportunity of giving to the world a mightier proof of its divinity.” History of Protestantism, vol. 1, 3 by J. A. Wylie.

 

Great Beginnings in History

 

Throughout history there are evidences of great beginnings followed by the great majority giving into terrible apostasy. Great leaders under the guidance of God appeared, bringing a renewal of faith and obedience among God’s professed people only to be followed by the majority going back into gross wickedness. Examples are: Noah and his warning of a coming flood and call for repentance, see Patriarchs and Prophets, 95; Moses and his leading Israel out of Egypt toward the Promised Land, see Hebrews 3; and finally Christ and His call for Israel to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand, see John 6. In all three of these experiences there came a time when the great majority turned away from truth into rebellion against the God of heaven. The Lord has always had a remnant to serve Him. His purposes have, and are, moving steadily forward, although, the great majority have many times gone into such deep apostasy that it appeared that the progress to truth was halted or even reversed.

Christ established the early church with His apostles. The purity of that church was maintained as long as they lived. However the beginnings of apostasy were evident in Paul’s day. “The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, foretold the great apostasy which would result in the establishment of the papal power. He declared that the day of Christ should not come, ‘except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ And furthermore, the apostle warns his brethren that ‘the mystery of iniquity doth already work.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4, 7. Even at that early date he saw, creeping into the church, errors that would prepare the way for the development of the papacy.” The Great Controversy, 49.

 

Lamp of Truth Burns Dimly

 

“All through, from the fifth to the fifteenth century, the Lamp of Truth burned dimly in the sanctuary of Christendom. Its flame often sank low, and appeared about to expire, yet never did it wholly go out. God remembered His covenant with the light, and set bounds to the darkness. Not only had this heaven-kindled lamp its period of waxing and waning, like those luminaries that God has placed on high, but like them, too, it had its appointed circuit to accomplish. Now it was on the cities of Northern Italy that its light was seen to fall; and now its rays illumined the plains of southern France. Now it shone along the course of the Danube and the Moldau, or tinted the pale shores of England, or shed its glory upon the Scottish Hebrides. Now it was on the summits of the Alps that it was seen to burn, spreading a gracious morning on the mountain-tops, and giving promise of the sure approach of day. And then, anon, it would bury itself in the deep valleys of piedmont, and seek shelter from the furious tempests of persecution behind the great rocks and the eternal snows of the everlasting hills.” The History of Protestantism, 3.

 

Corruption Creeps In

 

Corruption made marked and rapid progress in the early church, beginning with the fourth century. The Bible was being taken away from the people and, as the true light, which was a sure guarantee of liberty, began to fade, the clergy exercised more and more authority over the church members. “Little by little, at first in stealth and silence, and then more openly as it increased in strength and gained control of the minds of men, ‘the mystery of iniquity’ carried forward its deceptive and blasphemous work. Almost imperceptibly the customs of heathenism found their way into the Christian church. The spirit of compromise and conformity was restrained for a time by the fierce persecutions which the church endured under paganism. But as persecution ceased, and Christianity entered the courts and palaces of kings, she laid aside the humble simplicity of Christ and His apostles for the pomp and pride of pagan priests and rulers; and in place of the requirements of God, she substituted human theories and traditions.” The Great Controversy, 49. Canons of councils were set up in place of the infallible Rule of Faith. The clergy took upon themselves titles of dignity and extended their authority into the realm of temporal matters. Often the minister was asked to arbitrate in disputes between members of the church.

 

Patterning After The World

 

The next step was to pattern the church organization after that of the state. Under the emperor Constantine, in the fourth century, the empire was governed by four prefects, therefore the Christian world was divided up into four dioceses over which were four patriarchs, each one governing the whole clergy in his domain. Where there had been a brotherhood now there was a hierarchy. Now there was pomp and ceremony of rank and subordination of authority and office. Now there was greatness of rank in place of the fame of learning. With the desertion of the study of the Bible came the institution of rites and ceremonies. These were multiplied to such a degree that “Augustine complained that they were ‘less tolerable than the yoke of the Jews under the law.’ ” History of Protestantism, 4. Now the Bishops of Rome began to speak with authority and demand obedience from all the churches. “This compromise between paganism and Christianity resulted in the development of the ‘man of sin’ foretold in prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above God. That gigantic system of false religion is a masterpiece of Satan’s power—a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will.” The Great Controversy, 50. Because the spiritual condition of the Roman church was nearly extinct there was nothing to stem the tide of paganism into the church as the northern nations began to enter the empire. The fact that the high standards of true Christianity were nonexistent, the barbarians were accepted into the church just as they were. They were taught the rites and ceremonies of the apostate church and some of their pagan beliefs and practices were taken into the church. “The new tribes had changed their country, but not their superstitions.” History of Protestantism, 4.

The removal of the seat of the empire from Rome to Constantinople left a void in the city of Rome paving the way for the Bishop to take over the western seat of rule not only ecclesiastical but civil as well. By the fifth century when the western empire fell, the Bishop of Rome was substantially supreme over all bishops. By the year 606 the Roman Bishop’s pre-eminence was decreed in the imperial edict of Phocas. After the fall of the empire the Roman Bishop claimed to be the successor of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, and the Vicar of Christ, and finally the vicar of the Most High God.

 

Pope Becomes Supreme

 

“In the eighth century there came a moment of supreme peril to Rome. At almost one and the same time she was menaced by two dangers, which threatened to sweep her out of existence, but which in their issue, contributed to strengthen her dominion. On the west the victorious Saracens, having crossed the Pyrenees and overrun the south of France, were watering their steeds at the Loire, and threatening to descend upon Italy and plant the Crescent in the room of the Cross. On the north, the Lombards who, under Albion, had established themselves in Central Italy two centuries before—had burst the barrier of the Apennines, and were brandishing their swords at the gates of Rome. They were on the point of replacing Catholic orthodoxy with their creed of Arianism.” Ibid. 10,11. By 774 these two tribes were vanquished and the territory of these tribes were ceded to the pope.

At this point in time the Pope has reached two of his objectives; bishop of bishops which he received in the seventh century and temporal sovereignty in the eighth. The final goal to be reached was the title king of kings, that is, to be supreme over all kings of the earth. This Pope Innocent III realized in the thirteenth century. The papacy was now enjoying its noon, but the noon of the papacy was the midnight not only for Christendom but also for the world. “Popery had become the world’s despot. Kings and emperors bowed to the decrees of the Roman pontiff. The destinies of men, both for time and for eternity, seemed under his control. For hundreds of years the doctrines of Rome had been extensively and implicitly received, its rites reverently performed, its festivals generally observed. Its clergy were honored and liberally sustained. Never since has the Roman Church attained to greater dignity, magnificence or power.

“But ‘the noon of the papacy was the midnight of the world.’—J. A. Wylie, The History of Protestantism, b.1, Ch. 4. The Holy Scriptures were almost unknown, not only to the people, but

to the priests. Like the Pharisees of old, the papal leaders hated the light which would reveal their sins. God’s law, the standard of righteousness, having been removed, they exercised power without limit, and practiced vice without restraint. Fraud, avarice, and profligacy prevailed. Men shrank from no crime by which they could gain wealth or position. The palaces of popes and prelates were scenes of the vilest debauchery. Some of the reigning pontiffs were guilty of crimes so revolting that secular rulers endeavored to depose these dignitaries of the church as monsters too vile to be tolerated. For centuries Europe had made no progress in learning, arts or civilization. A moral and intellectual paralysis had fallen upon Christendom.

 

People Destroyed For Lack Of Knowledge

 

“The condition of the world under the Romish power presented a fearful and striking fulfillment of the words of the prophet Hosea: ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee . . . seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.’ ‘There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.’ Hosea 4:6, 1, 2. Such were the results of banishing the word of God.” The Great Controversy, 60. Having gained all the power that it sought, the Papacy began in a greater measure the persecutions of the followers of God’s Word in an attempt to eliminate all “heretics.” Now the leaders of the papal power could devote its energies to remove all those who would not bow to their wishes. In our perusal of this history we have been made painfully aware that “Righteousness exalteth a nation,” Proverbs 14:34, and this applies to people and institutions also. Someone has said “He who does not learn the lessons of history is bound to repeat it” and the Lord does not desire us to repeat the history of the papal church. Jesus said, “All ye are brethren.” Matthew 23:8. Unless we maintain our steadfast faith and confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will fall into the same trap into which we have seen the papal church fall and repeat her history. May God help us to go forward in faith not looking back. In the next article we will delve into the activities of the papal power relating to the Waldenses and their development. The Papacy attempted to destroy this hated people and everything they stood for.

 

God Supported Ministries Alive and Well?

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Despite the rumors and even some attempted efforts to slow down or stop the independent ministries, we can say “God is still in control.”

What a time we are living in! The shaking seems to have become more intense and many are “flying” in different directions. All seem to be saying, “This is the way to go, come with us.”

Now, as never before, we must be students of the Word. Many are being deceived by the wiles of the devil. Scripture is being twisted, if not out and out disregarded. I am talking about God’s professed people.

May I give some personal advice to each one of you? Because the movement is shifting around, do not make any sudden changes in your position without seeking God through fasting and prayer.

Ask yourself a few questions. Has God been leading you in the past? Are there evidences of His leading? Has your experience with Him been growing daily? If you are sure God has brought you this far, whether in a God supported ministry, home church, independent church, you may be alone, or whatever the case may be, why go back and retrace your steps? God always wants us to continue forward, advance, advance, advance in our experience.

We here at Behold the Lamb Ministry, as well as many other faithful ministries, sense the need to “put the hammer down” before it is too late.

We are being aroused out of our sleep as the Holy Spirit is impressing us once again at this time to go back on Satellite TV. And by His power begin to revive and call back into unity those whose hearts and minds are stayed upon Christ and whose effort will be in the saving of souls by proclaiming and living the Three Angels’ Messages. Pray that God will open a way for this effort.

Once again, we must go back to square one and settle the question once and for all, “Who and what is the church?”

Is the Bible not clear? Is the Spirit of Prophecy not clear? The Bible does say that spiritual things are “spiritually discerned.” I Corinthians 2:14.

“Speak in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with the power which God alone can impart . . . Faithful, God-sent messengers are a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men, not because they place themselves in high position, but because they show that they are strengthened and helped by the Spirit.” Manuscript 165,1899.

We must as a people begin to understand how the New Testament churches were set up and operated and begin to follow that blue-print.

Notice this statement: “His [Paul’s] instruction in his letters to the churches of his day is instruction to the church of God to the end of time.” Letter 332, 1907. [All emphasis supplied.]

Once again we need to be reminded that God works with us as individuals. “We need individually to sit at the feet of Jesus, and listen to His words of instruction.” Manuscript 84, 1901.

Jesus taught us about His church and who could be a part of it and the only one who had to approve it was Him. Praise God!

We must not return to Egypt. We must not return to a structure that is deep in apostasy, for God’s counsel is always the same, in every situation, structure or independent. Separate from sin! God means what He says. Is it not about time we stopped saying, “Yes, but, but, but, and be obedient? Are we goats or sheep?

We must follow the New Testament in its teaching about the “church” and those who labor in its behalf.

Many of God’s ministers are condemned and shunned because they were not “called by man or ordained by man or paid by man.” Notice what God’s servant says about this. “As a gospel minister, it was Paul’s privilege to claim a support from those for whom he labored . . . He did not receive wages for his labor, though as a minister of the gospel, this was his right . . . Paul did not depend upon man for his ordination. He had received from the Lord his commission and ordination.” Manuscript 74, 1903.

Would, that today, men might be found with faith to do as Paul did, men who would preach the gospel, not looking to men for their reward, but willing to receive their reward in souls.

“Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” I Corinthians 9:14.

We at Behold the Lamb Ministry must continue on as God has directed. We understand “who constitutes the Church.” How about you? How are we to interpret these Scriptures such as I Corinthians 16:19; Romans 16:5; and Matthew 18:20?

I Corinthians 16:19 speaks about Aquila and Priscilla and their “church that is in their house.”

Romans 16:5 says: “Greet the church that is in their house.” Matthew 18:20 tells us “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” Since Jesus is the head of the church, where He is, we may find the real church!

These are simple but clear passages and cannot be overlooked at the peril of our souls.

Let us go back to “square one” for just a moment so we can be reminded of a few simple quotes that just might keep us from going too far in the north forty.

Upward Look, 315, says: “God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments.”

This statement is beautiful! It is clear! We cannot misunderstand this point! Praise the Lord! How about this one that has been about “worn out” by many yet not understood?

The Acts of the Apostles, 11: “From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth .” It is clear. If you live on this earth and are faithful, you are the church. Is that not great?

We must realize that God requires certain things of His people as individuals. Should we not ask the Lord for ourselves? Should we not seek the will of the Lord and not worry about the judgment or opinion of man? How wonderful the thought of a revival where the whole body of Christ would be revived. Sad to say, according to Selected Messages, vol. 1, 122, “That time will never come. . .We must enter upon the work individually.”

“Error is never harmless.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 292. Therefore, because of so much error and apostasy, many have found it necessary to establish separate worship services apart from the structure.

If we are to follow Christ fully, it must be done “if it be over the heads of ministers and presidents.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 369.

“Let those who suppose the voice of the General Conference to be the voice of God, become one with God before they utter their opinion.” Letter to Elder Haskell, November 16, 1899. Let us go a little farther on the subject. “The people have lost confidence in those who have the management of the work, yet we hear that the voice of the Conference is the voice of God. Every time I have heard this, I have thought it almost blasphemy. The voice of the Conference ought to be the voice of God, but it is not.” Manuscript 37, 8, 1901.

Do we individually realize our true position? I am sure “some” do. But what about the “large multitude”? Voices are still needed who will call sin by its right name and are watchmen on the walls.

We must continue our position now as never before. Trust in God as you know He has led in the past and will continue until He comes. Let us by God’s grace be ready.

Behold the Lamb Ministries

P.O. Box 2030

Herrin, Illinois 62948

1-800-238-BTLM

 

Spiritualism and Adventism

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When we look at the parameters of the teaching of spiritualism outlined in the Spirit of Prophecy, it is shocking to see how many of them are found in Adventism, dressed up. In The Great Controversy, 588, Ellen White makes it clear that in the end time, spiritualism will claim to be Christian. For many years Seventh-day Adventists have felt immune to spiritualism because we understand the state of the dead.

Seventh-day Adventists are protected, for instance, from apparitions of the Virgin Mary because we know who that is. However, Ellen White reveals that impersonating the dead is only one error of spiritualism. The primary tactic of spiritualism is calling evil good and darkness light. (See Isaiah 5.) God’s curse is upon those guilty of this. As a consequence, the distinction between righteousness and sin is lost.

Someone objects, “Do not preach that. Someone will not like it.” That happened in New Guinea and caused the rise of the historic Adventist movement in that country. There were people preaching the Third Angel’s Message on the street and the structure administration said in effect, “Do not do that.” They replied that they had to do this to have a clear conscience.

The New Testament teaches that we should separate sin from the church. Sin is darkness and truth is light. But the teachings of spiritualism cause people to separate the one who is against sin from the church. That is the reason for the historic Adventist movement in Hungary. The New Testament teaches that light and darkness are always to be separated. (See 2 Corinthians 6:14¨C17.)

Spiritualism advocates joining the darkness when the New Testament says that light and darkness have no fellowship. (See II Corinthians 6:14.) The historic Seventh-day Adventist movement developed in Zaire because people said, “We must separate from darkness, and not become part of those who are breaking God’s law.” God said to the apostle Paul, I have called you to turn the Gentiles from the power of Satan to the power of God, to turn them from darkness to light. (See Acts 26:18.)

You must either separate from the darkness or become a part of it. That is happening today in Adventism. If you listen to error, it will take control of your mind and you will not know what has happened. (See Early Writings, 124¨C125.)

What do you do about open sin? In Russia many true-and-faithful Seventh-day Adventists were forced to act independently and separate from the structure because they were pressured by the state to send their children to school on Sabbath. Sadly large numbers of professed Adventists choose the easy way, the way of violating the law of God, in order to avoid persecution by the state. This is not a story of just an isolated person here or there, but of faithful Adventists who were saddened by the apostasy of the professed Adventists around them. Ellen White says. “How can fathers consent to their children attending school on the Sabbath, or any part of the Sabbath?” Manuscript Release, vol. 5, 79.

Spiritualism condones a life of sensual indulgence and involves a sensual religion. (See Medical Ministry, 101 and Testimonies, vol. 8, 295.)

Spiritualism makes gods out of men. This is one of the first teachings of spiritualism. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent told Eve the forbidden fruit would make her like God. Heathen religions and spiritualism have taught that ever since. In heaven there is a King and He is God. The devil imitated that and men were made gods. That is the origin of human monarchies, kingly power, and the divine right of kings.

If a man, or a group of men become conscience for the whole group, you no longer have the individual conscience. Men becoming “god” is also a teaching of Romanism. They say you must be in harmony with the community of faith. Their leaders are so strong, they believe they can alter God’s law. But no man or group of men, not even the General Conference in session has the authority to change anything God said. The idea that men can act as God and speak as the voice of God, even changing the Word of God is a teaching of spiritualism.

When wickedness is being done, and you are not protesting it, but, financially supporting it, what account of your stewardship will you give in the day of God? Do you know what is being done with many millions of dollars of tithe paid to the structure? They are using it to try to destroy truth. In Rogue River, Oregon, just recently, a letter was received from the General Conference warning them not to use the name “Seventh-day Adventist” anymore. This is also happening in New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand. What will happen if they do? We know that in the past,with John Merrick, they spent many thousands of dollars and put him in jail for using the name.

It is a paradox that our close friends in the corporate structure pay their tithe money to destroy us. That is literally what is happening. Our friends are giving their money and that money is being used to destroy historic Adventists all over the world. This is a form of making a god out of men. Men have decided to be conscience for their fellow men. The Spirit of Prophecy teaches that we should investigate what is being done with the tithes and offerings. These people who are being harassed believe all the historic doctrines of Seventh-day Adventists and are trying to live in harmony with those beliefs. They are opposed for standing up for truth and spreading the Third Angel’s Message. If the true and faithful are harassed but the sinners in Zion are not, you have a classic situation of calling good evil and evil good, a classic identifying mark of spiritualism.

Another primary teaching of spiritualism is that what is, is right. This is a common teaching throughout academia and in society today. That means the natural state of man is good and therefore you develop the good within you. This came out of pantheism, which Ellen White said was the alpha of deadly heresies and a spiritualistic theory. If God is in all, then actually you are God. This philosophy is being used today in psychological counseling.

Another popular error of spiritualism has become a common teaching in Adventism today. It is that God will not condemn and therefore you should not reprove anyone reproof is unchristian. But reproof is so we can learn where we are in error. Its object is to show us how to put our lives in harmony with God’s Word. Since God does not change, we must do the changing. If we stay out of harmony with God we cannot be saved. The Bible says God is going to condemn. (See Romans 2; 2 Peter 2, 3; Revelation 14:9¨C12 and 2 Thessalonians 2.)

God’s faithful servants, just before Jesus comes, are to give a straighter testimony than John the Baptist. Otherwise, God will not recognize them as His servants. (See Testimonies, vol. 1, 321.) I would rather be in trouble with men than with God. If what I say steps on someone’s toes, I am sorry that you feel hurt, but I cannot apologize if it is from the Word of God.

Then there is the second chance theory. In the Catholic Church if you do not make it here, hopefully you will be able to make it in Purgatory after a while. Some Protestants believe in a millennium of peace when everyone will get a second chance. The Eastern Religions believe in reincarnation you can have many chances. In the religion of the Bible you are having your second chance right now. The first chance was lost in the Garden of Eden. If you are not saved before you die, you are not saved at all. God is going to condemn the wicked in the judgment.

The fruit of the teaching that “God will not condemn” is that it does not matter what you do, just live as you please, heaven is your home. You have probably heard that you will keep sinning until Jesus comes and then He will save you that is some of the same philosophy. We did not have this error in Adventism in the past. All this comes from spiritualism.

This is the same lie that the devil told Eve in the Garden of Eden. God said: You eat of this fruit, you will die. The devil said, You can sin and not die. And the devil is still telling that lie. That is spiritualism. One of the first effects of spiritualism is that people lose control of their mind, thoughts and imagination. Ellen White described this happening in her day. Some Seventh-day Adventist ministers were dissatisfied with their wives. They did not know they were following spiritualism. They just thought they were unhappy. But the devil was in control of their minds. (See Medical Ministry, 101.) They imagined, when they saw an attractive woman, that they could have a relationship with her and even have children by her in heaven. Ellen White said there was no hope for them unless they were converted. She wrote to a minister who was involved in this thinking and said, “Stop, right where you are.”

People think there is some secret going on in their mind and no one knows about it. Actually, the devil is in control of their minds and they do not even know it. They are under spiritualistic control and in the day of judgment, husbands and wives will find out things about each other they never knew before.

When a person is used by the Holy Spirit and is following Jesus, the Lord gives them the power to control their imagination. They are not imagining evil things. When evil imaginings are carried out, people think it happened all of a sudden. It was not sudden at all. Evil thoughts had been fostered for a long time. Satan will present enticing allurements and sensual thoughts to the followers of Christ in the last days. In Patriarchs and Prophets, 453¨C461, we are given approximately twenty different ways that the devil works so that people break the seventh commandment and their home will be destroyed.

If we want to be in the kingdom of heaven, by the grace of God, our imagination needs to be purified, or we are not going to be there. The devil works in many ways to make people lose control of their minds. (See Testimonies, vol. 8, 295.)

Another characteristic of spiritualistic religion is that the religion is sensational. It appeals to the senses, involving body movements of both preachers and parishioners, music, and the subject material for sermons. Ellen White reveals that we are going to have sensationalism in Adventist Churches just before the end of time. (See Selected Messages, vol. 2, 36.)

Another characteristic of spiritualism in religion is referred to in Medical Ministry, 97. It says, “restraint” is decreased and people lose their sense of obligation to others. Jesus Himself sensed His obligation to others. He even had pity on a wounded bird or a hurt animal. And His infinite compassion for the fallen race was so great that it led Him by choice to come to this world as a man to die on Calvary. Jesus said, “No man takes My life from Me. I lay it down of Myself.”

When people lose their sense of obligation to others, they become self-centered and develop sensual minds. The temptations to sensuality are multitudinous today. Many pictures in store windows, tabloids, newspapers and magazines, on videos and television are abominable and sinister. There is a master intelligence trying to get control of your mind.

How does the devil get control?

Diet. Ellen White writes about flesh foods and dairy products. Animals have serious diseases today. But even if animal foods were healthful, they tend to stimulate the sensual, sexual passions. The devil is intense on creating every type of delectable, tasty and appetizing animal food, because that is one way he is trying to get control of your mind.

Through the eyes. What we see has a tremendous effect upon the mind. We must surrender our mind to God daily and ask that the Holy Spirit be in control of our eyes and our mind. What are you looking at? If you are deliberately looking at sensual and awful pictures, the Lord cannot protect you. That is the sin of presumption. What are you reading? A characteristic of spiritualistic pollution is a sensual bond through your eyes and ears to stimulate sensuality so that you will not be in a position to receive the Holy Spirit. (See Medical Ministry, 101.)

Through self-indulgence. What kind of life are you living? Are you just doing whatever you feel like? Eating whatever tastes good? Or are you in control of your life? Are you controlling your thoughts? Your appetites? Your passions? What was the sin of the antediluvians? Ellen White says their sin was in carrying to excess that which was not sin in itself.

The devil comes to the people of this generation through phrenology, psychology and mesmerism. (See Testimonies, vol. 1, 290.) This is another characteristic of spiritualistic religion. Our modern word is hypnotism. Psychology books that do not agree with the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy are wrong. Have you heard of Ericksonian hypnosis? This type of hypnosis does not necessarily put a person into a full trance. It is induced simply in casual conversation. By using suggestion, you exert a strong influence over their minds so they obey you. The newest development in Ericksonian hypnosis is called neurolinguistic programming. This has taken over our society. We cannot even go to a used car lot today without a salesman using NLP on us. We received advertising that was sent out to salesmen and business men and its message was, “Come to this seminar. We will teach you how to do NLP to increase your sales, and show you how to be more successful in business.” It is also in the media. Today it is everywhere. Only the Lord can protect us from it.
Would you ever have thought that something like NLP could come into Adventism? But today we have pastors trained in NLP. People trained in NLP will not tell you what they are doing. They think you will not notice them practicing it. But when we find them using the techniques the hypnotists do, what are you supposed to believe? Our only protection is to stay close to the Lord and stay away from anyone who is practicing NLP.

Another characteristic of spiritualism is that people believe they have inherent power in themselves to accomplish good work. (See Testimonies, vol. 1, 294.)

Another characteristic of spiritualism is the lack of time for meditation and prayer. (See Testimonies, vol. 1, 295.) How much time do you spend in meditation and prayer? Are you talking to the Lord before you get up in the morning? As you go through the work day? Are you asking the Lord to control your mind through His Spirit?

A characteristic of spiritualistic religion is called free love. (See Testimonies, vol. 8, 292.)

God ordained love in the marriage relationship. There are parameters for our safety. But the devil wants to destroy these walls of protection. When I was a boy, a couple in our church was divorced. The men in the church were shocked that Seventh-day Adventists got a divorce. Things were different in the Adventist Church then. We claimed not to believe in free love. What really is the difference between polygamy and marrying and divorcing and marrying and divorcing?

The Bible still says the same thing about divorce. In Malachi 2, God says He hates it. According to the Bible, there is only one reason anyone has a right to remarry. Some Adventists are not straight on this point. The only Biblical reason that allows remarriage after divorce, is if your spouse committed adultery. (See Testimonies, vol. 8, 292.)

“Man’s great danger is in being self-deceived, indulging self-sufficiency, and thus separating from God, the source of his strength. Our natural tendencies, unless corrected by the Holy Spirit of God, have in them the seeds of moral death. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we cannot resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 315, 316. His Divine power helps us overcome. The difference is eternal life or eternal death. In Revelation 2 and 3 the promises to the Seven Churches are given to overcomers.

Another teaching of spiritualism is that each mind will judge itself. That destroys the First Angel’s Message and the Biblical doctrine of the judgment. Could this happen in Adventism? In the last few decades Adventist people have been disputing about the doctrine of the investigative judgment. People do not like it. The Bible says God is going to judge every person who has ever lived. (See John 5.)’

The argument that the devil gave to the angels in heaven was that true knowledge places men above law. Unbelievable! As a young pastor in a conference church in Adventism, if I showed a statement from inspiration, that was the end of the discussion. That is the way it used to be. But today some will argue with the Word of God. That is a teaching of spiritualism, placing your own mind above the Word of God and His law. (See Romans 3:19.)

The last teaching of spiritualism is similar to the devil’s lie to Eve in the Garden of Eden. He said all sins committed are innocent. I was shocked some months ago when studying a book recommended by Seventh-day Adventist leaders and published by an SDA publishing house. This book said that when you sin under grace, this sin does not bring condemnation. What does this mean? Sin is sin. What is this idea that I am saved now and if I sin, I am going to be saved anyway? When you sin, you are lost unless that sin is repented of, confessed and forsaken. There is no such thing as salvation in sin.

The idea that you can be under grace and keep sinning, is one of spiritualism’s most dangerous guises. Some preachers in Adventism are teaching this heresy today. Are you discouraged by the devil because it seems you cannot overcome some sin? Go to the Lord and say, Lord, I am surrendering everything to You: my mind, my will, my all. I am choosing to follow You. Lord, there is sin in my life. But I am willing to do anything, be anything, surrender anything to you. Please, work in my life and save me from my sins. He will answer your prayer. No matter what the sin is, the Lord will help you to overcome. He will take away your past guilt and give you power enough to overcome. No sin is innocent. There is no such thing as sinning under grace and still having a relationship with the Lord.

Many of these teachings of spiritualism are coming into our church. What are we going to do? What has happened? “In His Word, the Lord declared what He would do for Israel if they would obey His voice. But the leaders of the people yielded to the temptations of Satan, and God could not give them the blessings He designed them to have, because they did not obey His voice but listened to the voice and policy of Lucifer. This experience will be repeated in the last years of the history of the people of God, who have been established by His grace and power.” Manuscript Release vol. 13, 379.

 

Seventh-day Adventists are the people of God established by His grace and power in these last years. The above quotation says the experience ancient Israel went through is going to be repeated in the last years among God’s people. Are we in the last years now?

We are living in that time. We have to pray, Lord Jesus, keep me free from all the doctrines, and teachings, and characteristics of spiritualism. I do not want anything to do with it. The devil will deceive and control as many as he can. God has promised to give us “eyesalve to recognize Satan’s deceptions; power to become sons of God; deliverance from the bondage of sin; and freedom to have eternal life through Jesus Christ. “(See Revelation 3:18; John 1:12; James 4:7; John 8:32 and Hebrews 2:15.)

Letter from Australia

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7th November 1996

Dear Pastor Grosboll,

I have just completed reading your article “A Lesson from Australia” in the September 96 issue of Land Marks. I have found this article very interesting.

It was in the late 1980’s when my husband Peter and I began to get interested in what was happening in Seventh-day Adventism in Australia. We were concerned about what our children were being taught at Avondale College and of some of the student activities happening there. From 1984-90 our five children attended Avondale. At first we neither realized the seriousness or implications of what was happening. We spoke to some about the concerns we had, but were told “not to be critical.”

Then Ron Spear and Marshall Grosboll (and their wives) came to Albury. We asked them to stay with us, and organized a meeting at our home. I can still remember how Ron quoted SOP by memory—it was amazing to us. Marshall took a talk on the Nature of Christ.

After they left we started searching. We soon found ourselves unpopular with our local church Pastor. We searched for truth in our local church and found emptiness. At this time there was a group of about 30 in our church who were meeting with us who were also searching for truth. We knew that we couldn’t stay in a church that was not preparing us for Christ’s soon coming, so we decided to run our own church. We tried to become a Branch Sabbath School and applied to the Conference, but were ignored because we did not go through the “right channels.” We knew that we couldn’t take any new converts to our local Conference Church.

So in 1990 we decided to become a Congregational Church. We ran Sabbath School, Church and Outreach programmes, preaching and teaching the True Advent Doctrine. Then when my husband Peter baptised someone, our local conference church used this as an excuse to disfellowship him and two other men who were also leading out at our church because they did not follow properly constituted church authority, and belonged to a divisive movement.

We continued to meet as a church and had different speakers come to us from America. This caused us problems as they were telling us to go back to the church. Some of our people became confused and went back to the Conference church. After this happened a few times we decided to stop having any visiting preachers and our local men did all the preaching.

We were amazed at these preachers. They were not working for the conference, they were brought to Australia by Independent Ministries, yet they were saying “go back to the church.” At this stage I had only just started hearing about Independent Ministries. Most Australians had the belief that if one was not under the conference, they were not real Seventh-day Adventists. Yet many of these visiting speakers ran or worked for Independent Ministries in America. If they would be doing their same work in Australia, they would not be accepted here.

So much confusion has been caused because our people do not understand what God’s true church is. They mistakenly keep thinking it is the “conference”. We have seen countless people stop attending Independent Camp Meetings—they feel they must go back to “the church,” or if they cannot face the apostasy in their conference church they would sooner stay at home alone rather than worship with us because we have “formed a new church.” We have seen attendance dwindle from hundreds down to small groups.

Not only did we face this confusion, but our pulpit has been used by people with strange theology who see a ready made audience for their way off theology. This has caused us problems when some of our members were influenced by them. It seemed as soon as we gained a few more members, someone would come along and they would leave. We have had issues of separationism, pictures as idols, futurism, corporate responsibility and many more.

Currently we are at our lowest membership for quite some time with a few families leaving. About 20 attend each Sabbath. Yes, Satan has been at work in our church but we also see God’s great blessings. We hear wonderful sermons about being prepared for Christ’s coming. My husband Peter is the original preacher left and he preaches most of the sermons. He finds it difficult to find the time to prepare these as he holds down a full time job in the workforce.

There is much more I could write but time does not permit me to do this. I am so grateful that at long last other people can see the problem in Australia. We have seen the gradual change over years, of some of the visiting ministers, as apostasy deepens in the SDA church. They seem to understand our position and we are not now dismissed as “offshoots.” We are very grateful of the support of Russell Standish, Tom Turner and O.K. Anderson.

Thank you for your magazine. I enjoy the articles and appreciate the effort that goes into these.

May God continue to bless you,
Name Withheld

The Valley of Deceitfulness

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In Isaiah 28, we find a special message sent to us by God. Here is portrayed that which we are soon to face. “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valleys, to those who are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with His hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, will be trampled underfoot; and the glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valley, like the first fruit before the summer,which an observer sees; he eats it up while it is still in his hand.” Isaiah 28:1–4.

The valley of deceitfulness can look fair. There can be many beautiful flowers in it. Those in charge of the valley can be fat with the gifts of God’s professed people. But, the appearance is deceptive because the judgment of God hangs over His professed people today because we have disregarded the voice of His messenger. We have cast it aside if it called us to reform, and we have obeyed only that which has gone along with our natural inclination. Then, to prove that we are obeying the Spirit of Prophecy, we have held up that part of the counsel which goes along with our inclination. It is for this reason that the judgment of God hangs over His people today. However beautiful the flowers in the valley of deceitfulness may be, destruction and judgment are coming from the Lord. If God’s people today are to know where they are in the stream of time, they must have the heavenly eyesalve.

Many men who once might have given godly counsel to God’s people , today, are no longer fit to give that counsel because they have failed to stand against the prevailing apostasy. They have stood, watching it take place, but they have continued to make strange alliances with the falsehood. Perhaps these men, themselves, are trying to live righteous lives, but this is not enough. If one does not stand up against apostasy, they are no longer fit to be messengers to God’s people .

To illustrate this point, let us draw from the rich, but terrible history of the conflict between the Waldenses and the papacy. If we do not learn from the mistakes of history, we are destined to repeat them.

Before we look at this history let me share a short story with you.

A few years ago our family visited a Pennsylvania colony called the Ephrata Cloister. Here, many years ago, there lived a group who kept the seventh-day Sabbath. They introduced the seventh-day Sabbath to the Baptists. The Baptists who accepted this truth became the Seventh-day Baptists, who in turn, later shared this truth with those who became Seventh-day Adventists.

I remember the guide showing us into the print room where the old-fashioned press was located. The press had a long handle, which, when pulled down, lowered the plate, leaving an impression on the paper. This process was repeated again and again, all day long. Because the labor was very wearying to the people , the handle became known as the devil’s tail.

The guide explained to us that there were more copies of the Bible printed here than of any other book. But, do you know what book ranked second in the number of copies to be printed? Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. It was the second most widely read book in the United States of America. Our forefathers used to read these history stories to their children. This foundational knowledge helped to make us a Protestant nation. Our people knew history then. The following story is one they would have read.

In the book, History of Protestantism by Wylie, a story is recorded of God’s people during the seventeenth century. In 1655, a decree was made calling for the complete extermination of the Waldenses. Army after army attempted to carry this out, only to meet with failure. After a short time of inactivity, General Pianeza determined he was going to do that which others had failed to do. As he began his march, the Waldenses became aware of his plans and they sent ambassadors down to the town of Turin to plead with the army to leave them alone.

The governor in Turin stalled the Waldensian representatives, while the papal armies were secretly gathering, hoping to deceive them as to their real intentions. A meeting was arranged with the Waldensian representatives for April 17, 1655. At about two o’clock in the morning, on the day of the meeting, General Pianeza’s army surrounded the city. Three hundred of his army of 15,000 men slipped under the city wall and made an attack on Sabbath morning, April 17.

The Waldenses, totally unprepared for the attack, hastily threw up a barricade, which the invading soldiers stormed. So stoutly did the Waldenses resist that after three hours of intense fighting, the papal soldiers, who had been unable to make any advance at all, were driven back.

At one o’clock the next morning, one of General Pianeza’s colonels, who knew the territory, sent a flanking recruitment to storm the town from behind. The Waldenses turned about-face, pierced the enemy rank, held the soldiers back and escaped to the mountains. In the whole encounter, which involved much bloody fighting, there were only three Waldensian soldiers killed.

The Vaudois (Waldenses) were once more in the mountains, their families having previously been transported up because of the threat of war. They watched the valley below as their orchards were cut down and their homes burned. On Monday, the nineteenth, and the day that followed, a series of skirmishes took place. The Vaudois, although poorly armed and vastly outnumbered, were victorious on every point, causing the popish soldiers to fall back, carrying wondrous tales of the Vaudois valor and heroism, and infusing panic into the rest of the troops.

Pianeza now began to have misgivings. As he recalled history, he was haunted by the memory of other mighty armies that had perished on these mountains. He determined to resort to deceit Before daybreak on Wednesday, the twenty-first of April, he announced by sound of trumpet, his willingness to receive the Vaudois deputies and treat for peace. Delegates set out for his camp headquarters and, on arrival, were treated with utmost courtesy and sumptuously entertained. Pianeza expressed the utmost regret for the excesses committed by his soldiers, which he assured them had been done contrary to orders. He protested that he had only come into their valleys to track a few fugitives who had disobeyed Gastaldo’s order. He said that the higher communes had nothing to fear, but that if each would admit a single regiment for a few days, in token of their loyalty, all war would be amicably ended. Despite the warnings of the more discerning pastors, especially Pastor Leger, Pianeza was able to convince the Vaudois of his sincerity, and accomplished by craft that which he had been unable to do by open warfare. The Waldenses opened the passes to their valleys and the doors of their dwellings to the soldiers of Pianeza.

The first two days were passed in comparative peace—the soldiers eating at the same table, sleeping under the same roof and conversing freely with their destined victims. This interval was needed to allow for every preparation to be made for what was to follow. The enemy now occupied the towns, the villages, the cottages, and the roads throughout the valleys.

At last the blow fell with the sudden crash of a thunderbolt. At four o’clock on the morning of Sabbath, April 24, 1655, the signal was given and in an instant a thousand assassins began the work of death. In a moment, dismay, horror, agony and woe overspread the Valleys of Lucerna and Angrogna. The cries and groans of the dying were echoed and reechoed from the rocks around. It seemed as if the mountains had taken up a wailing for the slaughter of their children. “Our Valley of Lucerna,” exclaimed Pastor Leger, “which was like a Goshen, was now converted into a Mount Etna, darting forth cinders and fire and flames. The earth resembled a furnace,and the air was filled with a darkness like that of Egypt, which might be felt, from the smoke of towns, villages, temples, mansions, granges, and buildings, all burning in the flames of the Vatican.” History of Protestantism, 484.
The soldiers were not content with the quick dispatch of the sword; they invented new and hitherto unheard-of modes of torture and death. No man to this day dare write in plain words all the disgusting and horrible deeds of these men; their wickedness can never be all known because it can never be all told.
Uncontrollable grief seized the hearts of the survivors at the sight of their brethren slain, their country devastated and their church overthrown. “Oh that my head were waters,” exclaimed Leger, “and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.” Ibid., 485.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1–3.
Look carefully at verse two: “Speaking lies and hypocrisy.” If you allow the first part of this verse,”speaking lies and hypocrisy,” to lodge in your heart, the second half of the verse is the result—”having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” The conscience is seared by speaking lies and by hypocrisy. If the lies start living in our heart and we start acting out these lies, we are preparing our conscience to be “seared by a hot iron” so that we have no conscience left.

Let us remember the fact that, in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, ministers have been trained in NLP and imaging, a form of mind control that is basic in the spiritual exercises of Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. (In the above story we see the end result of that type of training—the priesthood have a dead conscience.) Today men are using these things on their unsuspecting congregations. We saw some of the fruits through the disfellowshipping of members and disbanding of churches. Now we are seeing threats of law-suits. In the islands of the South Pacific we are even hearing of historic Adventists being stoned and their churches being burned down by people from the SDA structure. Are these persecutions that have been mentioned good fruit or bad fruit? Open warfare or persecution is actually less dangerous than the apparently sweet friendship and the pleasant smile on the faces of those that are not opposing the apostasy! That is the tactic that is confusing historic Adventists right now. We have not seen the end of these apparent friends yet; the fruit of “friendship” may be more bitter than the fruit of persecution. Jesus said, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.” Matthew 12:33. “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” Matthew 7:17, 18.

What the Vaudois had power and valor to do in open confrontation, they were unable to do when they gave in to deceit. The deceit cloaked the murder in the wicked ones’ hearts. In Proverbs 12:5 we read: “The counsels of the wicked are deceitful.”

Do not be fooled; the devil knows that what he cannot do through open confrontation, he can often accomplish through the deceitfulness of pretended friendship. If you accept the proposals of such, it will be as fatal to your salvation and that of your family as was the Waldenses’ accepting of their murderers into their homes.

The devil has studied history; he knows what tricks will work. We would be extremely naive to believe that he will not use them on us. He is seeking to do through peace and unity what he has been unable to do by force.

“When God’s people voluntarily unite with the worldly and the unconsecrated, and give them the preeminence, they will be led away from Him by the unsanctified influence under which they have placed themselves. For a short time there may be nothing seriously objectionable; but minds that have not been brought under the control of the Spirit of God will not take readily to those things which savor of truth and righteousness. If they had had heretofore any relish for spiritual things they would have placed themselves in the ranks of Jesus Christ. The two classes are controlled by different masters and are opposites in their purposes, hopes, tastes, and desires.” Counsels to Teachers, 542.

This is the reason that the issue of who and what the church is, is one you must understand. If you are confused on this issue and you believe that there is a set of men which you need to go to for counsel (regardless of their betrayal of sacred trust in upholding wickedness in others), you will lose your soul. In His instruction to His disciples, Jesus warned them to beware of men. “They were not to put implicit confidence in those who knew not God, and open to them their counsels; for this would give Satan’s agents an advantage.

Man’s inventions often counterwork God’s plans. Those who build the temple of the Lord, are to build according to the pattern shown in the mount,—the divine similitude. God is dishonored and the gospel is betrayed when His servants depend on the counsel of men who are not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Worldly wisdom is foolishness with God. Those who rely upon it, will surely err.” Desire of Ages, 354.

Do not go to the Pharisees and the Sadducees and try to unite with them in an evangelistic endeavor or some other seemingly worthy project. Do not get up in front of church and try to speak words that will please both the children of darkness and the children of light.

“‘The kingdom of God cometh 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.” Review and Herald, January 18, 1906. (All emphasis supplied.) What does it mean when it says never? NEVER! When those who were professing truth, but were not bringing forth its fruits in their life, came to John the Baptist, he refused to baptize them. In fact, he called them vipers, or deadly snakes.

Before the cobra strikes, it hypnotizes its victim. In the same manner, the Waldenses were first lulled to sleep with a treaty of peace. Then, when they least expected it, the death blow was struck.

It says of John the Baptist’s harsh denunciation of religious leaders of his day: “This sect [the Sadducees] was largely composed of unworthy characters, many of whom were licentious in their habits. By the word ‘vipers’ John meant those who were malignant and antagonistic, bitterly opposed to the expressed will of God.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1077.

Is malignant a safe situation to be in? It is deadly! Though they were the leaders of God’s professed church, it was not safe to follow them. Can we see the importance of the issue who and what is the church?

The devil is striving to lull the whole world into a fatal sleep from which they will not awaken until it is too late. I am so thankful that there are some people who are standing up and warning the people before they are struck by the poisonous snake.

“Those who have the mind of Christ will let the light shine forth to the world in good works, but that light will bring about a division. Shall the light therefore be hid under a bed or under a bushel, because it will mark a distinction between the followers of Christ and the world? It must be apparent that the believers in the truth are antagonistic to the serpent and to his seed.” Signs of the Times, April 9, 1894.

The fear of being branded as “uncooperative” or “uncharitable” leads many to join and work with those they have no confidence in, and become involved in activities about which they have grave reservations. We are to stand up against the apostasy and not be content to remain in the shadows, mingling on the fringes. There are vipers in the camp today. With subtlety and deceit they will seek to deceive you. Do not listen to their talk of peace.

“The words of Jesus addressed to this generation may well be regarded with sorrow and awe. He asks, ‘When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?’ Christ looked down the ages, and with prophetic eye marked the conflict between the antagonistic principles of truth and error. He saw how real Christianity would become almost extinct in the world, so that at His second advent He would find a state of society similar to that which existed before the flood. The world will be engaged in festivity and amusement, in theatrical shows, in the indulgence of base passions. Intemperance of every grade would exist, and even the churches would be demoralized, and the Bible would be neglected and desecrated. He saw that the desperate revelries of the last days would only be interrupted by the judgments of God.” Signs of the Times, April 21, 1890.

Judgments are coming. Do not try to secure peace by your silence. Regardless of the motive, beware of entering into any kind of agreement for peace with the children of darkness. You will be taking a step toward Babylon. “Peace is too dearly obtained if purchased by the smallest concession to Satan’s agencies.” Signs of the Times, November 8, 1899.

“The opposition of the children of disobedience is excited by a Christianity that is spiritual . . . That peace and harmony which are secured by mutual concessions to avoid all differences of opinion are not worthy of the name.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 244.

“We are to make no concessions to the enemy. [What is a concession? Giving in.] We are not to change one principle of the truth that we have received from God. We cannot hold converse with those who are in league with evil angels. Christ never purchased peace by compromise.” Notebook Leaflets, 124.

Friends, no one should feel that he is so strong that he is safe to enter into discussions with people who are in league with evil angels in order to keep peace. None of us are safe from deception. Our only safety is in being kept by holy angels. If, however, we go where the Lord has not bidden us go, we forfeit their protection.

Do not think you are doing a soul winning endeavor when you join in evangelism with ministerswho are not speaking up against the apostasy. You are preparing to be destroyed. God did not protect the Waldenses when they entered into an unauthorized treaty with the powers of darkness. Do you believe He will deal differently with us?

If we do not learn the lessons of history, we are insuring that we will share the bitter results of the same mistakes.

People who are teaching NLP and practicing it on our people are wicked men; and those who hold these men’s hands in quietness are partakers of their sins. The Word of God says, “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valleys, to those who are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with His hand.” Isaiah 28:1–4.

The judgments of God are far bigger than any of us. Our only safety when the storm breaks is to be found under the sheltering hand of God. There is no other safety.
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11.

Everyone in this world is either going to have a new heart, a heart of truth and righteousness, or they will enter into a league with “peaceful and loving” representatives of falsehood and be deceived by a strong delusion. Which is it going to be for you?