overcome

Editorial – Dealing with Satan’s Devices

by

“The great controversy between Christ and Satan that has been carried on for almost six thousand years, is soon to close. And yet how few have their attention called to this matter, how few realize that we are living amid the closing scenes of earth’s history! Satan is working diligently, binding his sheaves preparatory to gathering in his harvest. He is uniting the elements of his kingdom for the final struggle. …

“He has access to minds that are open to receive his suggestions, and by long experience he has learned how to apply his temptations to the best advantage. His first effort is to keep as many minds as possible in a state of careless indifference. …

“God will not work a miracle to change natural causes which you can control. If you place yourself and family in the current of the world, you and your children will be borne downward by it. …

“You let bitterness into your soul, then jealousy and evil-surmising, and you do not realize it. Your heart becomes hardened against your brethren, and you speak evil of them. You do not know that you are doing the work of Satan, but you are; and you are growing spiritually weaker and weaker, and darker and darker. …

“By beholding we become changed. If you allow your mind to dwell upon the imperfections and moral deformities of others, you will be changed into the same image. …

“The way to eternal life is a battle and a march. The great adversary of souls is continually seeking to insinuate himself between you and the Source of your strength. If you allow your mind to be taken up with worldly cares, he will manage to have these cares so varied in character, and press so continually upon you, that you can find no time for the spiritual and the eternal. …

“We need constant communion with Jesus just as much as we need daily food to nourish the body. …

“God estimates a man by what he is in the bosom of his family. Fix the mind on things that are pure and holy. ‘Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things’ (Philippians 4:8).”

Excerpts from a morning devotional talk by Ellen G. White, printed in Signs of the Times, May 8, 1884.

Keys to the Storehouse – Stay Alert!

by

As I think of all the wonderful light we have received, my mind trails back to Balaam and Judas—both professed followers of our Lord. “Both Balaam and Judas had received great light and enjoyed special privileges, but a single cherished sin poisoned the entire character and caused their destruction.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 452. One single sin!

Is your heart single before the Lord?  Balaam and Judas lived double lives. They were not aware of the condition of their own hearts. The reality is, we do not know our own hearts! I often pray, “Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.

Many times I have been driven to my corner in tears because I have fallen—the devil caught me off guard. If you are holding or cherishing anything – physically, mentally or spiritually that may be poisoning your character, get rid of it now, for to hang on to it is sure to cause your destruction.

“It is a perilous thing to allow an unchristian trait to live in the heart. One cherished sin will, little by little, debase the character, bringing all its nobler powers into subjection to the evil desire.

The removal of one safeguard from the conscience, the indulgence of one evil habit, one neglect of the high claims of duty, breaks down the defenses of the soul and opens the way for Satan to come in and lead us astray. The only safe course is to let our prayers go forth daily from a sincere heart, as did David, ‘Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not’ (Psalm 17:5).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 452.

Watch out for the influences around you. “Their [the Israelites’] minds became familiar with the vile thoughts constantly suggested; their life of ease and inaction produced its demoralizing effect; and almost unconsciously to themselves they were departing from God and coming into a condition where they would fall an easy prey to temptation.” Ibid., 453, 454.

“At first there was little intercourse between the Israelites and their heathen neighbors, but after a time Midianitish women began to steal into the camp. Their appearance excited no alarm, and so quietly were their plans conducted that the attention of Moses was not called to the matter.” Ibid., 454.

Remember Solomon? “Little by little he gave way to inherited weakness, until he threw his influence wholly on the side of idolatry.” Conflict and Courage, 201.

It is the little things that grow into a destructive mass because that is Satan’s plan to destroy you. Please stay alert—time is too short! In fact, time is running out!

Oh Heavenly Father: Time is so short. Save us from the so-called little things which have come in to complicate our lives and destroy our spiritual life. You have shown us Satan’s plan of destruction. Please keep us from falling into that pit which he has laid for each one. Please help us to keep the door of our heart open to You only. Keep us alert! Amen.

Fall on the Rock

by

Many years ago, at a General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, one of the most powerful and successful evangelists gave his personal testimony. People were surprised to hear that although he was successful and looked up to as a leading minister for many years, he had become convicted that he was not converted.

This is not a rare situation. Over the years I have heard of many similar cases. It often takes a catastrophic event for a person to realize their true position with God and their need for a deeper conversion. It is easy for the heart to be divided. You may think you have a heart for the Lord, but often there is still something in this world that has a hold on you.

After a prophecy seminar in North Dakota, I was visiting the home of some of the attendees with another minister who at that time was a very successful evangelist. It was clear that these people understood the truths that had been shared and had no objection to anything, but they would not go the extra step and make a commitment to follow Jesus all the way. Something in the world had a hold on them.

I have found myself in that same scenario many times. From a very young age I had been taught that once we preached the gospel in all the world for a witness to all nations, Jesus would come and we could all go to Heaven. It seemed easy if we would all get busy. But I got a reality check from a retired missionary to South America while visiting with him one morning. He said that if it were just the information of the three angels’ messages that was needed, God could give it to every single person in the world in one night in a dream. The trouble is, it takes more than information to finish God’s work.

In order for God’s work to be finished, those spreading the three angels’ messages need a change of heart, what we call conversion. There is division amongst God’s people. Some people have become upset with some Bible translations because the word converted in the King James Bible is translated turned in many modern translations. However, the Greek word used actually means to turn around and go a different way. It is not enough to have the information, to have an intellectual knowledge of the truth unless the truth has changed my life.

Pastor David Kang was another well-known minister who experienced a deeper conversion. He was born in Korea and immigrated into the United States with his wife in 1975. After studying at Andrews University, he became a very successful Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Florida pastoring a number of Korean churches.

In 1984 as he was studying, he said the Holy Spirit convicted him of being a hypocrite. When the Holy Spirit convicts you, a choice must be made. Either you accept the conviction and the reproof, or you reject it. Pastor Kang began to spend many hours each day in serious study of the Spirit of Prophecy. Those privileged to have heard him preach know that his preaching was intensely practical. He preached about practical godliness and the blessing of really experiencing the gospel and living the life of Christ. He saw the need of reflecting to the world an image of the character of Jesus.

The theme of Pastor Kang’s message came from 2 Peter 3 where the apostle Peter tells us that the day of the Lord is going to come as a great surprise. It says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (verses 10–13).

The new earth in which righteousness dwells is what we are expecting and looking for. So Peter says, “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless” (verse 14).

Pastor Kang would repeat to his staff the necessity of being without spot and blameless to be ready for the Lord to come. He preached so much about practical godliness that he had to resist the criticism from people all over the world that his message was too strict.

Another preacher, Elder Fordyce Detamore, one of my favorites, had another style of preaching and burden to share. It is important to allow each preacher to share what the Lord has put on his heart. In making his appeals at camp meetings, it was not uncommon at all for him to spend 30 minutes in an appeal. To those whose hearts were warmed with his message, it seemed like just a few moments.

At the end of the meeting on one occasion while making his appeal he called for those who knew somebody in the congregation that needed to make a decision to follow the Lord all the way, to go up to them and tell them that if they would go forward, you will go forward with them. He suggested that if you encourage them to make a commitment, they will not hold it against you in the day of judgment.

It just so happened that while sitting in the back of the meeting I noticed a lady to whom I had given Bible studies sitting probably two or three rows from the front. She believed the truths that I had shown her, but I had been unable to help her to make a decision. As Elder Detamore made his appeal I was convicted that I had nothing to lose if I encouraged her to go forward. Even if she might get mad at me, she would not hold it against me in the day of judgment. So I walked up to her and made the offer to go forward with her if she should choose. She made a decision and went forward and was baptized just a few days later.

If you are almost saved, you are still totally lost. On the day of judgment there will be many people like Felix Agrippa (Acts 26:28). He heard the gospel and he believed it but put off making a decision until a convenient time that never came. Consequently, he will be lost.

A mere intellectual knowledge of the truth will not save you. The Pharisees knew the truth better than anyone, but they refused the power necessary for that truth to change their hearts and lives.

After Pastor Kang’s deeper conversion experience in 1984, he started to preach that unless our characters are without spot and blameless, we will not be fit to go to heaven, even if we know the truth. This teaching infuriated the church leaders who accused him of fanaticism and smeared his reputation as a proponent of heresy. At his funeral, a man who had attended the seminary in Korea with him said that for many years he would not listen or read anything from Pastor Kang solely because the church had been told not to have anything to do with him. However, when he did investigate, he found that Pastor Kang did speak truth and wondered why the church was so against it.

Pastor David Kang had such a conviction, not just to get information out, but for the need to show people by example what has to happen in their heart to be ready for Jesus to come. As a result of the mission projects that he started, there are seven hundred literature evangelists working in China under very dangerous conditions. In fact, Pastor Kang came in danger and narrowly escaped being put in prison himself on a number of occasions.

Hundreds of Sunday keeping pastors from different countries in the Far East that attended Pastor Kang’s sanctuary seminars found out that God has a sanctuary in heaven, and that within the veil of that Most Holy Place of the sanctuary in heaven there is an ark that contains the ten commandments. The news about the unchangeable character of God’s law has been fearlessly presented in Korea, China, and other Asian countries and is spreading underground like wildfire.

It is not enough to know truth; the truth must change lives to be effective. If the knowledge of the truth you know has not yet changed your life, it is not too late for you to have a conversion experience. Maybe your conversion is just superficial, and you need a deeper experience in your life. The good news is that the door of salvation is still open, and Jesus is standing at the door of your heart knocking and longing to be invited in. Now is the time to open that door, for the time is coming when the door of salvation will be closed.

God’s offer of salvation is made even to the world’s most wicked, to the people that the world most despises because of their crimes, if only they would hear and respond to God’s Spirit. We can read in the writings of Ellen White that on one occasion salvation was offered to Nero. Nero was one of the most wicked men that has ever lived yet salvation was still offered to him but he did not accept it. Nero was guilty of killing his own mother as well as murdering at least one of his wives and who knows how many other people.

We wonder how someone as wicked as Nero could ever be saved, but Jesus came into the world to save sinners and if Nero had accepted the invitation and allowed the Holy Spirit to transform his life he could have been saved. But like most, he saw no value in the gift that was offered. However Saul, who later became the apostle Paul, considered himself “the chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). He had chased down the saints of God who feared him and would set out to capture them to be imprisoned or even put to death. When salvation was offered to him on the Damascus Road, he repented and was forgiven. His former companions, the Pharisees, all turned against him. Now if you really have a change of heart so that you go full out for the Lord; in other words, you are fully committed to God and His cause, you are going to have some opposition in this world. Some people that used to be your friends will not be your friends anymore. That is just the way it will happen so do not be too surprised when it does happens.

When your life is fully surrendered to Jesus you are no longer in charge of your life, because you are walking in a different way. Sins that once had an attraction and a hold on you are discarded as you walk the narrow path.

Thank God that our sins can be forgiven. We are told in Romans 3:25, 26, “Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Notice that when you come to Jesus, you are forgiven for the sins that you have previously committed, but this does not give license to go on sinning. Forgiveness is always in the past. There is no such thing as being forgiven for a sin that you are going to commit tomorrow. This is contrary to what some Roman Catholic theologians believe.

When the woman was taken in adultery and brought to Jesus in John the 8th chapter, Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11). There were people in the early church who had a hard time with that story and were afraid that if everybody knew about that, it would give people a license to sin. They feared that people would be at liberty to go and sin because they knew they could be forgiven. They thought that the Lord was being too lenient with the woman. But notice that when Jesus forgave that woman of everything that she had done in the past, He said to her, “Go and sin no more.” He did not say to go on a 5-day plan to stop sinning or to cut down on her sin. He said to not do it anymore.

No matter how bad a sinner you are, if you are willing to quit, the Lord can forgive you for what is in your past. Maybe you have a besetting sin that nobody knows about, not even your husband or your wife. Be sure that God knows about it and that your secret sin of which no one else knows is written down in His book. Sins that are not erased by confession and repentance will come up again in the judgment and even though you may profess Christ and go to church every week they will cause you to be lost.

The Bible contains warnings about being ready for the end of the world and for the second coming of Jesus:

“Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare [a trap] on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:34–36).

“Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch” (Mark 13:35– 37)! Are you sleeping like the foolish virgins? Pray that the Lord will keep you alert and awake.

“When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:11–14). No one is allowed into the wedding feast of the Lamb without the wedding garment, a righteous Christ-like character.

“And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

“The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: ‘Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?’ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil: He will dwell on high; his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, his water will be sure” (Isaiah 33:14–16). There are some people who need to pay special attention to Isaiah 33:15.

Zephaniah 2 was always a very scary passage to my mother. She would talk to me about what it could mean, but I had no answer. “Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation, before the decree is issued, or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you! Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice, seek righteousness, seek humility, it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger” (verses 1–3).

The part of the text that was so scary to my mother is where it says, “it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger” which does not sound like a guarantee.

Isaiah 4 describes a time coming when all human pride will be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, and everyone that is left among the living in Jerusalem will be holy. At that time when only those who are holy are alive, where will you be?

“And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City not Forsaken” (Isaiah 62:12).

God is preparing a holy people who are ready to meet Him, ready to meet the Lord when He comes.

A time is coming when there will be no more weeping. But right now it is the time to say, Lord, I am surrendering myself totally, completely to you. Whatever change needs to be made in my life, I am surrendering myself totally and completely to the control of Your Holy Spirit. If you are willing to make that kind of a decision, God is willing to answer your prayer and transform your life. The time will come when there will not be any more tears because the former things will be in the past and will never be repeated. It will be a time of rejoicing for those who have kept their garments white and are ready to meet the Lord in peace.

May the Lord prepare our hearts for what is going to break upon this world as an overwhelming surprise; that we might not only know truth, but that the truth will change us from the inside out by the power of His Holy Spirit.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

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

Bible Study Guides – To make ready a people prepared for the Lord

by

December 12 – 18, 1999

MEMORY VERSE: ‘Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.’ Revelation 19: 7 – 8.

STUDY HELP: Christ’s Object Lessons, pages 405 – 421.

Introduction

‘In both the Old and the New Testament, the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people. To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride to the Father’s house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He says, “As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.” “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; . . . but thou shalt be called My Delight; . . . for the Lord delighteth in thee.” “He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.” Isaiah 62: 5, 4, margin; Zephaniah 3: 17. When the vision of heavenly things was granted to John the apostle, he wrote: “I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.” “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Revelation 19: 6, 7, 9.’ Desire of Ages, page 151.

 ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord’

  •  What work was necessary in preparation for the first advent of Christ? Luke 1: 17.

NOTE: ‘John was to reform the children of Israel, and turn them to the Lord. He had the promise that God would work with him. He was “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” John was a representative of the people of God in the last days, to whom God has committed important and solemn truths. The world at large are given to gluttony and the indulgence of base passions. The light of health reform is opened before the people of God at this day, that they may see the necessity of holding their appetites and passions under control of the higher powers of the mind. This is also necessary, that they may have mental strength and clearness to discern the sacred chain of truth, and turn from the bewitching errors and pleasing fables that are flooding the world. Their work is to present before the people the pure doctrine of the Bible. Hence health reform finds its place in the preparatory work for the second appearing of Christ.’ Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, January 7th, 1873.

  • What work must the church accomplish before Christ can return? Matthew 24: 14.

NOTE: ‘The truth will be proclaimed in clear, unmistakable language. As a people we must prepare the way of the Lord under the overruling guidance of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is to be given in its purity. The stream of living water is to deepen and widen in its course. In all fields, nigh and afar off, men will be called from the plough and from the more common commercial business vocations that largely occupy the mind, and will be educated in connection with men of experience. As they learn to labour effectively they will proclaim the truth with power. Through most wonderful workings of divine providence, mountains of difficulty will be removed and cast into the sea. The message that means so much to the dwellers upon the earth will be heard and understood. Men will know what is truth. Onward and still onward the work will advance until the whole earth shall have been warned, and then shall the end come.’ Testimonies Volume 9, page 96.

‘Having the everlasting gospel to preach’

  • What message is needed to prepare the way of the Lord? Revelation 14: 6 – 12.

NOTE: ‘The Lord God of heaven will not send upon the world His judgements for disobedience and transgression until He has sent His watchmen to give the warning. He will not close up the period of probation until the message shall be more distinctly proclaimed. The law of God is to be magnified; its claims must be presented in their true, sacred character, that the people may be brought to decide for or against the truth. Yet the work will be cut short in righteousness. The message of Christ’s righteousness is to sound from one end of the earth to the other to prepare the way of the Lord. This is the glory of God, which closes the work of the third angel.’ Testimonies Volume 6, page 19.                             –

  • What sort of person is needed to prepare the way of the Lord? Luke 1: 15 – 17.

NOTE: ‘John separated himself from friends and from the luxuries of life. The simplicity of his dress, a garment woven of camel’s hair, was a standing rebuke to the extravagance and display of the Jewish priests, and of the people generally. His diet, purely vegetable, of locusts and wild honey, was a rebuke to the indulgence of appetite and the gluttony that everywhere prevailed. The prophet Malachi declares: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.” Here the prophet describes the character of the work. Those who are to prepare the way for the Second Coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things. The self-denial, humility, and temperance required of the righteous, whom God especially leads and blesses, is to be presented to the people in contrast to the extravagant, health-destroying habits of those who live in this degenerate age. God has shown that health reform is as closely connected with the third angel’s message as the hand is with the body. There is nowhere to be found so great a cause of physical and moral degeneracy as a neglect of this important subject. Those who indulge appetite and passion, and close their eyes to the light for fear they will see sinful indulgences which they are unwilling to forsake, are guilty before God. Whoever turns from the light in one instance hardens his heart to disregard the light upon other matters.’ Testimonies Volume 3, page 62.

‘The harvest of the earth is ripe’

  • What two harvests will take place when Jesus returns? Revelation 14: 14 – 20.

NOTE: ‘The tares are permitted to grow among the wheat, to have all the advantage of sun and shower; but in the time of harvest ye shall “return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” Malachi 3: 18. Christ Himself will decide who are worthy to dwell with the family of heaven. He will judge every man according to his words and his works. Profession is as nothing in the scale. It is character that decides destiny. The Saviour does not point forward to a time when all the tares become wheat. The wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, the end of the world. Then the tares are bound in bundles to be burned, and the wheat is gathered into the garner of God. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Then “the Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.”’ Christ’s Object Lessons, page 74 – 75.

  • How is the ripeness of God’s people described? Ephesians 4: 13 – 15.

NOTE: ‘“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Galatians 5: 22, 23. This fruit can never perish, but will produce after its kind a harvest unto eternal life. “When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3: 12, margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.’ Christ’s Object Lessons, page 68 – 69.

  • How is the ripeness of the follower of Satan described? Genesis 6: 5 – 6.

NOTE: ‘I was shown the state of the world, that it is fast filling up its cup of iniquity. Violence and crime of every description are filling our world, and Satan is using every means to make crime and debasing vice popular. The youth who walk the streets are surrounded with handbills and notices of crime and sin, presented in some novel or to be acted at some theatre. Their minds are educated into familiarity with sin. The course pursued by the base and vile is kept before them in the periodicals of the day, and everything which can excite curiosity and arouse the animal passions is brought before them in thrilling and exciting stories. The literature that proceeds from corrupted intellects poisons the minds of thousands in our world. Sin does not appear exceeding sinful. They hear and read so much of debasing crime and vileness that the once tender conscience which would have recoiled with horror becomes so blunted that it can dwell upon the low and vile sayings and actions of men with greedy interest. “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.”’ Testimonies Volume 3, pages 471 – 472.

‘Ye shall receive power’

  •  How was the early church empowered to accomplish its task of taking the Gospel to the world? Acts 1: 8.

NOTE: ‘On the day of Pentecost the Spirit was given. Christ’s witnesses proclaimed the power of the risen Saviour. The light of heaven penetrated the darkened minds of those who had been deceived by the enemies of Christ. They now saw Him exalted to be “a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5: 31. They saw Him encircled with the glory of heaven, with infinite treasures in His hands to bestow upon all who would turn from their rebellion. As the apostles set forth the glory of the Only-Begotten of the Father, three thousand souls were convicted. They were made to see themselves as they were, sinful and polluted, and Christ as their friend and Redeemer. Christ was lifted up, Christ was glorified, through the power of the Holy Spirit resting upon men. By faith these believers saw Him as the One who had borne humiliation, suffering, and death that they might not perish but have everlasting life. The revelation of Christ by the Spirit brought to them a realising sense of His power and majesty, and they stretched forth their hands to Him by faith, saying, “I believe.” Then the glad tidings of a risen Saviour were carried to the uttermost bounds of the inhabited world. The church beheld converts flocking to her from all directions. Believers were reconverted. Sinners united with Christians in seeking the pearl of great price. The prophecy was fulfilled, The weak shall be “as David,” and the house of David “as the angel of the Lord.” Zechariah 12: 8. Every Christian saw in his brother the divine similitude of benevolence and love. One interest prevailed. One object swallowed up all others. All hearts beat in harmony. The only ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of Christ’s character, and to labour for the enlargement of His kingdom. “The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. . . . With great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4: 32, 33. “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2: 47. The Spirit of Christ animated the whole congregation; for they had found the pearl of great price. These scenes are to be repeated, and with greater power. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was the Former Rain, but the Latter Rain will be more abundant. The Spirit awaits our demand and reception. Christ is again to be revealed in His fullness by the Holy Spirit’s power.’ Christ’s Object Lessons, pages 120 – 121.

  • What great change had taken place in the hearts of the disciples? Acts 2: 1. (Compare Mark 9: 34, Luke 22: 24.)

NOTE: ‘By the grace of Christ the apostles were made what they were. It was sincere devotion and humble, earnest prayer that brought them into close communion with Him. They sat together with Him in heavenly places. They realised the greatness of their debt to Him. By ear nest, persevering prayer they obtained the endowment of the Holy Spirit, and then they went forth, weighted with the burden of saving souls, filled with zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross. And under their labours many souls were brought from darkness to light, and many churches were raised up.’ Testimonies Volume 7, page 32.

‘It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now.’ Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, March 2nd, 1897.

‘The Latter Rain’

  •  What promise is given of a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s power in the last days? Acts 2: 17.

NOTE: ‘The first disciples went forth preaching the Word. They revealed Christ in their lives. And the Lord worked with them, “confirming the word with signs following.” These disciples prepared themselves for their work. Before the day of Pentecost they met together, and put away all differences. They were of one accord. They believed Christ’s promise that the blessing would be given, and they prayed in faith. They did not ask for a blessing for themselves merely; they were weighted with the burden for the salvation of souls. The gospel was to be carried to the uttermost parts of the earth, and they claimed the endowment of power that Christ had promised. Then it was that the Holy Spirit was poured out, and thousands were converted in a day. So it may be now. Instead of man’s speculations, let the Word of God be preached. Let Christians put away their dissensions, and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them in faith ask for the blessing, and it will come. The outpouring of the Spirit in apostolic days was the “former rain,” and glorious was the result. But the latter rain will be more abundant.’ Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, November 19th, 1908.

  • What reaction among some of the Jews at Pentecost is a warning for God’s people today? Acts 2: 13.

NOTE: ‘Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognise the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.’ Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, March 2nd, 1897.

‘Them that had gotten the victory’

  •  What work must be done by and for those who will experience the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord? Acts 3: 19 – 20.

NOTE: ‘I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of “refreshing” and the “latter rain” to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be no time then to do it and no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father. Before this time the awfully solemn declaration has gone forth, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” I saw that none could share the “refreshing” unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence.’ Early Writings, page 72.

  • What promise and hope does the church have that this work will be accomplished by the time that Christ returns? 1 John 3: 2 – 6.

NOTE: ‘The exhortation of the apostle is, “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” It is by engaging in this work, and by exercising living faith in God, that we are to perfect Christian character. The work of cleansing the soul-temple and preparing for Christ’s appearing must be done while we are in this world of temptation. Just as Christ finds us in character when He comes, so we shall remain.’ Historical Sketches, page 134.

‘We are preparing to meet Him who, escorted by a retinue of holy angels, is to appear in the clouds of heaven to give the faithful and the just the finishing touch of immortality. When He comes, He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honour, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us.’ Testimonies Volume 2, page 355.

The Sin of Meroz

by Marshall Grosboll

For twenty years the children of Israel had been suffering under Jabin, the king of Canaan, and Sisera his captain. Year after year Israel was unwilling to recognize the cause for their suffering and calamity, which was their disobedience to the Lord. Many never admitted the cause. It was just natural occurrences, they thought. But with each home burned from another raid, each child or wife stolen to become the slave of a heathen tyrant, and each rape and murder, there came new conviction of their sins to those receptive to the Spirit of God. Until finally, there was at least a high percentage who repented and in humility cried out to God for help, something they could have done twenty years earlier. “And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel” (Judges 4: 3). The children of Israel had no implements of war because they all had been taken away from them, yet the Canaanites were fully armed and led by skilled warriors.

Finally the children of Israel turned to the Lord in their extremity, and the Lord heard their prayer, but He did not answer in the expected way. They wanted a general, but He sent a woman, Deborah, whom He had chosen to judge Israel at that time. He had also given her the gift of prophecy and made her the ruler of Israel. In answer to the cry of Israel, He gave a message through her, His chosen prophet: “Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kadesh in Naphtali, and said to him, ‘Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’? ’ And Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go’ ” (verses 6- 8).

Barak was so fearful that he refused to go unless Deborah went with him. Deborah was as brave in battle as she was in counsel and giving the straight testimony to Israel, so she went, but she warned Barak that because he did not obey the Lord, but depended on her, it would be by another woman that victory would be won. “So she said, ‘I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. ‘Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kadesh” (verse 9). So it was that Deborah led out the army, and Jael, the wife of Heber, an in- law of Moses, killed the commander of the Canaanites. “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, and the travelers walked along the byways. Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel. They chose new gods; then there was war in the gates; not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. . . . Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed is she among women in tents” (Judges 5: 6- 8, 24). What a picture of the last days is here depicted! Just as Israel had been led away captive by a heathen country, in a physical sense, because of their departure from the Lord, with many killed and the remnant hiding out in the rocks and mountains, so for many years spiritual Israel, because of apostasy in the early ages, had been under the dominion of the beast power, with many killed and the remnant hiding “in the wilderness,” as the Bible says. But in the last days, because of the cry of God’s people, a message went forth with boldness to the world, depicted as an angel flying in the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice to all who are on the face of the earth. No more would God’s people be in hiding; they were to come to the forefront and take their places before the world.

WOMEN IN THE WORK

When God sought to lead out His people in this last great endeavor, He chose a man. He called for a leader to communicate His wishes to the church and lead them out victorious. He first called for William Foy, then Hazen Foss, and they both refused. God then turned from them and said, “I am going to the weakest of the weak.” He chose a young woman in her teen years who was not expected to live, and through her sent His messages to lead His people on to victory. Moreover, we are told that not only did God choose a woman to communicate with His people in the beginning, He is also going to use women in this conflict until the very end, and to bring it to completion. Joel 2: 28, 29, a prophecy of the last days, says: “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”

Ellen White writes in The Youth’s Instructor, February 18, 1902: “At the eleventh hour the Lord will call into His service many faithful workers. Self- sacrificing men and women will step into the places made vacant by apostasy and death. To young men and young women, as well as to those who are older, God will give power from above. With converted minds, converted hands, converted feet and converted tongues, their lips touched with a living coal from the divine altar, they will go forth into the Master’s service, moving steadily onward and upward, carrying the work forward to completion.” Let us not become too rigid in our ideas as to how God can use men and women. In the days of Israel He chose a woman to lead out the army, and He chose a woman to complete the victory. In like manner, in the final work of God, He is going to use women. Before Jesus comes, there will be those who die in battle, those who will apostatize, those who may be imprisoned or sidetracked in one way or another. God is going to use young men and women, as well as those older in years, to fill the ranks and carry the work onward and upward to completion. Dear friend, the work is going to be completed.

LAYING YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE

While some things in the victory of Deborah, Barak and Jael point forward to the glorious completion of God’s work, there are also disappointing elements to the story illustrating disappointments in the final work of God on earth. In Judges 5: 14- 17, Deborah mentions the various tribes to whom the message bad been given to come up to the help of the Lord and to join in this battle. The call to arms in battle had been given in Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh (which is Machir), Zebulun, Issachar, Reuben, Gilead (the other half of Manasseh), Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. Ten out of the twelve tribes are mentioned by name. In all the tribes of Israel there were undoubtedly hundreds of thousands of eligible men, but how many came up to the help of the Lord? Out of all the ten tribes called, how many responded? In Judges 4: 14 we are told that 10,000 followed Barak to battle. Judges 5: 17 says that Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, so as not to get involved. Why did Dan remain on ships? “We’ll be safer out here fishing,” they thought. Asher continued at the seashore and stayed in the inlets. Zebulun and Naphtali, the two main tribes, jeopardized their lives, but the rest did not respond, and God was not well pleased with them. While these men of Israel professed to be loyal to the Lord, they were not going to jeopardize their lives against an unconquerable enemy. And yet the Lord says in Matthew 10: 39: “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” In Luke 14, Jesus said that a cost is involved in the Christian life, and that we must count this cost as to whether we are willing to be counted with the army of the Lord. “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14: 27). “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (verse 26). “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has [including his own life] cannot be My disciple” (verse 33).

I have often been impressed with the story of the great men of David. In 2 Samuel 23: 9,10 is a typical example of these great men. Among the various men who were willing to give their lives for Israel, the truth and the cause of God, is Eleazar, the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. He was one of the three mighty men with David when he defied the Philistines who were gathered for battle. The whole army of Israel was in retreat and one man alone stood up against the enemy. He not only held his ground; he arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary and stuck to his sword. He did not quit. “The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder” (2 Samuel 23: 10).

Have you ever imagined being in Eleazar’s place? The Philistines that he was fighting were demon possessed. They were not weaklings. They were not merely playing video games. They were there with real swords and were accustomed to using them to cut off people’s heads. And there was not just one or two, there were hundreds. He was surrounded and he fought with all of his might, just barely missing a sword, time after time. Eleazar went to battle to give his life as a martyr for God. He was not expecting to come out of that battle alive. Eleazar said, “I am going to die for the Lord, I am not going to retreat.” He went to battle and the Lord protected him among all those hundreds and thousands, and he won the victory. Jesus said, “He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10: 39).

That is the kind of courage God wants His people to have today, but it wasn’t found in Israel in Deborah’s day. In the battle of Deborah and Barak, in which there was a general call to Israel, the people valued their lives more than they valued the call of God. They were not bad people, they were religious people and they had been mourning for the sins of Israel and crying for deliverance. They viewed themselves as being basically repentant and good. There is no mention of collaborating with the enemy. There was general moral support for the cause, but they were not willing to put their lives on the line. They had their families to take care of and their businesses to run. Their own futures were at stake. The Lord used a term to describe them– Meroz. We can read in Judges 5: 23 what He says about the people of Meroz in the song of Deborah as she recounted, under the inspiration of the Lord, the events of the battle and the various people that did not come up to the help of the Lord, those in Gilead, Dan, Asher and others. “‘ Curse Meroz, ’ said the angel of the Lord, ‘curse its inhabitants bitterly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. ’”

LAODICEA – NEW TESTAMENT MEROZ

This verse has a special significance for today be- cause it is a correlating verse to Revelation 3: 14 and onward where God talks about Meroz in the New Testament, which is the Laodicean people. Meroz is a type of Laodicea, the Old Testament type for the New Testament Laodicea. Ellen White mentions the experience of Meroz often because she was living in the day of Laodicea. She says of Meroz: “They have committed no grievous, out- breaking sins, and they must, after all, be on the true foundation, and God will accept their works. [Because they have committed no grievous sins, they are basically good church members.] They see no special sins to repent of, no sins which call for special humiliation, humble confession, and rending of heart. The delusion upon such is strong indeed when they mistake the form of godliness for the power thereof, and flatter themselves that they are rich and have need of nothing. The curse of Meroz rests upon them: ‘Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty’” 2T, 395,396. “As an illustration of the failure on your part to come up to the work of God, as was your privilege, I was referred [by an angel in vision] to these words: ‘Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. ‘ Judges 5: 23. What had Meroz done? Nothing. And this was their sin. They came not up to the help of the Lord against the mighty” Ibid., 247. On page after page of her writings, she mentions the various ways that Israel today has not come up to the help of the Lord. She writes in The Signs of the Times,

December 19, 1878: “We hope those who have means trusted out to strangers will see that God’s cause may be benefited by its use. It was placed in their hands by the Lord, to test them and prove them, to see if they will render back to the Master His own when He shall call for it. Means were given them not to hoard or to use for themselves. Those who are murmuring and complaining at the outlay of means in the publishing house and in the meetinghouse, had better be at work to act their part, lest they shall be found wanting by acting the part of Meroz. God gave commandment, ‘Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord, against the mighty. ‘”

There are those who have means and talents and don’t use them for the Lord. They have opportunity to witness and are doing nothing. All this is described in the Laodicean message. “Many of our people are lukewarm. They occupy the position of Meroz, neither for nor against, neither cold nor hot” 5T, 76,77. If there is anything that describes God’s professed people today it is that they are neither cold nor hot, neither for nor against. They don’t want to be against anything, just take a “wait and see” attitude. Ellen White says this is the sin of Meroz. “They hear the words of Christ, but do them not. If they remain in this state, He will reject them with abhorrence. Many of those who have had great light, great opportunities, and every spiritual advantage praise Christ and the world with the same breath. They bow themselves before God and mammon. They make merry with the children of the world, and yet claim to be blessed with the children of God. They wish to have Christ as their Saviour, but will not bear the cross and wear His yoke. May the Lord have mercy upon you; for if you go on in this way, nothing but evil can be prophesied concerning you” Ibid.

LAODICEAN TYPES

There are several types of the Laodicean church. There is a specific type in the Old Testament, the people of Meroz, and a specific type in the New Testament in Matthew 11. Just as Ellen White writes of the curse of Meroz over and over again, applying it to Laodicea, so she does with these verses. “Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes’” (verses 20, 21). Tyre, Bethsaida and Chorazin were cities of Israel, and He is addressing those who were Sabbath- keeping, tithe- paying, professed members of God’s true church. “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day” (verse 23).

In referring to this passage in the Review and Herald, August 1, 1893, Ellen White says specifically that this is the Seventh- day Adventist Church: “Of those who boast of their light, and yet fail to walk in it, Christ says, ‘But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ‘” She refers to Capernaum as the Seventh- day Adventist Church also in the 1888 Materials, 637, 612, 851 and elsewhere.

Here the New Testament church, the Laodicean church, is compared to Capernaum, a beautiful city on Lake Galilee. It was sitting at the crossroads of the nations, with every spiritual advantage. Jesus had preached there; its inhabitants had heard the messages of John the Baptist, and they were not as wicked as the people in Nazareth. These were good people, faithful church members. In fact, the people of Galilee (which included the people of Capernaum), we are told in

Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 2, 3, were not under the influence of the priests and Pharisees as much as the people in Jerusalem, and they almost accepted Jesus. (See also Desire of Ages, 232.) Jesus preached to these people and the power of the hierarchy was almost broken. “Almost”. . . now that is Laodicean.

WORSE THAN SODOM

Jesus said that these people who were almost saved were worse than the people of Sodom. How could Jesus say such an unbelievable thing? The people of Sodom were homosexuals, given to every perversion and crime you can imagine. You might as well compare them to the homosexuals of San Francisco. Can you imagine being in an Adventist church — not the most wicked Adventist church, but one that is beautiful and gives lots of offerings, with a pipe organ playing and people coming and worshipping on Sabbath, listening to beautiful sermons — and Christ coming and saying, “You people are worse than the homosexuals of San Francisco.” I can tell you, He wouldn’t be invited back. “But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you” (Matthew 11: 24). How many believe that what Jesus said was true? How many parents would rather see their son or daughter become a homosexual on the streets of San Francisco, than remain a lukewarm member of the Seventh- day Adventist Church, just keeping Sabbath and paying their tithe, Sabbath after Sabbath? Parents want the best for their children, do they not? Christ said the people of Sodom were better off than the people of Capernaum. Have you ever heard it said that “We must keep our children in the church, no matter what? If we have to show them movies, if we have to entertain them, or whatever else we have to do, we must keep them in church.” Christ said they are better off in Sodom!

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. ’” (Revelation 3: 14). Here He reminds the church that just as He was faithful and true with Capernaum and with the people of Meroz, He will be faithful now. Most people are not going to believe these words, that is why Christ begins this message with these words: “I am the One who does not exaggerate, the One who is going to give you the truth.” “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot” (verse 15). He says, “You think you know your works, but I am the One who knows your works, and I see that you are neither cold nor hot.” We might think, “Well, praise the Lord! At least we are halfway in between.” But Christ says, “I could wish you were cold or hot.” He says, “I would rather have you cold than lukewarm.” Many people do not believe that.

ALL THE WAY IN THE WORLD, OR HALF- WAY IN THE CHURCH?

It takes most of us a degree of faith to believe what Jesus said about Capernaum and Sodom. It takes a degree of faith for a parent to believe it. I don’t think that many parents would rather have their children all the way in the world than halfway in the church, but Jesus said they are better off all the way in the world than halfway in the church. I am not saying that we should send any of our children out into the world. God forbid. But I am saying this: if they are halfway in the church, they are worse off, and it is time we were trying to get them hot. God’s religion is not one of mournfulness, there is joy and happiness. Religion needs to be brought down to the level of young people. Three-year olds need to have the Bible story told on their level of understanding; they cannot sit for an hour- long worship service. There needs to be a conversion experience starting with the ages of three and four. We need to see our young people converted. We need to see our older people convened. We need to see ourselves converted. God says in the Bible, “I would rather have you cold than lukewarm, all the way in the world rather than part way in the church.” Verses 16, 17, say: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, ‘ and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” What a delusion!

NEUTRALITY AND LAODICEA

Why did God say he would spew them out? Because Laodicea is in a neutral position, and they took a neutral position. “If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God” 3T, 281. The worst type of hostility against God is neutrality. Dear friend, that is what is viewed as good religion today – to accept anything and everybody — neutrality. We have such a pluralism of ideas in the church today that are all accepted and believed, that we are conditioned to be neutral on issues. In the Review and Herald, Feb. 25, 1902, Ellen White says there is more hope for an open enemy than for one who is neutral.

I have not covered the Celebration style of worship that has come into our church. You can read our book, No Time to Celebrate.

Prophecies are being fulfilled with this counterfeit Holy Spirit movement coining into our church out of Pentecostalism. There are some who recognize that playing solid, hard- rock music as part of the religious service is straight from Satan. We wonder, “How could anyone act that way in a church?” You know what? Those who take a neutral position are in a worse condition, such as our laity and our leaders who aren’t in the Celebration movement, but are neutral! Neither for nor against it. God said He is going to vomit them out of His mouth. Where is the backbone of our people? Where are the people who are willing to say that this is wrong and we will not countenance it, we will not say it is all right?

Ellen White says that those pastors who preach smooth sermons are the ones who will receive His curse. The most dangerous sermon is not the one in which there is blatant error; it is the one that is smooth and sounds good, but says nothing. Ellen White says: “In this fearful time, just before Christ is to come the second time, God’s faithful preachers will have to bear a still more pointed testimony than was born by John the Baptist. A responsible, important work is before them; and those who speak smooth things, God will not acknowledge as His shepherds. A fearful woe is upon them” 1T, 321. On pages 210 and 211 of Testimonies, vol. 5, she writes of those who are going to receive the seal of God and those who are not. Those who are not going to receive the seal of God “try to throw a cloak over the existing evil and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent,” but “those who have a zeal for God’s honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any.”

There are two classes in the church in the last days – those who are good administrators, trying to make everyone feel good and excusing the wickedness around them, and those who will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any, but call sin by its right name. Which class in the church do you think is larger? Which is going to gain the control in the church? She says those who are concerned about the evil find themselves “powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity, and hence they are filled with grief and alarm. They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church. The Spirit of God, which prompts to reproof, is trampled underfoot, while the servants of Satan triumph. God is dishonored, the truth made of none effect. The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God.” Ibid.

Some ministers in the church say that God is too merciful to visit His people with judgment, but as we continue reading we find just such judgments falling on these very ministers. “Thus ‘Peace and safety’ is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God” Ibid. 211. These smooth sermons – there are some people who say, “Our pastor doesn’t preach any error. He doesn’t preach any present truth either, but at least he doesn’t preach error. We have a neutral pastor. That is better than we could have.” But that is not better than you could have, it is as bad as you can get. God is looking for people of action. In Deborah’s day He called for reproof. He called for people who were willing to put their lives on the line. Today He is giving to every member of the church, every preacher and every layman, a summons and a call to activity and warfare. There are two startling statements in the Spirit of Prophecy I would like to look at. The first one reads:

“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” IT, 261, 262.

For those who are preaching smooth, common sermons and keeping the people entertained week by week, God pronounces a woe, but not for those only. I believe that many of God’s professed people think in themselves, “Lord, don’t make me responsible. All I do is come to church week after week, I don’t have anything to do with this apostasy.” That is what Meroz said. “I haven’t done anything bad. I am just a good church member.” The Lord says that those church members who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified to minister to them are as guilty as those who are doing the ministering.

The second statement reads, “If God pronounces a woe upon those who are called to preach the truth and refuse to obey, a heavier woe rests upon those who take upon them this sacred work without clean hands and pure hearts. 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” 2T, 552. The unsanctified could not continue to minister to the members without the members’ support. Without support they could not do unrighteous or unjust actions, such as not paying women Bible workers. Did you know that there was a time when Ellen White, on page 117 of Spalding- Magan, said, “I will in the name of the Lord, protest”? I am not going to tell you how she protested, because somebody might get the wrong idea, but it was financially. There are various ways that we choose to support and maintain the unsanctified to minister to us and the Lord holds every church member accountable for maintaining a corrupt system. Am I calling for a revolution? I hope you do not mistake the fact that lam. Actually, lam not– the Lord is, through His messenger, Ellen White. I am simply quoting to you from the Spirit of Prophecy. What do these statements mean? Do you suppose that they have any meaning for us today? I do not want a woe upon me. Do you want a woe upon you? I do not know how to apply all these statements, but I believe that all God’s requirements, all God’s commands are a possibility.

WARFARE AGAINST WRONG

“It is not enough to merely profess to believe the truth. All the soldiers of the cross of Christ virtually obligate themselves to enter the crusade against the adversary of souls, to condemn wrong and sustain righteousness. But the message of the True Witness reveals the fact that a terrible deception is upon our people, which makes it necessary to come to them with warnings, to break their spiritual slumber, and arouse them to decided action” 3T, 254.

Ellen White says something must arouse our people to decided action. Something has to happen to wake people up! “Many are tempted in regard to our work and are calling it in question. [She is referring to her work and James White’s work as they visited the churches, calling people to revival, reformation and repentance.] Some, in their tempted condition, charge the difficulties and perplexities of the people of God to the testimonies of reproof that we have given them. They think the trouble is with the ones who bear the message of warning, who point out the sins of the people and correct their errors. Many are deceived by the adversary of souls. They think that the labors of Brother and Sister White would be acceptable if they were not continually condemning wrong and reproving sin. I was shown that God has laid this work upon us, and when we are hindered from meeting with His people [This was written in the early part of Ellen White’s ministry and already they were trying to keep them from coming before the people because the message was too straight.] and from bearing our testimony and counteracting the surmises and jealousies of the unconsecrated, then Satan presses in his temptations very strongly. Those who have been ever on the questioning, doubting side feel at liberty to suggest their doubts and to insinuate their unbelief. Some have sanctimonious and apparently conscientious amid very pious doubts, which they cautiously drop, but which have tenfold more power to strengthen those who are wrong, amid to lessen our influence and weaken the confidence of God’s people in our work, than if they came out more frankly” Ibid., 258, 259.

NEUTRAL v. s. AN OPEN ENEMY

She said that if they had come out sorely against them it would riot have done one- tenth as much damage as their claiming to be friends while dropping seeds of doubt along the way. What did God say? “I would rather have you hot or cold than lukewarm.” He says there is more hope for an open enemy than one who remains neutral. Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly because you did nothing. You were not against us, you did not come fight with us. Curse you, Meroz. You are worse off than if you had been the enemy – ten times worse! “These poor souls, I saw, were deceived by Satan. They flatter themselves that they are all right, that they are in favor with God and are rich in spiritual discernment, when they are poor, blind, and wretched. They are doing the work of Satan. but think they have a zeal for God.” Ibid. Can we become more spiritually blind than to think that we are on fire and have zeal for God, and yet be instruments of Satan? That is what the Laodicean message is all about.

APOSTASY DEMANDS ACTION

What is it that wakes people out of their lukewarm, Laodicean condition? In Elijah’s day God’s people were blind to their spiritual need and Elijah took action. “Elijah’s faithful soul was grieved. His indignation was aroused, and he was jealous for the glory of God. He saw that Israel was plunged into fearful apostasy. And when he called to mind the great things that God had wrought for them, he was overwhelmed with grief and amazement. But all this was forgotten by the majority of the people. He went before the Lord, and, with his soul wrung with anguish, pleaded for Him to save His people if it must be by judgments. He pleaded with God to withhold from His ungrateful people dew and rain, the treasures of heaven, that apostate Israel might look in vain to their gods, their idols of gold, wood, and stone, the sun, moon, amid stars, to water and enrich the earth, amid cause it to bring forth plentifully” Ibid., 263. Is that the sign of a Christian, to plead with God to send judgments upon His people? James 5 says that Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain. Do we understand what the Christian life is all about on this earth? It is not one of passivism, not one of doing nothing; it is one of doing something to uphold the honor and glory of God.

Mrs. White writes about a class of people who are bringing discouragement upon the people of God because of their wavering condition. “God may give this class another test, another proving, and let them show that they are no better prepared to stand free from all rebelling amid sin than before their confessions were made. They are inclined to be ever on the side of wrong. And when the call is made for those who will be on the Lord’s side to make a decided move to vindicate the right, they will manifest their true position. Those who have been nearly all their lives controlled by a spirit as foreign to the Spirit of God as was Achan’s will be very passive when the time comes for decided action on the part of all. They will not claim to be on either side” Ibid., 271, 272. There are Achans in the camp, those who claim to be on neither side. But she says they are always on the wrong side. They get right in the middle and say, “I am not for either side. There are faults on both sides. I try to see good in everyone and everything. I am here to pull people together.” They don’t take a position, they don’t take either side. They are like Achan, always on the wrong side by taking no side at all. They look at themselves as being passive.

She goes on to say: “Those who are true and loyal will not conceal the fact, but will put heart and might into the work, and venture their all in the struggle, let the battle turn as it will. God is a sin- hating God. And those who encourage the sinner, saying, It is well with thee, God will curse.” Do you want to be under the curse of God? It is much more pheasant to be able to compliment people, even when we don’t feel hike it, to make them feel good. A curse is in that compliment if it is not deserved.

Sister White illustrates this neutrality with a case of Moses and Aaron. Aaron was a type of Laodicea when he made the golden calf. When Moses came down from the mount, he was very upset. His anger was aroused and he threw down the Ten Commandments. But Aaron, the one who led out iii the apostasy, came with calm assurance. He smoothed the waters over. Mrs. White says: “Aaron’s calm assurance in a wrong course gave him greater influence with the people than Moses could have had in leading them in a right course and in subduing their rebellion” Ibid., 300. Notice that Aaron had influence with the people because he was so calm. He was able to take it in stride. He gave everyone that nice assurance.

“When Moses saw the idolatry of Israel and his indignation was so aroused at their shameful forgetfulness of God that he threw down the tables of stone and broke them, Aaron stood meekly by, bearing the censure of Moses with commendable patience. The people were charmed with Aaron’s lovely spirit and were disgusted with the rashness of Moses. But God seeth not as man sees. He condemned not the ardor and indignation of Moses against the base apostasy of Israel” Ibid, 300,301. There can be no greater blindness than to think that you are all right, when you are all wrong.

WHAT WE NEED

“The greatest want of the world is the want of men– men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall” ED 57.

Friend, if you are going to stand for the right, the heavens may fall.

When Jesus came, the church was in a state of apostasy and He tried to bring a reformation and revival, but there is nothing that is resisted so much as are formation and revival when a church thinks they are all right. Jesus started out with large crowds and they grew smaller and smaller until He hung upon the cross alone. He warned the disciples at the very beginning of His ministry, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter- in- law against her mother- in- law. ‘ And ‘a man’s foes will be those of his own household. ‘ He who loves fat her or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10: 34- 39).

CHAMPIONING TRUTH — NOT SELF

Today the Lord is looking for an army, an army of workers who will be emptied of self. He is not looking for people to stand up in pride and arrogance. He is not looking for people to be independent, as Lucifer was. He is looking for people who are humble, who do not look at themselves as being very important, and who are willing to wash the feet of others. He is looking for people who, as Jesus did, seek to please people where they conscientiously can. God is looking for people who have a spirit of love– a patient people. God wants people who do not vindicate their own rights, who are willing to suffer wrong rather than champion self. If we are removed from a church office, so be it, let someone else take care of that. God may have some higher purpose for us. He may want us to minister to the needy.

Since the Bible says that all things are to be done decently and in order, God is not looking for people to stand up in the middle of the service and make chaos. There may come such a time, but make sure it is under the influence of the Holy Spirit and not impulsiveness. God is not looking for us to pick the splinter out of our brother’s eye when we have a moat in our own. God isn’t looking for faultfinding people, for critical people who are hard to get along with, or fanatical people. He is hooking for people who will stand for the right. though the heavens fall, for people who will be active in the cause of righteousness and are not going to stand by while souls are being lost because of the tame, lukewarm preaching that comes from our pulpits week after week. They are going to do something! They are going to protest in some way, and they are not going to grow weary. Like David’s great men, they are going to take the sword and not let it go until the victory is won. Their hand may grow weary, but they are going to hold on to that sword, the sword of the Spirit. We have swords in the Old Testament and in the New. In the Old Testament the sword is literal, in the New Testament it is figurative. In the New Testament it is the sword of the Spirit, and it cuts. It cuts sharper, we are told, than ally two- edged sword, much sharper than the sword of the Old Testament, cutting between bone and marrow. (Hebrew 4: 12)

Dear friend, God is looking for people who are willing to sacrifice self, honor, all they have, to uphold the banner of truth. How many will heed tile call’? God has given a message, He has said, I am the faithful and true witness, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.” “I wish you were one or the other, but because you are neither, I am going to spew you out of my mouth. Because you say you are rich and increased with goods when you have need of everything.” Therefore, He says,

“I counsel of you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich” (Revelation 3: 18). God, give us that gold today! That gold of faith and love. That gold that loves God, truth, and the honor of God so much that we are willing to stand, though the heavens fall, for the honor and glory of God. To stand alone for His glory and honor, not our own. “And white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” Ibid.

Dear friend, I hope that our eyes have been anointed enough to see that neutrality is worse than open apostasy. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes” – there is something to overcome. There is something for Meroz to overcome. There is something for Capernaum to overcome. And there is something for Laodicea to overcome, dear friend. God is looking for overcomers today, those who will overcome their timidity and cowardice in the face of danger. He is looking for people who will stand up under the fear of the Lord for truth and righteousness. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Fat heron His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3: 19- 22).

“God has raised up men to meet the necessity of this time who will cry aloud and spare not, who will lift up their voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. Their work is not only to proclaim the law, but to preach the truth for this time — the Lord our righteousness. The curse of Meroz will be upon those who do not now come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Well may the question be asked in the spirit of Elijah, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. ‘” Review and Herald, August 13, 1889.

Dear friend, are you willing to stand for the Lord though the heavens fall? to say, “I do not want the curse of Meroz. I do not want to halt between two opinions, neither for nor against anything. I want to stand for the Lord though the heavens fall.” Oh, dear friend, the Lord is willing to pour out His Spirit today, and I hope a revival and reformation goes out from among us and stretches to the churches and conferences of this land with a decided determination, by God’s hand, to turn things around. In Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2,283,284, Ellen White says that it requires something more than a plain message, something that will stir the enemy’s subjects. We need something to stir this church today. It is time for Jesus to come. I want to go home. I don’t want to stay on this earth forever. It is time to stand for the Lord, and then we will see His Spirit working. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to empower us to do the work He has called us to do.

Copies of this booklet available in our online bookstore here.

Chapter 10 Desire of Ages — Chapter 78

PROPHETIC PARALLELS
The Church “Then”. . . . . .and the Church Now

by Terry S. Ross

DA 741: “ ‘And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him. ’”

Who are the “they” in this quotation? Christ died for us all because we need a saviour but the Ancient Adventist Church should not have been the ones to murder Him.

DA 742: “The crowd that followed the Saviour saw His weak and staggering steps, but they manifested no compassion. They taunted and reviled Him because He could not carry the heavy cross. Again the burden was laid upon Him, and again He fell fainting to the ground. His persecutors saw that it was impossible for Him to carry His burden farther. They were puzzled to find any one who would bear the humiliating load. The Jews themselves could not do this, because the defilement would prevent them from keeping the Passover. None even of the mob that followed Him would stoop to bear the cross.”

No one who refuses to bear the humiliating load of Christ’s cross will share in the glory of Christ’s crown. Even though the “church” was literally killing the Son of God, they would continue business as usual and looked forward to keeping the Passover which represented the very Person whom they were killing! They had become so blind that they couldn’t recognize the Truth even when it was actually right before them! Do not be fooled into believing that something like this could not happen in the Seventh- day Adventist “Church.” It not only can happen, it has happened, and is happening for the last time right now.

DA 742- 43: “Not a few women are in the crowd that follow the Uncondemned to His cruel death. Their attention is fixed upon Jesus. Some of them have seen Him before. Some have carried to Him their sick and suffering ones. Some have themselves been healed. The story of the scenes that have taken place is related. They wonder at the hatred of the crowd toward Him for whom their own hearts are melting and ready to break. And notwithstanding the action of the maddened throng, and the angry words of the priests and rulers, these women give expression to their sympathy. As Jesus falls fainting beneath the cross, they break forth into mournful wailing.

“This was the only thing that attracted Christ’s attention. Although full of suffering, while bearing the sins of the world, He was not indifferent to the expression of grief. He looked upon these women with tender compassion. They were not believers in Him; He knew that they were not lamenting Him as one sent from God, but were moved by feelings of human pity. He did not despise their sympathy, but it awakened in His heart a deeper sympathy for them. ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, ’ He said, ‘weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. ’ From the scene before Him, Christ looked forward to the time of Jerusalem’s destruction. In that terrible scene, many of those who were now weeping for Him, were to perish with their children.”

Even these non- believing women are amazed at the hatred that the Conference Leadership has toward Christ! But Jesus tells them that they should be weeping for themselves. Why? He was looking forward and He knew that most of the people in the crowd would continue to be influenced by the apostate conference men who would continue to say “The ship is going through.” They, in turn, would continue to believe this and would be destroyed with that particular ship because it, in truth, was not the ship that was going through.

DA 743: “From the fall of Jerusalem the thoughts of Jesus passed to a wider judgment. IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE IMPENITENT CITY HE SAW A SYMBOL OF THE FINAL DESTRUCTION TO COME UPON THE WORLD. He said, ‘Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? ’ By the green tree, Jesus represented Himself, the innocent Redeemer. God suffered His wrath against transgression to fall on His beloved Son. Jesus was to be crucified for the sins of men. WHAT SUFFERING, THEN, WOULD THE SINNER BEAR WHO CONTINUED IN SIN? ALL THE IMPENITENT AND UNBELIEVING WOULD KNOW A SORROW AND MISERY THAT LANGUAGE WOULD FAIL TO EXPRESS.”

If Jerusalem is a symbol of the bigger destruction of the world, what then can we learn? Who made up the populace of that city? The headquarters of the “church” was also the headquarters of Rome in that part of the country. We will find in the near future that the headquarters of modern Rome will be located not too far from the Adventist structure’s headquarters. As they worked hand in hand for the destruction of Christ, in the future they will work hand in hand for the destruction of God’s last day people. This may be difficult to believe but not any more difficult than two thousand years ago. Only those who took God (Jesus) at His Word escaped the destruction of Jerusalem. We can expect that a similar group of believers that will escape the destruction to come, as it surely will.

Leaders who teach their congregations that they can continue in sin and cannot stop sinning either knowingly or unknowingly are leading these people to eternal damnation. If we truly love others, the exposure of this deadly heresy must take place and be openly challenged. People must be given the opportunity to know the truth to stop listening to the lies of these agents of Satan.

DA 743: “Of the multitude that followed the Saviour to Calvary, many had attended Him with joyful hosannas and the waving of palm branches, as He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. But not a few who had then shouted His praise because it was popular to do so, now swelled the cry of ‘Crucify Him! crucify Him! ’ When Christ rode into Jerusalem, the hopes of the disciples had been raised to the highest pitch. They had pressed close about their Master, feeling that it was a high honor to be connected with Him. Now in His humiliation they followed Him at a distance. They were filled with grief, and bowed down with disappointed hopes. How were the words of Jesus verified: ‘All ye shall be offended because of Me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. ’ (Matt. 26: 31).”

To follow Christ for political reasons because it’s popular to do so or for any other reason than from conviction based on a love for God and His truth, will prove to be fatal! Every single person whose motivation and actions fall below the standard WILL betray, forsake, and be lost!

DA 744: “The Saviour made no murmur of complaint. His face remained calm and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death- dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus prayed for His enemies, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. ’ His mind passed from His own suffering to the sin of His persecutors, and the terrible retribution that would be theirs. No curses were called down upon the soldiers who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers, who were gloating over the accomplishment of their purpose. Christ pitied them in their ignorance and guilt. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness, — ‘for they know not what they do. ’”

Here Jesus wonderfully demonstrates the balance of warfare and welfare. While He had exposed His enemies and denounced them with scathing rebukes, He had no human feelings of vengeance toward them, but only pity. He would have gladly forgiven them if they had repented; He had no pleasure in the thoughts of their future destruction. Today, although we are to do the same work, we can be guilty of murder ourselves if we enjoy the destruction of our enemies. We must do what we do for the purposes of salvation, not for the purpose of destruction. Jesus had the perfect balance of “not blind, nor bitter.”

DA 744- 45: “Had they known that they were putting to torture One who had come to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have been seized with remorse and horror. BUT THEIR IGNORANCE DID NOT REMOVE THEIR GUILT; for it was their privilege to know and accept Jesus as their Saviour. Some of them would yet see their sin, and repent, and be converted. Some by their impenitence would make it an impossibility for the prayer of Christ to be answered for them. Yet just the same God’s purpose was reaching its fulfillment. Jesus was earning the right to become the advocate of men in the Father’s presence.

“That prayer of Christ for His enemies embraced the world. It took in every sinner that had lived or should live, from the beginning of the world to the end of time. Upon all rests the guilt of crucifying the Son of God. To all, forgiveness is freely offered. ‘Whosoever will’ may have peace with God, and inherit eternal life.”

Here is yet another description of the modern Adventist “Church.” No one has greater opportunity to learn about Jesus and His truth than those in the Adventist movement. The majority are ignorant of the weightier matters, but willfully so. Their ignorance will not be valid during the judgement period, but it does explain why they do what they do. Some, during this time of ongoing education, will see the truth, repent and be converted. Others (the majority) because of stubbornness, willful blindness, wanting to be popular, and love for cherished idols will refuse to be converted. This group is the reason why God inspired Sister White to write that we have more to fear from within than without.

DA 745: “Pilate then wrote an inscription in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and placed it upon the cross, above the head of Jesus. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. ’ This inscription irritated the Jews. In Pilate’s court they had cried, ‘Crucify Him! ’ ‘We have no king but Caesar. ’ (John 19: 15.) They had declared that whoever should acknowledge any other king was a traitor. Pilate wrote out the sentiment they had expressed. NO OFFENSE WAS MENTIONED, EXCEPT THAT JESUS WAS THE KING OF THE JEWS. THE INSCRIPTION WAS A VIRTUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE ALLEGIANCE OF THE JEWS TO THE ROMAN POWER. IT DECLARED THAT WHOEVER MIGHT CLAIM TO BE THE KING OF ISRAEL, WOULD BE JUDGED BY THEM WORTHY OF DEATH. The priests had overreached themselves. When they were plotting the death of Christ, Caiaphas had declared it expedient that one man should die to save the nation. Now their hypocrisy was revealed. In order to destroy Christ, they had been ready to sacrifice even their national existence.”

You will notice that the only offense charged to Jesus was, in fact, the truth. You will also notice that the Jews’ (Ancient Adventists who were in apostasy) allegiance was with Rome and not God. To declare that the truth of Christ was above the traditions of Rome meant sure death. In the not too distant future, the true and faithful who will stand for God’s Word and declare that the traditions of Rome are not valid will face the death decree. Until it’s forever too late, the other group who declares that the traditions of Rome are above God’s Word will also face the death decree. It is up to you to decide which death decree you want to face.

DA 746- 49: “And Satan with his angels, in human form, was present at the cross. The archfiend and his hosts were co- operating with the priests and rulers. The teachers of the people had stimulated the ignorant mob to pronounce judgment against One upon whom many of them had never looked, until urged to bear testimony against Him. Priests, rulers, Pharisees, and the hardened rabble were confederated together in a Satanic frenzy. Religious rulers united with Satan and his angels. They were doing his bidding.”

Just as Jesus was completing the first phase of the plan of salvation, Satan and his angels, in human form, appeared to deceive all who could be deceived. The same deception will take place just as Jesus is bringing the final phase of salvation to a close. We are told in Revelation and the book Great Controversy that Satan will appear as an angel of light to deceive the nations.

Most Adventists I’ve met realize that Satan will personate Christ in order to deceive, but I have met very few Adventists who understand that Satan will not come alone. Did you realize that he will bring the apostles with him? Let’s read it here in Great Controversy page 557: “The apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth.” Maybe you can better understand that unless we have the mind of Christ, which can only be obtained by following Him all the way, this deception to come will be overpowering. Only those who are fully connected with Christ will make it through this time. The preparation time which we are now enjoying is quickly disappearing and we had better be paying attention.

DA 749: “In their mockery of the Saviour, the men who professed to be the expounders of prophecy were repeating the very words which inspiration had foretold they would utter upon this occasion. Yet in their blindness they did not see that they were fulfilling the prophecy.”

This same blindness is even now being repeated. This prophecy is having its fulfillment in our day. In their blindness, the leaders are preaching toward their own doom and fulfilling the prophecy of their own destruction.

DA 753: “Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father’s mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father’s reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt.

“SATAN WITH HIS FIERCE TEMPTATIONS WRUNG THE HEART OF JESUS. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God, that their separation was to be eternal. CHRIST FELT THE ANGUISH WHICH THE SINNER WILL FEEL WHEN MERCY SHALL NO LONGER PLEAD FOR THE GUILTY RACE. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.”

Every soul who takes a stand for Jesus in these last days will have to go through a similar experience in their own sphere which He had to go through. But especially will the 144,000 understand by experience what price Jesus paid for our salvation. During the time of trouble after probation closes, this group will feel a similar anguish of soul that wrung the heart of their Saviour. This will be a terrible ordeal but in the end it will separate this group from any other in the entire universe. Theirs will be an elevated experience known only to them and their Lord.

On the other side of the coin, those who choose apostasy instead of Christ will feel a deepened terror that was only felt by those who killed Christ. There will not be another group of human beings who share in this same terror. To make a profession of Adventism and turn from what it really means (especially for the leadership) is serious business. Oh, Brothers and Sisters, we do not want to be a part of this “church!” To one day face the reality of this truth and know that eternity was in the palms of our hands, yet be forever lost! The terror will be indescribable. Let us choose rather to place our feeble selves in the hands of a caring Father for He will see us through the trouble ahead. I have always said that no one will escape persecution in the end anyway. A small group will be persecuted by man and Satan. The larger group will be persecuted by God. Let us choose the right group in which to be persecuted.

DA 756: “In silence the beholders watched for the end of the fearful scene. The sun shone forth; but the cross was still enveloped in darkness. Priests and rulers looked toward Jerusalem; and lo, the dense cloud had settled over the city, and the plains of Judea. The Sun of Righteousness, the Light of the world, was withdrawing His beams from the once favored city of Jerusalem. The fierce lightnings of God’s wrath were directed against the fated city.”

Jesus Christ Who had raised up Jerusalem with His own power had the power to reject it. According to this history, the fierce lightnings of God’s wrath will be directed against the apostate people of Jerusalem — Apostate Adventists.

DA 756: “Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of His Father’s acceptance heretofore given Him. He was acquainted with the character of His Father; He understood His justice, His mercy, and His great love. By faith He rested in Him whom it had ever been His joy to obey. And as in submission He committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father’s favor was withdrawn. BY FAITH, CHRIST WAS VICTOR.”

All immediate evidence suggested that the Heavenly Father had forsaken His Son, but Christ’s personal life experience with God had developed the faith that was victorious over all the assaults of Satan. This faith, the faith OF Jesus Christ, identifies His true people who ARE HIS TRUE CHURCH.

DA 756- 57: “Never before had the earth witnessed such a scene. The multitude stood paralyzed, and with bated breath gazed upon the Saviour. Again darkness settled upon the earth, and a hoarse rumbling, like heavy thunder, was heard. There was a violent earthquake. The people were shaken together in heaps. The wildest confusion and consternation ensued. In the surrounding mountains, rocks were rent asunder, and went crashing down into the plains. Sepulchers were broken open, and the dead were cast out of their tombs. Creation seemed to be shivering to atoms. Priests, rulers, soldiers, executioners, and people, mute with terror, lay prostrate upon the ground.

“When the loud cry, ‘It is finished, ’ came from the lips of Christ, the priests were officiating in the temple. It was the hour of the evening sacrifice. The lamb representing Christ had been brought to be slain. Clothed in his significant and beautiful dress, the priest stood with lifted knife, as did Abraham when he was about to slay his son. With intense interest the people were looking on. But the earth trembles and quakes; for the Lord Himself draws near. With a rending noise the inner veil of the temple is torn from top to bottom by an unseen hand, throwing open to the gaze of the multitude a place once filled with the presence of God. In this place the shekinah had dwelt. Here God had manifested His glory above the mercy- seat. No one but the high priest ever lifted the veil separating this apartment from the rest of the temple. He entered in once a year to make an atonement for the sins of the people. But lo, this veil is rent in twain. The most holy place of the earthly sanctuary is no longer sacred.

“All is terror and confusion. The priest is about to slay the victim; but the knife drops from his nerveless hand, and the lamb escapes. Type has met antitype in the death of God’s Son. The great sacrifice has been made. The way into the holiest is laid open. A new and living was is prepared for all. No longer need sinful, sorrowing humanity await the coming of the high priest. Henceforth the Saviour was to officiate as priest and advocate in the heaven of heavens. It was as if a living voice had spoken to the worshipers: There is now an end to all sacrifices and offerings for sin. The Son of God is come according to His word, ‘Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God. ’ ‘By His own blood’ He entereth ‘in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. ’ (Heb. 10: 17; 9: 12).”

This terror and confusion spoken of in Desire of Ages is the same that will be on the earth and in the hearts of apostate pastors, leaders, and all who reject God’s warnings and mercies. The scenes that you have studied in this book are now being repeated and will continue to follow the same course viewed two thousand years ago.

When the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom at the command of God, it was a signal and an invitation to all to understand that no pastor or priest would stand between man and God save Jesus Christ alone. In this study, inspiration has clearly demonstrated that God is not bound to any pastor, Conference Worker, Conference Leader, General Conference, or a people once chosen.

This book has been written in the honest hope that all who read it will come to a better understanding of not only what has been, but what is and what will be. The author of this book is convinced that our loving Saviour, Jesus Christ, is warning us about events just now happening and those about to happen so we are not deceived. We also understand that many statements in this book are “hard sayings,” but it is just as imperative that we take them into our lives as it was for the disciples.

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” says God’s Word, for we are told in the Spirit of Prophecy that the majority will be lost because they refused to take God at His Word.

Wherever you are or whatever you’re doing, no matter where your present loyalties lie, we would plead with you to take this study most seriously. If our understanding of the past is correct, we believe that your very life depends on how you choose to react to what you have read.

It’s decision time, dear Brothers and Sisters. What will it be? Will you go to man for your salvation or to God? Your destiny hangs upon your answer. Choose ye this day….

Copyright © 1999 Servants of the Saviour
Terry & Cathy Ross

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements and Forward
Chapter 1 Desire of Ages — Chapter 63
Chapter 2 Desire of Ages — Chapter 64
Chapter 3 Desire of Ages — Chapter 65
Chapter 4 Desire of Ages — Chapters 66 & 67
Chapter 5 Desire of Ages — Chapters 68 & 69
Chapter 6 Desire of Ages — Chapters 70, 71 & 72
Chapter 7 Desire of Ages — Chapter 73
Chapter 8 Desire of Ages — Chapters 74 & 75
Chapter 9 Desire of Ages — Chapters 76 & 77
Chapter 10 Desire of Ages — Chapter 78

Chapter 7 Desire of Ages — Chapter 73

PROPHETIC PARALLELS
The Church “Then”. . . . . .and the Church Now

by Terry S. Ross

DA 663: “While He was building mansions for them, they were to build characters after the divine similitude…

“There are not many ways to heaven. Each one may not choose his own way. Christ says, ‘I am the way…. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. ’”

Today, many demonstrate either by word, action, or both that they believe there is more than one way to heaven. These leaders are using their influence to try to convince others that it really doesn’t matter how we worship God. Remember that Cain had this same attitude. These same folks are also saying that we need not worry so much about forming perfect characters because Jesus understands we are only human. Unfortunately, most people will continue to believe this lie. You see, Jesus DOES understand our humanity! And the problem isn’t Jesus, but us. We need to understand His divinity! Those who do and trust Jesus all the way will find the ONLY way to heaven. We will discover eventually that all of these “poor little me” arguments to excuse sin are in vain. What good will have been accomplished at that time? It will be forever too late when people see that God was right. We cannot afford to allow this to be our experience. You have all that is necessary for yours to be a success story in the books of heaven. All you need is a sanctified choice (will) and Jesus. If you will do your part, Jesus has given His life to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, He will do His part. What good will it have been to have gone to church or anything else if it’s all been wasted in the end? Won’t you determine just now that you will cast your lot with Christ no matter what any man says? Won’t you promise yourself, right this moment, that you will take God and not man at His word? Those who in the end are safe to be saved for eternity will be those who trusted God will all their minds, bodies, and souls. It is a law of the universe that if we choose to place our confidence in man instead of God; if we choose to doubt God’s ability to bring us all the way to a perfected character, then our doubts will be realized. It is all the way with Christ or none of the way with Him. Those who meet Jesus halfway will lose heaven all the way.

DA 664: “How earnestly and perseveringly our compassionate Saviour sought to prepare His disciples for the storm of temptation that was soon to beat upon them. He would have them hid with Him in God.”

It was education time in the Ancient Adventist Church and this education Christ came to impart to His disciples. Even these Independent Ministers who were to take this education to the Conference and laity alike were not prepared for the approaching storm that was to commence within the structure. The message that Jesus gave to these men to share would cause them much trouble but, nonetheless, it was the message they were to give if they would remain faithful. These same messages of warning and education are being brought again at the Lord’s command, for the last time. Only those, as in the Ancient Adventist days, who heed the messages will be protected in the end.

DA 664: “As Christ was speaking these words, the glory of God was shining from His countenance, and all present felt a sacred awe as they listened with rapt attention to His words. Their hearts were more decidedly drawn to Him; and as they were drawn to Christ in greater love, they were drawn to one another.”

Much emphasis is placed on unity these days within the circles of Adventism. Certainly Jesus prayed for His people to have unity and all heaven is waiting for this to take place. “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. He calls sin and impenitence by the right name. He does not gloss over wrongdoing with a coat of untempered mortar. I urge our brethren to UNIFY UPON A TRUE, SPIRITUAL BASIS.” (1SM 175)

All this talk of unity will have no value in the sight of God if it isn’t based on His high standard. Unity in itself is against God’s kingdom if it’s based on any other foundation than to hold up truth and the pure principles of the heavenly kingdom. God will have some day soon this unity among His true people. Will you and I be among this group? No man can make us do otherwise if this is where we choose to be.

DA 664: “The Saviour was deeply anxious for His disciples to understand for what purpose His divinity was united to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of God, that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was manifested in Him that He might be manifested in them. JESUS REVEALED NO QUALITIES, AND EXERCISED NO POWERS, THAT MEN MAY NOT HAVE THROUGH FAITH IN HIM. His PERFECT HUMANITY is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was.”

Love for the pure truth of God is the glue that alone will bring this binding together of which so many speak. This unity will ONLY come to those who honestly have the eternal interests of God’s government in mind. ONLY those who protect God’s throne while on this earth of sin will share in His glory in the world made new. This class is the ONLY one who will survive the great controversy.

DA 667: “All who will go to work, trusting not in what they themselves can do, but in what God can do for and through them, will certainly realize the fulfillment of His promise. ‘Greater works than these shall ye do, ’ He declares: ‘because I go unto my Father. ’”

Oh, friend! Do you believe that Jesus has enough power to overcome all the sin in your life? Do you believe that Jesus is your only hope if you are to be an overcomer? Do you believe that Jesus will help you cease from liking whatever sin it is that you may be holding on to? Are you tired of playing Catholicism with your Adventism? If you can answer “yes” to the preceding questions, Brother or Sister, there is hope! But you and I must be willing to put it all on the altar of the Lord. We must be willing to agonize, if need be, in order to overcome. As Christ overcame through this agonizing in the garden, so we too must travel this road. Remember, God is not building for just a moment but for eternity.

There are three identifying marks of the remnant church. We hear of two quite often but we need to understand the third much more than we seem to. The last church will keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy. But this is not all. The last church also will have the faith OF Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to have the faith OF Jesus Christ? It means that the people who comprise the last church, the only church that’s going through, will have the same faith that Jesus had. This faith is much more than a profession of belief. This faith believes with the total soul. It’s THE faith that the entire universe possesses. This is the only faith that entrusts itself completely and totally to the Heavenly Father. It is total trust, total commitment, total partnership with the Creator. This faith is the secret ingredient, and the only one, that will ensure total victory. This living faith will, for eternity, bar sin from ever returning to God’s expansive domain. Only those who obtain this faith will be trusted with the responsibilities of the faithful. The wonderful, wonderful news of Adventism is that all of heaven is active in giving us all the help we need to make the faith of Jesus our own, if we want it more than anything else. But we must want it just as much as Jesus wanted it. We must want it enough to lay down our own lives for the Father, for he that loses his life for My sake, Jesus said, shall find it.

DA 667: “As yet the disciples were unacquainted with the Saviour’s UNLIMITED RESOURCES AND POWER. He said to them, ‘Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name. ’ (John 16: 24.) He explained that the secret of their success would be in asking for strength and grace in His name. He would be present before the Father to make request for them. The prayer of the humble suppliant He presents as His own desire in that soul’s behalf. Every sincere prayer is heard in heaven. It may not be fluently expressed; but if the heart is in it, it will ascend to the sanctuary where Jesus ministers, and He will present it to the Father without one awkward, stammering word, beautiful and fragrant with the incense of His own perfection.”

If we are honestly seeking to follow God’s will, although we may not know how to ask properly, Jesus takes our personal requests upon Himself and presents them in such a manner that the Father is pleased to grant to us the blessing sought.

DA 667- 8: “ ‘In My name, ’ Christ bade His disciples pray. In Christ’s name His followers are to stand before God. Through the value of the sacrifice made for them, they are of value in the Lord’s sight. Because of the imputed righteousness of Christ they are accounted precious. For Christ’s sake the Lord pardons those that fear Him. He does not see in them the vileness of the sinner. He recognizes in them the likeness of His Son, in whom they believe.

“The Lord is disappointed when His people place a low estimate upon themselves. He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them, else He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to redeem them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they make the very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His name. They may expect large things if they have faith in His promises.

“But to pray in Christ’s name means much. It means that we are to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works. The Saviour’s promise is given on condition. ‘If ye love Me, ’ He says, ‘keep My commandments. ’ He saves men, NOT IN SIN, BUT FROM SIN; and those who love Him will show their love by obedience.

“All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart- work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.

“AS CHRIST LIVED THE LAW IN HUMANITY, SO WE MAY DO if we will take hold of the Strong for strength.”

It is true that we are not to be proud and selfish. We are to esteem others better than ourselves, as well. But the fact that heaven paid such a high price for our redemption should help us to realize that we are valued highly in the eyes of the Father. Have you ever had a friend who you KNEW valued you? You had been through a lot together, perhaps, and your friendship had stood the test. As a matter of fact, on reflection about some of the hard times, you have come to realize that these times helped to cement the relationship even more. This is how God feels about you, my friend. It is hard to explain the love of God, but He has proven to us this love is real.

The Father is not looking for people who have learned to follow a set of do’s and don’ts. The majority have been taught that God is lurking somewhere, everywhere, just waiting to pounce on them when they sin or even make mistakes. With this belief, is it any wonder that the requirements of God seem negative to most Christians? What the Father is really “lurking” around for is to find someone to appreciate Him, just as we would a true friend who has done much for us. God will have a people who finally realize their Best Friend has paid the supreme sacrifice because He so much wants them to be with Him. With this belief in tact, they will understand rightly that they are so much in His debt, they will literally do anything for Him. And this is exactly what they will be doing for eternity. Eternity with God will be living with your Best Friend forever.

Those who are saved out of this last generation, and especially the 144,000, will understand this love relationship better than any other generation before it. True obedience can never come from a heart that HAS to do what the Lord says. True obedience comes from a heart that WANTS to do what the Lord says because that heart wants to please their Best Friend.

DA 669: “When for the truth’s sake the believer stands at the bar of unrighteous tribunals, Christ stands by his side. All the reproaches that fall upon him, fall upon Christ. Christ is condemned over again in the person of His disciple. When one is incarcerated in prison walls, Christ ravishes the heart with His love.”

When the battle really heats up, as it surely will, the Lord has promised to bring the needed help. We are not to be concerned about this, for “Circumstances may separate us from every earthly friend; but no circumstance, no distance, can separate us from the heavenly Comforter. Wherever we are, wherever we may go, He is always at our right hand to support, sustain, uphold, and cheer” (DA 670).

Already we are seeing examples of how family members and many in the structure follow the mandates of the leadership to shun or ignore the true and the faithful. We are now getting glimpses of our own future, Brothers and Sisters. The treatment of those who are preaching and standing for the plain truth is but a prelude of worse, much worse abuses to come. But Jesus has promised that though these things would happen and all would forsake us, as they forsook Him, He would NEVER leave us.

DA 670: “Jesus had opened before His disciples a vast tract of truth. BUT IT WAS MOST DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO KEEP HIS LESSONS DISTINCT FROM THE TRADITIONS AND MAXIMS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. THEY HAD BEEN EDUCATED TO ACCEPT THE TEACHING OF THE RABBIS AS THE VOICE OF GOD, AND IT STILL HELD A POSER OVER THEIR MINDS, AND MOLDED THEIR SENTIMENTS. Earthly ideas, temporal things, still had a large place in their thoughts. They did not understand the spiritual nature of Christ’s kingdom, though He had so often explained it to them. Their minds had become confused. They did not comprehend the value of the scriptures Christ presented. Many of His lessons seemed almost lost upon them.”

When I read this statement, I thought how nothing, absolutely nothing has changed since two thousand years ago. The trouble in Christ’s day and the trouble in our own is the same. I looked up four key words in the quotation and thought it very interesting. The word “maxims” — rules of conduct written in precise form. I thought about the “church” manual immediately. “Scribes” — official writers, copyists, editors. I immediately thought of the Review. “Pharisees” — (leaders) who insisted on the validity of the tradition of the Elders. I immediately thought about Conference Committees who enforce “commandments” by opinion or popular vote — putting man’s opinion above God’s requirements. “Sentiments” — a mental attitude or response to a person, subject or idea conditional entirely by feeling instead of reason. I knew this was speaking of the reason the “church” is in so much trouble. People are acting upon feeling instead of principle. After looking up these words, I put the above quotation into the modern day language and this is how it reads:

Jesus had opened before His Independent Leaders a vast tract of truth. But it was most difficult for them to keep His lessons distinct from the traditions and church manual and writings of the Review and Conference. They had been educated by these same people to accept the teaching of the Conference as the voice of God, and it still held a power over their minds and molded their feelings.

Of course, this was before the upper room experience but it demonstrates all too well just the situation in which most Adventists find themselves. Most Adventists are placing their confidence in the wrong place. Most Adventists are confused and are having a difficult time taking God at His Word. Most Adventists have been educated by the Conference Leaders to accept whatever they say as the voice of God. But here is what the prophet has to say about that:

“… We hear that the voice of the Conference is the voice of God, but IT IS NOT, because some in connection with it are not men of faith and prayer, they are not men of elevated principle.” (Manuscript Release # 365).

Two thousand years ago the disciples and the general populace of the “church” had some real problems with Jesus because they had been educated by their Conference Leaders to believe that the Conference was the voice of God. When Jesus tried to show them the truth, they were confused and upset that Jesus had such an apparent disregard for that which was sacred to them. Nonetheless, Jesus forged ahead with the work of re- educating the people who would listen.

The Conference was on one side and Jesus on the other. The Conference was telling the people that Christ was a liar and an imposter. They were telling the people that the “church” was going through. Of course, the people automatically equated the church with the Conference because of the way they had been taught by these men. Their sentiments (feelings) had been molded in such a fashion as to effectively block the work of Christ.

Today, the exact same thing is happening throughout the ranks of Adventism. The sentiments of the people are the same as in former days. The confusion is also the same, as well as the effectiveness of the Conference. But in former times, not all the people stayed confused. There were some who finally took Jesus at His word. It was (as it is now) these who went through; not the Conference. It was these who were the REAL church that went through and Biblical history dictates these facts. The Conference is NOT the church! God’s church is made up of people who follow Him; not traditions and maxims of Scribes and Pharisees who don’t follow Him.

It was not Christ’s purpose to be at odds with the very system He had raised up. Christ came to save the lost and make salvation sure for all those who would except His truth. But here’s where the rub comes in. Christ ended up at odds with the counter system because it stood directly in the way of His real purpose, which was saving people. The Conference of His day was leading the people contrary to His Father’s will and hence not to heaven, but to hell. This left Christ with no choice but to oppose this corrupt Conference.

Most of us who find ourselves in the exact position of Christ’s day have not purposed in life to be at odds with the system that Christ has raised up. We want to do the same work that Christ did and has called us to do which is bringing the truth of salvation to the people. But the Conference is standing directly in the way of truth. The modern Conference, like the ancient one, is leading the people contrary to the Father’s will and hence not to heaven, but to hell. This leaves us with no choice but to oppose this corrupt Conference. They may be proclaiming, “The church is going through.” But, as in the old days, they mean that the Conference is going through. Frankly, we know better because the principles of God have not changed since two thousand years ago. We understand that the same history WILL, without a doubt, bring the same result.

I realize the process of which I speak is sometimes painful and upsetting. It’s hard for us to change and come to some of these realizations. As the disciples said, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” But Jesus understands this all too well and He will help us if we seek it. If we don’t, we will never come to understand — “We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.” (1 SM 37).

Whether we like it, whether we admit it, whether we choose to deal with — we are living in the mirror image of Christ’s day, His first coming. The situation is the same and our choices, as in the days of old, will determine not so much IF the church is going through, but IF we are in THE church that does!

Dear friends, I would never ask you to take my word for this. That’s what led most Ancient Adventists into trouble and that’s what is causing the trouble now — people taking a man at his word. The Bible says that the only way to prove things is to the law and to the testimony. Please don’t take any man’s word, but rather study to show yourself approved. This is our only safety. We can have confidence that Jesus is still leading and through the Holy Spirit, guide you into all truth, if this truly is your desire.

DA 671: “The Comforter is called ‘the Spirit of truth. ’ His work is to define and maintain the truth. He first dwells in the heart as the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There is comfort and peace in the truth, but no real peace or comfort can be found in falsehood. IT IS THROUGH FALSE THEORIES AND TRADITIONS THAT SATAN GAINS HIS POWER OVER THE MIND. BY DIRECTING MEN TO FALSE STANDARDS, HE MISSHAPES THE CHARACTER. Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself.”

Can you comprehend these words, Brothers and Sisters? Jesus is showing us how the deception comes. He is showing us not only how and why the Conference of His day rejected him but how and why we are living in the parallel time. Twenty years ago the Religious Liberty Department of the Seventh- day Adventist Church warned the Church to keep the Charismatic Movement OUT of the system! Now the Charismatic Movement is well received. We know it as the Celebration Movement. As a matter of fact, at this writing, one of the “king- pins” who helped to bring this whole movement into the Adventist system just got a call to the General Conference, coming from Oregon Conference. “By directing men to false standards, he misshapes the character.”

Through the New Theology and the Church Manual, Satan gains his power over the mind. This IS exactly what has happened in the structure and why it won’t go through. Oh, some, perhaps many, will say that I can’t possibly know what I am speaking about. After all, as defective as it is, the Lord has promised that the church is going through. What I fear that most do not realize are two things of premier importance. God’s promises to anyone, or any organization or any nation are always based on obedience. The one who expects the promise to come true is expected to hold to his end of the contract. Also, you have to realize what God’s church is. How will we know what His church is? Well the study that you are now doing in Desire of Ages is a good place to find out. It is in the inspired words which tell the history of our forefathers where the secret lies. Why do you suppose Jesus has been so particular in having these things written? Why do you think the Bible plainly says these things were written down for those whom the end of the Earth comes upon? These are not cunningly devised fables or just bedtime stories. Our very existence depends on our acceptance of God’s Word as it is stated. It is not God Who is trying to deceive us, but men. What we have such a hard time accepting is that “we have far more to fear from within than without.” It is inside the system we must fear the enemy the most. And if we look at the past with candor and an honest seeking for truth, we shall learn the lessons Christ desires us to know and which we must know.

DA 671: “The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this Satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. CHRIST HAS GIVEN HIS SPIRIT AS A DIVINE POWER TO OVERCOME ALL HEREDITARY AND CULTIVATED TENDENCIES TO EVIL, AND TO IMPRESS HIS OWN CHARACTER UPON HIS CHURCH.”

For forty centuries the power of evil had steadily strengthened before Jesus came the first time. It has now been sixty centuries and we are told the days in which we live are worse then when Jesus was here. Two thousand years ago, did the church that claimed to be THE church take on Christ’s character? Did the Ancient Adventist Conference? Was THAT Conference, which made the exact same profession that the modern- day Conference is now making, THE church? Is the same question directed at the current Conference any less valid simply because it lays at our own door? Who is God’s church? The Conference which refuses the high standards of Heaven or those who accept the character of Christ and become overcomers?

DA 672: “Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples. But like EVERY OTHER PROMISE, IT IS GIVEN ON CONDITION. There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord’s promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit God works in His people ‘to will and to do of His good pleasure. ’ (Phil. 2: 13.) BUT MANY WILL NOT SUBMIT TO THIS. THEY WANT TO MANAGE THEMSELVES. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift. Only to those who wait humbly upon God, who watch for His guidance and grace, is the Spirit given. The power of God awaits their demand and reception. THIS PROMISED BLESSING, CLAIMED BY FAITH, BRINGS ALL OTHER BLESSINGS IN ITS TRAIN. It is given according to the riches of the grace of Christ, and He is ready to supply every soul according to the capacity to receive.”

Those who claim to be “Christians” but continue to rule on the throne instead of God will come to their end. Their kingdom will perish. It is only by having the faith of Jesus (perfect trust in God) that God’s true and faithful can and will receive the blessings of the Early and Latter Rain.

In the gift of the early rain, all other blessings will follow in their train. God’s people will realize the gift of character perfection and become the reflection of Jesus. They will share in the experience of the overcomer and will at last be free indeed! The fruits of the Spirit will be seen in the character, not one missing. Heaven’s work for this people will be accomplished. God has promised, this WILL happen! There’s no question about it. The question is, will you and I choose to be a part of this experience?

In the blessing of the latter rain the fourth angel will combine his power with the third angel’s message, giving it convincing persuasion on the heart of the recipient. Those who have been totally engaged in the work of the early rain will be privileged at the time of the latter rain to bring others to the feet of Jesus. During Pentecost thousands were converted in a day! “These scenes are to be repeated, and with greater power. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was the former rain, but the latter rain will be more abundant. The Spirit awaits our demand and reception. Christ is again to be revealed in His fullness by the Holy Spirit’s power. Men will discern the value of the precious pearl, and with the apostle Paul they will say, ‘What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. ’” (COL 121, Phil. 3: 7,8.)

DA 675: “Israel had been represented as a vine which God had planted in the promised land. The Jews based their hope of salvation on THE FACT OF THEIR CONNECTION WITH ISRAEL. But Jesus says, I am the real Vine. Think not that through a connection with Israel you may become partakers of the life of God, and inheritors of His promise. Through Me alone is spiritual life received.”

The Jews (Ancient Adventists) based their hope of salvation on the fact their church had been handpicked by God. It was true that God had handpicked their church. It was also true that this same God was now standing directly in front of them, telling them plainly that they were lost unless they followed Him. Today, the Adventists (modern Jews, spiritually speaking) are claiming that their salvation is sure because their church was handpicked by God. It is true that God handpicked the Adventist church. It is also true that this same God is now for the last time, through His Word and the Spirit of Prophecy, standing directly in front of US, telling US plainly that we are lost unless we follow Him. It is ONLY by following Jesus that we are saved, not by following an apostate Conference. Our connection with “Israel” will not get us into heaven.

DA 675: “Many were attracted by the beauty of this Vine, and declared its heavenly origin. But to the LEADERS IN ISRAEL it appeared as a root out of a dry ground. They took the plant, and bruised it, and trampled it under their unholy feet. Their thought was to destroy it forever. But the heavenly husbandman never lost sight of His plant. After men thought they had killed it, He took it, and replanted it on the other side of the wall. The vine- stock was to be no longer visible. It was hidden from the rude assaults of men. But the branches of the Vine hung over the wall. They were to represent the Vine. Through them grafts might still be united to the Vine. From them fruit has been obtained. There has been a harvest which the passers- by have plucked.”

The Ancient Adventist Conference Leaders bruised, beat, and killed the Vine Stock (Jesus). The Father took Him back unto Himself and Jesus commissioned His Independent Leaders to bring His message of life to all who would listen. First to the Jews and then to the Gentiles was this message given. All who studied these things and believed the Ancient Independent Leaders came into the light of truth. Those who were faithful were saved although the Ancient Adventist Conference was lost.

DA 675: “Though He was about to be removed from them, their spiritual union with Him was to be unchanged. The connection of the branch with the vine, He said, represents the relation you are to sustain to Me. The scion is engrafted into the living vine, and fiber by fiber, vein by vein, it grows into the vine- stock. The life of the vine becomes the life of the branch. So the soul dead in trespasses and sins receives life through connection with Christ. By faith in Him as a personal Saviour the union is formed. The sinner unites his weakness to Christ’s strength, his emptiness to Christ’s fullness, his frailty to Christ’s enduring might. Then he has the mind of Christ. The humanity of Christ has touched our humanity, and our humanity has touched divinity. Thus through the agency of the Holy Spirit man becomes a partaker of the divine nature. He is accepted in the Beloved.”

We are accepted by the Father only if we, by our own free choice, are grafted into His Vine, Jesus Christ. When this happens, the life of the Stock becomes the life of the branch. The fruit comes from the Stock and is exemplified in the branch. Christ’s victory becomes our own.

DA 676: “This union with Christ, once formed, MUST BE MAINTAINED. Christ said, ‘Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. ’ This is no casual touch, NO OFF- AND- ON CONNECTION. The branch becomes a part of the living vine. The communication of life, strength, and fruitfulness from the root to the branches is unobstructed and constant. Separated from the vine, the branch cannot live. No more, said Jesus, can you live apart from Me. The life you have received from Me can be preserved only by continual communion. Without Me you cannot overcome one sin, or resist one temptation.”

When anyone preaches a message that is anything short of what upholds total victory through the power of Jesus Christ, utilizing justification and sanctification, you may know that he is a false shepherd. The generation that is now in power to a great extent in the Adventist system is that generation that has always rebelled against authority. It was educated to do the precise work of destroying the moral fiber of Christianity. It believes, “if it feels good, do it!” The power structure of the Adventist system has shifted from one that paid attention to the high standards of God’s moral government to no standard, that of the world. This is why the Leaders are acting from policy in the place of principle. But I can assure you on the authority of inspiration that entrance into God’s kingdom will never be based on Conference Committee vote! Whether or not we choose to take God’s standard serious, He does! This and this alone will determine our entrance into His kingdom or the barring of us from it. God HATES sin and He is NOT going to allow anyone off this planet who will continue to pollute His creative work. He sets before us life and death. It may not be popular with the “now” generation, but soon enough it will be realized that the “now” generation will be the extinct generation! For one, I do not wish to be a part of the “now” generation. How about you? Wouldn’t you rather be popular with God than man if it has to be that way?

DA 676: “So long as the soul is united to Christ, there is no danger that it will wither or decay. …

“When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our life; not one will be missing.”

The precious news of true Adventism is, it matters not what background we have. It makes no difference who our parents are or what they stood for or didn’t stand for. It is not of supreme importance if they have German, Irish, Italian, Hispanic or African blood running through their veins. If we give ourselves over to Christ, the victory that He has gained for us will be ours. It is not excuses for our lack of faith that will be heard, but exercises in our faith that will be seen by those who see Jesus in us.

DA 676: “ ‘… Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away. ’ While the graft is outwardly united with the vine, there may be no vital connection. Then there will be no growth or fruitfulness. So there may be an apparent connection with Christ, without a real union with Him by faith. A profession of religion places men in the church, but the character and conduct show whether they are in connection with Christ. If they bear no fruit, they are false branches. Their separation from Christ involves a ruin as complete as that represented by the dead branch.”

Many, many Adventists have been taught that the fruits spoken of above indicate the number of people we have influenced into being baptized into the “church.” This is incorrect. The fruits spoken of are primarily the fruits of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 13, and the fruits of obedience. Personal character development with all the fruits of the Spirit, active and vibrant, is the evidence that we are co- laborers with Christ.

DA 678: “This love is the evidence of their discipleship. ‘By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, ’ said Jesus, ‘if ye have love one to another. ’ When men are bound together, not by force or self- interest, but by love, they show the working of an influence that is above every human influence. Where this oneness exists, it is evidence that the image of God is being restored in humanity, that a new principle of life has been implanted. It shows that there is power in the divine nature to withstand that supernatural agencies of evil, and that the grace of God subdues the selfishness inherent in the natural heart.”

The love for the truth and love for the salvation of souls creates the unity among His people that Christ prayed for. This Satan hates, and his agents, those who refuse this love and converting power of the gospel, will intensify the persecution until the end. Some of the most flagrant demonstrations of hatred will come from those within the “church.”

DA 678: “This love, manifested in the church, will surely stir the wrath of Satan. Christ did not mark out for His disciples an easy path. ‘If the world hate you. ’ He said, ‘ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for My name’s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me. ’ THE GOSPEL IS TO BE CARRIED FORWARD BY AGGRESSIVE WARFARE, IN THE MIDST OF OPPOSITION, PERIL, LOSS, AND SUFFERING. BUT THOSE WHO DO THIS WORK ARE ONLY FOLLOWING IN THE MASTER’S STEPS.”

Now are you sure you want to be just like Jesus? Many do not as yet comprehend or quite believe that there was war in Heaven. They do not realize that the way to eternal bliss is blocked by the devil and that we will have to overthrow him as Christ did to seize the promised land. There is NO OTHER WAY for this last generation but through this terrible struggle. We especially who have been spoiled by “civilization” are at a great disadvantage. If we are to gain the eternal prize at all, it will only be by aggressive warfare in the midst of opposition, peril, loss, and suffering. But praise the Lord! He has traveled this road before us and He knows the way to safety. If you want Him to guide you through this wilderness on to the promised land, you must be willing to follow Him wherever He leads. Are you willing?

DA 679- 80: “It is His purpose that the highest influence in the universe, emanating from the source of all power, shall be theirs. They are to have power to resist evil, power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master, power that will enable them to overcome as Christ overcame.

“Christ designs that heaven’s order, heaven’s plan of government, heaven’s divine harmony, shall be represented in His church on earth. Thus in His people He is glorified. Through them the Sun of Righteousness will shine in undimmed luster to the world. Christ has given to His church ample facilities, that He may receive a large revenue of glory from His redeemed, purchased possession. He has bestowed upon His people capabilities and blessings that they may represent His own sufficiency. The church, endowed with the righteousness of Christ, in His depositary, in which the riches of His mercy, His grace, and His love, are to appear in full and final display. Christ looks upon His people in their purity and perfection, as the reward of His humiliation, and the supplement of His glory,– Christ, the great Center, from whom radiates all glory.”

If you are convinced that what you are reading above is inspiration, then this has to be read as more than just a statement of purpose. It is also a promise of what church Christ will present before the universe and to the Father. We MUST decide if we will be a part of this church or not. This is our opportunity to do something in return for Him who gave us His all. Those who submit fully to Jesus will be to Him the long awaited reward. Then all His suffering and sacrifice will have been worth it. His heart will be satisfied.

DA 680: “As a consecrated high priest He intercedes for His people. As a faithful shepherd He gathers His flock under the shadow of the Almighty, in the strong and sure refuge. For Him there waits the last battle with Satan, and He goes forth to meet it.”

In the faithful of the Lord — the ONE AND ONLY true church of God — lies the last great battle between Christ and Satan. Those who develop a pure love for Christ will not desert Him because it costs them something. To the contrary! They firmly and resolutely engage in the warfare with one purpose — to vindicate the character of God.

Copyright © 1999 Servants of the Saviour
Terry & Cathy Ross

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements and Forward
Chapter 1 Desire of Ages — Chapter 63
Chapter 2 Desire of Ages — Chapter 64
Chapter 3 Desire of Ages — Chapter 65
Chapter 4 Desire of Ages — Chapters 66 & 67
Chapter 5 Desire of Ages — Chapters 68 & 69
Chapter 6 Desire of Ages — Chapters 70, 71 & 72
Chapter 7 Desire of Ages — Chapter 73
Chapter 8 Desire of Ages — Chapters 74 & 75
Chapter 9 Desire of Ages — Chapters 76 & 77
Chapter 10 Desire of Ages — Chapter 78

None Dare Call It Apostasy, Part II

Dr. Ralph Larson

Introduction

Since many have asked, the following is a statement that was prepared by Elder Ralph Larson to present to the “Prex- Ad” Council of the Pacific Union Conference on February 18, 1992. This is a group of about twenty administrators of conferences, colleges, hospitals and ethnic groups who consult together before meeting with the Union Committee.

Although Dr. Larson had been told that he would be given thirty minutes and had prepared his paper accordingly, he was cut off when fifteen minutes had passed and was told that the administrators could read the rest of the paper later. Yet the council made their decision to affirm their denial of his honorary ministerial credentials after Dr. and Mrs. Larson left the room, apparently without waiting to read the paper, a tragic lack of due process.

This information is being shared, not for purposes of malice or revenge, but so that others may understand what actually was said and what they may possibly encounter when placed in similar circumstances. Our trust must be wholly in the Lord and in His truth, and we must firmly resolve to stand for the right though the heavens fall.

Part two

We come before you today because we understand from the Lord’s counsels that this is our Christian duty. We are sure all would recognize that a hearing conducted after judgment regarding my credentials has already been made, would not be described as justice in any judicial system in the world. We find this principle expressed in the question put to the Pharisees by Nicodemus: “Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” John7: 51.

In our situation, the answer would appear to be, yes, it does. More troubling still, to those who are concerned about the principles of fairness, is the fact that this group is not the proper body to either conduct a hearing or make judgment regarding my case. Proper procedures would have required a hearing

We would do well to remember that in every’ judicial proceeding, not only is the accused on trial, but the court is also on trial.

before the Union Conference Committee, which has been empowered to issue credentials, and that such a hearing have been conducted before judgment was made.

And there is yet another cloud over these proceedings. Elder Castillo wrote to me:

“At our past Union Executive Committee, it was voted to deny your honorary ministerial credential.”

Yet, four members of the committee have stated that my name was not mentioned in their meeting, and so was neither discussed nor voted upon. Elder Mostert, while conceding that the minutes contain no record of an action denying my credentials, told me over the phone that my name was placed before the executive committee and the reasons for denying my credentials were fully explained. He suggested that the four committee members might have all happened to be out of the room at that particular time.

In any case, it would seem that basic principles of fairness would require that if a minister who has given his life to the service of the church, whose life and character have never been questioned, whose theology and preaching is the same as that presented in Seventh- day Adventists Believe, and whose ministry has resulted in more than five thousand persons being added to the church by baptism, is to be denied honorary ministerial credentials, this should be properly done by a duly authorized body, and the action and reasons for it should be fully and specifically stated in the committee records and announced to the church. This would, of course, require that a hearing be conducted before a decision is made, and that the accused be provided an opportunity to face his accusers and respond to their accusations.

This proper procedure has not been followed. Yet the editors of Ministry magazine have quickly seized upon the action that was taken, and in spite of the grievous irregularities, announced to its world- wide constituency that my credentials had been denied. Since no reason has been given, speculation is now arising as to whether I have been found guilty of financial fraud or gross immorality. Questions of this nature are reaching us and are very troubling, not only to us but also to our two children who are workers in God’s cause. We do not believe the Lord appreciates this manner of dealing with one who has rendered Him a lifetime of service and whose present problem is simply that he has been found defending the principles of our faith as set forth in the book Seventh- day Adventists Believe.

We would do well to remember that in every judicial proceeding, not only is the accused on trial, but the court is also on trial. We do not believe that you ~‘ gentlemen have served yourselves well by the manner in which you have dealt with this case. Neither have you served well the church or the Lord. We believe this group has a moral responsibility to set this matter right, and it should be done now, not after my death, as in the case of Elder M. L. Andreason. We believe I am entitled to a fair trial regarding my theology and ministry before the Union Executive Committee. If that committee, after a fair trial has been conducted, votes to deny my credentials, we believe a full statement of the specific reasons for that action should be made, and the statement published in Ministry magazine.

But now may we suggest that we lift our eyes from the individual tree we have been examining and spend a few moments considering the forest as a whole. it is apparent that there is division in the church. We would like to offer a few thoughts regarding:

Division: Its Nature, Its Causes, and Its Cure.

Division is most easily defined as the opposite of unity. We all believe that unity in the church is precious. It is priceless. Unity was the great burden of the last recorded prayer of Jesus for His disciples (John 17). Unity was what made possible the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Unity was one of the major factors that gave power to the Seventh- day Adventist Church as it emerged from the Millerite Movement.

What is the basis of this precious unity? Paul calls it “the unity of the faith” Ephesians 4: 13. He further describes it as “speaking the truth in love,” verse 15, and indicates that those who have this unity of the faith will not be “carried about with every wind of doctrine” verse 14.

Ellen White describes the search for unity in 1844:

“We would come together burdened in soul, praying that we might be one in faith and doctrine; for we knew that Christ is not divided” TM 24. [All emphasis supplied.]

Their prayers were answered. They did become one in faith and doctrine, and they bestowed that legacy of unity upon us. Our church has enjoyed a phenomenal degree of unity throughout most of its history. We who have spent years in soul- winning work have found it an enormous advantage to be able

“No one has any Independent authority apart from Christ and His word” SDA‘s Believe 146.

to tell our converts they were uniting with a worldwide church that had a oneness in faith and doctrine over all the earth.

But notice how God has warned us through His messenger that unity must be based upon faith and doctrine:

“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 fulse, misleading . . . . I urge our brethren to unify upon a true, scriptural basis” 1 SM 175.

“We are to unify, but not on a platform of error” Series B, “Freedom in Christ” 47. Our church has not unified upon a platform of error, but upon a platform of truth. Our doctrines have been the foundation of our unity, but if wrong doctrines are introduced, causing the foundation of truth to crumble, we will struggle in vain to preserve our unity. The wise man does not build his house upon the sand.

At various times in the history of Christianity, there have arisen tensions between Christians who had differing views of what constitutes sound declines. Instead of meeting this problem on the theological level, church officials have sometimes tried to resolve it on the basis of church authority. This has never been and never will be successful. Ecclesiology must be derived from theology. Theology cannot be derived from ecclesiology, lest it degenerate into ecclesiolatry.

Our doctrinal book states: “Christ exercises His authority through His church and its specially appointed servants, but He never transfers His power. No one has any independent authority apart from Christ and His word’ SDA ‘s Believe 146.

“Whatever the church does that is in accordance with the directions given in God’s Word will be ratified in heaven” 7T 263.

“The church . . . . must say about sin what God says about it. She must deal with it as God directs, and her action is ratified in heaven” DA 806.

This brings us immediately and specifically to the heart of our present problem. There is a wide- spread and rapidly growing conviction among many church members, especially in the North American Division, Australia and Europe, that some of our church leaders are emphatically not saying about sin what God says about It, but rather are saying that we will all keep on sinning until Jesus comes, at which time He will miraculously fix us so we will never sin again. This makes our sanctuary doctrine nonsensical and invalidates the Spirit of Prophecy, which repeatedly endorses the sanctuary doctrine.

These concerned church members recognize that this strange new doctrine is out of harmony with our historic faith, out of harmony with the Scriptures, and out of harmony with the Spirit of Prophecy in which there are literally thousands of statements affirming the reality of victorious Christian living, and at least forty- eight warnings against the idea that Christ will change our characters when He comes. (See our Tell of His Power.)

This is manifestly a theological problem, and it needs to be dealt with on a theological level. Church members do not see this as a minor issue. They see it as one which vitally concerns their eternal salvation. But when they question or challenge this strange new doctrine and ask, “Why is the church not saying about sin what God says about it as stated in Seventh- day Adventists Believe?” they often find, to their bewilderment, that they are accused of being divisive trouble- makers who are attacking the church.

More tragically still, the response of church officialdom to questions, appeals, and protests, consistently reflects a desire to ignore the theological dimensions of the problem and to issue appeals for unity, supported by stem admonitions about the authority of the church. Within the last thirty days I received a letter from a conference president which said frankly, “Most of my response will be from a practical point of view, rather than a theological approach,” yet the matter at hand was theological in nature.

Thus we see a tension between a concept of truth and a concept of church authority. When the disciples of Jesus were summoned to appear before the Sanhedrin, they went gladly, anticipating an opportunity to express their convictions of truth about Jesus. They found, however, that the Sanhedrin proposed one question only, Do you submit to our authority?

Result— the church was split.

When Martin Luther and his companions were summoned to appear before the emperor, they also went gladly, hoping for a discussion of the principles of scriptural truth. But they were confronted with the same question, Do you submit to our authority? Result— the church was split.

Today we find ourselves caught up in a similar situation, and we may well reflect about the past. It has been said that those who cannot learn from history are condemned to repeat history. Surely the lesson of history is clear that theological questions must be

There is a wide- spread and rapidly growing conviction. . . that some of our church leaders are emphatically not saying about sin what God says about it.

given theological answers, and that unity will result if the theological answers are sound and persuasive because they bear up well under scriptural investigation. The introduction of false doctrines into our platform of truth cannot but bring division. Fair- minded people everywhere will judge that the division is caused by those who introduce changes in our theology, not by those who prefer to maintain our historic theology unchanged.

It cannot be denied that, in a certain sense, truth is divisive. Note the words of Jesus on this point:

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter- in- law against her mother- in- law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” Matthew 10: 34- 36.

When truth and error meet, division may be the result, but should we blame the division on those who teach the truth?

This leads us to the questions of responsibility and guilt Jesus unquestionably created division when He came to this earth. But was this wrong? Should He have stayed in heaven in order to avoid creating division? Would the unity that might have resulted been desirable? Clearly the apostles created division wherever they went. But again we ask, Was this wrong? Would it have been better for them to have hushed their voices for the sake of unity?

One of the most bitter accusations hurled at us as a people has been that by preaching the Sabbath we created division among Christians. But has this been wrong and has not the accusation of divisiveness been hurled at all reformers? We read in Signs of the Times, January 28, 1886:

“Reformers of the present day will meet with the same discouragements as did their Master.”

Neither is there anything new about the same, strange misjudgment we meet today: “When controversy is awakened, the advocates of truth are accredited with causing disturbance” ST, 10- 17- 95.

The following counsel is timely: “Now as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves the sins and errors of the times will excite opposition…. Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel, Jeremiah a traitor, Paul a polluter of the temple. From that day to this, those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced as seditious, heretical, or schismatic…. This spirit will increase more and more. . . .

“In view of this, what is the duty of the messenger of truth? Shall he conclude that the truth ought not to be presented, since often its only effect is to arouse men to evade or resist its claims? No; he has no more reason for withholding the testimony of God’s word, because it excites opposition, than had earlier Reformers” GC 458- 459.

When truth and error meet, division may be the result, but should we blame the division on those who teach the truth?

Several months ago we received an urgent request to conduct a seminar in a church in this Union. The people there had many questions, which we answered from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. As we were leaving, they gave us a tape and suggested we listen to it on the way home.

The tape turned out to be a message that had been presented to them by their conference president a few weeks before our visit. On several points, he had told them the exact opposite of what we had shown them. Here is a sampling of the president’s opinion regarding perfection of character.

“Is it not extremely discouraging to us to discover, as we look back through the annals of history, to discover [sic] that no one except Jesus has ever reached that perfect standard, at least so far as we know? If Jesus is the only one so far who has reached that perfect standard, it doesn’t give us a great deal of encouragement, does it, to be able to accomplish what the great spiritual giants of the past were not able to accomplish.”

We, of course, had known nothing about this, so we had walked right into trouble. We had shown them our research report entitled Tell of His Power, which contains 2,500 statements from Ellen White’s writings, all of which strongly affirm the possibility of character perfection through the power of Christ. Worse yet, we had shown them a chapter in our book which records 48 warnings from Ellen White that there will be no change of character when Christ comes. We had also shown them a chapter which contains 37 statements from Ellen White regarding persons who have achieved character perfection. Jesus was not the only one, according to the Lord’s messenger. Her list of champions includes the patriarchs, the apostles, Enoch, Elijah, Joseph, Daniel and John. She writes:

“Souls that have borne the likeness of Satan have become transformed into the image of God” AA 476.

“Thousands have set the Lord before them, and by beholding have been changed into the same image” COL 133- 134.

“Some few in every generation from Adam resisted his (Satan’s) every artifice and stood forth as noble representations of what it was in the power of man to do and to be— Christ working with human efforts, helping man in overcoming the power of Satan” RH 3- 3- 74.

“In every phase of your character building you are to please God. This you may do; for Enoch pleased Him though living in a degenerate age. And there are Enochs in this our day” COL 332.

This is only a sampling. We had shown them many other Spirit of Prophecy passages that could not be harmonized with the opinions of the president. As we were driving along and listening to the tape, Jeanne turned to me and said, “This is it, Ralph. This is going to cost you your credentials.”

So— on that day we began to prepare our minds for the experience through which we are now passing. Yet, what else could we have done? Should we have

Elder Mostert wrote me a letter which began with these words:
“I despair with you over the fact that so many of our church members are finding It necessary to turn to independent ministries in order to hear basic Adventist teaching. ”

withheld the truth from the people in order to protect our position? No doubt the president’s visit, followed by ours, created some division of thought in that district Who is responsible for that division? What would be a fair judgment? And what would be God’s judgment?

We are not suggesting that this is the only dynamic working in the situation. We had earlier incurred the displeasure of the officers of the Division. Elders Bradford, Crumley and Dale had asked Dr. Frank Holbrook of the Biblical Research Institute to prepare a theological rationale to be used against independent ministry leaders. This paper was then sent to Ron Spear, along with warnings that he must submit to the authority of the church.

But, unfortunately, Dr. Holbrook had spread his net in such a manner that the first victim would have been Elder Bradford himself. After comparing independent ministry leaders with the rebel Satan and the rebels Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Dr. Holbrook had set forth two theological aberrations that called for disfellowshipping members from the church, views we historic Adventists hold regarding 1) the human nature of Christ, and 2) righteousness by faith.

When this paper came into my hands, I wrote to the Division leadership, pointing out that on November 16, 1988, Elder Bradford had written a letter to me containing the following lines:

. . . . my views on the human nature of Christ are almost identical with some that you and others have expressed. I have preached them at large gatherings and camp meetings around the world.”

This is precisely the fault for which Dr. Holbrook had recommended disfellowshipping— holding a “wrong” view about the human nature of Christ and disturbing church members in other countries about it. He had also argued that our view regarding righteousness by faith is not in the book Seventh- day Adventists Believe. It is actually stated in that book 140 times!

I pointed these things out in a letter to the officers of the Division, and they were most displeased. Therefore, when Elder Mostert told me that the Division officers were in favor of denying my credentials, I was not surprised.

This paper by a member of the Biblical Research Institute may be taken as a sampling of the incredible theological confusion that exists in the church today. It is beyond question a theological problem which urgently needs to be dealt with on a theological level. The longer this is delayed, the greater will be the damage to the church. Our people have historically had an orientation toward truth. Many have left other churches and united with our church for the sake of truth. They have recognized that placing confidence in church leaders above devotion to the truth is a danger to be avoided. They have accepted the principle of individual responsibility for studying and knowing the truth and have turned away from the concept that the church is the interpreter of Scriptures. They have accepted Ellen White’s statement that:

“The Bible with its precious gems of truth was not written for the scholar alone” ST 331.

Therefore, it is a serious mistake to meet their urgent questions and concerns about our “truths that have been held sacred” with evasions and dissimulations. Suggestions by leadership that historic Seventh- day Adventists think they are the only ones in the church who know the truth, or that they are setting themselves up to be the judges of the church, or that they consider themselves to be the only holy ones, are recognized by many church members as simply throwing dust into the air. These tactics have a disastrous effect upon their confidence in leadership.

The historic Adventists, numbering in the thousands, are most emphatically not a group of crackpots and weirdos. They are not a group of malcontents and fanatics who turn to independent ministries simply as an expression of their rebellious spirit They are, for the most part, loyal, steadfast church members who have faced Sabbath tests, endured opposition from families and friends and have persevered in their devotion to the Lord and His sacred truth in the face of formidable odds. They turn to the independent ministries for a reason that has been well stated by our own Union president, Elder Mostert. On May 1, 1990, Elder Mostert wrote me a letter which began with these words:

“I despair with you over the fact that so many of our church members are finding it necessary to turn to independent ministries in order to hear basic Adventist teaching.”

Where will they go to hear basic Adventist teaching when the independent ministries have been destroyed, as seems to be the intention of the present church leadership? No doubt you have heard of the addresses given by our General Conference president at such places as the camp meeting in Hope, British Columbia, in 1991, which seemed to be a declaration of open season on the independent ministries and those who support them. I have tapes of those messages, and some of the statements are as awesome as they are inaccurate, intemperate and inflammatory.

But these messages have apparently set the pace, and in response, equally inaccurate and intemperate tirades have already been published by two Union presidents in their Union papers. I am finding it increasingly difficult to persuade the church members to whom I minister that these false accusations are made in ignorance and not in malice.

If the independent ministries are successfully destroyed, what can we expect to happen then? Can anyone seriously suppose that those church members who, as stated by our Union president, have had to turn to independent ministries in order to hear basic Adventist teaching will then meekly submit to authority and give their support to those who have destroyed the independent ministries? Can we expect them to just forget that their theological questions have not been answered? And, are we remembering a fact that was expressed to me recently by a retired Union Conference president:

“I hope that our brethren will remember that our conservative members are the financial backbone of our church.”

Which leads us inexorably to the question of tithe. As I have testified that the historic Adventists are not weirdos and crack- pots who support independent ministries simply as an expression of their rebellious spirit, I also wish to testify that neither do they send tithe to independent ministries because they prefer to do so. They would much rather send their tithe through church channels but feel they cannot conscientiously support the preaching of false theology.

I wish to address myself to an enormous misunderstanding that I regard as one of the major factors in our present problem. We hear much talk and many accusations about the independent ministries soliciting tithe. No independent ministry of my acquaintance has ever solicited tithe. Brethren, I plead with you to believe me when I say that the independent ministries do not solicit tithe, because they do not need to solicit tithe. It comes to them unsolicited, unbidden, unrequested. It is freely and voluntarily contributed by church members who are trying to relieve their consciences of a heavy burden.

This is the effect. What is the cause? The cause is the lack of preaching basic Seventh- day Adventist truths in their home churches and often supplanting them with either empty pablum or errors borrowed from Babylon. The cause is emphatically not the eloquence and trickery of a group of skillful con men who are leading independent ministries, as some seem to believe. To suppose that crushing the independent ministries and leaving the problem in the churches unresolved is a fearful mistake.

It was in response to the many urgent questions of such church members that I researched the matter and published my findings in the September, 1991 edition of Our Firm Foundation, in an article entitled, “The Tithe Problem, Who Is Responsible?” This article was a straight- forward and factual report of my findings on that subject. I stand ready to modify or correct my conclusions at any time evidence is presented to me that would justify such a modification or correction.

Unfortunately, some of the responses to that article have been something less than straightforward and factual, so much so that the office of the White Estate has made clear that the article on tithe published in the Review was a private project of Roger Coon, done entirely independent of either the White Estate Board or the White Estate staff. Of the many problems in the Roger Coon article, I would mention two. Coon argued that when Ellen White used the word “means,” this generally referred only to offerings and not to tithe. We are presently aware of 168 occasions when Ellen White went into print using the word “means” in a way that included tithe. Why did an officer of the White Estate not know this?

Again, Coon faults those who make reference to the “Watson letter,” since Ellen White had stated she did not desire her diversions of tithe to be widely

“God has a church. It Is not the great cathedral, neither Is it the national establishment . . . It Is the people who bye God and keep His commandments ” UL 315.

advertised. This overlooks the fact that the entire relevant portions of the Watson letter were published by the White Estate itself in 1981 (see Ellen G. White, The Early Elmshaven Years, 395- 396), and again in 1987 (see 2MR 99- 100). Why did an officer of the White Estate not know this?

In summary, may I quote the second sentence of the letter written to me by Elder Mostert on May 1, 1990:

“Obviously, one of the most unmet needs in the church at the present time is the lack of opportunity for leaders to dialogue with members in a meaningful way that does not create further frustration.”

I agree with and heartily applaud this statement It echoes the cries we hear from hurting and bewildered historic Adventists all across the continent: Why will not our leaders talk to us? Why will they not listen to us? Why will they not investigate our condition to determine whether our appeals are valid? Why are we considered trouble- makers because we are holding to the doctrines that are set forth in the book Seventh-day Adventists Believe? Can our leaders not recognize that antagonistic doctrines are being preached in many of our pulpits, taught in many of our schools, printed in our publishing houses and circulated in the Review? Is it their intention to support these false doctrines?

Further, they ask, Why do our leaders identify us as evildoers and enemies of the church when we finally give up appealing to them and turn in despair to places where our historic faith is being defended? Why do they use their power and authority against a minister who is widely known as a defender of our historic faith, while the facilities of some of our largest churches remain open to one who is equally well- known as an enemy of our historic faith?

Jeanne and I are presently ministering, by their invitation, to thousands of historic Adventists in this country and in other countries. In the year 1991 we spent forty of the fifty-two weekends conducting seminars in defense of our historic faith. (We pause to mention that we receive no remuneration whatever for conducting these seminars. The people pay only our expenses. We are sure you can understand how perplexed the historic Seventh- day Adventists are when they read in a Union paper that we are doing this for our own financial benefit.) We are presently fully booked for 1992 and into 1993.

We are able to report to you that the conviction is spreading among these historic Adventists that they are going to be hounded out of the church. They feel this is the only possible understanding of the inflammatory tirades that are being published against them. They are observing closely those situations in which illegal church discipline is being applied and disfellowshipping has already begun in flagrant disregard of the provisions in the church manual. One of the most evident characteristics of these actions has been and is continuing to be a lack of “due process.”

The historic Adventists remember that when Dr. Desmond Ford launched a vigorous assault against our sanctuary doctrine, the principles of “due process” were carefully followed. Every effort was made to ensure his case was dealt with in a fair and prudent manner, and rightly so. The historic Adventists are also noting that even though Dr. Ford is now attacking much more than our sanctuary doctrine and contributing very largely to the present apostasy in the church, the facilities of some of our largest churches remain open to him.

They are contrasting this with the fact that in a Pacific Union Recorder of 1991 an announcement stated Ralph Larson would conduct a seminar in the Beaumont Church on July 26 and 27 entitled “In Defense of the Sanctuary.” Before six weeks had passed, he had lost his ministerial credentials, without due process. This speaks volumes to the historic Seventh- day Adventists. Why, they are asking, is there so much patient tolerance toward those who attack our faith and so little toward those who defend it?

These developments are causing historic Adventists to consider carefully the proper relationship between the truth, the church and church authority. They are asking, Is it a valid theology of church authority that requires us to surrender the truth and accept false doctrines or is this a misuse and abuse of church authority? Is it a valid theology of stewardship that requires us to give financial support to the preaching of false doctrines? Is it a valid theology of church order that brands the preaching of truth as

The present division in the church Is a tension between our true historic faith, as described In Seventh- day Adventists Believe, and the Incompatible doctrines of modern Calvinism.

“divisive,” while tolerating the preaching of untruth? And, in the ultimate sense, what is the church? Let the Lord through His chosen messenger provide us with the answer:

“God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment . . . it is the people who love God and keep His commandments.” UL 315.

We are directing your attention to the reality that the present division in the church is a tension between our true historic faith, as described in Seventh- day Adventists Believe, and the incompatible doctrines of modern Calvinism. We hold that it is unreasonable and unfair to charge this division upon those ministers and church members who wish to cling to our historic faith. The responsibility for division should be laid at the door of those who are promoting the false doctrines of Calvinism among us.

We believe that every administrator has a sacred obligation to encourage and support those who are defending our historic faith and not let himself be manipulated or maneuvered into an attitude of opposition toward them by camouflaged accusations of divisiveness, etc.

We are presently hearing that Dr. Desmond Ford is broadcasting that many of our scholars and administrators are now accepting his theology. This charge cannot be well met by silence and inaction, which will cause people to conclude that the allegation must be true.

Kenneth Sample, successor to Walter Martin, reports that when he took a survey of fifty- six ministers in a single conference in this Union, fourteen admitted to disbelief in the biblical basis of our sanctuary doctrine and thirteen more passed by that question while answering the other questions in the survey. Thus, about half of those surveyed could not bear a positive testimony in regard to the doctrine of which Ellen White wrote:

“The correct understanding of the ministration in the heavenly sanctuary is the foundation of our faith” Letter 208, 1906; EV 221.

Surely it is time for the officers of this Union to resolutely lead the way in ascertaining what persons, in the classrooms of our schools and the pulpits of our churches, are teaching the doctrines described in Seventh- day Adventists Believe, and what persons are substituting for those doctrines antagonistic and incompatible doctrines.

And it is time for a thorough investigation of my particular case, and a full and fair trial to be conducted by the Union Conference Committee. At that trial I will submit evidence that

  1. I have appealed to our church leaders and scholars to recognize our theological problem by an investment of much time, many written appeals, and several thousand dollars worth of our two major research reports, The Word Made Flesh and Tell of His Power, that have been distributed among them.
  2. I have sought no speaking appointments anywhere, but have simply responded to urgent requests for help from the suffering historic Seventh- day Adventists.
  3. The evidence presented in our research reports has not been challenged by biblical or Spirit of Prophecy evidence from anyone. It has been met by sneers, jeers, and arguments against the man.
  4. My theology is precisely the theology that is set forth in Seventh- day Adventists Believe.

Therefore, those who oppose my ministry and our doctrinal book are the ones who are divisive.

We are to unite, but not upon a platform of error.

Order copies of “None Dare Call it Apostasy” from our bookstore.

Bible Study Guides – “They Overcame Him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of Their Testimony”

by

MEMORY VERSE: “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” Revelation 10:11.

STUDY HELP: Testimonies, vol. 1, 58–61.

INTRODUCTION: “The work is soon to close. The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant. In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what God has wrought, I am filled with astonishment and with confidence in Christ as leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” Review and Herald, October 12, 1905.

  • How is the remnant of God’s church in the final generation described? Revelation 12:17.

NOTE: “Those who are living amid the perils of the last days, days which are characterized by the masses turning from the truth of God to fables, will have close work to turn from the fables which are prepared for them on every hand, and have an appetite to feast upon unpopular truth. Those who turn from these fables to truth are despised, hated, and persecuted by those who are presenting fables to the people for their reception. Satan is at war with the remnant who are endeavouring to keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. Evil angels are commissioned to employ men as their agents upon the earth. These can the most successfully exert an influence to make Satan’s attacks effective against the remnant whom God calls ‘a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.’ This, Satan is determined to hinder. He will employ everyone who will engage in his service to hinder the chosen people of God from showing forth the praises of Him who has called them from darkness into His marvelous light. To hide, to cover up this light, to cause people to distrust it, to disbelieve it, is the work of the great rebel and his host. While Jesus is purifying His people unto Himself, redeeming them from all iniquity, Satan will employ his forces to hinder the work and prevent the perfection of the saints. He does not exert his power upon those who are all covered up with deception and walled in by fables and error, and who make no effort to receive and obey the truth. He knows he is sure of them; but those who are seeking for truth, that they may obey it in the love of it, are the ones who excite his malice and stir his ire. He can never weaken them while they keep close to Jesus; therefore he is pleased when he can lead them in a course of disobedience.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 105.

  • Against what particular error are those who live in the last days warned? 2 Timothy 3:1 and 5.

NOTE: “We are living in perilous times, when those who profess to love and obey God deny Him in their daily lives. ‘For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.’ God does not want you to be found among this class . . . In His word you may learn how to shun these evils, and in the end be overcomers . . .It is not enough for you to avoid the appearance of evil; you must go farther than this; you must ‘learn to do well.’ You must represent Christ to the world. It must be your daily study how you can learn to work the works of God. His followers are to be living epistles, ‘known and read of all men.’ You can never secure a good character by merely wishing for it. It can be gained only by labour. Your desires in this direction must be expressed in earnest, honest endeavour and patient toil. By taking advance steps each day up the ladder of progress, you will find yourself at last at the top, a conqueror, yes, more than a conqueror, through Him who has loved you.” Youth’s Instructor, November 5, 1896.

  • What message must be proclaimed to the whole world before Jesus comes? Revelation 14:6–12.

NOTE: “In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been given a work of the most solemn import, the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention. The most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals have been given us to proclaim to the world. The proclamation of these truths is to be our work. The world is to be warned, and God’s people are to be true to the trust committed to them. They are not to engage in speculation, neither are they to enter into business enterprises with unbelievers; for this would hinder them in their God-given work. Christ says of His people: ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ Matthew 5:14. It is not a small matter that the counsels and plans of God have been so clearly opened to us. It is a wonderful privilege to be able to understand the will of God as revealed in the sure word of prophecy. This places on us a heavy responsibility. God expects us to impart to others the knowledge that He has given us. It is His purpose that divine and human instrumentalities shall unite in the proclamation of the warning message.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 19.

  • How does the prophecy of Revelation 10 picture the worldwide proclamation of the final message and the disappointment of those who first proclaimed it? Revelation 10:1–11.

NOTE: “The message of the coming of the Lord in the autumn of 1844 spread rapidly through America and other parts of the world. It greatly moved the hearts of men and stirred the Protestant churches of that time. Tens of thousands looked for the coming of the Lord at the close of the great prophetic period of 2300 days in 1844. Every preparation was made to greet Him with great joy and gladness, and then came the bitterness of disappointment, for the Lord did not come….The disappointment, however, was no evidence that the Lord was not in the movement, for in this tenth chapter of Revelation He anticipates this very experience, and in the last verse points His people to a task of world-wide extent He had yet for them to perform prior to His glorious appearing, for their work had not yet been finished.” Daniel and the Revelation, Uriah Smith, 528.

  • Against what development in the church in the last days are we warned? 2 Timothy 4:3.

NOTE: “The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillarsof our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure. Who has authority to begin such a movement? We have our Bibles. We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth?” Battle Creek Letters, 81–82.

  • What will guard God’s people against such developments? Acts 17:11.

NOTE: “The fact that there is no controversy or agitation among God’s people should not be regarded as conclusive evidence that they are holding fast to sound doctrine. There is reason to fear that they may not be clearly discriminating between truth and error. When no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for themselves to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition and worship they know not what.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 707.

  • What are the Scriptures able to do for the one who has faith in Jesus? 2 Timothy 3:15.

NOTE: “The truth of God received into the heart is able to make you wise unto salvation. In believing and obeying it you will receive grace sufficient for the duties and trials of today. Grace for tomorrow you do not need. You should feel that you have only to do with today. Overcome for today; deny self for today; watch and pray for today; obtain victories in God for today. Our circumstances and surroundings, the changes daily transpiring around us, and the written word of God which discerns and proves all things—these are sufficient to teach us our duty and just what we ought to do, day by day.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 333.

  • What salvation did Jesus come to this world to offer? Matthew 1:21.

NOTE: “The work of gaining salvation is one of co-partnership, a joint operation. There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner.” Acts of the Apostles, 482.

“Your only hope and salvation is in overcoming as Christ overcame.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 457.

“The Ten Commandments, ‘Thou shalt,’ and, ‘Thou shalt not,’ are ten promises, assured to us if we render obedience to the law governing the universe. ‘If ye love Me, keep My commandments.’ Here is the sum and substance of the law of God. The terms of salvation for every son and daughter of Adam are here outlined.” Bible Echo, June 17, 1901.

  • What responsibility does God place upon parents? Deuteronomy 6:6–7.

NOTE: “In every Christian home, God should be honoured by the morning and evening sacrifices of prayer and praise. Children should be taught to respect and reverence the hour of prayer. It is the duty of Christian parents, morning and evening, by earnest prayer and persevering faith, to make a hedge about their children. In the church at home the children are to learn to pray and to trust in God. Teach them to repeat God’s law. Concerning the commandments the Israelites were instructed: ‘Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.’ Deuteronomy 6:7. Come in humility, with a heart full of tenderness, and with a sense of the temptations and dangers before yourselves and your children; by faith bind them to the altar, entreating for them the care of the Lord. Train the children to offer their simple words of prayer. Tell them that God delights to have them call upon Him. Will the Lord of heaven pass by such homes and leave no blessing there? Nay, verily. Ministering angels will guard the children who are thus dedicated to God.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, 110.

  • What promise is given concerning children taught in this way? Isaiah 54:13.

NOTE: “What can give you greater joy than to see children and youth following Christ, the great Shepherd, who calls, and the sheep and lambs hear his voice and follow Him? What can spread more sunshine through the soul of the interested, devoted worker than to know that his persevering, patient labour is not in vain in the Lord, and to see his pupils have the sunshine of joy in their souls because Christ has forgiven their sins? What can be more satisfying to the worker together with God, than to see children and youth receiving the impressions of the spirit of God in true nobility of character and in the restoration of the moral image of God—the children seeking the peace coming from the Prince of Peace?” Christian Education, 156.

  • What must be the foundation of every preacher’s message? 2 Timothy 4:2.

NOTE: “This solemn charge to one so zealous and faithful as was Timothy is a strong testimony to the importance and responsibility of the work of the gospel minister. Summoning Timothy before the bar of God, Paul bids him preach the word, not the sayings and customs of men; to be ready to witness for God whenever opportunity should present itself, before large congregations and private circles, by the way and at the fireside, to friends and to enemies, whether in safety or exposed to hardship and peril, reproach and loss.” Acts of the Apostles, 503.

“Ministers are not to preach men’s opinions, not to relate anecdotes, get up theatrical performances, not to exhibit self; but as though they were in the presence of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are to preach the word. Let them not bring levity into the work of the ministry, but let them preach the word in a manner that will leave a most solemn impression upon those who hear. Let them not present their own ideas and fanciful notions as God’s word, but let them present the pure word of God, in all sincerity.” Review and Herald, September 28, 1897.

“Our churches are dying for the want of teaching on the subject of righteousness by faith in Christ, and on kindred truths.” Gospel Workers, 301.

“Instead of discussing erroneous theories, or seeking to combat the opponents of the gospel, follow the example of Christ. Let fresh truths from God’s treasure house flash into life. ‘Preach the word.’ ” Christ’s Object Lessons, 40.

  • What will be the effect of the Word of God on those who are willing to receive it? Acts 20:32.

NOTE: “A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. We must have the holy unction from God, the baptism of His Spirit. This is the only efficient agent in the promulgation of sacred truth. It is the Spirit of God that quickens the lifeless faculties of the soul to appreciate heavenly things, and attracts the affections toward God and the truth. What we need, what we cannot do without, is the power of the Holy Spirit to work with our efforts. All pampering of self must be at an end. There is a weakness of intellect, a lack of religious fervour, in those who want to lean upon others, to be petted, waited on, and propped up. There must be an earnest longing, a soul-hunger, for the presence of the Lord. Make Him your support, your front guard and your rearward.” Home Missionary, November 1, 1890.

  • Against what form of religion are God’s people warned to turn away? 2 Timothy 3:5.

NOTE: “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavour to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.” Great Controversy, 464.

Bible Study Guides – “ALL HAVE SINNED”

by

By Gordon Anderson

MEMORY VERSE: “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.” 1 John 3:7.

STUDY HELP: Education, 14–15.

INTRODUCTION: “There are many who in their hearts murmur against God. They say, ‘We inherit the fallen nature of Adam, and are not responsible for our natural imperfections.’ They find fault with God’s requirements, and complain that He demands what they have no power to give. Satan made the same complaint in heaven, but such thoughts dishonor God. And the Lord knoweth our thoughts afar off. He speaks to His people, saying, ‘O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.’ ” Signs of the Times, August 29, 1892.

“IN THE IMAGE OF GOD”

  1. How was man originally created? Genesis 1:27.

NOTE: “When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. ‘God created man in His own image’ (Genesis 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image, the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigor were continually to increase. Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the field opened to their research. The mysteries of the visible universe, the ‘wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge’ (Job 37:16) invited man’s study. Face-to-face, heart-to-heart communion with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained loyal to God, all this would have been his forever. Throughout eternal ages, he would have continued to gain new treasures of knowledge, to discover fresh springs of happiness, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the wisdom, the power, and the love of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled the object of his creation, more and more fully have reflected the Creator’s glory.” Education, 15.

  1. How was that image marred? Romans 8:7.

NOTE: “Through sin the divine likeness was marred, and well-nigh obliterated. Man’s physical powers were weakened, his mental capacity was lessened, his spiritual vision dimmed. He had become subject to death.” Education, 15.

  1. Does sinful man still retain the image of God? 1 Corinthians 11:7; Genesis 9:5, 6.

NOTE: “Whatever may be the nation, kindred or tongue, whether a man is white or black, he still bears the image of God, and ‘the proper study of mankind is man,’ viewed from the fact that he is the purchase of the blood of Christ. To show contempt for, to manifest hatred toward any nation, is to reveal the characteristic of Satan. God has placed His estimate upon man in giving Jesus to a life of humiliation, poverty, and self-sacrifice, to contempt, rejection, and death, in order that man, His lost sheep, might be saved.” Signs of the Times, November 20, 1893.

  1. Does God impute guilt to a person for the sins committed by his ancestors? Ezekiel 18:19, 20.

NOTE: Though, because of the presence of sin in the human race, our physical powers are weakened, our mental capacities lessened and our spiritual vision dimmed by sin, yet the Lord does not hold any man but Adam to be guilty of Adam’s sin. We do not inherit sin or its guilt.

“It is inevitable that children should suffer from the consequences of parental wrongdoing, but they are not punished for the parents’ guilt, except as they participate in their sins. It is usually the case, however, that children walk in the steps of their parents. By inheritance and example, the sons become partakers of the father’s sin. Wrong tendencies, perverted appetites, and debased morals, as well as physical disease and degeneracy, are transmitted as a legacy from father to son, to the third and fourth generation. This fearful truth should have a solemn power to restrain men from following a course of sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 306.

  1. How did Paul express the truth that each man suffers death for his own personal sins? Romans 5:12.

NOTE: “God declared, ‘The soul that sinneth, it shall die.’ And, apart from the plan of redemption, human beings are doomed to death. ‘All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’” Review and Herald, March 15, 1906.

“Our first parents by their disobedience opened the floodgates of woe to the race, and notwithstanding we have before us their sad experience in transgression, and the terrible result, we do not cease to sin; but while we deplore the sin of Adam, which was attended with such fearful consequences, we follow in the same course and realize the penalty of our own sins; for which suffering we alone are accountable.” Forest Park Reporter, March 30, 1879.

“CARNAL, SOLD UNDER SIN”

  1. How does Paul describe the struggle he experienced to keep the Law of God before he became a Christian? Romans 7:1, 24.

NOTE: “By sin we have been severed from the life of God. Our souls are palsied. Of ourselves, we are no more capable of living a holy life than was the impotent man capable of walking. There are many who realize their helplessness, and who long for that spiritual life which will bring them into harmony with God; they are vainly striving to obtain it. In despair they cry, ‘O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?’ Romans 7:24, margin. Let these desponding, struggling ones look up. The Saviour is bending over the purchase of His blood, saying with inexpressible tenderness and pity, ‘Wilt thou be made whole?’ He bids you arise in health and peace. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe His word, and it will be fulfilled. Put your will on the side of Christ. Will to serve Him, and in acting upon His word you will receive strength. Whatever may be the evil practice, the master passion which through long indulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver. He will impart life to the soul that is ‘dead in trespasses.’ Ephesians 2:1. He will set free the captive that is held by weakness and misfortune and the chains of sin.” Desire of Ages, 203.

  1. What was the principle reason why Paul could find no victory in his struggle to keep the Law of God? Romans 7: 25, last part.

NOTE: The words “I myself” are the key to Paul’s dilemma as a Pharisee before he encountered the Lord Jesus. The two Greek words are “ego autos.” The first word simply means “I” but the two words together mean, emphatically, “I alone.” In the context of Romans 7, it effectively means “I on my own” that is, without Christ. Paul is saying, “I alone, without Christ, with the mind serve the Law of God but with the flesh the law of sin and death.” In contrast, notice Galatians 2:20, Philippians 4: 13, Ephesians 4: 23, Romans 8: 10. What “I alone” could never do can be done “through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (For a more detailed consideration of this point, read The Word Was Made Flesh by Ralph Larson, 351 – 364.) See also Christ’s Object Lessons, 201.

“VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST”

  1. Who alone could bring Paul victory in his struggle to obey God’s Law? Romans 7:25, first part.

NOTE: “Paul realized his weakness, and well he might distrust his own strength. Referring to the law, he says, ‘The commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.’ He had trusted in the deeds of the law. He says, concerning his own outward life, that as ‘touching the law’ he was ‘blameless;’ and he put his trust in his own righteousness. But when the mirror of the law was held up before him, and he saw himself as God saw him, full of mistakes, stained with sin, he cried out, ‘O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?’ Paul beheld the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. He heard the voice of Christ saying, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.’ He determined to avail himself of the benefits of saving grace, to become dead to trespasses and sins, to have his guilt washed away in the blood of Christ, to be clothed with Christ’s righteousness, to become a branch of the Living Vine. He walked with Christ, and Jesus became to him, not a part of salvation, while his own good deeds were another part, but his all in all, the first and last and best in everything. He had the faith that draws life from Christ, that enabled him to conform his life to that of the divine example. This faith claims nothing for its possessor because of his righteousness, but claims everything because of the righteousness of Christ.”Signs of the Times, November 24, 1890.

  1. Did Christ, when He came to earth, share the common inheritance of mankind? Hebrews 2:17.

NOTE: “Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.”Desire of Ages, 49. See also Desire of Ages, 24.

  1. What was a primary purpose of Christ coming to earth “in the likeness of sinful flesh”? Romans 8:3, 4.

NOTE: “Satan declared that it was impossible for the sons and daughters of Adam to keep the law of God, and thus charged upon God a lack of wisdom and love. If they could not keep the law, then there was fault with the Lawgiver. Men who are under the control of Satan repeat these accusations against God, in asserting that men can not keep the law of God. Jesus humbled Himself, clothing His divinity with humanity, in order that He might stand as the head and representative of the human family, and by both precept and example condemn sin in the flesh, and give the lie to Satan’s charges. He was subjected to the fiercest temptations that human nature can know, yet He sinned not; for sin is the transgression of the law. By faith He laid hold upon divinity, even as humanity may lay hold upon infinite power through Him.” Signs of the Times, January 16, 1896.

“IF I SAY I AM PERFECT”

  1. Why did Paul not claim perfection? (See Philippians 3: 12.) Job 9: 20, 21 and compare Job 1:1, 8; 2:3.

NOTE: Though God Himself described Job as a perfect man, Job himself would not make that claim. Aware of the inadequacy and deceptiveness of human judgment, he knew that he did not possess unerring insight into the state of his soul.

“Let those who feel inclined to make a high profession of holiness, look into the mirror of God’s law, which discovers to us the defects of our character. Those who see the far-reaching claims of the law of God, those who realize that it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, will not presume to make the boast of sinlessness, and venture to declare, ‘I am perfect, I am holy.’

‘If we,’ John says, not separating himself from his brethren, ‘say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.’” Signs of the Times, May 23, 1895.

  1. Once we have been justified by God’s grace, can we continue to sin? Romans 6:1. (Read verses 1–6.)

NOTE: “God’s will is expressed in His holy law, and Jesus says, ‘Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.’ The law of God is the standard by which character is to be measured, and he whose life is in harmony with that law is worthy to be trusted, but of what value is the testimony of a man whose life and teaching contradict the law of Jehovah? He then measures himself by his

own finite standard, and may claim for himself as much as does the pope of Rome; but in the light of the detector of sin, his character may be wholly wanting. He may claim great spiritual riches, and think that he is in need of nothing, and may boast of the grace of Christ, but at the same time may have turned that precious grace into lasciviousness. This spurious character of religion is on the increase, and many whose hearts are carnal prate of the grace of Christ, while at the same time they openly blaspheme the name of the God of heaven by casting contempt upon the law of God, which rebukes their inconsistent course and detects their unchristlike character.” Review and Herald, August 28, 1894.

  1. What does sin in the life of the professing Christian reveal? 1 John 3:6. (Read verses 3–10.)

NOTE: “It is folly to bid the sinner come to Christ before being convicted of his sin by being brought before the mirror of the law of God. What is the sinner to be converted from? The transgression of God’s law to obedience of it. But if he is told that he cannot keep the law of God, and that, if he should attempt it, he would be brought into bondage, to what is he then converted, from transgression of the law to a continuance in that transgression? This is absurd. Yet professed ministers of Christ tell the sinner that he is guiltless while disloyal to the law of God. Such conversions are not ratified in heaven.” Signs of the Times, July 18, 1878.