Bible Study Guides – A Cause for Rejoicing!

September 19 – 25, 2021

Key Text

“[Charity] rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6).

Study Help: Counsels on Stewardship, 339–350.

Introduction

“Charity loves the sinner but hates the sin, and will warn him faithfully of his danger, pointing him to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. Sin is not to be cloaked, but to be taken away.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 217.

Sunday

1 SELF-EXAMINATION

1.a. Though we may profess to be rejoicing solely in God, what must the faithful steward realize? Proverbs 28:14.

Note: “Bible charity is not sentimentalism, but love in active exercise. To heal the hurt of the daughter of My people, slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace; when there is no peace’ (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11), is called charity. To confederate together, to call sin holiness and truth, is called charity; but it is the counterfeit article. The false and the spurious are in the world, and we should closely examine our hearts that we may know whether or not we possess the genuine charity. Genuine charity will not create distrust, and evil work. It will not blunt the sword of the spirit so that it does no execution. Those who would cover evil under false charity, say to the sinner, ‘It shall be well with thee.’ Thank God there is a charity that will not be corrupted; there is a wisdom that cometh from above, that is (mark it) first pure, then peaceable, and without hypocrisy, and the fruits of righteousness is sown of them that make peace. This is a description of heaven-born, heaven-bred charity.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 217.

1.b. What should characterize the daily experience of the faithful steward? Psalm 139:23, 24.

Note: “If we would be overcomers, we must search our hearts to be sure that we are not cherishing anything that is offensive to God.” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 138.

Monday

2 IMPROPER REJOICING (I)

2.a. How is the faithful steward to respond to iniquity? 1 Corinthians 13:6, first part.

 Note: “Satan’s work is directly opposed to the work of God. The enemy of all good, he stands as the general of the forces drawn up to hurt the souls of men. He looks on with fiendish triumph as he sees the professed followers of Christ biting and devouring one another. He stands ever ready to mar the lives of those who are trying to serve God. Heavenly angels marvel that men should aid Satanic agencies in their work, discouraging hearts, making God’s people weak, strengthless, faithless.” Spalding and Magan Collection, 345, 346.

2.b. How does the faithful steward avoid rejoicing in evil? 1 Peter 5:8, 9.

Note: “When we talk discouragement and gloom, Satan listens with fiendish joy; for it pleases him to know that he has brought you into his bondage. Satan cannot read our thoughts, but he can see our actions, hear our words; and from his long knowledge of the human family, he can shape his temptations to take advantage of our weak points of character. And how often do we let him into the secret of how he may obtain the victory over us. O that we might control our words and actions! How strong we would become if our words were of such an order that we would not be ashamed to meet the record of them in the day of judgment. How different will they appear in the day of God from what they seem when we utter them.” The Review and Herald, May 19, 1891.

2.c. What admonitions are to strengthen us against the temptations mentioned above? Psalm 141:3; Ephesians 4:29, 30.

Note: “When you are associated together, be guarded in your words. Let your conversation be of such a nature that you will have no need of repentance.” The Review and Herald, June 5, 1888.

Tuesday

3 IMPROPER REJOICING (II)

3.a. Why is the Christian warned against speaking of the sins and frailty of others? Ephesians 5:11, 12.

Note: “While many are neglecting their own souls, they eagerly watch for an opportunity to criticize and condemn others. All have defects of character, and it is not hard to find something that jealousy can interpret to their injury. ‘Now,’ say these self-constituted judges, ‘we have facts. We will fasten upon them an accusation from which they can not clear themselves.’ They wait for a fitting opportunity and then produce their bundle of gossip and bring forth their tidbits.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 95. [Emphasis author’s.]

3.b. Why should Christians refrain from rejoicing in iniquity? Proverbs 24:17, 18.

Note: “Instead of finding fault with others, let us be critical with ourselves. The question with each one of us should be, Is my heart right before God? Will this course of action glorify my Father which is in heaven? If you have cherished a wrong spirit, let it be banished from the soul. It is your duty to eradicate from your heart everything that is of a defiling nature; every root of bitterness should be plucked up, lest others be contaminated by its baleful influence. Do not allow one poisonous plant to remain in the soil of your heart. Root it out this very hour, and plant in its stead the plant of love. Let Jesus be enshrined in the soul.

“Christ is our example. He went about doing good. He lived to bless others. Love beautified and ennobled all His actions, and we are commanded to follow in His steps. Let us remember that God sent His only begotten Son to this world of sorrow, to ‘redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works’ (Titus 2:14). Let us seek to comply with the requirement of God, and fulfill His law. ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law’ (Romans 13:10), and He who died that we might live, has given us this commandment, that we should love one another as He has loved us; and the world will know that we are His disciples, if we have this love one for another.” The Review and Herald, June 5, 1888.

Wednesday

4 WITH OUR BRETHREN AND SISTERS

4.a. What teaching and experience of the early disciples is to be ours? James 5:16; Philippians 2:1, 2.

Note: “They [the disciples] were not assembled to relate tidbits of scandal. They were not seeking to expose every stain they could find on a brother’s character. They felt their spiritual need, and cried to the Lord for the holy unction to help them in overcoming their own infirmities, and to fit them for the work of saving others. They prayed with intense earnestness that the love of Christ might be shed abroad in their hearts. This is our great need today in every church in our land. For ‘if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). That which was objectionable in the character is purified from the soul by the love of Jesus. All selfishness is expelled, all envy, all evil-speaking, is rooted out, and a radical transformation is wrought in the heart.” The Review and Herald, July 22, 1890.

4.b. What factors must all faithful stewards bear in mind in their interaction with those whom they profess to love? Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Note: “There is a sympathy for sin and sinners that is dangerous to the prosperity of the church at the present day. You must have charity is the cry. But that sentiment that would excuse wrong and shield the guilty, is not the charity of the Bible. The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against the servants of the living God, except by tempting them to disobedience.” The Signs of the Times, January 6, 1881.

“Let not the common, cheap, earthly things engross the mind that the presence of Jesus shall be withdrawn. The life of the church is communicated from Christ, and we help the church when we work in harmony with the life-giving power, losing sight of ourselves, and seeking to build one another up in the most holy faith.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 265.

Thursday

5 PROPER REJOICING

5.a. How does the faithful steward reveal true charity? 1 Corinthians 13:6, last part; Psalm 119:140–144, 172.

 Note: “ ‘You must have charity,’ is the cry heard everywhere, especially from those who profess sanctification. But true charity is too pure to cover an unconfessed sin. While we are to love the souls for whom Christ died, we are to make no compromise with evil. We are not to unite with the rebellious and call this charity.” The Acts of the Apostles, 554, 555.

5.b. What is the ultimate goal of the faithful steward? 1 Corinthians 2:2.

Note: “And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.” The Great Controversy, 678.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

  1. Why is self-examination a key in developing faithful stewardship?
  2. When would the faithful steward be liable to please the enemy instead of pleasing Christ?
  3. How may the faithful steward be in danger of secretly rejoicing in iniquity?
  4. What are the symptoms of false charity?
  5. How can the faithful steward manifest true charity?

Copyright 2011, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Inspiration – Walk in the Light

I was shown that God’s people dwell too much under a cloud. It is not His will that they should live in unbelief. Jesus is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. His children are the children of light. They are renewed in His image, and called out of darkness into His marvelous light. He is the light of the world, and so also are they that follow Him. They shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The more closely the people of God strive to imitate Christ, the more perseveringly will they be pursued by the enemy; but their nearness to Christ strengthens them to resist the efforts of our wily foe to draw them from Christ.

I was shown that there was too much comparing ourselves among ourselves, taking fallible mortals for a pattern, when we have a sure, unerring pattern. We should not measure ourselves by the world, nor by the opinions of men, nor by what we were before we embraced the truth. But our faith and position in the world, as they now are, must be compared with what they would have been if our course had been continually onward and upward since we professed to be followers of Christ. This is the only safe comparison that can be made. In every other there will be self-deception. If the moral character and spiritual state of God’s people do not correspond with the blessings, privileges, and light which have been conferred upon them, they are weighed in the balance, and angels make the report, Wanting.

With some the knowledge of their true state seems to be hidden from them. They see the truth, but perceive not its importance or its claims. They hear the truth, but do not fully understand it, because they do not conform their lives to it, and therefore are not sanctified through obeying it. And yet they rest as unconcerned and well satisfied as though the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, as token of God’s favor, went before them. They profess to know God, but in works deny Him. They reckon themselves His chosen, peculiar people, yet His presence and power to save to the uttermost are seldom manifested among them. How great is the darkness of such! yet they know it not. The light shines, but they do not comprehend it. No stronger delusion can deceive the human mind than that which makes them believe that they are right, and that God accepts their works, when they are sinning against Him. They mistake the form of godliness for the spirit and power thereof. They suppose that they are rich, and have need of nothing, when they are poor, wretched, blind, and naked, and need all things.

There are some who profess to be Christ’s followers, yet put forth no effort in spiritual things. In any worldly enterprise they put forth effort, and manifest ambition to accomplish their object, and bring about the desired end; but in the enterprise of everlasting life, where all is at stake, and their eternal happiness depends upon their success, they act as indifferent as though they were not moral agents, as though another were playing the game of life for them, and they had nothing to do but wait the result. Oh, what folly! what madness! If all will only manifest that degree of ambition, zeal, and earnestness for everlasting life that they manifest in their worldly pursuits, they will be victorious overcomers. Everyone, I saw, must obtain an experience for himself, each must act well and faithfully his part in the game of life. Satan watches his opportunity to seize the precious graces when we are unguarded, and we shall have a severe conflict with the powers of darkness to retain them, or to regain a heavenly grace if through lack of watchfulness we lose it.

But I was shown that it is the privilege of Christians to obtain strength from God to hold every precious gift. Fervent and effectual prayer will be regarded in heaven. When the servants of Christ take the shield of faith for their defense, and the sword of the Spirit for war, there is danger in the enemy’s camp, and something must be done. Persecution and reproach only wait for those who are endowed with power from on high to call them into action. When the truth in its simplicity and strength prevails among believers, and is brought to bear against the spirit of the world, it will be evident that there is no concord between Christ and Belial. The disciples of Christ must be living examples of the life and spirit of their Master.

Young and old have a conflict, a warfare, before them. They should not sleep for a moment. A wily foe is constantly on the alert to lead them astray and overcome them. Believers in present truth must be as watchful as their enemy and manifest wisdom in resisting Satan. Will they do this? Will they persevere in this warfare? Will they be careful to depart from all iniquity? Christ is denied in many ways. We may deny Him by speaking contrary to truth, by speaking evil of others, by foolish talking or jesting, or by words that are idle. In these things we manifest but little shrewdness or wisdom. We make ourselves weak; our efforts are feeble to resist our great enemy, and we are conquered. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34), and through lack of watchfulness we confess that Christ is not in us. Those who hesitate to devote themselves unreservedly to God make poor work of following Christ. They follow Him at so great a distance that half the time they do not really know whether they are following His footprints or the footsteps of their great enemy. Why are we so slow to give up our interest in the things of this world and take Christ for our only portion? Why should we wish to keep the friendship of our Lord’s enemies, and follow their customs, and be led by their opinions? There must be an entire, unreserved surrender to God, a forsaking and turning away from the love of the world and earthly things, or we cannot be Christ’s disciples.

The life and spirit of Christ is the only standard of excellence and perfection, and our only safe course is to follow His example. If we do this He will guide us by His counsel and afterward receive us to glory. We must strive diligently and be willing to suffer much in order to walk in the footsteps of our Redeemer. God is willing to work for us, to give us of His free Spirit, if we will strive for it, live for it, believe for it; and then we can walk in the light as He is in the light. We can feast upon His love and drink in of His rich fullness.

Testimonies, vol. 1, 405–409.

Editorial – If You Are Loyal and True

When King Nebuchadnezzar had the three Hebrews cast into the fiery furnace (see Daniel 3), “his triumph suddenly came to an end. He saw something that he thought must be an illusion. … With a voice trembling with excitement, he cried, ‘Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.’ (Daniel 3:25). [Emphasis author’s.] …

“History will be repeated. False religion will be exalted. The first day of the week, a common working day, possessing no sanctity whatever, will be set up as was the image at Babylon. …

“Trial and persecution will come to all who, in obedience to the word of God, refuse to worship this false sabbath. Force is the last resort of every false religion. At first it tries attraction, as the king of Babylon tried the power of music and outward show. If these attractions, invented by men inspired by Satan, failed to make men worship the image, the hungry flames of the furnace were ready to consume them. So it will be now. The Papacy has exercised her power to compel men to obey her, and she will continue to do so. …

“ ‘If ye love Me,’ said Christ, ‘keep My commandments.’ ‘He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him’ (John 14:15, 21). And has not Christ manifested Himself to His faithful children? Did He not walk in the furnace with the captives who refused to yield to the golden image one tittle of the reverence which belonged to God? Did He not manifest Himself to John, banished to the Isle of Patmos for his faithfulness? …

“Truth is to be obeyed at any cost, even tho gaping prisons, chain-gangs, and banishment stare us in the face. If you are loyal and true, that God who walked with the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, who protected Daniel in the lions’ den, who manifested Himself to John on the lonely island, will go with you wherever you go. His abiding presence will comfort and sustain you; and you will realize the fulfilment of the promise, ‘If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him’ (verse 23).” The Signs of the Times, May 6, 1897.

Chapter 8 Desire of Ages — Chapters 74 & 75

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

by Terry S. Ross

Oh, the love of our Saviour and His Father! Can we really grasp even a particle of the vast truth about the gift that heaven emptied out for our salvation in the life and death of our Master and friend Jesus Christ?

The God Who was and is the originator of our very existence, the God Who is the way, the truth and the life was about to experience death for us. In this trip through Gethsemane’s gate Jesus would know what it means to be separated from the blessings of His Father and what the fate of those who reject His offering of redemptive mercy will suffer.

DA 686: “The gulf was so broad, so black, so deep, that His spirit shuddered before it. This agony He must not exert His divine power to escape. As man He must suffer the consequences of man’s sin. As man He must endure the wrath of God against transgression.

“Christ was now standing in a different attitude from that in which He had ever stood before. His suffering can best be described in the words of the prophet, ‘Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. ’ (Zech. 13: 7.) As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice. He saw what justice meant. Hitherto He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself. “As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with the powers of darkness….”

It is so difficult for the dull minds of sinful humanity to comprehend the price paid to give us an opportunity for salvation, or even to realize that God loves us so much that He would want to do it in the first place!

Christ was now going through an experience that was new and unspeakably dreadful. But in doing so, He demonstrated two powerful lessons for those who choose to believe.

God will separate from Himself those who continue in sin. If Christ Who knew no sin was separated when He was made sin for us, then it is crystal clear that those who choose to make sin a part of themselves will indeed be separated from the Father.

What is the solution to our sin problem and how can we escape this eternal separation? The answer lies in the second lesson: total faith, the faith OF Jesus Christ — that is the key that opens the door of victory. The faith of Jesus is the only way through our own Gethsemane. It is in this garden experience that our eternal destiny hangs and it is only those who choose the faith of Jesus who will come out of it victorious as Jesus did. Those who continue to make excuses for their unbelief, lack of trust in God, and their love for sin will not share in the victorious glory of the redeemed. Rather, they will share in the experience of Judas who was separated as a betrayer of sacred trust. IT IS THE FAITH OF JESUS THAT IDENTIFIES HIS TRUE CHURCH.

DA 367: “Satan told Him that if He became the surety for a sinful world, the separation would be eternal. He would be identified with Satan’s kingdom, and would never more be one with God.

“… How hopeless appeared the guilt and ingratitude of men! In its hardest features Satan pressed the situation upon the Redeemer: ‘The people who claim to be above all others in temporal and spiritual advantages have rejected you. They are seeking to destroy you, the foundation, the center and seal of the promises made to them as a peculiar people. One of your own disciples, who has listened to your instruction, and has been among the foremost in church activities, will betray you. One of your most zealous followers will deny you. All will forsake you. ’ Christ’s whole being abhorred the thought. That those whom He had undertaken to save, those whom He loved so much, should unite in the plots of Satan, this pierced His soul. The conflict was terrible.”

Satan told Christ that the Ancient Adventist Church, who made the same claim that the modern Adventist “Church” makes, were the very people seeking to destroy Him! Is this happening today? Is there a real correlation between the experience of the past and that of our present day? Sadly to say, the answer is “yes.” The organization has slipped into the same spiritual pride of our forefathers. It is true that not all are demonstrating this rejection of Jesus but the evidence of apostasy is overwhelming. Only those who have been blinded by things other than inspiration can’t see or won’t see the obvious truth or the present situation.

I want to say, as well, that I have known for some time that there has been a tremendous struggle behind the scenes to hold on to the pillars of our faith by the Josephs and Nicodemuses in the organization. Please allow me to tell you a little story that took place several years ago to demonstrate.

Several months after Cathy and I initially exposed the “Celebration” churches, I received a phone call from out of state. The lady on the other end at first requested that I not insist she identify herself until we had spoken awhile, and to this I agreed. She told me that her husband was a well- known writer who wrote for the Review and that he had been asked to write on a certain subject within the next few months.

I will not disclose the contents of the article because I do not wish to break a trust, but I will tell you that she asked me to send her all our materials which we had gathered to that point. She wished to provide her husband with this material to allow him to be well- versed in what was really going on. I shared with her that I would be more than happy to do this; I believed at the time that she was an honest Christian and I still believe it.

We spoke for a few more moments and then she revealed who she was. Immediately I knew who her husband was and told her so. I think she was checking my attitude about certain things and this was all right. I have found out on several different occasions with very different people that when honest hearts get together, even when they may disagree in some areas, in many cases if they understand your attitude is one of salvation rather than destruction, all still can be friends. Far too many “Christians” are making enemies unnecessarily. Far too many “Christians” are turning away from people whom the Lord loves and would not cast aside. Far too many “Christians” are taking the attitude that it’s my way or no way at all.

Brothers and Sisters, it is my continued experience that those who truly do have my eternal interests in mind are not the enemy! We may not be able to come together on certain things just now, but the Lord will sort out these differences if we are truly seeking to uphold His truth and not our own. (And who knows if I might be the one who needs a little character development myself!) Well, I think you get the point. Pride and politics have polluted God’s people to an alarming and deadly degree. Anyway, back to the story.

Before we ended our phone conversation I just had to ask this Sister a question. I shared with her that I just couldn’t believe that with everything that was going on there wasn’t some kind of internal struggle, behind the doors, in the organization. She told me, “Terry, if you only knew what struggles have really been going on that the general laity have no idea about.” And then she went on to say, “The younger generation of pastors and administrators told us some time ago that when they came into power things would be different. Now they are beginning to outvote us and we can’t stop it. They are now taking over.”

We need to realize that not all the people in the Conferences are Judases; we also need to realize that not all in the Independents are Christ’s true disciples. We are in a transitory time and this will take more than a few weeks. I do want to add something here, however. Time is certainly running out for everyone and decisions will have to be made before it’s forever too late. Remember that probation closes on God’s professed people first. Joseph and Nicodemus didn’t always work behind the scenes and there are great and important lessons for those who are still doing this work. I ask you in brotherly love to understand what part these two men finally played and do that which they did. I fear that if you don’t, your experience will end up different from theirs. When these two honest souls finally understood where Jesus was leading, they eagerly followed and became a tremendous help to His true people and church.

By the way, the above husband in our story did write an article for the Review right at the time his wife said he would. It still remains the finest article on the subject in the Review since we began revealing the apostasy. We openly thank this Brother for writing it and commend him for taking the stand he did. If he or his wife reads this book, they will understand.

Satan had come directly to Christ and pressed some truth upon Him in an attempt to get Him to turn aside from His chosen path. Logically speaking, Satan’s argument made sense. But Jesus knew that God had promised just the opposite of what Satan was telling Him and in faith He clung to these promises. I have found that Satan’s tactics are very interesting and he will lie and contradict his own arguments if it serves his purposes.

Today Satan is telling professed Adventists (and all other professed Christians) just the opposite of what he told Jesus in the garden. Today, from many professed Seventh- day Adventist pulpits, comes the modern message that we can go on sinning and there will be no separation from the Father. Two thousand years ago Satan told Jesus that if He became sin, the separation would be eternal. Today he tells us that if we remain in sin, the separation of which he tried to convince Christ doesn’t really exist! Unbelievably, most professed Seventh- day Adventists refuse to see the contradiction! Because of their love for sin most “Christians,” including Seventh- day Adventists, either knowingly or unknowingly forsake the very Jesus Whom they claim to honor.

DA 688: “They did not intend to forsake their Lord, but they seemed paralyzed by a stupor which they might have shaken off if they had continued pleading with God. They did not realize the necessity of watchfulness and earnest prayer in order to withstand temptation.”

DA 688- 89: “… the disciples trusted to themselves. They did not look to the mighty helper as Christ had counseled them to do. Thus when the Saviour was most in need of their sympathy and prayers, they were found asleep. Even Peter was sleeping.

“And John, the loving disciple who had leaned upon the breast of Jesus, was asleep. Surely, the love of John for his Master should have kept him awake. His earnest prayers should have mingled with those of his loved Saviour in the time of His supreme sorrow. The Redeemer had spent entire nights praying for His disciples, that their faith might not fail. Should Jesus now put to James and John the question He had once asked them, ‘Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ’ they would not have ventured to answer, ‘We are able. ’ (Matt. 20: 22).”

Many of us, quickly, need the experience of watching and praying — not just prayer that covers the areas of the larger crisis we find ourselves in the midst of, but also in our everyday decisions. Total victory follows close behind total reliance on God and total communion with God. This must be our experience! It WILL be the experience of the redeemed. It is not confidence in self that will win for us the prize, but communion with God that gains for us that which we cannot possibly realize on our own.

With urgency I say we must understand that: “Satan is now using every device in this sealing time to keep the minds of God’s people from the present truth and to cause them to waver. I saw a covering that God was drawing over His people to protect them in the time of trouble; and every soul that was decided on the truth and was pure in heart was to be covered with the covering of the Almighty. …

“Some of these agents of Satan were affecting the bodies of some of the saints— those whom they could not deceive and draw away from the truth by a Satanic influence. Oh, that all could get a view of it as God revealed it to me, that they might know more of the wiles of Satan and be on their guard! I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract, deceive, and draw away God’s people, just now in this sealing time. I saw some who were not standing STIFFLY FOR PRESENT TRUTH. Their knees were trembling, and their feet sliding, because they were not FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE TRUTH, and the covering of Almighty God could NOT BE DRAWN OVER THEM WHILE THEY WERE THUS TREMBLING. …

“Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were, until the sealing was past, until the covering was drawn over God’s people, and they left without a shelter from the burning wrath of God, in the seven last plagues. God has begun to draw this covering over His people, and it will soon be drawn over all who are to have a shelter in the day of slaughter. God will work in power for His people; and Satan will be permitted to work also.” EW 43- 44

Two thousand years have not changed the minds of men. We are still the same people with the same basic problems of self- reliance. We still are suffering from the same problems of which the people of Christ’s day suffered. Somehow we must realize that we are, in fact, in the time in which this covering process is taking place! I am convinced that this event is NOT in the future! I think we are going through the process right now! Only those who understand the gravity of these events and choose to be convinced by God’s Word will have a chance to make a decision for eternal life. All others will be deceived and not know it until it is too late! Please get on you knees with the Word of God and honestly ask Him to show you what you must know. The God Who was willing to give all for our salvation still reigns on the throne. Praise His name!

DA 690- 93: “But now the history of the human race comes up before the world’s Redeemer. He sees that the transgressors of the law, if left to themselves, must perish. He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power of sin. The woes and lamentations of a doomed world rise before Him. He beholds its impending fate, and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself. He accepts His baptism of blood, that through Him perishing millions may gain everlasting life. He has left the courts of heaven, where all is purity, happiness, and glory, to save the one lost sheep, the one world that has fallen by transgression. And He will not turn from His mission.”

Jesus knows what it means to be tempted to leave a post of duty. He knows and understands the pressure to want to walk away. I believe Jesus has a special place in His heart for pastors who are holding to their sacred trusts but are sorely tempted to leave their post. He understands, first hand, what the convincing arguments are which Satan uses to turn the true minister aside from his sacred vows.

Even as I write this book, Cathy and I are becoming more aware of the tremendous pressures being applied to every person and every family. We have asked different ones if they have felt the increase of this pressure over the last several years and almost without exception, the answer has been a firm “yes.” We see pastors falling under the load and we know of fragmented families and marriages.

Cathy and I are aware of situations where a spouse who wishes to leave the other spouse and may not even be convinced that their own marriage is under this sort of decay. We also know of those whom we thought solid in the faith who have left those whom we thought weak. And there are families even in leadership (not necessarily in Conferences only) who are showing the public a much different picture than that which is the truth behind closed doors.

It is unnecessary to name names or try to convince anyone here. You know in your heart whether this scenario fits you. You also know, or at least I would hope you are honest enough to know, it matters not if you are able to fool every single human being on the entire face of the earth. It will make no difference in the soon coming judgment.

Whether we are Conference, Independent, Self- supporting, Reform (or whatever we deem appropriate) leaders or laity, the principles of God’s eternal government are exactly the same for everyone. If we don’t accept it now, we will know soon enough when probation closes that God has a mutual respect for every single soul. He loves us supremely but at the same time will in no wise clear the guilty. Whether prince or pauper, His treatment of us in the judgment will be the same. If we are to be safe in our salvation, we must understand, accept, and enter into these terms with an honest willingness to vindicate God’s character and not our sinful ones. To vindicate our character is to choose eternal death and separation. To lay it down and despise it, to replace it with the eternal righteousness of the Father and the Son is to chose life. Although this process may at times be embarrassing and painful to be sure, we hope and pray that you will choose life.

The lesson of Christ’s experience in the garden is multifaceted of course, but one of the important lessons is that we may at times have to stand alone in our decision for Jesus. In the end we will feel alone even though we may have many others around us. Salvation is offered to each individual and becomes an experience for and of the individual. Because of sin it can be an awful experience of death and sacrifice but, nonetheless, it is the experience we must be willing to go through. In the end we will know that heaven was cheap enough and our awful experience will forever be turned into a glorious one.

DA 693: “The Saviour trod the wine- press alone, and of the people there was none with Him.

“But God suffered with His Son. Angels beheld the Saviour’s agony. They saw their Lord enclosed by legions of Satanic forces, His nature weighed down with a shuddering, mysterious dread. There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight is sin.”

DA 694: “… He heard the footsteps of the mob in search of Him, and said, ‘Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand that doth betray Me. ’

“No traces of His recent agony were visible as Jesus stepped forth to meet His betrayer. Standing in advance of His disciples He said, ‘Whom seek ye? ’ They answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth. ’ Jesus replied, ‘I am He. ’ As these words were spoken, the angel who had lately ministered to Jesus, moved between Him and the mob. A divine light illuminated the Saviour’s face, and a dove- like form overshadowed Him. In the presence of this divine glory, the murderous throng could not stand for a moment. They staggered back. Priests, elders, soldiers, and even Judas, fell as dead men to the ground.”

In this portion of the Garden experience we find the structure, calling themselves the “church,” has joined forces with the government of their day in order to kill God. The Great Controversy and the book of Revelation tell us this experience will be repeated in the near future. The apostate people of God will use the government to persecute God’s true and faithful. As a matter of fact, it will be apostate Seventh- day Adventists who will turn in true Adventists so that they may be killed! Jesus said to the disciples that their worst enemies would be those of their own household. Jesus knew what He was talking about. After all, it was the Ancient Adventist Church that put Him on the cross.

Having said that and wanting to stay fair to the story, let’s not forget that the betrayer of Christ was an Independent Leader who refused to be converted. Although he had held this position of leadership for several years, he turned back to a corrupt priesthood in the end to betray the Lord. This will be the fate of any pastor, no matter what “group” he’s in or how extensive his following, who refuses to be fully converted. This conversion is only demonstrated in practical Christian living. Preaching straight sermons is not enough. It is that experiential knowledge of which we are speaking here that the Spirit of Prophecy is concerned with. Only those who engage in the character changes that God has promised to give will be or stay loyal to the Lord.

DA 696: “The disciples had thought that their Master would not suffer Himself to be taken. For the same power that had caused the mob to fall as dead men could keep them helpless, until Jesus and His companions should escape. They were disappointed and indignant as they saw the cords brought forward to bind the hands of Him whom they loved. Peter in his anger rashly drew his sword and tried to defend his Master, but he only cut off an ear of the high priest’s servant. When Jesus saw what was done, He released His hands, though held firmly by the Roman soldiers, and saying, ‘Suffer ye thus far, ’ He touched the wounded ear, and it was instantly made whole. He then said to Peter, ‘Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? ’”…

In reprimanding Peter for resorting to violence, Christ demonstrated that these methods are not to be the weapons of our warfare. The warfare is one of a spiritual nature and we are to lean on the Father as did Jesus, in faith. While defending the honor of God we are to leave the vengeance to Him and not take it into our own hands. While we are to expose error, we are not to do so with violent human passion.

DA 696: “The official dignity of the Jewish leaders had not prevented them from joining in the pursuit of Jesus. His arrest was too important a matter to be trusted to subordinates; the wily priests and elders had joined the temple police and the rabble in following Judas to Gethsemane. What a company for those dignitaries to unite with, — a mob that was eager for excitement, and armed with all kinds of implements, as if in pursuit of a wild beast.”

The Ancient Adventist Apostate Church Leaders could not stoop low enough in their pursuit to maintain their power over the people. The priesthood itself took the lead in the planning and capture of Christ. The laity later got caught up in this Satanic frenzy, but it was clearly the Ancient Conference that was still leading in the death of Christ. The people, although guilty were relatively innocent compared to those who ruled over them.

DA 697: “Turning to the priests and elders, Christ fixed upon them His searching glance. The words He spoke they would never forget as long as life should last. They were as the sharp arrows of the Almighty. With dignity He said, You come out against Me with swords and staves as you would against a thief or a robber. Day by day I sat teaching in the temple. You had every opportunity of laying hands upon Me, and you did nothing. The night is better suited to your work. ‘This is your hour, and the power of darkness. ’”

This darkness of which Jesus speaks concerning His own church is once again enshrouding us. The same methods of the Ancient structure are realized in the modern. As the Ancient Adventist Conference played the lead role two thousand years ago, we see an exact replica of our future in the movement of the present Conference.

The journey through Gethsemane was just the beginning of the end for Jesus and this experience of decision and faith was only the gate which led to Golgotha’s hill. Upon Christ’s capture by the then recognized “church” Jesus was whisked away to face the General Conference President and the Conference Committee. Even though they had become grossly corrupt, they were still recognized by the laity as the voice of God. I hope you are still paying attention to Prophetic Parallels.

DA 698: “Annas was the head of the officiating priestly family, and in deference to his age he was recognized by the people as high priest. His counsel was sought and carried out as the voice of God. He must first see Jesus a captive to priestly power. He must be present at the examination of the prisoner, for fear that the less- experienced Caiaphas might fail of securing the object for which they were working. His ARTIFICE, CUNNING, and SUBTLETY must be used on this occasion; for at all events, Christ’s condemnation must be secured.”

Once again I decided to look up a few key words taken from this paragraph and would like to share their meaning with you. Artifice (from the same root word as artificial interestingly enough) — a clever trick or stratagem; tricky; guile; or craftiness. Remember that the church which goes through is comprised of people who have no guile. Cunning — skill employed in a crafty manner, as in deceiving. And, subtly — fine or delicate, often when likely to elude perception or understanding, otherwise well- skilled in the qualities of oration and used to persuade others to ones argument by use of deception; able to baffle people by skilled argumentation.

Is it any surprise that the structure is pouring thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into learning skills in communication which involve practices that are deceptive and covert in nature? And yet with these evils unearthed, the majority still recognize a polluted Conference as the voice of God. It is strange that the Lord brings forth all this evidence and gives us all this history and still we refuse to learn. It’s no wonder that our own prophet stated that we are worse than they, the Ancient people. Praise God that there are many more today who have and are recognizing the truth in these matters as the Lord continues to show the clear evidence of these parallels.

DA 699: “Not a few among the priests and rulers had been convicted by Christ’s teaching, and only fear of excommunication prevented them from confessing Him. The priests well remembered the question of Nicodemus ‘Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? ’ (John 7: 51). This question had for the time broken up the council, and thwarted their plans. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were not now to be summoned, but there were others who might dare to speak in favor of justice. The trial must be so conducted as to unite the members of the Sanhedrin against Christ. There were two charges which the priests desired to maintain. If Jesus could be proved a blasphemer, He would be condemned by the Jews. If convicted of sedition, it would secure His condemnation by the Romans. The second charge Annas tried first to establish. He questioned Jesus concerning His disciples and His doctrines, hoping the prisoner would say something that would give him material upon which to work. He thought to draw out some statement to prove that He was seeking to establish a secret society, with the purpose of setting up a new kingdom. Then the priests could deliver Him to the Romans as a disturber of the peace and a creator of insurrection.”

Can a better description of what is going on be found? The Conferences are trying desperately to find anything to discredit the Independent Ministries. They are bringing the charge of lack of respect for properly constituted church authority to gain the support of the people. This is the echo of insurrection or disruption inside the church. One day in the near future when the judgments of God are falling on the land before the seven last plagues, these same people will transfer this charge to a broader scope and blame the faithful few for the judgments falling upon the land.

Also, as stated previously in this chapter the Josephs and Nicodemuses need to understand that their eternal fate will depend on what choices they make: either to come forward for God or remain behind for apostate Adventism. They need to side with the true people of God, or they WILL side with those who are against the government of God and be forever lost. The middle ground is forever disappearing and soon, if a decided choice is not made for the right, a choice for the wrong will be registered in the books of heaven by the names of those who refused to take a stand for Jesus. The trial that Jesus went through and all of its players will be duplicated in this our day. This we must realize, and we must make a firm choice to stand for the right if we are indeed TRUE Seventh- day Adventist Christians. If this choice is not made, we are, in reality, Seventh- day Adventists in name only.

DA 699: “The Saviour contrasted His own manner of work with the methods of His accusers. For months they had hunted Him, striving to entrap Him and bring Him before a secret tribunal, where they might obtain by perjury what it was impossible to gain by fair means. Now they were carrying out their purpose. The midnight seizure by a mob, the mockery and abuse before He was condemned, or even accused, was their manner of work, not His. Their action was in violation of the law. Their own rules declared that every man should be treated as innocent until proved guilty. By their own rules the priests stood condemned.” By their own “Church Manual,” the trial of Christ was not legal. Take it from a person who has first- hand experience in this matter. These same trials and this same disregard for their own rules, when it’s convenient for them to do so, is very much alive and in operation today. There’s an old saying “there’s no honor among thieves.” That also goes for liars and power mongers. These people will use every means to save their own authority. They will even break their own rules when it seems necessary. In reality, and it will eventually be seen, there are no rules among this group, at least none which have anything to do with Christian morals. The only reason they have to give an impression that there is, is for the purpose of fooling those whom they want to support them. But as with any corrupt organization, these very leaders will find out all too soon and far too late that their leader, the Devil, has no rules either and they, mean nothing to him. In the end they will lose all their authority and their very existence. If you understand this you will also understand why it’s fatal to give these people any authority over your spiritual life.

DA 700: “Christ suffered keenly under abuse and insult. At the hands of the beings whom He had created, and for whom He was making an infinite sacrifice, He received every indignity. And He suffered in proportion to the perfection of His holiness and His hatred of sin. His trial by men who acted as fiends was to Him a perpetual sacrifice. To be surrounded by human beings under the control of Satan was revolting to Him. And He knew that in a moment, by the flashing forth of His divine power, He could lay His cruel tormentors in the dust. This made the trial the harder to bear.”

If we could but comprehend just a sliver of the truth concerning Christ’s sacrifice, we would not only understand Him as our only true friend, but our hearts would take the opportunity to reach out to Him with the appreciation we owe Him. It is in this approach to God’s grace and His law that we find a balance and subvert both cheap grace and legalism. I do what I do because Christ first loved me. I do the works of Christ because I appreciate what He has and is doing for my salvation. This is love in action and the pure motivation that actuates from a heart that wants to say to God, “Thank you, Lord.”

When it comes to personal trial, we need to learn the ways of Christ so much! His spirit of longsuffering, calmness, and gentleness is the hallmark of God’s love.

We also need to grasp from whom these insults and abuses were coming from and why it hurt Jesus so much. As we do, it will help us to understand much about our immediate future.

DA 703- 4: “When the council had assembled in the judgment- hall, Caiaphas took his seat as presiding officer. On either side were the judges, and those specially interested in the trial. The Roman soldiers were stationed on the platform below the throne. At the foot of the throne stood Jesus. Upon Him the gaze of the whole multitude was fixed. The excitement was intense. Of all the throng He alone was calm and serene. The very atmosphere surrounding Him seemed pervaded by a holy influence.

“Caiaphas had regarded Jesus as his rival. The eagerness of the people to hear the Saviour, and their apparent readiness to accept His teachings, had aroused the bitter jealousy of the high priest.”

Just a couple of questions: What council had assembled? Caiaphas sat as presiding officer. Who was Caiaphas? Who were the judges? Who were those especially interested in the trial? And why did Caiaphas regard Jesus as his rival?

DA 705: “There were plenty of witnesses to prove that Christ had denounced the priests and scribes, that He had called them hypocrites and murderers; but this testimony it was not expedient to bring forward. The Sadducees in their sharp contentions with the Pharisees had used to them similar language. And such testimony would have no weight with the Romans, who were themselves disgusted with the pretensions of the Pharisees. There was abundant evidence that Jesus had disregarded the traditions of the Jews, and had spoken irreverently of many of their ordinances; but in regard to tradition the Pharisees and Sadducees were at swords’ points; and this evidence also would have no weight with the Romans. Christ’s enemies dared not accuse Him of Sabbath- breaking, lest an examination should reveal the character of His work. If His miracles of healing were brought to light, the very object of the priests would be defeated.

“False witnesses had been bribed to accuse Jesus of inciting rebellion and seeking to establish a separate government. But their testimony proved to be vague and contradictory. Under examination they falsified their own statements.”

How many times have you heard the statement from different others whose religious experiences differ widely that “Jesus never condemned anyone? And so we should never say anything against anyone, especially the leadership, or anything that might offend anybody.” I have thought frequently how these same people and multitudes of others don’t understand or believe the plain Word of God. This teaching of many a Conference man is pure falsehood and an attempt at self- preservation. Many Conference men and laity are hypocritical in this area. Jesus certainly did condemn others and also the leadership of His day. For this very reason the Adventist Church of two thousand years ago murdered Him on a cross!

As the struggle in the great controversy intensifies, the gulf between the two camps within the movement will broaden. These sons of Ancient Apostate Adventist Conference Leaders will continue to play out their role in the attempted destruction of Jesus in the persons of His people one last time.

DA 706- 7: “Patiently Jesus listened to the conflicting testimonies. No word did He utter in self- defense. At last His accusers were entangled, confused, and maddened. The trial was making no headway: it seemed that their plottings were to fail. Caiaphas was desperate. One last resort remained; Christ must be forced to condemn Himself…

“At last, Caiaphas, raising his right hand toward heaven, addressed Jesus in the form of a solemn oath: ‘I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God. ’

“To this appeal Christ could not remain silent. There was a time to be silent, and a time to speak. He had not spoken until directly questioned. He knew that to answer now would make His death certain. But the appeal was made by the highest acknowledged authority of the nation, and in the name of the Most High. Christ would not fail to show proper respect for the law. More than this, His own relation to the Father was called in question. He must plainly declare His character and mission. Jesus had said to His disciples, ‘Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. ’ (Matt. 10: 32). Now by His own example He repeated the lesson.”

Christ did not defend Himself. He maintained a spiritual dignity that confused and exposed His accusers. It would be well for us to realize that just as important as not defending self is the lesson that when God’s honor is brought into question, our silence is a denial of our profession and Jesus denies us before the Father.

DA 708: “The thought that there was to be a resurrection of the dead, when all would stand at the bar of God, to be rewarded according to their works, was a thought of terror to Caiaphas. He did not wish to believe that in [the] future he would receive sentence according to his works. These rushed before his mind as a panorama the scenes of the final Judgment. For a moment he saw the fearful spectacle of the graves giving up their dead, with the secrets he had hoped were forever hidden.”

Just as now, because pastors, have gone to Babylon to be educated, the Ancient Adventist pastors, were split even within their own ranks because of unbiblical theology. Caiaphas shuddered at the thought of having to meet his works at the judgment bar so he openly taught there was no resurrection. Today, Apostate Adventist pastors shudder at the thought of having to meet their sins at the judgment bar, so they openly teach that we don’t have to quit sinning and God will still save us.

DA 708: “The scene passed from the priest’s vision. Christ’s words cut him, the Sadducee, to the quick. Caiaphas had denied the doctrine of the resurrection, the Judgment, and a future life. Now he was maddened by Satanic fury. Was this man, a prisoner before him, to assail his most cherished theories? Rending his robe, that the people might see his pretended horror, he demanded that without further preliminaries the prisoner be condemned for blasphemy. ‘What further need have we of witnesses? ’ he said; ‘behold, now ye have heard His blasphemy. What think ye? ’ And they all condemned Him.”

This piece of inspiration definitely states that this leader — the official head of the structure — placed Christ on trial and pressed to take His life, not because Jesus had wrong theology but because He assailed Caiaphas’ cherished theories. The reflection of this experience can be seen in many of today’s “trials” being held by the conferences in regard to certain people who are “rocking the boat.”

DA 709: “Everything worn by the priest was to be whole and without blemish. By those beautiful official garments was represented the character of the great antitype, Jesus Christ. Nothing but perfection, in dress and attitude, in word and spirit, could be acceptable to God. He is holy, and His glory and perfection must be represented by the earthly service. Nothing but perfection could properly represent the sacredness of the heavenly service. Finite man might rend his own heart by showing a contrite and humble spirit. This God would discern. But no rent must be made in the priestly robes, for this would mar the representation of heavenly things. The high priest who dared to appear in holy office, and engage in the service of the sanctuary, with a rent robe, was looked upon as having severed himself from God. By rending his garment he cut himself off from being a representative character. He was no longer accepted by God as an officiating priest. This course of action, as exhibited by Caiaphas, showed human passion, human imperfection.

“By rending his garments, Caiaphas made of no effect the law of God, to follow the tradition of men.”

The representation of the perfect garment is the equivalent to the perfect character of Christ and His righteousness. This lesson has great significance in the light of the present situation. Two things happened if a pastor tore his garments. One, he made of none effect the law of God and second, he immediately disqualified himself from being a pastor. The teaching of what has become known as the new theology today is the same, spiritually speaking, as rending the robe. It rends the pure, righteous character of God and makes it something that is both human and satanic. In teaching these things pastors are disqualifying themselves from representing Christ and leading God’s people, just as surely as did Caiaphas when he tore that which represented to the people the character of God. Dear people Jesus did not accept this authority. As a matter of fact He did everything in His power to tear it down! Is this what you are doing? Or are you siding with a power which seeks to destroy God’s government and all who support it?

DA 709: “When Caiaphas rent his garment, his act was significant of the place that the Jewish nation as a nation would thereafter occupy toward God. The once favored people of God were separating themselves from Him, and were fast becoming a people disowned by Jehovah.” As the modern day officials of the structure continue to lower the standards in the “church” and in the official papers, as they continue to teach new theology and defend their unbiblical positions of authority, they are doing exactly what Caiaphas did. God has not changed, so the result will be the same. If you choose to support them, your result will be the same, as well.

DA 714- 15: “And so by the third condemnation of the Jewish authorities, Jesus was to die. All that was now necessary, they thought, was for the Romans to ratify this condemnation, and deliver Him into their hands.

“Then came the third scene of abuse and mockery, worse even than that received from the ignorant rabble. In the very presence of the priests and rulers, and with their sanction, this took place. Every feeling of sympathy or humanity had gone out of their hearts. If their arguments were weak, and failed to silence His voice, they had other weapons, such as in all ages have been used to silence heretics, — suffering, and violence, and death.

“When the condemnation of Jesus was pronounced by the judges, a Satanic fury took possession of the people. The roar of voices was like that of wild beasts. The crowd made a rush toward Jesus, crying, He is guilty, put Him to death! Had it not been for the Roman soldiers, Jesus would not have lived to be nailed to the cross of Calvary. He would have been torn in pieces before His judges, had not Roman authority interfered, and by force of arms restrained the violence of the mob. “Heathen men were angry at the brutal treatment of one against whom nothing had been proved. The Roman officers declared that the Jews in pronouncing condemnation upon Jesus were infringing upon the Roman power, and that it was even against the Jewish law to condemn a man to death upon his own testimony. This intervention brought a momentary lull in the proceedings; but the Jewish leaders were dead alike to pity and to shame.

“Priests and rulers forgot the dignity of their office, and abused the Son of God with foul epithets. They taunted Him with His parentage. They declared that His presumption in proclaiming Himself the Messiah made Him deserving of the most ignominious death. The most dissolute men engaged in infamous abuse of the Saviour. An old garment was thrown over His head, and His persecutors struck Him in the face, saying, ‘Prophesy unto us, Thou Christ, Who is he that smote Thee? ’ When the garment was removed, one poor wretch spat in His face.

“The angels of God faithfully recorded every insulting look, word, and act, against their beloved Commander. One day the base men who scorned and spat upon the calm, pale face of Christ, will look upon it in its glory, shining brighter than the sun.”

ALL of the above events, ALL of the heinous crimes committed against the person of Jesus Christ WILL BE AGAIN committed by professed Seventh- day Adventist Christians! It got so bad that even the heathen soldiers became indignant at the depths of cruelty these “church” leaders and laity could heap upon another human being. Brother and Sister, why do you suppose all of this has been left for us to understand by the same Jesus Whom this abuse was leveled upon? Who was it that made sure an accurate account was left for us who are facing these issues today? We must know present truth! If we don’t, we will not know that this is the time of our visitation and we will treat it just as the Apostate Church did. We certainly don’t want that to be the eternal account written by our name, do we?

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

What God Hath Joined

The first institution ever established on earth was the family. Before governments or churches, before sin or sacrifices, even before the Sabbath—the family was instituted in Eden.

“God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the universe. ‘Marriage is honorable;’ it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, after the fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man’s social needs, it elevates the physical, the intellectual, and the moral nature.” The Adventist Home, 25, 26.

The family was the center of God’s creation. It was not the Sabbath (Mark 2:27), or the tree of life, and certainly not the tree of knowledge. It was not Adam; it was not Eve, but it was Adam and Eve together as a family. The family was the center of creation and today it is still the center of creation. The center of all society, and the center of every nation, and the center of the church is the family.

“Society is composed of families, and is what the heads of families make it. Out of the heart are ‘the issues of life’; and the heart of the community, of the church, and of the nation is the household. The well-being of society, the success of the church, the prosperity of the nation, depend upon home influences.” The Adventist Home, 15.

As the last act of creation week and as the first institution on earth, God established marriage and created the family. God is the creator of this institution—He is the manufacturer. (Matthew 19:6.) And one of the reasons why marriage has not been working in the twentieth century is that man has forgotten the family’s Creator. Man has been trying a do-it-yourself job with the marriage institution.

There is a sign that hangs in many repair shops: “When all else fails, try the manufacturer’s instructions.” That is the sign that should hang in more marriage chambers and in more pastor’s offices and in the waiting rooms of marriage counselors. But is it not a shame that we have to try everything else first, and make a total mess of things before we will try God’s way (if we will then).

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6.

Peter said: “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them [your wives] according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7.

Oh, you mean this can even hinder prayers from being answered? That is what it says. If we are not living up to the “manufacturer’s instructions,” not only will the home be a failure, but God will not answer the prayers that ascend from that family. The way the family is run is not a take it or leave it situation. The family is a sacred institution to be honored according to the laws of God, just as is the Sabbath.

Thought Question:

If the marriage institution is to be run according to the Law of God, can these laws be learned from worldly sources any more than the true laws of the Sabbath can be learned from worldly sources?

Besides it being a duty to God to follow the manufacturer’s instructions in the marriage, and besides it being necessary for prayers to be answered, it is also the only way that will make the marriage work. There is only one way that marriage will work! Only one!

There are several different answers to home government, but only one that works. Is it so hard to understand? When a person makes a car to run on gasoline, that is the only substance that will make it run. Oh, sure, there are many things you can put in the gas tank, but only one substance will make it run.

That is exactly the way it is with marriage and that is exactly the reason marriages are not working right today. God has the answers, the only answers for running a home, but we want to try every other way. We want to find out the answers from every other source but the manufacturer. And the world’s principles of home management and the manufacturer’s principles are opposite. They do not go together! They do not mix. There is no worldly university in the land where you can go and find out God’s principles of how to run a home. And even if it is an Adventist teacher or counselor that learns his principles from worldly sources, they are still wrong principles and they still will not work.

How many answers are there to the equation 2 + 2? Only one? Isn’t that narrow minded? Three point nine is very close, wouldn’t that work? How about 3.99999? Only one right answer? Yes, but let me ask you friend, how many wrong answers are there? Many. There are always many wrong answers. That is why there are so many churches and that is why there are so many philosophies and “answers” to marriage problems, and that is why so few homes work. They work just to the proportion that they are run according to God’s principles.

The Devil Has An Advantage Over God

God has only one answer, but the devil has many. He has one for every personality. And he will have one that just fits your personality. He can manufacturer one that might even seem better than God’s plan. That is why we have to manage our homes by faith. We must study God’s way and follow it—not from feeling, but from principles. Let us throw out all the worldly books on marriage—whether written by Adventists or non-Adventists—and come to the true source of knowledge.

“Those who would have that wisdom which is from God must become fools in the sinful knowledge of this age, in order to be wise. They should shut their eyes, that they may see and learn no evil. They should close their ears, lest they hear that which is evil and obtain that knowledge which would stain their purity of thoughts and acts. And they should guard their tongues, lest they utter corrupt communications and guile be found in their mouths.” The Adventist Home, 404.

The Story of Eve

In the beginning God made man, but He saw that he was lonely. God does not want anyone to be lonely, so He made a companion for Adam. Using a very graphic illustration, as God often does, He took a rib from Adam’s side to make a helpmeet for him. She was not to rule over him, neither was she to be trampled under foot, but she was to be loved, guided and protected. She was an equal and yet God made her the weaker vessel and ordained that Adam should be her rightful protector—to protect her equality, purity and happiness.

God made Eve weaker than Adam—not just physically, but emotionally. God made Eve to want to be noticed and He knew that this desire could be taken advantage of. Adam was to see that no one took advantage of this attribute. In later years after sin, it would be part of Adam’s job to protect Eve from needlessly exposing herself to temptation by the way she dressed and enticed other men. Adam would better understand than Eve the wondering and lusting eye of man and the subtlety of his words and compliments. He would understand from experience that: “Chaste simplicity in dress, when united with modesty of demeanor, will go far toward surrounding a young woman with that atmosphere of sacred reserve which will be to her a shield from a thousand perils.” Education, 248.

But even in the Garden of Eden there were dangers to beware of. They were to be a veil and a wall of protection to each other.

“The angels warned them of Satan, and cautioned them not to separate from each other in their employment, for they might be brought in contact with this fallen foe. The angels enjoined upon them to closely follow the directions God had given them, for in perfect obedience only were they safe. And if they were obedient, this fallen foe could have no power over them. “Satan commenced his work with Eve, to cause her to disobey. She first erred in wandering from her husband. . . .” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 20.

The instruction to remain by the side of her companion was especially given to Eve (Patriarchs and Prophets, 53), but unconsciously she wandered from Adam’s side.

“On perceiving that she was alone, she felt an apprehension of danger, but dismissed her fears, deciding that she had sufficient wisdom and strength to discern evil and to withstand it.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 53, 54.

Eve was a mature woman, and wise enough to take care of herself, or so she thought. But Satan came in an unsuspecting way. He came through a close and trusted acquaintance—an animal friend of theirs—and “with subtle praise of her surpassing loveliness” began to play on her natural, God given feelings of wanting to be noticed. And it worked.

Two Trees

There were two trees in the Garden of Eden. One was a tree of life and the other was a tree of knowledge. That is not to say that the tree of life did not contain knowledge. It just did not contain as much knowledge—it presented only one side of things. But the tree of knowledge presented both sides of the picture and offered many answers to life.

The serpent was found in the tree of knowledge. He first commenced to recognize Eve’s true qualities. But as she received the attentions from another than her husband, her confidence and love for that one was increased. And as the serpent offered his own personal testimony as to the help this knowledge had brought him, Eve was induced into partaking of this knowledge herself.

“Eve really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save her from the penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this was what led to her fall.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 55.

You may truly believe Satan, you may have true confidence and trust in your friends’ and acquaintances’ testimonials and theories, but this will not save you from the consequences of a broken home. What will save you is belief in Christ and His word. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Not knowledge from the tree of knowledge, but knowledge from the tree of life.

“The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it in the hands of the half-reluctant Eve.” (Being half-reluctant did not save her either.) “Perceiving no evil results from what she had done [receiving the fruit], Eve grew bolder.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 55, 56. Eve did not rush into things. She took them a step at a time. As she saw that there was no harm resulting from what she had done and as she saw the fruit was good for food, she ate.

And low and behold, the serpent was right.

“As she ate, she seemed to feel a vivifying power; and imagined herself entering upon a higher state of existence.” Ibid.

The serpent was right! Now she had a personal testimony of her own to give to her husband! “Look what it has done for me.” This knowledge (this book, this course, this magazine, etc.) has really helped me. This is what you need to help you in your problems. And if you do not have any problems it will still make life better.

“Ah,” says Adam, “I don’t believe that fruit will really help you.” “But have you tried it?” replied Eve. “You cannot criticize something you have not tried!” (That argument gets more people than any other.) “Just try it and see for yourself. Be more open minded. Try it with an open mind and you will find that it is true.” And so Adam fell, too.

Get the Good and Reject the Bad

The tree was a tree of knowledge of good (and a little bad). Why should not Eve get all of the good she could? Would God deprive her of that? Why should not she just eat the good part of the fruit and leave the bad?

And so we have the same philosophy today in marriage books and in almost every other source of information. “You cannot expect anything to be perfect, so go through the book (or course) and get what good there is in it and leave the rest.” When we follow this counsel, we usually end up doing as good a job as Eve.

Today

And so the devil works today mixing truth and error. He is not always as bold as he is in the religion of Taoism where they teach that the whole universe came into existence through the blending of good and evil (yang and yin), and it is only as these two qualities are maintained in equilibrium that peace and health are preserved.

The Mormons teach the same thing in just a little less blatant form. They teach that sin had to be in order for us to ever understand righteousness, happiness and purity. They, like Satan, teach that sin was a necessity in order for righteousness to exist. Sin was a necessity; God’s program would have never worked without Satan; there had to be a blending of the two.

All such philosophy is straight from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. To put the finishing proof on where this philosophy came from, Mormons teach that Jesus Christ Himself came down and told Joseph Smith that He had changed the Sabbath to Sunday. Who was this? Who is trying to change God’s law? As in Daniel 7:25, the devil is the originator of any such teaching.

And yet Adventists will study “Fascinating Womanhood” without any qualms—and it is straight from Mormonism! Oh, but there is so much good in it! So was there in the tree of knowledge of good (and evil.) Oh, but I got such a benefit! So thought Eve. Oh, but I will just get the good and discard the evil! You will do as good a job at that as did Eve.

We have been feasting at the tree of knowledge of good and evil and that is why we are having so many marriage problems in our church. And the devil enjoys it, for he knows that the heart… of the church…is the household. The well-being…of the church…depend(s) upon home influences.” The Adventist Home, 15.

As long as he can keep this situation existing in the church; as long as he can keep Adventists feasting on the tree of knowledge of good and evil so they will not be able to have good homes, Satan knows that he can prevent Jesus from coming. But there is coming a time when the church and the families that are “the heart” of the church will be purified.

Results

The results of eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil can be seen all around. We can see it in the lukewarm state of our church. We can see it in the divorce rate among Seventh-day Adventist couples. (But the actual divorces are only the mere tip of the iceberg of the marriage problems. More than any other place, we can see the results in our philosophies, practices and thinking.)

Mrs. White says: “It is not in harmony with the instructions given at Sinai that gentlemen physicians should do the work of midwives. The Bible speaks of women at childbirth being attended by women, and thus it ought always to be.” Counsels on Health, 365. Notice, that this problem of women going to women for their female problems (both mental and physical) is not just a matter of modesty—it is a matter of keeping or breaking God’s law.

And if you think this might just be an isolated quotation, see the shaded box with just a few more of the many times Sister White wrote on this subject.

Sister White applies the same principle for female health-care workers and male patients.

“Women physicians should utterly refuse to look upon the secret parts of men. Women should be thoroughly educated to work for women, and men to work for men. Let men know that they must go to their own sex and not apply to lady physicians. It is an insult to women, and God looks upon these things of commonness with abhorrence.” Ibid.

Why have I included all of this counsel from God’s prophet on this delicate and unpopular subject? Only for the reason that we stated at the beginning: this was only an example to show how much we have been influenced by the world’s knowledge of good and evil. How many today even consider this subject when they choose a physician? There are even some people that feel that it is not a woman’s job to deliver babies and deal with female problems. All such thinking is a gross perversion of the devil and must be cleaned out of our midst before we will be a pure people for God to come and take home. We have a long ways to go, don’t we? We have been feasting at the tree of knowledge of good and evil—it is time we come back to the tree of life.

This was but an example so obvious that no one could miss it and so simple that all can understand it. It is an example of mixing good with evil. It is good to treat people and maintain health, but it is bad to do it in an immoral way.

In this world of sin, God’s ways are always hard—they are contrary to the popular way of doing things. The Sabbath is not popular either. But God’s ways can be followed if we really want to follow them. It just depends how badly we want to follow. If we want excuses, we can find them. If we want to find reasons for not following God’s plan, the devil will supply us with what we want. If we want another way than God’s way, there are plenty. But if we are determined to follow God’s way and only God’s way, we can do it—and we will have successful homes. “Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 333.

Thought Question:

The example of following the world’s customs of male-female relationships in medicine was just an example. In how many other areas do you suppose we have been influenced by eating of the tree of knowledge of good (and a little evil)?

Friends, we do not have to go to the tree with the serpent in it for our knowledge. We have the tree of life and it is all sufficient. The tree of life was symbolic of Jesus and the fruit was symbolic of His words. Jesus also likened His words to another kind of sustaining food—the bread of life. He said, “Labor not for the meat which perisheth [the worldly sources of knowledge], but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you.

“My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.…And Jesus said…I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.

“Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life…I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.

“As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever.

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” John 6:27, 32–35, 47–51, 57–58, 63.

The tree of life is where we should be feasting. From this tree we can find all the answers for our homes today. This is the sacred institution of God, created in the Garden of Eden along with the Sabbath. “The Sabbath and the family were alike instituted in Eden, and in God’s purpose they are indissolubly linked together.” Education, 250.

If you can go to the world to learn how to keep the Sabbath, then you can go to the world to learn how to keep the marriage. If the Sabbath is just a matter of convenience, than so is keeping the marriage institution.

Eating from the Tree of Life

But friend, it is not just important that we do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It is just as important that we do eat of the tree of life. The home is based on true love. What should be in the home is true, sanctified love. This is the basis of a sanctified home. And this can only be found at the tree of life.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7, 8.

If you love, you know God.

If you do not love, you do not know God.

If you know God, you love.

If you do not know God, you do not love.

Therefore, if you want more love, where is the only place you can go to find it? God is the only one you can get love from and if you do not know Him, you do not have it.

The only way you can have love is to know God. The only way you can have love daily is to know God daily. The only way you can know God is through devotions (prayer, meditation and the study of His word). Friend, if you are not having daily devotions, you do not have a good home! No gimmicks will work. No courses will work. No books will work. Only daily communing with God will work. Make the choice today to start having daily devotions always. Make this your first work.

“The presence of Christ alone can make men and women happy. All the common waters of life Christ can turn into the wine of heaven. The home then becomes as an Eden of bliss; the family, a beautiful symbol of the family in heaven.” The Adventist Home, 28.

The Ship

Seventh-day Adventists have always had a great appreciation for the books of Daniel and Revelation. This is because these books are books of prophecy. It is prophecy that established us as a people. It gives meaning and understanding to us concerning end-time events. Those times, when they come, will bring the world into crisis and then to an end. We have studied and studied these books until the pages have become worn. We have interpreted and re-interpreted them until it seems that nothing new could come. But in our study of these books we have, to a great extent, neglected other books, which have great prophetic relevance to us also.

One of the books to which I am referring is the book of Acts. Have you ever thought of the book of Acts as a prophetic book, which deals with end time events? Normally, we do not see this book as apocalyptic. We only see it as the history of the early Christian church. We see it recording the acts of the elders, deacons, and apostles, showing the events of how the early church got under way through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I would like to take you on a journey through a passage of Scripture, which I believe has prophetic significance. I hope by doing this, it will help you to read the book of Acts with a greater degree of interest in the future.

It is the normal understanding that as we look at a book of prophecy, that as we get closer to the end of that book, the more relevant it is to us, as far as the time is concerned. The closer we come to the end of the book of Revelation, for instance, the closer we come to the end of time and its importance to us as a people. I believe the same is true of the book of Acts. With this in mind, we want to look at the next to the last chapter, Acts 27.

Paul’s Arrest and Arraignment

The setting for this chapter centers on Paul’s arrest and arraignment before Agrippa. It is here that we have Agrippa’s famous statement, after listening to what Paul had to say, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Paul’s response was, “I would to God, that not only you, but everybody who has heard me today would be like me, except for these chains with which I am bound.” Acts 26:28, 29.

But no one was interested. Life had too much to offer. Why should they restrict themselves by becoming Christians? No, they would continue on just like they had before. But they had to deal with Paul. What are we going to do with this man? He has not committed any offense worthy of death. He has not killed anyone. He has not violated any law that we know of, and if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar, we could have set him free. (See Acts 26:31, 32.)

I will have to confess, at this point, that I do not understand everything that God does. But there is one thing that I do understand, and that is that God is working to save as many souls for the Kingdom as possible. And many times, the route that God takes is not the route that man would take to accomplish the same thing.

Here is Paul, at one time a criminal to the Kingdom of heaven, but now he is a converted man, one whose only desire is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. And it seems, as a result of that service, that he has been arrested and charged with crimes that some have deemed worthy of death.

This is the way God works many times. Whatever trial we go through, however, He has promised to be with us. Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5. This was no easy occasion for Paul, but God was with him. Paul was a double prisoner. He was a prisoner of the state and a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

The reason that this event took place was so that Paul would have an opportunity to stand before the emperor of the world and confess his faith in Christ. Paul had appealed to Caesar, and it was to Caesar he would go. And so, preparations were made for the trip. Paul, along with a couple of hundred others, would make their way to Rome.

On a Ship Heading for Rome

We see in Acts 27:1, 2 that Paul is beginning his journey…on a ship taking the gospel to Rome, there to testify before the emperor of the world. As you read through this chapter, you will find some words that have been used to hold Seventh-day Adventists in bondage, which, if they are rightly understood, will free us to be and to do what God would have us to do. “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, ‘Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.’” Acts 27:31. It is this concept that has been distorted and turned on its ear and made to say what it does not mean.

We have taken this idea of the “Ship” and applied it to the denomination, and made it out to mean that unless we stay with the denominational churches, we can never make it through. But the truth of the matter is, that the “Ship” is not the church. I hope before we are through with this article, we will be able to see this concept, and also understand what the “Ship” is.

We want to go back and look at chapter 27 now. We want to take it apart in such a way as to understand what it is saying to those of us who are living in these last days. We’ll begin with Acts 27:2. Here we are told that Paul and his fellow prisoners boarded a ship of Adramyttium. This ship was just a regular ship, which was known for its stability and its serviceability for plying the seas, carrying cargo safely to its destination. It was dependable. It had a crew who was used to all kinds of travel, experienced seafaring men, the crew had wisdom, and when the going got tough they pulled into port so that the ship, crew, and cargo were kept safe.

There were at least three on this boat who had a mission for the Lord. There was Paul, Aristarchus, and Luke. Even though Luke does not mention his own name, he is writing in the first person, so we know that he was there recording these events.

Mark it down. Any time you are traveling for the Lord, the contrary winds are going to be blowing. Have you found this to be true in your own life? The Bible says that the winds blow. Satan does not want them to arrive safely, but the boat is sound. It is a solid, seaworthy vessel. Nothing is mentioned about leaks or problems which would cause them difficulties, and so they finally arrive at Myra, a city of Lycia.

They could not go any further at that time because the wind was blowing contrary to them. They had not yet arrived at their home port. I hope you are following me here, because there are things in this narrative, which should be speaking to us.

Changing Ships in the Midst of the Journey

Now Julius, the centurion who was in charge of the prisoners, had a decision to make. He could wait to complete his journey, which might mean spending the winter in Myra, or he could catch another ship and continue on. Here is where the story begins to take on meaning for us. They left the ship that was safe and sound, the ship that would have carried them to the destination of their journey without any difficulty. They left it and they boarded another ship. Now notice, the centurion was in charge. This centurion was an agent of Rome, and he made the decision to put everyone on board another ship. It was a ship from Alexandria. (See Acts 27:6–10.)

I do not know if this has any meaning for you or not, but let me give you some background. Alexandria was a metropolis of great learning. Alexandria had universities of higher education; a place where those of a simpler education could go and become introduced to greater depths of philosophy and theories of knowledge and critical study; a place where you could learn how to question what you had been taught as truth. It was Alexandria and its universities that prepared the way for the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah at His first coming. This happened after the Babylonian captivity. The Jewish nation had learned its lesson relative to the worshipping of false gods and idols. They had been chastised so hard during this time away from their homeland, that they would never be caught again doing that which would call for such punishment. They became so repulsed by the Gentiles and their worship of false gods, that they would not even go over and tell their neighbors about the soon coming Messiah. It finally came to the place where, if they had the shadow of the unclean [Gentile] fall across them during certain times of purification, they believed themselves to be unclean.

The Church Divided

As time went on, there were various parties that developed within the church. One group was very conservative…fundamental in their beliefs. They were known as the Pharisees. They had their problems, to be sure, but it was the Pharisees who preserved what truth the church of that day had. They rejected all attempts to introduce the new theology that was running rampant in those times.

As time drew near to the birth of Jesus, there was great persecution of the Pharisees. A persecution so great, that many of them were not only kicked out of their church offices and their memberships taken away, but many of them paid the ultimate price with their lives, because they believed in standing up for the truth as they understood it.

The other main party in the church at that time was the Sadducees. This group developed about the same time as the Pharisees. They were theologically similar, but they had some very major differences. The Sadducees came into being because those who were leading out in the Jewish denomination of that day felt that the membership, and those who they were trying to win to the faith, could be better served by an educated clergy. As a result of the vote of the committee, certain ones were chosen to go to Egypt, to Alexandria, to receive the benefits of higher education. They went, and they got what they went after, and what they learned they brought back to the nation of Judah and taught to others.

First of all, they learned liberal philosophies. Where the Pharisees were fundamental, the Sadducees were liberal. They learned, what today is called higher criticism, and this led them to reject most of the Scripture. The only books they accepted were the five books of Moses.

The Sadducees had no problem being of the world. The Pharisees were called separatists. They did not believe in being of the world. They knew we had to be in the world, but not get involved in all the trappings which came with it, so, they opted for traditions instead. It was here
that they ran head long into the teachings of Jesus.

The Sadducees loved the world and all that it had to offer them. They became involved in the politics of the day. They loved to rule. They had given up most of those characteristics which made them stand out from the rest of the Jews.

If you looked at a Pharisee, you could tell that he was a Jew. With the Sadducees it was a different story. They not only wanted to be in the world, but they wanted to look like the world and be everything that the world wanted them to be. They did not want to be too peculiar. Not being peculiar called for them to give up certain fundamental doctrines for the newer theology. This meant that they would no longer believe in the resurrection of the dead. They did not believe in angels or devils, or the punishment of those who were sinners. They were progressive and modernist in their thinking.

The Sadducees were the ones who held the ruling positions in the headquarters building of the Sanhedrin when Jesus began His ministry. It was a Sadducee who stood up during the discussion about what to do with Jesus and said it is better that one man die, than the whole nation perish. The Sadducees were thoroughly soaked in their new theology which they had obtained from Alexandria, down in Egypt.

Under the Direction of Rome, They Changed Ships

We are looking at Acts 27 as prophetic instruction to us in these last days just before Jesus comes again. They had changed ships here, under the direction of the leader of Rome. They boarded a ship from Alexandria, and after they had gotten under way, Luke records for us what was going on. “Now, when much time was spent and when much sailing was not dangerous because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them and said unto them, ‘Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage.…not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.’”

Acts 27:9, 10. This is a very significant verse. Paul goes to those who are in charge and he is, we notice, very respectful. He addresses them as “Sirs.” We have taken a boat that is going to cause us damage. We are not going to come out of this thing without loss. Three things were going to be damaged. The cargo of the ship, the ship itself, and the lives of those on board.

Now, it is at this point that we need to ask, “What is the Ship?” Many have tried to convince us that the “Ship” is the denomination. If we stay with the denomination, we are going to sail right into the harbor without a scratch. Just stay with the “Ship.”

I would like to suggest to you that the “Ship” is not the denomination at all, but the “Ship” is the truth of God! Jesus is the captain of this “Ship,” and truth is what carries us along. Let me share some quotations with you which I hope will clarify this issue.

“God’s people must give to the world a representation of the character of God, in Jesus Christ. The Christian churches are fast losing their knowledge of God. His character has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. But a message has come from God which must be proclaimed. The trumpet must give a certain sound. ‘I, Jesus, have sent Mine angel to proclaim these things to the churches.’ The truth, the revelation which Jesus gave to John, must be sounded forth everywhere. ‘Lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’” Signs of the Times, December 23, 1897.

“The only way in which men will be able to stand firm in the conflict, is to be rooted and grounded in Christ. They must receive the truth as it is in Jesus. And it is only as the truth is presented thus, that it can meet the wants of the soul. The preaching of Christ crucified, Christ our righteousness, is what satisfies the soul’s hunger.” General Conference Daily Bulletin, January 28, 1893.

The truth as it is in Jesus, is what carries us along in our experience of life as we go through this world. This is the only thing that makes any sense at all. We are not to depend upon anything here in this world to carry us through the various experiences of trial and torment as we go through life—it is only Jesus. We can depend upon the truth as it is in Jesus. It is with this in mind, that this next quotation can be understood.

“There is no need to doubt, to be fearful that the work will not succeed. God is at the head of the work, and He will set everything in order…” [Who is at the head of the work? God is!] “If matters need adjusting at the head of the work, God will attend to that, and work to right every wrong. Let us have faith that God is going to carry the noble ship which bears the people of God safely into port.” The Review and Herald, September 20, 1892.

The Noble “Ship” is the Truth!

The “noble ship,” which bears the people, is the truth! Nothing else can carry us into safe port, but the truth, and when we say that the “Ship” is the denomination, we have missed the whole point of what is being said. Denominations fail—the truth never fails. Men can disappoint us, but the truth never will. God will see to it. We need to get our thinking readjusted.

When we give up the words and counsels of inspiration we are going to get into trouble fast. I would like to suggest right here, that if this man from Rome had listened to Paul, they would not have had the problem that they did. (See Acts 27:11.) Even the truth, distorted as it may be, is going to run into winds designed to destroy it, and everyone who might be connected with it. Never forget that Paul is being held captive here. He is on board, but he is a prisoner bound, as it were, in chains. Unable to counsel, unable to reason, unable to take any kind of command over what is going on, the only thing left to do was to let the wind drive the ship.

Did Paul know what was going to happen? Of course he did. He told them that they would experience damage. They had changed from a sturdy ship to a ship from Alexandria. They had taken the word of Rome over the counsel of the prophet, and as they began to run into opposition because of this, they started throwing the tackling of the ship overboard. They are frantic to find a way to get out of the mess that they are in, and they do not know how. They are plunged into darkness. There is no light. They cannot tell what is going on. Theological darkness is a terrible experience to go through, but here they were, right in the midst of it all, and the situation was so bad that they thought, “This is it!” (See Acts 27:16-20.) All hope that they would be saved was taken away.

Does that say anything to us? Are we going to have an easy time of it? Are we going to sail into the harbor standing on the deck, with clowns and balloons and the band playing? I do not think that we will!

Paul begins to give them some counsel. No one is going to die, but the “ship,” the truth, is going to be broken up. I will not comment about that right now, but we will see how this works out as we continue. (See Acts:27:21, 22.)

Now they begin to listen to the prophet. We will see that counsel was the only thing which saved their lives. But when some of them saw the change in things, they wanted to abandon ship. These were not the ones in Paul’s party. They were not part of an offshoot, as such. Inspiration tells us that they were the heathen soldiers of Rome. They did not have any better wisdom than to leave. Paul tells the centurion about this, and says, “Except these abide in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Acts 27:30, 31.

Here is an important point to remember. God does not save heathens just because they follow the counsel of the prophet. Every person must have a personal relationship with Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. Truth, in and of itself, does not save. It is blessed by the Holy Spirit through the born again experience. Nicodemus had the truth. He was a Pharisee, but Jesus told him he had to be born again.

Staying With the “Ship”

To just stay with the ship was not enough. Sister White tells us that if these sailors had left the ship, it was certain death for them. They could not have survived the raging sea and the rocks where they would have ended up. Paul, wanting them all to be saved from death, said what he did. Staying with the ship was important. This was designed by God for giving them one last opportunity to see His wonderful grace. But seeing it still meant that they had to make their own decisions, not corporately, but individually!

In 1904, when the Alpha of apostasy was raging, Ellen White went to bed one night and God gave her a vision. She tells it this way, “A vessel was upon the waters in a heavy fog. Suddenly the lookout cried, ‘Iceberg just ahead!’ There towering high above the ship was a gigantic iceberg.
An authoritative voice cried out, ‘Meet it!’ There was not a moments hesitation.…The engineer put on full steam, and the man at the wheel steered the ship straight into the iceberg.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 205-208.

Under normal circumstances, if you tried that, you would go down for sure, but not with God. She says that the ship hit that iceberg with a tremendous crash, and it split the iceberg in such a way that ice thundered down upon the deck of the ship. The ship rebounded from the contact and was trembling like a living creature. It was damaged, but there were no lives lost, and it went right on through and kept on its course. Ibid.

The Iceberg of Error

Do you know what the iceberg represents? It represents error. What did the ship represent? The ship represents the truth. This comes through as you read the whole story. The ship had to meet error. The truth came into collision with error. Did the ship suffer some damage? Yes, it did, but she said that it survived. The “Ship” is the truth.

Paul and his shipmates’ problems were not over yet. It would take everyone at this point in time, working together, to pull this thing off. God makes it very plain, through inspiration, that the heathen will be used of God to further His cause, and here is another instance of it. They had been fasting, not eating anything, and now the time had come to take on some nourishment for what was just ahead. I believe this is prophetic. I believe we will experience this same thing before Jesus comes.

The Alexandrian ship had to lighten its load. That which had been taken on board, believing that it would be so profitable, now had to be abandoned, thrown overboard. The only way for truth to survive as truth, is to throw out all error. Cast it overboard, and then pray for God’s help.

I want to point out something else here. They began to cast out the ship’s load during the hours of darkness. That is when the search for truth seems to become the greatest. It is when it is the darkest. But even though they lightened the ship, they were still in a great deal of trouble. The darkness was beginning to give itself over to the light of day. Still, no one knew if they would be saved, even with all of the effort that had been put forth. (See Acts 27:33–38.) There comes a time when we have to take the words of the prophet, that we will make it through, by sheer faith. Pull the anchors, hoist the mainsail, and head for shore. (See Acts 27:39–40.)

This is going to be one of the most severe tests we ever endure at the time of the end. The Bible says that the just shall live by faith. It is not going to be because we have a clear picture before us. No! We are going to have to live by faith, because God said it.

The Broken “Ship” of Truth—A LifeSaver

And so, they hoist the sail and head for land. But notice what happens in Acts 27: 41–44. The ship runs aground. The truth is going to have to go through some terrible times. It is not going to go down to the bottom of the sea, but it will suffer some damage. The truth has already suffered damage. The only thing that went down to the bottom was the cargo and tackle. The ship, even though it was broken up, still served as a lifesaver to those who were willing to cling to it and who could not swim on their own.

What would have happened if no one listened to Paul, if his words fell on deaf ears? Evidently he made such an impression on the centurion, that this man from Rome was compelled, against the provision of the law, not to kill his prisoners. He spared their lives, and they all escaped to the safety of land. (See Acts 27:42–44.)

As we read this story, which I feel is prophetic, there is certainly enough here for us to make some intelligent decisions.

The “Ship” is not the denomination. The “Ship” is not even the people. The “Ship” is the truth of God, and it is this noble truth of God, which carries the people of God safely into port. The truth, as it is in Jesus, is the only thing, dear people, to which we need cling; we must cling, as we enter the raging seas of these last days. My prayer is that we will have the strength to cling to him in all things.

Are You a Seventh-day Adventist? Can anybody Tell that you are?

Hundreds of years ago, with unerring accuracy, the Apostle Paul described the end times, which would surround society in general, and God’s professed people in particular. “Perilous times shall come,” he wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1. Various versions of Scripture render this warning sign posted by Paul as “difficult times will come,” “Times of great stress and trouble, hard to deal with and hard to bear.” One version says, “I want you to realize that as bad as times are now [in a.d. 66], this is nothing compared to the perilous times of the last days.”

Choose Ye This Day

Whichever rendering you prefer, the textual context of this warning describes the conditions of the end times that will affect and test the character and spirituality of all people. While 2 Timothy 3 and 4 could be given a wider application, nothing could be more tragic than to miss the application of these Scriptures to Adventism as today constituted. Furthermore, nothing would please Satan more than for God’s professed people to keep reading this biblical warning only “historically” as in the past, or “prophetically” as in the future. If we are ever going to benefit from this warning, then at some point in our experience and growth in character development, we must read and teach this warning as applying to us today! Therefore, 2 Timothy 3:1 would be read, not perilous times “shall come,” “could come,” or “may come,” but “have come.”

Far too many within the Adventist community believe that some time in the future the world conditions will be of such a nature that they will be led to take a bold stand for the truth, and pattern their lifestyle accordingly. But nothing could be more difficult and most unlikely. Generally, the end of such thinking in spiritual matters is disastrous. Without a doubt, such a mentality avoids and postpones the present preparation desperately needed for it delays dealing with the issues confronting us all today. It produces a quality of Adventists who oppose and resist correction. The duties imposed by present truth anger them, and unwittingly, but nevertheless by a choice, they become persecutors of their own brethren. This pattern of living and thinking confirms people deeper in Laodiceanism, and allies them with the popular churches of the world.

“Many are quieting a troubled conscience with the thought that they can change a course of evil when they choose; that they can trifle with the invitations of mercy, and yet be again and again impressed. They think that after doing despite to the spirit of grace, after casting their influence on the side of Satan, in a moment of terrible extremity they can change their course. But this is not so easily done. The experience, the education of a lifetime, has so thoroughly molded the character that few then desire to receive the image of Jesus.” Love Unlimited, 33.

Popular Deception—Do Nothing

And then there is another deception just as popular as the one described above, and just as perilous and fatal to Adventism. It is apparent everywhere. Clerics like it, teach it, and encourage it. It makes the membership “spectators” instead of “participants.” It has defrauded the membership from carrying out the divine assignment of the priesthood of all believers. It is doing nothing in a religious crisis; it is leaving for God to do that which He has mandated for us to do! This idea has so affected our belief that the teachings of the fallen churches have, in part, become ours. “You cannot stop sinning,” is heard in many of the Adventist churches, and it has become so bold that without hesitation, the teaching that you will continue to sin until Jesus returns, is widely spread.

This do-nothing concept Ellen White was inspired to label as an “astonishing deception,” and “apostasy,” and though rehearsing the history of Israel in this context, the Lord’s messenger makes it applicable to us in this day. The do-nothing, wait-and-see deception, she calls a “crime.”

“If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in time 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.” Testimonies to the Church, vol. 3, 281.

The apostles’ warning and Ellen White’s testimony come painfully close to home to the Adventist community! Characteristics visible among the professed people of God are accurately described in the chapters of Timothy referred to above. The “perilous times” here mentioned are to prevail “in the last days.” To what time shall we apply this expression, “in the last days?” We have been so spiritually sedated by the ways of this world, accepting their praises, preoccupied with maintaining an acceptable image, lavishing in the fellowship of other churches, that Apostle Paul’s prophetic warning has been relegated to the times and events that mark the final test. But what a shocking revelation it must be to many to realize that we have been living in the last days, the perilous times that precede the “final test.” Expressions such as “the last days,” “perilous times,” “time of trouble,” “little time of trouble,” need to be applied to the present times. Ellen White places these perilous times of trouble while “Christ is still in the heavenly sanctuary,” and “while the work of salvation is closing.” Early Writings, 85. Lest anyone conclude that these scriptural warnings applied to our present time is unwarranted, consider the following from the Inspired writings:

“A storm is coming, relentless in its fury. Are we prepared to meet it? We need not say the perils of the last days are soon to come upon us. Already they have come.Testimonies to the Church, vol. 8, 315. (Italics supplied.)

And this is not the only statement making this application. Two more should suffice:

“We are living in the perils of the last days.” Manuscript 148, Notebook Leaflets, 53.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.’ (1 Timothy 4:1.) The time of this apostasy is here. Every conceivable effort will be made to throw doubt upon the positions that we have occupied for over half a century.” Letter 410, August 26, 1907.

Please Stand Up

If the above statements are correct, then the Scriptures, the Testimonies and these perilous times call for the real Seventh-day Adventist to stand up! Would you please stand up and identify yourself by the message you are proclaiming, the work you are doing, and by the lifestyle you are living? Was it not Jesus who said, “By their fruits ye shall know them.”? Just think of it, we have been living in the end time, surrounded by the perils of the last days prophesied almost 2,000 years ago, and did not even know it!

“We must learn to stand alone and depend wholly upon God. The sooner we learn this the better.” Early Writings, 105.

The list of characteristics mentioned in 2 Timothy 3 and 4 is quite indicting. They are applicable to all Adventists in general, and to some in particular. The truth is that the entire list applies to Adventism. We have just arbitrarily selected several of the characteristics for the purpose of this presentation:

  1. Boasters
  2. Blasphemers
  3. Unholy
  4. Traitors
  5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof
  6. Ever-learning, never coming to the knowledge of the truth
  7. Will not endure sound doctrine
  8. Turn away their ears from the truth

Heavy charges, would you not say? Very much so, and these characteristics must be so damaging to character development, that Apostle Paul, under inspiration, called the real Adventist, the truthful Adventist, to action—”from such turn away.” Why such a drastic move? The experience of the first Christian Church is used by Ellen White to give us the reasons and to teach us our duty, as unpleasant as it may be, when such conditions continue to exist.

“But there is no union between the Prince of Light and the prince of darkness, and there can be no union between their followers. When Christians consented to unite with those who were but half converted from paganism, they entered upon a path which led farther and farther from the truth. Satan exulted that he had succeeded in deceiving so large a number of the followers of Christ. He then brought his power to bear more fully upon them, and inspired them to persecute those who remained true to God. None understood so well how to oppose the true Christian faith as did those who had once been its defenders, and these apostate Christians, uniting with their half-pagan companions, directed their warfare against the most essential features of the doctrines of Christ.

“It required a desperate struggle for those who would be faithful to stand firm against the deceptions and abominations which were disguised in sacerdotal garments and introduced into the church. The Bible was not accepted as the standard of faith. The doctrine of religious freedom was termed heresy, and its upholders were hated and proscribed.

“After a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls, and set an example which would imperil the faith of their children and children’s children. To secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war.” The Great Controversy, 45.

They Will Put You Out of the Synagogue

By now, many of you who are reading this article may be stirred with displeasure and even anger; and that is good! But remember the Scripture admonition, “sin not, and give no place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26, 27. But wait, have you thought it through? That which may unsettle and disturb most is the truthfulness of the condition within the professed Adventist family. The issue is that the message is either true or false. We either live in “the perilous times” or we do not. We are either in the end of time or we are not. Either the Three Angels’ Messages have done their work in our lives or they have not. We are either ready to enter the judgment session to be judged, or not!

Some of the members have been terrorized with the threat of being put out of the “synagogue,” if they become vocal; others, not having done their homework by studying for themselves, have been intimidated with “Remnant Church not Babylon” sermons—a technique that the ministry has used for decades hoping to keep the world-wide membership docile. But who said the Seventh-day Adventist church as constituted and functioning today, is the remnant church? Where is the evidence for that notion? Neither secular nor biblical history supports the infallibility idea that has been projected by misapplying this statement through the years. Adventism never taught the infallibility of any church in the past! That is not Protestant theology. Only those who are not the remnant church, but want to appear they are, make this claim! No Seventh-day Adventist group can claim the distinction of being the remnant church before the judgment has done its work—investigated the records and rendered its verdict in keeping with the unerring record of righteousness! And by the way, nowhere in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy writings does it say that “a backsliding church” (Signs of the Times, February 19, 1894) “drifting to sea without chart or compass” (Christ Our Righteousness 50, 51. 1937 edition,) charged as having “become a harlot” (Testimonies, vol. 8, 250,) can “never” become a part of Babylon or receive the same condemnation! To the surprise of many, the truth of the matter is, in fact, quite the opposite. Ellen White did sound the warning; “we are in danger of becoming a sister of fallen Babylon.” Letter 57, 1886. Why were you not told this before?

Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are living in these perilous end times; we have acted a part in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy; we have been given the opportunity by God to act and react to the perils of the last days. What testimony have we borne? Every choice we have made in issues that have arisen in the family, the church or society at large has served to shape our character for the final pronouncement, “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.” Revelation 22:11. The final test does not fit us for salvation, it only reveals whether the preparation was made.

Given the nature of this public presentation, we cannot dwell in detail upon the individual application of the issues as they affect us personally. It is hoped that each will draw out the lesson for himself, “for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14. However, let it be clearly understood that we have reached a sad chapter in the history of Adventism. There must be no uncertainty about the spiritual condition that exists within the broad spectrum of the professed people of God. Whether we care to admit it or not, the fact is that Adventism which started in 1844 is not what we have today. And when we lose the power of the truth, the loss is made up by coercion and man-made laws bringing us to one of the main issues of the Third Angel’s Message.

Whatever Happened to Religious Liberty?

Whatever happened to the religious liberty principles and doctrines that our Adventist forefathers contended for and taught as being part of the Three Angels’ Messages? Has that divine plant gone to seed? Do we now believe in religious liberty and freedom of conscience only for ourselves, while we deny it to others? Such perversion breeds persecution and invites tyranny. It does that which even God does not do. It violates the God-given freedom of choice and coerces the conscience of anyone and everyone that displeases. This divine principle of liberty of conscience and freedom of choice, given and bequeathed by God to mankind, offered in the Garden of Eden to our first parents, exemplified by the Lord Jesus Christ through His death on the cross, contended for by the first disciples of Christ, restored by the great Reformation of the 16th century, and again recognized and legislatively provided for by that divinely Inspired document, the Constitution of the United States of America, then embedded in the end-time message of Revelation 14:6–12, to be presented to the world by God’s people has been the basis and reason for heaven’s blessing that has followed all those who have recognized this principle, defended it, and regarded it as sacred.

Yet, sinister forces, working under satanic direction, have always tried to eliminate this freedom under one pretext or another. By divine revelation prophecy has indicated that when our nation, combined with apostate religious powers, shall mandate, by use and force of law, to deny the “free exercise” of this divine right to choose to follow the dictates of conscience, this should be a signal that God’s special favor and recognition are being removed. The result can only be devastating. But what if this divine principle is denied to believers within the family of Adventism? The words of Christ uttered to Jerusalem (the church), “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate,” Matthew 23:38, can only mean one thing—rejection! “Any house becomes a house of desolation when God leaves it.” Church Membership, 8.

It is right here at this point many become confused in their understanding. They conclude that the prediction of Christ, “your house is left unto you desolate,” means that the house (religious denomination, church) ceases to exist. But not so. Its existence continues. It functions. It progresses. It is vocal and still claims the former promises of God. It remains a recognizable entity in the world and by the world, but it operates without the divine approval or presence of God in its midst. Its so-called success, as the world sees it, is due to its having become, as Jesus said, “a house of merchandise.” John 2:16, Testimonies, vol. 8, 250. And how only can a “house of merchandise” function when the divine presence is lacking? The only way that a “house of merchandise” in a worldly environment can protect itself is by trademark laws enforced against others through state laws! Has this scenario, generally referred to by Christ almost 2,000 years ago and applied by Ellen White 97 years ago, found, at least in part if not in totality, fulfillment in our time? The use of a name, that at one time identified the faith and belief of God’s people, has now been applied to a house of merchandise to protect “goods and services.” Yet, just such an experience made headlines that not only received attention from Christians in particular, but the world in general. Every Seventh-day Adventist should make it their business to be acquainted with this issue, and prayerfully see the larger picture at stake here. On March 13, 2000, the Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists petitioned the Court for an injunction (a judicial order) that would compel and require, under the threat of punishment, that none but those whose names are on the records of the merchandising Seventh-day Adventist church, with headquarters in Maryland, may use the name “Seventh-day Adventist” as an expression of this historic faith.

Our Disgraceful Witness

What a disgraceful witness to the universe and the world—Adventists suing Adventists! Those who, because of their employment or vested interests, try to excuse or defend, or simply do nothing to condemn such abomination, and also those who continue to support with their tithes and offerings have become a persecuting party against their brethren. By this action every rule of the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy counsel has been violated, and also by this action the leadership has, by their office representing the entire membership, made every individual member throughout the world a party to this unrighteousness.

“Church members [through their leadership] who appeal to the courts of the world show that they have chosen the world as their judge, and their names are registered in heaven as one with unbelievers.” Manuscript 64, 1898.

So what then is a true Adventist to do under such circumstance? The answer is simple and straightforward. “Duties change in character with the increase of light.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 435. Just stand up and be counted! Disassociate yourself from its fellowship. Stop financing this persecution with your tithes and offerings, lest you be partakers of the sins of those who are promoting this work.

“Today, men are choosing Barabbas and saying, ‘Crucify Christ.’ They will do this in the person of His saints.” Testimonies to the Battle Creek Church, 27.

“When brethren manifest the spirit of the dragon, it is time to exert your liberty….” Testimonies, vol. 4, 245.

Adventism has fragmented into many groups for various reasons, from the most conservative to the most liberal. And make no mistake; the issues that have brought about this fracturing have not yet been solved as some hoped—within the structured church. Therefore, the fragmentation continues. Perilous times have come. They are here! And the results have been hazardous. Leadership has been frantically trying to keep intact the membership that supplied the gross revenue. They resent being questioned. The pleas from membership to change the direction of policies, mergers with non-Adventists and fraternization with Babylon and her daughters go unheeded. They have become a law unto themselves. Fundamental truths that made Seventh-day Adventists a unique and peculiar people at the outset are gradually but consistently attacked and undermined. Flagrant disbelief in the directives found in the Spirit of Prophecy writings is common and frequent.

To Excuse the Existing Situation is to Defend It!

This presentation should not be construed as a tirade against every Seventh-day Adventist. To the contrary, it is to show that the enemy of all righteousness, through men, has succeeded to introduce a worldly system within Adventism that is diluting the precious message that is designed to prepare people for eternity. To excuse the situation existing is to defend it. Do not do it! Let the authoritative word of God do its work, and may we each benefit from its warnings.

The divine messages that carved out the Advent believers from the other communions and set them aside as a distinct people have well nigh lost their sanctifying power, its preserving property. We are brain-damaged by the forces of the world. The secular tide is proving too strong, and we are voluntarily giving up our distinctiveness. We’ve been mesmerized by the educational norms of the world to the point that what started in 1844 is not what we have today. It is immoral to claim that we have a message that is designed to convert the world, when that work has not been accomplished in us.

But let it be heard loud and clear, that there are some, a very small number, who still believe that those historic messages of Revelation 14 still mean what they meant when first given. The application of these truths today carries the same divine mandate that stirred the world when the message was first given. “We have no new message,” wrote the Lord’s Messenger in the Review and Herald, January 19, 1905. “We are to proclaim the message that in 1843 and 1844 brought us out of the other churches.”

That being so, the message, “Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come,” must go out as the final warning to professed Adventists and to the world! “Worship Him,” not “our church,” “our educational accomplishments and institutions, not even our name” but “Him that made heaven and earth.” “It was to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influence of the world that the First Angel’s Message was given.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 231.

The Second Message cannot and must not be separated or divorced from the first. Make no mistake; this message applies to all the churches that have rejected present truth. The message was designed to separate and keep distinct God’s people from all others. “This message announced the moral fall of the churches in consequence of their rejection of the First Message….Thus are represented those churches that cling to the doctrines and traditions of Rome and follow her worldly practices.” Their fall “is announced in the Second Angel’s Message.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 232, 233.

The Third Message draws a sharp distinction between the Sabbath observer and the entire rest of the world. It is a separating wall. There is no partnership or fellowship with any who do not acknowledge the binding claims of all the law of God.

“I saw that the holy Sabbath is and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the Sabbath is the great question, to unite the hearts of God’s dear, waiting saints.” Early Writings, 33.

“Satan rejoices when he can lead souls to follow mistaken ideas, until their names are blotted out of the Book of Life and recorded among the names of the unjust.” This Day With God, 322.

The heavenly diagnostician has clearly spelled out our sickness. Do not argue with the True Witness.

Is there a remedy, and is there hope? The majority will reject the remedy, that has been predicted, but you, dear reader, can be made willing to accept the counsel of the True Witness and inherit, not only the following promise, but life eternal:

“Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Revelation 3:10.

“…In this Scripture is brought to view the hour of temptation that is to try them that dwell upon the earth. We are now living in this trying hour. There is no escape for any from this conflict.” Review and Herald, July 9, 1908.

Please, for Christ’s sake, stand up and be counted!

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John Nicolici is an ordained minister, living in Sacramento, California, providing a teaching and support ministry within the Adventist community of self-supporting ministries and home churches.

Stay on the Ship

“Shortly before I sent out the testimonies regarding the efforts of the enemy [error] to undermine the foundation of our faith [truth] through the dissemination of seductive theories, I had read an incident about a ship in a fog meeting an iceberg. For several nights I slept but little. . . . One night a scene was clearly presented before me. A vessel was upon the waters, in a heavy fog. Suddenly the lookout cried, ‘Iceberg just ahead!’ There, towering high above the ship, was a gigantic iceberg [error]. An authoritative voice cried out, ‘Meet it!’ There was not a moment’s hesitation. It was a time for instant action. The engineer put on full steam, and the man at the wheel steered the ship [old landmarks] straight into the iceberg. With a crash she struck the ice. There was a fearful shock, and the iceberg broke into many pieces, falling with a noise like thunder to the deck. The passengers [church] were violently shaken by the force of the collisions, but no lives were lost. The vessel [old landmarks] was injured, but not beyond repair. She rebounded from the contact, trembling from stem to stern, like a living creature. Then she moved forward on her way. Well I knew the meaning of this representation. I had my orders. . . ‘Meet it!’ Selected Messages, Book 1, 205, 206. “In the visions of the night I saw a large ship far out at sea. Suddenly the man on the lookout cried, ‘Iceberg ahead!’ Without hesitation the command rang out, ‘Meet it.’. . . After seeing this representation, I knew what work I must do. I knew that I must meet the errors that were coming in among us.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, 344.

Meet it—with the Old Landmarks

“We cannot afford to be deceived. We must point our people to the old landmarks. We are to obtain strength and courage from on high, that we may obey the command given me, ‘Meet it’Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 384.

“The best way to deal with error is to present truth.” The Desire of Ages, 498.

Old Landmarks Established by God

“Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder {Hiram} Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the Word.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 206.

Visions Established our Fundamental Truths

“When they came to the point in their study where they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me. . . Ibid. The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy Spirit. Light, precious light from God, established the main points of our faith as we hold them today.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, 53.

Holy Spirit Taught us What is Truth

“When the power of God testifies as to what is truth, that truth is to stand forever as the truth.. . . The truth for this time, God has given us as a foundation for our faith. He Himself has taught us what is truth. ” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 31. “The Holy Spirit, we know, was teaching and guiding us. . . . Very well do we know how every point of truth was established, and the seal set upon it by the Holy Spirit of God. ” Selected Messages, Book 2, 103.

Foundational Truths – SDA’s First 50 Years

“Where shall we find safety unless it be in the truths that the Lord has been giving for the last fifty years?” Review and Herald, May 25, 1905. “The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in answer to our urgent prayers.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 53. “. . .the foundation that was laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation? Upon this foundation we have been building for the past fifty years. Do you wonder that when I see the beginning of a work that would remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have something to say? I must obey the command, ‘Meet it!’ Selected Messages, Book 1, 207.

The Ship-of-Truth will go Through The Structure of Truth— SDA Waymarks

“The truths that have been substantiated by the manifest working of God are to stand fast. Let no one presume to move a pin or a foundation stone from the structure.” Manuscript Release, vol. 1, 55. “The truth is the same as it ever has been, and not a pin or a pillar can be moved from the structure of truth. That which was sought for out of the Word in 1844, 1845, and 1846 remains the truth in every particular.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 52. “Some of those who are newly come to the faith. . . reject the great waymarks which God Himself has established. Since their new light leads them to tear down the structure which the Lord has built up, we may know that He is not guiding them. The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 804.

Do Not Leave the Ship-of-Truth

“I know from the light that God has given me that there should be a revival of the messages that have been given in the past, . . . We must not move from the platform of truth on which we have been established.” The Upward Look, 199. “The Lord has declared that the history of the past shall be rehearsed as we enter upon the closing work . . . . We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. . . . There is need now to rehearse the experience of the men who acted a part in the establishment of our work at the beginning. Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 54. “Not one pin is to be removed from that which the Lord has established . . . Where shall we find safety unless it be in the truths that the Lord has been giving for the last fifty years?” The Review and Herald, May 25, 1905.

Denying the Old Landmarks

“In a vision of the night. . . I was shown a platform, braced by solid timbers—-the truths of the Word of God. Some one high in responsibility . . . was directing this man and that man to loosen the timbers supporting this platform. Then I heard a voice saying, ‘Where are the watchmen that ought to be standing on the walls of Zion? Are they asleep? This foundation was built by the Master Worker, and will stand storm and tempest. Will they permit this man to present doctrines that deny the past experience of the people of God?’. . . 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 pillars of 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 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? . . . I did not want to be compelled to present the misleading influence of these sophistries. But in the providence of God, the errors that have been coming in must be met [iceberg]. Selected Messages, Book 1, 204, 205.

Ship of Error—Set Adrift

“Those who seek to remove the old landmarks . . . set the people of God adrift without an anchor. ” Ye Shall Receive Power, 235.

“At that time [1844] . . . The men whom God raised up were diligent searchers of the Scriptures. And those who today claim to have light, and who contradict the teaching of God’s ordained messengers, who were working under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, those who get up new theories, which remove the pillars of our faith, are not doing the will of God, but are bringing in fallacies of their own invention, which, if received, will cut the church away from the anchorage of truth, and set them drifting, drifting, to where they will receive any sophistries that may arise. ” Manuscript Releases, vol.4, 247.

“When once these deluded souls had departed from the old landmarks of faith, they had let go their anchor, and were tossed about like the waves of the sea..” Signs of the Times, March 27, 1884.

Shipwreck—Letting Go of the Old Landmarks

“I lately read of a noble ship that was plowing its way across the sea, when at midnight, with a terrific crash, it struck upon a rock; the passengers were awakened only to see with horror their hopeless condition, and with the ship they sank to rise no more. The man at the helm had mistaken the beacon light, and hundreds of souls were at a moment’s warning launched into eternity.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 128.

“You are in danger of failing to hold fast the faith once delivered to the saints, of making shipwreck of your faith.” Counsels on Health, 519.

“We have wandered away from the old landmarks. Let us return. If the Lord be God, serve Him;
if Baal, serve him. Which side will you be on?” Testimonies, vol. 5, 137.

Where Does God Deposit Truth? – Part I

Most of us have occasion to use banks. Money is entrusted to a bank’s care. A “Run” on a bank, a sometimes-frantic move to withdraw one’s savings, can take place if it is thought, by depositors, that the institution cannot maintain a faithful oversight of the funds entrusted to its care. Financial collapse can come if unwise decisions are made by those in positions of responsibility.

There can be no doubt that truth is more precious than anything in this world. It is worth its weight in gold, because it is that commodity gifted from heaven that sanctifies and prepares us to live in the presence of the Creator. So precious is it, that we shall seek more of its wonder throughout eternity.

God has the task of sending truth from His infinite mind to the minds of created beings, of which we, in this world, are fallen. It has been said, “There is a heresy in every sermon,” for by the time the truth of God goes from His infinite mind to the finite mind of a preacher, out his finite lips and into the finite mind of the listener, something is bound to get mixed up in the process. If you doubt that, take a look around you and notice the “independent atoms” all claiming to believe the same Three Angels’ Messages. There are conflicts of understanding involving every single one of those messages among God’s professed people.

Where is the Depositary of Truth?

At one time there was great unanimity among the people of God’s last day movement. Now, if any unanimity can be found, let alone greatness of it, you are most blessed, indeed.

Recently I searched the counsel of the Ellen White Estate to see what the servant of the Lord had to say about the depositary of truth. Where can it be found today? Some of the answers really surprised me. I urge you to look into this subject for yourself and thoroughly examine all Mrs. White wrote about this crucial subject.

First, let me lay out the list of things I found that God has included in that depositary: His Law; priceless treasures of sacred, living, divine, eternal, precious truth; His sacred faith, trust, and responsibilities; oracles of divine grace, knowledge, rare blessings, and the pure religion of Jesus.

God be praised! Lead me to that depositary! Lead me to that safety deposit box!

Well, here is the catch. Spiritually speaking, in different ways, if conditions apply, we are that safety deposit box.

Let us take a logical look at the process of God. Who was entrusted with the care of God’s message for the world? Space restrictions will allow only some examples of the quotes from the Testimony of Jesus on this subject. Let’s begin.

“Says the prophet, ‘When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness,…and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah.’ Isaiah 26:9, 10. Thus it was after the Flood. Released from His judgments, the inhabitants of the earth again rebelled against the Lord. Twice God’s covenant and His statutes had been rejected by the world. Both the people before the Flood and the descendants of Noah cast off the divine authority. Then God entered into covenant with Abraham, and took to Himself a people to become the depositaries of His law. To seduce and destroy this people, Satan began at once to lay his snares. The children of Jacob were tempted to contract marriages with the heathen and to worship their idols. But Joseph was faithful to God, and his fidelity was a constant testimony to the true faith. It was to quench this light that Satan worked through the envy of Joseph’s brothers to cause him to be sold as a slave in a heathen land. God overruled events, however, so that the knowledge of Himself should be given to the people of Egypt.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 332. (See also page 314.)

“When Balaam was called to curse the Hebrews he could not, by all his enchantments, bring evil upon them; for the Lord had not ‘beheld iniquity in Jacob,’ neither had He ‘seen perverseness in Israel.’ Numbers 23:21, 23. But when through yielding to temptation they transgressed God’s law, their defense departed from them. When the people of God are faithful to His commandments, ‘there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel.’ Hence all the power and wily arts of Satan are exerted to seduce them into sin. If those who profess to be the depositaries of God’s law become transgressors of its precepts, they separate themselves from God, and they will be unable to stand before their enemies.

Fallen Prey to Harlots

“The Israelites, who could not be overcome by the arms or by the enchantments of Midian, fell a prey to her harlots. Such is the power that woman, enlisted in the service of Satan, has exerted to entrap and destroy souls. ‘She hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.’ Proverbs 7:26. It was thus that the children of Seth were seduced from their integrity, and the holy seed became corrupt. It was thus that Joseph was tempted. Thus Samson betrayed his strength, the defense of Israel, into the hands of the Philistines. Here David stumbled. And Solomon, the wisest of kings, who had thrice been called the beloved of his God, became a slave of passion, and sacrificed his integrity to the same bewitching power.

“‘Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’ 1 Corinthians 10:11, 12.…As we approach the close of time, as the people of God stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, Satan will, as of old, redouble his efforts to prevent them from entering the goodly land. He lays his snares for every soul. It is not the ignorant and uncultured merely that need to be guarded; he will prepare his temptations for those in the highest positions, in the most holy office; if he can lead them to pollute their souls, he can through them destroy many. And he employs the same agents now as he employed three thousand years ago. By worldly friendships, by the charms of beauty, by pleasure-seeking, mirth, feasting, or the wine cup, he tempts to the violation of the seventh commandment.” Ibid., 457. (Compare with Testimonies on Sexual Behaviour, Adultery and Divorce, 189; Manuscript Releases, Book 21, 380.)

“But the question was asked by many a devout worshiper, How came that architecture on the opposite side of the Jehoshaphat ravine, thus impiously confronting the temple of God? The truthful answer must be made: The builder was Solomon, known as the wisest king that ever wielded a scepter. These idols bore testimony that he who had been honored and applauded for his wisdom, became a humiliating wreck. He was thrice called the beloved of God. Pure and elevated in character, his piety and wisdom were unexampled. But Solomon did not go on from strength to strength in the pure and true life. It was his ambition to excel other nations in grandeur. To do this, he allied himself by marriage with heathen nations, and in the place of keeping loyal to the true and living God, he allowed his wives to draw him away from God. To please them, he built altars where they might worship their idols. Thus the leaven of idolatry became mingled with Solomon’s religious principles. Tares were sown among the wheat.

“Solomon knew that God had chosen Israel, and had made them the depositaries of the true and sacred faith. God had erected a wise barrier between them and the rest of the world, and only by jealous guarding the ancient landmarks could they preserve their high and distinct character. Why, then, did Solomon become such a moral wreck? He did not act on correct principles. He cultivated alliances with heathen kingdoms. He procured the gold of Ophir and the silver of Tarshish; but at what a cost!

Truth Mingled with Error

“Solomon mingled error with truth, and betrayed sacred trusts. The insidious evils of paganism corrupted his religion. One wrong step taken, led to step after step of political alliance. The polygamy so common at that time was directly opposed to the law of Jehovah. But this evil was tolerated in Palestine, and the Israel of God mingled in marriage with Phoenicia, Egypt, Edom, Moab, and Ammon, nations that bowed at idolatrous shrines, practicing licentious and cruel rites, greatly dishonoring to God. These Solomon countenanced and sustained. His once noble character, bold and true for God and righteousness, became deteriorated. His profligate expenditure for selfish indulgence made him the instrument of Satan’s devices. His conscience became hardened. His conduct as a judge changed from equity and righteousness to tyranny and oppression. He who had offered the dedicatory prayer when the temple was consecrated to God, he who prayed for the people, that their hearts might be undividedly given to the Lord, was in his later years following a course entirely contrary to right. The life once wholly dedicated to God, had been given to the enemy.

“Solomon tried to incorporate light with darkness, Christ with Belial, purity with impurity. But instead of converting the heathen to the truth, he allowed pagan sentiments to be incorporated with his religion. He became an apostate. God was no longer to him the only true and living God, a ruling Providence. Solomon was a religious wreck.

“In the days of Christ, the ruins of the groves erected by Solomon for his wives might still be seen. By the truehearted in Israel this place was named the Mount of Offense. Solomon little thought that those idol shrines would outlast his reign, continuing even till Shiloh came and looked upon the melancholy sight.

Beware of Cherishing the Errors of the World

“This case is placed on record as a warning to all who profess to serve God. Let those who know the word of the living God beware of cherishing the errors of the world. These Satan presents in an attractive guise, for he seeks to deceive us, and destroy the simplicity of our faith. If these errors are introduced, they will obscure the precious landmarks of truth.” The Review and Herald, March 10, 1910.

Needless to say, the privilege of being the depositary came with a condition. There are always conditions to receiving and maintaining God’s blessings. It is also alarming to see the issue of the seventh commandment continually at the core of this subject. Dear reader, if you do not see the connection between these passages and the current situation in Adventism, you are living in a religious vacuum. The last General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 2000 Session, Toronto, Canada, with its decisions of allowing “abandonment” as a reason for divorce; the proliferation of Easter sunrise services and other things of pagan origin rapidly gaining acceptance among Seventh-day Adventists; the harlot daughters of Rome gaining greater access to Seventh-day Adventist pulpits should ring bells that give headaches of shock. One wonders, Where is the outrage? Where is the Protestantism? Where is fidelity to be found? Just where is the depositary? Let us read on.

“The sin of Eli had consisted in passing lightly over the iniquity of his sons in sacred office, and over the evils prevailing throughout the land. His neglect to correct these evils had brought upon Israel a fearful calamity. His sons had fallen in battle, Eli himself had lost his life, the ark of God had been taken from the land of Israel, thirty thousand of the people had been slain—and all because sin had been allowed to flourish unrebuked and unchecked. Israel had vainly thought that, notwithstanding their sinful practices, the presence of the ark would ensure them victory over the Philistines. In like manner, during the days of Jeremiah, the inhabitants of Judah were prone to believe that a strict observance of the divinely appointed services of the temple would preserve them from a just punishment for their wicked course.

“What a lesson is this to men holding positions of responsibility today in the church of God! What a solemn warning to deal faithfully with wrongs that bring dishonor to the cause of truth! Let none who claim to be the depositaries of God’s law flatter themselves that the regard they may outwardly show toward the commandments will preserve them from the exercise of divine justice. Let none refuse to be reproved for evil, nor charge the servants of God with being too zealous in endeavoring to cleanse the camp from evil-doing. A sin-hating God calls upon those who claim to keep His law to depart from all iniquity. A neglect to repent and to render willing obedience will bring upon men and women today as serious consequences as came upon ancient Israel. There is a limit beyond which the judgments of Jehovah can no longer be delayed. The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.” Prophets and Kings, 416.

Remaining True to Your Trust!

“Had the Jewish nation been true to their trust, and communicated to the world the light they had, they would have remained the depositary of the truth of God. God had brought His people out of the cruel bondage of Egypt, and had exalted them before the nations around them. They were favored with every temporal and spiritual blessing. God’s presence went with them, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night. They were under His guardianship, and His love and care were manifested in protection and blessing. But they were unfaithful; they rebelled against God, and transgressed His holy law spoken from Mount Sinai by His own voice, and written on tables of stone by His own finger; and God sent His Son to make known to the world His character and the laws of His kingdom.” Signs of the Times, March 18, 1897.

“Continuing His answer to the disciples of John, Jesus spoke a parable, saying, ‘No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.’ The message of John the Baptist was not to be interwoven with tradition and superstition. An attempt to blend the pretense of the Pharisees with the devotion of John would only make more evident the breach between them.

“Nor could the principles of Christ’s teaching be united with the forms of Pharisaism. Christ was not to close up the breach that had been made by the teachings of John. He would make more distinct the separation between the old and the new. Jesus further illustrated this fact, saying, ‘No man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.’ The skin bottles which were used as vessels to contain the new wine, after a time became dry and brittle, and were then worthless to serve the same purpose again. In this familiar illustration Jesus presented the condition of the Jewish leaders. Priests and scribes and rulers were fixed in a rut of ceremonies and traditions. Their hearts had become contracted, like the dried-up wine skins to which He had compared them. While they remained satisfied with a legal religion, it was impossible for them to become the depositaries of the living truth of heaven. They thought their own righteousness all sufficient, and did not desire that a new element should be brought into their religion. The good will of God to men they did not accept as something apart from themselves. They connected it with their own merit because of their good works. The faith that works by love and purifies the soul could find no place for union with the religion of the Pharisees, made up of ceremonies and the injunctions of men. The effort to unite the teachings of Jesus with the established religion would be vain. The vital truth of God, like fermenting wine, would burst the old, decaying bottles of the Pharisaical tradition.

“The Pharisees thought themselves too wise to need instruction, too righteous to need salvation, too highly honored to need the honor that comes from Christ. The Saviour turned away from them to find others who would receive the message of heaven. In the untutored fishermen, in the publican at the market place, in the woman of Samaria, in the common people who heard Him gladly, He found His new bottles for the new wine. The instrumentalities to be used in the gospel work are those souls who gladly receive the light which God sends them. These are His agencies for imparting the knowledge of truth to the world. If through the grace of Christ His people will become new bottles, He will fill them with new wine.

“The teaching of Christ, though it was represented by the new wine, was not a new doctrine, but the revelation of that which had been taught from the beginning. But to the Pharisees the truth of God had lost its original significance and beauty. To them Christ’s teaching was new in almost every respect, and it was unrecognized and unacknowledged. The Desire of Ages, 278, 279.

Clinging to Dead Forms

“ Jesus pointed out the power of false teaching to destroy the appreciation and desire for truth. ‘No man,’ He said, ‘having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.’ All the truth that has been given to the world through patriarchs and prophets shone out in new beauty in the words of Christ. But the scribes and Pharisees had no desire for the precious new wine. Until emptied of the old traditions, customs, and practices, they had no place in mind or heart for the teachings of Christ. They clung to the dead forms, and turned away from the living truth and the power of God. Ibid.

It was this that proved the ruin of the Jews, and it will prove the ruin of many souls in our own day. Thousands are making the same mistake as did the Pharisees whom Christ reproved at Matthew’s feast. Rather than give up some cherished idea, or discard some idol of opinion, many refuse the truth which comes down from the Father of light. They trust in self, and depend upon their own wisdom, and do not realize their spiritual poverty. They insist on being saved in some way by which they may perform some important work. When they see that there is no way of weaving self into the work, they reject the salvation provided.” Ibid., 280.

“The Jewish people had been made the depositaries of sacred truth; but Pharisaism had made them the most exclusive, the most bigoted, of all the human race. Everything about the priests and rulers—their dress, customs, ceremonies, traditions—made them unfit to be the light of the world. They looked upon themselves, the Jewish nation, as the world. But Christ commissioned His disciples to proclaim a faith and worship that would have in it nothing of caste or country, a faith that would be adapted to all peoples, all nations, all classes of men.” Ibid., 819, 820.

The leaders in the Jewish nation had signally failed of fulfilling God’s purpose for His chosen people. Those whom the Lord had made the depositaries of truth had proved unfaithful to their trust, and God chose others to do His work. In their blindness these leaders now gave full sway to what they called righteous indignation against the ones who were setting aside their cherished doctrines. They would not admit even the possibility that they themselves did not rightly understand the word, or that they had misinterpreted or misapplied the Scriptures. They acted like men who had lost their reason. What right have these teachers, they said, some of them mere fishermen, to present ideas contrary to the doctrines that we have taught the people? Being determined to suppress the teaching of these ideas, they imprisoned those who were presenting them.” The Acts of the Apostles, 78, 79.

Much more could be included about the Jewish nation and their fall from being the depositary. What has been presented, however, should suffice to lay down an absolute principle: No religious body has any lasting guarantee of being God’s depositary, if they do not remain faithful to the purposes of that depositary.

It has been stressed that there needs to be some great prophetic event for the depositary to be passed to others. Logic refutes that position. Was there not a depositary after the first century church apostatized and left a remnant to carry on? Indeed. Was there not a depositary when God raised up Reformers to wage war against the Man of Sin? Indeed. It can be stated that the depositary rested in the hands of faithful believers not joined to any particular, religious organization, for longer than the history of the New Testament church and Seventh-day Adventists. Principle decided such matters, not prophetic events or prophetic utterances. But, I get ahead of myself. Notice some statements where the individual is considered a depositary.

“Abraham’s course in controlling his children and his household, and instructing them to fear and obey God, was approved of Heaven. Because he had been faithful to the trust already given, God committed to him greater responsibilities, making him the depositary of divine truth for all the generations to come. He had honored God in his household, and God honored him before the world. It was declared that through his posterity, all the nations of the earth should be blessed.” Signs of the Time, June 2, 1881

— To be continued…

Where Does God Deposit Truth – Part II

God’s Noblemen

“In the past, the servants of God wrestled with principalities and powers, and with the rulers of the darkness of this world, and with spiritual wickedness in high places, the same as we, who bear aloft the banner of truth, do today. These men were God’s noblemen, His living agencies, through whom He wrought in a wonderful manner. They were depositaries of divine truth to the extent that the Lord saw fit to reveal the truth that the world could bear to hear. They proclaimed the truth at a time when false, corrupt religion was magnifying itself in the world.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 345, 346.

“If the Bible was studied and obeyed; if we had the spirit of Christ, we should make determined efforts to be laborers together with God. We should better appreciate the worth of the soul; for every soul converted to God means a vessel dedicated to a holy use, a depositary of truth, a bearer of light to others. God expects more of the schools than has yet been brought forth. Christ has said, ‘Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life; which the Son of man shall give unto you; for Him hath God the Father sealed.’ [See John 6:27.] Christian Education, 82.

“‘Wake up, brethren and sisters, wake up. Sleep no longer. ‘Why stand ye here all the day idle?’ Jesus calls you, saying, ‘Go work today in My vineyard.’ Whoever has received the Holy Spirit, will make it manifest; for all his powers will be employed in the most active service. All, who actually receive Christ by faith, work. They feel the burden of souls. God now calls upon every one who has a knowledge of the truth, who is a depositary of sacred truth, to arise and impart the light of heaven to others. Those who have been illuminated by the Holy Spirit, will show its office work upon life and character. They will be mediums through which the Holy Spirit will communicate light and knowledge to others. The wonderful truth revealed to us in these last days, is to be revealed to others. ‘The end of all things is at hand.’ The Lord has been speaking to you in America, and may the Lord forbid that at the time of great illumination, darkness should come upon you because you fail to walk in the light that has been given. Darkness corresponding to your light will surely come upon you, if you do not now arouse from your slumbers, and shake off your useless musings and selfish indulgences, and trade diligently with your Lord’s goods. Move out from your pleasant homes. Develop the talents God has given you, and tell to others what the Holy Spirit has communicated to you. God requires you to work in proportion to the light He has given.” (Concluded next week.) — The Review and Herald, December 5, 1893.

“Ministers of Christ whom God has made the depositaries of His law, you have an unpopular truth. You must bear this truth to the world. Warnings must be given men to prepare for the great day of God. You must reach those whose hearts are callused by sin and love of the world. Continual and fervent prayer, and earnestness in well-doing, will bring you into communion with God; your mind and heart will imbibe a sense of eternal things, and the heavenly unction, which springs from connection with God, will be poured upon you. It will render your testimony powerful to convict and convert. Your light will not be uncertain, but your path will be luminous with heavenly brightness. God is all-powerful, and Heaven is full of light. You have only to use the means God has placed in your power to obtain the divine blessing.” Ibid., August 8, 1878.

A Sacred Responsibility

These statements are clear enough, and there are more like them. As individuals we have a sacred responsibility as depositaries of God—; indeed, vessels to be filled with all the fullness of Him who fills all in all, human safety deposit boxes entrusted with the most important message ever given to mortals.

Now look at some statements dealing with the church as a body of individuals being the depositary of God.

“Jesus came to the world, lived a holy life, and died, to leave to the church His legacy in the valuable treasures He entrusted to them. He made His disciples the depositaries of most precious doctrines, to be placed in the hands of His church unmixed with the errors and traditions of men. He revealed Himself to them as the light of the world, the Sun of Righteousness. And He promised them the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father was to send in His name.” Signs of the Times, November 16, 1891.

“Christ has said, ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ Then let us individually send forth clear, steady rays of light to the world. Our light is never to grow dim, never to burn low. The Lord is at the door; who will prove to be the wise, and who the foolish virgins? Who will be revealed at last as those who have the lamps, but no oil of grace in their vessels with their lamps? The church has been made the depositary of truth. Light has been imparted to her members, and they are to have works corresponding to their privileges and opportunities. They cannot correctly represent the truth in a single instance, unless they are sanctified through the truth. To sanctify is to set apart for a special service. Those who are controlled by worldly ambition will never shine as lights. ‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’” The Review and Herald, February 27, 1894.

“Let all understand the words that I now write. Those who are laborers together with God are but His instruments, and they in themselves possess no essential grace or holiness. It is only when they are cooperating with heavenly intelligences that they are successful. They are but earthen vessels, the depositaries in which God places the treasure of His truth. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but it is God alone that gives the increase.

“God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. But Satan is a vigilant, unsleeping foe, ever at work upon human minds, seeking a soil in which he can sow his tares. If he finds any whom he can press into his service, he will suggest ideas and false theories, and make them zealous in advocating error. The truth not only converts, but works the purification of its receiver. Jesus has warned us to beware of false teachers. From the beginning of our work, men have arisen from time to time, advocating theories that were new and startling. But if those who claim to believe the truth would go to those who have had experience; would go to the word of God in a teachable, humble spirit, and examine their theories in the light of truth and with the aid of the brethren who have been diligent Bible students, and at the same time make supplication unto God, asking, Is this the way of the Lord, or is it a false path in which Satan would lead me? They would receive light, and would escape out of the net of the fowler.

“Let all our brethren and sisters beware of anyone who would set a time for the Lord to fulfill His word in regard to His coming, or in regard to any other promise He has made of special significance. ‘It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power.’ False teachers may appear to be very zealous for the work of God, and may expend means to bring their theories before the world and the church; but as they mingle error with truth, their message is one of deception, and will lead souls into false paths. They are to be met and opposed, not because they are bad men, but because they are teachers of falsehood and are endeavoring to put upon falsehood the stamp of truth.” Testimonies to Ministers, 53–55.

“But we see that the God of heaven sometimes commissions men to teach that which is regarded as contrary to the established doctrines. Because those who were once the depositaries of truth became unfaithful to their sacred trust, the Lord chose others who would receive the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and would advocate truths that were not in accordance with the ideas of the religious leaders. And then these leaders, in the blindness of their minds, give full sway to what is supposed to be righteous indignation against the ones who have set aside cherished fables. They act like men who have lost their reason. They do not consider the possibility that they themselves have not rightly understood the word. They will not open their eyes to discern the fact that they have misinterpreted and misapplied the Scriptures, and have built up false theories, calling them fundamental doctrines of the faith.” Ibid., 69.

“Can we then be surprised to hear of ministers falling under temptation and sin, disgracing the cause they were professedly advocating? Can we wonder that there are apostasies when men who urge conversion upon others are not themselves converted; when they commend to others the love of Christ which does not glow in their own souls; preaching repentance which they themselves have not practiced, and faith which they have no experimental knowledge of; telling of a Saviour whom they have never known except by rumor? They are self-deceived men, not far from destruction. Pitiful indeed is their situation. All may seem peaceful to them, because the palsy of death is upon them. We are fully aware that dishonest men, immoral men, who preach the Word, are not always reproved and warned. They are not unmasked. They learn to hold the truth in unrighteousness, and can tamper with it without a trembling of heart and rebuke of conscience. Oh, that with pen and voice we might lead the people who claim to be the depositaries of sacred and eternal truth to feel the necessity of enthroning the Word of God in their heart, and bringing every thought, word, and action into subjection to Jesus Christ. It is a fearful thing to be in daily connection with the truth of God, telling others of eternal truth, and yet be unsanctified through that truth.

It is not safe to place men in the position God should occupy, for men cannot be trusted. If they do not constantly live as in the presence of God, if they do not walk humbly before God and their brethren, they will diverge almost imperceptibly, and by slight degrees, from the straight line of God’s work. Trusting to their own wisdom, they will deceive themselves and their fellow men. Their ideas become so confused that they offer strange fire before the Lord.

The Word of God is to be the man of our counsel. With pen and voice I proclaim to all who bear credentials, to all licentiates, to all colporteurs, and all canvassers, that the Bible, and the Bible only, studied on your knees, laid up in your heart, and practiced in your life, attended by the Holy Spirit’s power, can be your safeguard. It alone can make you righteous and holy, and keep you thus. Every human influence is weak and varying unless the truth of God’s Word is brought home to the soul, and placed upon the throne. Not till this is done will the heart be sanctified, purified, and made holy, a fountain out of which are the issues of life.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 89, 90.

No One is Free from Failing in Responsibility

Needless to say, such warnings are not being heeded by the majority of professed believers in this hour of earth’s history, and it will get worse, as we have been warned. The point to be made here is that individuals making up a group have as much or more responsibility as depositaries as an entire group of people claiming depositary status. No individual is free from failing in responsibilities as a depositary of sacred things. Common sense would conclude no group of individuals is free either. Let us look at some statements dealing with the church as a working body.

“The people whom God has made the depositaries of His law are generally from the poorer classes, and they have not had the advantages of wealth and culture. As they wish to make a good impression, and win souls to the light of truth, they must become intelligent and refined. They should stop at no low standard; for they will be hated and criticized by all who choose darkness rather than light. .” The Review and Herald, May 6, 1884.

We have a message of warning to the church. God says to you, ‘Be zealous and repent’ ‘I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.’ Precious time has been squandered in which you might have won souls to Christ,—souls that through your love of ease are now lost. Every member of the church should awake to duty now. May God help you to take on the burden. Let the church-members pray and fast and believe. Let the hearts of parents be turned to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents, ‘Lest I come,’ saith the Lord, ‘and smite the earth with a curse.’ Your souls are in peril. Shall the Sun of Righteousness set, and leave you enshrouded in the darkness of eternal night?

Great light and privileges were given to the Jewish nation, but their sin was in neglecting to improve these blessings. Great privileges are granted to those whom God has made the depositaries of His law. These privileges are not evidences of our piety, and do not commend us to God; but they lay us under most solemn obligation to respond in holiness of life to the benefits received. Privileges abused will ever result in corresponding darkness and judgment from God.

But God never forsakes a people until they first forsake Him. ‘Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause My anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.’” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 286, 287.

The Lord Jesus has made His church the depositary of sacred truth. He has left with her the work of carrying out His purposes* and His plans to save the souls for whom He has manifested such interest, such unmeasured love. Like the sun in relation to our world, He rises amid the moral darkness—the Sun of Righteousness. He said of Himself, ‘I am the light of the world.’ He said to His followers, ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ Jesus came to the world in the garb of humanity, to instruct the world and guide them in the way of light, to eternal happiness. The followers of Christ are His representatives in the world. By reflecting the image of Jesus Christ, by the beauty and holiness of their characters, by their continual self-denial and their separation from all idols, large or small, they reveal that they have learned in the school of Christ. They are continually catching the spirit of love and forbearance, meekness and gentleness, and they stand as representatives of Christ, a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.” Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 778.

[* “In order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the will of God as revealed in His word; they can honor Him only as they have a right conception of His character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them.” The Great Controversy, 593.]

Separated from the World!

“God has called His church in this day, as He called ancient Israel, to stand as a light in the earth. By the mighty cleaver of truth, the messages of the first, second, and third angels, He has separated them from the churches and from the world to bring them into a sacred nearness to Himself. He has made them the depositaries of His law and has committed to them the great truths of prophecy for this time. Like the holy oracles committed to ancient Israel, these are a sacred trust to be communicated to the world. The Three Angels of Revelation 14 represent the people who accept the light of God’s messages and go forth as His agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth. Christ declares to His followers: ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ To every soul that accepts Jesus the cross of Calvary speaks: ‘Behold the worth of the soul: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”’ Nothing is to be permitted to hinder this work. It is the all-important work for time; it is to be far-reaching as eternity. The love that Jesus manifested for the souls of men in the sacrifice which He made for their redemption, will actuate all His followers.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 455. (See Also 619.)

We profess to have more truth than other denominations; yet if this does not lead to greater consecration, to purer, holier lives, of what benefit is it to us? It would be better for us never to have seen the light of truth than to profess to accept it and not be sanctified through it.” Ibid., vol. 5., 619, 620.

Words of Warning

“I have been instructed to trace words of warning for our brethren and sisters who are in danger of losing sight of the special work for this time. The Lord has made us depositaries of sacred truth. We are to arise and shine. In every land we are to herald the Second Coming of Christ, in the language of the revelator proclaiming: ‘Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.’ Revelation 1:7.” Ibid., vol. 8, 116.

“It is a solemn and terrible truth that many who have been zealous in proclaiming the Third Angel’s Message are now becoming listless and indifferent! The line of demarcation between worldlings and many professed Christians is almost indistinguishable. Many who once were earnest Adventists are conforming to the worldto its practices, its customs, and its selfishness. Instead of leading the world to render obedience to God’s law, the church is uniting more and more closely with the world in transgression. Daily the church is becoming converted to the world. How many professing Christians are slaves of mammon! Their indulgence of appetite, their extravagant expenditure of money for selfish gratification, greatly dishonors God.” Ibid.. vol. 8, 118.

“The world must not be introduced into the church and married to the church. Through union with the world the church will become corrupt, — ‘A cage of every unclean and hateful bird.’ The customs of the world must not have a place; for they will open doors through which the prince of darkness will find access, and the line of demarcation will become indistinguishable between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” The Review and Herald, February 26, 1895.

“There are many who, if they understood the spirit and the result of religious legislation, would not do anything to forward in the least the movement for Sunday observance. The world is overborne with falsehood and iniquity, and those whom God has made the depositaries of His law and of the pure religion of Jesus, must be determined to let their light shine. If they do nothing to disabuse the minds of the people, and through ignorance of the truth our legislators should abjure the principles of Protestantism and give countenance and support to the Roman fallacy, enforcing allegiance to the spurious sabbath, God will hold His people, who have had great light, responsible for their lack of diligence and faithfulness. But if the subject of religious legislation is judiciously and intelligently laid before the people, and they see that through Sunday enforcement, the Roman apostasy would be re-enacted by the Christian world, and that the tyranny of past ages would be repeated, then whatever comes, we shall have done our duty. The Review and Herald, March 9, 1911.

Plain Speaking

“In these last days God has brought to His people a knowledge of His law. A flood of light has been poured upon the New Testament, revealing the truths of the Old. God has brought out from the world and from the church a people whom He has made the depositaries of His law. They are to teach that that law must be obeyed if men would enter into life. To those who keep His commandments He will be a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, to lighten and lead the way in the path cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in.” Signs of the Times, July 19, 1899.

That last quote is very interesting, is it not? It is as plain as can be how God passes the torch to those who remain faithful to duty as individuals or religious bodies. It gets even plainer.

The Seventh-day Adventist church, or any of its actual congregations, interestingly enough, is only mentioned by name a few times in all the references available on this subject. Some are now included here. Pay close attention to the messages Mrs. White sent them.

“God is leading out a people. He has a chosen people, a church on the earth, whom He has made the depositaries of His law. He has committed to them sacred trust and eternal truth to be given to the world. He would reprove and correct them. The message to the Laodiceans is applicable to Seventh-day Adventists who have had great light and have not walked in the light. It is those who have made great profession, but have not kept in step with their Leader, that will be spewed out of His mouth unless they repent. The message to pronounce the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Babylon, and call the people of God out of her, does not come from any heavenly messenger, or any human agent inspired by the Spirit of God.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 66.

Well, here is one that is at the heart of great controversy among God’s professed people in our day. What would principle declare about the historical and present meaning of this passage, and others like it, in light of what you have already read and will now read? You decide, because God will, indeed, judge each one of us in how we relate to and judge heavenly principles.

“But the heart of the work, the great center, has been enfeebled by the mismanagement of men who have not kept pace with their Leader. Satan has diverted their money and their capabilities into wrong channels. Their precious time has been passing into eternity. The earnest work that is now being done, the aggressive warfare that is being carried on, might long ago have been just as vigorously carried forward in obedience to the light of God. The whole body is sick because of mismanagement and miscalculation. The people to whom God has entrusted eternal interests, the depositaries of truth pregnant with eternal results, the keepers of light that is to illuminate the whole world, have lost their bearings. Has God made a mistake? Are those at the heart of the work chosen vessels that can receive the golden oil, which the heavenly messengers, represented as two olive trees, empty into the golden tubes to replenish the lamps? Are those in Battle Creek, the men and women that God has appointed to do the most solemn work ever given to mortals, in partnership with Jesus Christ in His great firm? Are those whom He has bidden to communicate the light from the burning lamps to others, that the regions of darkness may have opportunity to hear the saving message, doing their duty? … “ Testimonies to Ministers, 397.

God Does Not Make Mistakes!

Does God make mistakes? No, of course not. His choosing of Israel was not a mistake. His choosing of the early church over the Jewish church was not a mistake. His choosing of the faithful few as the early church majority went into apostasy was not a mistake. His choosing of the Protestant Reformers was not a mistake. His choosing of the Adventists prior to 1844 was not a mistake. His choosing of another faithful remnant to carry on after 1844 was not a mistake. Now, given that God does not make mistakes, will the real depository please stand up?

Read this next statement carefully:

“The church at Battle Creek has had great light. As a people they have been peculiarly favored of God. They have not been left in ignorance in regard to the will of God concerning them. They might be far in advance of what they now are, if they had walked in the light. They are not that separate, peculiar, and holy people that their faith demands, and that God recognizes and acknowledges as children of the light. They are not as obedient and devotional as their exalted position and sacred obligation as children walking in the light require them to be. The most solemn message of mercy ever given to the world has been entrusted to them. The Lord has made that church the depositaries of His commandments in a sense that no other church is. God did not show them His special favor in trusting to them His sacred truth that they alone might be benefited by the light given, but that the light reflected upon them from heaven should shine forth to others and be reflected again to God by those who receive the truth glorifying Him. Many in Battle Creek will have a fearful account to give in the day of God for this sinful neglect of duty.

“Many of those who profess to believe the truth in Battle Creek contradict their faith by their works. They are as unbelieving, and as far from fulfilling the requirements of God and from coming up to their profession of faith, as was the Jewish church at the time of Christ’s first advent. Should Christ make His appearance among them, reproving and rebuking selfishness, pride, and love of the friendship of the world, as He did at His first advent, but few would recognize Him as the Lord of glory. The picture He would present before them of their neglect of duty they would not receive, but would tell Him to His face: ‘You are entirely mistaken; we have done this good and great thing, and performed this and that wonderful work, and we are entitled to be highly exalted for our good works.’

The Jews did not go into darkness all at once. It was a gradual work, until they could not discern the gift of God in sending His Son. The church at Battle Creek has had superior advantages, and they will be judged by the light and privileges they have had. Their deficiencies, their unbelief, their hardness of heart, and their neglect to cherish and follow the light are not less than those of the favored Jews, who refused the blessings they might have accepted, and crucified the Son of God. The Jews are now an astonishment and reproach to the world.Testimonies, vol. 3, 199, 200.

“Jerusalem is a representation of what the church will be if it refuses to walk in the light that God has given. Jerusalem was favored of God as the depositary of sacred trusts. But her people perverted the truth, and despised all entreaties and warnings. They would not respect His counsels. The temple courts were polluted with merchandise and robbery. Selfishness and love of mammon, envy and strife, were cherished. Everyone sought for gain from his quarter. Christ turned from them, saying: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,’ how can I give thee up? ‘How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!’ Matthew 23:37.

Christ Weeps Over our Failed Churches

So Christ sorrows and weeps over our churches, over our institutions of learning, that have failed to meet the demand of God. He comes to investigate in Battle Creek, which has been moving in the same track as Jerusalem. The publishing house has been turned into desecrated shrines, into a place of unholy merchandise and traffic. It has become a place where injustice and fraud have been carried on, where selfishness, malice, envy, and passion have borne sway. Yet the men who have been led into this working upon wrong principles are seemingly unconscious of their wrong course of action. When warnings and entreaties come to them, they say: ‘Doth she not speak in parables?’ Words of warning and reproof have been treated as idle tales.

When Christ looked down from the crest of Olivet, He saw this state of things existing in every church. The warnings come down to all that are following in the tread of the people of Jerusalem, who had such great light. This people is before us as a warning. By rejecting God’s warnings in this our day, men are repeating the sin of Jerusalem. The Lord sees what the human agent does not see and will not see—the outcome of all the human devising in Battle Creek. He has done all that a God could do. He has flashed light before the eyes of the people, that their sins might not reach the boundary where repentance cannot be felt. But by a long process of departure from just and righteous principles, men have placed themselves where light and truth, justice and mercy, are not discerned. This course has become part of their very nature.

I call upon all who have united in a course of action that is wrong in principle, to make a decided reformation and forever after walk humbly with God .…

These are no idle tales, but truth. Again I ask: On which side are you standing? ‘If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow Him.’ I Kings 18:21.” Ibid., vol. 8, 67, 68.

Frankly, dear reader, I am not into idle tales, and we should have no doubt in our minds that the Seventh-day Adventist denomination walks no safer ground than presented to any other group in religious history. Nay, she is held more accountable because of all the examples given her.

Who Are the Disfellowshipped and Disenfranchised?

If the Seventh-day Adventist denomination and its recognized, authorized membership is the depositary of God, who are those thousands now disfellowshipped and disenfranchised from her borders? If the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is God’s depositary, let it be proven from “true theology and common sense,” not sentimentality, false reasoning, or human wisdom and philosophy. It is Rome who says, “We are the true church. We are holy, no matter what was done in the past, or is done now, because the church is Christ’s and He is holy.” God forbid such Romanism should exist within that movement which was called into being as the final spearhead movement of the Protestant Reformation! But it does; God help us!

The church is the pillar and ground of truth. It cannot be the pillar and ground of error. It cannot be the pillar and ground of a mixture of truth and error, once light has shined on its pathway. The mixture of truth and error is the track of Satan and deception and the makeup of the prophetic family of Babylon. The Depositary and the Second Angel’s Message are now on the table for discussion as never before. If principles mean anything, if warnings mean anything, if circumstances mean anything, if conditions mean anything, they had better mean something now, because our present and future depend on it.

There is God; there is Baal. There is the true Mother and the remnant; there is the false Mother and her daughters. There is Protestantism; there is Romanism. There is light, there is darkness. There is Christ; there is Satan.

Pray tell, on whose side are you?

“He that has ears to hear . . . . “

[All emphasis supplied]

The End