Chapter 12: Not to go and Listen to Error

Some have said to go and sit in the temple and listen to the sermon every week and just pray for the leaders and this will lead to a reformation.  The truth is, there is a reformation coming, but it is not working according to their expectations.

According to the Spirit of Prophecy we are not to even go and listen to error.  We make more of a statement when we sit at home.  The principles are carefully laid out for us by God’s word.  First let’s read the following counsel carefully:

“I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness. (125) I saw that we have no time to throw away in listening to fables. Our minds should not be thus diverted, but should be occupied with the present truth, and seeking wisdom that we may obtain a more thorough knowledge of our position, that with meekness we may be able to give a reason of our hope from the Scriptures. While false doctrines and dangerous errors are pressed upon the mind, it cannot be dwelling upon the truth which is to fit and prepare the house of Israel to stand in the day of the Lord.” (Ellen White Early Writings, p 124, 125)

If you have read everything in this book, you have to ask yourself the question, “Are you going to get this message by going to listen to these preachers every week?”  We are not commissioned to go and listen to them.  We are to become acquainted with the present truth, we are to obtain a more thorough knowledge of our position, we are to wait for power from the Holy Spirit, we are not to do anything presumptuously, especially to go and listen to error, or to think that we can reform that organization.  That is a “new organization” a “new movement” another “religion”.  God has order and organization and if we go in those buildings made by hands presumptuously without the leading of His Holy Spirit and a proper understanding of our position we will cause more souls to be lost than gained.

doveSharing the Message of This Life

The disciples first waited for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Act 1:4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

They were not to do anything without the Holy Spirit guiding them.  This was given on the day of Pentecost.   There is a time also set aside for the latter rain of His Holy Spirit.

Zec 10:1  Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

If we study the bible we will be able to find out just when this time is and how to receive it.   But without it we are not to go into their synagogues.  In Acts chapter 2 the disciples received the former rain of the Holy Spirit.   Following this they began sharing the message, recognizing their position as Christ’s Holy tabernacle.  And recognizing Christ as the head and builder who went forward working with them.

They then began to share the message at the synagogue.  They did not go to the synagogue to listen to the preacher preach error. In Chapter 3 Peter healed a man at the temple gate and then began to preach unto them Jesus Christ.  This made the rulers extremely grieved and finally they grabbed them and held them in jail until the next day.

Following this holding they were brought before a counsel of men and Peter spoke about the organization and taught them about how they had rejected the builder, the foundation, and the building or church of God through Jesus Christ.

Acts 4:10-11  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.  (11)  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Following this they are threatened, but the counsel did not know what to do or how to stop these men.  They thought they could use force, persecution, courts, and jail to stop them.  The apostles are then commanded that they must stop preaching in this name, these builders were building their “new organization” on sand rather than rock.

Acts 4:17-18  But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.  (18)  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

A very similar threat has been made by the General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists.  They have trademarked the name “Seventh Day Adventist” and told us to stop speaking in this name, but we are commissioned by God through his prophet about this name:

“Our institutions have taken a name which sets forth the character of our faith, and of this name we are NEVER to be ashamed.  I have been shown that this name means much, and in adopting it we have followed the light given us from heaven…This distinctive banner is to be borne through the world to the CLOSE OF PROBATION.”  (Ellen White MS 15, 1896)

This name we are NEVER to be ashamed of.  I am a Seventh Day Adventist, has God cast away his people?  God forbid.   We are to stand like Paul and Peter did.  We are Israel(Romans 9-11), we are Jews in heart and Spirit(Rom 2, Eph 2), we are Abraham’s Seed(Galatians 3),  We are Christians despite these names being dragged through the mud and misused for centuries.   Of these titles we are never to be ashamed.

It is the “professed Adventists” who were to “crucify Christ afresh” by bringing others before the counsels and using the state power to stop them.

“You think, that those who worship before the saint’s feet, (Rev 3:9), will at last be saved. Here I must differ with you; for God shewed me that this class were professed Adventists, who had fallen away, and “crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh”(EGW A Word to the Little Flock, page 12)”

According to Revelation 3:9 which she quoted they are “NOT” Adventists.  They only say that they are.   They have applied the good name Seventh Day Adventist to “the synagogue of Satan”(Revelation 3:9).  This quote implies however that there are true Seventh Day Adventists just as there were true “Jews”, “Israelites”, and “Abraham’s seed” in Paul’s day.

As we follow along in Acts after being brought before the courts, and then told to stop preaching in this name, they are then threatened and released.  Then we find that the disciples go to God in prayer for deliverance rather than applying to the Kings of the earth for their deliverance and asking God to do His mighty work in them.

Acts 4:24-26  And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:  (25)  Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?  (26)  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

History is merely repeating itself.  There is nothing new under the sun.  And we as God’s people will unite in one accord in this same manner as our brethren continue to depart farther from the faith once delivered to the saints.  And we will constantly be accused of leaving the true Church and they will constantly seek to justify the new organization that they call “the church”.

“Romanists have persisted in bringing against Protestants the charge of heresy and willful separation from the true church. But these accusations apply rather to themselves. They are the ones who laid down the banner of Christ and departed from “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3.”  {Ellen White Great Controversy page 51}

Many are going to hear this message.  Not many will accept it.

“The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ’s message and was bent upon His death; therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all nations.

As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ’s withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church; but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience.”  {DA 231-232}

Going Back into the Temple – The Principles

As we have learned already these men were forced out from the synagogues, they were not going there to learn from these leaders, they were going to give these leaders a message.  That they were false builders in a false building who had rejected the foundation stone and thus were building a new organization on sand.

Following this arrest, and release of the disciples, they then proceeded to pray and finally in Acts 5 in one accord they continued to share the message with miracles following them.  They were freeing people from possession of unclean spirits and for all this good work we find the following reaction from the false “builders”:

Acts 5:17-18 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,  (18)  And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Thus they were forced to stop preaching in the name of Jesus again.   The government and state power was being again employed by this “false building”.

Acts 5:19-20 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,  (20)  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

The angel did not say “Go sit and listen to Caiphus or President Wilson speak”.  He said go and teach them the words of this life.   They had already obtained an understanding of their present truth position(Acts 2:16, EW 124) and were ready to share it with the people.  God was working with them.

Brought Before the Courts Again

After recognizing that the men they had put in jail were standing in the temple preaching.  They were confounded as to what to do.  They wanted to use force against the disciples.

“…FORCE IS THE LAST RESORT OF EVERY FALSE RELIGION…The papacy has exercised her power to compel men to obey her, and she will continue to do so.” (Ellen White 7BC 976)

Force was the last resort of this false religion.  Very similar to the General Conference statement by General Conference Associate General Dione A. Parker “Litigation is always a last resort.”(Just a Name or a Registered Trademark, Adventist Review June 10, 2010)

The last resort of a “false religion” or as Ellen put it “our religion would be changed… God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power”(Ellen White 1 Selected Messages 204, 205)

They are depending on the kings of the earth(human power) for deliverance by using litigation, lawyers and lawsuits against them.

Following the recognizance that the disciples are preaching again at the temple force is again used against them bringing them before the courts and telling them to again stop preaching in that name:

Acts 5:27-28  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,  (28)  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

“Why are you bringing judgment on our Church?” they answer.  “Why are you trying to fill our Church with your doctrine saying that we crucified Christ afresh, trying to bring his blood on our head?”  This is what is heard from the multitudes today.   You are trying to “bring this man’s blood upon us”.

As Peter said “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”(Acts 2:36).  Have they not “Crucified Christ afresh”?  And if we choose to remain a member of their organization, we are then guilty and held corporately accountable for her sins and we are corporately accountable for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

“on behalf of the ENTIRE DENOMINATION, has registered under the United States trademark laws the name ‘Seventh-day Adventist’ and a variety of the church’s programs and services…” Ministry Magazine, December, 1988

trademarkingChrist is crucified afresh, and put to open shame. Those church members who appeal to the courts of the world show that they have chosen the world as their judge, “[Selected Messages Book 3, page 302, paragraph 3 ]

And this is fulfilled by our leaders.  Therefore it is rightly said to the house of Israel today “Jesus Christ whom you crucified.”  We are corporately accountable for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the call is “Come out of her my people, that ye be not partaker of her plagues”(Revelation 18:4).

“They cried out for the crucifixion of Christ and, as representatives of the Jewish nation, placed themselves under the Roman jurisdiction, which they despised, by saying, “We have no king but Caesar.” When they said this, they unchurched themselves.” [Manuscript Releases Volume Twelve, page 388, paragraph 1]

We Ought to Obey God Rather Than Men

“Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?”(Acts 5:28)

Act 5:29  … We ought to obey God rather than men.

And God has told us regarding the name that  “of this name we are NEVER to be ashamed.  I have been shown that this name means much, and in adopting it we have followed the light given us from heaven…This distinctive banner is to be borne through the world to the CLOSE OF PROBATION.”  MS 15, 1896

The decree is given, and as the man said “More and more governments are putting rules and laws in place to protect trademarks. As the world shrinks and corporations expand around the world”( Just a Name or a Registered Trademark, Adventist Review June 10, 2010 GC General Counsel Karnik Doukmetzian)

church and stateIn other words the General Conference Church is seeking more power from the state and is going to use it as it becomes accessible and as our constitution which protects Christian liberty erodes.   And as we have had General Conference presidents say already that they don’t see Church and State as biblical in order to justify taking us before courts and counsels.  Therefore nothing is off the table.

Limit to the States Authority

“To protect liberty of conscience is the duty of the state, and this is the limit of its authority in matters of religion.  Every secular government that attempts to regulate or enforce religious observances by civil authority is sacrificing the very principle for which the evangelical Christians [of Sixteenth Century Germany] so nobly struggled.  (Ellen White Great Controversy page 201)

“…the only position the State can take, and have the approval of God, is to guard the rights of every individual, permitting no oppression to come upon any one because of religious belief.” (Ellen White ST February 27, 1912)

That is the limit to the authority of the state.  And that is to protect my liberty of conscience and the line is clearly drawn.  If I am commanded to take the name “Seventh Day Adventist” or “Christian”, then the State’s duty is to protect that liberty that no oppression is to come upon me because of my religious belief.   That is the only position the State can take and have the approval of God.

“The Constitution provides that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof’…”  (Ellen White Great Controversy 442)

Taking Matters to Court – Church and State – Violates the Sabbath Commandment

“Now I want to state a little further upon the principle that no Christian, being a citizen of the kingdom of God, can of right start any procedure in connection with civil government. After it is started by the government itself, that is another question . . . I repeat therefore, that upon the principles which govern kingdoms and governments, the very principle of the law in heaven, or law in earth, a Christian cannot start any procedure in connection with civil government. And of all Christians, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS cannot do it. The very keeping of the Sabbath forbids it.” – (1895 General Conference Bulletin, page 28. – by AT Jones)

To take others before court is a failure to rest in Christ.  It is a violation of the Sabbath principle.  Rest in Christ is to trust God by faith.  The opposite of rest is unbelief:

Hebrews 4:9-11   There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  (10)  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.  (11)  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Resting from our own works and asking God to work in us mightily is Righteousness by faith.

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Faith in God that He will perform in us what He has said He will do.  Therefore it is faith in God to trust him when others misuse his Holy name or the name Seventh Day  Adventist rather than going to the kings of the earth for help.   While the world keeps Sunday, we by faith in God’s word keep the Seventh Day holy resting from our labors.

Therefore, to bring others before counsels and courts shows that they have “chosen the world as their judge, and in heaven their names are registered as one with unbelievers.” [Selected Messages Book 3, page 299].  They did not enter into his rest because of unbelief.  Thus as AT Jones said regarding starting matters with civil powers “The very keeping of the Sabbath forbids it.”

Ellen White expressed the same principle:

sabbath“A union of church and state means a recognition of a spurious sabbath, and a failure to respect the conscientious observance of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.” [Manuscript Releases Volume Twelve, page 218].

The General Conference again cannot therefore be the commandment keeping people of God who have the faith of Jesus if they are in violation of the Sabbath and are marked with “unbelievers” and thus, this organization does not fit the commandment keeping church described in Revelation 12:17, 14:12.

Those who will take the mark of the beast will have no “rest”.

Revelation 14:9-13 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,  (10)  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:  (11)  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.  (12)  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.  (13)  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

They have “no rest” day or night because of “unbelief” they did not enter into his rest and trust that he might deliver them from their enemies, but rather went to the kings of the earth for help, thus violating the Sabbath commandment.

Thus we have the Third Angel’s Message.

Angel 1:  Worship the true God, the Father, the Gospel (John 4:23, 24 Revelation 14:6, 7)

Angel 2:  Babylon is Fallen – She commited fornication with the Kings of the Earth.

Angel 3: The Sabbath more fully, the Sabbath Rest Principle, they have no rest day or night who take the mark of the beast because of unbelief.  Rather than entering God’s rest, they have went to the kings of the earth for help.

Abortion and the Trademark

abortionIf it wasn’t enough that the tithe is being used for these lawsuits, and that it is also being used to invest in missile development and military companies as well as several other things that conflict with our faith helping to destroy millions of lives worldwide.

Recently, it was disclosed to me that the Conference has hospitals on which the good name “Seventh Day Adventist” has been placed.  In an article in the Washington Post dated January 24, 2011 I had heard that abortions were being performed in the hospitals.

I was very shocked and knowing that this is the taking of innocent life, who don’t yet have a voice of their own I truly was upset about this.  In the article is mentioned a facebook group that was called “Adventists for life”.

The article reads:
“But the denomination may be the only theologically conservative Protestant group that allows elective abortions. Many of their own members didn’t know that their worldwide hospital network performed the procedure, which has been quite the discussion on the Adventists For Life Facebook Page.   A number of posters were shocked to learn the denomination’s stance.

“I can’t belong to a organization who advocates abortion,” one poster wrote. “I believe in Christ my Saviour, the Sabbath & etc. I believe in Sister White also,” referring to Ellen G. White, one of the revered founders of the denomination.”

See More:
http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2011/01/adventists_and_abortion.html

This was only some of the article which is available at the above link.  For those who are not fully aware of the bible stance on abortion and God’s stance on it,  To be short, the bible says “Thou art with child” not “thou art with fetus”, or “animal”, or “fish”, or anything like that.  The bible is very clear that this is a child at conception.  And the bible also teaches us that to take innocent life is “murder”.

So the General Conference is using, or should I say misusing the good name “Seventh Day Adventist” on their hospitals in order to murder children.  I don’t want to come across as harsh towards ladies who have done something like this.  It is very painful for them to go through this, and all have sinned and all who will confess their sin, God will forgive.  I am not here to condemn but rather to point to salvation from that sin.

But regarding the abortions in the hospitals, it doesn’t stop here.  This group of protestors on facebook was standing up to this corporate greed, deceit and murder being performed by the general conference by making a facebook page called “Adventists for life”.   This page made headlines in the Washington Post article and thus this was big news.

Basically the headlines for other Churches and people inside the Conference who were against abortion would read “Baby Killing Adventists” etc.  What could the General Conference do to stop these protestors?

In a desperate act they could go to the Kings of the Earth.

Another article followed in the Washington Post the first one which ran on January 24, 2010.  By January 30th we have the account in another article in the Washington Post in an article about who owns the name Adventist:

Who owns the word ‘Adventist,’ or ‘Catholic’?

catholic churchBy Julia Duin – Washington Post

Do religious groups have the right to sue you if you use their name, logo or so-called branding color?

Maybe so. On Monday, this blog ran a report that mentioned an Adventists for Life for Seventh-day Adventists who oppose abortion.

The SDA headquarters, based in Silver Spring, Md., reacted quickly, asking Facebook to remove the offending page. I contacted Facebook on Wednesday to ask why no one checked with the folks behind the page before killing it. I received a copy of their policy that says once someone lodges a plausible claim of trademark infringement, Facebook removes or disables access, no questions asked.

Mark Price, a Canadian SDA’er who was in charge of the page, alerted the 600 members of the group that he’d been silenced. “The Adventists For Life group is not an organization but an informal gathering of Seventh Day Adventists who are pro-life,” he wrote me. “I am very concerned, as you are, about this kind of power that the Adventist leadership have to shut people up.”

I called SDA spokesman Garrett Caldwell to see what was up. He told me his organization had complained about trademark infringement; that is, the unauthorized use of the SDA brand.

“We are working hard to try to protect the name and organization associated with the name,” he said. “Both ‘Adventist’ and ‘SDA’ are trademarked and registered names. We want to make sure the use of the name is connected with our organization.”……

Taken From:  http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2011/01/adventists_pressure_facebook_to_dump_pro-life_group.html

The answer from the Conference was that we can use the name to kill babies, however ‘if you try to protest our “baby killing” we are going to use force against you by seeking worldly powers to silence you.’   They call this “protecting the name”.  They have used state power to oppress those who protest the abominations being done in the midst of them.

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Next Chapter: Chapter 13: Abomination and 25 Men A Prophecy by Ezekiel

Book: God’s Church Organization – The House Built on the Rock

Chapters:

1: The Counterfeit Church Organization and the True Building
2: Reformers on the Church
3: Man Appoints a Head to the Organization
4: Foundation and Pillars of our Faith Changed
5: Deadliest Heresy in Seventh Day Adventism
6: God’s church is not confined to an Earthly organization
7: The True Seed of Abraham
8: The Elijah Message
9: Philadelphia – The 144,000
10: A Great Danger Right Before the Plagues are Poured Out
11: The Principles of Separation
12: Not to go and Listen to Error
13: Abomination and 25 Men A Prophecy by Ezekiel
14: Rebuilding That Which is Fallen – Reorganization

15: Church of the Firstborn – The Name of God’s People

 

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