Chapter 4: Foundation and Pillars of our Faith Changed

Has there been an attempt to remove the pillars of the church, the pillars of our faith?  Many when they think of the pillars of the Seventh-day Adventist faith think of the Sanctuary and the three angels messages. These messages are the pillars of our faith. There is great truth that is seen in the heavenly sanctuary.

Daniel 7 is a prophecy that talks about 4 beasts. A lion, a bear, a leopard, and a diverse beast with 10 horns.  Daniel tells us that these 4 beasts symbolize 4 kingdoms (Daniel 7:23) from the time that Babylon ruled the world to this day.  History verifies that there were 4 great kingdoms since the time of Daniel and those 4 kingdoms were Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.  Rome was divided in the later years as symbolized by the 10 horns on the diverse beast and out of this came forth a “diverse” horn from the other 10. (Dan 7:24).  This horn ruled the world for centuries and is well known for changing God’s “times and laws”(Daniel 7:25).  This diverse horn is commonly known as the Papacy.  (For more on this visit  http://thethirdangelsmessage.com)

The Papacy used State power to control the masses for centuries, and finally changed some of God’s times and laws including changing the Sabbath to Sunday.(See Dan 7:25).   This tyrannical church cast the truth to the ground and many did not recognize it for the counterfeit that it was.

In this prophecy something else is brought to light.  The judgment that takes place in heaven.  The Son of God stands before the Father as the mediator between men and God in the true sanctuary, while this man of sin, the Pope attempts to proclaim to be mediator in a counterfeit sanctuary casting the truth to the ground.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

We see here 2 beings.

Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

“I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son.”(Ellen White Early Writings Page 54)

The truth about God and his son are seen in this sanctuary.  This view of God and His Son was really brought into the light around the time of 1844 when Seventh-day Adventists began to recognize a prophecy about a judgment that was taking place in the sanctuary in heaven.(Daniel 8:14, Revelation 14:6, 7). (For more on these prophecies please contact us for study guides http://www.thethirdangelmessage.com).  These prophecies are the foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist Faith.

Pillar of our faith – The personality of God or of Christ

“Those who seek to remove the old landmarks are not holding fast; they are not remembering how they have received and heard. Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith concerning the sanctuary or concerning the personality of God or of Christ, are working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to set the people of God adrift without an anchor.” {E. G. White, Manuscript Release No.760, p. 9} 1905

Ellen White said plainly that the pillars of our faith included an understanding of the personality of God or of Christ. This has to do with “identity”. It has to do with who Christ is, and who God is. “..As his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him.”(2 Pet 1:3).  Knowing God is key to being godly.  This is a major pillar of our faith.  .

“The Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, is truly God in infinity, but not in personality.” (Ellen White UL 367 )

Christ is not God in personality. In other words though he is “infinite” and possesses the attributes of God because He is God’s son by birth.  There is a major misunderstanding as to how Christ is God or in what sense he is God by Christianity today. Christ is identified as “The Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father.” The identity of Christ is a pillar of our faith and she makes it clear in that quote that Christ is:

  1. Lord
  2. The only begotten son of the father
  3. Not God in personality

What does it mean not be God in personality.  It is very simple.  God is His Father, He is God’s Son.

“Christ is one with the father, but Christ and God are two distinct personages.”(RH June 1, 1905)

Christ is not God in personality, God is not Christ in personality.  They are distinct individuals.  Regarding what Christ is in respect to his form and nature, he was fully God in respect to his attributes and substance which he possessed as his inheritance by birth as the only begotten son of God. In regards to his identity, he is not the Lord God almighty.

Who is Christ?  We are to confess Christ as “Lord” and that he is “the son of God”

Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Christ is Lord, God is his Father.

1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

That’s his identity. That’s who Christ is in personality. He is “The Lord Jesus Christ”, the “only begotten Son of the Father.”

Ellen White said clearly that “Christ and God are two distinct personages,” furthermore she really clarifies who the “personality of God” is and who “the personality of Christ” is. She tells us what the “scriptures clearly indicate” regarding the “personality” and also the “individuality” of each. Note carefully the following:

“The Scriptures clearly indicate the relation between God and Christ, and they bring to view as clearly the personality and individuality of each. [Hebrews 1:1-5 quoted.] God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son.” (Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, page 268)

That is very clear regarding the distinct personality and individuality of both God and Christ. God is not Christ in respect to his personality. “God is the Father of Christ”.  And every knee is not bow and to confess that “Christ is God” in respect to his personality and individuality. Christ is not God himself.

“The man Christ Jesus was not the Lord God Almighty, yet Christ and the Father are one.” (Ellen White SDA BibleCommentary, vol.5 p.1129)

A doctrine that destroys the personality of God and Christ the Pillars and the Foundation– The Trinity  If you look at the book fundamental beliefs of Seventh Day Adventists today it teaches us that God is very different from what the pioneers believed. They teach today that “There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons.”  This removes the pillar regarding the personality of God since it is telling us that God is not the father of Christ, a single personality. But rather it teaches us that God is a father, son and holy spirit, three personalities.

James White put it plainly:

“Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ”(James White, December 11, 1855, Review & Herald, vol. 7, no. 11, page 85, par. 16)

Or in other words James is saying “The book Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh Day Adventists does away with the personality of God and of his Son Jesus Christ.” Or in other words “The foundational or Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh Day Adventists does away with the pillars of our faith concerning the personality of God and of Christ.”

JN Andrews whom the famous university called “Andrews University” was named after and where the Trinity is strongly proclaimed today also saw that the trinity destroys the personality of God and Christ. He said:

pillars“The doctrine of the Trinity which was established in the church by the council of Nice, A. D. 325. This doctrine destroys the personality of God, and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The infamous, measures by which it was forced upon the church which appear upon the pages of ecclesiastical history might well cause every believer in that doctrine to blush.” (J. N. Andrews, March 6, 1855, Review & Herald, vol. 6, no. 24, page 185)

These agree with Ellen White. Christ is our “Lord” the “Only begotten son of God” and not God “in personality”. God is his father, and our father.

Joh 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

God is not three personalities… But one personality….Christ the only begotten son of God, the firstborn of heaven is a distinct personality and is not God in personality.

Removing the pillars, the foundation, the rock on which the true church is built 

A house normally has a foundation. That foundation can include pillars which support that house. The house in scripture is sometimes referred to as “God’s church” as we have already learned.

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house;

Jesus spoke to Peter and his disciples about building his Church and about the foundation of his church. There was something that specifically identified God’s true church. It had a specific foundation. In Desire of Ages Ellen White wrote about this foundation.

Peter said something regarding “the personality of Christ” and Christ’s identity in Matthew 16. But before looking at that passage, here is what Ellen White said about Peter’s statement:

“Peter had expressed the truth which is the foundation of the church’s faith” (DA 413).

What is that foundation? What is the rock upon which the true church is built? What did Peter say?

Mat 16:15 He(Jesus) saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Peter expressed the truth which is the foundation of our faith. That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of The living God. This is the rock on which the true church is built. This is where the building begins, true foundation of God’s church, “the church of the firstborn, which is written in heaven”(Heb 12:23, 24)

Jesus did not answer and say “Actually Peter, I am the Lord God almighty”.

loveMat 16:17, 18 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Upon this rock or statement of Peter’s is the true church built. The rock is the foundation. And Peter had expressed the truth which is the foundation of our faith. That Jesus “is the Christ, the son of living God”.

This doctrine is the declaration of God’s love to us. 

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

If there is a doctrine that Satan would like to destroy. It is the doctrine regarding the personalities of God and Christ, because it would hide from us the truth of God giving his only begotten son, the truth about God’s love for us. By removing these truths, he can remove “the foundation of our faith”.

A Church Built on Sand – “A NEW Organization” – A false foundation

built on sandI’m sure most of us have heard the parable about the wise man building his house upon the rock. What did the foolish man build his house on?

Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand;

The true church is built on rock, so the false churches that will be swept away will be built on sand.

To summarize some points about these pillars:

  1. The Personalities of God and Christ are pillars of our faith
  2. This refers to the identity of each.
  3. God is the Father of Christ
  4. Christ is the “Lord” and the “Son of God”
  5. Christ is not “God” in personality
  6. To remove these Pillars is to remove the Rock or Foundation of the Church
  7. The Trinity destroys the personality of God and of Christ
  8. The Church that teaches Christ is the Son of God is built on a rock
  9. The Church that teaches Christ is a metaphorical son is built on sand
  10. God is one personality not three personalities

So knowing all of this. Let us read and understand how the following statement by Ellen White has been fulfilled in every point.

“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 founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.” Selected Messages Book 1-Page 204, 205

After reading that, I ask the questions which we should be able to answer if we’ve read all of the above carefully.

The questions are:

  1. Have the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith been given up?
  2. Has there been a reorganization or reformation or new movement of this sort?
  3. Have the principles which sustained the first 50 years of our faith been discarded?
  4. Has the first 50 years of our faith been accounted as error?
  5. Has their foundation been built on sand?
  6. Have books of a new order been written?
  7. Have they established a system of intellectual philosophy such as (1+1+1=1)?
  8. Has the God who created the Sabbath been removed?
  9. If God is removed, can this organization be his body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all?
  10. Have the people had to place dependence on human power? (such as trademarking the name Seventh Day Adventist) ?
  11. Will storm and tempest sweep away this structure(the General Conference) that is built on sand?

Every point in this quote has been fulfilled. There is an new organization which has been setup.  The above quote was made by Ellen White in regards to false views about God that were coming in among us in the early 1900’s. She was given further light on these issues and shown that something further was coming which we will look at in the next chapter.

Next Chapter – The Deadliest Heresy in Seventh Day Adventism

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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