Most today still refer to the General Conference organization as “the church”. But some have come to understand today it is a “New organization…built on sand” fulfilling many prophecies, and a counterfeit of the true, and not the “church of God” built on a rock.
I have heard it said that ”The call to leave the Adventist church before we are thrust out is a tool of Satan”
Are these words inspired? Is it really “the Adventist church?” Or is it a counterfeit as we have already studied? Is the true Adventist Church “built on sand”? Maybe this nominal or professed “Adventist church” only call itself “The Adventist Church” and is not?(Revelation 3:9). If we’ve studied in the previous chapters, we should have no doubt that it is not the “Church of God”.
Is this not a nominal Adventist church, an offshoot of the true church built on rock? Isn’t the General Conference organization only a “professed Adventist church”? I believe that inspiration from earlier chapter’s of this book have made this issue quite clear already.
Deadly Heresies Convert the Church into Babylon
“The wine of Babylon is the exalting of the false and spurious sabbath above the Sabbath … also the immortality of the soul. These KINDRED HERESIES, and the REJECTION OF THE TRUTH, CONVERT THE CHURCH INTO BABYLON….” {E.G. White, 2SM 68.2}
We will look at the Babylon quotes a little bit more in a moment. The quotes used by many to say “The church is not Babylon” which Ms. White is quoted as saying refer to “God’s commandment Keeping church.” The church that has His presence in the midst, the Church that is built on rock and not built on sand. Philadelphia, not Laodicea. This church is not Babylon.
How about the Omega of deadly heresies? Would that fit the “kindred heresies” she said would “convert the Church into Babylon”? It is the deadliest heresy in Adventism.
This is not to say that God’s Seventh Day Adventist church of the firstborn which is built on rock is Babylon. The gates of hell cannot prevail against it. But regarding this “new organization” that is “built on sand”, this Church is not God’s Church because it has the wrong foundation (Sand).
Is God using a new foundation? My bible tells me that God can “change not”(Mal 3:6) And furthermore the General Conference is a “New organization” and the SOP tells us we are not to be partakers of this.
This church says that they are the Seventh Day Adventist church, but according to inspiration, it cannot be. So why is everyone calling it “God’s church”? Have we been deceived? Let’s look at what Ellen White said regarding a “Tool of Satan” just before the plagues are poured out.
Call out of the Nominal (Professed) Adventist Churches
“I saw that God has honest children among the nominal Adventists and the fallen churches, and before the plagues shall be poured out, ministers and people will be called out from these churches and will gladly receive the truth. Satan knows this; and before the loud cry of the third angel is given, he raises an excitement in these religious bodies, that those who have rejected the truth may think that God is with them. He hopes to deceive the honest and lead them to think that God is still working for the churches. But the light will shine, and all who are honest will leave the fallen churches, and take their stand with the remnant.” (Ellen White Early Writings 261).
I am confident that all who are honest will leave these fallen churches. In this quote the plagues are about to be poured out and Satan “hopes to deceive the honest and lead them to think that God is still working for the churches.” That’s the tool of Satan today. God is not working with them, and those who say he is have been using a “tool of Satan”. The following Statement ”The call to leave the Adventist Church before we are thrust out is a tool of Satan” is the deception which is used by Satan in hopes to deceive the people “RIGHT NOW” just before the plagues are poured out.
We are in the time of the loud cry as we shall see more fully, and many are not going to hear the Loud Cry. The honest will leave the fallen Nominal Adventist churches right before the plagues and if they don’t’ they will be partaker of her sins and receive of her plagues. The following truths will be mocked and force down, but this is it.
“Some will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard. When light goes forth to lighten the earth, instead of coming up to the help of the Lord, they will want to bind about His work to meet their narrow ideas. Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.”—(Ellen White TM300)
Don’t Call God’s Church Babylon
And since it is not the “Church of God”, it is the “Synagogue of Satan”.
To say to someone that their Church is “the synagogue of Satan” is rather blunt, yet that is what we have found in God’s word. When giving this message we are to reason with our brethren. Therefore we are to allow God’s word to reveal it and allow others to draw the conclusion from His word, we should be careful in how we give this message and how these terms are used.
I saw one brother who goes through several internet forums calling everyone in who still attends Conference churches “swine” and saying things like he wanted Trinitarians to “burn in hell”. This is not how God would have us give the message. This is the spirit of the devil.
Message of Love
Romans 9:3-7 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: (4) Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; (5) Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (6) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: (7) Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
In a previous study we learned that the promise and covenant is to the spiritual seed. This is the true Seventh Day Adventist. However, respecting our “brethren after the flesh” we are to show them love. I do not endorse calling names, or tossing around labels, but rather giving bible studies with humility, love, and patience. Allowing our brothers after the flesh or spirit even to draw the conclusions from the evidence presented themselves. We cannot judge another person’s heart. Even Abraham and Isaac were mistaken regarding the true children of promise. God’s people are in those churches.
So calling someone “swine” because they don’t understand something is not in any manner a show of respect and humility.
Calling the Conference Babylon to them is like calling the Church Babylon. The reason is because they no longer understand the truth about God’s Church. It is not that we are calling God’s Church Babylon. However many people do not recognize these facts and therefore, we have to reason with them in a loving manner doing bible studies on what the church is and allowing them to draw those conclusions. Many after learning the truth will continue to attend contrary to what they know. We can only pray that they will repent, and we must exercise patience with them as they may not be ready to hear the message, or they may not understand the seriousness, or it may have been misrepresented to them, and they do not understand yet. We must remember the promise that “all who are honest will leave the fallen churches, and take their stand with the remnant.” (Ellen White Early Writings 261). The “honest” will leave in God’s timing.
Time and Place Must be Considered
“Can the General Conference become Babylon?” That’s an important question. Let’s examine the Spirit of Prophecy since this is where the controversies often seem to take place.
The following quotes which we will examine seem to support the idea that The Seventh Day Adventist Church can never become Babylon. But what about a church that says they are “Seventh Day Adventist and are not”? If as we learned in previous chapters this organization is only “professed Adventist” then are we really calling the Seventh Day Adventist Church Babylon? No, not if it isn’t God’s Church, or the Seventh Day Adventist Church. We are only calling a counterfeit Babylon.
We have learned above that this “new organization…built on sand” is not God’s Church, in fact according to the prophecies it is a Church that say they are Adventist and are not. So therefore from the foundation of the truth, these quotes that follow cannot be applied to this “new organization”. These quotes apply to a Church that was “keeping the commandments of God” in 1893. God’s church, one which was receiving a refreshing from the Lord. Thus the Spirit of God or his presence was in her midst.
Another issue that must be considered is “time and place”.
“Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; nothing is cast aside; but time an place must be considered. Nothing must be done untimely. Some matters must be withheld because some persons would make an improper use of the light given. Every jot and tittle is essential and must appear at an opportune time. In the past, the testimonies were carefully prepared before they were sent out for publication. And all matter is still carefully studied after the first writing.” {Ellen White 1SM 57}
The following quotes were given in 1893. The time and place of these quotes is in reference to a Church which at that “time” was receiving the “outpouring of the Spirit of God”.
“How is it that these pamphlets denouncing the Seventh-day Adventist Church as Babylon were scattered abroad everywhere, at the very time when that church was receiving the outpouring of the Spirit of God? How is it that men can be so deceived as to imagine that the loud cry consists in calling the people of God out from the fellowship of a church that is enjoying a season of refreshing? Oh, may these deceived souls come into the current, and receive the blessing, and be endued with power from on high”{Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers Page 23}
This refers to a different organization in a different time that was receiving the fullness of him who filleth all in all. It refers to the Seventh Day Adventist church. Who could call the true Seventh Day Adventist church Babylon? It was receiving a season of refreshing. This quote is not referring to the “new organization…built on sand” which say they are Adventist and are not. I personally could never denounce the “Seventh-day Adventist Church as Babylon” since I am a member of the Seventh day Adventist Church of the firstborn written in heaven and I claim it by faith in the promise.
“For years I have borne my testimony to the effect that when any arise claiming to have great light, and yet advocating the tearing down of that which the Lord through His human agents has been building up, they are greatly deceived, and are not working along the lines where Christ is working. Those who assert that the Seventh-day Adventist churches constitute Babylon, or any part of Babylon, might better stay at home. Let them stop and consider what is the message to be proclaimed at this time. “{Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers Page 36}
This quote refers to an organization that the Lord is building through his servants, not to a “new organization” built by men “on sand.” In 1893 and 1894 these people who were working in the line in which Christ was working in could not be considered Babylon. It’s important to that we consider “time and place” with the testimonies.
“There is but one church in the world who are at the present time (1893) standing in the breach, and making up the hedge, building up the old waste places; and for any man to call the attention of the world and other churches to this church, denouncing her as Babylon, is to do a work in harmony with him who is the accuser of the brethren. Is it possible that men will arise from among us, who speak perverse things, and give voice to the very sentiments that Satan would have disseminated in the world in regard to those who keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus?” { Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers Page 50}
At the time of 1893 and 1894 the general conference was part of God’s commandment keeping church. Times have changed. Many of them were also keeping the Commandments of God. After this they created a new organization that is built on sand is worshipping new gods violating the first and great commandment. They are not the commandment keeping church.
“My brother, if you are teaching that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, you are wrong, God has not given you any such message to bear. Satan will use every mind to which he can attain access, inspiring men to originate false theories or go off on some wrong tangent, that he may create a false excitement, and thus divert souls from the true issue for this time. I presume that some may be deceived by your message, because they are full of curiosity and desire for some new thing.{ Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers Page 59}
As we read in an earlier chapter the Conference was part of this Church.
“…this power(the General Conference), which God has placed in the church” (Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, pages 257-261.)
The Conference was NOT “The Seventh Day Adventist Church”. So therefore not only the time(1893) but the place must carefully be considered.
Something else that happens when discussing this topic is that some parts of the Spirit of Prophecy go ignored.
Nothing is Ignored – Deceitful Workers – Withholding Passages
“Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; nothing is cast aside…. Every jot and tittle is essential and must appear at an opportune time.” {Ellen White 1SM 57}
We are going to look at the often “withheld” and “ignored” quotes on this topic:
”If, upon a candid investigation, your cherished ideas should be weakened by a comparison with the law and the testimony, do not let a willful, hard, stubborn spirit rise up in opposition to that which you see to be evidence against your views. If a brother differs with you, do not become provoked; treat him with candor; do not overwhelm him with assertions. Do not handle the word of God deceitfully, presenting detached passages of Scripture which you think favor your ideas, and withholding other passages which seem to weaken your position. Let God speak in his word. If you think your brother believes an error, you should deal with him considerately, manifesting tenderness, patience, and courtesy. You should reason with him from the word of God, comparing scripture with scripture, considering carefully every jot of evidence. In no case should his words be made a matter of ridicule, for “with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” {ST, May 26, 1890 par. 6}
May we all have this Spirit when examining the evidence, treating our brethren with a spirit which is free from discrimination.
Not being provoked but rather allowing God to speak through his word and our brother or sister to make up their own mind based on the evidence.
————————————————————————
Next Chapter: 11: The Principles of Seperation
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
Comment and/or Like our Facebook Page