Will Whole Conferences be lost?
Devoid of the Spirit of God in the name of Jesus
"O ye hypocrites," said Jesus, "ye can discern the face of the sky,"—by studying the sky they could foretell the weather,--"but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Christ's own words, spoken with the power of the Holy Spirit that convicted them of sin, were the sign that God had given for their salvation. And signs direct from heaven had been given to attest the mission of Christ. The song of the angels to the shepherds, the star that guided the wise men, the dove and the voice from heaven at His baptism, were witnesses for Him. {DA 406.2}
"And He sighed deeply in His spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign?" "There shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas." As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, Christ was to be the same time "in the heart of the earth." And as the preaching of Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so Christ's preaching was a sign to His generation. But what a contrast in the reception of the word! The people of the great heathen city trembled as they heard the warning from God. Kings and nobles humbled themselves; the high and the lowly together cried to the God of heaven, and His mercy was granted unto them. "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation," Christ had said, "and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here." Matthew 12:40, 41.—DA:406.2, 3
Messenger of the Lord, The Prophetic Ministry of Ellen G. White, by Herbert E. Douglass
Section V1. How to Listen to the Messenger (chapters 32 to 40).
chp 34—Hermeneutics-Part 3: Rules of Interpretation—External
Little Said on Some Subjects; Rule Five:
Rule Five: We must be certain that supposed quotations are indeed written by the author to whom they are attributed.
Every public figure has had the problem of facing people who were adamant about what they “know” the speaker or author had said. The “belief” may be as wild as one’s imagination, but still the speaker or author must try to defend himself against the error or distortion. Obviously, the contending person does not have the reference for what he is “quoting.” Most of the time he/she got his information from a third or fourth party. We often call these distorted memories and flat errors “apocryphal statements.”…Such as:…
(12) Entire churches and conferences will apostatize, etc.—pg. 403.7
This is not hearsay. This is coming from an authorized, official source of the SDA Church, the following is stated:
5. Pure Fiction
Some statements said to be from Ellen G. White are fiction.
Apostasy of Seventh-day Adventist Churches or Conferences. The report that Mrs. White predicted the apostasy of entire Seventh-day Adventist churches and conferences is without support. See the statement concerning "The Shaking" in Early Writings, pages 269-273; and Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 41, for these words: "Company after company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God."
This declaration refutes only that the entire church will NOT apostatize and not that it cannot apostatize or even be found in apostasy as affirmed by EW:269-273 and 8T:41. In EW:14, 15, Sis. White first vision, informs us how many living saints will not apostatize to complete the work and their journey. But 5T 80.1; 3T:266, 267; 5T:211 reveals what will happen to those who do not make Christ their refuge in the time of trouble we are soon to pass.
Rev. 3:14-18 reveals the cause of the condition and also the remedy for the situation.
I wonder if we can find something similar to that summative thought so often repeated.
"Page after page might be written in regard to these things. Whole conferences are becoming leavened with the same perverted principles. 'For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.' The Lord will work to purify His church. I tell you in truth, the Lord is about to turn and overturn in the institutions called by His name.—7Tr:67.2
I pen these words of God that those who profess to be His children may not receive the curse pronounced upon Amalek because they have followed the practices of Amalek. If the heathen received this denunciation of their course for overcoming the faint and weary, what will the Lord express toward those who have had light, great opportunities, and privileges, but have not manifested the spirit of Christ toward their own brethren? {TM 372.2}
The Lord sees all the dealings of brother with brother, which weaken faith, and which destroy their own confidence in themselves as men dealing with justice and equity. In the most positive language He expresses His displeasure at the iniquity practiced in trade. He says, "Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?" The very wrong here mentioned may not have been committed in our institutions, but acts which these things represent have been, and are still being done. {TM 372.3}
Page after page might be written in regard to these things. Whole conferences are becoming leavened with the same perverted principles. "For the rich men thereof
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are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth." The Lord will work to purify His church. I tell you in truth, the Lord is about to turn and overturn in the institutions [SEE APPENDIX.] called by His name. {TM 372.4}
Just how soon this refining process will begin I cannot say, but it will not be long deferred. He whose fan is in His hand will cleanse His temple of its moral defilement. He will thoroughly purge His floor. God has a controversy with all who practice the least injustice; for in so doing they reject the authority of God and imperil their interest in the atonement, the redemption which Christ has undertaken for every son and daughter of Adam. Will it pay to take a course abhorrent to God? Will it pay to put upon your censers strange fire to offer before God, and say it makes no difference? {TM 373.1}
It has not been after God's order to center so much in Battle Creek. The state of things now exists that was presented before me as a warning. I am sick at heart at the representation. The Lord gave warnings to prevent this demoralizing condition of things, but they have not been heeded. "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men." {TM 373.2}
I appeal to my brethren to wake up. Unless a change takes place speedily, I must give the facts to the people; for this state of things must change; unconverted men must no longer be managers and directors in so important and sacred work. With David we are forced to say, "It is time for Thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void Thy law."
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—TM:372.2-373.3
Those are the references that reveal our danger in regards to the reasons why some will experience being spued out of the mouth of the Lord.
I am filled with sadness when I think of our condition as a people. The Lord has not closed heaven to us, but our own course of continual backsliding has separated us from God. Pride, covetousness, and love of the world have lived in the heart without fear of banishment or condemnation. Grievous and presumptuous sins have dwelt among us. And yet the general opinion is that the church is flourishing and that peace and spiritual prosperity are in all her borders. {5T 217.1}
The church has turned back from following Christ her Leader and is steadily retreating toward Egypt. Yet few are alarmed or astonished at their want of spiritual power. Doubt, and even disbelief of the testimonies of the Spirit of God, is leavening our churches everywhere. Satan would have it thus. Ministers who preach self instead of Christ would have it thus. The testimonies are unread and unappreciated. God has spoken to you. Light has been shining from His word and from the testimonies, and both have been slighted and disregarded. The result is apparent in the lack of purity and devotion and earnest faith among us.—5T 217.1, 2
Also
Unless the church, which is now being leavened with her own backsliding, shall repent and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her own doing, until she shall abhor herself. When she resists the evil and chooses the good, when she seeks God with all humility and reaches her high calling in Christ, standing on the platform of eternal truth and by faith laying hold upon the attainments prepared for her, she will be healed. She will appear in her God-given simplicity and purity, separate from earthly entanglements, showing that the truth has made her free indeed. Then her members will indeed be the chosen of God, His representatives.—8T:250.3
The success of the SDA Church will be literally measured by the survivors of Judgment when it begins in the house of God according to 1Pet. 4:17.
I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of "refreshing" and the "latter rain" to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be no time then to do it and no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father. Before this time the awfully solemn declaration has gone forth, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." I saw that none could share the "refreshing" unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence.—EW:71.2
Many who call themselves Christians are mere human moralists. They have refused the gift which alone could enable them to honor Christ by representing Him to the world. The work of the Holy Spirit is to them a strange work. They are not doers of the word. The heavenly principles that distinguish those who are one with Christ from those who are one with the world have become almost indistinguishable. The professed followers of Christ are
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no longer a separate and peculiar people. The line of demarcation is indistinct. The people are subordinating themselves to the world, to its practices, its customs, its selfishness. The church has gone over to the world in transgression of the law, when the world should have come over to the church in obedience to the law. Daily the church is being converted to the world. {COL 315.3}
All these expect to be saved by Christ's death, while they refuse to live His self-sacrificing life. They extol the riches of free grace, and attempt to cover themselves with an appearance of righteousness, hoping to screen their defects of character; but their efforts will be of no avail in the day of God. {COL 316.1}
The righteousness of Christ will not cover one cherished sin. A man may be a law-breaker in heart; yet if he commits no outward act of transgression, he may be regarded by the world as possessing great integrity. But God's law looks into the secrets of the heart. Every act is judged by the motives that prompt it. Only that which is in accord with the principles of God's law will stand in the judgment.—COL:315.3-316.2
We have been hewn as rough stones from the quarry of the world. Will he leave us with our rough edges, leave us to practice close dealing, and to manifest selfishness?—Never. He brings us into his work-shop to be hewed and squared, polished and finished, for the heavenly building; for you are to be framed into a holy temple unto the Lord. When the truth is received, the rough character changes, and worldliness, selfishness, and pride are worked out of the heart. The office of the Holy Spirit is to work the man. It is not our place to work the Holy Spirit. If we are ignorant when brought into the truth, we are not to remain so. Was Christ ignorant? He was the greatest teacher the world ever saw. He chose the unlearned fishermen to be his disciples in order that they might learn of him, and become wise unto salvation. Why was it he did not choose the scribes and the Pharisees?—It was because he could not trust them. He said of them, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Why is it that the Lord does not choose the learned and the popular today, and work with the churches?--It is because they follow the same course as did the scribes and the Pharisees. But the greatest Teacher the world ever knew says to you, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I [the Son of the infinite God] will give you rest." But there is something more. He continues, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." {RH, September 3, 1895 par. 3}
Christ said, "I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." Christ is testing us today to see if we will be obedient to the law of God as he was, and be fitted up for the society of heavenly angels. God wants a loyal people. Rebellion originated in heaven; but it is not to be found there again. If we are willing to inquire, What is the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment, to seek mercy, and to walk humbly with our God, we shall hear him say, "Child, come up higher." He has builded for us a city, and he is not ashamed to call us brethren. He will gather the strangers and the pilgrims to himself.—RH, September 3, 1895 par. 3, 4.
It is an admitted fact among Bible students that churches are symbolized by "women." Pure woman—pure church, as in Jeremiah 6:2, Revelation 12:1; vile woman—corrupt church, as in Revelation 17:4,5. Isaiah says, there are "seven" women. The number comprises these same churches. They say, "We will eat our own bread." That is, they want to have their own way; they care not for God's way (Word). "We will wear our own apparel", that is, they want their own plans in preference to God's plans or His righteousness. Thereby, they clothed themselves with self-righteousness. Their aim is to be called by the one man's name; that is, by the name of Christ (Christians) to take away their reproach. People have come to suppose they can do most anything under the guise of Christianity and get away with it. God will let them continue their course until they, like Belshazzar, have passed the boundary line of divine grace, and then He will call them to account.—2SR:98.3
The prophecy of Isaiah 3 was presented before me as applying to these last days, and the reproofs are given to the daughters of Zion who have thought only of appearance and display. Read verse 25: "Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war." I was shown that this scripture will be strictly fulfilled. Young men and women professing to be Christians, yet having no Christian experience, and having borne no burdens and felt no individual responsibility, are to be proved. They will be brought low in the dust and will long for an experience in the things of God, which they have failed to obtain.
War lifts his helmet to his brow;
O God, protect Thy people now.
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—1T:270.1
Isa. 4:1—"And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own
Vol. 12 Symbolic Code Nos. 6, 7 12
bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by Thy name, to take away our reproach." {12SC6,7:12.3}
To learn the time this is speaking of we will read from the preceding chapter. {12SC6,7:13.1}
Isa. 3:25—"Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war." {12SC6,7:13.2}
This verse places the time when the men of Zion shall fall by the sword, and the mighty in the war. Through Nahum we learned that it is the Assyrian war that is being fought in the day these things take place. The preceding verses in this chapter show that Zion is to lose her men and her mighty because her people are following after vanity. {12SC6,7:13.3}
Isa. 3:26—"And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground." {12SC6,7:13.4}
Since gates are not able to lament and mourn, they must represent people, those who let others come in and go out. Therefore they must represent watchmen, ministers. This verse says they shall lament and mourn. Besides this sad state of affairs, Zion is described as being desolate. If she at that time is desolate, it would mean that she is empty -- empty of sinners and sin. All of this, you see brings us to the time of the purification which comes also in a time of war. In that
Vol. 12 Symbolic Code Nos. 6, 7 13
day the gates will lament and mourn. {12SC6,7:13.5}
Now we are ready to reread
Isa. 4:1—"And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by Thy name, to take away our reproach." {12SC6,7:14.1}
If these scriptures have brought us to the time of the purification of the church, then today there must be seven women taking hold of one man and wanting nothing but His name. The seven women in the spiritual realm are symbolical of the seven churches—all the churches—just as the seven heads on the leopard-like beast are symbolical of all the churches. And what does this say they want?—They want only to be called Christians, but they do not want either His bread (Truth) or His clothing (righteousness). They want just His name. Then in the time when the purification is due there is to be a complete apostasy among all the churches. And that is the very condition that now exists. The very fact, moreover, that we are not yet observing the Lord's ordinance privately among ourselves shows that some of us as individuals may yet be in the very apostasy described in these verses, and perhaps even asleep. It is possible that some of us as individuals may want to be associated with the Davidian organization but refuse to fully imbibe its Truth or live its principles.—12SC6,7:12.3-14.2.
The class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They have a regard for the truth, they have advocated the truth, they are attracted to those who believe the truth; but they have not yielded themselves to the Holy Spirit's working. They have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and permitted their old nature to be broken up. This class are represented also by the stony-ground hearers. They receive the word with readiness, but they fail of assimilating its principles. Its influence is not abiding. The Spirit works upon man's heart, according to his desire and consent implanting in him a new nature; but the class represented by the foolish virgins have been content with a superficial work. They do not know God. They have not studied His character; they have not held communion with Him; therefore they do not know how to trust, how to look and live. Their service to God degenerates into a form. "They come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." Ezekiel 33:31. The apostle Paul points out that this will be the special characteristic of those who live just before Christ's second coming. He says, "In the last days perilous times shall come: for men shall be lovers of their own selves; . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Timothy 3:1-5. {COL 411.1}
This is the class that in time of peril are found crying, Peace and safety. They lull their hearts into security, and dream not of danger. When startled from their lethargy, they discern their destitution, and entreat others to supply their lack; but in spiritual things no man can make up
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another's deficiency. The grace of God has been freely offered to every soul. The message of the gospel has been heralded, "Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17. But character is not transferable. No man can believe for another. No man can receive the Spirit for another. No man can impart to another the character which is the fruit of the Spirit's working. "Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it [the land], as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." Ezekiel 14:20.—COL:411.2
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