A Time of Crisis

The following paper was included as Appendix 2 (pages 30-39) in a 48-page document, not prepared by the present writer, entitled “An Appeal to the General Conference President.”

What you are now going to read will provide you with a brief overview of the crisis now existing in our denomination. This study deserves a thoughtful reading and much prayer. 

THE OMEGA OF APOSTASY

In Selected Messages, Book 1, God’s messenger tells us about the alpha and the amega of apostasy. We would suggest that you very prayerfully read pages 193 through 208. We are told that the Alpha of Apostasy was the spiritualistic presentation of God contained in the book, The Living Temple, by Dr. Kellogg. But the Omega will be of a startling nature.

“Be not deceived; many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the Alpha of this danger. The Omega will be of a most startling nature.”—1 Selected Messages, 197.

We can quickly see that at the time of the Omega, many will depart from the faith and believe the “doctrines of devils.” Surely it will be of a most startling nature!

It will also be an incurable rebellion against God, by making the Spirit of Prophecy of none effect.

“Satan . . constantly pressing in the spurious— to lead away from the truth. The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18. Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony.

“There will be a hatred kindled against the Testimonies which is santanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so cleaar a track to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded.”—1 Selected Messages, 48.

The Omega will also work insidiously to make void God’s law through the teaching of the Nicolaitans that the law cannot be kept.

“I question whether genuine rebellion is ever curable. Study in Patriarchs and Prophets the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. This rebellion waas extended, including more than two men. It was led by two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation, men of renown. Call rebellion by its right name and apostasy by its right name, and then consider the experience of the ancient people of God with all its objectionable features was faithfully chronicled to pass into history. The Scripture declares, “These things . . are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11. And if men and women who have the knowledge of the truth are so far separated from their great Leader that they will take the great leader of apostasy and name him Christ our Rigteousness, it is because they have not sunk deep into the mines of truth. They are not able to distinquish the precious ore from the base material.­­­—2 Selected Messages, 393.

The New Theology is nothing more than the old theology, as old as sin itself. It is the devil’s attempt to make void the law of God. The Nicolaitans in John’s day were already teaching that the law could not be kept and therefore one could be save in sin instead of from sin.

“The doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has made the law of God of no efficacy; that by “believing” we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned.”—7 Bible Commentary, 957.

“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”—Romans 3:31.

“It is time for Thee, Lord to work: for they have make void Thy law.”—Psalm 119:126.

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof . . For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace . . Being then make free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.”—Romans 6:12, 14, 18.

THE PREACHING OF SATAN’S DOCTRINES

“Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.”—Testimonies to Ministers, 409-410.

The law of God is made void in many of our churches today. Many Seventh-day Adventist churches are receiving sermons from the sacred desk which could be preached in any of the churches in Babylon without apposition, and, in many cases, could be preached even better. What has happened to our “peculiar” message?

STEWARDSHIP

“Some men or councils may say, That is just what we wish you to do. The Conference Committee will take your capital, and will appropriate it for this very object. But the Lord has made us individually His stewards. We each hold a solemn responsibility to invest this means for ourselves. A portion it is right to place in the treasury to advance the general interests of the work; but the steward of means will not be guiltless before God, unless, so far as he is able to to this, he shall use that meaans as circumstances shall reveal the necessity. We should be ready to help the suffering, and to set in operation plans to advance the truth in various ways. It is not in the province of the Conference or any other organization to relieve us of this stewardship. If you lack wisdom, go to god; ask him for yourself, and then work with an eye single to His glory.

“By exercising your judgment, by giving what you see there is need in any line of the work, you are putting out your money to the exchangers. If you see in any locality that the truth is gaining a foothold, and there is not place of worship, then do something to meet the necessity. By your own action encourage others to act, in building a humble house for the worship of God. Have an interest in the work in all parts of the field.

“While it is not your own property that you are handling, yet you aare made responsible for its wise investment, for its use or abuse. God does not lay upon you the burden of asking the Conference or any council of men whether you shall use your means as you see fit to advance the work of God in destitute towns and cities, and impoverished localities. If the right plan had been followed, so much means would not have been use in some localities, and so little in other places where the banner of truth has not been raised. We are not to merge our individuality of judgment into any institution of our world. We are to look to God for wisdom, as did Daniel . .

“Do we individually realize our true position, that as God’s servants we are not to bargaian away our stewardship; but that before the heavenly universe we are to administer the truth committed to us by God? Our hearts are to be sanctified, our hands are to have something to impart as occasion demands, of the income that God entrusts to us.”—Ellen G. White Pamphlets in the Concordance, Vol. 2, 467.

The tithe should go to those who labor in word doctrine, be they men or women.”—Evangelism, 492.

“The tithe . . is to be especially devoted to the support of those who are bearing God’s message to the world.”—Counsels on Stewardship, 103.

NEEDED: TRUE CONVERSION

OF MINISTRY AND LAITY

“Will God send out a man to rescue souls from the snare of Satan when his own feet are entangled in the net? God’s servants must not be wavering. I ftheir feet are sliding, how can they say to those of a fearful heart: “Be strong”? God would have His servants hold up the feeble hands, and strengthen the wavering. Those who are not prepared to do this would better first labor for themselves and pray until they are endowed with power from on high.”—1 Testimonies, 369-270.

“There have been entire discourses, dry and Christless, in which Jesus has scarcely been named. The speaker’s heaart is not subdued and melted by the love of Jesus. He dwells upon dry theories. No great impression is made. The speaker has not the divine unction, and how can he move the hearts of the people? We need to repent and be converted—yes, the preacher converted. The people must have Jesus lifted up before them, and they must be entreated to ‘Look and live’ . .

“Here is the work of the ministers of Christ. Because this work has not been done, because Christ and His character, His words, and His work have not been brought before the people, the religious state of the churches testifies against their teachers. The churches are ready to die because little of Christ is presented. They have not spiritual life and spiritual discernment.

“The teachers of the people have not themselves become acquainted by living experience with the Sourcce of their dependence and their strength. And when the Lord raaises up men and sends them with the very message for theis time to give to the people,—a message which is not a new truth, but the very same that Paul taught, that Christ Himself taught—it is to them a strange doctrine. They begin to caution the people—who are ready to die because they have not been strengthened with the lifting up of Christ before them—‘Do not be too hasty. Better wait, and not take up this matter until you know more about it.” And the ministers preach the same dry theories, when the people need fresh manna.”—3 Selected Messages, 184-186.

“The Churches must arouse. The members must awake out of sleep and begin to inquire, How is the money which we put into the treasury being used? The Lord desires that a close search be made. Are all satisfied with the history of the work for the past fifteen years? Where is the evidene of the coworking with God? Where has been hearad throughout the churches the prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit? Dissatisfied and disheartened, we turn away from the scene.

“Our churches and institutions must return to where they were before the backsliding commenced when they began trusting in man and making flesh their arm. Have we not seen enough of human wisdom? Shall we not now seek God in earnestness and simplicity, and serve Him with heart and mind and strength?

“The children of Israel beheld the awful semblance of God’s presence in the mount; but before Moses had been forty days away from them, they substitued a golden calf for Jehovah. Things similar to this have been done among us as a people Let us now return to God in penitence and contrition. Let us trust in Him, not in man.”—Kress Collection, 120.

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