— 11th of Ab, 179 JE —
The message I feel impressed to share today is that of WITHDRAWAL. Friends, GOD has not called us to abide where there is error. It is toxic. Where there is apostasy, error, dissension, worldliness, lack of service, or lack of order, the angels LEAVE! Why do we stay where the angels do not stay? The Word of GOD says to “depart from evil,” “abhor that which is evil.”
The message that tells you that you must go to your local SDA church no matter what is being taught or practiced is not a message from GOD. We have been counseled in the Testimonies time and time again that organization is essential. This includes the biblical principles of order and discipline; and “the church is organized for service” (Acts of the Apostles). The SDA churches are generally not practicing this, and inevitably it means worldliness, coldness, and dissension. The conservatives do not leave but instead gossip about the liberals and feel it is their mission to stay to influence the church. But it is insanity, because it does not work. Instead the conservatives become prideful Pharisees who gossip and point fingers while practicing sin themselves.
So, my first point is that we should follow the angels and physically leave the apostate SDA churches, because it is not healthy for anyone. But that is not the end of the story. After we physically leave, we need to leave in our heart. So many have been mistreated, especially if they withstood the Trintiarian creed or apostate practices and were disfellowshipped as a result. Many foster bitterness, or continually speak of the apostasies, or make sharing anti-trinitarian message their main mission. Friends, this is toxic as well. GOD never called us to make that our message. In fact, Sister White was well aware of the Trinitarian apostasy in Christendom, but she never openly wrote against it.
It is time to withdraw. Dwelling on Trinitarianism when you know it to be error and continually going to different forums online to protest it will keep anger and otherwise prideful thoughts festering. The end result is not having eternal life, while many who were not aware the Trinity, or even Sunday, was wrong but are doing missionary work for GOD have eternal life instead.
We can present the positive truth on the personality of GOD. That is good. But that is still only one pillar of Adventism and historically not a very prominent one. It is not our mission. We are called to give the everlasting gospel to the world, and this is based on the plan or redemption as carried out by the MESSIAH on His seven holy days, which gives us a full picture of the gospel. And in these last days we are called to hold a Festival of Tabernacles and invite the public to come and hear our message.
We are also called to raise up organized assemblies in every place. Organization is essential, and the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement has been organized for over 100 years, though it is in need of revival, which is now coming. We are not called to be pew warmers and sit by idle. Everyone is to be a gospel worker for GOD, teaching the full truth about the Sabbath to a suffering world—healing the sick, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry.
We need to stop being distracted by the present apostasy and proclaim the positive present truth. We can pray for the apostasy, but it is not for us to expose the darkness. And that brings me to my final point. The latest conspiracy theory is that of the government hiding that there are aliens. My advice: STAY OUT OF IT! It is a trap. There are by design many layers of intelligence and counter-intelligence and it is impossible to distinguish what is true and false. It is all speculation, and it will lead to cognitive dissidence (confusion). But we have the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. We know that there is a great controversy between MICHAEL and His angels, and Satan and his angels. The reality is that much of what is taking place is demonic. There is communion and intelligence between evil people and evil angels, and that is all we need to know. We can expect that more “alien” encounters will come to deceive the world for the last great drama. We do not need to be absorbed with these things. Our tunnel vision is on sharing the third angel’s message, now with the additional power of the fourth, to proclaim the Sabbath more fully, not to be the interpreters of dark worldly events or the disseminators of sensational drama.
It is not for GOD’S people to know or expose what governments are doing. It is not our sphere; in fact, it will, again, lead to anger and general pride (from thinking we have special information). We are to respect the government and be thankful we have it. Humanity is corrupt. Governments are corrupt as a result. But without government there is total anarchy. Please let us focus on our mission and not on conspiracy theories, not on what “they” are doing. The Bible calls us to dwell primarily on “whatsoever things are truth.” That is the foundation.
It is time to finish the work. Talk is cheap. We need to withdraw ourselves, physically and mentally, from all that is false and dark and bask in the bright beams of the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, shining light on this dark world of sin. Wherever we are we can assemble a little flock that worships the one true GOD on His Sabbath and is organized for service. Our whole interest can be in receiving the light of Heaven and sharing it with the world. Let the railers against government expose darkness and protest.
Let the mainstream SDAs have their Trinitarian creed and their worldliness. We have a different work to do. We are to go where the angels go. There are souls to save and an everlasting Kingdom to establish. We are called to serve. Let us be faithful.
In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light from the Word of God. They have been given a work of the most solemn import–the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention.
E.G. White, 9 Testimonies, p. 19
And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our LORD JEHOSHUA the MESSIAH, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness; from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:1-6
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honourable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
Then spake JEHOSHUA again unto them, saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
John 8:12
