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Attitude Toward New Light

 

IN THE INTEREST OF EVERY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
WHAT IS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD NEW LIGHT?

Moreover, what is YOUR attitude toward new light? This is a topic not approached nor taught by Adventist ministers. The topic does not comport with the Laodicean leadership mindset. The ‘status quo’ is the order of the day. The issue lies at the door of the church leadership, without question. Should you be asking questions?

Questions you should ask, in your eternal interest -

1. Do you as a Seventh-day Adventist believe that the Sabbath truth is the ONLY sealing truth?

2. Why did Ellen White enumerate THREE SEALING TRUTHS for the 144,000 in Early Writings page 15, quoting from Revelation 3:12?

3. The Sabbath truth of 1847 is indeed one of the sealing truths. This being so, then what are the two other sealing truths, namely: #2, the New Jerusalem, and #3, “a glorious star containing Jesus New Name, as she states in EW15?

4. Are the 144,000 a LITERAL number of saints who BEGIN the end time soul harvest, not end the harvest? Does Ellen White address this question in Early Writings page 15? (read it for yourself).

5. Why did Ellen White begin her writing ministry addressing the 144,000 “living saints” as she was shown them to be, and as a 144,000 “in number”, not in figure, or not in symbol?

6. Why is the truth of the 144,000 important to every Seventh-day Adventist?

7. Was there a message to the Seventh-day Adventist Church that brought greater light to this important topic? After all, almost an entire chapter of the Book of Revelation is devoted to the topic (Revelation 7) and chapter 14 begins with the sealing of the 144,000, the very chapter that the WHOLE Advent Movement is based upon. Yet, when questioned about it, the ministry deflects the topic having no substantive comments to make other than “beware of offshoots”, and that the 144,000 are a "symbolic number".


Is it time to reevaluate this topic, and more so, evaluate our attitude toward new light, and the two main Movements that have been well known in Adventism since 1930, The Rod Movement and The Branch Movement?

The counsel to the Laodiceans, Revelation 3:17 should be of utmost importance to each Seventh-day Adventist Church member – “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods (spiritual goods), and have NEED OF NOTHING (more spiritual truth – new light); and knowest not that thou art wretched, miserable, and poor and blind, and naked.”

Reading from the Testimonies to the Church, Volume 3:252 (252-293), by Ellen White:

September 16, 1873 - The Laodicean Church.

The message to the church of the Laodiceans is a startling denunciation, and is applicable to the people of God at the present time. {RH, September 16, 1873 par. 1}

"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and True Witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." {RH, September 16, 1873 par. 2}

The Lord here shows us that the message to be borne to his people by ministers whom he has called to warn the people, is not a peace-and-safety message. It is not merely theoretical, but practical in every particular. The people of God are represented in the message to the Laodiceans in a position of carnal security. They are at ease, believing themselves in an exalted condition of spiritual attainments. {RH, September 16, 1873 par. 3}
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." {RH, September 16, 1873 par. 4}

What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right, when they are all wrong? The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God. While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their true situation of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake; for it is the True Witness who speaks, and his testimony must be correct. {RH, September 16, 1873 par. 5}

ATTITUDE TOWARD NEW LIGHT

From the Pen of Inspiration – E.G. White
Testimonies to Ministers
Chap. 3 - The Holy Scriptures

How Shall We Search the Scriptures? [GOSPEL WORKERS, 1893 EDITION, PAGES 125-131.]

How shall we search the Scriptures in order to understand what they teach? We should come to the investigation of God's word with a contrite heart, a teachable and prayerful spirit. We are not to think, as did the Jews, that our own ideas and opinions are infallible; nor with the papists, that certain individuals are the sole guardians of truth and knowledge, that men have no right to search the Scriptures for themselves, but must accept the explanations given by the fathers of the church. We should not study the Bible for the purpose of sustaining our preconceived opinions, but with the single object of learning what God has said. {TM 105.1}

Some have feared that if in even a single point they acknowledge themselves in error, other minds would be led to doubt the whole theory of truth. Therefore they have felt that investigation should not be permitted, that it would tend to dissension and disunion. But if such is to be the result of investigation, the sooner it comes the better. If there are those whose faith in God's word will not stand the test of an investigation of the Scriptures, the sooner they are revealed the better; for then the way will be opened to show them their error. We cannot hold that a position once taken, an idea once advocated, is not, under any circumstances, to be relinquished. There is but One who is infallible--He who is the way, the truth, and the life. {TM 105.2}

Those who allow prejudice to bar the mind against the reception of truth cannot receive the divine enlightenment. Yet, when a view of Scripture is presented, many do not ask, Is it true--in harmony with God's word? but, By whom is it advocated? and unless it comes through the very channel that pleases them, they do not accept it. So thoroughly satisfied are they with their own ideas that they will not examine the Scripture evidence with a desire to learn, but refuse to be interested, merely because of their prejudices. {TM 105.3}

The Lord often works where we least expect Him; He surprises us by revealing His power through instruments of His own choice, while He passes by the men to whom we have looked as those through whom light should come. God desires us to receive the truth upon its own merits--because it is truth. {TM 106.1}
The Bible must not be interpreted to suit the ideas of men, however long they may have held these ideas to be true. We are not to accept the opinion of commentators as the voice of God; they were erring mortals like ourselves. God has given reasoning powers to us as well as to them. We should make the Bible its own expositor. {TM 106.2}

Carefulness in Presenting New Views

All should be careful about presenting new views of Scripture before they have given these points thorough study, and are fully prepared to sustain them from the Bible. Introduce nothing that will cause dissension, without clear evidence that in it God is giving a special message for this time. {TM 106.3}

But beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them. {TM 106.4}

No one should claim that he has all the light there is for God's people. The Lord will not tolerate this. He has said,"I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." Even if all our leading men should refuse light and truth, that door will still remain open. The Lord will raise up men who will give the people the message for this time. {TM 107.1}

The Truth Will Stand

Truth is eternal, and conflict with error will only make manifest its strength. We should never refuse to examine the Scriptures with those who, we have reason to believe, desire to know what is truth. Suppose a brother held a view that differed from yours, and he should come to you, proposing that you sit down with him and make an investigation of that point in the Scriptures; should you rise up, filled with prejudice, and condemn his ideas, while refusing to give him a candid hearing? The only right way would be to sit down as Christians and investigate the position presented in the light of God's word, which will reveal truth and unmask error. To ridicule his ideas would not weaken his position in the least if it were false, or strengthen your position if it were true. If the pillars of our faith will not stand the test of investigation, it is time that we knew it. There must be no spirit of Pharisaism cherished among us. {TM 107.2}

The Scriptures to be Studied with Reverence

We should come with reverence to the study of the Bible, feeling that we are in the presence of God. All lightness and trifling should be laid aside. While some portions of the word are easily understood, the true meaning of other parts is not so readily discerned. There must be patient study and meditation and earnest prayer. Every student, as he opens the Scriptures, should ask for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit; and the promise is sure that it will be given. {TM 107.3}

The spirit in which you come to the investigation of the Scriptures will determine the character of the assistant at your side. Angels from the world of light will be with those who in humility of heart seek for divine guidance. But if the Bible is opened with irreverence, with a feeling of self-sufficiency, if the heart is filled with prejudice, Satan is beside you, and he will set the plain statements of God's word in a perverted light. {TM 108.1}

There are some who indulge in levity, sarcasm, and even mockery toward those who differ with them. Others present an array of objections to any new view; and when these objections are plainly answered by the words of Scripture, they do not acknowledge the evidence presented, nor allow themselves to be convinced. Their questioning is not for the purpose of arriving at truth, but is intended merely to confuse the minds of others. {TM 108.2}

Some have thought it an evidence of intellectual keenness and superiority to perplex minds in regard to what is truth. They resort to subtlety of argument, to playing upon words; they take unjust advantage in asking questions. When their questions have been fairly answered, they will turn the subject [and] bring up another point to avoid acknowledging the truth. We should beware of indulging the spirit which controlled the Jews. They would not learn of Christ, because His explanation of the Scriptures did not agree with their ideas; therefore they became spies upon His track, "laying wait for Him, and seeking to catch something out of His mouth, that they might accuse Him." Let us not bring upon ourselves the fearful denunciation of the Savior's words, "Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered." {TM 108.3}

In Simplicity and Faith

It does not require much learning or ability to ask questions that are difficult to answer. A child may ask questions over which the wisest men may be puzzled. Let us not engage in a contest of this kind. The very same unbelief exists in our time as prevailed in the days of Christ. Now as then the desire for preferment and the praise of men leads people away from the simplicity of true godliness. There is no pride so dangerous as spiritual pride. {TM 109.1}

Young men should search the Scriptures for themselves. They are not to feel that it is sufficient for those older in experience to find out the truth; that the younger ones can accept it from them as authority. The Jews perished as a nation because they were drawn from the truth of the Bible by their rulers, priests, and elders. Had they heeded the lessons of Jesus, and searched the Scriptures for themselves, they would not have perished. {TM 109.2}

Young men in our ranks are watching to see in what spirit the ministers come to the investigation of the Scriptures; whether they have a teachable spirit, and are humble enough to accept evidence, and receive light from the messengers whom God chooses to send. {TM 109.3}

We must study the truth for ourselves. No man should be relied upon to think for us. No matter who he is, or in what position he may be placed, we are not to look upon any man as a criterion for us. We are to counsel together, and to be subject one to another; but at the same time we are to exercise the ability God has given us, in order to learn what is truth. Each one of us must look to God for divine enlightenment. We must individually develop a character that will stand the test in the day of God. We must not become set in our ideas, and think that no one should interfere with our opinions. {TM 109.4}

When a point of doctrine that you do not understand comes to your attention, go to God on your knees, that you may understand what is truth and not be found as were the Jews fighting against God. While warning men to beware of accepting anything unless it is truth, we should also warn them not to imperil their souls by rejecting messages of light, but to press out of the darkness by earnest study of the word of God. {TM 110.1}

When Nathanael came to Jesus, the Savior exclaimed, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said, "Whence knowest Thou me?" Jesus answered, "When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." And Jesus will see us also in the secret places of prayer, if we seek Him for light that we may know what is truth. {TM 110.2}

If a brother is teaching error, those who are in responsible positions ought to know it; and if he is teaching truth, they ought to take their stand at his side. We should all know what is being taught among us; for if it is truth, we need to know it. The Sabbath school teacher needs to know it, and every Sabbath school scholar ought to understand it. We are all under obligation to God to understand what He sends us. He has given directions by which we may test every doctrine--"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." But if it is according to this test, do not be so full of prejudice that you cannot acknowledge a point simply because it does not agree with your ideas. {TM 110.3}

It is impossible for any mind to comprehend all the richness and greatness of even one promise of God. One catches the glory of one point of view, another the beauty and grace from another point, and the soul is filled with the heavenly light. If we saw all the glory, the spirit would faint. But we can bear far greater revelations from God's abundant promises than we now enjoy. It makes my heart sad to think how we lose sight of the fullness of blessing designed for us. We content ourselves with momentary flashes of spiritual illumination, when we might walk day after day in the light of His presence. {TM 111.1}

Dear brethren, pray as you never before prayed for beams from the Sun of Righteousness to shine upon the word, that you may be able to understand its true meaning. Jesus pleaded that His disciples might be sanctified through the truth--the word of God. Then how earnestly should we pray that He who "searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God," He whose office it is to bring all things to the remembrance of God's people, and to guide them into all truth, may be with us in the investigation of His Holy Word.

God wants us to depend upon Him, and not upon man. He desires us to have a new heart; He would give us revealings of light from the throne of God.-- Review and Herald, February 18, 1890. {TM 111.2} End quote.

There are many other statements by Ellen White on this topic. Her counsel is to each church member for each member is accountable individually before the Creator and Judge.

Are the THREE SEALS of Revelation 3:12 a complete sealing, all or none, for the “living saints today? Consider carefully.

REJECTION OF NEW LIGHT – THE 1888 MESSAGE

"I saw that Jones and Waggoner had their counterparts in Joshua and Caleb as the children of Israel stoned the spies with literal stones of sarcasm and ridicule! I saw that you willfully reject what you know to be truth, just because it was too humiliating to your dignity, 1 saw some of you in your tents mincing and making all manner of fun of these two brethren! I also saw that if you had accepted their message we would have been in the kingdom in two years from that date (1888), but now we have to go back into the wilderness and there stay forty years." GCB, 1892, May 7.

THE 1888 MESSAGE WAS REJECTED by N.M.

A CONCEALMENT OF THE 1888 ISSUE EXPOSED (edited)

In 1890, Sister White said: "Now brethren, we want to have the simplicity of Christ. I know that he has a blessing for us, he had it for us at the time of the General Conference here. But there was no reception." E.G.W., Manuscript Release No.253 So you see Mrs. White said that there was no reception of the message. Here is another quotation out of the many quotations that shows that the ministers rejected the message and kept the people from it! "Now I was saying, what was the use of our assembling here together and for our ministering brethren to come in if they are here only to shut out the Spirit of [YahWeh] from our people?" E.G.W. Sermon at Minneapolis Conference Oct 24, 1888. M59

Did you see that? At the Conference she prophesied that they would keep the message from the people! The 1888 message was called the "Loud Cry" by Mrs. White! "The time of test is just upon us, for the Loud Cry of the Third Angel has already begun in the revelation of righteousness of Christ, the sin pardoning redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the Angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth." RH-Nov. 2, 1892

By 1888 even onto 1892 the Loud Cry had begun. Is the church now preaching the Loud Cry? If so, how come the Sunday Law is not yet enforced? How come the members are yet so worldly? We know that the church is presently in a lukewarm condition, so it is not preaching the Loud Cry! So where then did the Loud Cry go? What happened to it? From 1888-1996 gives us 108 years, the Loud Cry would take a short time, so we could not have been preaching it for all those years!

The message was rejected, here is what Mrs. White says about this. "The whole of revelation 18 will be fulfilled in the glorious closing of this work. It hasn't yet been fulfilled, and the light of the fourth Angel's message began to shine in that strange and impressive way at Minneapolis. The only reasonable conclusion is that the light was put out by human instrumentality's." E.G.W. Letter 106 Did you see that? The light was PUT OUT, so the whole of Rev 18 could not be fulfilled, thus the church rejected the message' Here is another startling statement from Ellen G. White: "In 1888 at the General Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Angel of Revelation 18:1 came down to do his work, and was ridiculed, criticized and rejected. And when the message he brings again, swells into a loud cry, it will be again be ridiculed, spoken against, and be rejected by the majority." E.G.W. Taking up a Reproach

In this quotation we clearly see that the message was rejected, and that it will be rejected again, as is now happening. Sister White says that the majority will reject the message. Now let me give you an example of the great deception that has been practiced over and over again in the books about the history of 1888 that have been written by the leaders. Time and time again, I have been called upon to explain certain claims in these books, for these men have mixed up dates, juggled around phrases, and cut off portions of valuable statements from the Spirit of Prophecy that proves the church rejected the message.

A striking illustration is seen in what was done to a letter written by a C. C. Mc Reynolds, about the 1888 Conference. He was present at the Conference and witnessed the whole event. The letter is placed together with one by W. C. White (Ellen White's son) and A. T. Robinson in Appendix D of the book "Through Crisis To Victory." Written by A. V. Olson ' (publish later under the title "Thirteen Crisis Years."). Those three letters were placed there as testimonies that the church accepted the message. All three men were present at the 1888 Conference, and their letters were used as proof that the church accepted the message. The letters were not placed in the book by Olson, for he died of a heart attack on a Friday evening as he was completing the book. Perhaps this was retribution from [YahWeh], for when his book is read, if his source materials are referred to in their uninterfered state it would be seen that he saw clear evidences for the rejection of the message but he deliberately hid the facts and set out to deceive his readers. He was not deceived; he knew what he was doing. The book is a body of deception. The Ellen White Estate publish the book and placed the letters in the Appendix. When the letters are read in their original form, one is amazed at what they did to White's letter and that of Mc Reynolds! The men in the estate consciously twisted the facts and lied to the people to make them think that the church accepted the message.

In his letter, A. T. Robinson not only contradicts himself in his own letter, but he contradicts the testimonies of both White and Mc. Reynolds when they are read in their original forms. The letter of Robinson is completely produced in Olson's book, but not those of White and Mc Reynolds. When White's entire letter is studied in its original form it, would be seen that the estate broke it up in paragraphs out of sequence with the original letter, it would not then appear to prove that the message was accepted but that it was rejected. It is with Mc Reynolds letter that the gross deception was practiced by the estate. The letter has dots (...) showing that five portions were deleted. A sixth and final portion was also removed, and there are no dots (...) showing that this was done. When the letter is read from Olson's book, one would think with the exception of the five deletions the letter is complete, but this is not so, for a sixth portion has been deleted without any indication whatsoever. Thus when one reads what was deleted, it would-be seen how these leaders really know that the church rejected the message, but they have been hiding this fact from the people.

I will quote some of the six missing portions, the final quotation will be the sixth missing read very carefully... "When the delegates came in from the last meeting of the day there was simple babble, with much joking and laugher, and some very disgusting comments were made; no spirit of solemnity prevailing. A few did not engage in the hilarity." Certainly this is not people that accepted the message. You just read the second omission; here is the third omission. "(After) Elder Waggoner had finished his eleven studies, the influence of which has in quite a measure taken out of many the debating spirit .... However, the opposition proceeded." Some of the men claimed at that meeting they "...have always believe in justification by faith and preached it." But Mc Reynolds said in one of the deletions... "That was true in theory and with some of the older ministers, it was true that they knew by experience what it is, but in many cases the theory was all they had, and I know that some of our dear old brethren contend to this day that there was no confusion and really no debate." Mc Reynolds continues: "Well, I was there and was in the midst of it, both in the public meeting and in the private quarters and I know the spirit of debate and controversy ran high and some bitter feeling were developed, but the conference closed with a dark shadow over many minds." Did you read that? How could they then claim that the church accepted the message?

Now for the fifth omission! In this one, reference is made to confessions that were made by " most of the leading men" during the next two or three years! This ploy is used today by the ministers to prove that the church accepted the message, but Mc Reynolds quotes from Elder Daniells book in contrast to this! This is his quotation: "How sad, how deeply regrettable it is that this message of righteousness in Christ should at the time of its coming, have met with opposition on the part of earnest, well-meaning men in the cause of God [YahWeh]." (Christ Our Righteousness) Mc Reynolds was showing that Daniells who was alive during the 1888 era knew the facts! But now, read the sixth omission in Mc Reynolds letter, which was not indicated by the E.G.White Estate! Here is the surprising quotation: "Much more, very much more might be added, but it is all made plain by many quotations from message published in the booklet by Elder Daniells, 'Christ Our Righteousness' which I recommend all to read. I am sorry for anyone in Minneapolis in 1888..." "…who does not recognize that there was opposition and rejection of the message that God [YahWeh] sent to his people at that time. It is not too late yet to repent and receive a great blessing." (C. C. Mc Reynolds, Lt. 1934 E. G. White Vaults)

Did you see what the estate was hiding from the people? The church did reject the message and by 1931 when Mc Reynolds was writing that letter, the church still did not have the message so he admonished the church to "repent and receive a great blessing." My dear people, do you see how far these men would go to deceive you with regards to 1888? Watch out, be careful, and don't allow yourselves to be deceived by lying ministers. Mrs. White says that when the message returns, it will again be rejected. "The Third Angel's message will not be comprehended, the light which will lighten the earth with its glory will be called a false light by those who refuse to walk in its advancing glory..." R.H. 27 May, 1890.

The warning of God [YahWeh] to church members is, not to allow yourselves to be deceived by lying leaders who know the truth, but who consciously conceal the facts and twist the evidences to keep the people in subjection to them. Members must be open minded enough to consider the two sides of the issue and then choose where they would stand.

“Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good” -- 1 Thes. 5:21
“Study to show thyself approved…..” 2 Tim. 2:15