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
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}
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}
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