Why do you teach that the Adventist church has given up the Three Angels messages?

   The three angels of Revelation 14 are involved with messages from heaven.  But there are three other spirits listed in Revelation 16 who are involved with messages from the Devil's kingdom.  It is either the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14--which center in Jesus, or it is the messages of the three spirits of Revelation 16--which center in Satan, that will be heard and embraced by the world today.  So if the heavenly messages of the three angels of Revelation 14 are changed from their original truth, then they would no longer be truth, but would be part of the hellish messages of the three unclean spirits of Revelation 16.

     But who would do such a thing?  Who would try to change these three precious truths of God into the specious falsehoods and messages of Satan from the bottomless pit?

     In Selected Messages, book 1, p 204-205, we find this inspired statement:

     "The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization.  Were this reformation to take place, what would result?  The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded.  Our religion would be changed.  The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error.  A new organization would be established.  Books of a new order would be written.  A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced.  The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work.  The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it.  Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement.  The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless.  Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.

     "Who has authority to begin such a movement?  We have our Bibles.  We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit.  We have a truth that admits of no compromise.  Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth?"


     Ellen White wrote that there was to be a satanic reformation and movement within the Seventh-day Adventist church that would consist in giving up the original doctrines and pillars of Adventism, and thus "our religion would be changed."

     God raised up the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church out of the great disappointment of October 22, 1844, to live and preach the Three Angels' Messages to the whole world, and then Christ would come.  This means that the sole foundational basis for the existence of the SDA church would be the Three Angels' Messages, and its sole mission in these last days would be the proclamation of these heavenly messages!


     The SDA church of today agrees with this.

     "What is the Raison D'etre [French word for "reason for existence"] of the Seventh-day Adventist church?  In short, it is to proclaim to the entire world the gospel in the setting of God's special threefold message [Revelation 14] and thus prepare a people for the coming of Christ." Adventist Review, August 19, 1982, p 13 (see also Ministry, December, 1992, p 24).


     Since the sole foundational basis for the existence of the SDA church is the Three Angels' Messages, if the SDA church would change the original foundational teachings of these messages into something completely different, then it would not be the same church which God raised up.  But the church would have then become a counterfeit of God's true church.

     If this occurs, then the sole foundational basis for the existence of the SDA church in these last days would be the counterfeit three unclean spirits' messages of satanic doctrine, and its sole mission would be the proclamation of these specious doctrines!  As such, the SDA church would be no different than all the other churches which have given up the light of heaven.  Hence our response to her must be the same as our response to the other churches of Babylon.


     So the big question is; "Has the SDA church changed the original fundamental doctrinal pillars and teachings of the Three Angels' Messages of Revelation 14 into another three angels' messages of satanic doctrine?  Robert Folkenberg, who is the president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, states:

     "...the truth, as we understand it for this end time, is real, its relevant, its defensible, it will stand the test of scrutiny." Robert Folkenberg, from a taped Question & Answer talk show titled "Issues and Interviews," hosted by Don Snyder (president of Northern California Conference), February 19, 1993 from 8:00-10:00 pm on KCDS (an SDA radio station in Angwin, Calif).


     Let us then examine and apply the "test of scrutiny" to the current beliefs and teachings of the church to see if they "understand" them to be the same as the original foundational beliefs.  Or if they "understand" them to be different, and have changed them into the three satanic counterfeit messages.

     In showing if the SDA church has changed its position on the original understanding of the Three Angels' Messages, we will be quoting mainly from SDA church publications, church papers, and taped statements of well known church leaders.

     Some will argue that the various SDA books or the articles in the church papers, which are both printed off the church's press, carry only the views of the authors and not the authority of the SDA church denomination unless specifically noted.  But this is not correct!


     In regards to SDA authored books from SDA presses:

     "Seventh-day Adventist publishing houses, built by denominational investment, were instituted not to publish whatever a worker may elect, but to produce the finest literature possible to give our basic message the widest consistent circulation in the most representative fashion.

     "Our houses...are partners in a threefold compact--they serve and protect the denomination itself, the denominational publisher, and the denominational author.  They have both a denominational name to safeguard, and a publisher's name and reputation to protect.  They, therefore, have book committees to read, evaluate, and recommend specific action and improvements on manuscripts.  They have boards to make final decision, skilled staffs to check, edit, and correct the copy, and put it into acceptable form....

     "When the finished product carries the stamp of a standard publishing house, it bears denominational approval.  It is then a denominational, not a private, publication.  It has a measure of authority and dignity not otherwise possible." Ministry, December, 1948, p 23, Review and Herald Publishing Association.


     So SDA authored books carry denominational approval, and are a denominational publication because they are printed upon the denomination's presses.  This would hold true regarding all the SDA church papers and magazines which also are printed off of the denomination's presses.

     But specifically, these are stated to speak for the SDA church: The Voice of Prophecy programs, and hence its Voice of Prophecy News paper, and The Signs of the Times.  These are "presentations of the Seventh-day Adventist church." Eternity magazine, September, 1957, quoting the stated positions of SDA church leaders.


     Not only these papers, but especially the Adventist Review.  The Adventist Review (AR) is called "The voice of the church, for the church." (AR January 20, 1983, p 8).  The chairman of their board is the General Conference president (AR January 20, 1983 p 8), and so the Review "has become inseparable from the church.  Through the years it has told the story of the church, and continues to do so" (AR October 24, 1985 back page).  Besides, the Review was called "The official organ of the Seventh-day Adventist church" (Review, May 19, 1966, front cover).

     It will be mainly from these 3 church papers and SDA books from church presses that we will determine if the SDA church has changed its position on the Three Angels' Messages or not.  We will first state the original foundational beliefs established by the pioneers and upheld throughout the writings of Ellen G. White, and then show if the church still adheres only to these, or if it has changed them into satanic messages.


THE FIRST ANGEL'S MESSAGE

     "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Revelation 14:6-7.

     The Everlasting Gospel is the "Good News" about Jesus and the plan of redemption and salvation from sin through faith in Jesus Christ--the connecting link between God and man (John 14:6, Genesis 28:12-13).  This glorious gospel declares that we can be freely justified before God (Isaiah 45:25, Romans 3:28, Galatians 2:16, Romans 3:24, Titus 3:7, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Romans 5:9, 3:4, Matthew 12:37, Romans 2:13, James 3:20-24), obtain grace and strength to stand (Romans 5:1-5, Ephesians 6:10-18, Galatians 5:1), warring against and victoriously overcoming all temptations and sins (Romans 8:1-2) unto righteousness (Romans 6:16, 5:21) and continued sanctification through Christ and His Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 23:6, Isaiah 61:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13) which strengtheneth us (Philippians 4:13).  This gospel is not "all faith" or "all grace" which shuts out our efforts, nor is it "all works" which shuts out Jesus.  It is the uniting of divinity and humanity--God working and us working for our salvation (Phil 2:12-13, Rev 22:14).

     Several questions are answered by this gospel message, such as:

--What is the Plan of Redemption or Salvation?  It is the "conditional" process (2T 691, 5T 692, 3T 481, 1T 440, PP 431, 7BC 931) whereby fallen humanity can be reconciled back to God (PP 331) by their working participation and union with God (AA 482, 6T 372, Ev 596, DA 296-97, 4T 464) in the keeping of His laws (1SM 218, 225, 5T 515), and in the subduing of every sin in their life through the force of their will (1SM 82, DA 311, SC 15, PP 248, MB 61, 5T 513, Matthew 11:12, 1BC 1095-96) to reflect God's righteousness and to vindicate His character before all peoples (PP 68).  Jesus Christ made possible this glorious plan by being born of a virgin, clothing His divinity with, and becoming one with humanity (DA 363), taking man's fallen sinful nature upon Him (FE 408, 5T 235, DA 49, 117, 4BC 1147, 1RH 140, 3RH 421, 2SOP 39), and then engaging the strong foe's temptations with the inward pulling and drawing towards sin, but never giving in to this (5T 177, 7BC 929, Hebrews 4:15, 3ST 264).  This was necessary in order for Christ to experience and overcome the strong temptations with which Satan tempts fallen humanity, and thus Christ broke Satan's hold upon man (PK 586), and provided humanity with a perfect example and pattern of how they can also overcome (Revelation 3:21, 4T 45, 86, DA 49, SD 23, 7BC 925, 5BC 1082, AA 531, MH 180-81).

     Christ never once used His own divine power while on earth (4T 45, CT 276-77, DA 119, 5BC 1124), not even for others (angels did the miracles--DA 143), but completely worked with and relied upon His Father for help to overcome the great temptations and to sustain Him in His work (DA 24, 147, 674-75, Ed 80, MYP 58).  Thus Christ had no advantage over humanity, and we can, by uniting with God through Christ by faith, exercise the same powers which Christ had in order to live a pure spotless life out of love for God (DA 24, 664).  Christ bore, suffered, and died upon the cruel cross, rose the third day, and ascended to heaven to minister as our High Priest before God in securing for humanity the choice to serve God or Satan.  Thus the "humanity of Christ means everything to us" (OHC 48), because if Christ did not take on Him our fallen sinful nature, but had an unfallen nature like Adam before the fall or of the angels, then He could not have suffered by being tempted, and would not know what you or I are going through when we are tempted.  Thus He could not know how to succor or help us out of the temptation!  But praise God this is not the case.  Christ did have our fallen sinful nature upon Him, and He did suffer by being tempted.  Thus He can help us in every time of need (Heb 2:10, 16, 18, 5:7-9, 5T 177).

--What is sin?  "Sin is the transgression of the law" of God, or the ten commandments (1 John 3:4, 2:7, Exodus 20:1-17).

--What is Justification?  Justification is the gift from God of full and complete pardon from passed acknowledged, confessed, and forsaken sins (Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9, 1SM 391, 6BC 1071).  Justification is manifested by the transformation of character (6BC 1071), and is not given or retained while transgressing God's law (1SM 213, 366, James 2:24).  It is not "once justified (saved) always justified (saved)!"

--What is Sanctification?  Sanctification is the continual growing in grace (7BC 947) by daily studying God's word (1 Corinthians 6:11, 1 Timothy 4:5, John 17:19) and daily dying to self by conforming to God's will (4T 299).  We must keep God's law to attain and maintain sanctification (CH 69, GC 467, 2T 472).  Thus it means perfect love, perfect obedience, perfect conformity to God's will (Isaiah 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, AA 565).

--What does it mean to "fear God"?  To fear God means to love (Deuteronomy 10:12), reverence (Psalms 89:7), trust (Psalms 115:11), serve (Joshua 24:14, 1 Samuel 12:14, 24), hope (Psalms 33:18-22, 147:11), keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 31:12-13, 17:19, 5:29, Psalms 112:1), and depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7, 16:6, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Exodus 20:20, Psalms 34:11, 14, Job 28:28, Proverbs 8:13).

--What does it mean to "give glory to Him"?  To give glory to God means to reflect His righteous character in your own life and actions (Exodus 33:18-23, 34:5-8, Acts 10:35, 1 Corinthians 15:33-34, Psalms 29:1-2, 86:7-13).

--What does it mean that "the hour of His judgement is come"?  This means that the day of God's judgment had arrived on October 22, 1844 (Ev 223, 1SM 125, 5T 692).  Those who have chosen to serve God and continued faithful to Him would be judged worthy of everlasting life (GC 480, 4T 384), but those who choose to reject God and His means of salvation, and to continue in sin, would be judged unworthy of everlasting life (1 Peter 4:17, Romans 2:5-9, GC 482-86, EW 280).  All our sins are being written down in the record books of heaven for the purpose of the judgment (Dan 7:9-11, GC 487, COL 310), and it starts first with the dead, and then with the living (GC 436, 1SM 125).  The judgment does not free us from sin, but awakens us to the urgency that time is short, and that we must be delivered through Jesus from sin's prison house before we are individually judged and can stand in the judgment (GC 436), or we will face eternal destruction (Revelation 20:11-15).

--What does it mean to "worship Him"?  To worship God means that we honor, serve and obey God and Him alone (Psalms 96:9, 29:2, 5:7, 1 Chronicles 16:29, Matthew 4:10, John 4:23-24), that our spiritual allegiance is to God and Him alone and not to any man or church or government or nation or power (Acts 5:29, Galatians 1:10, Psalms 118:6, 8-9).

     These are some of the truths contained in the First Angel's Message upon which the SDA church was raised up and founded upon.  But are these truths still only adhered to by the SDA church?  Are these truths the only messages being held out to the people, or has the SDA church changed these precious truths of the First Angel into an unclean message?

     What does the SDA church now teach about these truths contained in the First Angel's Message?

     What does the SDA church believe about the Everlasting Gospel being freedom from past sins through justification, and from sinning through the union of humanity with divinity in using our will power in putting forth personal efforts to overcome sin?

     "...the 'everlasting gospel'...is salvation by faith in Jesus Christ apart from any works of righteousness on our part." Marked! (Mkd), p 39, by Bob Spangler, Review and Herald Publishing Association (R&HPA), 1981.


     "Salvation is by grace alone through faith.  Nothing else." Signs of the Times (SOT), November, 1986, p 19.

     "The miracle of grace...Our continuing and only source of salvation." AR April 21, 1983, p 15.

     "Together my husband and I had made the decision, after attending a series of nightly tent meetings sponsored by the Adventist church, to enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus....I could relax in my new faith, sit back, and let God do the rest." AR June 10, 1982, p 10.

(Other statements along this same line; AR October 27, 1983, p 5, AR October 24, 1985, p 5, AR June 2, 1988, p 10.)


     What about the necessity of overcoming of sin through the union of humanity with divinity in using our will power in putting forth personal efforts and striving against sin?

     "The gospel is not doing something in order to make ourselves better.  It is not reforming ourselves, using our will power to stop bad habits...this is not the gospel....Its good news: not that we should do something for God...it is salvation by faith...'Its all of Grace.'" Voice of Prophecy (VOP) News, February, 1976, p 6, H.M.S. Richards, Sr.


     "'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9).  This is the overcoming of sin..." Cornerstone Connections Youth Quarterly (CCYQ), 2nd Quarter, 1994, p 62, R&HPA.

     This "all of grace" "nothing else" doctrine--or that Christ has done it all for us so no necessity to keep God's law perfectly; that we are saved by "faith alone," just "let God do the rest," and that Jesus will obey for us and give us all things necessary for salvation as "gifts"--is the same doctrine which the Nicolaitans taught (Revelation 2:6, 15, 7BC 957), which God hates!

     Yet this false doctrine is strongly and blatantly taught to the Adventist members.

     "Is our obedience to God's will (as some assert) composed partly of our efforts and part of God's?  No!  Such is not the case!"  Mkd 129.


     "So if I find that I am not obeying exactly as Jesus did yet, I don't need to feel alarm."  Obedience of Faith (OOF), p 43, by Morris L. Venden, R&HPA, 1983.

     "Obedience is by faith, plus or minus nothing else.  Obedience is by faith alone....obedience has to come by faith alone..." Faith that Works (FTW), p 159, 161 by Morris L. Venden, R&HPA, 1980.

     "It is good news to learn that obedience is by faith alone, just as forgiveness is by faith alone." To Know God (TKG), p 96 by Morris L. Venden, R&HPA, 1983.

     "Forgiveness is a gift, salvation is a gift, and obedience is a gift...He [Christ] wants to give us victory and overcoming as gifts." TKG 101, 112.

     "All we can do is accept them [obedience, victory, and overcoming] as gifts." Good News and Bad News About the Judgment, p 47, by Morris L. Venden, Pacific Press Publishing Association (PPPA), 1982.

     "...by His perfect life...completely fulfilling the law's requirements on man's behalf." Mkd 89.

     "He [Christ] gives us rest...from our own attempt to overcome sin and the devil, and from fighting the battles that Jesus has promised to fight for us....Remember that a gift is a gift." AR December 24, 1981, p 5.

     As you can see, there is little difference between the gospel which the SDA church now teaches, and the gospel which the other churches of Babylon teach!

     In fact, the SDA church admits this:

     "As Adventists we believe in teaching the gospel, just like most of the churches around us....We are all saved by grace, not by what we do....

     "The Seventh-day Adventist church is unique not in its preaching of the gospel, but in the setting in which it is preached." AR Sept 13, 1984, p 7.


     What does the SDA church believe about the Good News being only about Jesus Christ?

     "...the good news about the Seventh-day Adventist Church..." Pacific Union Recorder (PUR), September 18, 1989, p 12.


     Hence the gospel is not to bring people to Jesus Christ, but is to bring people to the SDA church!  Christ's great commission is reduced to church growth--bringing in members, instead of teaching the truth and bringing people to Jesus.

     "[Matthew 28:19-20 quoted].  The church has one business: The crucified and resurrected Lord commanded us to make disciples of men and women everywhere, and, after making these people faithful disciples, to teach them to become disciple-makers." AR April 7, 1988, p 23.


     What does the SDA church believe about Christ taking the nature of Adam after the fall--or taking fallen sinful human nature upon Him, and not having a different nature than humanity?

     "[Jesus] Took Sinless Nature of Adam Before Fall." Movement of Destiny (MOD), p 497, by Leroy Edwin Froom, R&HPA, 1971.


     "...Jesus had the absolute, perfect, sinless nature of Adam before He fell." Salvation by Faith and Your Will (SBF), p 93, by Morris L. Venden, Southern Publishing Association (SPA), 1978.

     "...Adventist's believed that Christ's spiritual nature reflected that of Adam before the fall." Angry Saints (AS), p 132 by George R. Knight, R&HPA, 1989.  (Another statement along this same line: AR February 1, 1990, p 19-21).

     If Jesus did not have man's fallen sinful nature upon Him, then it would be easy for Him overcome; hence He would be born differently than you or I in this regard.  Fallen humanity would not stand a chance against sin if this was true.

     But what does the church teach?

     "Man sins because he is sinful.  He is not sinful because he sins....You don't have to sin to be sinful; all you have to do is get yourself born!...Jesus is the only one who was born righteous." TKG 22-23.


     "Of course Jesus was born different.  He had a sinless human nature, the same as Adam before his fall...Therefore it was natural for Jesus to be good.  I was born with a sinful nature, and its natural for me to be bad." SBF 86.  (Another statement along this same line: AR June 28, 1990, p 8).

     What about Jesus not using His divine powers while on earth?

     "To a degree, perhaps inexplicable this side of eternity, His [Christ's] substitution necessitated [using] His divinity...[at end of article in the footnotes section]...Christ is portrayed...as using His own divine attributes...He could use His own divine powers..." AR February 1, 1990, p 21-22.


     What about Jesus not having any advantage over fallen humanity?

     "When Jesus took the liabilities of fallen man, there was one that He did not take--man's sinful nature.  He had a spiritual nature from birth...Jesus had no desire for sin.  Can you say that about yourself?...

     "All of this leads us to a very practical question: Did Jesus have some sort of advantage over us?  Yes, He had an advantage over us..." Ministry, May, 1982, p 19.


     If Jesus really was born with a sinless human nature, used His divine powers, and had an advantage over fallen humanity, then He cannot be a perfect example and pattern or Saviour from our sins.  He would not know what we were inwardly going through when tempted, nor how to succor and help us overcome sin with fallen natures upon us; He would only know how to comfort and help those who have unfallen sinless natures!  Thus Christ as our Saviour from sin would be effectively robbed away from us, and we could never overcome sin!  Hence we would be lost if this is true.

     But what does the SDA church teach?

     "Because His humanity [nature] was sinless, Jesus could not experience the inner...urgings of sinful humans." AR February 1, 1990, p 21.


     What does the SDA church believe about the definition of sin being only the transgression of God's Commandments?

     "Sin...is any life that is apart from God." TKG 22.


     "You see, to the Father sin is a broken relationship, not a specific bad behavior....So with the friendship model of sin rather than the behavioral model, you answer the question 'Is it a sin to?'" Guide, August 10, 1991, p 23, R&HPA.

     "Many people think of sin as wrongdoing, breaking the law, and so on....Sin means being separated from God." CCYQ, p 56-57.

     "Sin is simply something you want to do but that some authority figure doesn't want you to enjoy..." ST November, 1992, p 5.  (Another statement along this same line: Insight, March 12, 1994, p 15)

     What does the SDA church believe about Justification?  Is it "once saved always saved?"

     "...there is only one Justification, and it accompanies the believer from the time of faith's inception...all the way into the final judgment..." AR August 11, 1983, p 4.


     "Justification settles our present account, but is also applies to our future as a covering umbrella from the moment we accept Christ until we meet the Lord."  Mkd 125.

     What does the SDA church believe about Sanctification, and Redemption?  Is a combination of faith and works necessary for sanctification and salvation?

     "Salvation is still given people only on the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ, not because of their faithful keeping of God's law or any of its special parts." AR April 12, 1984, p 9.


     "Many people accept the premise that justification is by faith alone, but find it hard to turn loose of the idea that there is something we can do to save ourselves in the process of sanctification.  Some consider it dangerous to give up the idea that the method of living the Christian life is by faith plus works....If we put our effort and our will-power toward that which is impossible for us to do [keep God's commandments and overcome sin], then we will end in defeat." FTW 188.

     "Can we ever...receive power [God's grace] to overcome our present sinning?  The answer is no.  Sanctification is as much a gift of God as is Justification." Ministry, January, 1982, p 6.

     "All three [justification, sanctification, and glorification] are included in salvation, and all come as gifts from Jesus..." FTW 191.

     "He (Christ) completed, once for all, our sanctification and redemption.  No one can add to what He has done." Seventh-day Adventists Believe...A Biblical Exposition of 27 Fundamental Doctrines (27 Doc), p 128, by R&HPA, 1988.  (Other statements along this same line: AR July 28, 1983, p 8; AR March 22, 1984, p 4).

     What does the SDA church believe about Jesus saving us from our sins, not in our sins?

     "God declares us to be justified, or righteous, before our characters are changed.  God accepts us as His sons and daughters even before we act like sons and daughters." Mkd 105.


     "...God took the initiative to forgive and accept them in their sins..." AR January 7, 1988, p 14.

     What does the SDA church believe about fearing God by keeping His commandments and departing from sin?

     "...nothing we can ever do will merit the favor of God." Questions On Doctrines (QOD), p 108, by R&HPA, 1957.


     "One's effort to obey the law of God, however strict, can never be a ground of salvation.  We are saved through...grace alone.  Our Lord's sacrifice on calvary is mankind's only hope." QOD 190.

     "It is wrong for a person to attempt to live the Christian life.  We are not asked to do so." SBF 40.

     What does the SDA church believe about giving glory only to God by reflecting His righteous character in your life?

     "You give God glory by keeping alert for things that show He's 'alive and a-love'--the wiggly, licky affection of a puppy, the aerodynamic miracle that is a bumblebee, the crisp sweetness of ripe watermelon, the damp, sleepy hug of a bedtime child, the steady pulse of life along your neck." SOT March, 1993, p 15.


     What does the SDA church believe about worshiping only God and Him alone?

     "The key question is not how to worship, but whom to worship....Worship means that the eternal gospel extends to all nations, tribes, tongues, and people.  Worship means focusing on a God who loves our homelands even more than we do....Worship means embracing the hope of a New Jerusalem while living with Babylon all around us." AR Dec 31, 1992, p 10.


     What does the SDA church believe about giving our spiritual allegiance only to God?

     "The General Conference, then, is the Seventh-day Adventist Church....The embodiment of the Remnant Church as a Christian Denomination, in a unified world-wide organization to which all baptized Seventh-day Adventists owe spiritual allegiance." Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (US Government) vs Pacific Press Publishing Association (SDA Church), Civ #74-2025 CBR, p 17 (trial proceedings from 1974-75).


     What does the SDA church believe about the hour of God's judgment has come against sin; that we must be delivered from the prison house of sin before we are individually judged; that all of our sins being written down in the record books of heaven, and if unforsaken sin is found upon us, then we will be judged unworthy of everlasting life and thus will be condemned in sin to face destruction?

     "Satan has triumphed time and again by getting religious people to believe that when they fall or fail, they are condemned." FTW 192.


     "...[Adventists] fear of breaking the law and being counted out in the judgment.  That is not Christianity." AS 143.

     "...do we need to fear the judgment of God?  Is the news that the day of God's judgment has come (see Rev 14:6, 7) bad news or good news?...

     "For those of us who have been sitting out our lives in the devil's prison house, beaten and bruised by the enemy while living in this world of sin, it is good news that the judgment is coming soon and that God's justice will be dealt out against sin.  It means that our custody is almost over.  It is almost time for us to be delivered." SOT November, 1986, p 13.


     What about our sins being recorded in the books of heaven for the investigative judgment?

     "...God is not keeping a record of our sins up there [in heaven]..." AR September 8, 1988, p 10.


     The SDA church now teaches that the judgment is to come and deliver us from sin's prison house, but not to condemn us in continued sinning.  Thus people believe that there is no need to rid themselves of personal sin before being judged, because the judgment would get rid of their personal sins for them!  The people are also told that there is no record keeping of our sins in the books in heaven.  Hence people believe that personal unforsaken sins cannot be a basis for judging us unworthy of heaven and eternal life!

     Then what does the SDA church teach is the basis?

     "...the judgment scene...makes it clear that the basis for evaluating our fitness for the kingdom is the way we relate to those most difficult to relate to: the suffering and the outcast." AR January 7, 1988, p 14 (emphasis in original).


     So with no record keeping of our sins, and the judgment freeing us from our sins instead of condemning us in them, how can anyone be condemned, or doomed, or lost?  And if no one is lost, then all will be saved!  Does the SDA church believe that no one will be doomed or lost?

     "The word lost in the New Testament does not mean that someone is damned or doomed." AR April 1, 1993, p 21. (NOTE: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible translates "lost" (#622) to mean "to destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.")


     So the SDA church now teaches that no one is doomed; then who can be lost?

     The SDA church has changed the Everlasting Gospel, into the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which God hates!  They teach that Christ had advantages over humanity with regards to overcoming sin, thus they have effectively robbed Christ away from the people as a personal Saviour saving us from sin, into a Saviour saving us in sin.  They have changed "fear God" and keep His commandments of righteousness, into fear satan and keep his commandments of sin!  They have changed "give glory to God" by reflecting only His character of righteousness, into give glory to Satan by reflecting his character of unrighteousness!  They have changed "worship God" alone and give Him your spiritual allegiance, into worship other things and give your spiritual allegiance to the SDA church and its leadership!  And they have changed God's judgment against sin, into delivering us from personal sin!  Thus no one is really doomed to die in a lost condition, but all will be saved in sin.

     We can clearly see that the SDA church has changed the truth of the First Angel's Message into a message of falsehood, bondage and corruption.  So the SDA church has rejected the truth of the First Angel's Message, and has replaced it with, and adopted, the first unclean spirit's message!

     What about the Second Angel's Message?



The Second Angel's Message

     "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Revelation 14:8.

     Babylon fallen represented the fall of the Protestant churches in 1844 because they rejected the light and truth from heaven of the First Angel's Message (4T 13, EW 274, GC 381-83).

     The Roman Catholic church had already become Babylon many centuries before 1844, and God had chosen the Protestant churches to reveal His truths to the world.  But they had, as a corporate body, chosen to depart from the side of Christ--her Husband, and to unite themselves with the world.  God mercifully sent the First Angel's Message to break their harlotrous love affair with the world, and to bring them back to His side as a faithful bride once again.  But they refused, and thus became Babylon fallen (4SOP 230-240).  And the wine of Babylon is her false doctrines which she is founded upon--namely Sunday observance and the immortality of the soul (Ev 365, 6T 317, GC 536, 2SM 118, 7BC 979).


     Does the SDA church still teach that Babylon represents Rome and Apostate Protestantism?  What does the SDA church believe that Babylon represents today?

     The SDA church believes that Babylon is:

-- a modern "wicked city" (SOT June, 1992, p 29).

-- the "wickedness of my city" (AR December 31, 1992, p 9).

-- "evil influences" (SOT June, 1992, p 29).

-- "the archenemy of Christ and His church" (AR July 13, 1989, p 11).

-- "is still present as a mind-set or attitude" (SOT May, 1992, p 13).

-- "worshiping anyone but God alone" (AR October 15, 1992, p 11).

-- "spiritual compromise" (SOT Special Issue, 1985, p 8).

-- to "attempt to gain salvation through one's own works" (AR December 31, 1992, p 9. see also Mkd 150).

-- "...the idea that I can save myself or that I can 'do it myself,' in terms of living the Christian life or of getting to heaven" (The Return of Elijah (ROE), p 61, by Morris L. Venden, PPPA, 1982).

-- "...the futility of building one's life on either a try-harder or a do-as-you-please principle...both nations and individuals..." (AR September 7, 1989, p 26).

-- "fallen is racism, child abuse, death squads, loneliness, crack, torture, separation, death" (AR December 31, 1992, p 9).

-- the "Collapse of the Soviet Union" (SOT May, 1992, p 12-13).


     And the call to come out of Babylon is now:

-- to "flee evil" (AR February 16, 1984, p 7).

-- to "come out of falsehood" (SOT March, 1990, p 28. see also Mkd 83).

-- to "set aside our natural self-sufficiency and pride and give our wills to God" (Mkd 84).


     What about Babylon's wine being her false doctrines upon which she is founded--namely Sunday observance and immortality of the soul?

     "The ideology of continued world progress--that man has the solutions to the besetting problems of our age; that given a little more time, he can, without divine intervention, produce a better world--is the intoxicating wine that Babylon has dispensed to the entire world." AR September 7, 1989, p 26.


     According to the SDA church, Babylon fallen is anything but an apostate corrupt church!  No longer do people need to separate themselves from the Roman Catholic Church, or the Protestant Churches, or any apostate and corrupt church; but from wicked cities, evil influences, the archenemy, falsehoods, certain mind-sets and attitudes, spiritual compromise, working for our own salvation, racism, child abuse, death squads, loneliness, crack, torture, separation, death, and the Soviet Union.  And Babylon's wine is not Sunday observance, but man's attempts to make the world better!

     We can clearly see that the SDA church has changed the truth of the Second Angel's Message into extreme vagueness, falsehood, and is keeping people in bondage to the real Babylon.  So the SDA church has rejected the truth of the Second Angel's Message, and has replaced it with, and adopted, the second unclean spirit's message!

     What about the Third Angel's Message?



The Third Angel's Message

     "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name....

     "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities" Revelation 14:9-11, 18:1-5.


     The Third Angel's Message basically repeats the messages of the First and Second Angels.  It does not stop here though, but reveals quite a few more areas of truth.

     Truths such as:

--The Seventh-day or Saturday being the only Lord's day of worship as the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2-3, Revelation 1:10, 6T 128), that it is the sign or seal of God (Ezekiel 20:12, 20), and there is no biblical truth supporting a change to Sunday as the Lord's day (Exodus 20:8-11, Hebrews 4:3-11, Ezekiel 20:12-20, 1 Chronicles 17:27), hence we must keep the Sabbath if we would see heaven (EW 37, DA 206, 8T 196-98, GC 455, 6T 349, PK 182, 7BC 949, 3T 392, Ev 290, 1T 532, 2T 705, LS 117-18).


--Religious Liberty, being the God-given right to study, stand by, and proclaim only His truth, and to expose error (GC 563-66, 5T 714-16, TM 200-03, 6T 402-03).

--The Beast, being Roman Catholicism (Revelation 13:1-8, Daniel 7:8-14, 20-21, 24-27, 8:9-14, 23-25, GC 438-50, 7BC 972), with the foundation of this church being the Eucharist--a most "blasphemous" and "heaven-insulting heresy" (4SOP 63).  Also the Pope and the Catholic system as Anti-christ (GC 142-43, TM 37), and our duty is to expose him and the papacy (Ev 233, 1SM 196).

--The Lamb-like Beast, being the United States of America, which gives life to the Image of the Beast (Revelation 13:11-17, GC 440-45).

--The Image of the Beast, being the Protestant Churches which image Catholicism, including the World Council of Churches (Revelation 13:15-18, GC 443-50, 3SM 385).  It is formed when the churches unite together upon a platform of common belief in Christ, and "influence the State to enforce their decrees and sustain their institutions" (4SOP 277-78).

--The Mark of the Beast, given to those who worship on Sunday after it has become a law, when they know that it is not God's Sabbath (Revelation 13:16-17, 7BC 976-80, 6T 17, 8T 159, GC 449-50, 578-79); thus we are not to obey the civil authorities in regards to this law (2SM 375, 380, TM 473, 7BC 910, 6T 193, FE 287, GC 449).

--The non-immortality of the soul (Job 4:17, 1 Timothy 6:15-16, Hebrews 9:27), that there is only a grave to rest in death, but no hell to descend into (1 Corinthians 15:51, Acts 13:36, Psalms 88:10-12, Ecclesiastes 9:5-6).  And the gift of immortality only given to the righteous at Christ's second coming (2 Timothy 2:11-12, Job 19:26-27, Revelation 20:4-6, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, GC 549-51, 586-87, 1T 344, GW 119-20).

--The wrath of God, being the literal seven last plagues (Revelation 16, EW 44, 64, 289-90, 5T 211, 634, 9T 234-35).

--The Sanctuary in heaven (GC 324-29, 351-53, 398-400, 409-36, PP 351-58) with 2 apartments (Hebrews 9 & 10)--the holy place (Revelation 4:1-5, Hebrews 9:2, 6, 12, 6:19, Leviticus 16:15) and most holy place (Revelation 11:19, Hebrews 9:3-5, 7, Psalms 28:2, 1 Kings 6:16, 8:6, 2 Chronicles 5:7, Exodus 40:3).

--Christ's work of atonement in the most holy place, or the 2nd apartment of heavenly sanctuary, going on since October 22, 1844 at the ending of the 2300 days, and not final until He finishes His work just prior to His coming (GC 400, 419-22, EW 251-54, 7BC 933, PP 355-58, 5T 472-73).

--Christ as the Head or first Minister of His church (6BC 1083, AA 360, 1SM 93, 1T 78, 4T 393, DA 288, SD 303), also our high Priest, and Mediator between God and man (Hebrews 7, 8 & 10, 5BC 1145, 6BC 1061, 1077-78, 1116, 1SM 243, 332).

--The true church of God, being founded only on Christ and His truth (DA 413, AA 175-76, 595-96, 9T 147, PK 595-96), with the marks of the true church listed in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12; which "keep the commandments of God," the "faith of Jesus," and the "testimony of Jesus Christ" (GC 453-54) which is "the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10) or the writings of Ellen G. White (TM 114, 1SM 27, 41, Ev 257, 4T 13).  Hence these writings have their continuing purpose, and are still to be followed today (1SM 48-50, LS 198, Publishing Ministry, p 361, 5T 64, 654, 672-91, 3T 257, 260)!

--The Righteousness of Christ: this precious conditional gift (SD 189, 1SM 377, COL 223, PK 591, SD 369) is imputed by faith to every repentant sinner (6BC 1071-72, 1SM 392, 397, 317, 363, SD 240, 5T 469, 3T 371-72, GW 161, 8T 208-09, MLT 311, MB 115-16, MM 115), and enables us to be accepted back to God (PP 353), and then to receive His grace (PP 431, 1SM 351).  This grace enables us to overcome all sin, perfecting holiness in the fear of God before Christ's second coming (PK 175, 4T 567, TM 92, 150, 3T 528, DA 555-56, 1SM 395, AA 531, SD 315, 5T 744).  We must use our will power to take the first step in obedience to God before His grace comes to help us overcome (Joshua 3:13, 15-17, MLT 100) and Christ's righteousness imparted to us (7BC 972, Ev 596, 6BC 1096, 1SM 241, TM 92, MYP 35, DA 439).  The law of God is still binding upon the Christian today, and Christ's keeping of it does not free us from having to keep it also (TM 94, SD 240, TM 131, 6BC 1073).  Perfection is not instantaneous (SL 10, 92, MYP 114, 3T 325, 8T 312-13, 1T 340, 2T 472, AA 560-61, 7BC 947, COL 65-66, 1SM 317), but is progressive throughout the lifetime while striving and advancing upward on the straight and narrow pathway to heaven (AA 533, 560-61, 2T 170, 408-09, 479, MYP 73, 144-45, 1SM 28, FE 218, COL 315, 5BC 1085, TM 150).  Thus while we are on the earth, no one is saved, or can they say or feel that they are saved until they are in heaven (1SM 314, 3SM 354).  Christ's robe of righteousness will not cover any unrighteousness nor one unconfessed sin.  Hence no one can find salvation in Jesus while continuing in sin (FLB 113, COL 312, 2RH 232, 2ST 307, 3ST 363, 1SM 396, LHU 150, 6BC 1072, DA 555-56).

     Does the SDA church still believe and teach only these truths of the Third Angel, or have they also changed these precious truths into corruption?

     What about the Seventh-day or Saturday being the only Lord's day of worship as the Sabbath, that it is the sign or seal of God, that there is no supporting a change to Sunday as the Lord's day, and that we must keep the Sabbath if we will make it to heaven?

     "God is glad for us to go to church both days [Saturday and Sunday].  He wants us to worship Him both days....Anybody who takes a whole day out of every week to spend with God will have more of God's power in his life, and God can do more through him and in him." SOT March, 1990, p 22-23.


     "...the phrase 'the Lord's day' in Rev. 1:10....More attention should be given to the possibility that the phrase refers to an annual resurrection celebration." The Sabbath in Scripture and History, p 127, R&HPA, 1981.

     An "annual resurrection celebration" is Easter Sunday.  So the SDA church teaches that "the Lord's day" or the Sabbath, is not just Saturday, but might be Sunday as well!  In fact, this issue really doesn't matter to the SDA church, because "God is glad for us to go to church both days."

     When the leadership of the Early Christian church decided to unite with the pagans, the church became corrupted and the Roman Catholic church was born (see 4SOP 42-46, 195, 396).  Its church leaders then gave up the true Sabbath, and implemented two major steps calculated to lead their Sabbath-keeping members into worshipping on Sunday.

     "In the first centuries the true Sabbath had been kept by all Christians.  They were jealous for the honor of God, and, believing that His law is immutable, they zealously guarded the sacredness of its precepts.  But with great subtlety, Satan worked through his agents to bring about his object.  That the attention of the people might be called to the Sunday, it was made a festival in honor of the resurrection of Christ.  Religious services were held upon it...

     "Another step must be taken; the false Sabbath must be exalted to an equality with the true....the bishop of Rome conferred on the Sunday the title of Lord's day." 4SOP 55.


     The two steps were: to start holding Easter Sunday sunrise services in honor of Christ's resurrection, and to start calling Sunday the Lord's day.  These same two steps are taking place today within SDA churches around the world; Easter Sunday sunrise services are common place in SDA churches.  But not only is the church stating that the Lord's day might be Sunday, but an Andrews University SDA professor--Samuele Bacchiocci--is holding "Lord's day Seminars" throughout SDA churches, and has written the book From Sabbath to Sunday.  In this book he refers to Sunday as being the Lord's day over 50 times in the first 160 pages!

     What about the Sabbath being the sign or seal of God?

     "...the Sabbath is the seal of our love and allegiance to a loving heavenly Father." Robert Folkenberg, AR May 5, 1994, p 18.


     Clearly the SDA leadership have given up the Sabbath, and are leading their Adventist membership into Sunday worship.

     What about there being no truth supporting a change to Sunday worship?

     "What Do Seventh-day Adventists Believe?  Hear pastor/evangelist Jere Webb present a fresh look at 'The Truth.'  Subjects include...'Christ centered reasons for Sunday worship'..." PUR June 4, 1990, p 27.


     What about the necessity of keeping the Sabbath if we would see heaven?

     "If you don't worship on the Sabbath, are you going to hell?  No!" SDA Evangelist Kenneth Cox representing the SDA church on "Central Florida Live" TV talk show, hosted by George Crossley, Central Florida TV station WTGL, channel 52, February 8, 1993.


     What about Religious Liberty being the God-given right to study, stand by, and proclaim only His truth, and to expose error?

     "Included in such discussions have been related theological concepts such as the nature of Christ, the nature of man, the nature of sin, perfection, and the question as to whether it is possible for a Christian to live a sinless life.  In our judgment these complex theological and biblical issues need not be settled in detail in order to rejoice in the gracious provision of salvation through faith in Christ...We are requesting that we refrain from involving ourselves in public presentations of the fine points and the controversial aspects of the theology of righteousness by faith....

     "We should all seek to diminish the flood of cassettes, brochures, books, and miscellaneous documents...This ended the discussion because the voice of the highest authority had spoken." AR May 24, 1979, p 4-5.


     "It is our responsibility to study the Scriptures for ourselves, to ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to submit our understandings to those in the church who are able to judge our findings, and then to abide by the decisions of the church..." Adult Sabbath School Quarterly, Lesson 13, March 28, 1987, p 92.

     "Leadership will lead in love and understanding, and followership will support the church leadership unfailingly, even though necessarily critical of some decisions of leadership." AR October 25, 1979, p 14.

     "...the position of the majority group of sane leadership which is determined to put the brakes on any members who seek to hold views divergent from that of the responsible leadership of the denomination." Eternity magazine, September, 1957, quoting the stated positions of SDA church leaders; article titled "Are Seventh Day Adventist Christians?"

     Not only these items, but the SDA church disfellowships those who become too vocal in preaching the truth and exposing errors in the church.  Also the SDA church in Australia took to court and sued several Adventists for spreading the original Three Angels' Messages in newspaper form to nearly 400,000 homes in Australia.  The paper is called The Protestant (See Vital Truths, Issue #12, 1992, PO Box 234, Merlin, OR. 97532).

     What about the Beast being Roman Catholicism, with the foundation of this church being the Eucharist, and the pope and Catholic system as Anti-christ?

     The Beast is not referred to as being Catholicism, but is vaguely referred to as being "the false lord" (AR December 31, 1992, p 10), or representing "the forces that oppose God's last day people" (Robert Folkenberg, AR May 5, 1994, p 18).


     "The Beast represents a form of self-worship..." ROE 72.

     What about the Eucharist being blasphemous and heaven-insulting?

     "The purpose of this essay is primarily to show how Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the eucharist or the Lord's supper...[and] to highlight Adventist understanding and practice of the eucharist...

     "In preparation for the celebration of the eucharist Seventh-day Adventists practice the washing of feet..." Churches Respond to BEM (Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry), vol 2 (2BEM), p 341-343, 1985. (This is the SDA churchs' official response to the ecumenical meeting they were a part of at the Faith and Order Conference of the World Council of Churches (WCC) of January, 1982 in Lima, Peru).


     The Eucharist is also called by the SDA church as being the "central celebration of the Christian church" (2BEM 341).  The church also states; "On occasion Seventh-day Adventists refer to the eucharist as a sacrament" (2BEM 342).  They also state that SDA's are "conscious of the sacredness of the celebration of the eucharist" (2BEM 342).

     Then appears this amazing declaration:

     "And we could go on if space permitted--to mention the WCC's... accentuation of the Holy Spirit and the Eucharist.  All of these emphases fit into the ambit of the three angels' messages." AR May 2, 1991, p 10.


     What about the warning against the Beast or Catholicism?

     "Although it is true that there was a period in the life of the Seventh-day Adventist Church when the denomination took a distinctly anti-Roman Catholic viewpoint...that attitude on the church's part was nothing more than a manifestation of widespread anti-popery among conservative protestant denominations in the early part of this century and the latter part of the last, and which has now been consigned to the historical trash heap so far as the Seventh-day Adventist church is concerned." EEOC vs PPPA Civ #74-2025 CBR, Reply Brief for Defendants, p 4.


     "...our work is not to denounce the Roman Catholic Church." PUR February 18, 1985, p 4.

     What about the Pope as being Anti-christ?

     "...if he was taught that the Pope is the anti-christ, I think that would be a misunderstanding.  I don't feel that's what we as a church believe....

     "...[the anti-christ], that's not a person.  That's not an individual..." Kenneth Cox, WTGL TV interview, February 8, 1993.


     What about the Catholic system as Anti-christ?

     The anti-christ is not referred to as "the papacy," because the Catholic church has "defended belief in Christ's fleshly nature" (AR October 27, 1983, p 7).  But the Anti-christ is referred to as being:

-- "former christians" (SOT September, 1990, p 25).

-- "a mind-set" (SOT September, 1990, p 26).

-- those who teach "false doctrine qualify" (AR October 27, 1983, p 7).

-- those who "draw us away from our commitment to Christ" (SOT September, 1990, p 26).

-- those who "deny that Jesus is the Christ or the Messiah" (SOT September, 1990, p 25). [Hence the Devil and all his angels cannot be anti-christ either (Matt 8:29, Mark 1;24, Luke 4:34)!]

     What about the Lamb-like Beast being the United States?

     The Lamb-like Beast is not referred to as being the USA, but is vaguely referred to as being "an idol-making power" (AR October 15, 1992, p 10).  Or referred to as "the antispirit" (AR September 7, 1989, p 22-23).


     What about the Image of the Beast being the Protestant Churches which image Catholicism, including the World Council of Churches; formed when all the churches unite on a common platform of belief in Christ, and get the State to sustain them and enforce their decrees?

     The Image of the Beast is not referred to as being apostate Protestantism, but is vaguely referred to as being an idol or an image we worship "rather than the Creator-God" (AR October 15, 1992, p 9).

     The Image is also referred to as setting "yourself up against the Lord of heaven...this type of idol" (AR October 15, 1992, p 10).

     "...the Image to the Beast is enforcing a religious duty by human power....The combination of belief in God...and trying to obey through your own efforts, is the Image of the Beast." ROE 77.


     What about the Image being formed when all the churches unite, and the State sustains them and enforces their decrees?

     "If he [Lamb-like beast or the antispirit] cannot lead us to outright disobedience (which gives us a mark in the forehead), then he leads us to adopt a token (or surface) obedience (which qualifies us for the mark in the hand).

     "This is how the antispirit makes an image to the beast.  Surface obedience, not rooted in love, will eventually produce a character like that of the beast." AR September 7, 1989, p 23.


     What about the warning against the Image--or the Protestant churches, including the World Council of Churches (WCC)?

     The SDA church does not warn against the apostate Protestant churches or the WCC, because they are united with and one of them!

     In 1973 the SDA church, in conjunction with the WCC, wrote a book titled So Much In Common.  George Vandeman also wrote a book praising the apostate churches titled What I Like About...The Lutherans, The Baptists, The Methodists, The Charismatics, The Catholics, Our Jewish Friends, The Adventists; Rescuers of Neglected Truth, PPPA, 1986.


     So the SDA church is not separate from Babylon, but is fully united with them.

     "...we love one another [Christians of other denominations], and work together.  That's what its all about....That's what we [SDA church] are here for--is to profit from one another [other denominations]." Kenneth Cox, WTGL TV interview, February 8, 1993.


     The SDA church is also part of the National Council of Churches and the WCC (for proof see "The WCC & the SDA Church")!  But this next church statement should help Adventists to realize that this is true:

     "Adventist Find Friends At The World Council of Churches." Canadian Union Messenger, September, 1983, p 5.


     What about the Mark of the Beast, given to those who worship on Sunday after it has become a law, when you know that it is not God's Sabbath, and that we are not to obey the civil authorities in regards to this law?

     "The Mark of the Beast principle is that man can...do something that will get him to heaven and make him acceptable to God." Mkd 88.


     "The Mark of the Beast involves...salvation by works." ROE 73.

     "...the Mark of the Beast, which is salvation by works of self-righteousness." Mkd 38.

     What about receiving the Mark of the Beast if we obey the civil authorities and bow to the Sunday law?

     "Ellen White...[writing about the Sunday laws] told the people do not go contrary to civil authority." Kenneth Cox, WTGL TV interview, Feb 8, 1993.


     And as if this was not enough, the SDA church teaches that the Mark of the Beast is not Sunday worship, but refers to Sabbath worship!

     "...the Sabbath...[is] God's sign of obedience....But we must beware!  Anyone whose focus is on the Sabbath...who looks at His Sabbathkeeping as the ground of his salvation...is a candidate for the mark of the beast." AR September 7, 1989, p 26.


     What about the non-immortality of the soul, that there is only a grave to rest in death, but no hell to descend into; and the gift of immortality is only given at Christ's second coming?

     The Bible states that "the soul that sins, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20).  But the SDA church teaches that no one can overcome all sin, and yet God will not destroy you, but will make you perfect and take you to heaven giving you eternal life anyway.  That's immortality of the soul!

     "...I will always fall short of my potential....Those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness...[are] striving after an elusive goal..." AR December 6, 1984, p 6.


     "...we cannot live without sinning." ROE 95.

     "We are sinners.  We will be sinners until Jesus comes, and sinners cannot produce obedience....All we can do is to give up ever hoping to produce any real obedience." FTW 175.

     "...if we die to sin at conversion, are we going to sin anymore?  We will continue to sin as Christians--not because we want to, but because we're human." VOP News, May, 1985, p 2-3, H.M.S. Richards, Jr.

     "We should remember that only when Jesus comes can we be made perfect." Ministry, December, 1965, p 9.

     This specious immortality of the soul falsehood, of being able to continue in sin until Jesus comes and then not being destroyed but made perfect, has also been applied to the continued apostasy and rejection of God's truth by the church.

     "...God's remnant church is Laodicea which undeniably has its problems.  But no less sure is God's offered remedy...The promise that Christ at His coming will 'present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.'" AR March 7, 1991, p 10.


     What about there being only a grave, but no hell to descend into?

     "...[the] Apostles' Creed, states: 'I believe in God the Father...and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord, who...suffered under Pontius pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.  He descended to hell, the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven...'

     "To this confession...which in principle goes back to the second century A.D., The Seventh-day Adventist Christian can say whole heartedly, 'Amen!'" AR June 10, 1982, p 4 (emphasis in original).


     What about the gift of immortality only when Christ comes?

     "The Bible presents eternal life as a present endowment of salvation....Not just later, but now." SOT May, 1992, p 11 (emphasis in original).


     "Our new relationship with Christ [born again] brings with it the gift of eternal life." 27 Doc 124.

     "If we accept His [Christ's] gospel and believe that the Father is as He represented Him, we have already entered into eternal life." AR October 8, 1992, p 9.

(Another statement along this same line: AR August 11, 1983, p 7).


     If we really have eternal immortal life now, then we no longer have fallen sinful natures, but must have unfallen holy natures--or holy flesh!  This false doctrine arose around the turn of the 19th century, and Ellen White warned that it would revive just before the end came (2SM 36).

     Is the SDA church really teaching holy flesh?

     "...we are born with a nature that enjoys sinning more than not sinning.  So we need new natures....That's what Jesus offers.  He promises to change our natures if we let Him." SOT June, 1992, p 20.


     "...Jesus carried us in His blessed arms and purchased for us an entirely new nature, a new life which He imparts to us..." VOP News, February, 1976, p 7, H.M.S. Richards, Sr.

     What about the wrath of God being the seven last plagues?

     "The third angel of Revelation 14 warns that in the end the wrath of God, unmixed with mercy, will be poured out on the heads of unrepentant sinners....God gives up such people and turns them over to the results of their rebelliousness....Since faith and love cannot be forced, what else can God do but sadly give up those who reject Him?

     "God's wrath...is His turning away in loving disappointment from those who do not want Him, thus leaving them to the inevitable consequences of their own rebellious choice.

     "Such [is] a picture of God's wrath..." SOT July, 1978, p 19.


     What about the Sanctuary in heaven with 2 apartments--the holy place and most holy place?

     "There is a sanctuary in heaven...In it Christ ministers on our behalf...In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry." 27 Doc, 312 (#23).

     This statement removes the words "most holy place" that were used in the other statements dealing with the fundamental beliefs of SDA's (1872 #10, 1912 #10), and replaced it with the words "second and last phase." (Another article not mentioning two apartments while discussing the Heavenly Sanctuary: AR Feb 16, 1984, p 7-8).


     What about Christ's work of atonement going on in the most holy place (2nd apartment of heavenly sanctuary) which began only after October 22, 1844 at the ending of the 2300 days, and not final until He finishes His work prior to His second coming?

     "...the sacrificial act on the cross--a complete, perfect, and final atonement for man's sin....That is the Adventist understanding of the atonement..." Ministry, February, 1957, p 10, 44.


     "...the Act of Atonement was completed on the Cross..." MOD 505. (emphasis in original).

     "Atonement has been completed..." AR February 16, 1984, p 7.

     "The atonement, or reconciliation, was completed on the cross...and the penitent believer can trust in the finished work of our Lord." 27 Doc, 315.

     "Today Seventh-day Adventist do teach that complete sacrificial atonement was made on the cross.  But our pioneers generally did not believe that atonement was made at the cross." The Sanctuary and the Atonement, p 586, by The Biblical Research Committee of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, R&HPA, 1981.

(Other statements along this same line: AR Nov 6, 1986, p 18; 27 Doc 106; AR January 6, 1983, p 3; AR Feb 7, 1985, p 9; AR March 5, 1992, p 11 (p 251)).


     This new position was in direct contradiction to the mass of pioneer literature and Testimonies dealing with the truth in this issue.  So to remedy this contradiction, the church published this statement:

     "When, therefore, one hears an Adventist say, or reads in Adventist literature--even in the writings of Ellen G. White--that Christ is making atonement now, it should be understood that we mean simply that Christ is now making application of the benefits of the sacrificial atonement He made on the cross." QOD 354-55.


     Since the SDA church has changed this truth about the atonement, and is teaching that it was completed on the cross, they must deal with the issue that only a priest can make atonement.  Christ was not a priest on earth (Hebrews 8:4), and thus the atonement could not have been made on the cross.

     But what does the SDA church teach about this?

     "...during His earthly ministry Christ was both priest and offering.  His death on the cross was part of His priestly work." 27 Doc 53.


     What about Christ as the only Head or first Minister of His church, our high Priest, and Mediator between God and man?

     "Elder Robert H. Pierson is the president of the General Conference and, as such the first minister of the Seventh-day Adventist church....including myself as its first minister." EEOC vs PPPA, Civ #74-2025 CBR.


     Now if the first minister or head of the SDA church is not Christ, but the General Conference president, then who is our high priest or mediator between God and man?

     "We see here that his [Aaron's] principle responsibility was to act as mediator, as a link between the holy and profane, between God and man....In like manner the [SDA] minister of the Gospel today is the high priest....Today we [SDA ministers] are the high priests....What a tremendous responsibility to act as mediators between God and man!" Ministry, December, 1961, p 27, 29.


     What about the true church of God being founded only on Christ and His truth, with the marks of the true church listed in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12; which "keep the commandments of God," the "faith of Jesus" and the "testimony of Jesus Christ" or "the spirit of prophecy" Revelation 19:10 being the writings of Ellen G. White; hence these writings have their continuing purpose, and are still to be followed today?

     "The four classical marks of the Biblical church apply to Seventh-day Adventists: its holiness (in Jesus Christ), its catholicity (universality), its apostolicity (in harmony with the witness of the apostles/founders), its unity (one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism)" AR October 1, 1992, p 27 (emphasis in original).


     So the SDA church proves its authenticity for being a true biblical church of God today, not by keeping the commandments or by following the Spirit of Prophecy, but by being holy, catholic or universal, apostolic, and one or united.  Why is this significant?  Because for hundreds of years the Catholic Church has claimed the exact same four marks as to why they are the true biblical church of God!

     "There are Four Marks by which the church of Christ [Catholic] may be recognized.  It must be One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic." Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p 26, by Peter Geiermann (see also The Catholic Encyclopedia, p 99).


     Truly, the SDA church images Roman Catholicism, and must be included as being part of the Image of the Beast--or those Protestant churches which image Roman Catholicism!  In fact, the SDA church images Rome more closely than any other Protestant church in America!

     Judge William T. Hart of the U.S. District Court, North District of Illinois, East Division, handed down a decision in favor of the General Conference of SDA's who was being sued by Derrick Proctor.  Judge hart stated:

     "Church documents that prescribe the church's structure and governance confirm that all parts of the church are parts of a single entity.  Next to the Roman Catholic church, the Adventist church is the most centralized of all the major Christian denominations in this country." Derrick Proctor vs General Conference of SDA, case #81 C 4938, Findings of Fact, Section B, Church Objectives and Structures, p 22, October 29, 1986.


     What about following the writings of Ellen G. White or the Spirit of Prophecy today?

     "...[the 9 Volumes of the Testimonies For the Church, which was made up of individual Testimonies] was a particular message to that individual that did not apply to everybody....So you can't take the Testimonies and make that a general application to everybody....[So when] God spoke to her...that didn't apply to everybody." Kenneth Cox, WTGL TV interview, February 8, 1993.


     "Her [Ellen G. White] writings had their purposes..." AS 108.

     What about the Righteousness of Christ enabling us to be accepted back to God, receiving His grace which helps us to overcome all sin and perfect holiness before Christ's coming; that the law of God is still binding today, and Christ's keeping of it does not free us from having to also keep it; sanctification or perfection not being instantaneous, but being progressive throughout the lifetime while striving and advancing upward on the straight and narrow pathway to heaven; thus while we are on the earth, no one is saved, or can they say or feel that they are saved until they are in heaven; and that Christ's robe of righteousness will not cover any unrighteousness nor one unconfessed sin--hence no one can find salvation in Jesus while continuing in sin?

     "Many wrongly believe that their standing before God depends on their good or bad deeds." 27 Docs 121.


     "...[we need to] give up on the idea that we can ever produce genuine obedience." FTW 168.

     "Obedience is always and only by faith...never of our own efforts." OOF 88.

     What does the SDA church believe about overcoming all sin?

     "...He [God] does not expect us to fight sin" SBF 71.


     "It is crucifying to admit that we cannot overcome sin, that we cannot obey, that we cannot produce righteousness, but that Jesus must do all of this for us." FTW 172.

     "We shall never reach sinless perfection in this life." Review, May 19, 1966, p 4.

     What does the SDA church believe about working with God for overcoming sin and living righteously--continually striving and advancing upward on the straight and narrow pathway to heaven?

     "...God has not called leaders to provide a perfect, unblemished reflection of Christ..." Church Ministries Worker: A Journal for Church Leaders, January-March, 1987, p 4, PPPA.


     "God has already overcome the power of sin.  We do not need to strive again and again to overcome sin.  This is because Jesus has already done this, once for all on the cross....Is it presumptuous of us to try to overcome sin 'again' in our lives?...Sin is much too big and powerful for us to delude ourselves like that....No matter what, we are going to keep on sinning simply because we are sinners....Having accepting that, though, we do not need to get all worked up about our failure to overcome sin." CCYQ 60-62, 65.

     "Works-righteousness is the religion of the carnal heart, and always has been....It is not God's will that we make our way up a steep hill to heaven, bloody and bowed, unsure of whether or not we're going to make it." AR October 8, 1992, p 9.

(Another statement along this same line: AR March 2, 1989, p 10).


     What does the SDA church believe about the law of God still being binding today, and Christ's keeping of it does not free us from having to also keep it?

     "...[the wrong view is that] we must do something to free ourselves from sin.  It is the [false] spirit that teaches we cannot trust all to Christ, and let Him work out our own righteousness for us." AS 47.


     "...we have been discharged from the law...[the Spirit] frees the believer from the law...and fulfills the righteous requirement of the law in him." AR November 17, 1983, p 7.

     "'The law has been carried out.  Carried out upon Him [Jesus], so I am free.'" AR April 6, 1989, p 13.

(Other statements along this same line: AR January 2, 1986, p 13, AR April 18, 1985, p 17).


     What about sanctification or perfection not being instantaneous, but being progressive throughout the lifetime?

     "As to the believer's past, at the moment of justification the believer is also sanctified..." 27 Doc, 123


     "...perfection [in Christ]...is relative, or vicarious, in-as-much as it depends on a right relationship to Christ.  It is attained instantly by an intelligent act of the will accepting Christ's imputed and imparted righteousness, and is retained throughout life unless a person repudiates his relationship to Christ...He is accounted perfect in heaven, not because he never makes mistakes, but because, despite his mistakes, God credits him with Christ's perfect righteousness.  Unconditional dedication to the goal, and uncompromising pursuit of it, are God's only requirements." Review, June 10, 1965, p 12.

     What about no one being able to say or feel that they are saved before entering heaven?

     "Do you wonder if you are saved?...Do you believe that Jesus is your Saviour?  Have you confessed your sins?  Have you given yourself over to Him?  Then, regardless of how you feel--whether or not you feel 'right'--you are saved....Only saved people...are conscious of how short they fall of God's ideal....[Anyone] who loves Jesus knows and can know that he or she is saved." SOT June, 1989, p 12-14 (emphasis in original).


     What about the Robe of Christ's righteousness not covering any unrighteousness or one unconfessed sin.

     "His (Christ's) perfect character is portrayed as a wedding garment or a robe of righteousness that He gives to cover the filthy rags of human attempts to achieve righteousness." 27 Docs, 114.


     "...it is possible for the growing Christian to discover that he has a known sin going on in his life and at the same time a continuing relationship with Jesus." TKG 93.

     "...in the imperfect people around you...you have been able to perceive the robe of righteousness with which He has clothed them." AR July 5, 1984, p 3.

     "...[the everlasting gospel] involves the substitution of Christ's perfect obedience in place of our transgressions, and the substitution of His own spotless righteousness in place of our sins and pollution.

     "That is the inmost heart of the Everlasting Gospel.  That is the sole basis for holiness in the sight of a holy God....It is His righteousness, not our achievement.  That is the Gospel in glorious operation.  That is the First, Second, and Third Angel's Message in 'verity.'" MOD 634 (1971 edition, emphasis in original).


     What about no one finding salvation while continuing in sin?

     "'But,' you say, 'I'm not "without blemish,"...Yes, the blemishes and the blame are still there (as they are for the vast billions of humans everywhere); but nonetheless Christ's sacrifice in our behalf gives Him the astounding right to 'present' us before the Father and His universe as 'holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.'" SOT May, 1986, p 27, by Robert Wieland, (parenthesis and emphasis in original).

     "To have the Spirit of Jesus is one of God's conditions for salvation.  Moral perfection is not....Christians still keep on sinning after they find salvation in Jesus." SOT November, 1986, p 19.

(Another statement along this same line: AR October 27, 1983, p 7).


     So the SDA church has changed the Sabbath as only being the Lord's day, into possibly being Sunday, and no necessity of having to keep God's Sabbath in order to obtain heaven.  They have changed Religious Liberty or the God-given right to study, stand by, proclaim His truth, and to expose error, into only if the SDA church approves.  They have changed the Beast being Roman Catholicism, into vaguely being the false lord or self-worship.  They have changed the blasphemous heaven-insulting heresy of the Eucharist, into being sacred and proper for Adventist Christians to practice.  They have changed the meaning of Anti-christ being the Pope and Catholicism, into a mind-set.  They have changed the Lamb-like Beast being the United States of America, into vaguely being an idol making power, or the antispirit.  They have changed the Image of the Beast being the Protestant Churches which image catholicism, including the WCC, into being an idol or image that we worship, including ourselves, or the combination of belief in God and putting forth efforts to obey Him.

     The SDA church has changed the Mark of the Beast being Sunday worship after it is made a law, into accepting the doctrine of salvation by works.  They have changed the non-immortality of the soul, with the gift of immortality only at Christ's second coming, into being the soul that sins it shall live, with eternal immortal life in our possession now with new holy natures or holy flesh.  They have changed the sanctuary in heaven with 2 apartments, into being a non-descript sanctuary without apparent division.  They have changed Christ's work of atonement in the most holy place (2nd apartment of heavenly sanctuary) going on only since October 22, 1844, into being a completed and final atonement made at the cross.

     The SDA church has changed Christ as the Head or first Minister of His church, our high priest, and mediator between God and man, into being the president of the General Conference as Christ, and the SDA ministers and leaders as high priests and mediators between God and man.  They have changed the true church of God only founded on Christ and His truth, with the marks of the church listed in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12, into being the four marks of the Catholic church.

     The SDA church has changed the necessity of following the writings of Ellen G. White today, into a thing only necessary in the past.  They have changed the Righteousness of Christ which enables us to be accepted back to God, and then to receive His grace that helps us to overcome all sin perfecting holiness in the fear of God before Christ's second coming, into Christ has done it all for us, so we just sit back and glide into heaven.  They have changed salvation without sin through Christ's righteousness and personal effort, into salvation in sin through Christ's righteousness instantaneously sanctifying and perfecting us because we cannot overcome sin.  And they have changed Christ's robe of righteousness not covering any unrighteousness nor one unconfessed sin, into Christ's robe of righteousness covering our continuing sinning and mistakes.  

     We can clearly see that the SDA church has changed the truth of the Third Angel's Message into a message of falsehood, bondage and corruption.  So the SDA church has rejected the truth of the Third Angel's Message, and has replaced it with, and adopted the third unclean spirit's message!

     We can see with very little trouble that the SDA church has taken all Three Angels' Messages and transmuted them into another form from their original biblical and God-endorsed meanings.  So the SDA church has rejected all Three Angels' Messages and replaced them with, and has adopted, the three unclean spirits' messages of satanic falsehood.

     Hence, the foundational basis for the existence of the SDA church today is not the real Three Angels' Messages found in Revelation 14, but the three unclean spirits' messages found in Revelation 16!  Thus the SDA church is not doing the work which God commissioned, but the work which Satan commissioned; it is not preaching the gospel of God, but the gospel of Satan; it is not fulfilling the mission of God, but the mission of Satan.  So every time you hear the SDA church talk about doing God's work, fulfilling God's mission, and spreading God's gospel, it has nothing to do with God at all, but it's all for the Devil.  And if you support the SDA church with your tithe and money, then you are supporting the work and mission of the Devil and the spreading of satanic falsehood: and you will be held accountable for every penny (see 6T 448, 1T 261-62, 2T 552, 4SOP 339, 3T 553, 4T 469)!


     But the SDA church has not only rejected and changed these three precious messages, but has also replaced the true SDA leaders and ministers, who refused to give up these truths, with new leaders and ministers who preach satanic falsehood from the hellish torch of Satan (TM 409-410).

     The church has educated a whole new generation of SDA's to accept the false new three angels' messages, and are now united upon this false new foundation and platform, as we were warned--"Our religion would be changed"!  All this is even admitted!

     "Not until some voices ceased, and a new leadership came to the fore in certain sections, could certain tenets of truth come into their own in general, unhandicapped acceptance.  Pockets of resistance had to die out, with a new generation coming to the fore uninhabited by past impediments and circumstances.  That took time.  The change has now taken place.  A new generation of workers and laity are upon the stage of action....We are now united upon a sound platform of Fundamental Beliefs.  We are now ready for the great final phase of the Advent Movement--the final, rapid movements that have been depicted." Eternal Verities Triumphant, p 50, 52, (Syllabus preceding publication of MOD) by Leroy Froom (very similar statements in MOD 17-23).


     Clearly, the SDA church has rejected all Three Angels' Messages, and has replaced them with the counterfeit three spirits' messages.  But what does the church say?  Do they admit to changing the Three Angels' Messages?  Do they acknowledge that they no longer believe or teach only the original Messages, and that they have adulterated, mutilated, and transmuted them into something completely contrary to God's word?  Or do they blatantly lie to the people, making believe that nothing has changed and all is just like it should be?  What are they telling the people, lies or the truth?  Let's ask the SDA General Conference President--Robert Folkenberg:

     "The Seventh-day Adventist church is privileged, I believe, to have a treasure in our understanding of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, and particularly the message of Revelation...the Three Angels' Messages.  And the good news is that the proclamation of the gospel message and the Three Angels' Messages...is our highest priority by every means possible: through the spoken word from the pulpit of our churches; through the medium of public evangelism; by means of the airways and the media; through our institutional program, our publishing program; and through every avenue that's available to us.  That is our highest objective, and it is the standard against which we measure our accomplishment....

     "But take it clearly from me, there is no adulteration or undermining of any of the fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church.  Take it as a simple statement of fact....Please take my word for it.  The General Conference and the Seventh-day Adventist church stand behind our historic Adventist beliefs unequivocally.  We preach them, we preach them clearly and fervently and compassionately." Robert Folkenberg, "Issues and Interviews" on SDA radio station--KCDS, February 19, 1993.


     The highest leader of the SDA hierarchical church stoops from all honesty and makes Satan his father, by blatantly lying to and deceiving our people in this issue!  The only evidence he gives to back up his specious falsehood is "Please take my word for it."  And if the Pope of the SDA church is doing this, then you know it is throughout the whole church structure.  But the only people who will believe him, and ignore all the evidence to the contrary, are those who are cursed--by making flesh their arm (Jeremiah 17:5)!

     But not only has the SDA church rejected the Three Angels' Messages, and replaced the true ministers and leaders with false error believing and preaching brethren, but in doing these things they have rejected someOne else.  They have rejected the precious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!


     Christ spent 18 centuries preparing for the SDA church to come into existence, making sure all was ready.  Sleeplessly and unceasingly caring and working for His people and church, opening their eyes to accept and give these three precious messages which would polarize the world and prepare the way for His coming, and the ending of sin.  Constantly He urged His people forward to reflect His image and thus to vindicate God's character to the whole universe, and prove Satan's accusations a lie.  And then to have His chosen people and church spurn His immense love, turn their backs and faces away from Him, gradually rejecting and replacing His precious Three Angels' Messages with Satan's counterfeit unclean spirit's messages, to unite themselves with Satan as his harlotrous bride and church--working to keep people away from ever knowing Christ or His power to free them from sin:

HOW MUST THIS MAKE CHRIST FEEL?

     How many tears has Jesus shed over this?  How much pain has he felt?  How much more agony must He endure?  What must He be thinking to see His people remain asleep believing that all is alright with their SDA church?  Oh, may our people awaken and see more fully what Christ is going through because of a once chosen people and church rejecting Him, apostatizing from His truth, uniting in harlotry with His avowed enemy, and working against Him with all the power and subtlety of the Devil!

     Since the SDA church has rejected all Three Angels' Messages, which was the sole reason why God raised up the SDA church in the first place, can it still be God's true church?  NO!  It cannot be God's true church anymore, but it has become a counterfeit of God's true church.  And if it is not God's church, then whose church is it?  Satan's!  And what is another name for Satan's church listed in the Bible?  Babylon!

     The SDA church images the harlot mother Roman Catholic church--which is Babylon.  The SDA church is united with the harlot daughter Protestant churches and the WCC--which is Babylon.  And is so closely and ecumenically united with the fallen Babylon Protestant churches that she is like a sister to them, or a sister to Babylon!  In fact, Sister White warned the SDA church of this very thing.

     "We are in danger of becoming a sister to fallen babylon, of allowing our churches to become corrupted, and filled with every foul spirit, a cage for every unclean and hateful bird." Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of Ellen G. White, p 64 (Letter 51, September 6, 1886).


     Now if the SDA church has become a sister to fallen Babylon, or a sister to the Protestant churches, then who is her mother?  Rome!  Or the one "old in adulteries" (Ezekiel 23:43-44).  And God even warned His SDA people of this!

     "Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.  Thou art thy mother's daughter, that loatheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which loathed their husbands and their children." Ezekiel 16:44-45.


     So as Rome is Babylon, and Protestantism is Babylon, then the SDA church is Babylon also!  The SDA church is in ecumenical union with all the babylonian churches, so how else could she be but Babylon!

     Now there are a lot of Adventists who will argue about this issue on the SDA church being Babylon.  They will say: "The SDA church can never be Babylon, no matter if they have given up the Three Angels' Messages, no matter if they are in harlotry with the Devil and his followers, and no matter if they are ecumenically united in agreement with Rome, Protestantism, and the WCC; because the SDA church can never be Babylon."

     With some, no matter how much you try to show them that there are no promises of God given without conditions of obedience (FW 47, Ev 695, 1SM 67, PK 293), and that Ellen White wrote that the SDA church could be converted into Babylon if they did not meet God's conditions (TM 265, 2SM 68, 8T 250); they still would not believe.  But instead of arguing with them in this issue, may be, just may be this next point will help these dear brothers and sisters see clearly.

     The SDA church herself would surely know if she was Babylon or not, wouldn't she?  What if the SDA church declared herself to be Babylon, and told all her members to separate from her?  Surely no one could then deny that the SDA church was Babylon; because the church herself would have stated so!

     Did you know that the SDA church has, in essence, declared herself to be part of Babylon, and told all her members to separate from her!  Did you know that?  Please pay close attention to what the SDA church herself states in the SDA Encyclopedia, Volume 10 of the Bible Commentary Reference Series, p 410-411, under ECUMENISM:

     "The capstone of the ecumenical effort came with the creation of the World Council of Churches....

     "On the basis of Bible prophecy and the writings of Ellen G. White, SDA's anticipate the eventual success of the ecumenical movement both in eliminating the divisions of Protestantism and in reuniting Christendom by bridging the gulf that separates non-Catholic communions from Rome.  The ecumenical movement will then become a concerted effort to unite the world and to secure universal peace and security by enlisting the power of the civil government in a universal religio-political crusade to eliminate all dissent.  SDA's envision this crusade as the great apostasy to which John the revelator refers as 'Babylon the great.'  They understand, also, that God's last message of mercy to the world prior to the return of Christ in power and glory will consist of a warning against this great apostate movement, and a call to all who choose to remain loyal to Him to leave the churches connected with it."


     What did the SDA church state to all her members?  That any church connected with the ecumenical movement and united with the WCC was part of Babylon the great, and that all who choose to serve God must separate from that church.  The SDA church is connected with the ecumenical movement, and is united with the WCC.  So the SDA church has in essence declared herself to be part of Babylon, and told all her members to separate themselves from her!

     But even after all this apostasy, rebellion, harlotry, and the giving up of the Everlasting Gospel along with the real Three Angels' Messages, the SDA leaders and ministers have the gaul to teach and believe that the SDA church will still go through to heaven, and that not even the gates of hell can stop her!

     "...in the case with the [SDA] Laodicean Church, as a church, is different, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  The last church will not be spewed out; it will not be rejected; it will go through triumphantly." Review, November 9, 1939.


     "...because the church is under God's grace it 'may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall.'" AR September 22, 1983, p 14.

     "The prophetic scenario assures us of the church's survival....[It will] go through until the very end....it does not fall..." AR May 4, 1989, p 9.

     "The Seventh-day Adventist Church will triumph gloriously and will go through triumphantly, as a corporate body, to the sea of glass." The Early and Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit, p 183, by Gordon W. Collier, Sr., 1973.

(Other statements along this same line: AR November 25, 1982, p 3, 10; AR July 19, 1984, p 15; AR May 1, 1986, p 18; AR November 2, 1989, p 31).


     The church leaders do not stop here, but even teach that the SDA church today is the same as the place or city of refuge:

     "...[finding the SDA church is] Finding a Refuge." AR November 2, 1989, p 28.


     And that the SDA church is the same as the ark--the ship of safety:

     "Many times pastors have compared the church to an ark of safety, and I believe it is....The church is a place to preserve our lives..." AR August 7, 1986, p 23.


     "Like the ark, the church will help save God's people..." AR August 9, 1984, p 18.

     "Christ's statement is 'that the gates of hell shall not prevail against' the church....Let us stay with the ship.  The church...is going through and will surely drop anchor on the 'sea of glass' because a 'Divine hand is on the wheel'--the hand of Christ." AR July 28, 1983, p 5.

     And that the SDA church is the same as having a ticket to heaven, and hence our walk with God and our salvation is connected with church membership:

     "The local (SDA) church becomes the 'port of entry' to the kingdom of God." AR October 1, 1992, p 23.


     "Your walk with God has a great deal to do with your desire to come back to church....As you return, seek Him.  He has promised that you will find Him....You won't drop out again as long as you continue to grow in Him." AR November 2, 1989, p 27.

     "There is some relationship between salvation and church membership." AR August 9, 1984, p 18.

     In fact, they even teach that the SDA church is on a par with God Himself!

     "I appeal to all who are outside the fold [SDA church] just now....If you are not here, He [Christ] misses you....The Father owns the house.  Return to Him.  For every good love story should have a happy ending." AR November 2, 1989, p 8.


     "...when we backslide from the church, we also backslide from God." AR June 2, 1988, p 9.

     But is this true?  Is the SDA church, or any church--even the true church--the city of refuge or the ark of safety for God's people today?  Who is the real "city of refuge" for the weary to find rest in?  And who is the real "ark of safety" in which we must find shelter from the storm and tempest soon to come?  Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour!

     Jesus is the city of refuge (PP 516-17, COL 158, SD 79); Jesus is the place for the weary to find rest in (Isaiah 28:12, SD 298, DA 328-32, 5T 410, 2T 562-63); Jesus--the truth--is the ark of safety (5T 279, Ev 397, MM 317, 2RH 102); and Jesus is the shelter from the storm and tempest soon to come (TM 182, GC 654)!  No church--including the true church--can be our city of refuge or our ark of safety!  We must be hid in Jesus and Him only, not in any group or any church!  Jesus is our only hope!

     This false catholic teaching of the church being the city of refuge or the ark of safety, is the reason why our people are told that if they drop their membership and leave the safety of the SDA church, they would be lost!  Why?  Because the SDA leaders and ministers have replaced Christ with themselves, replaced God with their church: and with these replacements, if you leave the church then you would believe that you have left God and Christ.  Hence you would believe that you are lost!

     This catholic teaching is so firmly entrenched in some SDA minds that even after they decide to physically leave the corrupt SDA church, they still retain their names on the corporate membership roll.  They still retain a foot in mother's door, still holding on to mother's apron string, still touching or remaining connected with the corrupt mother church just in case the corporate church, with all its listed members, did indeed make it to heaven in the end!

     But is this position acceptable in God's sight?  Does your name on the membership rolls of an apostate church of Babylon, who has rejected light from heaven, mean anything?

     "My [Ellen White's] brother continued to fail rapidly.  If he felt a cloud shutting Jesus from him, he would not rest until it was dispelled, and bright hope again cheered him.  To all who visited him, he conversed upon the goodness of God, and would often lift his emaciated finger, pointing upwards, while a heavenly light rested upon his countenance, and say, 'My treasure is laid up on high.'  It was a wonder to all that his life of suffering was thus protracted.  He had a hemorrhage of the lungs, and was thought to be dying.  Then an unfulfilled duty presented itself to him.  He had again connected himself with the Methodist church.  He was expelled in 1843 with the other members of the family, on account of his faith.  He said he could not die in peace until his name was taken from the church-book, and requested father to go immediately and have it taken off.

     "In the morning father visited the minister, stating my brother's request.  He said that he would visit him, and then if it was still his wish to be considered no longer a member of their church, his request should be granted.  Just before the minister arrived my brother had a second hemorrhage, and whispered his fears that he should not live to do this duty.  The minister visited him, and he immediately expressed his desire, and told him he could not die in peace until his name was taken from the church-book; that he should not have united with them again if he had been standing in the light....Soon after this my brother fell asleep in Jesus, in full hope of having a part in the first resurrection." Spiritual Gifts, Volume Two, p 163-64.


     There is nothing written in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy that is not for our contemplation and learning.  So this testimony has significance for us today!  Removing our names from the rolls of a church which has apostatized, rejected, and changed the truths of the Three Angels' Messages into falsehood, is called "an unfulfilled DUTY."  And this duty was carried out before Ellen White's brother had "full hope of having a part in the first resurrection"!  Hence, there is a duty to leave any church which had rejected these messages from heaven.  And especially is this the case with the Seventh-day Adventist church, because what other church has had, and rejected, greater light than the SDA church?

     What does God want His people to do with a church that has a form of godliness, but denies the power?  Does God want his people to remain touching, connected, retaining a foot in the door, or continuing to hold on to the apron strings of a corrupt apostate unclean church which has rejected the truths of the First, Second, and Third Angels' Messages?

     "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" 2 Timothy 3:5.


     "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" Ephesians 5:11.

     "Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord" Isaiah 52:11.

     "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  And what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial?  Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

     "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.


     One of the key words used here is "touch not."  Even if you have left an apostate harlot church, but have not removed your membership from the roll-books, your membership still connects you--or touches you--with that unclean church.  Hence you would be touching the unclean thing by retaining your membership!  You would be unclean by this touch, and considered a partaker with the harlot church in it's sins!

     When a priest of Israel, who was consecrated and made holy to minister before God, had come in contact with a dead body--even if it was but the slightest touch of the hem of his garments--his whole person was contaminated and declared unclean.  According to the God-given process of cleansing found in Numbers chapter 19, the unclean priest had to separate himself from the church and camp of Israel, and be cleansed twice--on the first day and on the last day.  This cleansing process involved running water being poured through the ashes of a red heifer which had been sacrificed.  If after being cleansed, the worker of God went back to the camp of Israel and touched the dead body again, he would become unclean and would have to go through the whole process once again of separation out of the camp in order to be cleansed.

     The sacrificed red heifer represents Christ--the Word of God.  The running water represents the purifying action of the Holy Spirit cleansing us through the Word of God.  And the dead body represents a spiritually dead church.  So by our connection to and membership in a spiritually dead church body, even if it is just the slightest touch, makes us unclean and unfit to minister or work for a holy God.  And the only God-given way in which we can become cleansed and accepted back to Him, is to separate ourselves completely from that unclean church, be cleansed twice by Christ's sacrifice and the purifying work of the Holy Spirit, and then not to reconnect ourselves with that dead unclean church.  We can warn others about where the unclean and dead church is, and what to do if they are touching it.  But if we want to serve and witness for a holy God, we dare not touch or reconnect ourselves to the church again.


     This same issue can be clearly seen when looking at a muddy pool of water.  While standing in a pool of muddy water, even if we move to its most shallowest edge, we are still contaminated by the mud.  We can use all the soap and pour all the clean and pure water over our heads, and yet we are not completely cleansed because our feet are still connected with the mud.  We may even manage to be clean and spotless everywhere else on our body, but by our feet being allowed to remain in the mud, we are not completely cleansed or fully spotless.  And we will never be completely cleansed and fully spotless until we break all our connection with the muddy pool, get out of the mud, and are cleansed with soap and pure water.  And in order to remain fully clean, we must not touch or reconnect ourselves with that unclean muddy pool again.  We can and must warn others about where the unclean and muddy pool is, and what to do if they are touching and thus contaminated by it.  But if we want to remain clean and spotless, we dare not touch or reconnect ourselves to it again.

     So even by the slightest touch or unity with the unclean, impure harlot church, we would ourselves become unclean!

     "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?  Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?" Proverbs 6:27-28.


     "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3.

     "We are exhorted, 'touch not the unclean.'  Those who associate with the impure, themselves become impure.  If we choose the society of the ungodly, we shall be affected by their ungodliness." 2RH 255 (Oct 23, 1888).

     "You are exhorted to touch not the unclean thing; for in touching this, you will yourself become unclean.  It is impossible for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure.  'What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  and what concord hath Christ with Belial?'  God and Christ and the heavenly host would have man know that if he unites with the corrupt, he will become corrupt." 6BC 1102 (4RH 137, January 2, 1900).

     By our willing choice to remain associated with, or by retaining our membership in, a corrupt apostate church, we are made partakers in the sins of the church--being made corporately responsible in all church's wickedness.  Thus we are one with this unclean woman, and we will receive the same punishment as our apostate harlot church does!

     "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?  Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot?  God forbid.  What?  Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body?  For two, saith He, shall be one flesh" 1 Corinthians 6:16.


     "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" Revelation 18:4.

     If we choose to remain connected with the apostate harlot babylonish SDA church--either by our presence or by our names on the church roll-books, then we choose to be a partaker in all the sins of the church, and thus we will receive the plagues right along with the church we love more than following the will of God.

     Jesus is not united with, or a part of, a harlot!  And the SDA church is a harlot!

     "In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed....Why is there so dim a perception of the true spiritual condition of the church?...The heavenly Teacher inquired: 'What stronger delusion can beguile the mind than the pretense that you are building on the right foundation and that God accepts your works, when in reality you are working out many things according to worldly policy and are sinning against Jehovah?...

     "I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness.  Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement beneath.  Then He said to me: 'Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character?  'How is the faithful city become a harlot!'  My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed." 8T 247-50.


     So Jesus is not united with, or a part of, the harlot SDA church!  And neither should we (John 12:26).  Neither is Christ united with, or a part of, Satan or his unclean spirit's messages coming from the SDA church!  But Jesus is separate and distinct from the SDA church and the satanic messages which they now have chosen to teach.  And He is beckoning with open waiting arms for His people to come away from all the corruption, all the apostasy, away from a church which rejects heaven's light and preaches satanic falsehoods, and to come into His loving arms outside.

     This loving and merciful message of separation is not just going to the SDA church, but to all the churches.  "All nations [denominations or churches--7BC 979] have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her [Babylon's] fornication" (Revelation 18:3).  They all, without exception, have fallen!

     Christ does not what to see His people--whom He has imprinted upon the palms of His hands, fall along with their harlot church.  So He is calling them to come completely away from the harlot churches, and join Him before the plagues fall.

     This separation struggle is not easy, but it is absolutely necessary for salvation and the saving of our souls!

     "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the Lord's vengeance...My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord" Jeremiah 51:6, 45.


     We cannot hold on to a corrupt church with one hand, and to Jesus with the other!  It is either the corrupt apostate harlot church, or the pure spotless and loving Saviour Jesus Christ.  No matter how hard this struggle is, no matter how many friends we lose, or how many sneers and verbal abuses we have to endure; is not Jesus worth it?  Any hardship that we endure, or the loss of anything or everything that we hold dear, is worth it--if we may be held in the loving strong and merciful arms of our Saviour!

     There is a heaven to win and a hell to shun.  And the SDA church leads to, and is going to, hell and not to heaven!

     "Of those who boast of their light, and yet fail to walk in it, Christ says, 'But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.  And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], with art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell...'

     "'And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the Lord, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by My name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.  And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim'" 3RH 69, August 1, 1893 [brackets in original].


     God does not want you to be brought down to hell along with the SDA church, but He cannot force you to leave the church either.  It is a free willing choice on our part either to leave and join Christ, or to stay in league with the Devil and his church.  Either we follow the commandments and sayings of God and gain eternal life, or we follow the commandments and sayings of men and are lost (Mark 7:6-7, Colossians 2:22).  Either we make God our trust and are blessed (Psalms 125:1-2), or we make flesh our arm and are cursed (Jeremiah 17:5).  Either we follow God's will in bearing the cross of separation "out of the camp" (Hebrews 13:12-13), or we follow our own will in walking "in the sparks" of our own kindling (Isaiah 50:11).

     Is your church more precious to you than Jesus?  The choice is now up to you.

     "If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15.


     "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

     "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it" Matthew 7:24-27.


     "Here and there an individual member of a family is true to the convictions of his conscience, and is compelled to stand alone in his family or in the church to which he belongs, and is finally compelled, because of the course of those with whom he associates, to separate himself from their companionship.  The line of demarkation is made distinct.  One stands upon the word of God, the others upon the traditions and sayings of men" 3RH 169, July 24, 1894.

By elder robert sessler

 

KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS OF E.G. WHITE WRITINGS

AA................................ Acts of the Apostles.

1-7BC........................... SDA Bible Commentary, vol 1-7.

CH................................ Counsels on Health.

COL.............................. Christ's Object Lessons.

CT................................ Counsels to Parents and Teachers.

DA................................ Desire of Ages.

Ed................................ Education.

Ev................................ Evangelism.

EW............................... Early Writings.

FCE.............................. Fundamentals of Christian Education.

FLB............................... Faith I Live By.

FW................................ Faith and Works.

GC................................ Great Controversy.

GW............................... Gospel Workers.

LHU.............................. Lift Him Up.

LS................................ Life Sketches of Ellen G. White.

MB................................ Mount of Blessings.

MH............................... Ministry of Healing.

MLT.............................. My Life Today.

MM............................... Medical Ministry.

MYP............................. Messages to Young People.

OHC............................. Our High Calling.

PK................................ Prophets and Kings.

PM................................ Publishing Ministry.

PP................................ Patriarch and Prophets.

1-6RH........................... Review and Herald Articles, vol 1-6.

SC................................ Steps to Christ.

SD................................ Sons and Daughters of God.

SL................................ Sanctified Life.

1-3SM.......................... Selected Messages, book 1-3.

1-4SOP........................ Spirit of Prophecy, vol 1-4.

ST................................ Signs of the Times Articles, vol 1-4.

1-9T.............................. Testimonies for the Church, vol 1-9.

TM................................ Testimonies to Ministers.



KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS OF NON- E.G. WHITE WRITINGS

AR................................ Adventist Review.

AS................................ Angry Saints.

2BEM........................... Churches Respond to BEM, vol 2.

CCYQ........................... Cornerstone Connections Youth Quarterly.

27 Doc......................... Seventh-day Adventist's Believe.

FTW............................. Faith That Works.

Mkd.................................Marked.

MOD............................. Movement of Destiny.

OOF............................. Obedience of Faith.

PUR............................. Pacific Union Recorder.

QOD............................. Questions on Doctrines.

ROE............................. The Return of Elijah.

SBF.............................. Salvation By Faith.

SOT.............................. Signs of the Times.

TKG.............................. To Know God.

VOP News................... Voice of Prophecy News Magazine.