An email
Hi H____,
Thank you for your reply. I also appreciate your teaching. Your insights are very good and it comes packaged with a real love of the truth and for the class. I sense a reverence from you and a yearning for the Bible that I don’t always get from G_____, although he is doing his best.
I suppose what brought on my statement was that the Lord’s last day movement has done no different from ancient Israel--that is, we have turned to the world for guidance and therefore have turned our backs on the Lord. It is really no different from the elders of Israel in the Holy place with their backs to the Ark and worshiping the sun. Satan was using the world’s practices to draw them away from their Savior and Lord.
The same is being done today. We’ve left the faith of our Advent forefathers, and we never accepted Righteousness by Faith. So, we are really no different from the Sunday churches. And the vast, vast majority of us are worshipping the same god the apostatized denominations are. I have voiced this to very few, because no one would understand. But I believe you have the true upbringing from your father and know what I mean, so I speak my mind. I’ve said this to some who I thought would understand but they thought I was being overly critical of the remnant church. Saying this doesn’t mean I don’t love God’s last day movement. Its concern that moves me to say these things.
How can the SDAs give the loud cry that Babylon is fallen, when they are relishing their captivity in Babylon? How many SDAs even know that the Loud Cry is our mission? I never hear of it from the pulpit; but I do often hear that we should being “coming to church”. Is that our mission? It makes me want to scream! I want to get out of this world, not stay here forever just going to church! It makes me very angry. It also makes me want to blush and cry and crumble all at the same time.
This is not to say that I’m ready for the Latter Rain. But how will anyone be ready for it if the people are ignorant of it or are kept ignorant by those who are responsible to keep it before them, so that the people keep it in the background of their regularly scheduled programs? I not only see a world Adventism woefully unprepared for what’s coming, but I don’t see them even thinking about it. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches fills their minds.
I know we must have nice programs to fill our days while we wait for Jesus’ coming. But should those programs be done to the disregard of judgment day? Did Ellen White and those faithful fathers do anything without the day of the Lord playing in the back of our minds? The shaking is right upon us, and how many will survive it? Do they even know its coming?
The Righteousness of Christ is the preparation for the day Jesus returns. Yet, it is not being put before the people in practical terms and in a helpful message so to help them overcome sin. This period of investigative judgment is to be a time of special purification from sin. This is the standard, the high standard. How are we doing? It seems like no one even knows a special purification is needed or expected of them. This is what got me upset with what C____ was talking about. There was no standard except for what everyone decides is right.
“Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.” (Deut. 12:8,9).
“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Ju. 21:25).
“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Ju. 17:6).
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Heb. 4:9-11).
This concept of resting in Christ’s righteousness is an idea that few even barely comprehend, much less experience; and many, many don’t even know it exists. Yet, it is our only hope for receiving the Latter Rain, which itself is our only salvation in the time of trouble such as never was.
And the Law of God facilitates our need of it. Nothing else can move the sinner sunken in sin like those whose feet are stuck in buckets of hardened concrete. Nothing like the mighty blistering condemnation of God will motivate the sinner to admit his condition and repent of it. Just ask Job.
“Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.” (Job. 40:4,5). And Peter, “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Lk. 5:8). And Isaiah, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” (Is. 6:5). And the prodigal son, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” (Lk. 15:21).
I didn’t hear this from C____. All I heard was moralistic humanism. I don’t blame C____; and I should have been more gentle to her, and because I was speaking to a group. C____ grew up in an era of Adventism when Righteousness by Faith had been lost since 1888. But, the urgency is that we have a message to give to the world. We have answers to heal their diseases and deadness. We are facing a steep learning curve, like never before. God is going to require of us to catch up with His time line. The crash course is going to be too much for too many. Many will leave because of the surge of spirituality that the Lord will require of us at that time.
The lack of reverence in the sanctuary is a symptom of this. We mentioned that the sanctuary became irreverent to support R___’s need for fellowship which R___ didn't receive during the week. But the days are coming when people are going to need Jesus and His presence, regardless of R___’s need for fellowship. Is the Lord holding off the Latter Rain because we aren’t ready in the way of Sabbath observance and reverencing His sanctuary? We know this is true. But for how much longer will He do it? And when He finally has waited long enough without any sign of change, will He tell Satan, “You have used My people long enough to stand in My way. Get thee behind Me!” And then there will be many offended because the strait testimony will sweep through and rebuke the prevailing sinfulness and carelessness.
They will know what it means that they have let Satan use them as pawns to impede the Lord’s gospel to the world. The strait testimony will be too much for them and they will bail out. Many of them don’t even care what the SOP has to say. Blinded! So blinded! Yet, the Lord has mercy for even them to the very end. But, let’s not think He won’t finally bring His mercy to an end! “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” (Lk. 11:52).
These are the thoughts that have spun around and around in my mind for so long. H____, thanks for hearing me out. Its a high standard, much higher than me. I have as much duty to catch up with as anyone. But that doesn’t change the standard. Soon, very soon, the Lord will have a people who are measuring themselves with the measure of Christ. And then He will come to receive them as His own. One last quote which you are probably familiar with:
Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.
Love in Christ,
David
Thank you for your reply. I also appreciate your teaching. Your insights are very good and it comes packaged with a real love of the truth and for the class. I sense a reverence from you and a yearning for the Bible that I don’t always get from G_____, although he is doing his best.
I suppose what brought on my statement was that the Lord’s last day movement has done no different from ancient Israel--that is, we have turned to the world for guidance and therefore have turned our backs on the Lord. It is really no different from the elders of Israel in the Holy place with their backs to the Ark and worshiping the sun. Satan was using the world’s practices to draw them away from their Savior and Lord.
The same is being done today. We’ve left the faith of our Advent forefathers, and we never accepted Righteousness by Faith. So, we are really no different from the Sunday churches. And the vast, vast majority of us are worshipping the same god the apostatized denominations are. I have voiced this to very few, because no one would understand. But I believe you have the true upbringing from your father and know what I mean, so I speak my mind. I’ve said this to some who I thought would understand but they thought I was being overly critical of the remnant church. Saying this doesn’t mean I don’t love God’s last day movement. Its concern that moves me to say these things.
How can the SDAs give the loud cry that Babylon is fallen, when they are relishing their captivity in Babylon? How many SDAs even know that the Loud Cry is our mission? I never hear of it from the pulpit; but I do often hear that we should being “coming to church”. Is that our mission? It makes me want to scream! I want to get out of this world, not stay here forever just going to church! It makes me very angry. It also makes me want to blush and cry and crumble all at the same time.
This is not to say that I’m ready for the Latter Rain. But how will anyone be ready for it if the people are ignorant of it or are kept ignorant by those who are responsible to keep it before them, so that the people keep it in the background of their regularly scheduled programs? I not only see a world Adventism woefully unprepared for what’s coming, but I don’t see them even thinking about it. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches fills their minds.
I know we must have nice programs to fill our days while we wait for Jesus’ coming. But should those programs be done to the disregard of judgment day? Did Ellen White and those faithful fathers do anything without the day of the Lord playing in the back of our minds? The shaking is right upon us, and how many will survive it? Do they even know its coming?
The Righteousness of Christ is the preparation for the day Jesus returns. Yet, it is not being put before the people in practical terms and in a helpful message so to help them overcome sin. This period of investigative judgment is to be a time of special purification from sin. This is the standard, the high standard. How are we doing? It seems like no one even knows a special purification is needed or expected of them. This is what got me upset with what C____ was talking about. There was no standard except for what everyone decides is right.
“Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.” (Deut. 12:8,9).
“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Ju. 21:25).
“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Ju. 17:6).
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Heb. 4:9-11).
This concept of resting in Christ’s righteousness is an idea that few even barely comprehend, much less experience; and many, many don’t even know it exists. Yet, it is our only hope for receiving the Latter Rain, which itself is our only salvation in the time of trouble such as never was.
And the Law of God facilitates our need of it. Nothing else can move the sinner sunken in sin like those whose feet are stuck in buckets of hardened concrete. Nothing like the mighty blistering condemnation of God will motivate the sinner to admit his condition and repent of it. Just ask Job.
“Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.” (Job. 40:4,5). And Peter, “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Lk. 5:8). And Isaiah, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” (Is. 6:5). And the prodigal son, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” (Lk. 15:21).
I didn’t hear this from C____. All I heard was moralistic humanism. I don’t blame C____; and I should have been more gentle to her, and because I was speaking to a group. C____ grew up in an era of Adventism when Righteousness by Faith had been lost since 1888. But, the urgency is that we have a message to give to the world. We have answers to heal their diseases and deadness. We are facing a steep learning curve, like never before. God is going to require of us to catch up with His time line. The crash course is going to be too much for too many. Many will leave because of the surge of spirituality that the Lord will require of us at that time.
The lack of reverence in the sanctuary is a symptom of this. We mentioned that the sanctuary became irreverent to support R___’s need for fellowship which R___ didn't receive during the week. But the days are coming when people are going to need Jesus and His presence, regardless of R___’s need for fellowship. Is the Lord holding off the Latter Rain because we aren’t ready in the way of Sabbath observance and reverencing His sanctuary? We know this is true. But for how much longer will He do it? And when He finally has waited long enough without any sign of change, will He tell Satan, “You have used My people long enough to stand in My way. Get thee behind Me!” And then there will be many offended because the strait testimony will sweep through and rebuke the prevailing sinfulness and carelessness.
They will know what it means that they have let Satan use them as pawns to impede the Lord’s gospel to the world. The strait testimony will be too much for them and they will bail out. Many of them don’t even care what the SOP has to say. Blinded! So blinded! Yet, the Lord has mercy for even them to the very end. But, let’s not think He won’t finally bring His mercy to an end! “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” (Lk. 11:52).
These are the thoughts that have spun around and around in my mind for so long. H____, thanks for hearing me out. Its a high standard, much higher than me. I have as much duty to catch up with as anyone. But that doesn’t change the standard. Soon, very soon, the Lord will have a people who are measuring themselves with the measure of Christ. And then He will come to receive them as His own. One last quote which you are probably familiar with:
Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69.
Love in Christ,
David
posted by David | 12:08 PM
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