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Preparing for the Sunday Law

Sunday July 1st, 2001

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Let us begin with the words of Christ found in Matthew 7:24 – 27, “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.”

Please note how this passage of scripture begins with the word “therefore.” This infers that the following four verses are the conclusion of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount in which He foretold of coming events. I quote, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:10 – 12.

This is why Christ ends this sermon with a two-fold parable. He is appealing to the individual who heareth because he who listens sufficiently to grasp the message has sufficient light to act and become responsible before God. It is dangerous to hear the truth and then not to translate such into action. The sons of God who follow the leading of the Spirit will discover that obedience transforms the words of Christ into personal character. Thus the words of Christ, “I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house (that is his character) upon a rock (which is the Lord Jesus Christ),” and he will discover that his mind will remain steadfast when the Sunday Law is enforced. Such individuals have dug deeply upon the solid rock for a firm foundation. Let the winds of temptation and trial burst upon them for they will remain faithful. Praise God, their house will not fail.

Will you join me now as we pray for guidance. Dear Heavenly Father, we are going to study how to prepare for the coming Sunday Law. Please enlighten our eyes with the Holy Spirit that we may understand how to prepare for this final test. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

First of importance, we need to take a look at the close call for Sunday legislation. On July 7, 1998 at the Vatican City there was released the pope’s one hundred page apostolic letter entitled “Dies Domini” – “The Day of the Lord.” This is the pope’s call for Sunday observance and legislation. How has the world reacted to the pope’s call for Sunday observance and legislation? – Let me give you an example. The Washington Post contained an article on Wednesday, July 8, 1998 (p. A-20) which summarized the pope’s apostolic letter. This article says that the pope strongly underlines the importance to observe Sabbath. He used the word “Sabbath” for “Sunday.” The pope said, “Holiness of the Lord’s Day must be protected at all costs.” He described the Sabbath as, “a day of joy, rest and solidarity.” The Sabbath, he said, “should be a day for worship and a day for the family.” The pope’s apostolic letter comprises five chapters, which set forth his conviction of the importance of the obligation of Sunday observance and the need for legislation to facilitate Sunday worship now.

Let’s look for more of these details at how the pope did this in his apostolic letter.

1. First, the legislation passed by Constantine is favorably commented on. Sunday observance was not enforced prior to the civil legislation passed by the Roman emperor Constantine in AD 321. Prior to this edict Christians would, in many cases, attend an early morning worship service and then spend the rest of Sunday working at their various occupations. Therefore the Sunday Law, which was legislated by Constantine, was not “a mere historical circumstance of no special significance for the church.” (p. 72). But in the pope’s opinion it was a providential protection that made it possible for Christians to observe Sunday without hindrance. (p. 72). For the pope the same legislation is to be applied today.

2. The pope mentions the church’s role in making sure there was civil legislation guaranteeing Sunday rest after the fall of the Roman Empire. “Even after the fall of the Roman Empire, the councils did not cease to insist upon arrangements (that’s civil legislation) regarding Sunday rest.” (p. 72).

3. (Listen carefully) The pope expresses his belief in the need for civil legislation to guarantee Sunday rest by directly mentioning that the church made laws to govern Sunday, which were to be enforced by the state. Concerning the church making such laws I quote, “Through the centuries she (the Roman Catholic Church) has made laws concerning Sunday rest.” (p. 73).

4. The pope concludes, “Therefore, also in the particular circumstance of our time Christians will naturally strive to ensure that civil legislation respects their duty to keep Sunday holy.” (p. 75).

From this we can clearly see that the pope is calling for Sunday legislation now. The important thing to understand is that the Sunday issue is taking place in three stages: First, by agitation; second by legislation; and to be followed by the third step, enforcement. Since Pope John Paul is recognized by the world as the spiritual leader of this planet this apostolic letter strongly agitates for Sunday legislation now.

What does the Spirit of Prophecy tell us about such legislation? “The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama.” Christian Service p. 50. Therefore it is possible that the National Sunday Law in America could be issued at any time now. “America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the Papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6, p. 18.

Inspiration continues, “And all who prove their loyalty by obedience to the law of Jehovah must be prepared to be arrested, to be brought before councils that have not for their standard the high and holy law of God.” Maranatha p. 195. From this we can see that we must not have the smallest doubts about the fundamental pillars of our faith. And most important we must personally experience true justification by faith (that’s the New Birth) which will give us a living, loving relationship and a friendship with Jesus our Savior and Lord. Without Him, when the storm comes, we will be blown away like leaves in autumn.

We must not be discouraged for we know that God is love and He is full of mercy. He wants us all to be with Him for eternity. If we commit our souls to Him and cooperate with Him He will prepare us for the Sunday Law and sustain us. Why has God revealed this time of trouble to come? – Let the Spirit of Prophecy answer, “God has revealed what is to take place in the last days that His people may be prepared to stand against the tempest of opposition and wrath.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 452. “Those who delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent time. The case of all such is helpless.” Great Controversy p. 620.

Through His prophet, Ellen White, God warns us, “I saw that the remnant were not prepared for what is coming upon the earth. Stupidity, like lethargy, seemed to hang upon the minds of most of those who profess to believe that we are having the last message. My accompanying angel cried out with awful solemnity, ‘Get ready! get ready! get ready! for the fierce anger of the Lord is soon to come. His wrath is to be poured out, unmixed with mercy, and ye are not ready.’” Early Writings p. 119.

Romans 13:11 also contains an urgent message for you and me today which says, “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep.” This can only mean that we should arouse from our lukewarm condition. But when? – the Scriptures says, “Now.” Why? – Because we need to be ready for the last act in the drama.

If I should ask you, “Who believes that the end is near?” I am sure that every one of you would raise your hand. But this is the problem – we have always believed that the end is near. But now, when we live in the very end of the last and final generation the “end” in reality is not near, it is here now. If the pioneers of the Advent Movement, with Ellen White, were to be resurrected today and they could see the last end-time prophecies fulfilling before their very eyes they would shout, “Adventist people, wake up! The Lord is coming.”

Inspiration tells us, “If you are right with God today, you are ready if Christ should come today.” Heavenly Places p. 227. So we must remain right with God every day and in every moment of our lives or we won’t be ready for the Sunday Laws and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Procrastination is not only the thief of time but also the thief of eternity.

But some may ask, “How can I be right with God all the time?” In the book Testimonies for the Church, Volume 4, p. 84 we are given this very wise counsel, “God would have His servants become acquainted with the moral machinery of their own hearts.” We need to consider what is the meaning of the word “heart.” In a spiritual sense it is our mind. Let us now consider how this moral machinery of our own heart functions and works. If we can understand this then we will come to know our own spiritual condition – if we are right with God today.

The seed of sin is in what the Bible calls the “heart” or the “mind.” God tells us, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23. Christ reveals that it is the person’s thoughts that defile for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” Matthew 15:19. It is by the heart that the entire person, the intellect, the will, the affections, emotions and the body is influenced. Because “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Jeremiah 17:9.

Our human nature can be described as corrupt, depraved and thoroughly sinful, so we can see that the control center of sin is in the human mind. Now the question: “What is God’s divine plan to change our sinful hearts?” The Spirit of Prophecy says, “It was Christ’s mission to bring to man complete restoration.” Ministry of Healing p. 17. Putting this in simple words, Christ came to restore what sin had marred. How can this restoration take place in my life? – In Bible Commentary, Volume 7, p. 926 the Spirit of Prophecy answers, “Jesus came to earth that He might restore to man the original mind which he lost in Eden.”

Here are a few statements from the Spirit of Prophecy that tell us about the original mind that was lost in Eden after the fall into sin:

1. “The heaven-entrusted faculties of the mind are to be treated as the higher powers, to rule the kingdom of the body. The natural appetites and passions are to be brought under the control of the conscience.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 63.

2. Before Adam’s fall, man’s “appetites and passions were under the control of reason.” Patriarchs and Prophets p. 45.

3. “The body is to be brought into subjection. The higher power of the being are to rule. The passions are to be controlled by the will, which is itself to be under the control of God.” Ministry of Healing p. 130.

From these statements we see that when God created man He gave him the higher powers of reason, will and the conscience to control the lower powers of appetite, desire and passions. All is to be under the control of the Holy Spirit, who from the very beginning dwelt in Adam and Eve. The Spirit of Prophecy says, “From eternal ages it was God’s purpose that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man, should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator.” Desire of Ages p. 161. This is why Adam and Eve had spiritual minds before they sinned. In the human nature before the fall the spiritual mind of reason, the will and the conscience were the higher powers of the brain or “heart” and they controlled the lower powers of appetite, desire and passion.

Please see the chart that accompanies this sermon. This was the original mind that man lost in Eden. The higher powers consisting of reason, will and conscience function in the frontal lobe of the brain. Functions of the lower powers such as the appetite, desires and passions are located in the back lobe called the limbic system. Both the higher powers and the lower powers are directly connected to all parts of the body by an intricate chemical and electrical system. All parts minister to the needs of all the other parts and each responds to impulses from all the others.

Now the question: “What change took place as a result of Adam’s sin?” – Just the reverse. The human nature after the fall was governed by the carnal or the lower power of the mind in which appetite, desires and passions now controlled the reason, the will and the conscience. Now you can understand the change that took place. Before the fall into sin, Adam and Eve had a spiritual mind, but after the fall they had a carnal mind. So what’s the solution to this problem? – It’s not simple to stop sinning or to stop doing sinful acts because our sinful acts are only a symptom of the problem for it is the nature of the carnal mind to sin.

How can we then resolve the matter of sin in our lives? – Let’s see how the Apostle Paul discovered the answer. I am reading from Romans 7, “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. …For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. …O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” It is here that Paul, through the Holy Spirit discovered the problem for Romans 7:14 says, “I am carnal, sold under sin.” Who sold him under sin? – It was Adam by his personal decision to obey Satan rather than God.

From this you can see with Paul that the real sin problem in our sinful, carnal mind condition was brought about by the fall of Adam. It is this condition of our minds that underlies all our sinning. It is well to keep in mind that we are not personally guilty for Adam’s sin, yet we are still very much affected by the results of that transgression. Every child of Adam that is born into the world, except Jesus, is born with a selfish human nature.

Then in what way was Jesus different? – Christ “was to take His position at the head of humanity by taking the nature, but not the sinfulness, of man.” Signs of the Times May 29, 1901. This is why we read, “In him was no guile or sinfulness; he was ever pure and undefiled; yet he took upon him our sinful nature.” Review and Herald December 15, 1896. From this we can see that sinful nature, or sinful flesh, which Christ and we inherited does not constitute sin. But the sinfulness of the carnal mind that Jesus didn’t take we inherited from Adam and this is what causes us to sin. This is the real problem of humanity.

As I mentioned before, the seed of sin is in what the Bible calls the “heart” which we know as the mind. “From the heart springs the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23. Christ reveals that it’s the person’s thoughts that defile. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” Matthew 15:19.

Beloved, I have some good news. A person who has experienced justification (or the New Birth) does not have the sinfulness of a selfish, carnal mind, because he has the mind of Christ – the spiritual mind. However, he still has sinful flesh as did Jesus. The majority of people today think and concentrate only on avoiding acts of sin and forget the source from which sinful acts emerge. They do nothing about their sinful, carnal mind condition. This is why they continue sinning and confessing, sinning and confessing. If we stay in this condition we will be “justly condemned by the holy God.” Review and Herald September 17, 1895.

But, praise the Lord, in Romans 8:1 it says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after (according to) the flesh, but after (according to) the Spirit.” This means that those who are “in Christ” do not walk according to the carnal mind but according to the spiritual mind.

How can I be delivered from the dominion of sin of the carnal mind and instead be “in Christ” and walk according to the spiritual mind? Is it possible for man to deliver himself from this carnal dominion and be “in Christ”? The messenger of the Lord says, “It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. ‘Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing? Not one.’ Job 14:4. ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but there they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart….

“It is not enough to perceive the…wisdom and the justice of His law, to see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love. Paul the apostle saw all this when he exclaimed, ‘I consent unto the law that it is good.’ ‘The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.’ But he added in the bitterness of his soul anguish and despair, ‘I am carnal, sold under sin.’ Romans 7:16, 12, 14. He longed for the purity, the righteousness, to which in himself he was powerless to attain and cried out, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?’ Romans 7:24. (Now comes the answer that we have been looking for…) Such is the cry that has gone up from burdened hearts in all lands and in all ages. To all there is but one answer, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 1:29.” Steps to Christ p. 18, 19. We should praise God for only Jesus can reverse and transform our hearts so that the spiritual mind of reason, the will and the conscience takes their rightful place as the higher powers. Look once more at that illustration that accompanies this sermon.

Oh what a Savior! Jesus made this possible on Calvary’s cross and the only way we can obtain this change of heart is to come to Christ. Do I hear someone ask, “How do we come to Jesus?” We have the answer from the Lord Himself, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. This means come to Christ just as you are – with all your sins, with all your worry. Come in your lost condition with your sinful, carnal mind; yes, in the condition where your lower powers are dominating your higher powers. Jesus wants us to come to Him just as we are. We are to come with an entire surrender, having faith in Him and in His sacrifice.

The Spirit of Prophecy says, “As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus.” Christ Object Lessons p. 163. Oh what a wonderful God we have! What a wonderful plan of salvation!

“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. These two acts of forgiveness and cleansing are tied together and can never be separated. The holy scripture says, “A new heart also will I give you, (that’s the original mind before the fall) and a new spirit (the spiritual mind) will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart (the carnal mind) out of your flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26.

“To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives.” Sons and Daughters of God p. 100. “When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.” Desire of Ages p. 324. So, when Jesus dwells in our hearts (our minds) with His righteousness, then he produces righteousness which will be revealed in a character filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22, 23).

Now we know how to be born again and justified by faith. This makes it possible to receive the Holy Spirit in the Early Rain. The Early Rain of the Holy Spirit will prepare us for the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Latter Rain to give the Loud Cry through which we will be able to finish the work, ready for the coming Sunday Law. Ready for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Would you like to recommit your life to God today, asking Christ to give you a spiritual mind in which He rules your life? If so, please join me in earnest prayer. Oh Loving Father, please change our carnal minds by Thy creative power that our minds may become spiritual with divine power controlling our reason, our will and our conscience. We want to be ready now and every moment to come. For this we ask in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

A New World Religion

Thursday March 1st, 2001

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

This study begins with an undeniable fact, that the vast majority of Seventh-day Adventists are fast asleep which also includes the leadership. The Spirit of Prophecy paints a picture in words to clear to be misunderstood. “If all that appears to be divine life were such in reality, if all who profess to present the truth to the world were preaching for the truth and not against it, and if they were men of God guided by His Spirit, – then might we see something cheering amid the prevailing moral darkness. But the spirit of the antichrist is prevailing to such an extent as never before. Well may we exclaim: ‘Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.’ I know that many think far too favorably of the present time. These ease-loving souls will be engulfed in the general ruin….The days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 79,80.

Now the question; what is the spirit of antichrist that is prevailing within our church as never before? Before we seek for an answer let us pray for divine guidance. Oh, loving Father, may Thy Holy Spirit awaken us from this satanic stupor that has enveloped both the ministry and the laity; that we may become aroused to discern the working of the antichrist among us, and become spiritually alert to realize that it is now or never that we must be ready to meet the final crisis. This we ask in the name of Thy dear Son, Jesus, Amen.

In our last tape we discovered that the antichrist has completely dominated the development of the One World Order so that the United Nations is now prepared to launch its new-world government including a new-world religion which is being developed by the demons of spiritualism. The new religion is being promoted through an environmental approach which is leading to Baal, Sunday worship – the mark of the beast.

The predictions of Revelation 13 are being enacted before our very eyes as 149 countries of this world, including the United States, have signed and given their country’s sovereignty to the UN at a recent summit meeting at the United Nations September 2000. As prophecy stated the United States would cause the people on earth to worship the beast, so President Clinton hosted this meeting in which these nations signed to obey. Thus the UN is now ready to completely restructure the world economy and political systems with a global taxation and an international army to enforce, by law, over population, the redistribution of the world’s wealth, and a new-world religion which the Bible declares will enforce the mark of the beast.

As in the previous tape, I will give only the page number for facts that I have gleaned from the book entitled, The New World Religion which was printed by Hope International Publishers, P.O. Box 899, Nobelville, IN 46061. It may surprise you to learn that Mikhail Gorbachev has become the Leninist of the New Age teachings. He is seeking to replace Christianity with a new religion of humanism which is the central teaching of communism with pantheism based on Eastern religions. (p. 142).

In order to promote this, Gorbachev has developed an environmental appeal known as a Magna Carta for Earth; a so-called ten commandments to rule humanity. Already the United Nations has 300 environmental treaties such as climate change, ozone-depleting substances, decertification, endangered species, wetlands and world heritage sites. (p. 143).

During the summit of world leaders, on September 6, 2000 a bill of rights for our planet was adopted. Al Gore has been Gorbachev’s right-hand man in getting this charter adopted. (p 144). Al Gore led the US delegates in the 1992 environmental Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In his book, Earth in the Balance , he writes that he would use every means, “embarking on an all-out effort to use every policy and program, every treaty and alliance, every tactic and strategy, every plan and course of action; to use, in short, every means to halt the destruction of the environment and to preserve and nurture our ecological system.” (p. 146).

Please be aware of where all this is leading. I quote from the United Nations Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali, “I should like to conclude by saying that the spirit of Rio must create a new form of good citizenship. After loving his neighbor as the Bible has required him to, post-Rio man must also love the world including the flowers, the birds in the trees, every part of that natural environment that we are constantly destroying. To the ancients, the Nile was a god to be venerated, as was the Rhine, an infinite source of European myths or the Amazon forest, the mother of forests. Throughout the world, nature was the abode of the divinities that gave the forest, the desert or the mountains, a personality which commanded worship.” Did you hear that!? “The earth has a soul; to find that soul again, to give it a new life, that is the essence of Rio.” (p. 147).

Now dear friend, why am I giving such detail? Because it was at this Earth Summit that it was purposed that all peoples should honor an environmental Sunday rest-day. Anyone can see where this is leading – to the mark of the beast. No wonder the papacy gave its full support. Keep in mind, throughout history, whenever man chose to worship himself or the pagan deities of nature in place of God, the consequences were severe. Humanity came under the control of false belief systems and those enforcing them. Pantheism, with its earth or gaia worship, has inevitably had the effect of enslaving man. Whether it was the version presented by the pharaohs of Egypt, the Brahmans of India, or the Caesars of Rome, the result of earth-centered religion has always been the same – the enslavement of man under a ruthless, occultic system.

Unfortunately, most leaders of today’s environmental movement hold a similar and equally militant world view. According to this view, those who believe in a personal Creator, refusing to make creation their god, are a threat to nature and must be eliminated. (p. 156, 157).

The Earth Charter, prepared by Gorbachev, with its supporting programs is now ready to be implemented. Notice what will be the result. Sovereign nations will no longer exist, at least not in the traditional sense. Private property and the ability to choose what to do with your land would be severely limited. The right to decide your child’s schooling, or what you child is taught, even at home, would be restricted.

This state control would also extend into the realm of personal beliefs. Christianity, saying that Jesus Christ is the only way of reconciliation with God, would not likely be tolerated; in fact, it might be made a crime. Why is humanity falling for this deception? The answer is simple. The majority of people have rejected the truth of God for a lie; seeking to liberate themselves from a moral God and His holy commandments.

Most of the earth’s inhabitants have embraced humanism or pantheism as their world view. These two belief systems are really quite similar; both reject the reality of a personal God inevitably resulting in the direct or indirect worship of man or nature. (p 156). Nature worship, the elevation of nature (that’s talking about the creation above God, the Creator) is nothing new; in fact it was prevalent among the Lucifer-inspired mystery religions of the Old Testament era. (p. 156).

What does God say about this? The Bible explains in Romans 1:21-25, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” How clear God has stated this fact!

Now for a moment let us see how all of these New World Order plans are forging toward a new religion. Alice Bailey, the spiritualist medium who has for years guided the development of the UN has written, “The three main channels through which the preparation for the New Age is going on might be regarded as the church, the Masonic fraternity and the educational field.” (p. 161).

We have clearly seen how the papal church and the occult Masonic organization of the new age have guided the UN to its present acceptance by all the world leaders; but don’t overlook what has happened in the educational field. Robert Muller has spent 40 years to educate the youth to accept the New World Order. Muller grew up in a Catholic home and has stated that his Catholic upbringing has prepared him to accept the New Age view that he now holds. (p. 200). In the last twelve years he was able to introduce “Goals 2000” into the educational system of America through the Bush and Clinton administrations down to the very state and local level. The curriculum introduced was heavily influenced by Alice Bailey. (p. 180).

No doubt you have seen, as I have, in our public school the idea that mother earth is to be exalted and even worshiped. I never cease to be amazed by the artwork of students displayed in public places on Mother Earth’s Day. Muller’s curriculum teaches the youth the concept of interfaithism. When this is believed by the youth the source is recognized as beyond any scriptural authority. (p. 183).

This underlying doctrine of interfaithism is a complete violation of God’s Word. The Bible reveals that it is impossible to accept the beliefs of other religions and simultaneously accept all the teachings of Jesus Christ. Why? – Because other religions deny the fact that Jesus is the only way of salvation. In so doing, they minimize the atoning death and resurrection of Christ, falsely teaching that there are other paths to immortality when in truth there are none. Acts 4:12 in the NIV proclaims, “Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to man by which we must be saved.” Jesus stated in no uncertain terms, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 NIV. Clearly the Robert Muller School is not based on Christianity; it is pantheistic. (p. 183).

A growing number of top educators have embraced this New Age. (p. 188). The youth are being taught that all religions are valid and are merely pathways to God. (p. 199). It is the aim of educational planners that such unity of religion will exist so that all existing religions can be molded into one synthetic whole. (p. 199).

This is Muller’s view that Catholicism and pantheistic religions of the east have the same spiritual roots as taught by the Jesuit, Teillard de Chardin. (p. 201). In his book The New Genesis , Muller writes, “If Christ came back to earth His first visit would be to the United Nations to see if His dream of human one-ness and brotherhood have come true. He would be happy to see representatives of all nations, North and South, East and West, rich and poor, believers and non-believers, young and old, Philistines and Samaritans, trying to find answers to the perennial question of human destiny and fulfillment.” (p. 203).

Thus we can plainly see the prophecy of God fulfilling as the coming antichrist will control the UN. In Muller’s book The New Genesis he calls for “the UN-based world government and a new world religion is the only answer to mankind’s problems.” Through it all Muller maintains his status as a Catholic Christian. He finally comes full circle by linking the UN’s mission to Catholicism; and John Paul II agrees. “Pope John Paul II said that we (speaking of the UN) were the stonecutters and the artisans of a cathedral.” (p. 204).

In another book My Testament to the UN , Muller favorably quotes a Hindu priest, regarding the UN’s ultimate destiny. “No human force will ever be able to destroy the United Nations, for the United Nations is not a mere building or a mere idea; it is not a manmade creation. The United Nations is the vision light of the Absolute Supreme, which is slowly, steadily, and unerringly illuminating the ignorance, the night of our human lives. The divine success and supreme progress of the United Nations is bound to become a reality. At his choice hour the Absolute Supreme will ring his own victory bell here on earth through the loving and serving heart of the United Nations.” (p. 205).

The truth of the matter is, the United Nations is not a conception of God rather, its spiritual activities are an abomination to Him. The UN and its occult-inspired cooperatives will experience the same judgment from the Lord reserved for all ungodly individuals and institutions. It is Jesus Christ who will ring the victory bell upon His return as 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 reads; and it will not be rung through the United Nations. (p. 203).

We must not overlook how the World Council of Churches has been funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. The ecumenical movement is now an integral part of the coming one-world government. (p. 206). The Seventh-day Adventist church has taken a very active part in this World Council of Churches in providing committee leadership and secretaries. But worst of all, our leadership has encouraged Seventh-day Adventist churches to participate in ecumenical activities at the lower level, even promising the papal and Protestant leaders that we will not openly preach a message that would call for the diversion in the ranks of ecumenism. Unbelievable! God help us!

Neither should we overlook what took place in the Second Vatican Council when it urged the Ecumenical movement to accept Interfaithism. I quote, “All Christians to act positively to preserve and even promote all that is good in other religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and other world religions. To carry out this interfaith directive the Vatican Council established the Secretariat for non-Christians which would eventually be renamed the Secretariat for World Religions.”

Years later, Pope John Paul II would take the Council’s initiative a step further by holding an actual interfaith summit in Assisi, Italy. This 1986 gathering, consisting of leaders from the world’s major religions, and initiated by the pope himself, would represent a visible transition from the traditional Ecumenism to the new Interfaithism. (p. 208).

In 1993 the Parliament of World Religions held from August 28 – September 5 held a nine-day session. Robert Muller delivered the keynote address. The highlight of this meeting was the awarding of the Templeton Prize for progress in religion. A gift of $1.2 million ecumenical award was given to Prison Fellowship director, Charles Colson. Other well-known Christian leaders have also received this award such as Billy Graham in 1982, and Bill Bright in 1996. (p. 211).

Perhaps we should discuss the unholy alliance when the United Nations contacted Bishop Swing of the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco to unify the world religions with the headquarters in the Presidio in San Francisco to work with Gorbachev’s Foundation which is also located there. Since then, Bishop Swing has visited most all worldwide religious headquarters throughout the world together with ambassadors, writers, politicians and Supreme Court Justices. (p. 219). It is reported he has been warmly received. One must not forget how the Vatican has formed a partnership with the UN by training all its future diplomats at its Catholic Seton Hall University. (p. 239).

Cooperation is so mutual that the UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, has stated, “There are two popes on this planet – a spiritual pope in Rome and a civilian pope in New York, namely the Secretary-General of the UN.” (p. 239).

There can be no doubt the UN is serving as the political instrument of the Vatican. Also keep in mind John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev are working closely together since they are credited with bringing an end to the Cold War. “Gorbachev’s relationship to the Pope was made evident during his first meeting in Rome on December 1, 1989. At that time, Gorbachev knelt at the pope’s feet and asked pardon for all the crimes he had committed in his life. During that historic meeting Pope John Paul II invited the Russian leader to join him in ending global confrontation and building universal solidarity. They have been in close contact ever since.” (p. 238).

I now quote from p. 243-244 the author’s conclusion. “The growing involvement of the Vatican and its allies in politics and religion reminds one of Alice Bailey’s predictions that the New World Order would be ushered in with the help of a universally accepted church. Bailey explains that the New Age would rest upon the foundations of a newly interpreted and enlightened Christianity being universal in nature. The occult prophetess also stated that there were no major distinctions between the one universal church of Catholicism, and the sacred inner lodge of all true Masons, and the innermost circles of esoteric societies.

“She indicated that they would all be working together through a global governing body to achieve their goal. While it is helpful to understand the plans of occult leaders so that we do not succumb to their deception, we must turn to the final authority – God’s Word – to know exactly what will take place. The Bible prophecies that the antichrist and his accomplice, the false prophet, will through deception and flattery bring the world’s religions and nations together, uniting them under a new spiritual, political order. Revelation 13, Daniel 7:11.

“According to the scripture, the antichrist, and his close ally, will be in direct contact with the demonic realm having Satan’s complete power at their disposal. ‘They will be able to perform great and miraculous signs even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.’ Revelation 13:13 NIV. Together they will lead mankind in an all out rebellion against God. Through this endeavor the antichrist, representing Satan on earth, will succeed in gaining the worship of most of the earth’s inhabitants.”

Now this is exactly what God said in Revelation 13:4-8, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? … And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Seeing the daily fulfillment of this prophecy thrills me through and through, for soon Jesus will arise in the heavens above to come as King of kings to destroy both the beast and the dragon in hell fire. I feel like saying, “Praise God!” But what saddens my heart is that God’s church leadership of today is following in the steps of God’s church during Christ’s first advent. Back then, through apostasy, the church leaders sold out to pagan Rome, and today, our leadership has revealed by its actions that they are leading the church to papal Rome.

Now I hear someone say, Brother Nelson, how can you make such a statement? Well just listen to the following undisputed facts:

1. It all began when the General Conference authorized Bert Beech to present a gold medal to the pope in 1977.

2. When Celebration was suggested by the Vatican Council II the General Conference immediately began to promote Celebration in its meetings and encourage the members to participate.

3. The World Council of Churches requested all churches to unite in an ecumenical brotherhood. Immediately our leaders began to promote this movement, knowing full well that eventually it would lead to worldwide Sunday worship.

4. The General Conference has promoted the NIV – The New International Version – translation of the Bible knowing that it is based on the corrupted manuscripts promoted by papal Rome.

5. Former President, Neil Wilson, revealed how our church leadership has rejected the teachings of the Great Controversy when he filed a brief with the courts regarding the Pacific Press when it was located in Mountain View, California. This brief stated that what we used to preach regarding the beast and the papacy was now confined to the trash heap.

6. The display of the Vatican flag during the past two General Conference Sessions when it is an undisputed fact that we will never have a Seventh-day Adventist church or a member within the Vatican.

7. The introduction of a high-ranking officer of the United Nations to the GC Toronto 2000 assembly with remarks intended to praise the United Nations for what it stands for.

8. The church leadership has refused to take a concerted stand to uphold the Spirit of Prophecy which reveals that apostasy will become so bad that Sunday worship will be preached by some of our ministers. Review and Herald, March 18, 1884 tells us, “The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to what was pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week.”

9. And I’m sad to say that this is coming upon us quicker than we think. I just received the Confessions of a Nomad , a devotional guide put out by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It was published in 1998 by the Pacific Press Publishing Association. Let me read just a paragraph or two regarding the title “Holy Day or Holiday – Commandment 4”. “Society has gotten caught up in a seven-day, twenty-four-hour-a-day week. Some of you work in a business where you have no control over what you do on Sunday. Some of you are managers of businesses with policies set by someone else in a distant city and you are caught. You can’t get out of it and you don’t know what to do but you know it is wrong and it violates everything you are. Thoreau said if you want to destroy the Christian faith, first take away Sunday. He was right. It is a holy day for those who know Jesus Christ as Savior; it cannot be a holiday. For those of you who have gathered around the cross and have been saved and washed clean by His blood it is a sacrilege to do anything else on that day except to celebrate what God has done. If we abuse Sunday, we are going to destroy something beautiful which God has given. No Sunday means no church. No church means no worship. No worship means no religion. No religion means no morality. No morality means no society. No society means no government. No government means anarchy. That’s the choice before us.” What a statement printed by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by the Pacific Press!

10. By idly standing by permitting new theology to be preached, disregarding the sanctuary message – a pillar of our pioneer faith.

11. In Toronto 2000 session we were told that we should no longer give any doctrinal book or any other books to people in an effort to interest them in our belief. Can you imagine? In other words, stop preaching the Three Angels’ Messages. Sounds unbelievable but its an undisputed fact.

In summary, the following was personally gleaned from the World Radio Missions Special Report #5 October 2000: “‘Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. God’s people should be preparing for what is to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.’ Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 28. The papal pent-up fury of two centuries against the United States will be soon unleashed. Every provision for this is now being laid. ‘It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal.’ Great Controversy p. 622. ‘When they should say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

“A study of Rome’s history reveals that she works under cover to prepare all things to her purpose. Everything appears to be going well, even better than usual, and then suddenly she strikes without warning with breathtaking speed, with every avenue of escape cut off. This is what happened at the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre and at the 1641 massacre of Protestants in Northern Ireland where an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Protestants were killed.

“Ellen White states, ‘If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past.’ Great Controversy p. 573,574. ‘Those who delay in preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the day of trouble or in any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless.’ Great Controversy p. 620.”

Let these inspired words be ever present in your mind. In this study we have seen the plans of the antichrist for the woman to ride the beast. It must be remembered that the devil uses the state to persecute. It is when the woman rides the beast, in church – state union, that persecution breaks out. This is why we have studied in detail the development of the UN which is nothing but the tool of the papacy to prepare for the coming of the antichrist.

When the deadly wound of 1798 is fully healed the beast power, the papacy, will emerge to rule the world just before the Second Coming of Jesus. It will roar back to power ascending out of the bottomless pit. “The beast which thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Revelation 17:8. “Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” Revelation 17:1.

The beast of Revelation 17:8 is the church-state union of the papacy riding the state. Let us read again, “The beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Note the word “was.” It refers to the papal world rule of 1260 years ending in 1798 AD The words “is not” refers to the date when the deadly wound separated the church from the state power and continues till the wound heals. The words “ascended out of the bottomless pit” refer to a resurgent papal power at the end time until it goes into perdition. It also refers to an atheistic power, akin to communism. See Great Controversy p. 268, 269.

Here is brought to view a new manifestation of Satanic power. When the resurgent papacy, riding back to power on the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit comes back to power, “they that dwell on the earth shall wonder.” Revelation 17:8. This is exactly the same kind of language used in Revelation 13:3 after the healing of the deadly wound, “And his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” In describing the resurging papacy, John the Revelator clearly identifies the beast power in Revelation 17:8 as the woman, the Papal [Roman Catholic] Church, riding the beast back to global power.

Today, since Vatican II, the Jesuit’s have combined Marxist ideology and practice with Catholic theology to form liberation theology. Every level and stratum of American life is being combined to Sovietize America preparing for Rome’s rule. Gorbachev, at the head of the global, Marxist, Green Cross environmental movement for global government, is the right-hand man of the pope. Liberation theology and the social gospel unite Marxism with Catholic theology. The papacy has joined forces with communist power to overwhelm America and thus open the door to global rule.

“Let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes. The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are still the principles of the Roman Catholic Church. And had she but the power, she would put them in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries.” Great Controversy p. 581. In Revelation 18, the chapter dealing with the fall of Babylon the Great, in verse 13 we read that the merchants of Babylon the Great deal in slaves and the souls of men. The word “slaves” can be translated either “slaves” or “bodies.” Therefore we conclude that there will be slavery from the national Sunday law till the Second Coming of Jesus.

Revelation 13:16 reveals that the mark of the beast will be imposed by the image of the beast (that’s the United States) on both free and bond. In Revelation 19:8 all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven are invited to eat the flesh of all (notice the words) free and bond at the battle of Armageddon when Christ defeats the combined armies of the beasts and the kings of the earth and those that receive the mark of the beast and worship his image. All of this tells us that there will be slavery in the last days of this earth’s history, certainly from the time of the National Sunday Law and the little time of trouble through to the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.

The pen of Inspiration tells us that at the time of the global Sunday law many will be cast into bondage. “As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christiandom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of the government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction. The people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont Valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for ‘the munitions of rocks.’ Isaiah 33:16. But many of all nations and all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark in loathsome dungeons.” Great Controversy p. 626.

What a picture of things to come! But let us praise God for I continue to read of hope in the future, “Though enemies may thrust them into prison, yet dungeon walls cannot cut off communications between their souls and Christ. One who sees their every weakness, who is acquainted with every trial, is above all earthly powers; and angels will come to them in lonely cells, bringing light and peace from heaven. The prison will be as a palace; for the rich in faith dwell there, and the gloomy walls will be lighted up with heavenly light as when Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises at midnight in the Philippian dungeon.” Great Controversy p. 627. Praise the Lord! What assurance!

Now is the time to make spiritual preparation. “Those who delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless.” Great Controversy p. 620. Let these inspired words be ever present in your mind.

Dear Father, in the fearful hours to come we trust in Thy sealing power to keep us faithful. Help us now to be ready. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen .

Preparations for Persecution

Thursday June 1st, 2000

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

There is absolutely nothing of more importance in the preparation for persecution than to fully know, without a doubt, that you are right with God. Such an experience requires a person to have repented of every known sin and to have accepted Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior, and by the power, which only Christ can give, to daily live victoriously.

There is only one way an individual can be assured of eternal life. A total surrendered life is the only reason to endure persecution. Never be misled, suffering in any amount will never justify a person in God’s judgment. It is only a daily, living relationship with Jesus, through a love and obedience experience, that provides the needed strength to meet coming persecutions.

Before we discuss these important preparations let us pray. Dear Father, as the daily storm warnings reveal a coming storm of persecution that will exceed our strongest expectations, we pause to praise Thy name. That we may trust the words of Thy dear Son for He has promised, ‘Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’ In this study may Thy divine Spirit help us to discover the special preparations that we must make in order to withstand the united forces of Satan. This we pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Turning to the scriptures we read in Ephesians 6:11-18, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

God has given us these great weapons with the assurance that we can defeat Satan. Foremost in the Christian’s arsenal is the Holy Spirit, for without the Holy Spirit no one can stand against the power of Satan. When the Christian church began Jesus told her members in Acts 1:8, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Not only does the Holy Spirit provide courage and power but in John 16:13 Jesus added that He will send us a Comforter and when He comes He will guide you into all truth.

What’s more, He will give you the fruits of the Spirit which will make it possible to even love your enemies when they persecute you. With this gift we can also experience in persecutions joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In Acts of the Apostles p. 51 we read, “The Spirit furnishes the strength that sustains striving, wrestling souls in every emergency, amidst the hatred of the world and the realization of their own faults and mistakes. In sorrow and affliction, when the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing, and we feel helpless and alone—these are the times when, in answer to the prayer of faith, the Holy Spirit brings comfort to the heart.”

O friend, how we should praise God for such a gift. Every Christian who draws such strength from the Holy Spirit will be prepared to live and suffer for God, and remain steadfast to the truth. They will refuse to receive the mark of the beast of the coming world religion even though they know that obedience to God’s seventh-day Sabbath will mean persecution, suffering and perhaps death.

In Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6, p. 407, Ellen White states, “The conflict that is right upon us will be the most terrible ever witnessed. But though Satan is represented as being as the strong man armed, his overthrow will be complete, and everyone who unites with him in choosing apostasy rather than loyalty will perish with him.”

Jesus has given us counsel that in these last days many will be misled by Satan’s deceptions. In Mark 13:22 it tells us, “False christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” Times are changing. Many of God’s people are being misled today. Instead of emphasis on a diligent study of God’s word to teach man the way to prepare for the troublous times ahead, all too often, as Ellen White has pointed out, errors are being presented to God’s people as if they were Bible truths. How sad. Errors do not prepare anyone for their soon coming trials and persecutions. Errors can only prepare men for perdition.

In Testimonies to Ministers p. 409, 410 Ellen White prophecies that, “Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” At times it seems that even now we are beginning to see a partial fulfillment of this prophecy. This is why it is so important that each member of God’s faithful remnant personally obtain a knowledge of the scriptures so that they will be able to identify, resist and counteract the lies of Satan with an, ‘It is written….”

I quote from the Bible Commentaries, Volume 5, p. 1099, “None need be deceived. The law of God is as sacred as His throne, and by it every man who cometh into the world is to be judged. There is no other standard by which to test character. ‘If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.’”

Again I quote – this time from Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 58, “If we have not a deep experience in the things of God, if we have not a thorough knowledge of His Word, we shall be beguiled to our ruin by the errors and sophistries of the enemy. False doctrines will sap the foundations of many, because they have not learned to discern truth from error. Our only safeguard against the wiles of Satan is to study the Scriptures diligently, to have an intelligent understanding of the reasons of our faith, and faithfully to perform every known duty. The indulgence of one known sin will cause weakness and darkness, and subject us to fierce temptation.” But what a comfort to know that none of us need be deceived.

Satan hates the scriptures. In the past, through his agent, the papacy, Satan attempted to destroy the scriptures by burning the word of God and passing laws to prohibit the reading of the Bible. And this could happen again. Just listen to this quote, “The time will come in which many will be deprived of the written Word.” Last Day Events p. 67. Did you know that? But if this word is printed in the memory no one can take it from us.

A classic example of the memorization of scriptures is the experience of US soldiers in Vietnamese prison camps during the war. Their Bibles had been taken from them, but the various soldiers searched their memories from childhood and wrote down portions of the memory verses they had learned in Sunday Schools. These were then shared with other prisoners and soon they possessed a facsimile of comforting scriptures. They did likewise with gospel songs, learned in their childhood, so they could sing together the songs of Zion.

It’s so difficult with the freedoms we now enjoy to realize that today in some countries of the world, like Red China, it can mean imprisonment to possess the scriptures. From the underground churches we learn that they hide the folded sheets in their shoes until an opportunity presents itself to share the Good News with others.

Together with Bible study, an important part of our preparation is prayer – including intercessory prayer. This could well be the secret of surviving as victorious Christians. Consider with me the way Ellen White describes prayer. Steps to Christ p. 94, 95, “Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence.”

What a wonder that many of us pray so little. How we should praise God for the counsel found in Steps to Christ p. 96 and 100. “Jesus said to His disciples, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24. Do we take Him at His word? The assurance is broad and unlimited, and He is faithful who has promised. When we do not receive the very things that we have asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers.

“We are so erring and short-sighted that we sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good—that which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they really are. When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most.

“But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then do not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to your prayers. Rely upon His sure promise. ‘Ask and it shall be given you’ … Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. ‘The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.’ James 5:11.

“His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice.

“There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escapes the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. ‘He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds.’ Psalms 147:3. The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare; not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.” What words of assurance! Praise God.

I continue, “Jesus said, ‘Ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth you.’ ‘I have chosen you … that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name He may give it unto you.’ John 16:26, 27.”

Speaking of intercessory prayer, when open persecutions come to a group that has learned to pray together, such a prayer life can continue even when the believers are scattered, because they can continue to pray for each other. Though Satan may win a temporary victory in scattering the believers, their prayer fellowship can continue even though they may be unjustly imprisoned or exiled. Such a group will find prayer a source of their strength.

When God’s early church was threatened by persecution the believers gathered together in prayer. We read of this in the fourth chapter of Acts. Here is the model for us to follow when we are faced with persecution. As you read of their prayers, they recognized God as their almighty power. They also recalled Bible prophecy foretelling such troubles as they faced. And then this; they did not pray for deliverance from persecution but pleaded for a holy boldness to stand firm.

Notice verse 29, “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.” Though it may be peaceful now, I firmly believe that when persecutions come they will burst upon us as an overwhelming surprise. “Everything is preparing for the great day of God. Time will last a little longer until the inhabitants of the earth have filled up the cup of their iniquity, and then the wrath of God, which has so long slumbered, will awake, and this land of light will drink the cup of His unmingled wrath.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 1, p. 363.

The wicked will then blame God’s people for bringing upon them the wrath of God. Persecutions will explode on the righteous. Accompanied by prayer, a study of God’s word regarding those who were persecuted in Bible times will strengthen our faith. Learn why certain Bible characters reacted in the way they did to oppressive authorities. This will prove as a guide to you when you meet similar circumstances.

You will discover how God directed individuals in different ways. For instance, in 1 Kings 17 Elijah boldly defied the king, yet on another occasion the Lord told him to hide. In Daniel 3:16-18 we read of the three Hebrews refusing to worship an image when commanded to do so by King Nebuchadnezzar. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Ellen White warns us that some of us may be brought to just as severe a test as were the three worthies. ( Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 420). Having not succeeded to induce the saints to work on the Sabbath and to rest and worship on Sunday, Satan will make a last desperate effort. He will personate Christ’s Second Coming. This sounds just like Nebuchadnezzar of old commanded the hosts to worship the golden image, representing himself. Did you know that at that time we will be commanded to worship Satan? “He will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being whom the world will glorify as Christ.” Review and Herald, December 18, 1888.

Ellen White describes his deception further in these words, “Satan sees that he is about to lose his case. He cannot sweep in the whole world. He makes one last desperate effort to overcome the faithful by deception. He does this in personating Christ. He clothes himself with the garments of royalty which have been accurately described in the vision of John. He has power to do this. He will appear to his deluded followers, the Christian world who receive not the love of the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness (transgression of the law), as Christ coming the second time. He proclaims himself Christ, and he is believed to be Christ, a beautiful, majestic being clothed with majesty, and with soft voice and pleasant words, with glory unsurpassed by anything their mortal eyes had yet beheld. Then his deceived, deluded followers set up a shout of victory, ‘Christ has come the second time! Christ has come! He has lifted up His hands just as He did when He was upon the earth, and blessed us.’ The saints look on with amazement. Will they also be deceived? Will they worship Satan?” Last Day Events p. 164.

I repeat, will they worship Satan?- Surely not! As Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of old, the saints will not bow down. Will they not rather say, “We are not careful to answer you in this matter. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of your hand. But if not, be it know to you, that we will not serve your god.” What an encouragement these Old Testament experiences like the fiery furnace will be to the saints at that time.

Turning now to the life of Paul, as you study Paul’s life you will discover that sometimes the Holy Spirit commanded him to flee, and at other times to stay and preach; sometimes to ask for a miracle. As you read the great faith chapter of Hebrews 11 you will find that some were delivered while others were tortured and killed. In fact, Paul himself was finally martyred.

And it is clearly revealed to us that in the closing conflict there will be martyrs, many martyrs. I quote, “Prior to the last closing conflict, many will be imprisoned, many will flee for their lives from cities and towns, and many will be martyrs for Christ’s sake in standing in defense of the truth.” Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 397.

Many of God’s servants will be protected as were the three Hebrews in the burning, fiery furnace. Yet God will, nonetheless, permit many others to lose their lives. For, as in earlier ages, the blood of martyrs will serve to water the seed of truth. See Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 420. If martyrdom were to be our lot, through the ordeal God will sustain His own.

Further preparations for this time of persecution can be made by studying the book The Great Controversy. Here I must pause to be very frank. You must read this book, The Great Controversy , this year. Dean and I were reading it again and we are now more that half through and oh, what a blessing to us. This book was written especially for the small remnant who are to face unbelievable persecution just prior to our Lord’s return. This book reveals how God’s faithful in past ages resisted papal oppressions. And most important your mind will be so fortified with truth that you will know how to meet the coming evil forces when the papal power will again rule the entire world by force just before Jesus comes.

Though faced with persecutions God’s servants will not be in hiding when it is time for the Loud Cry to go to the world. Thousands of voices all over the world will give the three angel’s messages with a loud voice. At this time God Himself will take charge of the work and the work will proceed contrary to any human planning.

I quote Testimonies to Ministers p. 300, “Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.”

And from Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 58, 59 I read, “Look constantly to Jesus. Under the showers of the latter rain the inventions of man, the human machinery, will at times be swept away, the boundary of man’s authority will be as broken reeds, and the Holy Spirit will speak through the living, human agent, with convincing power. No one then will watch to see if the sentences are well rounded off, if the grammar is faultless. The living water will flow in God’s own channels.” Ellen White lays down the guidelines. “In choosing men and women for His service, God does not ask whether they possess learning or eloquence or worldly wealth. He asks: ‘Do they walk in such humility that I can teach them My way? Can I put My words into their lips? Will they represent Me?’” Colporteur Ministry p. 48.

Under the leadership of Christ, during the Loud Cry, there will be perfect unity. In Early Writings p. 271 Ellen White describes this company as follows: “They were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, like a company of soldiers….I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect….I asked what had made this great change. The angel answered, ‘It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.’” At that time the saints will stand openly for the truth and for the consequences.

Now, one more fact. Never trust your preparations for your only security is in Jesus Christ. Prayer, fasting, commitment, memorizing scriptures, knowledge of past heroes of God are all important, but one’s personal security must come only from the Lord. Never trust in your own preparations or in your human reasoning power. There is but One example to follow. It is Jesus Christ.

In 1 Peter 2:22, 23 I read, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” Remember, Christ suffered for His faith. We too must be prepared to do likewise. Peter states in 1 Peter 4:12, 13, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

Beloved, determine now, right now, this very moment, to mentally and spiritually be prepared to choose God’s law above any man-made law. Do not expect church leadership to make this decision for you as this will be an individual test. Every man, woman and child will be forced to make such a decision. When the Sunday law is enacted in your country there will be no escape. We will have to break the laws of man in order to keep the law of God.

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 12:11. Yes, there is one physical preparation that all should be making by the grace of God. And what is this physical preparation that we should be making? God has counseled us time and time again to leave the cities, now, in preparation for coming persecutions.

Listen carefully to these quotes: “I could not sleep past two o’clock this morning. During the night I was in council. I was pleading with some families to avail themselves of God’s appointed means, and get away from the cities to save their children. Some were loitering, making no determined efforts. The angels of mercy hurried Lot and his wife and daughters by taking hold of their hands. Had Lot hastened as the Lord desired him to, his wife would not have become a pillar of salt. Lot had too much of a lingering spirit. Let us not be like him. The same voice that warned Lot to leave Sodom bids us, ‘Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean.’ Those who obey this warning will find a refuge. Let every man be wide awake for himself, and try to save his family. Let him gird himself for the work. God will reveal from point to point what to do next.” The Advocate, December 1, 1900.

“So long as God gives me power to speak to our people, I shall continue to call upon parents to leave the cities and get homes in the country where they can cultivate the soil and learn from the book of nature the lessons on purity and simplicity. The things of nature are the Lord’s silent ministers, given to us to teach us spiritual truths. They speak to us of the love of God and declare the wisdom of the great Master Artist.” Manuscript Releases, Volume 20, p. 153.

“The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 464.

However, let us not wait until such a time of crisis to leave the cities for I quote again. Notice carefully, “Err long there will be such strife and confusion in the cities that those that wish to leave them will not be able. We must be preparing for these issues.” Did you get that? “Err long there will be such strife and confusion in the cities that those that wish to leave will not be able.” General Conference Bulletin, April 6, 1903. “To parents who are living in the cities the Lord is sending the warning cry, Gather your children unto your houses; gather them away from those that are disregarding the commandments of God, who are teaching and practicing evil. Get out of the cities as fast as possible.” Medical Missionary p. 310.

Friend, nothing could be written more clearly. And one more, “If our people regard God’s instructions as of value, they will move away from the city, so that they will not be pained by its revolting sights, and that their children will not be corrupted by its vices. (And notice these words…) Those who choose to remain in the cities, surrounded by the houses of unbelievers, must share in the disaster that will come upon them.” Manuscript Releases, Volume 17, p. 350.

And now, I will close by reading some important spiritual preparations taken from the book Storm Warnings 333, 334. I am quoting McAlvany here for I like the Bible verses that he uses. Surely it is vital that we heed these scriptures. “‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart.’ Hide the word in your heart; if it is, no man can take it from you. (Psalm 119:11). And Paul said, ‘That I may know him.’ May this also be yours. In all the striving to care for yourself and immediate needs let your highest ambition always remain to know Jesus intimately and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10). Remain in a high spiritual plain instead of a more physical existence. Heed Paul’s words, ‘Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.’ (Galatians 5:16).

“In times of severe testing remember that, ‘All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose.’ (Romans 8:28). And when the love of men grow cold, remember, ‘Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8:38,39).

“In times of great deception which always lead to bondage, ‘Know the truth’ – it alone can set you free. (John 8:32). And when you wonder if the testing or temptation of the time could cause you to lose your faith remember the promise, ‘No man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.’ (John 10:29) And in every circumstance, Fear God, not man. ‘Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ (Matthew 10:28).

“And in time of testing remember that God knows your limits better than you, for He, ‘will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Corinthians 10:13). Rejoice and don’t be anxious. The words spoken by Paul as he was in prison waiting to be beheaded were, ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:4-7).

“And in every situation remember God can be trusted. But do not content yourselves by simply believing in God but rather follow the example of Abraham of whom it is said concerning the promise made to him, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.’ (Romans 4:3).

“And finally, when you suffer the loss of all things, even life, nevertheless as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:21,23, ‘For all things are yours. The world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are Yours. And ye are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.’ Isaiah 54:10 says, ‘For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.’”

Let us pray, O God, as we face the coming storm of persecution, may we remember these special preparations that are so necessary to remain faithful. Help us now to daily prepare that we may be found ready to faithfully stand for Thy truth even though the heavens fall. And we ask this in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Warnings of Coming Persecution

Monday May 1st, 2000

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Every time I see the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor or see its picture in a book or magazine I feel moisture gathering in my eyes and a heartbeat in my throat. For in America, the land that I love, its citizens even now are losing many of their freedoms. When people lose their freedom, one of the first segments of freedom that is curtailed is their religious liberty, freedom to worship God and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

America is represented in Revelation 13 as a lamb-like beast but we are also well aware that Revelation 13 also pictures America as becoming a persecuting dragon who will, through the papal power, set up and enforce the image of the beast. Soon there will come a time in America when true Christians will lose all their religious freedoms.

There is a growing movement today within the United States for “people control.” This is hidden under the guise of such terms as “a One World Order” or “a global government.” Most Americans are sound asleep as to the ultimate goals of these movements. Silently the stage is being set by the forces of evil to gain power to persecute those who obey the commandments of God, including the fourth commandment.

Those who teach that Christ’s soon coming will end this world of sin and usher in an everlasting kingdom, not on this earth but in heaven above, will be targeted. On the other hand, the nominal churches who believe that when Christ comes He will set up His kingdom on earth and bring peace upon this world for a thousand years, these will not be subject to persecution, for the real issue will be over the Sabbath day.

As the end draws near, under the leadership of the anti-christ, an unstoppable movement is developing to enforce Sunday worship in the place of God’s command to keep holy the seventh-day Sabbath. Turning to the Spirit of Prophecy I quote, “In this warfare the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will be the great point at issue; for in the Sabbath commandment the great Lawgiver identifies Himself as the Creator of the heavens and the earth.” Bible Commentary, Volume 7, p. 983.

In America, laws to exalt the false Sabbath will be passed. “All who will not bow to the decree of the national…laws to exalt the sabbath instituted by the man of sin to the disregard of God’s holy day, will feel, not the oppressive power of popery alone but of the Protestant world, the image of the beast.” Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 385.

Sunday laws and persecutions will spread over the entire world. “The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world. As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example. Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world….All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded to worship this spurious sabbath.” Maranatha p. 214. In Revelation 13:8 I read, “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Beloved, before we proceed further we need divine power to comprehend the fulfilling prophecies that are now taking place in preparation to accomplish this hellish goal. Will you join me in prayer for heavenly discernment? O precious Father, we will be discussing the storm warnings of coming persecutions to all who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. We will need the Holy Spirit to guide us that we may be aware of the subtle changes that are now taking place around us, that we may not be caught unprepared but ready to meet coming persecutions in the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit. This we ask in the precious name of Thy dear Son, Jesus. Thank Thee, Lord, for this help. Amen.”

Turning to the scriptures now, we will find that Jesus spoke of this end time in which great persecutions would face His followers. In Matthew 24:9-13 we read, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Turning to the scriptures now, we will find that Jesus spoke of this end time in which great persecutions would face His followers. In Matthew 24:9-13 we read, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Then I read in 2 Timothy 3:12, 13 where Paul write, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” Once again, let me quote from the Spirit of Prophecy where she says what the great deceiver says, “Our principle concern is to silence this sect of Sabbathkeepers….We will finally have a law to exterminate all who will not submit to our authority.” Testimonies to Ministers p. 472. And again, “It is the purpose of Satan to cause them to be blotted from the earth, in order that his supremacy of the world may not be disputed.” Testimonies to Ministers p. 37.

These messages are speaking of the end-time battle between God’s true Sabbath and Satan’s false, so-called Sunday sabbath which is so soon to burst upon us. Since the first Advent of Christ there have been periods of persecutions directed against the followers of Christ. No sooner had Jesus Christ started His Christian church then persecutions began and continued for the next 300 years.

This was Satan’s gigantic effort, through apostate Judaism and pagan Rome, to exterminate Christianity. During these years, thousands upon thousands of Christians were beheaded, buried alive, fed to lions, boiled in oil, crucified and by other means tortured and put to death. Then for 1260 years through papal Rome Satan made his greatest attack yet against Christians. Not merely thousands, but millions, were persecuted and put to death during this long period of papal supremacy.

In the book The Great Controversy by Ellen White, you will find the inspired revelation of the terrible atrocities hurled against the Waldenses, the Hussites, the Lutherans, the Calvinists, and the Anabaptists. You will further discover how the Church of England persecuted the Pilgrims and the Puritans, a people who believed and taught the scriptures, for they were burned at the stake. The inquisition banned the Bible and forbade the people to read the scriptures. Yet, what was the result of all these persecutions? – From Foxes’ Book of Martyrs I quote, “Not withstanding all these continued persecutions and horrible punishments the church daily increased.”

Speaking now of our day, you may be surprised that the day in which we live, millions of Christians have been and are being persecuted and many martyred by the enemies of Christianity. This is happening in communist countries such as Red China, Cuba etc., and socialistic regimes in Africa, in Islamic fanaticism.

In a book just published in 1999 entitled Storm Warnings by Don McAlvany, on page 10 he states, “Today millions of Christians are being persecuted, imprisoned or martyred in communist China, while 2.1 million Christians have been martyred in southern Sudan by the followers of Islam in the 1990’s alone. Over a million Christians have been martyred in Burundi, the Central African Republic and in the Marxist front-line states of southern Africa in recent years. (And listen to this) About 1,000 Christians a day are being martyred somewhere in the world today – the greatest number since the beginning of the Christian church.”

The reality of such a truth should be very alarming. I have received word that Christians who recently emerged from such persecutions in Russia are now preparing to go back to underground organizations in order to serve God. The hundreds of letters that I receive from around the world reveal that great changes are sweeping the entire globe.

From the Adventist Network of February 1, 2000, page 7,8 I quote an evidence of persecution of Seventh-day Adventists in Mexico where thousands were baptized despite on-going persecutions. In Chiapus, Mexico, “thirty-three pastors baptized more than 3,600 people in the ocean off Puerto Madero, on Sunday, January 23. The Adventist church leader in this region, reports that the baptisms were the result of a week-long evangelistic campaign held in the area in mid-January. At least 10,000 people from across the region crowded on the shore to watch the event.

“The baptisms come at a time of increasing difficulty for Adventists in the nearby village of Plan de Ayala. Since 1994, ongoing conflict between different Christian groups in the region has forced at least 20 Adventist families to leave the area and ten Adventist homes have been burned down. The current dispute results from plans from the five remaining Adventist families to build a new church in the village on land donated by a church member. The General Assembly, a local governing body, has refused to allow the building to go ahead and is threatening to evict the Adventists from the village. In spite of the persecutions the brethren have continued to spread the gospel, while working to establish better relations and mutual respect with the locals who have persecuted them for their belief.”

And here in America, the prosperity that has been ours since the end of World War II has caused millions of professed Christians to believe that the good life will continue forever. But a small remnant have not succumbed to this deep sleep. They are aware of a growing political power of anti-biblical sentiments that is taking control of our country. Christian standards and beliefs are ridiculed and belittled on the television and in the movies. Christianity is being attacked in popular books and even by the media in newscasts.

Here is another statement from Storm Warnings p. 23, 24. Please keep in mind that the author is a non-Adventist. “The decline of America should be obvious to any thinking American. The explosion of crime, gang warfare, and drive-by shootings in our cities; the disintegration of the American family with proliferating divorce, infidelity, child abuse, single parent families, and teen-age rebellion; the explosion of drug usage – the highest in the world – the rampant spread of promiscuity, pornography, homosexuality, and sexually transmitted diseases; the gross immorality and corruption at the highest levels of US government are all irrefutable evidence of a country whose culture, morality, traditions and spiritual life are in a free-fall.”

Faced with this reality, is it any wonder that the judgments of God have been steadily increasing, especially in the past two decades? God is endeavoring to awaken the inhabitants of our country to their sins and their need of repentance. We have become so used to hearing and seeing on TV the results of earthquakes, storms, fires etc. that I feel it necessary at this point to get a picture of a summary of the catastrophic events that have taken place.

Beginning in the early 1980’s America suffered a terrible drought followed by severe flooding in the Mid-West and California which destroyed huge amounts of crops. Then came Hurricane Hugo in 1989, striking South Carolina, causing great damage. Soon after, in 1992, a most powerful earthquake rocked San Francisco, followed by four powerful earthquakes in California – one being 7.6 in magnitude.

Next came Hurricane Andrew striking southern Florida, with a most expensive disaster in our nation’s history – some $33 billion dollars in damage. This was followed, in Los Angeles, by the worst rioting in our country since the Civil War. Then in 1993 another record storm hit the east coast, followed by the worst terrorist attack in American history striking the World Trade Center [February 26, 1993]. This was soon followed by the bombing of a government building in Oklahoma City which killed scores of innocent men, women and children.

Incredible disasters continued in 1994 with temperatures their lowest since record began in 1890. A vast portion of the Midwest sustained a wind-chill of 90 degrees below zero. Next the state of Pennsylvania was hit by the strongest earthquake ever recorded in that state, centering in Redding. And two days later, a 6.6 earthquake struck Los Angeles creating some $10 billion in damage and leaving thousands homeless.

It was the year, 1994, when America crossed the line and went from the world’s largest creditor nation to the world’s largest debtor nation. Almost one and one-half million personal bankruptcies took place in 1998 alone – a record since the great depression.

Now friend, don’t miss the facts by looking at this total picture. I believe God is permitting these tragic events to happen because America is following and tolerating a life-style in which the Bible clearly states removes God’s blessings – sins, such as fornication, adultery, sodomy, sexual perversions and the shedding of blood of the unborn. Do you realize that America aborts 1.6 million babies a year; that since the ruling in 1973 some 40 million children have been killed in the womb? This fact is taken from Storm Warning page 30.

Morally this nation hit the bottom with its 1998 Gay/Lesbian celebration at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I am quoting from Storm Warning p. 41: “A review of the gay days ’98, scheduled events was amazing. On June 3 from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. was an event titled “Who’s Your Daddy?” The description of the event followed a leather, latex and bondage party featuring live flogging and spanking, masters and slaves, plus living piercing sponsored by the “Absolute Leather BD and SN of Florida”. There were two events called “Seductive Dancing.” There were male strippers and female impersonators. Gay Days ended on June7 with a Sunday gospel brunch from 10:15 a.m. till 3:30 p.m.; an event titled ‘Sin Tonight; Repent Tomorrow,’ and wonder of wonders, the President of the United States sent a letter of congratulation for events like this.”

Listen, friend, America cannot continue in this direction and remain a great nation. Proverbs 14:34 reads, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” I totally agree with the following found in Storm Warning p. 46, “The Bible states that ‘if the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?’ Psalm 11:3. The foundations of America have been destroyed. The husband-wife family unit which is ordained by God is being replaced with the term ‘domestic partners’, and homosexuals are being allowed to adopt children. America is becoming unglued. The nation is full of violence as innocent blood is being shed from coast to coast. It seems every week a mass murderer kills several people. This was virtually unheard of before 1963. The violence that started against children in the womb has now spread like a cancer throughout the entire society. It is truly ironic that America has developed the technology to allow men to walk safely in space, yet in most of our cities it is unsafe to walk the streets.”

The Bible speaks, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.” Isaiah 5:20.

And now Ellen White speaks, “The earth groans under the burden of accumulated guilt, and everywhere dying mortals are compelled to experience the wretchedness included in the wages of unrighteousness. I was shown that men have carried out the purposes of Satan by craft and deceit and a dreadful blow has recently been given. It can be truly said: ‘Justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.’…In some of the free states the standard of morality is sinking lower and lower. Men with depraved appetites and corrupt lives have now an opportunity to triumph. They have chosen for their rulers those whose principles are debasing, who would not check evil or repress the deprived appetites of men, but let them have full sway. If those who chose to become like the beasts, by drinking liquid poison, were the only sufferers, if they alone would reap the fruit of their own doings, then the evil would not be so great. But many, very many, must pass through incredible suffering on account of others’ sins. Wives and children, although innocent, must drain the bitter cup to its dregs.

“Without the grace of God, men love to do evil. They walk in darkness, and do not possess the power of self-control. They give loose reign to their passions and appetites until all the finer feelings are lost and only the animal passions are manifested. Such men need to feel a higher, controlling power, which will constrain them to obey. If rulers do not exercise a power to terrify the evildoer, he will sink to the level of the brute. The earth is growing more and more corrupt.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 1, p. 362.

And what about communism which has caused much brutality and wickedness in past years? Don’t be misled. Communism, even in America, is not dead, but much alive. Mikhail Gorbachev is still one of the most powerful leaders of the New World Order and he has headquarters in the Presidio, formerly the US army or government military base in San Francisco, California. That’s amazing.

There are literally scores of organizations with papal cooperation who are pushing for a New World Order or a global government. When this happens freedom will be a thing of the past. Never forget, it was through the 1260 years of papal rule by cruel persecution, that the papacy once controlled the nations of earth.

One way to accomplish this goal again would be the passage of laws to punish “hate crimes.” This would mean anything derogatory that might be said of religious groups, races, lifestyle etc. The word of God identifies the Roman religious system as an enemy of the law of God and of His holy Sabbath day. If a law against hate crimes should be passed, then if one were to teach Bible truths regarding this power, or if he should pass out a book like The Great Controversy, written by Ellen White, or other literature which would identify the papacy and expose her sins and aims, he could be accused of breaking the law. He might be imprisoned and fined for simply sharing God’s Word.

Two of our members recently heard a prominent news person infer that if anyone should make a demeaning reference about a certain well-known religious leader whom he admired, that would, in his eyes constitute a hate crime. The near future could very well bring such persecutions upon God’s people. Yet, we have the divine commission to teach all the truths of God’s word to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.

In Revelation 13:15-18 God foretold that terrible persecutions would be executed under the reign of the image of the beast. “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

Concerning this time, Jesus warns, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” Matthew 24:9 “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” John 16:2.

Now let us conclude by reading the inspired instructions that God has given to His remnant, those that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, as found in The Great Controversy, chapter 35 entitled “Liberty of Conscience Threatened.” “In the movements now in progress in the United States to secure for the institutions and the usage of the church the support of the state, Protestants are following in the steps of papists, Nay, more, they are opening the door for the papacy to regain in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World. And that which gives greater significance to this movement is the fact that the principle object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday observance – a custom which originated with Rome and which she claims as the sign of her authority. It is the spirit of the papacy—the spirit of conformity to worldly customs, the veneration for human traditions above the commandments of God—that is permeating the Protestant churches and leading them on to do the same work of Sunday exaltation which the papacy has done before them.

“If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past. If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas, let them see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders….

“Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years. In those countries where Catholicism is not in the ascendancy, and the papists are taking a conciliatory course in order to gain influence, there is an increasing indifference concerning the doctrines that separate the reformed churches from the papal hierarchy. The opinion is gaining ground, that, after all, we do not differ so widely upon vital points as has been supposed, and that a little concession on our part will bring us into a better understanding with Rome. The time was when Protestants placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience which had been so dearly purchased. They taught their children to abhor popery, and held that to seek harmony with Rome would be disloyalty to God. But how widely different are the sentiments now expressed (and may I add here, even by some of our own church leaders).

“The defenders of the papacy declare that the church has been maligned; and the Protestant world are inclined to accept the statement. Many urge that it is unjust to judge the church of to-day by the abominations and absurdities that marked her reign during the centuries of ignorance and darkness. They excuse her horrible cruelty as the result of the barbarianism of the times, and plead that the influence of modern civilization has changed her sentiments.

“Have these persons forgotten the claim of infallibility put forth for eight hundred years by this haughty power? So far from being relinquished, this claim was affirmed in the nineteenth century with greater positiveness than ever before. As Rome asserts that the church ‘ never erred ; nor will it, according to the Scriptures, never err ,’ how can she renounce the principles which governed her course in past ages?

“The papal church will never relinquish her claim to infallibility. All that she has done in her persecution of those who reject her dogmas, she holds to be right; and would she not repeat the same acts, should the opportunity be presented? Let the restraints now imposed by secular governments be removed, and Rome be re-instated in her former power, and there would speedily be a revival of her tyranny and persecution….

“The constitution of the United States guarantees liberty of conscience. Nothing is dearer or more fundamental. Pope Pius IX., in his Encyclical Letter of August 15, 1854, said: ‘The absurd and erroneous doctrine or ravings in defense of liberty of conscience, are a most pestilential error – a pest, of all others, most to be dreaded in a state.’ The same pope, in his Encyclical Letter of December 8, 1964, anathematized ‘those who assert the liberty of conscience and of religious worship,’ also ‘all such as maintain that the church may not employ force.’”

I ask you, did you get that? “That the church may not employ force?” Now back to quoting from The Great Controversy. “The pacific tone of Rome in the United States does not imply a change of heart. She is tolerant where she is helpless. Says Bishop O’Connor: ‘Religious liberty is merely endured until the opposite can be carried into effect without peril to the Catholic world.’…The archbishop of St. Louis once said: ‘Heresy and unbelief are crimes; and in Christian countries, as in Italy and Spain, for instance, where all the people are Catholics, and where the Catholic religion is an essential part of the law of the land, they are punished as other crimes.’…

“Every cardinal, archbishop, and bishop in the Catholic Church takes an oath of allegiance to the pope, in which occur the following words: ‘Heretics, schismatics, and rebels to our said lord (the pope), or his aforesaid successors, I will to my utmost persecute and oppose.’” These words were taken from that chapter, “Liberty of Conscience Threatened” in the book The Great Controversy.

And what about the attitude of John Paul II? We should note that it is not really different from the above testimony of the archbishop of St. Louis when he said that heresy and unbelief are crimes. John Paul’s grand design is set forth by Malachi Martin in his book titled The Keys of This Blood . This book, published only ten years ago, reveals John Paul’s grand design is to bring the whole world under his control.

Martin refers to this as the coming global government. On page 287, Martin explains John Paul’s attitude. He writes thus: Those that believe and “defend every person’s right to be wrong,” sets them apart from John Paul. He continues by saying, “It is axiomatic for John Paul that no one has the right – democratic or otherwise – to a moral wrong; and no religion based on divine revelation has a moral right to teach such a moral wrong or abide by it.”

Now listen to me carefully. Is not Martin actually saying here that according to the present pope no one, including Seventh-day Adventists, have the right to believe or teach a different doctrine than taught by the Roman pontiff? And is it not echoing the sentiment of the archbishop of St. Louis as documented in The Great Controversy? Frightening, isn’t it? Should not such a statement as this awaken us as to what the purposes of Rome really are? Obviously that includes his beliefs concerning Sunday vs. the Bible-Sabbath issue.

Prophecy shows the great day of God is right upon us. “It hasteneth greatly.” Can we not see that even now the deadly wound is almost fully healed? Soon the pope will be in a position to persecute those whose understanding of the scriptures differ from his own.

Turning again to Great Controversy p. 581 I quote, “God’s word has given warning of the impending danger; let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectingly she is strengthening her forces to further her own end when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Whoever shall believe and obey the Word of God will thereby incur reproach and persecution.”

And so beloved, let us not wait until it is too late to escape her snare. We must understand what her purposes are now. Right now.

Let us pray. O God, thank Thee for awakening our slumber. Please continue to daily impress us with the need of preparation for this coming crisis of persecution. Fortify our minds with Thy Word and the Spirit of Prophecy that we may be ready to be obedient to all Thy commands. For this help, we thank Thee, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Last End-Time Prophecy

Monday March 1st, 1999

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Note: Please refer to this chart with this article.

Let us begin this study by asking a question. “Does the Bible contain a prophecy that deals with the culmination of Satan’s masterpiece of spiritualism?” The answer is a very definite, “Yes.”

Revelation chapter 17 is a prophecy of the final objective to which the papacy has been working under the daily guidance of Mary to unite the world by the year 2000. This achievement will make possible the millennium of peace in which the antichrist will be the ruler of the New World Order for a very short period of time, ending when Jesus Christ shall come as King of kings.

But before we proceed let us seek for heavenly guidance. Loving Father, grant us Thy divine wisdom as we explore the final achievements of spiritism as prophesied in Thy Word. Open to our understanding how Satan will set up his throne here on this earth to fulfil his satanic desire to be a king like the Most High. Help us to unravel this masterpiece of Satan as described in Thy Holy Word as “mystery Babylon,” “the mother of harlots.” May the Holy Spirit touch our spiritual eyesight that we might think Thy thoughts and discover the truth that we may not be misled by spiritism. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Now, we are ready to study God’s Word. I am reading from Revelation 17:1-5, “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABONINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

Now, please keep in mind that there must be no guessing about this woman who is riding a beast, for this is a life and death issue. To be more pointed, it is a matter of heaven or hell. I invite you, at this time, to place the chart of the eight beasts before you. This chart was enclosed with this tape. If for some reason you do not have the chart you will find one in the back of the book The Antichrist. These beasts on this chart portray the earthly kingdoms covering some 6000 years from the creation of our world down to the last days when Christ has promised to return and usher in His everlasting kingdom.

Now, with this background, we are ready for a quick review of the first seven beasts which will help us to clearly understand the eighth beast which is the antichrist who has used spiritism to enthrone himself in a New World Order.

Now the Bible tells us exactly how this all started. The war broke out in heaven between Christ and His angels, and Satan and his angels who chose to follow him. The devil and his angels were cast out of heaven and came to this world where Adam and Eve had been given dominion over this earth. Let us read this in Revelation 12:7-9. Notice, “There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

It was not long before Satan, coming to this world, deceived Adam and Eve, causing them to sin against God by eating of the forbidden fruit. This disobedience automatically placed the family of man on the side of Satan in the battle against God. Thus, the war, which began in heaven, continues on this earth with two opposing forces – the sons of God (who obey God the Creator) and the sons of men (who are loyal to Satan).

In prophecy God pictures this enemy power, now on this earth, as a great red dragon. This is beast #1 on the chart you have before you. Since God knows the end from the beginning, He has given us this picture of Satan’s power which will continue to control this world until the end, when Jesus will come the second time to fight and to win the last battle called Armageddon, destroying Satan’s kingdom forever.

Notice how God describes in detail how the devil’s kingdom got started here on this earth. I’m reading Revelation 12:3,4, “There appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth.” These seven heads of the dragon symbolize the seven time periods in which the dragon power controls the people under his influence beginning with the antediluvians, who became so evil that God destroyed them with a world-wide flood.

After the flood Satan continued his control over the world by developing a universal pagan kingdom in the year 606 BC called Babylon. (Are you looking at your chart?) You will notice that God used a lion, the second world power, with wings to portray this powerful kingdom of Satan. But Babylon was conquered by the next kingdom (the third kingdom) called the Medes and the Persians in 538 BC. The prophet portrayed this transfer of the dragon power by picturing a bear representing Persia which was devouring the three provinces of Babylon and eventually overthrew the Medes. Look at your chart.

Next, the fourth beast was a leopard with wings representing Greece when it conquered Persia in 331 BC. Then came pagan [Imperial] Rome which arose in 168 BC to conquer Greece. Thus the dragon power again was transferred for in AD 31 the devil, through pagan Rome, (the fifth world kingdom) crucified our Savior in an attempt to destroy Jesus Christ forever. But, praise God, Jesus arose from the tomb victorious over Satan and is alive today in heaven.

Pagan Rome continued as the universal kingdom on this earth, as the dragon power until the year 476 AD when it divided into ten separate kingdoms just as God had prophesied in Daniel 7:7, as a beast having ten horns. But in the year 538 AD a little horn power destroyed three of the ten kingdoms which caused the remaining seven kingdoms to accept the next (sixth) world power of Papal rule over them. Thus the dragon continued to control the world.

Now at this point God has given us a caricature of this beast of Revelation 13 as you read in Revelation 13. “I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Now to reveal that this pagan power it nothing more than a continuation of the dragon power which revealed itself in all of the past universal kingdoms of this earth, look carefully now at this chart. In the developing of this caricature, Inspiration reaches back through past history by taking the horns from pagan Rome, the body from the leopard beast of Greece, the feet from the bear (Medo-Persia), the head from the lion (Babylon) and then Inspiration adds, “the dragon [Satan] gave him his power.” (Revelation 13:2). This brings us back in time to the very beginning when the dragon seized control of the world soon after creation.

Now, however, as you look forward in time, (look at the beast chart before you) you suddenly make an important discovery. This Satanic power of this first beast, the dragon, was passed on from one world empire to the next succeeding kingdom such as the dragon to Babylon, then to Medo-Persia, then to Greece, then to pagan Rome and finally to Papal Rome. This is clearly indicated in Revelation 13 for it says, “The dragon gave him his power.”

But this papal power of the dragon, suffered a setback in the year 1798 AD when Napoleon dethroned the Pope, causing him to die in exile. The scripture speaks of this as receiving a “deadly wound.” (Revelation 13:3). In that same year that the wound was inflicted in 1798, the seventh beast (are you looking at your chart?) the United States of America was recognized as the coming world power. Prophecy predicted it would be an uncrowned, two-horned beast. The two horns, representing Republicanism and Protestantism – that which the world had not seen for centuries, a church without a pope and a nation without a king. During this time period the deadly wound, which had been inflicted in the year 1798 began to heal.

When Mussolini agreed to make the Vatican a Papal state in 1929 [Lateran Treaty] we read the following words of scripture in Revelation 13:14 in which this two-horned beast says to its citizens, “That they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” For it says in Revelation 13:11 (speaking of the United States), “He spake as a dragon.”

The restoration of power to the Vatican makes it possible for the appearance of the last and final beast to control the world in a New World Order developed through spiritualism [Spiritism}. This beast of Revelation 17 is described as an evil woman riding upon it which depicts the Antichrist.

Now you will notice that God has given eight points of identity of this last beast.

1. The woman is seated on the beast. This is very significant. We have learned from God’s Word that a woman represents a church in Jeremiah 6:2 and Isaiah 51:16. A pure woman in white indicates a pure church. An impure, or scarlet colored woman, depicts an impure woman such as a whore or an apostate church. Here we have a Woman [Church], seated upon a scarlet colored beast (the civil authorities), by which she is upheld and which she is controlling and guiding to her own ends – just as a rider controls the animals upon which he is seated. Thus the Antichrist, the Papal power, is to be in absolute control of the New World Order.

2. This woman holds a cup in her hand from which she causes the inhabitants of this earth to drink and become drunk with the wine of her false doctrines. This wine represents the deceptive false teachings and policies from which the inhabitants of the earth have become unstable (or drunk), leading to a universal breakdown of law and order.

3. This woman is riding the beast and is called “The Mother of Harlots” revealing that as a result of the spiritualistic, Ecumenical movement the entire religious systems of the world have joined hands with her in religious unity of their doctrines which are held in common.

4. The deadly wound inflicted in 1798 has been completely healed, for you notice she rules the entire world. Revelation 17:8 makes this clear. “Behold the beast that was (538 – 1798), and is not (1798 – 1929), and yet is (1929 – today).”

5. The color of the beast and the woman’s dress are very important. We shall read Revelation 17:4, “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.” Now take note – these are the official colors portrayed in Papal [Roman Catholic] Church pageantry.

6. Notice these words, “Full of names of blasphemy.” This is the same beast of Revelation 13 which claims to have changed the divine law of God by removing the second commandment and changing the fourth commandment. Thus the seventh day, God’s holy, Sabbath day, has been changed to a false first day – Sunday worship; and this beast is responsible for enforcing the mark of the beast by making it impossible to buy or to sell unless this mark of authority (Sunday) is accepted.

7. This Papal power portrayed by God, is stated to be drunken with the blood of saints. “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” Revelation 17:6. History reveals that the papal Rome destroyed millions of God’s saints.

8. Finally, the unthinkable – for Paul calls the Antichrist “the mystery of iniquity,” (2 Thessalonians 2:7) which will attempt to fight the return of Jesus Christ to this world in the final battle of Armageddon. God clearly reveals this in Revelation 17:10-14: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Then these words…) These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

Now in Revelation 17:10 the scripture states of these beasts, “There are seven kings: five are fallen, (Now look back at your chart. Now count the beasts starting with the dragon as displayed on this chart. These time periods or world powers, which are controlled by Satan, were described by God as 1. The dragon [Satan] (during the time of the Antediluvians) 2. The lion (Babylon) 3. The bear (Medo-Persia) 4. The leopard (Greece) 5. The monster (pagan Rome). These were all in the past as scripture states. All are fallen. [And now let’s read Revelation 17:10 again:] “Five are fallen (beast #6 refers to the papacy and the beast of Revelation 13 which is composed of a part of each of the previous beast powers) [now the scripture continues], and one is, and the other is not yet come.” (referring to #7 – the United States of America.).

Remember when the book of Revelation was written this was before the rise of the United States in this earth. These last six words refer to the United States. The prophet continues by stating that this seventh power, the United States, would continue a short space after it appeared which means an indefinite period of time. If God had given a date when it would end we would know the exact time when Christ would come and men would procrastinate and not be ready for His coming.

It is during this short time period that scripture states in Revelation 13:11,12 regarding the United States of America, “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Notice that this beast with the lamb-like horns is to speak as a dragon. This reveals that there is to be a complete change of character in the actions of the United States. Thus speaking like a dragon is its very last activity just before the Second Coming of Christ.

Today, America has become the only political and military superpower and has begun to express this power, such as in the bombing of Libya for a terrorist attack. The United States under President [Ronald] Reagan worked together with the Pope [John Paul II] breaking the power of Communism. Then there was the Gulf War with Iraq in 1991 and again in the middle of 1996 when she bombed Iraq’s storage facilities. She is continuing to cause this nation to submit to the dealings of the United Nations and we also know that she sent missiles into Afghanistan to destroy the headquarters of a Middle East terrorist organization.

John Januik states in his book, The Great Controversy Endgame p. 37,38 that Bill Clinton, President of America, has made the statement, “The world is looking to America to act as a policeman to the world.” This is exemplified now, as she is the main mediator in the Middle East Peace process. She is also playing the main role in solving the ethnic war in Bosnia (the former Yugoslavia) and in all troubles and problems and conflicts in our world today.

These are the preparatory events to the direct fulfillment of the end-time prophecy in Revelation 13:11-17 that soon, very soon, America will speak as a dragon in a religious context and we will show you how soon. For scripture says the beast coming up out of the earth which had the two horns like a lamb and speaks as a dragon will make an image to the beast.

At the present time in America, church and state is separated. But when this separation is abolished, at that time the image to the beast will have been established. I would like to share with you the latest development in the United States, in order that we might understand what is happening at the present time, and how the end-time prophecies are beginning to fulfill before our very eyes.

Note the following: This statement which was taken from the Washington state newspaper about the Moral Majority which says, “Separation of church and state is a dangerous concept. Wipe the phrase ‘Separation of church and state’ out of your vocabulary. This means wipe it out! Don’t even talk about it.” W.A. Criswell, the pastor of one of the largest United Churches in the United States and a speaker at the Republican Convention said, “I believe that this notion of the separation of church and state was a figment of some infidel’s imagination.” Can you imagine!

Thus the situation in the United States with regard to the separation of church and state is changing decisively today. In the United States there is a strong movement called the Christian Coalition. The founder and the leader of this Christian Coalition is Pat Robertson. In 1988 he was a candidate for Republican nomination for the presidency of the United States, but George Bush was selected.

He then established an organization known as the Christian Coalition. He is a charismatic, television preacher. He owns Regent University and seven hundred religious broadcasting outlets, which are under his control in the United States. He is one of the most powerful religious voices in the United States today. The Christian Coalition is a gathering together of Protestants, Roman Catholics and Jews. These peoples have come together with a common goal and aim. The common purpose is to bring America back to God.

They have an agenda that includes traditional Christian family values. They are against abortion and special privileges for homosexuals; they want prayer in the public schools and no separation between church and state. And they also want Sunday to be the family day when people go to church. They want to see the church controlling the government. They want the church to use the power of government to enforce moral values on its society. They are already planning and speaking in this way.

The Christian Coalition is really moving mountains in the United States. Have you noticed that now it is possible for a state to pay for the education of its children in religious schools – that this was upheld by the Supreme Court? The separation of Church and State is falling apart before our very eyes. As a result, I predict it will not be long before this happens in every state of this union.

During the last convention, the Republican Party and the Christian Coalition was on TV. They said, “We control this party.” What does that mean? In the history of the United States there has never been a time such as this in which the church has moved to control civil power. In the light of all this, and from a study of the end-time prophesy and events currently happening in America I believe that soon, very soon, she will make an image to the beast and will speak as a dragon in a religious context. A national Sunday Law will be issued in America. This is where we are at the present time. “God’s Word outlines very clearly the course of earth’s history from the time of Daniel right to the time of the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. Our Savior has revealed to us what will happen just before He comes to this earth the second time. And I believe we are seeing these events taking place right now.” Sunday’s Coming p. 3.

Let’s go back to the scriptures. Revelation 17:11 states, “The beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven.” Here is a perfect synopsis of the papacy ruling the world from 538 – 1798 and then, because of the deadly wound, “it is not” until 1929 when the wound began to heal to a full worldwide reign again. Then God adds these significant words, “and is of the seven,” revealing that the power of Satan, which is found in all seven preceding beasts, is now fully developed in the eighth beast through spiritualism.

This is God’s explanation of the antichrist for he rules through his earthly representative which the Bible calls the “eighth beast” the Papacy. In Revelation 13:3, 8 we read, “All the world wondered after the beast. All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This shows the world’s attitude toward the beast of Revelation 13 when its deadly wound is healed.

I believe that when Satan counterfeits the Second Coming of Jesus Christ that a [Roman] Catholic spiritualistic prophesy will be fulfilled which says, “When Jesus comes, the Pope will give Him his tiara and throne and Jesus will give him the keys and bless the Pope.” As the people of the world watch this on worldwide television the entire world will worship Satan as Christ and the pope as the Vicar of Christ.

This is exactly what the scripture says in Revelation 13:4, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast (for the people say,) Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” This will be the time when all nations give their power and their authority to the beast.

Does not the scripture say, “All the world wondered after the beast?” Thus the eighth beast, whose deadly wound is healed, will commence its brief, worldwide reign in a New World Order. “Now we know why Pope John Paul II has been working as no other pope in history since the reformation to unify the world by the year 2000.” Sunday’s Coming p. 8.

And Ellen White adds, “Under one head, the papal power, the people will unite.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 182. Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 857 states, “The nations of the earth represented by ten horns are here purposed to unite with the beast. To unite the world under her beast control. This is the climax of Satanic planning for the unification of the world through a compact between the apostate religious organizations of the earth and the political powers of the earth.”

Ellen White in her comment on this prophecy states, “There will be a universal bond of union; one great harmony. A confederacy of Satan’s forces and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Manuscript 24 , 1891. “Reconciliation and unity” is the trend and the spirit that is found in our world today under the bewitching power of spiritualism.

Now as a climax to this study you may ask, “What is Satan trying to achieve in all of this?” The answer is found in Great Controversy p. 50. “That gigantic system of false religion (speaking of the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the papacy) is a masterpiece of Satan’s power; (and notice these words) a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will.”

And this is exactly what Satan has wanted to do in heaven – to be a god and rule a domain. Isaiah the prophet expressed these intentions of Lucifer when he was still in heaven. In Isaiah 14: 13,14 we read, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

So you can see what Satan wants to accomplish – to seat himself upon the papal throne to rule this earth. In the Review and Herald, August 9, 1906 are these words, “The time is at hand when Satan will work miracles to confirm minds in the belief that he is God.” And in Testimonies to Ministers p. 64 it tells us that he will succeed. “Men will be deceived and will exalt Satan to the place of God and deify him.”

This is why Satan will demand worship by a worldwide law to worship him on Sunday. But there will be a very few who believe that God, the Creator, is the only one who should be worshipped, for He, “in six days…made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the [Sabbath] day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:11.

Ellen White saw in vision that Satan, with his demons, in a meeting was discussing how to deal with the very end-time people who will not submit to his authority. “We will finally have a law to exterminate all who will not submit to our authority.” Testimonies to Ministers p. 473. So, in the end there will be only two groups of people on the face of this earth in the end-time. There will be those who worship on Sunday at the pope’s command, and who receive the mark of the beast and become a part of great Babylon; and the other group, a small remnant, who keep the commandments, the seventh-day Sabbath, and receive the seal of the living God.

It is this remnant that Satan plans to blot from the face of the earth so that every living soul on the earth will worship him as God. In Revelation 13:15,16 I read that “the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” In this verse are two words “speak” and “cause” – what do they mean? “Speak” means to legislate; “cause” means to enforce. This indicates legislation of a death decree upon God’s people which will be enforced by law. In the next two verses I read, “And he causeth (or enforces) all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

The Great Controversy p. 581 states, “ Rome is aiming to reestablish her power, to recover her lost supremacy, (and then these words…) her former persecution will be repeated.” But beloved, never forget, there is a promise to those who obey God, the Creator, and who are living ready to meet Jesus; a remnant who will have nothing to do with Satan’s masterpiece of spiritualism.

I am reading from Daniel 12:1, “At that time…thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book of life.” Oh friend, praise God! Hallelujah! The end is very near. We have the possibility to belong to the 144,000 who will see Jesus coming in the clouds as our Savior to deliver us from the great destroyer. Don’t you agree that it is high time, now to fully surrender our lives and our means and our talents to Jesus? Isn’t it time to share the Three Angel’s Messages with others that they to can be ready to meet Jesus? Oh the Lord is coming quickly. Soon He will come and “present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” Jude 24.

Let us pray . Precious Jesus, in Thy name we beseech Thy Father to wake us up and to arouse us in action to be ready. Grant us Thy almighty power to transform our lives to be in complete harmony with Thy righteous character. Amen.

The Elijah Message

Saturday April 1st, 2000

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

In the early years of the Advent Movement, Elder Loughborough, then one of our younger pioneers, became so depressed with the many difficulties he faced that he decided to leave the gospel ministry and take up his life work as a common carpenter. At home his wife complained because he was often absent due to his church labors. Then there was the ever present problem to keep food on the table, for in those days there was no fixed salary to count on. And to make matters worse the small scattered bands of believers were often unsettled in their belief. But the Lord was watching over His growing church, and its needs. God impressed Ellen White to immediately go to the town of Waukon, Iowa to find Elder Loughborough and bring him back into the Lord’s ministry. Elder Loughborough gives a very vivid description of what took place when Ellen White arrived. I quote from Volume 1 of The Early Days by Arthur White p. 348. “Brother Hosea Mead and I were working on a store building in Waukon. A man looking up saw me, and inquired, ‘Do you know a carpenter around here by the name of Hosea Mead?’

“I replied, ‘Yes, sir, he is up here working with me.’

“Brother Mead said, ‘That is Elon Everts’ voice.’ Then he came and looked down, and Brother Everts said, ‘Come down. Brother and Sister White and Brother Hart are out here in the sleigh.’

“As I reached the sleigh, Sister White greeted me with the question, ‘What doest thou here, Elijah?’

“Astonished at such a question, I replied, ‘I am working with Brother Mead at carpenter work.’

“The second time she repeated, ‘What doest thou here, Elijah?’

“Now I was so embarrassed at such a question, and the connecting of my case with Elijah, that I did not know what to say. It was evident that there was something back of all this which I should hear more about.

“The third time she repeated the question, ‘What doest thou here, Elijah?’

“I was brought by these bare questions to very seriously consider the case of Elijah, away from the direct work of the Lord, hid in a cave. . . . The change, and a ‘go-back’ from the labor in which I was then engaged.”

But now before we discuss the implications of the words, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” as found in 1 Kings l9: 9, will you join me in prayer?

Our loving Father which art in Heaven. As we explore the Elijah message in this sermon, we plead for Thy Holy Spirit to expand our spiritual vision so that we may clearly understand what God is expecting of each of us in this final crisis so soon to break upon us. We ask this in the name of Thy dear Son, Jesus. Amen.

Now let us open our Bibles to Malachi 4: 5. I read: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” First of all let us determine what is the great and dreadful day of the Lord. In Bible Commentaries Volume 4, p.164 we read, “‘The day of the Lord.’ This expression occurs at least twenty times in the writings of the various Old Testament prophets. It is always used in reference to a time of divine judgment. Upon a city, or a nation, or eventually upon the inhabitants of the whole world. Conversely the ‘Day of the Lord’ is the time when historically the probation of a city or a nation closes and ultimately when the destiny of all men is forever fixed. During the day of salvation men and nations are free to exercise their God given power. To choose between right and wrong, but with the arrival of the ‘day of the Lord’ God’s will becomes supreme, being no longer circumscribed by the exercise of the human will. What happens to a city, or to an entire nation, when the day of the Lord comes to it, is similar to that which happened to the whole world at the close of its probation.”

In Matthew 24 for instance, Christ’s description of the ‘day of the Lord’ upon the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation is manifestly similar in many respects to what will also be true of the entire world at the time of Christ’s coming and of the end of the world. The ‘day of the Lord’ is never referred to in scripture as a time when men will have a second chance, another opportunity to except salvation. The ‘day of the Lord’ is always without exception a day of judgment, a day of destruction, a day of darkness.

Now with this basic knowledge before us we can easily see how God in His infinite love, mercy, and grace sent Elijah the Tishbite to His wayward people, who had been so entangled with Baal worship that all but seven thousand had bent their knees in devil worship. But through the message of Elijah, God was able to arouse His people to acknowledge Him as the only true God to be worshipped and obeyed, and to destroy all the prophets of Baal. Again years later when it became time for the first advent of Christ, God sent a second Elijah in the person of John the Baptist to again awaken his slumbering people from the teachings of tradition by false shepherds. It was the purpose of God that the message of John would prepare the people’s hearts to accept the Messiah and thus escape the threatened destruction of Jerusalem.

How about today? God is now sending a third and last Elijah with a message – a message that is to be preached throughout the world to prepare a people for the Second Coming of Christ. When Jesus comes the second time he will of necessity destroy the world for its wickedness and for disregarding His everlasting gospel by the enforcement of a universal Sunday law in defiance of God’s fourth commandment. But before this time He sends Elijah. And who is this? – The Advent people whom he raised up in 1844 for this very purpose. They are to warn the world of His coming judgment and to invite them to repent.

At Christ’s first advent, and I quote, “It was believed also that before the Messiah’s advent, Elijah would personally appear. This expectation John met in his denial; but his words had a deeper meaning. Jesus afterward said, referring to John, ‘If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, which is to come.’ Matthew 11:14.” Desire of Ages p. 135.

John came in the spirit and the power of Elijah to do such a work as Elijah did. In the second application I quote: “In this age, just prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, God calls for men who will prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. Just such a work as that which John did, is to be carried on in these last days. The Lord is giving messages to His people, through the instruments He has chosen, and He would have all heed the admonitions and warnings He sends. The message preceding the public ministry of Christ was, Repent, publicans and sinners; repent, Pharisees and Sadducees; ‘for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Our message is not to be one of peace and safety. As a people who believe in Christ’s soon appearing, we have a definite message to bear,—‘Prepare to meet thy God.’

“Our message must be as direct as was that of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding the peril his life was in, he never allowed truth to languish on his lips. Our work in this age must be as faithfully done…. In this time of well-nigh universal apostasy, God calls upon His messengers to proclaim His law in the spirit and power of Elias. As John the Baptist, in preparing a people for Christ’s first advent, called their attention to the Ten Commandments, so we are to give, with no uncertain sound, the message: ‘Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.’ With the earnestness that characterized Elijah the prophet and John the Baptist, we are to strive to prepare the way for Christ’s second advent.” Bible Commentaries, Volume 4, p. 1184.

Then in Testimonies for the Church , Volume 5, p.115 we read: “The messages from heaven are of a character to arouse opposition. The faithful witnesses for Christ and the truth will reprove sin. Their words will be like a hammer to break the flinty heart, like a fire to consume the dross. There is constant need of earnest, decided messages of warning. God will have men who are true to duty. At the right time He sends His faithful messengers to do a work similar to that of Elijah.”

We have also been further instructed: “Today, in the spirit and power of Elias and of John the Baptist, messengers of God’s appointment are calling the attention of a judgment-bound world to the solemn events soon to take place in connection with the closing hours of probation and the appearance of Christ Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. Soon every man is to be judged for the deeds done in the body. The hour of God’s judgment has come, and upon the members of His church on earth rests the solemn responsibility of giving warning to those who are standing as it were on the very brink of eternal ruin. To every human being in the wide world who will give heed must be made plain the principles at stake in the great controversy being waged, principles upon which hang the destinies of all mankind. In these final hours of probation for the sons of men, when the fate of every soul is so soon to be decided forever, the Lord of heaven and earth expects His church to arouse to action as never before.” Prophets and Kings, p. 716.

I like the way Ellen White describes the work we are to do in her book Maranatha p.173. “‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.’ Malachi 4:5. To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great work of reform was to be accomplished [by the Advent Movement]. God saw that many of His professed people were not building for eternity, and in His mercy He was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor and lead them to make ready for the coming of the Lord.

“This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14. Here is a threefold message represented as proclaimed by heavenly beings and immediately followed by the coming of the Son of man to reap ‘the harvest of the earth.’ The angels are represented as flying in the midst of heaven, proclaiming to the world a message of warning, and having a direct bearing upon the people living in the last days of this earth’s history.” And now hear this – “No one hears the voice of these angels, (why? -) for they a symbol to represent the people of God who are working in harmony with the universe of heaven.” What a sublime thought! The Three Angels’ Messages are to be combined, giving their three-fold light to the world.

In the Revelation, John says: “I saw another angel, come from heaven, having great power. And the earth was lightened with his glory.” This represents the giving of the last and three-fold message of warning to the world. Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of the rejecting of the three-fold warning of Revelation 14:6-12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel. And the people of God, still in Babylon, will be called upon to separate from her communion. This message is the last that will ever be given to the world. It will accomplish its work when those who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (as you read in 2 Thessalonians 2:12) shall be left to receive strong delusions and to believe a lie. Then the light of truth will shine upon all those whose hearts are open to receive it and all the children of the Lord who remain in Babylon will heed the call, “Come out of her my people.” Revelation 18:4.

Now this brings us back to the personal experience of Elder Loughborough. Because of disappointment and adversity he left the work God had instructed him, to preach the Elijah message, and he took a job as a carpenter. But God sent Ellen White to shake up his senses with the words, “What doest thou here Elijah?”

Beloved, I believe God is calling you and me with these very same words, “What are you doing here Elijah?” We read, “In these words the Lord virtually said to Elijah, ‘I sent you to Ahab with a message, and how is it that you have strayed away here? Was it because Jezebel threatened to take off your head for bearing the living testimony which resulted in the death of the priests of Baal? What sent you here?’ Elijah heard the threats of Jezebel, but he did not wait to hear what God had to say. He fled for his life, and hid in a cave. But God did not leave him there. No, he called him out of the cave, and bade him stand with God upon the mount, and listen to his word.” General Conference Daily Bulletins, March 20, 1891.

We will now leave the discussion of Elder Loughborough, of our early pioneer work, and skip over to more modern times. At the time of Elijah the Tishbite the pagan nations that surrounded Israel had for years bowed down to and worshiped their man-made god, Baal. Today, among other doctrinal errors, the churches that surround modern Israel, the Seventh-day Adventist church, have for many years taught that the gospel consists alone of what Christ did on the cross for man, and that there are no conditions for receiving justification, no conditions for receiving salvation. “Just believe, only believe,” they cry.

Now they arrived at this false teaching because they separated the law from what they considered to be the gospel. They felt that this removed their need, in so far as conditions were concerned. But friend, men can create a false god and fall down and worship it, but they cannot change God’s truth. Through the influence of these neighboring churches around us, a change has been gradually brought about among the membership of our beloved church. In past years, as more and more of our ministers went to Babylonish universities to get their degrees, they often came back to their churches preaching the same worldly salvation doctrines.

Due to the trickle down effect today, ministers and members, including some of our most prominent theologians, are promoting by teaching, writing and preaching these very false doctrines of Babylon in our churches and at our camp meetings. This is true even though these teachings are directly contrary to God’s clearly revealed Word.

If we are to be God’s last-day Elijah messengers we must know and understand what the everlasting gospel actually embraces. It’s impossible to separate the law and the gospel without distorting them both. Many will agree that the law demands obedience, but they seemed surprised to hear the inspired answer to the question, “Does the gospel require obedience as a condition of salvation?”

Let us turn to the writings of Paul and Peter for the correct answer. I am quoting from the Scripture: “But they have not all obeyed the gospel.” Romans 10:16. “Taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:8. “Judgment must begin at the house of God and what will be the end of those who obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17. How can Scripture state the true facts any plainer than did Paul and Peter.

The truth of obedience is a salvation issue. Paul says that vengeance will be taken on those that obey not the gospel. What does the gospel tell men to obey? John answers this question by telling us exactly who it is that will receive salvation. I’m reading Revelation 22:12: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.” The obvious answer is obedience to God’s law. I will now quote from the Spirit of Prophecy: “There are some who think that they will be just as acceptable to God by obeying some other law then the law of God, by meeting some other conditions than those which He has specified in the gospel. …They are under a fatal delusion.” Review and Herald, August 27, 1901.

The following short sentences or phrases are not my words. I have taken them from the Spirit of Prophecy. “The gospel demands willing obedience and grateful service to its sacred claims.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p.71, 87. “The gospel points to the moral code as a rule of life.” Mind, Character and Personality p.563. “The gospel makes no compromise with evil. It cannot excuse sin.” Desire of Ages p.811. Why? – “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. “The gospel demands from every human being an unreserved consecration to God, of both body and soul, with all their energies and capabilities, throughout the entire period of our probation.” Review and Herald, April 12, 1987. Therefore we must conclude that the gospel demands our all, all of ourselves, even as long as life shall last. As the man in the parable who found treasure in the field, it will take our all to buy the field. But oh friend, what a treasure we will obtain! Speaking of the Loud Cry of the third angel’s message Ellen White writes: “The gospel… is to be preached…in clear lines, showing that obedience is the condition of gaining eternal life.” Bible Commentaries, Volume 7 p.972. We are not only to be aware of these truths concerning the gospel, we are, and I quote, to “make plain the requirements of the law and the gospel.” Christ Object Lessons p.40. We are to teach obedience to both the law and the gospel in clear lines to the sinners of the world as a condition of salvation.

Now some may wonder about justification. Ellen White warns, “The danger that has been presented to me again and again of entertaining, as a people, false ideas of justification by faith. I have been shown for years that Satan would work in a special manner to confuse the mind on this point.” Faith and Works p. 18.

As early as 1893, one of our prominent ministers, A.T. Jones of the 1888 fame, began to preach concerning salvation, and I quote: “There are no conditions.” He was repeating this over and over in his sermons. In a letter Ellen White reproved him saying, and I quote: “There are conditions to our receiving justification and sanctification and the righteousness of Christ.” Selected Messages, Book 1, p.377.

Throughout her writings, Ellen White refers to these conditions for justification. On p.365 of the same book I just quoted from, I read, “There is no salvation without repentance. No impenitent sinner can believe with his heart unto righteousness.” And friend that’s some statement of fact. From this inspired passage we learn that we must have faith. But please note and mark it well, that we can not have saving faith until we have repented. In the Review and Herald, September 3, 1901 we read: “The gospel of Christ requires penitence for sin; and sin is the transgression of the law.”

Oh, beloved, how encouraging it is to know that in order to repent we go to Jesus just as we are. He will give us the spiritual power and strength to repent. That is taken from Selected Messages, book 1, p.393 where it reveals that “whom He pardons He first makes penitent.” How sad it is today, that by human plans and human inventions of the structure, to a great extent the Elijah message calling to repentance has been shut out. At times it seems as if the voice of John the Baptist calling in the wilderness, “Repent ye,” has been all but been stilled.

The following two passages are from the Spirit of Prophecy: “The right hand of fellowship is given to the very men who bring in false theories and sentiments. …The light given, calling to repentance, has been shut out by the thick cloud of unbelief and opposition brought in by human plans and human inventions.” Review and Herald, November 1,1906. “The Lord desires His servants today to preach the old gospel doctrine, sorrow for sin, repentance and confession. We want old-fashioned sermons.” Evangelism p.179. You know friend, I feel like shouting, “Praise the Lord!” This is what we need! We need sermons such as Jesus taught in His very first sermon as recorded in Mark 1: 14-15. “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” We seldom hear such old-fashioned sermons today such as Jesus and John the Baptist preached, urging us to repentance, faith, and surrender. Yet such sermons would be far more effective to bring salvation to the world than a multitude of sermons teaching the new views of the gospel such as love and unity. What we need now is the old gospel doctrine and the old-fashioned sermons.

Now we come to a very encouraging part of our sermon. The gospel demands man to obey the law of God, but man has no power in himself to obey and the law has no power to give it to him. However, it fills us with joy and thanksgiving to know that when we come to Christ, who is the gospel, after He gives us the spiritual power to repent, He then gives us the power to obey the law. Then we will declare with David, “Oh how I love thy law.”

I quote: “The gospel of Christ is the Good News of grace, or favor, by which men may be released from the condemnation of sin, and enabled to render obedience to the law of God. The gospel points to the moral code as a rule of life. That law, by its demands for undeviating obedience, is continually pointing the sinner to the gospel for pardon and peace.” Mind, Character and Personality p.563. Oh what a marvelous provision this is!

Ellen White instructs us that “Jesus came that we might obey as well as receive; but we must believe in him, and receive, in order to obey.” Review and Herald, Sept 27, 1892. The plan of salvation is marvelous. By the loving provision of God, the gospel is not just a beautiful doctrine to be listened to and believed, we are also through faith, to experience it. Elsewhere in the Spirit of Prophecy we read that, “Christ was both the law and the gospel.” Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 106. The law and the gospel can not properly be separated.

I will read three important messages that we should all remember. We read, “If we would have the spirit and the power of the third angel’s message, we must present the law and the gospel together, for they go hand in hand.” Review and Herald, Sept 3, 1889. Then we are told, “No man can rightly present the law of God without the gospel, or the gospel without the law. The law is the gospel embodied, and the gospel is the law unfolded. The law is the root; the gospel is the fragrant blossom and fruit which it bears.” Christ Object Lessons p.128. “The law and the gospel are so blended that the truth can not be presented as it is in Jesus, without blending these subjects in perfect agreement. The law is the gospel of Christ veiled; the gospel of Jesus is nothing more or less than the law defined, showing its far-reaching principles.” Review and Herald, May 27, 1890.

One of my favorite passages from the Spirit of Prophecy concerning this subject is found in the book Our High Calling p.141. It reads: “The law and the gospel go hand in hand. The one is the complement of the other. The law without faith in the gospel of Christ can not save the transgressor of the law. The gospel without the law is inefficient and powerless. The law and the gospel are a perfect whole. …The two blended—the gospel of Christ and the law of God—produce the love and faith unfeigned.”

Did you catch the import of that paragraph? We know the law without the gospel cannot save, but what about a gospel that is inefficient and powerless to save? This is the divine description of the gospel when it is presented separated from the law. Such a passage as this should truly awaken us. Is the last-day Elijah gospel to be proclaimed after it has been rendered inefficient and powerless by the preaching that we can sin until Jesus comes? God forbid!

To illustrate another point. How often we hear people refer to those who they fear are preaching the law as legalists. There have been times, even in our past history, when ministers emphasized the law more than the gospel. This was unfortunate. Ellen White recognized this, and she said, “As a people, we have preached the law until we are dry as the hills of Gilboa that had neither dew nor rain.” But then she adds: “We must preach Christ in the law.” Review and Herald, March 11, 1890. However, as we have already pointed out, the tables have turned today as it were. Many are now separating the law out from their gospel, making their gospel as powerless to save as their former emphases on the law.

Now listen to me carefully. Because God said through His prophet that at one time in our history we have preached the law until we were as dry as the hills of Gilboa, this does not give us license to go to the other extreme. Which is more productive for God’s church, dry hills so that the precious plants dry out and die in the ground, or should we bring about a flood of love preaching that would uproot and destroy and wash away the plants? Let us remember, and I am quoting, “The enemy has ever labored to disconnect the law from the gospel.” Bible Commentaries, Volume 6, p.1073. God on the other hand is working to restore the law of God to its rightful position.

Satan doesn’t care which extreme we adapt, just so we don’t keep the water in the soil in proper balance so that the plants will flourish. In the following passage we read that, “All error is misleading, even though clothed with garments of heavenly beauty.” Review and Herald, January 21, l904.

Throughout the Spirit of Prophecy we are admonished to furiously expose Satan’s errors. I quote the following: “It is Satan’s studied effort to divert minds from the hope of salvation through faith in Christ and obedience to the law of God. In every age the archenemy adapts his temptations to the prejudices or inclinations of those whom he is seeking to deceive. In apostolic times he led the Jews to exalt the ceremonial law and reject Christ; at the present time he induces many professed Christians, under pretense of honoring Christ, to cast contempt on the moral law and to teach that its precepts may be transgressed with impunity. It is the duty of every servant of God to withstand firmly and decidedly these perverters of the faith and by the word of truth fearlessly to expose their errors.” Acts of the Apostles p.387. Therefore, I must speak boldly to declare these facts to you that you may prepare to be ready for the coming crisis.

The day of the Lord is drawing near. We have an ever-greater responsibility than did John the Baptist. As we read earlier, our message must be given in even plainer language than was his. We are to warn the world that the hour of God’s judgment is come . At the end of this time of judgment probation will close for all mankind. We are standing on the brink of eternity. We must arouse to action as never before. Sinners must be aroused from their stupor to make ready for the coming of the Lord in judgment and glory.

What a responsibility! Soon we shall feel the wrath of the dragon through the Papal and Protestant persecution. And over what? – The law of God, the seventh day Sabbath, the mark of the beast and the supposed Sunday-sabbath. There will be laws prohibiting us to either buy or sell because we refuse to honor a pagan day of worship. We will be threatened with persecution and death. Will we, God’s modern Elijahs, run and hide in a cave as did Elijah of old, or will we speak the truth boldly, exposing errors and sins as did John the Baptist as he prepared the way for Christ’s first advent?

Oh, friend, the third angel’s message closes with this description of God’s last church. It is found in Revelation 14:12. “Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” If we are to be a part of the 144,000, and be filled with the Holy Spirit of the latter rain, we must answer God’s call and be ready to give the Loud Cry in the power of Elijah and of John the Baptist. Will we be ready to answer the call of God when He asks, “What are you doing here Elijah?” Are we fearlessly preaching the true gospel today or are we hiding in a cave, or neglecting to give the message, or allowing some other common employment or other interests to consume our time? Worse yet, are we joining with the priests of Baal in their celebration worship? God forbid! May each of us be found daily preparing to give the Loud Cry, ready to be sealed, ready with the Holy Spirit and thus be prepared to give the Elijah message – God’s last call to this doomed world.

Let us pray. Dear Savior. Today’s message has awakened us to realize that in Thy divine plan each of us is to give the Elijah message. May we be so Spirit-filled when the test comes that we may be used in whatever way the Spirit directs in giving the Loud Cry. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Astonishing Current Events

Monday February 1st, 1999

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

As an introduction to the amazing Spiritism events that are now taking place in this last decade of this century we must not fail to keep our focus on the prophetic words of God. I read from the Holy Scriptures in 2 Peter 1: 16,19, “We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.”

Divine prophecies have outlined clearly the course of this earth’s history and have described in detail coming last-day events culminating in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The books of Daniel and Revelation and the Spirit of Prophecy are filled with heavenly insight, telling us just what to expect just before Jesus Christ appears in the clouds to give His saints immortality and to destroy the wicked. How thankful we should be to our God for sharing with us the needed information concerning last-day events. How assuring that with this prophetic revelation also comes divine counsel and guidance to enable us to make the right decisions for eternity.

Let us pray. Loving Father, we cannot praise Thee enough for the prophetic guidance Thou hast given to Thy people. We pray that Thou wilt impress upon us the urgency to carefully study every day Thy inspired counsel so we may be ready for the coming crisis. Open our understanding in this study that we may comprehend these closing events that have heavenly assurance in facing the final test. In Jesus’ name we ask, Amen.

Christian publications such as Christianity Today , of March 6, 1995, report that there are some 20,000 organizations representing the United Nations, world governments, business, educational and religious bodies who have special plans for the year 2000. Some forty Christian organizations, including the Roman Catholic Church, plan to reach the whole world with the gospel by the year 2000.

Reading in the book Sunday’s Coming p. 8,9 it says, “Pope John Paul II has been working toward uniting the world by the year 2000 and participating personally in the great Jubilee. On November 19, 1994 Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter from the Vatican. This letter is a 62-page document that outlines his plan to prepare for the new millennium.”

John Januik has simplified this apostolic letter in his book The Great Controversy Endgame . From p. 28,29 I quote the following, “‘The year 2000 will be celebrated as the great Jubilee. As the eve of the new millennium approaches, unity among all Christians of various confessions will increase until they reach full communion. I pray that the Jubilee will be a promising opportunity for fruitful cooperation in many areas which unite us. These are unquestionably more numerous than those which divide us. It would thus be quite helpful if with the due respect for the programs of the individual churches and communities, ecumenical agreements could be reached with regard to the preparation and celebration of the Jubilee.’”

“The Pope says that as Bishop of Rome he has special responsibilities to prepare for the great Jubilee of the year 2000. He goes on to say that the increase of Papal journeys over the past several years have been designed to bring about unity. In addition, the pope has divided the time between 1996 and the year 2000 into two periods. The first phase is the preparation period through the year 1996, and the second is the strictly preparatory phase for the years 1997 and 1998.”

I continue to read, “‘The second phase is divided into thirds among the trinity with Mary added to each one. The first year (1997) will thus be devoted to reflections on Christ, the Word of God made man by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ He concludes his thoughts on the year 1997 by stating, ‘The blessed Virgin will be, as it were, indirectly present in the whole preparation phase.’

“The second year (1998) will be dedicated in a particular way to the Holy Spirit. Christians are called to prepare for the great Jubilee of the beginning of the third millennium by renewing their hope in the definite coming of the kingdom of God. The pope continues his discussion of the second year countdown by emphasizing unity in the Spirit and the role of Mary.

“According to the pope’s countdown, this year (1999) will be the third and final year of preparation. The pope emphasis the role of conversion, penance, and charity in preparing for the Jubilee. He then goes beyond unity among Christians to include other world religions. He says, ‘As far as the field of religious awareness is concerned the eve of the year 2000 will provide a great opportunity especially in view of the events of recent decades for inter-religious dialogue. In accordance with the specific guidelines set down by the Second Vatican Council, in this dialogue the Jews and the Muslims ought to have a preeminent place. Attention is being given to finding ways of arranging historic meetings in places of exceptional symbolic importance like Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Mount Sinai. In this broad perspective of commitment, Mary, Most Holy, the highly favored daughter of the Father, will appear before the eyes of the believers as the perfect model of love toward both God and neighbor.’

“He concludes by saying, ‘The ecumenical and universal character of the sacred Jubilee can be fittingly reflected by a meeting of all Christians. This would be an event of great significance. I trust this responsibility of the whole church to the maternal intercession of Mary, mother of the Redeemer. She, the mother of the Fairest Love, will be for Christians on the way to the great Jubilee of the third millennium the star which safely guides their steps to the Lord.’ It is with this great event in mind that the pope is preparing the world.” (Additional notes were taken from Sunday’s Coming p. 9 – 11 and The Thunder of Justice p. 53-62)

Thank you, John Januik for this summary of the Pope’s objectives. So now we can visualize the definite plans for the celebration of the great Jubilee that are now underway. On January 17, 1996 the pope met in the Vatican with the Israeli Minister of Religious Affairs who said, “I express great appreciation for the connection the pope has made between Rome and Jerusalem in the celebration of the Jubilee of the year 2000 – especially that Jerusalem will be included as a place of ceremonies in addition to Rome.” ( Inside the Vatican, February 1996)

I must here emphasis the plan of the papacy to involve the Jews and Muslims in this great Jubilee. Jerusalem will be the place for the Jews and the Protestants together with the Catholics to celebrate by participating each other in the celebration of the Eucharist. As for the Muslims, they are to celebrate the Jubilee in Bethlehem where they will be joined by Catholics and Protestants to honor Mary, the mother of Jesus, where she gave birth to the Christ Child. Arafat is spending over one million dollars to clean up the old town of Bethlehem by paving the streets, developing parking facilities and providing a center for the anticipated crowds that will gather to celebrate.

Now before we proceed further, let us consider how these Papal plans are affecting the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I am sorry to state that the news is not good. If you were following closely the Papal plan of preparation for the Jubilee year of 2000 you will have noted the following:

 

1. A dialogue must take place between the various churches to develop unity. And what has been the response of the Seventh-day Adventist leadership to such a dialogue between churches? Could this be the reason why our church recently dialogued with the leadership of the Lutheran Church as reported in the Review? Our participation in the World Council of Churches insists that every church dialogue with another church to discover ways in which we can fulfil unity by the year 2000 as planned by the pope. Think it over.

2. During the 1998, the churches are to emphasize the Holy Spirit in developing a spirit of unity. What about this special emphasis that is to be given to the Holy Spirit in 1998? Could this be the reason why last fall, in 1998, the Review issued a special edition on the Holy Spirit? Could it be because our church is so deeply involved in the World Council of Churches, which demands its cooperating churches carry out Rome’s ecumenical program as planned by the pope? Was this done to fall in line with Rome’s program? Think it over.

3. In the year 2000 the leadership of all the churches is to gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the Eucharist together. What about this Papal plan for all churches to celebrate the Eucharist in Jerusalem during the Jubilee of 2000? Once again, I must ask, since our church leadership participates in the World Council of Churches, is it possible that our church leadership is planning to unite in this ecumenical celebration of the pagan Eucharist in Jerusalem? If this happens, mark my words, there is but one step left – to embrace the pope’s plan for a Sunday Law. Think it over.

 

This is why I have repeatedly emphasized that we are not saved as a church but as individuals who have determined not to be misled by a few leaders who have infiltrated into God’s ranks. There will be God’s faithful few who will hold fast to the pillars of our faith as found in the Word of God and emphasized in the Spirit of Prophecy. Such dedicated, individual members make a loyal stand to obey God come what may. Remember, “We have far more to fear from within (the church) than from without.” Last Day Events p. 156. As the coming storm darkens this is no time to abandon Zion’s ship for God has a church and there will be found a faithful few, a remnant, who will be ready to meet Jesus.

Now getting back to our subject of unity and spiritualism [Spiritism]. The Great Controversy p. 588 and 589 states, “Papists, Protestants, and worldlings [alike] … will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected Millennium.” Beloved, this prediction about the millennium is being fulfilled before our very eyes. Almost all Christian denominations in this world teach that when Christ comes the second time that He will commence a literal reign on this earth which will start the great 1000 years of peace.

This is why Satan has chosen the pope to unite the world by the year 2000 and conduct a great Jubilee for the inauguration of the millennium in which Satan will counterfeit the Second Coming and confer on the pope his thanks for making possible the counterfeit coming. This is what the pope has in mind by choosing Jerusalem as the celebration site.

Inspiration further states in Great Controversy p. 561, “Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world … . He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time. Says the prophet: ‘I saw three unclean spirits like frogs; … they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.’ Revelation 16:13,14.”

Note this carefully. Except those that are kept by the power of God, through faith in His Word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. These unclean spirits of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet are religious powers who appeal to the political powers to unite in a New World Order under the domain of the Pope. Reading Revelation 17: 12,13 we find, “And the ten horns which thou sawest … [which] have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”

Referring to this verse, Ellen White says in Manuscript 2 4 , 1891, “There will be a universal bond of union. One great harmony, a confederacy of Satan’s forces and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” In his book, The Keys of This Blood , by Malachi Martin [S.J.], he explains on p. 48,50 how this New World Order originated. And, (this is very important) he says that John Paul II received a personal communication from heaven, the Great Design of God, for the New World Order. This is a heaven geopolitical agenda for our time.

Pope John Paul II would now stride in the arena of the Millennium End Game. And so now the question, “When is this New World Order to start?” I am reading from Keys of This Blood , p. 639. Pope John Paul II “is waiting for an event….It will be an event on public view in the skies, in the oceans, and on the continental landmasses of this planet….Then his ministry as the servant of the Grand Design will begin. This is why John Paul II is waiting, for God must first intervene before John Paul’s major ministry to all men can start.”

And what is this supernatural event that will give the pope the signal to commence this New World Order in which the entire world will obey him? In John Januik’s book, The Great Controversy Endgame he states on p. 29, “This will be Satan’s counterfeit of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church has a prophecy which says, ‘When Jesus Christ comes, then the Pope will give him the Pope’s tiara and throne. Jesus will give him the keys and then Jesus will bless the Pope.’” I believe when Satan’s counterfeit of the Second Coming of Jesus takes place, then this [Roman] Catholic prophecy will be fulfilled and the whole world will worship Satan as Christ and the beast (the papacy) as the Vicar of Christ.

We read in Revelation 13:4, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Who is the dragon? Revelation 12:9 says, “And the dragon is Satan.” So the whole world will worship Satan who counterfeits the Second Coming of Christ and the beast (the papacy). And note this, the people who were not quite sure before as to who the papacy is, when they see the counterfeit Christ blessing the pope, then they will exclaim, ‘Who is like the beast (the papacy)? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4). They will all be deceived.

Right now all leaders and people of this world are looking for someone who will bring peace, justice and especially prosperity. The Jews are waiting for the Messiah in His first coming, the Christians are waiting for Jesus Christ in His Second Coming, the Buddhists are waiting for Buddha in his fifth reincarnation, the Hindu’s are waiting for Krishna, the Muslims are waiting for a man, Mahdi, the New Age Movement is waiting for Maitreya, Cosmic Christ. When Satan counterfeits the Second Coming of Christ they will all welcome him as their Savior. Then Satan, together with the pope, will promise peace, justice and prosperity to the people of the world. Then will start the Religio-Political system called the New World Order.

Ellen White agrees. Testimonies to Ministers p. 62 tells us, “Fallen angels upon earth form confederations with evil men. In this age (notice those words) Antichrist will appear as the true Christ.” This statement implies that the counterfeit coming of Christ takes place when unity among the nations of this world has been achieved. Could this be the reason that President Clinton of the United States has been stressing global reconciliation and unity in his visits to other countries? You will recall that he made this a part of his message in his speech to Congress.

This is also the main objective of John Paul II. As I read in the book Sunday’s Coming p. 8, what is John Paul II’s main objective? “Pope John Paul II has been working toward uniting the world by the year 2000.” Ellen White speaks of such unity in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 7, p. 182, “Under one head – the papal power – the people will unite.”

In describing the counterfeit coming of Christ the Spirit of Prophecy uses simple, understandable words. Listen, “The world is a theater; the actors, its inhabitants, are preparing to act their part in the last great drama.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 27. And what is this last great drama? “A power from beneath is working to bring about the last great scenes in the drama – Satan coming as Christ.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 28.

And so you can easily imagine how this united world will react to the people of God who would dare to say, “This is a false Christ who has appeared. This is the antichrist spoken of in God’s Word.” And how will the New World Order respond? – “You Seventh-day Adventists are against peace, justice and prosperity. Away with you.”

This is why Inspiration tells us in the book Maranatha 209, “I saw our people in great distress, weeping, and praying, pleading the sure promises of God, while the wicked were all around us, mocking us, and threatening to destroy us. They ridiculed our feebleness, they mocked at the smallness of our numbers, and taunted us with words that were calculated to cut deep. They charged us with taking an independent position from all the rest of the world. They had cut off our resources so that we could not buy or sell, and referred to our abject poverty and stricken condition. They could not see how we could live without the world; we were dependent upon the world, and we must concede to the customs, practices, and laws of the world, or go out of it. If we were the only people in the world whom the Lord favored the appearances were awfully against us. They declared that they had the truth, that miracles were among them, that angels from heaven talked with them, and walked with them, that great power, and signs and wonders were performed among them, and this was the temporal millennium, which they had been expecting so long. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law and this little feeble people stood out in defiance to the laws of the land, and the laws of God, and claimed to be the only ones right on the whole earth.”

Oh what a day this is going to be! This will surely be our time of Jacob’s Trouble. Question: “When will a world-wide Sunday Law be enacted?”

Great Controversy p. 624 says, “As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. (And what will take place?)…He claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name….This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion.”

Remember these vital words in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 7, p. 141, “The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama.” Current events indicate that we will soon be faced with a national Sunday Law in America. Two historical documents regarding ecumenism have emerged. One was written at the Vatican over the signature of John Paul II on May 25, 1995 entitled, “That They May Be One.” The pope wrote of this, “The path to be followed toward the celebration of the great Jubilee of the holy year of 2000, the Holy Spirit, who leads all Christians toward full and visible unity.”

The other document is titled “Evangelicals and Catholics Together.” This twenty-five page document was developed by Protestant Chuck Colson and former Protestant Richard John Newhouse and signed by forty well-known evangelical and Catholic leaders. The magazine, The Christian America of May/June 1994 reported, “After nearly four centuries of division and hostility, Protestants and Catholics have taken an important step toward unity. Forty key Evangelical and Catholic leaders signed this statement at the Institute on Religious and Public Life in New York City on March 29, 1994 urging their followers to accept each other as Christians and to put aside differences and contend for common, civil causes.”

Now let’s take a look at how Protestantism is changing. As Ellen White wrote in Great Controversy p. 588, “Through the agency of spiritualism, (notice, “through the agency of spiritualism”) miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power.”

I like the way John Januik summarizes these details. I am taking this from the book The Great Controversy Endgame 32-35. “Today’s Protestantism is becoming increasingly Pentecostal and charismatic, in part due to television preachers who, like Pat Robertson, Benny Hinn, John and Carol Arnott, and Oral and Richard Roberts, to name but a few. Public healings has become a specialty with the spectacle seen not just by the audience in attendance but by millions around the world. Not only Pentecostals but some mainstream Protestants are praising and publicizing such miraculous feats. The miracles ignore denominational boundaries making doctrinal differences seem not to matter and unity among the churches seems much more likely. This unity is based on common experience.

“The official theme of the 1996 Promise Keepers Men’s Conference was to break down the walls. No doubt about it, the walls are coming down. The walls between conservatives and liberals, the walls between Charismatics and Southern Baptist, the walls between professing Fundamentalists and New Evangelicals are breaking down. Are you aware that the largest clergy gathering in history was held in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 where some 39,000 clergyman gathered under the Georgia Dome at a massive Promise Keepers Convention. By the end of three days, by one report, the clergymen had seemingly become pawns ready to exhibit any emotional response by hollering, cheering, clapping, whooping, chanting, even roaring – solicited and engineered by the worship leader of the Promise Keepers, Bill McCartney who reported, ‘No such meeting was held in the past four hundred years. It is exciting to see the denominational barriers come down. The purpose of this meeting is to have the unity of the Church.’

“John and Carol Arnott, the pastors of the church in Toronto where the recent ‘laughing revivals’ and ‘holy rolling’ began in North America, reported twenty-seven months of continuous, nightly meetings in their church. Dr. Richard Roberts, the Oral Roberts University President, then came to the center stage and had the entire group join hands for prayer asking for miracles, healings and deliverances. After a contemporary, big-beat musical group sang ‘The Holy Spirit Fall Afresh On America,’ Jerry Falwell, said, ‘We must network together or we will lose this country.’

“The ‘Washington for Jesus’” event concluded with a signs-and-wonders miracles service led by Benny Hinn who held a faith-healing ceremony right on the Georgia capital steps. One by one, persons made their way up the stage. When Mr. Hinn touched each one on the forehead each fell backward into the arms of a waiting attendant. Pentecostals call this being ‘slain in the spirit.’ People tossed aside their crutches, canes and walkers as these miracles were performed. This is modern spiritualism manifestations in our day.

“Today the Catholic world is entranced with the apparitions of the Virgin Mary seen nearly worldwide. Catholics also have modern visionaries with prophetic utterances as well as miracles of all kind. Pick up a catalogue of a Catholic publication and you will be amazed at the number of popular books on the subject of prophecy and the end-time.”

And now I want to read to you a most alarming statement found in The Catholic International , August, 1994 p. 384 and 394. It says, “Dialogue: Buddhists and Christians, Evangelicals and Catholic Reformation Reversed. - Protestants Embrace Rome.” Billy Graham and John Scott have been saying it. Now Charles Colson, Bill Bright, J.I. Packard, Pat Robertson, John White echo it. Evangelicals and Catholics Together. The Evangelicals have sounded the death knell for the Reformation and the impending demise of the Protestant church. The Ecumenical reunification of all Christendom under Rome is unstoppable and the end is in sight.”

Are you listening? It’s coming, surely, it’s coming. Ellen White predicted this unity between Catholics and Protestants. Listen. She stated in Great Controversy p. 445, “When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, (that’s the image of the beast), and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.”

O friend, this process is beginning to happen now. Ellen White also predicted that Protestants and Catholics would come together. She wrote in Bible Echoes, February 1, 1887 an article entitled, “Protestants and Catholics Uniting.” “Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years….Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, and to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done….

(O friend, wake up!) “Men are closing their eyes to the real character of Romanism, and the dangers to be apprehended from her supremacy….The Romish Church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She has clothed herself in Christ-like garments; but she is unchanged … . (Shall this power, whose record for a thousand years is written in the blood of the saints, be now acknowledged as a part of the church of Christ) It is not without reason that the claim has been put forth that Catholicism is now almost like Protestantism. There has been a change; but the change is in Protestants not in Romanists. (What is the secret of the Papacy’s power?) … The Papacy is well adapted to meet the wants of all these. It is prepared for two classes of mankind, embracing nearly the whole world, – (first,) those who would be saved by their merits (their works), and (second,) those who would be saved in their sins. Here is the secret of the Papacy’s power.”

The New Theology teaching being presented from many Adventist pulpits is preparing the way for professed Adventists to accept Catholicism, which also teaches that you can be saved in your sins. The Bible clearly teaches that there is no salvation by works and there is no salvation if we are in sin. In other words, there is no salvation in a legalistic way and also no salvation in cheap grace. Those who are in the above categories are under Papal power.

As I worked on this tape the present Pope [John Paul II] has given his strongest message yet in preparing the world to accept Sunday as a day of worship. These typewritten statements came to me over the Internet and it was also published in such newspapers as ‘The Detroit News’ on July 7, 1998 with the headline, “The Pope’s Call For Worship. Welcome.” In this message the Pope warned that Sunday should be dedicated to celebrating God and not for free time. It should be a day in which the Church celebrates the resurrection of Christ in obedience to the third commandment. Sunday must be sanctified.

And then came this outstanding statement: The Pope said a violator should be punished as a “heretic.” Anyone acquainted with the history of the Dark Ages, when the Pope’s words were the universal law of the land, will recognize in these words what the pope has in mind as an enforcement of a coming Sunday Law. Soon, very soon, you and I will see and meet this crisis.

As I close I must remind you that neither the Bible nor the Spirit of Prophecy says anything about the year 2000, and they give no suggestion that Christ will come in the year 2000, but we know that all time prophecies ended in 1844. Yet, the prophets of the scripture and God’s mouthpiece for these last days reveals that in the very last end time, spiritualism will cause Protestant America to join hands with the papacy bringing about a national Sunday Law. God help us to be prepared for what is coming.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, without Thy mighty power we shall never be able to stand faithful in view of what is to come. So please, Father, guide and transform us into sinless saints and may we be sealed as Thy Holy Spirit prepares us to meet this evil power. We thank Thee, dear God, for the wonderful promise that Thou wilt never leave us nor forsake us. Amen.

Meeting the Coming Crisis

Thursday April 1st, 1999

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

There can be no doubt that the end time of this world is right upon us as you have listened to the four previous tapes concerning this masterpiece of Satanic deception. I quote from Great Controversy p. 371, “Though no man knoweth the day nor the hour of His coming, we are instructed and required to know when it is near.” And then Ellen White gives this warning, “We are further taught that to disregard His warning, and refuse or neglect to know when His advent is near, will be as fatal for us as it was for those who lived in the days of Noah not to know when the flood was coming.”

O how we should praise God for giving to us the foreknowledge of Satan’s masterpiece so we may fully know what to expect. With our eyes opened by the Holy Spirit we can see how quickly our blessed Savior may come. Our reaction should be,“What must we do now that we might have full assurance that we are ready?”

Will you join with me in prayer, seeking for further light as to what God expects us to do today in preparing for this coming crisis? Oh loving Father which art in heaven, we see ourselves surrounded by Satan’s spiritism which is preparing the world for a New World Order in which we will be faced with a time of trouble such as never was. We plead for Thy Holy Spirit to guide us in this study as to how we can be safely placed within Thy hands – protected and fill with divine power to meet the enemy and to give the Loud Cry. We ask these blessing in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Now let us first open the Holy Scriptures, and I am reading God’s instruction for this needed preparation. I am reading from Joel chapter 2, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand….Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

“Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people….Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month….And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”

It is very evident by this scripture what we must do by the gravity and the urgency expressed in this command. I like the way Ellen White puts this before us. I am quoting from Great Controversy p. 464, “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.” What an eye opener! This is important! And she adds in Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 121, “A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.” So you can see if we will follow this counsel such a revival will result in a reformation. Let me tell you, beloved, both are needed to meet this coming crisis.

Listen to this quote: “A revival and a reformation must take place, under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. (Are you listening carefully? “Revival and reformation are two different things…”) A revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of the mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work, and in doing this work they must blend.” Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 128.

So we can see the importance of this blending of a revival and a reformation. This is revealed to us in the parable of the ten virgins. You remember, five of them were wise and five were foolish as you read in Matthew 25:2. Why were the foolish virgins foolish? The pen of Inspiration answers in Review and Herald, September 17, 1895, “The foolish virgins do not represent those who are hypocritical. They had a regard for the truth, they advocated the truth, they…go with them, having lamps, which represent a knowledge of the truth. When there was a revival in the church, their feelings were stirred.” Ah, but now notice this, “But they failed to have oil in their vessels.” Why? “Because they did not bring the principles of godliness into their daily life and character.”

Now, nothing could be more clearly stated. A reformation therefore, must be experienced following a revival. And I’m sure that each of us listening want to be among those wise virgins for we are told, “Those who earnestly search the Scriptures with much prayer, who rely upon God with firm faith, who obey His commandments, will be among those who are represented as wise virgins.” Review and Herald, September 17, 1895.

So, there are but two choices before each of us. We may respond to God’s call now for a spiritual revival which will produce a spiritual reformation in us, or we can sit back and do nothing and like the five foolish virgins be shaken out of God’s true church. Anyone can see that this is the determining issue of life and death before each of us.

Let us spend a few moments to consider what actually takes place in a revival of primitive godliness. First of all we can learn much by defining the meaning of the word “revival.” Its origin comes to us from two Latin deviations. The “re-” means “back or again” and the “vivo” means “I live once again.” This helps us to understand what the Spirit of Prophecy means when it states, “There will be among the people of God such a revival (that is of “living once again”) of primitive godliness.” The next word, “primitive” comes from the Latin word “premetosis” which means “initial or original.” This helps us understand the meaning of, “a revival of true godliness or of apostolic godliness.”

But in seeking such an experience we must also comprehend the meaning of the word “godliness.” This word is divided into two parts, “God” and “liness” which literally reflects a close connection with God. In other words, to become like Him in character. This is the godliness obtained by the wise virgins and this is in keeping with the Spirit of Prophecy. I read it again, “Those who earnestly search the scriptures with much prayer, and who rely upon God with firm faith, and who obey His commandments will be among those who are represented as the wise virgins.”

And what are the attributes to be found in God’s character which the five virgins will experience? In reading Testimonies to Ministers p. 362, “The Lord passed before him (that was Moses) and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abounding in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.’ The goodness, mercy and love of God were proclaimed by Christ to Moses. This was God’s character.”

In other words, godliness is reflecting the character of Jesus Christ; His life, His righteousness, His Spirit, His love which must become a part of our lives. This is what Paul was trying to teach in Ephesians 3:19, “That ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Or as Ellen White said in the book Education p . 18, “Godliness—God-likeness—is the goal to be reached.” It is thus that we become complete in Christ. As we seek for such an experience we must keep in mind how Christ works within us to produce such an experience within us.

In the book Acts of the Apostles p. 284 are these words, “The sap of the vine, ascending from the root, is defused to the branches, sustaining growth and producing blossoms and fruit. So the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Savior, pervades the soul, renews the motives and affections, and brings even the thoughts into obedience to the will of God, enabling the receiver to bear the precious fruit of holy deeds.” Isn’t that a beautiful illustration? And how simple it makes it. This is godly character building.

In the book Education p. 225 we find the most important work ever entrusted to human beings. “Never before was its diligent study so important as now. Never was any previous generation called to meet issues so momentous.” So you can see the connection between a revival of true and primitive godliness and character building. Think of this – the apostles spent three and a half years with Jesus. They constantly beheld His life of righteousness. By beholding they became changed. Thus they possessed Christ’s godliness.

Now of course you and I have never been able to personally daily see with our eyes the living Christ as did His disciples, but we have the depository of His every act as revealed in the Holy Scripture covering 6000 years. No other generation has such knowledge. And then in addition God has given to us the Spirit of Prophecy. The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” And what a model the apostles have set before us. They were given the task of preaching the message to the whole world in one generation, but they were taught to wait and prepare for the power of the early rain.

Likewise we have a great task to perform in giving the Loud Cry amid laws that bring untold hardship, because we can neither buy nor sell, and eventually face a death sentence. So we are counseled to prepare by experiencing a revival and a reformation of primitive godliness; bringing into our experience that like that of the apostles of “one accord” and a readiness for the Latter Rain. Once again, let us consider this preparation of the apostles. I’m reading from Acts of the Apostles p. 37, “These days of preparation were days of deep heart searching. The disciples felt their spiritual need and cried to the Lord for the holy unction that was to fit them for the work of soul saving. They did not ask for a blessing for themselves merely. (The disciples prayed with intense earnestness for a fitness to meet men, and in their daily intercourse to speak words that would lead sinners to Christ.) They were weighed with a burden of the salvation of souls. They realized that the gospel was to be carried to the world, and they claimed the power that Christ had promised.”

Never forget for a moment that when you and I come face to face with the satanic power of spiritualism, as we have discovered in this series of his devilish plans for us, we can meet God’s conditions for receiving the Latter Rain. And praise the Lord, He is ready if we are ready, to give us the power to meet, resist, and remain faithful, and to receive a crown of eternal life.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14 I read, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” One of the conditions we must experience as a people is to reexamine the place that the law of God must have in our teachings. And I trust that you will listen carefully to this.

In the Great Controversy p. 478 we read, “It is only as the law of God is restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival of primitive faith and godliness among His professed people.” You know, I must repeat that: “It is only as the law of God is restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival of primitive faith and godliness among His professed people.”

It’s no wonder that Satan today is putting forth every effort to destroy the preaching of God’s law within our church today. You’ll have to admit, seldom do you ever hear a sermon on God’s holy law. Even the word “obedience” is seldom mentioned, for the emphasis today is on love and unity which is exactly the same message that is being preached in the churches of Babylon. Thus Satan hopes to derail a revival and a return to primitive faith and godliness.

Now since the law of God must be restored to its rightful place, what, and how, can this be done? The answer is found in Our High Calling p. 141, “We hear so many who are deceived by the enemy constantly claiming, ‘I am saved’, but…they show such contempt of God’s rule of righteousness that we know that they…know nothing of saving grace. The heart is not in harmony with the law of God, but is at enmity with that law. Thus was the great rebel in heaven. Will the Lord take men and women to heaven that have no respect for the law of His universe? What is to bring the sinner to the knowledge of his sins unless he knows what sin is…as found in 1 John 3:4? ‘Sin is the transgression of the law.’ The sinner must be made to feel that he is a transgressor. Christ dying upon the cross of Calvary is drawing his attention. Why did Christ die? Because it was the only means for man to be saved….He took upon Himself our sins that He might impute His righteousness to all that believe in Him….

“The goodness and the love of God leads the sinner to repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ….Yet there is no saving quality in the law to pardon the transgression of the law, and his case seems hopeless. But the law draws him to Christ. (Did you notice those words? “The law draws him to Christ…”) However deep are his sins of transgression, the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse him from all sin. The law and the gospel go hand in hand. The one is the complement of the other. The law without faith in the gospel of Christ cannot save the transgressor of the law. The gospel without the law is inefficient and powerless. The law and the gospel are a perfect whole.”

The gospel does not undermine the importance of the law of God or removes it, but effectively gives power to keep it. In between the gospel and the law of God there is no tension, but harmony and cooperation. The pen of Inspiration says, “No man can rightly present the law of God without the gospel, or the gospel without the law. The law is the gospel embodied and the gospel is the law unfolded. The law is the root, the gospel is the fragrant blossoms and fruit which it bears.” Christ Object Lessons p. 128.

If we emphasize only the gospel or the law then we lose the proper understanding of both the gospel and the law. For when a train is derailed it comes off both rails at the same time. The same with us. We need to understand the relationship between the gospel and the law and their role in our Christian spiritual life. God through His servant said, “The law sends men to Christ, (that’s the gospel) and Christ points them back to the law.” Review and Herald, September 27, 1881.

Now you may ask, “What is the Gospel?” “The Gospel of Christ is the good news of grace, or favor, by which man may be released from the condemnation of sin and enabled to render obedience to the law of God.” Review and Herald, September 27, 1881. This is in keeping with Paul’s explanation in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel…For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

And then there is more. The gospel, and I’m quoting from Fundamentals of Education p. 199, includes “the tidings that Christ can forgive sin, renew the nature, can clothe the soul,…bring the sinner to His right mind, and teach him and fit him (that is sanctify).” So what then is the basis of our salvation? The answer is – the death of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross; His atoning sacrifice; His blood shed for our sins. This is the basis of our salvation.

In Desire of Ages p. 25 are those marvelous words, “Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His.”

This profound truth must be the center of our spiritual life. In the book Acts of the Apostles p. 209, 210 I read, “Without the cross, man could have no union with the Father. On it depends our every hope. From it shines the light of the Saviour’s love, and when at the foot of the cross the sinner looks up to the One who died to save him, he may rejoice with fullness of joy, for his sins are pardoned. Kneeling in faith at the cross, he has reached the highest place to which man can attain.”

In Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 320 we read, “Let the cross of Christ be made the science of all education, the center of all teaching and all study. Let it be brought into the daily experience in practical life. So will the Saviour become to the youth a daily companion and friend. Every thought will be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. With the Apostle Paul they will be able to say, ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.’ Galatians 6:14.”

This is why the sanctuary service rested on the sacrifice of animals which symbolized Christ’s death on the cross. What was the aim of this sacrificial system? In the earthly sanctuary, the aim was to sensitize the participants to the infinite love, mercy and justice of God, and to the sinfulness of sin, and to instruct in the way of salvation. In gaining a sense of the high cost of their redemption the Jews were to alienate themselves from sin and draw closer to their Savior.

It is exactly the same with us. In the Holy Scriptures we read, “And thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21. And so it is very, very clear that Jesus came into the world to save sinners not in their sins but from their sins. And how does Jesus save sinners from their sins? In Signs of the Times, October 14,1897 Ellen White says, “That He (Christ) might restore to man the original mind…which he lost in Eden through Satan’s alluring temptation, that man might realize that it is for his present and eternal good to obey the requirements of God. Disobedience is not in accordance with the nature which God gave to man in Eden.”

The restoring of the original mind to man is the New Birth experience. It enables a man to be obedient to the requirements of the law of God. God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel and said, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh. Why? I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes (that’s the law), and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them. Ezekiel 36: 26,27.

Thus it is that God gives a new heart and a new mind and gives us enabling power to walk in obedience to His law that we may reflect the lovely character of Jesus in our lives. Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 310 tell us, “The thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” And Solomon adds in Proverbs 23:7, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

So we can clearly visualize the importance of having our thoughts and feelings always pure and holy. The Apostle Paul urges Christians, “To bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5. Since the law of God is the revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, (and we find this in Patriarchs and Prophets p. 52) this means that when we are obeying the ten moral commandments we are reflecting the character of God.

Thus far we may summarize that the gospel is the death of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross; His atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is a revelation of God’s great and infinite love for humanity and through the power of the gospel Jesus is restoring the original mind in man through the New Birth or justification experience. Jesus Christ is also restoring the image of God in man and the living relationship of fellowship and friendship with Him in the sanctification process.

After the restoration of the original mind in us, Jesus, as the gospel dwells within, empowering us to obedience of God’s law. Thus we reflect the character of Jesus Christ and are filled with the fruit of the spirit. This is the life of the Christian. Note how beautifully Ellen White expresses this great truth. “The salvation of the soul, through faith in Christ, is the ground and pillar of truth. Those who exercise true faith in Christ make it manifest by holiness of character, by obedience to the law of God.” Review and Herald, September 17, 1895. Thus we can clearly see the conditions for a revival of primitive godliness among us.

I have one more question: “Do you think that the Lord plans to wait until everyone in the church has adequately fulfilled the conditions for the last great revival?” – The Spirit of Prophecy answers, “Are we hoping to see the whole church revived? That time will never come.” Now you ask, “Why?” I’m still quoting, “There are persons in the church who are not converted, and who will not unite in earnest, prevailing prayer. We must enter upon the work individually. We must pray more, and talk less. Iniquity abounds, and the people must be taught to not be satisfied with a form of godliness without the spirit and power. If we are intent upon searching our own hearts, putting away our sins, and correcting our evil tendencies, our soul will not be lifted up unto vanity; we shall be distrustful of ourselves, having an abiding sense that our sufficiency is of God.” Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 122.

But don’t overlook the fact that there will be a great movement of revival and reformation in God’s church in the very end time. Life Sketches p. 425 says, “I have been deeply impressed by scenes which have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement—a work of revival—going forward in many places. Our people were moving into line, responding to God’s call. My brethren, the Lord is speaking to us. Shall we not heed His voice?”

When will this great movement occur in the church? Great Controversy p. 464 tells us, “Before the final visitation of God’s judgements upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and the power of God will be poured out upon His children.”

We, as God’s end-time people, have now come to the time for the last great revival and reformation which must take place in our church. This will prepare us to receive the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the latter rain which will enable us to finish God’s work in our time. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6.

O beloved, only by a personal revival and reformation of primitive godliness within our life will we be able to meet successfully the devil’s masterpiece of spiritualism. So let us praise God that He has revealed to us how to meet this coming crisis.

Will you join me in pleading for this experience? Let us pray. Loving Father, as Satan’s masterpiece of spiritualism gathers the whole world against us may we be prepared for this coming crisis because we have responded to God’s call for a revival of primitive godliness. May the mighty, convicting power of God reveal to each of us what is needed in our personal lives to participate in this coming revival and reformation. Thank you, Lord, for such help and assurance that in Thy name we shall be ready to face every Satanic delusion, and we ask these blessings in Jesus name, Amen.

Will Predictions Be Fulfilled?

Friday January 1st, 1999

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Since we are dealing with the end-time masterpiece of Satan I do not speak, and you dare not listen, unless we ask God to surround us with His protecting Holy Spirit; opening our understanding to the wonders of Satan’s mystery and shielding us from his Satanic power and deception.

Ellen White has warned, “If the signs that are thickening on every hand, that testify that the end of all things is at hand, are not sufficient to arouse the sleeping energy of those who profess to know the truth, the darkness proportionate to the light which has been shining will overtake these souls.” Review and Herald, July 21, 1896

Please join me now in this prayer. Oh loving Father, grant us Thy Holy Spirit to awaken us in our lukewarm condition. And open our eyesight to the reality that the greatest supernatural events ever to be witnessed in this world are soon to take place in our day. Help us to prepare to meet these wonders and miracles of Satan with the armor of God’s Word, divinely imprinted within our hearts that we may be ready for the soon-coming crisis. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Now let us open God’s Word where we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-11, “And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”

What is Paul trying to say here? – If you don’t believe the truth, the Lord will allow you to believe a lie and be totally deceived, for there is no middle ground. There can be no “sitting on the fence” and saying, “Let us wait and see.” For in doing such, we deceive ourselves and believe a lie. This is a matter of life and death.

Malachi Martin, in his book, The Keys of This Blood , wrote that the present pope, John Paul II, “had been acquainted for as long as he could remember with most of the facts of Fatima. The Virgin Mary had appeared several times to three peasant children she had confided to them certain admonitions, including a detailed set of instructions and predictions that were intended for papal action at a certain time in the future; and she had ended her visit in October with a miracle that recalled for many the Bible verse which tells of a ‘Woman Clothed with the Sun, and giving birth to a Son who will rule the Nations with a scepter of iron.’” p. 47,48.

Please follow me closely. I’m quoting again from the book, The Keys of This Blood p. 48. “Once elected Pope in 1978, John Paul II had become privy to the papal instructions and predictions Mary had entrusted in confidence to the children at Fatima.” But this all changed. In the book, The Keys of This Blood I read, “At a certain moment on May 13, 1981, during an open-air papal audience in St. Peter’s Square, in the presence of some 75,000 people and before the eyes of an estimated 11 million television viewers, Pope John Paul spied a little girl wearing a small picture of Christ’s mother as Our Lady of Fatima. Just as he bent from his slow-moving “popemoble” in a spontaneous gesture toward the child, the hired assassin Mehmet Ali Agca squeezed off two bullets, aimed precisely where his head had been. As two pilgrims fell wounded to the ground, two more shots rang out, and this time John Paul’s blood stained his white papal cassock.” p. 46.

And on p. 48 Malachi Martin continues, “Now, however – after what were arguably the very pointed events that had taken place in St. Peter’s Square; after exhaustive examination of the documents and living witnesses and participants connected with the Fatima events themselves; and after nothing less than a personal communication (or vision) from Heaven…[Pope John Paul II]…came face-to-face with the realization that, far from pointing to some distant future time, the contents of the now famous Fatima message – and, specifically, the (third) secret contents directed to papal attention – amounted to a geopolitical agenda attached to an immediate timetable.”

Thus Pope John Paul II began to carry out a program that would fulfill the commands of Mary. We are told by Malachi Martin that Pope John Paul II began to see the necessity for the event to develop quickly. He therefore doubled his activities on the political scene – what Malachi Martin calls his “geopolitical vision”.

He began his travel to the whole world from one country to another. And for what purpose? – To prepare the world for the New World Order in which the church of Rome would be the supreme ruler. This pope had a vision while in the hospital recuperating that was identical to the vision that was given to the children of Fatima on October 13, 1917 of a woman, clothed with the sun, giving birth to a son who will rule all nations with a rod of iron. Malachi Martin says this was a, “communication from heaven.” (p. 48)

Because of this supposed manifestation from God, the pope now claims that he received a heaven-planned agenda for the world – “The Great Design of God for the New World Order.” (p. 50) Are you listening? Pope John Paul II sees himself as the last pope because Mary, in one of her apparitions, stated that after Pope Paul IV became pope, “Now there will be but two more popes and then it will be the end of times but not the end of the world.” Thunder of Justice p. 171.

It is interesting to note that most Catholics believe that when Christ comes the world will not be destroyed but rather enter into a long age of millennial peace. As most readers well know, one of the two popes, John Paul I reigned only a short time according to the prediction. He reigned from August 26, 1978 to September 28 of the same year. That’s only 33 days. And the current Pope, John Paul II, is getting old and feeble and he is the third – the last Pope – since John XXIII. (You will find that in Sunday’s Coming p. 130). This is why John Paul II has such a conviction that Mary’s apparitions are true. And also, “In a vision during his convalescence Mary told him that she had spared his life for a special mission he must fulfill in bringing peace.” Sunday’s Coming 130.

I’m quoting again from p. 131, “No one is more convinced of the validity of Fatima visitations than the present pope nor is anyone more devoted to Mary. Pope John Paul II, who has dedicated himself and his pontificate to Our Lady, bears the ‘M’ for Mary in his coat of arms. His personal motto embroidered on the side of his robes in Latin is, ‘Mary, I’m all yours.’”

Reading from John Januik in his book The Great Controversy End Game p 15-19, Pope John Paul II has called our century “the Marion times.” What does this mean – “Marion times”? Ted Flynn in his book The Thunder of Justice explains, ‘In the Old Testament God the Father spoke to us through the prophets. In the New Testament God the Son spoke to us directly during His public life on earth. Today, God appears speaking to us through Mary, the mother of God.” p. 171.

Do you see how Satan is deceiving the people of this world? Today, by the Marion apparitions and her messages, we are told by the Spirit of Prophecy, “Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world…. Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; (that was meaning in the time of Ellen White) but it will be reached in the last remnant of time.” Great Controversy p. 561. In reality we are living in the last remnant of time in which spiritism, mainly through the Marion apparitions, has become the masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions.

Now let us go back to John Paul II. We will let Malachi Martin describe what he sees in the Pope’s present attitude. I quote from Keys of This Blood , Pope John Paul II, “is waiting, rather, for an event that will fission human history, splitting the immediate past from the oncoming future. It will be an event on public view in the skies, in the oceans, and on the continental landmasses of this planet…. [Then] his ministry as Servant of the Grand Design will then begin….This is why John Paul is waiting. God must first intervene before John Paul’s major ministry to all man can start.” p. 639, 656.

From this we can see that the plan and the program will start for the New World Order when the big event appears in the heavens and on the whole earth. The question arises, “What will be the supernatural event that will give Pope John Paul his signal to begin his major ministry for the world?” Could this be Satan’s counterfeit of the Second Coming of Christ?

We read in the book The Keys of This Blood , “It will particularly involved our human sun, which every day lights up and shines upon the valleys, the mountains and the plains of this earth for our eyes. But on the day of this event, it will not appear merely as the master star of our so-called solar system. Rather, it will be seen as the…glory of the Woman whom the apostle describes as ‘clothed with the sun’ and giving birth to a child who will rule with a scepter of iron.’ Fissioning it will be as an event, in John Paul’s conviction of faith, for it will immediately nullify all the grand designs of the nations now forming and will introduce the Grand Design of man’s Maker. Pope John Paul’s waiting and watching will then be over. His ministry as the Servant of the Grand Design will then begin….John Paul is and will be the sole possessor to the Keys of this Blood on that day.” p. 639.

I ask, “Which day?” – The day when Satan counterfeits the Second Coming of Christ. The Catholic Church has a prophecy which says, “When Jesus Christ comes then the Pope will give Him his tiara and throne. Jesus will give him the keys and also Jesus will bless the Pope.”

In Rene Noorbergens’ book, The Fatima Factor in the Final Hour , he states on page 3, “I have been assured by the Roman Catholic scholars that the Bible text in Revelation 12:1, ‘Now a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of twelve stars,’ refers to the appearance of the Virgin Mary of Fatima. The man child referred to in Revelation 12:5 ‘and she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron,’ this is who Pope John Paul II is supposed to be.”

So, “John Paul II is waiting for the moment when the greatest apparition of Mary will take place in which she will announce the day and the hour of the Second Coming of Jesus as she appears as, ‘the woman clothed with the sun, giving birth to a child who will rule the nations with a rod of iron.’ “ The Keys of This Blood 639.

In contrast, the Spirit of Prophecy tells us that just before the Second Coming of Christ, “The voice of God is heard from heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming.” Great Controversy p. 640 So you can see Satan will counterfeit even this announcement of God through the apparitions of Mary.

Have you ever wondered why God will announce the day and the hour of Jesus coming? We must remember that God’s people will have seen a lot of miracles and marvelous workings of Satan. “Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons.” Great Controversy p. 624.

We know that Satan will counterfeit every truth and end-time event which is found in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. Why will he do this? – Because every truth in the Bible is absolutely perfect, and every end-time event is part of God’s perfect order. This is why Satan has no choice but to counterfeit. Unless Satan, through Mary, announces the day and the hour of the counterfeit Second Coming of Jesus most of the people of the world would not know that this is the coming of Jesus. Some would think that Superman had come from outer space. Others would think it was a UFO or an invasion from the cosmos.

There would be confusion and consternation among Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and the New Age movement. Even those who have previously been informed of this event through the Marion apparitions would not be sure. In other words there would be a lot of uncertainty, so this is why when Mary appears as the woman clothed with the sun most will recognize her as the Lady of Fatima as she announces the day and the hour of the coming of Jesus to the whole world.

She will make an appeal to all religions of the world, to everybody according to their belief. She will tell them, “This is the One whom you most need. He will solve all of your problems and will bring to the world love, unity, peace, justice and prosperity.” After this most subtle delusion and startling introduction, all the people of the world will wait with great expectation, hope and joy and happiness. Then Satan counterfeits the Second Coming of Jesus. They will all welcome him as the savior. In this way Satan will deceive the whole world except the very elect.

Ellen White states, “As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ…. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come…. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: ‘Christ has come! Christ has come!’ The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character as Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name…. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion.” Great Controversy p. 624.

What will be the reaction of the entire Muslim world when Mary, as the woman clothed with the sun, makes the announcement of Christ’s coming? We will answer this important question with another question. Why did Satan personate Mary in the insignificant little village of Fatima?

Fatima was the beloved daughter of Mohammed. When you read about Fatima in the Koran (that’s the Muslim bible) Fatima says about herself, “I surpass all the women except Mary.” On p. 46,47 of the Koran Mohammed writes very favorably about Mary. She is declared to be above all women. Mohammed said that Fatima would be second only to Mary in the kingdom of God. The message of the Koran will powerfully influence Muslims to accept Mary and believe her message. This teaching of the Koran prepares the entire Muslim world for the acceptance of Mary.

According to [Roman] Catholic Bishop Fulton Sheen, the principal spokesman in America for many years has stated, “When North African Catholics hold the yearly procession of the celebration of the vision of Fatima, they carry the statue of Mary as the Lady of Fatima through the streets.” Do you know what Mohammedans do during this procession? – They fall down and worship. Bishop Fulton Sheen says that the statue of Mary of Fatima has converted a lot of Muslims to Catholicism. Let me tell you, it was a clever move of Satan to have Mary appear in that village.

Bishop Fulton Sheen asks, “Why the Blessed Mother in the twentieth century should have revealed herself in the insignificant little village of Fatima so that to all future generations she would be known as “Our Lady of Fatima.” And he answers, “I believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary chose to be known as Our Lady of Fatima as a pledge, and as a sign of hope to the Muslim people, and as an assurance that they who show her so much respect will one day accept her divine Son, too.” That’s taken from Fulton Sheen in his news notes perspective called, “The Mary’s People” of January 31, 1993.

Keep in mind the Islamic religion is familiar with the sun, for in their worship they bow down toward the sunrise every morning. At Mary’s announcement of the day and the hour of the coming of Jesus, when Satan counterfeits Jesus’ Second Coming, the entire Muslim world will accept him as their savior.

The heathen religions will also accept Mary when she appears as the woman clothed with the sun. Remember that most of the heathen religions are based on sun worship. You can see the symbol of the sun circle in many of the images they worship. She will introduce the Second Coming of Jesus for the Jews as their Messiah, for the Christians as Jesus Christ, for Muslims their Iman Mahdi, for Buddhists as their Buddha in his fifth incarnation, for Hindus as their Krishna, for the New Age Movement as their Maitreya, the Cosmic Christ.

It is plain to see that when Satan counterfeits the Second Coming of Christ they will all welcome him as their savior. In this way Satan will deceive the whole world except the very elect. Mary’s appearance as the glory of the woman clothed with the sun has great significance for Pope John Paul II because he too had this same vision as shown at Fatima on October 13, 1917.

When this False Christ comes and proclaims an era of peace, the millennium of peace, he will hand over the keys to the Pope, according to the author [Malachi Martin, S.J.] of The Keys of This Blood . John Paul II (the present Pope) will be that Pope and he will take the keys. Since he is not a young man and is getting old and feeble, could this indicate that we are very near to the end? It will appear that John Paul II has won the millennium end game. Thus the predictions of Fatima would be completely fulfilled as Pope John Paul II becomes the leader of the New World Order. But never forget, Satan is behind all of these Marion apparitions. This is why Ellen White has said, “Spiritualism is the masterpiece of [Satan’s] deceptions.” Signs of the Times, August 26, 1889.

Now let us again read Revelation 16:13-16 and Revelation 17:12-14, “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief, Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. And he gathered them to gather into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

From these verses we can see that the end is just upon us. And for a very brief time Satan will appear to have achieved success. But God will interpose. The Spirit of Prophecy says, “Fallen angels upon earth form confederations (that’s unions) with evil men. In this age antichrist (who is actually Satan) will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of the world. Rebellion against God’s holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him. But Omnipotence will interpose, and to the apostate churches that unite in the exaltation of Satan, the sentence will go forth, ‘Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.’” Testimonies to Ministers p. 62.

Now if you have been following closely you have become aware of two prophetic time lines. The first is God’s timetable and the other Satan’s timetable. But remember, God is the one that is in control, not Satan. For God determines the true end-time events. In Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 753 I read, “The world is not without a ruler. The program of coming events is in the hand of the Lord. The Majesty of heaven has the destiny of nations, as well as the concerns of His church, in His own charge.” Satan is a student of God’s Word. He knows prophecy. He knows that his time is short. This is why he needs to deceive the people of the world in preparing for his counterfeit of the Second Coming of Christ.

How can I describe in a few words what we have studied in this tape concerning spiritualism? I believe Malachi Martin, the author of The Keys of This Blood , who wrote the forward to The Thunder of Justice will summarize this for us. “Humanity as a whole, and the Roman church in particular, have reached a fateful threshold beyond which lies a new condition of human affairs. Visions, appearances, messages, predictions, warnings, interpretations, weeping statues, bleeding icons, miraculous spring waters, spontaneous cures, spinning dances of the sun and eclipses of the moon, little children telling the future, uneducated men and women instructing popes and presidents, nation-wide publicity tours by bearers of special revelations throughout all this an obvious emphasis on the singular role of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Nazareth and the queen of heaven; the Mediatrix of all graces is pervasive. It is as if the word of the prophet Joel were being fulfilled. In these times, God said, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”

Now if you have been awake, and you are thinking, you will be able to realize that this is nothing more than a false latter rain. Again may I remind you that the counterfeit always precedes the true. My dear listeners, the end is right upon us. What should be our attitude to these predictions at Fatima and the Marion apparitions? We know that Satan is not able to tell the future as God can. However, from Inspiration we read that Satan is “a very intellectual being, one who occupied a high position among the angelic throng.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 4, p. 422. Also that Satan is a diligent Bible student: “Satan can quote scriptures now as in the days of Christ.” Great Controversy p. 559. So never forget that his knowledge far surpasses our human abilities. He knows God’s prophecies.

Now we have the answers to why Satan originated the mystery of Fatima, of Mary’s apparitions, and her messages and predications. We now understand why Satan orchestrated the attempted assassination of the present pope on the very day of the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on May 13, 1981. Now we can see why Satan then gave the pope a vision that he was to take control of the New World Order. This all fits perfectly into the prophecies of Revelation 13 in which the deadly wound is healed and all the world wondered after the beast.

Now we can comprehend the rest of the great prophecies of Revelation and Daniel. From here on I am using information from John Januik’s book The Great Controversy Endgame p. 22-24. Perhaps I should remind you that the author of this book is an ordained Seventh-day Adventist minister now doing research at the E.G. White Library at our Avondale College in Australia.

If we consider the worldwide Marion apparitions in the contemporary world we cannot ignore them. If we do so then we will become willingly ignorant. God says in the Bible; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because thou hast rejected knowledge I also reject thee.” Hosea 4:6. From this we can see that from lack of knowledge, or rejection of the knowledge, we will lose eternal life, because finally we will be deceived.

Why are the books The Evangelicals and Catholics Together , The Thunder of Justice and The Keys of This Blood so interesting for Seventh-day Adventists? Because the alarming issues raised in these books closely parallels the end-time prophecies written in the Bible over two thousand years ago. Therefore, when we read these books and compare the end-time prophecies, to them we clearly see and understand the time in which we are living; where we are today, where we are going, and how near the end is, and what the great controversy end game will be.

Fatima and the contemporary Marion apparitions are a worldwide spiritualistic movement today. This spiritualism is the masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions. Little by little, Satan has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. “He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his design (that was during the time of Ellen White) but it will be reached in the last remnant of time.” Great Controversy p. 561.

Since 1981, both the pope and the Catholic Church have been totally convinced of the authority of Fatima. This is why Pope John Paul II began his journeys around the world to fulfill the prophecies of Fatima and his vision about himself. And this is why Malachi Martin began gathering material and information for his book, The Keys of This Blood , in order to proclaim the Fatima messages and the vision that Pope John Paul would become the leader of the New World Order.

And this is why Ted Flynn began his search about Fatima and Marion apparitions in our contemporary world. He met with every visionary who had Marion apparitions, to gather information for his book , The Thunder of Justice , in order to reveal these messages and prophecies to the whole world. From this we can see that Pope John Paul, and the Catholic Church, base their future role in the world on the Fatima messages and her prophecies, and on other Marion apparitions of today.

But we as Seventh-day Adventists, we base our existence on Bible prophecies such as Revelation 10-18, Daniel 7,8,9 and Isaiah 58. God also gave us the Three Angels’ Messages in Revelation 14:6-12 to proclaim to the world. Can you not see the diametrical opposed differences between the Catholic Church and the Seventh-day Adventist Church?

We must clearly see and understand this now, because soon, and very soon, we will see the clever, deceptive workings of Satan before our very eyes. We must base our faith on the Bible only, not on our senses such as spiritualistic apparitions and Satan’s miracles.

In the Great Controversy p. 625 we have been counseled, “Only those (did you notice that? Only those…) who have been diligent students of the scriptures and who have received the love of the truth will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive. By the Bible testimony these will detect the deceiver in his disguise.”

And in Great Controversy p. 593,594 we are told, “The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist (that’s Satan) is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested…. None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict.”

Let us pray, Oh God, our hearts have been deeply moved by the Holy Spirit, that the final crisis is near, even knocking at the door. Please, please God, we feel so unready. Fill our minds with heavenly oil, that when this masterpiece of Satan breaks upon us, that we will be able to trim our lamps. Cover us totally with Thy holy armor, that we may be ready to die, rather than sin in worshiping the antichrist. Amen.

Satan’s Masterpiece

Tuesday December 1st, 1998

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

We are told by the Spirit of Prophecy, “Spiritualism is the masterpiece of [Satan’s] deception.” Signs of the Times, August 26, 1889. This alarming statement that spiritism is now a masterpiece needs some clarification. When will its full accomplishment take place? Thank God, divine Inspiration has the answer found in Great Controversy p. 561. We are told, “Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden: ‘Ye shall not surely die.’ ‘In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.’ Genesis 3:4,5. Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time.”

If you believe, as I do, that we are living in the very last remnant of time, then spiritualism is the greatest deception facing the people of God, and the world, today. Before we proceed with this investigation of satanic activity we must first plead for divine guidance so we will not be ensnared.

Dear Father, our most righteous God, we have been warned in Thy Holy Word that last-day deception will be so great that it is possible that some of the very elect may be misled. Should any of us doubt in any way the truth as revealed in Thy Holy Word we will be captured by Satan. Therefore grant us Thy Holy Spirit to guide us in this study so that we may be able to understand and be unmoved by Satan’s masterpiece and be grounded in Thy truth. I thank you for answering this special request, in the name of Thy dear Son, Jesus. Amen.

First, let us open the scriptures and read Revelation 16:13,14. “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

Both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy describe this three-fold union as composed of a trio of powers – the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. This is indeed a satanic trinity deceiving the world. Listen to this quotation, Great Controversy p. 588, “Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation for spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.”

G. Edward Reed, who is an ordained minister working in the North American Division office, sums up these three powers in his book, Sunday’s Coming . I’m quoting from p. 114, “Adventist expositors agree with the identification of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet as modern spiritualism or paganism, the papacy and apostate Protestantism. This trio, or trinity, of religious powers together constitute the latter day great Babylon.”

There is no doubt that these verses of Revelation 16:13,14 are talking about spiritism; but just how will this masterpiece of satanic deception manifest itself in the end time just before the Second Coming of Christ? Before we answer this question I believe we must clearly understand what spiritualism is.

Webster’s Dictionary defines spiritism as, “A belief that the spirits of the dead communicate with the living.” Bible students know that this is possible, because the devil uses his evil angels to impersonate people who have died, as we find in the Old Testament when Saul went to the witch of Endor, who worked with Satan, making it possible for an evil angel to impersonate Samuel who had died and was buried in his grave.

I Samuel 28:11-14, “Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle, And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself.”

So today, Satan, through spiritualism, impersonates Mary, the mother of our Lord, in tens of thousands of apparitions as I shall document in this study in which Satan is guiding the pope’s every action and preparing Catholicism for his masterpiece of spiritualism. The ultimate deception will take place when Satan, himself, will impersonate Christ in a false Second Coming.

Edward Reed in his book , Sunday’s Coming , p. 114 states, “The devil will use this spiritualistic phenomenon to bring the papacy and the apostate Protestantism together along with the whole world. We are now seeing the beginning of this, the last act of Satan.”

Now the purpose of this presentation is to reveal how Satan is laying the groundwork for his personal appearance in which he wants to capture the worship of the world. In order to get the complete picture it will be necessary to cover a careful review of the Marion apparitions, which started, in its beginnings, in Fatima, Portugal.

Let us begin with the observations of Ted and Maureen Flynn who are the leading spokesmen among the Catholic laity in behalf of the Marion movement. In their book, The Thunder of Justice , p. 3,4 I quote, “The twentieth century is witnessing a phenomenon that has simply grown too big for any reasonable person to ignore, the supernatural exploits in our midst on a near-daily basis; reported apparitions of Mary at a frequency never seen before in all of recorded history.”

It is reported that in the United States alone there have been some 7000 Mary apparitions as reported in John Janiuk’s book, Great Controversy Endgame , p. 3. John Janiuk is an ordained, Seventh-day Adventist minister, doing research at the E.G. White Library in Avondale College, Australia. “These manifestations of spiritism are having a tremendous effect in preparing Protestant America to lead the world into this false worship as foretold in Revelation 13:11,12.”

“And he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Revelation 13:11,12

Consider these words, “Causing the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast.” What does this mean? I quote from Great Controversy p . 448,449, “The enforcement of Sunday-keeping on the part of Protestant churches (in America) is an enforcement of the worship of the papacy—of the beast.”

There is no doubt America is ready for this now. But before we go further, I want to make it absolutely clear that when I refer to Mary and her apparitions, in which she talks of end-time events, that this is actually not Mary who is speaking, but it is Satan, impersonating Mary, who is speaking. We know that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is still resting in her grave awaiting the return of Jesus and the resurrection. On the other hand, these apparitions of Mary which are taking place today are genuine events of satanic deceptions, and to encounter such an experience is to have contact with Satan himself.

Let us often refresh our memories by recounting heaven’s assurance against spiritualism with the following scriptures defining death. Psalms 146:4, “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” In Ecclesiastes 9:5,6 we read, “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing…Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.” Psalms 115:17, “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.” Psalms 6:5 says, “For in death there is no remembrance of thee.”

Now with these texts in mind we are ready to consider the most important and fascinating apparitions of Mary, which took place in Fatima in 1917. Speaking of this event the authors of the book, The Thunder of Justice , have stated, “Fatima is the key Marion apparition of the twentieth century.” p. 132

The following history of what took place at Fatima is compiled from a Catholic church historian using the language and terminology as condensed by John Janiuk’s book Great Controversy Endgame p. 56, “On May 13, 1917, just after noon, three children had finished lunch and were going out to play when they saw a flash of lightning, then another. A lovely lady, more brilliant than the sun, appeared over a small home oak tree. She said, ‘Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm; I am from heaven.’ Lucia asked, ‘What do you want of us?’ The lady replied, ‘I want you to come here on the thirteenth day for six months at this time; then I will tell you who I am and what I want.’ She departed with the words, ‘Say the rosary every day to earn peace for the world and the end of the war.’ (World War I was then taking place).

“In the following four months the lady appeared each time at the oak tree to the three children. She advised that she would take Francisco and Josento to heaven soon, for an epidemic of flu claimed Franscisco and Josento in 1919 and 1920. But the lady said to Lucia, ‘You, however, are to stay here for a longer time. Jesus wants to use you to make me known and loved. He wants to establish the devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world.’

“On Mary’s third visit, the children were shown a vision of hell. The lady said to Lucia, ‘You have seen hell where the souls of the poor sinners go. To save them, God wants to establish throughout the world the devotion of my Immaculate Heart. If people will do what I tell you many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end (speaking of the first World War); but if they do not stop offending God another and worse war (the second World War) will break out in the reign of Pius XXI. When you see a light illuminated by an unknown light, know that it is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, hunger, persecution of the church and of the Holy Father. To forestall this I shall come to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart. If they heed my request, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me which will be converted and some time of peace will be given to the world.’

“On October 13, 1917 the lady appeared as promised. A severe storm had raged through Europe, the ground was soaked and muddy. A crowd of people, estimated at between 50,000 to 70,000, made its way, drenched, to the apparition sight. The lady appeared, and in reply to Lucia’s usual question, ‘What do you want?’ the reply was, ‘I want to tell you that they must build a chapel here in my honor; that I am the lady of the rosary; that they continue to say the rosary every day. The war will end and the soldiers will return to their homes soon.’

“As the blessed mother was leaving, she opened her hands and from them rays of light extended in the direction of the sun. Gradually the sun grew pale and appeared as a silver disk at which all could gaze directly without shielding their eyes. Rays of multi-colored lights shot out from the sun in every direction – red, blue, yellow, green and every color of the spectrum. Then the sun began to spin madly on its axis and appeared like a giant wheel of fire. The sun began to dance.

“Suddenly the sun seemed to be torn loose from its orbit. It hurled closer and closer to the earth. The people were terrified and there arose cries of repentance and appeals for mercy. Many thought it was the end of the world. Then, just as suddenly, the sun stopped plummeting downwards and in the same swirling motion, it began to climb upward until it resumed its place in the sky. The rain-soaked clothes of the 50,000 – 70,000 people were immediately dry.” This was an event reported by several newspapers of the day.

Sister Lucia is, as of this writing, still living. She has continued to receive messages from our Blessed Mother. Lucia has been told that she will see the fulfillment of all the messages of Fatima. Lucia, today (1998) is now 92-years old.

Now we are ready to consider the events that have taken place after this remarkable experience at Fatima. On June 13, 1929 Sister Lucia had another vision at Fatima in which Mary gave Lucia a message for the pope. “The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, the pope, in union with all the bishops of the world to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means.”

There is no evidence that this message ever reached the pope at that time since the pope was occupied with the healing of the deadly wound which began in 1929 as prophecy had predicted. But in 1930 the bishop of Fatima declared the apparitions of Mary which had taken place in Fatima must be accepted as of a supernatural origin.

Then following this, on January 25 and 26, 1938, the predictions of the light to be seen in the heavens which was given July 13, 1917 was seen in the United States and Europe. The people were startled by the display of lights, which scientists termed as the aurora borealis, of exceptional magnitude. Lucia, at the convent in Spain, marveled at the spectacle.

In 1942 Pope Pius XII broadcast a message to Portugal in which he consecrated the world to Mary. Now I hope you are following me. Please notice how step by step the Catholic Church is preparing its members to accept the apparitions of Mary during the years from 1946 to 1967.

First, Pope Pius XII crowned the image of Our Lady of Fatima and proclaimed her the Queen of the World. Next, the pope made his first attempt to consecrate Russia to the heart of Mary. Then Pope Pius XII raised the sanctuary of Fatima to the rank of a basilica. In 1962, Pope John XXIII instituted the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary in honor of the Lady of Fatima. In 1964 Pope Paul VI renews the consecration of Russia made by Pope Pius XII. And on May 13, 1967 Pope Paul VI went to Fatima and gave a call for a renewed consecration to the Immaculate Heart.Now I’m stressing these events and dates because they reveal how Satan’s masterpiece of spiritism is becoming the very center of the Catholic Church beliefs.

The next event that took place was the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II which took place on May 13, 1981. I am paraphrasing from The Keys of This Blood by Malachi Martin p 46. Pope John Paul II was seriously wounded by an assassin’s bullet. The pope was saved from death when he turned to look at a young girl in the crowd wearing a picture of the Virgin of Fatima. Just as he bent from the slow moving “Popemobile” in a spontaneous gesture toward the child, a shot, aimed at his head, missed. The assassin then shot twice more striking the pope in the abdomen. The pope spoke from his hospital room while he was recuperating from his wounds. He read everything he could about Fatima and corresponded with Lucia and re-read the famous, unreleased ‘Third Secrets.’

Then on May 13, 1982 Pope John Paul II visits Fatima to thank Mary for saving his life, stating that the message of Fatima is still more urgent. On May 25, 1984, while secretly in Russia, a bishop of the Catholic Church made the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, at the alter of St. Michael’s Church in the Kremlin. In conjunction with this, on the same date, Pope John Paul II was joined by a moral totality of all Catholic bishops throughout the world in consecrating the world, and therefore, Russia, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In June 1989, before the breakup of the communist empire, Lucia stated that the collegial consecration of Russia requested by Our Lady has been accomplished and God will keep His word. A few months later the world began to witness the empire’s collapse.

We have been examining how spiritism has taken control of Catholicism and now let us see how this has affected the political power of the world. Keep in mind the following: In December of 1989, Pope John Paul II met with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev claiming this visit was a result of God’s providence. One year later they met again for the second time. In May of 1991 Pope John Paul II went to Fatima to thank the Lady of Fatima for sparing his life in the 1981 assassination attempt, and thanked her for the fruit resulting from his consecration of Russia to Mary. On the feast of the queenship of Mary a coup was attempted by the hard-liners in Russia, but it failed. On December 25, 1991 the Soviet flag with the hammer and sickle was lowered for the last time when President Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation.

Thus far, Mary’s predictions have come to pass. Perhaps this is a good place to stop and do a little summarizing. Notice spiritism’s achievements thus far. Satan’s personation of Mary has demanded that the people worship Mary rather than God, the Creator; and to establish devotion to the Immaculate Heart. In order to remove the worship of God, don’t overlook Mary’s requirement to consecrate Russia to her instead of to God., bringing about the collapse of the Russian empire. Then there is the fact that every Marion apparition demands, “Say the rosary every day,” instead of praying in the name of Jesus, to God the Father. In these Marion apparitions we are seeing the development of spiritism, the masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions.

Now let us give special attention to this third secret document dealing with the end-time messages of Satan. We shall discover that these Marion apparitions are the foundation for Satan’s final attempt to counterfeit the Second Coming by giving instructions to the papacy as to what she must do to prepare for this coming, and that this special coming of Christ will happen at the beginning of the coming millennium of peace.

What are these specific end-time messages of Satan? In the book, The Thunder of Justice p. 289 we read that Mary stated on December 3, 1992, “I have announced to you many times that the end of the times, and the coming of Jesus in glory is very near.” This is the gist of Mary’s message to the world today.

Now you may ask, “Why is the devil preparing the world for the coming of Jesus?” – Because he is getting ready to counterfeit the real coming of Jesus and His Second Coming. Remember, Satan’s counterfeits always appear before the genuine takes place.

In the book, The Thunder of Justice p. 15 there is a paragraph that summarizes what these end-time messages of Mary are all about. “The multiplication of reports of Marion apparitions in our day and the signs and wonders being experienced by millions of ordinary people are an indication that Christ is very much present and concerned over our deepening alienation from Him.”

Now take special note of this: “Christ’s personal intervention is necessary to warn us, to shelter us, to inform us, to prepare us in every possible way so that we may be able and ready for the day of His coming in the very near future.” Don’t forget, this is actually Satan speaking. John Januik in his book The Great Controversy End Game , chapter three, takes the following messages of Mary and the pope and reveals their true meaning to Seventh-day Adventists. I shall closely follow chapter three in the rest of this tape which he has graciously given me permission to do.

On January 1, 1990, through Father Golby, Mary further stated, “I am the mother of the second advent. I am preparing you for His coming.” ( Thunder of Justice 156) The authors of the book Thunder of Justice say, “As John the Baptist prepared the way for the first coming of Jesus, Mary prepares the way for His Second Coming.” (p 12)

Recently the present pope quoted a very startling message that Mary gave to Father Golby on July 30, 1986 in which she said, “This is the moment for all to take refuge in me because I am the ark of the new covenant. At the time of Noah, immediately before the flood, those whom the Lord had destined to survive his terrible chastisement entered into the ark. In these, your times, I am inviting all my beloved children to enter the ark of the new covenant which I have built in my Immaculate Heart for you that they may be assisted by me to carry the bloody burden of the great trial which precedes the coming of the day of the Lord.” (p 57)

As you can see, Mary has claimed to be our refuge; but the Bible in Psalms 91:1,2 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

In a message to the Marion movement of priests, Mary explains about the mark of the beast. Are you awake? Listen carefully! “If my adversary is signing with his mark all his followers, the time has come when I also, your heavenly Leader, am signing with my Motherly seal all those who have consecrated themselves to my Immaculate heart and have formed a part of my army.” Thunder of Justice p. 101. But Revelation 7:2 says, “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God.” From this we see the angel, not Mary, having the seal of the living God.

On January 24, 1984 Mary said to Father Golby, “I am always among you.” But in the Bible in Matthew 28:20 Jesus said, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Do you see how Satan is attempting to remove Jesus and put himself in the place of Christ?

John Paul II confirms Mary’s vital role in the preparation of the people of God for Christ’s Second Coming through her personal intercession and as the mediatrix of mercy. Thunder of Justice 48, “As advocate, Mary brings to God the petitions of the people of God.” (Ibid.) But again, the Bible in 1 Timothy 2:5 “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Satan wants to remove Jesus as the advocate from the minds of the people and have them pray to Mary. What is Mary’s role in Catholicism, with the rosary? The saying of the rosary is a very vital part of Catholic worship. What is the rosary? It is a string of 50 small beads, separated by four large beads and a crucifix. As the small beads are touched, the worshiper says a “Hail Mary.” On the large beads, the Lord’s Prayer is prayed. On the crucifix the Apostle’s Creed is recited. Thus the rosary tell us that Mary is the center of Catholic worship.

Mary says, “The only weapon which will remain for you will be the rosary. Pray very much the prayers of the rosary. I alone am able to save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved.” (Ibid.) Do you see what the main deception is? Satan wants to remove Jesus as our Savior from the people’s minds, from their hearts and in their faith.

Mary many times has predicted that we are in the last decade of year’s history. She claims to be the messenger of the Second Coming, and following this decade she predicts a long period of peace – the millennium of peace. Listen as she describes the shortness of time, “Our Blessed Mother told us, through Father Golby, in a message given September 18, 1988 that we have a period of ten years. In this period of ten years there will come to completion the time of the great tribulation which has been foretold to you in Holy Scripture before the Second Coming of Jesus. In this period of ten years all the secrets which I have revealed to some of my children will come to pass, and all the events which I have foretold to you by me will take place.” Sunday’s Coming p. 129.

On January 1, 1990 through Father Golby, Mary further stated, “During the last decade of your century the events which I have foretold to you will have reached their completion.” (Ibid.) “In another very interesting prediction Mary has used the lives of two very old people as timelines leading up to the Second Coming and the end of time.” (Ibid)

In the first timeline, Mary has said to Lucia, that Lucia would live to see the fulfillment of all the messages. She is now 92. Mary has promised her that she will be alive when Jesus Christ comes. The other timeline is the life of the current pope, John Paul II. From one of the visionaries of Spain, we read, “After Pope John XXIII, there will be three more popes. One will reign only a short time (that was 33 days) and then it will be the end of time but not the end of the world.”

As most listeners well know, one of the last two popes, Pope John Paul I, reigned from August 26, 1978 to September 28, 1978 – only 33 days. The current pope, John Paul II, is getting old. He is now 77 and feeble, and he is the third pope since John XXIII. Sunday’s Coming p. 130 says, “Regarding these breathtaking predictions referring to the lives of Lucia and the present pope we know that only God knows the future, but we also know that the devil is a smart operator. He is acquainted with Ellen White’s statements that the last movements will be rapid ones, so he is guessing a final wind-up is soon. We shall see.

“But as Seventh-day Adventists we have a message based on Bible prophecy which cannot fail, which tells us that we are living in the last days, and that the Second Coming of Jesus is very near. So, we must prepare ourselves for Satan’s counterfeit – his crowning act of deception. ‘For Satan, himself will impersonate Christ in a false Second Coming.’ Great Controversy p. 624.”

Satan is determined to be worshiped by the whole world. This is why he is speaking through Mary, “I am your refuge and ark. I am sealing you by my Motherly seal. I am your advocate and intercessor before God. I am the mother of the body of Christ. I am the mother of the church.” Do you see how Mary has usurped that which belongs only to Jesus? Satan is the same old Lucifer of Isaiah 14 in which he proudly boasts, “I, I, I, I will be like the Most High.”

And now listen carefully to the crowning apparition of this tape. Listen to what Mary has said to Father Golby in December 19, 1994. This is very important. “I confirm to you that by the great Jubilee of the year 2000 there will take place the triumph of my Immaculate heart of which I foretold you at Fatima. And this will come to pass with the return of Jesus, in glory, to establish His reign in this world. What will come to pass is something so very great that it will exceed everything that has taken place since the beginning of the world.” (This is taken from a video of prophecy and news by Ted Flynn)

Satan knows very well that his time is short. He knows that the Lord is coming soon and he knows that when this takes place he will begin the end of his existence. So in his desperate situation he decided through his impersonation of Mary to tell the world that the end is near; that Jesus is coming and to be ready. In this way he is preparing the world for his counterfeit; of his impersonation of Christ’s Second Coming to take place just before the true coming of our Savior. Thus he hopes that the whole world will accept him and worship him as the Christ and then reject the Son of God when He comes.

Let us pray, Dear God, may these timely facts of spiritism awaken us to the fact that we are now living in the very last days. Help us, O God, to prepare for this soon coming crisis. Amen.

Will The Remnant Church Triumph

Wednesday December 1st, 1999

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Every week we receive letters and phone calls from sincere, faithful Seventh-day Adventists who are greatly disturbed because of the rapid growth of apostasy within God’s true church. These individuals are concerned about drama being portrayed from the sacred pulpit during the worship service and promoted as an Adventist theater presentation. They are troubled about the deplorable so-called Christian rock music with the devilish beat and noise of drums, the clapping of hands as displayed in entertainment during the eleven o’clock service, and when prayer is ascending some of our members are following the Pentecostal custom of extending the hands and arms upward which is the first step in speaking in an unknown tongue.

To make matters worse, some pastors are openly questioning the Spirit of Prophecy, and preaching New Theology together with compromising heaven’s standards.

If any members questions these procedures such pastors are stating from the pulpit, “If you don’t like it, leave us. Go some place else.” Excitement and entertainment are becoming a part of the majority of worship services. So are we to be surprised that, as a result of such activities, we hear of Seventh-day Adventist churches that have separated from the sisterhood of churches and no longer worship on the Sabbath day with us, but they now conduct their service on Sunday? Such a church is the Damascus Road Church in Maryland – a church of over 500 members. Is it any wonder then that a remnant within our church are beginning to wonder if God’s church will survive?

But before we answer this problem let us pray. Oh, loving Father, many are crying aloud because of the abominations that are creeping into Thy church. Please, give us an answer from inspiration that will assure Thy remnant in this crisis that Thy church will be triumphant. Please, give us wisdom to comprehend the enormity of this condition and how we can personally meet this apostasy with divine assurance. We ask this in the blessed name of Jesus, Amen.

Now let us read together Matthew 13:24-30. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

“So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

In many of Christ’s parables the listener is left to discover for himself the divine truth revealed, but this is not the case with this parable of the wheat and the tares. At the request of the disciples Jesus explained every detail, leaving no room for doubt. As we read in verses 37- 40, “He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.”

Now let’s recap these truths. The field is the world. The good seed are the children of God’s kingdom. The tares are the children of Satan. The enemy who sowed the tares is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are the angels. At this point we must pause to establish a fact. This parable is a description of God’s true church today as we learn from reading Christ Object Lessons p. 70. “‘The field,’ Christ said, ‘is the world.’ But we must understand this as signifying the church of Christ in the world.”

Now what I am about to say may come as a shock to many faithful members. Both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy teach that the remnant church contains both the wheat and the tares. This explains why we are grieved when we see both the true and the false believers mingled together within God’s true church. Both Dean and I have personally experienced this struggle between the wheat and the tares. Often we have gone to bed at night with tears in our eyes as we see what is happening in our beloved church. And it is only natural that one experiences a feeling to arise and help God cleanse His church by casting out the tares. But Christ has emphatically commanded not to do this.

In Matthew 13:30, Jesus stated, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” What we need to understand is that Christ was an authority on farming. He knew that it was impossible to pull up all the tares without uprooting some of the wheat.

I’ve done some gardening in my days, and I’ve tried to pull up some of the weeds without disturbing the good plants only to discover that this was not always possible, since the roots of the weeds often entwined around the good plants. We don’t mind as we garden for food here on earth if we lose a plant now and then but God is talking about human beings and eternal life or destruction in a lake of fire. The loss of one soul needlessly would grieve His heart. Remember the story of the one lost sheep. The price that Jesus paid for the redemption was above our comprehension. Remember how He suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross for you and me that we might be saved.

The counsel of Christ is absolutely correct and is to be obeyed, for He said, “Wait until the harvest.” Any spirit-filled Adventist knows within his heart that the end of the world is right upon us. We can see that the garden of the Lord is producing a crop of both tares and wheat – both deeply rooted within the church. This problem is becoming so acute that the saints of God are beginning to wonder if the tares will so dominate the wheat that the wheat will be choked to death and not be able to produce fruit for the harvest.

Ellen White was aware of this condition for she wrote these things and told us that they would get so bad…well let me read it to you. I’m reading from Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 380 in which she states that things will get so bad, that “the church may appear as about to fall.” No wonder we are becoming alarmed. We see tares among the wheat; goats among the sheep; wolves disguised in sheep’s clothing among us. I love my church but both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy tell us that these conditions will only get worse and worse. I trust you will pardon my use of a slang expression, but “you ain’t seen anything yet.”

Just listen to what the servant of the Lord was shown that will take place. Review and Herald, August 9, 1906, “As has been foretold in the Scriptures, there will be seducing spirits and doctrines of devils in the midst of the church, and these evil influences will increase.” Then reading Review and Herald, January 7, 1904, “False theories will be mingled with every phase of experience and advocated with satanic earnestness in order to captivate the mind of every soul who is not rooted and grounded in a full knowledge of the sacred principles of the Word. In the very midst of us [did you notice that?] will arise false teachers, giving heed to seducing spirits whose doctrines are of satanic origin. These teachers will draw away disciples after themselves.” And beloved, this has already happened.

Statistics will reveal that some 75,000 Adventists left God’s true church because of Dr. Ford’s preaching the false doctrine regarding the sanctuary truth of 1844. In the Review and Herald, August 19, 1890, “The enemy has men in our ranks through whom he works….Satan uses these who claim to believe the truth, but whose light has become darkness, as his mediums [notice that word. He uses these men as his mediums] to utter his falsehoods and transmit his darkness.”

Then in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 293, “The experience of the past will be repeated. In the future, Satan’s superstitions will assume new forms. Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. False theories, clothed with garments of light, will be presented to God’s people. Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Most seducing influences will be exerted; minds will be hypnotized.”

Conference after conference has held seminars for their pastors in which they were taught from material produced by one of the world’s foremost leaders in the field of hypnotism. No wonder Ellen White wrote in This Day With God p. 312 “The developments of these last days will soon become decided. When these spiritualistic deceptions are revealed to be what they really are—the secret workings of evil spirits—those who have acted a part in them will become as men who have lost their minds.” Again in Testimonies to Ministers p. 409, “Many [did you notice that?] will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.”

Now I hope that these quotations have done something. I hope they have awakened you. These things are happening in our church today. This is why many are considering leaving the church. They are tempted, as the disciples of old, to forsake the Lord’s church. Some are even asking, “Doesn’t God have a pure church, somewhere where we can go to fellowship with like believers and worship our holy God in the true spirit of reverence?”

Many are asking for a direct answer to this problem. And beloved, praise God, He has given us the answer! Listen to this. I am reading from The Faith I Live By p. 305, “Has God no living church? He has a church, but it is the church militant, not the church triumphant. We are sorry that there are defective members. …While the Lord brings into the church those who are truly converted, Satan at the same time brings persons who are not converted into its fellowship. While Christ is sowing the good seed, Satan is sowing the tares. There are two opposing influences continually exerted on the members of the church. One influence is working for the purification of the church, and the other for the corrupting of the people of God.”

Now I can personally testify to such an experience. As an evangelist for many years I used to preach five nights a week for three months to thoroughly convert the new believers. I also held a nightly baptismal class after each meeting commencing the third week of the series. And when I was fortunate enough to have a Bible worker, she held additional weekly meetings for the new believers to ground them and also visited in the their homes giving Bible studies. But in spite of all these efforts I discovered that some of the hundreds that I have baptized later became tares in the church.

In recent years there has been a trend for a one or two week effort which has greatly accelerated the tares due to quick baptisms and little grounding in the truth. But we must never forget that the Seventh-day Adventist church is not merely a church among all other churches. It is, in a very special sense, God’s remnant church of Bible prophecy. This church was brought into existence in this end time by God Himself, through His divine providence, with the express purpose to call His people out of Babylon.

Inspiration teaches that our church emerged from the apostasy that filled the world during the Dark Ages to proclaim God’s last warning message contained in the three angels’ messages by calling attention to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Therefore we are God’s remnant church and as such (and please note carefully my words) this church is never to be succeeded by another. Our identity is an established Bible truth. This is why when honest people join this church they do so, not as a matter of convenience, but because of divine conviction.

Our mission is to preach the everlasting gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. We are God’s last effort to seek and save the lost. This church is the last opportunity to display God’s truth and mercy before the close of probation. So beloved, I do have some good news. Although the devil is attacking our church as never before, so much so that it will soon appear as if to fall, praise God, this church is soon to celebrate a final victory. Our church will triumph.

At this point in our study, we need to seek a clarification of divine terminology. Please follow me closely. Today, God has called the church “militant” but soon, very soon, the church will be called “triumphant.” This helps us to understand the following quotation. I’m reading from Manuscript Releases, Volume 9, p. 154, “The church militant is not the church triumphant. Earth is not heaven. The church is composed of erring men and women who will need patient, painstaking effort, that they may be educated, trained, and disciplined by precept and example, to do the work with acceptance here in this life, and to be crowned with glory and immortality in the future life.”

Reading further in Evangelism p. 707, “The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant.” Isn’t that a glorious thing? How thankful we should be to know that, without question, God does have a church today that must undergo two distinct phases in its existence. She is now experiencing the church militant and soon all who prove faithful to the divine truth are destined to become the church triumphant.

Now, let us discuss the church militant phase. In this state the church is composed of both the wheat and the tares, each exerting the opposite influence. The wheat are constantly striving to purify the church by upholding the pillars of our faith and resisting compromise while at the same times the tares are leaning toward corruption by trying to get the church to become like Babylon. Anyone in tune with the Holy Spirit can see this taking place within our church today. So we should be aware, as predicted by God, that the church militant will be mixed with evil that will increase and increase until probation closes. But keep in mind that this is not my problem or your problem but God’s problem.

Consider how He plans to deal with this problem. Testimonies to Ministers p. 45, 46, In our churches, “there are those who are faulty and erring, as tares among the wheat, God is long-suffering and patient. He reproves and warns the erring, but He does not destroy those who are long in learning the lesson He would teach them. He does not uproot the tares from the wheat. Tares and wheat are to grow till the harvest.” So plainly it can be seen that it is not God’s purpose to uproot the tares prior to the harvest. And when will the harvest take place? – I’m reading from Christ Object Lessons p. 72, “The harvest is the end of probationary time.”

During the probationary period, God expects you and me to be active in our efforts to defeat the purposes of Satan. Inspiration tells us just how to engage in such efforts. I’m reading from Upward Look p. 77, “It is by teaching the truth that we are to defeat the purposes of Satan. Christ illustrated this work in the parable of the sower. The teaching of this parable is illustrated in God’s own dealing with men and angels. Satan is a deceiver. When he sinned in heaven, even the loyal angels did not fully discern his character. This is why God did not at once destroy him. Had He done so, the holy angels would not have perceived the justice and the love of God. A doubt of God’s goodness would have been as evil seed that would yield the bitter fruit of sin and woe. Therefore the author of evil was spared, fully to develop his character.

“Through long ages God has borne the anguish of beholding the work of evil. He has given the infinite Gift of Calvary, rather than let any be deceived by the misrepresentations of the wicked one, for the tares could not be plucked up without danger of uprooting the precious grain. And shall we not be as forbearing toward our fellow men as the Lord of heaven is towards Satan?” Now isn’t that a beautiful description of God’s love that we ought to express to the tares that are living within the church today?

Now I do feel that you have a question. How does one relate to the intrusion of evil that is creeping within the church? Scripture will give us the answer. Paul describes the church as a great house as we read in 2 Timothy 2:20, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.” Now inspiration explains this more fully. I’m reading from Review and Herald, February 5, 1901, “The ‘great house’ represents the church. In the church will be found the vile [did you hear that?] as well as the precious. The net cast into the sea gathers both the good and bad.”

But Paul does not encourage us to leave the great house. As you read on he addresses and advises us to avoid the foolish and the unlearned, but never does he encourage us to depart from the church. He further admonishes us not to enter into disputes but rather to pray much and instruct in meekness. I have been active in the circle of leadership for many years serving as a pastor, a conference departmental secretary in both the local, union and General Conference. I have seen and experienced the tremendous problems of evil facing the church. Oh how much our leaders of today need our prayers. Especially should we pray for those administrators who have been taken captive by Satan. We should pray that the Holy Spirit will mightily convict them of truth and help them to change captains before it is forever too late.

As we consider our church don’t forget that the Spirit of Prophecy declares that it is the visible, militant church which is composed of both wheat and tares. Then she speaks of an invisible church which is composed of faithful souls found in both the Catholic and the Protestant churches. These individuals love, and have accepted Christ as their personal Savior, and are following Christ to the best of their knowledge. Such individuals, the Lord tells us, constitute God’s invisible church.

Listen as I read from Great Controversy p. 390: “Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from God that exists in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great body [do you comprehend that?] of Christ’s true followers are still to be found in their communion.” Now that is thrilling news! What a statement that the great majority of God’s true people are still to be found in the surrounding churches of Babylon. At present they are known only to God and designated as invisible to us. But it is not God’s will that they remain invisible much longer for shortly we are told they will become part of God’s visible church for they will heed the call to come out of Babylon and join God’s remnant church.

But you ask: When will this take place? – This will happen when Sunday worship will be enforced by law and believe me, we may expect this at any time now. When this takes place the tares within the church will all leave us just as God foretold. They will be shaken out. Millions now within the church will rush to leave the church while at the same time millions within Babylon will leave their churches and join with God’s remnant as the latter rain is poured out. This will be known as the great exchange. I’m reading from Evangelism p. 700, “Multitudes will receive the faith and join the armies of the Lord.” Praise His name!

When this is accomplished Inspiration states, Evangelism p. 707, “The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant.” Thus the shaking out of the tares takes place at the harvest. The coming Sunday Law will be the great test to cause this mighty transfer of members. How often in past history God has used the efforts of Satan to fulfill His purpose. This final test will usher in the close of probation for those within the church.

I’m reading from Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 81, “The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time (note those words) the gold will be separated from the dross in the church.”

This test in faith will remove the tares out of the church. So let us not forget – any effort or movement to separate the wheat from the tares in God’s church prior to the enforcement of the mark of the beast is premature and if activated before this test, it would result in the loss of many precious souls. This is why the Lord warned against pulling up the tares prior to the harvest.

So my beloved, God has a plan to clean up His church and this will happen when the mark of the beast is enforced. How clearly God has described why this will happen. I’m reading from Great Controversy p. 608, “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.” Did you notice inspiration’s emphasis on the lack of obedience to the truth as the reason they leave us?

Reading again from Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 136, “Soon God’s people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great proportion (again I must emphasis – the great proportion) of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal. Instead of being strengthened and confirmed by opposition, threats, and abuse, they will cowardly take the side of the opposers. (And then these words…)…To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battle of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardliness, and loyalty from their treason.”

Last Day Events p. 173 says, “There will be a shaking of the sieve. The chaff must in time be separated from the wheat. Because iniquity abounds, the love of many waxes cold. It is the very time when the genuine will be strongest.” There will be a separating from us of those who have not appreciated the light nor walked in it. Once again permit me to emphasize. It is the tares that leave or separate from the wheat. Never do we find in the scriptures that the wheat leave the tares or separate from the church.

And now for some very exciting news. When this church, God’s remnant church, the visible, militant church will be tested and every tare shaken out then God’s invisible church within Babylon will separate and join God’s militant church making it God’s triumphant church. Don’t you just feel like saying Amen?

We read in Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 380, “The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and the true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ.” Thus it is that God tells us that those who believe that they can continue to sin until Jesus comes will be shaken out and separated. But praise God the wheat, who have been overcoming their sins in the power of the Lord, will be accepted as the visible church of God.

So beloved, God has used the plainest language to encourage us never to separate from the church. Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 21 says, “No advice or sanction is given in the Word of God to those who believe the third angel’s message to lead them to suppose that they can draw apart. This you may settle with yourselves forever. It is the devising of unsanctified minds that would encourage a state of disunion….There must be no separating the faithful [from the church] in this great testing time.”

Then in Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 397 we read, “I am instructed (you know, I always listen carefully when I read that) to say to Seventh-day Adventists the world over, God has called us as a people to be a peculiar treasure unto Himself. He has appointed that His church on earth shall stand perfectly united in the Spirit and counsel of the Lord of hosts to the end of time.” Isn’t that encouraging?

And then in Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 68 are these words: “I know that the Lord loves His church. It is not to be disorganized or broken up into independent atoms. There is not the least consistency in this. There is not the least evidence that such a thing will be.”

We may be filled with anguish as we see apostasy creep into the church, but let us not be guilty of apostasy ourselves by entertaining any thought of leaving this church. We have been divinely instructed that should we leave this church and join some new organization, this will be considered apostasy by God. And where do I read such things? Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 390 tells us, “Every truth that He has given for these last days is to be proclaimed to the world. Every pillar that He has established is to be strengthened. We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We cannot now enter into any new organization, for this would mean apostasy from the truth.”

So brother, sister, let us take courage. Let us keep the faith. Let us often reflect on these words found in Isaiah 4:3, 4, “And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.”

Let us pray. Loving Father, give us courage today through Thy Holy Spirit to be faithful as individuals; to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. We know that Thy church will triumph and by Thy grace we want to participate in the great celebration of victory over sin. We look forward to the time when we can live with Thee throughout eternity in a sinless world. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Infiltration

Thursday November 1st, 2001

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Many Seventh-day Adventist living today seem to be totally unaware that, as members of God’s true church, we are actually at war with the devil and his angels. The majority seems to be living in an atmosphere of tranquility and peace oblivious to the battle we are engaged, in which God is depending on each faithful member to defend the divine authority of His law.

Our Commander is Michael, the Lord Jesus Christ. The commander of the opposing side is Satan, the devil. This gigantic struggle has to do with the character of God as revealed in His law. Freedom, justice and love are at stake. Should Satan succeed in abolishing God’s law, the government of God would cease to exist. Every individual would then be governed by force and freedom would be gone forever.

To ensure the protection of each soldier for Christ we must investigate the plans of the enemy. But this could be a disaster without God’s help. So let us first seek for divine aid. Let us pray. Our loving Father, as we embark on this dangerous mission to discover Satan’s sinister plans for our destruction, please commission the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, the Representative of the Captain of the Lord’s hosts, to guide us in this perilous mission. We acknowledge that our infirmities are many; our sins and mistakes grievous, but with humble contrition we beg this great Power of Omnipotence be granted in our behalf to guide us with success. We thank Thee for such divine assurance. In Jesus’ name, we ask, Amen.

Now in this war, in which every believer must participate, we must be aware that this great struggle began in heaven and has spread to this earth. Let us read of its history from God’s word. I’m reading beginning with Revelation 12:7. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him….Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time….And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

From the beginning history reveals that in any war, each opposing side tries to secretly discover what the enemy’s plans are for attack so they can successfully meet and overcome them. We should not be surprised to discover, from God’s word, of Satan’s attempt to break into heaven’s council to ascertain God’s plans in this great war.

We read of such an attempt in Job 1:6. “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” Can you see Satan slipping in to a planning session of the universe? He’s a master at infiltration. And we should not be astonished that Satan infiltrates the committees of God’s true church here on earth, whether it be the local church, the Conference, Union, Division, or even the General Conference.

For some thirteen years, from 1962 – 1975, I took part in some of the committees at our world headquarters. At that time, the General Conference was located in Tacoma Park, Washington, D.C. If I remember correctly there were something like 125 committees to plan church action. Seldom a day would pass, when I was not somewhere overseas, that I had to attend a committee. I am certain that the devil and his angels listened in to every committee meeting, and I believe that some of his human agents attended also.

Remember the Watergate scandal some years ago when the whole world was shocked when this country’s political party was able to listen in to the secret plannings of their rival, which ultimately caused President Nixon to resign? Now, in the book Testimonies to Ministers p. 472-475, the Holy Spirit, through Ellen White, has given to us a legitimate “Watergate” conducted by God’s angels who have revealed Satan’s top secrets. In these writings we are given a verbal description of what actually took place in the darkest recesses of one of Satan’s councils. So let us go, by the way of inspiration, to an actual visit to a council of hell conducted by Satan and his angels. Don’t be afraid, for God has revealed what took place in order for His saints to know what to expect.

I must remind you, that this is no imaginary story, but rather a graphic description of what actually took place in one of the devil’s committee meetings right here on this earth. First of all we should know the name of this committee. It’s an ad hoc committee, meaning that it is dedicated to a special task. As we listen in through the ears of divinity, you will agree with me that this is Satan’s end-time committee dedicated to develop plans to destroy the faith of God’s servants. Sounds impressive doesn’t it? Since this is such an important committee the devil himself is the committee chairman. You will discover that he not only challenges his angels, but he directs and guides these satanic angels to develop methods and plans that will fool the very elect of God so that they will unknowingly join the devil’s side and become Satan’s agents to deceive others.

Listen carefully now as I’m reading from Testimonies to Ministers p. 472. Satan “directs his angels to lay their snares especially for those who are looking for the second advent of Christ, and endeavoring to keep all the commandments of God. (Why he is talking about you and me, isn’t he? We had better take heed. Now listen as inspiration gives us a word-by-word of Satan’s opening remarks.) ‘We must watch those who are calling the attention of the people to the Sabbath of Jehovah; they will lead many to see the claims of the law of God and the same light which reveals the true Sabbath reveals also the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and shows that the last work for man’s salvation is now going forward. Hold the minds of the people in darkness till that work is ended, and we shall secure the world and the church also.’”

Sounds chilling, doesn’t it? But catch the significance of this proposed scheme. The devil’s committee is to spend time in developing a master plan to destroy the very pillars of our faith such as the holy Sabbath day and the sanctuary doctrine. You can easily see why these two teachings are of major importance for both have to do with God’s holy law, which Satan hates. This is the very heart of the great controversy, for the seventh-day Sabbath is the focal point of the commandments; the very seal of God’s authority to rule. And the sanctuary in heaven is where the holy law is contained within the ark, which is the very foundation of God’s throne upon which our God sits.

It is here in the Most Holy Place that Christ, our High Priest, is conducting His mediatorial work in our behalf for our salvation. This is why Satan demands of his cohorts to find a way to keep these two cardinal doctrines from being studied and preached so he can capture God’s true church. After all, this is the last great obstacle remaining to keep Satan from full control of the world which he is planning to bring into reality through the New World Order of the United Nations.

Now the committee of these fallen angels gets down to business as Satan outlines a five-point program of attack. God has given us a word-by-word quotation from the very lips of Satan. (1) “‘I will influence popular ministers to turn the attention of their hearers from the commandments of God.’” Now how do you suppose these devils are going to come up with a workable plan to attain such? Do you suppose they would suggest that the commandments no longer exist? I’m afraid not. They know that the church would arise and defend the law.

Rather, I believe, they would attempt a more subtle plan of attack such as: Why not discourage any discussion of the law. In fact, better still, never mention it. And then don’t use the word “obedience,” that’s legalism. Let the members believe these are distasteful words for today’s generation. Never mention “the beast” or “the image” and especially “the mark.” Just get the preachers to talk about “love” – after all this is how Babylon fills their churches.

And we must get people so involved in church activity that they will have little or no time to question their hearts to discern if they are ready for Jesus to come. Let them form cell groups and spend hours in NLP labs; and how about projects for the community? Keep the members so busy that they never think of personal evangelism. Now listen, don’t you agree that in a short time the people’s attention would turn from the law? This would be a subtle approach. You decide. I’m only mentioning what Satan and his angels have suggested.

Satan continues, (2) “‘That which the Scriptures declare to be a perfect law of liberty shall be represented as a yoke of bondage.’” Now remember, these are the words of Satan. Don’t you suppose that his committee would agree that the best plan of all would be to have the ministers teach that Christ has already kept the law for you; therefore you need not worry about keeping that “old law of bondage.” And how about having books printed in Adventist presses so that those who don’t follow the preacher will accept such New Theology because it comes from the church publishing houses. After all, everyone has been redeemed by the cross, because all our your past, present and future sins have been forgiven because of the cross. If the saints hear such teachings often enough and read it from Adventist books they will believe that all you need to do is to present the law as a yoke of bondage. Has not God already declared you righteous? So relax, celebrate. There’s no more “dos” and “don’ts” because you are now under grace. Don’t you suppose this would be Satan’s masterpiece of attack? Surely it sounds plausible. You make the decision. I’m simply suggesting what Satan’s angels might have decided to do in this committee meeting.

Satan suggests, (3) Let “‘the people accept their minister’s explanations of Scripture and do not investigate for themselves. Therefore, by working through the ministers, I can control the people according to my will.’” In other words, control the people through the ministers. How? Never let them question the authority of the church and never question the General Conference. Could this be the decision of Satan’s committee to destroy us?

Why, even God’s word declares in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” And never forget the Bereans of the Bible time were commended for questioning the teachings of the church. Let me read it to you in Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, (and now notice) and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

Could it be that Satan is using church authority in the end time to keep God’s people from investigating for themselves? What a sneaky approach to control the people. Don’t dare to question the minister and especially a man from the General Conference. You decide; I’m only suggesting Satan’s methods. I’m not attacking my church. I love my church. I’m simply revealing why such things are taking place in our church. “So and So has a Doctor of Divinity degree and he tells us, ‘Ellen White didn’t mean what she wrote for our time.’ So just take the minister’s word.” Could this be the aim of this ad hoc committee of Satan? Think it over.

(4)”‘The church must be led to unite with the world in its support.” Perhaps this is the reason why we have for years participated in the World Council of Churches with financial support and taking an active part in its committees – even carrying out the actions of such committee without being actual members of this religious world organization. The laity has been told, “We are not members,” when indeed our church leadership has done everything it can to encourage our people to participate in its ecumenical movement and to join with other churches in community projects, when God has plainly counseled, “Be ye separate.”

Satan continues, (5) “‘We must work by signs and wonders to blind their eyes to the truth and lead them to lay aside reason and the fear of God and follow custom and tradition.” Is this why our church is participating in Easter sunrise services, providing Halloween parties for God’s youth, having men of the cloth act as Saint Nicholas (a Catholic priest) and being Santa Claus at church Christmas parties? Is this why we are involving our members in Saint Valentine’s Day (a pagan custom) or asking the church members to come up to the rostrum to receive the sacred communion bread from the pastor as practiced in Catholicism to receive the emblems from the priest? Some are even changing the name of the Lord’s Supper to that of the pagan Eucharist. Could all this be the result of the devil’s plan?

At this point, Satan sums up these objectives. Testimonies to Ministers p. 473 says, “’(1) Our principle concern is to silence this sect of Sabbath keepers. (2) We must excite popular indignation against them. (3) The sabbath (Sunday) which I have set up shall be enforced by laws the most severe and exacting. (4) Those who disregard them shall be driven out from the cities and villages, and made to suffer hunger and privation.’”

At this point Satan pauses to recount his past triumphs against those who refused to sever their allegiance to God. In Testimonies to Ministers p. 473 he says, “‘We led the Romish church to inflict imprisonment, torture, and death upon those who refused to yield to her decrees.’” What boasting! Alas, history reveals that the papal church put to death 150 million Christians who refused to give up their faith.

Suddenly Satan begins to brag about his accomplishments today. Listen carefully, “‘We are bringing the Protestant churches and the world into harmony with this right arm of our strength.’” With such success he again tells of his present-day aims: “‘We will finally have a law to exterminate all who will not submit to our authority. When death shall be made the penalty of violating our sabbath, then many who are now ranked with commandment keepers will come over to our side.’”

With these remarks, Satan now precedes with his cunning deceptive maneuvers. “But before proceeding to these extreme measures, we must exert all our wisdom and subtlety to deceive and ensnare those who honor the true Sabbath.” At this point the committee begins its deadly work in developing these satanic plans. It’s chilling to even think of it for it’s Satan’s plans to try to capture you and me. I hope you are spiritually awake to comprehend the eight startling methods which the servant of the Lord has revealed as Satan’s top-secret scheme.

Let’s consider them one by one.

Point #1 I’m quoting from Testimonies to Ministers p. 473. Satan brags, “‘We can separate many from Christ by worldliness.’” Separate from Christ? How alarming! To be separated from Jesus is to be lost for eternity. Separated? We have no protection from the plan of Satan. We are in the hands of the devil! This is why Jesus prayed for us in John 17:15,16, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” “Enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat. Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth onto life and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13,14 These two roads are distinct and separate, going in opposite directions. One leads to life, the other to eternal death.

In Testimonies for the Church, Volume 1, p. 127, 128, “The roads are opposite. One is broad and smooth, the other narrow and rugged. So the parties that travel them are opposite in character, in life, in dress, and in conversation. Those who travel in the narrow way are talking of the joy and happiness they will have at the end of the journey. Their countenances are often sad, yet often beam with holy, sacred joy. They do not dress like the company in the broad road, nor talk like them, nor act like them. A pattern has been given them. A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief opened that road for them, and traveled it himself. His followers see His footsteps, and are comforted and cheered. He went through safely; so can they, if they follow in His footsteps.”

O what assurance! Dearly beloved, Satan is using the same approach today as he did at Christ’s first coming. Notice these words in Desire of Ages p. 309. “The greatest deception of the human mind in Christ’s day was that a mere assent to the truth constitutes righteousness.” Dearly beloved, the same danger exists today.

Point #2 Tempt them to indulge in appetite and passions. Testimonies to Ministers p. 473 says, “‘They may think themselves safe because they believe the truth, but indulgence of appetite or the lower passions, which will confuse judgment and destroy discrimination, will cause their fall.’” You see, Satan is a smart rascal. He knows the power of man’s appetite. How sad to learn that over 50% of our youth attending our colleges and universities have taken up with drink, as I read in the Review and Herald , to say nothing of the adult church members who are caught up in Satan’s web.

We are surrounded with cesspools of impurities on every side. Many of our members are captured by the late-night TV movies to be seen in the privacy of their own bedroom. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the result of the actions of this committee which has been revealed to us. Never forget, it is by beholding we become changed. Everywhere we go we are faced with corrupt paperback books and obscene literature, even in the supermarket. The rotten videos in the grocery stores and in video stores can be found almost everywhere. O how God pleads in Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Point #3 Now notice Satan’s third scheme to capture the faithful. Get God’s people to fall in love with money. “‘Go, make the possessors of lands and money drunk with the cares of this life. Present the world before them in its most attractive light, that they may lay up their treasure here and fix their affections upon earthly things.’”

You can readily see that Satan knows the scriptures. I’m quoting, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10. Did you notice how the saints can be led to err from the faith? It’s by becoming involved in materialism, such as houses, lands, stocks, bonds, you name it, the utopia of this age. But the word of God plainly states in Mark 4:19, “The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

In my ministry for the Master I have seen so many leave this message because they became involved in riches. Would to God we would ever remember, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6: 19-21.

Point #4. Satan appeals to our selfish nature and he bars no holds; he is out for big game. Notice this plan of attack: “‘Make them care more for money than for the upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom and the spread of the truths we hate, and we need not fear their influence; for we know that every selfish, covetous person will fall under our power, and will finally be separated from God’s people.’”

Dear one, are we faithful with our tithe and our offerings for the Lord’s work, or do we bend to selfish desires to keep for ourselves that which actually belongs to God? Do we miss the great blessing in giving? Remember the sin of Achan. Joshua 7:21, “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.” And consider Ananias and Sapphira who actually lied to God over money that they had promised from the sale of a piece of property. Remember Judas, the traitor of our Lord, who would betray Jesus to be crucified for a paltry thirty pieces of silver.

Point #5. Satan continues his devilish plan to deceive the saints into thinking that a mere profession of faith is all that is necessary. “‘Through those that have a form of godliness but know not the power, we can gain many who would otherwise do us harm.’” This is the favorite ploy of the great deceiver. Remember the parable of the sower? Young shoots that, “have not root in themselves,” they soon die. Mark 4:17. Why? -They never experienced the power of victory over sin. They made a profession, they believed but they put forth no personal effort to strive for victory, and the result – a genuine repentance is never experienced. They misunderstand God’s character and never invite Christ to write His law within their hearts. Yet we read in Jeremiah 31: 33, “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Remember, a mere profession is absolutely worthless.

Point #6. Here Satan tells his satanic workers, if all this fails I have another scheme. “‘Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God will be our most effective helpers. Those of this class who are apt and intelligent will serve as decoys to draw others into our snares. Many will not fear their influence, because they profess the same faith.’” God has clearly admonished us not to join in the pleasures of the world such as the circus, the gambling dens, the theater, or to be sports spectators of our day. I remember when a good Adventist would never consider being seen in such a place. What has made the change of mind? – Could it be we have fallen into this trap of Satan?

God has exposed such by infiltrating his committee meeting. This committee work of demons is not unreal; it is not far-fetched. There is too much evidence of its awful reality. Its effectiveness among us is very evident. Yes, I know some of you will say that I am narrow minded in presenting this sermon but the good book says in Matthew 7:14, “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Point #7. Next Satan discusses how to pull down the standards of the church. “‘We will thus lead them to conclude that the requirements of Christ are less strict than they once believed, and that by conformity to the world they would exert a greater influence with worldlings.’” God did not say this; Satan says it, in his council. And it can all be summed up in one word, “compromise.”

This is why there is so much of the following in our church: Pregnancy before marriage, the use of “the pill” and the condom in adultery. Statistics show that divorce is as common in our church as it is in the churches of Babylon. The music of Baal – so called “Christian rock”, is often heard from God’s pulpit during the 11 o’clock worship service. Jewelry is often seen dangling from the ears of some members. Satan knows exactly what he is doing to God’s professed people. I quote from his lips in this devilish committee meeting, “‘Thus they will separate from Christ; then they will have no strength to resist our power, and erelong they will be ready to ridicule their former zeal and devotion.’” Think it over.

Finally, point #8 . He comes up with his favorite idea. He will succeed by implanting doubt just as he did with Eve. Listen, Testimonies to Ministers p. 475 says, “‘I will have upon the ground, as my agents, men holding false doctrines mingled with just enough truth to deceive souls. I will also have unbelieving ones present who will express doubts in regard to the Lord’s messages of warning to His church. Should the people read and believe these admonitions, we could have little hope of overcoming them. But if we can divert their attention from these warnings, they will remain ignorant of our power and cunning, and we shall secure them in our ranks at last.’”

Such is the plottings of Satan. If you have had your “thinking cap” on you can see he is working within God’s church today, by getting many ministers and the congregation to question the Spirit of Prophecy by implanting doubt. “Is there actually a sanctuary in heaven?” “Did Christ come to this earth to fight Satan in our nature?” “Is it really possible to stop sinning before Christ comes?” “Is the Holy Spirit’s power great enough to give us victory over sin?” “‘We must get the saints to doubt the pillars of God’s truth,’” and then Satan says, “‘we can capture them.’”

Now the question: “What shall we do with this inspired, God-given light of Satan’s plans to capture you and me?” As one of God’s ministers I beg you to take to heart the following counsel. I am reading from Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, p. 350, “Satan is well aware that the weakest soul who abides in Christ is more than a match for the hosts of darkness.”

O beloved, we ought to praise the Lord. To abide in Christ is to daily take time for prayer and study of God’s word found in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. This is why the servant of the Lord has unmasked Satan’s agenda for our destruction. Our help is only in Christ. Make the study of divine guidance your daily habit. Obedience to such is our only refuge.

I quote from Manuscript 78, 1905: “The Lord would have our minds aroused regarding the influence of evil angels. Christ does not tell us of the danger threatening us from the attacks of the apostate foe without furnishing us with power to resist every attack. Having assumed the rightful heirship of the world He is fully able to lead His army on triumphantly in the warfare with spiritual foes.” Praise God!

Let us pray. O loving Father, we are reminded of Thy counsel that no man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer. Through Thy Holy Spirit and His heavenly angels, we pray that Thou will shield us from the great adversary and deceiver, Satan, and his evil angels. Help us to never doubt Thy mighty power which can keep us from compromising truth and teach us how to fully surrender our wills to Thy divine control so that we may abide in Thee. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.