THE SEVEN FACES OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM

The Seven Faces of Seventh-day Adventism

Identifying the seven spirits of the church

The Seventh-day Adventist church is composed of seven spiritual factions. The seven distinct spiritual groups may be labeled Aggressives, Legalists, Spiritualists, Papists, Pacifists, Sheeple and true Seventh-day Adventists. Just as each of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 have a prevailing spirit that characterizes each of those seven churches [1], today each faction in the Seventh-day Adventist church has a prevailing spirit also.

To those Adventists for whom it was prophesied that they would rise up against "the plain testimonies," I wish to make it very clear that it is not my words that they hate but the Spirit of Prophecy. It is the church prophetess Ellen G. White whom they profess to respect that has specified the spiritual traits of these seven groups. I have only compiled the inspired characterization and other indisputable facts and placed all of this readily available information into a logical structure. The names of the 7 groups are my own.

It is time to identify the seven spirits of the Seventh-day Adventist church.

Aggressives
There is a prominent group in the Seventh-day Adventist church that distinguish themselves by their criticisms of Adventist doctrine and for their sympathies for mainstream Christianity. [2][3][4][5]. From their work of disaffection, I think it is obvious that the Aggressives are not preparing the church to stand in the day of God's judgment. They are instead building a foundation for apostasy. It is a work of deception and a terribly misguided agenda to be following the policies of Korah, Dathan and Abiram and to be firmly committed to undermining the prophetic ministry of Ellen White.

Consider this prophecy:

The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity she will have to do in a terrible crisis under most discouraging, forbidding circumstances. The warnings that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith. And at that time the superficial, conservative class, whose influence has steadily retarded the progress of the work, will renounce the faith and take their stand with its avowed enemies, toward whom their sympathies have long been tending. These apostates will then manifest the most bitter enmity, doing all in their power to oppress and malign their former brethren and to excite indignation against them. This day is just before us. The members of the church will individually be tested and proved. They will be placed in circumstances where they will be forced to bear witness for the truth. Many will be called to speak before councils and in courts of justice, perhaps separately and alone. The experience which would have helped them in this emergency they have neglected to obtain, and their souls are burdened with remorse for wasted opportunities and neglected privileges. Testimonies For the Church, Vol. 5, 463.

In the early days of Adventism, when the expectation was that the end of time was very near, Ellen White had this revelation:

I saw the nominal church and nominal Adventists, like Judas, would betray us to the Catholics to obtain their influence to come against the truth. The saints then will be an obscure people, little known to the Catholics; but the churches and nominal Adventists who know of our faith and customs (for they hated us on account of the Sabbath, for they could not refute it) will betray the saints and report them to the Catholics as those who disregard the institutions of the people; that is, that they keep the Sabbath and disregard Sunday. Spalding and Magan Collection, p. 1.

It is clear from this second passage that the "nominal church" can only be the superficially genuine but apostate protestant church and that "nominal Adventists" are the superficial, conservative Adventists that will unite with mainstream Christianity.

When will this separation take place? In Ellen White's eschatology, all these events transpire during the time of the great shaking of the church, just before the end of the world. One revelation that Ellen White specified very clearly is that we are already in the time for "the removal of those things that are being shaken so that the things which cannot be shaken may remain" (Hebrews 12:25-27). [6].

Since the shaking has started already, a comparison with current events is in order. Why are people leaving the Adventist church? Who are the "avowed enemies" of the Adventist faith? When people leave our church, are they siding with our "avowed enemies?" Finding the most vociferous critics of Seventh-day Adventism on the Internet only takes a little time. The following websites seem to rank at the very top in terms of rancor and disgust.

http://www.ellenwhite.org/
http://www.truthorfables.com/
http://www.exadventist.com/

The harmony between these haters of Ellen G. White and the Aggressives is that both groups do not promote and apparently do not have any positive interpretation of Scripture that distinguishes their faith in any way, but their criticisms of the Adventist movement are identical. [7][8].

There are significant parallels between the Aggressives and Korah, Dathan and Abiram, followed by the "two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown" in Numbers 16. They rebelled against God's appointed leader of the church. Ellen White wrote a superb piece on the rebellion of Korah in Patriarchs and Prophets, chapter 35, pp. 395-405. At the end of that chapter, Ellen White says that the same principles of that rebellion exist today. The most profound subtlety of that remarkable exposition is that Ellen White wrote that whole chapter as a defense of her own prophetic authority. It follows therefore that the greatest passion of the Aggressives is their desire for self-exaltation.

Do not the same evils still exist that lay at the foundation of Korah's ruin? Pride and ambition are widespread; and when these are cherished, they open the door to envy, and a striving for supremacy; the soul is alienated from God, and unconsciously drawn into the ranks of Satan.

Like Korah and his companions, many, even of the professed followers of Christ, are thinking, planning, and working so eagerly for self-exaltation that in order to gain the sympathy and support of the people they are ready to pervert the truth, falsifying and misrepresenting the Lord's servants, and even charging them with the base and selfish motives that inspire their own hearts. By persistently reiterating falsehood, and that against all evidence, they at last come to believe it to be truth. While endeavoring to destroy the confidence of the people in the men of God's appointment, they really believe that they are engaged in a good work, verily doing God service.

The Hebrews were not willing to submit to the directions and restrictions of the Lord. They were restless under restraint, and unwilling to receive reproof. This was the secret of their murmuring against Moses. Had they been left free to do as they pleased, there would have been fewer complaints against their leader. All through the history of the church God's servants have had the same spirit to meet.

It is by sinful indulgence that men give Satan access to their minds, and they go from one stage of wickedness to another. The rejection of light darkens the mind and hardens the heart, so that it is easier for them to take the next step in sin and to reject still clearer light, until at last their habits of wrongdoing become fixed. Sin ceases to appear sinful to them. He who faithfully preaches God's word, thereby condemning their sins, too often incurs their hatred. Unwilling to endure the pain and sacrifice necessary to reform, they turn upon the Lord's servant and denounce his reproofs as uncalled for and severe. Like Korah, they declare that the people are not at fault; it is the reprover that causes all the trouble. And soothing their consciences with this deception, the jealous and disaffected combine to sow discord in the church and weaken the hands of those who would build it up.

Every advance made by those whom God has called to lead in His work has excited suspicion; every act has been misrepresented by the jealous and faultfinding. Thus it was in the time of Luther, of the Wesleys and other reformers. Thus it is today. —Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 403-404.

Legalists
Legalists in Adventism are typically ignorant zealots, ordinary Pharisees, predatory cannibals [9], or extremist false prophets. Here is an inspired set of profiles of the most notable ones from the writings of Ellen G. White.

1. I was shown that quite a number who were thinking it their duty to teach the word of God publicly had mistaken their work. They had no call to devote themselves to this solemn, responsible work. They were not qualified for the work of the ministry, for they could not instruct others properly.

The experience of some had been obtained among a class of religious fanatics who had no true sense of the exalted character of the work. The religious experience of this class of professed Seventh-day Adventists was not reliable. They had not firm principles underlying all their actions. They were self-confident, and boastful. Their religion did not consist in righteous acts, true humility of soul, and sincere devotion to God, but in impulse, in noise and confusion, spiced with eccentricities and oddities. They had not felt, neither could they feel, the necessity of being clothed with Christ's righteousness. They had a righteousness of their own, which was as filthy rags, and which God can in no case accept. These persons had no love for union and harmony of action. They delighted in disorder. Confusion, distraction, and diversity of opinion were their choice. They were ungovernable, unsubdued, unregenerated, and unconsecrated, and this element of confusion suited their undisciplined minds. They were a curse to the cause of God and brought the name of Seventh-day Adventists into disrepute.

These persons had not experienced the work of reformation, or sanctification through the truth. They were coarse and uncultivated. They had never tasted of the sweet, pure refinement of the world to come. They had never experienced, neither had their hearts been awed by, the mystery of godliness. They placed divine and eternal things upon a level with common things, and would talk of heaven and the coming of Jesus as they would of a horse. They had a superficial knowledge or theory of the truth, but further than this they were ignorant. Its principles had not taken hold of their lives and led them to an abhorrence of self. They had never viewed themselves in the light in which Paul viewed himself, which led him to see the moral defects in his character. They had never been slain by the law of God, and had not separated themselves from their impurities and defilement. It is the favorite occupation of some of this class to engage in trifling conversation and levity. This habit they contracted, and indulged upon occasions which should have been characterized by solemn meditation and devotion. In doing this, they manifested a lack of true dignity and refinement, and forfeited the esteem of sensible persons who had no knowledge of the truth. This class threw themselves into a current of temptation and kept where the enemy led them successfully, and he has so easily controlled their minds and corrupted their entire experience that in all probability they will be unable to recover themselves out of his snare and obtain a healthful experience.

The fires of the day of God will consume the stubble and chaff, and there will be nothing left of any who continue in the ungodly course which they have so long loved. This class have a disrelish for the society of those whom God is truly with. Their religious experience is of so low an order that they have no part nor lot in a rational, intelligent religious experience; therefore they have despised the society of those whom God leads and is teaching. Sarcasm and irony is the stronghold of some peculiar minds of this class. They are bold and insolent, and do not regard good manners. They have no care to discriminate and render honor to whom honor is due. They manifest a proud, rebellious, defiant spirit against those who differ from their opinions. Their boisterous manners and wrong course lead the true servant of God to feel that they have resisted the efforts made for them, and he becomes disheartened in reference to laboring any further in their behalf. They engage in a contemptible triumph of exactly the same nature as that which Satan and evil angels engage in over the souls whom they secure. They have Satan and evil angels on their side to exult with them. The cases of the persons in whom this cast of character is peculiarly and strikingly developed are hopeless. They are incased in self-righteousness, and everything like refinement and elevation of character with which they are brought in contact is termed by them pride and lack of humility. Coarseness and ignorance are regarded as humility.

With this class you have obtained a large share of your religious experience; therefore you are not qualified for the work of teaching the most solemn, refined, elevating, and withal the most testing message to mortals. You may reach a class of minds, but the more intelligent portion of the community will be driven further off by your labors. You have not a sufficient knowledge of even the common branches of education to be an instructor of men and women who have a wily devil on the other hand to suggest and devise ways and means to lead them from the truth.

Brother E, you cannot fill the position of a minister of Christ. I saw that you lacked a correct religious experience. You have not a knowledge of yourself. You cannot even read correctly, or use language which would commend the truth to the understanding of an intelligent community. You lack discrimination. You would not know when it was proper to speak or wise to keep silent. You have so long thought, with the peculiar class I have mentioned, that you knew it all, that you will not see your deficiencies when they are presented before you. You possess a large share of self-esteem, and your experience has been characterized by self-confidence and boastfulness.

You are not teachable, therefore the cause of God would not prosper in your hands. You would fail to recognize a defeat when you met with one. The cause of God would be brought into disrepute and dishonor by your labors, and you would fail to discover the fact. A certain class may be convinced by you of the truth; but more would be turned away and placed where they could not be reached by proper, judicious labor. Interwoven with your experience are things that will prove detrimental to the truth. God cannot accept you as a representative of the truth.

Your manners have not been refined and elevated. Your deportment has not been pleasing to God. Your words have been careless. You lack piety and devotion. You have not obtained an experience in the spiritual life. You fail to understand how to rightly divide the word of life, giving to each his portion of meat in due season. You have preferred to contend and contest points when you were entirely out of your place and could but meet with defeat. This is the spirit of the class in Maine whom I have mentioned. It is their delight to engage in contest and brave it through. You would not manifest meekness in instructing those who oppose themselves. You will ever be crippled, in a degree, by your unfortunate experience. You lack self-culture and meekness. You have important lessons to learn before you can become an unassuming, acceptable follower of Christ, even in a private capacity. —Testimonies For the Church, Vol. 2, pp. 553-557.

2. As professed followers of Christ, we have much to learn. There is with many an icy chilliness, a reserve like that of the Pharisees, that must be broken down. They are not willing to become learners, but, like the Pharisees, desire to be dictators, teachers. God sent his Son to give his people a better knowledge of the truth, to show them the best way to help their fellow-men. But the Pharisees refused to receive the divine instruction. They thought that Christ was too liberal. His ways did not agree with theirs; and instead of seeking to come into harmony with Christ, they sought to bring Christ into harmony with them. While he differed from them so widely, his influence would, they thought, lessen theirs, and would counteract their teachings. In order to carry out their own purposes, they set themselves in opposition to Christ, and thus brought darkness upon themselves. GW92, 320.

3. I saw that the minds of some of the church have not run in the right channel. There have been some peculiar temperaments that have had their notions by which to measure their brethren. And if any did not exactly agree with them, there was trouble in the camp at once. Some have strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel.

These set notions have been humored and indulged altogether too long. There has been a picking at straws. And when there were no real difficulties in the church, trials have been manufactured. The minds of the church and the servants of the Lord are called from God, truth, and heaven to dwell upon darkness. Satan delights to have such things go on; it feasts him. But these are none of the trials which are to purify the church and that will in the end increase the strength of God's people.

I saw that some are withering spiritually. They have lived some time watching to keep their brethren straight—watching for every fault to make trouble with them. And while doing this, their minds are not on God, nor on heaven, nor on the truth; but just where Satan wants them—on someone else. Their souls are neglected; they seldom see or feel their own faults, for they have had enough to do to watch the faults of others without so much as looking to their own souls or searching their own hearts. A person's dress, bonnet, or apron takes their attention. They must talk to this one or that one, and it is sufficient to dwell upon for weeks. I saw that all the religion a few poor souls have consists in watching the garments and acts of others, and finding fault with them. Unless they reform, there will be no place in heaven for them, for they would find fault with the Lord Himself.

Said the angel: "It is an individual work to be right with God." The work is between God and our own souls. But when persons have so much care of others' faults, they take no care of themselves. These notional, faultfinding ones would often cure themselves of the habit if they would go directly to the individual they think is wrong. It would be so crossing that they would give up their notions rather than go. But it is easy to let the tongue run freely about this one or that one when the accused is not present. —Testimonies For the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 144-145.

Modern-day illustrations
Adventists that seem to match our inspired profile for legalists have spent large amounts of money for special literature and billboard and newspaper advertising around the country to declare that the pope is the antichrist. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. This very public demonstration of legalism with the Adventist name has caused great embarrassment for the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. [17][18].

Ellen White wrote,

"I have long known that fanaticism will be manifest again, in different ways.

"We cannot allow excitable elements among us to display themselves in a way that would destroy our influence with those whom we wish to reach with the truth. It took us years to outlive the unfavorable impression that unbelievers gained of Adventists through their knowledge of the strange and wicked workings of fanatical elements among us during the early years of our existence as a separate people." Ellen G. White, Manuscript 115, 1908.

Ellen White was not a legalist. She wrote against making sharp thrusts at Catholics.

"Brethren, I feel hurt when I see that so many decided thrusts are made against the Catholics. Preach the truth, but restrain the words which show a harsh spirit; for such words cannot help or enlighten anyone." Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 64.

Only legalistic Adventists believe that legalists demonstrate love and tact in their evangelism and deny that the charge of fanaticism applies to them. And they quote statements by Ellen White to support their view.

"Men will misrepresent the doctrines we believe and teach as Bible truth, and it is necessary that wise plans should be laid to secure the privilege of inserting articles into the secular papers; for this will be a means of awakening souls to see the truth. God will raise up men who will be qualified to sow beside all waters. God has given great light upon important truths, and it must come to the world." Ellen G. White, Letter 1, 1875.

"We must take every justifiable means of bringing the light before the people. Let the press be utilized, and let every advertising agency be employed that will call attention to the work. This should not be regarded as nonessential. On every street corner you may see placards and notices calling attention to various things that are going on, some of them of the most objectionable character; and shall those who have the light of life be satisfied with feeble efforts to call the attention of the masses to the truth?" Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 130.

The cult expert Walter Martin labeled most of the "historic Adventists" he encountered as "legalists," "worshippers of Ellen White" and the "lunatic fringe." (Walter Martin Interview, Adventist Currents, Vol. 1, No. 1, July, 1983, conducted by Douglas Hackleman). However, Martin regarded Mrs. White as "a sister in the Lord." [19].

Legalistic modern-day extremist false prophets that deceive Seventh-day Adventists include:

Walter McGill and David P. Aguilar Jr. of the Creation Seventh-day Adventist Church [20].
Ronald William Beaulieu [21].
All legalists that cry obsessively against superstition and heresy.

[22].

Spiritualists

See The Spiritualism of Adventism

Papists
Ellen White gave ample warnings that the spirit of popery had come into the Seventh-day Adventist church and that this antichrist spirit in our church was prevalent and increasing:

• "There is prevalent a spirit that seeks the mastery over others." TM 260.
  

• "The spirit of domination is extending to the presidents of our conferences." TM 362.
  

• "The spirit of antichrist is developing rapidly." 20MR 176.
  

• "The matter is becoming serious, for warnings and entreaties have been given in vain. The arms of power in Battle Creek are being extended more and more widely, seeking to control the work far and near, and to crush that which they cannot control. I lift my voice in protest. The spirit that now controls is not the Spirit of the Lord." 8T 150.
  

• "Special instruction has been given me for God’s people, for perilous times are upon us. In the world, destruction and violence are increasing. In the church, man power is gaining the ascendancy; those who have been chosen to occupy positions of trust think it their prerogative to rule." 9T 270.
  

• "We shall have to make a decided choice either to be under Satan’s rule, or under the rule of Him whom John saw while on the isle of Patmos, who ‘hath prepared his throne in the heavens,’ and whose ‘kingdom ruleth over all.’ " RH, Feb. 7, 1893.

The rise of popery in the Adventist church is the fulfillment of prophecy.

That night I dreamed that I was in Battle Creek looking out from the side glass at the door and saw a company marching up to the house, two and two. They looked stern and determined. I knew them well and turned to open the parlor door to receive them, but thought I would look again. The scene was changed. The company now presented the appearance of a Catholic procession. One bore in his hand a cross, another a reed. And as they approached, the one carrying a reed made a circle around the house, saying three times: "This house is proscribed. The goods must be confiscated. They have spoken against our holy order." Terror seized me, and I ran through the house, out of the north door, and found myself in the midst of a company, some of whom I knew, but I dared not speak a word to them for fear of being betrayed. I tried to seek a retired spot where I might weep and pray without meeting eager, inquisitive eyes wherever I turned. I repeated frequently: "If I could only understand this! If they will tell me what I have said or what I have done!"

I wept and prayed much as I saw our goods confiscated. I tried to read sympathy or pity for me in the looks of those around me, and marked the countenances of several whom I thought would speak to me and comfort me if they did not fear that they would be observed by others. I made one attempt to escape from the crowd, but seeing that I was watched, I concealed my intentions. I commenced weeping aloud, and saying: "If they would only tell me what I have done or what I have said!" My husband, who was sleeping in a bed in the same room, heard me weeping aloud and awoke me. My pillow was wet with tears, and a sad depression of spirits was upon me. —Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, p. 578.

There is much more to the dream than its immediate context (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 569-612). The dream is prophetic. Prophecy has come true! It is now a crime for true and authentic Seventh-day Adventists (like Ellen G. White) to say the smallest and most inoffensive thing against "the holy order." Did you notice the sheepishness and timidity of the sheeple in the dream?

Today, Satan has such perfect control of the Seventh-day Adventist hierarchy that even the enemies of truth laugh at the blindness of SDA leaders for being so devoid of the Spirit of God that Adventism's best and brightest can't see how they themselves have adopted medieval popery.

"I love my job as Conference President. All I do is kiss the ring of everyone in positions above me and appoint ring-kissers to every position below me." [23].

Are Seventh-day Adventists using Satan's methods?
The Seventh-day Adventist Threat to Religious Liberty
Threats, Intimidation and the Kingdom of God
Are Seventh-Day Adventists Aiding In Satan's Determined Purpose to Exalt Popery?
The Presumption of Popery
There was A Council Among the gods
The Accord between the Pope and The Seventh-day Adventist Church

Pacifists

Some who occupy the position of watchmen to warn the people of danger have given up their watch and recline at ease. They are unfaithful sentinels. They remain inactive, while their wily foe enters the fort and works successfully by their side to tear down what God has commanded to be built up. They see that Satan is deceiving the inexperienced and unsuspecting; yet they take it all quietly, as though they had no special interest, as though these things did not concern them. They apprehend no special danger; they see no cause to raise an alarm. To them everything seems to be going well, and they see no necessity of raising the faithful, trumpet notes of warning which they hear borne by the plain testimonies, to show the people their transgressions and the house of Israel their sins. These reproofs and warnings disturb the quiet of these sleepy, ease-loving sentinels, and they are not pleased. They say in heart, if not in words; "This is all uncalled for. It is too severe, too harsh. These men are unnecessarily disturbed and excited, and seem unwilling to give us any rest or quietude. ‘Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them.’ They are not willing that we should have any comfort, peace, or happiness. It is active labor, toil, and unceasing vigilance alone which will satisfy these unreasonable, hard-to-be-suited watchmen. Why don’t they prophesy smooth things, and cry: Peace, peace? Then everything would move on smoothly."

These are the true feelings of many of our people. And Satan exults at his success in controlling the minds of so many who profess to be Christians. He has deceived them, benumbed their sensibilities, and planted his hellish banner right in their midst, and they are so completely deceived that they know not that it is he. —Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, p. 440.

Isaiah wrote:
"His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." Isaiah 56:10.

Ellen White had this verse clearly in mind when she interpreted Ezekiel 9 as a prophecy of the Seventh-day Adventist church/leadership:

Here we see that the church—the Lord's sanctuary—was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus "Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together. —Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 211.

Is there any reason to doubt Ellen G. White's dumb dogs’ prophecy? If the sleep of Seventh-day Adventists and the church leadership is being interrupted, what awakening message is being sounded among SDAs to awaken that sinful synagogue to the fearful reality of their impending doom, if they do not repent?

Sheeple
The great majority of Seventh-day Adventists are sheeple. (SHEE.pul) n. They are dumber than the dumb watchdogs that refuse to bark. Sheeple are sufficiently well-defined in this Bible verse:

A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. Jeremiah 5:30-31.

True Seventh-day Adventists
Ellen White predicted that true Seventh-day Adventists will be a very small minority and that the majority of those who call themselves Seventh-day Adventists will apostatize.

"At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land. But more especially will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because its members are doing after the manner of the world." 5T 209-210.

"The earnest prayers of this faithful few will not be in vain. When the Lord comes forth as an avenger, He will also come as a protector of all those who have preserved the faith in its purity and kept themselves unspotted from the world." 5T 210.

"In the time when His wrath shall go forth in judgments, these humble, devoted followers of Christ will be distinguished from the rest of the world by their soul anguish, which is expressed in lamentation and weeping, reproofs and warnings. ... They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church." 5T 210.

The Shaking Produces A New Seventh-day Adventist Leadership

"God has promised that where the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself. God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities. But 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." 5T 80.

"The gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness." 5T 81.

"No superiority of rank, dignity, or worldly wisdom, no position in sacred office, will preserve men from sacrificing principle when left to their own deceitful hearts. Those who have been regarded as worthy and righteous prove to be ringleaders in apostasy and examples in indifference and in the abuse of God's mercies." 5T 212.

"Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5T 80-81.

"It is with reluctance that the Lord withdraws His presence from those who have been blessed with great light and who have felt the power of the word in ministering to others. They were once His faithful servants, favored with His presence and guidance; but they departed from Him and led others into error, and therefore are brought under the divine displeasure." 5T 212.

"Soon God's people will be tested by fiery trials, and 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." 5T 136.

"The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat." —2SM 380 (1886).

"The broken ranks will be filled up by those represented by Christ as coming in at the eleventh hour. There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched, His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time."—E.G.W. Letter 103, 1903.

"But there are men who will receive the truth, and these will take the places made vacant by those who become offended and leave the truth. . . . The Lord will work so that the disaffected ones will be separated from the true and loyal ones. . . . The ranks will not be diminished. Those who are firm and true will close up the vacancies that are made by those who become offended and apostatize." 3SM p. 422.

The Character of Faithful Seventh-day Adventists

"At this time God's chosen all saw clearly that we had the truth, and they came out and endured the persecution with us." EW 33.

"No truth which involves self-denial and sacrifice will be favorably accepted by the world. A costly effort is required of every soul that will go in an opposite direction from the multitude. All that stand in Christ's name in defense of the truth must have a history of conflicts and sacrifices. They cannot advance in reform, as Christ leads the way, except at the risk of liberty and life." —ST July 26, 1883.

"On every occasion that persecution takes place, the witnesses make decisions, either for Christ or against Him. Those who show sympathy for the men wrongly condemned, who are not bitter against them, show their attachment for Christ." —ST Feb. 20, 1901.

The Church Triumphant

"When trees without fruit are cut down as cumberers of the ground, when multitudes of false brethren are distinguished from the true, then the hidden ones will be revealed to view, and with hosannas range under the banner of Christ. Those who have been timid and self-distrustful will declare themselves openly for Christ and His truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church will be as David—willing to do and dare. The deeper the night for God's people, the more brilliant the stars. Satan will sorely harass the faithful; but, in the name of Jesus, they will come off more than conquerors. Then will the church of Christ appear ‘fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.’ " 5T 81-82.

"Test yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5)

"Now is the time for God's people to show themselves true to principle. When the religion of Christ is most held in contempt, when His law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test." 5T 136.

An Endorsement to this Message from the Spirit of Prophecy

"What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right when they are all wrong! The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God. While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their condition of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and His testimony must be correct." 3T 252-253.

Godliness Bruises Serpents
The Manifesto of Reform-Minded Seventh-Day Adventists
A Testimony For Sleepy, Ease-Loving Sentinels
Testimonies of Truth!

Modified October 13, 2007

Source: http://www.everythingimportant.org/gospel/7faces.htm