A Revolution Within Adventism in Disguise
“How the Roman church can clear herself from the charge of idolatry we cannot see…And this is the religion which Protestants are beginning to look upon with so much favor, and which will eventually be united with Protestantism. This union will not, however, be effected by a change in Catholicism, for Rome never changes. She claims infallibility. It is Protestantism that will change. The adoption of liberal ideas on its part will bring it where it can clasp the hand of Catholicism.” Last Day Events, p. 130.
Notice how the prophet of the Lord describes accurately the manner in which Protestantism, particularly in America, is going to change and eventually clasp the hand of Catholicism. It is through the adoption of liberal ideas.
Similarly, Sister White shows us how to determine between a false movement and a genuine: “Yet none need be deceived. In the light of God’s word it is not difficult to determine the nature of these movements. Whenever men neglect the testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain, soul-testing truths [the three angels’ messages] which require self-denial and renunciation of the world, there we may be sure that God’s blessing is not bestowed.” The Great Controversy, p. 464.
We are living in a generation where Seventh-day Adventists are facing a crisis that has never been faced before. We are being bombarded from outside and infiltrated from inside with liberal ideas that are turning us away from those plain, soul-testing truths of God’s inspired writings. One of the main characteristics of this deception is in the subtle, stealthy manner in which liberalism develops. Never do Satan’s deceptions appear to be malevolent or evil; rather, they always present themselves as being highly desirable and so filled with spiritual integrity that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect [Matt. 24:24]. It is our conviction that the “liberal ideas” of the new theology, ecumenism, and the social gospel fall into just such a category; for it is these very principles that are bringing us back to Rome. Once we have obtained a full grasp of this deception of global proportions, then you will understand the urgent need to expose its developmental roots within Seventh-day Adventism.
Historical Roots of Liberalism
The generations between the late 1700’s through the early 1900’s witnessed a tremendous cultural breakdown that threatened to destroy the very roots of civilization. This period is commonly referred to as the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. The leaders of this period considered themselves courageous and elite and regarded their purpose as leading the world toward progress and out of a long period of doubtful tradition, full of irrationality, superstition, and tyranny. This phenomenon is known today as liberalism, and it is expressed in philosophy, theology, education, politics, art, science, society, and culture. Because ideas result in consequences and our beliefs affect our decisions, liberalism has played an important role in shaping twentieth-century history and has almost completely destroyed the church today.
Before this period, people in the Western world, particularly Protestant America, had almost always based their reasoning upon certain unchangeable truths - beginning with such truths as found in God’s Word. However, the Age of Enlightenment’s philosophy of relativism, the view that human beliefs and behaviors have no absolute standards for right and wrong, took away this trust in God’s Word for many people and opened the door to humanistic views of history, education, morality, science, government, and religion. Relativism was the foundational principle of the French Revolution and was the cause for all the chaos and destruction that followed afterwards.
The most devastating effect that liberalism has had during the entire twentieth century has been the secularization of the mainline Protestant churches – including Seventh-day Adventists. This has resulted in secularist heresies coming in among us which continue to pervert the truth of God and destroy the church.
The word liberal comes from the Latin word “liber” with means free. A liberal is someone who desires to be free from something or free to do something. Sometimes it stands for good such as free enterprise, free press, or as in a liberal [free, generous] giver of offerings. Whether this is good or evil depends upon what one wants to be free from or free to do. Historically, in the early decades of the American Republic, libertarianism meant the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, modern liberalism is usually equated with the desire to free man from authority, from moral restraint, and responsibility.
Modern liberalism can be traced to the revolutionary minds of European thinkers such as the French philosophers Voltaire [1694-1778], Rousseau [1712-1778], and Auguste Comte [1798-1857) who stressed the need for the state to “liberate” the masses from traditional, moral, and social authority. Comte aggressively taught that no truth can be known except by observable scientific facts and their relations to each other. This extremely secular and arrogant claim completely destroys the entire concept of faith in God and His Word. German philosophers such as Immanuel Kant [1724-1804] and G. W. F. Hegel [1770-1831] claimed that all truths, facts, and values are dependent upon man’s feelings and man’s reasoning. These philosophers liberated people to think and do as they pleased with little reference to reality or responsibility. They created their own concept of good and evil. This dismissal of absolutes set many modern people to rebel against God and His Word. These so-called educated men attempted to create a “progressive” perfect society built upon “scientific” human knowledge, free from God and His law.
These secular ideas soon gave birth to three new pervasively influential movements that have brought catastrophic consequences to our day: Darwinism [evolution], Marxism [democratic socialism and revolutionary communism], and Freudianism [psychoanalysis]. Their founders, Charles Darwin [1809-1882], Karl Marx [1818-1883], and Sigmund Freud [1856-1939] all expressed contempt for Christianity. At the same time liberal religionists were attacking the very foundations of Christian truths.
Religious Liberalism
Such men as Adolf von Harnack [1851-1930] in Germany, Alfred Loisy [1857-1940] in France, R.J. Campbell [1867-1959] in England, and Walter Rauschenbusch [1861-1918] in America glorified and praised the new advances of liberal sciences while denying the truths of the Bible. These infidels, many of whom studied theology and philosophy said that in the modern age, it was old-fashioned to take the Bible literally and believe in a literal heaven and hell or any of the major themes of the Bible [garden of Eden, Noah’s ark, Jonah and the whale etc.]. Thus, they were called modernists and they introduced religious liberalism to the churches of Europe and America.
In reality, Modernism and Religious Liberalism which has dominated European Protestantism since the 1890’s and American Protestantism since the 1930’s is not a “new” expression of religion, but only unbelief clothed in a modern garb and deceitfully using the language of traditional Christianity in a new sense of doubt.
One core doctrine after another has fallen away through liberal theology - all in the name of salvaging the faith in the modern age. Liberalism denies the literal creation of this world. It denies the fall of man, his sinful human nature, and his need of regeneration by teaching that man is generally good by nature and that the evils of society must change. Karl Marx advocated the same ideal; that man was good but society is bad and when society changed, man would change. Liberalism also denies the absolute standards of good and evil that God has established. Their understanding of right and good is defined simply as whatever furthers liberal ideas. And whatever hinders the cause of liberalism is bad or evil. Liberalism suppresses the concept of Biblical redemption by substituting this work with social or political activism.
1955 – The Beginning of the End for Historic Adventism
There would be no liberalism [new theology, ecumenism, or social gospel] in Adventism today if certain church leaders in the mid-1950’s had not welcomed it in. For the errors of liberal theology were brought in and have taken root. But many in our time do not realize how firmly the errors have been placed within the church. In the Spring of 1955 when Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse and Southern Baptist minister Walter Martin asked for a face-to-face contact with representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in order to improve understanding and appreciation for each other and to clear up any doctrinal misunderstandings, immediately our response should have been: “Babylon is fallen” and “Come out of her, My people.” [Rev. 14:8; Rev. 18:1-5].
But unfortunately, LeRoy E. Froom, a scholar and author of Prophetic Faith of our Fathers; W. E. Read, Field-Secretary for the General Conference; T.E. Unruh, a Seventh-day Adventist Pastor; and R. Allan Anderson, a college teacher of religion, evangelist, and author, were authorized by the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference President, R. R. Fugurh, to meet with Walter Martin, Donald Barnhouse, and George Cannon, some of the most influential men among American Sunday-keeping Protestant circles. These men, through a series of doctrinal discussions, opened the door for doctrinal heresies to come into the SDA church. No one has been able to get those errors out once they got in. All these men are now dead, and we’re still living with the problems they left us with.
It is an interesting fact that we know of not one instance in which either of these Evangelical Protestant ministers ever gave up any of their errors or changed any of their positions on a single doctrinal point throughout the entire affair. All the compromises were for us to make. From start to finish, Evangelical Protestantism did not change one bit or budge one inch as a result of these conferences. Tragically, Seventh-day Adventists were the ones who made all the compromises! Consequently, we find that the nature of Christ, the nature of His atonement, attacks on Ellen White’s prophetic role, the law of God, the 2,300 day prophecy, 1844 and the investigative judgment, the sanctuary message, our views on the papacy, the mark of the beast, and other distinctive doctrinal beliefs have been changed, discarded, or hidden under a bushel in order to come into line and harmony with Evangelical Protestantism. [For the complete story of this dark chapter of SDA history, please read “Letters to the Churches,” by Elder M.L. Andreasen.]
Today we are seeing an obsession of ecumenical fellowship and dialog with the world. This is not the time for Adventist to haul down our banner, for the third angel’s message is inscribed upon it. God has placed each one of us in this world at this time in history for a purpose. We must stand true to that purpose, no matter what the cost may be. The Bible/Spirit of Prophecy teachings given to us are to be cherished. Our pioneers had to deal with some of these same liberal ideas in their days, and in doing so, they gave up nothing of the historical doctrines of the Adventist faith.
Charles Darwin and the Biological Origins of Liberalism
The concept of evolution, that rejects the Biblical record of creation and advocates the ideal that man evolved through natural processes, was not new to Charles Darwin. Many pagan people and ancient Greeks had expressed similar ideas. However, Darwin thought he had “scientific evidence” for this idea. Because Darwin the naturalist was called a “scientist” and because science was so highly respected and esteemed in the nineteenth century, many people began to accept his views. Evolution basically says that God is dead, at least as far as science is concerned. Evolution teaches that man is autonomous, that man is responsible to no one but himself, and that man must attempt to continue to survive without reference to God or to His Law. Darwin said that the God of the Bible was a cruel tyrant because he allowed people to suffer. Even though he knew that this was not true, for he had studied at Cambridge University to prepare for the Anglican ministry, that was Darwin’s thinking. Evolution has slowly but steadily progressed into the theology of many churches.
Sigmund Freud and the Psychological Drives of Liberalism
Sigmund Freud, a behavioral psychiatrist, believed that there is no such thing as sin, guilt for sin, or repentance from sin because people really have no control over their own actions. He taught that every action is determined by “unconscious drives,” especially sex drives, which we have no control over. In order to alleviate one’s guilt and remorse for the wrongs done, Freud advocated psychoanalysis, the process of finding unconscious components of a person’s mind. He believed that children and adults should not be punished for their crimes, but rather they should be allowed to express themselves freely and to play out their “unconscious drives” [sins]. These ideas of “unconscious drives” have been politically influential in today’s society, particularly in our schools and educational systems, our prison systems, and has also affected the theology of many of our churches [new theology]. This is the reason why many churches are beginning to ordain homosexuals into the ministry.
By denying that crime is the result of a sinful heart, and by denying man’s personal responsibility for his or her actions, liberalism has robbed many people of the true freedom and dignity that comes from God and have made men the object of “social engineering” at the hands of scientific “experts.” Because of Freud, the treatment of criminal/wrongdoers is being changed from punishment for wrongs done to psychiatric treatment by helping them cope with their so called “unconscious drives.”
Karl Marx and the Social Theories of Liberalism
It is important to know some background of Karl Marx in order to understand the hidden agenda of the Social Gospel, because today, the churches are preaching “Liberation Theology” – a mixture of leftist politics and social action programs masquerading as a Gospel-inspired, Christ-promoting mission.
Left-wing politics and socialism trace their origins to Karl Marx, a Jew who was reared as a nominal Christian in the Protestant state church in Germany. He was the chief founder of two of the most powerful liberal movements in history – democratic socialism and revolutionary communism. He very early came to despise both Judaism and Christianity, and throughout his life he exhibited a violent hatred for God and humanity. As a student at the University of Berlin, Marx came under the spell of the liberal German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. Marx accepted and applied Hegel’s reasoning by rejecting God’s revelation of beginning, end, and history.
In his book, Das Kapital [Capital], he claimed that history is a record of class struggle between the “haves” [rich] and the “have nots” [poor]. His goal was to usher in a perfect society by eliminating poverty, unemployment, and all the classes [the rulers, nobles, rich, middle class, and peasants] and thereby eliminate all the struggles. Socialism claims to seek equality and liberty for the people by helping to alleviate the poor by eliminating the greedy middle class and the oppression of the poor by the wealthy “capitalists” who owned the nation’s businesses and industries.
Socialism starts with the nationalization/confiscation/stealing of every means of production, the plants, factories, businesses, corporations, industries, farms, private property, natural resources, money, and banks—which all supposedly come under public ownership, that is, under the collective ownership of the nation. Socialism ends when all the wealth is redistributed evenly among society.
Poverty would be immediately ended because the vast recourses that are wasted by the rich and by private corporate/business profits would be redistributed to the poor by law. Karl Marx theorized that with capitalism gone, crime will also begin to disappear, for it is the vicious profit system that corrupts people, breeds crime, exploits the poor for profit, and oppresses the working class. Socialism claims to offer everyone a life free from exploitation, job insecurity, poverty, unemployment, hunger, and homelessness. How? The goal is by seizing complete control over everything, eliminating private ownership, and through redistribution of wealth.
The major problem and flaw of this system is that socialism/communism does not bring equality to the people; it is really the concentration of power among a small, elite group of bureaucrats who control the wealth and resources of the nation while the majority of the population work like slaves to support the state. It brings not liberty but bondage under an all-powerful state that dominates the body and soul of the people. Between 1917 and 1991, over 100 million people in the former Soviet Union alone were murdered by means of forced starvation and wholesale execution by the brutal Communist regime. And ever since Communism overthrew the Nationalist government of China in 1949, they have executed over 40 million Chinese citizens. And these figures say nothing of the millions more who have died at the hands of the Communists in Vietnam, North Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Cuba, and numerous African nations.
The Origins of the Social Gospel
The Social Gospel is the idea that the preaching of the Gospel can be better fulfilled through social activism and the promotion of societal change rather than the historical, God-appointed method of preaching Biblical doctrines.
Albrecht Ritschl [1822-1889] was an avid liberal German theologian who promulgated the false teaching that the work of the church is to attack social inequalities and to work toward the establishment of complete democracy, as opposed to bringing individuals to personal salvation through Christ. This is by definition the meaning of the Social Gospel.
According to Ritschel and to American “Social Gospellers” Harry Emerson Fosdick [1878-1969], Washington Gladden [1836-1918] and Shailer Matthews [1863-1941], Jesus had proclaimed a “Social Gospel.” And the task of the church was to implement the social gospel by social reform and political action. They preached the importance of persuading government to intervene in order to bring in perfect economic conditions. They spoke passionately of a new order [1000 years of peace on the earth before Christ comes] that would rest on the Christian principles of equal rights and democratic distribution of economic power. The Social Gospellers were all advocates of big government and became enthusiastic supporters of the programs of the social democrats in Europe and other liberals in America. Many turned to communism and socialism as the “Christian” solution to economic ills and social problems. Such prominent churchmen as Archbishop William Temple [1881-1944] of the Church of England were ardent socialists who worked to establish a perfect social order.
It is not surprising that religious liberals made common cause with political liberals and social revolutionaries. Liberal Christianity today, as represented by the National and World Councils of Churches, continues to actively support the worldwide socialist revolution both philosophically and financially, calling it “Liberation Theology” or “Social Justice.”
Doctrine Divides / Social Gospel Unites
When the ecumenical movement, as expressed in the World Council of Churches or the National Council of Churches, begins to discard and undermine the doctrinal truths of the faith as a basis for unity, something else is substituted in place of Bible truth so there can be a basis on which to unite. And what the ecumenical movement has substituted in place of the truth as a basis of unity has been charity. But their understanding of charity is to take up a wide variety of social, secular, political, and revolutionary causes. Whenever the church opts for social/political activism instead of preaching its historical/fundamental truths, the end result always lead to the secularization, the “de-Christianization,” and the “de-Adventization” of the church. Satan wins when the church replaces its original, historical work of preaching the truth of the three angels’ messages and decides on advocating political, material, secular, liberal, human interests. These new ideas within Adventism are heresies disguised as an angel of light [2 Cor. 11:14].
The Gospel of Christ verses the Social Gospel
In fact, the Social Gospel is really a no-gospel as far as doctrine is concerned. It is not primarily about God, His law, His work of redemption, nor His promises. It is actually freedom from the true Gospel. The true Gospel and true liberation is a spiritual liberation of individuals, groups, nations, races, and all human beings, regardless of social status. The true Gospel liberates us from sin— its power and its consequences. “Whoseover committeth sin is a servant of sin...If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:34, 36.
The Social Gospel, on the other hand, is specifically a freeing from political oppression, economic want, misery here on earth, and a freeing from political domination by the so-called “evil” American capitalism.
In summary, the liberal Protestant’s Social Gospel and the Roman Catholic’s Liberation Theology are both in essence, Karl Marx’s class struggle. Sadly, we have seen Seventh-day Adventists following in these similar deceptions. The challenges of these ideas teach that we are to fight and win – not the battle of Christ against sin, but the battle of a worldwide class of
men and women, the poor working class, who are being exploited by the rich and powerful.
Yet we know that Christ never singled out the “poor working class” with a preferential favor with His Gospel. Christ acted on no sociological theory about economics or political opposition between classes. He aimed at no armed revolution, and no political liberation. Christ was for godliness, purity, humility, and fidelity to God’s law, wherever he found it, poor man or rich, child or elderly, in his rich friends like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, Lazarus and his two sisters, and Zacchaeus, or in his poor friends – notably the twelve apostles.
For Christ was the Savior of sinners, not a secular leader. It was not poverty nor riches that made or makes you desirable in Christ’s eyes. It was what you did in your poverty or your riches, what sort of morality you practiced, and what beliefs you cherished that counted.
“The Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth and then the end will come.” Matt. 21:14. This meant that all the nations are to be evangelized by the Gospel, Christ’s true spiritual Gospel; the Gospel that He announced when he declared “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15.
In reality, the Social Gospel/Liberation Theology is a complete metamorphous—from a spiritual warfare into a social-political struggle, and if necessary, armed revolutionary warfare.
1963 Communist Goals and the Social Gospel
On January 10, 1963 in the House of Representatives, Florida Congressman A. S. Herlong, Jr. was alerting the U.S. Congress of the public dangers of communism in America. Under unanimous consent by his colleagues, he entered into the Congressional Record the “Current Communist Goals,” a list of forty-five goals of communism, taken from the book ‘The Naked Communist,’ [1961] by Cleon Skousen.
Many of their goals have been fulfilled already. Goal #27 reads:
“Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with ‘social’ religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a ‘religious crutch.’” Communist Goals 1963, U.S. Congressional Record, 1/10/1963, Appendix, pp. A34, A35.
This certainly has been done already. What becomes of the real Gospel when it is submerged under liberal aims and political maneuverings? When has the “permanent establishment” of the kingdom of God on earth taken precedence over the preaching of the Word of God, or in our case the preaching of the three angels’ messages? Why do we bend scriptures to support merging the teachings of Marxism and Christianity? Roman Catholicism has been spearheading Marxism/Christianity through its Liberation Theology. However, many Protestant organizations have also been propagating and supporting the use of revolutionary protest and even uprisings against the authority of the state in the cause of social change.
Liberation Theology of Vatican II
Roman Catholic theologians in Latin America, principally the Jesuits of the post-World War II, post-Vatican II era, had been developing a new theology. They called it the Theology of Liberation, and based it on the liberal/social theories of the French Revolution – Liberty! Equality! Fraternity! It is often cited as a form of Christian socialism. This is a movement that attempts to unite theology [Roman Catholic] and socio-political concerns [Marxism], particularly in areas of social justice and human rights.
Within five years of Vatican II, the whole of Latin America was being flooded with this new theology, in which basic, fundamental, orthodox Marxist teachings were cunningly combined with traditional Christian themes. By 1973, a Peruvian Jesuit Priest, Gustavo Gutierrez, codified these teachings in a book called “A Theology of Liberation.” Liberation Theology was a carefully worked out system whose purpose, they claimed, was to liberate men and women from the economic, social, and political slavery imposed on them by the greedy, exploitations of Latin American countries by the evil U.S. capitalist corporations and government that were stealing their wealth, manipulating their economies, and controlling their policies. Liberation Theology was followed by the establishment of “Democratic Socialism” which incorporated the very goals and principles of Marxism.
For example, the Marxist revolutionaries called the Sandinista National Liberation Front of Nicaragua enlisted the efforts of the influential Roman Catholic Jesuits such as Fernando Cardenal to work together, cooperate, and help promote the installation of a socialist society. Today, after years of civil war, the Sandinistas form the largest political party in Nicaragua and Fernando Cardenal, the Jesuit Priest, became the first Minister of Education in the Sandinista government.
Similarly, in El Salvador, the Marxist coalition of revolutionaries called the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front [FMLN] launched a series of military offences against the Salvadorian government from 1980-1992. The Salvadorian government’s military officers claimed that the Marxist revolutionary planning was being orchestrated from the Jesuit University UCA [Uneversidad Centroamerica San Jose Canas] in the capital city of San Salvador. After a series of high level assassinations against the government by the FMLN, on November 16, 1989 at 1:00 a.m., a Salvadorian military unit entered the campus of UCA and six Jesuit priests [Ignacio Ellacuria, Ignacio Baro, Segundo Montes, Joaquin Lopez, Amando Lopez, and Juan Moreno] who resided at the school were executed for their alleged participation in guerilla warfare.
Similar campaigns were carried out in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Granada, Cuba, and other Latin American countries. Fidel Castro attended Colegio Belen [Bethlehem College] in Havana, Cuba, a Jesuit Boarding School.
Jesuits Call for Redistribution of Wealth and the End of Poverty
On July 1, 2005, twelve high ranking Jesuits delivered a letter to the heads of state gathered for the annual G8 economic and political summit. The G8 group consists of the heads of governments for the top 8 industrialized nations of the world: USA, Japan, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, France, and Canada.
In the letter, the Jesuits call for the immediate “redistribution of global resources” and for the “control of profits” and “monetary systems.” The letter was carefully written and was echoing the critical social thinking of Karl Marx from his book Das Kapital. They were in essence calling for the end of the free-market economy of capitalism.
The letter was signed by: Fernando Franco SJ, Social Justice Secretary of the Society of Jesus; Andreas Gösele SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Central Europe; Antoine Berilengar SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Africa and Madagascar; Javier Arellano Yanguas SJ, Social Apostolate Coordiantor for Southern Europe; Jim Stormes SJ, Coordinator for Social and International Ministries of US Jesuit Conference; Jorge Julio Mejía SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Latin America; Rafael Moreno SJ, Assitant to the Social Apostolate Coordinator for Latin America; Paulo Sergio Vaillant SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Brasil; Antoine Kerhuel SJ, On behalf of the Social Apostolate in Western Europe; Jakub Cebula SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Eastern Europe; Paul Dass SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for East Asia - Oceania; Joe Xavier SJ, Secretary of Jesuits in Social Action [JESA] – Southern Asia.
Adventists Unite with the Ecumenical Movement to End Poverty
More than 30 leaders of Christian denominations worldwide gathered at the Washington National Cathedral for an ecumenical Sunday worship service on Sept. 11, 2005, to affirm and advance the United Nation's Millennial Development Goal—to end extreme poverty by 2015. The event was called “Consultation of Religious Leaders on Global Poverty.”
Roman Catholic Archbishop from Nairobi, Raphael Ndingi Nzeki; Jesuit Priest John Foley of St. Louis University; Rajmund Dabrowski, Director of Communication of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists— along with 30 plus high-ranking faith leaders from the Northern and Southern hemispheres representing Anglican, Roman Catholic, Reformed, Methodist, Evangelical, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox, and Seventh-day Adventist denominations were among the participants. For a list of participants and program schedule of this historic event, please go to: http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/pdfs/050911poverty.pdf
An article appeared in Adventist News Network which covered the event. In the article, notice the following observation made by Adventists regarding the United Nations’ call to end poverty by 2015: “‘This is an urgent call and one that responds to the cry of the least among us—the voiceless,’ said Pastor Rajmund Dabrowski, communication director of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, and a participant in the consultation. ‘It’s a cry for justice to be done, and for equitable redistribution and accountability for the wealth the world has. As Christians, we know this cry, but we also know that much more must be done and that intentions must turn into actions.’” Christians Call Against Poverty, Adventist News Network, Sept. 14, 2005, Rajmund Dabrowsky.
Here we see the politicking, ecumenical, Marxist idea of “redistribution of the wealth” being promoted by the General Conference Communication Director. This is the same liberal/social ideas of the Jesuit’s Liberation theology. Should we suppose that Pastor Dabrowski was in this conference to bring the third angel’s message to the poor people, or maybe to these Babylonian leaders? Seventh-day Adventists were never called to end global poverty, form political action committees, or create a utopian society.
Jesus reminds us that poverty will never be removed in this present world when He said, “For ye have the poor always with you.” Matt. 26:11. If fact, Ellen White states this same truth in her writings:
“There are two classes of poor whom we have always within our borders—those who ruin themselves by their own independent course of action and continue in their transgression, and those who for the truth’s sake have been brought into straitened circumstances.” Welfare Ministry, pg. 178.
We wonder if these ecumenical, politicking, social gospel churches will come to the aid of those who are giving the final warning message of Revelation 14 when they are “brought into straitened circumstances” “for the truth’s sake.”
“Those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off. Because they refuse to break His law in obedience to earthly powers they will be forbidden to buy or sell.” Last Day Events, p. 148.
Will these religious leaders who are combating global poverty come to the aid of the faithful SDA people, who refuse to break the law of God during the Sunday law crisis? Will they help and alleviate the self-supporting ministries who are preaching the three angels’ message? How about the rest of the small faithful SDA minority? Apparently not! Because the prophet of the Lord says that “those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off.” Ibid.
We can only conclude that the present SDA involvement in “eradicating global poverty” by 2015 is either being done for publicity or for the simple desire of wanting to join up with Roman Catholics, Jesuits, Anglicans, and other members of the Babylonian family. The inspired writings say that poverty will not be eliminated:
“In the providence of God events have been so ordered that the poor are always with us, in order that there may be a constant exercise in the human heart of the attributes of mercy and love.” Welfare Ministry, p. 17.
So if poverty will not be eliminated, who or what will these religious leaders eradicate by 2015? Maybe those who refuse the mark of the beast? We can only speculate.
The True Christian Service
There is no doubt that being attentive to human rights, feeding and clothing the poor, and nurturing and loving people is part of the work of the Gospel. Of course, Christians should be in the forefront of work which cares for people. But let us not be disingenuous in our work for helping others.
What would be the purpose of liberating people from structural oppression, starvation, and poverty if we do not give them the real “Bread of Life.” If fact, Jesus Himself rebuked those who came to Him solely for the purpose of material bread.
“Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you.” John 6:26, 27.
Christ always gave people more that just physical sustenance or physical healing. And secondly, when Jesus performed the miraculous feeding of five thousand and four thousand, he was providing a living parable about what He does for the human soul, which is actually more important than the temporal state of their physical bodies.
“And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34. It was only after He taught them many things that Christ fed them [Mark 6:37-44].
Furthermore, when He performed a miracle, He was not simply doing a good work, He was signaling to the world, especially the Jewish people, that the Messiah had arrived! He performed these “signs” as proof of His Divine authority and majesty, and not just to create a more healthy and just people, but to save their souls.
“Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, [he saith to the sick of the palsy] I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.” Mark 2:9-11.
Here again, Jesus did not simply go about doing good works. He proclaimed His Messiahship, the right to forgive sins, to all those to whom He helped.
Again, in John 9, after healing the blind man, Christ said unto him: “Doest thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou has both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.” John 9:35-38.
Here we see clearly Christ’s intention of helping the poor and afflicted. He wants to restore the burden of despair upon all, both physical and spiritual. He offers forgiveness and complete transformation of the whole being.
Lastly, the healing of the lame man in Acts 2 was for the benefit of the entire Jewish temple. Notice Peter’s address:
“Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this…as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk...Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate…but ye denied the Holy One and the Just…And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead…And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know…Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” Acts 3:12-19. Here Peter “pricked the hearts” of his listeners by preaching to them the present truth inside the Jewish temple. And what provided the occasion for this great accomplishment of preaching the truth to thousands of people? – the healing of the lame man. And today, we are called to do the same.
“Christ is coming the second time, with power unto salvation. To prepare human beings for this event, He has sent the first, second, and third angels’ messages. These angels represent those who receive the truth, and with power open the gospel to the world.” Letter 79, 1900.
This of course is in complete contrast to the twisted theories of the Social Gospel – which persistently interprets the scriptures of helping the downtrodden while at the same time drop out of view the fundamental doctrines of the historic Christian faith. Satan’s victory is complete if he could distract the church from its necessary, primary, spiritual mission and service, while at the same time allowing opportunity to the intrusion into the church of ideologies which are completely opposed to the Word of God and to the cause of the three angels’ messages. Seventh-day Adventists were never called to just become social workers, welfare centers, or political activists.
Not to be misunderstood, God did give manna to His people. While the physical/material work should be a natural outgrowth of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. However, as Seventh-day Adventist, we must remain true to our task, to our single abiding mission; that of sharing with all men, whatever their race, background, outlook, politics, social or moral standing—our all-encompassing, all-sufficient, authorative, and necessary message of the three angels of Revelation 14.
Let us never in exchange for the true “Living Bread” of truth offer a stone; for the Gospel is to be given in its purest form, in accordance with the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, and unmixed with extraneous or cultural elements.
Liberalism Leads to Secularization
Liberalism opts for man, to serve man, to meet man’s needs, and to help him build his home on this earth. Liberalism is based on man’s ideas, man’s aims, man’s hopes, man’s fears, man’s suffering, and man’s difficulties. “We must give man what he wants and needs,” is the centerpiece of this message since it has entered into the churches. So pointedly and elaborate has this theme been accepted in the mainline churches that Karl Marx himself could not have written a better plan for the secularization of the religious institutions. What has happened ever since these ideals are accepted in whole or in part, is that true prayer, true faith, and the true mission of the church is replaced by human solidarity, ecumenism, and political alliances; which eventually become the new aim and focus of the church.
Secularization teaches that all the meaning of human life and the answer to every human hope are to be attained within the boundaries of this visible, tangible, material world of the here and now. “The whole world is moving,” the liberal preachers proclaim, “toward the concept that the whole society of nations should be formed into a unity, into one great peaceful society, without all the old religious divisiveness and based on one common goal—charity, solidarity, and ecumenism.”
Isn’t this what the Bible describes as the great Babylonian system, which portrays a mixing of the merchants of the earth [economy and wealth] and the great harlot with her daughters [religious institutions] and the kings of the earth [earthly governments]? Here is another section of Pastor Rajmund Dabrowski’s formula for achieving success in combating the social ills of society:
“As Christian leaders we challenge our own churches to pursue partnerships with governments, international organizations, civil society, and across confessional lines.” Christians Call Against Poverty, Adventist News Network, Sept. 14, 2005, Rajmund Dabrowsky.
Friends, who did Jesus, His disciples, or the early Adventist pioneers partner up with when fulfilling their work? Governments? Across confessional lines? Ecumenism? Secular Liberal Organizations? Obviously, they depended and received help from God alone.
No Other Gospel
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel...let him be accursed.” Gal. 1:8-9. Let us not be ignorant of the Devil’s devices lest Satan get the advantage [II Cor. 2:11]. The existence of these liberal, secular developments within Adventism are designed to destroy or neutralize the unique messages of our faith. Let us rejoice that in spite of all these forces of evil that have attempted to eradicate our historical Adventist message, God has reminded us that His message will triumph in the end.
“The bulwarks of Satan will never triumph. Victory will attend the third angel's message. As the Captain of the Lord's host tore down the walls of Jericho, so will the Lord's commandment-keeping people triumph, and all opposing elements be defeated.” Testimonies to Minister, p. 410.
Notice, only those who hold fast to the faith which was once delivered unto the saints, the three angels’ messages, in context to the everlasting gospel, will in the end triumph under the power of the latter rain.
“I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” Isa. 45:6-7.
- The Editors
“How the Roman church can clear herself from the charge of idolatry we cannot see…And this is the religion which Protestants are beginning to look upon with so much favor, and which will eventually be united with Protestantism. This union will not, however, be effected by a change in Catholicism, for Rome never changes. She claims infallibility. It is Protestantism that will change. The adoption of liberal ideas on its part will bring it where it can clasp the hand of Catholicism.” Last Day Events, p. 130.
Notice how the prophet of the Lord describes accurately the manner in which Protestantism, particularly in America, is going to change and eventually clasp the hand of Catholicism. It is through the adoption of liberal ideas.
Similarly, Sister White shows us how to determine between a false movement and a genuine: “Yet none need be deceived. In the light of God’s word it is not difficult to determine the nature of these movements. Whenever men neglect the testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain, soul-testing truths [the three angels’ messages] which require self-denial and renunciation of the world, there we may be sure that God’s blessing is not bestowed.” The Great Controversy, p. 464.
We are living in a generation where Seventh-day Adventists are facing a crisis that has never been faced before. We are being bombarded from outside and infiltrated from inside with liberal ideas that are turning us away from those plain, soul-testing truths of God’s inspired writings. One of the main characteristics of this deception is in the subtle, stealthy manner in which liberalism develops. Never do Satan’s deceptions appear to be malevolent or evil; rather, they always present themselves as being highly desirable and so filled with spiritual integrity that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect [Matt. 24:24]. It is our conviction that the “liberal ideas” of the new theology, ecumenism, and the social gospel fall into just such a category; for it is these very principles that are bringing us back to Rome. Once we have obtained a full grasp of this deception of global proportions, then you will understand the urgent need to expose its developmental roots within Seventh-day Adventism.
Historical Roots of Liberalism
The generations between the late 1700’s through the early 1900’s witnessed a tremendous cultural breakdown that threatened to destroy the very roots of civilization. This period is commonly referred to as the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. The leaders of this period considered themselves courageous and elite and regarded their purpose as leading the world toward progress and out of a long period of doubtful tradition, full of irrationality, superstition, and tyranny. This phenomenon is known today as liberalism, and it is expressed in philosophy, theology, education, politics, art, science, society, and culture. Because ideas result in consequences and our beliefs affect our decisions, liberalism has played an important role in shaping twentieth-century history and has almost completely destroyed the church today.
Before this period, people in the Western world, particularly Protestant America, had almost always based their reasoning upon certain unchangeable truths - beginning with such truths as found in God’s Word. However, the Age of Enlightenment’s philosophy of relativism, the view that human beliefs and behaviors have no absolute standards for right and wrong, took away this trust in God’s Word for many people and opened the door to humanistic views of history, education, morality, science, government, and religion. Relativism was the foundational principle of the French Revolution and was the cause for all the chaos and destruction that followed afterwards.
The most devastating effect that liberalism has had during the entire twentieth century has been the secularization of the mainline Protestant churches – including Seventh-day Adventists. This has resulted in secularist heresies coming in among us which continue to pervert the truth of God and destroy the church.
The word liberal comes from the Latin word “liber” with means free. A liberal is someone who desires to be free from something or free to do something. Sometimes it stands for good such as free enterprise, free press, or as in a liberal [free, generous] giver of offerings. Whether this is good or evil depends upon what one wants to be free from or free to do. Historically, in the early decades of the American Republic, libertarianism meant the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, modern liberalism is usually equated with the desire to free man from authority, from moral restraint, and responsibility.
Modern liberalism can be traced to the revolutionary minds of European thinkers such as the French philosophers Voltaire [1694-1778], Rousseau [1712-1778], and Auguste Comte [1798-1857) who stressed the need for the state to “liberate” the masses from traditional, moral, and social authority. Comte aggressively taught that no truth can be known except by observable scientific facts and their relations to each other. This extremely secular and arrogant claim completely destroys the entire concept of faith in God and His Word. German philosophers such as Immanuel Kant [1724-1804] and G. W. F. Hegel [1770-1831] claimed that all truths, facts, and values are dependent upon man’s feelings and man’s reasoning. These philosophers liberated people to think and do as they pleased with little reference to reality or responsibility. They created their own concept of good and evil. This dismissal of absolutes set many modern people to rebel against God and His Word. These so-called educated men attempted to create a “progressive” perfect society built upon “scientific” human knowledge, free from God and His law.
These secular ideas soon gave birth to three new pervasively influential movements that have brought catastrophic consequences to our day: Darwinism [evolution], Marxism [democratic socialism and revolutionary communism], and Freudianism [psychoanalysis]. Their founders, Charles Darwin [1809-1882], Karl Marx [1818-1883], and Sigmund Freud [1856-1939] all expressed contempt for Christianity. At the same time liberal religionists were attacking the very foundations of Christian truths.
Religious Liberalism
Such men as Adolf von Harnack [1851-1930] in Germany, Alfred Loisy [1857-1940] in France, R.J. Campbell [1867-1959] in England, and Walter Rauschenbusch [1861-1918] in America glorified and praised the new advances of liberal sciences while denying the truths of the Bible. These infidels, many of whom studied theology and philosophy said that in the modern age, it was old-fashioned to take the Bible literally and believe in a literal heaven and hell or any of the major themes of the Bible [garden of Eden, Noah’s ark, Jonah and the whale etc.]. Thus, they were called modernists and they introduced religious liberalism to the churches of Europe and America.
In reality, Modernism and Religious Liberalism which has dominated European Protestantism since the 1890’s and American Protestantism since the 1930’s is not a “new” expression of religion, but only unbelief clothed in a modern garb and deceitfully using the language of traditional Christianity in a new sense of doubt.
One core doctrine after another has fallen away through liberal theology - all in the name of salvaging the faith in the modern age. Liberalism denies the literal creation of this world. It denies the fall of man, his sinful human nature, and his need of regeneration by teaching that man is generally good by nature and that the evils of society must change. Karl Marx advocated the same ideal; that man was good but society is bad and when society changed, man would change. Liberalism also denies the absolute standards of good and evil that God has established. Their understanding of right and good is defined simply as whatever furthers liberal ideas. And whatever hinders the cause of liberalism is bad or evil. Liberalism suppresses the concept of Biblical redemption by substituting this work with social or political activism.
1955 – The Beginning of the End for Historic Adventism
There would be no liberalism [new theology, ecumenism, or social gospel] in Adventism today if certain church leaders in the mid-1950’s had not welcomed it in. For the errors of liberal theology were brought in and have taken root. But many in our time do not realize how firmly the errors have been placed within the church. In the Spring of 1955 when Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse and Southern Baptist minister Walter Martin asked for a face-to-face contact with representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in order to improve understanding and appreciation for each other and to clear up any doctrinal misunderstandings, immediately our response should have been: “Babylon is fallen” and “Come out of her, My people.” [Rev. 14:8; Rev. 18:1-5].
But unfortunately, LeRoy E. Froom, a scholar and author of Prophetic Faith of our Fathers; W. E. Read, Field-Secretary for the General Conference; T.E. Unruh, a Seventh-day Adventist Pastor; and R. Allan Anderson, a college teacher of religion, evangelist, and author, were authorized by the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference President, R. R. Fugurh, to meet with Walter Martin, Donald Barnhouse, and George Cannon, some of the most influential men among American Sunday-keeping Protestant circles. These men, through a series of doctrinal discussions, opened the door for doctrinal heresies to come into the SDA church. No one has been able to get those errors out once they got in. All these men are now dead, and we’re still living with the problems they left us with.
It is an interesting fact that we know of not one instance in which either of these Evangelical Protestant ministers ever gave up any of their errors or changed any of their positions on a single doctrinal point throughout the entire affair. All the compromises were for us to make. From start to finish, Evangelical Protestantism did not change one bit or budge one inch as a result of these conferences. Tragically, Seventh-day Adventists were the ones who made all the compromises! Consequently, we find that the nature of Christ, the nature of His atonement, attacks on Ellen White’s prophetic role, the law of God, the 2,300 day prophecy, 1844 and the investigative judgment, the sanctuary message, our views on the papacy, the mark of the beast, and other distinctive doctrinal beliefs have been changed, discarded, or hidden under a bushel in order to come into line and harmony with Evangelical Protestantism. [For the complete story of this dark chapter of SDA history, please read “Letters to the Churches,” by Elder M.L. Andreasen.]
Today we are seeing an obsession of ecumenical fellowship and dialog with the world. This is not the time for Adventist to haul down our banner, for the third angel’s message is inscribed upon it. God has placed each one of us in this world at this time in history for a purpose. We must stand true to that purpose, no matter what the cost may be. The Bible/Spirit of Prophecy teachings given to us are to be cherished. Our pioneers had to deal with some of these same liberal ideas in their days, and in doing so, they gave up nothing of the historical doctrines of the Adventist faith.
Charles Darwin and the Biological Origins of Liberalism
The concept of evolution, that rejects the Biblical record of creation and advocates the ideal that man evolved through natural processes, was not new to Charles Darwin. Many pagan people and ancient Greeks had expressed similar ideas. However, Darwin thought he had “scientific evidence” for this idea. Because Darwin the naturalist was called a “scientist” and because science was so highly respected and esteemed in the nineteenth century, many people began to accept his views. Evolution basically says that God is dead, at least as far as science is concerned. Evolution teaches that man is autonomous, that man is responsible to no one but himself, and that man must attempt to continue to survive without reference to God or to His Law. Darwin said that the God of the Bible was a cruel tyrant because he allowed people to suffer. Even though he knew that this was not true, for he had studied at Cambridge University to prepare for the Anglican ministry, that was Darwin’s thinking. Evolution has slowly but steadily progressed into the theology of many churches.
Sigmund Freud and the Psychological Drives of Liberalism
Sigmund Freud, a behavioral psychiatrist, believed that there is no such thing as sin, guilt for sin, or repentance from sin because people really have no control over their own actions. He taught that every action is determined by “unconscious drives,” especially sex drives, which we have no control over. In order to alleviate one’s guilt and remorse for the wrongs done, Freud advocated psychoanalysis, the process of finding unconscious components of a person’s mind. He believed that children and adults should not be punished for their crimes, but rather they should be allowed to express themselves freely and to play out their “unconscious drives” [sins]. These ideas of “unconscious drives” have been politically influential in today’s society, particularly in our schools and educational systems, our prison systems, and has also affected the theology of many of our churches [new theology]. This is the reason why many churches are beginning to ordain homosexuals into the ministry.
By denying that crime is the result of a sinful heart, and by denying man’s personal responsibility for his or her actions, liberalism has robbed many people of the true freedom and dignity that comes from God and have made men the object of “social engineering” at the hands of scientific “experts.” Because of Freud, the treatment of criminal/wrongdoers is being changed from punishment for wrongs done to psychiatric treatment by helping them cope with their so called “unconscious drives.”
Karl Marx and the Social Theories of Liberalism
It is important to know some background of Karl Marx in order to understand the hidden agenda of the Social Gospel, because today, the churches are preaching “Liberation Theology” – a mixture of leftist politics and social action programs masquerading as a Gospel-inspired, Christ-promoting mission.
Left-wing politics and socialism trace their origins to Karl Marx, a Jew who was reared as a nominal Christian in the Protestant state church in Germany. He was the chief founder of two of the most powerful liberal movements in history – democratic socialism and revolutionary communism. He very early came to despise both Judaism and Christianity, and throughout his life he exhibited a violent hatred for God and humanity. As a student at the University of Berlin, Marx came under the spell of the liberal German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. Marx accepted and applied Hegel’s reasoning by rejecting God’s revelation of beginning, end, and history.
In his book, Das Kapital [Capital], he claimed that history is a record of class struggle between the “haves” [rich] and the “have nots” [poor]. His goal was to usher in a perfect society by eliminating poverty, unemployment, and all the classes [the rulers, nobles, rich, middle class, and peasants] and thereby eliminate all the struggles. Socialism claims to seek equality and liberty for the people by helping to alleviate the poor by eliminating the greedy middle class and the oppression of the poor by the wealthy “capitalists” who owned the nation’s businesses and industries.
Socialism starts with the nationalization/confiscation/stealing of every means of production, the plants, factories, businesses, corporations, industries, farms, private property, natural resources, money, and banks—which all supposedly come under public ownership, that is, under the collective ownership of the nation. Socialism ends when all the wealth is redistributed evenly among society.
Poverty would be immediately ended because the vast recourses that are wasted by the rich and by private corporate/business profits would be redistributed to the poor by law. Karl Marx theorized that with capitalism gone, crime will also begin to disappear, for it is the vicious profit system that corrupts people, breeds crime, exploits the poor for profit, and oppresses the working class. Socialism claims to offer everyone a life free from exploitation, job insecurity, poverty, unemployment, hunger, and homelessness. How? The goal is by seizing complete control over everything, eliminating private ownership, and through redistribution of wealth.
The major problem and flaw of this system is that socialism/communism does not bring equality to the people; it is really the concentration of power among a small, elite group of bureaucrats who control the wealth and resources of the nation while the majority of the population work like slaves to support the state. It brings not liberty but bondage under an all-powerful state that dominates the body and soul of the people. Between 1917 and 1991, over 100 million people in the former Soviet Union alone were murdered by means of forced starvation and wholesale execution by the brutal Communist regime. And ever since Communism overthrew the Nationalist government of China in 1949, they have executed over 40 million Chinese citizens. And these figures say nothing of the millions more who have died at the hands of the Communists in Vietnam, North Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Cuba, and numerous African nations.
The Origins of the Social Gospel
The Social Gospel is the idea that the preaching of the Gospel can be better fulfilled through social activism and the promotion of societal change rather than the historical, God-appointed method of preaching Biblical doctrines.
Albrecht Ritschl [1822-1889] was an avid liberal German theologian who promulgated the false teaching that the work of the church is to attack social inequalities and to work toward the establishment of complete democracy, as opposed to bringing individuals to personal salvation through Christ. This is by definition the meaning of the Social Gospel.
According to Ritschel and to American “Social Gospellers” Harry Emerson Fosdick [1878-1969], Washington Gladden [1836-1918] and Shailer Matthews [1863-1941], Jesus had proclaimed a “Social Gospel.” And the task of the church was to implement the social gospel by social reform and political action. They preached the importance of persuading government to intervene in order to bring in perfect economic conditions. They spoke passionately of a new order [1000 years of peace on the earth before Christ comes] that would rest on the Christian principles of equal rights and democratic distribution of economic power. The Social Gospellers were all advocates of big government and became enthusiastic supporters of the programs of the social democrats in Europe and other liberals in America. Many turned to communism and socialism as the “Christian” solution to economic ills and social problems. Such prominent churchmen as Archbishop William Temple [1881-1944] of the Church of England were ardent socialists who worked to establish a perfect social order.
It is not surprising that religious liberals made common cause with political liberals and social revolutionaries. Liberal Christianity today, as represented by the National and World Councils of Churches, continues to actively support the worldwide socialist revolution both philosophically and financially, calling it “Liberation Theology” or “Social Justice.”
Doctrine Divides / Social Gospel Unites
When the ecumenical movement, as expressed in the World Council of Churches or the National Council of Churches, begins to discard and undermine the doctrinal truths of the faith as a basis for unity, something else is substituted in place of Bible truth so there can be a basis on which to unite. And what the ecumenical movement has substituted in place of the truth as a basis of unity has been charity. But their understanding of charity is to take up a wide variety of social, secular, political, and revolutionary causes. Whenever the church opts for social/political activism instead of preaching its historical/fundamental truths, the end result always lead to the secularization, the “de-Christianization,” and the “de-Adventization” of the church. Satan wins when the church replaces its original, historical work of preaching the truth of the three angels’ messages and decides on advocating political, material, secular, liberal, human interests. These new ideas within Adventism are heresies disguised as an angel of light [2 Cor. 11:14].
The Gospel of Christ verses the Social Gospel
In fact, the Social Gospel is really a no-gospel as far as doctrine is concerned. It is not primarily about God, His law, His work of redemption, nor His promises. It is actually freedom from the true Gospel. The true Gospel and true liberation is a spiritual liberation of individuals, groups, nations, races, and all human beings, regardless of social status. The true Gospel liberates us from sin— its power and its consequences. “Whoseover committeth sin is a servant of sin...If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:34, 36.
The Social Gospel, on the other hand, is specifically a freeing from political oppression, economic want, misery here on earth, and a freeing from political domination by the so-called “evil” American capitalism.
In summary, the liberal Protestant’s Social Gospel and the Roman Catholic’s Liberation Theology are both in essence, Karl Marx’s class struggle. Sadly, we have seen Seventh-day Adventists following in these similar deceptions. The challenges of these ideas teach that we are to fight and win – not the battle of Christ against sin, but the battle of a worldwide class of
men and women, the poor working class, who are being exploited by the rich and powerful.
Yet we know that Christ never singled out the “poor working class” with a preferential favor with His Gospel. Christ acted on no sociological theory about economics or political opposition between classes. He aimed at no armed revolution, and no political liberation. Christ was for godliness, purity, humility, and fidelity to God’s law, wherever he found it, poor man or rich, child or elderly, in his rich friends like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, Lazarus and his two sisters, and Zacchaeus, or in his poor friends – notably the twelve apostles.
For Christ was the Savior of sinners, not a secular leader. It was not poverty nor riches that made or makes you desirable in Christ’s eyes. It was what you did in your poverty or your riches, what sort of morality you practiced, and what beliefs you cherished that counted.
“The Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth and then the end will come.” Matt. 21:14. This meant that all the nations are to be evangelized by the Gospel, Christ’s true spiritual Gospel; the Gospel that He announced when he declared “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15.
In reality, the Social Gospel/Liberation Theology is a complete metamorphous—from a spiritual warfare into a social-political struggle, and if necessary, armed revolutionary warfare.
1963 Communist Goals and the Social Gospel
On January 10, 1963 in the House of Representatives, Florida Congressman A. S. Herlong, Jr. was alerting the U.S. Congress of the public dangers of communism in America. Under unanimous consent by his colleagues, he entered into the Congressional Record the “Current Communist Goals,” a list of forty-five goals of communism, taken from the book ‘The Naked Communist,’ [1961] by Cleon Skousen.
Many of their goals have been fulfilled already. Goal #27 reads:
“Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with ‘social’ religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a ‘religious crutch.’” Communist Goals 1963, U.S. Congressional Record, 1/10/1963, Appendix, pp. A34, A35.
This certainly has been done already. What becomes of the real Gospel when it is submerged under liberal aims and political maneuverings? When has the “permanent establishment” of the kingdom of God on earth taken precedence over the preaching of the Word of God, or in our case the preaching of the three angels’ messages? Why do we bend scriptures to support merging the teachings of Marxism and Christianity? Roman Catholicism has been spearheading Marxism/Christianity through its Liberation Theology. However, many Protestant organizations have also been propagating and supporting the use of revolutionary protest and even uprisings against the authority of the state in the cause of social change.
Liberation Theology of Vatican II
Roman Catholic theologians in Latin America, principally the Jesuits of the post-World War II, post-Vatican II era, had been developing a new theology. They called it the Theology of Liberation, and based it on the liberal/social theories of the French Revolution – Liberty! Equality! Fraternity! It is often cited as a form of Christian socialism. This is a movement that attempts to unite theology [Roman Catholic] and socio-political concerns [Marxism], particularly in areas of social justice and human rights.
Within five years of Vatican II, the whole of Latin America was being flooded with this new theology, in which basic, fundamental, orthodox Marxist teachings were cunningly combined with traditional Christian themes. By 1973, a Peruvian Jesuit Priest, Gustavo Gutierrez, codified these teachings in a book called “A Theology of Liberation.” Liberation Theology was a carefully worked out system whose purpose, they claimed, was to liberate men and women from the economic, social, and political slavery imposed on them by the greedy, exploitations of Latin American countries by the evil U.S. capitalist corporations and government that were stealing their wealth, manipulating their economies, and controlling their policies. Liberation Theology was followed by the establishment of “Democratic Socialism” which incorporated the very goals and principles of Marxism.
For example, the Marxist revolutionaries called the Sandinista National Liberation Front of Nicaragua enlisted the efforts of the influential Roman Catholic Jesuits such as Fernando Cardenal to work together, cooperate, and help promote the installation of a socialist society. Today, after years of civil war, the Sandinistas form the largest political party in Nicaragua and Fernando Cardenal, the Jesuit Priest, became the first Minister of Education in the Sandinista government.
Similarly, in El Salvador, the Marxist coalition of revolutionaries called the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front [FMLN] launched a series of military offences against the Salvadorian government from 1980-1992. The Salvadorian government’s military officers claimed that the Marxist revolutionary planning was being orchestrated from the Jesuit University UCA [Uneversidad Centroamerica San Jose Canas] in the capital city of San Salvador. After a series of high level assassinations against the government by the FMLN, on November 16, 1989 at 1:00 a.m., a Salvadorian military unit entered the campus of UCA and six Jesuit priests [Ignacio Ellacuria, Ignacio Baro, Segundo Montes, Joaquin Lopez, Amando Lopez, and Juan Moreno] who resided at the school were executed for their alleged participation in guerilla warfare.
Similar campaigns were carried out in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Granada, Cuba, and other Latin American countries. Fidel Castro attended Colegio Belen [Bethlehem College] in Havana, Cuba, a Jesuit Boarding School.
Jesuits Call for Redistribution of Wealth and the End of Poverty
On July 1, 2005, twelve high ranking Jesuits delivered a letter to the heads of state gathered for the annual G8 economic and political summit. The G8 group consists of the heads of governments for the top 8 industrialized nations of the world: USA, Japan, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, France, and Canada.
In the letter, the Jesuits call for the immediate “redistribution of global resources” and for the “control of profits” and “monetary systems.” The letter was carefully written and was echoing the critical social thinking of Karl Marx from his book Das Kapital. They were in essence calling for the end of the free-market economy of capitalism.
The letter was signed by: Fernando Franco SJ, Social Justice Secretary of the Society of Jesus; Andreas Gösele SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Central Europe; Antoine Berilengar SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Africa and Madagascar; Javier Arellano Yanguas SJ, Social Apostolate Coordiantor for Southern Europe; Jim Stormes SJ, Coordinator for Social and International Ministries of US Jesuit Conference; Jorge Julio Mejía SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Latin America; Rafael Moreno SJ, Assitant to the Social Apostolate Coordinator for Latin America; Paulo Sergio Vaillant SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Brasil; Antoine Kerhuel SJ, On behalf of the Social Apostolate in Western Europe; Jakub Cebula SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for Eastern Europe; Paul Dass SJ, Social Apostolate Coordinator for East Asia - Oceania; Joe Xavier SJ, Secretary of Jesuits in Social Action [JESA] – Southern Asia.
Adventists Unite with the Ecumenical Movement to End Poverty
More than 30 leaders of Christian denominations worldwide gathered at the Washington National Cathedral for an ecumenical Sunday worship service on Sept. 11, 2005, to affirm and advance the United Nation's Millennial Development Goal—to end extreme poverty by 2015. The event was called “Consultation of Religious Leaders on Global Poverty.”
Roman Catholic Archbishop from Nairobi, Raphael Ndingi Nzeki; Jesuit Priest John Foley of St. Louis University; Rajmund Dabrowski, Director of Communication of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists— along with 30 plus high-ranking faith leaders from the Northern and Southern hemispheres representing Anglican, Roman Catholic, Reformed, Methodist, Evangelical, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox, and Seventh-day Adventist denominations were among the participants. For a list of participants and program schedule of this historic event, please go to: http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/pdfs/050911poverty.pdf
An article appeared in Adventist News Network which covered the event. In the article, notice the following observation made by Adventists regarding the United Nations’ call to end poverty by 2015: “‘This is an urgent call and one that responds to the cry of the least among us—the voiceless,’ said Pastor Rajmund Dabrowski, communication director of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, and a participant in the consultation. ‘It’s a cry for justice to be done, and for equitable redistribution and accountability for the wealth the world has. As Christians, we know this cry, but we also know that much more must be done and that intentions must turn into actions.’” Christians Call Against Poverty, Adventist News Network, Sept. 14, 2005, Rajmund Dabrowsky.
Here we see the politicking, ecumenical, Marxist idea of “redistribution of the wealth” being promoted by the General Conference Communication Director. This is the same liberal/social ideas of the Jesuit’s Liberation theology. Should we suppose that Pastor Dabrowski was in this conference to bring the third angel’s message to the poor people, or maybe to these Babylonian leaders? Seventh-day Adventists were never called to end global poverty, form political action committees, or create a utopian society.
Jesus reminds us that poverty will never be removed in this present world when He said, “For ye have the poor always with you.” Matt. 26:11. If fact, Ellen White states this same truth in her writings:
“There are two classes of poor whom we have always within our borders—those who ruin themselves by their own independent course of action and continue in their transgression, and those who for the truth’s sake have been brought into straitened circumstances.” Welfare Ministry, pg. 178.
We wonder if these ecumenical, politicking, social gospel churches will come to the aid of those who are giving the final warning message of Revelation 14 when they are “brought into straitened circumstances” “for the truth’s sake.”
“Those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off. Because they refuse to break His law in obedience to earthly powers they will be forbidden to buy or sell.” Last Day Events, p. 148.
Will these religious leaders who are combating global poverty come to the aid of the faithful SDA people, who refuse to break the law of God during the Sunday law crisis? Will they help and alleviate the self-supporting ministries who are preaching the three angels’ message? How about the rest of the small faithful SDA minority? Apparently not! Because the prophet of the Lord says that “those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off.” Ibid.
We can only conclude that the present SDA involvement in “eradicating global poverty” by 2015 is either being done for publicity or for the simple desire of wanting to join up with Roman Catholics, Jesuits, Anglicans, and other members of the Babylonian family. The inspired writings say that poverty will not be eliminated:
“In the providence of God events have been so ordered that the poor are always with us, in order that there may be a constant exercise in the human heart of the attributes of mercy and love.” Welfare Ministry, p. 17.
So if poverty will not be eliminated, who or what will these religious leaders eradicate by 2015? Maybe those who refuse the mark of the beast? We can only speculate.
The True Christian Service
There is no doubt that being attentive to human rights, feeding and clothing the poor, and nurturing and loving people is part of the work of the Gospel. Of course, Christians should be in the forefront of work which cares for people. But let us not be disingenuous in our work for helping others.
What would be the purpose of liberating people from structural oppression, starvation, and poverty if we do not give them the real “Bread of Life.” If fact, Jesus Himself rebuked those who came to Him solely for the purpose of material bread.
“Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you.” John 6:26, 27.
Christ always gave people more that just physical sustenance or physical healing. And secondly, when Jesus performed the miraculous feeding of five thousand and four thousand, he was providing a living parable about what He does for the human soul, which is actually more important than the temporal state of their physical bodies.
“And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34. It was only after He taught them many things that Christ fed them [Mark 6:37-44].
Furthermore, when He performed a miracle, He was not simply doing a good work, He was signaling to the world, especially the Jewish people, that the Messiah had arrived! He performed these “signs” as proof of His Divine authority and majesty, and not just to create a more healthy and just people, but to save their souls.
“Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, [he saith to the sick of the palsy] I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.” Mark 2:9-11.
Here again, Jesus did not simply go about doing good works. He proclaimed His Messiahship, the right to forgive sins, to all those to whom He helped.
Again, in John 9, after healing the blind man, Christ said unto him: “Doest thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou has both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.” John 9:35-38.
Here we see clearly Christ’s intention of helping the poor and afflicted. He wants to restore the burden of despair upon all, both physical and spiritual. He offers forgiveness and complete transformation of the whole being.
Lastly, the healing of the lame man in Acts 2 was for the benefit of the entire Jewish temple. Notice Peter’s address:
“Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this…as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk...Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate…but ye denied the Holy One and the Just…And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead…And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know…Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” Acts 3:12-19. Here Peter “pricked the hearts” of his listeners by preaching to them the present truth inside the Jewish temple. And what provided the occasion for this great accomplishment of preaching the truth to thousands of people? – the healing of the lame man. And today, we are called to do the same.
“Christ is coming the second time, with power unto salvation. To prepare human beings for this event, He has sent the first, second, and third angels’ messages. These angels represent those who receive the truth, and with power open the gospel to the world.” Letter 79, 1900.
This of course is in complete contrast to the twisted theories of the Social Gospel – which persistently interprets the scriptures of helping the downtrodden while at the same time drop out of view the fundamental doctrines of the historic Christian faith. Satan’s victory is complete if he could distract the church from its necessary, primary, spiritual mission and service, while at the same time allowing opportunity to the intrusion into the church of ideologies which are completely opposed to the Word of God and to the cause of the three angels’ messages. Seventh-day Adventists were never called to just become social workers, welfare centers, or political activists.
Not to be misunderstood, God did give manna to His people. While the physical/material work should be a natural outgrowth of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. However, as Seventh-day Adventist, we must remain true to our task, to our single abiding mission; that of sharing with all men, whatever their race, background, outlook, politics, social or moral standing—our all-encompassing, all-sufficient, authorative, and necessary message of the three angels of Revelation 14.
Let us never in exchange for the true “Living Bread” of truth offer a stone; for the Gospel is to be given in its purest form, in accordance with the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, and unmixed with extraneous or cultural elements.
Liberalism Leads to Secularization
Liberalism opts for man, to serve man, to meet man’s needs, and to help him build his home on this earth. Liberalism is based on man’s ideas, man’s aims, man’s hopes, man’s fears, man’s suffering, and man’s difficulties. “We must give man what he wants and needs,” is the centerpiece of this message since it has entered into the churches. So pointedly and elaborate has this theme been accepted in the mainline churches that Karl Marx himself could not have written a better plan for the secularization of the religious institutions. What has happened ever since these ideals are accepted in whole or in part, is that true prayer, true faith, and the true mission of the church is replaced by human solidarity, ecumenism, and political alliances; which eventually become the new aim and focus of the church.
Secularization teaches that all the meaning of human life and the answer to every human hope are to be attained within the boundaries of this visible, tangible, material world of the here and now. “The whole world is moving,” the liberal preachers proclaim, “toward the concept that the whole society of nations should be formed into a unity, into one great peaceful society, without all the old religious divisiveness and based on one common goal—charity, solidarity, and ecumenism.”
Isn’t this what the Bible describes as the great Babylonian system, which portrays a mixing of the merchants of the earth [economy and wealth] and the great harlot with her daughters [religious institutions] and the kings of the earth [earthly governments]? Here is another section of Pastor Rajmund Dabrowski’s formula for achieving success in combating the social ills of society:
“As Christian leaders we challenge our own churches to pursue partnerships with governments, international organizations, civil society, and across confessional lines.” Christians Call Against Poverty, Adventist News Network, Sept. 14, 2005, Rajmund Dabrowsky.
Friends, who did Jesus, His disciples, or the early Adventist pioneers partner up with when fulfilling their work? Governments? Across confessional lines? Ecumenism? Secular Liberal Organizations? Obviously, they depended and received help from God alone.
No Other Gospel
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel...let him be accursed.” Gal. 1:8-9. Let us not be ignorant of the Devil’s devices lest Satan get the advantage [II Cor. 2:11]. The existence of these liberal, secular developments within Adventism are designed to destroy or neutralize the unique messages of our faith. Let us rejoice that in spite of all these forces of evil that have attempted to eradicate our historical Adventist message, God has reminded us that His message will triumph in the end.
“The bulwarks of Satan will never triumph. Victory will attend the third angel's message. As the Captain of the Lord's host tore down the walls of Jericho, so will the Lord's commandment-keeping people triumph, and all opposing elements be defeated.” Testimonies to Minister, p. 410.
Notice, only those who hold fast to the faith which was once delivered unto the saints, the three angels’ messages, in context to the everlasting gospel, will in the end triumph under the power of the latter rain.
“I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” Isa. 45:6-7.
- The Editors
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