Are we doomed to repeat the past

Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8 (Section 5—The Essential Knowledge)

Past Experiences to be Repeated

The experience of the past will be repeated. In the future, Satan’s superstitions will assume new forms. Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. False theories, clothed with garments of light, will be presented to God’s people. Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Most seducing influences will be exerted; minds will be hypnotized.Corruptions of every type, similar to those existing among the antediluvians, will be brought in to take minds captive. The exaltation of nature as God, the unrestrained license of the human will, the counsel of the ungodly—these Satan uses as agencies to bring about certain ends. He will employ the power of mind over mind to carry out his designs. The most sorrowful thought of all is that under his deceptive influence men will have a form of godliness, without having a real connection with God. Like Adam and Eve, who ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, many are even now feeding upon the deceptive morsels of error.Satanic agencies are clothing false theories in an attractive garb, even as Satan in the Garden of Eden concealed his identity from our first parents by speaking through the serpent. These agencies are instilling into human minds that which in reality is deadly error. The hypnotic influence of Satan will rest upon those who turn from the plain word of God to pleasing fables.It is those who have had the most light that Satan most assiduously seeks to ensnare. He knows that if he can deceive them, they will, under his control, clothe sin with garments of righteousness, and lead many astray.I say to all: Be on your guard; for as an angel of light Satan is walking in every assembly of Christian workers, and in every church, trying to win the members to his side. I am bidden to give to the people of God the warning: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” Galatians 6:7.

A Warning Against False Teaching

A warning against false teaching is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The apostle declares that the hearts of the believers are to be “knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say,” he continues, “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.… As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:2–10.

I am instructed to say to our people: Let us follow Christ. Do not forget that He is to be our pattern in all things. We may safely discard those ideas that are not found in His teaching. I appeal to our ministers to be sure that their feet are placed on the platform of eternal truth. Beware how you follow impulse, calling it the Holy Spirit. Some are in danger in this respect. I call upon them to be sound in the faith, able to give to everyone who asks a reason of the hope that is in them.

Diverting Minds from Present Duty

The enemy is seeking to divert the minds of our brethren and sisters from the work of preparing a people to stand in these last days. His sophistries are designed to lead minds away from the perils and duties of the hour. They estimate as nothing the light that Christ came from heaven to give to John for His people. They teach that the scenes just before us are not of sufficient importance to receive special attention. They make of no effect the truth of heavenly origin and rob the people of God of their past experience, giving them instead a false science.

“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16.

Let none seek to tear away the foundations of our faith—the foundations that were laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the word and by revelation. Upon these foundations we have been building for the last fifty years. Men may suppose that they have found a new way and that they can lay a stronger foundation than that which has been laid. But this is a great deception. Other foundation can no man lay than that which has been laid.

In the past many have undertaken the building of a new faith, the establishment of new principles. But how long did their building stand? It soon fell, for it was not founded upon the Rock.

Did not the first disciples have to meet the sayings of men? Did they not have to listen to false theories, and then, having done all, to stand firm, saying: “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid”? 1 Corinthians 3:11.

So we are to hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. Words of power have been sent by God and by Christ to this people, bringing them out from the world, point by point, into the clear light of present truth. With lips touched with holy fire, God’s servants have proclaimed the message. The divine utterance has set its seal to the genuineness of the truth proclaimed.

A Renewal of the Straight Testimony

The Lord calls for a renewal of the straight testimony borne in years past. He calls for a renewal of spiritual life. The spiritual energies of His people have long been torpid, but there is to be a resurrection from apparent death.

By prayer and confession of sin we must clear the King’s highway. As we do this, the power of the Spirit will come to us. We need the Pentecostal energy. This will come, for the Lord has promised to send His Spirit as the all-conquering power.

Perilous times are before us. Everyone who has a knowledge of the truth should awake and place himself, body, soul, and spirit, under the discipline of God. The enemy is on our track. We must be wide awake, on our guard against him. We must put on the whole armor of God. We must follow the directions given through the spirit of prophecy. We must love and obey the truth for this time. This will save us from accepting strong delusions. God has spoken to us through His word. He has spoken to us through the testimonies to the church and through the books that have helped to make plain our present duty and the position that we should now occupy. The warnings that have been given, line upon line, precept upon precept, should be heeded. If we disregard them, what excuse can we offer?

I beseech those who are laboring for God not to accept the spurious for the genuine. Let not human reason be placed where divine, sanctifying truth should be. Christ is waiting to kindle faith and love in the hearts of His people. Let not erroneous theories receive countenance from the people who ought to be standing firm on the platform of eternal truth. God calls upon us to hold firmly to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority.

Seek the First Love

Into the hearts of many who have been long in the truth there has entered a hard, judicial spirit. They are sharp, critical, faultfinding. They have climbed upon the judgment seat to pronounce sentence upon those who do not conform to their ideas. God calls upon them to come down and bow before Him in repentance, confessing their sins. He says to them: “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4, 5. They are striving for the first place, and by their words and acts they make many hearts sore.

Against this spirit, and against the false religion of sentimentalism, which is equally dangerous, I bear my warning. Take heed, brethren and sisters. Who is your leader—Christ or the angel that fell from heaven? Examine yourselves and know whether you are sound in the faith.

The Word of God our Safeguard

Our watchword is to be: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. We have a Bible full of the most precious truth. It contains the alpha and omega of knowledge. The Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16, 17. Take the Bible as your study book. All can understand its instruction.

I call upon our ministers, physicians, and all church members to study the lessons that Christ gave His disciples just before His ascension. These lessons contain instruction that the people need.

Eternal life is obtained only by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. “Verily, verily, I say unto you,” Christ declared, “he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.… I am the living Bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.… Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.… It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:47–63.

Past Experiences to be Repeated

The experience of the past will be repeated. In the future, Satan’s superstitions will assume new forms. Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. False theories, clothed with garments of light, will be presented to God’s people. Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Most seducing influences will be exerted; minds will be hypnotized.Corruptions of every type, similar to those existing among the antediluvians, will be brought in to take minds captive. The exaltation of nature as God, the unrestrained license of the human will, the counsel of the ungodly—these Satan uses as agencies to bring about certain ends. He will employ the power of mind over mind to carry out his designs. The most sorrowful thought of all is that under his deceptive influence men will have a form of godliness, without having a real connection with God. Like Adam and Eve, who ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, many are even now feeding upon the deceptive morsels of error.Satanic agencies are clothing false theories in an attractive garb, even as Satan in the Garden of Eden concealed his identity from our first parents by speaking through the serpent. These agencies are instilling into human minds that which in reality is deadly error. The hypnotic influence of Satan will rest upon those who turn from the plain word of God to pleasing fables.It is those who have had the most light that Satan most assiduously seeks to ensnare. He knows that if he can deceive them, they will, under his control, clothe sin with garments of righteousness, and lead many astray.I say to all: Be on your guard; for as an angel of light Satan is walking in every assembly of Christian workers, and in every church, trying to win the members to his side. I am bidden to give to the people of God the warning: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” Galatians 6:7.Diverting Minds from Present Duty

The enemy is seeking to divert the minds of our brethren and sisters from the work of preparing a people to stand in these last days. His sophistries are designed to lead minds away from the perils and duties of the hour. They estimate as nothing the light that Christ came from heaven to give to John for His people. They teach that the scenes just before us are not of sufficient importance to receive special attention. They make of no effect the truth of heavenly origin and rob the people of God of their past experience, giving them instead a false science.

“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16.Christ calls upon His people to believe and practice His word. Those who receive and assimilate this word, making it a part of every action, of every attribute of character, will grow strong in the strength of God. It will be seen that their faith is of heavenly origin. They will not wander into strange paths. Their minds will not turn to a religion of sentimentalism and excitement. Before angels and before men, they will stand as those who have strong, consistent Christian characters.

In the golden censer of truth, as presented in Christ’s teachings, we have that which will convict and convert souls. Present, in the simplicity of Christ, the truths that He came to this world to proclaim, and the power of your message will make itself felt. Do not present theories or tests that Christ has never mentioned and that have no foundation in the Bible. We have grand, solemn truths to present. “It is written” is the test that must be brought home to every soul.

Men may still learn the things that belong to their peace. Mercy’s voice may still be heard calling: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30. It is only when spiritual life is given that rest is found and lasting good secured. We must be able to say, in storm and tempest: “My anchor holds.”

Let us go to the word of God for guidance. Let us seek for a “Thus saith the Lord.” We have had enough of human methods. A mind trained only in worldly science fails to understand the things of God; but the same mind, converted and sanctified, will see the divine power in the word. Only the mind and heart cleansed by the sanctification of the Spirit can discern heavenly things.

Brethren, in the name of the Lord I call upon you to awake to your duty. Let your hearts be yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit, and they will be made susceptible to the teaching of the word. Then you will be able to discern the deep things of God.

May God bring His people under the deep movings of His Spirit! May He lead them to arouse, to see their peril, and to prepare for what is coming upon the earth

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8 (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1855), 295–301

We need righteousness by faith which is the third angels message in verity. God is longing to pour out the later rain and there is small little sprinkles falling here and there. We must come back to a primitive relegion, to truly live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. This means to be keeping all the commandments by the power of an indwelling Christ. Then the rain will fall on God’s remnant from the remnant church.

Why is the rain not falling now some ask, I believe that the answer can be found in Jeremiah 3

King James Version (Chapter 3)

3 †They say, aIf a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, ashall he return unto her again? shall not that bland be greatly polluted? but thou hast cplayed the harlot with many lovers; yet dreturn again to me, saith the LORD. 2 Lift up thine eyes unto ethe high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. fIn the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and bthou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. 3 Therefore gthe showers have been withholden, and there hath been no hlatter rain; and thou hadst ia whore’s forehead, kthou refusedst to be ashamed. 4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art lthe guide of mmy youth? 5 nWill he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.6 *The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which obacksliding Israel hath done? pshe is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath cplayed the harlot. 7 qAnd I said after she had done all these things, dTurn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her rtreacherous ssister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw, twhen for all the causes whereby obacksliding Israel committed adultery uI had put her away, and given her va bill of divorce; tyet her rtreacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 9 And it came to pass through the ||lightness of her whoredom, that bshe defiled the land, and committed adultery with wstones and with stocks. 10 And yet for all this her rtreacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me xwith her whole heart, but †feignedly, saith the LORD. 11 And the LORD said unto me, The obacksliding Israel yhath justified herself more than rtreacherous Judah. 12 Go and proclaim these words toward zthe north, and say, dReturn, thou obacksliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not acause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am bmerciful, saith the LORD, and cI will not keep anger for ever. 13 dOnly acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast escattered thy ways to the fstrangers gunder every green tree, and hye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. 14 iTurn, jO backsliding children, saith the LORD; for kI am married unto you: and I will take you lone of a city, and mtwo of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And nI will give you opastors according to mine heart, pwhich shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it †come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall ||that be done any more. 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and qall the nations shall be gathered unto it, rto the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither sshall they walk any more after the ||imagination of their evil heart. 18 In those days tthe house of Judah shall walk ||with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of uthe north to vthe land that I have ||given for an inheritance unto your fathers. 19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a †pleasant land, †a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, xThou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away †from me. 20 Surely as a wife xxtreacherously departeth from her †husband, so yhave ye xxdealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.