The Church—Is It Babylon?

THE CHURCH Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant By Dennis Priebe

o one can deny the painful divisions Nwhich rack the Seventh-day Adventist church today, but few understand that much of it springs from issues rooted in the 1970s and 1980s. It was during those two decades that the church was assailed with controversy over the sanctuary, the nature of man and sin, the role of Ellen G. White, the humanity of Christ, and the possibility of character perfection before the coming of Christ. The confrontations over those basic theo- logical issues laid a foundation for the more vocal battle of the 1990s concerning the nature of the church. Loud and long has been the dialogue over what constitutes the church. The strongest disagreements have focused on whether the organized Seventh-day Adventist church will go through in triumph. Or has the

2 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 3 Adventist church become a part of Babylon? If Visible and Invisible so, should we separate from it and call others llen White used the term “visible church” to join us? Ea number of times, but the term “invisible Much of the debate revolves around the church” is not commonly used in her writings, terms “visible” and “invisible.” One group con- if at all. Apparently, many who have studied tends that the visible church con sists only of her statements assume that where there is a faithful, obedient believers and could never “visible,” there must also be an “invisible.” refer to an organization that is not wholly fol- However, to avoid a controversy based solely lowing God. On this basis, they feel compelled on semantics, other words can be used in place to urge people not to be associated with the of “invisible church.” Ellen White herself drew organized church any longer. They also apply a clear distinction between two groups within some of the identifying marks of Babylon to the church who would be equal in membership the present Adventist church structure. but far apart in their standing before God. These are the claims that need to be scru- “We should feel an individual responsi- tinized under the microscope of God’s Word. bility as members of the visible church and None can ignore the fact that thousands are workers in the vineyard of the Lord. The ad- being influenced to join “home churches” and vancement of the church is often retarded to look askance at those who give support to by the wrong course of its members. Uniting the historic conference organization. In order with the church, although an important and to ascertain whether there is a distinction be- necessary step, does not of itself make one a tween the “visible” and “invisible” church, we Christian. If we would secure a title to heaven, shall examine the testimony of Scripture and our hearts must be in unison with Christ and Spirit of Prophecy as well as the evidence of His people.” (Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, church history. Then we will be in a position to Sept. 1, 1888.) determine our relationship with the organized Here we find a distinction between being Seventh-day Adventist church of today. a member of the visible church and being a

All rights reserved. Amazing Facts, Inc. 4 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 5 Christian. If the visible church was composed approval of other men or nations. Clearly this only of faithful and true believers, then being a statement is referring to the organized nation church member and being a Christian would of Israel in a disobedient state. The “church” be exactly the same thing. But “members of here cannot refer to true believers only, but to the visible church and workers in the vineyard an organized body that is disobedient to God. of the Lord” can take a “wrong course” which Yet it is still “the church.” retards the advancement of the church. This “We profess to be the depositories of God’s means that non-Christians (professed, but not law; we claim to have greater light and to aim true) can be members of the visible church. at a higher standard than any other people Although the visible church has both Christians upon the earth. ... As members of the visible and non-Christians in its membership, uniting church, and workers in the vineyard of the with it is still “an important and necessary step.” Lord, all professed Christians should do their However, a second step is necessary in order to utmost to preserve peace, harmony, and love be a Christian and be saved—namely, a heart- in the church. ... Satan is constantly working unity with Christ. Both steps, becoming a mem- to prevent this union and harmony, that unbe- ber of the visible church, and having a heart lievers, by witnessing backsliding, dissension, unity with Christ, are necessary for salvation. and strife among professed Christians, may “Depending upon men has been the great become disgusted with religion and be con- weakness of the church. Men have dishonored firmed in their impenitence” (Testimonies for God by failing to appreciate His sufficiency, by the Church, vol. 5, pp. 619, 620). coveting the influence of men. Thus Israel be- Here the visible church is said to contain came weak. The people wanted to be like the “professed Christians,” which is not the same other nations of the world, and they asked for a as true believers or genuine Christians. Those king” (The Kress Collection, p.57). who profess obedience to God are members of The church is compared to Israel, which the visible church, but some of them are back- made poor decisions because it coveted the sliding and fighting with each other.

6 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 7 When God led Israel out of Egypt, He gave Note that Christ is the head of the church, precise directions regarding each person’s work. which we enter by our profession of faith, and “This is an important lesson to the church. ... that we can be fruitless branches while on the The management of that great church in their church record. This church with many unfaith- journeyings in the wilderness symbolizes the ful Christians in it is not a false church, and we management of the church till the close of are not to leave it to find the true church, be- earth’s history” (That I May Know Him, p. 323). cause Christ is still its Head. However, we are The organized church of Israel is to teach reminded that being a church member is not lessons of obedience to the organized remnant enough. We must maintain the spiritual con- church until the close of time. The church of nection with God that is essential to salvation, Israel and the church of Adventism are paral- and we are to take this step within the church lel to each other, and we can learn what the of professed believers. church is today by looking back at the church “There are two kinds of connections be- of the Old Testament. tween the branches and the vine stock. One “Notwithstanding our varying types of is visible, but superficial. The other is invis- character, we are brought into church capac- ible and vital. So there is an apparent union, a ity through the profession of our faith. Christ membership with the church, and a profession is the head of the church; and if those whose of religion which, though in itself good, is too names are on the church record do not belong often unaccompanied by saving faith in Jesus to Jesus, the invisible Head, they are like the or living obedience to the commandments of fruitless branch of the vine, and are taken away. God” (Signs of the Times, July 27, 1888). If one is really a fruitful branch, he will make This visible, superficial, apparent, pro- it manifest by bearing fruit, giving evidence of fessed membership in the church is “in itself his absolute allegiance to Christ. He will have a good.” In other words, no one should be de- spiritual connection with God” (Advent Review nied the privilege of joining the church, even and Sabbath Herald, Feb. 23, 1897). if their motives and sincerity may not be fully

All rights reserved. Amazing Facts, Inc. 8 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 9 apparent. But the important point is that individuals whose hearts have responded to church membership is not the same as saving God in genuine faith and obedience and who faith, and the church is not solely a group of are in a saving relationship with Christ. Some faithful believers. The visible church includes of these are in the visible church while others, within it more than obedient Christians. who are fully surrendered to God but have lim- From the preceding statements, we can see ited light, are outside the visible church. It is that there are two distinct categories described membership in this spiritual body that assures in the Spirit of Prophecy. One is the visible us a place in heaven. church, and the other is faithful souls. Since To say that the visible church is always both of these categories can be called “the equivalent to the “faithful soul” church is to church,” it is only by a careful study of context seriously distort the teachings of the Spirit of that we can determine which church is being Prophecy and to misunderstand the distinct referred to in a given statement. purpose of these two groups. One cannot select The visible church, which is specified in a preferred definition of the church and then Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 16, has a try to force all other usages of the word to con- special purpose. Though it cannot save indi- form to this preferred definition. We can wrest viduals, its function is to be the center of God’s the Spirit of Prophecy to our own destruction government on earth. It is to reveal God’s char- just as surely as we can wrest the Scriptures. acter and His laws to a rebellious world. It is to be a center of outreach to those who are de- Two Visible Churches ceived by Satan. It includes both saved and un- s we look back through history, we can saved individuals, because it includes all who Asee two visible churches in action—one make a profession of faith in Christ. It is to be established by God to demonstrate His char- a teacher of salvation and a guide to salvation. acter and laws and one established by Satan to The “faithful soul” church is described counterwork God’s plans. Immediately after in Acts of the Apostles, p. 11. It is made up of the Flood, Satan set his church into motion

10 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 11 through the city and tower of Babel. God a mixed multitude of faithful and unfaithful soon saw fit to call Abraham out of the soci- souls, a situation which did not improve dra- ety where Satan’s principles were being fol- matically even after they entered Canaan. After lowed. Abraham became the father of God’s a time, God’s true visible church took a major visible church, and it is important to note that step in disobedience by asking for a king so it although Jacob’s 12 sons were not all faithful could be more like Satan’s church. God contin- believers, they were all part of, and fathers of, ued to work through Israel’s kings as much as God’s true visible church on earth. possible, but His plans were severely hampered Some might ask why God directed by increasing apostasy in His visible church. Abraham to move into Canaan, whose inhabit- Satan’s church, on the other hand, developed ants were followers of Satan’s church also. Why first in Assyria and then in Babylon. Things got should the faithful church move from one cen- so bad in God’s church that He had to allow ter of false worship into another just as wicked? Assyria to destroy 10 of the 12 tribes He had The answer appears as God revealed His ulti- laboriously brought out of Egypt. mate purpose to drive out the pagan tribes and It has been suggested that when Israel to establish His own center of worship in the broke God’s covenant they were not the true land of Canaan. God gave specific orders for church. If that had been the case, God would His church to have no close relationship or in- have been without a true, visible church for termarriage with the heathen nations—a prin- most of the history of Israel. We marvel at the ciple that He continued to apply to His church extreme mercy and long suffering of God in right down to the present. dealing with His backsliding people. It seems When God called Israel out of Egypt, He to us that God should have cut them off when put into operation a plan designed to com- their apostasy was so deep and pervasive. In pletely replace Satan’s church in Canaan with order to understand how long and patiently He His own visible church. Again it is impor- bore with them, read the command of God to tant to note that God’s true church included His prophet Hosea.

All rights reserved. Amazing Facts, Inc. 12 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 13 “And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take rejection, and be able to tell the difference be- unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children tween the two. Because Israel had broken God’s of whoredoms: for the land hath committed covenant, God had to abandon His people to great whoredom, departing from the Lord” their own choices—temporarily. But as long as (Hosea 1:2). The church of Israel was in full Israel continued to be God’s church, He would apostasy, and God’s response was direct. He work to secure their repentance and obedience commanded the prophet to give names to his so that He could once again call them His sons. children that would bear witness to the whole “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; nation concerning their spiritual condition. for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.” “I will After the birth of his third child, Hosea was heal their backsliding, I will love them free- told by God: “Call his name Loammi: for ye ly: for mine anger is turned away from him” are not my people, and I will not be your God” (Hosea 14:1, 4). Although Israel was in full (Hosea 1:9). apostasy, God had not yet rejected them as His This does sound like God was through church, and all His efforts were directed to- with Israel as His visible church, and that He ward healing and restoration. We must never was ready to move on to some other plan for mistake God’s discipline for His rejection. accomplishing His purposes. But in the very Sometimes God disciplines by allowing His next verse God said, “Yet the number of the church to pursue its rebellious course until it children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, suffers the results of disobedience. But until which cannot be measured nor numbered; and the moment of final rejection, God’s visible it shall come to pass, that in the place where church on earth remains the object of His su- it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, preme regard, and He watches over it unceas- there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons ingly and longingly. of the living God” (Hosea 1:10). Even when the two remaining tribes were We must always remember the differ- taken into captivity by Babylon because of their ence between God’s chastisements and God’s rebellion, they remained His visible church on

14 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 15 earth, and God brought them back to Canaan and will play no part as a nation in God’s plan one more time to fulfill the purpose for which to defeat Satan. From this, we should learn that He had originally brought them out of Egypt. becoming part of Babylon is not the only way By the time Christ appeared, Rome had for God’s church to lose its position as His cho- become Satan’s primary agent as he tried to sen people. Continued rebellion can lead to fi- defeat God’s plan once and for all. It is of in- nal rejection, no matter how high the calling or terest to note that Christ was taken to the or- how many blessings have been bestowed. ganized church of His day for His dedication Out of one rejected visible church, God and first Passover. Some suggest that the Jews formed a new visible church as the apostles car- were no longer God’s church because of their ried the gospel to the world. But even in this apostasy. How strange, then, that Jesus would new visible Christian church, we find the same spend most of His ministry trying to gain their problems appearing as in the Jewish church. repentance. The stories of the unfaithful ser- Sometimes it is claimed that a church that is not vants in the vineyard and the fig tree that re- teaching and living the truth is not God’s church ceived one more year of cultivating show that at all. But let us look more closely at the church Christ was still working for the repentance of in Corinth to see whether or not this is so. His church. Jesus sent the healed lepers to the “Unto the church of God which is at priests to reach their hearts, and He even paid Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ the temple tax to the church authorities. Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every But the time did come when God’s visible place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our church crossed a line. After that time, the cor- Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Everything that fol- porate church could no longer be brought to lows in this letter is directed to the church of repentance, and the only solution for faithful God, composed of all those who are sanctified souls was to leave the rejected church. Even [set apart], called, and who call on Jesus’ name. though the Jews never became Babylon or “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you Rome, they suffered final and absolute rejection as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as

18 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 19 unto babes in Christ. … For ye are yet carnal: its authority from Satan, who was working at for whereas there is among you envying, and that time through the Roman Empire. From its strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk very beginning, the Papacy was part of Satan’s as men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1, 3). “For first of all, visible church, in a direct line from Babylon when ye come together in the church, I hear through Rome. The Papacy was never God’s that there be divisions among you; and I partly true church at all. Let us review what happened believe it. For there must be also heresies among during the first centuries of the Christian era. you” (1 Corinthians 11:18, 19). In God’s visible In Alexandria, Egypt, a school of philoso- church were carnal professed Christians, as phy and theology had existed from before the well as divisions and heresies. Although not all time of Christ. In fact, the school at Alexandria of its members were Christians, the Bible says had more than a little to do with the cor- the Corinthian church was part of the visible ruption of the Jewish church through the church of God. education of its most promising young men. The next step in the history of the When Christianity came on the scene, the Christian church is very important, because Alexandrian school began to study these new many people say that the church of the apostles teachings, incorporating them into its philo- turned into the Papacy-in other words, that the sophical models. The Alexandrian Christian true church turned into Babylon. To find out school combined mysticism, pagan philoso- whether or not this is true, perhaps we need to phy, and a careless handling and interpreta- see exactly where the Papacy originated. tion of the Scriptures into an apostate form of “And the beast which I saw was like unto a Christianity almost from the very start. leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, Alexandria had great influence on the and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the Western branch of the Christian church, es- dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and pecially in Rome, Italy. These two Christian great authority” (Revelation 13:2). The Papacy centers were the first to combine Christian received its power, its place of government, and teachings with pagan ideas and to discredit

All rights reserved. Amazing Facts, Inc. 20 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 21 the Bible Sabbath. Thus the Papacy was the period—both from God’s church to Satan’s direct descendant of Babylon through Rome church and, more rarely, from Satan’s church and Alexandria. to God’s church. But this must not obscure the In the meantime, an entirely different fact that the two churches remained distinct Christian school was developing in Antioch, and separate from each other. (See time line on Syria. Here the teachers and students were pp. 16, 17.) much more faithful to the authority of Unfortunately, the Eastern church was not Scripture, refusing to mystify and spiritualize to be left in prosperity. The Mohammedan in- away clear teachings of Scripture. They cop- vasions took their toll on the Eastern part of ied and interpreted Scripture very faithfully the Roman Empire, and Eastern Christianity and did their best to pass on the teachings of was gradually swallowed up by these inva- Christ and the apostles accurately. This brand sions. The great centers of the Eastern church of Christianity spread within the Eastern were eliminated and could no longer stand in branch of the church, which remained much defense of the truth against Western perver- more faithful to the truth than did the Western sions of true Christianity. The only part of the branch. However, this more faithful Eastern Roman Empire to stand intact was in Rome it- church should not be confused with the later self. The church in Rome became the professed Orthodox churches in the East, which were defender of Christianity and, ultimately, the closely patterned in theology and ritual after only form of Christianity recognized during the Papacy in the West. the Dark Ages. Thus, the true church did not turn into As the Roman church forced the true visi- Babylon, but remained vital and growing for ble church to flee into the wilderness for surviv- centuries, while the false church continued di- al, hundreds of years passed by, with God’s true rectly in the line of Babylon. Now it is true that visible church receiving very little recognition individuals and whole congregations changed from the civilized Christian world. Reports fil- sides occasionally during this formative tered out of England and Ethiopia confirming

22 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 23 the activities of many faithful Christians. system of Babylon. For the first time in history, Only later did the Waldenses in Italy and the whole denominations switched from the true Huguenots in France receive notoriety as they church to the false church. suffered intense persecution by Satan’s church. Those who were obedient to the gathering Then the Reformation broke upon call formed the Seventh-day Adventist move- the Christian scene, and Lutheranism and ment to function as the final remnant, God’s Presbyterianism carried the torch of God’s visible church, which would ultimately be true visible church. Next, the Anabaptists formed into the 144,000 and give the loud cry to and Methodists came into the picture. Satan’s Babylon. Those who refused to heed the gath- church, meanwhile, received a deadly wound ering call became the daughters of Babylon, in 1798, from which some thought it would soon to be fully absorbed into Babylon. never recover. During these centuries, there God’s plan for the visible church is that it were again individuals and congregations that will pass through a time of shaking and purg- crossed from one side to the other; but as being, so that unfaithful professors will be shaken fore, the two churches remained distinct. (See out while the faithful believers go to the world time line on pp. 16, 17.) Babylon did not turn with the final loud cry. Individuals and congre- into the true church. gations will again switch sides at this time, but Finally we come to the climactic time pe- it is not God’s plan to raise up a new visible riod of William Miller and the giving of the church to replace the corporate Seventh-day midnight cry. God was challenging all the Adventist church. Christian bodies that carried the torch of truth The most important thing to note from to move ahead into the advancing light, in- this brief review of history is that God’s vis- cluding the Sabbath and the cleansing of the ible church and Satan’s visible church have re- heavenly sanctuary. If they would not move mained distinct from the very beginning. Also, with the light, they would be left in darkness God’s visible church has always included faith- and would actually become part of the spiritual ful believers as well as unfaithful professors.

All rights reserved. Amazing Facts, Inc. 24 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 25 Adventism and Babylon and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her n light of this understanding of God’s visible own doing, until she shall abhor herself. When Ichurch, what conclusions can we draw re- she resists the evil and chooses the good, when garding the present and future of the Seventh- she seeks God with all humility and reaches day Adventist church? Let us look carefully at her high calling in Christ, standing on the plat- God’s counsel through the Spirit of Prophecy. form of eternal truth and by faith laying hold When the school at Battle Creek began upon the attainments prepared for her, she will to depart from God’s plan, especially regard- be healed. She will appear in her God-given ing the amusements being provided, Ellen simplicity and purity, separate from earthly en- White quoted the text, “How is the faithful tanglements, showing that the truth has made city become an harlot!” (Special Testimonies on her free indeed. Then erh members will indeed Education, p. 181). In another context, her di- be the chosen of God, His representatives.” vine Instructor said to Ellen: “How is the faith- What God was saying to the Seventh-day ful city become an harlot! My Father’s house is Adventist church is exactly what He was say- made a house of merchandise, a place whence ing to Israel through Hosea. Rather than a the divine presence and glory have departed! statement of rejection, this was an appeal for For this cause there is weakness, and strength repentance and obedience, and it carried a is lacking” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, promise of healing. God appealed to His vis- p. 250). ible church to repent before it might cross a fi- Serious charges, indeed! The Seventh-day nal line. Adventist church is a harlot and God’s pres- Ellen White wrote to George Butler, the ence has left it? Surely this was a final judgment General Conference president, in 1886: “We against the organized church. are in danger of becoming a sister to fallen But look again. Her very next words are: Babylon, of allowing our churches to become “Unless the church, which is now being leav- corrupted, and filled with every foul spirit, a ened with her own backsliding, shall repent cage for every unclean and hateful bird. ‘” I tell

26 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 27 you the truth, Elder Butler, that unless there is church did. This means that both the beautiful a cleansing of the soul temple on the part of promises of God to this church and His warn- many who claim to believe and to preach the ings to us are conditional upon our response to truth, God’s judgments, long deferred, will Him. Our obedience or disobedience will de- come” (Letter 51, 1886). termine what the future holds for us individu- “If most earnest vigilance is not manifest- ally or as a church. ed at the great heart of the work to protect the Ellen White makes it clear that a church interests of the cause, the church will become can be converted into Babylon, but the process as corrupt as the churches of other denomi- is not an easy or simple one. Disobedience— nations” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, even over a long period of time, or in a num- p. 513). “The world must not be introduced ber of different areas—does not turn the true into the church, and married to the church, church into Babylon. God’s love for His chosen forming a bond of unity. Through this means people is too deep and strong to allow Him to the church will become indeed corrupt, and as cast them off for even repeated failures. God’s stated in Revelation, ‘a cage of every unclean love for Israel over many disappointing centu- and hateful bird’” (Testimonies to Ministers, ries should instruct us about His attitude to- p. 265). ward His remnant church today. Israel crossed These are very, very solemn warnings to the line of divine patience only after it rejected, God’s visible church. We cannot pretend that openly and defiantly, the ultimate gift of God’s they do not exist and that if we do not read love by sentencing His Son to death. As we un- them they will somehow not apply to us. We derstand from Daniel’s prophecy, God’s final dare not make the mistake of the Jews, who be- separation from the Jewish nation did not take lieved that because God had called them to be place for another three and a half years after the His chosen people it was impossible for them to crucifixion. What long suffering and mercy! fail. We live under the principle of conditional We are told what steps our church will have prophecy just as surely as God’s Old Testament to take to cross the line that Israel crossed. If

All rights reserved. Amazing Facts, Inc. 28 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 29 our church were to adopt, openly and officially, avoid drawing apart. Forever!! Should this not the errors of Sunday sacredness, the immortal- caution those who are saying that things are so ity of the soul, and eternal torment, then we too much worse today that her 1893 counsels no would become a part of fallen Babylon. (See longer apply? Selected Messages, vol. 2, p. 68 and Testimonies “I know that the Lord loves His church. It to Ministers, pp. 61, 62.) However, we must re- is not to be disorganized or broken up into in- member that small deviations from truth lead dependent atoms. There is not the least consis- to larger errors. Our compromises over the last tency in this; there is not the least evidence that 50 years need to be addressed and reversed, or such a thing will be” (The Remnant Church, p. we could be in real danger of adopting the ma- 53). “We have never had a message that the jor errors of Babylon. Lord would disorganize the church” (Advent Now that we have examined the warnings Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 3, p. 86). God has delivered to His church, we must also “The Redeemer of the world does not look at what the Spirit of Prophecy has to say sanction experience and exercise in religious to those who claim that the organized, visible matters independent of His organized and ac- church has already crossed the line and that the knowledged church, where He has a church. faithful ones should separate themselves from it. “Many have the idea that they are re- “No advice or sanction is given in the sponsible to Christ alone for their light and Word of God to those who believe the third experience, independent of His acknowl- angel’s message to lead them to suppose that edged followers in the world. But this is con- they can draw apart. This you may settle with demned by Jesus in His teachings and in the yourselves forever. It is the devising of un- examples, the facts, which He has given for sanctified minds that would encourage a state our instruction” (Testimonies for the Church, of disunion. ... There must be no separating vol. 3, pp. 432, 433). in this great testing time” (Selected Messages, “You will take passages in the Testimonies vol. 3, p. 21). Please notice how long we are to that speak of the close of probation, of the

30 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? Vindicating the Remnant 31 shaking among God’s people, and you will talk “But we have never had a message that the of a coming out from this people of a purer, Lord would disorganize the church. We have holier people that will arise. Now all this pleas- never had the prophecy concerning Babylon es the enemy… Should many accept the views applied to the Seventh-day Adventist church, you advance, and talk and act upon them, we or been informed that the ‘loud cry’ consisted should see one of the greatest fanatical excite- in calling God’s people to come out of her; for ments that has ever been witnessed among this is not God’s plan concerning Israel. ... Now Seventh-day Adventists. This is what Satan can we expect that a message would be true wants” (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 179). that would designate as Babylon the people for “The Lord has not given you a message to whom God has done so much? Hell would tri- call the Seventh-day Adventists Babylon, and umph should such a message be received, and to call the people of God to come out of her. the world would be strengthened in iniquity. All the reasons you may present cannot have All the reproaches that Satan has cast upon the weight with me on this subject, because the character of God, would appear as truth, and Lord has given me decided light that is op- the conclusion would be made that God has posed to such a message” (Selected Messages, no chosen or organized church in the world. vol. 2, p. 63). Oh, what a triumph would this be to Satan and “I tell you, my brethren, the Lord has an his confederacy of evil!” (Advent Review and organized body through whom He will work. Sabbath Herald, Oct. 3, 1893). … When anyone is drawing apart from the or- 7KHVHVWDWHPHQWVDUHPXFKWRRFOHDUWREH ganized body of God’s commandment-keeping PLVXQGHUVWRRG $OWKRXJK WKH YLVLEOH FKXUFK people, when he begins to weigh the church LVLQFULVLVWKHVROXWLRQLVQRWLQDSSO\LQJWKH in his human scales and begins to pronounce PHVVDJH IRU %DE\ORQ WR LW ,I ZH GHFLGH WKDW judgment against them, then you may know WKHFKXUFKLV%DE\ORQRUKDVSDVVHGWKHOLQH that God is not leading him. He is on the wrong RI LWV SUREDWLRQDU\ WLPH WKHQ RXU RQO\ PHV track” (Selected Messages, vol. 3, pp. 17, 18). VDJHLV³&RPHRXWRIKHU´,IZHGHFLGHWKDW

All rights reserved. Amazing Facts, Inc. 32 THE CHURCH—Is It Babylon? WKHFKXUFKLV/DRGLFHDWKHQRXURQO\PHVVDJH LV³5HSHQW´2XUPHVVDJHZLOOEHGHWHUPLQHG E\RXUYLHZRIWKHFKXUFK $OWKRXJK *RG¶V YLVLEOH FKXUFK LV QRW IXQFWLRQLQJDV+HGHVLJQHGWKDWLWVKRXOGDQG DOWKRXJKWKHUHLVPXFKGLVREHGLHQFHLQGLYLGX DOO\DQGFRUSRUDWHO\²LQ*RG¶VFKXUFKWKLVLV Visit us online at WKHWLPHWRORRNEDFNWR0RVHVDQGUHEHOOLRXV www.AmazingFacts.org ,VUDHO³,QWKHH[DPSOHRI0RVHVSOHDGLQJIRU and check out our online catalog WKHFKLOGUHQRI,VUDHOLVUHSUHVHQWHGWKHSRVL WLRQWKDWZHVKRXOGWDNHLQUHJDUGWRWKHSHRSOH filled with other great books, videos, RI*RGKRZHYHUHUULQJRUZHDNRUGHIHFWLYH CDs, audiotapes, and more! WKH\ PD\ EH´ $GYHQW 5HYLHZ DQG 6DEEDWK +HUDOG2FW Don’t miss our FREE online Bible ,QSOHDGLQJIRU*RG¶VSHRSOHZHZLOOEH IROORZLQJ LQ WKH KDOORZHG OLQH RI -HUHPLDK Prophecy course at 'DQLHO-HVXVDQG(OOHQ:KLWH0D\*RGKHOS www.BibleUniverse.com. XVWRKDYHWKHVKHSKHUG¶VKHDUWVHHNLQJWRKHDO Enroll today and DQGUHVWRUHZKLOHWKHGRRURISUREDWLRQIRUWKH expand your universe! FKXUFKLVVWLOORSHQ

Published by: Amazing Facts, Inc. P.O. Box 1058 Roseville, CA 95678-8058