As Seventh Day Adventists often we are told by members of the General Conference
Seventh Day Adventist body of believers to “Stay on the ship”. It’s going through to harbor. This saying was used in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy by Ellen White and it was also used by Paul. In this study we are going to briefly consider what was meant by the statement “Stay on the ship” and see who really has left the ship.
1844 Foundation of Faith Established
“The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in answer to our urgent prayers. The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy Spirit. Light, precious light from God, established the main points of our faith as we hold them today”. Letter 50, 1906, pp. 1, 2. Ellen White
“The Word of the Lord has guided our steps since the passing of the time in 1844. We have searched the Scriptures; we have built solidly; and we have not had to tear up our foundations and put in new timbers.” Letter 24, 190 Ellen White
The topic I’m going to dwell on is the very primary #1 fundamental principle of our faith between the time of 1844-1906 to see if it is the same today as it was in 1844 to see if we have kept to those main points of faith.
“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” {LS 196.2 Ellen White}
Primary Foundation Not Trinitarian
The God of heaven saw it fit to establish the Advent movement on a solid foundation of truth. This foundation included a correct understanding of who He is. Some have had the idea that Ms. White changed her belief about God about the time of 1895 when she wrote the book Desire of Ages. This would be an impossibility considering that when she wrote to Kellogg about a false belief about who or what God was, she referred him to the foundation that was established in 1844 by pioneers such as her husband James White, elder Joseph Bates and Hiram Edson. Let’s look at a couple of these statements. Here is what she said to Kellogg:
“Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Bates, Father pierce, Elder [Hiram] Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly…. light was given that helped us to understand the scriptures in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was made plain to me, and I gave to others the instruction that the Lord had given me. . . What influence is it that would lead men at this stage of our history to work in an underhand, powerful way to tear down the foundation of our faith–the foundation that was laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the Word and revelation? Upon this foundation we have been building for the past fifty years.” (Selected Messages bk.1, p. 206-7 1904 Ellen White)
“The evidence given in our early experience has the same force that it had then. The truth is the same as it ever has been, and not a pin or a pillar can be moved from the structure of truth. That which was sought for out of the Word in 1844, 1845, and 1846 remains the truth in every particular.” Letter 38, 1906 Ellen White
Fundamental Principle #1-The foundation of our faith which included a correct understanding of God
I.That there is one God, a personal spiritual being, the creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal, infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth, and mercy; unchangeable, and everywhere present by his representative, the Holy Spirit. Ps. 139:7.(from 1872, 1889 fundamental principles of Seventh Day Adventists)
Quoting from 1 Corinthians 8:6 which tells us there is “One God the father”. This is a much different statement than the new belief accepted by General Conference Adventists that there is One God, an “impersonal office of three persons”. James White who helped collaborate this original statement of “fundamental principles of faith” in 1872 said:
“The inexplicable Trinity that makes the Godhead three in one and one in three, is bad enough; but that ultra Unitarianism that makes Christ inferior to the Father is worse. Did God say to an inferior, “Let us make man in our image?” (James White, November 29, 1877, Review & Herald)
Our pioneers did not believe God was a three in one, one in three God. They believed he was a personal spiritual being.
Does the General Conference body of believers believe that the foundation of our faith included a correct understanding of who God is?
The general conference tells us that they do not believe that the foundation included a correct understanding of who he is.
“Most of the founders of Seventh-day Adventism would not be able to join the church today if they had to subscribe to the denomination’s Fundamental Beliefs. More specifically, most would not be able to agree to belief number 2, which deals with the doctrine of the trinity.” – Ministry, October 1993, p. 10.
So the founders could not jump on board this ship?
“Adventist beliefs have changed over the years under the impact of ‘present truth.’ Most startling is the teaching regarding Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord… the Trinitarian understanding of God, now part of our fundamental beliefs, was not generally held by the early Adventists. Even today a few do not subscribe to it.” (Adventist Review, Jan. 6, 1994 p.10)
So it is pretty clear that the General Conference in establishing their new doctrine have rejected the inspired counsel that says that our foundation was solidly established and included a correct understanding of who God is and they definitely do not believe that the foundation was established in 1844, 1845, and 1846 and remains the truth in every particular.
Now this article is not meant to be expansive on the topic of the Trinity. But more so on the ship that we are told to stay on.
The ship set adrift without an anchor-Letting go of the Old Landmarks including our understanding of the personality of God and Christ
“Those who seek to remove the old landmarks are not holding fast; they are not remembering how they have received and heard. Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith concerning the sanctuary or concerning the personality of God or of Christ are working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to set the people of God adrift without an anchor.” {YRP 235.3 Ellen White}
So to remove the pillar concerning the personality of God or Christ would be forgetting what we have learned and setting the ship adrift without anchor. So the boat is floating away at this point. How far will it float?
“And when once these deluded souls had departed from the old landmarks of faith, they had let go their anchor, and were tossed about like the waves of the sea.” {ST, March 27, 1884 par. 2 Ellen White}
“We have wandered away from the old landmarks. Let us return. If the Lord be God, serve Him; if Baal, serve him. Which side will you be on?” {5T 137 Ellen White}
Have you wandered away from the landmarks? Do you serve a different God than our pioneers? Are you on a ship being tossed to and fro by the waves of the sea? How long halt ye between two opinions?
“If we are the Lord’s appointed messengers, we shall not spring up with new ideas and theories to contradict the message that God has given through His servants since 1844. At that time many sought the Lord with heart and soul and voice. The men whom God raised up were diligent searchers of the Scriptures. And those who today claim to have light, and who contradict the teaching of God’s ordained messengers, who were working under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, those who get up new theories, which remove the pillars of our faith, are not doing the will of God, but are bringing in fallacies of their own invention, which, if received, will cut the church away from the anchorage of truth, and set them drifting, drifting, to where they will receive any sophistries that may arise.”—Ms 75, 1905 Ellen White
Shipwreck of faith
“I lately read of a noble ship that was plowing its way across the sea, when at midnight, with a terrific crash, it struck upon a rock; the passengers were awakened only to see with horror their hopeless condition, and with the ship they sank to rise no more. The man at the helm had mistaken the beacon light, and hundreds of souls were at a moment’s warning launched into eternity.”{2SM 128.3 Ellen White}
Do we want to stay on that ship?
“You are in danger of failing to hold fast the faith once delivered to the saints, of making shipwreck of your faith.” {CH 519.1 Ellen White}
What is that faith delivered to the saints?
Jude 1:3, 4 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Are you holding fast the faith delivered to the saints? Do you believe that in 1844 the non-trinitarian God of heaven saw it fit to establish the Advent movement on a solid foundation of truth and that this foundation included a correct understanding of who He is? Do you believe? Do you have the faith that was delivered to the saints?
In speaking in regards to J.H. Kellogg and his misunderstanding about who God is this was written:
“Shortly before I sent out the testimonies regarding the efforts of the enemy to undermine the foundation of our faith through the dissemination of seductive theories, I had read an incident about a ship in a fog meeting an iceberg[error]. For several nights I slept but little. I seemed to be bowed down as a cart beneath sheaves. One night a scene was clearly presented before me. A vessel was upon the waters, in a heavy fog. Suddenly the lookout cried, “Iceberg just ahead!” There, towering high above the ship, was a gigantic iceberg. An authoritative voice cried out, “Meet it!” There was not a moment’s hesitation. It was a time for instant action. The engineer put on full steam, and the man at the wheel steered the ship straight into the iceberg. With a crash she struck the ice. There was a fearful shock, and the iceberg broke into many pieces, falling with a noise like thunder to the deck. The passengers were violently shaken by the force of the collisions, but no lives were lost. The vessel was injured, but not beyond repair. She rebounded from the contact, trembling from stem to stern, like a living creature. Then she moved forward on her way.
Well I knew the meaning of this representation. I had my orders. I had heard the words, like a voice from our Captain, “Meet it!” I knew what my duty was, and that there was not a moment to lose. The time for decided action had come. I must without delay obey the command, “Meet it!”.{1SM 205-206 Ellen White}
This vision was in reference to the error that JH Kellogg was bringing into the church regarding who God is. He was seeking to undermine the very primary pillar of our faith. And Ms. White was directed to “MEET it” in regards to the error by a heavenly messenger. This false belief about God was considered the Alpha of deadly heresies. The omega was to follow and has.
“I am instructed to speak plainly. ‘Meet it,’ is the word spoken to me. ‘Meet it firmly, and without delay.’ …In the book Living Temple there is presented the alpha of deadly heresies. The omega will follow, and will be received by those who are not willing to heed the warning God has given.” (Selected Messages, book 1, p. 200 Ellen White)
Regarding Kellogg and his book the Living Temple she wrote:
“You are not definitely clear on the personality of God, which is everything to us as a people. You have virtually destroyed the Lord God Himself.” Letter 300 1903.Ellen White
“Living Temple contains the alpha of these theories. I knew that the omega would follow in a little while; and I trembled for our people. I knew that I must warn our brethren and sisters not to enter into controversy over the presence and personality of God…” (Selected Messages bk.1, p. 203 1904 Ellen White)
Interestingly that iceberg known as the alpha of deadly heresies was a false view about God in that vision. The Omega was to follow in a little while she said.
“… when Living Temple came out, and some of our ministers told me that there was in it nothing but what I had been teaching all my life, I saw how great the danger was. I saw that blindness had fallen upon some who had long known the truth. I pray that the Lord will open the eyes of these ministers, that they may see the differences between light and darkness, and between truth and error.… The foundation of our faith, which was established by so much prayer, such earnest searching of the Scriptures, was being taken down, pillar by pillar. .
The battle nearly killed me. I saw what was coming in, and I saw that our brethren were blind. They did not realize the danger…God in the flower, God in the leaf, God in the tree. But if God be in these things, why not worship them?…. errors that were coming in must be met. I did not design to meet them, but in the visions of the night I saw a large ship far out at sea. Suddenly the man on the lookout cried, “Iceberg ahead!” Without hesitation the command rang out, “Meet it.” The engines were put on at full force, and the vessel crashed into the iceberg. There was a tremendous shock, and the ship quivered from stem to stern; but she rebounded from the shock unhurt, and went safely on her way. After seeing this representation. I knew what work I must do. I knew that I must meet the errors that were coming in among us.” {1SAT 344.-345 Ellen White}
Meet it with the old landmarks
“We cannot afford to be deceived. We must point our people to the old landmarks. We are to obtain strength and courage from on high, that we may obey the command given me, “Meet it.”” {7MR 384.1 Ellen White}
“Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Bates, Father pierce, Elder [Hiram] Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly….[1 SM 207 Ellen White]
Fundamental Truths established by visions
“The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in answer to our urgent prayers. The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy Spirit. Light, precious light from God, established the main points of our faith as we hold them today.” Letter 50, 1906 Ellen White
“When they came to the point in their study where they said, “We can do nothing more,” the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach effectively.”[1 SM 206-207 Ellen White]
The Advent band was not left to wander through the multiplied delusions of the spiritualizers. From the earliest visions
God assured His children of the reality of His being.
“I have often seen the lovely Jesus, that He is a person. I asked Him if His Father was a person and had a form like Himself. Said Jesus, “I am in the express image of My Father’s person.” I have often seen that the spiritual view took away all the glory of heaven […]”” {E.G. White, Early Writings, p. 77}
So the truth about God was clearly defined in 1844 by visions from God himself. They were not left in the dark finally to come to light about God being a trinity. This was established by visions. Is she a true prophet? Were the visions from God? If our pioneers were wrong about the trinity why wouldn’t she be told to “Meet it” on their false views about God? Has the General Conference been in a shipwreck? Do you think that we should stay on it? I believe it has and I believe we are to “Come out from among them”.
Regarding Kellogg and his false view about God she said:
“There will have to be a second conversion in the hearts of some of our leading medical fraternity, and a cutting away from the men who are trying to guide the medical ship into the harbor, else they themselves will never reach the haven of rest. Christ calls, Come out from among them, and be ye separate.” {SpTB07 63.3}
2Corinthians 6:16-18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
He will be a father to us rather than a Trinity to us. Further in this she said in regards to Kellogg’s false view about God:
” I am now giving the message God has given me, to give to all who claim to believe the truth: “Come out from among them, and be ye separate,” else their sin in justifying wrongs and framing deceits will continue to be the ruin of souls. We can not afford to be on the wrong side. We can not afford to cover the truth with scientific problems. We urge that decided changes be made, and no more stumbling-blocks be placed before the feet of the people of God. Let every soul put on the gospel shoes. Let every soul pray and work, placing their feet upon the foundation Christ laid in giving His life for the life of the world. {SpTB07 64.2}
The gospel is this that God is a father who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
God established the truth. How long will truth stay truth?
“Let Pioneers Identify Truth.—When the power of God testifies as to what is truth, that truth is to stand forever as the truth. No after suppositions, contrary to the light God has given are to be entertained. Men will arise with interpretations of Scripture which are to them truth, but which are not truth. The truth for this time, God has given us as a foundation for our faith. He Himself has taught us what is truth. One will arise, and still another, with new light which contradicts the light that God has given under the demonstration of His Holy Spirit.
A few are still alive who passed through the experience gained in the establishment of this truth. God has graciously spared their lives to repeat and repeat till the close of their lives, the experience through which they passed even as did John the apostle till the very close of his life. And the standard-bearers who have fallen in death, are to speak through the reprinting of their writings. I am instructed that thus their voices are to be heard. They are to bear their testimony as to what constitutes the truth for this time.
We are not to receive the words of those who come with a message that contradicts the special points of our faith. They gather together a mass of Scripture, and pile it as proof around their asserted theories. This has been done over and over again during the past fifty years. And while the Scriptures are God’s word, and are to be respected, the application of them, if such application moves one pillar from the foundation that God has sustained these fifty years, is a great mistake. He who makes such an application knows not the wonderful demonstration of the Holy Spirit that gave power and force to the past messages that have come to the people of God.”—Preach the Word, p. 5. Ellen White
“What influence is it would lead men at this stage of our history to work in an underhand, powerful way to tear down the foundation of our faith—the foundation that was laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation? Upon this foundation we have been building for the past fifty years. Do you wonder that when I see the beginning of a work that would remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have something to say? I must obey the command, “Meet it!” . . . “ {1SM 207.3 Ellen White}
Do you account the pioneers beliefs error?
“The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in answer to our urgent prayers..” Letter 50, 1906 Ellen White
The structure of truth the real ship
“The truth is the same as it ever has been, and not a pin or a pillar can be moved from the structure of truth. That which was sought for out of the Word in 1844, 1845, and 1846 remains the truth in every particular.” Letter 38, 1906 Ellen White
“The truths that have been substantiated by the manifest working of God are to stand fast. Let no one presume to move a pin or a foundation stone from the structure. Those who attempt to undermine the pillars of our faith are among those of whom the Bible says that “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Letter 87, 1905 Ellen White
Knowing that the General Conference has left these waymarks can we assume that this ship is not being guided by God?
“Some of those who are newly come to the faith claim to have special light from God in regard to these messages; but their new light leads them to set aside the established truths that are the pillars of our faith. They misinterpret and misapply the Scriptures. They misplace the messages of Revelation 14, and set aside the work which these messages have accomplished. Thus they reject the great waymarks which God Himself has established. Since their new light leads them to tear down the structure which the Lord has built up, we may know that He is not guiding them.” {1888 804 Ellen White}
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
Do you know Him singular? Is your God an individual, or is it a trinity? Who is guiding your ship the Father who is a personal being or [the impersonal trinity]?
Is there a people still standing on the platform of truth? Who still hold to the fundamental principles and pillars of our faith?
“I know from the light that God has given me that there should be a revival of the messages that have been given in the past, because men will seek to bring in new theories, and will try to prove that these theories are scriptural, whereas they are error, which, if allowed a place, will undermine faith in the truth. We are not to accept these suppositions and pass them along as truth. No, no; we must not move from the platform of truth on which we have been established.” {UL 199 Ellen White}
“The Lord has declared that the history of the past shall be rehearsed as we enter upon the closing work. Every truth that He has given for these last days is to be proclaimed to the world. Every pillar that He has established is to be strengthened. We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. . . .There is need now to rehearse the experience of the men who acted a part in the establishment of our work at the beginning.” Ms 129, 1905 Ellen White
“Not one pin is to be removed from that which the Lord has established. The enemy will bring in false theories… there will be a departing from the faith. Where shall we find safety unless it be in the truths that the Lord has been giving for the last fifty years?” {Ellen WhiteRH, May 25, 1905 par. 28}
“In a vision of the night I was shown distinctly that these sentiments have been looked upon by some as the grand truths that are to be brought in and made prominent at the present time. I was shown a platform, braced by solid timbers—the truths of the Word of God… This foundation was built by the Master Worker, and will stand storm and tempest. Will they permit this man to present doctrines that deny the past experience of the people of God? The time has come to take decided action.
” The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.” {Ellen White 1SM 204-205}
The doctrines were changed, this the religion has been changed, and God is removed. They have left the faith delivered to the saints.
“Romanists have persisted in bringing against Protestants the charge of heresy and willful separation from the true church. But these accusations apply rather to themselves. They are the ones who laid down the banner of Christ and departed from “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3. {Ellen White GC 51}
They left the faith delivered to the saints. They left the true church. They are on a ship drifting without an anchor.
The General Conference is NOT the Church
