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INTRODUCTION
TWO KINDS OF UNITY
TRUE UNITY – OUR GREAT NEED TODAY
WE MUST BE UNIFORM IN SUBJECTS OF MAJOR
DOCTRINES
DIFFERENCES MAY EXIST IN SUBJECTS OF MINOR
IMPORTANCE
NON-ESSENTIAL AND UNIMPORTANT SUBJECTS
OF HARLOTS, FOOLS—AND THE FATHER OF
LIES
THE WORLD AND THE COUNTERFEIT REFORMATIONS IN FALSE UNITY
HOLINESS
THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST
A SOLEMN COVENANT
GOD’S HOLY LAW AND HIS CALL FOR UNITY
GOD’S COMMAND AND CALL
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THE
WORLD AND THE COUNTERFEIT REFORMATIONS IN FALSE UNITY
1. They will form new parties.
“Confederacies will increase in number and power as we draw
nearer to the end of time. These confederacies will create opposing
influences to the truth, forming new parties of professed believers
who will act out their own delusive theories. The apostasy will
increase. "Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed
to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1).
Men and women have confederated to oppose the Lord God of heaven,
and the church is only half awake to the situation. There needs
to be much more of prayer, much more of earnest effort, among
professed believers.”
Selected Messages, book 2, p 383
2. They will waive the discussion of important doctrinal
subjects.
“The wide diversity of belief in the Protestant churches
is regarded by many as decisive proof that no effort to secure
a forced uniformity can ever be made. But there has been for years,
in churches of the Protestant faith, a strong and growing sentiment
in favor of a union based upon common points of doctrine. To secure
such a union, the discussion of subjects upon which all were not
agreed--however important they might be from a Bible standpoint--must
necessarily be waived.”
Great Controversy, p 444
3. They will unite in Temperance and Sunday movement.
“This claim is especially urged in America, where the doctrine
of the true Sabbath has been most widely preached. Here the temperance
work, one of the most prominent and important of moral reforms,
is often combined with the Sunday movement, and the advocates
of the latter represent themselves as laboring to promote the
highest interest of society; and those who refuse to unite with
them are denounced as the enemies of temperance and reform. But
the fact that a movement to establish error is connected with
a work which is in itself good, is not an argument in favor of
the error. We may disguise poison by mingling it with wholesome
food, but we do not change its nature. On the contrary, it is
rendered more dangerous, as it is more likely to be taken unawares.
It is one of Satan's devices to combine with falsehood just enough
truth to give it plausibility. The leaders of the Sunday movement
may advocate reforms which the people need, principles which are
in harmony with the Bible; yet while there is with these a requirement
which is contrary to God's law, His servants cannot unite with
them. Nothing can justify them in setting aside the commandments
of God for the precepts of men.”
Great Controversy, p 587
Please note that although the whole world is involved in this
corrupted unity; yet there is no doubt, that it is the Seventh-day
Adventist Church under the banner of the General Conference Corporation
of America who is the leading advocate of the temperance work.
“Of all who claim to be numbered among the friends of temperance,
Seventh-day Adventists should stand in the front ranks.”
Gospel Workers, p 384
These also include all the so-called health reformers, fanatics,
time-setters. Those who love excitement; who have false message,
; who suppress some or part of the message; who pervert the message,
; who use worldly policy; who pattern their organization after
the Babylonian or hierarchical churches; who have no Gospel Order;
who have no Church Discipline; who are independent atoms; who
claim God's prerogative as the director of God’s work or
their ministry; who profess to keep the Sabbath and teach the
truth but will not receive the seal of God.
In addition, please visit the website www.lightministries.com
of “Let There Be Light Ministries” by Robert
Sessler as the director, and you will find that it links
to “Other Web Sites” which he highly recommend
visiting. Please pay close attention to his note as follows:
“Please note: We have personally visited the following Web
sites, and have found them excellent. While we may not
agree completely with every view presented, we have found
abundant truth to warrant our recommending them to you. We also
highly urge that when visiting Web sites, that you do not just
accept what view is presented as being Gospel truth without testing
and proving it by the Word of God in doing your own study.”
There it listed the different websites who are linked to different
ministries or counterfeit-reformations—such as Steps
to Life of John Grosboll, Healthful Living of
James Kirtley, to name a few. Truly, these professed
teachers of truth have broken the principle of Amos 3:3.
And how does God regard this kind of link?
“One defective link will make a chain worthless.”
Testimonies, vol. 8, p 158
“The question may be asked, Are we to have no union whatever
with the world? The word of the Lord is to be our guide. Any connection
with infidels and unbelievers that would identify us with them,
is forbidden by the Word. We are to come out from among them,
and be separate. In no case are we to link ourselves with them
in their plans of work.”
Gospel Workers p 394
“We may disguise poison by mingling it with wholesome
food, but we do not change its nature. On the contrary, it is
rendered more dangerous, as it is more likely to be taken unawares.
It is one of Satan's devices to combine with falsehood just enough
truth to give it plausibility.”
Great Controversy, p 587
“A man may swallow poison, thinking it is food, but his
sincerity will not save him from the dose.”
RH, March 8, 1881
4. They will oppose the authority of God.
“Satan tempted man to sin, as he had caused angels to rebel,
that he might thus secure co-operation in his warfare against
Heaven. There was no dissension between himself and the fallen
angels as regards their hatred of Christ; while on all other points
there was discord, they were firmly united in opposing the authority
of the Ruler of the universe.”
Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, p 325
“In the days of Christ the Scribes and Pharisees searched
the Old Testament Scriptures. But they interpreted what they read
to sustain their tradition. They taught for doctrine the commandments
of men. They failed to see the central truth of the living oracles;
and in missing this, they missed everything. When Christ came,
they refused to receive Him, because He was different from their
idea of what the Messiah should be. Divided on most points, they
were united on one point—opposition to Christ.”
Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, p 155
What kind of feelings the following cherished?
“Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and the two hundred and fifty
princes who had joined them, first became jealous, then envious,
and next rebellious.”
Testimonies, vol. 3, p 346
5. They will have a common interest.
“The willing subjects of Satan are faithful, active, and
united in one object. And although they hate and war with one
another, yet they improve every opportunity to advance their common
interest.”
Testimonies, vol. 1, p 346
“The subjects of Satan, although they hate and war with
one another, are active and united in the one object of destroying
souls. They are vigilant in improving every opportunity to advance
their common interest, and war against the kingdom of Christ.
But He who is the great Commander in Heaven and on earth, has
limited their power.
ST, November 18, 1886 par. 4
CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE UNITY
a. Deceptive harmony
“With the ungodly there will be a deceptive harmony that
but partially conceals a perpetual discord. In their opposition
to the will and the truth of God they are united, while on every
other point they are rent with hatred, emulation, jealousy, and
deadly strife.”
Testimonies, vol. 5, p 101
b. Corrupt harmony
“Church and the World in Corrupt Harmony.--The Word of God
plainly declares that His law is to be scorned, trampled upon,
by the world; there will be an extraordinary prevalence of iniquity.
The professed Protestant world will form a confederacy with the
man of sin, and the church and the world will be in corrupt harmony.”
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p 975
c. Dragonic bond
“Union Through a Dragonic Bond.--A spirit of hatred and
opposition to the Hebrews formed the bond of union, and created
the mutual sympathy among different bodies of men, who otherwise
might have warred against each other. This will illustrate what
we frequently witness in our day in the existing union of men
of different denominations to oppose the present truth, whose
only bond seems to be that which is dragonic in its nature, manifesting
hatred and bitterness against the remnant who keep the commandments
of God. "Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and
set a watch against them day and night, because of them."
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p 1137
d. Confederacy of Satan’s forces.
“(Quoted Rev. 17:13, 14). "These have one mind."
There will be a universal bond of union, one great harmony, a
confederacy of Satan's forces. "And shall give their power
and strength unto the beast." Thus is manifested the same
arbitrary, oppressive power against religious liberty, freedom
to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, as was
manifested by the papacy, when in the past it persecuted those
who dared to refuse to conform with the religious rites and ceremonies
of Romanists.
“In the warfare to be waged in the last days there will
be united, in opposition to God's people, all the corrupt powers
that have apostatized from allegiance to the law of Jehovah. In
this warfare the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will be the
great point at issue, for in the Sabbath commandment the great
Lawgiver identifies Himself as the Creator of the heavens and
the earth…”
Selected Messages, book 3, p 392
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