The Remnant Online Newsletter
June 2012
"The Shaking" Has Begun
"Gold Tried in the Fire"
by Richard Myers
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is foretold of in Bible prophecy. In the Book of Revelation, it is the last of the seven churches, the church of Laodicea. Some may wonder if it is good or bad to be the Laodicean Church. It is both - good and bad. Bad, because we have brought great reproach upon Christ and His Word. Good, because Laodicea is the last church and it will repent of its evil deeds and accomplish the work entrusted to it. I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.....Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Ezekiel 36:23,25. The glory of God will be seen in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We will be His witnesses on this earth.
How is it that this transformation will take place? When will it begin?
I was shown the people of God, and saw them mightily shaken. Some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, were pleading with God.
Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless. They were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them in like a thick cloud. The angels of God left these, and I saw them hastening to the assistance of those who were struggling with all their energies to resist the evil angels, and trying to help themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. But the angels left those who made no effort to help themselves, and I lost sight of them. As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, a ray of light from Jesus would at times come to them, to encourage their hearts, and light up their countenances.
I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God's people. The testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all that truly receive it will obey it and be purified. [1]
Many today disregard this message. Some hate it and have devised a false theology in their attempt to obscure this message that will "work deep repentance" and purification of the church. Who is this True Witness to the Laodiceans and what is His counsel? What is this "straight testimony"? And why will some "rise up against it"?
The straight testimony is that God's church, as a people, are in a lost condition and do not know it. As a people, we believe we are "rich and increased with goods." Jesus, the True Witness to the Laodiceans says Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Now, will you rise up against this? Will you want to kill the messenger, or just demean him? There is more straight testimony, but if this cannot be swallowed, then what good would it do to share more? It is all recorded in the "little red books" that have been despised by so many in North America and Europe where many are rich and increased with goods and know better than the "little old lady" who lived almost two centuries ago. Unlike these, there are many who do appreciate the truth and know that she was more than a prophet. How many have read all she wrote? Sadly, very few. It is not just Ellen White that is despised, but the One who inspired what she wrote. This is the straight testimony that is causing a shaking in the church.
The call for revival and reformation has gone forth from the highest authority in the church. There is a response. Rebellion has taken hold of some and they are standing in defiance of the authority of the world church. When there is a need for reformation, it means something is not right. The truth is, much is not right. Counsel after counsel has been ignored or rejected. Bible truth is ignored or rejected. The world has come into the church and many will not have Jesus rule over them.
The church today has its "Korah, Dathan, and Abiram" with their 203 princes. They see the World Church as responsible for the division in the church and deny any Biblical basis for headship in the church. [2] The shaking has begun. How will it end?
Soon I heard a voice that sounded like many musical instruments, all in perfect strains, sweet and harmonious. It surpassed any music I had ever heard. It seemed to be so full of mercy, compassion, and elevating, holy joy. It thrilled through my whole being. Said the angel: "Look ye!" My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying with agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, firmly, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude, and holy, sacred joy. The numbers of this company had lessened. Some had been shaken out, and left by the way. [See Revelation 3:15-17.] The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, but their numbers were immediately made up by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks. [3]
The message to the Laodiceans, is more than a strong rebuke, it is a message full of hope from Christ Himself. "All that truly receive it will obey and be purified." Such a promise!! It is for us, today! We have heard the rebuke, but there is more. Jesus tells us how it is that we may escape the corruption that we possess. Like the message to Nicodemus in the garden, Jesus does not just reprove us, He encourages us to be changed, to be born of His Spirit, and He tells us what we must do to be changed into His likeness and be saved.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. Rev 3:18-21.
Jesus loves us! He loves you! We may have the power to overcome our flesh, to overcome sin, by the grace of God.
The answer to our lostness is found in the words of the True Witness. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich." What is this gold tried in the fire that will make us rich? And what is the "white raiment" and the "eyesalve"? Today, we will look at the gold tried in the fire. Gold is a precious metal. It is a representation of Jesus in Scripture. The purity of His character is seen in gold that has been tried in fire, that has been purified of all impurities. This He offers to us, as a free gift. He has already paid a very high price to purchase it for us. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." Hebrews 5:8,9.
The Laodicean Message was heard in the early church. But, in 1888 the "gold tried in the fire" offered to us by the True Witness was manifest in unmistakable terms. The gold is faith. But, you may say, "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Romans 12:3. Yes, but "gold tried in the fire" is not just a measure of faith. No, it is faith that works unto salvation. It is "saving faith." How does one get this faith that works? Jesus told Nicodemus how to get it. He did not leave Nicodemus without instruction on how to be "born again." He told the leader in Israel "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14,15. What has this to do with gold tried in the fire? The answer to our lost condition is the very same answer that Christ gave to Nicodemus. We must drink His blood and eat His flesh (John 6:53). Unless we have Christ, we do not have life (Romans 8:9). We must feed upon Jesus, upon His Word. By beholding the uplifted Brazen Serpent, those bitten by the fiery snakes would live. So, today, all who will behold Jesus will be saved. By beholding His glory, which is His character, we shall be recreated in His image (2 Cor. 3:18). It is a spiritual and an intellectual truth that by beholding we become changed.
The True Witness to the Laodiceans offers us gold tried in the fire. This gold that has been purified is the character of our Lord. If we will accept the offer He has made to come into our hearts, He will give us His character. He will both impart it and impute it to all who will love Him supremely. This gold which has been purifed through suffering is ours for the taking. Jesus says to buy it. With what shall we buy it? We are to give in exchange for His character, our sin polluted hearts, our selfishness, our evil desires. The gold tried in the fire is faith, saving faith, that works by love. Love begets love. "We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14. It is by beholding His love that we are enabled to work the works of righteousness. Gold tried in the fire, is faith that works by love, His love for us while we were yet sinners. The Righteousness of Christ is everything to us. It is His grace that transforms our very nature as we partake of His divine nature.
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Continued Part 1 of a 3 part series.
[1] Counsels for the Church; EG White, pg. 338
[2] Jan Paulsen suggests the World Church is responsible for the division in the church while denying there is a Biblical principle involved in headship in the church.
April 17, 2012 Jan Paulsen Spring Meeting devotional
It is appropriate that we should remind ourselves that while uniformity is no biblical requirement, unity is!
You have heard me speak often in the past on the value of unity. Well, I am not done yet, for we must answer to God on how we handle this. --
Our unity as a global family is these days being tested with respect to the role of women in ministry and leadership in our church. Some insist that those who advocate the ordination of women in our church will split the church. Maybe. The other side answers that those who deny women ordination will be the ones who split this church. Maybe. If the church cannot find a way forward in this matter without compromising the unity God wants us to hold and preserve, we shall all have to answer for how we contributed or failed to contribute to overcome our impasse, and I suspect that those who said “No” will be held as responsible in the eyes of God as those who said “Yes”.....
If there were clear inspired mandates, in the Scriptures or in the Writings of Ellen White, giving us directions in this matter, we would not be having this discussion as a global church. We have in the past concluded, through the work of several commissions and reported back to this council, that we find no such mandate on which there is broad agreement. If that is the case, then it all comes down to a matter of time and place. - Adventist News Network.
October 31, 2011 vote from NAD
According to the General Conference’s Office of General Counsel, the vote numbered 162 in favor of the affirmation and 61 against it.
Prior to the discussion of this policy, Dan Jackson, president of the North American Division, led the congregation through the hymn “Have Thine Own Way Lord” and asked for the Holy Sprit’s leading in the discussion. Also, attendees separated in small groups (about three times) to pray about the proceedings. “My desire is that at the end of this discussion everyone present says in their own mind ‘I was in the presence of the Spirit of God,’” said Jackson. - Adventist News Network.
Mid November 2011 vote from TED
This week's vote affirms unions in TED to manage the parity between male and female pastors within the framework of the division's existing guidelines for ordained and commissioned pastors, voted in 2009. Additionally, any decisions made by union officials must be in consultation with TED.
"What works best for the TED at this time is to let all know where we stand and what we want regarding women in leadership, while doing all we can to promote women as pastors and leaders in our church within the working policy," said TED President Bertil Wiklander. The vote took place at the division's year-end business meetings, held in Montenegro. Division officials passed the motion by 91 percent via secret ballot. There were 45 voting delegates. - Adventist News Network.
[3] Counsels for the Church; EG White, pg. 339
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