We return now to our Lords words "unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans". He rightly assumes that we should have learned the lessons of history and that we are ready in our generation for the closing lesson preparatory to the end of history:
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness … I know thy works … Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art [the one] wretched, and miserable. and poor, and blind, and naked: (Rev. 3:14-17)
Not yet do we know our own "works" or history. Our history actually, as discerned by the heavenly universe, discloses our true plight as preeminently "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" of all the seven churches. (Note the use of the Greek article ho, "the one").
What is our true history? Unpleasant as the revelation may be, truth requires that it be faced honestly. Most earnest and persistent attempts have been made to identify the "they" of the following quotations as a small minority. Regrettably, the full context of Ellen G. White’s writing on the subject identifies them as the bulk of the responsible leadership of the church -"the angel of the church of the Laodiceans":
All the universe of heaven witnessed the disgraceful treatment of Jesus Christ, represented by the Holy Spirit. Had Christ been before them, they would have treated Him in a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Christ. (Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 6, p. 20. The context speaks of 1888; emphasis added).
We read such a statement with horror. Can it be true? How did this terrible thing happen? "This just can’t be true - someone’s mistaken somewhere." This is our usual attitude toward this and similar statements. "Someone find another inspired statement that cancels this one out," we plead. It is as difficult for us to face this fact as it was for Adam and Eve to face their true guilt in the Garden! But nonetheless, though we may hesitate to recognize the fact, "all the universe of heaven witnessed the disgraceful" scene.
What do the books of heaven say about this sin? According to 5BC 1085, they "record the sins that would have been committed had there been opportunity". What would our brethren have done "had Christ been before them" in 1888? The word is clear: "They would have treated Him in a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Christ." Since the books of heaven "record the sins that would have been committed had there been opportunity", it is clear that they show that the brethren mentioned above did indeed treat Christ in a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Him. In other words, in plain English, they "pierced Him", to borrow Zechariah’s phrase!
We have tried ever so earnestly to believe that the pronoun "they" refers only to "some", a few, who treated Jesus Christ so disgracefully. One recent, highly respected denominational history describes them as "less than a score", "not even a fourth of the total number of participants". And of those "few", "most of those who first took issue made confessions within the decade following 1888, and largely within the first five years, and thenceforth ceased their opposition". (See Movement of Destiny, pp. 367, 368, emphasis original).
So Ellen White allowed herself to get all upset over the attitude and actions of a tiny minority of ministers, less than ten, to be exact. And she continued to fulminate against this tiny enclave of ministers for a decade, declaring that they had power to withhold from the church and the world the glorious blessings of the Latter Rain and the Loud Cry even though the vast majority of responsible leaders wholeheartedly and enthusiastically accepted the message!
Not one statement from Ellen White’s pen exists in which she declares that the "some" among the responsible leadership who truly accepted the message were many or a majority. Without exception, her use of the word "some" in reference to those who accepted means "few". And above and beyond all debate on the issue looms the overwhelming fact that whatever reaction toward the 1888 message occurred, good or ill, the finishing of the work and the coming of the Lord were long delayed thereby.
Let us look briefly at some of the statements from Ellen G. White’s pen which throw light on her reference to the "some":
In Minneapolis God gave precious gems of truth to His people in new settings. This light from heaven by some was rejected with all the stubbornness the Jews manifested in rejecting Christ. (MS 13, 1889; CWE 30).
Now I was saying what was the use of our assembling here together [at Minneapolis, 18881 and for our ministering brethren to come in if they are here only to shut out the Spirit of God from the people? … I have been talking and pleading with you, but it does not seem to make any difference with you … (MS 9, 1888).
It is not wise for one of these young men [Jones and Waggoner] to commit himself to a decision at this meeting where opposition rather than investigation is the order of the day. (MS 15, 1888)
If the ministers will not receive the light I want to give the people a chance; perhaps they may receive it. (MS 9,1888).
The really critical issue is, Are the words of our Lord in His Laodicean message present truth today? Or did the so-called "glorious" acceptance of the 1888 message by the responsible leadership of the church render this passe? Was the above statement a single out-of-character outburst of Ellen White, something that her calmer nature later repudiated? We look again. She talks about it times almost without number (all emphasis added):
Every time the same spirit [of opposition at Minneapolis] awakens in the soul, the deeds done on that occasion are endorsed, and the doers of them are made responsible to God … The same spirit that actuated the rejectors of Christ rankles in their hearts, and had they lived in the days of Christ, they would have acted toward Him in a manner similar to that of the godless and unbelieving Jews.(Special Testimonies to the Review and Herald Office, pp. 16, 17).
If you reject Christ’s delegated messengers, you reject Christ. (TM 96, 97. 1896).
Men professing godliness have despised Christ in the person of His messengers. Like the Jews. they reject Gods message. (FCE 472; 1897).
Christ has registered all the hard. proud, sneering speeches spoken against His servants as against Himself. (R&H. May 27, 1890).
Men among us can become just as were the Pharisees—wide-awake to condemn the greatest teacher that the world ever knew. (TM 294; 1896).
How do we know that this sin was an unconscious one? The brethren involved thought that they were reacting against an over-emphasized and erroneous message. They thought they were rejecting some fanatical, imperfect or even dangerous messengers. They thought they were "standing by the old landmarks", nobly defending the pillars of the three angels’ messages. They were proud of their orthodoxy. Note how their true motivations were veiled from their knowledge:
In Minneapolis God gave precious gems of truth to His people in new settings. This light from heaven by some was rejected with all the stubbornness the Jews manifested in rejecting Christ. and there was much talk about standing by the old landmarks. But there was evidence they knew not what the old landmarks were. There was evidence and there was reasoning from the word that commended itself to the conscience; but the minds of men were fixed, sealed against the entrance of light, because they had decided it was a dangerous error removing the "old landmarks" when it was not removing a peg of the old landmarks, but they had perverted ideas of what constituted the old landmarks. (MS 13. 1889, CWE 30; emphasis added).
There is very good reason why Ellen White so often compared this reaction against the 1888 message to the hatred of the Jews for Christ. The Jews were unconscious of their true motives; and our brethren were the same. Both the Jewish leaders and our brethren did not know that they were condemning "the greatest Teacher that the world ever knew". The unconscious nature of their sin is further disclosed as follows:
I can never forget the experience which we had in Minneapolis, or the things which were then revealed to me in regard to the spirit that controlled men, the words spoken, the actions done in obedience to the powers of evil … They were moved at the meeting by another spirit, and they knew not that God had sent these young men to bear a special message to them which they treated with ridicule and contempt, not realizing that the heavenly intelligences were looking upon them. I know that at that time the Spirit of God was insulted. (MS 24, 1892).
Is that sin still unrealized by us? Look at all the authoritative books published about our history during the past eight decades. Is there one that makes clear the full truth about 1888 and the beginning of the latter rain and the loud cry?
The following seems prophetic:
The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God. (3T 253).
What we do find in our histories is much boasting of the marvelous "enrichment" that came to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the 1888 message. We are "rich and increased with goods" is the general theme. Millions of our people around the world are ignorant of the sober fact that the Lord faithfully did His part and gave the "beginning" of the latter rain and the loud cry almost a century ago, but that the heavenly gift was rejected. The truth is as follows:
Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people in a great measure. the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them.. The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own [leading] brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world. (1 SM 234, 235).
There is need for a final atonement or reconciliation with Christ in consequence of the "disgraceful treatment" accorded Him at one of our General Conference Sessions! This is one reason for it.
Indeed, the truth as found in the messages of Ellen G. White is "a startling denunciation" (3T 253), one that we could wish could be covered up forever or somehow successfully denied.
But the actual words of Christ in the Laodicean message pinpoint our self-imposed deception as basically historical in nature. The Greek expression is a very unusual one in that it repeats the same word "rich" in the clause, but in a different tense and voice. It puts in our lips the expression of a proud boast, "I am rich (in understanding righteousness by faith) because I have in my history been blessed by the acceptance of a great enrichment" (plousios eimi, kai peplouteka). Neither the King James translators or others were able to sense the full import of what they were seeking to translate from the Greek of the words of Jesus. Hence the King James translators tried to avoid what they thought was a meaningless repetition by a euphemism, "I am rich and increased with goods". This is understandable, for they lived too early. Consider the literal Greek of Revelation 3:17: "Thou sayest, Rich I am, and I have been enriched".
For decades we have shown a general feeling of satisfaction that we have been enriched by "glorious victory" in our 1888 history. Most of our ministers have been as sure that they understand and preach genuine righteousness by faith as that they understand and preach the Sabbath truth. Note how these various authors of our histories unwittingly confirm our Lord’s charge, some even using the exact words that He has put into our lips:
Higher achievement [1888] … resulted in a spiritual awakening among our people. (M.E. Kern, R&H, Aug. 3, 1950, p. 294).
A notable landmark in Seventh-day Adventist history … crossing a continental divide into a new country … a glorious victory … a great spiritual awakening among Adventists. … The dawn of a glorious day for the Adventist church. … The blessed consequences of a great awakening … are with us yet. … This blessed period of revival beginning in 1888 … was rich in both holiness and mission fruitage. (L.H. Christian, Fruitage of Spiritual Gifts, pp. 219-245 — note the word "rich".)
An inspiring message which rescued the church from the danger of legalism, and opened minds to the sublime reaches of the gospel. The last decade of the century saw the church developing, through this gospel, into a company prepared to fulfill the mission of God … The church … was aroused by the revived message of justification by faith. (A.W. Spalding, Captains of the Host, p. 602).
In many cases, churches that have begun with a profound evangelical emphasis have lost somewhat of their glow with the passing years. … Seventh-day Adventism presents an interesting variation from the usual trend among religious bodies. … Adventist history shows a growing emphasis upon evangelical truths. … A religious denomination becoming more evangelical with the passing years is a unique phenomenon. (N.F. Pease, By Faith Alone, p. 227).
Foremost among such persons are those of a critical turn of mind who see only the failures of the church, but who are blind to its achievements. While we regret our neglect of the great truths of the gospel, we thank God for the noble men and women who have emphasized these truths through the years. We also salute the unnumbered army of church members who know Christ as a personal Saviour. and who have been truly justified by faith alone. We are grateful for the crescendo of emphasis on justification by faith during the past forty years; and while we have not done all we should or might have done, we are unwise to ignore the progress that has been made. (Ibid.. p. 238).
During my fifty-five years in the Seventh-day Adventist ministry I have come in contact with our workers and members all around the world. I have associated with our ministers in nearly every land where our work is established … I have never heard a worker or a lay member — in America, Europe or anywhere else — express opposition to the message of righteousness by faith. (A.V. Olson, Through Crisis to Victory, 1888-1901, p. 232; Thirteen Years of Crisis (1982). p. 238).
It is correct to say that the message [of righteousness by faith] has been declared, both from the pulpit and through the press, and by the lives of thousands upon thousands of Gods dedicated people who have learned the result of spiritual life in Christ. Anyone who takes the time to examine Seventh-day Adventist books, papers, pamphlets, and tracts will discover that this glorious truth has been printed time and time again.. The various phases of salvation through faith in Christ have been taught with power and clarity over the radio for a number of years and more recently on television. This subject has been made prominent in different courses of Bible correspondence lessons. Adventist pastors and evangelists have announced this vital truth from church pulpits and and public platforms, with hearts aflame with love for Christ. (Ibid., pp. 233- 237; new edition, pp. 239-243).
This chapter can only touch the tremendous emphasis on justification by faith at the General Conference of 1926. It is my firm opinion that it would be well to give less emphasis to 1888 and more emphasis to 1926. … Some have suggested that the denomination should go on record in some specific way, acknowledging the mistakes of 1888. No more positive evidence of spiritual growth and maturity could be presented than the sermons of 1926. (N.F. Pease, The Faith That Saves, p. 59).
"Thou sayest, Rich I am, and I have been enriched!" 1888 was the beginning of a great enrichment, a glorious victory, "spiritual … maturity". We are unique. We are getting better and better.
These historians were all earnest, dedicated, faithful men. They sincerely tried to reflect a common pride and satisfaction in the tremendous "progress" of the church. But not one has been able to recognize the import of the Laodicean message, that it is precisely in our assumed "enrichment" through acceptance of righteousness by faith that we are self-deceived. Not one recognizes the need for a reconciliation with Christ through a final atonement in consequence of the disgraceful treatment accorded Him at one of our General Conference Sessions. They all seek to find better words to describe our present spiritual state than the inspired one, "deplorable".
Not one has discerned that in 1926 and currently our boasted "spiritual growth and maturity" in understanding and proclaiming "righteousness by faith" was not in the acceptance of the 1888 message, but in accepting the popular Protestant, Evangelical, or Calvinist message of justification and righteousness by faith. They have mistakenly assumed that this "unique phenomenon" of the Seventh-day Adventist church becoming more "evangelical" was through acceptance of the message that was to have been the beginning of the Latter Rain and the Loud Cry. Instead, we have unwittingly gotten away from that message that the Lord gave us, and have adopted views almost identical to those who reject the three angels’ messages. And we are pleased with this "profound evangelical emphasis", sadly unaware that it is not the true "everlasting gospel".
This is the true remnant church, and its future is indeed bright. The work will triumph. And the Lord has blessed. And He will bless. But the point is that His version of the significance of our denominational history is much safer for us to follow than that opposed to it. The Laodicean message is still "present truth". The Lord says we are in reality "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked’. The great victory of the Church is still future and lies on the other side of accepting the divinely recommended remedy for our present condition—repentance. There is something that we can do and that is to do exactly what our Lord says:
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. (Rev. 3:18, 19).
Of all our official histories, the most pronounced — yet still unconscious — denial of our Lords message was published in 1966. Utterly sincere and most earnest and devoted, the author was desirous of defending the "angel of the church of the Laodiceans." After his death, his publishers entitled his book Through Crisis to Victory, 1888-1901. Thus they clearly advanced the novel thesis that the 1901 General Conference Session undid the 1888 opposition to the message of Christ’s righteousness with all its attendant organizational evils, and ushered in "victory".
This prestigious work has made a profound impression on the world church. Any Ellen G. White statements that contradict the basic thesis of the book are naturally assumed to be suspect. “What they say in plain English cannot be true if this authoritative book says the opposite. Some mysterious context must cancel out the import of any statements that say that the 1901 Session was not ‘victory.’” So readers are understandably inclined to assume. (It is significant that the book has been republished officially in 1981 under a new title, but with its “rich and increased with goods” thesis still intact, assuming that the 1901 Conference ended the “crisis” years in virtual “victory”.)
Nevertheless, the clear facts indicate that the results of the 1901 Session did not undo the tragic unbelief manifested at the 1888 Session. A number of Ellen G. White statements are consistent and emphatic:
What a wonderful work could have been done for the vast company gathered in Battle Creek at the General Conference [of 1901], if the leaders of our work had taken themselves in hand. But the work that all heaven was waiting to do as soon as men prepared the way, was not done; for the leaders closed and bolted the door against the Spirit’ s entrance. There was a stopping short of entire surrender to God. And hearts that might have been purified from all error were strengthened in wrong doing The doors were barred against the heavenly current that would have swept away all evil. Men left their sins unconfessed. (Letter to Dr. J.H. Kellogg, Aug. 5, 1902).
The result of the last General Conference has been the greatest, the most terrible sorrow of my life. No change was made. The spirit that should have been brought into the whole work as the result of that meeting was not brought in because men did not receive the testimonies of the Spirit of God. As they went to their several fields of labor, they did not walk in the light that the Lord had flashed upon their pathway, but carried into their work the wrong principles that had been prevailing in the work at Battle Creek. … It is a perilous thing to reject the light that God sends. (Letter to Judge Jesse Arthur, Jan. 15, 1903).
If the men who heard the message given at the time of the Conference — the most solemn message that could be given — had not been so unimpressionable, if in sincerity they had asked, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" the experience of the past year would have been very different from what it is. But they have not made the track clean behind them. They have not confessed their mistakes, and now they are going over the same ground in many things, following the same wrong course of action, because they have destroyed their spiritual eyesight. …
If the work begun at the General Conference had been carried forward to perfection, I should not be called upon to write these words. There was opportunity to confess or deny wrong, and in many cases the denial came, to avoid the consequence of confession.
Unless there is a reformation, calamity will overtake the publishing house, and the world will know the reason. I have been shown that there has not been a turning to God with full purpose of heart. … God has been mocked by your hardness of heart, which is continually increasing. (Testimonies, Vol. 7, pp. 93-96. "read to the Review and Herald Board in November, 1901". The next testimony beginning on page 97 is entitled, "The Review and Herald Fire").
As regards the 1888 message of Christ’s righteousness, it must be hailed as "victory" even though the "works" that followed the assumed "faith" led to the divine rebuke in the disastrous tires that destroyed our Sanitarium and publishing house in Battle Creek, clearly a rebuke from the Lord.
In the 1901 meeting the committee members elected at that time were, as far as we can discover, men who fully believed in this doctrine [of righteousness by faith], though some may not have entered fully into the personal experience of surrender and faith. … I have attended Adventist camp meetings, annual meetings, conference and mission sessions, workers’ meetings, and other gatherings, and I can truthfully say that in all this association with church workers and people of different races, nations and tongues during my fifty-five years in the Seventh-day Adventist ministry, I have never heard a worker or a lay member- in America, Europe, or anywhere else — express opposition to the message of righteousness by faith. Neither have I known of any such opposition having been expressed by Seventh-day Adventist publications. (A.V. Olson, Through Crisis to Victory 1888-1901, pp. 228-232: new edition, pp. 234-238).
But our author was earnest and sincere and deeply spiritual. Something was wrong, he clearly knew. The work was years behind and the coming of the Lord was long delayed. This he could not and would not deny. He frankly recognized the problem and advanced his own sincere conviction as to why the church as a whole did not at this late date understand and receive the truth of righteousness by faith so the world work could be finished. Seldom has an official writer so graphically yet unconsciously confirmed the truth of our Lords diagnosis in His message to "the angel" of the Laodicean church, or so earnestly and sincerely insisted that "the angel" is "rich and increased with goods". The ministerial spokesmen for the church are rich, the author maintains, in understanding and proclaiming the message. He recognizes no need on their part, and lays the blame for the unfinished task rather on the obtuse laity. They are the ones who are "wretched, miserable, poor, and blind, and naked".
Note the very clear import of the conclusion of the book:
Through the years since 1901 and before, Seventh-day Adventists have published numerous tracts on righteousness by faith, and from time to time this theme has been covered in Sabbath School lessons. The various phases of salvation through faith in Christ have been taught with power and clarity over the radio for a number of years and more recently on television. This subject has been made prominent in different courses of Bible correspondence lessons. Adventist pastors and evangelists have announced this vital truth from church pulpits and public platforms, with hearts aflame with love for Christ And through the monthly journal, The Ministry. Seventh-day Adventist preachers and writers have constantly been urged to make Jesus Christ and His righteousness as the Saviour the center of all their teaching.
This emphasis has not been more prominent than the importance of the subject merits. If anything, it has not been so great as this precious theme deserves. (Ibid., p. 237; new edition, p. 243).
Then why hasn’t the work been finished if this precious truth has been so "taught with power and clarity … with hearts aflame" by Adventist pastors and evangelists? The lay members haven’t listened as they should, The latter have held up the finishing of the work Note the conclusion, possible only through a misunderstanding of the Laodicean message:
Many Seventh-day Adventists still seem ignorant of this all-important doctrine. Much of this lack of awareness results from their failure to read Adventist books and periodicals presenting the gospel in clear, forceful language. …
We fear that to many church members the message of righteousness by faith has become a dry theory instead of a living reality in their daily experience.
They have neglected the light that God in His love and mercy has caused to shine upon them They have failed to exchange the worthless garments of their own self-righteousness for the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness. In the sight of God their poor souls are naked and destitute. (Ibid., pp. 237-239; new edition, pp. 243-247).
If our Lord’s message is true, here we have the cart before the horse. Our Lord addresses His message "unto the angel of the church". The emphasis in the Spirit of Prophecy is crystal clear: had the ministerial leadership of the church truly accepted the 1888 message, the church would have cooperated and the work would have been finished (cf. 1 SM 234,235). "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power", the Psalmist assures us (Ps. 110:3). A laity continually resisting leadership is a discouraging prospect for the future! It is not true.
What our author cannot see is that all this "emphasis" he finds so encouraging is in reality a different message from the 1888 message, and this is the reason "the message of righteousness by faith has become a dry theory" " to many church members". They are bored by it so that there is a "lack of awareness … from their failure to read Adventist books and periodicals". Surely they have tried to read them; but the clear, cogent concepts of the 1888 message being lacking, the message seems dull to them. And they don’t know why. But "the angel of the church" feels he has done his duty, at least quite largely so and commendably so.
What is said here is said with deep respect for all our historians, whose devotion to the cause was unquestionable. The "thou knowest not" of our Lord explains the problem. And they merely articulate the nearly universal pride of many who still uphold this view in the matter of righteousness by faith (cf. Movement of Destiny, pp. 610-612). Nothing said here is to be understood as critical of any of our past writers. It is said simply from the realization that our Lord’s message in Revelation 3:14-21 is still "present truth", and clearly demonstrated to be so from our own denominational history, past and current.
In this recent work (republished 1978) practically every prominent spokesman for the church is quoted as supporting the theme of 1888 "enrichment" (a few are notably absent, such as S. N. Haskell, Meade MacGuire, and Taylor G. Bunch). The list of names quoted (pp. 681-686, 1971 ed.) is very impressive indeed. If truth can be settled by a majority vote, then it seems certain that Ellen White was sadly mistaken in her repeated statements to the effect that the 1888 message was "in a great measure" and "in a great degree" "shut away from our people" and "kept away from the world" "by the action of our own [leading] brethren". Not one of these dedicated men cited would want to contradict the True Witness knowingly. But could it be that our Lord’s words "thou knowest not" apply to all of us?
The simple fact of the inexplicable passage of time for nearly a century beyond the "beginning" of the latter rain forces us to reconsider the significance of our history. If the latter rain was accepted so eagerly and faithfully by our forefathers, why wasn’t the work of God finished in their generation? Ellen White’s testimony is so simple that even a child can grasp it: true acceptance of the message would have meant the finishing of the gospel commission and the return of our Lord in that generation.
The repeated affirmation of the "angel", "Rich I am and I have been enriched’, is bound to have a deep influence on our world-wide church. Deep-rooted but subtle pride hardens the heart Repeated, widespread affirmations of "enrichment" prejudice hearts against our Lords Laodicean message when it is understood in its true import Resentment arises against His appeal to "repent" as a church. "Have we not been told for many decades that we are ‘rich in understanding righteousness by faith? Why this devastating charge that we are ‘wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked?’ And many are offended. The ultimate shaking would never be so terrible had not Christ’s message been so repeatedly contradicted.
Scripture is replete with prophecies of world wide dissemination of pure gospel truth. "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14). "Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem" (Zech. 14:8). "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" (Isa. 60:1-3). "It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit" (Acts 2:17, 18). "I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power: and the earth was lightened with His glory" (Rev. 18:1).
Is there anyone concerned that our campaigns and publications are not as yet truly fulfilling these prophecies? Can it honestly be said that our message is stirring the world, or even arousing any significant opposition as in apostolic times?
Is it more expensive slick paper that our publications need? More four-color pictures, more refinement of the photoengraver’s art? Is it merely more money, more psychology, more music, more professional finesse, that our evangelistic campaigns need?
Or is there a problem with the message content, the proclamation of gospel truth itself! Our Lord says we are "poor", where we have thought we are "rich", in our comprehension and proclamation of "the third angel’s message in verity", the pure truth of the gospel that has not been clearly seen "since the day of Pentecost" (FCE 473).
It is an old cliché with us to say that "we need the Holy Spirit". Of course, we do; but the reception and inspiration of the Holy spirit is not a matter of magic or good fortune. "The gospel of Christ … is the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16), and that "power" is not resident in emotional extravaganza but in truth, even "the truth of the gospel" (Gal. 2:14).
"We have the truth", is the universal boast. The music on the record is fine; all we might need perhaps is a little more "emphasis", to turn up the volume control a little. Many who speak of righteousness by faith speak of it as a proud possession and our proclamation of it as solely a matter of "emphasis", of how much the volume control needs to be turned up from time to time.
But gospel truth has nothing to do with such "emphasis". The very use of the word betrays an ignorance of what it is. Who would dare say that the apostles preached a mere "re-emphasis" of Judaism? Nowhere did Ellen White use the word "emphasis" or "re-emphasis" in relation to the 1888 message of Christ’s righteousness, as though it were a matter of mere adjustment of homiletic balance. Righteousness by faith is a vital, throbbing, explosive truth, and God has given man no volume-control knob to "emphasize" it with, to turn it up or down. You have it or you don’t have it; and if you have it, you turn the world upside down. Nothing less.
And if we’re not turning the world upside down, the only thing to do is to confess that the True Witness is right. We are wretched and poor, whereas we have pathetically thought we are rich. Until the "angel" sees it and confesses it, there can be no will to take the proffered remedies the True Witness has for us.
Our "poverty" is painfully evident in an erosion of confidence in the one unique Seventh-day Adventist doctrine- the cleansing of the sanctuary that began in 1844. Verdict Publications is publishing reports that: leading Adventist scholars … now think that the distinctive Adventist doctrine of the investigative judgment is not demonstrable from the Bible. … Other scholars … have quietly abandoned belief in this teaching [the 1844 doctrine]. We could easily mention the chairmen of theology departments and other prominent scholars who have lost faith in this distinctive Adventist doctrine. … This loss of faith in 1844 has taken place. … There is a widespread feeling that our case for 1844 and our explanation of it are no longer convincing or perhaps no longer viable. A large percentage of Adventists in Europe have long considered 1844 as a peculiar American aberration. (1844 Re- examined, pp. 9, 10).
Numerous pastors and theologians are cited as favoring this basic questioning of basic Adventist roots. Yet the original research of Crosier, Edson, and Hahn in formulating the distinctive Adventist concept of the cleansing of the sanctuary was thoroughly Biblical. It was this that established our existence as a people. If it is not authentically Biblical, Seventh-day Adventists have no real theological reason to exist. If the "dragon" who is "wroth with the woman" wants to destroy her, could he do so more effectively than to lunge at her jugular vein?
The virtual eclipse of the 1888 message for decades has been the one factor almost entirely responsible for this erosion of basic Seventh-day Adventist confidence in the sanctuary doctrine and 1844. In 1889 Ellen White foresaw that opposition to the Jones-Waggoner message was "to cause apostasy" (CWE 31). An interesting phenomenon is apparent: those who fail to see Biblical support for 1844 likewise fail to appreciate the 1888 message; and the reverse seems operative as well. The 1888 message brought the sanctuary doctrine into clear focus and restored "its presiding power [in] the hearts of believers" (EV 225); and the loss of that message tended to "remove its presiding power from the hearts of believers."