And while these Seventh-day Adventist officials are the proper spokesmen for a new position (if there is actually to be any) these views must be ratified by the hundreds of individual Adventist churches before they can be considered as representative Seventh-day Adventism. One book — or a dozen books — are not going to change the minds of those who have been indoctrinated with their teachings for more than half a century. To those who have any acquaintance with this sect, it has been obvious for many years that Seventh-day Adventism is most eager for the approval of evangel icals in order to propagandize its own peculiar “mes sage.” (What this “message” actually is will become evident^as we continue these articles.) Take, for instance, this statement which appeared in the Signs of the Times, an official Adventist publication, for October 2, 1956 under the heading, “ Adventists Vindicated,” in w h ich the Eternity articles are discussed: “As to the effect of Dr. Bamhouse’s courageous reappraisal of Seventh-day Adventism, we are con vinced that it will not only create a sensation in evangelical circles, but will lead thousands of the best people in all denominations to restudy the ‘mes sage’ which Seventh-day Adventists feel called to give to the world in these last days.” Please note that it is here claimed that “Adventists • [are] Vindicated” as they are at present, not as they are to be when they make the changes that the leaders have told the Eternity editors they are going to make and these editors in turn have told the Christian public! There is no mention here of any proposed change in their views. Sentiment has no place whatsoever in dealing with doctrine. While I have only true Christian compas sion in my heart for those unsuspecting persons who, in their ignorance of the Scriptures, are deluded by false systems, I feel no compunction at all in striking out at the heretical systems themselves. We are not living in the Dark Ages but in the era of an open Bible. The Word of God is available to all who would see light in its light. Let false teachers, in a spirit of humility and with a hunger for the real truth, come to the Word and be set straight and then cease their practices of leading others into darkness and confusion. Let them read the book of Galatians and identify themselves with those “ false brethren” who sought to bring the believers into “ bondage,” of whom Paul wrote: “ To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour . . .” (Gal. 2:4, 5). No shred of man-made heresies as that of the sanctuary theory, annihilation and the “ scapegoat Satan” or any that I have listed will be found in that blessed Book. When they have altered their views, then let them come to Bible-believing churches. Eternity editors have re versed the order. Are evangelicals to seek fellowship with error in order to correct it? God forbid! This is utterly at variance with New Testament principles. The news magazine, Time, in its December 31, 1956 issue, took up this subject of S e v en th -d a y Adventism under the title, “ Peace with the Advent ists.” The writer of this piece stated: “As a result of
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM continued exposes are not literary masterpieces but they do contain the essence of the teachings of these systems, corroborated by quotations from their own writers. They were prepared for distribution to friends, rela tives and acquaintances confused by these cults; brief, that “ he who runs may read.” I reluctantly make these personal references for two reasons: 1) to assure the readers that I am not a novice when it comes to studying the “ textbooks” and to dealing personally with followers of these false religions; and 2) to explain why I am again writing on this subject with which I thought I had concluded in 1955. Urged to Reply to Magazine Articles Since that time evangelical circles have become disturbed over what appears as a phenomenon: The hitherto highly-regarded Eternity magazine devoted much of its space in its September, October, Novem ber 1956 and January 1957 issues to a defense of one of these systems, Seventh-day Adventism, declaring it to be an evangelical denomination and insisting therefore that, as a Christian body, it should be re ceived as part of the true Church of Christ. These articles were no surprise to me, for the editor- in-chief of Eternity magazine (a personal friend of many years) had advised me in advance of his plan to publish them. I tried most energetically to dissuade him from this course but he did not see it that way; and, of course, it is his right to employ the columns of his publication as he wishes. This decision on his part saddened me greatly for I feel that this espousal of a system so full of heresy will hinder greatly those who are attempting to enlighten others as to the truth of God regarding the way of salvation by grace alone. It will also lessen the prestige of Eternity magazine among evangelicals where it has always enjoyed an enviable reputation for faithfulness to the Word. Since the release of the articles in Eternity, I have been besieged with requests to reply to them. That is why I again take up the subject of Seventh-day Adventism. Let me state first, without equivocation, that I believe these editors who are thus interpreting present- day Seventh-day Adventism as “ evangelical” and advocating that the Christian church should receive its adherents with all of their heresies as “brethren beloved,” are utterly wrong, both in their methods and in their conclusions. By methods, I mean this: It is claimed by Eternity magazine editors that Seventh-day Adventism has abandoned many of its old beliefs, and that “ sometime in 1957” a book is to be published by top Seventh-day Adventist leaders, setting forth the “new Adventism.” Well, even if this is the case, why should an evan gelical magazine take upon itself the responsibility of speaking for the sect? Why should not the pub lished statements regarding promised alterations in its creed come first from the official heads of the sect?
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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