"Cease ye from men."

[skyblue888]

I am impressed with sharing a chapter from the book Testimonies to Ministers entitled, "Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me."

For those of you who are interested, I am breaking this chapter down into small posts to make it easy to read and study. I will make a few comments and yours are more than welcome.

"Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me."

"I do not find rest in spirit. Scene after scene is presented in symbols before me, and I find no rest until I begin to write out the matter. At the center of the work matters are being shaped so that every other institution is following the same course. And the General Conference is becoming corrupted with wrong sentiments and principles. In the working of plans, the same principles are manifest that have controlled matters at Battle Creek for quite a length of time.

I have been shown that the Jewish nation were not brought suddenly to their condition of thought and practice. From generation to generation they were working on false theories, carrying out principles opposed to the truth, and combining with their religion thoughts and plans that were the product of human minds. Human inventions were made supreme.

__________________________

In 1909 the Lord sent this testimony:

"The self-confident management of men has resulted in putting God aside and accepting the devisings of men. If you allow this continue your faith will soon become extinct. God is in every place, beholding the conduct of the people who profess to represent the principles of His word. He asks that a change be made. He wants His people to be molded and fashioned, not after man's ideas, but after the similitude of God. I entreat of you to search the Scriptures as you have never yet searched them that you may know the way and will of God. Oh, that every soul might be impressed with this message, and put away the wrong!" Testimonies to Ministers, p.481.

The first two paragraphs were quoted from p.359 and were written in 1895 and this last one was written in 1909!

"The righteousness of Christ by faith has been ignored by some; for it is contrary to their spirit and their whole experience. Rule, rule has been their course of action. In order to reign and become a power, they employ Satan's methods to justify their own principles. They exalt themselves as men of superior judgment, and they have stood as representatives of God. These are false gods." Testimonies to Ministers, pp.364,364. (1895)

"To place men where God should be placed does not honor or glorify God. Is the president of the General Conference to be god to the people? Are the men in Battle Creek (General Conference) to be regarded as infinite in wisdom? When the Lord shall work upon human hearts and human intellects, principles and practices different from this will be set before the people. 'Cease ye from men.' The Lord has a controversy with His people over this matter." Ibid, pp.375,376. (1896)

The people were to be encouraged to place their faith in Christ and His all-sufficient merits that His word might be fulfilled in their lives. But their eyes were directed to men and in the sight of God they were in violation of the first commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." In this condition the people were deprived of the righteousness of Christ which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. (See T.M.92)

to be continued

[skyblue888]

"Cease Ye From Men."

Part 2

"The holy principles that God has given are represented as the sacred fire, but common fire has been used in the place of the sacred. Plans contrary to truth and righteousness are introduced in a subtle manner on the plea that this must be done, and that must be done, 'because it is for the advancement of the cause of God.' But it is the devising of men that leads to oppression, injustice, and wickedness. The cause of God is free from every taint of injustice. It can gain no advantage by robbing the members of the family of God of their individuality or their rights. All such practices are abhorrent to God. He inspires no such practices as have been entered into your councils in regard to the publication of books.

"The great and holy and merciful God will never be in league with dishonest practices; not a single touch of injustice will He vindicate. Men have taken unfair advantage of those whom they supposed to be under their jurisdiction. They were determined to bring the individuals to their terms; they would rule or ruin. There will be no material change until a decided movement is made to bring in a different order of things.

"Let no plans or methods be adopted in any of our institutions that will bind mind or talent under the control of human judgment; for this is not in God's order. God has given to men talents of influence which beling to Him alone, and no greater dishonor can be done to God than one finite agent to bring other men's talents under his absolute control, even though the benefits of the same be used to the advantage of the cause. In such arrangements one man's mind is ruled by another man's mind, and the human agency is separated from God and exposed to temptation. Satan's methods tend to one end--to make men the slaves of men. And when this is done, confusion and distrust, jealousies and evil surmisings, are the result. Such a course destroys faith in God and in the principles which are to control, to purge from guile and every species of selfishness and hypocrisy."

to be continued

[Guest]

Amen! This sounds familiar.

[skyblue888]

Okay Richard, thanks for that "Amen".... do you mean "familiar" to something you posted from Steps to Life?

sky

[skyblue888]

"The present order of things must change or the wrath of God will fall upon His instrumentalities that are not working in Christ's lines. Has God given any one of us a commission to lord it over His heritage? This kind of work has been coming in for years. God sees it all and He is displeased with it. When men come between God and His human agents, they dishonor God and wrong the souls of those who need true encouragement and sympathy and love. I am constrained to appeal to our workers: Whatever your position, do not depend on men, or make flesh your arm." Testimonies to Ministers, p.349,350.

These words were penned in 1895!

As far as we know, this order of things, bringing men under the control of men, in the church, has not changed.

sky

[Gerr]

I believe what you are quoting was penned when there were just a few men making decisions in the GC. Now they have people (vice presidents) from all over, plus we have regional conferences and then unions. You are arguing that nothing has changed? And now we actually have people clamoring to get rid of the Unions so there would be fewer decision makers.

[skyblue888]

"Then came the General Conference of 1901, in Battle Creek. According to the arrangements I was to report the proceedings of the Conference. But before the Conference actually assembled in session there occurred that meeting in the Library Room of the College Building, in which Sister White spoke on General Conference matters and organization, declaring that there must be "an entire new organization, and to have a Committee that shall take in not merely half a dozen that is to be a ruling and controlling power, but it is to have representatives of those that are placed in responsibility in our educational interests, in our sanitariums, etc., that there should be a renovation without any delay. To have this Conference pass on and close up as the Conferences have done with the same manipulating, with the very same tone, and the same order--God forbid! God forbid, brethren... And until this shall come we might just as well close up the Conference today as any other day. . . This thing has been continued and renewed for the last fifteen years or more, (1901 minus 15 years takes us back to 1886), and God calls for a change."

Then she adds, "From the light that I have, as it was presented to me in figures. There was a narrow compass here; there within that narrow compass, is a king-like, a kingly ruling power. God means what he says and He says, 'I want a change here.' Will it be the same thing? going over and over the same ideas, the same committees--and here is the little throne--the king is in there, and these others are all secondary. God wants that those committees that have been handling things for so long should be relieved of their command and have a chance for their life and see if they can not get out of this rut that they are in--which I have no hope of their getting out of, because the Spirit of God has been working and working, and yet the king is in there still. Now the Lord wants His Spirit to come in. He wants the Holy Ghost King." A.T. Jones.

sky