Thoughts on Pressing Together

[ClubV12]

Thoughts on the importance of pressing together:

A message to " Many of our ministers..." Gospel Workers (11). So there is no confusion on this point, Sister White is addressing those Ministers and laymen who are members in the organized, structured, recognized Seventh-day Adventist Church.

"While Christ is the minister in the sanctuary above, he is also, through his delegates, the minister of his church on earth. He speaks to the people through chosen men, and carries forward his work through them, as when, in the days of his humiliation, he moved visibly upon the earth....

From Christ’s ascension to the present day, men ordained of God, deriving their authority from him, have become teachers of the faith. Christ, the True Shepherd, superintends his work through the instrumentality of these under-shepherds. Thus the position of those who labor in word and doctrine becomes very important. In Christ’s stead they beseech the people to be reconciled to God.

The people should not regard their ministers as mere public speakers and orators, but as Christ’s ambassadors, receiving their wisdom and power from the great Head of the church. To slight and disregard the word spoken by Christ’s representative, is showing disrespect, not only to the man, but also to the Master who has sent him. He is in Christ’s stead; and the voice of the Saviour should be heard in his representative."

Gospel Workers (11)

"The powers the Lord has given us are to be used to build up, not to tear down. Those who are ignorantly deceived are not to remain in this condition. The Lord says to His messengers: Go to them and declare unto them what I have said, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear."

Testimonies for the Church, Volume 9

[ClubV12]

Consider Pauls Training:

"The marvelous light that illuminated the darkness of Saul was the work of the Lord; but there was also a work that was to be done for him by the disciples of Christ. The answer to Saul’s question is, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Jesus sends the inquiring Jew to his church, to obtain from them the knowledge of his duty. Christ performed the work of revelation and conviction; and now the penitent was in a condition to learn of those whom God had ordained to teach his truth. Thus Jesus gave sanction to the authority of his organized church, and placed Saul in connection with his representatives on earth. The light of heavenly illumination deprived Saul of sight; but Jesus, the great Healer, did not at once restore it. All blessings flow from Christ, but he had now established a church as his representative on earth, and to it belonged the work of directing the repentant sinner in the way of life. The very men whom Saul had purposed to destroy were to be his instructors in the religion which he had despised and persecuted."

Redemption; or The Ministry of Peter and the Conversion of Saul." (45)

[Naomi]

[ClubV12]

Differences of opinion:

The pioneers of the Adventist faith were strong minded men and women. They had to give up the relationships, comfort and joy they found in the various Churches and separate themselves from those who refused to accept the "new light".

James White, Uriah Smith, many others had feirce theological debates, not discussions, debates, perhaps arguments would be a better word! At times Ellen White herself had to intervene to stop the squabbling, over what? Over minor details for the most part, issues that were not pertinent to carrying forward the work, or were not salvational issues. Of course SOME pioneers were teaching out and out error and that had to be "met". This is much different than a disagreement over details. Dr. Kellogg is perhaps the most notable man of that time teaching error, when he would not stop, the brethren had to withdraw from him. They had to press together NOT with those who rejected the light, but press together with those who accepted it!

How difficult is it to discern error? The heavenly angels intelligence is such that it makes Einstein look mentally disabled. Yet, one third did not see the error that Satan presented to them, the lies he told them, the subtle attacks on the Government of God. These were heavenly beings, the Holy Spirit was right there with them, the influence of God and His love is all they had ever known. They had immediate access to all that heaven had to offer. And yet, they were deceieved. How foolish for any of us to think that with enough bible study we will be able to discern error, such a belief is the first step to accepting it.

Some say all they need is the Holy Spirit and much prayer to see it. While that IS true there is an important missing part, the counsel of the brethren, the need to press together, to trust each other, to study and compare the doctrines together. THIS is what the pioneers did! While they disagreed over minor details, they came together and searched diligently for the truth. Relying on one another, the bible, the Holy Spirit. We MUST have the whole package to discern truth from error. Those brethren WITHIN the Church, not off shoots, not fanatics, not those who have left the Church or removed their membership in protest. These are NOT the "Brethren".

If Christ is the center of all things and we are to press together toward Him, how can we do that when we are preaching/teaching that which is error? How can we do that when we refuse the counsel of the brethren as to what IS error? We cannot, a house divided cannot stand. Those who find themselves in a position where they can no longer support the fundamental doctrines of the Church have a duty to withdraw. As the pioneers had done from their various Churches, Methodist or Baptist or what ever denomination. We are NOT to press together with unbelievers!

As a Church, as a people, we need to present to the world a united front, the same doctrines, the same fundamental beliefs. Put your individual ideas, theories and pet peeves to one side when presenting the truth to the world. PRESS TOGETHER. This WILL happen, the shaking will purify the Church and then we will all be "perfectly united".

[Gibs]

Many have found though that they can not be part of pressing together on some of the things that have come in and present it to the world.

Of a certainity we must present the truth, and the truth is The Word.

The number one for me and millions for a lot of years now is the "new age theology" of salvation, of "just believe and you are saved".

He came so that we too could have His indwelling power to overcome as we of ourselves can do nothing. He forgives all who come and repent and ask with a broken heart and then tells us, "go and sin no more".

No way did He tell us to do something impossible in that He has provided that anyone can be victor over His sinning.

We are now in the days like unto the days of Noah when very little has not gone corrupt.

The whole world now is in a runaway in the most gross sin that is unimaginable. This is especially true among the young. Adultry and sex perversion is out of this world. It can't get any worse unless it is allowed practiced in public.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.