IS THE SDA CHURCH BABYLON?

This is a study that was done in the Heavenly Trio Revealed WhatsApp
group. The study is in two parts:

1. Part 1 by Alex Mbogo.

2. Part 2 by Emmanuel Makini.

Part 1 by Alex Mbogo:

Let's begin

Prayer: Father, we thank you for giving us this time to study what you have
revealed to us. Please be with us to the end of the study. This we pray in the
mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Topics to be discussed today:

1. What is a true church?

2. Is the SDA church God's church?
3. Criteria for coming out of a church
4. Is the SDA church Babylon?

1. What is a true church?

The Bible summarily puts it this way:

1 Timothy 3:15 - “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou
oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the
living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

The house of God, the church of the living God is the pillar and ground of
the truth. Should any church be found that is not a pillar and ground of the
truth, it is not a true church. Even common sense dictates that a church
cannot be called God’s church if it has Babylonian doctrine(s) and to
make matters worse, it pushes these doctrines down the throats of its
superstitious members.

This is a fact the reformers struggled to explain to the Catholic church and its
adherents. Look at these declarations made by popes:

Pope Innocent III (A.D. 1198 – 1216): “With our hearts we believe and
with our lips we confess but one Church, not that of the heretics, but the Holy
Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, outside which we believe that no
one is saved.” (Denzinger 423)

Pope Leo XII (A.D. 1823 – 1829): “We profess that there is no salvation
outside the Church. …For the Church is the pillar and ground of the
truth. With reference to those words Augustine says: `If any man be outside
the Church he will be excluded from the number of sons, and will not
have God for Father since he has not the Church for mother.'”
(Encyclical, Ubi Primum)

Pope Pius IX (A.D. 1846 – 1878): “It must be held by faith that outside the
Apostolic Roman Church, no one can be saved; that this is the only ark of
salvation; that he who shall not have entered therein will perish in the
flood.” (Denzinger 1647)

The popes declared that outside the Catholic church there is no salvation.
Pope Pius IX went further to say that the church is “the only ark of
salvation; that he who shall not have entered therein will perish in the
flood,” an argument that is today used by many Adventists in their ship
analogy of the General Conference hereafter abbreviated as GC.

The superstitious Catholics believed that the church can be as evil as it

likes yet God will still be at the wheel. This gross presumption was
countered by reformers who uttered words that are echoed by Non-Trinitarian
reformers of today. Melancthon for example said:
‘In the days of the Reformation, the gentle and pious Melancthon declared,
“There is no other church than the assembly of those who have the word
of God, and who are purified by it.”’ 4SP 237.2

Amen. There is no other church than the assembly of those who have the
word of God and are purified by it. That’s why Ellen White wrote:

“God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national
establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who
love God and keep His commandments. “Where two or three are gathered
together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” [Matthew 18:20.]
Where Christ is even among the humble few, this is Christ’s church, for
the presence of the high and holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone
constitute a church. Where two or three are present who love and obey the
commandments of God, Jesus there presides; let it be in the desolate place of
the earth, in the wilderness, in the city enclosed in prison walls. The glory of
God has penetrated the prison walls, flooding with glorious beams of
heavenly light the darkest dungeon.” 4LtMs, Lt 108, 1886, par. 17

To insist, God's church "is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national
establishment, neither is it the various denominations;"

What is it??

"it is the people who love God and keep His commandments."

When Ellen White wrote this quote, the SDA church was denominational
yet she said that God’s church is not the various denominations but “it is
the people who love God and keep His commandments...Where Christ is
even among the humble few, this is Christ’s church,”. Why? Because
God’s church and its organization are not so glued together such that when
the organization apostatizes, it still remains being God’s church. The fact that
a true church has been organized into a denomination does not mean that the
denomination will still be God’s church if it persists in apostasy. When the
organization of God’s churches has apostatized, God still has a church and it
is not the apostatizing denomination but it is “the people who love God
and keep His commandments.” In other words, those who have not gone
after their denomination in doing evil. That’s why we are told:

“We are not saved as a sect; no denominational name has any virtue to
bring us into favor with God. We are saved individually as believers in the
Lord Jesus Christ.” RH February 10, 1891, par. 6

Having established that God’s church is a group of people that love God
and keep His commandments, that “There is no other church than the
assembly of those who have the word of God, and who are purified by
it.”, we move to establish whether SDA is God’s church.

2. Is the SDA church God’s church?

When the term SDA is mentioned, many minds rush to the General
Conference as the definition of the SDA church. Should this be the case?
We read:

“Christ was a Seventh-day Adventist, to all intents and purposes. It was

He who called Moses into the mount and gave him instruction for His
people.” 16LtMs, Lt 51, 1901, par. 2

Christ was an SDA. Did the General Conference exist in the days of
Christ? If Christ was an SDA, then were the disciples for He was their
master. Did the GC (General Conference) exist in the days of the
apostles? The point here friends is that being an SDA, a true SDA that is,
does not necessarily mean being part of the GC esp if the GC is in open
apostasy. Being a true SDA is being one “to all intents and purposes” as
was Christ and as were the apostles. Throughout centuries, esp in the recent
days of those we call pioneers, God has been building the SDA church and
the timbers that were laid down are not to be removed.

“In the future, deception of every kind is to arise, and we want solid ground
for our feet. We want solid pillars for the building. Not one pin is to be
removed from that which the Lord has established.” RH May 25, 1905,
par. 28
Throughout centuries, God has been building the fundamental principles
which we are told are not to be removed and they will be preserved.

“But the way-marks which have made us what we are, are to be

preserved, and they will be preserved, as God has signified through His
word and the testimony of His Spirit. He calls upon us to hold firmly, with
the grip of faith, to the fundamental principles that are based upon
unquestionable authority.” SpTB02 59.1

A true SDA is one that is a “a Seventh-day Adventist, to all intents and

purposes” as were the people through whom God built the fundamental
principles which will be preserved. There exists a certain class that thinks
to be at liberty not to walk in the ways of its righteous fathers and still
call itself Seventh Day Adventists. This class has a striking similarity to the
Pharisees of old. We read:

“The Pharisees had declared themselves the children of Abraham. Jesus told
them that this claim could be established only by doing the works of
Abraham. The true children of Abraham would live, as he did, a life of
obedience to God. They would not try to kill One who was speaking the
truth that was given Him from God. In plotting against Christ, the rabbis
were not doing the works of Abraham. A mere lineal descent from
Abraham was of no value. Without a spiritual connection with him,
which would be manifested in possessing the same spirit, and doing the
same works, they were not his children.” DA 466.6

Wow. The claim of the Pharisees to be the children of Abraham could only be
established by them doing the works of Abraham. "A mere lineal descent
from Abraham was of no value." A spiritual descent is what was needed.
They had to possess the spirit of Abraham.

You know where am heading, a mere descent from the pioneers has no value
if you don't have their spirit, if you are not doing their works.

Read how the quote continues:

“This principle bears with equal weight upon a question that has long
agitated the Christian world,— the question of apostolic succession.
Descent from Abraham was proved, not by name and lineage, but by
likeness of character. So the apostolic succession rests not upon the
transmission of ecclesiastical authority, but upon spiritual relationship. A
life actuated by the apostles’ spirit, the belief and teaching of the truth
they taught, this is the true evidence of apostolic succession. This is what
constitutes men the successors of the first teachers of the gospel.” DA 467.1

I can replace some words in the quote to bring more clarity to the context of
our study:

“This principle bears with equal weight upon a question that has long agitated
the Non/Pro Trinity camps, —the question of pioneers' succession. Descent
from Abraham was proved, not by name and lineage, but by likeness of
character. So the pioneers' succession rests not upon the transmission of
ecclesiastical authority, but upon spiritual relationship. A life actuated by
the pioneers’ spirit, the belief and teaching of the truth they taught,
🎯🎯 this is the true evidence of pioneer succession. This is what
constitutes men the successors of the first teachers of the full three angels
message.” DA 467.1

True apostolic succession rests upon:

1. A life actuated by the apostles’ spirit.

2. Belief and teaching of what the apostles taught.

True SDA succession also rests upon the above criteria which is, living a life
actuated by the pioneers’ spirit and believing and teaching what the
pioneers taught. That’s why we were advised thus:

“When men come in who would move one pin or pillar from the
foundation which God has established by His Holy Spirit, let the aged
men who were pioneers in our work speak plainly, and let those who are
dead speak also by reprinting of their articles in our periodicals. Gather
up the rays of divine light that God has given as He has led His people on
step by step in the way of truth. This truth will stand the test of time and
trial.” 20LtMs, Ms 62, 1905, par. 20

In this group, we have quoted the pioneers multiple times and we have seen
that the Non-Trinitarian doctrine of the one True God was held unanimously
by them. This is summarily shown in the opening words of the 1872
Fundamental Principles. We read:

“In presenting to the public this synopsis of our faith, we wish to have it
distinctly understood that we have no articles of faith, creed, or discipline,
aside from the Bible. We do not put forth this as having any authority with
our people, nor is it designed to secure uniformity among them, as a system
of faith, but is a brief statement of what is, and has been, with great
unanimity, held by them.” FP1872 3.1

The Fundamental Principles were with great unanimity held by the

pioneers. The first two read:

—I—
That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things,
omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal, infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice,
goodness, truth, and mercy; unchangeable, and everywhere present by his
representative, the Holy Spirit. Psalm 139:7 FP1872 4.2

and

—II—
That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one
by whom God created all things, and by whom they do consist; FP1872 4.3

Thus were the beliefs in the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit stated, the
Father being the one God, Jesus being the son of the Eternal Father and
the Holy Spirit being the representative of God. These Fundamental
principles we are told to cling to:
“But the waymarks which have made us what we are are to be preserved,
and they will be preserved, as God has signified through His Word and the
testimonies of His Spirit. He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of
faith, to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable
authority.” 20LtMs, Lt 95, 1905, par. 3

Ellen White spoke of a new organization that would give up the

Fundamental Principles that were given to the pioneer church. We read:

“The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great
reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this
reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the
pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this
reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that
God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded.
Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have
sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A
new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be
written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The
founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work.
The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who
created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new
movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God
being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which,
without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand,
and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.” SpTB02 54.3

We get that if a great reformation were to take place, the following would
happen:

1. The doctrines that stand as pillars of our faith will be discarded.

(‘Our faith’ is the faith of the pioneer church for this statement was
written in 1904).
2. A reorganization will take place.
3. The principles of truth will be discarded.
4. SDA religion will be changed.
 5. The Fundamental Principles that have sustained the church for the
past 50 years (1854-1904) will be accounted as errors.
6. Books of a new order will be written.
7. The Sabbath will be lightly regarded.
8. God will be removed.
9. The foundation will be built on sand and tempest will sweep away
the structures.

I will especially highlight the following points:

“Our religion would be changed”

What is ‘our religion’? It is the SDA religion. We are told that the SDA
religion would be changed. Has this happened? How is religion changed?
Religion is changed obviously when an idol is erected in the place of God
and this, the GC has fulfilled especially by adopting the pagan Trinity
doctrine, a god that was not known by its fathers. GC SDA’s historians put
it this way:

“Some Adventists today think, that our beliefs have remained unchanged
over the years, or they seek to turn back the clock to some point when we
had everything just right. But all attempts to recover such “historic
Adventism” fail in view of the facts of our heritage.” {Adventist Review Jan
6, 1994 p. 10, written by William G. Johnsson, Editor of the Adventist
Review, Article “Present Truth – Walking in God’s Light”.}

Dear GC Adventist, don’t think that your beliefs have remained unchanged
over the years.

“Most of the founders of Seventh-day Adventism would not be able to

join the church today if they had to subscribe to the denomination’s
Fundamental Beliefs. More specifically, most would not be able to agree
to belief number 2, which deals with the doctrine of the trinity.” (George
R. Knight–professor of church history at the Theological Seminary, Andrews
University, Berrien Springs, Michigan; Ministry, October, 1993, p. 10)
GC admits that most of its founders would not be able to join the church.
Some of us too after awakening to the great deception that had taken place
could not continue staying in the church unless for the purpose of blowing
the whistle, a job that cost many respect and reputation.

“The Development of the Trinity doctrine demonstrates that sometimes

doctrinal changes require the passing of a previous generation. For Seventh-
day Adventists, it took over 50 years for the doctrine of the Trinity to
become normative.” Burt, Merlin D. (2006) “History of Seventh-day
Adventist Views on the Trinity, ” Journal of the Adventist Theological
Society: Vol. 17 : Iss. 1, Article 9. (P. 139)

“That most of the leading SDA pioneers were non-Trinitarian in their

theology has become accepted Adventist history. Either the pioneers were
wrong and the present church is right, or the pioneers were right and the
present Seventh-day Adventist Church has apostatized from biblical
truth.” {Jerry Moon “The Trinity” p. 190}

It is either you member of GC SDA or the pioneers that is serving an idol.

“One of the remarkable aspects of the history of the Seventh-day Adventist

Church is the development of the position of the trinity and the deity of
Christ. These doctrines did not become normative in the church until the
middle of the twentieth century”. (Merlin Burt, ‘Demise of Semi-Arianism
and anti-trinitarianism in Adventist theology, 1888-1957 page iv ‘Preface’)

It is in the middle of the 20th century, that is in the 1950s, that the Trinity
doctrine became normative in the SDA church.

“The church gradually shifted during from the 1930s to 1950s to the
‘orthodox’ Christian view on the trinity and deity of Christ . . . . During
the 1940s an ever increasing majority of the church was believing in the
eternal underived deity of Christ and the trinity, yet there were some who
held back even actively resisted the change.” (Ibid, pages 47-48)
Yes, between 1930 and 1950, the church shifted to the Orthodox view of
God. Orthodox means mainstream or that that is accepted by most
Christians. GC SDA thus adopted the gods of her neighbours.

In light of these statements made by GC and its prominent members, who can
doubt that GC SDA has changed gods?

Jeremiah 2:11 - “Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no
gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not
profit.” and aren’t we astonished? Vs 12, “Be astonished, O ye heavens, at
this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.”

“The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last
fifty years would be accounted as error.”

Many GC SDAs unblushingly state that the pioneers were wrong on the
doctrine of God. The doctrine of God which they unanimously subscribed
to and eventually put in writing in the 1872 Declaration of Fundamental
Principles is called an error by many poor souls. In the place of this true
doctrine of God is a philosophical idol that destroys the identity of God.

“The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded”

Of course a Sabbath is more than lightly regarded when congregants gather

to worship a false god. Isn’t this an insult to the Lord of a Sabbath. Why
desecrate His day with idols?

“but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human
power, which, without God, is worthless.”

‘but God being removed,’ and indeed He has been removed and an SDA
historian testifies:
“The church gradually shifted during from the 1930s to 1950s to the
‘orthodox’ Christian view on the trinity and deity of Christ . . . . During
the 1940s an ever increasing majority of the church was believing in the
eternal underived deity of Christ and the trinity, yet there were some who
held back even actively resisted the change.” (Merlin Burt, ‘Demise of Semi-
Arianism and anti-trinitarianism in Adventist theology, pages 47-48)

And another one says:

“That most of the leading SDA pioneers were non-Trinitarian in their

theology has become accepted Adventist history. Either the pioneers were
wrong and the present church is right, or the pioneers were right and the
present Seventh-day Adventist Church has apostatized from biblical
truth.” {Jerry Moon “The Trinity” p. 190}

GC SDA has put the Trinity idol in the place of the True God. “Hath a
nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have
changed their glory for that which doth not profit.”

“Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest
would sweep away the structure”

“A knowledge of God is the foundation of all true education and of all

true service. It is the only real safeguard against temptation. It is this alone
that can make us like God in character.” MH 409.2

As a true knowledge of God is the foundation of all true education, true

doctrines that is, a false knowledge of God is the foundation of all false
education, false doctrines that is. The Catholic church states:

“The mystery of the Holy Trinity is the most fundamental of our faith.
On it everything else depends and from it everything else derives. Hence
the Churchs constant concern to safeguard the revealed truth that God is One
in nature and Three in Persons.”
https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/catholic-
doctrine-on-the-holy-trinity.html

GC's and RCC's Trinity foundation is built on sand and it is a matter of time
before the structure is swept away.
To summarize this section, I will say that the SDA that is God’s church is
that which:

1. Is the pillar and ground of the truth.

2. Keeps the coommandments of Jesus and have the faith of Jesus.

The GC SDA does not meet any of the above criteria for it is not a pillar
and ground of the truth. The foundation of its education is not a true
knowledge of God. The GC also does not keep the commandments of God
for it breaks the 1st commandment with a zeal almost equal with which
it keeps the 4th. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in
one point, he is guilty of all.” 🔨 James 2:10.

Yes the GC teaches to the world the 4th commandment while ensuring that its
members break the 1st one. A member shall be disfellowshipped if he
professes a “Denial of faith in the fundamentals of the gospel and in the
fundamental beliefs of the Church or teaching doctrines contrary to the
same” (SDA Church Manual pg. 62)

And the Trinity is the 2nd Fundamental Belief.

3. Criteria for coming out of a church.

Babylonian doctrines is the criteria number one for coming out of a church.

‘In the days of the Reformation, the gentle and pious Melancthon declared,
“There is no other church than the assembly of those who have the word of
God, and who are purified by it.” Adventists, seeing that the churches
rejected the testimony of God's word, could no longer regard them as
constituting the church of Christ, “the pillar and ground of the truth;”
and as the message, “Babylon is fallen,” began to be proclaimed, they felt
themselves justified in separating from their former connection.’ 4SP
237.2
A rejection of the testimonies of God’s words is akin to choosing to cling to
Babylonian doctrines and when this happened, the Adventists “felt
themselves justified in separating from their former connection.”

Read this counsel in regards to doctor Kellogg:

‘The work would not have been hindered, as it has been for the past several
years, if Dr. Kellogg were a converted man. “Come,” I call, “come ye out
and be separate from him and his associates whom he has leavened.” I
am now giving the message God has given me, to give to all who claim to
believe the truth, “Come ye out from among them, and be separate,” else
their sin in justifying wrongs and framing deceits will continue to be the ruin
of souls. [2 Corinthians 6:17.] We cannot afford to be on the wrong side.
We cannot afford to cover the truth with scientific problems.’ 21LtMs,
Ms 21, 1906, par. 20

Dr. Kellogg’s mistake was?🤔

“You are not definitely clear on the personality of God, which is

everything to us as a people. You have virtually destroyed the Lord God
Himself.” 18LtMs, Lt 300, 1903, par. 7

Kellogg was not clear on the personality of God and his teaching of his newly
found faith prompted the words, “Come,” I call, “come ye out and be
separate from him and his associates whom he has leavened.” If your
church pastor is not clear on the personality of God, the advise is clear,
“Come,” I call, “come ye out and be separate from him and his associates
whom he has leavened.”

It is amazing to me that Pst Ted Wilson has adopted Kellogg’s version of

God on top of him not being clear on the personality of God. He says that
his third god, God the Spirit, does not have a body. We read:

“Personhood — at least for God — doesn’t depend upon having a physical

form, as it does for human beings. While the Bible speaks about both the
Father and the Son having a physical form (Exodus 31:18; 33:20-23; Joshua
5:13-6:2), it refers to the third member of the Godhead as the Holy Spirit.
The idea of Him being a “spirit” indicates that He is without physical
form.” https://www.pastortedwilson.org/questions-answers/does-the-holy-
spirit-have-a-physical-body/

Incorporeal God?? The magnitude of Ted’s statement can be understood

when you realize that God is omnipresent by His Spirit and thus it seems
that to Ted, this Spirit is an immaterial being that is literally everywhere.
The incorporeality of God and His supposed diffused body beliefs have
Kellogg as their Adventist ‘father’. We read in his book:

“Says one, ‘God may be present by his Spirit, or by his power, but
certainly God himself cannot be present everywhere at once.’ We
answer: How can power be separated from the source of power? Where
God’s Spirit is at work, where God’s power is manifested, God himself is
actually and truly present.”
https://archive.org/details/J.H.Kellogg.TheLivingTemple1903/page/n29/

When Kellogg says ‘Says one,’ he means the pioneers for it is the pioneers
that said with great unanimity that we have one God who is present
everywhere by His Spirit. Kellogg denied that by saying that God Himself
is a Spirit that is distributed. He wrote, “How can power be separated
from the source of power? Where God’s power is manifested, God
himself is actually and truly present.” Thus to Kellogg, God is a Spirit
that is distributed. As God’s Holy Spirit is the means by which God fills
heaven and earth, Trinitarians are forced to the admit that their God the
Spirit personally fills heaven and earth, (unless He has a Spirit that is
not a being) and thus this becomes Kelloggoism, an incorporeal diffused
god. In light of this Trinitarian belief, is it a wonder that Ted Wilson’s God is
a perfume?

As Ted Wilson is definitely not clear on the personality of God, the advice is
given, “come ye out and be separate from him and his associates whom
he has leavened.”
As Ted Wilson is definitely not clear on the personality of God, the advice is
given, “come ye out and be separate from him and his associates whom
he has leavened.”

God hates it when we go to sit with those that are absorbing error let alone
preaching it. We read:

“I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last
message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new
errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it
is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly
poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men.
The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from
such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has
set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to
listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to
those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of
the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us,
and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened
by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes
contaminated with the darkness.” EW 124.3

We get these points:

a) We are to separate from those that are imbibing/drinking new

errors.
b) Neither young nor old should attend their meetings.
c) It is wrong to encourage by our attendance those that teach for
doctrines the commandments of men. These commandments of men
include the Trinity idolatry and Sunday sacredness.
d) We are to go to those meetings ONLY when God has sent us of
course to blow the trumpet, not to sit to continue imbibing errors in
the name of politeness or unity.
e) When without God’s bidding we attend the meetings of those that
drink error from the pulpit, the truth in us becomes contaminated.
We have seen the fire of those that burnt with the One True God
 message being extinguished simply because of sacrificing truth for
the sake of peace and unity.

The choice of separating from erroneous companies has always been difficult
for a number of God’s people. Listen to Martin Luther:

“Yet it was not without a terrible struggle with himself that Luther
decided upon a final separation from the church. It was about this time
that he wrote: “I feel more and more every day how difficult it is to lay
aside the scruples which one has imbibed in childhood. Oh, how much
pain it has caused me, though I had the Scriptures on my side, to justify
it to myself that I should dare to make a stand alone against the pope,
and hold him forth as antichrist! What have the tribulations of my heart
not been! How many times have I not asked myself with bitterness that
question which was so frequent on the lips of the papists: ‘Art thou alone
wise? Can everyone else be mistaken? How will it be, if, after all, it is
thyself who art wrong, and who art involving in thy error so many souls,
who will then be eternally damned?’ ‘Twas so I fought with myself and
with Satan, till Christ, by His own infallible word, fortified my heart
against these doubts.” —Martyn, pages 372, 373. GC 143.1

It is so potent that I have highlighted a good chunk of it. Non Trinitarians we

are weak, defective etc and we are often asked, ‘Art thou alone wise?’ We
have the Bible and SOP on our side to justify us yet the Truth has brought
us pain that some of us had not foreseen in the excitement of being lifted
from error.

Yet we are comforted because God's promise to the true church is sure:

"The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall." 4LtMs, Lt
55, 1886, par. 18

“I was pointed to those who claim to be Adventists, but who reject the
present truth, and saw that they were crumbling and that the hand of the Lord
was in their midst to divide and scatter them now in the gathering time, so
that the precious jewels among them, who have formerly been deceived, may
have their eyes opened to see their true state. And now when the truth is
presented to them by the Lord's messengers, they are prepared to listen,
and see its beauty and harmony, and to leave their former associates and
errors, embrace the precious truth and stand where they can define their
position.” EW 69.2

The message is about a different group of Adventists that had rejected the 4th
commandment but the principle still applies to those that reject the 1st.
“And now when the truth is presented to them by the Lord's messengers,
they are prepared to listen, and see its beauty and harmony, and to leave
their former associates and errors, embrace the precious truth and stand
where they can define their position.”

So to end this section, we are to come out from a church if it fulfills the
following conditions:

a) Its leaders teach error.

b) Its members imbibe error.

4. Is the SDA church Babylon?

The answer to this question depends on which SDA you are referring to. If
it is the SDA which has a Spiritual relationship with the old organization,
the answer is no. That SDA is not Babylon and will never be Babylon for
it is a commandment keeping body of God’s people.

However if you are referring to the GC SDA, then the answer is yes. GC
SDA is Babylon, or a harlot rather, for it has joined her neighbours in
harlotry.

Jeremiah 3:1 - “They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him,
and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land
be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet
return again to me, saith the Lord.”
The GC SDA church has played the harlot with three yet one lover(s).
Unless she returns to the God whom she has removed, she shall remain
being a harlot.

Ezekiel 16:28 - “Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians,
because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them,
and yet couldest not be satisfied.”

Based on how harshly the GC denounces those that teach against a Trinity
idol, we can rightly judge that she is yet to be satisfied with harlotry. What
does the messenger of God say?

“The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When
the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the
kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work
on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves
unfaithful to the Word of the Lord, whatever their position may be,
however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with
them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities. But if
these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action; if they do
not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord
will grievously afflict and humble them and, unless they repent, will
remove them from their place and make them a reproach.” 18LtMs, Ms
33, 1903, par. 13

It is so powerful that I have boldened almost the whole of it.

Anyone that attended grade three and knows how to read can see that “When
a church proves unfaithful to the Word of the Lord, whatever their
position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no
longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important
responsibilities.” It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what your position
is or how high and sacred your calling is. When you start playing the
harlotry, God sends Elijahs and you punish them, God will remove the
high state of honor from you. Quit the papal pride that urges people to stay
in a stinking ship declaring that outside the church no soul shall be saved.
Pope Pius IX (A.D. 1846 – 1878): “It must be held by faith that outside the
Apostolic Roman Church, no one can be saved; that this is the only ark of
salvation; that he who shall not have entered therein will perish in the
flood.” (Denzinger 1647)

As of now, GC SDA is a daughter to Babylon/Mother of harlots and thus it

is Babylon by inheritance. Unless Babylon is healed, she will continue
being Babylon. Will she be healed? Will these words be fulfilled for her?:

Jeremiah 51:9 - “We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed:
forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment
reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.”

In conclusion:

‘Of those who boast of their light, and yet fail to walk in it, Christ says, “But
I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of
judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists,
who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of
privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which
have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained
until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the
land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”’ RH August 1,
1893, par. 5

Let's pray:

Father, we thank you for all that we have studied this day. Please open our
minds to understand more. This we pray trusting and believing in the mighty
name of Jesus, amen.

Comments, questions, additions etc are welcomed.

Part 2:
Addition by Emmanuel Makini:

When we read the statements of Ellen White, people think they are at liberty
to explain them as they like. But the writer says this of her writings:

"Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; nothing is cast aside; but

time and place must be considered. Nothing must be done untimely. Some
matters must be withheld because some persons would make an improper use
of the light given. Every jot and tittle is essential and must appear at an
opportune time. In the past, the testimonies were carefully prepared before
they were sent out for publication. And all matter is still carefully studied
after the first writing. 1SM 57.2.

The same principle applies when it comes to the identity of the true Church
and of Babylon. What are the things that would make a church to be called
Babylon and what are the things that could make a church be called the true
Church? Can a church in apostasy be called the true Church or does it have to
repent first? Does God have respect to any organizational name? What If the
church turns to worship another god?

As I read my Bible I notice the following:

1. Satan was part of the church of the first born above but when he and his
sympathizers apostatized, they were cast out of heaven when they
refused to repent.
2. Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of God due to apostasy.
3. Cain was cast out of God's presence due to apostasy.
4. The antediluvians were destroyed due to apostasy and so was Sodom,
Gomorrah and the idolatrous heathen nations.

The conclusion from the above points is that God is not a respector of
persons. "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to
hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto
judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a
preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the
ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes
condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those
that after should live ungodly;"

Does the same principle apply to those who proclaimed to be worshippers of

God?

Let's consider Israel:

At the foot of Sinai, God entered into a covenant relationship with Israel but
we notice that for Israel to be God's chosen people, they had to obey him. We
notice the usage of "if.....then"

"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,

then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth
is mine" Exodus 19:5.

When Israel was in apostasy did they remain God's chosen people? Or did
they have to repent first? Nobody is God's child if he lives in disobedience.
Everytime Israel was in apostasy, God's protection was withdrawn and the
Philistines, Assyrians, Moabites etc plundered them. When they repented
God was merciful. (Read the book of judges). The apostasy was so great till
they had to be dispersed in Assyria and Judah was taken captive in Babylon.
By the time Christ came, the Jewish religion was very different. Christ
labored for them and at last he had to give them up and say, "behold your
house is left unto you desolate". The ministry of Christ was self-supported.
He did not depend on the Sanhedrin. The disciples were called out and
Christ set up his church on earth.

Was the church set up by Christ and the apostles ever in apostasy? Christ said
that the gates of hell could never prevail against his church. What church did
he refer to? Paul said that after his departing grievous/ravening wolves would
come not sparing the flock. Did this happen? If this happened then how true
was Christ's word?

We notice that when the apostles died, others arose who knew not God and
errors were introduced into the mainstream church. Those who were true to
God were pushed out and the church became "the church of the wilderness".
The mainstream church or universal church claimed to be the true Church but
did God regard them so? The true Church was the church in the wilderness.
The Catholic Church could not be the church of God.

When the apostasy of the Catholic Church reached fever pitch, God called
out a people and the reformation began. Those who came out of the apostate
church became part of the true Church but again after the leaders of the
reformation died, the churches apostatized and God called out a people called
the Millerites.

We see one principle: irregardless of position, gifts and status any church that
proved unfaithful had to be cast out. God could not work with that church or
through that church.

The remnants of the millerites became organized into SDAs in the 1860s. The
question is, if this church became unfaithful, will God ignore that
unfaithfulness and work with them or will he work through the same
principle he worked with from beginning? I think that if SDA proved
unfaithful, if God was to work with it irregardless of it's unfaithfulness then
God has changed. But because God changes not, if the church became
unfaithful, the church must repent first if God would work with it.

What is SDA? And who are Seventh Day Adventists?

The word Adventist is from the roots word Advent which according to
Webster means "second coming of Christ". All those that wait the second
coming are called Adventists. The movement called "the millerites" was often
called "great Advent movement". And all those associated with it became to
be called Adventists. Those that accepted the Sabbath were called Sabbath or
Seventh day Adventists while those that rejected the Sabbath were called first
day Adventists. The main feature of first day Adventists are:

1. They united with apostate churches in opposing the work of sister white. 1
SM 69.4
2. Time setting 1T 73.1
3. Bitterest foes to S. D adventists 1 TT 429.3.
4. Against the law (including Sabbath)
5. Strongly opposed to church order.

We'll say something on church order. Many first day adventists and even
seventh day adventists were opposed to church organization for they had seen
the results of denominationalism in the churches they came from. But in the
50s and 60s the pioneers saw that for the purpose of the work of the third
angel to move forward, organization was indispensable. "As our numbers
increased, it was evident that without some form of organization there
would be great confusion, and the work would not be carried forward
successfully. To provide for the support of the ministry, for carrying the
work in new fields, for protecting both the churches and the ministry
from unworthy members, for holding church property, for the
publication of the truth through the press, and for many other objects,
organization was indispensable". TM 26.2

The name that was settled for for this new organization was Seventh-Day
Adventists. A name that describes what we are. Those that keep the
commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. The work for the
Seventh-Day Adventists is one to proclaim the third angel's message. "Let
every Seventh-day Adventist ask himself, "What can I do to proclaim the
third angel's message?" ChS 145.2. But in order to proclaim this message we
needed to have a firm platform.

The church was built on strong foundations and firm principles among them:

1. The sanctuary message including the 2300 days and investigative

judgement.

"The subject of the sanctuary should be carefully examined, as it lies at the

foundation of our faith and hope."— J. S. White, The Advent Review.

2. Personality of God and Christ.

"Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith
concerning the sanctuary or concerning the personality of God or of Christ
are working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to
set the people of God adrift without an anchor". YRP 235.4.

3. Righteousness by faith incorporating the commandments of God and

faith of Jesus. This message includes both proclamation of the gospel and
tracing out the application of the prophecies that bring us to the third
angel's message.

For us to define Seventh-Day Adventists we aught to look at the distinctive

features of Adventism. We read. "Not as though the word of God hath taken
none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" Romans 9:6. "For
he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly ..... But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly" Romans 2:28-29. Again, "Neither, because they are the seed of
Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is,
They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God:
but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." Again, "Know ye
therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham."
Paul was echoing the words of Christ, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye
would do the works of Abraham.". In short a true adventist is not counted by
the virtue of birth into the organization or by his words that he is an Adventist
but rather by the faith? So what is the faith of Adventism?

"One thing it is certain is soon to be realized,—the great apostasy, which is

developing and increasing and waxing stronger, and will continue to do so
until the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout. We are to hold fast
the first principles of our denominated faith, and go forward from
strength to increased faith. Ever we are to keep the faith that has been
substantiated by the Holy Spirit of God from the earlier events of our
experience until the present time. We need now larger breadth, and deeper,
more earnest, unwavering faith in the leadings of the Holy Spirit. If we
needed the manifest proof of the Holy Spirit's power to confirm truth in the
beginning, after the passing of the time, we need today all the evidence in the
confirmation of the truth, when souls are departing from the faith and giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. There must not be any
languishing of soul now. SpTB07 57.1

If we want to find the true adventist, we must compare the belief to the first
principles of the denominated faith. If they are a match, then that is a true
adventist. If they are out of harmony that is not a true adventist. If the
principles of the GC are in harmony with our fundamental principles then
that's not Babylon. If they are out of harmony then it's Babylon. If a ministry
is in harmony with the fundamental principles then it is not Babylon. If it's
out of harmony then it's Babylon.

"The principles of truth that God has revealed to us are our only true
foundation 1 SM 201.

"This foundation was built by the Master Worker, and will stand storm and
tempest (Ibid., p. 204).

"We have our Bibles. We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous
working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise.
Shall
we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth (Ibid.,
p. 205)?

"The principles for which we fought in the early days . . . were brought out in
the power of the Holy Spirit (Ibid., p. 206).

"Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day
Adventists, to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been
sought
out by prayerful study, and testified to by the miracle-working power of the
Lord. But the waymarks which have made us what we are, are to be
preserved,
and they will be preserved, as God has signified through His Word and the
testimony of His Spirit. He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of faith,
to
the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority
(Ibid.,
p. 208).

"The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain
and
unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to usin answer to our urgent
prayers.
The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that
what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy
Spirit. Light, precious light from God, established the main points of our faith
as we
hold them today (Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p. 53; Letter 50, 1906).

"We can confidently say, The truth that has come to us through the Holy
Spirit’s working is not a lie. The evidences given for the last half century bear
the evidence of the Spirit’s power (The Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White
Letters, p. 257).

"Ever we are to keep the faith that has been substantiated by the Holy Spirit
of
God from the earlier events of our experience until the present time (The
Upward Look, p. 352; December 4, 1905).

For anyone to say whether the seventh-day adventist church today is Babylon
or not, we need to compare what the church believes today and the
foundation principles. The question is does the church today stand on the
same foundation principles as it stood on in 1900?

Some statements to be considered alongside those shared that the church is

not Babylon

"The voice from Battle Creek, which has been regarded as authority in
counseling how the work should be done, is no longer the voice of God.—
Manuscript Releases 17:185 (1896).
It has been some years since I have considered the General Conference as the
voice of God.—Manuscript Releases 17:216 (1898).

That these men should stand in a sacred place, to be as the voice of God to
the people, as we once believed the General Conference to be—that is past.
—The General Conference Bulletin, April 3, 1901, p. 25. LDE 50.2 - LDE
50.4

I came across an interesting statement. @Mbogo come and see.

"I was confirmed in all I had stated in Minneapolis that a reformation must
go through the churches. Reforms must be made, for spiritual weakness and
blindness were upon the people who had been blessed with great light and
precious opportunities and privileges. As reformers they had come out of the
denominational churches, but they now act a part similar to that which the
churches acted. We hoped that there would not be the necessity for
another coming out. While we will endeavor to keep the "unity of the Spirit"
in the bonds of peace, we will not with pen or voice cease to protest against
bigotry 6LtMs, Ms 30, 1889, par. 14

For any fair and honest analysis we should compare these statements and
those produced earlier on that SDA can never be Babylon so that we get a full
picture.

I had a question about the current study and I hope it will assist us all.

What qualifies a church to be called Babylon? Or what features should be

considered when calling a church Babylon?

I'm looking at the second angel's message:

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that
great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication."
"As the churches refused to receive the first angel's message, they rejected
the light from heaven and fell from the favor of God. They trusted to their
own strength, and by opposing the first message placed themselves where
they could not see the light of the second angel's message. But the beloved of
God, who were oppressed, accepted the message, "Babylon is fallen," and
left the churches.
Near the close of the second angel's message, I saw a great light from heaven
shining upon the people of God. The rays of this light seemed bright as the
sun. And I heard the voices of angels crying, "Behold, the Bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet Him!" EW 237.2 - EW 238.1.

The second angel's message was fulfilled in 1844. And the churches called
Babylon are the apostate protestant churches.

We read that the second angel's message does not refer to Rome

"The message of Revelation 14 announcing the fall of Babylon, must apply to

religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this
message follows the warning of the Judgment, it must be given in the last
days, therefore it cannot refer to the Romish Church, for that church has
been in a fallen condition for many centuries. GC88 382.3

Again I read revelation Revelation 18:2

"And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is
fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every
foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

The angel in Revelation 18:2 sounds a while later than the second angel of
Revelation 14. We notice a comment.

"I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and
again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important
event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the
earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his
message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he
descended, the earth was lightened with his glory. The light which attended
this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice,
"Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils,
and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful
bird." The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is
repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have
been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at
the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel's message as it
swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the
hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting
upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel's message.
EW 277.1

The angel in Revelation 18 gives the declaration that Babylon is fallen but
gives additional message including the corruptions which have been
entering the churches since 1844. Is Seventh day adventists included among
these churches that have corruptions entering since 1844?

Sr. Em Moesh responded: SDA definitely is included in the churches that

have corruptions and from my understanding, they made that corruption
officially in 1980 .

From my understanding , SDA is daughter and not mother of Harlot. That

mother remains to be papacy. Babylon =confusion.
Again am learning and unlearning.

Makini continued: In 1888, sister white Wrote:

"Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation, in a message

which is yet future, the people of God are called upon to come out of
Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God's people must still be in
Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the
followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various
churches professing the Protestant faith. At the time of their rise, these
churches took a noble stand for God and the truth, and his blessing was with
them. Even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the
beneficent results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the gospel.
In the words of the prophet to Israel, "Thy renown went forth among the
heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had
put upon thee, saith the Lord God." But they fell by the same desire which
was the curse and ruin of Israel,—the desire of imitating the practices and
courting the friendship of the ungodly. "Thou didst trust in thine own beauty,
and playedst the harlot because of thy renown."
Many of the Protestant churches are following Rome's example of iniquitous
connection with "the kings of the earth;" the State churches, by their relation
to secular governments, and other denominations by seeking the favor of the
world. And the term Babylon—confusion—may be appropriately applied
to these bodies, all professing to derive their doctrines from the Bible, yet
divided into almost innumerable sects, with widely conflicting creeds and
theories. GC88 382.3 - GC88 383.1.

We are told that the fall of Babylon predicted in Revelation 18 was yet
future in the year 1888. But this message was to include the corruptions
that have been entering into the churches since 1844. The churches here
referred are those that claim the "protestant faith". And what is the
protestant faith? Sola scriptura. Is the seventh-day adventist church included
in this list?