Chapter 4—God’s Last Day Church

This chapter it is important for those who want to know about the characteristic of the remnant.

Revelation 12:17. The dragon who is Satan was enraged with the woman that we know is the
church of God. And the war he went to make is described in Revelation 12:6, 14 where it agrees
with the 1260 years of the dark ages of Papal Supremacy (538-1798)

This year, 1798, the period of Papal persecution ended. After this year, Satan was enraged and
went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring. After this year a remnant will arise, a
remnant with two characteristics. This chapter talks about who is God’s church, and the two
characteristics of these

• Commandments : included the Sabbath

• The testimony of Jesus: the one the Jesus gives to his prophets.
o It is the message that Jesus wants to give through His people (prophets)
The remnant of God is a people that should come after 1798 + they would have two things.

• [1]God has a church on earth who are lifting up the downtrodden law, and presenting to the
world the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.
o The first thing that stands out about this church is that God has a people who is
“lifting up the downtrodden law …”
• [2]As the end draws near and the work of giving the last warning to the world extends, it
becomes more important for those who accept present truth to have a clear understanding
of the nature and influence of the testimonies, which God in His providence has linked with
the work of the third angel’s message from its very rise.
o We talked about at the end time we need to have a clear understanding because à
o [4]There will be those who will claim to have visions. When God gives you clear
evidence that the vision is from Him, you may accept it, but do not accept it on any
other evidence.
• [3]Men may get up scheme after scheme and the enemy will seek to seduce souls from the
truth, but all who believe that the Lord has spoken through Sister White and has given her a
message will be safe from the many delusions that will come in these last days.
o God gave us the word of HW to connect with His word and connect to Jesus, and
also to get prepared for “many delusions that will come in these last days”
o Who will be prepared, ready? Those who are paying attention, listening God’s word
and studying it as well.

Also, HW describes this church as a church which has biblical doctrines, and it follows the bible.
• [6]They have been given a work of the most solemn import the proclamation of the first,
second, and third angels’ messages.
o Describing this church, HW mentioned our responsibilities as a church: bring the
message of the three angels.
o And according to this responsibility and the light we receive we will be judged [27].
o God has called us to be His remnant, but it doesn’t mean we will be just safe. We
were called to be ambassador to preach His message [5].

Through the chapter there is a lot of talk about the General Conference.
We can talk a little but the background of the GC, about why and how it was organized. We can talk
about some problem like abuse of power, the negligence of some people in using their own
judgment.
• [7]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....
o I believe there are many people who don’t accept the organization of the church.
o It is clear that God commanded to be organized to protect the members, to protect
the gospel so this was not going to be block.
o We should not be against our organization, we have to understand the organization
is leading by people, sinners, who are not perfect.
• [10]As we near the final crisis, instead of feeling that there is less need of order and harmony
of action, we should be more systematic than heretofore.
o We have to be even more systematic.
• Question: why do you think is important to be organized? Where does the order came
from?
o Came from: [8]1 Corinthians 14:33.
o It is important because: [9]
• [11]God has invested His church with special authority and power which no one can be
justified in disregarding and despising, for in so doing he despises the voice of God.
o The church has been invested with special power and NO ONE should despise the
church. Because doing he is despising God’s voice.
o It is true there are many things inside the church, like corruption, abuse of power …
but even so it is not a reason to despise the church.
o Even we can see HW losing confidence in the church [13]. Why? Because people
were not doing that they supposed to do [12read]. The church was growing and
reform had to be done.
• [14]It is not wise to choose one man as president of the General [50] Conference.
o It may look confuse. But its explanation is in [15]
• [16]You will take passages in the Testimonies that speak of the close of probation, of the
shaking among God’s people, and you will talk of a coming out from this people of a purer,
holier people that will arise. Now all this pleases the enemy.... Should many accept the views
you advance, and talk and act upon them, we would see one of the greatest fanatical
excitements that has ever been witnessed among Seventh-day Adventists. This is what Satan
wants
o Warning to those who use wrongly the Testimonies “Now all this pleases the enemy”
o [17]When anyone is drawing apart from the organized body of God’s. he begins to
weigh the church in his human scales and begins to pronounce judgment against
them, then you may know that God is not leading him.
§ HW doesn’t support in any way there is division inside the church, people call
the church Babylonia.
§ We have to be carefully that there is not another organization.
• Question: Is the church always right? What happen with corruption? Is an excuse to leave
the church? Ans [18]
With power and responsibilities being so centralized, she suggests that responsibilities need to be
distributed, this is included in the reform that she mentioned it had to be done [20].
• [21] wait weeks for an answer. Those who are right on the ground are to decide what shall
be done.
o We waste time in formalism. I’m not talking about the distance mentioned here,
about the forms that make us to waste time as well.

Despite these and other problems that we can see in the church, today and before, doesn’t mean
the church lost authority [22]. We can be sure that God maintains order in his church. We can be
sure that the work that God has entrusted to us continues to be supported by Him [23], as long as
we are faithful [26].
• [19]He has a church, but it is the church militant, not the church triumphant. We are sorry
that there are defective members, that there are tares amid the wheat.... Although there are
evils existing in the church, and will be until the end of the world.
o The church of God is a church which will have tribulation
o [25]We should remember that the church, weakened and defective though it be, is
the only object on earth on which Christ bestows His supreme regard. He is
strengthening it by His Holy Spirit.

Seeing our mistakes, God's greatness stands out, His love and patience [24].
We have a responsibility to the church, to God, and we cannot deny it because we would be doing
the same as Israel [28].

To conclude we can see that there is mentioned two churches, or better, two states of the same
church. A militant church which is the one that has to work, and a triumphant church which will be
the one that is waiting for Jesus when he returns.
• [29]The church militant is not the church triumphant, and earth is not heaven. The church is
composed of erring, imperfect men and women, who are but learners in the school of Christ,
to be trained, disciplined, educated, for this life and for the future, immortal life.
o The militant church is not the triumphant church. The same the earth is not heaven.
Sometimes we expect people have to be perfect, but they are imperfect as I am. We
are “learners in the school of Christ” where we will “be trained, disciplined,
educated, for this life and for the future, immortal life.”
o God has entrusted us a work, to spread his message. Not by ourselves, but His
power.
o There will always be people who doesn’t feel contented and [30]when they see
faults …
• [31]The work is soon to close. The members of the church militant who have proved faithful
will become the church triumphant.
o So, members of the militant church who have these characteristics: the
commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus. This church has the promise of
it is found faithful if it will form part of the triumphant church.
• [32]The life of Christ was a life charged with a divine message of the love of God, and He
longed intensely to impart this love to others in rich measure. Compassion beamed from His
countenance, and His conduct was characterized by grace, humility, truth, and love. Every
member of His church militant must manifest the same qualities, if he would join the church
triumphant.
o We must renew our commitment to preach the gospel “we must manifest the same
qualities of Jesus” so that more people may know about Jesus.