"BORDERLAND"

"My message to you is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth." Selected Messages Book 1, Pg. 196

Jesus prayed for unity; we hear a lot about that these days, don’t we? But is it possible that there is a difference in the unity Jesus wanted us to have, and the unity that is being urged upon us by the frog-spirit led ecumenical thrust? Is it possible to discern which kind of unity is being urged within our own churches?

Notice this quote from one of the main books of the Promise Keepers movement to get a clue as to why unity is important to them:

"Alone we can't change much; you can't, either, But together, with a million brothers—committed Promise Keepers, we can influence a nation. We can demonstrate that what history, the political process, and the legal system could not do, faith, obedience, repentance and unity in Jesus can change." Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper: 169.

We can do it if we get together. We can get what we want if we gang up and exert the force of numbers. We can take Christ by force and make Him king to further our aims. Down through the ages we see that the Dragon forces have always tried to rule by force of numbers.

Take a look at one of the best examples the Bible gives us of the work of the ‘Moral Majority’. Led and encouraged by their religious leaders, the Jews unite to bring their political clout to bear to get what they wanted from the government ruler. And what was it they had thought important enough that the three factions of the Jewish society united together to achieve?

They had a goal important enough to them, that for a while they decided to join forces, uniting on what they had in common. Which was—hatred for Jesus, the obscure Galilean Teacher that was seriously hampering their total control of the people. They joined forces to achieve their religious and political aspiration—to crucify the Son of God!

This is a parallel to our own day, where we see the three main divisions of the religious world, who really hate each other, being led to unite their forces for a common goal; to be able to bring the political clout of numbers to bear on the Pilates of today, and force them to obey their demands.

How can they unite who really have only enmity for one another? The same way as the three factions of the Jews united in Christ’s day, on what they have in common, ignoring all the myriad things they don’t have in common. So what do they have in common?

"There was a division among the people concerning the world's Redeemer. Like seeks like. Like appreciates like, and those who loved truth gave their verdict of the righteousness of Jesus; but wherever evil exists, it leagues with evil for the destruction of the good. Fallen men and fallen angels, by likeness of purpose and principle, will join in a desperate and determined companionship to resist truth and righteousness. When Satan can induce men, as he induced angels, to unite with him in rebellion, he has them as his allies and associates in every enterprise formed for the seduction of souls from the principles of truth. Whatever disunion there may be among themselves on other matters, the wicked are one in their opposition and hatred of the truth." Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 05-08-88

The Dragon religions of Spiritualism, the Roman Beast power and the False Prophet of apostate Protestantism brought together by the frog-spirits really have something in common—Hatred of the Truth, rebellion against ultimate authority as it appears in God’s Law and a lust for power to force their ideas on others. When you study behind the scenes, each of these forces ultimately intends to destroy or blot up the other two and eventually rule as supreme.

In the very beginning of the Great Controversy we see that as soon as Lucifer rebelled and severed himself from the unity that had heretofore existed in the heavenly realms, but he began with an intensity to circulate among the angels, seeking by whatever means to get others to agree with him and join him in unity against God.

Those who depart from the will of God have an intense ‘need’ for company and approval from others. And the larger the group that they can identify with, the more comforting it is to hearts that have set themselves in array against their Creator. In our present day, as the rebellion in this world becomes well-nigh universal, we see intensity among people having to ‘join’ something, a need to be a member, to be part of a group or several groups. Individuality, freedom to decide for ones self what is the better way and courage to stand alone for truth is almost obsolete in our media controlled, politically correct, organization obsessed society.

The very concept of ‘majority rule’ is a Satanic invention, because, since sin became established in our world, the majority have always been on his side, that’s right, friends, the majority have almost always been wrong! In that infamous impromptu election on Passover Friday, Barabbas had a clear majority. Always remember, one person with God is a majority!

The ‘joining’ spirit is so intense these days; every aspect of life has groups that people feel they need to join; having a baby? Prenatal group; have a hobby? Hobby groups; have a disease? Every disease imaginable has a society; children’s groups, sports groups, senior’s groups, on and on. But in all this it is most interesting that the one group that God established from the beginning and placed sacred bounds around—the family—is being split, divided, fractured and intruded into. People more and more identify with their groups and less with their families.

Even family worship, that used to be like a sacred flame in the family circle is difficult these days, because everybody ‘knows’ that children have to have their own books, and women have theirs and teens have theirs and men have theirs and to even suggest that really, all people need the very same spiritual food, is to be considered a lunatic.

The Bible presents this joining together in associations as one of the signs of the end and makes it clear that God is not behind all this ‘grouping’. In fact the Spirit of Prophecy tells us the wicked are binding themselves into bundles to be burned! "Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid." Isaiah 8:9, 12

Misery, (sin is misery) wants company, it needs approval because the constant nag of the Holy Spirit in the conscience torments it and if it can get others agreeing with it, then it feels assured. Did you ever notice how freely people will offer you a cigarette, a drink of alcohol, or a ‘joint’? I have observed that people will gladly share these harmful things but seldom will anyone buy you a meal if you are in need. And if you refuse they often start justifying their own indulgence.

Why is it that the wicked NEED to get everybody agreeing with them and joined in with them? Why do they not just go about their business and leave the few dissenters alone? Well, it is because the very sight of a true and faithful child of God is a torment to them. Here is someone who won’t admit they’re right! Here’s someone who says they’re wrong in the sight of God!

The true Christian maybe isn’t saying anything to them, he may even be somewhere way off, not even bothering the apostates and rebels at all. Just the thought, that there are some who condemn his course, drives the transgressor to distraction. If he could silence every voice of dissent, he thinks he will have peace and it will somehow prove him to be right after all. Why was torture so much a part of the program used against true believers? Well because just killing them doesn’t really give the assurance and satisfaction the apostate craves; he wants to be assured he is right! He wants all to agree with him, and so he seeks this higher gratification, if he can force the believer to agree with him, he feels more justified, than if the believer stands his ground and is just killed.

We have a sad situation among us today, that these same attitudes are rampant in the church even more than outside of it. Leadership cleaves together, and sticks up for one another, even in the face of the most blatant transgression of God’s revealed will; things that even worldlings would condemn. The one presenting the clear Biblical evidence of wrongdoing, often finds himself ostracized and condemned while the offending leader walks away, arm in arm with his ‘brethren’, un-rebuked, to go do it again! Because to stand against sin, they would condemn themselves!

This false unity is what is being foisted on us within the structure today; the quotes that show the importance of unity are flaunted and waved before us constantly, while the warnings about wrong forms of unity are squelched. Did you know that true, lasting unity is impossible on any other ground than pure, clean, unadulterated truth? That is so! As we said above, the only unity that can occur in those not totally born again and fully surrendered to God and walking in obedience to His will, is a temporary agreement to unite against truth. Even Satan and his angels can’t agree except in their hatred for God.

We need to learn the secret of real unity! Notice this warning:

"Just before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed for his disciples, "Sanctify them through Thy truth; thy word is truth." It is the duty of every one to search the Scriptures for himself. We cannot accept the assertions of men as infallible. To those who oppose and denounce our faith we say, Show us from the Bible that we are in error. God's word is to judge us at the last day, and we want to know what saith the Scripture. We are regarded with jealousy and bitterness because we will not accept as evidence the assertions of men and the testimony of the Fathers; but we cannot purchase peace and unity by sacrificing the truth. The conflict may be long and painful, but at any cost we must hold fast the word of God. "The Bible, and the Bible only," must be our watchword." Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists pg. 197

We are told that there is a need for unity among us but we are also warned that this unity is NOT to be like that of the world, it is a very different kind of unity indeed. It tells us that unity must never be purchased by laying aside even one particle of truth! So the concept that unity is the be-all and end-all and that we should avoid any topic that there is dissention on, so that we can have this ‘unity’ is a clear lie!

We hear an almost constant droning among us these days, ‘we must be united, we must obey proper church authority, we must avoid speaking on subjects where there is dissention, don’t say anything that might offend, luv-luv-luv, we must not criticize, we must submit to the church manual, church creed, church board, conference authority, and everything and anything (except the inspired Word)—because we must have a strong centralized authority which is the General Conference. So contrary to these concepts is God’s method of unity that many fail to even recognise what it is.

Never loose sight of the fact it is the same forces working to bring men together on one hand and to scatter, confuse and corrupt the faithful on the other. Remember at Baal-Peor Satan could not harm God’s people unless he got them into sin first! The frog spirits that promote the coming together of the powers for the final battle are also penetrating among us with pleasing sophistries designed to distract and distance us from God’s inspired counsel.

What are the methods Satan is employing to keep the faithful from a true, solid experience that would prepare them to stand against his whiles? Read the following carefully:

"The experience of the past will be repeated.　 In the future, Satan's superstitions will assume new forms.　 Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner.　 False theories, clothed with garments of light, will be presented to God's people.　 Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect.　 Most seducing influences will be
exerted; minds will be hypnotized.

"Corruptions of every type, similar to those existing among the antediluvians, will be brought in to take minds captive.　 The exaltation of nature as God, the unrestrained license of the human will, the counsel of the ungodly -- these Satan uses as agencies to bring about certain ends.　 He will employ the power of mind over mind to carry out
his designs.　 The most sorrowful thought of all is that under his deceptive influence men will have a form of godliness, without having a real connection with God.　 Like Adam and Eve, who ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, many are even now feeding upon the deceptive morsels of error." 8 Testimonies pg. 293

What united the early pioneers? They did not have a General Conference! What united the early apostolic church? Contrary to what many think, they did not have a General Conference either, they merely had a few times when brethren of faith got together to pray and search the scriptures to come to an understanding they all could agree on. The idea of a centralized authority in the Christian church was so alien to it that it took hundreds of years before the Bishop of Rome could finally take his seat as ‘Head’ of an apostate organization.

Come with me in thought back to the time just after the Great Disappointment. Only a handful of scattered believers were hanging onto their faith. Even though confused and desolated, they were determined to do something about it. They were going to search the scriptures and plead with God for light until they found out the TRUTH! Prayer and Bible study, Bible study and prayer was their whole focus. Soon some light from God came and they got a glimpse of the fact that the scriptures indeed are a connected and harmonious chain of truth.

Soon at one of these earnest prayer meetings, a loving Saviour reached down and gave to the scattered little flock a precious, priceless gift! To a young girl, barely clinging by a thread to life, came the mighty angel of prophecy to bestow the Spirit of Prophecy in response to hearts who longed for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Soon, as intense prayer and study continued, aided by hints and helps from this Gift, a clear chain of truth began to be understood.

Old, non-Biblical traditions and misunderstandings of scripture began to fall from the little flock like scales and eyes began to see a beautiful wholeness and harmony never seen since apostolic days, when Jesus expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Now I want you to take special notice how the pioneers operated under the guidance of the Lord. God was calling forth and equipping a people to bear his last message of mercy to a perishing world, a clear, united message, and how was it done? I will tell you how people today think it ought to have been done, because they are trying to do it that way today.

People today think it should be done, by having the group elect a leader, and then whatever that leader said, is to be unquestioningly accepted and obeyed. In any question of doctrine, the group must take a vote and then whatever most of them thought was right, would be put down as the accepted view and all other views squelched. This is good for his satanic majesty because the majority in this fallen world have always been wrong! I can hear the echo of the chant for a strong centralized authority as the only hope of unity in a scattered group like that. This is Satan’s spiritualistic view of unity. He likes it, because all he has to do is control the man at the top and he leads the whole group like a bull on a nose-ring.

But God’s way is light-years away from such concepts. Let’s see how they did it:

"Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder {Hiram} Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the Word. Again and again these brethren came together to study the Bible, in order that they might know its meaning, and be prepared to teach it with power. When they came to the point in their study where they said, "We can do nothing more," the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach effectively. Thus light was given that helped us to understand the scriptures in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was made plain to me, and I gave to others the instruction that the Lord had given me." Selected Messages Book 1, pg. 206

Here is the answer; not by might, (educational degrees) nor by power, (force of numbers) but by my Sprit, saith the Lord!! The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, NOT a strong centralized authority is what gave us a harmonious and clear foundation of Biblical doctrine.

What did they do when they had a situation where some were seeing it one way and others differently, did they take a vote? No! They prayed and studied until light came clearly and each one could whole-heartedly agree, "Yes, this is the Bible truth! I see it!" There was not a spirit of, ‘Well most of us agree so you’d better sit down and keep your ideas to yourself!’ No, they sometimes had to separate and go home and pray and study separately for a while, but they kept on until all could unit on a clear, Biblical foundation. Mrs. White says in many places, woe be to those who tear down or alter that foundation!

Then, once a clear foundation of Present Truth was understood and they could see the harmony and connectedness of it, they were lead by the Lord to travel and seek out the scattered flock and carry the foundation to them. Did they force it on them? No, indeed in some areas as they came to the people they found no two of them believing alike and each one sure he alone was correct. They presented the Bible truths and most would come into harmony very quickly and with great joy.

A few took longer to see, but most soon saw clearly, especially when they saw demonstrated the working of the Lord though the mighty Spirit of Prophecy gift. A few, of course, would not let go of their own hobby horses, not even after they clearly were shown from the Bible the true position, and these, after a time, rode into the darkness and walked no more with the little flock.

Friends, we have the secret of unity and it is just what is being so viciously attacked within both the organization and independents today—the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. The whole Spirit of Prophecy! God knew we needed help in these terrible days, when every wind of doctrine is howling around the faithful. Every false view and error that Satan has ever used in the past is now to be found somewhere whirling souls to perdition! Brothers and sisters, we HAVE a foundation, else why would we be warned so much to stay on it and not allow any to tear it down?

Without the Spirit of Prophecy our pioneers would never have come to see the connected chain of truth flowing harmoniously through the Word. Without the Spirit of Prophecy the apostolic church would have failed in presenting a clear message to the world, the disciples had many wrong concepts, but when Jesus, who was also a prophet remember, showed them the pattern through the power of the Holy Spirit, they saw it and unity and power was the result.

The unity of Jesus, what is it? "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John 17:21. Unity is being IN God and God IN us by His Holy Spirit! Sin can’t be in God and God can’t be in sin! Outside of God, no true unity can ever exist.

Does joining the church bring unity? Can man-made rules and creeds bring unity? No, only the false unity of antipathy to the truth of God.

"All, high or low, if they are unconverted, are on one common platform. Men may turn from one doctrine to another. This is being done, and will be done. Papists may change from Catholicism to Protestantism; yet they may know nothing of the meaning of the words, "A new heart also will I give you." Accepting new theories, and uniting with a church, do not bring new life to anyone, even though the church with which he unites may be established on the true foundation. Connection with a church does not take the place of conversion. To subscribe the name to a church creed is not of the least value to anyone if the heart is not truly changed." Evangelism pg. 290

True conversion, an experience based on the inspired Word of God, when the heart is totally surrendered and the inspired counsel is used as the Ultimate Authority both by the individual and collectively, then and only then can real unity ever occur. But always remember that the Truth only promotes unity among those who surrender to it and walk in it; amongst those determined to go their own ways, it divides like a two edged sword!

"Unless man is given the converting grace of heaven, he will have no disposition to oppose Satan's counsels, and will become the enemy's willing dupe. It is God alone who puts enmity to sin in the human heart. The Lord gives man a new mind. He causes the conflict that will not submit to Satan's deceptive reasoning. It is God who makes a conflict where heretofore there has been unity of action. It is the Lord's purpose that depraved human nature should, through His divine power, be provided with a renovating energy. Manuscript 5, 1904. M.R. Vol. 13, pg. 383

So is unity the will of God? Yes, but division is just as much His will when people are not walking in obedience to the Living Word!