Whenever a matter of doctrinal controversy arises in the Seventh-day Adventist church over the teachings found in the original Shepherd’s Rod (SRod) message the following in certain to happen. In order to avoid any prayerful investigation in the topic at hand church leaders assert that the SRod message has been already been investigated by the leading men many years ago and they found it to be in error so therefore we have no need to investigate for ourselves today, but should take their counsel and reject it as error. Below is one of the principle statements from the Spirit of Prophecy that is used to backup their claim.
“There are a thousand temptations in disguise prepared for those who have the light of truth; and the only safety for any of us is in receiving no new doctrine, no new interpretation of the Scriptures, without first submitting it to brethren of experience. Lay it before them in a humble, teachable spirit, with earnest prayer; and if they see no light in it, yield to their judgment; for “in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” — Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 291-293. (1885.)
There are several problems with jumping to such a hasty conclusion on a matter which effects our very soul salvation. Below is a list of questions and comments for your thoughtful consideration along these lines. Please prayerfully contemplate their significance to your eternal salvation as the soul saved may be your own.
- Who are these brethren of experience that judged the SRod over 80 years ago and proclaimed it false?
- Is the Sanhedrin of today to be more trusted than the Sanhedrin in Christ’s day when new light was introduced to the Jewish church?
- If we leave the matter of investigation of a controverted point of doctrine to the leading men, then where does the solemn obligation of personal investigation come into play?
- Are the sheep merely to follow only what the shepherd’s feed them? What about the very real possibility that many of the professed shepherds feeding the flock today are false? How would we know the difference unless we made a candid investigation of our own comparing scripture with scripture and seeing if these are so in the spirit of a noble Berean?
- Just because a matter is highly controversial within the church, such as the teachings found in the original SRod message, does that make it false by default? Is it not just as likely the reason that the subjects brought forth in the SRod message are so controversial is because they are true and cross the desires of the ease loving heart? After all isn’t the reason the Jewish leaders crucified Christ was because HIs radical new teachings exposed their erroneous beliefs and allowed the deep seated spiritual pride of the religious leaders of the day to manifest itself?
The argument that we should submit any “new light” to the church leadership starting with the local church elder and ending up with the General Conference in regard to the Shepherd’s Rod has been tried by numerous individuals over the years. The author of this post followed such a protocol when they first began to study this message over 15 years ago and found that at each step of the way nobody wanted to sit down and show what was the alleged errors in the SRod message. In most cases a direct inquiry into the matter was met with shocked silence and then a passing of the buck so to speak with the only suggestion that I go up the chain of authority which ended up to the then leader of the Biblical Research Institute (BRI) at the General Conference, Elder George Reid. Sometime later a personal visit to that office found no one willing to sit down and show from the Bible the errors in the SRod message. When asked for an official position paper to refute the doctrines in the Rod they had nothing. The only content this theological band of experts have listed on their website is a brief paper that never addresses the doctrines in the SRod and shows were they are out of harmony with the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy (here is a reply to the BRI paper with the questions we really should be asking). The result of this shocking and unsettling experience only confirmed the very truths the SRod message was saying all along about church leaders who refuse to candidly investigate the message for themselves and go to every effort to discourage the laity from doing their solemn obligation before God.
To followup on this topic of proper church authority and address the question of who, or where, is the voice of God speaking to His church today if the church leadership are no longer considered to be the voice of God to the people today, the following paper was prepared entitled: “Church Authority: Is the General Conference the Voice of God on Earth Today?” Please download this document and examine its content to see of the historical analysis is not correct and find out from the Bible exactly how God’s voice is speaking to His beloved church today.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Greetings in the worthy and precious name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Dear The Publishers.
Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers – When a brother receives new light upon the Scriptures, he should frankly explain his position, and every minister should search the Scriptures with the spirit of candor to see if the points presented can be substantiated by the Inspired Word. “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” 2 Timothy 2:24, 25.TM 30.3.
Ever since the knockout blow predicted in [White-House Recruiter, pp. 33] that was initited by Florence Houteff, the wife of Brother Victor T Houteff in an attempt to, usurp the prophetic office of God’s true anti-typical Elijah prophet, and her close door session with the General Conference of Seventh day Adventist Church, to publish in the “Signs of The Time” that the Original SRod message was dead, and denounce the Rod as a uninspired publications, coming from a man who broke away from the SDA church. This and many factions, and other false prophets, and false accusers has painted a rather disturbing and unattractive pictorial image so to speak, that has caused SDAs worldwide to view the Original SRod message as an offshoot publications, or message that has been woven into the SDA church to cause division and confusion in our ranks. But who knows the facts? Who will be wise enough to discern that this Original SRod message is inspired revelation, and Truth from Jesus, praise Jesus the wise will understand that’s the last heaven-sent message coming from the throne of Grace.
With the position taken by the SDA Ministry, to use the chain of command to address controversial doctrinal issues, especially the Original SRod publications, is a desperate attempt to diver the honest seekers of Present Truth, for them not to personally investigate the contents of the Srod publications, since these deceived Ministers are liars, they’re afraid of losing the Members of the church, since they would see for themselves the clear cut truth that the Original SRod message contains. One key element of blocking the laity from an investigation of the Rod is that they will loose their tithe paying members, who would see the light in the Rod and begin to support God’s true storehouse of Present Truth, by dispensing the Lord’s money to the Davidians who proclaiming the new message, of the Judgment for the Living, which is contained only in the Original SRod message, that came from the hands of God’s true last day prophet, Brother Victor T Houteff.
You speak against the Seventh Day Adventist Church yet you use Ellen G. White’ writings. Whats’s up with that? Elen G. White was Adventist.
Ellen White spoke against the sins in the Seventh-day Adventist church, especially held amongst the leading men, throughout her writings. God’s true prophets have always done such, that is why they are sent to the church to awake her from her worldly associations and apostasy from God. We recommend you read the nine volumes series entitled “Testimonies for the Church”. If the church does not wake up and repent from her sins then she will perish. God loves His church to much to allow that and is doing everything possible to save her. That is all we can do on this website is to sigh and cry for all of the abominations done in the church, lest we fail to receive the mark of God’s sealing approval (please read Testimonies, Vol. 3, pp. 266, 267 and Vol. 5, p. 211).
Brother Courtney,
Praise God from whom all blessings flow and thank you for your strong testimony and make it clear how we are to investigate any claim of present truth and avoid the deadly trap of leaning on the arm of flesh which, unfortunately, is all to common for many SDA’s who fail to heed these inspired injunctions. May God help us to stand strong for the Truth, come what may. — The Publishers.