What are the Qualifications to be One of the 144,000?

We recently received a question about what are some of the qualifications one needs to be one of, or one with, the numbered company of the 144,000. This is an important question to address and in the ensuing discussion several points were brought up centering around the one verse in the Bible that says much about the character of this special group of people. In this post we will use this verse as our text of study and look at several passages from the Spirit of Prophecy that expand our understanding of what it means to have no guile in our mouths so that we can stand without fault before the throne of God.

“And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. “ — Revelation 14:5

Teach the Truth Having No False Doctrines

“Truth is of God; deception in all its myriad forms is of Satan, and whoever in any way departs from the straight line of truth is betraying himself into the power of the wicked one. Those who have learned of Christ will “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” Ephesians 5:11. In speech, as in life, they will be simple, straightforward, and true, for they are preparing for the fellowship of those holy ones in whose mouth is found no guile. See Revelation 14:5.” — Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 252.3

“The voice of the true watchman needs now to be heard all along the line, “The morning cometh, and also the night” (Isaiah 21:12). The trumpet must give a certain sound for we are in the great day of the Lord’s preparation. . . . There are many doctrines current in our world. There is many a religion current that numbers its thousands and tens of thousands, but there is but one that bears the superscription and the stamp of God. There is a religion of man and a religion of God. We must have our souls riveted to the eternal Rock. Everything in God’s world, both men and doctrines and nature itself, is fulfilling God’s sure word of prophecy and accomplishing His grand and closing work in this world’s history. . . .

Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out–the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ.” — Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p. 380.2

Avoid Reading, Seeing, or Hearing Evil

“The apostle [Peter] sought to teach the believers how important it is to keep the mind from wandering to forbidden themes or from spending its energies on trifling subjects. Those who would not fall a prey to Satan’s devices must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts. The mind must not be left to dwell at random upon every subject that the enemy of souls may suggest. The heart must be faithfully sentineled, or evils without will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander in darkness.

Everything that can be done should be done to place ourselves and our children where we shall not see the iniquity that is practiced in the world. We should carefully guard the sight of our eyes and the hearing of our ears so that these awful things shall not enter our minds. When the daily newspaper comes into the house, I feel as if I want to hide it, that the ridiculous, sensational things in it may not be seen. It seems as if the enemy is at the foundation of the publishing of many things that appear in newspapers. Every sinful thing that can be found is uncovered and laid bare before the world.

Those who would have that wisdom which is from God must become fools in the sinful knowledge of this age, in order to be wise. They should shut their eyes, that they may see and learn no evil. They should close their ears, lest they hear that which is evil and obtain that knowledge which would stain their purity of thoughts and acts. And they should guard their tongues, lest they utter corrupt communications and guile be found in their mouths.” — Adventist Home, pp. 403, 404

Are we still watching television, reading worldly publications (e.g., the newspapers), and/or participating on internet websites that do not exult the Truth of God’s Word but rather glorify sin by reporting on all of the corruption that is found in the world today?

Evil Surmising, Gossip, Reporting Falsehoods, etc.

“Jesus proceeded to lay down a principle that would make oath taking needless. He teaches that the exact truth should be the law of speech. “Let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one.” R.V.

These words condemn all those meaningless phrases and expletives that border on profanity. They condemn the deceptive compliments, the evasion of truth, the flattering phrases, the exaggerations, the misrepresentations in trade, that are current in society and in the business world. They teach that no one who tries to appear what he is not, or whose words do not convey the real sentiment of his heart, can be called truthful.

If these words of Christ were heeded, they would check the utterance of evil surmising and unkind criticism; for in commenting upon the actions and motives of another, who can be certain of speaking the exact truth? How often pride, passion, personal resentment, color the impression given! A glance, a word, even an intonation of the voice, may be vital with falsehood. Even facts may be so stated as to convey a false impression. And “whatsoever is more than” truth, “is of the evil one.”

Everything that Christians do should be as transparent as the sunlight. Truth is of God; deception, in every one of its myriad forms, is of Satan; and whoever in any way departs from the straight line of truth is betraying himself into the power of the wicked one. Yet it is not a light or an easy thing to speak the exact truth. We cannot speak the truth unless we know the truth; and how often preconceived opinions, mental bias, imperfect knowledge, errors of judgment, prevent a right understanding of matters with which we have to do! We cannot speak the truth unless our minds are continually guided by Him who is truth.

Through the apostle Paul, Christ bids us, “Let your speech be alway with grace.” “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29. In the light of these scriptures the words of Christ upon the mount are seen to condemn jesting, trifling, and unchaste conversation. They require that our words should be not only truthful, but pure.

Those who have learned of Christ will “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” Ephesians 5:11. In speech, as in life, they will be simple, straightforward, and true; for they are preparing for the fellowship of those holy ones in whose mouth “was found no guile.” Revelation 14:5.” — Mount of Blessing, pp. 68, 69

This is a particular problem amongst Davidian Seventh-day Adventists who embrace the truth found in the writings of the Shepherd’s Rod message but then engage in evil surmising and gossiping with others when they are corrected for their erroneous beliefs or practices. Rather than humble themselves and correct their erring ways and bring forth the fruits of joy, peace, and harmony in the midst, they discuss their differences with others via phone conversations or private chats on the internet hidden from the sight the party who dared to reprove their wrongs. Doesn’t the Bible tell us to go to the responsible party and address the issue and leave it there rather than tale bearing to others who are not directly involved? What purpose would there be to such actions expect it be to discredit the one in the right and prejudice the minds of others from hearing what they have to say? This is a most insidious form of guile that has reached epidemic proportions amongst the professed people of God.

“Several times during the past winter [1888-89.] I have met the report that, during the Conference at Minneapolis, “Sister White was shown that the judgment, which since 1844 had been passing upon the righteous dead, had now begun upon the living.” This report is not true. A similar rumor, which has been afloat for about two years, originated in this wise: In a letter written from Basel, Switzerland, to a minister in California I made a remark substantially as follows: “The judgment has been over forty years in progress on the cases of the dead, and we know not how soon it will pass to the cases of the living.” The letter was read to different persons, and careless hearers reported what they thought they heard. Thus the matter started. The report from Minneapolis arose from someone’s misunderstanding of a statement to the same effect as the one quoted from the letter. There is no other foundation for either report than this.” — Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 692

If Ellen White had a problem with careless brethren giving false reports about what she taught, or allegedly taught, in her day how much more of a problem do we have today with individuals going about saying so and so is a false prophet because I don’t agree with their teaching on this or that? If you think someone is a teacher of falsehood then prove your case and expose them openly that all may see and hear the evidences for themselves. If you don’t agree with what someone teaches and are afraid or incapable of proving them wrong and offering something better (i.e. the Truth) then it is best to remain silent. To go about in secret and issue false reports with others is nothing short of the worst type of evil against your brethren for which God will hold each of us responsible, lest we repent of our wicked ways before it is too late.

Tagged as: 144000, character, evil, gossip, guile, qualifications