Who are the Real Seventh-day Adventists?

 In the philosophy of war it is critical to maline and dehumanize your opponent. During the American revolutionary war the British referred to the Continental Army or Minutemen as “rebels”. The Americans referred to the British troops as “redcoats” or “lobster backs”. During WWII German solders were often called “krauts” even though many of them were Christian men. During the Vietnam conflict American soldiers called the Vietnamese fighters from the north, “Viet Cong” or “chinks”. This semantic warfare’s primary aim was to create a mental state that makes it easier to train men to kill other men, human beings with flesh and blood just as their own.

And the same tactic has been applied to the spiritual realm over the centuries. In a prior post we noted that every reformer that has been called by God to bring a message to His people has been labeled in some defamatory way so as to justify their persecution, even leading to death in many cases. The question was asked . . .

What Would Christ and Other Reformers be Called Today in the Church?

It is interesting to think about what reformers of the past that God has called to bear a message to His church would be called if they entered the Seventh-day Adventist church today? If Christ himself, the spotless Son of God was called by the church leaders of His day a “winebibber” (Matt. 11:19), “Beelzebub” (Matt. 10:25) one wonders what they would call Him today if He suddenly made an appearance at one of their meetings? Martin Luther who sought to reform the apostate Catholic church was called an outlaw and “notorious heretic”. William Miller, the father of the Advent movement, was likened unto a fanatic and spiritual wolf who produced subjects for the insane asylums by the leaders of the popular churches for preaching the message of Christ’s immanent return. And what about the two young young preachers Elders A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoneer who brought the most precious message of Christ and His Righteousness to the 1888 General Conference Session in Minneapolis? The then Conference President, Elder Butler publicly likened these messengers unto fledglings (12 MR 377.1, 1888 Mat., p. 99).

And not surprisingly, ever since the message of revival and reformation has come to the decadent Seventh-day Adventist Church through the writings of the Shepherd’s Rod message, its author and all those who have exercised their liberty of conscience to investigate its claims for themselves are systematically denied their proper identity as Seventh-day Adventists. The reason for this insidious tactic was to prejudice the minds of church members from investigating the SRod message because its author was “not written by a Seventh-day Adventist.” Here are the accounts from Victor Houteff and a faithful S.D.A. who was deprived their church membership because they investigated and accepted the SRod message.

“The news broadcast throughout the sisterhood of churches and conferences in both home and foreign fields, that the author of “The Shepherd’s Rod” is not a Seventh-day Adventist, is the blackest falsehood. I have been in good and regular standing, a believer of the advent truth in all its precept without variation, from the day I first accepted the truth until now. Those who have read “The Shepherd’s Rod” will appreciate the fact that what I have stated is true. At the time the message of “The Shepherd’s Rod” came, I was both a member and officer in one of our churches. It was after the book had been written that my name was dropped from the church records by the church council with the support only of two lay members out of about 200; at which time our conference president said to me: “I had to drop your name from the church records so that I can tell the churches that the book is not written by a Seventh-day Adventist.”

Though our brethren think I am not now a Seventh-day Adventist, because they have (unlawfully) disregarded and deprived me my membership rights, how do they dare to say that “The Shepherd’s Rod” is not written by a S.D.A. when my name was still on the church books at the time the “Rod” was written? And even now I am present to attend whenever possible the church where I had my membership at the time the message came, and similar is the case of each one who has connected with the message of the SRod. . . . I repeat, it is not our names on the church books that make us true Seventh-day Adventists, but the keeping of the truth. — Vol. 1 Symbolic Code No. 8, pp. 2, 3

“Eight years after I had joined the church I went to a meeting where the message of the SRod was being presented. In the course of the study, facts were brought out which proved the inspiration of Sr. White’s writings, and before the close of the study I was fully convinced to the Spirit of Prophecy, for which I have ever since been increasingly thankful, not only because of the great blessings deriving therefrom but also because I now know I am a genuine Seventh-day Adventist.

“When I was an unbeliever in the Spirit of Prophecy — that which made the Seventh-day Adventist church — and was an Adventist mostly in day and in name, I retained my membership, but when the SRod converted me to the Spirit of Prophecy and made me a true Seventh-day Adventist, my membership was deprived me! But I thank God for the privilege to be cast out for the Son of man’s sake.” — Vol. 1 Symbolic Code No. 6, pp. 4, 5

Because of this deceptive effort of the enemy to discredit the message of the SRod in the minds of the people and many other abominations practiced in the church the name “Seventh-day Adventist” is conditional and will, out of necessity, have to be changed after God steps in to purify the church. Below is a statement from the Rod message that clarify why God’s purified church will have to be called by a new name.

“Note that the existence of the present name–”Seventh-day Adventist” is conditional, otherwise the name will be spued out of His mouth. “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: And thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” Isa. 62:2. “And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen [the 144,000]: For the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name.” Isa. 65:15. Read Testimonies to Ministers, page 300.” — Shepherds Rod, Vol. 1, p. 100.2

This sad practice of church leaders falling to advance with the truth God would have for His people and casting out those who advance with the message of the hour has been repeated throughout the history of the church. And here are some of further reasons why.

Cease From Men.

“As you will find yourself under severe trial if you obey your inner convictions and take hold of the truth, you must therefore let the Lord alone be your guide, and Inspiration your only teacher. Do not value your salvation so little as to trust to the wisdom of another. Be wise: obey the word of the Lord, investigate for yourself, and do not delay, for you know not the narrow margin of time between you and heaven! “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.” Mic. 7:5.

The rulers of ancient Israel — priests, scribes and pharisees — who deprived the people of their God-given right to investigate for themselves the teaching of Christ, perished along with their victims under the condemnation of the laws which were to save them.

“Woe unto you, lawyers ! ” therefore said Christ; “for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” Luke 11:52.

This fatal mistake was repeated during the Reformation, also in the preaching of the First, Second, and Third Angels’ messages. Thus each one who accepted the advancing truth and became a member of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, did so only by making his own investigation and decision independently of priest or scribe or pharisee. And if that method of investigation was the only sane and safe one then, it is just as certainly so now when we understand God’s Word better than when we first believed! And though for your following obediently in the way God commands, the unfaithful watchmen of today “cast you out,” and remove your name from the church books, you should rejoice (Isa. 66:5, Luke 6:22 23), and gladly endure the trial of your faith knowing that it “worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17); that, indeed, your accepting the truth and obeying it is the only thing that will forever insure your membership with the redeemed, in the church eternal, and that the only book that is worth-while having your name in is “The Lamb’s Book of Life.” — Tract No. 1, pp. 44, 45

And What Does the Name Laodicea Mean Anyway?

Just as the name “Philadelphia” fits only one church organization, and only one of the chariots, so the name “Laodiceans” can logically fit only one of the chariots and only one denomination. The word, itself, is derived from the Greek word, Lego-dikean, meaning, “declaring judgment.” After the event of the Philadelphian church, there must therefore be a church declaring judgment. And it is a historical fact that in 1844 A.D., the very year the Millerite movement came to the end of its appointed course, a new movement, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, arose, proclaiming: “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” Rev. 14:7. ” — Tract No. 2, p, 35

“Laodicea may be infallibly recognized amidst the many “isms” of Christendom by the work she is doing–declaring the judgment. Indeed, this mark of identification is pointed out by the very name Laodicea, compounded of the two Greek words lao and dekei, the one meaning “people,” also “speak,” the other meaning “judgment,” the two in one meaning the people declaring judgment. The church therefore, which declares, “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come” (Rev. 14:7), is evidently the one called Laodicea. And it is almost as well known outside Seventh-day Adventist circles as within, that the Seventh-day Adventist church is endeavoring to carry the judgment message of Revelation 14:7, and is therefore unchallenged in her claim to the title, Laodicea.” — Answerer Book No. 1, p. 11

Who Then Are Davidian Seventh-day Adventists?

“Provisional in set-up as well as in name, the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association exists solely to accomplish a divinely appointed work within the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, wherein it therefore strictly confines its activities. As its work therewithin draws to a close, and the “servants of our God” (Rev. 7:3) are sealed, its name will be changed (Isa. 56:5; 62:2; 65:15) and its purpose and its work will become all-embracing to the gospel (Matt. 17:11; Acts 3:21, Isa. 61:4-7). Then its Constitution and By-Laws as herein codified will become fully operative.” — The Leviticus of D.S.D.A., p. 2

The Davidians are the upshoot from decadent Seventh-day Adventism prophetically envisioned in Ezekiel, chapter nine. Its members are in the main those who have been cast out and deprived of the fellowship of their Seventh-day Adventist churches. Thus being separated from their church and denied its name because of their having given heed to the voice of the Rod, the voice of the Good Shepherd, they are called by the name imbedded in the work of the Rod, “Davidian Seventh-day Adventists,” until the time when they shall be “called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” Isa. 62:2.

Thus raised of necessity, not of choice, this Association within the Seventh-day Adventist organization is ordained to the work of a threefold end: (1) It is to go to the house of “Israel and Judah” (Ezek. 9:9), and “say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready.” Luke 14:17. And though they who first hear the call may excuse themselves (Luke 14:18-20), “the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind” from “the streets and lanes of the city” (Luke 14:21, 22) will respond. (2) Accordingly, it is to implement that “great reformatory movement” and purification called for “among God’s people.” — Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, page 80; Vol. 9, page 126. With the consequent fruits of this work, the first of the harvest, it is to usher in the Kingdom (Mic. 4:1, 2). (3) Then with a loud cry it is to “go into the highways and hedges” (Luke 14:23), preaching “the everlasting gospel…unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6), “baptizing…in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever” Christ commanded (Matt. 28: 19, 20). With the consequent fruits of this work, the second of the harvest, it is to enlarge the Kingdom until it fills the whole earth (Dan. 2:35).” — The Leviticus of D.S.D.A., pp. 12, 13

Why do not the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists and the S.D.A. Reform Movement unite in one?

Answer:

The Davidian Seventh-day Adventists and the ________ Movement do not unite because, unfortunately, they do not agree. Their being in wide variance on some doctrinal issues, makes union under the circumstances impossible.

One such doctrinal difference, for instance, is that the________ Movement teaches that the sins in the Mother Seventh-day Adventist church make her a part of Babylon, whereas the Davidians teach that though she is in a sad condition, yet she is not, and indeed can never be, Babylon: for the sins do not make the name anymore than the name makes the sins. Babylon is not so named because of its sins, neither is it condemned because of being named Babylon, but because of having fallen and having “become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Rev. 18:2.

The Seventh-day Adventist church may be in an even worse condition,–so much worse, in fact, that she does not even know that she is “wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked’ (Rev. 3:17); yet in spite of it all, she is called “Laodicea,” not Babylon. And her members stand, not to be called out as do those in Babylon, but rather to be left in, and her “angel” (leadership) stands to be spued out. The Davidians are laboring to save both from this tragedy, to renew them in the favor of God and thus keep them in the Mother church, whereas the ______ Movement, having no remedy for the Laodicean malady, is laboring to draw them out.

In believing as it does and in consequently rejecting the Davidian message, the remedy, it makes mutually impossible our uniting with it and its uniting with us.: — Answerer Book No. 4, pp. 78, 79

In the end the true and faithful Seventh-day Adventists are those who advance with truth of the soon coming judgment for the living, the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Mal. 4:5) which first begins at the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17), the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And since 1943 this often despised and maligned remnant are known provisionally as Davidian Seventh-day Adventists regardless of whether or not they are denied their proper name as Seventh-day Adventists by church authorities.

Tagged as: Davidian, Davidians, Seventh-day Adventist church, Seventh-day Adventists