When I, and possibly many others, think of people being shaken out of the church I think of people literally leaving and walking away from truth not just the church like some prominent figures have done in the not-too-distant past. As events unfold before us it has become increasingly clear to me that the shaking isn’t this sieve-like action as depicted in some memes showing people dropping out through the holes but it’s a sifting of the heart. Many who have been and will be sifted out are and will still be sitting in church every Sabbath, holding Sabbath school lessons, holding bible studies, teaching the children, volunteering in the community, working as Elders, Deacons and dare I say it, Pastors. For many of us, me included, the danger isn’t the big, easily visible, stumbling blocks. It’s the small, nearly undetectable ones, that will get us. The little things we think are humorous like the recent false rapture event. I saw, and laughed along with, many SDAs posting the meme “marked safe from the false rapture” and posts saying, “still here”. All mocking the disappointment of misguided and deceived fellow Christians and gentiles who knew no better. God winks at ignorance, shouldn’t we? Have we forgotten our past? The great disappointment of 1844 where our forefathers suffered the same derision and mockery. Wrapping it in “it’s all just a bit of fun” doesn’t cut it. Should we be finding the downfall and hurt of others a source of entertainment? Seems harmless but it’s not. We should be reaching out with “this happened to our church too and with study we found…” instead of using the opportunity to draw people to Jesus and Biblical truths we had a good giggle at their expense.
The entire Charlie Kirk incident has also exposed our fruits and it’s not looking good for some who may believe they’re ok. We know the ones that openly said they’re happy he’s been silenced or are openly indifferent to his murder. It’s the ones who say “it’s awful what happened to him but…” thinking they’re still being compassionate, loving their neighbor. That “but” is the stumbling block, it’s bordering on justifying his death. It’s no different from saying “I’m not being rude but…” you know full well that whatever is following that “but” is rude. It’s never good. The beginning of the sentence is merely being used to justify what follows the “but”.
Then there are the Christians and sadly SDAs called for and support the death sentence for a 22 year old who we will never know for sure is even the shooter! Jesus tells us many times not to be deceived. An awful deception would be to be emotionally manipulated into calling for the death of an innocent person because you believed man instead of keeping the commandments love thy neighbor and thou shalt not kill. How can we profess the sanctity of life when opposing abortion & euthanasia and then call for the death of someone? Who are we to decide who deserves to live or not? That’s Gods job. The occupants of Nineveh were evil, Jonah wanted them to die but given the chance they repented. I’m sure the woman caught in adultery, who was legally given the death sentence, was glad it was Jesus who approached and not those calling for the death sentence with their hands full of rocks ready to help send her off.
We are seeing an increase in the downplaying, rejection and cherry picking of the writings of sister Ellen White. Using the same excuses as those who do the same with the Bible to justify why they don’t honor the Sabbath as instructed. Who are eating things they shouldn’t. Who are trying to excuse themselves from doing the things that via sister White Jesus expounded upon from the Bible itself. Deciding for themselves what is inspired and what isn’t to justify things we were warned against like taking money from the Government. I heard recently someone say “Jesus says in the bible to make friends with money”. Justifying relying on government funding! Funding that comes with strings attached. Merging our churches with the state. I’m yet to find where Jesus said that in the context it’s being used here. Sister White made it abundantly clear that we cannot and should not rely on regular funding from governments.
These compromises, attitudes, thoughts and behaviours are our stumbling blocks. We preach how Jesus is coming very soon. As SDA’s we know we haven’t got long until we see his face but are we really preparing? We teach how we have been living in the day of atonement since 1844 but are we searching our hearts like the psalmist and asking God to cleanse our hearts of all evil? Are we wrestling with God like Jacob did pleading for forgiveness? Are we truly surrendering ourselves to God? Are we preparing ourselves to receive the latter rain?
Now for the good news. It’s not too late! We still have time to reflect prayerfully, with the help of the Holy Spirit, on our true nature and to repent, surrender and allow Him to change us. Allow Him to remove the “buts”, the “them vs us”, the social conditioning of a world that is trying to divide us by age, gender, race etc. This is not a time of compromising but a time of standing firm on Biblical principles and of living like the true remnant, to stand out and be a peculiar people. The time to get right with God is now! Jesus is waiting for us to get our acts together and to come to Him with repentance and surrender in our hearts so He can help us be a walking witness of Him, to help us stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. Let’s not keep Him waiting because time is running short, very short. Tomorrow is never promised to any of us.
