We recently received some startling information which shows, despite denials, how the General Conference is connected with the ecumenical movement today. This information came to us from one of our constituents who found it on the Internet. The General Conference may not be publishing it, but others certainly are. We are reprinting it for you, because we feel that every Seventh-day Adventist needs to be informed on the end-time issues involving their church.
Before disclosing this information, we would like to share some quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy. These are taken from Testimonies, vol. 5, 211, 212 and 214.
“The abominations for which the faithful ones were sighing and crying were all that could be discerned by finite eyes, but by far the worst sins, those which provoked the jealousy of the pure and holy God, were unrevealed.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 211.
“No superiority of rank, dignity, or worldly wisdom, no position in sacred office, will preserve men from sacrificing principle when left to their own deceitful hearts. Those who have been regarded as worthy and righteous prove to be ring-leaders in apostasy and examples in indifference and in the abuse of God’s mercies. Their wicked course He will tolerate no longer, and in His wrath He deals with them without mercy. It is with reluctance that the Lord withdraws His presence from those who have been blessed with great light and who have felt the power of the word in ministering to others. They were once His faithful servants, favored with His presence and guidance; but they departed from Him and led others into error, and therefore are brought under the divine displeasure.” Ibid., 212.
“However high any minister may have stood in the favor of God, if he neglects to follow out the light given him of God, if he refuses to be taught as a little child, he will go into darkness and satanic delusions and will lead others in the same path.” Ibid., 214.
We have, in our possession, documentation for all of these statements.
Brothers and Sisters, surely our Lord must weep as He sees this wonderful movement that He called forth, clasping hands across the abyss. Pray, as you have never prayed before, that the Lord will grant spiritual eyesight to the blind. The end of all things is at hand, are we preparing to meet our Lord? Only those who are ‘sighing and crying’ over the apostasy will be saved. We need men of God who will stand in the breach and defend the honor of the Lord. Will you be one of them?
May God help us, is my prayer.
Barbara Bender, Managing Editor
The first document is entitled “Ecumenical Links, Church and Ecumenical Organizations.” It lists those churches that are affiliated with the World Council of Churches. We quote, “Christian World Communions. International organizations of churches of the same tradition or confession have been formed since the middle of the 19th century. Since 1957 there have been annual informal gatherings of the secretaries of such organizations; and it is from among the bodies represented at these meetings that this list is taken, although not all of them would define themselves as ‘Christian World Communions.’” [Emphasis supplied]. The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is listed here, as part of the “Christian World Communions!” This group works closely with the WCC.
The second document is entitled “World Council of Churches, Faith and Order, Towards a Common Date for Easter.” This document was compiled through the WCC which comprise approximately ten “participants,” including B. B. Beach and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. This document promotes Sunday worship! Item 3 says, “Besides the work already done on baptism, eucharist and ministry, the churches need to address the renewal of preaching, the recovery of the meaning of Sunday and the search for a common celebration of Pascha as ecumenical theological concerns. This last is especially urgent, since an agreement on a common date for Easter—even an interim agreement—awaits further ecumenical developments.” [Emphasis supplied]. Item 16, “This consultation also recommends that the churches now undertake a period of study and reflection towards the goal of establishing as soon as possible a common date for Easter/Pascha along the lines set forth above. In the year 2001 the paschal calculations now in use by our churches will coincide. Together, Christians will begin a new century, a new millennium, with new opportunities to witness to the resurrection of Christ and to proclaim their joy in his victory over sin, suffering and death. The unity that will be reflected as Christians celebrate Easter/Pascha on the same date will be for many a sign of hope and of witness to the world. This celebration of Easter/Pascha on the same date should not be the exception but the rule.” [Emphasis supplied]. Every Historic Seventh-day Adventist should be aware of this paper so they can share it with conference supporters.
The third document is entitled “Seventh-day Adventists Should Not be Treated as a Sect,” and is dated Geneva, 4 June 1998. This is a final report on four years worth of conversations between the Lutheran World Federation and the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This report says, in part, “…both partners recommend the mutual recognition of ‘the basic Christian commitment’ of each other’s faith communions. Both sides are urged in their public teaching and theological education to present the other faith communion’s view of church authority ‘truthfully and unpolemically’ and in a manner which corresponds to their self-understanding. …Although the four-year series of conversations is concluded, Lutherans and Adventists should ‘meet in occasional bilateral consultations.’ The theological foundations and the spiritual dimension of our observance of the day of rest ‘with particular reference to modern society,’ is a possible topic for next year.” [Emphasis supplied]. “The Lutheran/Seventh-day Adventist series of conversations began four years ago in November 1994 in Darmstadt, Germany….The fourth concluding meeting in Cartigny was co-chaired by the Adventist representative, Dr. Bert B. Beach (USA), and the Lutheran representative, the Oslo dean, Ole Chr. Kvarme. One of the highlights of this year’s consultation was the visit of President Robert S. Folkenberg of the Adventist General Conference headquartered in Maryland, USA, and of LWF General Secretary Ishmael Noko.”
The fourth and final document is called “Syrian Orthodox Leader for Cooperation with Adventists,” and is dated August 4, 1998. This document promotes unity between the Seventh-day Adventist and the Syrian Orthodox Churches. It reads, “Silver Spring, Maryland, USA (ANN/APD) Metropolitan Gregorios Youhanna Ibrahim (Aleppo) of the Syrian Orthodox Church welcomed the opportunity for greater cooperation with the Seventh-day Adventist Church during a visit to the Adventist World Church Headquarters on July 2. …Responding for the Adventist Church, Gerry Karst, assistant to the president, welcomed the group from Syria, which also included Reverend Fayiz Hunain of the Presbyterian Church in Syria, as well as Razic Syriani, youth director for the Middle East Council of Churches, and Dr. Mekhael Asaad, head of the Ephraim dispensary in Aleppo. ‘We have looked forward to this meeting for a long time,’ said Karst, who previously worked in the Middle East. ‘We hope this friendship will grow as we are brothers in Christ.’ The group has visited Adventist institutions in California, Michigan, and Florida.”
Ironically, we have also received a document written by Nicolaus Gomes da Silva, bishop of the vicariate, rector of the holy Syrian Orthodox Churches [Does that name sound familiar? It is the same church the General Conference has just been hosting in Maryland, California, Michigan, and Florida.] of Antioquia in Brazil, who has the authority as a member of the association of the Catholic-Apostolic-Orthodox Churches of the West, inviting delegates to an extraordinary Synod and Council to study the “Dies Domini” letter recently written by the Pope. Just to highlight a few items in this document, Bishop da Silva states:
Item 1. “The keeping of any other day, by any other religion, without the full knowledge of the Holy Father, the Pope, cannot be tolerated…
Item 3. “We cannot tolerate Jews, Sabbathkeepers, Adventists, or any other sects which do not keep the Day of the Lord, Sunday…
Item 4. “We cannot tolerate those who do not seek to understand or accept the precepts as ordained by the Holy Father, the Pope, in regards to the day of the Lord’s resurrection, Sunday…
Item 6. “We cannot tolerate any observer of another day except the holy Sunday…
Item 7. “We cannot tolerate the transgressors of the day of the Lord, Sunday, who will receive judicial penalties through the Justice of the Court, to stop and restrain the liberty of conscience of those who are disobedient and who are agitators against the law imposed by Rome…
Item 8. “Because we do not tolerate these transgressors, we will request the United States (UN), to severely punish the disobedient, who have since 1844 converted to their fold our Catholic People.…They have also attempted throughout the whole world to contradict the Holy Father, the Pope, with their spurious doctrines, like the observance of the Sabbath day and non-Immortality of the soul, the two principle pillars of their heresies.
Item 9. “Because we will not tolerate these transgressors, we will beg the authorities in the USA, to systematically dispossess these transgressors of their publishing houses, their orphanages, their hospitals, their schools, and this with the utmost expediency.” [all emphasis supplied].