The Truth in Print Vol. 23 Issue 9, Oct. 2017

A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,

2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)

 

Website Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com

 

An Example of going beyond Local Church Organization — The Seventh-day Adventists

 

 

The New Testament Church:

    Jesus promised to build His church (Matt. 16:18). The beginning is recorded on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 (circa A.D. 33). For Christ’s church each local church in the New Testament was autonomous (independent) with its own work. Christ was the head of each local church (Eph. 5:23) — He has all authority (Matt. 28:18-20) and the New Testament was their Doctrine just as it is today (2 Tim. 4:1-5). All truth was revealed in the first century just as He promised (Jo. 16:13)  they were not fractured by human creeds written by men (2 Jo. 9; Jude 3).

    Each local "church" existed in a particular place (for example “at Corinth” I Cor. 1:2; “in Philippi (Phil. 1:1) and functioned independently as an organized (corporate) entity to provide collective works.  Elders were appointed in the local church (Acts 14:23), and each local church was self-governing (I Pet. 5:1-3 states that elders were to tend the church they themselves were members of  — there was no such thing as a body of elders overseeing a plurality of local churches). The men were in charge in the absence of qualified elders (I Tim. 2:12).

   Each church had its own treasury. The Jerusalem church worked out of its own treasury: Acts 4:34-37; 5:1-3; Acts 6:3. The treasury in Acts 4-6 was made up from their own members — in local benevolence and duty distribution was to their own members.  It was not a community service organization.  In the matter of  benevolence sent by a church to another local church or churches each church’s contribution was distinctly its own gift (I Cor. 16:1-3). Churches did not send to a district headquarters for the district board to collect from a plurality of churches and then distribute the benevolence. No local church in the New Testament was part of a group of churches governmentally tied together with an overseeing board, elected representatives of a council or some type of headquarters. Their oversight was local, not district, regional, national — they had no “world” headquarters. 

   In the support of preachers (I Cor. 9:8) the local church sent directly to the preacher should the preacher be elsewhere (2 Cor. 11:8; Phil. 4:14 -16). There was no Headquarters of any kind where the churches sent first to it and then it distributed support to preachers of the Gospel. Denominational and other church organizations often violate the simple New Testament doctrine concerning “support” of preachers that Christ gave for His church. 

  Each church’s worship was authorized by the New Testament — not the Old Testament given by Moses to the nation of Israel. They did not offer entertainment but rather all things were done for edification (I Cor. 14:26). They assembled for the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), received instruction in the Word (I Cor. 14), sang (Eph. 5:19; I Cor. 14) and prayed (I Cor. 14) — their works were maintained by giving into a collective treasury just as at the beginning (Acts 4-6).  Works both collective and individual were prepared in eternity by God for His church before the world began (Eph. 2:10).

   You find scriptural designations or names in the New Testament (Rom. 16:16 says “the churches of Christ salute you”; I Cor. 1:2 names “the church of God” at Corinth, etc.).

   Initial steps of obedience required in the New Testament for entrance are: Hear the Gospel (Mk. 16:15-16), Believe in the deity of Christ (Mk. 16:15-16), Repent (Acts 2:37-38), Confess Christ (Acts 8:34-39; Rom. 10:9-10), Obey in Baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 41).

  

  Comparisons are not hard to make and differences can be understood. The development and organizational structure of the Seventh Day Adventists illustrates how false religions get started —- as well as a denominational structure that goes far beyond the simple New Testament pattern of local church autonomy with no district, state, region, national or world headquarters.

 

The Development of the Name “Seventh-day Adventist”

 

Source of history: The Four Major Cults by Anthony A. Hoekema, Chapter Three —- Seventh-day Adventism, pgs. 89f. — HISTORY —

 

William Miller (1782-1849) who became a Baptist preacher predicted the world would end in 1843; Samuel Snow a Millerite leader predicted the return of Christ on Oct. 22, 1844 —- Miller himself accepted Snow’s prediction which was known as the day of “The Great Disappointment.” It didn’t come and many gave up the Advent faith (pgs.89-91).

 

Hiram Edson led a group of “Millerites” who’d met at his house on Oct. 22, 1844 to believe he had a “corrective” (my word, B.L.) vision of things in heaven that showed him that instead of Christ coming to earth He had simply gone from the “holy place” in heaven into the “holy of holies” in heaven to complete a two part ministry (pgs.92-93).

 

Note: (B.L.) Walter Martin in his discussion of this states that “They had even maintained that God had allowed Miller to make a mistake for the greater blessing of the “little flock.” (The Kingdom of the Cults, Appendix Section, The Puzzle of Seventh-day Adventism, pg. 417). He quotes Ellen G. White as asserting of God concerning the 1843 chart that “...His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures so that none could see it until His hand was removed.” There is no degree to which some will go to cover falsehoods. Hoekema explains that Miller’s mistake was supposedly that he thought the sanctuary to be cleansed on that date was on earth or the earth itself. There are a lot parallels in Hoekema’s explanation of this imagination to O.T. prophecy, the priesthood and the sanctuary, but Edson taught the process of “blotting out sin” began on Oct. 22, 1844. Supposedly prior to this Christ’s work in the holy place “had resulted in the forgiveness of sin but not in the blotting out of sin” (pgs. 92-94). Now there’s some vivid imaginations contriving a false doctrine! What Peter preached in Acts 3:19 wasn’t in 1844 and it applied right then.

 

Mrs. Rachel Oakes a Seventh-day Baptist influenced Frederick Wheeler an Adventist preacher in Washington, New Hampshire to accept that the seventh day was the proper Sabbath and they began to observe it in 1844. Hoekema states: “The Washington, New Hampshire, Adventists were thus the first Adventists to observe the seventh day” (pg. 95).

 

Joseph Bates in 1845 became convinced the seventh day was the proper Sabbath for Christians to observe. He visited Washington, New Hampshire’s leaders and began writing tracts on the Seventh-day Sabbath. In 1847 he identified the beast of Rev. 14 with the Papacy, and argued it was the Papacy that changed the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first. By 1849 Adventists are teaching that the keeping of the seventh day is the “seal of God”– the mark of all of God’s true children. The observance of the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day was said to be an action that would make one liable to receive the “mark of the beast,” and drink the cup of God’s anger (pgs. 95-96). 

 

Note: The truth is that neither Emperor Constantine (A.D. 306-337) nor the Pope changed the Sabbath to Sunday. Should Seventh-day Adventist ever wish to quote Phillip Schaff this is what he did say. In Schaff’s History of the Christian Church, Third Period, A.D. 311-590, Section 75 The Civil and Religious Sunday (copyrighted in 1910): “The observance of Sunday originated in the time of the apostles, and ever since forms the basis of public worship ...in all Christian lands. ...So long as Christianity was not recognized and protected by the state, the observance of Sunday was purely religious, a strictly voluntary service, but exposed to continual interruption from the bustle of the world and a hostile community. The pagan Romans paid no more regard to the Christian Sunday than to the Jewish Sabbath. ... The ancient church viewed the Sunday mainly...one-sidedly and exclusively, from its Christian aspect as a new institution, and not in any way as a continuation of the Jewish Sabbath....

Note: B.L. There was no Pope at the time of Constantine (Emperor of Rome A.D. 306-337). Boniface III in 606 A.D. declared himself the universal bishop of Catholicism -- Gregory Bishop of Rome who preceded him said no one had the right to call themselves the universal bishop.

 

Ellen Gould Harmon.  The Harmons were Methodist. But in 1840 and ‘42 William Miller lectured in Portland Oregon on the Second Advent. The Harmon family was disfellowshipped from the Methodist for accepting his teaching. After the “Great Disappointment” (Oct. 22, 1844) Ellen claimed her first vision in Dec. of 1844 while praying with some women at a friend’s home of a great company of Advent believers traveling to the City of God with Jesus leading, and shortly after she claimed a second vision that revealed she must tell others what God had shown her. She began a public career of witnessing, counseling, teaching and writing. She married James White and Adventist preacher active in the Millerite movement on Aug. 30, 1846 (Pgs. 96-98, The Four Major Cults, Hoekema).

Note: B.L. Understand as you are reading this you are seeing important points on “how” false religions get started.

The group of Adventist believers around Portland, Maine, began to recognize Mrs. White as being uniquely guided by the Holy Spirit – that she was a true prophetess, whose visions and words were to be followed. Her husband claimed in the early part of her ministry she had from one hundred to two hundred “open visions” in twenty-three years. She was a leader and almost every aspect of the belief and activity of the Seventh-day Adventists was encouraged or inspired by a vision or word from Mrs. White (Pgs. 96-98).

In February of 1845, she had a vision of Jesus entering the holy of holies of the heavenly sanctuary, confirming Hiram Edson’s vision received in October of the previous year. On April 7, 1847, she had a vision in which she was taken first into the holy place, and then into the holy of holies of the heavenly sanctuary. There she saw the ark and the Ten Commandments in the ark, with a halo of glory around the Sabbath commandment. This vision, therefore, confirmed Joseph Bates teaching about the seventh day (pgs. 96-98).

The following statement is taken from Art.19 of the “Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh day Adventists”: “That the gift of prophecy is one of the identifying marks of the remnant church…They [Seventh-day Adventists] recognize that this gift was manifested in the life and ministry of Ellen G. White” (pg. 98).

The teachings of three Millerite Adventist groups fused to form the Seventh-day Adventist denomination:

1. The group headed by Hiram Edson in western New York State, which emphasized the doctrine of the heavenly sanctuary;

2. The group in Washington, New Hampshire, which, along with Joseph Bates, advocated the observance of the seventh day;

3. The group around Portland, Maine, which held that Ellen G. While was a true prophetess, whose visions and words were to be followed by the Adventists (pg. 98).

The three teachings developed by these groups (the Sabbath, the sanctuary, and the spirit of prophecy) formed the basis for the new theological system known as Seventh-day Adventism. (pg. 98-99).

Hoekema states: In 1860 the name Seventh-day Adventist was adopted as the official name of the denomination; in May of 1863 the first General Conference, with representatives from all the state conferences except Vermont, was held in Battle Creek (pg. 98-99).

 

Making Things Scriptural

 1. The “first day of the week” is NEVER said in the New Testament to be a Sabbath or the Christian Sabbath!

2. The Law containing the Sabbath (fourth) commandment was taken out of the way and nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14-17; Gal. 2:16).

3. The spiritual gifts of prophecy and knowledge have ceased (I Cor. 13:8). Those who claim such are liars and deceivers!

 

Note:  They can say that she had the gift but we only accept her writings that accord with the Biblical scripture all they want to wiggle out of it, but she did not have the gift.

Now just what do you suppose that the “conference” addition led to?

 

ORGANIZATION

   Seventh Day Adventist Church

 

Level One: Local Churches

Note: Level one is said to be the foundation level of organizational structure and each church elects its own officers: elders, deacons, deaconesses, etc.

 

Level Two: Local Conference or Local Mission

Notes: This said to be an organization of churches within a state, province or territory. Officers are said to be elected every three years. It is said to appoint ministers to local churches, own land etc. I even read that tithes collected from church members are passed upwards to the local conferences/missions which then distribute the finances toward various ministry needs. What is the point? If so then you don’t get that out of N.T. Scriptures! There is no such organizational structure. Moreover Paul got wages from the local churches sending directly to him (2 Cor. 11:8; Phil. 4:15-16).

   By human wisdom, not God’s revealed word, each level is said to be  "representative" and to reflect a democratic process of formation and election. That by no means makes additions to the New Testament organization scriptural! Peter made it plain in I Pet. 5:1-3 that the apostles left Christians with the local church organization. Churches are said to elect delegates to the conferences which meet "in session" every two or three years. Executive authority between sessions is said to be exercised by the Conference Executive Committee and the executive officers are elected by the session. Delegates being appointed by organizations at a lower level simply help build what you do not find authorized in the New Testament. If each local church does appoint delegates to a conference session that is just an appointment not found in the New Testament for Christ’s church. Remember He’s the Head and has all authority and His church is not a democracy. Members don’t get to make up organizational rules that go beyond the local church. 

 

Level Three: Union Conference or Union Mission

Note: This is said to be a number of Local Conferences within a large territory. Officers are said to be elected every five years.

 

Levels Four & Five:  The General Conference or World Headquarters made up of Thirteen Divisions

 

Notes:  For administrative purposes the world-wide Church is said to have 13 Divisions, each composed of churches grouped together by a collection of missions, fields, or states into unions of churches. Each of the 13 Divisions is said to have its own Headquarters. The North American Division (*located in Silver Spring, Maryland HQ.) is just one of the 13 Divisions. Massive!

 

Notes: The World Headquarters is the General Conference Head Office. The General Conference Head Office is located in Silver Spring, Maryland. The president is said to be elected every five years. From their own official website they say: “The General Conference coordinates the global ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a body set up under the belief that no man should be governed by the judgment of another, and any decision should be made by an assembly. The General Conference is responsible for the spiritual and developmental plans of the church around the world.” Since when does mere man’s belief take precedent over the New Testament authorized pattern of the local church being autonomous and independent? It does matter! It is said to have final say over matters of conjecture and administrative issue. It is said that it claims the right to declare worldwide qualifications for ministers. It probably does claim that, but there is no scripture for such organization.

 

Conclusion: The church Christ built has no Conferences overseeing a group of local churches. Ask us what our conferences are and we’ll tell you we have none. Ask us where our National Headquarters is and we’ll tell you we have none. Ask us where our World Headquarters is and we’ll tell you we have none. Do you find levels two, three, four and five above in Christ’s church?

 

Valley Church of Christ

2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364

(928) 782-5058 ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com

Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00; Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.

Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm

 

To learn more call, visit or visit our website at:

http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com

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