Dear Adventist Journey,
In the article entitled, I’m an Adventist Not a Conspiracy Theorist, a significant emphasis was placed on the role of data in our outreach efforts. We were encouraged to be Christ centered and “data driven” and to “insert the good news of Jesus Christ in the context of objective facts.”
As I consider this proposition, I’m wondering if a little bit of caution is justified. Most of the scientific community (who I’m sure call themselves data driven) claim that humans are descended from apes.
Furthermore, they go to great lengths to promote this as an established fact. Are we to accept their “scientific” presuppositions and insert the gospel into their false narrative? Or do we have another narrative to offer—based on better data – which I assert is the inspired historical account of human origins found in the Bible.
The same caution could be exercised when it comes to dogmatic assertions that global warming (now climate change) is a direct result of human activity. There are scientists who would say that human-caused climate change (CAGW) is an objective fact because it’s data driven. Other scientists (equally smart and data driven) aren’t convinced. [1]
I believe we should be open to the use of data, but let’s not be naive about the way the scientific community can abuse data once they become sold out to a certain ideological narrative. They are human just like any of us, no less susceptible to corruption and political pressure. Seeing that a universal consensus among scientists does not exists, perhaps it would be good to exercise prudence. And to those who believe in the “consensus of science” I would say they have wandered into their own version of a conspiracy theory.
Lets consider the term ‘conspiracy’ a little deeper. Do I have certain beliefs about end time eschatology and how the apocalypse might unfold? Certainly. Could someone hang the “conspiracy theorist” placard around my neck? Absolutely. But let’s be honest with each other, the conspiracy placard fits just as nicely over the neck of those who believe science is capable of being the ultimate arbiter of truth! Come to think of it, the moniker itself is very inadequate—in that it possesses no actual usefulness in honestly defining the essence of our belief systems. In my own experience, I have seen the tag terribly abused - thrown merely as a jab or hoisted as a dunce cap to quickly make someone look irrelevant, irrational or unscientific. But back to the article..
The article also seemed to have a concern regarding the optics of our messaging, which I can relate to. I wish and pray for myself that I might not wildly flail the sword as did Peter! But, as Seventh-day Adventists are we to be more concerned with impressing the highly educated intelligentsia of world — those who ride up and down on the ever-changing sea of popular science? (Environmentalist have predicted the end of the world many times over since the 1960’s. [2]) Or do we seek God’s honor by resting our end time theology squarely on Scripture, even at risk of being portrayed as single toothed hill dwellers?
God has not placed a particular burden on His church to sound intelligent or make efforts to impress the wise among us, our burden is to speak truth in the same manner and along the same lines as the Scriptures do. If the prophet (see Revelation 13) says there’s a beast who comes up out of the sea we should say so and identify it, if there’s a second beast who comes up out of the earth we should say so and identify it. If the second beast forms an image to the first beast we should say what it is, and if prophecy says humanity will be compelled through force of conscience to worship the beast, we should give that warning. And the warning is not vague. It can be understood through an objective, data driven study of historical powers and how, according to prophecy, they will behave in the future. This isn’t science, it’s better than science. It’s God’s Word — the prophetically inspired recounting of both the history and the future of nations and powers and their roles in the great controversy. And it comes to us by revelation, a gift of God
Forced Worship Is Coming
“Forced worship!” you say? “Conspiracy!” you say? Yet this is what Scripture teaches, and Jesus Himself has admonished us to understand these things (Matt 24:15 and Rev 1:3). I believe we are being warned with warnings that can be understood in our time.
I believe what we are seeing in the religious and political world, especially as it pertains to the ongoing work of the Papacy (the first beast of Revelation 13) to solve various social and ecological problems [3], are prophetically significant.
The Papacy has been very clear that Sunday sacredness is part of its strategy to address climate change. [4] And that the philosophy of Common Good will be a key for the Great Reset envisioned for our world. [5]
The incoming U.S. presidential administration [6] (at the time of this writing) has also made it clear that it intends to be a global partner in this Great Reset. The prophetic words of Scripture, I believe, give us the only reliable lens through which to interpret the current events outlined above. I would suggest that if we exercise patient consideration, we would find that no unusual force or cajoling is required to see how these events are congruent with the powers as their activities are described in Revelation (not to mention Daniel).
I propose that it is not our place to figure out what we think is relevant to people based on science or popular culture. God has given our church a Message that is needed, though not necessarily wanted. I count prophecy as a great blessing, not an embarrassment.
Let’s not assume we’re all awake to our true condition, Jesus didn’t. After all, who among us would be embarrassed by a fire alarm with enough decibels to awaken loved ones inside of a burning building?
The Spirit of Prophecy offers compelling insights regarding the closing work of Three Angels’ Messages:
“Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel's message have often been regarded as mere alarmists [conspiracy theorists?]. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been—the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before” (GC 605.3).
Interesting that Ellen White recognizes the legitimate work of individuals accused of being “alarmists” who “predict” things about the issues involved at the close of time. She goes on to say that what these alarmists predicted were “long doubted and disbelieved” – but in the end will prove true and “the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before.” Very interesting indeed!
The prophetic pen continues:
“Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions [scientific consensus?]. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power—all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred” (GC 606.2).
Literary institutions (the scientific community) will, according to inspiration, play a minor role in proclaiming the gospel in the end. Evidently the final work will not be spearheaded by the data driven efforts of science. It will be led by those “humble instruments” whose message is rooted Scripture. This is made evident by what they are proclaiming:
“The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, and the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power…”
Please don’t misunderstand, I love and respect science so long as it stays in its appropriate lane. I love when cancer is cured, I love to fly, drive, and bike. The findings of the scientific community have propelled me forward in my understanding of nature and has deepened my awe and reverence for God. In short, my faith has been strengthened at times by science. But what does “the data” have to do with the moral problems arising from religious-political conglomerates, spiritualism, and the rise of papal power?
The present crisis that these matters present to God’s people are not issues derived from careful scientific analysis. These are spiritual issues derived from an understanding of Bible truth. These are the very issues that inspiration says will be spoken of by God’s people. And we must proclaim them or else the stones will cry out!
Above all, since Jesus and His saving grace are at the very center of the Adventist message it behooves us to identify Him to the world in same manner as He identified Himself – through the testimony of the prophets.
Jesus never made claims about Himself that could not be substantiated by the prophetic word. The timing of His arrival, who He claimed to be, the miracles He performed, His sacrifice for the human race, all of it was written as Jesus said, “Before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He” (John 13:19).
Prophecy has always pointed to Jesus. It did then, it does now. And it is the crucial centrality of Jesus that makes the final warning about a false, deceptive Christ and false worship so imperative. Let’s point the world to the true Jesus of prophecy. The Jesus who indeed saves us from our sins – not the culturally defined Jesus of popular science.
Loren Smith
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“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).