Recently an article appeared in the Review by prominent and popular speaker/author, Ivor Myers, warning Adventists against prophetic denialism, i.e. denying our teachings on prophecy.
Out of the gates, I want to give a hearty “amen” to that general sentiment. What is the point of the remnant church if not to preach the unalloyed third angel’s message? Adventist Review, please publish articles warning against watering down of our message!
Unfortunately, however, this particular article suggests that our prophetic message about the identity and role of the three-fold union is in danger, not from the inroads of liberal theology, cowardice, or political correctness, but because our message is (somewhere unnamed) being replaced with an ideology and false interpretation of Revelation – about a secular one-world government – received from apostate Protestantism. ¹
While there are certainly globalist agendas that are worth discussing in relation to prophecy, it would be a surprise to hear any serious Adventist voices espousing this actual prophetic denialism in this way – actually buying into the ideology and version of prophecy of the evangelicals.
Continuing forward from what appears to be an unfounded claim, the article goes on to recommend that we “address issues such as racism, poverty, and other injustices in connection with the gospel.”
Depends what we mean by that and by what methods we seek to address these issues; but at face value, amen to that!
When, in the spirit of Isaiah 58 and Ps. 82:3, we minister to the needs of others and address social issues like our pioneers did, when we engage in medical missionary work, religious liberty work, and other acts of benevolence, we are practicing true religion.
Not Marxism. Ministry.
We are not trained Marxists. We are trained missionaries!”
While on that topic, under the heading of Pastor Ivor’s other injustices that we should address in connection with the gospel, any fair-minded Christian with a social conscience would, in addition to opposing racial discrimination, include a number of other human rights from across the spectrum.²
Some examples might include:
discrimination of Muslim Americans, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Amish
censorship/freedom of speech (see Acts 5:40)
the most recent form of segregation, this time based on vaccination status, rather than race, but which yet disproportionately affected African Americans (and even without a racial component, this sort of segregation was a terrible injustice)
the injustices brought by secular authoritarianism
vaccine mandates
Surprisingly, however, in the very same article that invites us to address injustices, it also harshly criticizes those concerned about the injustices of medical tyranny and socialism as “embracing apostate Protestantism”!
To the contrary, Ellen White wrote specifically against socialism in the book Patriarchs and Prophets.³ And every eastern European said: "AMEN!”
She also warned that, prophetically, what we would call a violent, anarchic, secularist leftist ideology, akin to that of satanic revolutionary France, is in the prophetic cards prior to the final days. 4, 5
If Ellen White warned about this flavor of tyranny while simultaneously teaching about apostate Protestantism in America, certainly we ought feel free to do the same without fear of being accused of prophetic denialism or of drinking Babylon’s wine.
Similarly, speaking against medical tyranny would be a profoundly Adventist message, not an apostate Protestant message.
We have been entrusted with the precious truth that health choices are, by definition, spiritual choices. In fact, the Bible uses outright, explicit worship language when describing our bodies.
The body is the temple of God. (1 Cor. 6)
Our bodies are to be offered as a “spiritual act of worship.” (Rom. 12:1)
We render unto Caesar that which bears his image (taxes), but reserve unto God that which bears His image (our person). (Matt. 25:15-22)
In other words, “Our bodies are Christ’s purchased property” (6T 396.2, see 1 Cor. 6:20), not Caesar’s property.
But many Adventists have indeed become deaf to what the dragon sounds like, since during COVID, not only did we hear a devastating silence on vaccine mandates, but we were even blasphemously instructed by some of our own trusted voices to submit our reason, our conscience, the very body-temple of God – all rendered unto Caesar.
WINE OF BABYLON?
Many evangelicals (and all freedom-loving humans of all races and religions) are concerned about leftist authoritarianism and medical tyranny.
So are many Adventists.
The evangelicals see a secular world government as the beast.
We disagree.
This isn’t a picture of imbibing in the wine of Babylon.
This unreasonable standard set by the Review article would not only be out of harmony with the example of our pioneers – who followed the inspired counsel in carefully working alongside, but not yoking together with, Christians of various denominations in the temperance reform movement – but the article itself would violate this unreasonable standard, since the article praises American Protestantism for leading the civil rights reforms in American history.
I don’t think any of us believe that our temperance-crusading, racially progressive pioneers were in league with apostate Protestantism or deniers of our prophetic message, simply because it was other American Protestants who spearheaded or cooperated in these reform movements.
POLITICAL BIAS?
Here’s a helpful thought experiment for those who align with the Review article.
Imagine for a moment that the very medical tyranny and socialism that many evangelicals are concerned about were solely enforced by LGBT-hating, patriarchal, white males; and what if the victims of said medical tyranny and socialism were 100% African American Democrats?
Would you then address the injustices? If so, why only then, but not now?
And what if the roles were reversed, how about then? If it’s not justified when the roles are reversed, why not?
Bottom line question: Is it injustice of all kinds that we are interested in, or only of certain politically favored varieties?
CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
Regarding what the article refers to as the "devastating and stunning silence regarding the rise of Christian nationalism," it should be granted that it is definitely worth adding to our evangelistic PowerPoint presentations statements like this (Boebert ‘sick of separation of church and state’ / ‘the church should direct the government’), perhaps replacing any outdated quotes from Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson.
Indeed, there are some major political voices currently resurrecting the "take-America-back-for-God” refrain, and this is something to keep an eye on for sure. It's real. The prophetic thunder is rolling.
There are obvious dangers embedded in the Vatican’s green agenda and other left-wing flavors of proposed Sunday enforcement.
If we’re not politically biased, we will see all the coming dangers.
But if we care about liberty and justice, as we warn about the future, let's not ignore clear-and-present dangers to freedom that lay the groundwork and set the precedent for the near-future fulfillment of Revelation 13!
Here are two vivid and frightening examples of clear-and-present dangers to freedom about which we should have been vocal. These might put the current magnitude of right-wing dominion theology (now identified as Christian nationalism) into perspective.
Exhibit A: During COVID mania they got 45% of Democrats to the point where they wanted to lock up the unvaccinated in designated facilities! We heard devastating and stunning silence when this was upon us just months ago.
Exhibit B: Post-9/11 they got four in ten Americans to agree that all Muslim American citizens should be required to carry a unique identification! I wasn’t an Adventist then, so I don’t know if we were silent on that or not.
But the bottom line is this: if you were vocal on one of those and silent on the other, it probably wasn’t about the universal principles of justice or liberty for you. It was an impulse rooted in a political, ideological allegiance.
When we ignore developments like these, we lose credibility on our religious liberty message. But when we highlight these ominous developments alongside our teaching about what happens in the near future in Revelation 13, we bring a higher degree of confidence in our prophetic message.
BACK TO CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
Much was made of the recent Pew survey, finding that 45% of Americans believe that "America should be a Christian nation."
This might seem at first glance to be as alarming as the two data points cited above. But what are we to make of this?
First, it should be noted that this 45% figure is down ten percentage points from a decade-and-a half-ago. In 2007, 55% percent of Americans believed the Constitution establishes a Christian nation. By 2013 that figure had dropped to 51%. Today, as noted above, it’s 45% that believe America should be a Christian nation. 6
This apparent downward trend in the belief that America ought to be a Christian nation doesn’t rule out the possibility that there is, today, a rise in an ugly form of Christian nationalism.
But it does beg a more important question: what do the survey respondents mean by the phrase, "Christian nation?" Is it straight-up dominion theology for all of the 45%?
Should America be a Christian nation? Even the faithful Adventist reader might think, yeah America SHOULD be a Christian nation, by which you happen to mean, "I want to see every American attend our meetings and chose to be a Christian!"
Christian nation. It's a vague term. It could mean a lot of different things.
True Christianity respects liberty of conscience. Our nation should do that. Thus, our nation should be a Christian one. Adventists would agree with that sentiment also.
The real question for us is, did survey respondents believe Christianity should be enforced?
Pew (kind of) drilled down into that question. Of the 45% who believe "America should be a Christian nation," only 6% (i.e. less than 3% of Americans), mean by this that America should in some way have laws based on Christian beliefs or that separation of church and state shouldn’t exist.
Less than 3%.
To be clear, I don't mean to put afar off the close of time, as things will change quickly and soon. And yeah, those 3% are starting to ride the wave that may become the Revelation 13 tidal wave; so they are not to be disregarded. I literally wrote a book on the dangers of predominantly right-wing Christian Constantinian dominion theology, so it’s not a foreign or benign concept to me. Hopefully we’re all keeping our eye on that ball.
But we also must be careful not to lose credibility by exaggerating political trends and ignoring clear and present injustices and dangers. Roughly 6% of this group of mostly right-wing American Christians want Christian-based laws and governance of some kind. But nearly half of Democrats recently wanted to lock up the unvaccinated!
CONCLUSION
The Review article about the lamb-like beast doesn’t allow the reader to enjoy even one complete sentence pointing to the virtues in the founding of America. That’s a shame.
The reader even encounters this perplexing statement: “from its inception, Protestantism has fulfilled the very description of appearing lamblike yet speaking like a dragon" (emphasis supplied).
Appearing?
So, Protestantism – from 1517 on through America’s founding era – only appeared lamblike? Is this the impression you get from the Reformation chapters in The Great Controversy?
To gain a proper, un-biased, Biblical understanding of the lamb-like virtues of America's founding, as well as the pitfalls of some of the colonies and the ultimate establishment of lamb-like principles upon which the nation was founded, the reader is encouraged to enjoy the totality of Chapter 16 of The Great Controversy, which is required reading in this author's home school this time of year, as we approach Thanksgiving.
That is not to neglect our history and our inspired commentary dealing honestly and courageously with the ugly race hypocrisy in American History. There is absolutely a place for that.
But since the subject raised in the Review article is prophecy, if you want a distinctly prophetic treatment of this period of history (America’s founding) this is the inspired record: Chapter 16 of The Great Controversy.
After re-reading that chapter, to gauge your fidelity to the Spirit of Prophecy, it is worth asking yourself this final question. Here’s a challenge for the reader.
Imagine you’re preparing the sermon, perhaps for Thanksgiving weekend or a Sabbath near July 4. You’re impressed by the Spirit of God to simply go to the pulpit and read Chapter 16 of The Great Controversy verbatim, (or at least express the spirit of each paragraph in your own words, faithfully). No qualifiers. No additional quotes. No commentary.
Ask yourself this: Could I delight in the experience of sharing this inspired historical record of America’s founding? Would the generally optimistic tone of that chapter make me uncomfortable?
In other words, do I really believe that inspiration did a better job handling the history of America’s founding than I could do?
If you’re struggling with that question, I encourage you to do what we all must do in these divisive times – ask the Lord to diagnose and correct our political biases.
****
Scott Ritsema is the founder and director of Belt of Truth Ministries and Media on the Brain. He lives in Lakeview Michigan with his wife Cami and three amazing children!
www.BeltofTruth.tv
www.11thHourDispatch.com
www.BeltofTruthMinistries.org
¹ Quoting from the Review article: “In embracing apostate Protestantism as partners against secularism and socialism, many have, in essence, been buying into their ideology. In their version of prophecy, the enemies to be feared are Communists, socialists, global elites, and secularists who desire nothing more than a secular, one-world government.”
² To be clear, we must always refrain from becoming political or seditious. But we must also always maintain a Spirit-led prophetic and moral courage, bearing Christ-centered messages and corresponding action to address whatever social and cultural assaults the devil throws at God's precious children.
³ “There are many who urge with great enthusiasm that all men should have an equal share in the temporal blessings of God. But this was not the purpose of the Creator. A diversity of condition is one of the means by which God designs to prove and develop character. Yet He intends that those who have worldly possessions shall regard themselves merely as stewards of His goods, as entrusted with means to be employed for the benefit of the suffering and the needy” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 535).
4 "At the same time anarchy is seeking to sweep away all law, not only divine, but human. The centralizing of wealth and power; the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the expense of the many; the combinations of the poorer classes for the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of unrest, of riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same teachings that led to the French Revolution—all are tending to involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which convulsed France." – {Ed 228.2}.
5 “In India, China, Russia, and the cities of America, thousands of men and women are dying of starvation. The monied men, because they have the power, control the market. They purchase at low rates all they can obtain, and then sell at greatly increased prices. This means starvation to the poorer classes, and will result in a civil war. There will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. ‘And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation…’” 5MR 305
6 Slightly different wording when comparing the 2007/2013 survey with the recent Pew survey. “America should be a Christian nation” versus “The Constitution establishes a Christian nation.” They both capture the same idea, but if there is survey data with exact wording over time to confirm this downward trend, that would be helpful.