Godsloveandlaw's Blog

If someone was to give you a 1 year old newspaper, or even a 5 or 10 year old newspaper, while intriguing, could you expect to gain knowledge of current events, local and worldwide? If that is your latest information or knowledge of current events, would you be in a position to really know the “current” situation? Obviously not. Present truth is much the same way, it’s the current or latest unfolding of God’s scroll of truth, the “latest” newspaper as it were. And who are the delivery people? You got it, the prophets and prophetesses. By them God’s latest “news”(truth)  is announced.

The question is– do we want to read it and understand it? Pilate asked our Lord -“What is truth?”  Today our Lord is asking each of us— ‘What is present truth?”  Can we say “We know exactly what that is Lord.”   Let’s look deeper into this most serious subject- present truth.

The term “Present Truth” has been a term particularly exposed by the SDA church. Wikipedia in describing “Seventh Day Adventist theology” states the following:

“The founders of the Seventh Day Adventist Church had a dynamic concept of what they called ” present truth”, opposed to creedal rigidity, and had an openess to new theological understandings that built upon the landmark doctrines, or Pillars of Adventism that had made them a people.”

Here Wikipedia describes even better than most within our SDA community the term “present truth”, noting that this present truth isn’t rigid and has an openess to new theological understandings, as long as it “builds upon” the solid established doctrines.

I would whole heartedly agree that present truth must stand upon established truths exposed by our SDA church. With truth being light, present truth must be a  brighter form of that light, a clearer focusing of that light upon our path, as we walk ahead in our Christian walk.

If we call our selves Christians, we must ever be striving to walk onward and forward, not walking in place. And this forward walk can only be done by walking on God’s unfolding scroll of truth, the latest “news” as delivered by His messengers, the prophets.

As we look back into time we can learn two great examples of  God’s people not advancing in present truth. The most important example was our Lord’s message He gave Himself. The Jews were full of themselves, as to knowing the truth of God, and then Jesus came with a present day truth. He announced He was sent of God, the great “I AM”.  He taught day after day the presnt truths with so much light. But it was rejected by most of the people. They were content with what the “leaders” were saying, as to Jesus not telling truth. That day’s present truth–flatly rejected.

Scroll ahead to 1844. The SDA movement announced God’s revealing of present truth- the cleansing of the Sanctuary. The beginning of the judgement for the dead, in God’s Holy Temple in heaven. The people were as one, for great light of present truth flooded their souls. They accepted it! But this unity would soon die out. Particularly in 1888, when the understanding of  Dr. Waggoners  “The Righteousness in Christ by faith”, caused division among the people. This was that day’s present truth-a deeper understanding of the righteousness of Christ in us. The present truth after 1888 became hazy and dimmer. No real advancement took place, and they (SDA people) wandered in the anti-type desert for about 40 years until about 1929.

Again, we must understand that the powerful present truths are not revealed to ordinary man. Yes, many men and woman have revealed light given to them in different times, in different areas, but the most sacred and powerful light for His people  come –from — the –prophets. This is a most solid truth. “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealth His plans to His servants, the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)

In the above scripture we see a powerful key. Notice that the Lord will “do” something, in other words act in some way, and He won’t do that thing until He reveals it first, to His prophets. Obviously this thing to be done is important for all of God’s people to know, because it announced by His servants, the prophets. Many have been revealed things from our Lord (dreams, signs. etc.) but those are for us privately, not for the whole people. This is the big difference, the prophet messages are extremely important for all of us. Hence present truth will be found in their messages they bring from God.

In 1827 God raised up a woman named Ellen Harmon (Later to be Ellen G. White). She was one of the founders of the SDA church.Visions and profound writings would flow from her, starting in 1844,  in such power that the people were amazed. She gave the flock of God it’s present truth for that period (approx. 1850 to 1915)

Each prophet prepares the next prophet, kinda like they set the table for the next. The unfolding of the truth scroll is handed to the next messenger.  Ellen did her job superbly. She time and again had many warnings to her people (particularly in the Testimonies for the church series-9 volumes and Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel workers). God was setting the people up for the final prophet, the one who would come to “prepare the people” for the great and dreadful day.(Mal. 4:5)

Let’s look at what EGW had to say about present truth. “Their are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is “present truth” that the flock needs now. I have seen the danger of messengers running off from the important points of  present truth, to dwell upon sujects that are not calculated to unite the flock and sanctify the soul. Satan will here take very possible advantage to injure the cause.”(Early Writings, P.63)  (This quote has direct implications to the Davidian messengers, to remain united on the main points).

” In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are essential; new truth is not independant of the old, but only an unfolding of it.” (Christ’s object lessons, p.127-128)

So the prophetess, EGW, was a superb listener to our Lord. She knew that God had a messenger to come after her and she announced it! “Prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says; “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Somebody is to come in the spirit  and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say; “You are too earnest, you do not interpret the scriptures in the proper way, let me tell you how to teach your message” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.475).

Now let’s look at that profound statement. She directly states a “somebody”  not a group or even somebodies. One person, and it’s a HE .(Note- the then SDA general leadership put out a * asterick by the above statement, claiming EGW really was talking about herself when she mentioned “he”. Shows the desperate acts they were doing to counter this message).

What is the outstanding characteristic of this somebody? He will “interpret scripture.” What is  his purpose? He has a “message” for the people. And it is a Elijah-type message. What was Elijah’s message in the OT? A warning to His own people, get right with God, quit following  false leaders(Baal leaders)  and their ways! What will happen when he trys to give this message? The people will interupt and claim he is all wrong in his interpretations. This somebody will be mostly ignored by God’s people. How much clearer can it get in identifying this next messenger (prophet) and his message,  God’s latest present truth?

Again God explains how He sends His most important messages to His people. “But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.” (Rev.10:7) So if each and every prophet carries a most important message, should we sincerely try to find out who EGW was pointing to–to come after? Yes indeed!

In about 1929, a man began to look upon scripture in a whole different light. The great scroll of present truth was being handed to him from God. He saw new light on many prophecies previously hidden from view. Like EGW, he began to write and preach. Soon the SDA leadership interupted. “Stop” they cried “you interpret wrongly, let us tell you the message.”  —Just as prophesised!

Some may say that’s not enough proof that Victor T. Houteff was the man EGW prophesised about. Have you looked into his work?Do you say that some leaders of the church tell you, VTH was a false prophet? Or do you say “I will investigate this myself” (just as we are told to in sripture) We are promised that the  “Spirit of Truth” is to come to us are we not? So if we have this Spirit can we trust that when we read brother Houteff’s work, it will guide–yea or nay? But be  aware, recently we did a post called ” Help I can’t see” and the point was directly made that if we are living a non-converted life(cherishing sins), we very likely will not be able to understand God’s present truth. The Spirit of Truth is stymied.

The whole present truth message (this last one) is directly pertaining to preparing the people before the Lord comes in that great and dreadful day. The “Elijah”‘s  main purpose was thus –preparation of the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (the day of execution of the judgement for the living in His church). Brother Houteff did this superbly–the center of his message. His present truth, given by God was to be given to God’s people not to the world (just like the first Elijah’s message).

In speaking of the Elijah message, we read near the very end of God’s last book of the old Testament, Malachi 4:5 –“Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”  Knowing that Elijah’s coming right before the  end of the world will come, we must ask our selves what kind of message will he bring from the Lord? As many of us know, God provides types and anti-types. The first message of Elijah was given how?

1) He spoke only, I repeat only to his own people, the house of Israel. He did not speak his message to babylon, the world’s heathen.

2) He spoke of warnings to his people, that they were worshipping a false god and trespassing God’d Law.

3) The message was given loud and clear right before God’s judgements came down and destroyed the wicked from –His — Own –People (church)

So the anti-type message must be the anti-type, or similar type of message. This message is going on right now, and those who accept these warnings and turn from their backslidding will be sealed and protected in the near judgements that will fall on His church. Remember the upcoming  judgements starts first in the house of God  (1 Peter 4:17)

Today ten’s of  thousands have taken up this end time message. The Lord is getting His “elect” together right now, in preparation for the final “Loud Cry”. The elect 144,000, who have made the decision to wholely convert to the Lord, watching their own lives carefully, shunning sin whenever possible, are being sealed. This my brothers and sisters is —PRESENT TRUTH.

Let us not delay. Come as you are , asking our Lord “Lord , I want to be a part of your last day people, the elect. I am willing to search and learn your present truth. Guide me and send me the Spirit of Truth.”

In Christ, Whose guidance makes possible this post–Rob

This entry was posted on March 10, 2012 at 5:51 am and is filed under End times, Present Truth. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.