Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
False Shepherds
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Is it safe to attend any church,
no matter what is being taught?
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Morgue File |
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I have been shown that the false shepherds were drunk, but
not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. The truth of God is
sealed up to them; they cannot read it. When they are interrogated as to what
the seventh-day Sabbath is, whether or not it is the true Sabbath of the Bible,
they lead the mind to fables. I saw that these prophets were like the foxes of
the desert. They have not gone up into the gaps, they have not made up the
hedge that the people of God may stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.
When the minds of any get stirred up, and they begin to inquire of these false
shepherds about the truth, they take the easiest and best manner to effect
their object and quiet the minds of the inquiring ones, even changing their own
position to do it. Light has shone on many of these shepherds, but they would
not acknowledge it and have changed their position a number of times to evade
the truth and get away from the conclusions that they must come to if they
continued in their former position. The power of truth tore up their
foundation, but instead of yielding to it they would get up another platform
that they were not satisfied with themselves. {EW 123.1}
I saw that many of these shepherds had denied the past
teachings of God; they had denied and rejected the glorious truths which they
once zealously advocated and had covered themselves with mesmerism and all
kinds of delusions. I saw that they were drunken with error and were leading on
their flock to death. Many of the opposers of God's truth devise mischief in
their heads upon their beds, and in the day they carry out their wicked devices
to put down the truth and to [124] get something new to interest
the people and divert their minds from the precious, all-important truth. {EW 123.2}
I saw that the priests who are leading on their flock to
death are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career. The plagues of God are
coming, but it will not be sufficient for the false shepherds to be tormented
with one or two of these plagues. God's hand at that time will be stretched out
still in wrath and justice and will not be brought to Himself again until His
purposes are fully accomplished, and the hireling priests are led to worship at
the feet of the saints, and to acknowledge that God has loved them because they
held fast the truth and kept God's commandments, and until all the unrighteous
ones are destroyed from the earth. {EW 124.1}
The different parties of professed Advent believers have
each a little truth, but God has given all these truths to His children who are
being prepared for the day of God. He has also given them truths that none of
these parties know, neither will they understand. Things which are sealed up to
them, the Lord has opened to those who will see and are ready to understand. If
God has any new light to communicate, He will let His chosen and beloved
understand it, without their going to have their minds enlightened by hearing
those who are in darkness and error. {EW 124.2}
I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are
having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily
imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their
meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is
a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men.
The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such
darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us
free [125]
and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to
error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings
where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not
keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the
buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of
his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the
darkness. {EW 124.3}
I saw that we have no time to throw away in listening to
fables. Our minds should not be thus diverted, but should be occupied with the
present truth, and seeking wisdom that we may obtain a more thorough knowledge
of our position, that with meekness we may be able to give a reason of our hope
from the Scriptures. While false doctrines and dangerous errors are pressed
upon the mind, it cannot be dwelling upon the truth which is to fit and prepare
the house of Israel to stand in the day of the Lord. {EW 125.1}
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