Fanaticism, part 2

"Our people need to understand the reasons of our faith and our past experiences. How sad it is that so many of them apparently place unlimited confidence in men who present theories tending to uproot our past experiences and to remove the old landmarks! Those who can so easily be led by a false spirit show that they have been following the wrong captain for some time--so long that they do not discern that they are departing from the faith, or that they are not building upon the true foundation. We need to urge all to put on their spiritual eyeglasses, to have their eyes anointed that they may see clearly and discern the true pillars of the faith. Then they will know that 'the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his' (2 Tim. 2:19). We need to revive the old evidences of the faith once delivered to the saints.

Thus the reason why some are so easily led from one fanaticism to another is because they have been following the wrong captain. And how many kind of doctrines will be urged upon our separated people? Every conceivable fanciful and deceptive doctrine will be urged by men who think that they have the truth.

How can we then protect ourselves from being led into fanaticism? Remember Titus 2:1 stated that we must speak only that which becometh sound doctrine. Matthew 7:15-20 states that we are to be fruit inspectors, and not just accept everything at face value! 1 John 4:1 states that we must test and try the spirits, whether they be of God or not. And Isaiah 8:20 states that we must test every doctrine to the Law (Bible) and the Testimony (Spirit of Prophecy), and if it does not abide this test, then there is no light in it!

"Instead of catching up every new and fanciful interpretation of Bible, cling to the message. Let not every influence affect you but seek to develop a character that is consistent, meek, teachable, and yet firm and cheerful; and with all this, be sober and watch unto prayer. Walk in a perfect way. Let the high, sacred truth you profess be constantly elevating your character, ennobling and refining you, and fitting you for the heavenly courts. The learners in Christ's school must show that they are not unappreciative scholars. Let the sanctifying grace of God strengthen, soften, and subdue your entire nature." Review and Herald, vol 2, p 216 col 1).

"Through false doctrines, Satan gains a foothold, and captivates the minds of men, causing them to hold theories that have no foundation in truth. Men boldly teach for doctrines the commandments of men...It is through false theories and traditions that Satan gains his power over the human mind." Evangelism, p 589.

Even if we beleive just a little bit of fanatical doctrine, this is just enough to give Satan a foothold in our minds which will allow him to bring in other theories to try and deceive us. Thus if we continue to hold even the smallest theory of fanaticism or false doctrine, we give Satan a foothold in our minds which he can use to captivate and control us. So if you do not want Satan to control you, then you must give up everything that lends itself to or is fanatical.

We must stand solely and completely upon the foundation of pure unadulterated truth. This is the only way we can keep Satan from gaining a foothold in our mind. That is why in this study we will be exposing some of the fanatical theories and doctrines which are plaguing God's true separated people today.

There are 14 principles (see Part One) which anyone can apply to any doctrine to see if it could be fanatical. It is also important to note that all fanatical doctrines, no matter how big or how small, all claim to have their support based upon the Bible and/or the Spirit of Prophecy--and hence claim that God supports their belief. Yet if a close search is made, most fanatical beliefs are found to be based upon one or two biblical texts or references from the Spirit of Prophecy which have been stretched to its extreme meaning with a lot of human reasoning mixed in. Thus its foundation cannot be firmly established upon God's word or the Spirit of Prophecy, but upon the supposed wisdom of men, which is foolishness in God's eyes. Yet it is claimed that it is God's will that people believe and follow the doctrine.

It is also important to note that not all fanaticisms are full blown. A large portion is just a small, seemingly insignificant theory or belief which is held and advocated once in awhile. Thus a great portion of fanaticism appears small and insignificant, and many have tucked it away in their minds thinking that it is the truth when it is not.

So as we begin to discuss some of the different fanaticisms within our separated ranks today, and you read about a particular theory which you have accepted as truth, please do not stop reading, but read the more closely and pay particular attention to what is being stated. Especially let God's Spirit convict you of the truth, and allow Him to root all false and erroneous doctrines and beliefs out of your mind until every thread is cut away, so that you can be completely free in Jesus and glory in His pure unadulaterated truth.

In looking over the vast field of fanaticism today, four main areas are seen which most of the fanatical doctrines can fit into. The first area is in Health Reform. The second area is in Dress Reform. The third area is in Doctrine. And the fourth area is in Personal Life. These are the four main areas. We will examine each area.

Health reform is very important to know and practice. It is part of the third angel's message, just as the arm is part of the body (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 74-75). If we break any of the 8 laws of health ("Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power"--Ministry of Healing, p 127), then we are committing sin (see Counsels on Health, p 40). Also, if we reject health reform, then we are rejecting God:

Both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy instruct us to practice the health law of temperance in all things lawful (Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6; Adventist Home, p 258, 309; Counsels on Health, p 65). We are also told that our eternal destiny depends upon strictly temperate habits (Testimonies, vol 3, p 489)--especially in regards to health (Testimonies, vol 3, p 486-87). Then what are some of the unlawful things which God has placed clear restrictions upon that His people are not to partake of?

1. No unclean animal flesh--especially pork--is to be part of our diet (see Leviticus 11:4-44, 20:25; Deuteronomy 14:3-19). But also clean fleshed creatures such as beef, fish, foul, etc, are to be avoided because of disease (see Counsels on Diet and Foods p 383, 388, 394, 401; Review and Herald, May 27, 1902 (vol 4, p 415, col 1)).

There are other items of food which we are counseled that it would be better if we avoided them (such as milk and milk products; irritating spices; etc (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 236, 330, 339-40, 356, 359, 365-66, 384-85; Counsels on Health, p 478, 495; Healthy Living, p 93; Ministry of Healing, p 325; Testimonies, vol 2, p 366-67, vol 7, p 134-35). But we have clear counsel from God Himself that the above items are not to be in our diet at all. But some people are not content with the above list. They add their own preferences on to God's list, and declare that if God's people do not also follow these other items added to the list, then they can not be God's health reforming people, they are disobeying God, and can not be saved.

A large amount of free oil (not grease which solidifies at room temperature and is counseled against (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 83, 85, 124, 200), but extracted or pressed oil which is liquid at room temperature), is not part of a healthy diet, yet it is fanatical to advocate that God requires all of His people to eliminate all free oils from their diet.

The Bible advocates using extracted olive oil in making bread (see Exodus 29:2, 23; Leviticus 2:2, 5, 7, 7:12; Numbers 6:15). Ezekiel 16:13 states that it is permitted to eat flour, honey, and oil mixed together. In 1 Kings 17:12-16 we find Elijah, who was one of God's messengers, instructing the woman to make him a cake from flour mixed with oil. He then promises that God would continue to supply the flour and the oil. So God's blessing was upon the flour and extracted olive oil for His people to subsist upon during the famine.

Obviously eating oil outside of the olive is not condemned of God, but is blessed of God when used in moderation. In fact sister White even mentions that when extracted olive oil is eaten, it relieves constipation and soothes inflamed, irritated stomachs (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 349; Selected Messages, book 2, p 298).

"Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing. They impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect..." Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 81 (also see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 310, 329, 363, 443; Child Guidance, p 380, 384; Education, p 204; Ministry of Healing, p 295-96, 316-17; Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods, p 98).

The diet chosen for us by our Creator is fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables, and vegetables were part of man's original diet before the fall (see Confrontation, p 10; Review and Herald, February 24, 1874 (vol 1, p 139 col 1)). But by isolating one testimony and making it contradict the weight of evidence of other testimonies, produces an extreme and fanatical belief. There is only one pathway to heaven, not two! There is only one chosen diet for God's people, not two. There is only one perfect Example for us to imitate, not two. There is not an easier road to tread for those who do not wish to be a part of the 144,000, than for those who do. There is only one pathway, and both the 144,000, as well as all the other saints who make it to heaven, will follow the same path. So there is no different prescribed pathway and diet for the 144,000 to follow versus those who die in the Lord.

"I use some salt, and always have, because from the light given me by God, this article, in the place of being deleterious, is actually essential for the blood. The whys and wherefores of this I know not, but I give you the instruction as it is given me." Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 344 (see also Sermons and Talks, vol 1, p 11; Counsels on Health, p 120).

The Bible states that honey is good if eaten in moderation (Proverbs 24:13, 25:16, 27). Besides, Christ ate it (Isaiah 7:14-15; Luke 24:41-43). John the Baptist ate it (Matthew 3:4). And God even blessed the production of 7,000 pounds of it to one of the independent schools that Ellen White established in Australia (see Selected Messages, book 1, p 102). So honey can be used in our diet in moderation.

Many need to prepare their meals more simply and to eat more raw foods if possible rather than cooked foods. But to advocate the extreme position that all of God's people must eat all their food raw, or even 80% raw, or 60% raw, etc, is fanaticism. Why? Because not all people can subsist on the same diet (see Testimonies, vol 2, p 254; Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 198). Thus, no one prescribed diet can be made the standard by which all God's people must subsist on.

If God required His people to avoid all cooked foods, then why would He state that baked bread is a good staple food in our diet (see Leviticus 26:26; Psalm 105:16; Ezekiel 4:16, 5:16, 14:13; Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 315). We are also counseled to bake or boil beans (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 323) and potatoes (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 323). And to can cooked fruits (Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 335). Thus, cooked foods in the diet of God's people are not displeasing to Him.

What is God's chosen diet for His people? Fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables. That is God's Word, and we can safely stand on that Word and advocate it far and wide. But as to how many vegetables we must have in our diet; or how many fruits we need; or how much raw foods, or cooked foods we need; etc; all these questions God has left for each individual to work out for themselves based upon their own body system. When others believe that they have a better standard than God has clearly stated, and begin to advocate their personal preferences as being God's will, then we protest against their fanaticism.

Under NORMAL circumstances, two balanced meals a day is sufficient for most people, as approximately 5 hours are needed between each meal (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 173). But God does not condemn anyone who chooses to have a third meal, especially if engaged in a great amount of physical labor. The following testimonies give some guidelines:

"The practice of eating but two meals a day is generally found a benefit to health; yet under some circumstances persons may require a third meal. This should, however, if taken at all, be very light, and of food most easily digested...zwieback, and fruit, or cereal coffee, are the foods best suited for the evening meal." Ministry of Healing, p 321.

God has provided the simple remedies of nature--herbs, sunlight, air, water, etc., for the treatment of sickness and disease, but it is fanatical and extreme to condemn those who choose to seek medical attention when necessary. It is also fanatical and extreme to refuse to seek medical attention when necessary; to believe that only herbs and other simple treatments are necessary in every case, and if you die, then it was God's will; and to believe that only the medical profession must be sought after and used for treatment, and never are we to use the simple remedies of nature.

"It was stated that we were the cause of her [sister Prior] not having medical aid. I will briefly state that we knew nothing of Sr. P.'s sickness, were in Rochester, above one hundred miles from Camden, when this matter occurred, and we have had no knowledge of her death until a brother from Camden visited Rochester and brought us the intelligence. There were but two families engaged in this matter. After this we visited Camden, and I was shown in vision that there had been a lack of judgment in regard to the case of Sr. P. in giving their influence against her obtaining medical aid. I saw that they had carried matters to extremes and that the cause of God was wounded and our faith reproached, on account of such things, which were fanatical in the extreme. The reproof given and the plain testimony borne in regard to these things was the cause of E.W.W. turning from me and taking his position with the 'Messenger' party and circulating falsehoods calculated to injure me. We believe in the prayer of faith; but some have carried this matter too far, especially those who have been affected with fanaticism. Some have taken the strong ground that it was wrong to use simple remedies. We have never taken this position, but have opposed it. We believe it to be perfectly right to use the remedies God has placed in our reach, and if these fail, apply to the great Physician, and in some cases the counsel of an earthly physician is very necessary. This position we have always held." Spiritual Gifts, vol 2, p 134-35.

If we refuse to become knowledgeable on the simple remedies of nature and refuse to use them to get well, how can we ask God to heal us? We are told that thousands are dying for want of the knowledge of simple remedies (see Selected Messages, book 2, p 287), and that nine cases out of ten would have recovered if they had only lived out what little they knew in the area of simple remedies (see Selected Messages, book 2, p 288). On the other hand, if we have done all that we know how to do in using the simple remedies of nature and have taken our case to God and still are not healed of our sickness or disease, then it is not a denial of our faith to seek help from the medical field.

"It is our privilege to use every God appointed means in correspondence with our faith, and then trust in God, when we have urged the promise. If there is need of a surgical operation, and the physician is willing to undertake the case, it is not a denial of faith to have the operation performed. After the patient has committed his will to the will of God, let him trust, drawing nigh to the Great Physician, the Mighty Healer, and giving himself up to perfect trust. The Lord will honor his faith in the very manner He sees is for His own name's glory. 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength' (Isaiah 26:3, 4)." Selected Messages, book 2, p 284.

Our bodies are in one of two modes: either cleansing itself through fasts, fruits or juices, herbs, etc, or building itself up through vegetables, proteins, hardy exercise, etc. By forcing our bodies to be constantly in the cleansing mode, we begin to suffer because the body does not get enough energy from the cleansing foods to build itself up. And after a while, we begin to waste away. Thus, if we do not allow our bodies a rest from cleansing itself, and to begin to build itself back up and repair any damage which the cleansing process reveals, then we are asking for trouble and possible death.

We could go on listing many more fanaticisms in the area of Health Reform: such as; God does not want any of His people to eat out in Restaurants; or those who are preaching an unbalanced or different 8 laws of Health; etc. But why are there so many health fanaticisms? Because Satan will bring in any side issue to get God's people away from preaching and living the real Health Reform as found in the third angel's message. He will work in any way he can to get us arguing and debating or fighting over these different side issues, instead of uniting together, and with one voice sounding the last message of mercy to those who are dying in this world for the want of this precious truth.

"When those who advocate hygienic reform carry the matters to extremes, people are not to blame if they become disgusted. Too often our religious faith is thus brought into disrepute, and in many cases those who witness such exhibitions of inconsistency can never afterward be brought to think that there is anything good in the reform. These extremists do more harm in a few months than they can undo in a lifetime. They are engaged in a work which Satan loves to see go on." Counsels on Health, p 153-54.

"There is real common sense in health reform. People cannot all eat the same things. Some articles of food that are wholesome and palatable to one person may be hurtful to another. So it is impossible to make an unvarying rule by which to regulate everyone's dietetic habits. Narrow ideas and overstraining of small points have been a great injury to the cause of hygiene. Investigate your habits of diet. Study from cause to effect. But do not bear false witness against health reform by ignorantly pursuing a course which militates against it. Do not neglect and abuse the body and thus unfit it to render to God that service which is His due. Health reform means something to us and we must not belittle it by narrow ideas and practices. We must be true to our convictions of right." Counsels on Health, p 154-56.

"Not all who profess to believe in dietetic reform are really reformers. With many persons the reform consists merely in discarding certain unwholesome foods. They do not understand clearly the principles of health, and their tables, still loaded with harmful dainties, are far from being an example of Christian temperance and moderation.

"Those who have but a partial understanding of the principles of reform are often the most rigid, not only in carrying out their views themselves, but in urging them on their families and their neighbors. The effect of their mistaken reforms, as seen in their own ill-health, and their efforts to force their views upon others, give many a false idea of dietetic reform, and lead them to reject it altogether.

"Those who understand the laws of health and who are governed by principle, will shun the extremes, both of indulgence and of restriction. Their diet is chosen, not for the mere gratification of appetite, but for the upbuilding of the body. They seek to preserve every power in the best condition for highest service to God and man. The appetite is under the control of reason and conscience, and they are rewarded with health of body and mind. While they do not urge their views offensively upon others, their example is a testimony in favor of right principles. These people have a wide influence for good.

"There is real common sense in dietetic reform. The subject should be studied broadly and deeply, and no one should criticize others because their practice is not, in all things, in harmony with his own. It is impossible to make an unvarying rule to regulate everyone's habits, and no one should think himself a criterion for all. Not all can eat the same things. Foods that are palatable and wholesome to one person may be distasteful, and even harmful, to another....

"The narrow ideas of some would-be health reformers have been a great injury to the cause of hygiene. Hygienists should remember that dietetic reform will be judged, to a great degree, by the provision they make for their tables and instead of taking a course that will bring discredit upon it, they should so exemplify its principles as to commend them to candid minds....

"Hygienic reform is based upon principles that are broad and far-reaching, and we should not belittle it by narrow views and practices. But no one should permit opposition or ridicule, or a desire to please or influence others, to turn him from true principles, or cause him lightly to regard them. Those who are governed by principle will be firm and decided in standing for the right; yet in all their associations they will manifest a generous, Christlike spirit and true moderation." Ministry of Healing, p 318-24.

With the above testimonies in mind, God wants His people to use common sense in health reform; that it is impossible to make an unvarying rule in regulating the dietary habits of everyone; that we are to shun narrow ideas. We are to shun any over-straining of small points. We are to shun any extremes in indulgence or restriction. We are to investigate our own dietary habits and study from cause to effect. We are not to let the opposition or ridicule or desire to please anyone else keep us from following the principles that we know are true. We are to be true to our convictions of right and be governed by principle. We are not to criticize others who do not do as we do or eat as we eat. And we are not to offensively urge our views upon others, but manifest a genuine Christlike spirit and be moderate and temperate in all things lawful. These are the simple and true rules that God wants all of His people to be governed by in true Health Reform. And might we also add, if you are in constant fear that your food will hurt you, it most assuredly will (see Counsels on Diet and Foods, p 104).

"And while we would caution you not to overeat, even of the best quality of food, we would also caution those that are extremists not to raise a false standard and then endeavor to bring everybody to it. There are some who are starting out as health reformers who are not fit to engage in any other enterprise, and who have not sense enough to take care of their own families, or keep their proper place in the church. And what do they do? Why, they fall back as health reform physicians, as though they could make that a success. They assume the responsibilities of their practice, and take the lives of men and women into their hands, when they really know nothing about the business. My voice shall be raised against novices undertaking to treat disease professedly according to the principles of health reform. God forbid that we should be the subjects for them to experiment on! We are too few. It is altogether too inglorious a warfare for us to die in. God deliver us from such danger! We do not need such teachers and physicians. Let those try to treat disease who know something about the human system....

"It is time something was done to prevent novices from taking the field and advocating health reform. Their works and words can be spared; for they do more injury than the wisest and most intelligent men, with the best influence they can exert, can counteract. It is impossible for the best qualified advocates of health reform to fully relieve the minds of the public from the prejudice received through the wrong course of these extremists and to place the subject of health reform upon a right basis in the community where these men have figured. The door is also closed in a great measure, so that unbelievers cannot be reached by the present truth upon the Sabbath and the soon coming of our Saviour. The most precious truths are cast aside by the people as unworthy of hearing. These men are referred to as representatives of health reformers and Sabbathkeepers in general. A great responsibility rests upon those who have thus proved a stumbling block to unbelievers." Testimonies, vol 2, p 374-75, 386.

"To protect the people of God from the corrupting influence of the world, as well as to promote physical and moral health, the dress reform was introduced among us...Satan is constantly devising some new style of dress that shall prove an injury to physical and moral health; and he exults when he sees professed Christians eagerly accepting the fashions which he has invented. The amount of physical suffering created by unnatural and unhealthful dress cannot be estimated...But dress reform comprised more than shortening the dress and clothing the limbs. It included every article of dress upon the person. It lifted the weights from the hips by suspending the skirts from the shoulders. It removed the tight corsets, which compressed the lungs, the stomach, and other internal organs, and induce curvature of the spine and an almost countless train of diseases. Dress reform proper provided for the protection and development of every part of the body." Testimonies, vol 4, p 634-35.

There are many individuals and even Ministries who have devoted themselves to the subject of Dress Reform, and have come up with a whole list of do's and don'ts which are presented as tests to God's people with the underlying issue being: If you do not follow these rules, then you are not following God's will and will lose out of salvation. But is this true in each area of Dress Reform? Is every area of Dress Reform a test of salvation?

"The dress reform was among the minor things that were to make up the great reform in health, and never should have been urged as a testing truth necessary to salvation...I have in speaking upon the great subject of health, mentioned the dress reform as one of the items of least importance which make up the great whole." Review and Herald, October 8, 1867 (vol 1, p 74, col 1).

So Dress Reform is not a test of salvation. Dress Reform is the minor point, or least important area, on the great subject of health. But some will interject that there are testimonies which seem to state that Dress Reform is necessary for salvation (see Testimonies, vol 1, p 286-87, 618-19; vol 4, p 647-48). Is there a contradiction here in the testimonies? Not at all. There is perfect harmony. So how can Dress Reform be and yet not be a test of salvation at the same time? The answer lies in the area of health.

When an area of Dress Reform overlaps into the area of health it then becomes a test of salvation necessitating a change in order to restore health whether physical or moral. But when an area of Dress Reform does not overlap into the area of health then it is not a test of salvation. And this area of Dress Reform, that is not involved in health and is not a test of salvation, is exactly where most of the fanaticism in dress resides today.

A. FANATICISM STATES: God requires all of His people to have their arms and legs covered with clothing at all times regardless of the temperature--even in hot weather--to make sure the blood circulation is equalized. And for anyone to wear a short sleeve shirt, even in warm weather, cannot be a true Health Reformer.

When one carefully studies through all the testimonies dealing with this issue, they will find that God and the Spirit of Prophecy advocate that if it is cold weather, and there is a chance of chill, then make sure you and your children's limbs and extremities are covered and evenly clad with proper warm clothing to make sure the blood circulation is not stinted in the extremities (see Selected Messages, book 2, p 470-71; Ministry of Healing, p 292-94; Testimonies, vol 2, p 527; Child Guidance, p 426-27). But if there is no chance of chill, and it is not cold but warm weather, then neither does God nor the Spirit of Prophecy advocate that the extremities are to be covered because there would no longer be any danger that the circulation of the blood would be affected and not reach the limbs.

As this is true, then it is not displeasing to God for His people to have their limbs uncovered when there is no chance of chill and the weather is warm! In fact the Spirit of Prophecy warns against wearing too much clothing as to bring us "in a perspiration" which may cause us "to take cold" (see Selected Messages, book 2, p 469), or to "load down those portions of the body with clothing where there is no call for such an amount" (Selected Messages, book 2, p 470). So a short sleeve shirt worn in warm weather is not displeasing to God, and does not lessen the efforts to further true Health Reform practices. In fact Sister White mentions that the only time a person who is wearing short sleeves could safely go outside is when "the weather is mild" and there is no chance of chill (see Ministry of Healing, p 382; Testimonies, vol 2, p 532).

The bottom line is that if God's people would "clothe themselves sensibly, and have moral courage to take their position on the side of right, they would not endanger health by going out summer and winter..." (Testimonies, vol 2, p 532). We are to dress sensibly according to the temperature, whether inside a house or outside, so that our blood circulation flows without restrictions--especially in cold temperatures.

Sister White herself wrote that it was proper for girls to wear pants under their dresses. The reason for this was for health--because the pants would protect them more efficiently from the cold than just dresses alone. These pants were not the same pants made for boys, but were pants that were specifically made for girls.

"In cold weather they should wear warm flannel or cotton drawers, which can be placed inside the stockings. Over these should be warm lined pants, which may be full, gathered into a band, and neatly buttoned around the ankle, or taper at the bottom and meet the shoe. Their dress should reach below the knee. With this style of dress, one light skirt, or at the most two, is all that is necessary, and these should be buttoned to a waist." Selected Messages, book 2, p 471.

"They [or women] will imitate the opposite sex, as nearly as possible. They will wear the cap, pants, vest, coat, and boots, the last of which is the most sensible part of the costume. Those who adopt and advocate this style of dress, are carrying the so-called dress reform to very objectionable lengths. Confusion will be the result. Some who adopt this costume may be correct in their views in general upon the health question, and they could be instrumental in accomplishing vastly more good if they did not carry the matter of dress to such extremes.

"In this style of dress God's order has been reversed, and special directions disregarded. Deut. xxii,5. 'The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.' This style of dress, God would not have His people adopt." Selected Messages, book 2, p 477.

If a woman would put on the hat, the coat, the vest, the pants, and the boots (probably a man's three-piece suit today), then she would be mistaken for a man and not a woman, and confusion would result. So Deuteronomy 22:5 was applied to a woman wearing the entire outfit of a man--dressing "as nearly as possible" to the opposite sex, but not just wearing one item of this outfit. Neither God nor sister White wrote that if a woman chose to wear pants made for a woman that she would be an abomination unto God! What was condemned was for a woman to wear the entire outfit of a man, not just one article of that outfit.

Neither the Bible nor the Spirit of Prophecy clearly condemns a woman for wearing women's pants. And since no clear plain condemnation is found in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy, for anyone to continue to condemn Christian women for wearing pants made for them, or to look down upon them and shun them because they do so, have placed their own opinion and preference into being God's will--which is fanaticism. This issue of pants has been left up to the Christian woman herself, as an individual free agent under God, to decide whether she wants to wear them or not.

Support for this doctrine is taken from a misunderstood Bible text found in 1 Corinthians 11:3-16. Even though this text deals with married women, yet unmarried women and young girls are made to believe that it is God's will that they wear a head covering believing that they would be dishonoring Christ as their husband if they did not wear one in public.

In reading 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, the Greek word for being "covered" or "covering" (Strong's #2619) translates to cover wholly. So it is referring to having the whole head, including the face, covered with a veil. It is not just talking about having a hat, or beanie to cover the top of the head and hair, but is referring to the whole head and face being covered. Exactly as the Middle-Eastern custom of women covering their whole head with a veil so that only their eyes are seen.

Paul clearly states that the practice of head coverings is a custom that is not a rule or command of any of the churches of God! It has nothing to do with a direct command of God for Christian women to follow today, but was and is a man-made custom adopted for Middle-Eastern women--especially those embracing Islam.

Those Middle-Eastern women who did not publicly wear a head covering were looked upon as being a harlot! Paul was trying to solve some of the differences in the Corinthian churches, and stated that it would be better for the converted Corinthian women to continue with the custom of publicly veiling their heads so as not to offend the unconverted Corinthian women whom they were trying to witness the truth to. He was advocating the principle--to become all things to all people that some might be won to Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:20-23). And if one of our Separated Home Church women went to the Middle East as a missionary today we see little problem for her to follow their head covering custom so that she would not be a gazing stock to the local women, but could more easily be accepted among them and more effectively witness the truth.

But the majority of other Countries do not have this head covering custom, so it is not required by God, or even appropriate for any of our separated women to cover their heads according to 1 Corinthians 11, while living in America, or in Canada, or in any other Country not following this custom. In fact, if they publicly do so, they show themselves a fanatic and make themselves a gazing stock and an outsider to the rest of the women in the community, and effectively nullify any witnessing attempts before they even say one word! They are also disobeying God's will as stated in the following testimony:

"There is a great work for us to do in the world, and God would not have us take a course to lessen or destroy our influence with the world...Christians should not take pains to make themselves a gazingstock by dressing differently from the world. But if, when following out their convictions of duty in respect to dressing modestly and healthfully, they find themselves out of fashion, they should not change their dress in order to be like the world; but they should manifest a noble independence and moral courage to be right, if all the world differ from them. If the world introduce a modest, convenient, and healthful mode of dress, which is in accordance with the Bible, it will not change our relation to God or to the world to adopt such a style of dress. Christians should follow Christ and make their dress conform to God's word. They should shun extremes....The extreme position taken by some dress reformers upon this subject cripples their influence." Testimonies, vol 1, p 458-460.

Much more time could be used in exposing other Dress Reform extremes and fanaticisms: such as; God does not want any of His people to wear any colorful clothing at appropriate times and places. Or God wants His people to avoid certain colors, or to wear only certain colors. Or God wants all of His people to wear only natural fabrics, but never any synthetic materials. Or God wants all Christian men to always use suspenders and never to wear a belt--even when their pants are not heavy and no restriction is placed around the abdominal organs; etc.

But it all comes down to this bottom line: What is God's will regarding the dress question today? The answer to this question is just as simple: We are to all dress sensibly, healthfully, simply, modestly, without display, and according to the character of the climate around us (see Ministry of Healing, p 293-94; 1 Timothy 2:9-10). We are also to be controlled by our reason and intellect in regards to Dress Reform (see Child Guidance, p 392). And remember, any area of dress which does not affect health, is a minor point of least importance and is not a test of salvation (see Review and Herald, October 8, 1867 (vol 1, p 74, col 1).

"My Christian sisters, face the mirror, the law of God, and test your course of action by the first four commandments. These explicitly define our duty to God. He claims the undivided affections; and anything which tends to absorb the mind and divert it from God assumes the form of an idol. The true and living God is crowded out of the thoughts of the heart, and the soul-temple is defiled by the worship of other gods before the Lord. 'Thou shalt have no other gods before Me' says the commandment. Let us search the heart, compare the life and character with the statutes and precepts of Jehovah, and then seek diligently to correct our errors." Testimonies, vol 4, p 632.

The mirror that we are all to face is the law of God. Go to God and say: "Lord, is my dress offensive to You? Am I doing something wrong? Show me." If we would but follow these simple yet profound instructions, keeping in mind that outside of the area of health, Dress Reform is not test of salvation, then all extreme views would be shunned and we would be free from fanaticism in dress.

Satan will do anything he can to enter into the ranks of God's separated Home Church people, in order to bring in these extreme side issues, start contention and dissension, and hinder the unity of God's people and the spreading of the third angel's message as fast as possible. And why are not God's people wise enough to spot Satan's tactics and cast him out of our camp? One of the main reasons we are still here on this wicked earth is because these fanaticisms and side issues have taken the place of the third angel's message. And we will continue to be here until these side issues are silenced, and the third angel's message is again given the first place in our lives and preaching as it should have a long time ago!

Exactly as it was in the days of Christ, people are running around teaching for doctrine the commandments of men, but claiming that they are commandments of God (see Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7)! Exactly as it was in the early days of the pioneers of the Advent movement, after they separated from the apostate Protestant churches, so it is today. Fanaticism and doctrinal errors are causing confusion and disgust among God's people who have chosen to separate from the apostate SDA church. Every wind of strange doctrine is blowing, and God tells His people not to be blown about with them (see Hebrews 13:9). Even though many advocates of these doctrinal fanaticisms may appear as ministers of righteousness, yet they are agents and ministers of Satan, spreading damnable heresies for religious truth (see 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1).

What many do not know is that this particular Godhead doctrine is not a modern belief at all, but originated in the satanic mind of Hermes or Cush--who was the father of Nimrod. Nimrod then founded Babylon, and based its religion of spiritualistic mysteries upon the teachings of his father Hermes! Satan himself, through Hermes, originated the above spiritualistic teaching on the Godhead!

Many who are deceived by this spiritualistic Godhead doctrine will strongly argue this fact, ignore it altogether, and refuse to admit it. But those who are honestly deceived will only admit if they can see the proof. So does spiritualism really teach that the Father is the only God, and that He existed alone before Christ's existence? Yes! (we humbly ask forgiveness from those who might take offence by reading the following spiritualistic statements, but we do so for the sake of those who are deceived, not for those who do not hold to this doctrine):

"Son of God, First-Born...the Second Logos or Higher Self,--the first emanation from the Father, the Absolute, or the First Logos." Dictionary of All Scriptures and Myths, by G.A. Gaskell, p 702 (this dictionary uses the philosophic sacredly held writings of all religions such as Zoroaster, Philo, Swedenborg, Buddah, Hermes, the Qabbalah, etc., in order to derive the definitions--hence the definitions given are mystical and spiritualistic).

"From our proper Source, that is to say, from the Father and all that which lives in Him, there shines,' says Ruysbroeck, 'an eternal Ray, the which is the Birth of the Son....We are celebrating the feast of the Eternal Birth which God the Father has borne..." Mysticism, p 146, by E. Underhill, quoted in Dictionary, p 702.

This Godhead teaching has nothing to do with Bible truth; its foundation is the spiritualistic mystery religion of ancient Babylon! This spiritualistic belief, that there is only one God and that He existed alone before all things--including Jesus, would lead you into the pantheistic belief that God just subdivided Himself, His essence or His divine substance, into different parts; such as a Son, or a Holy Spirit. Thus God would be the continuous source and sustainer of all these parts of His, because He would be in all these parts. This is exactly the pantheistic belief of the Trinity--one God divided into three parts; one true God birthing out of Himself others! This belief is nothing more than pure pantheism and spiritualism!

"The Father uttered himself and all creatures in the Word, his Son, and the return of the Father into himself includes the like return of all creatures into the same Eternal Source. The logical genesis of the Son furnishes a type of all evolution or creation; the Son is the unity of all the works of God....God is in all things, and God is all things." Dictionary, p 770.

Does spiritualism really teach that the Holy Spirit is not a separate Being or Person other than the Father or the Son, and that He is not the third Being or Person of the Godhead, but is referred to as being something else, such as the breath, or life, or light, or power, of God, or the combination of Father and Son together?

"I [Father of All Things] order you [Son of Light] to go forth, to become as a guide to those who wander in darkness, that all men within whom dwells the spirit of My Mind (The Universal Mind) may be saved by My Mind in you, which shall call forth My Mind in them....for I am the Mind of the Mysteries...'" Hermes, quoted by Hall, p XL.

The doctrine that there is only one God--the Father, and that He existed alone until He gave birth from Himself to the Son of God--Jesus Christ, and that together they make up the non-person of the Holy Spirit, making the Godhead to be two and not three Persons, is solely a satanic doctrine of spiritualism whose foundation goes all the way back to ancient Babylon! And those who continue to advocate or believe this spiritualistic Godhead doctrine are not followers of the truth of the God of heaven, but are followers of the lies of the false god of this earth--Satan!

What then is the truth about the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit--the members of the Godhead? This subject is larger than what will fit into this booklet. So we have placed the inspired statements dealing with each of the three Beings of the Godhead into one booklet entitled "The Godhead: One, Two, or Three Gods." This important booklet can be obtained by writing to the address given in the front of this booklet.

While no one will ever be able to exhaust the issue of God's great love for us in sending His Son to save mankind from destruction, yet it is fanatical to state and believe this erroneous doctrine which makes God out to be a liar who will not do what He clearly states He will do to those who choose to spurn His immense love and continue in sin!

The advocates of "God does not kill" state that all the judgments of God--like the flood, or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc., was not from God at all but was through the power of Satan. This same error was advocated three times before in history; once during the time of Noah, once during the time of Moses, and the other in Christ's time, and terrible were the results of those who believed it.

"...they finally declared that the divine law was no longer in force; that it was contrary to the character of God to punish transgression; and they denied that his judgments were to be visited upon the earth....but their minds had become so blinded by rejection of light that they really believed Noah's message to be delusion.

"It was not multitudes or majorities that were on the side of right....'The threatenings of God,' they said, 'are for the purpose of intimidating, and will never be verified. You need not be alarmed. Such an event as the destruction of the world by the God who made it, and the punishment of the beings He has created, will never take place....

"'By the word of God...the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men' 2 Peter 3:5-7. Another storm is coming. The earth will again be swept by the desolating wrath of God, and sin and sinners will be destroyed....The God of nature, the maker and controller of her laws, can use the works of His hands to serve His own purpose." Patriarchs and Prophets, p 96-103.

"...Korah and his companions rejected light until they became so blinded that the most striking manifestations of His (God's) power were not sufficient to convince them; they attributed them all to human or satanic agency. The same thing was done by the people, who the day after the destruction of Korah and his company came to Moses and Aaron, saying, 'Ye have killed the people of the Lord'....They dared to attribute His (God's) judgments to Satan, declaring that through the power of the evil one, Moses and Aaron had caused the death of good and holy men. It was this act that sealed their doom. They had committed the sin against the Holy Spirit..." Patriarchs and Prophets, p 405.

"They attributed to satanic agencies the holy power of God...Thus the Pharisees sinned against the Holy Ghost. Stubborn, sullen, iron-hearted, they determined to close their eyes to all evidence, and thus they committed the unpardonable sin." Review and Herald, January 18, 1898 (vol 3, p 535, col 3) (see also Desire of Ages, p 321; Great Controversy, p 543).

One of the major stumbling blocks to those who believe that God does not kill, is that they will not take the word of God just as it reads. When the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy states plainly that God does kill in strict justice, they reason that it doesn't mean that at all. They claim that it means just exactly the opposite, and state that Satan was really the one who killed the people. Thus the Bible is made out to be a bunch of lies, which in turn makes God a liar because He is the author of the Bible. They are truly snared in Satan's trap; yet they think that they are upholding God's true character, and proclaiming the message that will obtain salvation to all who believe and teach it to others--and what a masterful deception they are under.

"Satan is a cunning worker, and he will bring in subtle fallacies to darken and confuse the mind and root out the doctrines of salvation. Those who do not accept the Word of God just as it reads, will be snared in his (Satan's) trap." Selected Messages, book 2, p 52 (see also Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 417; Review and Herald, June 28, 1906 (vol 5, p 251, col 3)).

This is just one of the many scriptural passages dealing with destruction coming directly through God's power. And yes, there are a few scriptural passages which state that "God killed them," when it was not God at all; but what needs to be understood is that when a situation arose in which there was no clear reason or knowledge as to why the death occurred, it was stated that God did it, because they had no other answer. In these instances, God Himself does not state that He was responsible for the death, yet it was written that He was responsible. But these few passages can in no way be the rule of interpretation for every other Scripture dealing with God killing the wicked--especially when God Himself states that He did or will kill! Can God lie? Then who is there that is foolish enough to say that God did not or will not do what He Himself states?

This statement is true, and understood in the same context of what Sister White was writing about, is in perfect harmony with the testimony above about the spies. God arbitrarily destroys no one, nor will He lead or force anyone into the path of unrighteousness. So "everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself" because they themselves willingly chose to follow in the paths that led to destruction. They chose to be destroyed and received the end result of what they had sown, but God did not force them into that downward path of destruction. Hence, "God destroys no man."

This is the context of which Sister White was writing in this testimony, and for anyone to use this Testimony to try and teach that God will not destroy anyone, under any conditions--even when He Himself states that He will--is but wresting and twisting the Scriptures and the Testimonies to their destruction; and not only their destruction, but the destruction of all those who follow this erroneous teaching.

Also the perfect harmony that exists, and is to be held up, between one scripture and testimony with every other scripture and testimony is obliterated by their misinterpretation, because it is made to appear that one text or testimony really contradicts and says something entirely different than others! Thus people are led to believe that the Bible has error in it and cannot be the guide of life, and Sister White is not the messenger of God because she wrote two different things about the same issue. Oh, what a harvest of wickedness and corruption these people will reap if they continue to believe and teach such twisted and false theories originating from Satan himself!

"In the destruction of the old world by a flood of waters, God gave evidence that men had exceeded the bounds prescribed through His long-sufferance. And whenever a people, with a 'thus saith the Lord' to guide them, presume upon His mercy, and go decidedly counter to His will, despising all His warnings, they finally exceed the limits of grace. Then God interferes and vindicates the honor of His law. He represses the increase of unrighteousness, by blotting out the race who became indifferent to His law which had been made known to the inhabitants of the Noatic [world]. Thus the Lord reveals to the whole human family that it is possible to go so far in sin and disgraceful transgression of His law, that it becomes necessary for Him to limit human life, and interpose in His wrath to prevent their spoiling one another in continual disobedience and defiance of His law....

"We have now reached a time when souls must be saved from becoming completely deceived by falsehoods in the lips of Satan's followers. Long has God's law been made void. The necessity of divine interference will soon be manifest. Incorrect conceptions of our God have been formed by many who ought to have known better, and would have known better had they heeded the warnings that God has given....

Satan has truly snared these people in His trap to the loss of their souls, because to believe that God does not kill and that His wrath will not be poured out upon the wicked, means that they do not believe in the real third angel's message--nor are they preaching or teaching this precious message to others. Why? Because it plainly states:

"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture...and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb." Revelation 14:9-11.

These people are not working for the up-building of God's kingdom, but are really the enemies of God, working for its destruction! We plainly write these things in all sincerity--not with a heart to try and tear up our erring brethren, but with a heart of compassion and yearning to see them awaken before it is too late. But God's true character will not be compromised with this lie of the devil and his followers.

"The character of God will not be compromised. Under the wrath of God, universal desolation will soon reach all parts of the known world....Those who in mind and heart are turning away from the Lord's special work for this time, those who do not co-operate with him in establishing souls in the faith by leading them to heed His words of warning, are doing the work of the enemy of Christ." Review and Herald, November 27, 1900 (vol 4, p 241, col 2-3).

"God works by the manifestation of His Spirit to reprove and convict the sinner, and if the Spirit's work is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for the soul. The last resource of divine mercy has been employed. The transgressor has cut himself off from God; and sin has no remedy to cure itself. There is no reserve power by which God can work to convict and convert the sinner. 'Let him alone,' is the divine command. Then 'there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." Patriarchs and Prophets, p 405.

"The love of a holy God is an amazing principle, which can stir the universe in our behalf during the hours of our probation and trial. But after the season of our probation, if we are found transgressors of God's law, the God of love will be found a minister of vengeance. God makes no compromise with sin. The disobedient will be punished. The wrath of God fell upon His beloved Son as Christ hung upon the cross of calvary in the transgressor's place. The love of God now reaches out to embrace the lowest, vilest sinner that will come to Christ with contrition. It reaches out to transform the sinner into an obedient, faithful child of God; but not a soul can be saved if he continues in sin.

"Sin is the transgression of the law, and the arm that is now mighty to save will be strong to punish when the transgressor passes the bounds that limit divine forbearance. He who refuses to seek for life, who will not search the Scriptures to see what is truth, lest he should be condemned in his practices, will be left to blindness of mind and the deceptions of Satan." Selected Messages, book 1, p 313.

These "God does not kill" advocates will only acknowledge that God has the attributes of love and mercy, while they ignore and reason away the other attributes of God, like justice and wrath. They dwell only upon the attribute of the love of God toward the sinner, and His justice against sin is entirely kept out of the picture--the same as those who teach and spread spiritualism! (see Great Controversy, p 558).

They quote Sister White in stating that, "God does not stand against the sinner as an executioner" (see Great Controversy, p 36). So they reason that God will never destroy anyone. God does not stand against the sinner as one who just waits, as is pictured of an medieval executioner, for someone to kill. Yet God will execute and carry out the punishments that have been determined upon those who have spurned His love, and exhausted all the efforts made to save themselves from destruction!

"In no kingdom or government is it left to the lawbreakers to say what punishment is to be executed against those who have broken the law. All we have, all the bounties of His grace which we possess, we owe to God. The aggravating character of sin against such a God cannot be estimated any more than the heavens can be measured with a span. God is a moral governor as well as a Father. He is the Lawgiver. He makes and executes His laws. Law that has no penalty is of no force." Manuscript 5, 1876 (Manuscript Release #963, p 2).

These advocates also quote the sixth commandment; "Thou shalt not kill," and state that God will not kill anyone, under any conditions, because He will not break His own commandment. The Hebrew word for "kill" translates "to murder" (Strong's Concordance #7523), and "murder" means "to kill unlawfully and with malice" (see Webster's New World Dictionary). God will not murder anyone, but He will in strict justice, lawfully and without the least bit of malice, kill and destroy determined sinners after their period of probation is forever closed!

But to some, no matter how many conclusive statements are given showing that they hold to a false doctrine, they will continue to hide behind this refuge of lies that God does not kill, or will at any point, destroy the wicked. Yet, no matter how strongly these advocates believe this erroneous doctrine, God does have a point in which His mercy will no longer shield the wicked from His justified wrath!

"Men are prone to abuse the long-suffering of God, and to presume on His forbearance. But there is a point in human iniquity when it is time for God to interfere; and terrible are the issues. 'The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked' (Nahum 1:3). The long-suffering of God is wonderful, because He puts constraint on His own attributes; but punishment is nonetheless certain. Every century of profligacy has treasured up wrath against the day of wrath; and when the time comes, and the iniquity full, then God will do His strange work. It will be found a terrible thing to have worn out the divine patience, for the wrath of God will fall so signally and strongly that it is represented as being unmixed with mercy; and the very earth will be desolated." Selected Messages, book 2, p 372-73.

"The world is soon to be left by the angel of mercy, and the seven last plagues are to be poured out...God still holds out to the souls of men the precious privilege of exchanging darkness for light, error for truth, sin for righteousness. But God's patience and mercy will not always wait. Let not one soul think that he can hide from God's wrath behind a lie; for God will strip from the soul the refuge of lies. The bolts of God's wrath are soon to fall, and when He shall begin to punish the transgressors, there will be no period of respite until the end. The storm of God's wrath is gathering, and those only will stand who are sanctified through the truth in the love of God." Testimonies to Ministers, p 182.

"As they reasoned in Noah's day they reason today, when the warning message is proclaimed to fear God and keep His commandments. The wrath of God is soon to fall on all the sinful and disobedient, and they will perish in the general conflagration. Professed servants of Christ who are unfaithful, who do not reverence God and with fear prepare for the terrible future event, will lull themselves to carnal security with their fallacious reasoning, as they did in Noah's day. 'God is too good and too merciful [they reason] to save just a few...This, they reason, is not in accordance with God....

"God's love is represented in our day as being of such a character as would forbid His destroying the sinner. Men reason from their own low standard of right and justice. 'Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself' (Ps 50:21). They measure God by themselves. They reason as to how they would act under the circumstances and decide God would do as they imagine they would do.

"God's goodness and long forbearance, His patience and mercy exercised to His subjects, will not hinder Him from punishing the sinner who refused to be obedient to His requirements. It is not for man--a criminal against God's Holy law...to dictate to God. After all this effort on the part of God to preserve the sacred and exalted character of His law, if men, through the sophistry of the devil, turn the mercy and condescension of God into a curse, they must suffer the penalty....

"The plea may be made that a loving father would not see His children suffering the punishment of God by fire while He had the power to relieve them. But God would, for the good of His subjects and for their safety, punish the transgressor. God does not work on the plan of man. He can do infinite justice that man has no right to do before His fellow man. Noah would have displeased God to have drowned one of the scoffers and mockers that harassed him, but God drowned the vast world. Lot would have had no right to inflict punishment on his sons-in-law, but God would do it in strict justice.

This fanaticism is based upon a misunderstanding and twisting of the following biblical texts dealing with the seal of God being written in the foreheads of all who are saved (Revelation 3:12, 7:3, 14:1). The advocates of the sacred name have clearly wrested and confused what the meaning of the name of God being written in our foreheads is. It is not by literally saying God's Hebrew name that it becomes written in our foreheads. But it is by revealing God's character in our own life, obeying His will and keeping His commandments, that His name or character is imprinted or sealed in our foreheads or minds.

"The only hope of any man lies through Jesus Christ. The pure and holy garments are not prepared to be put on by any one after he has entered the gate of the city. All who enter will have on the robe of Christ's righteousness, and the name of God will be seen in their foreheads. This name is the symbol which the apostle saw in vision, and signifies the yielding of the mind to intelligent and loyal obedience to all of God's commandments." Sons and Daughters of God, p 370.

So it is not by saying a literal name for God, in Hebrew or in any other language, that His name becomes written or sealed in our foreheads. But it is by obeying God's commandments--especially the Sabbath (see Ezekiel 20:12, 20), exemplifying His character in our own lives, having Him as the center of our thoughts, that we receive His seal or have His name written in our minds.

The high priest anciently had the words "Holiness to the Lord" inscribed in gold and placed upon his miter across the forehead (see Exodus 28:36-38). So today, God's people are not to literally have these words written across their foreheads, but must make Christ the center of all their thoughts. Thus our characters will become holiness to the Lord, and we will also be accepted of Him as His living witnesses in these last days.

There is nothing sacred at all in the literal name for God itself that these fanatics tell us we must use in order to be sealed. In Exodus 6:3, the Hebrew name that is given for God (the Tetragrammaton) is written JHVH, JHWH, YHVH, or YHWH. And in Psalm 68:4 the Hebrew name of God is written JH or YH. As may be noticed, there are no vowels in these words--just consonants. Can any one pronounce these literal names for God without vowels? No. What man did was to add vowels to the consonants so that these names could be pronounced--such as Jehovah, or Yahweh, or Yahsuwah. Now if sinful man has tampered with a sacred name, is it sacred anymore? Not at all. We believe that God purposely left out vowels so that no fanaticism could be centered around the literal pronunciation of His name.

Yet these advocates state that any other name for God except in Hebrew, is heathen in origin and thus is offensive to God--including the name of Jesus. But what name did the angel of heaven use for Christ when he asked Sister White if she wanted to see Him? He stated, "Do wish to see Jesus?" (Early Writings, p 80). Did he say, "Do you wish to see Yahsuwah or Yahweh? No, he said Jesus. So if the heavenly angels used the name Jesus, then it cannot be offensive to Him for His people to use today.

What many overlook is that it is not God's literal name that is important in this issue (see Psalms 138:2), but it is character that is really the important thing. God's name is a representation of His character, and to declare His name to others is to represent Him in character--declaring Him in your life, not by literally speaking His name. Christ stated:

So Christ was so settled into the truth, so perfectly revealing God's character in His own life and actions, that He could not be moved from it and was sealed. Then so will God's separated Home Church people today be sealed, not by proclaiming the literal name for God, but when we become so settled in the truth, so perfectly reflecting God's character in our own lives that we cannot be moved (see SDA Bible Commentary, vol 4, p 1161, col 2, vol 7, p 970, col 1).

D. FANATICISM STATES: Once you have given your heart to God and are truly converted, that it is impossible for you to fall under temptation, or ever have to say no to temptation again; thus you are sanctified and can never sin again because God would keep you from falling and sinning. Or that once you are converted, then you are sealed, and God will keep you from ever sinning again. Or that once you have chosen to serve God, then you never have to choose again because God will keep you from sinning, and all your thoughts, actions, and impressions will be from God from that time forward.

Advocates of this erroneous doctrine range from ministers to lay-people; from separated to non-separated individuals; from large Ministries to small groups operating under many different names. Yet, the basic message of once converted always converted and saved remains the same, although their ways of teaching and preaching differs. It is nothing more than "holy flesh" returned to try and deceive God's elect! And we were clearly warned of this!

"After the passing of time in 1844, we had fanaticism of every kind to meet. Testimonies of reproof were given me to bear to some holding spiritualistic theories....Among other views they held that those who were once sanctified could not sin. Their false teaching was working great harm to themselves and to others. They were gaining a spiritualistic power over those who could not see the evil of these beautifully clothed theories....The experience of the past will be repeated. In the future, Satan's superstitions will assume new forms. Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. False theories, clothed with garments of light, will be presented to God's people. Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Most seducing influences will be exerted; minds will be hypnotized." Testimonies, vol 8, p 292-93.

"If those who speak so freely of perfection in the flesh, could see things in the true light, they would recoil with horror from their presumptuous ideas. In showing the fallacy of their assumptions in regard to holy flesh, the Lord is seeking to prevent men and women from putting on His words a construction which leads to pollution of body, soul, and spirit. Let this phase of doctrine be carried a little further, and it will lead to the claim that its advocates cannot sin; that since they have holy flesh, their actions are all holy. What a door of temptation would thus be opened.....

"Some who had engaged in these movements were brought to their right mind, and saw their delusion. Some had been excellent, honest people, but they thought that sanctified flesh could not sin, and thus they had been taken in Satan's trap. They had carried their strong ideas so far that they became a reproach to the precious cause of God....These things bring a reproach upon the cause of truth, and hinder the proclamation of the last message of mercy to the world." Selected Messages, book 2, p 32, 34-35.

"Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, a day, but of a lifetime. It is not gained by a happy flight of feeling, but is the result of constantly dying to sin, and constantly living for Christ....It is only by long, persevering effort, sore discipline, and stern conflict, that we shall overcome. We know not one day how strong will be our conflict the next. So long as Satan reigns, we shall have self to subdue, besetting sin to overcome; so long as life shall last, there will be no stopping place, no point at which we can reach and say, 'I have fully attained.' Sanctification is the result of lifelong obedience...there will be a continual reaching out of the soul after God, a continual earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the heart before Him." Acts of the Apostles, p 560-61.

"There is no such thing as instantaneous sanctification. It is an every-day work. Says Paul, 'I die daily.' (1 Corinthians 15:31). He received a conversion daily to God. As the truth and Spirit of God revealed to him the defects of his character, he put away his wrong, died to self, and cleansed himself 'from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1). Satan is most successful when he can cover up minds in kind of pious sanctified consecration which has no part in the sanctification brought to view in the Word of God." Upward Look, p 231.

"To claim to be without sin is in itself, evidence that he who makes this claim is far from holy....The greater the distance between himself and Christ, and the more inadequate his conceptions of the divine character and requirements, the more righteous he appears in his own eyes." Great Controversy, p 473.

"Those who are really seeking to perfect Christian character will never indulge the thought that they are sinless. Their lives may be irreproachable, they may be living representatives of the truth which they have accepted; but the more they discipline their minds to dwell upon the character of Christ, and the nearer they approach to His divine image, the more clearly will they discern its spotless perfection, and the more deeply will they feel their own defects.

"When persons claim that they are sanctified, they give sufficient evidence that they are far from being holy. They fail to see their own weakness and destitution. They look upon themselves as reflecting the image of Christ, because they have no true knowledge of Him. The greater the distance between them and their Saviour, the more righteous they appear in their own eyes...

"These professedly sanctified persons are not only deluding their own souls by their pretensions, but are exerting an influence to lead astray many who earnestly desire to conform to the will of God. They may be heard to reiterate again and again, 'God leads me! God teaches me! I am living without sin!' Many who come in contact with this spirit encounter a dark, mysterious something which they cannot comprehend. But it is that which is altogether unlike Christ, the only true pattern....

"There is no such thing as instantaneous sanctification. True sanctification is a daily work, continuing as long as life shall last. Those who are battling with daily temptations, overcoming their own sinful tendencies, and seeking for holiness of heart and life, make no boastful claims of holiness. They are hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Sin appears to them exceedingly sinful.