Probation

Before you get the wrong idea, I don't believe that probation has closed for me or (if you are reading this) for you or for any indivdual that I know. Yet, there is nothing so tragic as to be found on the wrong side when probation has closed. Especially when one has thought throughout their life that they were doing the right thing (going to church, paying tithe, going out ingathering) and being in the right place (at the prayer meeting instead of the theater, at home instead of out cruising around). Even more tragic is for one to find out he is lost who has spent his career doing the Lord's work, a missionary, a teacher, or a minister. There is a warning that this can happen, "Many will say in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name; and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:22-23.

There are several ways that probation can close for an individual. He can die. That can happen to anyone of us at any time. Another way for your probation to close is to stay alive until the time of the end when the censer will be thrown down and Christ will say, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Revelation 22:11.

The final way for a person to have his probation closed is for him to commit the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit. In this case, he is condemned and still alive, for him there is no more hope. Nothing you can do or say will change his probation. He has rejected the last message of mercy to be given to him. This article is not about the unpardonable sin of an individual. It is about the close of probation for an organization. You see, an organization can still exist, just like an individual can still be alive, and its probation have been closed. There is, then, no chance for that organization, no hope. It is doomed.

God chose king Saul to be king over all His people. But Saul decided not to remain faithful to God, but to do his own will instead. God then sent Saul a warning that his kingdom would not continue (see 1 Samuel 13:8-14). Yet God gave Saul one last chance, and sent him a precious message in which he was to obey the Lord in every particular, and this message was the last opportunity which God was giving Saul to retain his crown. This message was designed to try and bring Saul fully back to obedience to God alone (see 1 Samuel 15:1-5), and thus to retain his kingship. But Saul refused to obey this precious message, and so God was forced to reject him (see 1 Samuel 15:10-35).

After God had "rejected" Saul as king over His people, and had raised up another to take his place, there was no second chance provided for Saul to redeem His kingship--even though he sought it earnestly with repentance (see 1 Samuel 15:24-28). God's rejection of Saul was final, and Ellen White clearly specifies that when God "rejected" Saul, that this rejection was an "irrevocable sentence" (Patriarch and Prophets, p 631). This is because God does not lie (1 Samuel 15:29); or in other words, God means exactly what He says. Besides, the very fact that God chose David as king, reveals conclusively in itself that Saul was already rejected forever--for what need would there be for another king if Saul could repent and keep his crown?

Now even though God had rejected Saul as being king over His people, Saul still continued to wear the crown. So the multitude of innocent people, being ignorant of the change, continued to believe that Saul was still king, when the truth was that God had already rejected him forever and had already chosen another.

This continued to be the case with the people until the startling truth was proclaimed that God had chosen David to be king, and had already set Saul aside. This startling message of truth awoke the people and forced them to make a decision as to whom they would stand with and fight for, either king Saul or king David. This startling message of truth that Saul was set aside and another chosen, and the agonizing decision it brought, led many to examine what fruits Saul was exhibiting. And by doing this it soon became clear that Saul was indeed corrupt and forsaken by God. Thus the people had to make their decision based upon the evidence of the fruits they saw. Those who knew Saul's fruits to be wicked and growing worse as time went along, but who still chose to stand and fight with Saul, lost their lives--and this included those who had shown themselves to be good and righteous people, such as Jonathan!

Jonathan, who was a good and righteous person whom God had used mightily, lost his life along with Saul! Why? Because Jonathan refused to show himself separate from the corrupt camp of a once-favored man who, because of his continued disobedience of God and increasing apostasy against Him, was forever rejected as king by God!

In light of probation being closed for Saul this very same response of God with Saul as an individual has also been repeated by God with corporate bodies or churches or denominations. Even though these had once been chosen and raised up by God to do His will, they failed to remain obedient to God. And just like Saul, were forever rejected as His church and people and others were chosen--and this includes the Protestant churches as a body.

The Protestant churches were raised up by God, and entrusted with His precious messages of Biblical truth, only after they separated from the corrupt Roman Catholic church which had already become Babylon fallen--being rejected by God. But eventually the Protestant churches as a body chose to disobey God, united themselves with the world, and were no longer solely obedient to God. By doing their own will and uniting themselves with the world, the Protestant churches became a harlot of Babylon by the year 1840, and were in danger of being rejected of God, and another being then chosen to take their place. But please understand that even though the Protestant churches were a harlot of Babylon in the year 1840, they were not Babylon fallen at that time.

So the Protestant churches were a harlot of Babylon by the year 1840, and God's people were in these Babylonian churches. But these churches were not yet Babylon fallen, so they all still had a chance to keep their chosen place by repentance and reformation. And to try and accomplish this, God sent them a most precious message--the first angel's message, which if they accepted would separate them from the world and sin thereby allowing them to remain God's chosen church and people (see Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 231). What was the response of the Protestant churches to this precious and loving message from God to remain His chosen church and people?

"God sent his professed people (the Protestant churches) a message (the first angel's message) that would have corrected the evils which separated them from his favor....But Babylon scornfully rejected the last means which Heaven had in reserve for her restoration, and then, with greater eagerness, she turned to seek the friendship of the world." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 236.

So Babylon, or the Protestant churches as a body, refused to receive, spurned, and rejected this merciful message, or "the last means which Heaven had in reserve for her restoration". If they would have favorably responded to this last chance, it would have allowed them to continue as God's chosen church and people. But since these churches, as a body, rejected it, they all with greater eagerness continued on with their adulterous love affair with the world. Thus the very fact that they continued to grow worse in corruption and apostasy was a signal that they had rejected this last means for their restoration. They in essence used their probationary time, that was mercifully granted them, to increase in apostasy and rebellion against God, instead of repenting and following God and His will; thus God could not save them from the results of their choice.

As the Protestant churches rejected this last merciful message, just like with king Saul, they were "rejected" by God from being His church and people, and were declared to be "Babylon fallen". God then chose another people--the Advent people--as His people and church instead.

"When the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the Advent message, the Lord rejected them. The first angel was followed by a second, proclaiming, 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'" Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 232.

So again, the departure of the Protestant churches from the side of Jesus and their union and marriage with the world, made them a harlot of Babylon with the chance to repent. God mercifully sent them one last message and granted them precious time to come back into His waiting arms. But "Babylon scornfully rejected the last means which heaven had in reserve for her restoration" as God's faithful and chosen church, and then the Lord rejected them from ever being His professed people and church in the earth again. The probation of God's once favored and chosen church closed corporately, and Jesus denounced them as being Babylon fallen. This then proves that when a church becomes Babylon fallen, the probation of the church is forever closed from ever being used by God again as His church. And the very fact that God had chosen the Advent people as His people and church proves that He had forever cast away the Protestant churches as His church.

But just like with king Saul who continued to wear the crown even though God had forever rejected him as king, so the Protestant churches continued to appear that they were still God's church and people. So the multitude of innocent church members, being ignorant of the change, continued to believe that the Protestant churches were still God's church. While the truth was that God had already rejected them forever and had already chosen another group. This continued to be the case with the people until the startling truth was proclaimed that God had already set the Protestant churches aside and that they were now Babylon fallen.

This startling message of the second angel and midnight cry awoke the people and forced them to make a decision whom they would stand with and fight for, either to stay and fight for their churches, or to leave and join the ranks of the Advent people. It is very important to understand that there was NO plain "Thus Saith the Lord" which stated in these words; "The Protestant churches are Babylon fallen, come out!" Neither could any "proof texts" be produced which stated in these words "The Baptist, or Lutheran, or Methodist churches, etc., are now Babylon fallen, come out!" So how did the Protestant church members know that these startling messages of the second angel and midnight cry were indeed the truth?

This message led many to examine what fruits their Protestant churches were exhibiting. And under the enlightenment of God's Holy Spirit, it soon became clear that their Protestant churches were exhibiting the same corrupt fruits which were clearly depicted in God's word as belonging to Babylon fallen. Thus they realized that the growing corruption and apostasy of their church, and the wicked fruits depicted of Babylon fallen in the Scriptures, were one and the same! Thus each and every person had to make their decision based upon the weight of the evidence of the fruits they saw, and to take their stand and fight for either a corrupt church of fallen Babylon, or for God, His people, and His truth. And any of those who knowingly rejected this Babylon fallen message, even though they may have been good and righteous in life and character, lost their eternal life because they choose to stay within, and to fight for, their rejected Protestant church!

All of the Protestant churches in 1844, were "rejected" by God from ever being His chosen church and people again, and thereby were denounced as being Babylon fallen, and another people were chosen to take their place. The very fact that the Advent people and church was chosen to be God's people should prove that the Protestant churches were forever cast aside and could never again regain their lost election as a corporate body. This is a plain and proven principle which God has revealed over and over again.

"The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of Life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the work of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities. But, if these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action, if they do not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord will grievously afflict and humble them and, unless they repent, will remove from them their place and make them a reproach." Upward Look, p 131.

With the above being true, some may reason and raise the objection that since the message of Revelation 14:8 applied to the Protestant churches in 1844, and since the message of Revelation 18 is to be given to them after 1844, that these churches cannot yet really be cast aside by God until "her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities". This is then commonly reasoned to be at the time of the Sunday Law, and thus the common sense conclusion is that only at this time will the probation of the Protestant churches be closed, and then the message of Revelation 18 can be given to them.

But is this reasoning and common sense conclusion really correct? Have the sins of the Protestant churches already reached unto heaven, definitely signalling probation being closed upon them corporately? Or is the message of Revelation 18 still future, thus signalling that the Protestant churches might still be able to come back to God and be used by him as His church again after 1844?

"I was shown the pride of the nominal churches (Protestant)....Jesus and the angels look upon them in anger. Said the angel, `Their sins and pride have reached unto heaven. Their portion is prepared. Justice and judgment have slumbered long, but will soon awake....An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading themselves over the whole land. The churches and religious bodies are crowded with them.'" Spiritual Gifts, vol 1, p 190-191 (1858) (Early Writings, p 274-275).

So even if the above reasoning were true, by as early as 1858 the sins of the Protestant churches had already reached unto heaven--without there being any Sunday Law enacted! Thus the Babylon fallen message of Revelation 18 already applies to them, their sins "have already reached unto heaven", and this plainly shows that their corporate probation is already closed with no hope of ever being God's church again--even though they continue to grow worse in apostasy every day.

Therefore when a church denomination has been rejected by God and declared to be "Babylon fallen", that church's probation is already closed corporately and is doomed for destruction--even though they continue to grow worse in sin. And any members who continue to cling to that doomed church, instead of listening to and obeying the Loud Cry message to separate from it and join Christ and His true people outside, will be lost along with the church.

"The message of the angel [Revelation 18] following the third is now to be given to all parts of the world. It is to be the harvest message, and the whole earth will be lighted with the glory of God. The Lord has this one [last] call of mercy to [give to] the world, but the perversity of men diverts the work from its true bearing, and the light has to struggle amid the darkness of men who feel themselves competent to do a work that God has not appointed them to do." Last Day Events, p 78 (Letter 86, June 18, 1900).

"All are to hear the last message of warning. The prophecies in the book of Revelation, chapters 12 to 18, are being fulfilled. In the eighteenth chapter is recorded the very last call to the churches. This call is now to be given." Last Day Events, p 83 (Manuscript 75, September 20, 1906) see also Upward Look, p 277.

It has been shown in Part 2 that probation for the Protestant churches is already closed. Now, in light of the prevailing apostasy, we must ask the next question, Is the probation for the SDA church now closed? If probation for the SDA church is not yet closed, then there is still hope for the church to turn around. If there is still hope that the SDA church can turn around, then the SDA church cannot yet be Babylon fallen because there is still hope for her to repent and come back to God! If this is indeed the case, then there is little valid reason for anyone to separate themselves from the entire SDA church--because there is still hope for it to be changed for the better.

If a car is heading down the wrong road away from the correct destination, the car can only be steered back on to the correct road from within the car, not from without the car. So if the SDA church is not yet Babylon fallen, then you must stay within the church to try and turn the church around and back to the correct destination--no matter how bad the smell or the apostasy gets in the church! But if the SDA church's probation is already closed and she is indeed Babylon fallen, then the only safe course is to completely separate from the church and call out as many as will hear and obey God and leave--because the church cannot ever be steered back to the correct course of destination, but is doomed for certain destruction including who remain within her!

So the big question is: Has the SDA church gone too far into apostasy and corruption that they have passed the point of no return? Has the SDA church become Babylon fallen? Has probation closed for the entire corporate denomination? This is the ultimate question which each SDA must answer for themselves, and if we make the wrong decision it will mean the loss of our salvation! The history of Protestantism can help us here. Remember the Protestant churches became a harlot of Babylon, not Babylon fallen, by the year 1840. They were then given the first angel's message to bring them back to God. But sadly they rejected it, and this rejection was clearly shown by their growing worse in corruption and apostasy. And by the year 1844 they were rejected by God and became Babylon fallen. So in just 4 years after becoming a harlot, they became Babylon fallen--rejected by God and others were then chosen to take their place.

In like turn, the SDA church was declared to be a harlot in the year 1903 (see Testimonies, vol 8, p 250). The one message given to the SDA church to bring them back to Christ is the message of the righteousness of Christ--the third angel's message in verity (see Testimonies to Ministers, p 91-93). By accepting this message the whole church--organizational structure and all--would be completely brought back to the side of Christ with no danger of being forever rejected of God. But by rejecting this merciful message, the church would continue to grow worse in corruption and apostasy, and would indeed be forever rejected by God, with others being chosen to take her place and herald God's truth to the world.

So the great question that must be asked today is; Has the SDA church repented of her harlotry? Have they accepted this precious message of the righteousness of Christ and come back to the side of Christ as His faithful bride? Or have they rejected this last chance to repent, and have used their probationary time in continuing to grow worse in apostasy and rebellion against God and His truths ever since Sister White's death, to become Babylon fallen after her death?

How can we know for certain if the SDA church is Babylon fallen today? What has history showed us and how did the Protestants know that their church had passed the boundary of God's mercy and had become Babylon fallen? They had no "Thus saith the Lord" which plainly told them in these words; "The Protestant churches are now Babylon fallen, come out." So how did God's true people know that their church had become Babylon fallen and that it was time to leave?

God's true people spent hours of earnest agonizing prayer and intense study to know what His will and truth was. They were enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and they examined the fruits that were being produced and exhibited by their church. And this is the same for us today! There will be no "Thus saith the Lord" which plainly states in these words; "The SDA church is now Babylon fallen, come out." Then how do we know for ourselves if this is true or not? By earnest prayer to God for Him to send us His Holy Spirit to open and enlighten our eyes, understanding, and to grant us His clear discernment; by our careful unbiased study of the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy; and by our examining the fruits that are being produced by the SDA church today!

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matthew 7:16-20.

If the SDA church is producing only good fruits, then she has repented of her harlotry and is still the bride of Christ. But if the SDA church is increasingly producing fruits of wickedness, then she has not repented, but has continued on in her harlotry and has rejected God's last merciful plea to come back to Him. Your honest and unbiased examination of the fruits produced by the SDA church since 1903 will plainly reveal that this harlot church has continued on in her adulterous love affair with Satan, and especially is this the case after Sister White's death in 1915! In fact, Sister White even warned the SDA people that this would occur--especially after her death!

There has been over 85 years of "great changes" and continuous growing apostasy and rejection of God and His truths by the SDA church ever since 1915, and the church continues to grow worse as time goes along! If you would like to see documented some of these great changes prophesied by Ellen White, and then see these great changes documented within the SDA church itself, please visit the following Web site and read the book entitled "The Abomination of Desolation and Church History".

The churches of Protestantism, after becoming an harlot of Babylon, had only 4 years of continued rebellion against God before it became evident that they had rejected the first angel's message, and thus their probation closed corporately and they became Babylon fallen. But the SDA church has had over 95 years of growing and continued rebellion and apostasy against God since becoming an harlot, and over 85 years since the death of Ellen White! But this time, the SDA church has not only rejected the first angel's message, but they have also rejected the second and third angels' messages as well! For proof of this--from the SDA church's own mouth--please read the booklet entitled "Transmutation of the Three Angels".

Has the SDA church repeated the same history as the Protestant churches? Has probation for the SDA church already closed, and has the SDA church become Babylon fallen? This is the ultimate question that is now and will continue to face every SDA member; and all must decide for themselves if this is true or not. And praise God that He has provided sufficient evidence for all honest hearted individuals to know for sure where to stand in this issue, thus no one is forced to decide this life-dependent issue by only using human reasoning and common sense alone. Praise God that there is indeed plenty of the weight of evidence with which to base our decision upon! But still none are to decide for us. We cannot trust in any of the words of men--no matter how brilliant a mind they may have. We must decide this question for ourselves by our own personal study and examination. And our decision, either for or against, will be wrought with eternal results.

As this is true, how can we know for certain, for ourselves if the SDA church is still God's conditional remnant church of Revelation 12:17, or if she has become Babylon fallen of Revelation 18 today? The unerring guide from the very lips of our Saviour is; "By their fruits ye shall know them."

For whatever it is worth, through my own personal study, I believe without a doubt in my mind, that the SDA church has indeed become Babylon fallen and its probation is forever closed. Can I, or any other brother, give you a "Thus Saith the Lord" which plainly states the above belief in these words; "The SDA church's probation is now closed"? No. So, then we all must base our decisions whether such a sad thing is indeed true today by going with the weight of evidence. I believe that God has purposely arranged it to be this way without there being a plain "thus saith the Lord" in order to force people to study for themselves and to weigh evidence. Thus those who wish to doubt will find room to do so, but those who honestly study and examine for themselves will find plenty of evidence to base their faith upon! And those who honestly do their own study and examination of the fruits of the SDA church will indeed find that the weight of evidence against the SDA church, very clearly outweighs any evidence which may be given in support of the SDA church! God has revealed enough evidence to show me, as well as many others from all around the world today, that indeed the SDA church has become Babylon fallen and its probation is now closed! Praise God for His mercy!!

The SDA church, along with all the other fallen and corrupt denominations in the world, are indeed destined for destruction, and all who choose to stay within any of them, and refuse to hear, accept, and obey the last message of mercy of Revelation 18, will indeed lose their eternal life along with the corrupt churches they love more than following Christ's will and command. And so what is the message to be given today--before the Sunday Law, and which is already being given by God's true people?

"Today, as in the days of Elijah, the line of demarcation between God's commandment-keeping people and the worshippers of false gods is clearly drawn. `How long halt ye between two opinions?' Elijah cried; `if the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.' 1 Kings 18:21. And the message for today is: `Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen....Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.' Rev 18:2, 4, 5.

If you desire more evidence to help you make your decision more certain that probation for the SDA church is now closed, it is Babylon fallen, and it is indeed doomed for certain destruction without any chance of turning back to God, other than just looking at the wicked fruits which the SDA church has and is continuing to produce, I can share more with you from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy which may help to show you that such a thing is really so. Just let me know.

May God help us all to plead more earnestly for His wisdom, discernment, understanding, and especially for the precious gift of His Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds, so that we may clearly see the truth, and then plead for the strength and grace and courage to follow it regardless of the consequences which may befall us.