NICOLE STEVENSON
As most of you know, last weekend was the 2021 Former Adventist Fellowship Conference. This year we “gathered” online only due to Coronavirus restrictions and concerns. While it was not our favorite way to do these conferences, it was still profoundly meaningful. With no way to know how many people were watching per device, we do know the number of streamers was greater than the average attendance of previous conferences. So, while we missed being together, we thank God for expanding the reach of the weekend!
During the course of the conference I had the privilege of helping to moderate the chat feature on YouTube during the live-streaming. It was a blessing to see people interacting and rejoicing in the freedom they’ve discovered in knowing Jesus since leaving Adventism. It was also a blessing to see believers come around new formers and questioning Adventists, encouraging them in their search for truth.
As participants were chatting, there were several questions asked which shared a theme. I wished I could’ve carefully responded then but was unable to given the venue and the fact that these questions were asked during important teaching sessions. So, I’d like to give some time to them in my blog this week.
End-Time Themes
One of the first questions I received was whether or not I believed that the papacy is the antichrist. Another asked if I believed there’d be a Sunday law one day. One gentleman proclaimed that he was going to hold onto the Sabbath “just in case”, and if there is ever a Sunday law, he’ll go running back to Adventism. A few others in the feed shared their desire for podcast episodes covering topics related to these last day questions.
None of these questions was surprising given the events of the last year and the false-eschatological indoctrination we all endured inside Adventism. So how do we think about these world events now, and how do we live as believers in the midst of it all? Well, I’m no scholar, and I strongly encourage others to do their own Bible reading on these issues, but I’d like to share some of my thoughts about these things as well as some Scriptures that have helped me anchor in the midst of a changing landscape.
Replacing Fear with Truth
Let me start by saying that when I left Adventism, I was committed to letting go of everything it taught and starting over with the Bible only. It took time sorting things out for sure, knowing what was Adventism and what was Scripture, but what a commitment like this means is if the Bible doesn’t teach it, I don’t believe it—or fear it.
In Adventism truth was elusive, and we were taught that Scripture had problems. This is why early Adventists relied on the visions of Ellen White to establish their doctrines and why so many today rely on her to help them know the future and explain the Scriptures that confuse them.
Whether it be their countless Adventist writings, TV and radio programs, or endless seminars, they’re always studying, always learning, but self-admittedly never arriving at truth—a mark, by the way, of those believing in false teachers (2 Tim. 3:6). For Adventists, all of life and the future are built on visions, theological theories, and situational speculations.
“No church knows the truth but we are the closest” they seem to say in unison. This uncertainty most definitely propagates fear within Adventists. Not so for the believer who submits to the word of God. We’re promised certain and complete truth, expectant hope, an immovable foundation, and an unshakable kingdom.
My husband and I knew that choosing Sola Scripture would never lead us down the wrong path. We knew God is good and can be trusted. If He went as far as to send His Son to die for us that we might be reconciled to Him, why would he hinder us from discovering that truth? He promised that if we abide in His word, we are His disciples and will know and be set free by the truth (John 8:31,32).
So I pray that as you think with me about these last day questions, that you are willing to throw out all you once thought you knew or couldn’t know, and that you will instead be wiling to rebuild with Sola Scriptura, humbling yourself enough to say concerning some matters, “We do not know because we are not told.”
“Do you believe the Papacy is the antichrist?”
I’m certain that as long as we’ve had Scriptures that speak about the Antichrist, there’ve also been speculations and theories about who that is. Ellen G. White was not unique in her speculating. Even today people continue to speculate with great fervor. A quick search online reveals people talking about Vladimir Putin, the Pope, various former US presidents, Prince William, and others in the media spotlight. Yet, all of it is is distraction and speculation.
That’s not to say that a day won’t come when the final antichrist emerges, but when he does he will not be missed by the people of God. Furthermore, the people of God will not be able to stop him, or any of the the plans of God, so rather than busying ourselves with predictions and warnings, we need to instead do the work God gave us to do as His church.
Here is where I come down on this. If God wanted us to know exactly who the antichrist of the last days would be, He would have told us in Scripture. We see no examples of the apostles speculating as to who he is. Their focus is to glorify God in their discussions of how the church will be cared for in the midst of all these future events. God chose to give us the kind of information that would allow us to recognize the antichrist when he does come, or to know that he hasn’t yet come. That needs to be enough for us.
More important than who the last day antichrist is, in my opinion, is recognizing the work of the spirit of the antichrist alive and deceiving the world right now. We see in John’s writings that the spirit of the antichrist teaches a different christ from the one revealed in Scripture (1 Jn 4:2,3; 2 John 1:7). Paul speaks of those who teach the doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4:1) and also warns that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light and teaches a different Jesus and a different gospel (2 Cor. 11:3,4, 12-15; Gal. 1:8,9)! Antichrist means against Christ. It is the kingdom of darkness and the father of lies who seeks to destroy the truth about Jesus.
Seventh-day Adventism teaches a different Jesus with a different nature and a different gospel. It contains a message antithetical to the message of Scripture. I believe that it’s one of many world religions and institutions driven by the spirit of the antichrist at work in the world to deceive the nations and set them up to receive the last antichrist.
What do you believe about the Sunday law?
The idea that a law will be passed requiring people to worship God on any day (let alone Sunday) is absolutely absurd to me now, but rather than spend time on why that is, I want to say that the burden is not on me to disprove Ellen White’s Sunday law theory. The burden of proof is at the feet of the Seventh-day Adventists. There is absolutely nothing in Scripture that tells us that beast worship or the mark of the beast has anything to do with what day a person worships God. Rather, Romans 14 gives believers full freedom to worship God on any day they like Significantly, though, historically the church gathered on the first day of the week in honor of the resurrection of the Lord.
Ellen White told us that we could be deceived into worshiping the beast. She said the world would deceive people into worshiping on Sunday and people would blindly worship the beast and receive his mark by doing this. So what does the Bible say about the mark or worship of the beast?
Revelation 13:8 says that those who worship the beast are “everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” So, who are they? Paul tells us in Ephesians 1 that it’s believers who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestined for adoption as sons! Brothers and sisters, if you are born again you will not worship the beast! You don’t have to worry that you accidentally could, because the inerrant word of God tells us in advance that believers won’t!
So, how do we know if we are believers? Earlier in Revelation John wrote the words of Jesus to the seven churches. At the end of the letters Jesus told the churches that those who overcome will receive a gift. Those gifts reflect various aspects of salvation. Some include eating from the tree of life, not being hurt by the second death, receiving a white stone (symbolizing a verdict of innocence), hidden manna, a new name, power to reign with Christ, to sit on Christ’s throne, to be a pillar in the temple of God (useful and immovable in His kingdom), the morning star (the Lord Himself), white garments (signifying righteousness)— and the book of life!
That same author tells us in 1 John 5:4,5 exactly how we overcome, “For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
If we believe Jesus is who He has told us He is, if we believe God’s testimony about His Son (1 John 5:9-12) then we are born again and sealed and kept by the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:3-5). Our names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we can know according to Revelation 13:8 that we are not among those whom John saw in his vision worshiping the beast.
To the gentleman at the conference who said he is keeping the Sabbath “just to be safe”, I want you to see that what you believe about Jesus is eternally more important than what day you attend church or turn off your TV. Jesus must be the single object of your faith. He will not share His glory with another. Only in Him can salvation be found, and if you attempt to diversify your hope for salvation, you will have to face the reality that you are engaging in idolatry.
I realize that you feel a Sunday law (or the lack of one) will ultimately inform you as to who has the truth, but consider this: Satan knows his own plans and is capable of creating false prophesies he intends to bring about—he is, after all, the father of lies. A future Sunday law, should one occur, is not a sign that the antichrist teachings unique to Adventism are valid.
The sign believers look to is not a future sign; our sign is the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ! All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Him! We listen to Him! He is the one who has proven Himself trustworthy and true! So, as for me, even if a Sunday law should come, I will not fear or wonder if Adventism was right. I will always stand with the Word of God and the truth it proclaims about the person and work of Jesus and the Salvation He offers.
How Do We Face The Last Days Without Fear?
I remember it so well. It was shortly after I was married, and I was sitting on the floor of our spare room in our small two-bedroom apartment. I found a Bible near me, and for whatever reason, opened it to Revelation and began reading—start to finish. When I came to the end of the letter I was literally trembling. The tears began to stream down my face, and I was terrified of God’s wrath. I was shaken to my core and began to weep and pray that God would show me how to be safe from His wrath and how to belong to Him. That was in 2003. I read that letter again in one sitting in 2010 after being born again. When I was finished I was overwhelmed with awe and worship for our God and stood under the sunset singing, “Worthy is the Lamb, seated on the throne!”. When we are born again and understand who Jesus is and what He did, it changes everything!
As believers, we do not face the last days with fear because we already know how this story ends. There’s no need for us to fret or speculate about the details because we have absolutely no control over how the future unfolds. We cannot thwart God’s plans merely because we don’t like them or want to be around for them.
Believers understand that our God is Sovereign and in control of everything, and this fact means we will endure all He causes us to endure. We can either endure while flailing in His hand, seeking to find a way to feel we have some control, or we can enjoy our privilege as His children to rest in Him as He carries us to the other side of the shore in spite of the surrounding storm.
Yes, we read a lot about God’s wrath in Revelation, but we do not fear, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him,” (1 Thes. 5:9,10). Those encouraging words come at the end of a section where Paul has been teaching the church at Thessalonica about The Day of the Lord! This is a day many former Adventists avoid studying because of their deep-seated fear. Yet look at how Paul ends that section, “Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” God’s people are not to fear or avoid learning about end times! On the contrary, we are to encourage each other with the reality that we are not destined for God’s wrath but for salvation through Christ! We encourage each other with the expectant hope that is ours!
In Adventism I believed God would test me to see if I was worthy. I thought that in the last days I would be tempted to abandon Him and would have to be stronger than that temptation to be allowed into Heaven. I now know that God does not ever tempt us— let alone tempt us to abandon Him (James 1:13)! He is in the business of keeping us, not tricking us (Jude 1)! 1 Peter 1:5 says that we are kept by the power of God Himself! God does not oppose God!
So, What Should We Be Doing?
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He told His disciples to go into the world teaching them all He commanded them. He gave the apostles the job of teaching us how to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord—to repent, believe, be baptized, and be built up in Him as disciples. Listen to just three passages that our apostles wrote to us about how we are to walk in these last days which began at Pentecost:
“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude” (Col. 2:6,7).
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unscrupulous people and lose your own firm commitment, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (2 Peter 3:17-18).
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,” (Eph. 6:10-18).
I know world events and dynamics are disturbing, but we should not be surprised by these things. The Lord told us that lost humanity will go from bad to worse (Romans 1, 2 Tim. 3:13). All the passages of Scripture that describe humanity in the final days paint a grim picture. This is how things are supposed to go. In fact, I find the news actually affirms the veracity of Scripture!
We need to not be distracted by the schemes of evil and all the “what ifs” that encompass those schemes. Now more than ever we need to immerse ourselves in the Word of God. No amount of sounding the alarm that the antichrist is coming will prevent his arrival! Whenever he does come, it will not be apart from the will of God. We need to sound the alarm that the only true Christ has already come and that He has offered lost humanity the way of Salvation if they will just believe.
Our future is secure. All that fear of condemnation is gone now if we are in Christ. It’s time to let go of the power of the lies that once imprisoned us. It’s time to repent of all those false doctrines and to cling to the truth found in Scripture. If we are born again, we no longer strive for salvation— now it’s time to hold our heads up and walk in this newness of life doing the work God gave us to do. †
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