DIVERGENT DOCTRINES OF BELOVED REFORM MOVEMENT BROTHERS: Reformers believe that God called their movement into existence and that it was prophesied to come. Two events are cited as proof: (1) In 1888, at the General Conference in Minneapolis, the church, they claim, rejected the message of Righteousness by Faith as proclaimed by Waggoner and Jones. God, therefore, raised up the Reform Movement to proclaim this message in clarity. (2) The leadership, they say, overthrew the commandments of God in 1914 when it encouraged members to serve in the army and fulfill their duty on Sabbath. The Reformers opposed this move, hence they have the right to exist as a separate movement. Several of their teachings cannot be supported by either Scripture or the Ellen G. White’s writings: LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE – The Reform Movement insists that the church must spell out and hold up strict and specific standards for the people to follow. In many cases the members themselves expect the church to specify every detail of how they are to act in any given situation, e.g., military service. Little room is given to an individual’s conscience. MILITARY SERVICE – Reform Movement Adventists believe that no true believer could ever join the military, even in medical work. Seventh-day Adventists hold that church members may serve as NONCOMBATANTS IN THE MILITARY. VEGETARIANISM – They have made the question of vegetarianism a test of fellowship, despite the clear statement from Ellen White, “WE ARE NOT TO MAKE THE USE OF FLESH FOOD A TEST OF FELLOWSHIP” (9T 159). 144,000 – They accept this figure as a literal number. Hence only 144,000 will be redeemed through the preaching of the three angel’s messages in the period extending from 1844 to the end of time. THIS PROVIDES A REASON FOR THEIR SMALL NUMBER. Closed Communion – Reform Adventists hold that since Christ held the Last Supper alone with his disciples, the Communion service is reserved only for members in good and regular standing. Divorce and Remarriage – The stand taken by the Reform Movement on this subject is that no matter what has taken place in a marital breakup, there is no possibility even for the innocent party to be restored to church membership if he or she remarries. The Remnant – It is taught that there are three entities in Revelation 12:17, the woman, the seed, and the remnant. The woman is seen as a symbol for the Protestant churches, the seed is the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the remnant refers to the Reform Movement. The Laodicean Message – The warning addressed to Laodicea is believed to apply to the SDA General Conference leadership and indicates the rejection of the Adventist Church. In an attempt to find a biblical foundation for this view, they note that the message is addressed to “the angel of the church,” which they assume is the church’s leadership.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:08:24 +0000
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