Why Some Leave
Unjust Criticism Causes Loss of Souls
Even in our day there have been and will continue to be entire
families who have once rejoiced in the truth, but who will lose
faith because of calumnies and falsehoods brought to them in regard
to those whom they have loved and with whom they have had sweet
counsel. They opened their hearts to the sowing of tares, the tares
sprang up among the wheat, they strengthened, the crop of wheat
became less and less, and the precious truth lost its power to
them.--TM 411 (1898).
False Doctrines Draw Some Away
Science, so-called, and religion will be placed in opposition
to each other because finite men do not comprehend the power and
greatness of God. These words of Holy Writ were presented to me, "Of
your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw
away disciples after them" [Acts 20:30]. This will surely be seen
among the people of God.--Ev 593 (1890).
When the shaking comes, by the introduction of false theories,
these surface readers, anchored nowhere, are like shifting sand.
They slide into any position to suit the tenor of their feelings of
bitterness.--TM 112 (1897).
Not having received the love of the truth, they will be taken
in the delusions of the enemy; they will give heed to seducing
spirits and doctrines of devils and will depart from the faith.--6T
401 (1900).
The enemy will bring in false theories, such as the doctrine
that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there
will be a departing from the faith.--Ev 224 (1905).
Rejection of the Testimonies Results in Apostasy
One thing is certain: Those Seventh-day Adventists who take
their stand under Satan's banner will first give up their faith in
the warnings and reproofs contained in the Testimonies of God's
Spirit.--3SM 84 (1903).
The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect
the testimony of the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision, the
people perish" (Prov. 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in
different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the
confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony.--1SM 48
(1890).
The enemy has made his masterly efforts to unsettle the faith
of our own people in the Testimonies. . . . This is just as Satan
designed it should be, and those who have been preparing the way for
the people to pay no heed to the warnings and reproofs of the
Testimonies of the Spirit of God will see that a tide of errors of
all kinds will spring into life.--3SM 83 (1890).
It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith of God's people in the
Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points
of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy
Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the
Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up,
Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he
redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion,
which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.--4T 211.
Defections Among Church Leaders
Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then
go out in darkness.--PK 188 (c. 1914).
Men whom He has greatly honored will, in the closing scenes of
this earth's history, pattern after ancient Israel. . . . A
departure from the great principles Christ has laid down in His
teachings, a working out of human projects, using the Scriptures to
justify a wrong course of action under the perverse working of
Lucifer, will confirm men in misunderstanding, and the truth that
they need to keep them from wrong practices will leak out of the
soul like water from a leaky vessel.--13MR 379, 381 (1904).
Many will show that they are not one with Christ, that they are
not dead to the world, that they may live with Him; and frequent
will be the apostasies of men who have occupied responsible
positions.--RH Sept. 11, 1888.
Unsanctified Ministers Will Be Weeded Out
The great issue so near at hand [enforcement of Sunday laws]
will weed out those whom God has not appointed and He will have a
pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain.--3SM
385 (1886).
Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy
in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan. . . .
Some will go out from among us who will bear the ark no longer.
But these can not make walls to obstruct the truth; for it will go
onward and upward to the end.--TM 409, 411 (1898).
Ministers and doctors may depart from the faith, as the Word
declares they will, and as the messages that God has given His
servant declare they will.--7MR 192 (1906).
The Church May Appear as About to Fall
The shaking of God blows away multitudes like dry leaves.--4T
89 (1876).
Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from
places where we see only floors of rich wheat.--5T 81 (1882).
Soon God's people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great
proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove
to be base metal. . . .
When the religion of Christ is most held in contempt, when His
law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest and our
courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of
truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the
battles of the Lord when champions are few--this will be our test.
At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others,
courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason.--5T
136 (1882).
The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall.
It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff
separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but
nevertheless it must take place.--2SM 380 (1886).
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith
in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through
obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of
the opposition.--GC 608 (1911).
God's Faithful Will Be Revealed
The Lord has faithful servants who in the shaking, testing time
will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who
have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which
has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But it may be
under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a
genuine Christian character will be revealed. In the daytime we look
toward heaven but do not see the stars. They are there, fixed in the
firmament, but the eye cannot distinguish them. In the night we
behold their genuine luster.--5T 80, 81 (1882).
On every occasion that persecution takes place, the witnesses
make decisions, either for Christ or against Him. Those who show
sympathy for the men wrongly condemned, who are not bitter against
them, show their attachment for Christ.--ST Feb. 20, 1901.
Let opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear
sway, let persecution be kindled, and the half-hearted and
hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true Christian
will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his hope brighter
than in days of prosperity.--GC 602 (1911).
New Converts Will Take the Places of Those Who Leave
Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless and
indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and
salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not
obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, and their places
were immediately filled by others taking hold of the truth and
coming into the ranks.--EW 271 (1858).
The broken ranks will be filled up by those
represented by Christ as coming in at the eleventh hour. There are
many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's
destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have
no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look
upon them. His heart of mercy is touched, His hand is still
stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would
not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days
hear the truth for the first time.--Letter 103, 1903.
Standard after standard was left to trail
in the dust as company after company from the Lord's army joined the
foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with
the commandment-keeping people of God.--8T 41 (1904).
Conclusion
"The church may
appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the
sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the
precious wheat."
--2SM 380
