EXCERPT FROM WWN XXX - 10(97)

“Watchman,

what of the night?”

"The hour has come, the hour is striking and striking at you,
the hour and the end!"          Eze. 7:6 (Moffatt)

AXIOMS AND POSTULATES OF THE SCRIPTURES

(With highlighting and underscored emphases added)

Coming into the homes of the members of the Adventist Community is a vast amount of printed material via the Postal Service. This is not counting the TV, Video, and Short-wave propaganda which many tune into on their own volition. The question which Pilate asked Jesus cries out for an answer - "What is truth?" (John 18:38)

It is obvious that the mass of that which is being published cannot be truth for two reasons: 1) It is contradictory; truth is not; and 2) It is confusing; truth is not. Truth may be divisive, but it does not confuse.

What answer can be found? In High School, I enrolled in classes both for Plain Geometry and Solid Geometry. In fact, if I were to be asked to draw up a curriculum for an undergraduate student desiring to enter the ministry, I would require, at least, that such a student take a course in Plain Geometry and pass it with no less than a "B" average. Why? Because a student in such a class, in working out the theorems required, "develops a habit of thought which is invaluable to him." While students should be trained to be thinkers, this training should not cease when formal schooling ceases. The adults in the pews of the Church, or in the atmosphere of a "home church" should likewise be taught to think and not be mere reflectors of other men's thoughts. But for a teacher or a pastor to lead those under his care to think, he must himself, likewise think.

What is happening is very different from this. A "parrot" ministry has developed in the Church. The local pastor "parrots" what the conference says, which in turn has parroted the Union Conference leadership, which but echoes the Division mouthings, which in its turn reflects the General Conference position. This same "parrot" mentality dominates most of the "independent" ministries who instead of thinking through what the Bible teaches, quote the Writings without considering the "must" imposed by Ellen White herself   -   "time and place must be considered." (SM, bk I, p.57) This is compounded when these "voices" refuse to recognize the clear counsel - "The truth is an advancing truth, and we must walk in the increasing light." (Review & Herald, March 25,1890) Instead, they remain in "historic" Laodiceanism.

In Geometry, theorems are worked, conclusions are reached and proven. Basic in this process are axioms and postulates. An axiom is a proposition regarded as self-evident. As an illustration, we note from a Solid Geometry textbook the axiom - "If equals are added to equals, the sums are equal." A postulate is an hypothesis advanced as an essential premise of a train of reasons. An illustration of a postulate is given in the same textbook - "One straight line, and only one, can be drawn through two points." If such clear-cut perception would dominate the theological thinking of the Adventist Community, we wouldn't be plagued with three positions on the Incarnation.

God has set forth by His Word certain "axioms" and "postulates" so that truth, pure and unadulterated, can be determined. Regardless of all the theorizing, there are absolutes; and Biblical truths are a part of those absolutes. By being guided by Biblical axioms and postulates, we can stand on these absolutes - the Rock, a solid foundation - amid all the confusion, which is nothing less than capaticity to Babylon.

One area of prime confusion today is in the realm of Bible prophecy. What methodology is to be used - historistic, preteristic, futuristic, or the allegorical? To add to the confusion, Dr. Desmond Ford introduced his theory known as the apotelesmatic concept. To compound the confusion, some, such as Larry Wilson, use one hermeneutic for the book of Daniel and a different one for the prophecies of Revelation.

We set forth the "theorem" that the only valid method of prophetic interpretation is the historistic. The proof is found in the basic introductory prophecy of the book of Daniel itself. In the dream given to Nebuchadnezzar, he was told, "Thou art this head of gold." (2:38) There was to come "after" him another kingdom, and a "third," to be followed by a "fourth kingdom." History but responded to the voice of prophecy. In a vision given to Daniel himself, he was plainly told by Gabriel that the "ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia." (8:20)

Does this method of interpretation apply to the book of Revelation? In speaking with Daniel, Gabriel had informed him that as far as "the scripture of truth" was concerned, "none" except "Michael your prince" held with him in these things. (10:21) The same "two" are introduced in the very first verse of Revelation - "Jesus Christ" and "His angel." Nowhere in the book is an indication that a different methodology would be followed than had been set forth in Daniel. Returning to our illustration - Geometry - the textbook being cited observed that; "postulates of plane geometry are equally applicable to solid geometry." Perhaps Larry Wilson and those who are parroting him, might better take a course or two in Geometry and thus learn to think consistently.

Early in human history, God set forth a postulate. To Noah, He declared  -  "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." (Gen. 6:3) A time was set on the activities of man. There is a corollary to this. This postulate applies equally to nations, corporate entities as well as to man as an individual.

Israel is an illustration of this postulate's all encompassing intent. The nation chosen of God received some key promises upon which its religious leadership relied, and defied God to displace them. God had said to Jeremiah:

Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, ... if those ordinances depart from Me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. (31:35-36)

Based on these promises, the leadership of Israel presumed themselves eternally secure. "They defied earth and heaven to dispossess them of their rights." (COL, p. 294; see also DA, p.106) Yet God through the prophet Daniel warned them that they would be called into account. "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people," was the message of God through the prophet. The record of its fulfilment is left on record for us to take heed.

We refuse today to recognize this postulate and its corollary. Because God bestowed upon the corporate Church in sacred trust "the most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals ... to proclaim to the world" (9T:19), we feel that we are exempt from the postulate and corollary. We fail to recognize that there is an equivalency between Israel's fate and our own. Israel rejected and crucified the Lord of truth; today the Church has crucified the truth of the Lord. A clear warning has been given. In 1903, the messenger of Lord wrote:

In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and advantages she has had. ... By the light bestowed, the opportunities given, will she be judged. (8T:247)

The consequence of finding the Church remiss in its sacred trust is plainly stated:

If her spiritual experience does not correspond to the advantages that Christ, at infinite cost, has bestowed on her, if the blessing conferred has not qualified her to the work entrusted to her, on her will be pronounced the sentence, "Found wanting." (ibid.)

As if in defiance of the evidence of apostasy, we hear voices as strident as the Jews of old defying earth and heaven to dispossess the Church of its trust. Other "voices" recognizing the facts but unwilling to face them squarely and act accordingly, declare that they will make the necessary moves when informed by a "prophet," all unmindful that He who is the source of all prophecy gave "the Sign" of the close of probation for the Church. This brings us to the next and a related postulate.

Through Amos, God declared that He  "will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets." (3:7)  This axiom closely follows the de-facto assertion of God in the days of Noah. When He determined the Flood, He sent a message through Noah. When God decided to punish Judah for its apostasy, He sent Jeremiah. When at last He sent His Son, the way was prepared by John the Baptist. Now in this final hour, God has refocused the attention of mankind upon Jerusalem. Jesus had already prophesied  -  "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles [Gr. "nations"] until the times of the [nations] be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24)  This prophecy has been fulfilled. It has been so recognized in various Church publications, but when the full implications of its meaning dawned upon the consciousness of the Church's leadership, it was dismissed by deceptive interpretations of the Word of God. (See: "Why This Ignorance?" in WWN, XXX 3 & 4(97); or write for the tract, "Jerusalem in Bible Prophecy")

A postulate which is closely linked to these fundamental axioms is found in Paul's epistle to the Corinthians. He wrote - "God is not the author of confusion." (I Cor. 14:33)  The significance and verification of God taking singular steps to insure no confusion can be seen in a series of direct pronouncements in both the Old and New Testaments. To Isaiah, He revealed Himself, stating unequivocally:

There is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me. Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (45:21-22)

Jesus Christ left no room for doubt or confusion. He declared:

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. (John 14:6)

To the apostate leadership of Israel who had crossed the unseen line, Peter stated:

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Now ask yourself and answer a series of questions based on Bible revelation: How many arks did God have built and how many Noah's did God send to the antediluvian world? To how many peoples did God entrust the "giving of the law" and the sanctuary patterned after Heavenly things? How many Christs did God send to reveal Him? To how many churches did God entrust the giving of the Three Angels' Messages? Can you imagine the confusion which would have resulted had God given the Three Messages to the Baptists and one or more branches of the Pentecostals? God is not the Author of confusion, and He did not so do. Neither is He doing so today!

Closely associated with this postulate is the corollary - "Be established in the present truth." (II Peter 1:12)  To every generation, God has a present truth. This is not a denial of truth from previous ages, for truth is as eternal as God Himself. The First Angel's Message proclaimed the "everlasting gospel" but it also announced present truth: - "the hour of His judgment had come" and worship Him who made." This day, God has a present truth in which we need to be established.

Let us consider one more axiom or postulate. Paul wrote in Romans:

By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin ... Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (Rom. 3:20, 28)

Paul is likewise emphatic that there is only one gospel, and this gospel was the gospel he proclaimed - "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." To the Galatians, he wrote:

Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:8-9)

God is not the author of confusion. He does not have multiple ways to His throne, and various gates by which one may enter the pathway to Heaven. Neither has He provided various "gospels" by which men can be saved. It is not the Tridentine gospel proclaimed by Rome and any modification of it to fit a "works oriented" program. It is justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ only. He is not only the singular means of our justification, but He has been "made unto us... sanctification, and redemption." (I Cor. 1:30) We are complete "in Him." (Col. 2:10)

In this hour when confusion reigns supreme in the community of Adventism and it is difficult to determine what is "babylon" and what is not, we truly need to heed the admonition given by Paul to Timothy:

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Tim 2:15)

One can no more rightly divide the Word of truth, without the Divine axioms and postulates of the Word itself, than one can work Geometric theorems apart from the axioms and postulates of Geometry. This is why there is so much confusion in the community of Adventism today, because that is what is being done. Sadly, many concerned souls not recognizing or giving due consideration to these axioms and postulates, have "bought" into this confusion.

(Underscored and highlighted emphases added.)

(Summary of the Sabbath morning message given at the 1997 Annual Fellowship)