Genesis 3:1-5 "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
1. Summation of last Week's Presentation
Taking God’s word “as it reads” is Literalism; Looking for the hidden meaning in each passage is Mysticism.
2. History of Mysticism in the Adventist Church
In Battle Creek, the SDA ministers did not recognize Dr. Kellogg's subtle but extremely destructive teaching of mysticism, but Ellen White recognizing its deadly nature and fearlessly warned parents not to send their children there:
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church Containing Messages of Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, p. 35
"Some think it strange that I write, "Do not send your children to Battle Creek." I was instructed in regard to the danger of the worldly influence in Battle Creek. I have written hundreds of pages regarding the danger of having so large a sanitarium, and of calling so many people together in one place. The young people in Battle Creek are in danger. They will come in contact with error. Years ago I did not think that they would meet these errors right in the sanitariums; but when "Living Temple" came out, and some of our ministers told me that there was in it nothing but what I had been teaching all my life, I saw how great the danger was. I saw that blindness had fallen upon some who had long known the truth. I pray that the Lord will open the eyes of these ministers, that they may see the difference between light and darkness, between truth and error." Testimonies for the Church Containing Messages of Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, page 35
"Be not deceived; many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature." Testimonies for the Church Containing Letters to Physicians and Ministers Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, p.16
3. What was the the "Alpha" and how can we recognize the "Omega"?
Ellen White gave us all the characteristics we would need to recognize this deception, so we would not be left in uncertainty:
Ellen G. White
"We need not the mysticism that is in this book. Those who entertain these sophistries will soon find themselves in a position where the enemy can talk with them, and lead them away from God. It is represented to me that the writer of this book is on a false track. He has lost sight of the distinguishing truths for this time. He knows not whither his steps are tending. The track of truth lies close beside the track of error, and both tracks may seem to be one to minds which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and which, therefore, are not quick to discern the difference between truth and error." Selected Messages Book 1, page 202
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg distilled his heresy of mysticism in a book he titled, THE LIVING TEMPLE. It was so subtle that most of the leading brethren did not recognize it.
In essence the central pillar of this false theology was the delusion that God was by nature in man as well as in all God's created works. This being the case man could commune with God by turning inward. Man's aspirations were merely workings of the inspiration of the spirit of God; man's imagining were the the thoughts of God.
Ellen G. White, RH October 22, 1903, par. 8
"All through the book "The Living Temple", passages of Scripture are used, but in many instances these passages are used in such a way that the right interpretation is not given to them. The message for this time is not, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we.” [Jeremiah 7:4.] Whom does the Lord receive as vessels unto honor?—Those who co-operate with Christ; those who believe the truth, who live the truth, who proclaim the truth in all its bearings.
There are those whose minds will be taken up with smooth words and fair speeches—put into language that they cannot understand or interpret. Precious time is rapidly passing, and many will be robbed of the time that should be given to the proclamation of the messages that God has sent to a fallen world. Satan is pleased to see the diversion of minds that should be engaged in the study o the truths that have to do with eternal realities.
The testimony of Christ, a testimony of the most solemn character, is to be borne to the world. All through the book of Revelation there are the most precious, elevating promises, and there are also warnings of most fearfully solemn import. Will not those who profess to have a knowledge of the truth read the testimony given to John by Christ. Here is no guesswork, no scientific deception. Here are the truths that concern our present and future welfare. What is the chaff to the wheat?" RH October 22, 1903, par. 8
4. Mysticism will be Revived in the SDA Church
Ellen White warned of the subtle mysticism of the "Alpha of Deadly Heresies", but then she cautioned that the following "Omega" would be of a "most startling nature"!
Today Pastors and administrator are saying that they see nothing to be concerned about in Loma Linda, with Dr. William Loveless and his teaching of the most startling form of mysticism, but Ellen White in prophetic warning foretold:
"Be not deceived; many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature." Testimonies for the Church Containing Letters to Physicians and Ministers Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, page 16
5. Adventist Mystics
Example number 1: Loveless, William Alfred (1928–2014)
Source: Encyclopedia of Seventh day Adventists
"William Loveless was an exceptionally gifted church pastor and innovative educator who served at length in the two largest Seventh-day Adventist communities, Sligo Church near the General Conference headquarters on the East Coast of America in addition to Loma Linda University Church on the West Coast with its diverse medical and educational fraternity."
https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=A9PL&highlight=y
Dr. William Loveless
This, the senior pastor of the Loma Linda University SDA Church, has fallen into a "most startling" form of mysticism. He teaches SDA church members how to practice classical Roman Catholic mysticism. He shows them how to put themselves into a trance so as to have visions, and communicate with that which they conjured up! Here are a few statements he made during one of his presentations:
"...I believe that your imagination in conjuring up images is dealing with equal truth to scripture."
"We are going to enter into some simple exercises in preparation for meditation..."
"I can almost feel I’m floating."
"People who are not every day mediators shouldn’t even be discussing the doctrine of inspiration because they don’t know anything about it."
"Let your face sag, just let it droop, Concentrate in relaxing which is the paradox of Christian meditation, we concentrate to relax."
"There may be thing you’ve wanted to ask Jesus, or things you’ve been wanting to say to Him all your life, since you were a child. In your own words say them to Him now.... In your imagination visualize the face and form of someone outside your family who has most clearly represented Jesus to you in your life....See if you can picture them clearly now in your mind’s eye. "
"I’ve briefly got you in touch as you need to get your congregations in touch with the physical preparations for meditation. Importance of , are all significant, and our people need to know this. They need to why it is significant. Not a lesson in physiology and anatomy, but a simple lesson in what the great mystics through the centuries have learned and told us, and taught us about this."
"What I have done is try to model for you what you can do with your church, and what you should do with your church on a regular basis. If not every Sabbath at least a couple of Sabbaths a month."
Example number 2: Eric Anderson, Ph.D. former president of Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas
"What is a Mystic?" Adventist Review, January 10, 2013, pp. 16-20
7. Mystical Union with Christ vs Justification by Faith through the Indwelling Word
E.J. Waggoner, "Christ and His Righteousness" pp. 113, 114, "The Holy Spirit Works through the Word"
"Now whence comes this power? The answer is found in the words of Christ: “The words which I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” What spirit are they? The apostle Peter, speaking of the prophets, says that it was the Spirit of Christ that was in them. So, as we said before, the power of the Spirit dwells in the word. Yea, Christ Himself dwells in the word, for He is the Word.
Who can understand the mystery of inspiration?—He who can understand the mystery of the incarnation; for both are the same. “The Word was made flesh.” We cannot understand how Christ could be all the fullness of the Godhead, and at the same time be in the form of a servant, subject to all the infirmities of mortal flesh. Neither can we understand how the Bible could be written by fallible mortals, exhibiting the peculiarities of each, and yet be the pure, unadulterated word of God. But it is certainly true that the power that was in the Word that was made flesh, is the power that is in the word that the apostles and prophets have written for us.
Now we can begin to appreciate more the power residing in the word. “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” Ps. 33:6. Christ, by whom the worlds were made, upholds them “by the word of His power.” Heb. 1:3. The power that resides in the words of revelation, is the power that could speak the worlds into existence, and can keep them in their appointed places. Surely, then, it is worth our while to take time to study and meditate upon the word.
It is by so doing that we bring Christ Himself into our hearts. In the fifteenth chapter of John, the Lord exhorts us to abide in Him, and to allow Him to abide in us; and then a few verses later he speaks of our abiding in Him, and His word abiding in us. John 15:4, 7.
IT IS BY HIS WORD THAT CHRIST DOES ABIDE IN THE HEART; FOR PAUL SAYS THAT CHRIST WILL DWELL IN THE HEART BY FAITH (EPH. 3:17); AND “FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.” ROM. 10:17."
The Indwelling of Christ/ Christ in You Doctrine, can not be a literal indwelling of Christ because it does violence to the laws of nature according to Miller's rule nr 11. In the natural world the only time we find a person literally dwelling inside of an other person is during child bearing. The proponents of this doctrine reject the figurative meaning of the Indwelling of Christ by the Word of Truth. Since their concept does not fit into the literal or figurative meaning of the Bible, it represents a third meaning which is mysticism (see Origen, last week's presentation).
A. T. Jones, "The Two Republics, or Rome and the United States of America", p. 218
"Origen imbibed all the allegorical and mystifying processes of both Ammonius and Clement, and multiplied upon them from his own wild imagination. He was not content with finding two meanings in the Scriptures as those before him, but took the secondary sense, the hidden meaning, and added to it four additional meanings of his own. His system then stood thus: First, All scripture contains two meanings, the literal and the hidden. Second, This hidden sense has within itself two meanings, the moral and the mystical. Third, The mystical has within it yet two other meanings, the allegorical and the anagogical. According to this method of mysticism, therefore, in every passage of Scripture there are at least three meanings, and there may be any number from three to six." {TTR 218.4}
Two weeks ago, in our second message on Justification by Faith, the Truth and its Counterfeit we observed an example of a counterfeit application of the message of Justification by Faith. This counterfeit, by its very nature and its neglect of understanding the Indwelling Word, can lead its adherents into a Mystical Experience of Union with Christ, claiming that "Christ's Righteousness comes to us by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is the Life of Christ." It's important to note that nowhere in the two parts of this presentation was it mentioned how we receive the indwelling of the life of Christ through the Indwelling Word, as detailed in the July 1890 article of the Signs of the Times!
8. Questioning the Literal Word of God is the Gateway to Mystical Experiences
Genesis 3:4-6 "And the serpent said unto the woman, "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.": For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
God' sword doesn't mean what it says ... "Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
9. The Omega of Apostacies, New Ageism: You are Your Own God!
By the Mystical Union of God with the believer "ye shall be as gods ".
Source: https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/new-age-movement-pantheism-monism/
"Cindy was exposed to the New Age movement through a human potential seminar sponsored by the company she worked for. The teacher of the seminar informed each attendee, “You are your own god,” and “You can create your own reality.” By embracing these ideas, he claimed, each employee could become much more successful at the workplace, ultimately leading to increased profits for the company.
Core beliefs of New Agers include monism (all is one), pantheism (all is God), and mysticism (the experience of oneness with the divine). Along with these primary core beliefs are some secondary characteristics that are true of most New Agers. For example, most New Agers are highly eclectic. By this I mean that New Agers typically draw their religious and philosophical ideas from a variety of religious sources. They consult holy books like the Bible and the Hindu Vedas, but also feel free to consult psychics and channelers, whose “revelations” from spirit guides are considered just as authoritative as those found in holy books. They have no hesitation in consulting astrologers and others who practice the occultic arts of necromancy, palm readings, ball gazing, tarot cards, etc.
Not surprisingly, New Agers are also syncretistic. By this I mean that New Agers combine and synthesize religious and philosophical ideas from Jesus, the Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, alleged “space brothers” aboard UFOs, Ascended Masters who live on planet Venus, and many others. New Agers believe there is truth in all religions and religious traditions. This willingness to pick and choose what they believe from various sources of enlightenment is a vivid demonstration of the arbitrary and inconsistent nature of the worldview.
We might also observe that most New Agers are open to meditation. I am not referring to meditation on the Bible (e.g., Psalm 119:148). I am referring to an Eastern form of meditation in which one goes into a trance-like state and seeks to attain a sense of oneness with all things. The goal of meditation varies, but the common belief is that it allows one to connect to the divine or the force that permeates the entire universe. Emptying the mind and directing energies within the body allows the balancing of vital energies which is used to promote spiritual and physical healing.
The Bible is a good case in point, for New Agers believe it is merely one of many holy books communicating revelation from God, or the divine. New Agers believe it is incorrect to read the Bible in a straightforward way. Rather, they look for truth by seeking hidden, secret, or inner spiritual meanings of Bible verses, especially in the teachings of Jesus. For example, when Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33), he was allegedly teaching people to seek an awareness of their own inner divinity. Such Scripture twisting is common among New Agers. The New Age method of seeking hidden, secret, or inner spiritual meanings of Bible verses violates the scriptural injunction to rightly handle the Word of God and not distort its meaning (2 Peter 3:16; 2 Corinthians 4:2). Among New Agers, the basic authority in interpretation ceases to be Scripture, but rather the mind of the interpreter (i.e., man is seen as the supreme authority over God and His Word). They rely on their own inner illumination as opposed to reliance upon the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 2:9–11; John 16:12– 15). More often than not, New Agers superimpose mystical meanings on Bible verses instead of objectively seeking the biblical literal meaning.
Moreover, in place of the biblical Creator-God with whom we can have personal relationships is a pantheistic concept which says that God is all and all is God. In pantheism, all reality is viewed as being infused with divinity. The God of pantheism is an impersonal, amoral “it,” and not a personal, moral “He.” The distinction between the Creator and the creation is completely obliterated in this view."
9. True Faith versus Mystical Faith
E. J. Waggoner, Present Truth UK March 8, 1894
"Faith is composed of two elements,—belief, and the word of God. Counterfeit faith has only one of these elements; it always lacks the word. It rests upon something else,—some feeling, or impression, or hope, or desire, or process of reasoning, or upon the word of some man. Faith accepts the word of God, no matter how it reads, without questioning. Pretended faith is often obliged to explain the word away. Genuine faith “worketh by love.” Pretended faith either works not at all, or by some motive which has its root in self. With these facts in mind, it becomes an easy thing to determine whether you have faith in God or not." {PTUK March 8, 1894, p. 148.4}
10. Synopsis of Christian Mysticism Beliefs and Practices
- Man could commune with God by turning inward. Man's aspirations were merely workings of the inspiration of the spirit of God; man's imagining were the the thoughts of God.
- Communion with God facilitated by practices of meditation similar to Eastern Mysticism and New Age: quietness, importance of breathing, importance of body tone and posture.
- Belief in Learning From Other Christians and non Adventist authors, Methodists, Anglicans and even Catholics.
- Claim that Ellen G. White was mystic.
- Relying and seeking a supernatural/ extraordinary experience via direct communication with God rather than the ordinary methods of communication God has established through the written Word.
- Regards the essence and goal of Christianity to be a mystical oneness with God, not by the Indwelling Word as the 1888 message teaches but by some hidden and secret ways.
- The main teaching found in "The Living Temple" is that the human body is the temple for God's mystical indwelling, concept similar or equal to the mystical Indwelling of Christ doctrine.
- Has it's foundation built on the hidden mystical interpretation of the Bible rather than the straight forward literal reading of it.
Ellen G. White, Testimonies vol. 6, p. 132
"The study of God’s word should take the place of the study of those books that have led minds into mysticism and away from the truth. Its living principles, woven into our lives, will be our safeguard in trials and temptations; its divine instruction is the only way to success. As the test comes to every soul, there will be apostasies. Some will prove to be traitors, heady, high-minded, and self-sufficient, and will turn away from the truth, making shipwreck of faith. Why? Because they did not live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” They did not dig deep and make their foundation sure. When the words of the Lord through His chosen messengers are brought to them, they murmur and think the way is made too strait. In the sixth chapter of John we read of some who were thought to be disciples of Christ, but who, when the plain truth was presented to them, were displeased and walked no more with Him. In like manner these superficial students also will turn away from Christ." {6T 132.3}
6. The Gospel Truth Is Not a Charter for the Mystic
Adventist Review, November 27, 1980, p. 5
"The definition of truth within this chapter centers upon the commands of Christ. Love becomes the motive for obedience to these commands: " 'If you love me you will obey my commands'" (verse 15); " 'The man who has received my commands and obeys them—he it is who loves me' " (verse 21). Of those who obey Christ's commands, Jesus says, " 'I will love him and disclose myself to him' " (verse 21). "Seeing" Christ, then, lies in obedience to Him. It is important to understand that the inner seeing of Christ is not a mystical experience built upon contemplation of the Saviour, but is dependent on obedience to Christ's commands. These have an objective reality that is disclosed through the activity of the Spirit. Far from being a charter for the mystic, the farewell discourses of this Gospel challenge the disciple to an ethical and moral life style built on the teachings and commands of Christ. They are a charter for an objective, active obedience patterned on Christ."
AMEN!