What is the Church?

Let the believers heed the voice of the angel who has said to the church, "Press together." In unity is your strength. Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. God hath a church, and Christ hath declared, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it" {1MR 303.4}

If God has a church and this quote clearly states that He does, and we are to press together as believers, then it is imperative that we understand just what or who the church is.

Since Adam, God has always had a Chosen people, a Church. Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah and Shem preserved the revealing’s of God’s will. Then He called Abram from Ur of the Chaldea’s. Then there was Isaac, and Jacob. God promised that Jacob’s descendants would be His chosen people.

In Christ’s day, Jesus called His disciples from their employment to come and follow Him. After Christ’s death and resurrection, the Christian church was established. Eventually error crept into the churches, but God has always had a remnant that remained faithful to Him.

During the dark ages, God continued to have a remnant who served Him, though they were persecuted and in obscurity, living in the mountains and in desolate places.

Then God raised up men like Luther, Wycliffe, Tyndale, Huss and others who urged that all doctrines be brought back to the test of the Bible.

In the 1800’s, as the reformation continued, God used men such as William Miller and many others to draw people’s minds back to the Bible-the Word of God.

After the Great Disappointment, at the close of the 2300 year prophecy, a call was made to God’s people to come out of the fallen churches and as the Word of God was studied and applied, the Seventh-day Adventist church was born.

Chosen and named of God (Denominated)

We were led out from the influences of Egypt & the World and the Covenant confirmed to us. God’s people in all ages have been chosen by Him and named by Him.

When God called Abram from Ur of The Chaldees he was 75 years old. When he was 99 years old, God again spoke to him and gave him circumcision as a sign of his allegiance to God. Also at that time God changed his name from Abram to Abraham.

In like manner, God told Jacob to leave Syria and return to his father’s land. After leaving Syria, God again spoke to him and gave him the name of Israel.

Then, after the Jews had rejected Jesus and crucified Him, the disciples took the message to all nations as Jesus had commissioned them to do, and the Christian church was organized.

“God chose from among the Gentiles a people for himself, and gave to them the name of Christian. This is a royal name, given to those who join themselves to Christ…” {RH, April 26, 1906 par. 4}

After 1844, as God’s people were called from the fallen churches, and as they studied the Word of God together, they rediscovered the Sabbath--a truth that in a large extent had been lost sight of. As they continued to come to Bible truths they realized the need for organization and during that time a new name was given them.

Isa_62:2 “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.”

“We are Seventh-day Adventists. Are we ashamed of our name? We answer, No, no! We are not. It is the name the Lord has given us. It points out the truth that is to be the test of the churches....That this may be, we must look ever to Jesus.” {FLB 304.4}

The Seventh-day Adventist church was named and chosen by God. It was denominated by Him.

“…the children of Israel were denominated as a special people. By a most solemn covenant they were pledged to be true to God.” {RH, August 16, 1906 par. 12}

“We are Seventh-day Adventists. This is a fitting name, for we keep the seventh-day Sabbath, and look for the second advent of our Lord in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. Even with respect to the name indicating some of the peculiar points of faith distinguishing us from other Christians, we are denominational. In keeping the Sabbath that God declares should be kept holy as a sign between Himself and His people, we show to the world that we are His peculiar, chosen people--a people whom He has denominated.” {19MR 40.2}

“… His people and His institutions are denominational…We are sacredly denominated by God, and are under His theocracy.” {19MR 40.3}

This church--The Seventh-day Adventist church--was called out and named by God Himself. He denominated it.

The Gift of Prophecy

Rev 19:10 “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

As God prepared to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt, He raised up His prophet Moses. He gave Moses special instructions for His people and as they left Egypt on their way to the Promised Land Moses was there to keep them in the way.

Hos 12:13 “And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.”

God’s people Israel, were brought out by the Lord and led by a prophet. God also gave the Seventh-day Adventist church the prophetic gift as He led His church out from the world.

“As the third angel's message arose in the world, which is to reveal the law of God to the church in its fullness and power, the prophetic gift was also immediately restored. This gift has acted a very prominent part in the development and carrying forward of this message.” {LLM 34.1}

“…The law of God and the Spirit of Prophecy go hand in hand to guide and counsel the church, and whenever the church has recognized this by obeying His law, the spirit of prophecy has been sent to guide her in the way of truth.” {LLM 33.4}

‘And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ This prophecy points out clearly that the remnant church will acknowledge God in His law and will have the prophetic gift. Obedience to the law of God, and the spirit of prophecy has always distinguished the true people of God, and the test is usually given on present manifestations.” {LLM 33.5}

Not only has the Seventh-day Adventist church been named or denominated by God Himself, but it has been blessed with the prophetic gift to point us to the Word of God and prepare a people for the soon return of Jesus! God has had a church from the very beginning to the present time.

“My Holy Mountain”

Joel_3:17 “So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.”

This verse shows that Zion, Jerusalem and ‘My Holy Mountain’ are the same. Also Psalm 2:6 calls Zion, ‘My Holy Hill’ and Psalm 99:9 tells us to ‘worship at His Holy Hill’. His “Holy Mountain” is a place of worship.

Micah calls it the “Mountain of the House of the Lord”.

This “Holy Mountain” is a place of worship, made up of the worshipers of God and it has authority. It is God’s church, His inheritance.

How many churches does God have? Does He have a church in heaven and a church on earth? Does He have more than one church on earth?

Deu 12:1 “These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.”

Deu 12:2 “Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:”

Just as God’s “Holy Mountain” represents His church, so the mountains and hills in this verse represent many different churches or religions-places of worship. Notice that it says “places” “high mountains”, “hills”, all plural. Just as there are many different denominations and religions today, so there was when Israel was preparing to enter Canaan.

Deu 12:3 “And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.”

Deu 12:4 “Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.”

Deu 12:5 “But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:”

Deu 12:6 “And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:”

Eze_20:40 says; “For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.”

In these verses God is specifying the place which He will choose, and He calls it His ‘Holy Mountain’.

Now back in Deuteronomy 12:8 we read; “Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.”

Deu 12:13 “Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:”

Deu 12:14 “But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.”

There was only one true church during the Israelites time. They as a people were denominated by God and God specified where they were to assemble and where they were to bring their tithes and their offerings.

I believe that God is the same today as He was then. He has one church today. He has only one bride-the church, He is not a polygamist. There was only one ark in Noah’s day. He warned the people to get on the boat, not a boat. There are many mountains but only one ‘Holy Mountain’.

That being said, we don’t believe that God’s people are only in the Seventh-day Adventist church. The majority of His people at this time are in other churches or not in a church at all. There is a difference between God’s church and God’s people. But the 3rd angel’s message is to be proclaimed by Seventh-day Adventists. That message calls God’s people to come out of the fallen churches.

Rev_18:4 “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

God has people in the other churches but He is calling them out and into one fold.

John 10:16 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

“Before ascending to heaven, Christ gave His disciples their commission. He told them that they were to be the executors of the will in which He bequeathed to the world the treasures of eternal life. You have been witnesses of My life of sacrifice in behalf of the world, He said to them. You have seen My labors for Israel. And although My people would not come to Me that they might have life, although priests and rulers have done unto Me as they listed, although they have rejected Me, they shall have still another opportunity of accepting the Son of God. You have seen that all who come to Me confessing their sins, I freely receive. Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. To you, My disciples, I commit this message of mercy. It is to be given to both Jews and Gentiles--to Israel, first, and then to all nations, tongues, and peoples. All who believe are to be gathered into one church.” {AA 27.2}

The call to come out of Babylon is made to gather every believer into one church-one fold. Not only is there one church on earth, but the church on earth is even one with the church in Heaven.

“The church of God below is one with the church of God above. Believers on the earth and the beings in heaven who have never fallen constitute one church. Every heavenly intelligence is interested in the assemblies of the saints who on earth meet to worship God. In the inner court of heaven they listen to the testimony of the witnesses for Christ in the outer court on earth, and the praise and thanksgiving from the worshipers below is taken up in the heavenly anthem, and praise and rejoicing sound through the heavenly courts because Christ has not died in vain for the fallen sons of Adam. While angels drink from the fountainhead, the saints on earth drink of the pure streams flowing from the throne, the streams that make glad the city of our God.” {CCh 240.5}

God’s church, His Holy Mountain, both in Heaven and on earth constitutes one church. His Church, His ‘Holy Mountain’ is in existence today and has been prophesied about both in the Old and New Testament.

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call” (Joel 2:31-32).

This passage gives us the time of this prophecy. “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood.” That prophecy, fulfilled on May 19, 1780, stands in history as “The Dark Day” when the sun was darkened and the moon appeared as blood.

Who is the ‘remnant whom the Lord shall call’ that was prophesied to come up after that time? We, the Seventh-day Adventist church are the only Remnant whom God has named and chosen who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus that came up after that time. The Seventh-day Adventist denomination grew up after the 1844 disappointment and by 1860 only 80 years after the dark day, had a name that God chose.

Here’s another passage speaking of the church in the last days.

“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Micah 4:1-2).

This is an amazing prophecy!

“The law shall go forth of Zion”. That includes the seventh day Sabbath! And “the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem” which includes the Spirit of Prophecy! This prophecy also says that “people will flow unto it”, “and many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord”.

The Servant of the Lord says;

“God has His agents, even among the rulers. And some of them will yet be converted to the truth.” {Mar 202.4}

“The ranks will not be diminished. Those who are firm and true will close up the vacancies that are made by those who become offended and apostatize.” {13MR 11.1}

“Some who are numbered among merchants and princes will take their position to obey the truth…” {3SM 421.2}

“Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.” {LDE 182.2}

“…Tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.”{LDE 182.3}

“Multitudes will receive the faith and join the armies of the Lord.”{LDE 211.4}

“Many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd.” {LDE 211.5}

“Thousands in the eleventh hour will see and acknowledge the truth. . . . These conversions to truth will be made with a rapidity that will surprise the church, and God's name alone will be glorified.”{LDE 212.1}

“Every truly honest soul will come to the light of truth.”{LDE 213.2}

What an amazing picture of God’s true church in the last days!

We are in the last days and God has given us-the Seventh-day Adventist church, the honor of upholding His law and His character to the churches and to the nations! And soon, if we are faithful we will stand with Him on the Heavenly Mt Sion and will receive our Fathers name!

I mentioned earlier that there is a difference between the church and the people who make up the church. The church is more than just people.

The church is Holy, it is God’s Holy Mountain. When we enter His church we are on Holy ground just as Moses was on Holy ground when He approached the burning bush. God’s church has always existed and will continue to exist. We have no more right to choose how or where we worship or where we bring our tithes and offerings than we have a right to change the day of worship to any other day then the Sabbath.

Some say that the church consists of all the true believers. Is that true? What about the wheat and the tares? What about the 5 foolish virgins and the 5 wise virgins?

There are true believers inside the church and there are true believers outside the church. There are also tares inside the church.

“Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:44). This is our message, the very message that the three angels flying in the midst of heaven are proclaiming. The work to be done now is that of sounding this last message of mercy to a fallen world. A new life is coming from heaven and taking possession of all God's people. But divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest.” {2SM 113.3}

During the Babylonian captivity, Daniel prayed this prayer also showing there are sinners in Zion, the Holy Mountain;

Dan_9:16 “O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.”

Dan_9:20 “And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;”

Dan 9:21 “Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.”

Daniel was confessing his sins and the sins of his people-God’s people, and presenting supplication for the Holy Mountain-God’s Church.

“God has a church upon the earth who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. He is leading, not stray offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people. The truth is a sanctifying power; but the church militant is not the church triumphant. There are tares among the wheat… The gospel net draws not only good fish, but bad ones as well, and the Lord only knows who are His.” {CCh 240.1}

Speaking of the name “Seventh-day Adventists” she says;

“This distinctive banner is to be borne through the world to the close of probation. In describing the remnant people of God, John says, "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12).” {2SM 385.2}

So here, it is clearly stated that the Seventh-day Adventist church will go through to the close of probation and that it was prophesied in the book of Revelation.

There are many winds of doctrine floating through the church at this time. There are many errors being taught and practiced by some, there is rebellion and insubordination. So why are we Seventh-day Adventists? Because all these things have been prophesied and the very errors and rebellion that are now taking place in the church have been predicted. And we know that this is God’s church because of the extreme hatred that Satan has for it.

But he is a defeated foe. His time is short. And God is in control!

“Not one cloud has fallen upon the church that God has not prepared for; not one opposing force has risen to counterwork the work of God but He has foreseen. All has taken place as He has predicted through His prophets. He has not left His church in darkness, forsaken, but has traced in prophetic declarations what would occur, and through His providence, acting in its appointed place in the world's history, He has brought about that which His Holy Spirit inspired the prophets to foretell. All His purposes will be fulfilled and established. His law is linked with His throne, and satanic agencies combined with human agencies cannot destroy it. Truth is inspired and guarded by God; it will live, and will succeed, although it may appear at times to be overshadowed. The gospel of Christ is the law exemplified in character. The deceptions practiced against it, every device for vindicating falsehood, every error forged by satanic agencies, will eventually be eternally broken, and the triumph of truth will be like the appearing of the sun at noonday. The Sun of Righteousness shall shine forth with healing in His wings, and the whole earth shall be filled with His glory.” {17MR 10.1}

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have seen how God has had a people from the very beginning of time. He has chosen them. He has called them and He has named them.

We are called and chosen by Him and He gave us the name Seventh-day Adventist. It was foretold in prophecy and described by John the Revelator.

God has only one church and while there are true believers outside of the church at this time, God is calling them to come together into one body to be a part of His church and He is calling us to “press together” as true believers in His church.