The quote, “The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall.” is heard often within the conservative Adventist community. It appears often in the comments on Fulcrum7.
Commonly, this quote is brought forward in discussions relating to the direction the current corporate Adventist church seems to be headed in view of the actions, or lack of actions, of its leaders and institutions. This “key quote” is offered as a comforting word that even if the decisions and actions of the leadership of the church do not correspond to what one believes is right and proper, not to worry – God is in control and all will be well for the corporate SDA church in the end. It also inherently relieves one of any responsibility to be involved in opposing those decisions and actions.
The church surely seems to be falling, but take heart, we “know” it will not fall. God will take care of it eventually!
THE QUOTE
“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.”
But do we really “know” that it won’t fall? Is that oft referenced quote being used correctly within its context? It is time for a careful examination of the context in which that quote is found.
Context is Everything
The key quote is typically referenced to 2SM 380.2. This is part of Book 2 of Selected Messages, Chapter 48—A Work of Purification Needed. That chapter in Selected Messages is originally from Manuscript Release No. 994—An Appeal to Live the Truth and Share It, —Letter 55, 1886. (Written from Basel, Switzerland, to G. I. Butler and S. N. Haskell, December 8, 1886.).
Letter 55 in the Manuscript Release is six pages long and consists of 2,832 words. Thus, this “famous” sentence of 13 words is all of 0.459 % of the total words in Letter 55. Key text (and key quote) theology is risky because of how easy it is to use something out of context. So, what is the context of this favorite quote? Is that sentence being used in context? Let’s dig deeper.
In Letter 55 of Manuscript Release No. 994, preceding this well-known phrase, Ellen White says things like:
“. . . if we as a people are not constantly elevating, becoming more and more spiritual minded, we are becoming like the Pharisees—self-righteous—while we do not the will of God.” {2SM 376.1}
“God never forsakes people or individuals until they forsake Him. Outward opposition will not cause the faith of God’s people, who are keeping His commandments, to become dim. The neglect to bring purity and truth into practice will grieve the Spirit of God and weaken them because God is not in their midst to bless. Internal corruption will bring the denunciations of God upon this people as it did upon Jerusalem. Oh, let pleading voices, let earnest prayer be heard, that those who preach to others shall not themselves be castaways. My brethren, we know not what is before us, and our only safety is in following the Light of the world. God will work with us and for us if the sins which brought His wrath upon the old world, upon Sodom and Gomorrah and upon ancient Jerusalem, do not become our crime.” {2SM 378.3}
So, it is evident from context of the letter to Butler and Haskel, reproduced in Book 2 of Selected Messages, Chapter 48, that the favorite quote is not an unconditional statement!
More importantly, the phrase is written in the context of the timeframe of the imposition of Sunday laws. Applying it to the current events of WO or LGBTQ issues, etc., like it is usually encountered, is to apply it out of context.
Immediately before the key quote, Ellen writes,
“Nations will be stirred to their very center. Support will be withdrawn from those who proclaim God’s only standard of righteousness, the only sure test of character. And all who will not bow to the decree of the national councils and obey the national laws to exalt the sabbath instituted by the man of sin, to the disregard of God’s holy day, will feel, not the oppressive power of popery alone, but of the Protestant world, the image of the beast.” {2SM 380.1}
Directly after that we have the well-worn phrase,
“Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. 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 380.2}
And then immediately follows with,
“This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ.” {2SM 380.2}
Notice the beginning of her next paragraph,
“The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy.” {2SM 380.3}
This is most significant. The “church” that may appear as about to fall is a “remnant” (her own words) that is present at the time of the imposition of Sunday laws. Conservative Adventists tend to conflate visible corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church with “church” when they invoke this key quote.
The church that is in view in 2SM 380.2 is not the present church structure. The “church” that is the subject of the well-known quote is a true “remnant” that is not identifiable until the imposition of Sunday laws because it doesn’t appear as an identifiable body of people until “the trying process” comes upon them. That “church” is an identifiable body of believers that constitute a remnant of something that preceded it.
Ultimately, a church is a body of people with a shared understanding about God. Given the conditions that will prevail at that time, it is quite reasonable to conclude that the SDA corporate organization ceases to function. This “remnant church” that appears at the end is an identifiable body of people (they must be identifiable, otherwise no one would know who to persecute!) that honor God’s creation of holiness in time and are bearing their testimony to Jesus.
Len Cornwell
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