posted 08-12-2000 14:02            

I hope this is going to be an extremely short thread. I only want to hear from those who think they recognize Satan’s agents on this forum. All scientific surveys need to be precise. This one is no different and I want every participant to listen carefully. By “Satan’s agents,” I don’t mean anything derogatory or unkind. I only mean “those persons” who are fulfilling Matthew 24:23 according to the following insight given us by Ellen G. White.

After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, and minds will be confused by many voices crying, “Lo, here is Christ, Lo, he is there. This is the truth, I have the message from God, he has sent me with great light.” Then there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false Sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God himself by supplanting the day he has blessed and sanctified. This false Sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law. Satan and his angels are wide-awake, and intensely active, working with energy and perseverance through human instrumentalities to bring about his purpose of obliterating from the minds of men the knowledge of God. —Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 13, 1892.

The third angel’s message must go over the land, and awaken the people, and call their attention to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Another angel unites his voice with the third angel, and the earth is lighted with its glory. The light increases, and it shines out to all the nations of the earth. It is to go forth as a light that burneth. It will be attended with great power, until its golden beams have fallen upon every tongue, every people, and every nation upon the face of the whole earth. Let me ask you, What you are doing to prepare for this work? Are you building for eternity? You must remember that this angel represents the people that have this message to give to the world. Are you among that people? Do you really believe that this work in which we are engaged is truly the third angel’s message? If so, then you understand that we have a mighty work to do, and that we ought to be about it. We must sanctify ourselves by a strict obedience to the truth, placing ourselves in right relation to God and his work. As the truth goes forth, Satan intensifies his zeal to defeat its progress by presenting pleasing delusions. As we urge the truth, he urges his errors. He will stir up his agents, in view of the coming of the Lord, to go out and cry, “Lo! here is Christ, and lo! there is Christ. And here arises this superstition, and there arises that heresy. And tell me, what are we to do about it?” I will tell you: we can become familiar, with the Bible, and read what saith the Lord. Not only the ministers but all who love and fear God are to do the Master’s work; and that is to let the light that he has given you shine before all. Here are two companies; one of them is being bound in bundles to burn, the other is being bound by the cords of truth and love. Satan is binding his followers with the work of iniquity; Christ is binding together his people in love and faith in the keeping of his commandments. And this work will increase more and more, and Satan will work to divide and separate God’s people one from the other. And while he is doing this kind of work, be careful that none of you are found helping him. We want to put away our cold-heartedness, and let love, tender compassion, true courtesy, and the spirit of tenderness come into our midst. Here we are in the waiting time, in the day of God’s preparation. Here in this world we are to fit up for these great trials that are soon coming upon us. And yet some of us act as though we had a whole millennium before us in which to accomplish the work. But, says the text, “Watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is.” And what Christ said to his disciples, I say unto you, “Take ye heed, watch and pray,” that when the Master comes to reckon with his servants, you may receive from him the crown of life laid up for the overcomer, and rejoice with him in his kingdom. — Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, August 18, 1885.

My first question is, Do you think that there’s less than a handful of Satan’s agents here, or is there a significant percentage?

Eugene S

posted 08-12-2000 14:11            

I think there’s a whole bunch.

posted 08-12-2000 14:39            

Eugene

I think it would be better to first identify the doctrines of satains agents as opposed to the agent them selves in that way those who are studying can make a decision based on truth and those who are satans agents can see how they are being exposed and either go away or wake up and say hey I don't or didn't mean to be doing that I am going to change my ways.... The tares are to be left in the field they will bind themselves to gather with their doctrine of men and the devil and will become more and more identifiable as we all ripen and mature both the wheat and the tares so my suggestion is to post a subject identifying the pillars of faith and identifying those doctrines that undermine these pillars of faith. I think that would be more effective a ministry than going around pointing out the tares, those who see spiritual things will see spiritualy who the wheat and tares are with out our having to point one finger. It is the work of the harvest angel to seperate the wheat from the tares, a work that has already begon!

Darwin White

P.S

Oh and I do believe that there is a lot of tareing down of our pillars of faith here and in the church.

quote:

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Originally posted by Eugene Shubert:
I think there’s a whole bunch.

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[This message has been edited by Darwin White (edited 08-12-2000).]

posted 08-12-2000 15:01            

Eugene:

Why should this forum be any different. Wherever God's people gather there is he (satan) in the midst of them. Perhaps better said would be "wherever Jesus is there he is, too." Too bad, but there is a war (Great Controversy) going on!

DLK

posted 08-12-2000 15:16            

Eugene, based on what you said NO. Unless you want to castigate some people and have them removed.
--Doug

posted 08-12-2000 15:18            

Darwin White,

I am not pointing a finger or making any identifications as to the identity of Satan’s agents. But if you wish to so confess, you may post your confession here.

You are in violation of common Christian courtesy. The purpose of this thread is not for you to suggest what a better thread would be. I kindly ask you to remove your comment and to consider reading the thread, Disrupting Threads Devoted To Specific Discussion Topics.

Scripture commands us to confess our faults one to another. If someone wants to participate in this, they have a perfect right to do so. If you have an idea for a better thread, I suggest you follow your own instruction and show me by your example. I don’t think much of your example in disrupting this thread.

posted 08-12-2000 15:21            

Good point Dan but it doesn't answer the question.

posted 08-12-2000 15:34            

Those who answer NO have not read the question. They don't know what this thread is about.

posted 08-12-2000 15:38            

Eugene…You bring up a good point that the Bible and SOP has already answered for you, so this thread will not be short.

“Every unconverted man is fascinated, bewildered, by the bewitching power of the great deceiver. Paul wrote to the Galatians, "Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?" Every person who cherishes a known error, in faith or practice, is under the power of sorcery, and is practicing sorcery upon others. Satan employs him to mislead other souls.” Signs of the Times, May 18, 1882.
Some of this “known error” on this forum will be cherished to the bitter end because that’s the way they were taught. Then Pride of opinion enters in after 30 years under their belt believing that way. But it need not be. “Most difficulties could be cleared up in 5 min. if we would only humble ourselves and say we are sorry’’ . Ed White

posted 08-12-2000 16:20            

Eugene

I find most people on this forum to be very sincere in their convictions. Remember, christ said "would that you were hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm, I shall spew you from my mouth." Almost everyone on this forum is doing what scripture says: "giving a defense of the Gospel." That defense may differ in doctrine here and there, but I've not seen a single soul not proclaiming Jesus as Lord, raised from the dead and returning in glory. There were divisions and factions among the brethren of the first century church; yet, they were regarded as being of one mind. How so? Because though they might have differed in doctrinal views here and there, they all united in the fundamentals of the faith.

Now Paul warns that if someone delivers a gospel other than the gospel he delivered, let that person be accursed. The Gospel EGW presents is radically different than the gospel Paul delievered. What then do you expect bible-believing christians to do when they encounter 'another jesus' and 'another gospel' (when SOME Adventists present it that way)? Who then is the true "agent of Satan"?

[This message has been edited by JamesNew (edited 08-12-2000).]

posted 08-12-2000 16:43            

Eugene, we all expose our thoughts openly on this forum. From such exposure of thoughts we perceive an individual's spiritual beliefs and positions. I have learned quite a bit from those that disagree with me. Thank you for providing the opportunity to provide a quote from a very fine Christian writer, the author of Barclay's Daily Study Bible and other fine spiritual books---
"It is good to have strength of faith without being self-righteous.
It is one of the great tragedies of the Christiain life that very often those whose faith is strongest and most 'evangelical' are quickest to accuse others of heresy, of modernism, of liberalism and to insist that anyone who has not had the same experience as they have had has had no Christian experience at all.
There are--blessed be God!--many ways to God. No man has any monopoly of belief or of experience." --from Barclay's Daily Devotions
---did you ever think that to refer to other Christians as 'satanic' just might be an unloving non-Christian act itself. Are you displaying anger here, it sort of sounds like it.

posted 08-12-2000 17:36            

Has it ever occurred to anyone on this thread that it just might be a respectful Christian act to read a post carefully before answering it?

Has everyone here heard of the Golden Rule?

posted 08-12-2000 19:33         

I think your topic title and this thread is not acceptable even though you have not named any particular indivudual you have implied that some people here are possesed or whatever and that is essentially a personal attack intent on those who may not see your interpretation of things. Sowing generic suspicion and distrust into a SDA community is not productive to God's work.

Also I would suggest you use less sensational and attention getting topic titles. The readers will also respond to the quality of your comments without needing sensationalist titles.

This thread is closed. Sorry, I have to be the bad guy and make these judgements sometimes.