Alpha and Omega heresy : A term Ellen White used...

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What is the Alpha and Omega heresy? Especially important for us living in the end of time.

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. {1SM 197.4



I am given a message to bear to you and the rest of our physicians who are connected with the Medical Missionary Association. Separate from the influence exerted by the book Living Temple; for it contains specious sentiments. There are in it sentiments that are entirely true, but these are mingled with error. Scriptures are taken out of their connection, and are used to uphold erroneous theories. {1SM 199.1



As a people, we are to stand firm on the platform of eternal truth that has withstood test and trial. We are to hold to the sure pillars of our faith. The principles of truth that God has revealed to us are our only true foundation. They have made us what we are. The lapse of time has not lessened their value. It is the constant effort of the enemy to remove these truths from their setting, and to put in their place spurious theories. He will bring in everything that he possibly can to carry out his deceptive designs. But the Lord will raise up men of keen perception, who will give these truths their proper place in the plan of God. {1SM 201.2}
I have been instructed by the heavenly messenger that some of the reasoning in the book Living Temple is unsound, and that this reasoning would lead astray the minds of those who are not thoroughly established on the foundation principles of present truth. It introduces that which is nought but speculation in regard to the personality of God and where His presence is. No one on this earth has a right to speculate on this question. The more fanciful theories are discussed, the less men will know of God and of the truth that sanctifies the soul. {1SM 201.3}

ROB: Notice two errors:

(1) personality of God

(2) Where His presence is

One and another come to me, asking me to explain the positions taken in Living Temple. I reply, “They are unexplainable.” The sentiments expressed do not give a true knowledge of God. All through the book are passages of Scripture. These scriptures are brought in in such a way that error is made to appear as truth. Erroneous theories are presented in so pleasing a way that unless care is taken, many will be misled. {1SM 202.1}




The spiritualistic theories regarding the personality of God, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy.

In the course of our labors, my husband and I visited Father Andrews, [See note on page 206.] who was suffering intensely with inflammatory rheumatism. We prayed for him. I laid my hands on his head, and said, “Father Andrews, the Lord Jesus maketh thee whole.” He was healed instantly. He got up, and walked about the room, praising God, and saying, “I never saw it on this wise before. Angels of God are in this room.” The glory of the Lord was revealed. Light seemed to shine all through the house, and an angel’s hand was laid upon my head. From that time to this I have been able to understand the Word of God. {1SM 207.2}

ROB: Notice how faith is presented in Ellen White amid this topic on Alpha and Omega heresies.

ROB” From page 31 of Kellogg’s Living Temple

“so there is a present in the tree, a power which creates and maintains it, a tree-maker in the tree, a flower-maker in the flower, - a divine architect who understands every law of proportion, an infinite artist who possess a limitless power of expression in color and form; ...”

EGW: "(The Living Temple) introduces that which is nought but speculation in regard to the personality of God and where His presence is. No one on this earth has a right to speculate on this question. The more fanciful theories are discussed, the less men will know of God and of the truth that sanctifies the soul. {1SM 201.3}

ROB” I agree. Some things are too high for us, a Q question, we should leave alone. The Grand Medium is the correct term for the “ruwach” in Hebrew, and is defined as “something that carries something”, so the Power of the Father is carried by the Holy Spirit, is already conflicting with Kellogg’s view. I suggest people study Ellen White English words “agent” and “medium” and see what these words mean regarding the Holy Spirit.

What constitutes the sin against the Holy Ghost? It is willfully attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. For example, suppose that one is a witness of the special work of the Spirit of God. He has convincing evidence that the work is in harmony with the Scriptures, and the Spirit witnesses with his spirit that it is of God. Afterward, however, he falls under temptation; pride, self-sufficiency, or some other evil trait, controls him; and rejecting all the evidence of its divine character, he declares that that which he had before acknowledged to be the power of the Holy Spirit was the power of Satan. It is through the medium of His Spirit that God works upon the human heart; and when men willfully reject the Spirit and declare it to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. By denying the evidence which God has been pleased to give them, they shut out the light which had been shining in their hearts, and as the result they are left in darkness. Thus the words of Christ are verified: “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:23. For a time, persons who have committed this sin may appear to be children of God; but when circumstances arise to develop character and show what manner of spirit they are of, it will be found that they are on the enemy’s ground, standing under his black banner.92 {CCh 81.1}

God is love. The love of the Father and the Son is an attribute of every believer. The Word of God is the channel through which divine love is communicated to man. God’s truth is the medium by which the intellect is reached. The Holy Spirit is given to the human agent who works in cooperation with divine agencies. It transforms mind and character, enabling man to endure as seeing Him who is invisible. Perfect love can be enjoyed only through the belief of the truth and the reception of the Holy Spirit.... {OFC 294.2}


I marvel that professing Christians do not grasp the divine resources, that they do not see the cross more clearly as the medium of forgiveness and pardon, the means of bringing the proud, selfish heart of man into direct contact with the Holy Spirit, that the riches of Christ may be poured into the mind, and the human agent be adorned with the graces of the Spirit, that Christ may be commended to those who know Him not.—The Signs of the Times, September 24, 1902. {RC 17.6

Three and a half years of public ministry was all that the world could bear of the Son of God. Then they crucified Him. The heavenly vine was taken and transplanted on the other side of the wall. But the heavenly boughs hang over this side of the wall. Christ is still with us in his representative, the Holy Spirit. Through this medium communication is kept up between heaven and earth, between God and man. And we must be careful not to destroy this communication, lest we be overcome. {EA 154.5}


The divine agency is constantly working upon the human agent, and here the divine agency is indispensable. God alone can impart the Holy Spirit, making it a transforming power unto the saving of the soul. Faith is termed the gift of God, and God opens the heart to receive the Word. The Holy Spirit of God produces its effect through the medium of truth. Jesus prayed for His disciples, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” [Verse 17.] {Lt12-1894.


The comfort of the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The measure of the love of God to man is found in Christ. He is the medium through which the knowledge of the love of God is imparted. John writes, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16

ROB” Both the HS and Jesus function as mediums. Both are termed comforters.



Mrs White terms this error an Alpha heresy . It sparks of Pantheism.

Notice the errors coming into the church during Acts from Gnostic teachings, that also included Pantheism.

John speaks against Gnostic teachings:

1Jo 4:1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Gnostic teachings have different ideas on the nature of Jesus Christ. Some say Jesus was an expression of the Father, rather than a co-eternal member of the God-head.

Paul also speaks against Gnosis teachings:

1Ti 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science “Gnosis” falsely so called:
21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen

It is my understanding the Omega heresy will also be a rise of Gnostic teachings, after many books were discovered since 1945, and many will come to follow Gnostic thought.

One of the major differences in Gnostic thinking is about the way humans are saved. The Gnostic speak of a superior level of mental assent in which the believer believes and the power of the Holy Spirit empowers the believer.

It is my concern over the past twenty years Gnostic thinking has infiltrated into the SDA church regarding salvation based on faith, which is different to the faith Ellen White understood. Since we have forgotten Righteousness by Faith as A/ T Jones taught this in 1888, we have since done what is right in our own eyes, and established a system of faith much as Israel did so long ago:

Ro 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

We need to get back to genuine faith and support Jesus correctly through faith in His power.

Shalom

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Mrs White used this term to explain the Omega and Alpha heresies.


One and another come to me, asking me to explain the positions taken in Living Temple. I reply, “They are unexplainable.”

Why is Gnosticism unexplainable as a religion and belief? Because it is so confusing as a writing and a belief.

Such a writing confuses the mind and is very different to conservative religions.

Here is some Quotes of Gnostic writings, I have found especially concerning:-

www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/the-pistis-sophia-an-introduction

Notice some SDA tell signs of the Omega heresy:

I quote the introduction:

"For over two centuries the third-century Gnostic text known as the Pistis Sophia has eluded students and scholars of the esoteric tradition, who have struggled to apprehend the important message that this text veils. Over the years scholars have either expressed their frustration at its impenetrable language or just advanced broad descriptions of the text, without venturing analytical or hermeneutic comments. This has happened even with some of the most respected scholars in the field, such as Jean Doresse, author of The Secret Books of the Egyptian Gnostics; Kurt Rudolph, author of Gnosis: The Nature and History of Gnosticism; and Wilhelm Schneemelcher, editor of the standard edition of the New Testament Apocrypha."

Warning: If you are not of strong faith, I do not recommend reading this link, or exploring Gnostic writings yourself. Nor do I recommend reading Gnostic writings for too long.

I quote: "In Brazil in 1997, the author of this article published a version of the Pistis Sophia with suggested interpretations of the text and a summary of the cosmology of the work, with the help of some little-known notes of Blavatsky (Blavatsky, "Pistis Sophia").

Blavatsky was a prophet so called during Ellen White's time, and wrote much as well, all full of dysfunction, material I would never be tempted to read. Funny during 1844 we have two female prophets, Ellen White and Blavatsky Black, as I will term her in order to show readers the contrast. Both wrote huge volumes of material.

I quote again "After several incidents with the entities of the lower planes, Jesus finds Pistis Sophia (whose name means "Faith Wisdom") below the Thirteenth Aeon, her original home. (Aeons, from the Greek aion or "age," are, in this text, entities governing zones of existence, or planes of consciousness, between heaven and earth.) She was alone, without her consort..."

I have shown readers enough to prove Gnostic writings are wrong.

Question: Can the Holy Spirit "leave her consort" ? according to the Bible, and do some creating "on her own"? NO

So this one error is sufficient to dismiss all the Gnostic writings as false teachings.

Question: Where does the Bible in the King James version present the Holy Spirit as a "Her" ? and in ignorance not as the SDA see the Holy Spirit as a "He"?

Mt 11:16 ¶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Who is "wisdom" ?

Pr 1:7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

GOD gives us two gifts of teachings, "instructions" from the heavenly Provider and "teachings" from the heavenly Responder.

First let me prove to you the Hebrew word "ab" is a fuzzy translation, it's OK, but its a Greek translation, specific and narrow, as the King James did not have total access to Hebrew manuscripts, they had access to Greek manuscripts.

Ps 22:4 Our fathers trusted in thee:
Song 6:11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley,

Now dear readers what English word means a father and a fruit, but cannot mean both? Meaning a father is never a fruit.

Ancient Hebrew words should always have a single basic meaning, which is broad.

Try this broader meaning for AB

Ps 22:4 Our providers trusted in thee:
Song 6:11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the providers of the valley,

And notice a father cannot be a fruit, but can be a provider
Fruits are also providers but can never be a father.

So "AB" really means a Provider, and can in the context of earthly things refer to a father. So the Most High Strong Authority functions as a heavenly provider.

This aligns with the Hebrew understanding of love. There are two Hebrew words for love, not one as in English. So there is the Most High showing "providing love".

Now once we establish this principle of learning Scripture, the other members of the God-head reflect this love principle. 

For more see studies on love: spiritualsprings.org/ss-1518.htm

So the Holy Spirit as a simile we term mother, would be one with "responding love".

When these two styles of loving come together as one fountain of love we have fully completed divine love. So never can the Holy Spirit "leave her consort".

Notice the Scriptures when Jesus-YHWH was creating our Creation:

Pr 8:22 ¶ The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

The LORD here is Father-YHWH, and the "me" is the Son-YHWH, who was before the works of eternity as the Scripture says.

Pr 8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

The "I" here is wisdom, a reference to the Holy Spirit, written in Proverbs as a Responder in feminine language.

Where does the Scripture speak of the Holy Spirit with Jesus during Creation?

Ps 33:6 By the word of the JESUS-LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath (ruwach "Holy Spirit")  of his mouth.

When Jesus spoke the word, the Holy Spirit responded and took the power of the Father allowing the power of Creation to do as Jesus asked for this, a function of faith also during Creation.

It is my two pennies that love is only generated within the community setting of Divinity. And thus the Gnostic teachings are wrong and therefore all of it is wrong.

Now the most subtle false teaching of the Gnosticism is faith. They say all one has to do to be saved is believe:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)

However this verse should read as the Hebrew teaches the verse to read:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever "begins-faith" in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (Ancient Hebrew translation)

In the Greek the word under believe is pisteuo, a family of words also like pistis, meaning faith. Lucky for us, this is the same idea in the Hebrew, there is a family of faith words all to do with faith such as Amanah and Aman. The simplest word for faith is Man, and in Greek is the word Manna.

How many people understand faith in our salvation process?

Sadly the Seventh Day Adventist Church has no baptismal pillar of faith, and thus we are baptised without understanding what true faith is. The other 28 fundamentals of our Creed are meaningless unless we understand what faith is, ie: genuine faith.

Shalom