Heavenly Visions

THE TRUE AND THE FALSE PROPHETS

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

In his word the Lord has given explicit rules by which true prophets may be known. We have already learned that all true prophets will speak in harmony with the law of God, and the testimony of his word. By looking at the testimony of the apostle John, we find two more rules. One of these describes the teachings of true prophets, the other the character of the false. He says: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 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.” 1 John 4:1-3. HEVI 39.1

Note carefully the foregoing scripture. It does not say that whosoever confesseth that Jesus Christ “did come in the flesh,” but “is COME in the flesh;” that is, that he now comes, by his Spirit, and dwells in us, in response to our faith. This, in fact, is the central truth of the gospel, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:27. HEVI 39.2

The practical theme found in all the writings of Sister White is the necessity of Christ as an indwelling Saviour if we would make any advancement in the heavenly way. Her writings teach the necessity of Christ first, last, and all the time. As an illustration of this fact, attention is called to her book, “Steps to Christ,” of which more than one hundred thousand copies have been sold in the English language, to say nothing of the thousands of copies sold in the other eighteen languages in which it is now printed. A Presbyterian minister, having read that book, ordered over three hundred copies for his church members and friends, and said, “This book was written by some one who is well acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ.” HEVI 39.3

John gives us a rule for detecting false prophets. This we might designate in our notation as rule three. Speaking of the false prophets, the apostle says: “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.” 1 John 4:5. This shows that the teaching of the false prophets will pander to the carnal heart, instead of exalting the self-denying and cross-bearing way. False prophets will teach “smooth things,” instead of exalting the “Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 30:10, 11. Any one who reads even a few pages of the writings of Sister White can see that they are in the line of self-denial and cross-bearing, not of a nature to please a worldly, carnal heart. HEVI 39.4

In tracing the subject still further, we will take, as a fourth rule, the words of the apostle James: “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.” James 5:10. When we read of the experiences of those ancient prophets, we learn that one of the greatest of their trials was to see Israel reject, or go contrary to, the plain testimonies borne to them. A brief study of those times will show at once the character of both true and false prophets. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Harken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:16. HEVI 39.5

There is nothing in the writings of Sister White to make the reader vain; but, as expressed by another, “I have received great spiritual benefit times without number from the Testimonies. Indeed, I never read them without feeling reproved for my lack of faith in God, lack of devotion, and lack of earnestness in saving souls.” Surely, then, the effect of Sister White’s Testimonies is vastly different from that of the teaching of false prophets, as described in Jeremiah. HEVI 39.6

The prophet tells us also how false prophets will teach: “They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.” Jeremiah 23:17. HEVI 39.7

As to the nature of Sister White’s teachings in her Testimonies, I will quote the following words from a careful reader: “I have read all her Testimonies through and through, most of them many times, and I have never been able to find one immoral sentence in the whole of them, or anything that is not strictly pure and Christian; nothing that leads any one from the Bible or from Christ; but there I find the most earnest appeals to obey God, to love Jesus, to believe the Scriptures, and to search them constantly. Such nearness to God, such earnest devotion, such solemn appeals to live a holy life, can only be prompted by the Spirit of God.” The Review and Herald, October 10, 1899. HEVI 39.8