The Alpha/Omega Apostasy

As Seventh Day Adventist Christians we know that the Great Tribulation that Jesus Christ spoke of in Matthew ch.24 and the "great falling away [apostasy]" that the apostle Paul spoke of in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 had their fulfillment in the 1260 year prophetic period of time. A time of Papal persecution. [To read about this with fuller understanding click here]

But is there yet a final apostasy? A deception of the worst kind?

How many of you have heard of the New Age Movement? It is basically spiritualism in modern form. It is the study and practice of metaphysical science [a false and satanic science]. It basically amounts to the practices of the occult.

Adventist Christian author Ellen G. White warned against spiritualism which had it's roots in the false Roman teaching of the "immortality of the soul". The idea of ghosts, poltergeists, and reincarnation. The idea that the dead can be contacted through mediums. These practices still go on today through such movements as WICA and secret society practices.

Let's look at some of the warnings about spiritualism given by Sister White in her book, "The Great Controversy";

"When they have been led to believe that the dead actually return to communicate with them, Satan causes those to appear who went into the grave unprepared. They claim to be happy in heaven and even to occupy exalted positions there, and thus the error is widely taught that no difference is made between the righteous and the wicked. The pretended visitants from the world of spirits sometimes utter cautions and warnings which prove to be correct. Then, as confidence is gained, they present doctrines that directly undermine faith in the Scriptures." [GC,p.552]

"Many endeavor to account for spiritual manifestations by attributing them wholly to fraud and sleight of hand on the part of the medium. But while it is true that the results of trickery have often been palmed off as genuine manifestations, there have been, also, marked exhibitions of supernatural power." [GC,p.553]

"Satan beguiles men now as he beguiled Eve in Eden by flattery, by kindling a desire to obtain forbidden knowledge, by exciting ambition for self-exaltation. It was cherishing these evils that caused his fall, and through them he aims to compass the ruin of men. "Ye shall be as gods," he declares, "knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5. Spiritualism teaches "that man is the creature of progression; that it is his destiny from his birth to progress, even to eternity, toward the Godhead." And again: "Each mind will judge itself and not another." "The judgment will be right, because it is the judgment of self. . . . The throne is within you." Said a spiritualistic teacher, as the "spiritual consciousness" awoke within him: "My fellow men, all were unfallen demigods." And another declares: "Any just and perfect being is Christ." [GC,p.554]

"It is true that spiritualism is now changing its form and, veiling some of its more objectionable features, is assuming Christian guise. But its utterances from the platform and the press have been before the public for many years, and in these its real character stands revealed. These teachings cannot be denied or hidden." [GC,p.557,558]

"Many will be confronted by the spirits of devils personating beloved relatives or friends and declaring the most dangerous heresies. These visitants will appeal to our tenderest sympathies and will work miracles to sustain their pretensions. We must be prepared to withstand them with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything and that they who thus appear are the spirits of devils. " [GC,p.560]

"Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden: "Ye shall not surely die." "In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4, 5. Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time. Says the prophet: "I saw three unclean spirits like frogs; . . . they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Revelation 16:13, 14. Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God." [GC,p.561,562]

So we see from her writings that she was not only concerned about the false teaching of spirtualism but she also saw it's deceptive power and how Satan would use this false teaching to corrupt churches and deceive many.

Now, here is something of vital importance for Christian's to understand! Please read carefully and do not take this subject lightly. Before we look at this statement from the pen of Ellen G. White I would like to ask you some questions. Do you believe in the immortality of the soul? Or is everlasting life a gift from God? Do you play with magic of any kind? Are you reading books that promote spiritualism of any sort? Do you believe that you have some special power? Do you read self-help books and replace your love for God with self-esteem and personal entertainment?

Now let as look at what is coming, the final "threefold union"....that which is to deceive the world!

"Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience."

"As spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Christianity of the day, it has greater power to deceive and ensnare. Satan himself is converted, after the modern order of things. He will appear in the character of an angel of light. Through the agency of spiritualism, miracles will be wrought,the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power."

"The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world loves and are ready to join with them, and Satan determines to unite them in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium. " [from GC,p.588,589]

Wow! Did you read that carefully? Is this not already happening?

We will now look at when this great deception, the Alpha of this final apostasy began to enter the true Christian church. Late in the history of the Adventist Church a man by the name of John Harvey Kellogg, founder of the famous "Kelloggs Corn Flakes", became a Seventh Day Adventist Christian. As a matter of fact his cereal was the result of his study of the Adventist Health Message. In this sense it was your friendly neighborhood Adventist Christians who invented breakfast cereal.

Under his leadership the Seventh Day Adventist Battle Creek Sanitarium received fame at the turn of the century. But something happened to Mr. Kellogg. Perhaps fame and fortune? He turned away from his Christian faith and claimed he had received "new light". His view of God in the late 1890's became pantheistic. He influenced other Adventist's in this area and actually gave a talk about it at the General Conference of 1899 in South Lancaster Massachusetts.

At the time Ellen G. White was in Australia doing missionary work. She had heard about this misfortune and a month before had written warning messages to the church about this sad circumstance.

Kellogg eventually wrote a book that shared his "new light" titled; "The Living Temple". This book was full of false doctrine under the guise of "christianity". The finished manuscript was full of his erroneous ideas that had their origin in spiritualistic, pantheistic philosophy.

Ellen G. White later wrote: "In the book 'Living Temple' there is presented the alpha of deadly heresies. The omega will follow, and will be received by those who are not willing to heed the warning God has given." Selected Messages, vol. 1, 200.

She went on in some of her letters to address his errors specificully. Ellen G. White called Kellogg's "new light" a move for a false reformation:

"The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure." Selected Messages, vol. 1, 204, 205.

So there it is. We could say that since the 1900's the New Age movement truly began it's attack on the church. Since then many false theories have come up regarding the nature of Christ and the Bible. Numerous TV documentaries attacking the validity of the Scriptures and stories about the "secret Christ" are being fed to the masses.

Remember, sister White warned; "We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature." [Testimonies, Series B, no.2,p.16]

So what is the "omega" of this final apostasy? Many Adventist Christians believe that it has to do with all the UFO and ET phenomenon. We know that it will include spiritualism, modern metaphysical "science" and "lying signs and wonders".

Ellen G. White warned;

"As in the days of the apostles men tried by tradition and philosophy to destroy faith in the Scriptures, so today, by the pleasing sentiments of higher criticism, evolution, spiritualism, theosophy, and pantheism, the enemy of righteousness is seeking to lead souls into forbidden paths. To many the Bible is as a lamp without oil, because they have turned their minds into channels of speculative belief that bring misunderstanding and confusion. The work of higher criticism, in dissecting, conjecturing, reconstructing, is destroying faith in the Bible as a divine revelation. It is robbing God's word of power to control, uplift, and inspire human lives."—Acts of Apostles, p. 474.

So what will your choice be? The facts of this final deception are here, laid before you. Choose wisely.

Written by; Eric W. King [December 25,2007]