第四章 新神学与筛选

没有哪班人免于“新神学”荒废的影响，它阴险地破坏了这一历史性教会的几个基本立场。与世界的同化已经为撒旦铺好了路，要混乱数千人的信念，——他们的信念早已被妥协的灵破坏了。混乱与背离还在继续。一场严肃的筛选过程正在把那些心中对真理不甚坚固的人清除出去。然而最大的考验还在我们前头呢。我们所见到的一切都不能与那将要临到的危机相比，那时大多数人要离弃我们。教会看起来似乎要倾倒，再也不能复原；然而当糠秕被风吹散时，真实的基督徒必将保持安全可靠，毫不动摇。

最大的筛选将发生在何处呢？怀姐妹写道：

“许多因其所具有的光辉才华而为我们所欣羡的明星，必在那时出去进入黑暗里。糠秕要象烟云一样被风吹去，即使在现在显为是丰盛的麦场也要如此。”——《证言卷五》，81面

对于这临近的重创，这是一个多么富有戏剧性的描绘啊！并且何等激励我们每一个人要做更深刻地献身啊！我们中没有一个人需要留在糠秕的烟云里。哦，我们何等需要将自己隐藏在基督里，全神贯注于渴慕祂持久的临格！惟有里面的圣灵才能预备我们面对那可怕的试炼时辰。我们中不应有人倚靠其他人来获得属灵的力量或教义的正解。我们必须亲自明白真理，并能够把每一次证道置于上帝的圣言之下接受检验。而且，我们与基督的个人关系必须成为每日凭信而行的源头。

现在正是时候了——也是我们将有的唯一时候——我们的心思要贮存有圣言的宝贵忠告。我们所有的教义与生活实践，都必须基于我们个人的读经灵修所吸收的，而不是教会的声明。有许多忠心的牧师正发出警告，但也有些却与老底嘉大多数人一起屈服了。我们已经得到警告，错误的教义将侵袭我们自己教会的讲台。

请思考这一灵感之言：

“许多人要站在我们的讲台上，手里拿着假预言的火把，是从撒但地狱般的火把点燃的。”——《给传道人的证言》，P409，410

当这些异端被大胆宣讲之时，上帝也将对等地兴起真理教义的勇敢的捍卫者来。基督的这些忠心的仆人将带着无畏的热诚，挑战每一出现在高处与低处的真理的腐化现象。在圣灵大能的动工下，正是对于谬误的这一公开无偏见的揭露将引起大摇动。

谁是那些上帝将要用之宣讲这一必要促成麦子与糠秕分开的直截证言的人呢？上帝的仆人给出了答案：

“那些信赖智力、天赋或才能之人，那时必不会站在民众队列的最前面。他们没有与光并驾齐驱…在最后严肃的工作中，很少有伟大人物参加其间。他们自满自足，不倚靠上帝，祂就不能使用他们。主有忠心的仆人，他们在大摇动的试炼时期将显现出来。”——《证言卷五》，80面

“祂必呼召农民和其他各种职业的人，叫他们去将这最后的警告传给将亡的世人。”——《证言卷九》，170面

“及至这个信息[第三位天使的信息]以最大的能力传开的时候，上帝要用卑微的器皿为祂作工…这些工人的资格多半出于圣灵的恩膏，而少由于学校的训练。大有信心和恒切祷告的人要受激奋而以圣洁的热忱出去宣讲上帝所交给他们的信息。巴比伦的罪恶都要暴露出来。”——《善恶之争》，606面

“祂会从普通的人中兴起男男女女来从事祂的工作，正如在古时祂呼召渔夫做祂的门徒一样。”——《给罗马琳达的信息完整本》，83面

上帝最后警告的呼召被命名为“以利亚的信息”是有原因的。对撒旦最后欺骗的无畏的揭发，必须由那些大摇动过后留下来的忠心之人作成。正如旧约那位提斯比的先知大胆发言反对与异教太阳崇拜的妥协一样，现代的以利亚信息也必须揭露撒旦代理人迂回曲折的工作――将太阳日与基督徒崇拜合并在一起。正如约翰借着大胆地宣讲反对希律不合法的婚姻实现了对以利亚的预表一样，余民也要大胆反对罪的各种丑恶分支。

CHAPTER 4 NEW THEOLOGY AND THE SIFTING

No class was spared from the desolating influence of the "new theology" which subtly undermined several basic positions of the historic church. Worldly conformity had paved the way for Satan to confuse the minds of thousands whose convictions had already been damaged by the spirit of compromise. The confusion and falling away continues. A serious sifting process is weeding out many whose hearts have not been firm for the truth. But the greatest testis still just before us. We have seen nothing compared to that approaching crisis when the majority will forsake us. It will seem as though the church might fall and never recover, but the true Christians will remain secure and unshaken while the chaff is blown away.

Where will the greatest sifting occur? Sister White wrote:

"Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat." Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 81.

What a dramatic portrayal of the approaching trauma, and how it challenges every one of us to a deeper commitment! Not a soul among us needs to be in that cloud of chaff. Oh, how we need to hide ourselves in Christ and be consumed with a hunger for His abiding presence. It is only the Holy Spirit within who can groom us for that terrible hour of test. Not one of us should depend on any other human being for spiritual strength or doctrinal integrity. We must know the truth for ourselves and be able to put every sermon to the test of God's Word. Furthermore, our personal relationship with Christ must be the source of our daily walk of faith.

Now is the time-and the only time we will have-to store our minds with the precious counsels of the Word. All our doctrines and life practices must be based upon what we have drawn from personal Bible study, rather than pronouncements of the church. There are many faithful pastors who are sounding the alarm, but some are bending with the Laodicean majority. We have been warned that false doctrine will invade the pulpits of our own churches.

Consider this inspired statement:

"Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan." Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 409, 410.

At the same time such heresies are being boldly proclaimed, God will raise up equally bold defenders of the true doctrine. With fearless zeal, these faithful servants of Christ will challenge every corruption of truth which appears in high places or low. It is this open, impartial exposure of error, under the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit, which will cause the shaking.

Who are those men whom God will use to proclaim the straight testimony which will precipitate the separation of wheat and chaff? The answer is given by God's servant:

"Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. . . . In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view." Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 80.

"He will call men from the plow and from other occupations to give the last note of warning to perishing souls." Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 170.

"As the time comes for it [the third angel's message] to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments.. . . The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open." The Great Controversy, p. 606.

"He will raise up from among the common people, men and women to do His work, even as of old He called fishermen to be His disciples." Unabridged Loma Linda Messages, p. 83.

There is a reason for the last warning call of God to be designated "the Elijah message." The fearless exposure of Satan's final deceptions must be done by the faithful survivors of the shaking. Just as the Old Testament Tishbite prophet spoke boldly against compromising with pagan sun worship, so the modern Elijah message will expose the devious work of Satan's agents to amalgamate the day of the sun with Christian worship. Just as John fulfilled the type of Elijah by his courageous preaching against Herod's unlawful marriage alliance, so the remnant will speak out against sin in all of its ugly ramifications.