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The Divine Shepherd
The Desire of Ages ^ | 1898 | Ellen White

Posted on 11/04/2025 6:09:43 AM PST by vespa300

“He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.... And the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice.”

The Eastern shepherd does not drive his sheep. He depends not upon force or fear; but going before, he calls them. They know his voice, and obey the call. So does the Saviour-Shepherd with His sheep. The Scripture says, “Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Through the prophet, Jesus declares, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” He compels none to follow Him. “I drew them,” He says, “with cords of a man, with bands of love.” Psalm 77:20; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 11:4.

It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour’s matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary’s cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.

(Excerpt) Read more at m.egwwritings.org ...


TOPICS: General Discusssion; Theology
KEYWORDS: ellenwhite; gospel; jesus; shepherd
2 very compelling points the author makes about Jesus. First, unlike say Cattle, "sheep" are not driven. They follow. The Shepherd does not depend on fear or force. The sheep simply follow him. The Shepherd simply leads.

Jesus is called the good shepherd.

2nd, the author states that it is not the fear of punishment or the hope for reward that leads disciples of Christ to follow him.

They behold his "matchless love." His matchless love through as seen through his pilgrimage on earth, from Bethlehem to the cross. It softens the soul. Awakens the heart, so we hear his voice and follow him.

For over 1000 years a church used force and violence to compel people to worship God. A church that considers itself God on earth...able to forgive people and even change his law. This author writes that God does not operate that way. But it is Satan who does.

Her book "Desire of Ages"......the autobiography of Jesus Christ translated into dozens of languages and read by millions of people. Pointing us to the Bible, to Jesus and to the cross. Amen.

1 posted on 11/04/2025 6:09:43 AM PST by vespa300
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To: vespa300

The author adds this about the Divine Shepherd, our Lord Jesus. Again, pointing us to him and the cross and his love:

Quote from same page referenced above:

As the shepherd goes before his sheep, himself first encountering the perils of the way, so does Jesus with His people. “When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them.” The way to heaven is consecrated by the Saviour’s footprints. The path may be steep and rugged, but Jesus has traveled that way; His feet have pressed down the cruel thorns, to make the pathway easier for us. Every burden that we are called to bear He Himself has borne.

Though now He has ascended to the presence of God, and shares the throne of the universe, Jesus has lost none of His compassionate nature. Today the same tender, sympathizing heart is open to all the woes of humanity. Today the hand that was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His people that are in the world. “And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world. The Saviour would have passed through the agony of Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom. He will never abandon one for whom He has died. Unless His followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast.


2 posted on 11/04/2025 6:21:17 AM PST by vespa300
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To: vespa300

Ellen White?

Posting your SDA dogma written by a vinegar drinking false prophet really doesn’t help your already weak arguments.


3 posted on 11/04/2025 7:44:41 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: vespa300
For over 1000 years a church used force and violence to compel people to worship God. A church that considers itself God on earth...able to forgive people and even change his law.

It's a pathetic religion that can't justify it's teachings without attacking the religion of others especially through lies and distortion of the facts. Such tactics are only an appeal to the ignorant, the hateful, and the bigoted.

4 posted on 11/04/2025 8:44:14 AM PST by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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To: Responsibility2nd

And the author continues with the beautiful statement about God’s love toward us....I think you will be blessed:

Quote:

However much a shepherd may love his sheep, he loves his sons and daughters more. Jesus is not only our shepherd; He is our “everlasting Father.” And He says, “I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me, even as the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father.” John 10:14, 15, R. V. What a statement is this!—the only-begotten Son, He who is in the bosom of the Father, He whom God has declared to be “the Man that is My fellow” (Zechariah 13:7),—the communion between Him and the eternal God is taken to represent the communion between Christ and His children on the earth!


5 posted on 11/04/2025 10:03:14 AM PST by vespa300
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To: fidelis

____It’s a pathetic religion that can’t justify it’s teachings without attacking the religion of others especially through lies and distortion of the facts. Such tactics are only an appeal to the ignorant, the hateful, and the bigoted.___

The foundation of the Seventh day Adventist end time Bible based message is found in Revelation 14, the “3 Angel’s message” where God gives the world one last warning to all people about a false counterfeit spiritual power clearly described in prophecy. Her dates, her characteristics , her history, her geography, her claims, her persecution,.....

And like virtually all other Protestants who came before...we believe this false spritiual world psuedo Christian power will lead the world into perdition. God is warning us to come out of her.....He can do no more.

I’m sorry, it’s not about you ...it’s about a false system..She is the first beast of Revelation 13. And once again....the world is set to marvel after her again. God is warning us about her.....and one difference is clear in Revelation 14:12...those who keep the commandments of God....worshiping the creator....as the Sabbath commemorates....and those united ....virtually all other faiths.....united on common doctrine...the whore and her daughters. Sorry.....it’s just the truth.


6 posted on 11/04/2025 10:12:21 AM PST by vespa300
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To: fidelis

And I believe God used Charlie Kirk to help reveal the seventh day Sabbath to those who want truth.....Bible Truth...not lies or deception of a false spiritual power who thinks herself able to change set times and law. Daniel 7:25.

His book about the 7th day Sabbath is already a best seller and it isn’t even out yet...God used him in a mighty way.


7 posted on 11/04/2025 10:15:12 AM PST by vespa300
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To: vespa300
I’m sorry, it’s not about you ...

I didn't say it was about me. It's about saying untrue and degrading things about other religions in order to prop up an insecure and recently manufactured one based entirely on the writings of one theologically misguided and bigoted woman who was very much a product of her time. Everyone but SDA's can clearly see this.

8 posted on 11/04/2025 10:38:10 AM PST by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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To: fidelis

____I didn’t say it was about me. It’s about saying untrue and degrading things about other religions in order to prop up an insecure and recently manufactured one based entirely on the writings of one theologically misguided and bigoted woman who was very much a product of her time. Everyone but SDA’s can clearly see this.____

The Bible gave us prophecy for a reason. To warn us and for us to study it. It gave us dates, it revealed who the false religious system is. It reveal she’s a power that sits in the very temple of God. It reveals what she would claim to be....God on earth the Vicar of Christ. It even gave us her colors...gold and scarlet/purple.

Prophecy reveals she would attempt to change the law of God....specifically “times and law”...the SAbbath is the only law having to do with time.

The bible declares there would be an end time people who it describes as a “remnant who keep the commandments of God......”....and would have the “spirit of Prophecy”.....Revelation 12:14 and Revelation 17:12, Revelation 19:10.

So this end time commandment keeping remnant would have the gift of prophecy. Part of this gift is to hold on to what was revealed to Reformers such as Luther, Wesley etc.

That the beast power, the great apostate, the great counterfeit system is the one in Rome who claims she can forgive sins, change the law of God, and call herself God on earth, the vicar of Christ. A power that would rule for 1260 years then suffer a wound.....in 1798 the pope was taken captive...but this “deadly” wound would heal.....look at her today.

The world is again marveling after her.

So what Seventh day Adventists teach, is that his counterfeit power is the same one identified by so many protestant reformers before.

Plus present truth on the Sabbath, the state of the dead, spiritualism, the 2nd coming, the judgement, etc.

No other power fits what is in Bible prophecy. None. Zero. A religious superpower that claims to be Christian. Jesus said so deceptive as to fool even the elect if possible.

Perhaps if you understood much of our prophecy is not unique to the Seventh day Adventist church. It is what was taught and believed before by so many Protestants.

Here are some quotes :

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)

“nothing else than the kingdom of Babylon and of very Antichrist. For who is the man of sin and the son of perdition, but he who by his teaching and his ordinances increases the sin and perdition of souls in the church; while he yet sits in the church as if he were God? All these conditions have now for many ages been fulfilled by the papal tyranny.” (Martin Luther, First Principles, pp. 196-197)

Flacius (1570)

“The sixth and last reason for our separation from the pope and his followers be this; By many writings of our church, by the Divinely inspired Word, by prophecies concerning the future and by the special characteristics of the Papacy, it has been profusely and thoroughly proved that the pope with his prelates and clergy is the real true great antichrist, that his kingdom is the real Babylon, a never ceasing fountain and a mother of all abominable idolatry.” (Flacius, Etliche Hochwichtige Ursachen und Grunde, warum das siche alle Christen von dem Antichrist … absondern sollen)

Georg Nigrinus (1530 – 1602)

“The Jesuits claim to be sorely offended and have taken my declarations as an insult and blasphemy in branding the Papacy as the antichrist of which Daniel, Paul, Peter, John and even Christ prophesied. But this is as true as it is that Jesus is the Messiah, and I am prepared to show it even by their own definition of the word ‘antichrist’.” (Translated from “Nigrinus, Antichrists Grundliche Offenbarung” fol. 6v.)

“This Jesuit further contends that the Papacy cannot be antichrist because the Papacy has lasted for centuries, but that the antichrist is supposed to reign only for 3 1/2 years … But no one doubts today that Daniel spoke of YEAR-DAYS, not literal days … The prophetic time-periods of forty-two months, 1260 days, 1, 2, 1/2 times are prophetic, and according to Ezekiel 4, a day must be taken for a year.” (Translated from “Nigrinus, Antichrists Grundliche Offenbarung” fols.28v. 29r.)

John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

“Though it be admitted that Rome was once the mother of all Churches, yet from the time when it began to be the seat of Antichrist it has ceased to be what it was before. Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman Pontiff Antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself, after whom we speak and whose language we adopt .. I shall briefly show that (Paul’s words in II Thess. 2) are not capable of any other interpretation than that which applies them to the Papacy.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol.3, p.149)

John Knox (1505 – 1572)

Yea, to speak it in plain words; lest that we submit ourselves to Satan, thinking that we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ, for, as for your Roman kirk, as it is now corrupted, and the authority thereof, whereon stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt but that it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the pope, to be that man of sin, of whom the apostle speaks.” (John Knox, The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, p.65)

Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1556)

“Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of Antichrist, and the pope to be very antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other scriptures, old writers, and strong reasons.” (Works by Cranmer, vol.1, pp.6-7)

Roger Williams (1603 – 1683)

Pastor Williams spoke of the Pope as “the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himself not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God himself…speaking against the God of heaven, thinking to change times and laws; but he is the son of perdition.” (The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers by Froom, Vol. 3, pg. 52)

The Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) *Not technically a Reformed document

“The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ.” (1689 Baptist Confession of Faith)

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)

“There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalts himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God.” (1646 Westminster Confession of Faith)

John Wesley (1703 – 1791)

“… In many respects, the Pope has an indisputable claim to those titles. He is, in an emphatical sense, the man of sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled, the son of perdition, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers, destroyed innumerable souls, and will himself perish everlastingly. He it is that opposeth himself to the emperor, once his rightful sovereign; and that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped – Commanding angels, and putting kings under his feet, both of whom are called gods in scripture; claiming the highest power, the highest honour; suffering himself, not once only, to be styled God or vice-God. Indeed no less is implied in his ordinary title, “Most Holy Lord,” or, “Most Holy Father.” So that he sitteth – Enthroned. In the temple of God – Mentioned Rev. xi, 1. Declaring himself that he is God – Claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone.” (John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon The New Testament, p.216)

Charles Spurgeon (1834 – 1892) *Not technically a Reformer

“It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Antichrist, and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the popery in the Church of Rome there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name. If there were to be issued a hue and cry for Antichrist, we should certainly take up this church on suspicion, and it would certainly not be let loose again, for it so exactly answers the description.”

“Popery is contrary to Christ’s Gospel, and is the Antichrist, and we ought to pray against it. It should be the daily prayer of every believer that Antichrist might be hurled like a millstone into the flood and for Christ, because it wounds Christ, because it robs Christ of His glory, because it puts sacramental efficacy in the place of His atonement, and lifts a piece of bread into the place of the Saviour, and a few drops of water into the place of the Holy Ghost, and puts a mere fallible man like ourselves up as the vicar of Christ on earth; if we pray against it, because it is against Him, we shall love the persons though we hate their errors: we shall love their souls though we loath and detest their dogmas, and so the breath of our prayers will be sweetened, because we turn our faces towards Christ when we pray.” (Michael de Semlyen, All Roads Lead to Rome)

Rev. J.A.Wylie (1808 – 1890)

“The same line of proof which establishes that Christ is the promised Messiah, conversely applied, establishes that the Roman system is the predicted Apostacy. In the life of Christ we behold the converse of what the Antichrist must be; and in the prophecy of the Antichrist we are shown the converse of what Christ must be, and was. And when we place the Papacy between the two, and compare it with each, we find, on the one hand, that it is the perfect converse of Christ as seen in his life; and on the other, that it is the perfect image of the Antichrist, as shown in the prophecy of him. We conclude, therefore, that if Jesus of Nazareth be the Christ, the Roman Papacy is the Antichrist.” (J.A.Wylie, Preface to “The Papacy is the Antichrist, A Demonstration”).

End quotes.

YOu seem to think this is a unique belief held by Seventh day Adventists. It’s time to be honest with yourself.

And we are not backing down.....not giving in one inch. Most other churches will rejoin you on common doctrine. Sunday is kept by all including Mormons and JWs. Sunday is key...

https://www.semperreformanda.com/creeds/the-reformers-on-who-is-the-antichrist/


9 posted on 11/04/2025 11:13:43 AM PST by vespa300
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To: vespa300

LOL. Providing me misinterpretations of Scripture and giving me the quotes of apostate “Reformers” is not going to convince me. They are, for the most part, almost as in error as the SDAs—except that they, by and large, are not in a quasi-cult.


10 posted on 11/04/2025 11:25:07 AM PST by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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