False Tests and Man-Made Standards
Teach Fundamental Truths—Those who would labor in word
and doctrine, should be firmly established in the truth before they are
authorized to go out into the field to teach others. The truth, pure and
unadulterated, must be presented to the people. It is the third angel’s
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message that bears the true test to the people. Satan will lead men
to manufacture false tests, and thus seek to obscure the value of, and
make of none effect, the message of truth.
The commandment of God that has been almost universally made
void, is the testing truth for this time.... The time is coming when all
those who worship God will be distinguished by this sign. They will
be known as the servants of God, by this mark of their allegiance to
Heaven. But all man-made tests will divert the mind from the great
and important doctrines that constitute the present truth.
It is the desire and plan of Satan to bring in among us those who
will go to great extremes—people of narrow minds, who are critical
and sharp, and very tenacious in holding their own conceptions of
what the truth means. They will be exacting, and will seek to enforce
rigorous duties, and go to great lengths in matters of minor importance,
while they neglect the weightier matters of the law—judgment and
mercy and the love of God. Through the work of a few of this class
of persons, the whole body of Sabbathkeepers will be designated as
bigoted, Pharisaical, and fanatical. The work of the truth, because of
these workers, will be thought to be unworthy of notice.
God has a special work for the men of experience to do. They are
to guard the cause of God. They are to see that the work of God is
not committed to men who feel it their privilege to move out on their
own independent judgment, to preach whatever they please, and to be
responsible to no one for their instructions or work. Let this spirit of
self-sufficiency once rule in our midst, and there will be no harmony
of action, no unity of spirit, no safety for the work, and no healthful
growth in the cause. There will be false teachers, evil workers who
will, by insinuating error, draw away souls from the truth. Christ
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