What does EGW write about...
Ellen Gould White über: "The mysticism of the church addresses the unconverted person."
Answer
A religion that focuses on outward appearances, splendor, and ceremonies exerts a seductive attraction on the unrenewed heart. People without personal experience with Christ tend to adopt the forms of godliness without its inner power, as this conforms to their human desires. Only those who stand firmly on the foundation of truth and whose hearts have been renewed by the Spirit of God are protected against these deceptive influences.
The Temptation through Outward Forms
A religion of outwardness is attractive to the unrenewed heart. The splendor and ceremony of the Catholic worship have a seductive, enthralling power by which many are deceived; and they begin to view the Roman Church as the gate to heaven. No one except those who have firmly placed their feet on the foundation of truth and whose hearts have been renewed by the Spirit of God is protected against its influence. Thousands who have no experiential knowledge of Christ are enticed to adopt the forms of godliness without the power. Such a religion is exactly what the masses desire.
Danger from Unconverted Church Members
There are in the congregation unordained, unconverted men and women who think more about preserving their own dignity and their own opinions than about the salvation of their fellow creatures; and Satan works upon them to stir up difficulties that consume the preacher's time and labor, and many souls are lost as a result.
The Warning against Spiritual Deception
Some will fall away from the faith and give ear to seductive spirits. I have been shown how these spirits operate, and I have been commissioned to tell those who fall away from the faith that they are living out the same spiritual deception that we have had to encounter at various times during our experience. We cannot harmonize with those who harbor the spirit and mindset of the enemy of God.
- Religious forms without power
- Temptation of the unrenewed heart
- Outward splendor and ceremonies
Original Sources (English)
Loading...
