30 August 2001 Editorial:
Roll Over and Die

With all the tact and Christianity we can muster, still let us manfully resist the temptation to be passive in the face of our intended destruction.

Larry Kirkpatrick

Recently one whom I know shared a draft of a document I was working on with another person I know . The counsel, I am told, was to rip up the paper and let it drop. I believe this counsel was well-intentioned. In fact, a series of concerns led me to change my approach to the point then at hand. Nevertheless, there is a question we all need to face: Will we contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, or will we just roll over and die?

Every time we let a dangerous new pit recently dug in Adventism remain uncovered, unmarked, and unhindered, and permit its diggers to move on and dig another, usually deeper and more destructive hole, we are, by our passivity, rolling over and dying. We are letting this beloved message be beset by its would-be destroyers. The vultures would like to settle upon the carcass. Now, there isn't a carcass to settle on. Not yet. But if we are not faithful there could be.

We need to be active my brothers and sisters--active in defending the faith, active in propagating Adventism. For long years we have been treading the water, letting many and sundry issues pile up around us while often leaving them in unresolved state. The stacks are growing tall and still we have persisted in an overly gentle approach. Have we been cognizant that forces in our midst seek our destruction? That is, there are forces now operating within the formal church structure that are unequivocally and irrevocably hostile to this faith. Their midterm goal is to revise Adventism, preparatory to implementing its complete dissolution.

Their relationship to the life-changing message of Seventh-day Adventism is parasitical. They ride the back of the beast while they sink their fangs deep amidst gushing blood and boiling wounds. They ride in her employ while they tear at the vitals. It is an astonishing situation.

I've sometimes heard it said that certain "independent" ministries have done the same to the church. There are those who try to pry members away from the soul-restoring message we bear and siphon them off into their little groups that teach who knows what. And yet many in self-supporting ministries are there because they are trying to uphold the real message of Adventism, but have not been welcomed to do so within the structure. Some of the strongest advocates and defenders of the authentic message today are in self-supporting ministries. How I thank God for these faithful souls, running against the worldly tide, seeking to do right! They have not always found a welcome nor have their methods always been in all respects as sound as they could. But neither have those of the denomination!

What some of us employed by the denomination need to remember is that it is often in frustration--often a justified frustration, that such groups have arisen. Sometimes those in leadership come to view themselves as always being right. Actually, we might make mistakes on occasion here and there, but when it comes to interacting with the "disgruntled" conservative Adventists, somehow we think we are always right. God have mercy upon us for such thoughts or actions.

May I share my conviction? That if we will do Adventism, much dissatisfaction will vanish and the cause will move forward. Let's all of us team together and do a pointed, unquestionably Adventist work. If this isn't our program we should leave, plain and simple. This is a matter of integrity. In fact, if we are not willing to fight--to defend the precious treasure committed to us, then we should leave; go do something else. But don't undermine from within that which has been built up at such cost.

But if we believe, how can we just roll over and die? We are too used to passive defense against a destructive and invasive and active disease. Rather, let us be active in teaching the distinctive points of our faith. Let us be proactive in studying them and considering whether they are truly worth defending and if so, then from which point of the compass the next attack most likely will come. This is part of our work. If we are watchmen on the wall.

God grant us that we shall never roll over and die.

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