Mysticism


 


"Spiritual darkness has covered the earth and gross darkness the people. There are in many churches skepticism and infidelity in the interpretation of the Scriptures. Many, very many, are questioning the verity and truth of the Scriptures. Human reasoning and the imaginings of the human heart are undermining the inspiration of the Word of God, and that which should be received as granted, is surrounded with a cloud of mysticism. Nothing stands out in clear and distinct lines, upon rock bottom. This is one of the marked signs of the last days."


 


 


1SM 15


 


 


 


"Truth, present truth, is all that the word of God represents it to be. The Lord would have his people keep themselves from all superfluities, from all that tends to mysticism. Let those who are tempted to indulge in fanciful, imaginary doctrines sink the shaft deep into the quarries of heavenly truth, and secure the treasure that means life eternal to the receiver. In the word there are the most precious truths. These will be found by those who study with earnestness; for heavenly angels will direct the search."


 


 SW, April 4, 1905



Could they not receive it (((The Holy Spirit))) and accept it while Jesus was with them on earth?  It is because of the false ideas which are constantly put forth by those who are in error, by those who are in darkness concerning the truth.  The Pharisees, the Jews, the scribes and rulers, were teaching for doctrine the commandments of men, not “the commandments of God,” but “the commandments of men.”


These commandments had become so magnified, and they had listened to the misinterpretation of the scriptures from their rules and teachers so much, that they became confused and it seemed impossible to separate the truth from the error, the mysticism of Satan’s devising; the real from the false, the genuine from the spurious; and it was by constant repetition of the truth and what the truth means that they could get hold of correct ideas of what the Savior meant.  And the Savior was full, oh, full of light and knowledge, and how he longed to communicate this fullness to his disciples; but he said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannon bar them now.”


John 16:12


 


I want to tell you, dear friends, just now prior to the second coming of Christ, you mingle with the earth, you mingle with the world; your business, your cares, your perplexities crowd upon you, the earthly becomes supreme, the heavenly subordinate to the earthly.  Thus it was with the disciples.


 


1SAT 171


 


 


 


Why


 


 


“We need not the mysticism that is in this book.  (((Living Temple)))  Those who entertain these sophistries will soon find themselves in a position where the enemy can talk with them, and led them way from God. It is represented to me that the writer of this book is on a false track.  He has lost sight of the distinguishing truths for this time.  He knows not whither his steps are tending.  The track of truth lies close beside the track of error, and both tracks may seem to be one to minds which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and which, therefore, are not quick to discern the difference between truth and error.


A View Of Danger Approaching


 


About the time that Living Temple was published, there passed before me in the night season, representations indicating that some danger was approaching, and that I must prepare for it by writing out the things God had revealed to me regarding the foundation principles of our faith.  A copy of Living Temple was sent me, but it remained in my library, unread.  From the light given me by the Lord, I knew that some of the sentiments advocated in the book did not bear the endorsement of God, and that they were a snare that the enemy had prepared for the last days.  I thought that surely this would be discerned, and that it would not be necessary for me to say anything about it.”


 


1SM 202  mysticism


 


“There are many who shrink with horror from the thought of consulting spirit mediums, but who are attracted by more pleasing forms of spiritism.  Others are led astray by the teachings of Christian Science, and by the mysticism of Theosophy and other oriental religions.


The apostles of nearly all forms of spiritism claim to have a power to heal.  They attribute this power to electricity, magnetism, the so-called “sympathetic remedies,” or to latent forces within the mind of man. And there are not few in this Christian age, who go to these healers, instead of trusting in the power of the living God and the skill of well qualified physicians.”


 


PK 210