WHO CARES FOR THE OTHER LOST SHEEP?
Don Hawley
Virtually every Christian knows about the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and realizes the tender concern Christ has for every one of his flock that is "lost" in one way or another. I believe there is one category of "lost sheep" that is being almost totally neglected; I'd like to challenge those with a shepherd's heart to consider this group.
Since the great majority of members of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination do not comprehend the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ, but are caught up in salvation by works, they definitely qualify as "lost sheep." This in spite of the fact that they see themselves as more knowledgeable in spiritual matters than all others out there in "Babylon." Do these blinded sheep deserve our prayers and attention? Of course; but according to 2 Corin. 3:12-18, at any given time most of them are not open to truth beyond what they already know or believe. (See my article entitled "Ministering to SDAs.") So if we expend most of our time and energy on this group our ministry will be largely unfruitful.
The Seventh-day Adventist denomination claims more than eleven million members around the world. We know this figure is highly inflated, but whatever the true count it involves millions of people. The denomination presently is divided into four major camps:
1. Historical SDAs
2. Mainstream SDAs
3. Progressive SDAs
4.Evangelical SDAs
The first two groups are, at this time anyway, almost unreachable. The third group, has had its eyes opened. Progressive SDAs have realized the sad condition of the organization, and have boldly pointed out the weaknesses in their scholarly journal "Spectrum." The last camp has not only seen the serious flaws in the denominational organization, but also has found the true Gospel. In their journal "Adventist Today" the evangelicals try to move the denomination along the Gospel road--with little success.
Paul in Gal. 1:6-9 shouts out the need for God's people to sever themselves from any religious organization that denigrates or undermines the efficacy of the blood that was shed on Calvary. He even goes so far as to use the word "curse," and I simply cannot comprehend why so many are willing to ignore Paul's warning message. No matter how bad things are, or become, most members seem completely unable to cut themselves loose from denominational control. I address this strange phenomenon in my article "Master Link of Spiritual Bondage."
Many Christians can point to a particular day when they were "born again" in Christ. Some of us can't do that because it was a gradual process. However, I can look back to a certain day in 1991 when I was "born again" in another sense. That was the day I officially dropped out of the Seventh-day Adventist organization. I can't describe it in words, but there came into my life at that time a freedom and peace that I had never experienced during a life time of Adventism. I had found and embraced the Gospel prior to that time, but true freedom comes only when we give up trying to serve two masters.
When Adventists do find the Gospel, and then sense the bondage of denominational oppression, it would seem they would hasten to break away--but many don't. When asked why they reply, "I want to help those SDAs still in darkness to establish a relationship with Jesus, and I can't do that from outside the organization. If I'm a former member they won't listen to me." Personally I don't feel this is an adequate excuse for ignoring the dire warning God gave us through Paul in Galatians. Neither do I see any great harvest as a result of this "working from the inside."
In any case, today I want to plead especially for other "lost sheep. If you have a heart burden for those who have been bruised by Adventism, may I call your attention to the millions of FORMER OR NON-ATTENDING SDAs? Are their souls not just as precious? These are the people who finally found it necessary to break away from the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, but who have since been largely in limbo. Most of them are not attending church anywhere, because they still consider biblical such doctrines as the Sabbath, the state of the dead, and the annihilation of the wicked. Where can they comfortably worship?
One thing I want to stress about this multitude; THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE DRAWN BACK INTO ANY ENTITY THAT STILL RETAINS OFFICIAL--OR QUASI OFFICIAL--TIES TO THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST DENOMINATION! You will never reach them by "working inside." They are already outside by choice, and what they want is a Gospel-oriented, Spirit-filled group to worship with on the Sabbath day. Some congregations quiver on the edge of leaving Adventism, but hesitate to act because they fear they will then dry up and disappear. May I suggest that just the opposite would more likely be the case? There is no area of the United States but what has large numbers of former SDAs who would like to unite with a group such as described above.
Do you have a heart burden for that group of "lost sheep?"
I've noted a decided pattern in the movement of God now encircling the globe; the emphasis is on the Body of Christ--the Church universal--and on local congregations or home groups. Denominations increasingly are being ignored, and seen as detrimental to God final work on earth. We need to keep our focus where the Spirit is leading.
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