Last GenerationTheology the historical Adventist view.

Last GenerationTheology the historical Adventist view. By Ron Corson

Mark Finley recently gave a sermon that deals with Last Generation Theology (LGT). He begins with this paragraph:

The Bible makes a stunning prediction. At the end of time, God will have a group of people that are totally completely loyal to him. A people whose hearts are undivided. A people whose lives reflect the character of Christ fully. When that happens, the earth will be lightened with the glory of God. This will be a loyal people, an obedient people right here on this sinful planet. Now, some people call this concept last generation theology. But is it biblical? And what do we mean by that? Can grace so transform us that we live loyal lives? When we use the term perfection, what does that mean? We're going to probe that in this presentation. Let's be honest, it almost sounds like it's impossible to live obedient, godly lives in this sinful world. We look around, we see compromise in the world. We see weakness in the church. We see inconsistency in ourselves. We believe in grace but complete obedience. And then we wonder, can Jesus only pardon our sin? Or can Jesus deliver us from sin? And if he can, can he only deliver us from grosser, larger sins? Or can he deliver us from sins of of attitude and disposition? In Revelation 14:12, we find these words, Revelation the 14th chapter and the 12th verse. And the Bible says, "Here is the patience of the saints. Here are those that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus." So the question isn't will God have such a people? The question really is how will that people be revealed and how will they be enabled to keep the commandments of God? How actually is this going to happen? How can broken people like us reflect the character of Christ? How can a generation raised in weakness become a 2:38 generation that walks in victory? 

This sermon has created a lot of controversy in the SDA church. Is LGT true or not, is it from Ellen White or the Bible. Is it perhaps just the misinterpretation of based upon M.L. Andreason [Milian Lauritz Andreasen (1876-1962) ].

There is however only one answer to the question and that is that it is the historical position of the Adventist denomination. It was set forth by the Adventist pioneers, the followers of William Miller who expected the second coming to occur in 1843 and then 1844. After the great disappointment, the Adventist pioneers followed Ellen White in her belief that the door of salvation had been closed. The key text that Mark Finley used was Revelation 14:12 was one of the key texts that those Adventist pioneers used in their writing after 1844. They thought they were the final generation.

Ellen White writes in her first book Early Writings:

“Servants of God, endowed with power from on high with their faces lighted up, and shining with holy consecration, went forth to proclaim the message from heaven. Souls that were scattered all through the religious bodies answered to the call, and the precious were hurried out of the doomed churches, as Lot was hurried out of Sodom before her destruction. God’s people were strengthened by the excellent glory which rested upon them in rich abundance and prepared them to endure the hour of temptation. I heard everywhere a multitude of voices saying, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” EW 278.2

["This volume is a comprehensive selection of Ellen G. White’s published writings from the 1850s, along with a prologue explaining the historical background of the text. The autobiographical section of the book describes the author’s conversion experience, the Millerite movement of 1840-1844, and the early visions that formed the foundation of her theology and ministry." from the publisher]

What is important to remember is that this was at a time before the Adventist pioneers came to the conclusion that Saturday was the seventh-day sabbath. From the very beginning, many of the Adventist pioneers read their current generation in the book of Revelation. Mark Finley has taken the Adventist history of reading themselves into Revelation, but in this case, he puts a future final generation reading into it. He and Adventists also see themselves as the three angels' messages of the book of Revelation

Adventists have also used the verse above to show that they are the true church because they keep the true sabbath. Finley has simply taken the position that the first use by the Adventists was true for the early pioneers who thought that they were on the narrow path that took them to heaven. Continued to use the same verse to show that the Adventists are the true commandment keepers, and finally used the verse to show that there is a last generation of people who have been perfected by God to lead lives which are pure enough to be called perfect in a final generation.

Again from the book Early Writings: 

“While I was praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell upon me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them, when a voice said to me, “Look again, and look a little higher.” At this I raised my eyes, and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the path, which an angel told me was the midnight cry. This light shone all along the path and gave light for their feet so that they might not stumble. If they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the city, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and said the city was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising His glorious right arm, and from His arm came a light which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted, “Alleluia!” Others rashly denied the light behind them and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind them went out, leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and lost sight of the mark and of Jesus, and fell off the path down into the dark and wicked world below. Soon we [See Appendix.] heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake. When God spoke the time, He poured upon us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God, as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai."

"The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star containing Jesus’ new name. At our happy, holy state the wicked were enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us into prison, when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the Lord, and they would fall helpless to the ground. Then it was that the synagogue of Satan knew that God had loved us who could wash one another’s feet and salute the brethren with a holy kiss, and they worshiped at our feet." (EW 14-15)

The historical Prologue of Early Writings states: 

“James and Ellen White took their stand purely from the scriptural evidence to which their minds had been directed in the Bates tract. Then on the first Sabbath in April, 1847, seven months after they began to keep and teach the Seventh-day Sabbath, the Lord gave a vision to Mrs. White at Topsham, Maine, in which the importance of the Sabbath was stressed. She saw the tables of the law in the ark in the heavenly sanctuary, and a halo of light about the fourth commandment. See pages 32-35 for the account of this vision. The position previously taken from the study of the word of God was confirmed. The vision also helped to broaden the believer’s concept of Sabbath observance. In this revelation, Mrs. White was carried down to the close of time and saw the Sabbath as the great testing truth on which men decide whether to serve God or to serve an apostate power. Looking back in 1874 to this experience, she wrote:

“I believed the truth upon the Sabbath question before I had seen anything in vision in reference to the Sabbath. It was months after I had commenced keeping the Sabbath before I was shown its importance and its place in the third angel’s message.”—E. G. White Letter 2, 1874. (EW xxi.1-xxii.1

This Historical Prologue of the book Early Writings also presents this about the Shut door: 

“Certain references occur in this work, on pages 42-45, to the “open door” and the “shut door.” This is correctly understood only in the light of the background of the experience of our early believers.

Not too long after the Disappointment the pioneers saw that while there were those who through the definite rejection of light had closed the door to their salvation, there were many who had not heard the message and had not rejected it, and these might benefit from the provisions made for man’s salvation. By the early 1850’s these points stood out clearly. Then too, avenues for the presentation of the three angels’ messages were beginning to open up. Prejudice was dying away. Ellen White, looking back to their experience following the Disappointment wrote:

“‘It was then next to impossible to obtain access to unbelievers. The disappointment in 1844 had confused the minds of many, and they would not listen to any explanation of the matter.’”—The Review and Herald, November 20, 1883.

But in 1851 Elder White was able to report: “‘Now the door is open almost everywhere to present the truth, and many are prepared to read the publications who have formerly had no interest to investigate.’”—The Review and Herald, August 19, 1851. (EW xxix.4-xxx.3) See also https://whiteestate.org/about/issues1/unusual/shut-door/

Here is a common example of how Adventism has used Revelation 14:12:

The second angel warns us to watch out for the wine of Babylon, and the third angel warns us that false worship will be introduced by Babylon, and that it will be associated with a specific “mark.” The third message ends with a people who believe God. They are loyal to Him, and they worship Him. Revelation 14:12 says, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” These saints endure and keep the commandments of God and keep the faith of Jesus. Both characteristics have meaning. We will look at them separately.

The first defining characteristic is, “those who keep the commandments of God”. At the center of the commandments is the fourth commandment, which is the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy as the ultimate seal of God. We will look at 7 aspects that differentiate the seal of God from the mark of the beast.” The Seal of God and Mark of the Beast: Part 1 

There are other factors to the LGT one of which is the idea that the perfected last generation somehow vindicates God. As this paper states:

“Andreasen’s Great Controversy theme does not differ much from Ellen White’s. In fact, his beliefs were based on White’s concept. The slight difference is in the purpose of the saints and their righteous lives. According to the Spirit of Prophecy, the saints, through their lives, will help vindicate the character of God, while Andreasen went further by teaching that the vindication of God’s character depends on the saints. If they fail, God fails. Satan can still claim victory over God if the saints fail. However, the Spirit of Prophecy teaches that victory over Satan had already been accomplished on Calvary when Jesus cried, “It is finished.” (A Critical Evaluation of The LastGeneration Theology (LGT) of (L) ML Andreasen Through the Lens of TheScriptures and The Writings of Ellen G. White Dr. Koberson Langhu, Assistant Professor, Division of Religious Studies, Spicer Adventist University” 

Earlier in the paper Dr. Koberson Langhu wrote: "

According to Ellen White, Satan has accused God, saying that He cannot forgive the saints because they have committed many sins. And if He forgives them and yet destroys him and his angels, it would be an injustice on His part. To prove Satan wrong and to show that the saints have confessed their sins and have been forgiven, God “permits him to try them to the uttermost” (White 1939, 618). She also points out that God has His people who are “to be the depositories of His holy law and to vindicate His character before the world,” a “distinct people, a church on earth, second to none, but superior to all in their facilities to teach the truth, to vindicate the law of God” (White 1962, 58). They are to manifest His glory through their lives and character. She teaches that the saints will play a part in vindicating God’s character. However, we do not find any statement where she claims that the vindication of God’s character depends on the faithfulness of the saints.

It should be noted here that if someone has to vindicate someone else, the vindication must be essential to the process or it would not be a vindication. That is the key problem for both Ellen White and Andreasen. We note that Ellen White uses the term "vindicate" or "vindication" but we also note that she says the following and here is the full quote rather than the snippet that is most often used in certain highly edited books put out by the White Estate:

“Christ on the cross not only draws men to repentance toward God for the transgression of His law—for whom God pardons He first makes penitent—but Christ has satisfied Justice; He has proffered Himself as an atonement. His gushing blood, His broken body, satisfy the claims of the broken law, and thus He bridges the gulf which sin has made. He suffered in the flesh, that with His bruised and broken body He might cover the defenseless sinner. The victory gained at His death on Calvary broke forever the accusing power of Satan over the universe and silenced his charges that self-denial was impossible with God and therefore not essential in the human family.

Satan’s position in heaven had been next to the Son of God. He was first among the angels. His power had been debasing, but God could not reveal it in its true light and carry all heaven in harmony with him in removing him with his evil influences. His power was increasing, but [the] evil [was] yet unrecognized. It was a deadly power to the universe, but for the security of the worlds and the government of heaven, it was necessary that it should develop and be revealed in its true light.

In carrying out his enmity to Christ until He hung upon the cross of Calvary, with wounded, bruised body and broken heart, Satan completely uprooted himself from the affections of the universe. It was then seen that God had in His Son denied Himself, giving Himself for the sins of the world, because He loved mankind. The Creator was revealed in the Son of the infinite God. Here the question, “Can there be self-denial with God?” was forever answered. Christ was God, and condescending to be made flesh, He assumed humanity and became obedient unto death, that He might undergo infinite sacrifice.

Whatever sacrifice a human being could undergo Christ endured, notwithstanding Satan put forth every effort to seduce Him with temptations; but the greater the temptation, the more perfect was the sacrifice. All that was possible for man to endure in the conflict with Satan, Christ endured in His human and divine nature combined. Obedient, sinless to the last, He died for man, his substitute and surety, enduring all that men ever endure from the deceiving tempter, that man may overcome by being a partaker of the divine nature.” Letters and Manuscripts Volume 15 1900 March 28 {15LtMs. Ms 50 1900}

This leaves the question of what could possibly be needed to vindicate God.

From Ellen White we have a couple of statements.

1. Let all be careful not to make an outcry against the only people who are fulfilling the description given of the remnant people, who keep the commandments of God and have faith in Jesus.... God has a distinct people, a church on earth, second to none, but superior to all in their facilities to teach the truth, to vindicate the law of God.... My brother, if you are teaching that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, you are wrong.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 50, 58, 59 (1893). [The book of Revelation focuses on two sets of God’s people—the visible remnant (12:17) and “My people” in Babylon (18:4). This chapter deals with the former, and chapter 14, “The Loud Cry,” deals with the latter.] (Lde 43.1-3)

2. Of the Spirit Jesus said, “He shall glorify Me.” The Saviour came to glorify the Father by the demonstration of His love; so the Spirit was to glorify Christ by revealing His grace to the world. The very image of God is to be reproduced in humanity. The honor of God, the honor of Christ, is involved in the perfection of the character of His people. (DA 671.3)

   {{Perfection of character vs. royal law of liberty.]

3. I have to note here that she had a second paragraph which kind of changes things in the 1904 Review and Herald:
   “At the cost of infinite sacrifice and suffering, Christ has provided for us every essential to success in the Christian warfare. The Holy Spirit brings power that enables man to overcome. It is through the agency of the Spirit that the government of Satan is to be subdued. It is the Spirit that convinces of sin, and, with the consent of the human being, expels sin from the heart. The mind is then brought under a new law,—the royal law of liberty.” (RH May 19. 1904 par 5)“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” (COL 69.1)

Can these quotes be harmonized to be a vindication of God or of God's law? We will assume, since Ellen White thought that the law of God was a transcript of God's character, that they are one and the same. Is there a reason to vindicate God's law? Biblically, there is nothing that accuses God's law of having any sort of problem. The only problem likely is that people don't like to keep God's law. So if the law is not the problem, then that leaves God Himself as the one who needs to be vindicated. That moves us to number 2 above, the honor of God and Christ is involved in the perfection of Character. This idea is less about vindicating God but about the healing and restoration that God gives to us. It even seems more useful in the context of the Royal law mentioned in the book of James, as you shall love your neighbor as yourself, it is not a burden as God has written on the heart in the new covenant, it is not rule keeping but love and justice where mercy triumphs over judgment, as those who receive mercy show mercy. But the law of liberty is fulfilled in Christ, which is why He says my yoke is easy my burden light (Matt 11:30), and who the Lord has set free is free indeed (John 8:36). As the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and evicts the attraction of sin from the heart of people, the U-turn of the road of life as Hank Hanegraaff would often describe repentance. It is not a vindication that God can do something; the creator of the Universe can, as Paul says, change in an instant death to life and transform those still alive (1 Corinthians 15:52). There is no need for last generation theology; it is very much the conclusion of the plan of salvation. One could argue that the plan of salvation includes this as its last generation theology, but the point here is that it is not needed, and the plan succeeds without any LGT.

Number 3 gives us the idea that Christ has not been manifested in the Christian church and will someday perfectly reproduce His character in both the church and his people. When this character perfection is attained by the remnant people/church, then the harvest occurs. That is perhaps the best statement that comes close to being a vindication. When it occurs, then the harvest at the end of the world can happen. Yet it comes back to this is not even close to being a vindication of God as much as a completion of God's plan of redemption/salvation. In which case, it is only a vindication in that God has finished what He started. To vindicate according to Merriam Webster's dictionary, the first two definitions are: 

a. to free from allegation or blame

b.: confirm, substantiate

The problem is that there are two different presuppositions for Adventists: For many, maybe even most Adventists today, they begin with what is termed the Great Controversy Theme/view, and it is extra-biblical. When you look at Ellen White's quotes with her Great Controversy view, you have to say that there was,  before the earth was created. a claim made by Satan, known to Adventists as Lucifer, that God's government was unfair. That the Law is unjust and cannot be kept. If one uses the extra-biblical worldview of Ellen White than it can become human vindication. By keeping the commandments, humans prove the law is holy, just, and good, and this vindicates the Heavenly Government

So under Ellen White's view humans can vindicate God by proving to the Universe that God's law can be kept by humans and that by perfecting a final generation, God proves his reputation by getting humans to the spiritually healthy, sinless state proving God power to heal and restore. Adventists who take this route often say something about our mission is vindicate the character of God. So Adventists are at an impasse; they want to be Biblical yet want to follow their prophet, whom they often refer to as the spirit of prophecy, pen of inspiration, the Lord's Messenger, the Testimonies. But there are two different starting points, which necessitate two different ending points.

2-14-26 Update

I just saw that Heritage & Hope Ministries 18 hours ago from this writing posted a video entitled God's Character and the Last Generation I will at some point do more on this video but to begin with there are a couple things which verify my presentation above. I won't place them in order but we have about 33 minutes we hear one of the presenters say: 

32:39

...if you believe that, if you believe that we're all born guilty of sin, that there's something in our nature that causes us to be guilty at birth, or that there's something there that cannot be changed until our flesh is changed, then you've created a situation where no amount of remediation by God works until he actually changes your flesh. And so that means that you don't really have a choice. You can try and God can help you. That's why it's only partial. It's never complete as that quote was saying, which is an error. Again, it's like making an excuse for sin. You can say, "I was born this way, and I can only go so far, and there is an excuse, well, then I cannot keep the law of God." Well, then, as soon as there's an excuse for sin, in a sense, it would become, it ceased to become sin. It would cease to be sin. And this is all about the great controversy over the law of God. 

Notice how the root to this person is the great controversy over the law of God. Not a biblical concept! Next they spend time complaining about a book entitled God's Character in the Last Generation. We hear this from the presenter:

6:49 And so with that in mind, you know, we do want to have a correct understanding of those who are living on this earth and their nature as we go forward. Will they be able to overcome sin? Will they not be able to overcome sin? What about the close of probation? What about Christ's administration in the most holy place above? These are all details that are very important to present truth-believing Seventh-day Adventists.

This brings us to the first point of the presentation, which is that Adventists hold to a unique view of the Sanctuary in heaven. Thus, he says, what bout the close of probation (to an SDA that is when Christ ends his intercession in heaven and throws down his censor, and once intercession has ended, we stand without an intercessor before God. (Again, not a biblical view because the Bible specifically says Heb 7:25) He continues that these are very important to present truth-believing SDA's. What does Present truth mean to SDA's? To Adventists present truth is the teaching of the Adventist church. That is different from Biblical truths as the present truths are time sensitive; it is a message of the last days, it is based on their understanding of prophecy, which is centered upon Ellen White, their last-day prophet. It directs them on how to live, Sabbath as the seal of God and a coming Sunday law which restricts them from worshipping on the Sabbath and Sunday at that time will be called the mark of the beast (at that time being once probation closes) And lastly they claim it is consistent with the Bible, which is only possible if one interprets the Bible according to their Present Truth traditions.

The important point is again we have two different starting points and two different ending points as the Adventist Church does not start at the Bible but starts at a pre biblical Great Controversy in heaven and ends with the Great Controversy concluded with human beings vindicating that God's law can be kept by human beings. 

 
 

AToday Probation Closes

I give Adventist Today a lot of grief because they can't seem to separate religion from their preferred leftist political views. It has hurt their mission a lot but I have to compliment them when they actually do a good job on an article. In the article Is Probation About to Close? by Loren Seibold we have an important issue discussed that is very much part of Adventism even though it is only occasionally spoken of in Adventist churches. The article begins with the peculiar Adventist belief that at some point Probation closes even though no one on earth would know that point has been reached. After that, you are either saved or lost and this probation is tied into what God does with the Investigative Judgment and whether the Christian has forsaken their sins and in some way perfected their character. He notes well that this is not a Biblical idea but a product of Ellen G. White. Seibold writes:

...They will say it is what the Bible says (it doesn’t) and that the whole of Adventist doctrine stands or falls by it. They will say that it is actually at the heart of the gospel, that in some twisted way it shows God’s love for us.

But just remember this: they are not defending the close of probation. Nor are they defending God. They are defending the notion that every word, every idea, that Ellen White expressed is straight from the mind of God. They are willing to toss God’s good character over the balcony if they can continue to say that a 19th century mystic was sketching out a precise plan for the Seventh-day Adventist “tribe.” 

I have defended Ellen White as a strong woman and church leader. I have great appreciation for what she accomplished. But I cannot defend some of the things she taught. It’s not just that many were copied from other writers. It’s not just that some of them were ridiculous, like seeing Enoch on Saturn. Or unscientific, like the earth being a mere 6000 years old, or masturbation making children into twisted, malformed monsters. Or racist, such as that black people are amalgamations. Or contemptuous of grace, as demonstrated by her repeated forays into perfectionism.

There was a time when the rejection of Ellen White as a prophet of God was, I thought the central need of Progressive Adventism. I still think that and mourn for the loss of Progressive Adventism into left-wing politics. But as I have said many times most all of the problems in the Adventist church can be laid upon the belief that Ellen White was a prophet of God. It has for a long time been my belief that a prophet cannot possibly be wrong and destructive as Ellen White has been to truly be from God. From the time when she was alive, her teachings could not be accepted by those who really thought about their religion and what she was saying. With repeated similar events marking the Adventist church about every 20 years or so. Along with the continual loss of members throughout the years who realized the problem.

Seibold gives a few quotes from Ellen White on the subject but considering what the defenders of Probation close have to contribute in the way of theology with their belief; from an article on SDANET entitled; The Judgment of the Living & the Close of Probation

"All Christians believe there is a close of probation, even though they don’t use the phrase. This might be at the Second Coming or after the millennium, but all Christians believe that there is a point when people can no longer switch sides. 

Unlike other Christians however, Seventh-day Adventists believe this event happens a short time before the Second Coming. And, many Adventists think this means that there will come a day when God will close the door of mercy and, even if they want to repent, God will no longer forgive them."

..."Probation closes before the Second Coming and not at the Second Coming because God wants to allow time to pass so that it is evident to angels and unfallen beings that people have made up their minds and are no longer going to change. Some period of time passes where, as much reason as God gives people to repent, no one does any more. And then, heavenly beings all agree that there is no point in waiting any further, and it’s time for Jesus to return to take His people home."

So what does that add to your religion? Really nothing. That God comes and His reward is with Him I can accept. The whole purpose of the Probation close to Adventist theology is built on supporting Ellen White. If what Ellen White really said was good it would not need any support but because it is built upon her and her view of the Investigative Judgment, the coming Sunday law, and having developed Christ's character perfectly reproduced in His followers, Probation closing becomes important. Adventist doctrine most definitely stands on that! It should not! That it does is the problem. 

Until progressive Adventism returns to its central focus of removing the damaging theology of the past, Adventism has no future. It will simply work to protect its traditions. It is nice that many of our retired Pastors and scholars repudiate the errors of our past with Ellen White. What it, however, calls for is for leaders who are still in the church to change things, not waiting until they retire but pursuing the truth even if it costs their jobs. The time for hinting to their churches that we have to make some changes in our theology without coming out directly like Seibold has done sends the wrong message. So many defend Ellen White and ignore that she needs to be criticized and that the evaluation of her as a prophet cannot stand. (I am not making any judgments about her as a person or a Christian, none of us get it all right)

Honestly, does it really matter if women can be ordained as Pastors if our church continues with damaging theology about God? I don't think so!

History and Last Generation Perfection Theology

Previously the question was asked, why are some Adventists opposed to a Grace oriented Seventh-day Adventist church? The answer to that question is found in the Law oriented Last Generation Perfection theology which is presented by those Adventists. To understand we need a bit of a history lesson.

The Adventist tradition since its inception considered itself the last generation. The Millerites thought that they were the last generation and were preparing to be translated when the Great Disappointment found them still on earth. Some sold their possessions and some let their crops rot in the field because this was the end and they were the last generation. Those who went through this experience and maintained their Adventist expectations still maintained that they were the last generation. So certain of their last generation status they developed the Shut Door doctrine:

5. December, 1844--In Ellen Harmon's First Vision, She Was Shown that the Door of Mercy Was Shut for (a) Those Millerites Who Denied That God Had Led Them in the 1844 "Midnight Cry" Movement, and (b) "All the Wicked World" Which God Had Rejected. She Was Also Shown "The Living Saints, 144,000 in Number," Waiting for Christ's Return.

If you look at the timeline (see the Shut Door article at the EGW Estate) we see that for several years the leaders of the SDA church believed in the shut door. During the years 1848-49 with the idea of publishing to the world, the idea that the door of mercy had in fact, not been shut, began to be expressed. But that did not stop the idea that Adventists were living in the last generation. We can see many examples of this idea that they were living in the last generation in the writings of Ellen White as well as other Adventist pioneers.

Some of us have had time to get the truth and to advance step by step, and every step we have taken has given us strength to take the next. But now time is almost finished, and what we have been years learning, they will have to learn in a few months. They will also have much to unlearn and much to learn again. Those who would not receive the mark of the beast and his image when the decree goes forth, must have now to say, Nay, we will not regard the institution of the beast (Early Writings, p.67).

That was written in 1850 but even much later when writing about the signs in the son, moon and stars Ellen White sees her time as the last generation.

Christ has given signs of His coming. He declares that we may know when He is near, even at the doors. He says of those who see these signs, "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." These signs have appeared. Now we know of a surety that the Lord's coming is at hand. "Heaven and earth shall pass away," He says, "but My words shall not pass away." (Desire of Ages Page 632 published 1898)

Connected to this last generation presumption certain Adventist added the idea of perfection. The most famous of this last generation perfection comes from the 1890’s Holy flesh movement. Out of the ferment caused by the 1888 Adventist Conference in Minneapolis with E. J. Waggoner and A. T. Jones, teachings about the impartation of the Spirit to promote a victorious life along with Ellen White’s various statements a new view took shape. In it perfection of flesh was to be found here and now. Here are a few quotes from Bert Haloviak’s paper From Righteousness to Holy Flesh

A focus upon the actual teachings of R S Donnell, president of the Indiana Conference during the holy flesh period, quickly reveals an emphasis upon a last-generation theology. In articles circulated throughout the Indiana Conference during 1900, Donnell clearly emphasized his central focus: "To those who are preparing for translation the question with which we introduce this article [i.e., 'Did Christ Come to This World in Sinful Flesh"] becomes indeed an important one. In speaking of their condition, and what they are to be when the Lord returns to the earth to gather up His people, 1 John 3:2 says: 'But we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.'" Donnell's teaching was based upon his conception of what those awaiting translation had to become. Points central to his theology are taken from his republication of his 1900 articles in his publication "What I Taught in Indiana"…

One of the statements Donnell makes:

pp 24-5: Question: "Do you teach that conversion embraces both the mind and the body, so that the body in this life is fully cleansed and is brought back to the condition of man before the fall, or is this a work that begins now, and is completed at the resurrection of the just? [R S Donnell response]: Yes. The mind surely, and also the body, so far as its life or actions are concerned. . . . With the resurrected every imperfection will be left in the grave. Thus they will be ready for the finishing touch of immortality when Jesus comes. The 144,000 must also be ready for that finishing touch, and the perfection necessary for its reception must be attained in this life." Page 30

On page 33 of Haloviak’s paper we see this from H H Haskell to Ellen White, September 22, 1900:

[On Sabbath] I took up the history of this work, and related how we had met things of this nature before, and what the outcome of them all had been. One of their great burdens is moral purity (which you know all about), and 'holy flesh,' and 'translating faith,' and all such terms, which carry the idea that THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF 'SONS OF GOD'—THE 'ADOPTED' SONS OF GOD, AND THE 'BORN' SONS OF GOD. THE ADOPTED ARE THOSE WHO DIE, BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT HAVE THE 'TRANSLATING FAITH.' THOSE WHO ARE BORN, GET 'HOLY FLESH,' AND THERE IS NO SIN INSIDE OF THEM, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT WILL LIVE AND BE TRANSLATED; AND, AS THEY SAY, THESE WHO ARE 'BORN' SONS OF GOD ARE NOT 'GOING TO HEAVEN ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY,• MEANING THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DIE. . . . [Emphasis supplied. Focus again is not on Christology, but upon presuppositions relating to a last generation awaiting translation.]

The history then is Adventist continual belief in their being the last generation with a new twist in the 1890’s that the last generation will attain to a previously unknown level of perfection, a perfection that is likened to Christ’s earthly perfection. Through much of the early part of the 20^th century this last generation perfection theology had been dormant until reinvigorated by M.L. Andreason who it has taken on almost legendary significance due to his attacks upon the publication of the book Questions on Doctrines in the late 1950’s. Earlier he present his last generation perfection theology. Andreason writes in chapter 21 of his 1947 book The Sanctuary Service

May the church of God appreciate the exalted privilege given here “You are My witnesses, said the Lord.” Isaiah 43: 10. There must be “no strange god among you: therefore you are My witnesses, said the Lord, that I am God.” Verse 12. May we be witnesses indeed, testifying what God has done for us!

All this is closely connected with the work of the Day of Atonement. On that day the people of Israel, having confessed their sins, were completely cleansed. They had already been forgiven; now sin was separated from them. They were holy and without blame. The camp of Israel was clean.

We are now living in the great antitypical day of the cleansing of the sanctuary. Every sin must be confessed and by faith be sent beforehand to judgment. As the high priest enters into the most holy, so God's people now are to stand face to face with God. They must know that every sin is confessed, that no stain of evil remains. The cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven is dependent upon the cleansing of God's people on earth. How important, then, that God's people be holy and without blame! In them every sin must

be burned out, so that they will be able to stand in the sight of a holy God and live with the devouring fire. [He then quotes Isaiah 33:13-16.] page 115

As George Knight presented recently (QOD: SYMBOL OF TENSION) Andreason’s objections to Questions on Doctrines were centered on Last Generation Perfection theology:

There was a good reason why Andreasen was especially concerned with the teaching of a

completed atonement on the cross. He had set forth that reason in several of his earlier writings. Central to Andreasen’s theology was a three-phase understanding of the atonement. The first phase related to Christ’s living a perfectly sinless life. The second phase was His death on the cross.

Those two phases in the work of atonement were important, but for Andreasen the third

phase was absolutely central. “In the third phase,” he wrote, “Christ demonstrates that man can do what He did, with the same help He had. This phase includes His session at the right hand of God, His high priestly ministry, and the final exhibition of His saints in their last struggle with

Satan, and their glorious victory. . . .“The third phase is now in progress in the sanctuary above and in the church below. Christ broke the power of sin in His lifework on earth. He destroyed sin and Satan by His death. He is now eliminating and destroying sin in His saints on earth. This is part of the cleansing of the true sanctuary.37

It is what Andreasen calls the third phase of the atonement that became the focal point of

his theology. Utilizing the widely held concept that Christ had sinful human nature just like Adam possessed after the fall (that is, a sinful nature with tendencies to sin), Andreasen formulated his understanding of “last generation” theology with Christ being an example of what could be accomplished in the lives of His followers. That theology is most clearly set forth in the chapter entitled “The Last Generation” in The Sanctuary Service (1937, 1947). That book specifically states that Satan was not defeated at the cross, but would be defeated by the last generation in their demonstration that an entire generation of people could live a sinlessly perfect life. Christ, having taken their human nature with all its problems, had proven that it could be done. They could live the same sinlessly perfect life that He did with the same help as He had had. Through the last generation God “defeats Satan and wins His case,” “in the remnant Satan will meet his defeat,” “through them God will stand vindicated.” At that point Christ can come.38 Pages 14 and 15

Today we find people like Pastor Larry Kirkpatrick continuing Andreason’s teachings with the addition that today the Last Generation Perfection Theology (often abbreviated as LGT or LGP) is a traditional Adventist belief. As is often the case when one says something is traditional it depends upon whose tradition one means. In this case traditional is Andreason’s version of Last Generation Perfection as even among LGT proponents the Holy Flesh movement is held in distain due to it focus on Pentecostal manifestations. A website which is itself entitled LastGenerationTheology contains many of their articles.

ProgressiveAdventism.com presented an interview with Larry Kirkpatrick who is one of the leaders in the LGT. Here is Kirkpatrick’s definition of LGT:

Could you describe LGT in a nutshell? Is this essentially the same concept advanced by M. L. Andreasen in mid-20th century?

Last Generation Theology teaches that Jesus Christ is not only fully our Substitute but fully our Example, affirms that Christ overcame sin in flesh like ours, insists that the gospel plan is for Christians to cease from sin before the Second Coming (indeed, before the Close of Probation), and confesses that the close of the age has been delayed by unconsecration in God’s people but can be accelerated by their living holy lives.

LGT has tremendous pulling power, because many of those who are theologically and historically astute recognize that it represents core Adventism, particularly that which obtained for the generation that coincided with and followed Andreasen. Andreasen did much to develop the implications of Adventism, and LGT was the result.

Interestingly, Herbert E. Douglass developed essentially the very same concepts but independently of Andreasen. Douglass told me that when he was writing his editorials in the Review in favor of the same ideas, people kept suggesting that he was echoing Andreasen, but he had never read Andreasen. Finally, after these repeated questions, he did sit down and read Andreasen. He did find much commonality. But Douglass had developed his concepts–just as Andreasen had—via his careful study of Scripture and reading of the Ellen G. White writings.

Likewise, I developed most of my understanding in the same way. It was mostly by following up key ideas in the Bible that I developed my view. Of course, the Ellen White elements came strongly to the fore. I recall in one of Woodrow Whidden’s books he follows the development of Mrs. White’s theology up to about the turn of the century, and claims that he goes no further because there were no serious points of development after that time. But Christ’s Object Lessons (COL) came out in 1905 and certainly represents a further ripening of her concepts in these areas. We might even say that COL represents White’s working-out of the implications of Adventist theology—and landing with LGT.

So Andreasen, Douglass, myself, and even Ellen White, seeking to draw the strands together into a developed whole, all land at LGT. This is Adventism. We might say much more, but I would only add that we have especially developed the gospel concepts. Look again; its not the grinch under the bridge it has been portrayed as!

So where does this leave Grace? Grace is left in the dust because the goal is for Adventists to become sinless and vindicate God by perfectly keeping the law. Grace oriented religion is termed New Theology (a termed coined by Andreason) by the LGT folks. Not that the LGT people reject Grace, they simply redefine it as something God will do in the future that will give people the ability to keep all of God’s laws perfectly.

There is little doubt in my mind as well as many in the leadership in the Seventh-day Adventist church that LGT is a false gospel. What is probably equally troubling is that it is not a gospel at all, it is not good news because when people look at themselves they see that they are indeed sinners and that they are far from perfect in either their actions or the actions they do not do. But that is not history that is reality and this was just a history lesson to answer a simple question.

Sinless Perfectionism Introduction to a False Doctrine

I had never really noticed just how destructive certain Christians doctrines are. I recently have been involved with discussions with people who are proponents of “sinless perfection”. In the Adventist church this reveals itself in what is called last generation sinless perfection. It is very likely that with this quarters lesson study on The Refiners fire that the sinless perfection concept will be introduced into many Sabbath School Classes. The belief that someday there will be people on earth who no longer are tempted to or desire anything that would be termed sinful. Unfortunately in trying to defend this supposition of last generation perfection these people are destroying the Gospel. It is not simply the legalism which George Knight dealt with in his book I Used to Be Perfect: A Study of Sin and Salvation. In many ways these people take the focus off of the gift of God and place the emphasis upon man’s ability to give his or her will over to God.
Here are a few quotes from some of the sinless perfection proponents, all of whom are SDA:

“2) Perfection is when Man (sinful humans) has with the power of the divine, overcome sin to the state of Adam before the fall.

3) Adam before the fall had freewill and could sin, but when Man (sinful humans) overcomes sin, he no longer has any desire to sin.

4)Man (sinful humans) cannot go to heaven before God with any sin, as God requires holiness and perfection.”

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(If we truly love God with all our strength and all our might, all else will fade and the Spirit will transform and put the law in our hearts and minds, and we are no longer under the dominion of sin or desire to sin.)

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But he understands that "Christ lives in me" has transformed him as sin cannot hold sway over a person in which "Christ lives in". Then you cannot disregard the work of the Holy Spirit so that the hearts and minds are cleansed of sin. My feeling is that "sinless perfection" is kind of like the belief in the Trinity, we know its there but cannot define the divine in its completeness.

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Christ is our creator and gave us an intelligence and free will to choose life or death. We can focus on Him to the point that we allow Him to run our lives and sanctify our characters ( which eventually will lead to sinless perfection ). However, that will never go to the extent that allows us to sin with impunity without confession or repentence.

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I think we have to go with what the Bible says about the sanctified life in that when we abide in Christ we get to take part in the divine nature of Christ which should be the essence of what Christianity is all about anyway. So to me what sinless perfection offers to any Christian this side of the second coming is a sanctified life that gets to take part in the divine nature. Not that we can accomplish this on our own but it is the ultimate goal of Christian living and the miraculous change that can occur if we allow it too.

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The thief on the cross will be able to enter into heaven because God knows man's heart. Had he (the thief) been given a chance, he would have cooperated with God and completed his walk to persevere and to overcome all sins.

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If you are 'walking with God now' like Enoch, how can you still sin and be with Him. That cannot be, nowhere in the scripture does it say you can hold onto to sin and be together with God.

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As I said in another thread, the bible tells us that we can be 'partakers of the DIVINE nature"! It's a PROMISE from the Father. So is God not good to His word? Are His promises not reliable for us here and now? Are we so blinded by self that we cannot see how sin wounds the Father and Jesus. He saves us FROM our sins, not IN our sins.

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You cannot follow evil and hold onto and be under the dominion of sin and hold on and have a intimate relationship with Christ with his righteousness at the same time. No man can have two masters, he has to let go of one and grab the other, so when you decide to grab on to Christ and accept his righteousness, and be sanctified in/by Christ, you have to choose.

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I have italicized the last statement because it is the crux of the problem. It is a true statement but it has nothing to do with sinless perfection. But if sinless perfection is introduced into this then people are forced to say that they do sin therefore they must not be serving God in their lives and they must be serving Satan. As one of the quotes above says how can you still sin and be with God.

The sinless perfection people have assumed that because Christians look at the reality of their lives that even though we love God and seek to follow Him we still sin, our attitude is in the main that we desire the things that God wants for us but the reality is that we are weak and fail constantly. It is very much like Paul said:

(Rom 7:22-24 NIV) For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Christians do not become sinlessly perfect because they accept and follow God. We have ample evidence of powerful Christians who none the less still sinned, still lacked love for others at times. Martin Luther is a prime example but think of all the Christians you know there is very likely not a single one that you would say is sinless. Yet we have those in our midst telling us that if one does not accept the idea of sinless perfection then they are denying the power of God and that they are merely seeking to continue sinning. How can one be denying the power of God when God very clearly does not produce sinless perfection in His followers. We look around and don’t see it and when we look at ourselves we don’t see it. Do we deny sinless perfection because we want to keep sinning? Possibly because if we are honest with ourselves we realize that we still sin both in thought and action. If sinless perfection was the reality and yet we could not see it ever then we would have to say Christianity is false

What is funny is that according to many theologians the closer one gets to God the more of a sinner they appear to be themselves. So no one will ever come to the point that they see themselves as sinlessly perfect. Compared to God their best works are filthy rags and like Paul we have to admit that we are the worst of sinners. So the whole concept of sinless perfection this side of heaven serves nobody. If it was true none of us would ever recognize it as occurring and if it is not true then it acts as a wedge which makes the Christian feel inadequate in his or her relationship with God. It serves only the purpose of defeating the victorious life of those who accept the love and promises of God. As my favorite Bible verse says:

(1 John 3:2-3 NIV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.