Can christians be demon possessed, and will the evangelical fallen protestantism have a form of righteousness and be demon possessed in the end of times? Are we to not fellowship or even talk to Individuals who have blasphemed the holy spirit?
The condition of a professing Christian is determined by the spirit they allow to control their character and actions. While individuals may claim to follow Christ, the presence of traits such as pride, vanity, worldliness, and a censorious nature indicates that they are actually holding communion with an evil spirit (5T 224.3). When believers yield to bitterness, dissension, or jealousy, they are effectively yielding obedience to Satan rather than to Christ (PH001 8.3). In some cases, church leaders or members may become so controlled by an unchristian spirit that Satan, rather than the Spirit of Christ, takes possession of their actions, leading them to unjustly condemn or drive out their brethren (15MR 138.3).
In the closing scenes of earth's history, the danger of spiritual deception increases significantly. Satan attempts to introduce delusive theories and fanatical movements even among those who seek to walk humbly with God (2SM 47.1). There is a specific warning regarding religious assemblies where an unloving or critical spirit is manifested; in such environments, Christ is driven away and Satan enters to take the lead (2TT 250.4). This suggests that a form of righteousness can exist while the actual power and leadership behind the movement are demonic, particularly when men in positions of leadership work under the influence of spiritualistic ideas and sophistries (SpTB02 9.2).
Regarding the treatment of those who have turned away from the truth or manifested a wrong spirit, the counsel emphasizes the need for extreme caution and a Christlike attitude. Those who have been saved through the merits of Christ are under a strong obligation to exercise pity and forgiveness toward fellow sinners (2TT 250.4). However, there is also a responsibility to protest when leaders or teachers work under the power of spiritualistic ideas that beguile souls (SpTB02 9.2). True Christianity requires a separation from the pleasures and company of the world, as a low standard of piety and unbecoming conversation are inconsistent with a profession of present truth (CET 104.1).
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The identity of God's people in the final generation is defined by their adherence to the commandments and their possession of the "testimony of Jesus," which is identified as the spirit of prophecy (EW 143.2). This gift is a continuation of the prophetic manifestations seen throughout sacred history, intended to usher in significant spiritual milestones and provide guidance to the faithful (1SG 5). The presence of this gift is a primary reason for the intense opposition and spiritual warfare waged by the dragon against the remnant church (1SG 15.3).
The revival of the spirit of prophecy is a specific target of satanic ire because it confirms the testimony of Christ within the church and prepares believers for His return (1SP 11.1). Rather than being left to their own resources, the remnant are promised a full endowment of spiritual gifts, ensuring they are enriched in knowledge and utterance as they wait for the Lord (EW 143.2). This spiritual empowerment is designed to bring the body of Christ into a state of unity and perfection (1TT 17.2).
The operation of the Holy Spirit through the gift of prophecy is characterized by a transformation toward kindness and purity of life (3SM 365.6). This divine influence stands in contrast to the forces that oppose God's law. By accepting the messages conveyed through this gift, the church is led into a closer walk with the Lord and is better prepared to face the spiritual unpreparedness that can exist among those claiming to follow God (4bSG).
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“The remnant of the gospel church will have the gifts. War will be waged against them because they keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. ( Revelation 12:17 .) In Revelation 19:10 , the testimony of Jesus is defined to be the spirit of prophecy. Said the angel, “I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus.” In Revelation 22:9 , he repeats the same in substance, as follows: “I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets.” From the comparison we see the force of the expression, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” But the testimony of Jesus includes all the gifts of that one Spirit. Says Paul: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in everything ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:4-7 . The testimony of Christ was confirmed in the Corinthian church; and what was the result? They came behind in no gift. Are we not justified, then, in the conclusion that when the remnant are fully confirmed in the testimony of Jesus, they will come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? EW 143.2”
“The Trustees of the Ellen G. White Publications. Spiritual Gifts The gift of prophecy was manifested in the church during the Jewish dispensation. If it disappeared for a few centuries, on account of the corrupt state of the church towards the close of that dispensation, it re-appeared at its close to usher in the Messiah. Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, “was filled with the holy spirit, and prophesied.” Simeon, a just and devout man who was “waiting for the consolation of Israel,” came by the spirit into the temple, and prophesied of Jesus as “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel;” And Anna a prophetess “spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” And there was no greater prophet than John, who was chosen of God to introduce to Israel “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” 1SG 5”
“The remnant of the Gospel church will have the gifts. War will be waged against them because they keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17 . In Revelation 19:10 , the testimony of Jesus is defined to be the Spirit of prophecy. Said the angel, “I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus.” in Chapter 22:9 , he repeats the same in substance, as follows: “I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets.” from the comparison we see the force of the expression, the 1SG 15.3”
““The testimony of Jesus,” said the angel to John, “is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10 . It is the keeping of the commandments of God, and the recognition of the revival of the spirit of prophecy by the remnant of the church, or the Christians of the last generation, that stirs the ire of the dragon. 1SP 11.1”
“Seventh-day Adventists understood, and today understand, Mrs. White's ministry as the “messenger of the Lord” to be in fulfillment of the prophecy of ( Revelation 12:17 and 19:10 ), that the remnant church “which keep the commandments of God” was to “have the testimony of Jesus”—“the spirit of prophecy.” They see in her work the gift of prophecy of which Paul speaks in ( Ephesians 4:9-13 ) placed with other gifts in the church “for the perfecting of the saints” and “the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith.” 1TT 17.2”
“Gift of Prophecy Claimed —Now, my wife, the Spirit operates through her, and we believe that this is the gift of prophecy that is to be poured out onto all flesh. This Spirit leads us into kindness and purity of life, and we can't understand it—why—only that as the Word of God has said, that these experiences come as the result of receiving the blessing of the Spirit of God 3SM 365.6”
The seventh-day Sabbath serves as the definitive test of loyalty to God throughout all ages, acting as a perpetual sign between the Creator and His people (GW 148.4). This sacred day was established as a memorial of the creation of the world, and its observance is a requirement for all inhabitants of the earth because God’s commandments are eternal and unchanging (GH April 1, 1905, par. 26). In the final days of earth's history, those who conscientiously keep this commandment will receive the seal of the living God upon their foreheads (LDE 220.1).
A significant spiritual crisis has emerged because the "man of sin" has attempted to displace God's memorial with a spurious sabbath. This has created a breach in the divine law that God calls His people to repair by exalting the true Sabbath (5MR 82.3). As the end approaches, the distinction between the sign of God and the opposing influences becomes a certainty, testing the loyalty of every individual (18MR 30.2). The consequences of rejecting the fourth commandment are described as profound and tragic for those who realize the truth too late. Many religious teachers who claimed to lead souls to heaven will find they were actually building on a sandy foundation and fighting against God (GC 640.1).
At the final account, these leaders and their followers will recognize that the seventh-day Sabbath was indeed the seal of God, but they will have to face the results of their unfaithfulness (4SP 457.2).
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“I am instructed to say, Gather from the Scriptures the proofs that God has sanctified the seventh day, and let these proofs be read before the congregation. Let those who have not heard the truth be shown that all who turn aside from a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” must suffer the result of their course. In all ages the Sabbath has been the test of loyalty to God. “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever,” the Lord declares. [ Exodus 31:17 .] GW 148.4”
“The seal of the living God is placed upon those who conscientiously keep the Sabbath of the Lord.— The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 7:980 (1897) . [This statement and others like it should be understood in the light of passages quoted earlier in the chapter, indicating that God holds people responsible only for the knowledge they have or which they could obtain.] LDE 220.1”
“A breach has been made in the law of God, and He is calling for a people that will repair this breach. A spurious Sabbath has been exalted instead of the Sabbath of Jehovah. Soon laws will be passed compelling all to observe the first day of the week instead of the seventh. We must meet this difficulty, and we shall find trouble enough, without stirring up contention among those who profess to be keeping God's commandments.— Manuscript 43, 1908, 7 . (Sermon, “Lessons from the Fifty-eighth of Isaiah,” March 14, 1908.) 5MR 82.3”
“30.2 Now, in these last days of this earth's history, the commandment-keeping people of God by keeping His law are to make earnest efforts to exalt the Lord God of heaven. The Word of God is specific, marking to a certainty the opposing influences against the Seventh-day Sabbath, which is the sign of God and by which the loyalty of His people is tested. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. 18MR”
“The enemies of God's law, from the ministers down to the least among them, have a new conception of truth and duty. Too late they see that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living God. Too late they see the true nature of their spurious sabbath and the sandy foundation upon which they have been building. They find that they have been fighting against God. Religious teachers have led souls to perdition while professing to guide them to the gates of Paradise. Not until the day of final accounts will it be known how great is the responsibility of men in holy office and how terrible are the results of their unfaithfulness. Only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul. Fearful will be the doom of him to whom God shall say: Depart, thou wicked servant. GC 640.1”
“The enemies of God's law, from the ministers down to the least among them, have a new conception of truth and duty. Too late they see that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living God. Too late they see the true nature of their spurious Sabbath, and the sandy foundation upon which they have been building. They find that they have been fighting against God. Religious teachers have led souls to perdition while professing to guide them to the gates of Paradise. Not until the day of final accounts will it be known how great is the responsibility of men in holy office, and how terrible are the results of their unfaithfulness. Only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul. Fearful will be the doom of him to whom God shall say, Depart, thou wicked servant. 4SP 457.2”
“The command concerning the observance of the Seventh-day Sabbath is still binding upon all the inhabitants of this earth. God has set apart this day as a sign between Him and His people of their loyalty. God's commandments never change; they are as enduring as eternity. The Lord has His messengers whom He bids to proclaim His law as changeless in its character. Those who obey this law will bear the seal of the living God. There is no sanctity in the first day of the week. The Seventh Day was set a part as a memorial of the work of creation. Every one is to look to God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, for light and guidance, and Him alone are they to honor. GH April 1, 1905, par. 26”
Ellen Chat