Gospel Order The Lord has shown that gospel order has been too much feared and neglected. [The Adventists were of all churches, and at first they had no idea of forming another church. After 1844 there was great confusion, and the majority were strongly opposed to any organization, holding that it was inconsistent with the perfect liberty of the gospel. The testimony and labors of Mrs White have always been opposed to fanaticism, and in the instruction given through her, organization in some form was early insisted upon, as necessary to prevent confusion.] Formality should be shunned; but, in so doing, order should not be neglected. There is order in heaven. There was order in the church when Christ was upon the earth, and after his departure order was strictly observed among his apostles. And now in these last days, while God is bringing his children into the unity of the faith, there is more real need of order than ever before; for, as God unites his children, Satan and his evil ange…
"Let all things be done decently and in order."
The EGW passage emphasizes the importance of order in the church, drawing a parallel to order in heaven and the early church. 1 Corinthians 14:40 directly states that all things should be done decently and in order. The connection is clear and supports the EGW statement.
Men whose lives are not holy and who are unqualified to teach the present truth enter the field without being acknowledged by the church or the brethren generally, and confusion and disunion are the result. Some have a theory of the truth, and can present the argument, but lack spirituality, judgment, and experience; they fail in many things which it is very necessary for them to understand before they can teach the truth. Others have not the argument, but because a few brethren hear them pray well and give an exciting exhortation now and then, they are pressed into the field, to engage in a work for which God has not qualified them and for which they have not sufficient experience and judgment. Spiritual pride comes in, they are lifted up, and act under the deception of thinking that they are laborers. They do not know themselves. They lack sound judgment and patient reasoning, talk boastingly of themselves, and assert many things which they cannot prove from the Word. God knows this;…
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
The EGW passage warns against unqualified individuals entering the ministry, lacking holiness, spirituality, and judgment, leading to confusion. Matthew 7:15 warns against false prophets who appear harmless but are destructive. Both passages address the danger of deceptive and unqualified religious leaders.
"Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."
The EGW passage directly addresses the danger of pride in those who teach, echoing the warning in 1 Timothy 3:6 about novices becoming prideful and falling into condemnation.