Examining
Dr. Herschel Hughes’ “Message From God” to SDA
Leaders and the
Click to go to our Home PageAs preposterous as Dr. Herschel Hughes
conclusions are concerning the pillar doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist
church, his gospel is closer to the truth than that of the SDA New Movement
leadership. Many SDA leaders are teaching that behavior
has nothing to do with salvation, NOT EVEN BEHAVIOR THAT IS INFLUENCED BY THE
INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. They
say that we do right because we are saved, rather then to be saved. That teaching poses as a huge problem in
light of the fact that one of the prime reasons the Son of God was Incarnated
into a human after our likeness, was to proffer His divine nature to us for
the purpose of restoring our characters back into the image of God. Mainline churches teach that the prime
purpose of the Incarnation and death of Christ was to pardon sin—forensic
justification ONLY, with no element of subjective justification that would
involve any act of behavior on our part—even behavior empowered and worked in
and through us by the Holy Spirit.
That is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, whose office and mission it
is to restore us to the character we had before the fall of Adam. Anything that smacks of works—even the
works of the Holy Spirit in and through us, is termed legalism, if such works
are regarded by anyone as having efficacy toward, or any bearing on, our
salvation. That is the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans which God especially hates: Notice: "...The doctrine of the Nicolaitans
appears to have been a form of antinomianism (see SDACom
7:957). Nicolaitans of the 2d cent. seem to have continued and extended the views of the
1st-cent. adherents, holding to the freedom of the
flesh, and teaching that the deeds
of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no
relation to salvation." SDA Bible Dictionary, vol. 8 of the
Commentaries, p. 770, 771. When individuals like Karl Wagner, an SDA church leader in Karl teaches that we do good works because we are saved, but not
to be saved. When the works are done
by Christ in and through us, by His Holy Spirit, and this was a provision of
His Incarnation and the cross act, it is blasphemy to say that His works have
nothing to do with man’s salvation. Everything to do with salvation is part of the package of
grace. The entire package involves
works of faith and love and those elements involved with salvation are free
gifts of grace. When we surrender our
wills to the Holy Spirit, He then works in and through us to do God’s good
pleasure, and to say that such works have no bearing on our salvation, when
Christ laid aside His Holy Spirit, in order to give it to us as His greatest
gift for the purpose of restoring us to the image of God’s character, it is
blasphemy to say that such Holy Spirit works in and through us have no
bearing on our salvation! Dr. Herschel Hughes says that Ellen White taught legalistic
perfectionism related to the idea that we can earn our own salvation by works
of the law. That simply is not
true. Ellen White taught the same born
again experience that Dr. Hughes claims to have experienced. Here is her testimony: "Christ declared that after
his ascension, he would send to his church, as his crowning gift, the
Comforter, who was to take his place. This Comforter is the Holy Spirit,--the soul of his life, the efficacy of his
church, the light and life of the world. With his Spirit Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power
that takes away sin. In the gift of the Spirit [HIS LIFE--THE SOUL OF HIS LIFE], Jesus
gave to man the highest good that
heaven could bestow.... The Spirit was given as a
regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been
of no avail.... It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given his Spirit as a
divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil,
and to impress his own character upon the church." E.G. White,
Review and Herald Articles, May 19, 1904, vol. 5, p. 42. Can you begin to sense the blasphemy of saying that works
empowered by the Holy Spirit have no relation to salvation; that we are saved
as a free gift by grace without works—even when the works are those of the
Holy Spirit working in and through us?
Can you begin to see the blasphemy of saying that works done by the
Holy Spirit in and through us are nothing but
legalism on our part? Everything
connected with salvation—even the grace package, is proffered to satisfy
legalisms associated with propitiations of God’s law. That is good legalism. Bad legalism is when we try to propitiate
the demands of the law by our own works.
Contrary to the teachings of many apostate
SDA’s, grace does not negate or make void the
law. Christ’s atonement established the
law and continues to make propitiations for its establishment. The law and the gospel cannot be separated.
Why? Because the law is a transcript
of the character of Christ and His Father, and the purpose of the gospel is
not just to forgive sin, but restore man to the image of God’s character, His
law. If the law was for only the Jews, as some contend, then the Jews
would be the only ones who could be restored to the image of the transcript
of God’s character, His law. They
would be the only ones who could be saved! Dr. Herschel Hughes relies heavily on Galatians 5. His interpretation of it is exactly as
Ellen White’s, yet he says she taught legalistic perfectionism. Ellen White NEVER taught that we can
overcome sin on our own merit. I do
not fault Dr. Hughes’ concept of the gospel.
I do fault his misunderstanding that Ellen White’s concept of the born
again experience was any different from his own. Galatians, chapter 5, is now being interpreted by SDA leaders,
just as the mainline fallen churches have always interpreted it. They teach a forensic (legal) PARDON only
salvation. They teach that behavior
has nothing to do with salvation. They
misinterpret Galatians 5 and Paul’s intentions in the chapter. Paul was trying to dissuade the Jews from
their errant belief that they could earn salvation by
commandment-keeping. SDA leaders have
now done exactly as Jewish leaders did and have returned to the iniquities of
their forefathers, Jeremiah 11:9-15. The most blatant of any
presentation of a variation on a theme of the false gospel being taught by
the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was recently given by Dr. Herschel Hughes,
MA, PhD, AMD, of the Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church. His message is preached from the pulpit of
that church and is endorsed by the pastor of that church. He ends his sermon by flat out calling
Ellen G. White a false prophet, and telling Adventists that they must believe
like the mainline churches, the fallen churches of Babylon. You may download
his sermon at the following link. I
suspect that most Seventh-day Adventists will conclude that they never dreamed
they would hear anything like this from any SDA podium on Sabbath morning: http://www.amessagefromgodtothesdachurch.com/ The purpose of this document is to prove
the falsity of Dr. Hughes’ contentions—his false concept of what the SDA
pioneers taught and their mission, commission and purpose for being. I do not fault his gospel which includes
the indwelling of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
I do fault his saying that Ellen White taught works that were not
empowered by the Holy Spirit, and that such works could earn salvation for
anyone. I do fault Dr. Hughes’
ransacking of the pillar doctrines of pioneer Seventh-day Adventism. I do challenge Dr. Hughes’ notion that he
has been born again, based on the test we are told to impose, namely Isaiah
8:20. First, Dr. Hughes brags about his
achievements in designing book covers for Ellen G. White books. He gives no credit to God for that
achievement. Then Hughes goes into a tirade against
the pillar doctrines of pioneer Seventh-day Adventism. He totally denounces the pillar doctrines
of Seventh-day Adventism. He claims
that Adventists have totally misinterpreted Galatians chapter 5. So let’s take a close look at that chapter: Galatians 5
Notice Galatians 5:21, above: “…they which DO SUCH THINGS shall not
inherit the Is that legalism? Notice verse 6: 6 For
in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision;
but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye did run well; who
did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? Apparently the grace gift of faith works
by love and obedience to the truth. Is
that legalism? Or is it all a gift
that If this process is legalistic, then Dr.
Hughes is being legalistic because he said that because of his faith he no
longer is overwhelmed by temptation.
He says that He received the Holy Spirit and Christ indwelling in
Him. Ellen White said that is how we
all may overcome. That is not
legalism. That is not any different
from the works done out of faith and love that Paul mentions in Galatians
5. Why is it perfectionist legalism
when Ellen White and the SDA church advocate it, but ok when Dr. Herschel
Hughes advocates it, and quotes Paul as advocating it? The
Claims of Herschel Hughes Mr. Hughes claim to have received the following
blessings by believing in righteousness by faith ONLY. Ironically, Scripture, Ellen White and the
Pioneers taught the same thing: · Holy Spirit convicted of sins. · Saw the wretchedness of his lost soul. · Saw the corruption of his entire life. · Made a confession of sins. · Made a repentance of sins. · Was no longer tempted by things that used to
overwhelm him. · Was born again a new creation. · No longer in bondage to sinful desires. · Righteousness by faith. · Correctly Stresses cross, not the law. · Correctly states that we cannot earn salvation. · Stresses Gal. 5, and decries those seeking
justification by the law. · Says he is not a prophet, not a theologian, but
claims to have a message he received directly from God. · Says his father taught him that we cannot receive
the Holy Spirit until the latter rain.
He indicts the church for teaching that. · Herschel teaches that SDA’s
believe that they can earn salvation by commandment-keeping. He implies that Ellen White taught that
heresy. Much of Herschel’s statement of the gospel is
truth. Some things need
qualification. The SDA New Movement
false gospel does teach that we cannot overcome this side of glorification. That is error that Ellen White NEVER
taught. She taught that we must
overcome by the Holy Spirit’s empowerment NOW. She clearly said that it would be too late
to change our characters then! Will
there be righteous and holy followers of Christ before and at the time of His
coming? Behold, I come
quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the
prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard
them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet
of the angel which shewed me these things. 9
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am
thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book:
worship God. 10 And he saith unto me,
Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust, let him
be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be
filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he
that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I
come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his
work shall be. If there are some who believe and teach
that we cannot overcome and partake of the Divine Nature of Christ and His
Holy Spirit NOW, it certainly is not for a lack of effort by Jones, Waggoner
and Ellen White, that any SDA today so believes! Ellen White made if perfectly clear that no
works of our own are meritorious toward salvation, but that we can receive
Christ’s Divine Nature by faith and that He will indwell us and obey in and through us WHENEVER WE DESIRE TO INVINTE HIM
IN. Herschel says Adventists have taught that
the “Power of the Holy Spirit was available only in the latter rain.” Then he says that his father, as a
minister, taught him that. Why indict
the entire church for some error his father taught? Ellen White certainly taught no such
thing. Herschel says that no man is
righteous. Just take any Bible program
and type in the word righteous, and see how many scores of references there
are to “righteous man (men). Here are
just a few examples: Gen 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou
and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen
righteous before me in this generation. Gen 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt
thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Eze 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth according to all the
abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his
righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that
he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Was Ezekiel deluded in concluding that
there are righteous persons? Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern
between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth
him not. Was Malachi deluded? Mat 10:41 He that receiveth
a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he
that receiveth a righteous man in the name
of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. Was Matthew deluded? 5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Was Dr. Luke deluded? Job 32:1 So
these three men ceased to answer Job, because he [was] righteous
in his own eyes. Job 34:5 For Job
hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken
away my judgment. Was Job mad? 1Ti 1:9
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but
for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy
and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for
manslayers, Jam 5:16
Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 2Pe 2:8 (For
that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing,
vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful
deeds;) Were Paul, James and Peter speaking
contrary to the Word? There are many
more examples! So, what does Scripture mean when it says
that there is no righteous man, no not even one? It means that without Christ living and
working in and through us, none of us are righteous. But when we receive the free grace gift of
surrender of the will to Christ, He does His good will in and through
us. He then imputes His righteousness
to us, just as He did to Abraham. Jam 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which
saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Where did Abraham’s belief (faith) come
from? God. Abraham obeyed God out of a motive of love
for and faith in Him. He was
surrendered to God’s will. It was all
of God, lest any man should boast. But
God then imputed His righteousness to Abraham as righteousness. That is His prerogative. Herschel quotes: 1Jo 1:9 If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
[our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He does teach the cleansing from all unrighteousness
that Christ’s presence living within achieves. Ellen White says the same thing and Hughes
calls that legalism. On the one hand
he claims to have been delivered from his sins and temptations, and on the
other he calls that process the legalism of Adventism. His message is thus most contradictory. Herschel says that Adventism has taught that the
Holy Spirit is not available for victory over sin until the Loud Cry. That could not be more UNTRUE! That is a total misrepresentation of
everything the church has taught! Message is for the leadership governing the church.
He says that leaders of the church, even conference presidents, have
confessed to him that they have received the same message from God, that he has received. Direct
Transcription of Hughes’s “Message From God” “I am the Lord thy God. And those of you from the Seventh-day
Adventist church are dearly loved by me, but you are a stiff-necked, prideful
people who have provoked my wrath, for I have sent to you many messengers of
truth, but you have stubbornly refused to respond to their testimony. And you are arrogantly continuing to defy
my will. The end is near, so I give you this final
warning. You must return to your
Christian roots and abandon the false teaching that it is my will that you
should observe and make the Jewish Sabbath the focus of end-time events and
an issue of salvation. This is wrong, for the Sabbath was part of the Old Covenant I made
exclusively for the Jews. And as
Gentiles, it’s not yours to claim. But I have given all people, Jews and Gentiles
alike, who believe and follow me a New Covenant, which is the inheritance of
eternal life, freely given by my blood and by my grace through faith. And which also includes the guidance and
empowerment of my Spirit, but includes no allowance for any legalisms from
the old Jewish Covenant. My Jews celebrate my creation, but my Christians
celebrate my blood. You must also
abandon the false teaching that you call the Investigative Judgment, as it
denies the completed redemption of my cross.
It denies my grace and without my grace there is no salvation. You must reject your false views about death as I am
the creator of life and the immortality of the soul and at the moment of
death I call home to be with me all the souls of my true believers. You must embrace my truth regarding the
indwelling work of my Holy Spirit which begins at the moment you are born
again and you are sealed by me. You have scorned my rapture throughout your entire
brief existence as a church and thus you have chosen not to be included in
it. You have altered my truths
regarding this earth’s final events so that your people will not be prepared
for my coming and you deceive my Christians with your heretical Sunday laws
and mark of the beast deceptions. You teach contempt and condemnation toward my Jews
and you claim to have replaced them and call yourselves spiritual There is a judgment of fire for all people who have
demeaned my Jews. And you have even
altered my truth of eternal damnation.
I will no longer tolerate these and other of your heresies. You are not my remnant church, or my chosen
people, and most of you are not even part of the body of Christ. I want to anoint and empower this church. Do not
remain a cult. You must reject these untruths
and become a genuine Christian church now-- the Adventist Christian
church. You have the potential of
becoming a mighty force for my cause. But you have chosen to follow a false
prophet who is leading you to your own demise. Harken my words before it is too late. Repent! repent! repent! and follow only me and I will abundantly bless you. Otherwise I will ultimately focus my wrath,
at the tribulation, against this church and its people. Let us stand for the benediction. Oh Lord we have just heard your words. We have just heard what your will for this
church is. And Lord I pray that every
person here today will determine in their hearts to follow the instruction that
you have given. Please O Lord be with
them and bless them, I ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.” Commentary by Ron Beaulieu: Consider the following elements of Mr.
Hughes’ sermon: · Herschel claims to not be a prophet, yet he also
claims that he received his sermon of instruction directly from the Lord. · Herschel is a prophet, but as false a prophet as
they come! · Herschel says Adventists have taught that the “Power
of the Holy Spirit was available only in the latter rain.” That is not true! · Herschel says he is not a theologian. That is
obvious. Neither is he any kind of
authority on what Ellen White taught because she taught NEARLY the same thing
he teaches regarding Galatians 5. I
say nearly, because Hughes speaks of works as legalism, but fails to
recognize that Paul, in Galatians 5, endorses works of faith done out of a
motive of love for God. When a person
has surrendered his/her will, it is actually the Holy Spirit working His will
in and through us, lest any man should boast.
Such works may be legalistic, but they are the works of Christ obeying
His own commandments in and through us—the transcripts of His character, in
order to restore man to the image of God. · He does not understand Galatians 5, as taught by the
pioneers and Ellen White and/or grossly misrepresents her teachings on the
salvific process. · The purpose of the Incarnation and the life and
death of Christ on this earth, as a human, was to restore mankind back into
the image of God—the character of Christ. · For in Jesus Christ neither
circumcision availeth any thing, nor circumcision; but faith which worketh by
love. Gal. 5:6. Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Eph. 2:8, considered with Gal. 5:6, informs
us that though Eph. 2:8 seems to suggest that we are saved through faith
alone, true faith worketh by love. It
is all a gift. My all important point is that there is more to salvation than
forensic (legal justification) pardon ALONE. The entire process of salvation is based on
the legalism of the indwelling Christ obeying His law, the transcript of His
character, in and through us. That is
the office of His Holy Spirit. It
is all a very legalistic venture that we cannot do. But we must surrender our will in order to
let Christ perform His legal transcript of His character, His law, in and
through us. It
is bad legalism for us to try to earn salvation by works. It is good legalism, righteousness by faith
legalism, for us to receive the free gift of grace empowerment to surrender
our wills to Christ, so that He can work His legalisms (obedience to His
commandments—His character) in and through us. Take
the rich young ruler for example. He
could not obey Christ’s command to go and sell all his possessions and give
alms. Why? Because he did not buy (surrender to) gold
tried in the fire, which is faith and love which would have caused the love
of Christ to dwell within and enable him to love Christ more than his
possessions and enabled him to sell them and give alms. Would that have been any merit to the rich
young ruler? No. Because Christ would have been the actor of
such deeds if the rich young ruler had surrendered his will to Christ. But Christ would have imputed His own works
done in and through the rich young ruler—unto him, for righteousness. There is one element ALWAYS left out by
teachers like Hughes, and that element is the LOVE FACTOR—faith working by
love. According to the message to If Paul’s teaching is taken in its entirety,
his full teaching, he concluded that we are justified by faith that works by
love, just as James says we are justified by faith and works, but the works
are Christ’s as He is permitted to indwell us. Pardon is the objective, legal part, and
faith that works by love is the subjective legal part, and has nothing to do
with legalism on our part as far as us earning our own salvation. It has everything to do with legalism as it
relates to Christ living within and doing His will in and through us when we
die to self by surrendering our will to His.
He legally fulfills His law, the transcript of His character, in and
through us. Christ asks: How do you know you love me? Keep my
commandments. A true paraphrase of
this could read: How do you know you
love me? If you choose to receive the
free gifts of grace, faith, love, repentance, dying to self, surrender of
your will to Me, you will know that you are in relationship with me and love
me, because my divine nature will be dwelling in you and keeping my will, my
commandments in and through you. Then,
and only then, can you know that you love me and are in relationship with
me. That is the only test! Then it is that His faith works by His
love within us to do His good pleasure, which is His
Will and His Father’s Will. Is this
founded in Scripture? Will Christ work
in and through us? Hbr 13:21 Make you perfect in
every good work to do his will, working in you that which is
wellpleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen. Luk 12:47
And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not
[himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten
with many [stripes]. Jhn 7:17 If
any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself. Jhn 9:31 Now
we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God,
and doeth his will, him he heareth. Act 22:14
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest
know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the
voice of his mouth. Rom 9:19
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted
his will? 1Cr 16:12 As
touching [our] brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with
the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time;
but he will come when he shall have convenient time. Eph 1:5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Eph 1:9
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to
his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: Col 1:9 For
this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you,
and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 2Ti 2:26 And
[that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are
taken captive by him at his will. Hbr 13:21
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in
you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to
whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1Jo 5:14 And
this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing
according to his will, he heareth us: We are invited to partake of the Divine
Nature of Jesus Christ. It is by
partaking of that nature that we escape corruption (sin). 2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. That is the same conclusion James comes
to: Jam 2:24 Ye
see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith
only. Gal 3:2 This
only would I learn of you, Received ye the
Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith? Paul was not renouncing (making void) the
law. He merely was saying that the
works of the law do not give us the Spirit nor
faith. The works must be motivated by love, and
faith and love are a free gift of grace that we must solicit and accept. Rom 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law. Rom 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Gal 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. It appears that Herschel Hughes truly is
not a theologian in the most simple terms of the
description. He bases his entire
theology on one SELECTED chapter of Scripture, when the admonition of
Scripture is to take line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and
there a little, and then interpret so that nothing contradicts. Then we can know we are not in error. But Hughes’ interpretation of Galatians 5, makes Paul contradict himself and the gospel of Christ,
that He will work in and through us if we receive the gift of death
(surrender) to self. Why do folk like Herschel Hughes desire a
legal (pardon only) salvation? Because
they do not want to surrender their will to Christ. They love sin too much,
no matter what they might say to the contrary. For example, ironically enough, Herschel
would lead you to believe that he went through the true salvific process I
have described, but he does not meet the test of Isaiah 8:20. He speaks against God’s law and His
Sabbath. But in one section of his
sermon he claims to have had the same experience I am describing—Christ
within and the whole bit! But there
are very contradictory elements to his testimony if it is taken in toto. · The speaker is making a threat to
Seventh-day Adventists; the same threat that will be fulfilled against
Adventists by · Ellen White always taught that the Holy
Spirit was always available for overcoming evil tendencies. “The disciples were in danger of losing
sight of the true principles of the gospel. By the use of this parable [of the
laborers who were called] He teaches them that the reward is not of works,
lest any man should boast, "The Power of God in the Third
Person.--The prince of the power of evil can only be held in check by the power
of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.--
Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 10, p. 37. (1897). "But through the power of the
incarnation of Christ, God manifest in the flesh, the strength of God is
revealed in gentleness and beauty. To 'as many as received him, to them gave
he POWER to become the sons of God.' By this POWER we may OVERCOME OUR EVIL
TENDENCIES and so modify our imperfect dispositions that the will of God may
be fulfilled in us."—Ellen G. White, Letter 79, May 7, 1903, to J.A.
Burden and wife. The Upward Look, 141. In the above statement, Ellen White
teaches that we can receive the power to become the sons of God NOW. Hughes says that the church teaches that we
can only receive such power at the latter rain time. He said that is what his father, an SDA
minister, taught him. But he should
not fault the entire church and Ellen White for a misrepresentation taught to
him by his father! 2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great
and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. “Peter said, "Behold, we
have forsaken all, and followed Thee; what shall we have therefore? This
question on the part of Peter showed that he thought a certain amount of work
on the part of the apostles would be deserving of a certain amount of reward.
Among the disciples there was a spirit of complacency, of self-exaltation,
and they made comparisons An
In-depth Critique of Herschel Hughes’ “Message From God” Below I am repeating Mr. Hughes’
message from the Lord, and will add my commentary in a lighter blue font
below portions that need addressing: “I am the Lord thy God. And those of you from the Seventh-day
Adventist church are dearly loved by me, but you are a stiff-necked, prideful
people who have provoked my wrath, for I have sent to you many messengers of
truth, but you have stubbornly refused to respond to their testimony. Ron’s Commentary: God said the same thing about the Jews,
whom Hughes’ defends so adamantly. It
is certainly true that professing Seventh-day Adventists are a stiff-necked
and prideful people, who consider themselves rich, increased with goods, and
in need of nothing! End note. And you are arrogantly continuing to defy my
will. The end is near, so I give you
this final warning. You must return to
your Christian roots and abandon the false teaching that it is my will that
you should observe and make the Jewish Sabbath the focus of end-time events
and an issue of salvation. This is wrong, for the Sabbath was part of the Old Covenant I made
exclusively for the Jews. And as
Gentiles, it’s not yours to claim. Ron’s Commentary: By Hughes’ words: “Christian roots,” it is
difficult to determine from his theology just what roots he is referring to
because there is a real potpourri of doctrine that finds its roots in
Catholicism as well as the Reformationis, eg., the anti Mark of the Beast
tirade, and the rapture teaching from Protestantism. Herschel Hughes and the SDA leaders he
speaks of who agree with him, are the leaders Ellen White refers to in the
following statement: "The Lord has a controversy with his
professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in reponsible positions will take a course directly opposite
to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the
Sabbath themslelves, but they will try to keep it
from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In
churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers, will urge upon
the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week." E.G.
White, Review and Herald, vol. 1, p. 405, col. 3. End note. But I have given all people, Jews and Gentiles
alike, who believe and follow me a New Covenant, which is the inheritance of
eternal life, freely given by my blood and by my grace through faith. And which also includes the guidance and
empowerment of my Spirit, but includes no allowance for any legalisms from
the old Jewish Covenant. Ron’s Commentary: The New Covenant does not negate the moral
law of God. Under the New Covenant,
that law was to be put in the inward parts of man: Jer 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I
will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will
put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Grace does not make the law void: Rom 3:31 Do
we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the law. We are saved by faith that works. Works what? Obedience.
Obedience to what? God’s
Will—His commandments. Is that errant
perfectionist legalism? Where does the
faith come from? It is a free gift of
grace. Where does the obedience come
from? It is achieved by surrender of
the will to Christ, and then He indwells us and does His will in and through
us. Hughes said that Christ indwells
us. So what constitutes this process
as errant perfectionism? Hughes said
that his born again experience involved all these elements! This is why Isaiah 8:20 is a test of any
so-called message from God: Jam 1:25 But
whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
[therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed. Jam 2:8 If ye
fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: Jam 2:11 For
he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou
commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the
law. Jam 2:12 So
speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by
the law of liberty. Jam 4:11
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of [his]
brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and
judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou
art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 1Jo 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is
the transgression of the law. Hbr 8:10 For
this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Hbr 8:13 In
that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that
which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away. Hbr 9:1 Then
verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and
a worldly sanctuary. Hbr 9:4 Which
had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round
about with gold, wherein [was] the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod
that budded, and the tables of the covenant; Hbr 10:16
This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days,
saith the Lord, I will put my laws
into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; End note by Ron: My Jews celebrate my creation, but my
Christians celebrate my blood. Ron’s Commentary: There is no difference in the circumcision
between Jew or Gentile except it be of the
heart. Hughes seems to be saying that
only the Jews were to celebrate creation by observing the Sabbath, which was
a memorial to creation. But Ellen
White said that the Decalogue was given in You must also abandon the false teaching
that you call the Investigative Judgment, as it denies the completed
redemption of my cross. It denies my
grace and without my grace there is no salvation. Ron’s Commentary: If one thinks the Investigative Judgment
through, in no way does it affect God’s grace to the repentant sinner! The
Investigative Judgment is for man’s benefit.
It is God’s verdict. Even
earthly judges give reasons; an explanation of their verdict and sentence. The Investigative judgment in no way
denies the completed redemption of the cross, any more than the verdict of an
earthly judge alters the sentence given—guilty or innocent. In the Sanctuary Service, the people were
not sure of their forgiveness until the High Priest came out of the
Tabernacle. So it will be in the
finality of Christ’s work in the most holy place. Some think that Christ completed His
Sanctuary work long ago, but in the typical Sanctuary Service, when the Priest
was finished in the You must reject your false views about
death as I am the creator of life and the immortality of the soul and at the
moment of death I call home to be with me all the souls of my true
believers. Ron’s Commentary: The Bible makes it clear that there is no
remembrance after death. In that very
day our thoughts perish. If we went to
heaven at the time of death, the resurrection of the just would be
unnecessary. Psa 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very
day his thoughts perish. You must embrace my truth regarding the
indwelling work of my Holy Spirit which begins at the moment you are born
again and you are sealed by me. Ron’s Commentary: This is true! Satan is smart enough to mix a little truth
with his many errors! This is exactly what Scripture and Ellen
White teach—the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit, and I have always taught
that it begins concomitantly (at the same time) one is born again. The words “sealed by me,” as used by
Hughes, seem to imply once saved, always saved, and that is not a Biblical
truth. According to the Bible, it is
possible for one to draw back to perdition. You have scorned my rapture throughout
your entire brief existence as a church and thus you have chosen not to be
included in it. Ron’s Commentary: For the follies of the rapture theory, see
the following document: https://omega77.tripod.com/TheSecretRapture.htm You have altered my truths regarding this
earth’s final events so that your people will not be prepared for my coming
and you deceive my Christians with your heretical Sunday laws and mark of the
beast deceptions. Ron’s Commentary: This is a bold and foolish statement
considering the following facts: Dan 7:25 And
he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the
saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws:
and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times
and the dividing of time. · Scripture says that the beast power will
change times and laws. Caesar’s laws
change everyday. Nothing wrong with
that! But to change God’s law is a
different matter. Time in regard to
God’s law has to involve the Sabbath day for that is the only time element
within the ten-commandment law. · The Lord’s day
alliance is also working behind the scenes to achieve the legislation of
Sunday worship. Hughes seem oblivious of such efforts. · One of the current Pope’s prime
objectives is Sunday worship and ecumenical unity. · In his latest Newsletter: ENDTIME
ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 141 "THE
ISSUE IN THE FINAL CRISIS" Bacchiocchi says: Ecumenically, Benedict XVI intends to follow the
footsteps of John Paul II who fostered his role as the moral and spiritual
leader of mankind, by reaching out to people of all faiths. For
example, church leaders of different denomination were invited to attend the
24th Eucharistic Congress that was held in
Bishop Huovinen's statement is significant for two reasons.
First, it shows that the Catholic promotion of Sunday as the day of the
eucharistic celebration, serves as a rallying point for Christian unity under
the leadership of the Catholic Church. Second, it reveals that the historical
doctrinal differences that have divided Protestantism and Catholicism are
largely ignored. Part of this development is due to the historic Joint
Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, which is an important agreement
between Lutherans and Roman Catholics. Incidentally, Ratzinger played a key
role in the formulation of this document which minimizes the differences
between the Catholic and Lutheran understanding of justification by faith. It is worth
noting that the · · The New World Order wants ONE DAY ONLY
for worship for commerce reasons. · Satan’s wants his sign of usurpation of
God’s authority enforced. · · You teach contempt and condemnation
toward my Jews and you claim to have replaced them and call yourselves
spiritual Ron’s Commentary: Neither Ellen
White nor any of the Pioneer Adventists taught contempt and/or condemnation
toward the Jews! Ellen White taught
that we should work for the Jews. She
realized that God would deal with them after the times of
the Gentile’s was fulfilled. Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword,
and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Such thinking led to the tortuous murder
of millions of my chosen people for they will be restored and they, not you,
will do my work during the tribulation. Ron’s Commentary: Is Hughes expressing hate racism toward
Gentiles? If he is expressing disdain
for false Christianity in the hands of Roman Catholicism? If so, then he has cause, but not in regard
to anything Adventists have ever taught! Hughes demonstrates his ignorance in
regard to who will finish God’s work.
He implies that all twelve tribes constituting the 144,000,
are Jewish. That is not the case. The tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi,
were Jewish. The other sons of Jacob
constitute the rest of us. Hughes is
reeking of Jewish sentiments of superiority in his remarks. It is this attitude that was responsible
for much of their woes by way of persecution over the centuries. Generally, they still hold Gentiles in high
disdain. And there are Jews on record
as saying that the Gentiles are going to get “paid back” when the New World
Order, controlled by them, gets into power.
Hughes’ statements echo the same threat. There is a judgment of fire for all
people who have demeaned my Jews. And
you have even altered my truth of eternal damnation. I will no longer tolerate these and other
of your heresies. You are not my
remnant church, or my chosen people, and most of you are not even part of the
body of Christ. Ron’s Commentary: There is a judgment of fire for all people
who have demeaned people, PERIOD! In
saying “You have even altered my truth of eternal damnation,” Hughes is
saying that the Babylonian doctrine of eternally burning hell fire is
true. This is the voice of the
dragon! Only Satan would believe and
teach such a horrendous doctrine. God
is a God of love and He would take no pleasure or purpose in torturing the
subjects of hell FOREVER! Nor would
the saved desire that! How could we
enjoy heaven while our loved ones were burning eternally in hell? I want to anoint and empower this church.
Do not remain a cult. You must reject
these untruths and become a genuine Christian church now-- the Adventist
Christian church. You have the
potential of becoming a mighty force for my cause. But
you have chosen to follow a false prophet who is leading you to your own
demise. Ron’s Commentary: Here Hughes joins Ellen White was the voice of the Holy
Spirit to the church. Herschel Hughes
has just called her a false prophet!
This is another indictment of the Holy Spirit. This is blasphemy and unpardonable sin if
continued on his part. Harken my words before it is too late. Repent! repent! repent! and follow only me and I will abundantly bless you. Otherwise I will ultimately focus my wrath,
at the tribulation, against this church and its people. Ron’s Commentary: This is a catch 22 for New Movement
Adventism. Yes indeed, it should
repent, but not for much of anything Hughes indicts it for. Hughes is in dire need of the same repentance
he calls for on the part of Adventists in general. How true is Ellen White’s statement that
many of the brightest lights will go out and be our worst enemies at the
end-time. Hughes is being groomed for
that purpose. But I will have to
retract on the “bright light” part, for I believe his demonstration of a huge
lack of discernment as regards the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, does not
place him in the category of a very “bright light!” Rather, he falls into the category of the
“dumb-dog” watchmen, described in Isaiah 56:10-12, and Testimonies, Vol. 5,
211. He has followed the lead of
errant watchmen and they are leading him down. Isa 3:12 [As for] my people, children [are] their
oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead
thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Let us stand for the benediction. Oh Lord we have just heard your words. We have just heard what your will for this
church is. And Lord I pray that every
person here today will determine in their hearts to follow the instruction
that you have given. Please O Lord be
with them and bless them, I ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.” Ron’s Commentary: What you have just heard is the words of
the dragon mixed with a bit of truth thrown in here and there to add some
credulity. Why would a God of love,
truth and justice, wait 161 years to inform His end-time chosen people that
they had been led by a false prophet?
But there is a far more ALL TELLING AND TEACHING ISSUE that even more
conclusively proves Mr. Herschel Hughes to be the false prophet. That conclusive proof is found in Matthew
25. In Matthew 25: · Ten virgins take their lamps and go forth
to meet the bridegroom, Jesus Christ. · This first call to the ten virgins is
made by the bride. It is an invitation
to her wedding feast. · The ten virgins are not the bride. They receive the call from the mother
bride. The ten virgins are daughters
of the mother. · This event occurred in 1844. · Where were the Jews involved in this
end-time giving of the Midnight Cry to God’s people? For Hughes says that they will do God’s
work at the end—not Adventists! · But the bridegroom, Christ, TARRIED, AND
THE TEN VIRGINS WENT BACK TO SLEEP! THEY ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT. · At midnight a cry was made saying: “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out
to meet him. · “After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and
reckoneth with them.”
Verse 19. · So there are two calls made. After the first call, the ten virgins go
back to sleep! They ALL slumbered and
slept. · That first call was made in 1844. It said:
“Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” Folk came out of the fallen churches and
the world to meet Him. · Then a tarrying time was to ensue! A long time! Verse 19. · Then the call is repeated. · The first call is made by
ten-virgins. Scriptures says that they
were not strictly pure; that some were concubines. They were not all the bride of Jesus
Christ. · Isaiah 62:1-12, (see below Matthew 25),
says that · Look up the meaning of “virgin” in verse
5. It means bethulah, a strictly pure
virgin. This is not the 10 virgins who
slumbered and slept. Remember, they
ALL slept. Someone has to awaken them. · Mother Zion, the strictly pure bethulah
virgin bride of Jesus Christ, is awakened first and is told to prepare the
way of the people and lift up a standard for the people and then make a call
to her daughter: 10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway;
gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. 11 Behold,
the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of
Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his
work before him. 12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought
out, A city not forsaken. · The Mother bride, 11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the
world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold,
his reward is with him, and his work before him. · Or, as paraphrased in Matthew 25:6: 6 And
at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to
meet him. · Ellen White says in Christ’s Object
Lessons, p. 405-6, that the ten-virgins are awakened by the voice of God and the voice of the bride. Ellen White and Scripture agree. · · God, via Isaiah 62, and His bride, the
144,000 make this call to the ten virgins to awaken them. God awakens the bride first and she
prepares the way. · Therefore, there has to be an awakening
of the ten virgins by the bride, · The voice of God and the bride awaken the
10 virgins a second and final time. In
context, the Lord comes after the second awakening. · Ellen White said that the Midnight Cry
would be repeated. Matthew 25 says
that the Midnight Cry is repeated after the tarrying time. · Dr. Herschel Hughes’ message, purportedly
from God, denies the verity of the Midnight Cry in 1844, and/or has it to be
led and made NOT BY THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, · That God used the pioneer leaders of
Seventh-day Adventism to make the Midnight Cry of 1844, but let them believe
and teach foundational, pillar doctrines that were a lie, eg. The Sanctuary
Service, the Investigative Judgment, a false concept of the state of the
dead; a false concept of eternal hell fire; a false concept of the Sabbath,
and a false gospel that did not embrace righteousness by faith, and used a
false prophet to spearhead the church.
This is preposterous! · Mr. Hughes has a very serious option in
light of these facts of Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy. He can either repent and
make a thorough and public admission of his errors, or he will be eternally
lost for his false teaching. His pride
will thereby be tested to its ultimacy. · Though many of his steps describing the
born again experience are true, Mr. Hughes did not overcome by the power of
the Holy Spirit, because if he had, he would speak according to the law and
the Testimony, Isaiah 8:20. That is a
test of all who propose to be messengers of God, and Hughes does say that his
message is directly from God. · Shelving the Sabbath and saying it was
for the Jews alone, is not according to the law and the testimony of God, for
He said that the Sabbath was made for man, not just the tribes of Judah,
Benjamin and Levi! · Shelving the law and saying it was only
the old covenant given to the Jews, is not speaking according to the law and
the Testimony of God, when He said that under the New Covenant, He would
place His law in the heart (mind) of man. Matthew 25
Isaiah 62 1 For Below is a letter that I wrote to Dr.
Herschel Hughes. I will inform you of
his reply if he chooses to respond. I
believe an honest answer to some of the questions I pose to him will be
mighty difficult to render. December 21, 2005 To: contact@amessagefromgodtothesdachurch.com Dear Dr. Hughes, I have listened
to your message for the SDA church, and I am sincerely trying to better
understand it before I fully embrace it. I believe you have stated
[some] truths. However, I am
somewhat confused as to how your message differs from that of Ellen White,
regarding your born again experience. You stated that you experienced
the following:
More explicitly, could you please help me understand how your
above detailed experience differs from any legalism as regards
perfectionism? Also, could you shed more light on the following
questions:
Brother Hughes, if you can substantiate such further evidence for
me, I will join your crusade. I thank you so graciously for any help
you might be in answering these questions that are important to me. Sincerely in the Lord, Ron Beaulieu Dear Dr. Hughes, When I asked what SDA leaders are teaching that is contrary to
your message, I meant specifically regarding the conditions for
salvation. I am aware that you believe they are wrong in the Sanctuary
message, Sabbath observance, that the church is the remnant, the
Investigative judgment etc. I mean conditions for salvation only. Thanks, Ron Beaulieu Some Internet Exchanges Concerning the True Gospel ----- Original
Message ----- From: Ron
Beaulieu Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 9:17 AM Subject: Re: [SDAIssues] Re: Fw: [SONG-OF-SONGS]
What Kind of a 'Prophet' Are You? John, I hope you can
see the hireling-mentality you exhibit in your post to Janine and me.
We do not believe that we do ONE THING that merits salvation! We do
believe, at least I believe and I think Janine believes, that Christ does it
all in and through us, but we must surrender our wills to His, and even that
is a gift. It is all a gift lest any man should boast. You know
what you dislike about this rendition of the gospel. The surrender!
The complete surrender of the will. You do not want that part of the
gospel! Otherwise, I cannot understand your protest to this rendition
of the gospel. Same goes for Karl! You both may as well as
conclude the same thing that Loma Linda speaker came to! (Posted on
this forum earlier this week). Ron ----- Original
Message ----- From: John Le Roux Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 8:47 PM Subject: Re: [SDAIssues] Re: Fw: [SONG-OF-SONGS]
What Kind of a 'Prophet' Are You? Janine and Ron, I hope you can
see the hireling-mentality you both exhibit....see the last sentence of this
good quote from the SOP. "graceologists".....
Janine? Proud to be one! John As a Gift, Not
as a Right
Peter said, "Behold, we have forsaken all, and that a
certain amount of work on the part of the John, The ending
"ologist" means the study of. Personally, I do not consider
either you or Karl as true graceologists. The deep study of graceology
evinces the fact that one must receive the full package of grace which
includes what
One of the above
gifts is forensic. The others are very
subjective. The subjective element is Christ dwelling within our hearts--His
Divine Nature working His good pleasure (will) in and through us. Most
don't want that part of the gift of grace. They like the forensic
pardon ONLY, thank you! They are the hirelings who preach smooth things
for hire. Herschel Hughes
is giving the half-gospel of forensic (legal) pardon ONLY. He is not giving the part of the gospel
that admonishes us to buy gold tried in the fire, which is love and faith,
and then, based on that gift of love and faith, we are to make a surrender of
the will to Christ and partake of His Divine Nature. He then works out His will in and through
us. How do we know
we love Him? We find Him keeping His
commandments in and through us, because we cannot do it. By the test of knowing whether or not we
are keeping His commandments, we know whether we are surrendered to His will
and whether or not He is dwelling within us.
None of it is by any works of our own lest any man should boast. Ron ----- Original
Message ----- From: Sea's
Email Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 11:56 PM Subject: Re: [SDAIssues] Re: Fw: [SONG-OF-SONGS]
What Kind of a 'Prophet' Are You? What work is there for them to finish? All one has to do is
believe Ron Final Commentary: There is nothing that resembles “crippling legalism” in the
entirety of the grace package proffered to man. All God’s commands are attended with the
enablement of the Holy Spirit doing it all in and through us when we receive
the gift of full surrender. The entire
gifts of grace are for the purpose of propitiating the transcript of God’s
character, His Holy and sacred law, by which all men are finally judged. We we surrender
to Him, we are not under the law, because He is fulfilling its requirements
in and through us. When we push the
Holy Spirit out of the drivers seat, we then become
under the judgment of the law, because we can do nothing of and by ourselves
that merits salvation. The following few lines sum up the gospel in its entirety by
focusing on the surrender of self and dying daily: God bless, Ron Beaulieu |
|
|