FANATICISM

The word of God does not give license for one man to set up his judgment in opposition to the judgment of the church, neither is he allowed to urge his opinions against the opinions of the church. If there were no church discipline and government, the church would go to fragments; it could not hold together as a body. There have ever been individuals of independent minds who have claimed that they were right, that God had especially taught, impressed, and led them. Each has a theory of his own, views peculiar to himself, and each claims that his views are in accordance with the word of God. Each one has a different theory and faith, yet each claims special light from God. These draw away from the body, and each one is a separate church of himself. All these cannot be right, yet they all claim to be led of the Lord. The word of Inspiration is not Yea and Nay, but Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus." {3T 428.2}

Do you recall the story of Korah as stated in Numbers 16?

Numbers 16:1-3, "Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?" Korah and his confused cohorts were angry about Moses who was always trying to help the people see the danger of their sins. But as the Word confirms, Korah declared none of the people were in sin! In fact he said "all the congregation are holy, every one of them" when in fact the Lord specifically told Moses they were not.

What Korah didn't realize is that he was speaking against God Himself because the very words Moses spoke were given to him from the Lord. Moses, like all obedient remnant leaders today, was ordained of God to warn the people. In fact, it clearly said in Numbers 16:11, "For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?"

How did it end for Korah and his 250 cohorts?

Numbers 16:31-35, "And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense."

There is a reason it is written in Hebrews 10:31 that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." It is also stated in Galatians 6:7, that we should, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Fanaticism and rebellion against God's written Word will never change anything when it comes to how doctrine is defined. But this type of rebellion is and always will be the norm for those seeking to belittle God's Word as well as His ordained men so as to claim a position for themselves before the people just as Korah of old did. That all being said, for those that understand spirit of prophecy as inspired by God, notice what was stated not too long ago.

"About this time, fanaticism began to appear. Some who professed to be zealous believers in the message rejected the word of God as the one infallible guide, and, claiming to be led by the Spirit, gave themselves up to the control of their own feelings, impressions, and imaginations. There were some who manifested a blind and bigoted zeal, denouncing all who would not sanction their course. Their fanatical ideas and exercises met with no sympathy from the great body of Adventists; yet they served to bring reproach upon the cause of truth.-4SP 243.1

Satan was seeking by this means to oppose and destroy the work of God. The people had been greatly stirred by the Advent movement, thousands of sinners had been converted, and faithful men were giving themselves to the work of proclaiming the truth, even in the tarrying time. The prince of evil was losing his subjects; and in order to bring reproach upon the cause of God, he sought to deceive those who professed the faith, and to drive them to extremes. Then his agents stood ready to seize upon every error, every failure, every unbecoming act, and hold it up before the people in the most exaggerated light, to render Adventists and their faith odious. Thus the greater the number whom he could crowd in to make a profession of the Advent faith while his power controlled their hearts, the greater advantage would he gain by calling attention to them as representatives of the whole body of believers” - 4SP 243.2

Back in Moses's day, and all the way up to our day, the method by which to learn if a doctrine is of God was to present it to the ordained leaders of the church. If the one presenting the doctrine is told by the leaders that his doctrine is error, then that person is bound by biblical jurisprudence to put it down and never speak of it again.