I understand your perplexity, it is nothing new. I had

Comment on Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference by Henry C Hills.

I understand your perplexity, it is nothing new. I had no intention of getting into this Women Ordination type discussion again. But since you asked, I will share my study. The Scripture does say quite a bit about the role of women as does the Spirit of prophecy and the SDA pioneers:

As for a bishop to be the husband of one wife it was not uncommon for men in Bible times to have multiple wives. But if a woman was called to be a bishop, she should be the wife of one husband.

“We object to that narrow-souled theology which will not allow the old ladies to have dreams because the prophecy says, ‘your old men shall dream dreams;’ and that will not allow young women to have visions because the prophecy says ‘your young men shall see visions.’ These stingy critics seem to forget that ‘man’ and ‘men’ in the Scriptures, generally mean both men and women. The Book says that it is ‘appointed unto men once to die.’ Don’t women die?” (James White, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 25, 1862; Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 24).

What does the Bible say from Genesis to Revelation?

1) Genesis 3:16 “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall RULE over thee.”

2) Genesis 1:16-18 “And God made two great lights; the greater light to RULE the day, and the lesser light to RULE the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to RULE over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.”

[In the event that anyone missed it; in both texts RULE is the same word. Man RULES his woman as the sun, moon, & stars RULE.]

Did Jesus fulfill the role of becoming the head of the Church?

Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he [Christ] is the Saviour of the body.”

[The man that is the head of his wife, Another man is not the head of my wife, And no man is the head of the church since that is now Christ’s role.]

What is the answer to Jesus prayer in Matthew 6:10 “Thy will be done in earth, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN”?

Did Jesus reveal how it is in Heaven?

Revelation 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by His angel unto his servant John:”

THIS IS THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST OF WHAT WILL BE ALLOWED IN HEAVEN:

Revelation 1:5-6 “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS unto God and his Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” [Amen means SO LET IT BE.]

From reading that passage should we assume that there will be no women redeemed in Heaven. But in Heaven God’s people will be KINGS and PRIESTS.

” And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God KINGS AND PRIESTS: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9)

Should I understand those passages to say that only men will be redeemed?

To let the redeemed (men and women) be kings and priests in Heaven, but not on earth is to reject Christ’s prayer “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” To argue that the redeemed are not men and women is to keep women out of heaven. To argue that priests is not a good translation of ἱερεύς is to deny the fact that ἱερεύς is only translated as priests ever time (31) that it occurs in the New Testament.

We are advised in the Spirit of prophecy:

“Do not carry your creed to the Bible, and read the Scriptures in the light of that creed. If you find that your opinions are opposed to a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” or to any command or prohibition He has given, give heed to the Word of God rather than to the sayings of men. Let every controversy or dispute be settled by “It is written.” {RH, August 13, 1959 par. 2}

“Distinguish Bible principles from principles of human manufacture, who, with sharp discernment could separate the strangely perverted, human imaginations, which have been working for years, from things of divine origin.” {1888 1556.1}

Paul prohibits women from speaking in public (1 Corinthians 14:34-35) as well as stating that a man is to be a bishop and the husband of one wife. Is it rightly dividing the word to allow women to speak in Church against Paul’s counsel and to be dogmatic about adhering to his counsel regarding the bishop having to be a man? That lack of consistency is confusion, it is not of God.

“Elder Haskell talked in the afternoon and his labors were well received. I had in the evening, it was stated, the largest congregation that had ever assembled at Arbuckle. The house was full. Many came from five to ten and twelve miles. The Lord gave me special power in speaking. The congregation listened as if spellbound. Not one left the house although I talked above one hour. Before I commenced talking, Elder Haskell had a bit of paper that was handed in quoting a certain text prohibiting women speaking in public. He took up the matter in a brief manner and very clearly expressed the meaning of the apostle’s words. I understand it was a Campbellite who wrote the objection and it had been well circulated before it reached the desk; but Elder Haskell made it all plain before the people” (Ellen White to James White, April 1 [Letter 17a], 1880; Manuscript Releases vol. 10, p. 70).

But is it God’s will that His church on earth should refuse to allow what He allows in Heaven?

But the shaking must come before Christ Comes. And this issue is an excellent issue to bring the shaking about because it divides those who rightly divide the word of truth from those who do not, while both groups believe that they have it right. And since both camps are basing their belief on how they read the Scripture it comes down to faith verses presumption. Holy Spirit discernment vs man’s creed. And for this to have reached the level of dispute that it has between conferences and the GC is IMHO an indication that God is in it.

The time has come for us to lay aside anything that is not ordained of God and to be a pure and holy people (church) ready to meet Christ at His coming.

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Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
“ALL who desire an opportunity for true ministry, and who will give themselves unreservedly to God, will find in the canvassing work opportunities to speak upon many things pertaining to the future, immortal life. The experience thus gained will be of the greatest value to THOSE who are fitting THEMSELVES for the MINISTRY. It is the accompaniment of the Holy Spirit of God that prepares WORKERS, both MEN and WOMEN, TO BECOME PASTORS to the flock of God. As THEY cherish the thought that Christ is THEIR Companion, a holy awe, a sacred joy, will be felt by THEM amid all THEIR trying experiences and all THEIR tests. THEY will learn how to pray as they work. THEY will be educated in patience, kindness, affability, and helpfulness. THEY will practice true Christian courtesy, bearing in mind that Christ, their Companion, cannot approve of harsh, unkind words or feelings. THEIR words will be purified. The power of speech will be regarded as a precious talent, lent them to do a high and holy work. THE HUMAN AGENT will learn how to represent the divine Companion with whom HE is associated. To that unseen Holy One HE will show respect and reverence because HE is wearing His yoke and is learning His pure, holy ways. THOSE who have faith in this divine Attendant will develop. THEY will be gifted with power to clothe the message of truth with a sacred beauty.” {6 TESTIMONIES 322.1}

EGW IS VERY CLEAR. When she nears the end, she uses HE not to discount women that she just said should be pastors, but she had made a statement regarding the HUMAN AGENT and the male gender is inclusive of both men and women when writing. We say mankind, but mean women as well, Then EGW returns to THEY THEIR AND THEM referring to men and women pastors.

Let us set aside opinions and follow a thus saith the LORD.

Man is not to rebel against what God has settled in Heaven, God winked at our ignorance AND it would be no issue today if it had stayed as it was. BUT with the recent General Conference session that was swayed by Brother Wilson’s personal call to actions that are contrary to the way God has led His people in the past and with proposals to compel those who rightly divide the word to submit to the will of those who clearly do not rightly divide the word of God and who are not obeying it, this confrontation has erupted. Pastor Wilson is obliged to confess that he has deviated from the leading of the Lord as it was evident during the times of Ellen White, What God has allowed in the prophetic formation of the SDA Church is not to be disallowed by a small majority on the border of the promised land. And for a small group in the General Conference Offices to even suggest that they will exert authority to compel obedience to their dictates is Rebellion against the structure that God ordained in the SDA Church.

“Important interests in the cause of God cannot be wisely managed by those who have had so little real connection with God as some of our ministers have had. To entrust the work to such men is like setting children to manage great vessels at sea. Those who are destitute of heavenly wisdom, destitute of living power with God, are not competent to steer the gospel ship amid icebergs and tempests. The church is passing through severe conflicts, but in her peril many would trust her to hands that will surely wreck her. We need a pilot on board now, for we are nearing the harbor. As a people we should be the light of the world. But how many are foolish virgins, having no oil in their vessels with their lamps. May the Lord of all grace, abundant in mercy, full of forgiveness, pity and save us, that we perish not with the wicked!” {5T 104.4}

Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
@Sean Pitman:

I have prayerfully considered this matter and decided to not merely “talk about it” as if it would be gossiping but to go to the source. I wrote Pastor Wilson on 11/6 a private email that I made an open letter on 11/9/2016.A copy is enclosed below.

Brother Wilson,

There is no doubt that God loves you! The evidence is all about you. But because God loves you, His rebuke is upon you and the church for which Christ gave His precious life that is suffering on account of your sins and rebellion against the will of God.

A video was shown at church Sabbath (yesterday) in which you lamented the lack of unity within the church and the departure of some members from the tried and true waymarks established when God founded the Seventh Day Adventist Church as a movement in prophetic history. But the leader of the rebellion against God is yourself, Brother Wilson. And for that you must make confession and reformation before it is forever too late.

The will of God in ordaining Ellen White to be a gospel minister in the Seventh-day Adventist Church is settled theology. If the LORD did not want a woman to be ordained He would not have blessed that waymark that He placed in this Church at its prophetic onset. But the misconstruing of this issue is not unlike that of circumcision in Paul’s day. The pro-circumcision party had God’s word in Genesis on their side, and tradition, and the law of Moses; and Paul did not have a single text to prove that they were wrong, but Christ had come to fulfill the law and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit made it known to Paul that that which had been ordained was no longer Present Truth.

You decry that some are departing from the waymarks, while you lead the rebellion in this instance. Not only have you denied the leading of God in the ordination of Ellen White, but by not seeing the truth in the Scriptures, you have cherished the darkness of man’s pride. Have you not read Christ’s prayer to our Father which art in Heaven, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”? In the Revelation of God that HE gave to Jesus Christ, HIS will is revealed: the redeemed in Heaven are kings and priests before God. Are men only to be redeemed?

But knowing the way that the LORD has led in our past church history, knowing that God’s will is to be done on earth as it is in Heaven, knowing the view of Brother Jan Paulson, who sat in your seat, and continuing to rebel against the LORD is the grievous sin that is causing the damage of which you lament. Cause is followed by effect. The unity of the body in Heaven and earth is fractured. And those who are remaining faithful and refusing to follow a path that violates a clear thus saith the LORD are being defamed as the rebels. But that is as it should be to fulfill that which is written.

The same is true about new light that God has been pleased to give to the SDA Church that is being cast as if it is all sorts of errors that are trying be brought into the Church. The call to stay true to historicism is an effort to exalt man’s methodology above a thus saith the LORD. Historicism is only as good a methodology as those who follow it correctly make it. When historicism is followed incorrectly, it is a blight. But like woman’s ordination, historicism out of focus will tear the unity from the heart of God’s Church.

I am not under the deception that you will hear me any more than your dad valued the copy of the Gorbachev letter that I forwarded to him so many years ago to give him some insight as to how God was working behind the scenes. But instead of waiting until after the fact as in my communication with your dad, I will tell you before it happens so that you will know that this is not my opinion to be brushed aside lightly. The word of the LORD has come to you to test you and your response will either be to buy eyesalve from Christ and the gold of faith that you need for this time or to seal your rebellion apart from Christ.

Iran will attack America after the results of the US election are made known. I suspect Donald Trump will win and that will be the catalyst because he has said that when he is president he will sink Iranian boats that violate the safety zone around our fleet at sea. After Iran attacks the US fleet, President Obama will take a 3rd term that will be an attack on America’s Constitution. He will then attack God’s Covenant (Sunday Law) and then God’s people.

The events will be rapid ones. The work that could have been done in a time of peace and safety will be done in the most trying of circumstances and the 1888 attitude of the church leadership will be manifest for what it has been.

Do not delay to pray and listen to the very message of Present Truth that will refresh your soul. But if like those in Noah’s day, who waited for it to rain to be sure that Noah had the Present Truth, by delaying, you will know the truth, but they had neglected to obey the message until they were sure; and it was too late to undo their delay when they know that Noah had the right message at the right time. There is no wisdom in repeating their folly.

We are in the final sealing time. Our characters will be sealed to the glory of God or we will be shaken from the platform. There is no middle ground for Laodiceans. Christ said I would that you were hot, but He will accept cold if that is what we choose.

Choose ye this day whom ye will serve, and let it be the LORD!
_________________________
“Ignorance is sin, when knowledge can be obtained” (HR, September 1, 1866 par. 3).

Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
@Bill Sorensen: Then is it your position that only men will be saved?