Miscellaneous Correspondence


June 13, 1997
David W. Wolkwitz
Administrative Assistant to Pastor Finley
It Is Written
Box O
Thousand Oaks, California 91360

Dear David:

          Thank you for responding to my letter on behalf of Pastor Finley. Please accept my apology for taking so long to get back with you regarding this matter.

          You said: "Personally I can tell you from a close association with him that Pastor Finely does in fact believe this and in his personal relationship with people seeks to grant this freedom to everyone."
          I am pleased that he does this in his personal relationships. I see that this freedom should also be granted by the corporate church body to others.
          In the hypothetical examples that you gave (the Roman Catholic Bishop starting a SDA church and a group of scientists calling themselves SDA) , it may be true that their use of the name "Seventh-day Adventist" would not be right. There also may be groups of people that truly believe they are Seventh-day Adventist and that they should not give up the name, as Ellen White has stated. But, even if the name is used wrongly, I don't see that that gives the SDA Church any right to take anyone to court over the name. In Luke 9:49-50, Jesus' disciples told Him of someone who had been casting out demons in Jesus' name, but was not part of their group. Jesus said to them "Forbid him not!". The church should not forbid others to act in Jesus' name while using the 'sacred' name of Seventh-day Adventist, the name God gave to those who 'keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus', just because they are not part of the same "group". We should take the same attitude Jesus did and leave them alone, letting the matter of whether or not they are truly SDAs be between God and that individual or church, giving them that religious freedom.

          Please read the following regarding taking others to court. 1 Cor. 6:1-9 and the following comments by Ellen White from Letter 301, 1905 entitled "A Lawsuit Against the Publishing House":

          "When church members have this knowledge [1Cor.6:1-9], their practice will be of a character to recommend their faith. By a well-ordered life, and godly conversation, they will reveal Christ. There will be no lawsuits between neighbors or brothers."
From Manuscript 64, 1898 in "The Very Thing God Told Them Not to Do" read:
          "I have written largely in regard to Christians who believe the truth placing their cases in courts of law to obtain redress. .... They cast aside the inspired counsel God has given, and in the face of the message He gives they do the very thing He has told them not to do."
And in "What Appeals to the Court Reveals" read:
"...Those church members [or churches] who appeal to the courts of the world show that they have chosen the world as their judge, and their names are registered in heaven as one with unbelievers.
From Manuscript 128, 1903 in "Lawyers and Laodiceans" read:
"To lean upon the arm of the law is a disgrace to Christians; yet this evil has been brought in and cherished among the Lord's chosen people."
          From these examples, we know that whether we consider others (no matter what they do to us) to be brothers or not to be brothers, we are admonished not to take them to court!
          On a similar subject, consider the example given in Acts 19:13-17. There were exorcists using Jesus' name to cast out demons. Because they really didn't believe (and had not the Spirit of Christ), the demons did not recognize any authority in their use of His name and the exorcists reaped bad results. The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and those who were misusing His name were brought to shame. It was obvious to the public who were truly Christ's followers and who were not.
          This is an example to show we do not need to fear what will happen as a result of misuse of names. God will protect the name, "Seventh-day Adventist" to the extent He sees the need for protection. If God does not do for the church what the church thinks He ought to, who is the General Conference to object and take it into their own hands?
          I believe that the General Conference should follow counsel from the Holy Scriptures and from Ellen G. White and trust in our Heavenly Father for protection rather than listening to and trusting in man. "We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29.

          You said: In addition, I think you would agree that neither would it be religious freedom for the hypothetical situation mentioned to use the tax exempt status that has been granted to the first users of the name.
          Are there groups of people using the G.C. SDA Church's tax exempt status? Are you saying that that is the situation with all groups that the G.C. has taken to court? I was not aware of this. No, that would not be right, but then again, Christ admonishes us not to take people to court.
          You said: Therefore as children of the heavenly king, and as we continue on in our journey of life, approaching His soon return, let us not be sidetracked by Satan's attempts to cause us to focus on the wrong things.
          Amen! Let us not be sidetracked by Satan, but let us also not be blind to very important truths that are being revealed!
          I pray that you and Pastor Finley will seriously and prayerfully consider the content of this letter and what it means that the G.C. is taking this type of action against others. I look forward to hearing from you.
          And I pray that God will continue blessing you as you follow His leading.

Sincerely with the love of Christ,



Barbara Isenburg


David W. Wolkwitz reply to Barbara Isenburg

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