If Jesus isn't coming until His character is perfectly reproduced in His people, we can just forget about any Second Coming ever happening. The churches I go to are still full of petty, gossipy, selfish people, even worse than years ago. So, i'm thinking that phrase that Sister White said is one of those that shows she didn't exactly always say everything just right. I'm not one to find fault with Sister White or look for errors, but that phrase keeps coming up and can be discouraging indeed if you take it to it's logical conclusion. I do believe jesus is coming and that the current prophecies indicate it will be very soon, regardless of whether or not every member of the church is perfect in character.

Here is a verse that is simple sounding, but if you start to think about it and our current situation, and what Restin posted it is actually very deep.

quote:

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Luke 18:8
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

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I realize that it is a parable, but His parable's were simple sounding and very deep in meaning.
We know that God reveals to us in the Bible that no man knoweth the day or the hour of Jesus Second Coming, so a statement that tells us to all have Jesus Character then He will return when that day occurs is not Biblically correct.
Its like saying : Follow rules a-h for 1st quarter, then we do the rest in the remaining 3 quarters, and He will come on such and such date..
We have what seems like a long long way to go, but we know that God will speed up time, and make it short, and we know that all the prophecies in the Bible need to be fulfilled.. We are at the toenails for sure.

God Bless,
Will

Church members will be perfect in character AFTER the shaking.

Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 6---- Ephesians-----PG- 1118
(John 14:15). Reaching the Condition of Sinlessness. –Those only who through faith in Christ obey all of God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. They testify to their love of Christ by obeying all His precepts (MS 122, 1901).

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.


PH145----PG- 6

"Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of the Saviour shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim His own. It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel! Quickly the last great
harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come."

The Signs of the Times----DT- 08-04-98

The atonement of Christ has been made to save all the sons and daughters of Adam from the penalty of the violated law, on condition that they repent of their transgressions, and are converted through the exercise of faith in Christ. The Lord God of heaven is to be glorified by the obedience of His subjects. This wonderful plan of salvation devised in heaven was not to vindicate transgression. In satisfying the claims of justice, Christ does not
release the sinner from his obligation to keep that law. By His death Christ makes it possible for us to keep that law. The sinner is held under
obligation to the law. Altho Christ died in the sinner's stead, the sinner is liable to all the penalty of the law if he does not comply with the conditions of the Gospel; and these prescribe obedience, if he would be benefited by the obedience offered. The atonement was made to take away the sin of the world. The suffering of Christ upon the cross is a living testimony borne to all human intelligences that sin is the transgression of the law. And in bearing the penalty of transgression, Christ speaks to every soul, saying, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us
all," that through His merits He should become an accepted substitute for the sinner, "how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"

Testimonies for the Church Volume Five---PG- 631

"Here the Lord has plainly revealed His will concerning the salvation of the sinner....
.... Can I pardon your transgressions when you
do not repent and turn from your sins?"...... The Lord will receive the sinner when he repents and forsakes his sins so that God can work with his efforts in seeking perfection of character. The promises are not yea and nay, but if man complies with the conditions, they are, in Christ, "yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory
of God by us." The whole purpose in giving His Son for the sins of the world is that man may be saved, not in transgression and unrighteousness, but in forsaking sin, washing his robes of character, and making them white in the blood of
the Lamb. He proposes to remove from man the offensive thing that He hates, but man must co-operate with God in the work. Sin must be given up, hated, and the righteousness of Christ must be accepted by faith. Thus will the divine
co-operate with the human.

Hi Mike,
I noticed you emphasized the word after to indicate that this is when God's people will have the character of Jesus.
I do not know much about the shaking, but do know something is going on and I believe it is not just in our SDA church either, but many other churches which makes me think about the words God spoke that John recorded :

quote:

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Revelation 18:4
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

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Are we that close? Please do elaborate, or I think that a new topic may have to be created. What are your thoughts on that?
God Bless,
Will

I meant in the corporate sense. That is, the sinners in Zion will be shaken out, only the perfect will remain. Sister White agrees with your observations. Just how close we are to the out pouring of the plagues I can't say. I hope it's soon. The shaking will complete its work before the close of probation, before the plagues are poured out. The shaking doesn't perfect anyone, it merely reveals those who are perfect.

9T 15
Not all in this world have taken sides with the enemy against God. Not all have become disloyal. There are a faithful few who are true to God; for John writes: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12. Soon the battle will be waged fiercely between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. Soon everything that can be shaken will be shaken, that those things that cannot be shaken may remain. {9T 15.5}

Charlene, thank you for sharing those powerful quotes. God is good.

A new topic has been created, therefore, please click on the following link and continue discussing the shaking there by also repeating there what you posted here.

http://www.maritime-sda-online.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=80&t=000014