To what is the church of God often compared? “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” (Song of Songs 6:10).

What kind of battle was experienced in the early Christian church? John the Revelator describes: “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer” (Revelation 6:2).

Why did the church have such a victorious experience? What did the believers need before entering the battle? The Lord had directed them: “Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).

Could they begin their work before receiving this power?

“Christ’s ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were to receive the promised blessing. For this they were to wait before they entered upon their work.” 1

How did the early church begin its ministry? “The Christian church began its existence by praying for the Holy Spirit.” 2

What about us? Do we sense our need? “Why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit, since this is the means by which we are to receive power? Why do we not talk of it, pray for it, preach concerning it? . . . For the baptism of the Spirit every worker should be pleading with God. Companies should be gathered together to ask for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that they may know how to plan and execute wisely. Especially should men pray that God will baptize His missionaries with the Holy Spirit.”3

We read the history: “When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). Did this mean that they all had to be in one church? “All who believe are to be gathered into one church.”4

Why one church? Jesus had prayed: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21).

For this reason, what did Christ recognize? “The Redeemer of the world does not sanction experience and exercise in religious matters independent of his organized and acknowledged church. Many have an idea that they are responsible to Christ alone for their light and experience, independent of his recognized followers on earth. But in the history of the conversion of Saul, important principles are given us, which we should ever bear in mind. He was brought directly into the presence of Christ. He was one whom Christ intended for a most important work, one who was to be ‘a chosen vessel’ unto him; yet he did not personally impart to him the lessons of truth. He arrested his course and convicted him; but when asked by him, ‘What wilt thou have me to do?’ the Saviour placed him in connection with His church, and let them direct him what to do.”5

What will happen when we truly united with Jesus? “If we are united to Christ, we shall be united to one another.”6

What is the goal of the truly converted? “Those who are truly converted will press together in Christian unity.” 7

What was required before this was even truly possible? “Not until through faith and prayer the disciples had surrendered themselves fully for His working was the outpouring of the Spirit received.”8

How is this done? “The heart must be emptied of every defilement and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.”9

Is today any different? “The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now.” 10

What prevented the outpouring of the Latter Rain in Adventism in 1901? “In every institution among us there needs to be a reformation. This is the message that at the last General Conference I bore as the word of the Lord. At that meeting I carried a very heavy burden, and I have carried it ever since. We did not gain the victory that we might have gained at that meeting. Why?—Because there were so few who followed the course of Josiah. There were those at that meeting who did not see the work that needed to be done. If they had confessed their sins, if they had made a break, if they had taken their stand on vantage ground, the power of God would have gone through the meeting, and we should have had a Pentecostal season.”11

How could it have been different? “The Lord has shown me what might have been had the work been done that ought to have been done. In the night season I was present in a meeting where brother was confessing to brother. Those present fell upon one another’s necks, and made heart-broken confessions. The Spirit and power of God were revealed. No one seemed too proud to bow before God in humility and contrition. Those who led in this work were the ones who had not before had the courage to confess their sins.

“This might have been. All this the Lord was waiting to do for His people. All heaven was waiting to be gracious.”12

Why? What is required to be ready for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? “When those who profess to serve God follow Christ’s example, practicing the principles of the law in their daily life; when every act bears witness that they love God supremely and their neighbor as themselves, then will the church have power to move the world.” 13

This is clearly describing the Latter Rain experience. To what extent must we experience this purification? “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.”14

Can individuals in the church receive the Latter Rain if open sin is permitted in the church? "[God] shows us that when His people are found in sin they should at once take decided measures to put that sin from them, that His frown may not rest upon them all. But if the sins of the people are passed over by those in responsible positions, His frown will be upon them, and the people of God, as a body, will be held responsible for those sins. In His dealings with His people in the past the Lord shows the necessity of purifying the church from wrongs. One sinner may diffuse darkness that will exclude the light of God from the entire congregation.” 15

“The success of the meeting depends on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. For the outpouring of the Spirit every lover of the cause of truth should pray. And as far as lies in our power, we are to remove every hindrance to His working. The Spirit can never be poured out while variance and bitterness toward one another are cherished by the members of the church. Envy, jealousy, evil-surmising, and evil-speaking are of Satan, and they effectually bar the way against the Holy Spirit’s working.”16

What percentage of the believers in the upper room had to be united to this extent? How about now?

“To us today, as verily as to the first disciples, the promise of the Spirit belongs. God will today endow men and women with power from above, as He endowed those who on the Day of Pentecost heard the word of salvation. At this very hour His Spirit and His grace are for all who need them and will take Him at His word.

“Notice that it was after the disciples had come into perfect unity, when they were no longer striving for the highest place, that the Spirit was poured out. They were of one accord. All differences had been put away. And the testimony borne of them after the Spirit had been given is the same. Mark the word: ‘The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul’ (Acts 4:32). The Spirit of Him who died that sinners might live animated the entire congregation of believers.” 17

“So it may be now.”18 There is no question that individual members must experience perfection of Christian character before the Latter Rain can be poured out:

1. Before they experience the Latter Rain they are sealed.19

“Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming.”20

It is when perfection cannot change that the Latter Rain falls. Once the people are sealed, the church is finally pure to withstand the final challenges to be faced: “Just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come.”

2. When will the third angel’s message be proclaimed in its fullness?

“Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service.”21

This is clearly the Latter Rain.

3. What is the direct result of the Latter Rain experience?

“As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God’s downtrodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite. As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers.” 22

Persecution comes as a result of proclaiming the message in this degree of power. “In God’s word we are shown the consequences of proclaiming the third angel’s message. ‘The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ Revelation 12:17.”23

This message must be proclaimed prior to the final test. “The truth for this time, the third angel’s message, is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, meaning with increasing power, as we approach the great final test.” 24

The premise of the worship of the beast has to do with intent. “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” (Daniel 7:25).

No one can accept the mark of the beast accidentally! “But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected. . . . The decree is not to be urged upon the people blindly. Everyone is to have sufficient light to make his decision intelligently.” 25

What will God do before the test can come upon the world? “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree . . . saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (Revelation 7:1–3).

Because God wants to save everyone, what will He do? “He will restrain the forces of darkness until the warning is given to the world and all who will heed it are prepared for the conflict.” 26

“The great final test comes at the close of human probation , when it will be too late for the soul’s need to be supplied.”27

Is there a pure church when Jesus comes? “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). This is actually a requirement before Jesus can come again. “Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.”28

What comes as an integral part of the gift of the Spirit? “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all” (1 Corinthians 12:4–6). What is the purpose of these gifts? “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Does anyone receive all the gifts? “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body” (1 Corinthians 12:11, 12, 20).

Does church organization have anything to do with these gifts? “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:28).

“Some have advanced the thought that, as we near the close of time, every child of God will act independently of any religious organization. But I have been instructed by the Lord that in this work there is no such thing as every man’s being independent. The stars of heaven are all under law, each influencing the other to do the will of God, yielding their common obedience to the law that controls their action. And, in order that the Lord’s work may advance healthfully and solidly, His people must draw together.” 29

“Brother P’s ideas of order and organization have been in direct opposition to God’s plan of order. There is order in heaven, and it is to be imitated by those upon earth who are heirs of salvation. The nearer mortals attain to the order and arrangement of heaven, the nearer are they brought to that acceptable state before God which will make them subjects of the heavenly kingdom and give them that fitness for translation from earth to heaven which Enoch possessed preparatory to his translation.”30

“It was the highest crime to rebel against the government of God. All Heaven seemed in commotion. The angels were marshaled in companies, each division with a higher commanding angel at their head. Satan was warring against the law of God, because ambitious to exalt himself, and unwilling to submit to the authority of Gods’ Son, Heaven’s great commander.”31

For this reason we need to be a part of the visible church.

“We should all feel our individual responsibility as members of the visible church and workers in the vineyard of the Lord.”32

Why? What is the result of perfecting Christian character? “Unity is the sure result of Christian perfection.”33

We know there is personal work and a collective work as a church. This means that the church must be purified before the end comes. The organized church must be purified. This happens before the Latter Rain. How does the church become purified in time for the Latter Rain before the Sunday Decree? The Spirit of Prophecy actually shows that there are two separations in Adventism in this process of purification.—To be continued in next issue.