For centuries Satan has labored to enshroud the world in darkness, but despite his efforts, God once again illuminates it with the glorious light of his saving truth. His people have been caught up in the fornications of Babylon and are wandering aimlessly in the darkness of superstition, traditions of men, and “doctrines of devils.” Therefore, our merciful God must once again call His people “out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

This last message of mercy is found in Revelation chapter 18 and is to be given mightily with a strong voice, which will result in the entire earth being lightened (Revelation 18:1). However, before God calls His people out of Babylon He again pronounces her fall and declares that she has “become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit” (Revelation 18:2).

Even with the spiritual darkness and alienation from God that exists in the churches of the world today, most of His faithful children are still to be found in their communion. However, the time has come when those who truly love God and have submitted their lives to Him will sever their connection with those who are “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Timothy 3:4-5). Therefore, God calls out to His faithful ones, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4). The humble, sincere, devoted children of God heed this call and separate themselves from Babylon’s communion, thereby placing themselves under the protection of their Heavenly Father. Thus, these escape the outpouring of the seven last plagues, while the “great whore” comes “in remembrance before God,” to receive “the wine of the fierceness of his wrath” (Revelation 16:19).

There is yet one very important question that demands a thoughtful, intelligent, biblical answer and that is: “When God’s people hear His call to come out of Babylon, where are they to come to? As we look about us today we discover that there are a multitude of professed Christian churches today. One authority has listed 1,187 such churches in the United States alone. With all these various voices crying out “come, join us” how is one able to tell the true from the false?

Of all the different churches, both in this country and around the world, God recognizes only two in His word. One of these He calls a “chaste virgin”, His “remnant” people; the other (all those who are not a part of the remnant) He calls “Babylon” – the great whore and all of her harlot daughters. Of these, one is seeking to turn people to God and the truths of His word, while the other is guilty of turning people away from God’s word to “doctrines of devils” and “cunningly devised fables” (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Peter 1:16). One of these churches the devil seeks to destroy, the other her supports and directs in her apostasy. One is the bride of Christ, the other the mistress of Satan. Only two churches and both Christ and Satan have people in both of them. The devil’s disciples in the “remnant” will be shaken out, and God’s children in Babylon are called out. But how does one tell which is which?

There is but one way to tell the true from the false; and that is by the word of God. God’s word warned, even at the time of the disciples, that there would “come a falling away” and that some “would depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1). Even within the church would “men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30).

When Jesus established His Church it was with the desire that His people “may all be one” and “that there should be no schism in the body” (John 17:26; 1 Corinthians 12:25). As believers began to depart from the plain teachings

of Scripture the unity of the faith began to dissolve until, by today, we have so many segments, and diversified beliefs, within Christianity that it appears that the Church has lost sight of the eternal truth that there is still only “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God” as well as “one body, and one Spirit” (Ephesians 4:5, 4). This “one body” is His one true church (Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:18) which has not departed from the teaching and authority of His word to follow the commandments and traditions of men, or the doctrines of devils” (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7-9; Colossians 2:8). To these faithful followers Jesus says, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). His “little flock” are yet scattered.

Many are yet in “Babylon,” but He calls them out to come to His “one fold.” He declares, “other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Do you hear Him calling to you, “come out of her, my people”? Can you hear His voice speaking to your heart? Are you willing to that voice and be led to that “one fold?” Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27, 28). Remember, He asks: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Is your life in harmony with His word?

Realizing the urgency of God’s call for His people to come out of Babylon it is imperative that we turn our attention to that “one fold” or true “remnant” church into which they are to come. There are at least twenty biblical points that enable us to unequivocally identify this true church. These points are:

1. It will be identical to the early church. (Revelation 12:13, 14, 17)

 

2. To have the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12)

 

3. To have the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 12:17; 19:10)

 

4. To arise after the 1260 years of persecution or after 1798. (Revelation 12:14)

 

5. Arise after the 2300 day/year prophecy. (Daniel 8:14)

 

6. Was to experience a great disappointment. (Revelation 10:7-11)

 

7. To be a world-wide movement. (Revelation 14:6)

 

8. To proclaim the “everlasting gospel.” (Revelation 14:6)

 

9. To warn that the judgement is taking place. (Revelation 14:7)

 

10. To call the attention of the world to God as the Creator. (Revelation 14:7)

 

11. Not an offspring of Babylon. (Revelation 12:1-17; 17:1-6)

 

12. To declare the fall of Babylon. (Revelation 14:8)

 

13. To identify and oppose the antichrist. (Revelation 13)

 

14. To warn of the mark of the beast. (Revelation 14:9-11)

 

15. To call God’s people out of Babylon. (Revelation 18:4)

 

16. Declares the seal of God. (Revelation 7:1-3)

 

17. Rejects all false teachings. (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Revelation 22:18, 19)

 

18. To base all of their beliefs upon the Bible and the Bible alone. (John 14:23, 24; Revelation 22:18, 19)

 

19. It is to keep all of the commandments of God, including the fourth or the seventh-day Sabbath. (Revelation 12:17; 14:12)

 

20. To proclaim the three angel’s messages of righteousness by faith. (Revelation 14:6-11)

When one candidly considers the twenty points it immediately becomes evident that they rule out all of the mainline

Protestant churches of today, and in reality leaves only one church which meets all twenty of these specifications. That church is the world-wide Seventh-day Adventist Church whose 18, 000,000 members take very seriously the divine injunction to carry the everlasting gospel “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6).

I came out of Babylon into this church – not because my parents or grandparents were members, not because that was where all my friends went to church, not because I happened to like the minister, not because they had a great choir, not because of the beauty of the building, not because it was located close to my home – but because it is the only church in the world that bases all their beliefs on the Bible and the Bible alone; and meets all twenty of the above specifications.

I call upon you, dear reader, to make investigation for yourself, and then hearken to the voice of the “Good Shepherd” and follow Him into His “one fold” before the plagues begin to fall upon Babylon. Jesus died for you that you might live forever with Him. Don’t let His death for you have been in vain. Won’t you respond to His call to come out of Babylon and come unto Him?