At the heart of the Adventist faith is the belief that God never forces the conscience. True worship grows from love freely given, not from obedience imposed by law. The voices gathered here, and the essays that follow, reflect a historic Adventist conviction: religious liberty is the foundational freedom upon which all other human rights rest.
To man alone, the crowning work of his creation, God has given a conscience to realize the sacred claims of the divine law, and a heart capable of loving it as holy, just, and good; and of man prompt and perfect obedience is required. Yet God does not compel him to obey; he is left a free moral agent.
— The Signs of the Times, April 15, 1886, par. 2______________________________________________________________
The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is love awakened.
— The Desire of Ages, p. 22______________________________________________________________
God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan’s constant resort—to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce—is compulsion by cruelty.
— The Great Controversy (1888 ed.), p. 591______________________________________________________________
To allow freedom of conscience is to recognize that there is a higher government on the earth than the civil governments—the government of God. To interfere with this right is to interfere with God’s government, and also to turn civil government out of its proper channel, and bring it to a disastrous end.
—The American Sentinel, December 2, 1897, p. 749______________________________________________________________
He who has God’s law written in the heart will obey God rather than men, and will sooner disobey all men than deviate in the least from the commandment of God. God’s people, taught by the inspiration of truth, and led by a good conscience to live by every word of God, will take His law, written in their hearts, as the only authority which they can acknowledge or consent to obey.
— Testimonies for the Church, vol.1, p. 361______________________________________________________________
When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the State to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.
— The Great Controversy (1888 ed.), p. 445
When the Lamb Speaks as a Dragon: Revisiting America’s Role in Prophecy
by Ivor Myers
The book of Revelation describes three symbolic beasts that require careful attention. The first appears in Revelation 11 as the beast from the bottomless pit. Seventh-day Adventists understand this prophecy as identifying atheism as a system, with France serving as the historical location where that system was openly manifested. France itself is not the beast; rather, it provides the setting in which the system is revealed.
The second beast appears in Revelation 13:1–10. Adventists identify this power with the Papacy, again recognizing that Rome functions as the geographical reference point, not the beast itself. These prophecies do not condemn nations, but expose systems that oppose God’s authority.
This distinction between location and system is essential for understanding the third beast described in Revelation 13:11—the beast with lamb-like horns that speaks like a dragon.
PROTESTANTISM AS A SYSTEM
Seventh-day Adventists have long recognized that the location of this beast is the United States of America. However, unlike the first two beasts, this power is often treated differently. Some describe it as a “good” beast that later becomes corrupt. Scripture, however, does not make this distinction. The Bible does not describe the beast as becoming dragon-like; it simply states that it speaks like a dragon.
When this distinction is understood, it becomes clear that while the geographical setting is America, the system being exposed is Protestantism within America. Ellen White addressed this directly:
“Protestantism, a power which while professing to have the temper and spirit of a lamb, and to be allied to heaven, speaks with the voice of a dragon. It is moved by a power from beneath” (Letter 232, 1899).
Notably, she describes this power as speaking in the present tense. This indicates that the dragon-like voice is not merely future, but has characterized the system from its inception.
This voice is synonymous with the fallen churches that constitute Babylon. In Early Writings, under the heading “The Sins of Babylon,” Ellen White wrote:
“I saw that since the second angel proclaimed the fall of the churches, they have been growing more and more corrupt… I saw great iniquity and vileness in the churches; yet their members profess to be Christians” (p. 273).
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“His wrath burns against this nation and especially against the religious bodies that have sanctioned this terrible traffic and have themselves engaged in it. Such injustice, such oppression, such sufferings, are looked upon with heartless indifference by many professed followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. And many of them can themselves inflict, with hateful satisfaction, all this indescribable agony; and yet they dare to worship God. It is solemn mockery; Satan exults over it” (p. 275).
Understanding this nuance helps clarify that the beast has spoken like a dragon from the beginning, but the responsibility rests with professed Christian churches—Babylon—not with the nation itself. To defend the beast in the name of defending America is, therefore, to drift toward defending Babylon, and eventually to sympathize with religious systems that, even today, continue to seek civil enforcement of religious beliefs in the name of Jesus.
AN APPROACHING STORM
In The Great Controversy (1888 ed), p. 608, Ellen White issued a clear warning:
“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition.”
This opposition is not atheistic or secular. It is composed of professed Christians who speak with a dragon’s voice.
She continues:
“By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side.”
Here, “the world” refers specifically to the Protestant world that will dominate at the time the storm approaches.
She concludes:
“Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren” (ibid).
Elsewhere she writes:
“The professed Protestant world will form a confederacy with the man of sin, and the church and the world will be in corrupt harmony” (Selected Messages, vol. 2, p. 367).
DISCERNMENT IS THE SAFEGUARD
Revelation 13:11 is not a prophecy against a nation, but a warning against a system that cloaks compulsory worship in religious language. The danger for God’s people is not persecution from secular powers, but the temptation to align with religiopolitical movements that seek control rather than conscience. Spiritual discernment, not nationalism, remains the safeguard for those who would remain faithful to the principles of the third angel’s message.
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Ivor Myers is the pastor of the Living Manna Online Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Sabbath and the Final Test of Allegiance
by James Richmond
The Sabbath is more than a day, or a commandment to remember— it is a symbol of freedom to worship the Creator according to conscience. In the Seventh-day Adventist understanding, the Sabbath embodies key biblical truths: creation, redemption, and allegiance to the Creator who alone is worthy of worship. As prophecy points toward a climactic moment in history, the question of worship and law moves from the margins to the center of the gospel and the great controversy.
Genesis 2:1–3 reminds us that the Sabbath rests within the Creator’s completed work: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished… And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day… So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy” (ESV).
THE SABBATH AS A TESTIMONY OF FREEDOM
From Creation to Covenant, the Sabbath represents God’s will for human freedom. It is not a human tradition but a divine ordinance that affirms both God’s sovereignty and the dignity of conscience. Ellen G. White consistently presents the Sabbath as a safeguard against coercion, inviting reflection on a central question: Who is worthy of worship?
Kept in sincerity and by faith, the Sabbath proclaims that worship is an act of allegiance to God, not an expression of social conformity. Scripture affirms this call: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
This understanding anchors Adventist identity in the broader principle of religious liberty—the right of every person to follow conscience under the authority of Scripture. Liberty, in this sense, is not merely civil freedom; it reflects the gospel’s invitation into a relationship of trust, reverence, and obedience to the Creator. As Scripture declares, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17).
SUNDAY LAWS: A FOCAL POINT IN THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Prophecy indicates a testing time when earthly powers will seek to regulate worship. The issue is not merely one of calendars, but of obedience—whether allegiance belongs to God or to human authority. The advent of Sunday legislation highlights this tension by placing worship under legal pressure and testing individual conscience.
This scenario reflects the great controversy theme: a conflict between truth and an oppressive power. Scripture counsels believers to be “fully persuaded in his own mind” (Romans 14:5) and reminds us that “we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
For Seventh-day Adventists, Sunday laws represent a potential moment when religious liberty is tested publicly. Yet, even in this tension, the church’s witness is not primarily a political protest, but a theological proclamation—affirming God’s sovereignty over worship and the moral order, while advocating for freedom of conscience. “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver” (Isaiah 33:22).
THE CENTRALITY OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN THE GOSPEL STORY
Religious liberty is not peripheral to the gospel—it is its essential expression. The sanctuary services taught that Christ’s redemptive work addresses the whole person, including the conscience and its freedom to respond to truth. The Spirit of Prophecy urges believers to uphold liberty of conscience, resist authoritarian measures in matters of worship, and pursue peace with people of all faiths. This posture reflects the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22-23.
Within the Adventist framework, three principles stand out:
• The Sabbath as a sign of loyalty to God and a call to worship in freedom.
• The authority of Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• A prophetic understanding that anticipates a test of allegiance centered on worship.
PRACTICAL WAYS TO HELP CHURCHES UNDERSTAND LIBERTY IN THE GOSPEL
Churches play an important role in helping members understand the relationship between faith and freedom. This can be done by:
• Teaching the biblical view of human moral agency, recognizing that every person bears the image of God and deserves freedom to respond to divine truth (Genesis 1:26).
• Grounding discussions in the sanctuary message, connecting Sabbath observance with Christ’s redemptive work and the call to live righteously in a plural society (Hebrews 9).
• Emphasizing counsel from the Bible and Ellen White’s writings on civil and religious liberty, encouraging respectful engagement and compassionate dialogue with civic authorities while firmly upholding conscience-based worship (John 18:36).
• Modeling liberty in practice by supporting just laws that protect worship without coercion, advocating for the oppressed, and bearing a Christlike witness (Micah 6:8).
A HEARTBEAT FOR THE FINAL TEST
The final test of allegiance will reveal where loyalties rest—on the God of creation and redemption or on the pressures of the moment. The Sabbath stands as both a shield and a witness, affirming freedom to worship God, even amid external pressure.
When challenges arise from Sunday laws, the gospel remains stronger than political power. It calls the church to a principled and compassionate stand for religious liberty as a core expression of the gospel in the great controversy.
In a world of competing claims, Adventists have a responsibility to articulate that freedom of conscience is essential to Christian witness. By teaching, modeling, and praying for genuine religious liberty, churches can help believers embrace the Sabbath not as a legal obligation, but as a joyful acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty and a commitment to worship guided by truth. “The truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
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James Richmond is the Atlantic Union Conference Public Affairs and Religious Liberty associate director.
Ancient Frogs, Modern Faith: Heket and the Rise of Christian Nationalism
by Edgardo Herrera
On the rocky island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9), the apostle John received visions that pulled back the curtain of history and revealed the great controversy between good and evil. Among the most unsettling images is that of “three unclean spirits like frogs” emerging from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (Revelation 16:13)—symbols of deception and mobilization in the final conflict. The imagery is striking and invites reflection on the plagues of Egypt, where frogs filled the land (Exodus 8:1–15).
For the Egyptians, frogs were not merely pests; they were symbols of fertility, tied to Heket, the goddess of fertility and resurrection.1 During the Nile’s breeding season, their presence—and their chorus—was impossible to ignore. In John’s vision, this ancient imagery resurfaces as a warning of deceptive powers that rise with persuasive voices, promising life and renewal while producing spiritual confusion. Like the frogs of Egypt, deceptive religious voices can grow loud and pervasive, filling the land with promises that ultimately draw faith away from Christ’s eternal kingdom of love and liberty.
Today, parallels emerge in the rise of modern religiopolitical movements that merge faith with national identity. America, shaped by principles of religious liberty and formed by settlers seeking freedom of religion, now grapples with a spiritual drought. Violence in schools, human trafficking, economic pressures on families, and moral disorientation testify to a nation searching for answers. Into this vacuum, Christian nationalism presents itself as a prophetic voice, claiming solutions to immigration, socioeconomic struggles, and moral decay. It speaks the language of faith, but its gospel is distorted.2
John foresaw a lamb-like beast that “spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11). Though outwardly gentle, it reveals a satanic spirit by demanding worship and blurring the line between devotion to Christ and allegiance to political power. In a similar fashion, religiopolitical systems may proclaim God’s commandments while neglecting the Sabbath and sidelining the heart of the gospel—“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). History reminds us that pseudo-gospels—whether in the Dark Ages or Nazi Germany—bring devastation when faith is co-opted by ideology.3
Scripture identifies the dragon as Satan (Revelation 12:9), the beast as a religious system rising from Rome’s ruins (Daniel 7:3; Revelation 13:1–10), and the false prophet as a power emerging from a new land—lamb-like in appearance yet dragon-voiced (Revelation 13:11–18). America’s story reflects this tension: a nation marked by revival, missionary zeal, and influence, yet vulnerable—when Christ is no longer central—to speaking with a dragon’s voice, echoing what Adventist commentators describe as “the deceptive and seductive words of the serpent in the Garden of Eden” (Andrews Adventist Bible Commentary).
John’s vision cautions against religious movements that seek salvation through political power rather than faithfulness to Christ. Just as Egypt could not ignore the frogs’ chorus, we cannot ignore the growing voice of nationalism cloaked in religion. It promises salvation through politics, but salvation belongs to Christ alone.
The good news is that Revelation does not end with frogs or false prophets. It ends with the Lamb—Jesus Christ—victorious and calling His people to faithfulness. In a time when counterfeit gospels grow louder, the true gospel still shines: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Christian nationalism may blur the lines between church and state, but the gospel of Jesus Christ restores clarity. It reminds us that our hope is not in political saviors but in the risen Savior. And just as frogs once filled Egypt, today’s noise may be deafening—but the voice of Christ still calls us to love, liberty, and life everlasting.
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Edgardo J. Herrera, executive secretary and PARL director, Southern New England Conference
1 M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. 1, p. 220
2 Barry A. Kosmin and Seymour P. Lachman, One Nation Under God: Religion in Contemporary American Society, pp. 28-20
3 Roland H. Bainton, The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, pp. 45–47; Richard J. Evans, The Third Reich in Power, pp. 112–15.
