“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
Psalms 34:19
PNG
Dear Pastor
It is with great sorrow that we write to you regarding the shameful treatment of Pastor Livingstone Kul by Elders, Deacons and church members at Bena Bena on Wednesday the 11th of December. Pastor Livingstone was severely beaten and a church building was burnt down at the time of this assault. Elders and Deacons led the group of church members who beat and kicked Pastor Livingstone as he was fellowshipping with fellow believers.
Pastor this is not the first time this has happened in the Eastern Highlands and we are aware of cases of assault in Kabuifa and Bena Bena in the past. No action was ever taken against the people involved in these assaults even though they were Elders and Deacons of God’s church. To make this situation worse these assaults occurred on Sabbath following divine services.
In Matthew 5:21–23 Jesus tells us, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement.’ We are also counseled in Isaiah 58:1 that we should “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins.” In Ezekiel 3:17–21, God requires us to warn people of their sins or their blood will be required of us.
Pastor, we humbly request that you call the perpetrators of this assault to the church discipline following the Biblical counsel in Matthew 18:15–17. As you are aware, God requires all of His true followers to repent of their sins and true repentance requires making things right with the person you have offended, as well as with God. We are praying for these individuals who committed this assault and asking the Lord Jesus to forgive them for their unconsecrated and unchrist-like behavior.
Pastor you should be aware that as a result of this assault, many church members will question the Behaviour of the leaders of God’s church and many more will join the ranks of the laymen who are preaching the need to prepare, by sanctification, for the soon return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
As Pastor Livingstone had a speaking engagement in Australia immediately after the assault, I have also been advised that many Adventists in Australia who have heard the story are also questioning the leadership of God’s church in PNG and believe that they see prophecy being fulfilled. In Great Controversy, Chapter 33, “The Loud Cry,” we read: “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the Third Angel’s Message, but have not been sanctified through it, abandon the position, and take refuge under the banner of the powers of darkness . . . 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.” [Great Controversy, 608.]
Two thousand years ago the leaders of God’s church took the Son of God, beat and tortured Him and hung Him on the cross to die. Jesus had a very small number of true and faithful supporters, who, in a very short period of time following His death and resurrection, took the Gospel of Salvation to the world, despite experiencing fierce persecution by church leaders. Last year in Kainantu, the Easter Highlands Simbu Mission saw fit to use unbiblical authority to disfellowship a handful of faithful laymen for the “sin” of preaching the Three Angels’ Messages in the streets. In a matter of 18 months, thousands of faithful church members have stood and joined the laymen in order to finish the work of the Gospel. Wherever these laymen have been persecuted, the more church members take their stand for truth. Pastor we are in the shaking time and Jesus will soon return as He is now separating the wheat from the tares.
Pastor, the Leadership of SDA Church can disfellowship all who support the laymen’s movement, but this is not important to us. Names do not need to be written on church roles. The only place that we need to have our names written is the Lambs Book of Life and no church leader can remove our names form this book. Unbiblical civil authority can be employed to try and prevent us from using the term “Seventh-day Adventist” but you cannot erase this from our hearts because Jesus Himself called us in this belief.
The Laymembers Association was not established to destroy God’s church but to preach the soon return of Jesus Christ. We would like to work along side the church in PNG, but we are treated with suspicion and persecution by the SDA church leadership. We pray that God will open the eyes of the leaders of the church in PNG and allow us to work cooperatively to finish the work of the Gospel. The counsel given by Gamaliel in Acts 5:38–39 is so relevant, “And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.”
Pastor we have not been given the opportunity to fully discuss matters of concern with yourself or other leaders in Eastern Highlands Simbu Mission. We would appreciate receiving your response to this letter and we would be happy to meet with you if you so wish.
Your Brethren in Christ Jesus,
