Babylon Within: The Seventh-day Adventist Church?

 “Babylon Within”

Scripture Reading: Revelation 18:4 – “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.”

Introduction: Brothers and sisters, the call to “come out of Babylon” has echoed through every era of God's church, and especially through the prophetic voice of the Seventh-day Adventist movement. But let’s pause and consider: We may not be in Babylon—but how much of Babylon might still be in us?

 What is Babylon? In Scripture, Babylon represents confusion, compromise, and rebellion against God. In Revelation, it symbolizes a system that mixes truth with error, where man-made tradition replaces divine command. For us as Adventists, Babylon is not just about where we are physically—it’s about what we allow spiritually.

Ellen White reminds us in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, that “we have far more to fear from within than from without.” Babylon isn’t only “out there.” It can creep into our hearts, our homes, our churches—subtly, quietly, dressed in comfort, pride, or spiritual complacency.

 How Does Babylon Get Into Us?

• When we chase success more than sacrifice, Babylon gets in.

• When we prize entertainment over edification, Babylon gets in.

• When our worship becomes about form without power, Babylon gets in.

• When we dilute truth to avoid discomfort, Babylon gets in.

We see it in our churches when health reform is ignored, when prophecy is neglected, or when we lose sight of our mission and settle for a religion of convenience.

 How Can We Recognize Babylon in Us? Ask: Does my lifestyle reflect the self-denying Jesus or the self-indulgent world?
Ask: Is my heart stirred by truth, or numb from distraction?
Ask: Are we, as a church, reflecting the character of Christ or the culture around us?

Our faith must go deeper than knowing the three angels’ messages—it must live those messages. If we preach separation from Babylon but live like Babylon, we misrepresent our calling.

 How Do We Change?

• Return to the Word. Let Scripture—not the culture—shape your values.

• Reclaim the Spirit of Prophecy. Let the counsel given to this remnant people guide us back to the narrow path.

• Renew our Mission. The Seventh-day Adventist Church exists to proclaim the everlasting gospel—not just to the world, but to ourselves.

• Revive true worship. Not performance-driven, but Spirit-filled. Worship that lifts Christ high and humbles us low.

• Repent. Revelation calls us to come out—not just physically, but internally.

Friends, Babylon isn’t just a place. It’s a mindset. A spirit. A system. And before Jesus can return for a church without spot or wrinkle, He must cleanse us from every trace of confusion and compromise.

Let us examine ourselves honestly. Let us cry out for purity. Let us be that peculiar people, distinct not just in doctrine, but in devotion. Because Christ is coming—not for a church that merely left Babylon, but for a people in whom Babylon no longer lives.

If you sense even a shadow of Babylon lingering in your life—if you want to be fully His—stand, and ask God to remove every trace of Babylon from your heart today. Amen!

More: Sabbath School Lesson 4 - The Nations Part I