| Author | Message | ||
| Free2dance Registered user Username: Free2dance Post Number: 466 Registered: 2-2010 |
I am asking this question for the sake of many of the new people on the forum. One of the most profound moments in studying out of Adventism was when I realized that we did NOT have a correct understanding of the nature of sin and the human condition. Without that right, everything else is just wrong. I truly believe that it is important to understand this in order to understand repentance, the need to be born again, and the truth about the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. How did you understand sin and the human condition in Adventism, and how do you understand it now? Also, does this quote on the "Uniqueness of Adventism" taken from the Calimesa SDA website (http://calimesasda.com/#/home/uniqueness-of-adventism) help explain your former understanding of the human condition? "THE WHOLENESS OF PEOPLE. In contrast to the Greek idea that has influenced many Christian thinkers down through the ages, (that we are "spirits" or "souls" that inhabit bodies) we believe that we are indeed "whole" people, with all the various aspects of our lives (physical, mental, emotional, relational, etc.) interconnected and inseparable. We don't just have bodies, we are bodies (without a separate full consciousness apart from a real physical existence). As "whole" beings, we believe God wants to bring health to all aspects of our lives, and so Adventists have invested a lot of time and energy into medical work, education and missions (including improving the living condtions of others) as well as sharing the story of the gospel. " | ||
| Ric_b Registered user Username: Ric_b Post Number: 1243 Registered: 7-2004  |
In SDAism the problem was sins, i.e. the individual acts. In Christianity the problem is sin, our fallen nature. I'll expound further in a bit. | ||
| Ric_b Registered user Username: Ric_b Post Number: 1244 Registered: 7-2004 |
In SDAism our sins, each individual act of sinning, are what separate us from God. Each sin separates us again, until that specific sin is forgiven. The emphasis in on the act of breaking the law as sin. Sin rarely extends beyond what we did to include what we didn't do, what we thought, or our motives (all the things that Jesus laid bare trying to show the Pharisees that they too were sinners). If you didn't break the law, then you didn't sin. So the priest and the levite in the story of the Good Samaritan did not commit any sins as they did not break the 10 commandments. In fact, they obeyed laws assurring that they retained their "cleanliness". Since humans must be viewed as whole bodies in SDAism, there is no room for a dead or live spirit. Nothing happens in our rebirth except our commitment. We are, both before and after baptism, basically good people who make some bad decisions. The solution to this problem is to put yourself in the position to make better decisions. This is why Jesus could be said to have come with a nature exactly like ours. The problem of sin is not about our nature, only about our free will choices. The Biblical view is that we are born sinners, separated from God. We are not basically good, or even basically neutral. Fallen human nature is opposed to God, it is evil. The new birth is necessary because we need a living spirit in us, a spirit that is connected to, rather than separated from, God. We sin when we do what we shouldn't (as SDAs would agree--although for a Christian believing the NT the things we believe we shouldn't do are a little different). We also sin when we fail to do what we should. We sin when we don't act in faith. We sin with our thoughts and our motives. Even the good that we do is tainted by sin, as we take pride in having done something good or we secretly hope that someone noticed our actions and thinks better of us. Sin is such a pervasive problem that it could never be solved by us trying just a little bit harder. Having converted to SDAism, I don't believe that I ever really accepted the SDA view of sin. I heard the perfectionism messages of SDAism, and perfectionism is the heart of the SDA gospel, but I saw my perfomance through the eyes of the regular Christian understanding. And I felt like a complete and utter failure with no hope except for the fact that I wouldn't have to suffer eternally for my failures. As an aside, I have come to conclude that one reasons SDAs cling so strongly to annilihation is the fear that they won't be saved. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12983 Registered: 12-2003  |
Rick, I agree completely. The issue of who we are is that we are born dead (Eph. 2:1-3). This fact makes no sense unless we understand that we have literal spirits. The issue of the human spirit is the underlying issue that distorts every doctrine of Adventism. To be sure, the Trinity is not understood biblically, and God is equated with the Law; this fact warps all reality. But as far as the technical understanding of Adventist doctrine goes, the denial of the human spirit underlies everything and makes everything mean something different from its normal meaning. Colleen | ||
| Handmaiden Registered user Username: Handmaiden Post Number: 240 Registered: 7-2008 |
This is what is so heartwrenching about those caught in the trap of the cults. Performance based pride on the outside and inside fear of not being saved because they know their hearts are wicked. They live in anguish and torment never being able to please their legalistic demanding god. This makes annilihation a comforting thought!!! How wicked are the lies of the enemy. It is so very sad. Their ears are so stuffed with lies playing on their pride that they cannot even hear the good news of the true gospel. Salvation is a free gift. No performance based interview required. It is so much easier to share the good news with the broken and downtrodden than the "good" people. Why do so many believe and stubbornly cling to the lie instead of running full out to the foot of the cross??? Jesus poured out His life's blood for them. He paid the full price for them. We need to pray for them, to reach out to them to lay our lives down for them. |
