| Author | Message | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 180 Registered: 5-2007  |
I have notice that a common theme of those who have escaped from SDA theology is a lack of personal victory over sin while in the SDA church. That is, the practice of sin and temptation. We were told that we must be perfect but each of our personal experiences showed us that we could never be. I view this as another proof that EGW teachings are false and that the SDA church is controlled by Satan. I Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. If you can find no escape from the practice of sin, then you are looking in the wrong place. Luke 4:6-8 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Notice that even Jesus used scripture to defeat Satan. Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. When we read on to the end of the chapter, we find that the whole armour includes; truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, "the sword of the Spirit" which is the word of God and ends with prayer. Their theology distorts the truth. For instance, they say you should eat right so you will not pollute the "temple of the Holy Spirit" when the Bible says that the only thing that pollutes us is the words that come out of our mouths. Righteousness can only come from Jesus, which includes none of our works. They don't have a message of peace. They lack faith which explains why they have no assurance of salvation. Of course, who can have assurance when it is centered on something not mentioned in the Bible such as Sabbath keeping. And, they add to and change the word of God. Certainly, they pray but are they willing to hear God's answer? In summary, Adventist live defeated lives because they are wearing none of the armour of God. Phil | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 4310 Registered: 3-2004  |
Phil, Being in the Celebrate Recovery program God has really helped me overcome my food addiction. He is showing me on a daily basis how He wants me to live. As you said, Adventists live a defeated life. Thank God we are not longer there and we can help others to live a life with Jesus leading the way with his armour. Diana | ||
| Treasurehntr Registered user Username: Treasurehntr Post Number: 36 Registered: 7-2007 |
Mr. Harris...Spot on This must be hell for a new SDA. I have noticed that after a recruitment seminar, where one thinks they know the will of God in their lives, the bar is raised. This is typical of life as an SDA. Absolutely no assurance whatsoever. IMHO, this is also the reason that so many extreme groups spring from Adventism. I don't know if I am saying this right, bear with me. Once a believer is put on the road to works salvation no work is ever good enough, no peace no salvation. With no assurance the believer sinks deeper, possibly following new teachings that promote more works, new practices, and isolationism, in a vicious cycle. There are many posts here about new Prophets, and this is what they have in common. I wish i could reach out to every one and tell them how awsome the grace of God reall is. Hey, Diana, aint God Awsome!!..) | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 182 Registered: 5-2007 |
Treasurehntr, Correct me if I'm wrong, but you appear to have an English background to your mode of expression. Part of "no victory" is not having self control when away from parental control. Having lived the greater part of my life in the Napa Valley including a number of years at Angwin (Pacific Union College), I saw fist hand what students would do when away from home. Basicly, an alarming number would "go wild". Simply put, they were not equiped to function in the real world. Phil | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6804 Registered: 12-2003  |
Phil, you are right. The hopelessness of getting the works right leads to compulsions and despair. I've known many Adventists who have varying forms of obsessive-compulsive disorders, addictions, and crippling nueroses. I believe that when people take Adventism seriously, it leads them either into a spiral of anxiety and mental illness or into agnosticism. I was prone to neurotic obsessions. I used to drive myself crazy trying to do everything right, agonizing over the sins I inevitably committed, and wracking my brain trying to remember all my sins so I could be sure none were unconfessed. There was just no relief. Praise God He rescued me! Colleen | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1469 Registered: 9-2006  |
As I met with some Adventist this morning, we were reading out of the book of Nehemiah and a fellow started to speak about some section that was read and I didn’t catch the gist of what was being said as my mind had drifted away from what was being said but I did catch this statement he made in conclusion “Possibly there’s hope for us too”. That sentence said volumes to me “maybe there is hope for us” “Could there be hope for us?” “Is there hope for us?” What a miserable existence this sentence represents. Each day as I meet with them I hear this “just perhaps there is hope for us too” in their tone of voice and demeanor. They hang out hope against hope that just maybe there is a chance for hope, that God hears their prayers, and that just possibly there is hope for them. What he is saying is that he has not reached perfection, it is like a gambling addiction, surely the next hand will produce a winning hand, surely the next pull on the handle of a slot machine will produce a jackpot, and they yank on that handle of perfection and all that comes up is more of the same, no 777’s, the jack pot of perfection, just a dribble of cherries, two quarters in, one quarter out, “well, but maybe there still hope I still have a few quarters left (days to live) and so he yanks and yanks and yanks, he is tired and worn out, but he still keeps on, his eyes glued to that picture of perfection, 777, it tantalizes him, just one more pull and he will recoup his losses. Like a gambler addicted to the slots he has become blinded and does not know he cannot win, even if he wins a small pot (victory), the next days gamble will take that away and the long run is a constant drain until his quarters (his days) will finally run out, he has given his fortune, his all, to a false hope, a false assumption, a false dream of a mad woman. If God has sent his only Son to die for our imperfections, covered the land with darkness and mutterings of thunder upon his death, now I ask you? Will he not demand faith? Will he have mercy on the gambler that put his fortune (life) on the faith of a mad woman instead of his Son? Or will he have mercy on the one who cast himself on the mercy of his dear Son who paid the price for mercy? Lord I cast myself at your feet this morning. River | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1470 Registered: 9-2006 |
I am broke and I have no money (righteousness), so I must depend him for money. My cupboards are bare and I have no food, so I must depend on him for food. I am thread bare and I have no clothing, I must depend on him for a robe. Father I thank you for meeting my needs this day. River | ||
| Snowboardingmom Registered user Username: Snowboardingmom Post Number: 342 Registered: 11-2005 |
You hit it right on, River. And your gambling analogy is so appropriate because that's the "feeling" behind that hopelessness. Like Colleen said, Adventism drives people either to compulsive disorders and behaviors, or to agnosticism. For me, it was both!! A good Adventist friend of mine was in a near fatal car accident last year. As she was recounting her miracle to me, she made a passing comment, "I thought I was going to die, but I felt relieved that I had taken the time to ask for all my sins to be forgiven that morning just in case." Adventism brings tons of despair with the possibility of hope. Adventists can only hope for hope. I remember hearing Elizabeth (Gary Inrig's wife) say, "If you try and put sanctification before justification, you will go nuts trying to make it work." I know that "nuts" feeling well!!  Grace | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1471 Registered: 9-2006 |
And now for a break from all this seriousness. A fellow had been pulling at his moonshine jug rather heavily one day and he staggers through the tree’s along the river bank. Finally he staggers upon a baptismal party in progress and people standing out in the shallow water and he staggers out in among them. (These are Baptist if course) The preacher grabs him and shoves him under and brings him back up and ask “Do you feel Jesus?” The drunk says “No” so he shoves him back under, holds him under a little longer and again and brings him back up and again ask him “Do you feel him now??” The drunk says “No!” By this time the preacher is getting pretty exasperated (you know Baptist) and he shoves him back under the third time and holds him under even longer and then finally pulls him back up “Do you feel him now???? And the drunk says “I didn’t feel a thing, are you sure this is the spot where he fell in?” The Adventist are looking for him, they just keep looking in the wrong place. River Sorry folks, I just can’t think on the problem too long without a comedy break. Do you consider that a moral without a story or a story without a moral? River | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1475 Registered: 9-2006 |
If you would bear with me a little I would like to make the distinction between the hope spoken of in the Bible and the kind of hope involved in the “Possibly there’s hope for us too” kind of hope. Now I will be lazy and just cut and paste from Jeremy’s work he did earlier and “Hope” he don’t get after me for plagurizing. 18so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:13-20 NASB.) So true Christian hope anchors the soul and is sure and steadfast. So there is a complete difference in the use of the word “Hope” as spoken of salvation in the Bible and the concept of “hope” I win the lottery. Of course I am preaching to the quire here I know but you’re the only quire available. So. Sorry Jeremy for using you hard work. Or am I? River | ||
| Treasurehntr Registered user Username: Treasurehntr Post Number: 37 Registered: 7-2007 |
Hi Phil Though I do not possess a degree, english has always been a strong subject. I see the point of your post. When I was college age, my exposure to SDA peers was limited to Church, I have not experienced the wild side of Adventism. However, I have seen SDA who, when separated from the Church, simply find another guardian authority to replace it. Often times worse than Adventism. |
