| Author | Message | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 5168 Registered: 9-2006  |
As I read an article in this month’s Proclamation one line that one person said really struck home to me. "I feel like I've been converted tonight; I have passed from death to life!" This being said of a person who is Adventist who has apparently accepted the Gospel of Christ. In most problems I always look at the opposite effect having spent a lifetime as a problem solver. My work has always been in problem solving in one way or another and considering the opposite effect is a valuable tool in logic. Considering the opposite effect helps to clarify the fix and to avoid inducing yet another problem, it is called cause and effect. What is the opposite effect to that person? Failure to pass from death into life. Of course I am talking about Adventism here. I think to think about Adventist as being saved, just deceived, or that he will or is saved by his sincerity, is fooling oneself and nothing is farther from the truth. The importance of this is the opposite effect, passing from this earthly life into death and hearing the terrible words “I never knew you, get thee hence.” I can think of no other thing so terrible as to be driven from the Lord’s presence. It causes me to examine my own life as to whether I am in the faith according to Gods own word, its not what I think, its what he thinks that matters because in him there is no shadow of turning, we will not get to the judgment and change his mind about a thing or convince him of a thing. Mr. Adventist, miss Adventist, I beg you today to look closely at Gods word and see whether or not your in the faith. Have you passed from death into life as that person did? You cannot cherry pick the word on the way to your eternal home. Read it in context to see what it says. It is of the utmost importance. Your church won’t save you, only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray and earnestly ask God to help you in his word and he will, but you cannot prevail against God. Pauls preaching is for us today, it will do no good to try disbelieve or try to sidestep Paul, he was chosen by God to preach to the gentiles, that is us. It makes no difference what I believe, what makes a difference is truly being in the faith. Have you passed from death into life, or are you proceeding from life into death? River | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 875 Registered: 5-2007 |
River, Even though you may not agree with how a SDA see's a doctrine, interprets scripture or comes to their convictions. Most SDA people I have met have been one thing, sincere, and standing in faith to the point of harassment, ridicule, sacrifice and persecution notwithstanding. If it is about putting one's convictions to the test. SDA people do that daily. Maybe that is the problem, (or part of it). They expect to be bashed and criticised for thier beliefs. I do not know how to view this standoff. Both camps say the other is mistaken. Both camps say the other is not in the truth. Neither side can convince the other. Which leads me to my knees asking God, place me where you want me. I cannot prove anything on my own. I can only offer back what you give me. Jim | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 5171 Registered: 9-2006 |
Jim, I am convinced that you are one confused puppy. But I ain't pulled my pistols lately. Maybe I should, but I know you need time to get to the end of your own rope and it sounds like you are getting there. When you come to the place where you can let go and let God, you will have got there. I'm still praying for you Jim, I know its been a long haul. I been on a lot of long hauls in my time. Hauls that it seemed like I didn't ask for. So a kind word along the way never hurt me. Love you brother, hang in there, it'll get better. River | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 625 Registered: 2-2008  |
River~ passing from death to life is HUGE!!! I was just thinking today that I never want to go back to where I was at before I knew Christ and what He did for me. I didn't realize how sparse and dry my life was before I myself passed from death to life. If all I had was a black and white TV... how would I know that color is so much better? I didn't know how much it would be better until God took me to a place in my life that that was worse than black and white. It scares me to think that I could have just told God that "I'm really happy and comfortable with black and white." What added the "color" to my life was for the first time understanding that Christ's blood took care of my sins once and for all. To understand that Christ's blood "provided" (past tense) purification of sins. To understand that Christ's blood cleanses my conscience. I was NEVER taught these things because I was taught that my sins were recorded/being recorded in a book in heaven. What relief would it be for Christ to die if my sins were then transferred to heaven instead of forgiven and remembered no more? There's no "life" in that... that is remaining in "death." So to truly understand Christ's gospel is to understand the cross event. If you have to degrade Christ's blood so you can believe in a "prophet"... I can see God telling people "I don't know you." This would be trampling on the blood of Christ. scary. ~vivian | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 881 Registered: 7-2007 |
I wonder if it takes a child to figure it out. It's just too simple for an adult sometimes. I'm not being sarcastic. It's just that the gospel of the Bible isn't complicated like the "gospels" of the cults. It's simple enough for a little child to understand it. Just accept Jesus' sacrifice in your behalf. The difference between Christianity and ALLLL the cults - Roman Catholicism, Seventh-day Adventism, Mormonism, JWs, etc. is that Christianity has the Jesus of the Bible. ALLLLL of those RELIGIONS (and Christianity isn't a religion, it's a relationship), have a false "Jesus." The "Jesus" of the Seventh-day Adventists cannot save. That "Jesus" didn't finish the atonement, has to INVESTIGATE EVERYONE to see who can be saved, and who carried everyone's sins to the heavenly sanctuary with his blood. That's really creepy when you think about it. Are you still reading Ellen White, Jim? If you are, that gives Satan legal ground to hold onto you. Another thing. The law wasn't given to Gentiles and it was FULFILLED by Jesus at the cross. Romans 2:14; Hebrews 7:12,18; Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews 9:15-17 & Hebrews 10:14 Dianne | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 10109 Registered: 12-2003  |
Very good questions, River. I agree—we have to examine our lives. We have to accept the Bible as God's living, inerrant, reliable word. The willingness to defend a belief means absolutely nothing in terms of salvation. Sincerity does not measure faith. The suicide bombers we hear so much about are deeply sincere and are willing to die for their beliefs. Yet this sincerity does not mean one is saved. We are saved by Jesus, and we are saved when we are born again. It is being born again—the action of God that puts us in intimate communion with Him—that identifies our saved status. Colleen | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 22 Registered: 5-2009 |
Hey, Jim--if it helps any, remember that the JWs have a long history of being persecuted, ridiculed, etc. Well, Mormons, too--the ONLY way to tell which is God's side is to prayerfully read His word & then have a listening heart...He will not let you down! | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 5173 Registered: 9-2006 |
Matthew 15:1-14 seems to fit Adventism to a 'T'. The Pharisees were offended with Jesus disciples because they did not do the ceremonial washing of hands. Then Jesus preaches publicly that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles, but what come out that defiles. Then the disciple speak privately (the best that I can determine) and tell him that the Pharisees are offended with Jesus. Jesus tells the disciples to let them alone, the blind will lead the blind. Adventism is all about ceremonial Sabbaths, eats, and so fourth, dangle but don't swim, don't measure a board on Sabbath. Their time is taken up in ceremony instead of the things of the heart. They fuss and fight over how to do church instead of having worship in Spirit and in truth. They do the ceremony by rote. They speak peace to you, but have no peace within themselves. I don't challenge Adventist sincerity, but I do challenge them when they say 'This is the way to peace' when what they say does not produce it. I don't pray for Adventist to become a Pentecostal, I pray for their salvation, I honestly fear for them lest they miss the mark in that ceremonial thing. I don't pray and seek for Adventist to become baptist, I pray and seek for God to lift the veil before its too late. As Viv said "Passing from death into life is huge." River | ||
| 8thday Registered user Username: 8thday Post Number: 1043 Registered: 11-2007  |
One of the chief reasons I wanted to go to Oregon last week was to discern if I could if my grandmother had peace with God. She absolutely does not. No promise of God could console her or give her rest in Christ. I have never before seen how clearly different her Jesus is than mine. It's what I was accused of a few months ago - having a different Jesus. I gladly plead "guilty" to that - with all thankfulness. My Jesus gives peace, joy, love, - not fear and striving till my last breath. My grief for her is overwhelming.. and I will pray as long as she lives. I know God can raise the dead - that's His specialty. (Message edited by 8thday on July 09, 2009) | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 7202 Registered: 3-2004  |
Sondra, I will put your grandmother in my prayers. God knows how to break that adventist spirit that controls her. Diana L | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 33 Registered: 5-2009 |
Praying for your Grandma, 8th day. And for you. God CAN do what seems impossible. His word is alive and I pray for even one promise to get thru to her! Hang in there! | ||
| Pnoga Registered user Username: Pnoga Post Number: 267 Registered: 1-2007  |
The old covenant was do and live, the new covenant is done, believe and live. The old covenant Sabbath should only point out the fact that we can not even provide rest for our souls. We can toil and stress, don't touch, don't swim, etc. But we are never truly at rest. physically yes but flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. The Rest we find in Christ does give us rest for our souls and sets us free from our toil so we can rest in His works. We are now open to the Spirit to work in our lives, we are now fertile ground for God to grow us and work in us. When we are under the old covenant Sabbath we are not fertile and rested to accept the Spirit and allow Him to work in us, we are too busy working, toiling and striving for a rest that God gives us freely. Paul |
