| Author | Message | ||
| Sdanswers |
Hi FAF Brethren, I am so glad to find this website that I feel would help me find peace of mind. As of this time, I am still a non-active member of the SDA Church. I was baptized here on Feb. 1995 after leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses organization in which I became a member for almost 15 years. For me it becomes a Family religion since I was raised being JW. Frankly, I came to know the true Gospel of Salvation by faith alone in Jesus by reading those books that deals with the cults and to further on my research on the true Gospel I attempted to attend in a Baptist Church near my place and there I felt that my faith is growing and my spiritual life comes alive so that I can truly testify about Jesus anywhere without feeling any shame on my part. I gain confidence in my new found faith then suddenly I met my wife who is an active SDA member of the choir. She invited me first to attend Church services that I find interesting at first. And since I am more confused that time as to which church should I go after I leave JW I find some similarities in their doctrines so I pursue my course with them until I decided to get baptized by them. THe Ministers and laymen are so happy and become more proud being an SDA imagine that a JW for 15 years become a convert to SDA! That time I feel like I am fulfilling God's mission especially since I got a confirmation from Walter Martin himslef (Kingdom of the Cults) that the SDA's are Christians! But you know bretheren I can't understand now what I feel. I feel like I am the one who is just active in sharing them my knowledge of scripture but I couldnt get it in return. What I mean is I am suffering until now from a "Spiritual Starvation"! I am starving from God's Word everytime I tried to attend their services. Sometimes I am telling ,myself that It is far more better to attend the JW services since at least when I reach home I am learning something. But here in the SDA, thanks for the SDA books which I can read, but not in the CHurch. Now my faith is in trouble! But I still believe in the simple gospel of Christ which I learned from the Baptist Church. I don;t know what to do. In Christ, ROnald | ||
| Cindy |
Dear Ronald, Welcome! Hang onto your faith in the "simple gospel of Christ"!! He is your Substitute, your Righteousness, and your Joy!! Compare the message of Christ crucified for you!!, --a complete and perfect salvation--, with the various doctrines you may encounter... (in whatever church you may look into). See if these beliefs line up with this wonderful good news!... or if they add 'requirements' and 'duties' to this simple gospel message. Because you believe in Jesus, you are promised! the Holy Spirit to Comfort and Guide you each day! I will pray for your peace and continued faith; please pray for me also... Grace Always, Cindy | ||
| Max |
Hi Ronald, Welcome aboard! Great to have you and your inquiring mind. Unfortunately a great many people have been deceived about SDAism's true nature by Walter Martin who was himself deceived by the SDA "liberal" leadership of the 50s when the book Questions on Doctrine (QOD), which papered over SDA heresy, was published. But the SDA "liberals" were soon pushed from power at the GC level and later at all levels, such as the "minister training" level at SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews Universtiy in the 60s. True conservatives who "hawked the heresy" took places of leadership everywhere in the denomination (hospital administration, college and university administration, teaching posts, editorial positions, and pulpits everywhere). And they, the "conservatives," s. This "in your face" reality accounts in part for the droves now leaving the church in North America (though not in the much more conservative Africa, South America and Central America, where 90% of the worldwide membership resides). For now, and for our purposes on this web site, it is not important to brand SDAism a "cult" per se, though it is indeed that. "Cult" is a perjorative term and it doesn't suit our purposes to emphasize that, though it remains a fact. It is important, however, to expose the primary SDA heresy because it destroys souls. And the primary heresy is the denial of the full deity of Christ at the most fundamental level. All othere SDA heresies hang from that one. Some examples of other SDA heresies: 1. Our salvation was not completed forever ("once for all" time and people) at the cross. 2. Ellen G. White was a Biblical-level prophet and "in the last days" the only infallible interpreter of Scripture. 3. The Sabbath is a requirement for salvation and a "test of fellowship." 4. "Sunday worship" = "the mark of the beast." 5. SDAs are "the remnant," while Protestants are "apostates" and the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) is "the beast." That's enough for now. God bless you, Ronald, Max of the Cross |
