| Author | Message | ||
| Prinsen Registered user Username: Prinsen Post Number: 10 Registered: 5-2005 |
I have been troubled by the SDA teachings concerning the Holy Spirit for some time so I had to make a new thread about this. By an Adventist pastor (while holding a Holy Spirit seminar) I was once told to daily ìIn your morning prayer pray that you will be filled with the Holy Spirit and led by him throughout the dayî. That was the formula to a ìspirit-filled lifeî. I think I AM filled with the Holy Spirit already to begin with. Since I am a born-again Christian I am always filled with and led by the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life if I donít deliberately choose to disobey his promptings. This doesnít mean that I donít pray for Gods leading and guidance in my life but it means that I wonít fall short of his guidance without my ìformula HS prayerî. Another aspect of this is how you are prayed for after your baptism in Adventist churches. The elders lay hands on you and pray for you to be GUIDED by the Holy Spirit in your new Christian life but a proper way according to Acts is to pray that you will be FILLED with the Holy Spirit or BAPTISED in the Holy Spirit. People may tell me this is just about the same thing (that I'm hair-splitting) but I think it is a mayor difference. As pre-Christian you can be led by the Holy Spirit to Christ but once you give your life to Christ you are filled with or baptised in the Holy Spirit. Doesn't this show how the SDA church has a limited view of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit or am I totally wrong? Comments please? /Martin | ||
| Jorgfe Registered user Username: Jorgfe Post Number: 31 Registered: 11-2005 |
Martin, I think you are absolutely right. I, too, feel the same way -- especially about your second point. While I have not done a study specifically on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is no doubt in my mind that the Adventist belief system does not recognize it for what it is. But since they start by denying that God seals us (for the day of redemption) with His Holy Spirit all the rest of their logic is totally twisted as well and the contest between worshipping on Saturday vs Sunday becomes the great defining point instead of our allegiance to God (via the Holy Spirit) or to Satan. The further away I move from Adventism the clearer the false teachings of Ellen White become. The irony is that the Great Controversy is really about relinquishing control of our lives to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In our carnal nature we want so desperately to be in charge. Our human nature is to somehow try to create a belief system where we can "work" our way to heaven. Ellen White states the Adventist works oriented approach so well in Testimonies Vol 5, pag 214: "Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects of our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement." Thank God I no longer believe this! Gilbert | ||
| Jorgfe Registered user Username: Jorgfe Post Number: 32 Registered: 11-2005 |
Martin, I think you are absolutely right. I, too, feel the same way -- especially about your second point. While I have not done a study specifically on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is no doubt in my mind that the Adventist belief system does not recognize it for what it is. But since they start by denying that God seals us (for the day of redemption) with His Holy Spirit all the rest of their logic is totally twisted as well and the contest between worshipping on Saturday vs Sunday becomes the great defining point instead of our allegiance to God (via the Holy Spirit) or to Satan. The further away I move from Adventism the clearer the false teachings of Ellen White become. Gilbert |
