| Author |
Message |
Agapetos
Registered user
Username: Agapetos
Post Number: 1056
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 3:10 am: |     |
You know, I was thinking that I can't remember often seeing Adventists evangelizing by passing out New Testaments -- like Christians often do. A time or few I remember suggesting giving an NT, and some Adventists seemed to feel it wasn't enough, wasn't complete.
The odd thing is that as a Former Adventist, I have studied and read my Bible more than I ever imagined possible as an Adventist. I've seen things open up in Scripture and read things that were just not visible on Adventist radar (which was set on "Sabbath" and "Law"). And yet I am (and most all Christians I know) completely comfortable with giving out New Testaments for evangelism.
As I thought of this tonight, I wondered... is that because we now know that Jesus is everything? Whereas when we were Adventist, Jesus was NOT everything -- you needed Sabbath, law, etc. But when you know He's everything, you feel secure giving out New Covenants (NTs) because with it they learn of Him who IS everything!
Does this resonate with anyone else? |
Gcfrankie
Registered user
Username: Gcfrankie
Post Number: 43
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 8:23 am: | |
Agapetos,
The only time that I know of them handing out any bibles was the KJV at their Revelations Seminars if you stayed through the whole series and on the front was stamped "Revelations Series Unlimited". Come to think about it I don't ever remember seeing just the NT in the church library. I had not thought about this before reading your post but as I read it it got me to pondering so what are they afraid of? To me it seems that if they handed out the NT only then they can not totally justify their teachings on the Sabbath, IJ, sleep,diet and other restrictions EGW wrote about.
Gail |
Blessed
Registered user
Username: Blessed
Post Number: 105
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 8:29 am: | |
Agapetos,
You are so right. We knew about Jesus but didn't understand that He was everything because He wasn't - the Sabbath was. It has been said over and over again on the forum that the Sabbath is their idol and I believe it is true. Ironically the Sabbath is keeping them from knowing and experiencing Jesus.
Blessed |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 6824
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 6:38 pm: | |
Ramone, I believe you are right. Passing out the NT wouldn't have "converted" anyone to "the truth". It was a good start, but all a person would learn from the NT is the simple gospel. The whole concept of "present truth" would be missing if a person merely had the NT.
"Present Truth" is the explanation for vegetarianism, the "sanctuary doctrine", the "health message", the role of the Sabbath, etc. The NT just wouldn't be sufficient.
Colleen |
Jeremy
Registered user
Username: Jeremy
Post Number: 2158
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 9:07 pm: | |
Even the entire Bible wouldn't be sufficient! They have to have EGW (who contradicts the Bible!).
Jeremy
(Message edited by Jeremy on September 19, 2007) |
Randyg
Registered user
Username: Randyg
Post Number: 472
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 9:30 pm: | |
Along with the catch phrase "Present Truth", is the descriptive "Progressive Revelation".
I have heard both of these terms used to describe the changing theological stances and directives of Ellen White over the years. Seems strange that one position could be "shown" as a direct revelation from God, and then later, the opposite position was "shown" to be truth, and also a direct revelation from God.
These seem to me to most often be euphemisms for, we got it wrong and now we have it right, but we might change it again at anytime in the future. |
Mrsbrian3
Registered user
Username: Mrsbrian3
Post Number: 88
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 8:22 am: | |
Fundie 12 helps explain it also. They are "in continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times".
12. Church:
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. |
Gcfrankie
Registered user
Username: Gcfrankie
Post Number: 45
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 10:54 am: | |
I just got Dale's (from LAM) news letter on my e-mail and in it is an article on the distortions of the Clear Word Bible by Dr. V. Streifling and as he says it is not even a paraphrased version as the Clear Word is changed by verses not by paragraphs.
I started reading it last night and what a powerful testimony.
I know that when I was in SDA I bought the CWB. I have an older and newer versions and I found changes between the two.
Since it is being so widely used in the church (at least the one I attended) I wonder if they will replace the KJ with the CW that they hand out at the end of the Revelation Seminars?
I still have my CW in storage so I am going to dust it off and use it to follow along with his changes as I don't have a great memory.
May God bless each and every one of us as we study His word.
Gail |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 6834
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 7:07 pm: | |
Mrs.Brian3, thank you for "fundie 12"! I had never actually noticed that before—they clearly identify themselves as being "in continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times..."
Amazing! I did not realize they so clearly staetd that they do not identify at all with the true Christian church begun at Pentecost. I have known that in practice they do not identify with it, but I had never realized they so clearly state their withdrawal from Christianity.
By this, their own definition, they are not a Christian church. Israel was not "the church", and the Old Testament people of God did not celebrate the Lord's Supper. Just because they hijack the Christian church's practices does not make them a true church. They identify with the Old Testament! No wonder they have Jesus as an incidental requirement but not the Main Thing. The Sabbath is the Main Thing.
Amazing...! It's almost surprising that they state it this clearly—and yet, I guess it's not all that clear, either. It seems a lot of people have missed the significance of that sentence.
Thank you again, MrsBrian!!
Colleen |
|
