Righteousness by Faith....ALONE

[Solo]

Thank you for your testimony.

If you do not mind, I will ask you a couple more questions. If you feel like answering them, great; if not, that is okay also.

You stated that you were born again sometime in April of 1980. What was the circumstances of your being born again?

How were you born again by the word of God?

If you were to teach someone how they are to be born again, what would you teach them to do.

 

[Jay T]

Thank you for your testimony.

If you do not mind, I will ask you a couple more questions. If you feel like answering them, great; if not, that is okay also.

Nope, I don't mind at all answering questions, as I feel that as I answer questions, it makes me think more.....as in testing my own belief system......
2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves".

You stated that you were born again sometime in April of 1980. What was the circumstances of your being born again?

Accepting the Everlasting Gospel message, which Adventists are suppose to present before the world, because of the Bible Prophecy meetings I attended during that time period.

How were you born again by the word of God?

James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

1 John 5:1 "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

If you were to teach someone how they are to be born again, what would you teach them to do.

First, they have to realize where they are out of harmony with God.

In other words: Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God".
OK, it says that 'all' have sinned..."

Then, it is vital that the UNsaved person realizes what God defines, as sin.

1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law".

Romans 7:7 "What shall we say then? [is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet".

Next Question: What Law ?

There is ONLY one law spoken of thoughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament.......and, that is the 10 commandments found in (Exodus 20:3-17).

REMEMBER.....the Law plays a part in the conversion process.....
Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple.

BUT, we also know, that the CAN'T save anyone !
Its only purpose, is to point out 'where' we have gotten out of harmony with the will of God.

And, the will of God is.....
Eccl. 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.

So, I would point a person to REALLY study 'each' of the 10 commandments, to see where they have fallen short of God's will.

And then, I would have them REALLY study Psalms 51:1-10 (as this is HOW salvation works).....
AND THEN....in the Name of Jesus Christ, I would have them Pray this Prayer......

"Have mercy upon me, O God (Jesus Christ), according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me.

51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest.

51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; [that] the bones [which] thou hast broken may rejoice.

51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me".


Now, some might wonder why I went to the Old Testament so much on the Salvation process ?

BUT listen to what the Apostle Paul said:
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
QUESTION: What Scriptures were available at that time ?

Answer: Old Testament Scriptures.

Salvation by faith, in Jesus Christ, was known....in the Old Testament times.

There is a REAL PROBLEM....in trying to gain Salvation, by just reading the New Testament ...ALONE !

Jesus pointed that out...MANY TIMES !

 

[Solo]

Jay T,
That is the best post that I have read from you my entire time on this forum. Thanks for the post. You and I do not agree on the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist organization, but perhaps we can hash it out with the full Scripture.

Joe Crews visited me right after I was born again in 1983 while I resided in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. He told me that I could really be saved if I joined the Seventh-day Adventist church since he had imparted the truth to me, and that then I should know it. The Holy Spirit led me to one Scripture after another to refute the Scriptures that he was pointing out to me concerning the SDA doctrine that he called truth.

What doctrines do the Seventh-day Adventists teach that you disagree with?

Thanks for the response.
Michael

 

[Jay T]

Jay T,
That is the best post that I have read from you my entire time on this forum. Thanks for the post. You and I do not agree on the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist organization, but perhaps we can hash it out with the full Scripture.

Joe Crews visited me right after I was born again in 1983 while I resided in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. He told me that I could really be saved if I joined the Seventh-day Adventist church since he had imparted the truth to me, and that then I should know it. The Holy Spirit led me to one Scripture after another to refute the Scriptures that he was pointing out to me concerning the SDA doctrine that he called truth.

What doctrines do the Seventh-day Adventists teach that you disagree with?

Well....I don't diagree with any of them, as they are all Scriptural as far as I'm concerned....sorry to disappoint you.

My greatest weakness (my inability) is the fact that although I have the doctrine well establish in my mind, I cannot present them very well...as you have already found out, from our discussions of late.

 

[Solo]

Well....I don't diagree with any of them, as they are all Scriptural as far as I'm concerned....sorry to disappoint you.

My greatest weakness (my inability) is the fact that although I have the doctrine well establish in my mind, I cannot present them very well...as you have already found out, from our discussions of late.

Do you believe that it is possible that you have been taught doctrines that are contradictory to the truth of the Scriptures? How are the various cults able to teach sincere folks false doctrines contradictory to the Bible such as was the case in Galatia as Paul wrote to the Christians there?

 

[Jay T]

Do you believe that it is possible that you have been taught doctrines that are contradictory to the truth of the Scriptures?

Well, Most of the doctrines I've looked up myself...to prove them to myself...as scripture says:
Ephesians 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
AND......
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

I'm not foolish enough to believe I know all truth, as presented from Scripture.
I have to be in the attitude of a learner...if I'm to progress in Christianity.

How are the various cults able to teach sincere folks false doctrines contradictory to the Bible such as was the case in Galatia as Paul wrote to the Christians there?

One of the main faults I see in people who claim to believe the Bible, is that when a Scripture verse(s) is presented to them......
Instead of immdeiately accepting that Scripture as God word....they tend to
use another Scripture text, as a 'defense' to the one presented.....as though there is a contradiction.

For example:
#1.) Galations 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

#2.) Romans 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Instead of realizing that both of the Bible Texts are True....and accurate, they will accept one, and reject the other.

That is NOT how to arrive at the truth.

Both Scripture texts are to be accepted as the truth...and both are from the word of God...PERIOD !

The way to solve the problem, is to find an answer, that makes BOTH of those Bible texts True statements.
They are in harmony with each other...ONLY when the treu answer is found.

I have found in my experience that SDA's can do just that....balance seeming contradictory Bible verses, to make them blend together, in harmony.

SDA's have a method of Bible study, that I have found superior to any other church organization....that's just my opinion, of course.

And, I use the KJV Bible ....ONLY.

E. G. White is a resource, I use.....NOT as an authoritive source, but as a 'lesser light, leading to the greater light', the Bible.

For example: "satan, which deceives the whole world' (Revelation 12:9).
That Bible verse is an absolute fact, presented by God Himself....as to what satan 'has and will do'.

E. G. White's book: the "Great Controversy Between Satan and Christ", details the 'how' of satan's deceptiions of world conquest.

That book, is the (lesser light)....pointing to the absolute fact, of the Bible verse (greater light), that satan WILL deceive the whole world.

I will (have already many times) personally read that book, to gather details, as the the how satan plans to deceive the whole world.

The things in that book has already been proven, in secular history books....establishing that future events, yet to come, might also prove true.
Time will tell.

As you may have noticed in the past....I did not defend E. White.

When I first became an SDA.....I read some things of hers....I KNEW WAS WRONG !!!

But, I didn't give up right then, I investigated HARD...until I found out for myself what those things she said was wrong, later became clear.

There was one thing she said I flat out rejected, and it was several years later, that I came to realize what she said, was true....but I needed the extra information obtained years later before I accepted what she said in that one statement.