B
brakelite2
Guest
With this thread I am not propmoting SDA doctrine, but desire to clear up some misconceptions many hold regards our faith and teaching.
That there is a strong perception within the Christian world that the SDA church teaches that by the keeping of the 'law', one can be saved, there can be no doubt. Whether this is because of members' ignorant of the truth, or because of poor PR I do not know. Not only do I disagree that we can be justified by keeping the law, but to my understanding of SDA teaching, they do not teach that either.
What I do believe however is this.
I am justified by faith in the shed blood of Jesus. His death paid in full the price I owed God for my sin. His resurrection ensured that I may have hope of eternal life when He returns and I am raised to meet the Lord in the air and so shall I ever be with Him.
In the meantime, I have a battle to fight. It is against the flesh and carnal nature with which I was born. Christ's death and resurrection however gives me huge advantage in this battle, because God included me in the death of His Son. A wonderful transaction has occurred. His life for mine. His righteousness for my sinfulness. Not only is my name now recorded in the books of heaven, but God has sent me His Holy Spirit that my life in the here and now may be so drastically changed, that is is actually transformed into the very image of the character of my Saviour's.
This takes time however. Some changes came overnight, (like the drugs and alcohol) but other things have taken somewhat longer. After 30 years a Christian (12 as an SDA) the battle is still being fought. But praise God, He is winning.
This new character, or new birth, is a daily fight. I must daily submit my-self to the cross and die. To surrender daily is my only hope of continuing to overcome sin in all it's hideous and myriad forms.
The new character that is being formed within, being the very character of Christ's, is in harmony with the law. If it is not in harmony with God's commandments, then the flesh or carnal nature is gaining ground, and I must once again humble myself and allow God to get me back on track. Because if I persist in allowing the carnal nature to overcome the work God has done, sooner or later all will be lost.
This is not a works based salvation, all is of faith. I can of myself do nothing. It is all Christ formed within. By His grace, His power, His Spirit. I cannot any more keep the 6th or 7th commandment by my own strength than I can the 4th. (But I have seen, in my years of study and prayer, no reason why the 4th commandment should be excluded from the 10.)
It is not the ten commandment law that was nailed to the cross on calvary.
It was me. The law still lives, in all it's entirety.
Romans 7 shows this. The husband represents the flesh. He died. The law that the wife was bound to because she was bound to her husband, still lives. She is free however from the condemnation of that law, but because she is married to another (Christ) , and He now gives us the grace and power to overcome sin, and walk as He walked, in harmony with the law.
As a child now of the Father, I delight to obey Him. And allow Him to mold me into the person He needs me to be in order to advance His kingdom, and glorify Him.
The question posed by many is are SDA's saved or are they a cult outside of Christianity? The answer to that is yes, they are saved, if they trust in the shed blood of Christ, remain faithful to Him, and do not trust in their keeping of the law.
Now I am sure that there are many in my church denomination that are trusting in their own righteousness and their keeping of the law to get to heaven. Just as in every denomination
there are some who misunderstand the basics and fundamentals of faith.
However, while there are many who could rightly be termed 'legalists' in our church, I am sure there are some in many other denominations also. I would also suggest that in every denomination there are some who swing to the opposite extreme, and trumpet 'grace grace' and think that once they are saved they can do what they like.
Here is how I view the matter of law.
How was Israel saved from bondage in Egypt? By works? No. By the law? No.
They were saved by the blood of the Passover Lamb. In order to be saved by that blood they had to have faith in God's word that:
a. There was a definite an imminent threat of death.(Rom 6:23)
b. That the application of the blood of the Lamb would indeed protect them and save them.
Now " For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:".
It was after they were saved that God showed them His law. They could not bypass Sinai. "This is how you now must live" God said. Obey Me and live, and I will lead you to the promised land. What happened to those who did not obey? They fell in the wilderness. "But they had the blood of the Lamb to cover them" some may say. That was not enough was it. Disobedience nullified the blood and they entered not into God's promises.
These things were written for our example,that we may learn from them.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Now that we are saved also by the blood of the Passover Lamb let us not bypass Sinai or think that we can ignore God's requirements. Know assuredly that those who do, though they may claim salvation, will not enter in to the promised land.
The above may not be the thoughts of every Seventh Day Adventist. But to the best of my knowledge, it is a fair representation of official SDA teaching.
That there is a strong perception within the Christian world that the SDA church teaches that by the keeping of the 'law', one can be saved, there can be no doubt. Whether this is because of members' ignorant of the truth, or because of poor PR I do not know. Not only do I disagree that we can be justified by keeping the law, but to my understanding of SDA teaching, they do not teach that either.
What I do believe however is this.
I am justified by faith in the shed blood of Jesus. His death paid in full the price I owed God for my sin. His resurrection ensured that I may have hope of eternal life when He returns and I am raised to meet the Lord in the air and so shall I ever be with Him.
In the meantime, I have a battle to fight. It is against the flesh and carnal nature with which I was born. Christ's death and resurrection however gives me huge advantage in this battle, because God included me in the death of His Son. A wonderful transaction has occurred. His life for mine. His righteousness for my sinfulness. Not only is my name now recorded in the books of heaven, but God has sent me His Holy Spirit that my life in the here and now may be so drastically changed, that is is actually transformed into the very image of the character of my Saviour's.
This takes time however. Some changes came overnight, (like the drugs and alcohol) but other things have taken somewhat longer. After 30 years a Christian (12 as an SDA) the battle is still being fought. But praise God, He is winning.
This new character, or new birth, is a daily fight. I must daily submit my-self to the cross and die. To surrender daily is my only hope of continuing to overcome sin in all it's hideous and myriad forms.
The new character that is being formed within, being the very character of Christ's, is in harmony with the law. If it is not in harmony with God's commandments, then the flesh or carnal nature is gaining ground, and I must once again humble myself and allow God to get me back on track. Because if I persist in allowing the carnal nature to overcome the work God has done, sooner or later all will be lost.
This is not a works based salvation, all is of faith. I can of myself do nothing. It is all Christ formed within. By His grace, His power, His Spirit. I cannot any more keep the 6th or 7th commandment by my own strength than I can the 4th. (But I have seen, in my years of study and prayer, no reason why the 4th commandment should be excluded from the 10.)
It is not the ten commandment law that was nailed to the cross on calvary.
It was me. The law still lives, in all it's entirety.
Romans 7 shows this. The husband represents the flesh. He died. The law that the wife was bound to because she was bound to her husband, still lives. She is free however from the condemnation of that law, but because she is married to another (Christ) , and He now gives us the grace and power to overcome sin, and walk as He walked, in harmony with the law.
As a child now of the Father, I delight to obey Him. And allow Him to mold me into the person He needs me to be in order to advance His kingdom, and glorify Him.
The question posed by many is are SDA's saved or are they a cult outside of Christianity? The answer to that is yes, they are saved, if they trust in the shed blood of Christ, remain faithful to Him, and do not trust in their keeping of the law.
Now I am sure that there are many in my church denomination that are trusting in their own righteousness and their keeping of the law to get to heaven. Just as in every denomination
there are some who misunderstand the basics and fundamentals of faith.
However, while there are many who could rightly be termed 'legalists' in our church, I am sure there are some in many other denominations also. I would also suggest that in every denomination there are some who swing to the opposite extreme, and trumpet 'grace grace' and think that once they are saved they can do what they like.
Here is how I view the matter of law.
How was Israel saved from bondage in Egypt? By works? No. By the law? No.
They were saved by the blood of the Passover Lamb. In order to be saved by that blood they had to have faith in God's word that:
a. There was a definite an imminent threat of death.(Rom 6:23)
b. That the application of the blood of the Lamb would indeed protect them and save them.
Now " For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:".
It was after they were saved that God showed them His law. They could not bypass Sinai. "This is how you now must live" God said. Obey Me and live, and I will lead you to the promised land. What happened to those who did not obey? They fell in the wilderness. "But they had the blood of the Lamb to cover them" some may say. That was not enough was it. Disobedience nullified the blood and they entered not into God's promises.
These things were written for our example,that we may learn from them.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Now that we are saved also by the blood of the Passover Lamb let us not bypass Sinai or think that we can ignore God's requirements. Know assuredly that those who do, though they may claim salvation, will not enter in to the promised land.
The above may not be the thoughts of every Seventh Day Adventist. But to the best of my knowledge, it is a fair representation of official SDA teaching.
