One of the largest stumbling blocks within Christian circles is legalism. Legalism is the first heresy that threatened to divide the apostolic church. What is legalism? It is placing conditions on salvation other than simple faith in Christ alone. In the early church it was making circumcision a requirement for salvation. In other ages it … [Read more…]
There have been debates over what is included in the “good news” from the simple statement that Jesus died and rose again proving that He was God in human form to the more complex ideas involving the holy spirit and the ability to live a Christian life. While there is much to qualify as good … [Read more…]
A gentlemen in Sabbath School keeps asking a question: “If salvation is by faith alone then what do we say to a thief who says they accept salvation but want to continue stealing?” The underlying motive of the question is to make us doubt that salvation is by grace through faith alone. However, the answer … [Read more…]
When dealing with the writings of Ellen White it is wise to give her the benefit of the doubt unless there is clear biblical evidence to suggest otherwise. Calling her a plagiarist, a hypocrite, or con-artist is an ad hominem attack on her character that says little about the truth of what she wrote. By … [Read more…]
The important thing to remember about judgment is that Christians already have the final verdict. We are “Not Condemned” while the wicked are condemned already because of their rejection of the person and work of Christ. This is a core element of the gospel. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not … [Read more…]
A question I have been pondering over the past few decades is what are the essential teachings of Christianity? What does a Christian have to believe to be a representative of Jesus Christ? What MUST I believe to be saved? There are Five essential teachings: 1. The Bible is the word of God. If a … [Read more…]
The Belt of Truth Yes, truth exists and it is possible to know right from wrong. Being an expert on the Bible doesn’t grant a person infallibility, but a heart full of the Holy Spirit will have a divine interpreter waiting to guide a person into the truth. (John 16:3) Nothing is more disheartening than … [Read more…]
Controversy is nothing new to me. When one takes a stand on the word of God it is inevitable that someone will challenge what you are saying. If we are to follow the Biblical examples of the early Apostles then we must be bold and proclaim the truth in the face of persecution. There will … [Read more…]
The Gospel of Perfectionism Jesus died on the cross to give us all a second chance at eternal life. Once we put our faith in Christ then He gives us the Holy Spirit who then cleanses us from all sin. Real Christians do not sin. If you do something deliberately you know is wrong then … [Read more…]
Much of my life I have been a student of biblical theology. I was given books to read by my teachers and then I had to write essays, do workbooks, and take exams based on the reading. That covers Bible class for most of my early education grades 1-12. Then I attended chapels, church services, … [Read more…]
Jesus was crucified at 9:00 am and suffered for our sins on the cross until 3:00 pm on a Friday in April. During this time in 31 A.D. the sins of mankind were placed upon the messiah who bore the wrath of God in our place. God satisfied His own law by offering up His … [Read more…]
It is times like these we need to be reminded God is the only one who offers us peace and security. All of the guns in the world cannot stop a deadly virus from spreading throughout the world. However, we can sleep in peace knowing that God loves us and is watching over us. He … [Read more…]
One half of the Seventh-day Adventist church believes the other half is in apostasy. This is sad, sad, sad. If there is a diagnosis for the church it is lukewarm on the gospel of Jesus Christ. They put rules before relationships and commands before compassion. It is high time for our leaders to cast aside … [Read more…]
Messianic Fulfillment of Sanctuary Types and Shadows When Christ was crucified the veil that separated the Holy from the Most Holy Place was torn in two. This meant that the entire sanctuary became the Most Holy Place and there was no longer any barrier to the presence of God. This explains how Christ entered the … [Read more…]
Definitions often play a huge role in a discussion involving theology. For example, the term Jesus Only. For some this means that Jesus is the only way to salvation by grace through faith in His atoning blood. It also recognizes Jesus as the fulfillment of all scripture. All doctrines are there to support Jesus and … [Read more…]
Folks, let us be honest. I have been hearing that the Sunday law is right around the corner for 40 years now. Understandably, there are Adventists for whom all this is still new. Do I believe Jesus is coming soon? Absolutely. His coming is much sooner than it was 40 years ago. Do I believe … [Read more…]
Justification: We are forgiven our sins. We are declared righteous. God looks past our imperfections and sees us as the sinless beings we one day will be in heaven. Salvation is 100 percent based on the work Christ did for us on the cross when He shed His blood and died for our sins. Sanctification: … [Read more…]
We are living in unprecedented times full of nuclear weapons, satellites, space ships, and smart phones. We are living in the last paragraph of the last chapter of earth’s history. We may be alive to see Jesus return. The only way to endure to the end is to focus on Jesus and His death on … [Read more…]
What does holiness look like in everyday life? Is it a monk living in a monastery? Is it taking a vow of poverty? Is it living in a foreign land without the comforts of civilization? Is it giving up television, movie theaters, dance clubs, and fiction novels? What is the mental picture that comes to … [Read more…]
“The present message—justification by faith—is a message from God; it bears the divine credentials, for its fruit is unto holiness.” ~ Ellen White It is almost guaranteed when I mention Justification by Faith in a church setting, I will get one of two reactions. First, some act as if the language I use is beyond … [Read more…]
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Being a follower of Jesus means accepting Him as God, believing He died for your sins, and accepting the gift of His righteousness in place of your own in the final judgement. He also calls you to love others in the same way that He has loved you. … [Read more…]
After 35 years of Bible study, prayer, and reflection, I am more convinced than ever that the message of Justification by faith needs to be taken more seriously. Many pastors and teachers give it lip service, but their hearts are geared towards teaching morality and Christian living. They forget the Holy Spirit is only given … [Read more…]
Being obedient to Christ is not legalism. Keeping Commandments is not legalism. Focusing on the rules over relationships is not legalism. PLACING CONDITIONS ON ETERNAL LIFE OTHER THAN SIMPLE FAITH AND TRUST IN CHRIST IS LEGALISM. Legalism is a curse upon professed followers of Christ who are more concerned with their own righteousness than with … [Read more…]
The relationship between the old and new covenants of the Holy Scriptures have perplexed many theologians over the last 2000 years. Some bible scholars believe the old and new covenants represent two separate plans of salvation. Others have a difficult time separating the mosaic laws from the original covenant God made with Adam and Eve. … [Read more…]
QUESTION: Do I have to believe in all of the 28 Fundamental beliefs to become a Seventh-day Adventist Christian? ANSWER: It is important to make the distinction between the official teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist church as recognized by the General Conference and test of fellowship that is required by new believers when they are … [Read more…]
I wish could exclude myself from this conclusion, but being a former post-graduate student qualifies me to partake of the criticism. Having a degree or two in a particular subject does not make one infallible. There are Atheists with doctoral degrees, there are Pantheists with doctoral degrees, and there are Polytheists with doctoral degrees. The … [Read more…]
My position on the 2300 days prophecy is if the baptism and death of Christ was foretold by this view of prophecy then why not allow it to extend to its logical conclusion: 1844. What Happened in 1844? 1. People awakened to an urgency of the second coming of Christ and the message about the … [Read more…]
Gratitude-Relationships-Intercession-Petition 1. Gratitude: Start your prayers by thanking God for all His blessings. List them one by one and praise Him for being a loving friend. 2. Relationships: Ask God to help you to love Him with all your heart, mind, and soul. Once you have spent some time on this topic then shift your … [Read more…]
1. God is the judge and not man. 2. Jesus is our mediator and not a pastor, priest, or pope. 3. Jesus died once for all–no reoccurring mass as atonement for sin. 4. God judges from the mercy seat where mercy triumphs over condemnation for those written in the book of life. 5. Sins are … [Read more…]
1. The Sabbath was instituted at Creation: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, … [Read more…]
QUESTION: Why do you call yourself a Gospel Adventist? ANSWER: I am a 4th generation Seventh-day Adventist who grew up in the church. As a teenager I thought that the spirit of God would allow us to perfect our characters, if not now, then prior to probation closing. Once probation closed than we would be … [Read more…]
“No man who willfully disregards one principle of the law shall enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Ellen White, Desire of Ages pg. 309 This is one of the favorite quotes of Adventists who are mired in a legalistic attitude towards the law and gospel. They use this quotation to justify their attitude towards people … [Read more…]
Many Christians still struggle with the relationship between faith and works. Are we saved by our good works? No. Are we saved by our faith and good works? No. Are we saved by faith that works? No. Then How are we saved? We are saved by faith FOR good works. This is a huge paradigm … [Read more…]
“Give me a text from the Bible,” she said. “Okay, how about this one,” he replied. “That doesn’t mean what you think it means. See I told you that you don’t have any scriptures that back up your beliefs.” “How about this one over here.” “You are completely misguided. You don’t know how to read … [Read more…]
Over the past few days I have been meditating on what it means to be a Seventh-day Adventist. It is obvious to say that being a member of the church means one is willing to support the official teachings of the church as documented in the Statement of Beliefs. However, while the church pushes for … [Read more…]
As a Gospel Adventist, I believe that the Ten Commandments are the eternal law of God. This is the law by which all human beings are judged. This is the law that condemns us all. The law has never changed, and God still requires obedience to ALL His commandments. What has changed is that we … [Read more…]
Is Doctrine Important to our Salvation? God reveals truth to us through the scriptures. We ignore the essential teachings at our own risk. If bad theology is the result of an innocent error then God may overlook our ignorance. However, if we willfully reject the plain teaching of His word then we run the risk … [Read more…]
People tell me over and over again that my beliefs about the Bible are simply a matter of personal interpretation. But that statement assumes truth cannot be known as objective fact. No one agrees 100 percent of the time, yet there are some basic undeniable facts. For example, if a person jumps off an airplane … [Read more…]
Popular athiests have recently published books about the pros of atheism and the cons of Christianity. One reason they promote for rejecting the existence of God is they believe all religion is merely a cultural bias based on tradition. One of the atheist’s favorite expression is “Christians are only Christians because they live in a … [Read more…]
I almost do not want to write about this subject. Many times, I have come close to giving up on any attempt to communicate this message. I am not even sure that I completely understand all of the implications that arise because of my conclusions. However, it is an important message to understand in the … [Read more…]
There are two ways of looking at the universe. One way is to claim that energy is eternal. If this is the case, then an intelligent designer is not a necessary cause for human existence. Another way of looking at the natural world is that an intelligent creator is the source of all energy, and … [Read more…]
I had breakfast with George Vandeman, the famed Adventist evangelist from the It is Written television broadcast, and we talked about the Book of Revelation and the Mark of the Beast while we ate our morning pancakes at a Northern New England Camp Meeting many years ago. We both agreed that the Mark of the … [Read more…]
PAUSE. Reflect on what it means to be in the presence of ultimate power, wisdom, and source of life. PRAISE. Begin by thanking God for all of the blessings He has already bestowed. There is always something for which we can be grateful. POUR. Tell God what is on your mind and don’t hold back. … [Read more…]
Arthur White, grandson of Ellen G. White, related the following story about his grandmother’s influence at general conference session of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church during the later years of her life. The SDA church had grown to 750,000 members worldwide, and a small group of general conference leaders were reluctant to restructure the church … [Read more…]
God is real. He is as real as the air we breathe and the water we drink. The creator of the universe is as real as the heavens and earth that we observe in the natural world. The divine king of creation is as real as the printed page of divine revelation that reads, “In … [Read more…]
In my last article, The Investigative Judgment, I stated that it pays to have an open mind concerning the actual meaning of the 2300 days prophecy. I can see the value of the 2300 days prophecy when it comes to predicting the first advent of Jesus Christ, but the significance of the year 1844 … [Read more…]
Do Gospel Adventists believe in the investigative judgement? Do we believe that God judges both the righteous and wicked prior to the second coming of Jesus to decide their place in eternity? The answer to this question is yes. The problem has never been about whether there is an investigative judgement (IJ), but the real … [Read more…]
The Seventh-day Adventist church founded by James White, Ellen White, and Joseph Bates, started out as a progressive movement that resisted the biblical dogmatism of its day. The scholars in the church were consistently revising its biblical theology as new information was received through Bible study and prayer. It was with much reluctance that the … [Read more…]
Many people wonder how God speaks to me. How can I claim to speak the words of God unless I am able to discern the voice of God? It took me awhile to be able to explain how I am able to separate the word of God from my own inner voice. The simplest … [Read more…]