| Author | Message | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 1262 Registered: 7-2007 |
One has to be really careful in discussing Christianity with fellow employees where I work. (I answer phones at a government job.) In the cubicle next to mine is an Adventist. He's careful not to eat anything with meat in it, but today the small cafeteria had vegatarian lasagna, so he got some. I commented on the cheese it had on it and reminded him that Ellen White said that a person shouldn't eat any cheese. He started to say something about meat being worse and I reminded him that Ellen White came down stronger on cheese than meat, that it was too strong for the stomach. Our discussion changed a bit and he mentioned how bad swine flesh was. I told him that Leviticus 20 said that "unclean" meats represented "unclean" Gentiles (Leviticus 20:24-26) and that when Jesus died, He tore down the wall between Jewish people and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14,15). I told him that Peter's vision about the unclean animals coming down in the sheet showed that God had cleansed the Gentiles. "That's why the Bible says there isn't anything unclean, in Romans 14:14 and 1st Timothy 4:1-5" I said. "God told Noah that he could eat 'EVERY MOVING THING THAT LIVES,' in Genesis 9," I quoted to him. (Genesis 9:3) "Want me to show you?" I had a Bible in my purse. "No, I already know the Bible," he replied. I knew better than to push it. I had already tried to tell him a couple years or so before how the SDA church was wrong and he said he didn't want to hear it. So, I can only say something if it comes up like that or if I happen to see him somewhere away from work like at Walmart. | ||
| Psalm107v2 Registered user Username: Psalm107v2 Post Number: 672 Registered: 10-2008  |
Keep planting the seeds. Yes one must be careful in work settings but the Holy Spirit will lead you as He sees fit. | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 1264 Registered: 7-2007 |
Yes, I keep looking and praying for opportunities. Today after work I went up to the Walmart supercenter to buy a few groceries. When I came out and was pushing my cart through the parking lot, I met the wife of that Adventist at work. (Her husband had previously introduced us another time when I was at Walmart.) What an opportunity! I mentioned about how Ellen White said that Jesus didn't enter the Most Holy Place in Heaven until 1844. She agreed pleasently. Then I asked if she knew that the book of Hebrews in the Bible said that Jesus went RIGHT AWAY into the Most Holy Place when He ascended to Heaven. Hebrews 6:19,20; Hebrews 9:25; Hebrews 1:3 and Hebrews 10:12. She looked confused. (Perhaps her husband didn't tell her I was a former!) Then she said, "hmmm, I'll have to look into it," and she hastily headed towards the store entrance. (I doubt she was interested.) A opportunity to speak at work and now this coincidence. Or maybe not a coincidence! Maybe the Lord is pursuing this couple to save them!  | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8202 Registered: 3-2004  |
Keep planting the seeds when God presents the opportunity. Diana L | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 824 Registered: 2-2008  |
Asurprise... it was good to read this today. I enjoyed reading about your encounters. I know that Diana has had many opportunities too. This encourages me. I've been frustrated lately because I've had opportunities to discuss sda false doctrines... supported my position through scripture, but I always feel like I've hit brick walls. (Maybe concrete veil is a better term!) I just get the feeling sometimes that the only headway I'm making is that the other person thinks I'm more deceived than they originally thought! I was asked recently why I left the church and she also asked, "do you believe that the 7th day is the Sabbath?" And even when I say "yes! ... I do believe that the 7th day is Sabbath..." they skip everything else I wrote about how the IJ and the scapegoat is unbiblical... and stick with the Sabbath issue. It's so sad that they can't see that the Sabbath is their sacred cow... more important to them than how they are saved. They don't seem to care that they believe that Jesus didn't complete atonement at the cross. I guess it doesn't matter to them because to them keeping the sabbath trumps everything else. I asked her if she could give me scripture that says that the sabbath saves us. She said she had "many verses" that say that the people who inherit the kingdom of God keep the sabbath. Yet she can't tell me one of them... she has to send me literature. She can't articulate her own belief in her own words. sad. Anyway... good to read this today because I'm frustrated with going through all these discussions and I feel like I get nowhere. vivian | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8229 Registered: 3-2004 |
Vivian, You are planting seeds as God has told you to do. He is in charge of watering them and their growth. Just keep on planting the seeds and leave the rest to our awesome God. Diana L | ||
| Yenc Registered user Username: Yenc Post Number: 80 Registered: 6-2008 |
The 7th day was the Sabbath Day, but not any more! Hebrews 4 didn't make any sense to me until I saw that it means the Sabbath Day was only a symbol of the rest Jesus provides, and the symbol is no longer relevant now that we have the reality of our rest in the form of Jesus! He died to give us that rest from struggles to overcome sin by our sacrifices, by our own efforts. The rest we have in Jesus is 24/7 and so much more refreshing than simply refraining from physical work for one day a week. Vivian, it's really hard to break through the walls most SDAs have around themselves and their lawkeeping. Our dropping a word occasionally can disturb them, perhaps, but the Holy Spirit is working harder than any of us can! | ||
| 4truth Registered user Username: 4truth Post Number: 41 Registered: 2-2006 |
Good luck, Asurprise. Remember, a veil is over their eyes, and it is only removed by Jesus. If you will humor me this kinda reminds me of a story from many years ago. I was working in a small shop in CO and we hired a new guy. The boss said that the new guy wouldn't work on Saturdays. I had an old t-shirt from Union College (where I attended a couple years), and wore it to work a couple of times and he didn't even notice. We finally ended up talking about things, and he was an SDA. Nice guy, but I never really witnessed to him. Small world. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 11290 Registered: 12-2003  |
Vivian, I relate to your frustration. Sometimes people really are unresponsive, and sometimes we have to allow them to simply believe what they want. We've had to set limits on discussions with some of our family. We've had to decide to refuse to "go there" when they bring up their questions and comments. It just seems to harden everyone instead of shedding any light or softening any resistance. Sometimes they just want to argue and, I suspect, defend themselves. Hearing their own arguments somehow affirms them... Colleen | ||
| Yenc Registered user Username: Yenc Post Number: 82 Registered: 6-2008 |
I too have a close relative who bristles at ANY comment that could be seen to disparage or, worse, attack any SDA doctrines. The only answer I see to such a dilemma is to keep holding these people up in prayer and not start arguments. In the meanwhile, I have made my own position clear, and anyone who truly wants an answer is welcome to ask. "Thus saith the Lord . . ." is the only defense we need for argumentation. I believe Jesus was telling the disciples not to engage in arguments when He said that if their messages were refused they should shake the dust off and go their way. Trust the Holy Spirit to do His work! We may feel impatient, but it's not our prerogative to act impatiently! |
