| Author | Message | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12890 Registered: 12-2003  |
I've never seen this before; I'm not sure when it was written. Notice this page does not list the 28 Fundamental Beliefs nor explain any of the doctrines the way Adventists understand them from the "inside". If one didn't know the underlying facts of "spirit = breath", Sabbath as the "seal of God", the investigative judgment, the incomplete atonement...one would never pick up those notions from this piece. Of course, those who KNOW those things can see their fingerprints throughout it. And EGW? She would NEVER be discovered... I'd love to hear responses/reactions to this piece which is written in a conversational, friendly, almost condescending tone: http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/ Colleen | ||
| Free2dance Registered user Username: Free2dance Post Number: 452 Registered: 2-2010 |
I haven't gotten past this sentence, "Seventh-day Adventists are a faith community rooted in the beliefs described by the Holy Scriptures." and I'm already yelling at the screen. I'll keep reading though...he he | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 2568 Registered: 5-2007  |
At the bottom of the webpage you will find this notice which indicates it is the current position that the SDA headquarters wants the outside world to view Adventist beliefs without saying what they really are:
Fearless Phil | ||
| Free2dance Registered user Username: Free2dance Post Number: 453 Registered: 2-2010 |
A part of what is deceptive about this is that under the link to what Adventists believe is the link to the 28 fundamental beliefs. That comes after all this other stuff. They ware you down before you even get to core of it all. | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 3783 Registered: 10-2004  |
That page has been around for at least several years. I quote the following portion of it on my Trinity webpage:
Ummm, no. I do agree with them, however, when they say that their God is "made up"! Jeremy (Message edited by Jeremy on August 25, 2011) | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12891 Registered: 12-2003 |
Interesting, Jeremy. I'd never looked for a page like this before...but I surmised it was written so local SDA churches can easily link to it for their own "belief statements". That's how I found it; it was a link on Collegedale's church site. Colleen | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 3784 Registered: 10-2004 |
If you go to the main Adventist.org homepage, that link is actually the first thing listed on the top left--they prefer that people read that page rather than the 28 Fundamentals. Jeremy | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 9388 Registered: 3-2004  |
I read it and what ran through my mind as I read was "lies, lies, lies". They have been and continue to be deceptive. Diana L | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 2057 Registered: 10-2002  |
I can't quite describe when I'm getting in the Spirit as I look at the page. I'm hearing "Pray!" over and over. I don't completely understand. (Lord, what is this?) I know a lot of Adventists who believe a lot of the simple truthful things in the statement, and I know God knows them and loves them and will receive them, because His grace is just stronger than all the other spirits in SDA. And I know a lot of Adventists who have gotten a good dose of the gospel and are trying to move the SDA church in that direction. But it's like this was not written by any of those Adventists. I can't put my finger on it completely. It's obviously evangelistic in nature and another re-writing of main Adventist points. Most of the main things can be found in there, except perhaps "Sanctuary/IJ", but that falls into the "character" emphasis. Whatever the case, it's another 're-packaging' of SDA to try and sell the package. So what to pray, Lord? Of course for the people who read this to see clearly and check around first, and to sense the same warning bells I and others get in the Spirit looking at this! But something else... pray for the Adventists who are doing the 're-packaging'! Like the protagonist in George Orwell's "1984"... he was in the government's propaganda department, and was very good at his job of erasing and re-writing history and headlines to fit the current party line. But in that position, knowing that he was re-writing the truth, he knew it wasn't truth at all and began to long for something more, something real. In the same way, pray for the people who are doing the 're-packaging', who are doing the re-writes. Pray for longing for Him, for real, the really real real! Pray that they would know clearly what they are doing and feel more and more empty about the SDA beliefs. In Jesus' name! Bless you in Jesus! Ramone | ||
| Jonvil Registered user Username: Jonvil Post Number: 633 Registered: 4-2007 |
After a very cursory glance at this 'nice sounding' gobblygook I couldn't pass on making a comment on the last sentence: "Eternal life, peace, purpose, forgiveness, transforming grace, hope: Everything He promises is ours, because He's offering it and He's shown we can trust Him to do exactly as He promises. Accept His gifts, and you immediately become an active part of His family, and He joyfully becomes part of yours." They have eliminated the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer by attributing transformative power to an attribute of God. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5 (NASB) So an Adventist will agree with 'saved by grace' while believing that grace transforms them to enable them to 'keep and do' and thus 'safe to save', sanctification precedes (an earned) justification. From the Remnant Dictionary (tongue in cheek) GRACE: Transforming grace An infused power to enable one to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to keep the Law of God and to gradually move oneself from the category of "ungodly" to "righteous", this will be noticeable in fewer and fewer sins leading to a God-pleasing life. "God never asks of anyone something for which he does not first give them the power to perform it." Aquinas Merited favor to those who pay their debts through keeping the Law of God. "Grace is the promise of God’s *pardon and the provision of God’s power– justification and sanctification" Ted Wilson, GC President. June 30, 2010 *Editor's note: Pardon means to delay with the possibility of eventual cancellation of punishment; absolution from guilt is not implied, merely a remission of the penalty. (see: FREE, GIFT, SANCTIFICATION, THE LAW OF GOD). JUSTIFICATION: A progression (1) Believe on Christ. (2) Keep the law of God (3) Justification. A pardon for sin, not the blotting out of sin Primarily a real empirical change in the human heart by transforming grace, a gradual change from unjust to just, thus justified. Contingent on sanctification it is a moral transformation, not a legal declaration distinct from any prior moral conditions. If we are not justified by our own moral conformity to the Law of God (sanctification), but by Christ's, there is nothing keeping us from self-indulgence. Achieved only when God observes visible manifestations of the good intentions to keep the Law of God (the believers righteousness), He then declares them justified and worthy of heaven, safe to save. ‘If believers do their best, then God will do the rest.’ (see: GRACE/transforming grace, THE LAW OF GOD, PERFECTION, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION) SANCTIFICATION: One must be sanctified enough first in order to merit justifying grace It is what makes us acceptable to God, His internal work of renovation within our hearts and lives. A work of a life time, an unending process requisite to Justification. A continuous personal effort by the believer to achieve perfection through repentance, humiliation, putting away sin, and obedience to the Law of God. "Moses will drive you to Christ to be justified, and Christ will send you back to Moses to be sanctified." (see: GRACE/ Transforming grace, JUSTIFICATION, THE LAW OF GOD, PERFECTION, SABBATH KEEPING, SAFE TO SAVE, WORKS) SAFE TO SAVE: Those who have, by remedying the defects in their own character, achieved perfection of their character and render perfect obedience to the Law of God through the right action of their will. (see: INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT, JUSTIFICATION, PERFECTION, RIGHTEOUS/RIGHTEOUNESS, SABBATH KEEPING, SANCTIFICATION, WORKS) | ||
| Jrt Registered user Username: Jrt Post Number: 1184 Registered: 10-2008 |
I just read the first few paragraphs ... I echo Free's response ... The first few paragraphs seem to buy into the modern persona of Christianity which is God is love and that love is what we want to focus on. I don't think we fully understand God's love until we realize through the work of the Holy Spirit that we desperately need God and Christ's atonement on the cross. We are not only "forgiven" as they mention - we are SAVED. Saved is a very potent word and one that an Adventist won't use - or at least use often. I am saddened as they continue to try to repackage their product. | ||
| Jrt Registered user Username: Jrt Post Number: 1186 Registered: 10-2008 |
Just a side-light ... Here is a new song video by Selah with amazing haromonies in praise of Who God Is ... Something that is really missing from the "What Adventists believe ..." "You are salvation...." is one of the phrases ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0KQG2BcNOX0 The song is "Hope for a Broken World" by Selah Just beautiful ... jrt | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 111 Registered: 2-2011 |
~Thank-you, Carolyn for the link to a 'spirit-filled' song~ listening to it stated off my day in a beautiful way~ GOD Bless You ~ ~*~mj~*~ |
