| Author | Message | ||
| maggieb |
Curse. Hmmm. Sounds like children's relationship with their parents is an important consideration in the great and dreadful day of the Lord. All along, I thought the Sabbath was supposed to be the big issue, but it turns out that it's about hearts? Revolutionary idea. Maggie | ||
| Maya (Maya) |
Found this wonderful website through that of Dale Radzlaff's and was encouraged that there are others that are going through the time of trouble over leaving the SDA church. Not that I wish others the same problems I have, but glad to know that mine is not unique. I was a 3rd generation SDA, meaning that ALL my education was SDA and ALL my productive years were in SDA employment. So ALL family and friends are SDA, and there in lie my problems. They just don't understand how in the world I can even question, let alone leave the SDA church. How my wife and I can find fellowship and spiritual growth in babylon is beyond comprehension. A few months back if I had found the FAF website I would have thrown out the question of how others of you delt with the bitterness and resentment you felt against your mother church when you found out that the pillers of the faith were built on false interpretations and that the church's traditions, built around the Spirit of Prophecy, were myths and lies. And worst of all, the official stand is still exactly the same in spite of the fact that the church is now trying to present a more Gospel oriented image. This is commendable but doesn't deny the fact that at the core the SDA church is what it has always been...basically out of step with scripture. It started off on the wrong foot and has been out of step ever since. My position now is that if anyone can find meaningful relationship with the Lord in the Adventist church, let him enjoy his church. That is between him/her and God. As far as dealing with family, that is harder and everyday I have to ask God to help me to talk to them in a loving and clear way. Glad you all are there and will look to you for help and encouragement. It has taken me five years to realize that I can no longer be considered a Seventh day Adventist. | ||
| Lydell |
Maya, I think our real progess only just begins when we are able to grasp the concept that we are no longer SDA. That's the point at which we can finally begin to look forward. Continually looking backward and rehashing the wounds just causes us to spin our wheels until we are firmly swallowed up in the mud. When we start looking away from that, and back to Jesus only, He is able to give us a new identity. I know it must be hard for all of you who have so many friends and family who are still SDA. I pray you can take some comfort in knowing that your life is a testimony to them. The oldest ones may be harder to get through to. But there are all those younger members of your family who are watching your new life with interest. And I'm not talking about the words you speak necessarily. When they see you turning away from the SDA church, and hopefully the sabbath, moving on to another church, and STILL experiencing the blessings of God in your life, this is a testimony that they simply can't refute. You know that in the depths of their hearts many of them have to be chaffing at seeing your joy and your freedom. It has to really bug them to see that you still love God, and that he is still doing things for you. That's a very annoying little seed that the Lord is using you to plant in their minds. My guess is that because you have so many still around you who are SDA, that it is all the more urgent that you find a church body that is a true family of God. You desperately need those folks around you for support and encouragement to help conteract the condemnation that is thrown your way. For those of you who are still nervous about stepping out and being around "them" who are in the other churches can I offer a word of encouragement discovered in our own experience? God has a very large body of loving people out "there" who are just waiting to draw you in and help you. And He CAN be trusted to lead you to that body of people and to confirm in several ways that you are where He now wants you to be. It's a hard thing to step out and learn to trust in this way. But this trust in His guidance in this area is something you can ONLY learn by the stepping out in faith. | ||
| Thomas |
Being a "former" SDA can be a full time job. When you have been raised in a legalistic background, educated in their schools, fed at their tables, and restricted to the church people for your complete social structure, you are left always wondering if you are doing something "wrong" My father and mother were Godly people. Sincere in their beliefs and totally committed to their faith. But their faith in Jesus was "filtered" through EGW and the church. I was raised to believe in "Sister White" Every belief was based on "Sister White says". That is a hard hurdle to overcome. Reading God's word left me with so many questions. I was educated in SDA schools all but three years of my academic life. They were in grade school (when SDA schools were not available). Thinking back, all of my "bible" training was rarely from the bible. We studied EG White and called it Bible instruction. We never even doubted that we were students of the scripture. How could we have been so deluded! I have read the bible through completely 8 times and plan to read it through at least once each year for the rest of my life. The more I read, the more I discover a Gospel that is more free.....more liberating than anything I ever knew. Growing up I heard terms that I never understood. Like Gospel and Grace. What a discovery! I want to share it with eveyone I meet. In January of 1998, My mother went home to Jesus. The last day of her life, I watched as she wrung her hands and expressed the real and horrible fear that she may have somehow forgotten to confess some "hidden" sin that would keep her out of heaven! After 50 plus years as a lay worker in the SDA church SHE DOUBTED HER SALVATION! I wanted to scream!! I tried to share the assurance of Jesus, but as I was no longer in the "truth" she still doubted. Just writing these words makes me weep. HOW CAN THIS BE? How can any church, especially one which claims to be a "remnant" and the only "true" church leave their people doubting their salvation? Thank God that He has led me to believers who place their complete trust and faith in Jesus Christ. Not in an organization, even though we belong to a corperate church, and not in any person claiming to be prophetic. But in Jesus Christ alone. Each day, I am tempted to leave the Gospel and return to Legalism. It is so easy to believe that you are "the truth". Then I read St. Paul's caution to the Galations. "You who attempt to be justified by keeping the law, have been severed from Christ. You have fallen from grace." Once again, I look up at the cross and see Him dieing for ME, and I claim His gift in complete trust and faith. I CAN NOT give up His gift of grace. Please pray for my family and esecially my wife, who can not except grace without the "strings" of legal obligations. God Bless. Take your eyes from the past and keep them firmly and completely on Jesus. The Author and Finisher (perfector) of our faith! | ||
| Maya (Maya) |
Your responses I read with much enterest. I just want to say that we recently moved from our old community and have found a wonderful Christian group in the local Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. I feel like what we are experienceing is real Christianity, what it is supposed to be and is completely based on Scripture. Very refreshing using sola scriptura in our discussions. Back in our old community (a southern conservative SDA recent university) we had found a small Cumberland Presbyterian church where we felt right at home. It was there some five years ago where I heard the choir leader pray that God would keep us free from worldly contaminations. The prayer was such a beautiful prayer full of faith and hope and pleading for strength to be faithful christians that I thought that this can't be. These people are the world and here they are praying like I pray. I was so pathetic. But I was a GOOD ADVENTIST. I took hold of myself and said I am going to read the NT like I was reading it for the first time, casting out all preconseived ideas. Before as many have done I always read with the SDA filters and saw only what I wanted to see. I used Phillips translation and it was like water in the desert. Then I got hold of Judged by the Gospel, by Robert Brinsmead, a wonderful book that helped me see what the Gospel is all about. What ever he may be now is not important, he left a wonderful legacy when he published that book. It is ironic that men put out of the church as heritics and black balled are the ones that have helped me the most: Des Ford, Jerry Gladson, Dale Radzlaff, Richard Fredericks and others. Much encouragement also comes from Phillip Youncey, Max Lucado, John Stots and the works of Luther. But dear old Apostal Paul, I feel Romans 14 is the greatest help in dealing with my traditional SDA family members. It's amazing how similar the problems he had with Jewish Christians are to the ones we have with SDAs today. I could ramble on but shant. Thank you all for the encourageing words. | ||
| Jen |
I have been lurking on this web site for about a week now. And I think that I have read just about every message posted in all the discussions. I have been very touched by some of the stories questions and responses. I am an SDA born and raised the daughter of a very loving and devout SDA minister. And in every way that I could see a humble servent of the Lord. When I was an adolesent (in the 60's) I seemed to shut off from the church and in my adult life I have been an absent member. From time to time I would return to the congregation and regularly attend then I would once again just fade away. No grand standing just went away. The injuries and the pain that I felt seemed to translate to shame and guilt that I would never measure up. My family could not understand and they were wounded by my pain. Especially my parents. For years they prayed for me because they were afraid for my life. And with good reason. But, the Lord never left me nor did He forget me. He dramatically interviend more times than I can count. I guess what I am trying to say is that the Lord does not leave us helpless if we fall prey to deceit or corruption or injustice. He doesn't leave us to fight evil because we are not equiped!We sometimes don't even see it before it has us in its gripps. How then can we look back with bitterness. The Lord is healing and reconsiling - HOW WONDERFUL! I believe in Him and I trust in Him because of what He has done for me. But that part of it is really just between Him and me. Not because of what some one else said had to be me and it had to happen that way for me. I wouldn't wish my life on my worst enemy but I would trade it for all the world because in the wreckage I found the Pearl of Great Price. I could blame Adventism, doctrine and dogmas - there is enough to point to. I could blame people that let me down there were enough of them. But then the Master Himself bent down to pick me up and tell me - "It is Me - I am here - let Me put it all together for you." He will never fail us! I have a question to ask. If Maya is reading this, in your last post you stated: "Then I got hold of Judged by the Gospel, by Robert Brinsmead, a wonderful book that helped me see what the Gospel is all about. What ever he may be now is not important" I have been reading some if his articles on the web and I find them to be wonderful! What do you mean "what ever he may be now"? I am just courious, what is he now? Every thing that I find that is written is on or before 1983. | ||
| Maya (Maya) |
JEN, You are very insightful. I too had an SDA minister father and reflecting back on his career my observation is that he played the system and went by strict adherence to church policy, regardless. He ended up a union president. Now, my mom was the humble, praying, trusting, God fearing, loving person that forever warms my heart. But God bless her, she died in our home and she did her best to confess every sin so she wouldn't have any unconfessed ones to keep her out of the kingdom. She asked my for forgiveness for things I had never thought of. How easy to "rest in the Lord," but the adventist legacy of their judgement interpretation takes away that assurance. I have no anger against my parents that I was born into the adventist world. My anger is against the church for refusing to acknowledge it's erroneous doctrins and supressing it's historical horrors. The Bible scholarship and historical scholariship that have come about in the last 15 years or so have had no effect but a cosmetic one where Gospel jargon is thrown about (remember Net98) and as good PR the "distictive doctrins" are hardly mentiuoned, like they are ashamed of them. But now my anger has turned to sorrow and resignation and hope, but not high expectations. As far as Brinsmead goes, I don't have many details, only a remark from one of his one time close friends, that he no longer is active in Gospel preaching, writing and publishing. He has given it up and gone into politics, was the phrase. However, his personal faith and walk with Christ was not questioned. Now you know as much as I do about his present life. His friend said Brinsmead has a brilliant mind and he won't stay in one place very long, has to move on to other things. Jen, I too would not trade my present walk with Christ for anything in the world. |
