| Author | Message | ||
| Pheeki (Pheeki) |
Hi Melissa. Does anyone on here remember in the archives the girl who got her heart broke by the her boyfriend? He was SDA and at first accepted her but then couldn't accept her b/c she wouldn't become SDA. I have read a lot of her posts on here and will try to find her name so you can read the terrible ordeal she survived. I'll get back to you! | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
I think you might be talking about Cheyna (I may have the spelling wrong). | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Melissa....RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let me re-post some of your EGW quotes,Dennis: "We would charge all not to wash their dishes on the Sabbath..." (Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, May 25, 1882). "Women should be educated and qualified just as thoroughly as possible to become practitioners in the delicate diseases which afflict women, that their secret parts should not be exposed to the notice of men...It is a most horrible experience, this revealing the secret parts of women to men, or men being treated by women." (Kress Collection, p. 23) "I have been shown that the true followers of Jesus will discard picnics, donations, shows, and other gatherings for pleasure." (Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 288) "Many carelessly put off blackening their boots, and SHAVING, until after the beginning of the Sabbath. This should not be. If any neglect to do such work on a working day, they should have respect enough for God's holy time to let their BEARDS REMAIN UNSHAVEN, their boots rough and brown, until the Sabbath is past." (Letter 104, 1901) "A view of things was presented before me in which the students were playing games of TENNIS and CRICKET. Then I was given instruction regarding the character of these amusements. They were presented to me as a species of idolatry, like the idols of the nations." (Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 350) "Parents should be the only teachers of their children until they have reached EIGHT to TEN years of age...The only schoolroom for children from eight to ten years of age should be in the open air amid opening flowers and nature's beautiful scenery. And their only textbook should be the treasures of nature." (Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 137) "One time while in Australia, a brother who had been acting as a missionary in the islands, told mother of the sickness and death of his first-born son. He was seriously afflicted with malaria, and his father was advised to give him quinine, but in view of counsel in the testimonies to avoid the use of quinine he refused to administer it, and his son DIED." (W. C. White letter, Sept. 10, 1935) Doesn't sound like anything Baptist I know, and I'm a Baptist! (former-SDA) Our church doesn't teach that Sunday is the Sabbath or that the law is binding on Christians, some Baptists churches may, I don't know. We do believe that we are saved and in no danger of losing that salvation (though I tend to think many that think they are saved have never really repented and are just fooling themselves. I remember the day when I used to tell people the SDA church was just like the Baptist church, only on Saturday, what a joke! Praying for you sister... Sabra | ||
| Marykay (Marykay) |
Welcome Melissa: Do as Sabra says RUN! Right now I am going thru a bad time with my hubby cuz' he is a sda and I am not. I could never make him see the truth about all his beliefs. We have been married for over 30 years and he has been a sda for about four. My have things changed in these last four years. His new family are the people at church. As he told me one time I am just his earthly wife but the people at his church are spiritual sisters and brothers. What a joke! Please read all you can about the sda and learn their ways and if you don't believe what they believe I will guarantee you.. they will shun you. Hope all say a prayer for my son and I..Sure could use them at this time. God Bless! Mary Kay | ||
| Melissa (Melissa) |
Wow! Thanks for the great responses. I wish it were as easy as running. I know he is not into all of the 10 Commandments because adultery doesn't register on his radar screen. Unfortunately, he hit me at a really low time in my life and we have a child together. It was only after I started putting my own life back together and getting myself back right with God that I knew "if the right eye offends thee, cut it out". But what do I do with our son...who's grandfather is an SDA pastor, great-uncle pastors the SDA church at Andrews, the entire clan is SDA. So, I'm clear on the potential future for "us", but am not so sure how to manage for my son. In reality, I know it is all in God's hands and I am forgiven, etc. but the consequences of my sin are going to be a challenge for my beautiful son. His dad has started pressuring me to let him take him to church, and so far I have not, but I know I can't put him off forever. If nothing else, he'll go to court and get visitation for Saturdays. I'm just trying to arm myself with what he will be taught so I can guide him to some other things. I've read all the "red" books as mentioned in one testimony and was thrilled to see my own conclusions and studies confirmed from one who I thought should know. Baby's dad doesn't think I really understand their teachings and that those "formers" I have spoken with are extremists and don't really know...I'm sure you've heard it all before. He says I'm only trying to prove what I believe and not really studying the Bible for what it really says, but when given nothing but scripture to challenge his claims, he is silent. I take his catchy phrases and read him the entire verse and the context of the passage which clearly shows the errors of his usage of "scripture", but nothing ultimately changes. Even if I make headway in one topic, he bounces to another where they are "right". By the time we get around to the first topic again, he has forgotten everything we've discussed the first time and he's back quoting the party line. I feel sorry for him, but I am basically motivated to protect my son at this point. You all are incredible inspirations to me. Since he won't be going to an SDA school, maybe what is so "clear" to his dad will not be as sparkling to my son. I'll keep reading. Hope you don't mind questions occasionally, though. Thanks again for the great response. | ||
| Terryk (Terryk) |
Great to hear from you. I used to say many of the things your boyfriend says. It was only by God's wonderful grace did I see the truth. I used to say we were like Baptists too. We are taught so many catch phrases you do not even know it and there is no way that someone like you will change his mind. They are so brain washed like you said they really in most cases are not really living a life for the Lord. I used to ignore my family and think that only SDA were really my family. Everone else was lost. They are tayght if you go against the sabbath your going to Hell. It will be very hard with your son. You as a mom have a lot of influence and keep him in church and keep telling him from a baby up that God loves him and Jesus is the savior not him and he can not do anything to get himself to Heaven. It is very sad I sit in church every week and think of what I believed and the ones who I was closer then family and had to just leave in the past and to think they continue to believe that the sabbath is the point of Gods saving grace. Do not get depressed about this just put it in God's hands. Many people I know told me they prayed for me to see the light for years. I thought I was such a good christian. You not ever being caught up in it will never know what someone like myself or your husband has been taught or the effect it has on a mind. I was there for 27 years and no one could tell me any different it is truely a brain washing efffect. I used to be Baptist and there are things I would question but still believed with all my heart I was right. Praise God he allowed me to see his true love and grace and now I am free. I am in tears alsmost every week just knowing how far he has broght me. I am back in a Baptist church but I have not joined and am very cynical of people and church at times it has had a long term effect on my life but I am grateful for what he has let me see in his love and how I see many things differently even then other christians. Well keep in touch. Terryk | ||
| Another_Carol (Another_Carol) |
Pheeki, I do not think this is the one you are talking about as this one was found on a url but it says the same thing. I think I have posted this before. http://www.geocities.com/donotloseyourfaith/ To all you other Formers I am sorry I have been away so long. I have missed the wonderful fellowship that happens here but have felt a need to be on www.carm.org and try and reason with some diehards there. I still fellowship with some of "Us" there: Pheeki, Doug, Joel and so still feel somewhat connected and when Pheeki posted the testimony from Melissa I felt like I needed to check back in and see what's been going on. Because of Christ I love it that we all found one another, CArol | ||
| Another_Carol (Another_Carol) |
Melissa, Welcome to this forum. You will feel great love here. I have been away for awhile but keep in touch as I have been posting on another site: www.carm.org. My story of SDA is long and I will not go into now but I am in somewhat of the same situation as you having never been SDA. My daughter is married to a man since April 1987 and until 5 years ago this coming September there marriage was as normal as any. They did not go to chruch like she had been accustomed but rather she did what her husband wanted thus kept a marriage together. She waited 6 years to have a child because that is what her husband wanted. But in fall of 1998 he read a book by David Wilkerson and decided that he needed to redirect his life. No problem with that as I knew of David Wilkerson and had even been to one of his crusades but just as Galatians 5 says: 7 Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth? Let me tell you who hindered the obedience of the truth; SDA. He worked with some SDA's and he started to listen to some tapes they gave him. One day he asked me about the Anti-Christ and if I had heard that it was the Catholic Church or vicor or whatever they say. I said yes I had heard that many years ago. That is all that was talked about and I had no idea about the tapes that he was listening to. He started listening to Christian Music; no problem. He started reading his Bible; No problem. He started coming to our church more; no problem. One Saturday he told my daughter that he was going to take their 2 boys to chruch with him and this is the first she knew it was SDA. He chose this day as she was working. I'd say it was conviently planned. He stayed well into the afternoon with a 4 and 1 year old and my daughter was very upset when he called to tell her he would be a little longer. She then called me and told me where he had gone and what church he had been getting all his information from. This is the first I had heard of it. Not that it would have made any difference since I knew the church was just a few blocks from my own and had gone past it every day for most of our married life(39) years and never had any desire to understand why they went to chruch on Saturday. I would like to add here that the Sunday before he had not come to church as he had started to do and I made mention of it and it just sulfed it off as he was sleeping in or something to that effect. I say this because I asked him later about why he never told me anything about all this since before this happened he talked to me about everything and he said "I wanted to but never had the chance". You do the math did he not have the chance of did he just not want to or did perchance someone tell him don't talk to anyone becuase they will try and stear you away because everything that is not SDA is of the devil? Well my daughter finally started going to church with him because she had been taught by example to let the husband lead. When I qeustioned her about the church she said "Mom I don't see anything different than our church". God impressed upon me to get into my Bible something that he had been doing for many years now but Carol was too busy thus she only read a devotional and never really studied. I am saying this as a confession not as a command for others. I say God impressed me because one Sunday morning a Brother in our church got up to read scripture and I must confess "again" that I did not usually listen to scripure being read but this morning I did, it was Romans 14. Oh my did I get an earfull. This is what I heard it is not about days or eating but rather Christ. Now the real clincher, when Pastor got up to give the sermon he said "I must have given Brother Dan the wrong scripture it should have been Romans 15. But you see it was the right scripture for me and therein started an intense study of the Bible to see why I had gone to chruch on Sunday all my life. It has been a marvelous journey and I praise God and thank my son-in-law for bringing this to me so that I would do what my Father God Lord Jesus Christ had been telling me to do for many years. Having said that it does not make their marriage a wonderful thing, matter of fact at this present time August 14 is set for the finality of a divorce. Because my son-in-law was working the evening shift he had to work on the Sabbath on Friday evening and so he had to change that. Being that he worked in a job that allowed the weekend work to be done anytime this was not a problem with employer. It was however a problem with me since you see my daughter worked in a chain store that was open 24/7 and thus had to work weekends. Well this is what happened my son-in-law went right ahead and did what he had to do(only thinking of himself, because that is what happens when you are following what the 10 commandments say. When you are following Christ's Law of Love others feelings come into play and if you are following Christ's law of love everything will fall into place not according to what man(woman) says but what the New Covenant says, and now I am left with watching their 2 children while they both work on Sunday. I was not asked if this in fact would be OK with me, it was only assumed because Mom always did whatever her children wanted and certainly if the grandchildren needed taking care of she would do it, always had, why would this be different? One day as I went to their house to watch the boys as son-in-law was getting ready to go to work I aske him this question: "Is it right for you to ask me to do something you will not". It upset him as I knew it would and said "I will fix it". Knowing that it meant that he would get someone else to take care of their children I said "No that's not what I asked." and a heated discussion ensued. This happened in front of the boys and for that I am extremely sorry but I know this that I started to make this statement 2 times before I actually said it, not wanting to say because of the possible consquesces but something caused me to say it. When my daughter came home I told her what had happened and also told her "Be sure you know what you believe". I then told her "I Love you." and left. I have no idea why I was not in severe anguish as to what might happen. I might add I would have had "hell to pay" from my husband if this would have caused our daughter and son-in-law to say we could not keep the boys any longer. But I felt total peace that passeth understanding. That evening my daughter came with Bible in hand and said "I asked God what I should do and I opened my Bible to Galatians and read that we are not under the law but under Grace". Therein started a journey that reads just like what you have presented. Scripture is not discussed. I have asked my son-in-law repeatedly as I have other SDA's to tell me where Jesus commanded the Sabbath and all I get is "Are you sure it's not in there"? Two wonderful things happened because of this encounter: 1. My daughter came to the knowledge of the saving GRACE of Jesus Christ. 2. When she told her husband(and by the way she did not wait months like he had, she told him as soon as she was able to speak with him) they then said what about the boys and decided that the 4 year old would make the decission himself. The one year old not being old enough to do so. The 4 year old when asked which church he wanted to go to said "Nannies church(which was his church, since it was his mother's and the only church that he had been in. And the story goes on just like you say. I am so sorry that you have to be put in this situation. I cannot give you any counsel as what to actually do. Only you with God's help HS will be able to lead you to that. I will say that I pray that you can feel my arms around you as I pray that you will find comfort and peace by studing your Bible and giving this over the Lord. He is in charge. Roman 8:28 All things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. I could share with you all day how the Lord brought me to this place but for now know that you are in my prayers. Love in Christ because we are Children of God 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ no matter what "man(woman)"says, Carol | ||
| Gatororeo7 (Gatororeo7) |
Melissa, I sympathize with your position. My wife and I butted heads a lotwhen we were dating, engaged, and during the first few months of our marriage. It was a long process to get herself out of that system. (Read the first post in this thread, from my wife, Sara.) It was a long process for myself to learn how to defend against the Adventist system (which I must say is very jumbled and complex) and the attacks from her family. My first suggestion is to definitely make yourself familiar with what the true Gospel of Grace is. Even if you think you already know, it's always a good idea to review for yourself. Read the book of Galatians through every day for a month (suggested by someone else on this forum some time ago.) Get a copy of Bob George's Classic Christianity or Steve McVey's Grace Walk (available at most bookstores... I'll even send you my copy). These will certainly get you started. The people in this forum have helped me tremendously. We are all praying for you. Don't ever be scared to ask for help. After all, that's why we're here! =) Joel London jlondon81@yahoo.com | ||
| Lydell (Lydell) |
Melissa, I was raised Baptist and can tell you that the SDA's are definitely not just like the Baptists! (By the way, I was never taught as a Baptist that the 10 commandments were binding on Christians, either.) Compare this that Ellen White said to what you already know of the scriptures (Like I John 5:13): "Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or feel that they are saved. ...Those who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, I am saved, are in danger of trusting to themselves." Christ's Object Lessons, p. 155. And how about:"Christ died to make it possible for you to cease to sin, and sin is the transgression of the law." (Review and Herald, vol. 71,August 28, 1894 by the way, Review and Herald is their publishing company) You should know from the scriptures already that sin involves far more than transgression of the law. Sin is also doing anything in your own power. And I'm sure you already understand that none of us are going to be perfect in this life. Melissa, that admonishment in the scriptures to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers applies to marriage. God knew there would be huge problems in a marriage between a believer and unbeliever and it isn't in His plans for people to step into that situation. The same applies to entering into marriage with someone who is not on the same sheet of music with you spiritually. It's begging continued troubles. So I hope you aren't viewing this situation that you made one mistake and now you are committed to having to marry the man. That's a bit like the one who struggles with alcoholism saying, "well, I slipped and took a drink, now I might as well move into the bar and live there." You know, I have to think that if your son is living with you the majority of the time, and you are faithful in presenting the gospel attractively and CONSISTENTLY, to him as he grows, living out what you talk about, and getting him involved in a good church that has a good children's ministry, then he is not going to be real attracted to all the do's and don'ts of adventism. I have to think that over time you'll be more effective in counteracting the false teachings spoken to your son, not by directly attacking them, but by a consistnet lifestyle of presenting truth. | ||
| Jerry (Jerry) |
My apologies to my Baptist friends. My statement about the Ten Commandments was based on having heard sermons by individual Baptist ministers many years ago. Those ministers made quite strong statements about the applicability of the Ten Commandments to Christians. However, in researching official Baptist web sites for the various types of Baptists, I see that Sabra and Lydell are reflecting current denominational thinking. I believe that, up to the 18th and 19th centuries, many Protestant denominations preached as I had heard. However, apparently Scriptural Scholarship has greatly improved since then. Therefore, Melissa, I echo Sabra and Lydell when I say: ěSDA: Kind of like Baptistî NOT!!! | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
No apology necessary, Jerry. There are so many different types of Baptists, Southern, independent, Traditional, New Covenant, New Testament, even Seventh day so who is to say what they all teach. It is so different from the SDA's because each church is individual and decides for itself what it teaches. Melissa, I will keep you in prayer. Keep us updated and I hate to say so, but don't let your son get caught up in that religion. If you don't have a home church you love, find one, and get him involved in Sunday School and AWANA's and anything else they have going on so he will hear the gospel! Be really busy on Saturday's, like out of town--LOL! Sabra | ||
| Doc (Doc) |
Jerry, I think that was a very good comment about things having changed because Biblical scholarship has improved. I was brought up Baptist in northern England, and my Dad was sort of Sunday-Sabbatarian, though he did not make a big deal about it. He was certainly saved though! I don't recall hearing it taught that the 10 commandments are binding on Christians today, however. This may have been said before, but I think the Non-conformist (sp?) churches in the English speaking world, particularly in the 19th century, were greatly under the influence of Puritanism, and the Puritans believed in the validity of the 10 commandments, and were (Sunday) Sabbatarians. As SDA arose in this atmosphere, then the further step to Saturday Sabbath-keeping is fairly logical. It is interesting to note, that Mormons are Sunday-Sabbath-keepers, probably because they also arose at about the same time, in the same spiritual atmosphere. This point has obviously never been thought through properly. Of course, if someone belongs to the one true church, and has the truth, they don't need to rethink their theology, do they? (sorry) Doc | ||
| Another_Carol (Another_Carol) |
Doc, Your ovbservation is the crux of the problem. When we expect to live perfect lives, what happens to the imperfection around us? If you have the only way then your mind is consumed with making sure you live up to "your" way since it is perfect, but that does not allow for others who have a different opinion even if it can be presented thru the Word of God. If the mind has already been altered with something more than the Bible then we have the same thing Paul spoke of in Galatians 3. The reason for Christ's Death, Burial and Resurrection was to bring us all together as One In Christ and when that has happened then all will fall into place, but when there is more than Christ then there is division. Praise God for the Glory of the Lord which keeps our mind on Him alone, Carol | ||
| Jerry (Jerry) |
Yes, Doc, you are quite correct about the influence of Puritanism on the Sabbath issue. It is very amusing to me when any ěhard-coreî SDA starts the old ěShow me one verse in the Bible where the Sabbath was changed to Sunday!î argument. To me, that has always been a foolish question, even when I did not know very much about the SDA doctrines. It shows a lack scriptural maturity. In fact, it appears as if some Adventists are still trying to ěwinî an argument with 17th century Puritans. No matter how carefully I might try to point out that ěSunday Sabbatarianismî is an anomaly in doctrine established well after the first few centuries of Christianity that has since been resolved back to the original Apostolic understanding of our relationship to the Covenants and the Law. Yet, there are many non-Adventist ministers who still do not understand that. I recall seeing a sermon on TV about the Ten Commandments (not Adventist) within the last few weeks that made the same ěSunday Sabbatarianî arguments about the Law. Recently, when Adventists start that argument, I just laugh and say, ěIf you think that I believe that Sunday is the ëChristian Sabbath,í then you have no idea how ridiculous your challenge sounds to me. I will tell you what I will do. If you can find a verse in the New Testament where Jesus or any of the Apostles explicitly condemn Sabbath breaking as sinful, or explicitly teach Sabbath keeping as a requirement for everlasting life, I will address your challenge.î They try. I remind them about the word ěexplicitly.î After that, they usually stop. (I always enjoy pointing out, ěI see, so then that must mean Jesus is teaching that travelling on any winter day is a sin as well.î) | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
Wow, Jerry, I never thought of it that way. You are absolutely correct that he warns against their flight being on the Sabbath or in the winter, but does not "condemn" either. That was the one verse about the Sabbath that I had difficulty fitting into my understanding of the New Covenant. As you have so aptly pointed out, Adventists are notorious for not only prooftexting, but of also taking what fits and ignoring the rest. For example, I am having a discussion with some die hards on another forum that are trying to convince me that the food laws that God provided in Leviticus 11 apply to all Christians and are not ceremonial in nature--inspite of the fact that all of the surrounding chapters are about ceremonial cleanliness/uncleanliness and even chapter 11 speaks of being "unclean until evening"--an obvious reference to ceremonial uncleaness. When I pointed out that the NIV specificly mentions "ceremonial," I was told that that was a poor interpretation of the original. Another good example is those who use Issiah 66 (I do not have my Bible in front of me so I might be wrong on the verse), to prove that the Sabbath will be celebrated in heaven, but ignore the fact that it also speaks of New Moon celebrations, which I have never seen an Adventist celebrate. As you said, it show spiritual immaturity, but I try not to be too hard, because I too have made some of those same arguments--and probably still do. Doug | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
It was explained to me that the walls in Jerusalem were shut on the Sabbath so they wouldn't be able to get out if they were trying to flee. I don't honestly know if this is still the case or not or if there are any walls realy around the city but I do know that the airport shuts down for the Sabbath there.(and He did say flight) The arguement is ridiculous anyway since Jesus said if they're ox falls in the ditch on the Sabbath they would pull it out, surely if your life were at stake you could run on the Sabbath. Forget the taking up your bed, just walk! | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
Giood point about the "ox falling into a ditch" Sabra. I also wanted to clarify that I personally do not believe there is a distinction between the moral, ceremonial, and civil laws, but was arguing from an SDA point of view. Since they say that there is a distinction (and that only the ceremonial law was nailed to the cross), then how can they turn around and claim that the food laws (which were ceremonial in nature) are still valid. Doug | ||
| Jerry (Jerry) |
Doug, I certainly understood what you were saying about ceremonial. Probably others were not confused either. An interesting thought I discovered about this recently: If you look in the KJV, there is no time the word "moral" is used. It is interesting to note that the word that means essentially the same thing is "righteous." Then look at this:
Here we see God declaring all of the law righteous. Therefore, all of the the Law is "moral" and following all of the Law is moral, and breaking any of the Law is immoral. All of the law is from God (therefore divine) All of the law is righteous (therfore moral) So, All of the Law is God's Divine, Moral Law. Hmmm. Does SDA doctrine realize what they are promoting? Nope. If they did, they would be doing what Christ said, given that they believe all is not finished: That is, keeping every last Commandment (hundreds), Law (hundreds, since a commandment from God IS a law) and every last sacrifice and judgement to the smallest detail since nothing is nailed to the Cross yet, using their own logic. Interesting, don't you think? | ||
| Melissa (Melissa) |
Let me set all hearts at ease that I am not, under any remote circumstances, thinking of marrying him. If he started coming to my church and renounced Adventism today, it would be years before I would trust he was sincere. I wish I could tell the story of the road the Lord and I have been on. Before I knew I was pregnant, God and I had spent hours, literally hours, together talking, and at the end of that one particular month, I knew I could let my boyfriend go and would survive, though I loved him. I had made the choice that I was going to live Godís way no matter what the cost. And at that point it was going to cost the relationship. I had already asked him to move out before I started this intense prayer time, so that was done, but he wasnít taking me very seriously when I told him I was ready to move on entirely. Then when I found out I was pregnant, I panicked. I stayed in the relationship for ěappearancesî more than anything. But I also got myself an accountability couple from my church that I was able to confide in and my Sunday School class was incredibly supportive. As a matter of fact, everyone I encountered was incredibly loving, forgiving and Christ-like. I finally realized that God knew that I was pregnant when we were having all those long talks and the forgiveness I knew in August, was still mine when I realized I was pregnant in September. My boyfriend worries of ěearning favorî from God, but I knew I had it when I hadnít earned it. What a powerful thing. As was mentioned by Carol, I mostly took the things my church taught for granted and had not really studied the foundational/doctrinal issues for myself, but Iíve never been in a church that spent so much time on why we believed what we believed as much as trying to teach us to develop our relationship with Christ. So, I would think there are a lot of people who could be easy prey for Adventists who know how to pull the right fear and guilt strings. Iíve been very concerned within my own church to educate people about Adventism, trying to equate it with mormonism and Jehovahís Witnesses, which we do talk about periodically. I even looked in our church library and found EGW books. I took them to the librarian, explained who she was and they gave them to me to discard (or use) as I would like. There are times, as I have been studying these things, that the Lord would wake me up in the middle of the night and tell me to look at a passage. Sometimes one my boyfriend had held his hat on, and different ones at other times. Itís something when a really good Bible scholar writes a book and you learn something about the word of God, but when the Holy Spirit is doing the teaching...thatís an awesome thing. One time he had quoted a scripture to me from Acts and it sounded so convincing, I was ěafraidî to find out he was right. I had gone to bed thinking about it when the Holy Spirit ěpestered me so that I got out of bed to read it for myself. He told me to go read the whole context of the passage. I was just learning about context. When I read the whole context of the passage he had quoted, and had feared would prove my beliefs in error (isnít pride something?), I laughed out loud at how my boyfriend had mis-represented the scripture, though I realize it wasnít very funny. I knew he hadnít studied it himself either, but was only quoting what they said. Even after i had pointed it out to him, he still thought it proved his point. Though he didnít think I was wrong either. I have since realized that I am not sure what ěspiritî is leading him, but the Spirit of God does not lead people in such opposite directions. Of course, he says the same thing about me. I canít remember where I read it, but I too have a stronger relationship with God than I probably would have had had my boyfriend not come into my life. It has been the words of James 1 in action. My faith is deeply rooted in the word of God, not merely the word of the pastors I have been under. I now am able to give an account for my faith. The price has been high. All my friends, who werenít emotionally involved, told me long ago to walk away, but I had just wanted to believe God had brought him to me to help me through this really hard trial in my life. I used to see it as God ěrestoring the years the locusts had eatenî. And maybe he did ... just not for the purpose I had hoped. But Iím not deceived any more. I had struggled with the passage about being equally yoked because it says ěwith non-believersî and I believed for a long time he was a believer, just mis-guided. So, I wasnít sure that passage specifically applied, but there is another that talks about two walking together except they be agreed. I did feel that had direct application and ultimately had to respond correspondingly. I can only hope that his exposure to me will affect his life positively somewhere down the road. Maybe someday, heíll get as serious about Christ as he is about being an Adventist, but I have learned that Iím not going to ěconvinceî him of anything. In regards to the law issue, is it all SDA or just my boyfriend who seems to think that Exodus 20 is ěhigherî or more authoritative than other scriptures, such as Deuteronomy? I have used stuff from Deuteronomy before (you know, scripture explaining scripture) and he dismisses it by saying ěthatís not the lawî. So, while he claims to use scripture to explain scripture, no scripture is higher than Exodus 20. Is that a systematic teaching or unique to him? |
