| Author | Message | ||
| Lynn W |
GALATIANS When reading Galatians, itís best to keep in mind that Paul was talking to Gentile Christians. 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. 17 "But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! 18 "For if I rebuild what I have destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 "For through the Law I died to the Law, that I might live to God. 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me. 21 "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." The Certificate of Baptism, statement #18 says, ìSalvation is all of grace and not of works...î Based on this belief, most would conclude that this affirms salvation by faith. However, while teaching that salvation is currently by grace, Adventists maintain that there will come a day when this will no longer be the case. They believe that when ìprobationî ends (another non-Biblical term see TGC, chs. 24 & 37), Christ will no longer be our mediator, and we will no longer be saved by grace through faith in Jesus, but by keeping the ten commandments. This clearly changes the means by which Christ offers salvation. TGC ch. 39 says, ìIn that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.î Ch. 40, ìThen there appears against the sky a hand holding two tables of stone folded together...That holy law, Godís righteousness, that amid thunder and flame was proclaimed from Sinai as the guide of life, is now revealed to men as the rule of judgment...Too late they see that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living God...they have endured the anguish of the time of Jacobís trouble; they have stood without an intercessor through the final outpouring of Godís judgments.î The SDA booklet, Amazing Facts that Affect You - Dontít be Fooled says, ìIt is a life and death matter. Sabbath-keeping is enjoined in the 4th commandment of Godís law...Eternal salvation will be given to those only who love God enough to obey Him, and obedience includes Sabbath observance.î The Certificate of Baptism, statement #23 says, ìThe investigative judgment... makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom.î Contrast this with scripture, Acts 16:30 and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household." Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Gal. 3:1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain-- if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, "All the nations shall be blessed in you." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. 10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them." 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith." 12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them." If we are to live under the law, then as ìit is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.î The ìbook of the lawî contains but is not limited to the ten commandments (Ex. 23, 34: Lev. 19, 23, 26). We cannot pick and choose which of the Old Testament laws we are to live by. If we chose to live under some of the laws but not all, we are cursed. But, 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"-- 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. This is not a manís covenant, but Godís. This makes it even more important that one does not chose for himself which part will be kept and which will be disregarded. Advetists feel justified by saying that they alone keep all of the ten commandments and not just nine like most Protestants or eight like the Catholics. But this is not the requirement; for those who would live under the law, the requirement is to keep ìall things which are written in the book of the law.î There is no room for self-righteousness among Adventists or anyone else. There is only Christís righteousness. If Adventists want to boast about living under the law, then they must ìcontinue in all things.î for ìif Abraham was justified by works, then he can boast but not before God.î Rom. 4:2. Gal. 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as to many, but to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one whereas God is one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Simple formula: if A=B, and B=C, then it stands to reason that A=C. So if ìthe lawî has become (=) ìour tutor,î and ìour tutorî is something ìwe are (=) no longer under,î then it stands to reason that ìthe lawî = something ìwe are no longer under.î The NIV puts it more plainly, ìwe are no longer under the supervision of the law.î Now, for the most frequently asked, standard question Adventists pose when told this: ìDoes this mean we can go out and steal and kill?î Stupid question? Now, for a stupid answer: ìNo, but it does mean that you can go out and rape & slash tires, as these are not opposed to the Ten Commandments.î Of course, Iím being facetious; but this is just how limited the thinking of anyone who would ask such a question is. This also illustrates how limited the Decalogue itself is. Paul probably got tired of hearing that question, too (Romans 6:1-2, 14-16). Rather than making a list of Dos and Doníts, as some people seem to need, he summed it up very well when he said, ìLove works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the lawî - Rom. 13:10. The Ten Commandments are totally insufficient; that is why the ìbook of the lawî was needed. But even that was insufficient. God had made the list of Dos and Doníts, but all it could do, was to point out sin and the fact that it cannot be kept (Romans 3:10, 20, 23; 7:7-13; 8:3). Where is boasting then? It is excluded - Romans 3:27. Anyone who claims that they are keeping even the Ten Commandments well enough to deserve salvation is making God a liar! - Gal. 2:16-21; 3:11; 1 John 1:10. You...rest in the law...and are confident that you are a guide of the blind...You that boast of the law... - Romans 2:17-23. And even if someone could keep all Ten Commandments perfectly, it would not be nearly enough to bring salvation - Rom. 9:31-32; Gal. 3:21. Paul continues the theme of being under a tutor... Gal. 4:1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until [there's that word until again] the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, [why?] 5 in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Paul has made his case in chapter 3 that the tutor represents the law. Here again he affirms that the tutor was necessary ìuntil the time appointed by the father.î According to verse three, when were we ìchildrenî? When ìwe were in bondage,î or ìno different from a servantî as verse one puts it. What has made the difference? ìGod sent forth his Son...To redeem them that were under the law.î According to verse seven, we have become heirs. Heirs do not ìearnî their inheritance. Gal. 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? What is putting these Galatians in bondage? 4:10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. Once again we see no distinction in the days referred to. 4:11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy by telling you the truth? 21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 This is allegorically speaking: for these are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. 27 For it is written, "Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for more are the children of the desolate than of the one who has a husband." 28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him according to the Spirit, so it is now also. 30 But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman." 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman. What is the bondwoman? ìthe one from Mount Sinai, which is bondage, which is Hagar. For Hagar is mount Sinai.î Can it get any clearer? Once again, the scripture pointing to the Ten Commandments and other laws that came from Sinai. And what does the scripture tell us to do? ìCast out the bondwoman.î This is pretty scary for them ìthat desire to be under the law,î for they ìshall not be heir with the son of the free woman.î Gal. 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. 7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. 12 Would that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. 13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident (obvious - NIV), which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. This passage refers to circumcision, but is that all? Look again, ìall the law is fulfilled in one wordî - v.14. Letís make a simple comparison between circumcision and the rest of the law: 1) circumcision was a decision usually made by the parents, whereas keeping the law was a choice the individual made for himself. 2) regardless of who made the decision, circumcision was a one-time event, but the law had to be kept 24/7. 3) circumcision only pertained to men. Now letís look at how these comparisons are relative to Paulís teachings in this passage. 1) for those whose parents had them circumcised as babies (primarily Jews), none of this applies. e.g.. ìyou have been called to liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.î What difference would circumcision make to this passage? 2) Paul teaches that Gentiles who get circumcised, show a lack of faith - v.5. Even so, they would be showing a lack of faith by this one act, whereas, those who hope to be ìjustified by the lawî continuously chose to do so 24/7. 3) if Paul was indeed only concerned with circumcision, then none of these teachings would even apply to women. There are those who are still not convinced that itís possible to live without the Ten Commandments without killing, stealing, and committing adultery. But here again we are shown a better way, ìuse not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another...Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh...if we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.î Also compare with 1 Peter 2:16, ì... not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.î Now letís look at Ellen Whiteís version of Gal. 5:21. DOA ch. 84, pg. 806 says, ìDeclare what God has said in regard to lying, Sabbathbreaking, stealing, idolatry, and every other evil. ëThey which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.í Gal. 5:21. But is this what ìGod has saidî? Look not only at 5:21, but at the preceding two verses which state that ìthe works of the flesh are manifest, which are these...î followed by a long list of sins (most of which are not covered in the Decalogue.) But look for yourself, is ìSabbathbreakingî in this list of ìsuch things,î or has Ellen White taken liberties to write her own scriptures again? Pretty gutsy, putting words in Godís mouth and passing them off as scripture. This list is from the NASB, but if youíre not conviced, try another version. Gal. 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. | ||
| Lynn W |
EPHESIANS 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 2:15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, the Law of commandments in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, establishing peace. An examination of the ordinances will reveal that included in them were some of the Ten Commandments: such as the Sabbath, and the ones against idolatry, adulter, and murder. See Lev. 18: Josh. 24:14-26; 2 Kings 17:33-38; 2 Chron. 2:4. This last reference makes a distinction between the Sabbaths and the solemn feasts. | ||
| Lynn W |
PHILIPIANS Paul, speaking of himself: 3:6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. Paul was a Pharisee, he knew the law, especially the Ten Commandments. But they meant nothing to him after he met Christ because then he knew that his righteousness could only come by the faith of Christ. | ||
| Lynn W |
COLOSSIANS 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. In SDAB, pg. 254, we find these statements, ìThis apostlesís faithful observance of the weekly Sabbath stood in sharp contrast to his attitude towards the annual ceremonial sabbaths. He made it clear that Christians were under no obligation to keep these yearly rest days because Christ had nailed the ceremonial laws to the cross.î Notice in the Adventist version, it is the ìceremonial lawsî which are nailed to the cross. But as we have seen in the notes under Eph. 2:15, the ìordinancesî included the Sabbath and some of the other Ten Commandments. And, as can be discovered from an Exhaustive Concordance, ìceremonial lawsî is not a Biblical term. 2:16 Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day - 17 things which are a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Adventist literature would have us believe that the word ìwhichî is used here to distinguish ìthe Sabbath days, that is, the ones which are a shadow of things to comeî (annual), as opposed to the other Sabbaths (weekly). But this is an interpretation which is added into the verse. As the verse stands by itself, there is no such distinction. Rather, the word ìwhichî is used to connect the subject with a phrase which describes it. An example of this usage is in Ps 7:10 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. Now is this distinguishing the "God, which saveth the upright" from the other gods? Or is this describing THE God? Ironically, Adventists apply the descriptive phrase ìwhich are a shadow of what is to comeî directly to all the other subjects of the sentence (meat, drink, holydays, new moons) without distinction. They admit that all these things ìare a shadow of things to come,î not that Paul is distinguishing the ones which are from the ones which are not. But when they get to the Sabbath, the word ìwhichî suddenly changes its nature. Itís difficult to see how they can have it both ways. | ||
| Lynn W |
TIMOTHY 1 Tim 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. 8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. Where do we get our righteousness? ìThrough faith in Christ.î - Rom. 3:22, 4:5; Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:9. ì...but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers...î If you cannot refrain from committing these things without the law, then the law was made for you. If, on the other hand, the ìRoyal law of loveî is sufficient to restrain you, then the ìlaw is not made for a righteous man.î | ||
| Lynn W |
TITUS 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (I recommend this verse for memorization) 3:9 But shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless. | ||
| Lynn W |
HEBREWS 3:8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tried me by testing me and saw My works for forty years. 10 "Therefore I was angry with this generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; and they did not know My ways'; 11 As I swore in My wrath, 'they shall not enter My rest.'" 12 Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; 15 while it is said, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked me." 16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. These all kept the Sabbath, but they did not enter His rest. Godís true rest is not a day, but a person - Jesus Christ. 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; 5 and again in this passage "They shall not enter My rest." 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience. Like the Israelites, one can keep the Sabbath, and still not enter into His rest. But by believing, we can enter into His rest. Note: Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua (Yíshua). It doesnít appear to change the meaning whichever name is put here. 7:11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. 13 For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. 15 And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of Him "Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek." 18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. |
