| Author | Message | ||
| Korinna |
I am worrying today. How can i really be sure we don't have to keep a sabbath? I mean isn't it important? I always hated to see Friday come because i knew it was the day that i would be disappointing GOD AGAIN because i wasn't keeping the sabbath right. But how do i know for SURE i am not doomed if i don't keep one? I feel so confused!! Is everything i learned in church wrong? My hubby is still very stuck on keeping the sabbath so him and i are at a crossroads with that. I don't think i need to keep a sabbath but feel like i should, and out of fear. I just want to be with Jesus when he comes again:( I am really feeling and praying for you guys. You all were in it so much longer than me and if i am feeling this way after one year no wonder you guys have so much to deal with!! may GOD keep you close and you go through this, i can't imagine having to undo decades of this stuff. So weird...so much of it i felt was an extreme, but it got in my head despite of it. Hubby and i went to dinner last night and of course i wore my wedding rings (those were one thing i NEVER took off) but i had on earrings and wondered if it was truly OK. grrrrr I am doing a lot of reading here and posting here and meeting you all is helping. But that fear is stuck back there about the sabbath and i guess i have to figure out how to deal with it. Just needed to say that | ||
| Patti |
Dear Korinna, Your worry is natural and normal. Please do not feel that you HAVE to give up the Sabbath. If you feel that you should still observe it (as I did for a couple of years after I understood the Gospel and left the church), then enjoy! Paul allows for us to decide on non-salvific matters. Romans 14:1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. In other words, don't do anything you are not convinced of. The role of the Holy Spirit is to convict and convince. He has promised to lead us into all truth. Trust Him. Grace and peace always, Patti PS Below I am reposting a study I did on the sabbath in Hebrews 4. You may or may not wish to read it. But the NT clearly delineates how Jesus Christ is our perfect sabbath. Only when we cease from our frenetic efforts to save ourselves, when we depend solely upon His saving work for us, can we truly find rest and the peace that passes all understanding. | ||
| Patti |
I. An In-depth Study of Hebrews 4 This is a rather lengthy discussion of Hebrews 4 and related passages. I have divided it into parts so as not to unduly tax anyone's brain or strain the eyes. ----------------------------- Hebrews 4:9 So there is a special rest (sabbatismos) still waiting for the people of God. The only appearance of this particular word (sabbatismos) in the entire Bible is in Hebrews 4:9, and it is not given in verb form. From The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon: "Original Word -- sabbatismovþ Transliterated Word -- sabbatismos Word Origin -- from a derivative of (4521) TDNT Entry -- 7:34,989 Phonetic Spelling: sab-bat-is-mos' Part of speech: Noun Masculine "Definition 1. a keeping sabbath 2. the blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come by the true worshippers of God and true Christians" Dr. Bacchiocchi and other SDA apologists try to tell us that this word is translated "Sabbath-keeping." Notice the word sabbitismos is a noun, not a verb. The literal translation is a "keeping sabbath," not "sabbath-keeping," but a perennial rest from our labors. It is not something we do (i.e. it is not a verb), although I can see why lawmongers would interpret it as such; it is something (i.e. noun) that we are given in Jesus Christ: "the blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come by the true worshippers of God and true Christians." Do you know what the entire theme of the Book of Hebrews is? It is the superiority of our Lord Jesus Christ on this earth to anything that preceded Him. Hebrews 1:1-3 -- Christ is superior to the prophets. Hebrews 1:4 -- Christ is superior to the angels Hebrews 3 -- Christ is superior to Moses Hebrews 4 -- Christ is superior to Joshua Hebrews 5 -- Christ is superior to the Aaronic priests Hebrews 6 -- In Christ lies our hope Hebrews 7 -- The work of Christ is superior to the work of the Aaronic high priest Hebrews 8 -- The heavenly sanctuary (Christ) is superior to the earthly Hebrews 9 -- The Messianic covenant is superior to the first covenant Hebrews 10 -- Forgiveness in Christ is superior to forgiveness by sacrifice Hebrews 11 -- Faith in Christ is superior to works Hebrews 12 -- Summary: Christ is the fulfillment of all things and Author and perfect Finisher of our faith In the light of this, let's take another look at that text: Hebrews 4:9 So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. This noun sabbitismos which is found nowhere in the Bible except in this one verse of Hebrews 4, follows in the same line as the rest of the book of Hebrews. It is a superlative, showing that this is a different kind of rest, both from the weekly sabbath and from the rest that God gave the children of Israel under the leadership of Joshua. More evidence that this sabbatismos does not refer to the weekly sabbath is found in preceding verses: Hebrews 4:4 For somewhere (that is, somewhere else) he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." 5 And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." 6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David God set aside a different day--this is in contrast to verse 4 that mentions the weekly sabbath--calling it Today. Today is the day that God wants us to enter His rest. 9. There remains, therefore, a rest. Since God has set aside a rest for his people, and, in the previous verses it is clear that it is neither the Sabbath nor the Canaan rest, a rest remains for the people of God. The sabbath and the Canaan rest were only types (shadows, if you will) of the sabbatismos that we find in Jesus Christ. 10. For he that is entered into his rest. When God rested on the Sabbath, the type of the true rest, his works ceased. So when our rest comes, our efforts to gain salvation by the work of our own hands will cease. 11. Let us labor therefore. Since this glorious rest, our sabbatismos in Christ, remains for faithful believers, we should make every effort to achieve it, and especially take heed that we do not fail through disbelief as our spiritual ancestors did. So it becomes very clear that the theme of Hebrews holds true for chapters 3 and 4. Just as Christ is found superior to all other things in the rest of the book, so in this passage, the rest that Christ offers to those who trust in His saving act is SUPERIOR to the weekly sabbath and to the rest that God gave the children of Israel under Joshua, and we must make every effort to "enter into His rest." | ||
| Patti |
A Study of Hebrews 4, cont. The definition of sabbatismos from The New KJV Lexicon makes all kinds of sense in the light of the entire chapter of Hebrews: "a keeping sabbath." That which "keeps" is something that remains without rot or mold or fading or other spoilage--A "keeping sabbath" is a "perpetual" one. It is a fact that Jesus never instructed his disciples to keep the sabbath. This is not to deny that this is because they were raised in a society that did this already. However, I find it quite interesting that there is no command for the disciples to teach the Gentiles to keep the sabbath. In fact, the only times that sabbath keeping is mentioned in the writings of Paul are to say that we are not to judge one another on the basis of sabbath-keeping (Col. 2:16,17, Romans 14). Colossians 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Romans 14:5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. Hebrews 4, of course, speaks of the sabbath, but it shows, like Colossians 2:17, that is was an OT shadow to point to the Reality in our rest from our works to save ourselves in Christ. To requote, this time from the NRSV: Hebrews 4:9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.* * Or disbelief. If you read back in this chapter and in the third chapter, obviously the example that the children of Israel set, which we are here warned not to follow, was the sin of disbelief. Hebrews 3:7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9 where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, `Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, `They shall never enter my rest.'" They did not believe that God would actually deliver the land of Canaan to them; they were afraid because the scouts sent out by Moses had come back with reports of "giants in the land." Therefore, on the borders of the promised land, they murmured and complained and refused to enter the land that God had promised them. They did not trust God to deliver them; they thought they would have to do it themselves. This is what this text means when God declared, They shall never enter my rest; He would not allow them to enter the land of promise and rest from their wandering in the wilderness, not because they would not keep His commandments, but because THEY WOULD NOT BELIEVE HIM. 12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." God calls us today to enter into rest with Christ. To rest from our foolish attempts to save ourselves TODAY. 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. This is a direct reference to the book of Joshua. Remember the story? Joshua 1:13 "Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.' 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers 15 {until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise." 16 Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Obviously the "rest" spoken of in these passages is not the observance of the seventh day sabbath, but a rest from aimless wonderings in the Wilderness of Sin. When the children of Israel actually entered Canaan, after wandering around restlessly for 40 years, they did not even have to fight; God delivered the land into their hands. Remember Jericho? But 40 years earlier, the children of Israel did not believe that God would keep His promise, even though He had just brought them out of Egypt with miracle after miracle. So God said they could not enter the promised land because they disobeyed, or disbelieved. Deuteronomy 1:20 Then I said to you, "You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us. 21 See, the LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." 22 Then all of you came to me and said, "Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to." This, in itself, was a lack of faith on the part of the Israelites. God says, "I have given you this land, go and take possession of it." But the Israelites said, "Well, let's scope it out first, to see if it is feasible." 23 The idea seemed good to me; Evidently, Moses did not quite trust God 100 percent either. He agreed to the plan. It is a fact also, although it may be unrelated, that Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land either. so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe. 24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and explored it. 25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, "It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us." 26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. 27 You grumbled in your tents and said, "The LORD hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, `The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.'" 29 Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place." In the same way today, many Christians do not trust that the Lord will carry us "as a father carries his son," all the way to the Promised Land. They continually say, "Yes, but we must do our part." Which indicates, as is exemplified by the Children of Israel and referred to in tej book of Hebrews, a lack of faith in the work of God. 32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the LORD your God, 33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go. 34 When the LORD heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: 35 "Not a man of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your forefathers, 36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly." 37 Because of you the LORD became angry with me also and said, "You shall not enter it, either. So it is with us. The book of John says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will be saved." Yet there are so many sincere Christians who do not believe that God meant what He said. They say, "Yes, Jesus Christ died for our sin, but we have to..." and then they rush on to list the things that we must do. This is not taking God at His word. He wants us to rest from our fruitless attempts to save ourselves. So what does this have to do with the sabbath? Hebrews makes it clear that we are to rest from our works to save ourselves in the same way that God finished His work on the seventh day and rested from it. Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. We are offered rest, just as the children of Israel were. 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can rest in His salvation, knowing that He is true to His word and will save those who believe in Him. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, `They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." Some sabbatarians say that this means that we should keep the seventh day sabbath because God rested from His work on that day. But notice that God rested PERPETUALLY (i. e., "His work has been finished since creation.") after the six days of creation. He did not take up His work again on the next day after the seventh. So we are to rest perpetually in Jesus Christ and trust Him to deliver us. 5 And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." 6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Some people will refuse to believe that Jesus Christ is all-sufficient for their salvation. They will continue to try and work to make themselves acceptable to God. In this sense, they have disobeyed the Gospel. They have refused to believe that Jesus Christ is their full salvation and they need nothing but His life and death to save them to the uttermost. 7 Therefore God again set a certain day, This is in contrast to the seventh day sabbath. This is yet another day. calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." So you see this passage is not a call to keep the seventh day sabbath. This is a Gospel message calling all to believe in the sufficiency of the work of Christ in our behalf, TODAY. We are to enter His rest TODAY. The very fact that the author of Hebrews uses this word (today) indicates perpetuity. It is ALWAYS today. And it does not say to "rest the seventh day of the week"; it says to rest "TODAY." Is is OK to keep the sabbath? Of course. But nowhere in the New Testament is there a call for the Gentile Christians to keep the sabbath. The sabbath, circumcision, eating meats offered to idols--all of these signs of the Old Covenant and shadows of the Reality to come were meaningless now in the light of the cross. The Reality--Jesus Christ and Him crucified--is the light of the world which made the shadows disappear. | ||
| Valm |
Dear Korrina, You can not possible disappoint God when wearing the robe of JESUS righteousness!!! My suggestion to you is to keep the Sabbath with your husband until the two of you have studied the matter over. This might lessen your anxiety about this matter. Remember that Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath. So by "keeping" it you should come out of the day refreshed and rejuvenated. ENJOY the day. So how would I keep the Sabbath if I lived in NJ and did not want ot do it with Adventists? First I would search the papers and see if there were any sacred concerts or programs from other churches in the area offering a program on Friday night. On Saturday I would pack a picnic and head for either the shore or up to Delaware Water Gap. What about a hike in the "Pine Barrens" or a trip to Allaire State Park and Village? What about the botanical gardens on the other side of Philadelphia, can't remember the name of it but they have a lovely garden, get your tickets paid in advance if that exchange of money is on the "no can do" list. Whatever you do,DO NOT END UP IN AN SDA CHURCH. You might consider seeing if there is a Messianic group or a 7th day baptist group to visit. Messianic are fun to worship with; kinda a cross the best of Judaism with Christianity. The ones out hear in Seattle are charismatic and even dance in their services. If you are in a sedentary mood, how about renting appropriate nature videos or going to a Christian Book Store and picking up a couple of videos you would be comfortable with? We used to be allowed to put together jig saw nature puzzles on sabbath and I loved that as a kid, still do and would love the excuse to be obliged to do just that. Do not be afraid Korinna Remember, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18 I FINALLY pierced my ears a year and a half ago before my 40th birthday! It took me almost 20 years and I was like a teenager going through a rite of passage. I view them as my symbol of freedom in Christ Jesus. Good luck Korinna Valerie | ||
| Therese |
Hi Korinna, I'm pretty much in the same place as you with the Sabbath. I've decided not to go to SDA church anymore. I found a non-denominational church that has a Saturday afternoon worship service. I like the non-denominational churches. They have a set of core beliefs that most everyone who is Christian believe (like Jesus is God, Trinity, salvation by grace) and you decide what you want to believe beyond that. They only ask that you don't spread divisive doctrines. We have also decided to use the Sabbath to provide service for others. Jesus said it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath and he healed, etc. on the Sabbath. So we visit the sick, do minor chores for people who can't, send out cards, etc. We also take a much need rest from the hectic week. Therese | ||
| Colleentinker |
Korinna, We "observed" the Sabbath for two or three years before we finally decided to act on our belief and actually do "work"! We had Sunday home church for two years while still not doing work on Sabbath. Have you read Dale Ratzlaff's book The Sabbath in Crisis? I know I've asked you that before, but I really believe it would help you understand the New Covenant and how, when we accept Jesus, we are in the New Covenant instead of under the Old. The turning point for me regarding my understanding of Sabbath was when I read in Dale's book his interpretation of the transfiguration. Moses and Elijah, who appeared with Jesus, represented the Law and the Prophets to the Jews. When Peter, James, and John saw Jesus with them, Peter said, "Let's build three booths, one for each of you!" They fell on their faces. Then they heard a voice from heaven saying, "This is my son; listen to him!" Jesus walked to them, touched them, and told them to get up. When they arose, no one was before them except Jesus. The law and the prophets had disappeared! They had heard God's voice telling them to listen to Jesus, and when they arose only Jesus remained. The clincher to this interpretation was that Jesus told the three not to tell anyone what they had seen until after his resurrection. It would only be after his resurrection that the New Covenant would replace the Old! This event, by the way, is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Sabbath is not outside Jesus, an entity he must keep. HE is outside the Sabbath. He is God, and he is Lord of the Sabbath, not in the sense that the queen is "lord" over England, but in the sense that He is God himself, and the Sabbath is his creation. Jesus is OUTSIDE the Sabbath, not inside! But I totally understand your confusion and worry. The Sabbath is the hardest hurdle to understand because we learned to understand it as the mark of our salvation. But Jesus is our salvation, and the Holy Spirit is our mark! Praise God for guiding us to himself, for revealing truth to us in his time, and for being faithful to guide us. Colleen | ||
| Max |
Colleen, Thanks for posting, ^^The Sabbath is not outside Jesus, an entity he must keep. HE is outside the Sabbath. He is God, and he is Lord of the Sabbath, not in the sense that the queen is "lord" over England, but in the sense that He is God himself, and the Sabbath is his creation. Jesus is OUTSIDE the Sabbath, not inside!^^ I had never thought of this relationship quite that way before. Thanks for expanding my vision. Max of the Cross | ||
| Shereen |
Korinna, I am in the same place as you. I can't bring myself to step into another church. Doubts keep entering my mind about the "true Sabbath" I read alot of the posts here on FAF but keep wondering if I am being snowed because I was so easily snowed by the SDA's. I keep watching what everyone says and get very disheartened with the major disagreements that happen. The one thing that keeps me away from the SDA's is what I am learning here about the lies we have learned and lived. I keep telling myself that if the SDA's can lie about and cover up so much then how can I believe in anything they say. That is the only thing that keeps me away. I am struggling every week about the Sabbath and the state of the dead. I have some old friends from church phoning me and telling me to read the rebukes on the White Lie etc. I hope you come through all this alright. I don't see much hope for myself - I see, more or less, apathy being my way these days. Just remember one thing, Korinna, if you are going the right way, satan will fight you. He is fighting me on all sides right now and I am finding he is much stronger then me but the strongest defense against satan is the weakest christian on his knees. Good luck Korinna and Therese. Shereen | ||
| Cindy |
Shereen, Thank-you! for reminding us all.. "but the strongest defense against satan is the weakest christian on his knees." Reminded me of William Cowper's words from long ago: "And Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knees." Have a good day, Shereen! Grace always, Cindy | ||
| Patti |
Dear sisters in Christ, My advice: Do not worry about such things as the sabbath and the state of the dead. Dig into the Gospel of our Lord. It is the only issue of vital importance. Of course, your understanding of the Gospel will necessarily color all of the rest of your beliefs. But studying the Gospel of John and the books of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews provided the most liberation for me from the net of legalism. Any legalism. SDA, RCC, C of C--any belief system that tries to add something to the amazing saving work of Jesus Christ. May God bless you in your studies. | ||
| Valm |
Shereen, I am so happy to hear from you. The post above was a very wonderful testimony. I will remember that the strongest defense against Satan is the weakest Cristian on his knees. That is a quotable one! I hope you read the posts on the state of the dead as they are very helpful. I still have some "tension" as to what is what. But for myself the state of the dead will not change what I do and belief about my God today. On the Sabbath, I would suggest to anyone to read the book Sabbath in Crisis. It was not an easy read for me and I have yet to read it in its entirity, but I do reccommend it. What has helped me most on the Sabbath issue is defining what the NEW and OLD covenants are. That is done really well in the book about it at graceplace.org website. I know I push this book alot; it is really a great read for those struggling. I don't believe for one moment you are apathetic, I see passion and a love for truth. I think you are just exhausted from the internal struggle you are going through. A wise Episcopalian priest once told me when I was going through a very sad time in my life, "You don't get to Easter Sunday until you go through Good Friday." You might be in a figurative Good Friday. Go through it, the other side is well worth it. Valerie | ||
| Valm |
Korinna, I woke up this morning remebering how cold it is in New Jersey. If you go on those hikes, take warm clothes and maybe your cross country skis!!!!!! Valerie | ||
| Korinna |
thanks for all the wonderful messages. I wrote a long response last night to several of you and i just got here and its not here.. (sob sob:)) "sighs" anyway... i was thanking patti for the repost and Therese and Valerie for the ideas on things to do with the sabbath, such as helping others in need, picnics and hiking, ect...i think for now i will keep a sabbath with my hubby, but start relearning that i am making the choice and it has nothing to do with my salvation. It is nice to meet you Shareen and Max..:) Valerie, it is quite cold here and some snow on the ground...probably wont do much hiking right now hehehehe... | ||
| Dan_2 |
Korinna, there has been a lot of great counsel here and I don't want to detract from it by adding "my wisdom" on your Sabbath confusion. If you are going to have a Sabbath (I'm a former SDA pastor by the way) focus on "observing" the Sabbath and not keeping the Sabbath. The "keeping" will always lead to legalism (what can I do/not do?), while the "observing" could be a refreshing experience. Also, the spirit of God never brings a spirit of fear, but of peace. What the SDA's have missed is the 7 day a week rest in the New Covanant. I couldn't say it any better than what Patti wrote (her study). I see Adventist's all the time (and I mean pastors, elders, school teachers, etc.) at the mall, movies, minature golf, etc. who see me and feel this terrible grief that they have been "caught" not "keeping" the Sabbath. That fear is something that is not of God. The fear SDa's teach, is that if you are not a Sabbath keeper you will receive at the end of time the Mark of the Beast. Bad theology; bad motivation to obey the Lord; bad way to "keep" people in Adventism. Adventist youth/young adults who leave Adventism (and they're doing it in record numbers) leave with the fear that although they had to leave Adventism, they are fearful of joining another church. Anyway, please keep in mind that fear is always a controling emotion that comes from the forces of darkness and is used by dark people. When Jesus said, "Come take my yoke...and you'll find rest for your souls" He was speaking to people burden down with legalism and Sabbath keeping. Finding that rest may take some hard work, but from the many experiences here and in my own life, man is it worth the effort! I wouldn't go back to "Egypt" for anything in the world! --Dan Snyder | ||
| Patti |
Dan, Very well said: "Anyway, please keep in mind that fear is always a controlling emotion that comes from the forces of darkness and is used by dark people." Fear is a major controlling device of legalistic religions. If a person has no fear of death or the judgment and if that same person has confidence that Christ has accomplished all that is necessary for his/her salvation, that person is a free person, a person who can never be controlled or manipulated by guilt. It is not that these people are evil or of Satan; they are merely fearful themselves. They well-meaningly try to warn you of taking advantage of the grace of God, when what they are actually saying (although they do not truly realize the import of their words) is that the grace of God is not sufficient, that we cannot depend upon His infinite mercy, that we cannot trust in His word that He will save us to the uttermost. There is no fear for those who are in Jesus Christ. He will keep His holy Word; He will save those who depend upon His great salvation. | ||
| Chyna |
dear korinna and shereen, yes, i reiterate what's been said, really cling to the Word of God. it's really through a true understanding of Salvation that you can understand why the Sabbath (a sign of the Old Covenant) is inferior to the Lord's Day (a tribute to Salvation (New Covenant) and Christ's resurrection). i think you are right, shereen, that Satan strives to keep us blind to spiritual truths because he knows that it will keep us away from God and being empowered by God. in Him, Chyna | ||
| Max |
Shereen, for a few years I attended the SDA church on Sabbath and the Presbyterian church on Sunday. But, then, I'm a rather hard person to intimidate. | ||
| Denisegilmore |
Ellen White Says: "A religion which is confined to Sabbath worship emits no rays of light to others." Testimony to the Church Vol. 5, page 339 God Bless all, Denise | ||
| Max |
So was I emitting Presbyterian rays of light to my SDA friends when I attended their church on Sabbath? I guess so, huh, Denise? -MC |
