| Author | Message | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 67 Registered: 4-2006  |
Hello everybody On Monday i'll meet with my Adventist friend to help her buy an internet router and afterwards we will continue our studie of 1844. We have finished the chapter on the swinging door and all is new information to her. Please pray that the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ will guide her into truth about this doctrin in particularly and SDA generally. Have a nice day! | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 72 Registered: 4-2006 |
A little update .. during our reading today .. my SDA friend raised the issue of credibility of the author of the book, Dale Ratzlaff and we talked a bit about that .. that even if its a lie what Dale writes it doesnt change the procedure to know truth .. ie testing every argument against the word of God . She was realy upset cause I said to her that EGW was not a genuine profet if she utered false prophesies and so forth .. she would like to say that if Dale made a false argument she could not trust him in the rest of his writings. Tonight I will show her the testemonie of Patria. Please pray that the spirit will guide her into truth about SDA. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 540 Registered: 8-2004  |
Seems to me that using that argument we can trust no human. Now I don't personally know him, but it seems to me that Dale would be slightly amused to be expected to be infallible (as well as very sad). As Christians we do not have to expect infallibility of anyone but God. We are not seeking an earthly 'father' (or unquestionable leader) we are seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit. The reason we need to put EG White to the tests of a prophet is that she claims the position of 'messenger of God' and 'more than a prophet' and claims that her words must be taken as written from that context. Therefore the tests of a prophet apply. I don't know your friend, but I know I was taught that Ellen White was unmistakeably a messenger from God and that anyone who would try to show otherwise was basically a liar and deceiver who was come to try to shake me out of the remnant "who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus (which is the Spirit of Prophecy)." It's likely she was taught this too. It was a bitter and humiliating realization (and it came very slowly, after years of little things here and there that "didn't fit" with "the truth as I knew it") that what I'd been taught to call "white"  was really black, and what I'd been taught was a lie, was really the truth of the Bible. It left me breathless and winded and rather disoriented for awhile. And yet God is so good at bringing order out of chaos, and joy out of sorrow, and redeeming even the very worst things of our lives. When I finally came to the place where I could place my life, my heritage, my Adventism, at Jesus' feet and tell him to please confirm what is from Him and take away from me what was not it was one of the most bittersweet moments of my life. Adventism He took away - so thoroughly and unmistakeably that it made my head spin. But what He replaced it with, Himself plus nothing, was wonderful beyond expression. My life He has redeemed. My heritage I understand much better than I used to. My future is a joy to leave in His hands. On the other hand, one of the joys I have as a Christian is that I can learn from my fellow Christians without needing to hold them or thier theories or pronouncements between me and God, without having to expect perfection from them. We are to test all things, and hold fast to that which is true. That doesn't mean I need to hold Luther, or Spurgeon, or Armenius, or Calvin, or Chrysostom, or Erasmus, or Augustine, or . . . . as infallible to be able to learn from them. They did not presume to expect it either. I'm praying as you continue to meet with your friend. It is HARD to be told that the foundation of your faith is on sand . . . and even harder when it proves to be true. It comes to a point where you have to decide whether to trust what you are learning or close your eyes and keep your old identity. You get to decide whether to be that person 'convinced against his will who remains of the same opinion still' or to allow God to have His way with you, to break and remold you in His image. Sometimes it's very tempting and seemingly easier to 'shoot the messenger' instead of letting the message sink in. It is my prayer that your friend will chose to take that leap of faith that throws herself wholely in God's hands with no caveats, no reserves of "I'm yours, but only if this and this stay constant." If she will do that, I can testify that the joy she will find will be like nothing she's ever experienced before! Blessings, Mary | ||
| Snowboardingmom Registered user Username: Snowboardingmom Post Number: 120 Registered: 11-2005 |
Very well said, Mary! I love how you put "...God is so good at bringing order out of chaos..." Amen! By the way, your new picture is great! Grace | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4188 Registered: 12-2003  |
Amen, Mary! Your friend, Mwh, is definitely coming to places of frightening decisions. Praying for you both... Colleen | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 16 Registered: 6-2006  |
Hi Mwh, Mary is right! I really agree with her when she says she "can learn from fellow Christians without needing to hold them or thier theories or pronouncements between me and God". When it comes to my Adventist family I've always gotten the feeling that it's God - Jesus - EGW - Human. That's as frustrating as all get out. I do think it's a great sign that your friend is still hanging around with you! Just don't forget to love on her. Let her know that Jesus truly did fulfill his purpose *COMPLETELY* on the cross. Isn't that good news?! |
