| Author | Message | ||
| Zjason Registered user Username: Zjason Post Number: 43 Registered: 11-2005 |
Ok everyone. I finished this book yesterday, and I'll probably need to peruse it again because maybe I missed something. The author, George Knight is an adventist, hence the reason I approached the book with a great deal of prejudice. My wife started reading her copy and suggested I take a look at it. "Oh, all right" I said. The matchbook synopsis that I can come up with about this book is that he talks about many adventists keeping all the right "laws" but fail miserably in keeping the LAW, which is summed up in the two great commandments spoken by Jesus to the rich young ruler. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind", and the second "you shall love your neighbor as yourself". He calls us to a higher standard than just keeping the "laws" (10 commandments). He suggested that the LAW is Love, because God is Love. He does quote Ellen White in a number of places, but his main focus regarding her is that a lot of adventists take bits n pieces out of "Object Lessons" and out of the Testimonies and "Diets and Foods", ect, and end up with a rather twisted theology. From what I understood, it sounds like he recommends that rather than focus on how well we keep the law and have the proper diet and have the "right day" of worship, we should instead empty ourselves of self and allow God to fill us, and thereby be imitators of Christ as He emptied Himself and relied on His Father daily. By doing this, we will be able to do the works that please the Father, caring for the hungry, the imprisoned, the widow and the orphan. "In as much as you did it to the least of these My children, you did it to Me." So like I said, it's just a brief synopsis of this book. There are other areas that he contrasts, such as sins vs SIN, temptations vs TEMPTATIONS, and perfection vs PERFECTION. I would be really interested if anyone else has read this book and would like to discuss this any further... Rather than anger at my adventist brothers and sisters, I'm beginning to feel pity for them. Any thoughts? Jason | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 509 Registered: 7-2004  |
Reading any of EGW, particulary the more that is read, generally does result in twisted theology! That's nice the emphasis is on "love God and neighbor" and allow God to fill us instead of focusing on an external list. Hopefully SDA's will wake up to the fact that this is Biblical, but in direct contrast to EGW's twisted theology. | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1883 Registered: 3-2005 |
I think there are clearly those within SDA who see the clear problems that EGW has caused, and it may be that George Knight is trying to do damage control. I know RandyG has been in correspondence with an official GC person, who also admits that EGW is indefensible. Let's pray that there is still hope. Stan | ||
| Benevento Registered user Username: Benevento Post Number: 117 Registered: 4-2005 |
I'm going to plug a book I am reading The Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight You can get it from Paraclete Press Brewster MA.. www.<paracletepress.com>. I was a little put off by the title, but then I guessed it was Mark 12:30,31 and many other places. This is such an important concept and I don't know but it may be the statement most repeated in the Bible, if that has any significance. Peggy | ||
| Deadmanwalking Registered user Username: Deadmanwalking Post Number: 26 Registered: 4-2006  |
I applaud Dr. Knight for his efforts to emphasize, as he calls it, ìWhat is Christian in Adventism." In talking with him he seems to grasp righteousness by faith alone. He also clearly recognizes many of the flaws in Adventist History and Theology and has spent most of his life trying to emphasize the work of Christ. There are several areas of his teaching that concern me greatly! 1. First and foremost, Knight seems to me to be very mushy on Biblical Inerrancy. In conversations last year, he would not place any different view on Scripture and EGW. I repeatedly tried to pin him down on that to no avail. His argument was always to admit mistakes by EGW but then claim "mistakes and inconsistencies" in Scripture. He does claim an "Inerrancy for the purposes of God" for Scripture that is higher than EGW and that she is a lesser light, but he still holds her out as a true prophet. 2. Knight also holds to Adventist eschatology, including the investigative judgment. In discussing the Sabbath question he made a very interesting comment. He said that, without the distinctive Adventist view and understanding of eschatology there isn't sufficient Biblical support for Saturday Sabbath keeping. But the bottom line is that he holds both. 3. Knight is one of the most refreshing and outspoken critics of Adventism within the church. Much of what he points out as abuses and errors are right on. But remember he is still an Adventist and still holds un-biblical and extra-biblical doctrine. Ever since meeting George Knight my heart has been moved toward him and the other Adventist seminarians that I met in class. While I must speak against what he and they continue to preach and teach as heresy, I must also pray that God in His mercy will open their eyes to the errors of Seventh-day Adventism. Soli Deo Gloria, Richard | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4321 Registered: 12-2003  |
Richard, very interesting summary and conclusion of your impressions of Dr. Knight. Thank you for clarifying his position so well. I agree with you about the need to pray for him and others. Bottom lineóas long as a person remains Adventist and holds onto un-biblical doctrines, they are helping to perpetuate the deception of the church. When people like Knight expose error but rationalize it also, they are helping to paint a false picture. I do believe, though, that God calls people to truth in his own time and way, and often people spend years slowly recognizing the falsehoods while simultaneously "making excuses"óbut eventually they realize they must act in integrity or lose their "core". You're right to pray for George Knight. Colleen | ||
| Jackob Registered user Username: Jackob Post Number: 277 Registered: 7-2005  |
This is exactly my adventist friend's opinion, I think that this is a more dangerous position than the classic adventist argument, the perpetuity of the law. My adventist friend said many times that I'm right about the Sabbath, that he still keeps the sabbath because of the eschatological scenario of adventism, what he still believes it's correct. My friend is liberal in many aspects and has a personal view of the sabbath-sunday conflict. What's interesting is also the fact that you need extra-biblical proofs to see the mark of the beast as Sunday. The eschatological position about sabbath is much weaker that the position of the perpetuity of the law. But I have a heart for my friend. He is under the spell of Ellen White. Of course, he disregards a lot of what she said, but he is gainst me of labeling her as a false prophet. And he is absolutely a slave of her, even if he denies this. At one point, he asked a question: "What if Ellen White is right and the sunday law will come?" What if, what if, what if, what if? And because of this "what if" he is bound to sabbath-keeping. It's a spiritual hold very powerfull because nobody here knows for certainty the future. And from what I know, the Bible had not provide us with clear evidence to refute beyond a doubt the sunday-sabbath issue of adventism. My friend, as George Knight are bound to an extra-biblical source of truth. Because they are sababtarian, this demonstrates that this source of truth, Ellen White is more important than what the New Testament said about the Sabbath, it's fulfillment in Chtist. And they are sticking to shadows of grace, for fear of the future. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4328 Registered: 12-2003 |
Jackob, you are absolutely right in your analysis of the role of Ellen White in these more liberal Adventists. Even though they protest, they are utterly dependent upon her, a false prophet. Colleen |
