Keeping the Commandments of God
The video on Adventists Have the Wrong Priest was very helpful. Thank you.
I have an Adventist mentor whom I questioned on a few things, especially about the concerns I have about E. G. White not being a real prophet of God and about how Adventism’s push for vegetarianism is doing more harm than good. He got offended. It was a shock to him, but I need to question and have these conversations, and I let him know that. We are currently taking some time out to consider if we should continue together. I also have a bunch of topics to discuss with the pastor: Michael the archangel, the investigative judgment, God’s giving us animals to eat after the flood, and so forth.
I still think the 10 Commandments along with all New Testament commands are important for us to be aware of as we follow Jesus, abiding in Him so that we can obey the commandments like He did. John 15:1-17 covers some of it, and so does Rev 14:12: “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
—VIA EMAIL
Response: It would be helpful for you to do some studying on the subject of the biblical covenants. Adventism is formulated on the idea that there is one one eternal covenant with several iterations and additions. Scripturally, though, this view is not correct. The Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 15) was an UNCONDITIONAL covenant made without any participation from Abraham. The Mosaic covenant was conditional, made with two-way promises between God and the nation of Israel, and it had a clear beginning and an ending (see Galatians 3). The new covenant is also unconditional (Jer. 31:31–33) and has no ending. It is a fulfillment of many of the promises given to Abraham.
If you haven’t yet, please read the article The Covenants, and watch the video on The Covenant of the Pure Gospel.
I have an assignment for you: get a notebook and begin copying the book of Galatians. Ask God to teach you what He knows HE wants you to learn from it. Pondering over each word, verb tense, and phrase reveals so much depth!
It’s important, ultimately, to remember that Adventists read the Bible (or should I say use the Bible) from a different worldview than do Christians. Their arguments and proof-texting are not contextual but are shaped by EGWs great controversy paradigm.
Here is an article explaining that the commandments of which John writes are NOT the Ten. When John refers to the law, he uses a different Greek word than when he refers to “commandments” or “commands”. Understanding this fact clears up many Adventist arguments that, again, use proof texts out of context: What Commandments Are In Revelation 12 and 14?
Only the Holy Spirit
Last Friday’s newsletter in the mail section reminded me of my wife.
A lady wrote about her upcoming vacation to visit her sister and parents who were Adventist “diehards”. She is right; the Holy Spirit has to open eyes. Not me; I can’t.
Please continue to pray for her. Thank you for your ministries, and be blessed.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: We are praying for your wife and also for you.
Thank you!
I’m thinking of all you do to encourage and support God’s word.
Always,
—VIA EMAIL
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