Walter Martin and My Discovery of Galatians
I always read with great interest the testimonies of how the Lord delivered formers from the cult of Adventism. Every former Adventist has a story, and though they are similar in some ways, they are also unique in other ways. My story started years ago at an Adventist camp meeting when I purchased a Galatians cassette by Walter Martin from the book and cassette sale table.
It was no coincidence that someone dropped that cassette in among the other sale items, that I was at camp meeting that day, and that particular tape caught my attention. I had never heard of Walter Martin, nor had I ever read the entire book of Galatians. Shortly after that, my staunch Adventist neighbor loaned me Ron Number’s book Ellen G. White Prophetess of Health.
Reading Number’s book, studying Galatians and Romans in context, as well D.M. Canright’s books, it did not take me very long to clearly see that I had been a member of a deceiving cult. That was it. I left the Adventist church, pulled my daughter out of Adventist school, and found a wonderful evangelical church to attend.
A.F. Ballenger’s book strongly confirms the evil control EGW’s false visions/interpretations have had to this day on the Adventist church. The Bible unequivocally supports that “behind the veil” means the holy of holies. There simply is no valid alternative interpretation. Thus, there is no investigative judgement; nothing happened in 1844. Jesus has been “behind the veil” seated at the right hand of the Father since His ascension. A.F. Ballenger was not the first nor the last of EGW’s contemporaries to personally confront her regarding her interpretations of Scripture as well as her false visions—but to no avail.
The comments you made regarding the current Sabbath School lessons (On Death and Dying and the Future Hope) was absolutely one of the best pieces you have written explaining what Adventism believes and teaches. You succinctly covered all the anti-truth (i.e., doctrines of devils) in the Adventist church. Adventism refuses to acknowledge its errors and continues to teach heresy, supported by so-called light from heaven that was copied word-for-word from others, by a mentally deranged, sick woman, effectively used as Satan’s tool, who was encouraged and manipulated by her peers to perpetuate a bunch of lies through her false visions.
Thank you for producing such great weekly articles.
—VIA EMAIL
Finding My Way Out
I have really been enjoying the podcast as you go through Daniel. The podcast is great, and you both complement each other so well as you work together to help people understand the true gospel and just Bible truth in general…
Obviously it is good to just gravitate to a new church to find new community; however, I have found such great peace by listening to you both on the podcast as you both have gone through and can totally understand my journey because you have gone through a similar journey being a former Adventist.
Currently, I am trying to navigate finding a new church. It is hard because my wife still is active in the Adventist Church, and I drive her to church each Saturday. I do not go inside and end up staying in the parking lot, and I just listen to you both on the podcast while I wait, and I also study the Bible for myself through my new outlook and lens.
I understand that there will be non-denominational churches that will teach truth where I can find community, however, as I navigate this,
Thank you again, Colleen and Nikki, for the podcast and all everyone does for those who are trying to find their way out of the Adventist Church.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: We pray that the Lord will guide you to a church where He knows you can grow in truth and biblical teaching, and we pray that He will open your wife’s eyes and soften her heart to the gospel. He is faithful.
Peter and the True Church
So which is the TRUE CHURCH? What did Jesus say to Peter?? Did Jesus give us the true church?
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Organizations do not define the true church. The true body of Christ is comprised of all who have been born again through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus. They may belong to different denominations and even hold to differing views on secondary issues such as eschatology and so forth. The thing that makes someone a member of the true church is being born again, saved entirely by grace through faith in Jesus.
Organizations that do not hold to the apostolic teaching of Jesus’ true identity and His gospel, to the centrality and inerrancy of Scripture, and to the biblical Trinity are not organizations we can safely call “Christian”. But those that do can attract true Christians who can have true fellowship with other Christians who are also born again.
It is JESUS, not doctrinal statements, that defines the true church. His church is not an organization or a nation. It is people of every tribe, nation, tongue, and people who are spiritually alive and transferred out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the Beloved Son (Col. 1:13).
Acts 2 describes the foundation of the church. There is only one “church”. It is not an organization. It is literally the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:21 onward) and is not in any sense a denomination or organization. It is entirely dependent upon BELIEVING in the Lord Jesus and His completed atonement through His death for sin, His burial, and His resurrection according to Scripture (1 Cor. 15:3, 4). Jesus did not “give” us a denomination—such as the Catholic or the Adventist organizations. He creates it one new birth at a time (John 1:12, Ephesians 2:1–10).
When Jesus called Peter “Rock” and said He was building His church upon him (Mt. 16:18–20), He was not referring to the Catholic organization. Rather, Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Son of the Living God is the foundation of the church, and Peter was the apostle appointed to oversee the inclusion of all the people groups into the church: the Jews in Acts 2 when they received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Samaritans in Acts 8 when Peter prayed for them and they received the Holy Spirit, and the gentiles in Acts 10 when Peter was sent to Cornelius’s household and baptized the first group of gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit. Peter was the apostolic “overseer” who could testify that all three groups received the Holy Spirit in the same way and were equal in God’s sight without having to become Jews.
We are His workmanship created IN Christ Jesus. The Lord Himself CREATES the church; He didn’t assign it to Peter to build.
- May 4–10, 2024 - May 2, 2024
- We Got Mail - May 2, 2024
- April 27–May 3, 2024 - April 25, 2024