“Quit Listening to FAF”
We have a question about “the Sunday law”. Our friend is adamant that it is coming very soon. She even sent us a copy of an article referencing The Jerusalem Post about the Keneset making Sunday a day of rest for Israel, but she took it totally out of context. What do you guys think or know regarding a worldwide Sunday law being adopted? She is constantly sending us articles about the Sunday law that is supposedly coming, and because we worship on Sunday, we are going to hell and we worship the pope. The Sunday law signals the mark of the beast.
The article she sent was actually from the Advent Messenger. She told us to quit listening to FAF.
We really enjoy your podcasts and have learned a lot. The Daniel series is fantastic.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Wow! Thank you for sending the screen shots of your conversation with your friend. Her insulting, defensive cruelty to you is a bit shocking. That attitude is also a clear revelation that she has no good answers to your statements and questions. When people can’t give real answers and reasons for their beliefs, they resort to ad hominem attacks, and that is what the text thread you shared is showing.
Adventists (historic, conservative ones) see Sunday laws behind almost every news story. EGW taught them to fear and expect a Sunday law, and EGW insisted that Sunday worship would be the mark of the beast. There is absolutely NO scriptural support for such an idea. I’m going to copy and paste a couple of her quotes below so you can see the clarity with which EGW indoctrinated Adventism about Sabbath and the mark of the beast:
1. Sabbath the seal
“The enemies of God’s law, from the ministers down to the least among them, have a new conception of truth and duty. Too late they see that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living God. Too late they see the true nature of their spurious sabbath and the sandy foundation upon which they have been building. They find that they have been fighting against God. Religious teachers have led souls to perdition while professing to guide them to the gates of Paradise. Not until the day of final accounts will it be known how great is the responsibility of men in holy office and how terrible are the results of their unfaithfulness. Only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul. Fearful will be the doom of him to whom God shall say: Depart, thou wicked servant.
“The voice of God is heard from heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming, and delivering the everlasting covenant to His people. Like peals of loudest thunder His words roll through the earth. The Israel of God stand listening, with their eyes fixed upward. Their countenances are lighted up with His glory, and shine as did the face of Moses when he came down from Sinai. The wicked cannot look upon them. And when the blessing is pronounced on those who have honored God by keeping His Sabbath holy, there is a mighty shout of victory” (The Great Controversy, p. 640).
2. Worship on Sunday is Mark of the Beast
The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God’s law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God (The Great Controversy, p. 605).
As you can see, Adventism simply doesn’t see the issue of belief in Jesus as THE dividing line. We are saved or lost on the basis of our belief or unbelief, not on the basis of our worship practices. It is the condition of our hearts—are we alive with the resurrection life of Jesus, or are we still dead in sin? People can practice any number of requirements for worship (such as Sabbath-keeping and food laws) and not be born again through faith in Jesus.
I am so happy to hear that the podcast is helpful to you! Daniel has been perhaps the most impacting “thing” for me in 2022. In ways I cannot explain, I feel as if this book has shown me the Big Picture of reality in ways I had not understood it before. The sovereignty of God, the faithfulness of His promises, and the clarity of how He is faithful to His people has jelled for me profoundly. Thank you for writing and for your encouragement!
Sorting Out Sovereignty and the Investigative Judgment
So when it comes to the Investigative Judgement, what’s the basic Adventist understanding or belief of God’s being omnipotent, omnipresent, and of His foreknowledge and predestined will?
Is the Adventist idea of “Open Theism” that God does not have foreknowledge of the future and needs Jesus to “help” investigate peoples’ sins?
If Jesus is actively investigating people’s sin, it almost seems that God doesn’t have future knowledge—or is basically reactive and has unknown knowledge of man’s action or free will and needs Jesus to collect the data for God.
Because, based on John 1:1, Jesus was with God in the very beginning, than God knew Adam/Eve would sin and thus kickstart His will/plan for Jesus to come and save us all from sin. So, if God knew Adam and Eve would sin before He created them, then wouldn’t God already have knowledge of everyone who would sin and repent?
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Regarding the “openness” of God—Adventists will say that He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, but they also say He limits Himself for the sake of human and demonic “free will”. They also say that Jesus surrendered omnipresence by taking a body. Yet such a divesting would render him “not God”, because omnipresence is an attribute of God.
Our podcasts on the Trinity would probably be helpful for you. Here is a link to the collection of podcasts on the Fundamental Beliefs. Numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5 address the Trinity.
Here is an article by Martin Carey that addresses Adventism’s Open Theism: An Uncertain Gospel: The Problem of Open Theism
God is indeed sovereign and knows all things. Daniel 12:1 and Revelation 17:8 refer to the names written in God’s book of life or knowledge. He is not surprised by anything. Parallel to this truth is the fact that we make real choices with real consequences. I believe that, from God’s perspective, there is a way to harmonize these apparently disparate truths, but He does not explain these to us. He asks us to trust Him.
Podcasts a Blessing To My Soul
I just want you to know that your podcasts have been such a blessing to my soul! I was raised Pentecostal. I was raised in a biblically sound church, but I was never taught how to study my Bible. I have learned so much from both of you, and I’m so grateful!
During the pandemic, I found Chris Roseboro, Steven Kozar, Doreen Virtue, Melissa Daughtry, Mike Winger, and Apologia Studios. Now I have you! I just want you to know that people need you, even Christians! Thank you for following the Lord and teaching the true gospel!
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Thank you for writing! Praise God for His leading you. I am convinced that He used the pandemic to reveal Himself to a great many people. It is encouraging to hear from you that our podcast is helpful to you! God’s word is truly living and powerful, and He changes us through it. He reveals Himself!
Thank you for your encouragement. We pray the Lord will keep us faithful and help us always to speak rightly of Him and His word!
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