Without the law, how do we know if we’re sinning?
Thank you for providing me the regular weekly portion of your inspiring articles. Maybe this is a silly question: If we are no longer under the law, how do we know that we are sinning?
—VIA EMAIL
Response: According to 1 Timothy 1: 8–11, the law is good for identifying sin; it continues to be part of the eternal word of God and is useful, as it all is, for correction and instruction in righteousness. Yet the law was never given to anyone but Israel. In Romans 2 Paul explains that when gentiles “who do not have the law do by nature the things of the law” with their consciences either condemning or affirming them, they are counted as being obedient to the principles of the law.
God placed a sense of morality and right/wrong within each person as part of the image of God. The law is not the source of morality; God Himself is. The law reveals what God placed in it for Israel to understand that they were sinners, and He accompanied it with the sacrificial system prefiguring the reality that He would shed His substitute blood for mankind.
Jesus said in John 16:8–11 that when the Holy Spirit would come, He would “convict the world” of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment—all on the basis of what He Himself has done! In other words, the Holy Spirit convicts each person of their sin on the basis of the Bible’s revelation. Not only are people guilty for breaking the moral commands contained in Scripture, but they are guilty for not believing in the Lord Jesus who fulfilled the law and gave us the new covenant in His blood. God takes responsibility for each person’s being able to recognize his own sin and to see his need of a Savior. The entire word of God is useful for revealing God’s will and our own sin.
We don’t specifically need the old covenant law to reveal sin. God’s word as a whole is sharper than a two-edge sword and pierces between our soul and spirit, joint and marrow, and we cannot escape from its revelation of our true nature and of God’s righteousness (Heb. 4:12,13). In fact, Romans 1:18–20 explains that God reveals Himself to everyone through what has been made so that all are without excuse, but men suppress the knowledge of God by their wickedness.
Read Romans 1 through 8 and the book of Hebrews. In fact, our Former Adventist Podcast series on the book of Hebrews might be very helpful to you: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/former-adventist/id1482887969
Should I Be Baptized?
Hi to all the members of the Former Adventist Podcast! I hope you are all doing well. I don’t know if you guys remember me; I wrote back in November. I wanted to give you guys an update about my previous email and also ask for your insights on a new question/issue/situation.
I accepted Jesus as my personal savior and now am a Christian since the last time I wrote to you. God has done amazing things in my life, and I am now alive. I haven’t attend the Adventist church since then, and will not in the future. I am now in a biblical Christian church, and I love it there.
Now my question is this: I know that the true baptism is the baptism of the heart. I know that I am saved, but I keep thinking about the fact that I got baptized in the Adventist church years ago. That was my only outward baptism. I wonder if I have to get baptized in my new Christian church since I’ve accepted Jesus outside of the Adventist church.
If so, how do I approach a pastor about it? A lot of pastors consider the Adventist church as a denomination and not a false religion, a situation which may lead to a refusal of baptism. I honestly don’t know if I should get baptized or not. Did you guys get baptized at your Christian church?
Thank you so much for being available to your listeners; we really appreciate you guys! Be blessed!
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Praise God! Isn’t it amazing how NEW we are when we trust Jesus? It’s the very best thing in the world!
And yes, we recommend that people be baptized when they become Christians. You were baptized, as you said, into Adventism—a cult—not into the Lord Jesus. Being baptized into Jesus is an important step.
Just tell your pastor that you were baptized into a false gospel as a membership rite, not into Jesus, and you want to proclaim your new status in Him.
Here is a link to a playlist with the baptisms of several former Adventists including Nikki’s. Their testimonies are so moving! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2087BFADA34C12FA
Every Bible Discussion Ends In An Argument
Hi, I’m currently dating a 27-year-old man who is an Adventist; I never really understood why every time we have tried to talk about the Bible together, it ends in an argument—until recently. I was raised non-denominational/Baptist.
We have completely different beliefs. He is very determined to be with me and stay with me. But I am constantly seeing red flags regarding the religion of Adventism and Ellen White. I absolutely do not believe anything Ellen White teaches or prophesies, and I have no desire to go to an Adventist church.
What do I do at this point? Do you have any advice? Do you have a book or materials that would help me explain in a way he would understand? Thank you so much for your time.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Thank you for writing! You are right about the red flags. You do have different beliefs. Unless your boyfriend is willing to study the Bible with you with no outside commentaries, in context, in an effort to know what it REALLY says, he may not be open to knowing what you see. Adventists have a worldview that underlies their understanding of Scripture, and they do not even realize that they have a different foundation of reality than Christians.
I recommend asking him if he would be willing to sit and read Galatians with you, one chapter at a time, in context, and simply discuss what the words mean in context. In context, how would the first audience have understood what Paul was saying? What verb tenses is he using? What words? What do they mean using the normal rules of vocabulary and context? It is in studying the Bible together that the differences in interpretation and understanding become more clear.
I recommend three books: Dale Ratzlaff’s Sabbath In Christ, Truth Led Me Out, and The Cultic Doctrine of Seventh-day Adventism. They are available here:
I also want to share with you a couple of articles we have written to people with Adventist boyfriends. Unless the Adventist is willing to read and know Scripture and see the errors of Adventism, the relationship has a dim future. Adventists tend to believe their families and especially their children MUST be Adventists. If they are not, they themselves feel guilty before God.
Here is an article that explains that Adventist worldview compared with a biblical one:
Meanwhile, although we are not currently publishing a printed version of Proclamation! magazine, all our back issues are online here:
We have also added your name to our weekly Proclamation! email updates. You may need to add the email address LifeAssuranceMinistries@gmail.com to your contacts in order for the email not to be directed toward your Spam folder. These emails will arrive every Friday. Archived articles are available at:
You might also enjoy our YouTube channel here:
Also, you might like to subscribe to our podcasts here; many say these help them unpack the Adventism hidden in the recesses of their minds:
If you haven’t found the podcasts yet, I recommend them to you. Many say they are very helpful.
- April 27–May 3, 2024 - April 25, 2024
- We Got Mail - April 25, 2024
- April 20–26, 2024 - April 18, 2024