Former Jehovah’s Witness Loves Truth
I just want to let you guys know how much I love your podcast. I am not and have never been an Adventist; however, I am a former Jehovah’s Witness. I was surprised by some of the similarities in how the two religions got started as well as some of the beliefs, such as soul sleep, Jesus being Michael the Archangel, and complete annihilation.
I have been a former JW for nearly 17 years and I am now a born again Christian. I was not a born in the Witnesses, rather I converted in my early twenties. I believe that what you are doing is so important and helpful not only to former Adventists but to anyone who wants to truly understand what the Bible says about our Savior, our hope, and our future. I think that the reason many people leave Christianity or wake up and find themselves in a cult is because many Churches do not spend any or enough time explaining Bible doctrine. I know this was the case for me.
The Church I was in did not explain doctrine, and knowing why we believe what we believe is a sure protection against being mislead by false teachers. Scriptures tell us that we should be able to give an answer to every one who asks us a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). I didn’t understand bible doctrine, and when the JW’s came knocking at my door, they had answers to all of my questions, although now I know that those answers were false and completely made up. Lol.
I love the way you guys expound on Scripture and the way you compare and contrast what Adventists believe with what the Bible actually says. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was actually asked on a date by a Seventh-day Adventist who had done some work on my house several times. I kind of felt it might be a cult—you know how once you’ve been in a cult, your senses are on high alert?
I knew that he was probably not supposed to date anyone who was not an Adventist because that was one of the big rules of the JW’s; you could be disfellowshipped for dating outside of the religion. But still JW’s would do it because their goal was to convert that person. They call it missionary dating.
Long story short, I immediately began praying that God would not allow me to get caught up into another false belief system. So initially I went to the Adventist website to read what their beliefs are, and at first glance it didn’t seem all that different from Christianity. I also have a copy of Kingdom of the Cults [by Walter Martin], and upon further research I learned that initially the author did not think that Adventism was a cult, but he had been duped.
The more I prayed to God for His protection, the more God opened up information to me that definitely opened my eyes to what the Adventist church teaches and really believes. God led me to your podcast, and I am so thankful. I print out the transcripts as I read along because I am a visual learner. It has been awesome. Even though I have been a born again Christian for many years, I have learned so much more through your podcast than I have through my local congregation. I cannot say enough how important it is to get into a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching Church. So many churches put so much emphasis on the use of spiritual gifts and on trying to act as though they have all of these gifts to the point that I believe many have resulted to faking those gifts—but that’s just my opinion.
I am also a seminary student attending Liberty University online M.Div. program. I love TRUTH and I never want to be tricked again.
The true power of Christ working in us is through the proper use of Scripture. I pray that God continue to bless your ministry, and I pray for all who are still trapped in false religious systems.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Thank you so much for writing! What you say affirms what we have observed as well. So many Christians are in churches where Scripture is not expounded in context. It is our only weapon against false teaching. When we are born again and indwelled by the Holy Spirit, it is His Word that He implants in our hearts and uses to transform our minds and to give us wisdom from God.
We are so thankful that the podcasts are helpful to you. The word of God is life to us, and we never get past our gratitude and wonder that the Lord Jesus rescued us from darkness!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. And GO YOU taking the online M.Div program! I pray that the Lord will anchor you deeply in His word and truth.
God and His Word Inseparable
Could you please send me a summary of Cheryl Granger’s texts she shared in last Friday’s FAF Bible Study in which she showed how the power of God’s word is personified in the Lord Jesus?
—VIA EMAIL
Cheryl’s Response:
Hebrews 1: 1, 2—“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, BUT in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world.”
John 1: 1-3—“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”
Genesis 1—“And God SAID let there be light, and there was light…”
Psalm 33:6—“By the WORD of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.”
It’s helpful for me to realize that God’s Word is a Person (Jesus Christ), and His Word cannot be separated from His Person. Examples of this unity include God’s actual speech (as in creation) and also His written Word (Jeremiah 30:2): “Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.”
The spoken words of Jesus were so powerful when He was here on earth, for example: “Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook and the rocks were split” ((Matthew 27:50 & 51)!!!!
Then, at the end of all things, His spoken word is so powerful that it will slay the “lawless one”, “whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth” (2 Thess. 2: 8).
Revelation 19:13 says, “His robe is dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God.”
Rev. 19: 15—“Out of His mouth comes a sharp two-edged sword with which to strike down the nations.”
Look how this connects with Hebrews 4:12! “For the Word of God is LIVING and ACTIVE, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit.”
We learn about the Person of Christ through His written Word. We learn about the future in His written Word. We don’t need prophets any more.
Clarifying Podcast
I just wanted to drop you a line to tell you how amazing the Former Adventist Podcast is. It is so clarifying. It frees me from the past each time I listen to it. I thank God and you and everyone involved to make this ministry happen.
—VIA EMAIL
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