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Conversation with a Seventh-day Adventist |
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Thu, 26 Jun 1997 10:17:28 -0400 (EDT) From: Rolaant McKenzie To: SDA Subject: Re: Paul, Sabbathkeeping, & the Shut Door On Thu, 26 Jun 1997, SDA wrote: > Rolaant, > > > Actually, what Hebrews 4:9-10 says is this.... > > I generally agree with your point on Hebrews 4. I did not do that > particular study, but I may rework that part of it. I believe the > reference came from the margin. But since no reference is given, and the text of the passage was changed to "prove" a point, having that passage there in that form is misleading. Having such an altered passage on your page weakens your position rather than strengthens it. It should be removed if you are really interested in truth. > > What did Paul teach in regard to Sabbath keeping? > > He taught "Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we > establish the law". Rom. 3:31 Rom 3:20 indicates that the purpose of the law is to give knowledge of or about sin, not save us from sin. In Rom 3:31, the role of the law in making men conscious of sin is established by everyone who acknowledges sin and comes to Christ in faith. > I'm taking Paul's side on this issue. I believe faith does not void the > law but rather, faith is the mechanism through which the Holy Spirit > fulfills the New Covenant "I will put my laws into their hearts, and in > their minds will I write them." Heb. 10:16. But I have already shown from Scripture that on the Sabbath issue, Paul said that Christians should not judge other Christians on this issue, and they should let every believer be convinced in their own mind. So what you say actually counters what Paul taught. > > Romans 14:4-5 (NASB) > > "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he > > stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. > > One person regards one day above another, another regards every day > > alike. EACH PERSON MUST BE FULLY CONVINCED IN HIS OWN MIND." > > I don't judge you for not keeping the Sabbath. I would ask that you not > judge me, and further I would ask that you not establish Sunday laws > enforcing your observance upon others. I don't judge SDAs for keeping the Sabbath at all, because the liberty afforded by the gospel allows Christians to be "fully convinced" in their own minds regarding what day(s) they want to observe or not observe. Personally, I consider every day alike. I do not consider either Saturday or Sunday a holy day that Christians must observe. I do criticize Saturday Sabbatarians and Sunday Sabbatarians who insist that other Christians observe the day they have chosen or else run the risk of losing their salvation. And that is what your site and the SDA Church teaches. That those who refuse to accept Sabbath observance will receive the mark of the beast. Something, I might add, Scripture does not teach. > > Galatians 4:9-11 (NASB) > > "But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, > > how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental > > things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? YOU OBSERVE > > DAYS and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have > > labored over you in vain." > > > > Colossians 2:16-17 (NASB) > > "Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or > > in respect to a festival or a new moon or a SABBATH DAY -- things which > > are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ." > > > You are probably well aware that I interpret these as referring to > ceremonial days. And your interpretation is not consistent with what the Bible teaches. It is impossible to create distinction based upon Moral vs. Ceremonial laws. Sabbatarians create the false impression that there is nothing moral in the "book of the law" and nothing ceremonial in the 10 commandments! 1. The expression "Ceremonial law" is not found in scripture: the words "ceremonial, ceremony, ceremonies and all roots etc" are never found in the same verse as the word "law or laws" 2. The expression "Moral law" is not found in scripture: the words "Moral, Morals, morality and all roots" are never found in the same verse as the word "law or laws" 3. The Sabbath day law is a ceremonial law! 4. The 5 books of Moses contain the 10 commandments twice! 5. The 5 books of Moses are filled with moral laws not contained in the 10 commandments! Ex 22:21-22,31; Ex 23:2; Lev 19:2,14-18; Deut 16:18 6. Interesting that according to Sabbatarians, the whole of the Moral law (Sabbatarians believe is the 10 commandments/ Law of God) hangs upon 2 laws found in the book of the law. "Love God with all heart" & "Love your neighbour as self" (Sabbatarians believe the book of law is the law of Moses and was the ceremonial law) In other words, the two most important moral laws are not found in the Ten Commandments, but in the Book of the Law, which Adventists say is abolished! 7. Jesus said that the ten commandments do not contain the two greatest commandments! 8. "Law of God" commands animal sacrifices: Lk 2:23-24 9. "Law of the Lord" commands burnt offerings: 2 Chron 31:3 10. Jesus said the greatest commandment was not part of the 10! Mt 22:36-40 (It would have been a great place for Jesus to quote the Sabbath law!) You might want to consider this as well. Your prophetess, Ellen White, said this in Selected Messages, Book 1, page 233: "I am asked concerning the law in Galatians. What law is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ? I answer: Both the ceremonial and the moral code of ten commandments." Hmmm... What does Galatians 3:23-25 say? "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." According to this, the ten commandment law, and Sabbath observance in particualar, are not binding on Christians since they are no longer "under the law". And you will find in the NT that all the moral aspects of the law of Moses (including the ten commandments) have been reiterated and commanded of Christians to live by. However, that is not true of Sabbath observance. If anything, the NT declares that it is not binding on believers. > I'll get back to you on the "shut door". I've been planning to do a > thorough study on the issue, but I've been tied up on several other > projects. I understand. Life can get hectic at times. (;-) Nonetheless, the passages from EGW's writings I provided you before clearly show that she had a vision confirming the Shut Door, then years later when the passage of time showed that doctrine to be false, she denied ever having a vision confirming it. EGW confirms Shut Door with a "vision" While in Exeter, Maine, in meeting with Israel Dammon, James, and many others, many of them did not believe in a shut door. I suffered much at the commencement of the meeting. Unbelief seemed to be on every hand. There was one sister there that was called very spiritual. She had traveled and been a powerful preacher the most of the time for twenty years. She had been truly a mother in Israel. But a division had risen in the band on the shut door. She had great sympathy, and could not believe the door was shut. (I had known nothing of their differences.) Sister Durben got up to talk. I felt very, very sad. At length my soul seemed to be in an agony, and while she was talking I fell from my chair to the floor. It was then I had a view of Jesus rising from His mediatorial throne and going to the Holiest as Bridegroom to receive His kingdom. They were all deeply interested in the view. They all said it was entirely new to them. The Lord worked in mighty power setting the truth home to their hearts. Sister Durben knew what the power of the Lord was, for she had felt it many times; and a short time after I fell she was struck down, and fell to the floor, crying to God to have mercy on her. WHEN I CAME OUT OF VISION, my ears were saluted with Sister Durben's singing and shouting with a loud voice. MOST OF THEM RECEIVED THE VISION, AND WERE SETTLED UPON THE SHUT DOOR. Previous to this I had no light on the coming of the Bridegroom, but had expected Him to [come to] this earth to deliver His people on the tenth day of the seventh month. I did not hear a lecture or a word in any way relating to the Bridegroom's going to the Holiest. Manuscript Releases Volume Five, p. 97-98 (emphasis added) EGW denies ever having a vision confirming the Shut Door ... twice! "For a time after the disappointment in 1844, I did hold, in common with the advent body, that the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world. THIS POSITION WAS TAKEN BEFORE MY FIRST VISION was given me. IT WAS THE LIGHT GIVEN ME OF GOD THAT CORRECTED OUR ERROR, and enabled us to see the true position" Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 63 (emphasis added) "With my brethren and sisters, after the time passed in forty-four I did believe no more sinners would be converted. BUT I NEVER HAD A VISION THAT NO MORE SINNERS WOULD BE CONVERTED. And am clear and free to state no one has ever heard me say or has read from my pen statements which will justify them in the charges they have made against me upon this point" Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 74 (emphasis added) Don't take my word for it! Check the EGW Estate website for yourself and find these quotes there! May the Lord bless your study ... ______________________________________________________________________________ Rolaant McKenzie |
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