1. SDAs are people of the Book.
2. Non-SDA pastors use Ellen G. White.
3. Christian scholars know about the Sabbath, they just refuse to accept it.
4. No one leaves the SDA Church for doctrinal reasons.
5. People leave Adventism because they’ve been wronged or feel unloved.
6. “There’s no perfect church, but this is the closest one to a perfect church because the SDA Church follows the Bible.”
7. The Clear Word is just the Bible written in clearer language.
8. The 10 Commandments are a transcript of God’s character.
9. You can’t know for sure that you are saved.
10. If you leave the SDA church you will eventually leave God.
can you expound on number 8 please? Thanks. Great list by the way!
Dear Anonymous,
Here is a brief answer to your question. you can also study more at this link: http://www.biblestudiesforadventists.com/2012/quarter1/week6/sabbathschool1.html
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “transcript” as: a written, printed, or typed copy; especially : a usually typed copy of dictated or recorded material b : an official or legal and often published copy ; especially : an official copy of a student’s educational record.
The thinking goes like this:
* The law is a perfect representation of God’s character.
* God’s character doesn’t change (immutable).
* Therefore, the law is also immutable.
This would mean that the law given at Sinai applies to everyone, regardless of the fact that it was given to Israel alone. And if you love God, then you willingly adhere to the law. Further in the week, we will explore how this logic breaks down at every turn.
“The law” in Adventism is defined as the 10 commandments. Though the 10 commandments are commonly (but erroneously) thought of as the moral law, the fact is, there are moral laws contained in the other 600+ laws and there is a ceremonial law contained in the 10 commandments (the Sabbath, see Leviticus 23).
If the law is a transcript of God’s character, then that would mean that the surest way to understand Him would be by studying the Ten Commandments. And the fool-proof way to be more like Him, is to be committed to following the law (especially the Sabbath). This is the foundation of the thickly-veiled, salvation-by-works theology of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The ending statement from today’s introduction, is telling: “This week we’ll take a look at the law and, by default, the Lawgiver.” The Law and God are not one in the same. By doing a tunnel-vision examination of the law, it is very easy to attribute characteristics to God that are not His. By lifting the 10 commandments out of their context (time, place, purpose and status as the terms of the Covenant made with Israel) we rob ourselves of the full Gospel message and complete storyline of redemption told in the Whole Counsel of God.
Since we know God is eternal – meaning he has always existed and will always exist;put another way, not constrained by time or space – then for the 10 commandments to be an exact representation of God’s character, they will also need to be able to be removed from the constraints of time and space to be fit for consideration as a transcript of His character. Take into consideration the 7th commandment: “You shall not commit adultery.” If the Bible says, “”For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Matt 22:30)” , then this commandment is bound strictly by time. Once there is no marriage, there cannot be a breaking of this command. You can see this same basic pattern for many of the commandments – causing many of them to fail the most basic test (time).
A second thing to consider is what the Bible says IS a perfect representation, “*And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and *upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…(Heb 1:3).”
The Law was never meant to make a man perfect. The Law was meant to expose us as sinners in need of grace. The Law was written for Christ. Once He fulfilled the Law, he replaced this system with a new covenant. By making the Law eternal, you make void the New Covenant (at least render it powerless in your own life).
Jesus is the “transcript” of God to us. The law was a shadow that Jesus fulfilled (Col 2:16-17). We do not show we love God by keeping the law; we become enabled to love God by bowing before the Lord Jesus and receiving His payment for our sin. We become reconciled to God only by the blood of Jesus. The law plays no role in our righteousness or sanctification.
Laws about honoring your parents and not committing adultery seem to say more about people than they do about God.
I used to tell my self that pastors are amen of god bt not all of them some are there just for money.