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Observing my friend and her entire extended family, I see them as a living example of what a Christian should be. Yet not sure about the doctrine and Ellen White.
I don't believe in denominations. I've found that just about most of them have some truth, but then they also have some deception. I simply follow the bible and check every spirit from every teaching by putting it up against scripture and prayer to Jesus.
As far as SDA goes, I believe that they teach some wonderful truths. I've learned alot from that denomination.
It was through that denomination that I learned that the sabbath is saturday and it is still supposed to be kept for new covenant believers because the sabbath is a TEN COMMANDMENT just like thou shalt not kill. Jesus did not come to destroy the law. It is by the law that we know what sin even is:
Quote:
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Now to be quite frank, I would not put ANY faith in Ellen White's writings.
The holy bible is the only divinely inspired book from God and is the only written source you need in your walk to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. If anything she writes cannot be properly supported by scripture, I'd dump it....
Quote:
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
As far as your question about them being works based.... The bible says that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26), therefore, you must show your faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ by supplying your works of obedience unto his word... i.e. his commandments.
As far as the investigative judgement stuff, I think that is not what we should be focusing on. Our main focus is supposed to be on obedience unto every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God (Matt.4:4) so that we can work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phill.2:12) and we are to be sowing seeds of the word into the field of unbelievers to help them know Jesus Christ in order for them to possibly be saved by Jesus as well.
A christian should not drink alcohol or smoke. No drunkard will inherit the kingdom of heaven and an addiction to nicotene shows that you lack the holy spirit because one of the fruits of the holy spirit is temperance.
In my opinion, I don't see anything wrong with attending services or bible studies at an SDA church... however, you must repent and obey Jesus and ask Jesus for his holy spirit to guide you so that he can help you separate truth from fallacy while you are learning.
I don't believe in denominations. I've found that just about most of them have some truth, but then they also have some deception. I simply follow the bible and check every spirit from every teaching by putting it up against scripture and prayer to Jesus.
As far as SDA goes, I believe that they teach some wonderful truths. I've learned alot from that denomination.
It was through that denomination that I learned that the sabbath is saturday and it is still supposed to be kept for new covenant believers because the sabbath is a TEN COMMANDMENT just like thou shalt not kill. Jesus did not come to destroy the law. It is by the law that we know what sin even is:Now to be quite frank, I would not put ANY faith in Ellen White's writings.
The holy bible is the only divinely inspired book from God and is the only written source you need in your walk to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. If anything she writes cannot be properly supported by scripture, I'd dump it....
As far as your question about them being works based.... The bible says that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26), therefore, you must show your faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ by supplying your works of obedience unto his word... i.e. his commandments.
As far as the investigative judgement stuff, I think that is not what we should be focusing on. Our main focus is supposed to be on obedience unto every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God (Matt.4:4) so that we can work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phill.2:12) and we are to be sowing seeds of the word into the field of unbelievers to help them know Jesus Christ in order for them to possibly be saved by Jesus as well.
A christian should not drink alcohol or smoke. No drunkard will inherit the kingdom of heaven and an addiction to nicotene shows that you lack the holy spirit because one of the fruits of the holy spirit is temperance.
In my opinion, I don't see anything wrong with attending services or bible studies at an SDA church... however, you must repent and obey Jesus and ask Jesus for his holy spirit to guide you so that he can help you separate truth from fallacy while you are learning.
I will pray for you!!
New Sabbath, new day. the eighth day or first day of the week and the day of Jesus's Resurrection. Still believe in the Sabbath, just not on Saturday.
SDA's is law based, as you have noted. Though we are not to disregard the law, the law has been done away with. Trying to be justified by observing the law is not a Christian teaching, as God says:
Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Romans 3:21
[ Righteousness Through Faith ] But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
Romans 3:27
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.
Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3:31
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Romans 4:13
It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
Romans 4:14
For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless,
Romans 4:15
because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
Romans 4:16
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Galatians 3:10
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."
Galatians 3:11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."
As I have said before, if someone says to I should not drink a alcoholic because of religious reasons, I'll open a bottle of beer an drink it..... i know I get reactions like , ,, , .
I would not attend SDA church. The Bible warns about false teachers \ teaching.
While drunkeness is sin, Jesus' first miracle was to change the water into wine. That threw down the gauntlet to organized religion and pretentious asceticism. Yes, you aren't to offend your brothers in the Lord; but, staying offended is some people's attitude. They need to grow up. According to Psalm 18:8, and other places in the Scripture, God smokes. I just hope you're not smart like me and wait until you get cancer before you quit. Did you know bladder cancer is the number two most common smoking related cancer? That's when they repeatedly stick telephone poles where they don't belong! Scripture says, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Co 10:31, AV) Make up your mind. Trust God to lead and teach you, even correct you.
The initial question is one I would enlarge to ask, "IS INSTITUTIONAL CHRISTIANITY "CHRISTIAN?" I would answer, "NO." Why join any demonination? We are to be joined only to the Lord in those ways, and to Him in His people, not a religious bureachracy.
"For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Co 11:2-3, AV)
One of the big problems here is people meet with other mediators rather than under the headship of Christ, every member participating as lead by the Holy Spirit. Each of us with the Holy Spirit are ideally intended to be headed into all that Jesus is and does. He is in us. His will reproduce His image in a people. The various God given servants, like apostles and prophets, function to bring us into their functions, "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ..." (Eph 4:13, AV)
Keep real relationships with others who love God, but don't get trapped in Babylon. Come out to build the temple for the presence of God.
As there are variations on everybodies walk with Christ, there are variations in the SDA church.
The basis of the church is based on the bible. Some of the lifestyle choices are due to the history of church including a heavy dose of Ellen White.
There are those of us in the church that are moving away from emphasizing her teachings. Even Mrs. White stated that her writings should not take precedence over the bible. Yet, there are the old school followers that do just that. Like any denominations, there are variations on the same theme.
The fact is that SDA's are christians. They tend to try to live a clean life. No smoking, drinking, eat healthy and exercise. But we do believe in righteousness by faith and not by works. Although there are those who act like the pharisees of old and believe that works will save. Sigh.
Nowadays, many SDA's are so disconnected from their cult's prophetic teaching and have come back to relying on the Word of God, so many SDA's can be, and are, true Christians.
But as a group, as a church, they are a cult, much like the Mormons. SDA is like Mormon Lite.
I hope you truly find the answers you are looking for!! Anyone who says that the SDA's are a cult have obviously not looked into their misinformation!!!
GOD BLESS!!!
ALMOST2L8
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