Comment on Dr. Geraty clarifies his “Challenge” to literal 6-day creationism by Faith.
For what it is worth, here is my two-cent’s worth regarding knowledge and salvation.
First of all, knowledge is indeed a part of salvation. If it weren’t necessary, why were the disciples sent out? Why commit all the lives and money to send missionairies anywhere? Why do we have Sabbath Schools and quarterlies? Why did God preserve the Bible through all these years? Why did God command Ellen White to spend her life writing? Why did He send a message to James White to write? Why the publishing work at all?
Without doubt knowledge is central to salvation. But it is not just the knowledge we have that counts, but the knowledge we had the opportunity to acquire as well.
Yes, there will be people saved who never heard of the Bible, but I seriously doubt there will be any there who did not believe in some code of right or wrong, and live up to that code to the best of their abilities. Perhaps, Sean, this is what you are speaking of when you talk of the Royal law of grace? There is a fine line here between truth and error on this subject. We need to tread very carefully.
Ellen White wrote that none will be saved by the Law, but she also says that none will enter heaven without it.
This is a deep subject and seems to be yet another field of controversy in our church at the present time. The humanistic view that all we need do is love Jesus and each other and we will be saved is incorrect. Yet I have heard it preached from the pulpit. There is a movement that is sweeping through the church today that the Law is not necessary to salvation. This is a subtlety caused by a misinterpretation of the above statement that no one will be saved by the Law. Let none be fooled. The Law is a necessary component to salvation. And knowledge of that Law is also very necessary. That said, not everyone has the same opportunity to that knowledge. God takes that into account. In order to be saved, people must live up to whatever amount of light they have. That explains those who will go to Heaven without a complete knowledge of the truth.
However…in Mr. Gerarty’s case, he had ample opportunity to know the truth and has chosen not to believe it. He chose to become affilliated with the worldly scientific community and seek their applause rather than stand for God’s truth. This is apparent by his actions. (“By their fruits shall ye know them.”) He betrayed the trust put in him when he was hired by LSU and he continues to betray the Lord by his present stance.
And, God help them, he and his cohorts are responsible for the souls of those young students they have led astray by the heresy taught in the classrooms at our institutions–plural. And that goes for the leadership who stood by (and are standing by) and let it happen as well. Praise God for the stand the Michigan conference has taken. May many more follow suit.
It is time, brothers and sisters, for us to sweep the rubbish out of our lives and out of our churches as did the priests of old. We need to root out error and return to the pure doctrine given to us by God through the pioneers of our church. This is the purpose of the shaking. Those in error will fall away and the righteous will remain. Because two cannot walk together unless they be agreed. Creation/evolution, natural/alopathic medicine, and hymns/rock music are only some of the issues we face. These will soon bring about such sharp disagreements that those who do not want to submit their wills to God’s Will will indeed leave the church. Do not be surprised nor discouraged. The church needs to be cleansed before the end work can be accomplished.
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Recent Comments by Faith
Changing the Wording of Adventist Fundamental Belief #6 on Creation
And you are correct, Sean, PK must consider where his influence is going–for God or against Him.
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
Mr Taylor,
After reading your comment above, I must say PK isn’t the only one in that boat.I would make some comment as to how I really feel about you, but I know Sean will only delete it and you won’t benefit from my insight anyway–seeing as Sean is more concerned about other people’s feelings than you seem to be.
How you have the nerve to come to this website and call us all a bunch of morons (which is really what you are doing) is beyond me. You and your cronies are the ones drowning in error. Anyone who dares to accept man’s opinions over the Bible or SOP isn’t to be trusted to define truth for anyone.
Too straight-forward in my comment? Trust me, I have restrained myself admirably. If you only knew….
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
Further to my comment on skeptism and our professors, I’ve got to tell you that I found Prof Kent to be extremely annoying in his comments on EGW. He seems to think that she is an embarrassment to the church when she speaks on Science.
Personally I find people who dis her to be the embarrassment to the church. I really don’t see how they dare to contradict and mock God’s prophet. By doing this they undermine a lot of our church’s beliefs to outsiders as well as church members. God will hold them accountable for that.
Furthermore, David’s unpublished manuscript plus other books I have read on archaeology have reported skeletons of the type that EGW mentions. Also found were artifacts such as huge iron bedsteads made for and buried with kings of huge stature.
Just because you haven’t done your research, PK, don’t jump to the conclusion the evidence isn’t there. It’s there, all right, and you make yourself look a little foolish for not knowing about it.
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
David Read said:
“Ellen White’s statements about larger antediluvian life forms are well attested with regard to many different types of flora and fauna. They’re not even controversial…
Hi David,
As you know, I took advantage of your kind offer and I read your manuscript as well as I purchased 3 of your books, one for me, one for my sisters, and one for the church library. It took me a week to finish the book, and I and my sisters are very impressed with it. My one sister calls it “one incredible book”. It has answered a lot of the questions we had on the subject of evolution vs creation science, and, yes, I believe we (you and I and my sisters) are on the same page in our beliefs. We have immensely enjoyed discussing the various aspects of the subject as we read. It makes perfect sense to us.
I still have a couple of questions–new ones will probably always keep popping up–but I would say you have covered the subject admirably. Thanks so much for this book.
I agree with Elder Wilson, this is something every Adventist should read. In my opinion it should be used as required reading for science courses. It is exactly the way I would want science courses in the universities to treat the Creation/evolution debate in the classroom. And if the professors at LSU and the other SDA institutions would do this we wouldn’t be constantly losing our young people and, for that matter, our professors, to skeptisism.
Thank God someone has the courage to publish the truth and expose error.
God Bless you, David.
Southern Adventist University opens Origins Exhibit
Hi Sean and Bill,
I am wondering if the difference of opinion here is due to varying definitions of the word ‘science’. As we all know there is true science and there is worldly psuedo-science.
If Bill’s understanding of ‘science’ in this case is actually worldly psuedo-science, then he is correct in not wanting any truth to be compromised with it.
From Sean’s post, I believe he is referring to true science, which is definitely part of our beliefs on origins and is well supported by the Bible and SOP, as Sean admirably demonstrated.
Not having seen the exhibit myself, I cannot comment on whether or not they are mixing psuedo-science into it. (Perhaps a few of you posters out there can see the exhibit and report back to us.) Knowing the general philosophy of SAU, I would be surprised if they did.
Their goal is “to provide scientific evidence that substantiates the Bible’s account of creation.” Sounds good to me.
They also say: “Religion and science don’t need to be at odds.” And that is true when you are referring to true science, which I believe they are.
However, I do understand Bill’s reaction in that these days when people use the word ‘science’ without qualification it so often means evolutionary pseudoscience, that we tend to be suspicious.
I think, Bill, that in this case we don’t need to worry. I believe SAU’s heart is in the right place and I am so glad that at least one of our institutions is willing to stand up and be counted on the side of Creation, even though they will probably draw much criticism from the ‘scientific’ community as well as from the TEs in their own church.
God bless them for their fidelity to Him. And may God strengthen them to meet the onslaught that is most likely to follow, is my prayer for them.
