38 thoughts on “Summary of 60th General Conference Session (2015)

  1. I am experiencing great difficulty reconciling the idea that there will be “surprised atheists” in heaven with the words of Jesus. In John 3:16-18, Jesus clearly states who will and who will not inherit everlasting life. Those who believe in Him is NOT condemned “judged”. Those who do NOT believe in Him are condemned already. These words actually dispel the notion of a pre-Advent judgment. they also dispose of the concept that any who do not believe in Jesus as Son of God and as Savior can every hope to obtain eternal life.

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

    Thus, good works can never save anybody, in spite of the fact that Jesus told His followers to love their neighbors as themselves. According to Jesus, there are merely two classes: those who believe in Him and inherit eternal life, and those who refuse to believe in Him (atheists, hypocrites, do-gooders, etc) who will be condemned and not inherit eternal life. Furthermore, Jesus specifically identified a class of people who will feed the hungry, clothe the needy in His name, but will NOT be recognized by Jesus.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • It all has to do with motive (not the “works” themselves)… according to the Royal Law of selfless love for one’s neighbor (James 2:8) which is written on the heart of every human being – as Paul explains below:

      “For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”

      Romans 2:13-16

      See also:

      Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; before the words of life had fallen upon their ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to them at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God.

      How surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations, and among the heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me”! How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His followers look up with surprise and joy at His words of approval!

      But not to any class is Christ’s love restricted. He identifies Himself with every child of humanity. That we might become members of the heavenly family, He became a member of the earthly family. He is the Son of man, and thus a brother to every son and daughter of Adam. His followers are not to feel themselves detached from the perishing world around them. They are a part of the great web of humanity; and Heaven looks upon them as brothers to sinners as well as to saints. The fallen, the erring, and the sinful, Christ’s love embraces; and every deed of kindness done to uplift a fallen soul, every act of mercy, is accepted as done to Him.

      Ellen White, DA p. 638

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  2. Hey Educate Truth. Why half truths in this video? Here is a stament from White Estate on the Ordination Certificates. For a true Educate Truth, you need to tell the whole story! Is the video a pro-WO push?? Also, you left out in your list that the president of GYC, the largest youth (millenials) group in the Adventist Church spoke against WO. Among these will be a number of our future church leaders. The method of Bible interpretation is the debate behind the WO debate; left out of your video. I’m disappointed in the video.

    Question: Hope you are well today. Have a good Sabbath. A man named ___________ published a credentials paper over the Adventist Discussion group, purportedly showing that EGW was an ordained minister. It is not terribly legible, but it does look that way. He said to contact you, who had done work to show that EGW was not ordained, which is what I always thought. Do you know anything about this form? Thanks. God bless.
    Answer: Yes, I know something about Mrs. White’s ministerial credentials. Beginning in 1871 the church issued Mrs. White the credentials of an ordained minister. Was she therefore ordained? No. How do we know? From two lines of evidence, one coming from some of the credentials themselves and the other from Mrs. White herself.
    On at least one of the credentials we have for her, the word “ordained” has been carefully struck out, while on others it has not. The difference does not indicate a change of status. The word “ordained” stands unstruck on her credentials from 1883 and 1887, but it is struck out on her 1885 credentials.
    In 1909 Mrs. White filled out a General Conference “Biographical Information Blank” in her own handwriting. Item 19 asks, “If ordained, state when, where, and by whom.” On the blank Mrs. White simply inscribed an X. She did the same for Item 26, which asks, “if remarried, give date, and to whom.” Just as the X for the latter question indicated that she had never remarried, the X for Item 19 indicates that she had never been ordained.
    So why did the church give her the credentials of an ordained minister? Well, what other credentials did they have that they could give her? The church has never had “prophetic” or “messenger” credentials, so it gave her its highest credentials without an ordination ceremony having been carried out. We can see the awkwardness of the situation in the fact that sometimes they crossed out the word “ordained”–they recognized that these credentials were not a perfect fit. But in fact she needed no church credentials. For more than 25 years prior to 1871 she functioned without them.
    By the way, Arthur White included this information about the Biographical Information Blank in an article that Spectrum published back in the spring of 1972 (Spectrum, Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 8), so the information has been available for nearly 30 years. (I also included it in a two-part series I wrote for Ministry Magazine in the late 1980s.) I’m afraid it has simply been ignored by those who wish that matters had been different. Within the White Estate, over the years there have been differing opinions among the staff members about whether women should be ordained, but to my knowledge all have agreed that Ellen G. White had not been ordained. The three documents the White Estate keeps in print to send to people who have questions on related issues today all say the same thing: Mrs. White herself was never ordained.
    I hope this is helpful. Thank you for writing, and God bless.
    William Fagal, Director
Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104-1400 USA
Phone: 616 471-3209
FAX: 616 471-6166


      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • No “half-truths” were intended. While I appreciate your comments and your quote, there simply wasn’t time to include everything that might be of interest to everyone – within a 45 min summary talk on the main events and decisions of GC-2015. Also, I’m simply not aware of some things that might be interesting or relevant. For example, I’m simply not all that familiar with the views of Justin McNeilus (GYC Pres) on the WO issue…

      Beyond this, I fail to see how anything you’ve mentioned here significantly challenges the main points of my talk?

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  3. If you will look at the verse immediately preceding Romans 2:13-16, you will find Romans 2:12 stating that “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.”

    Since all have sinned, the atheists who have sinned without law will indeed perish, consistent with the words of Jesus. Jesus made it very clear that those who also sinned in the law but do NOT believe in Him are “condemned already”.

    Verse 16 says that “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel”. Well, Jesus already delineated who will be saved and who will not, and it is only based upon one thing–belief and acceptance of Him as Son of God and Savior.

    While Ellen White described heathen who will not perish, she is not, after all the arbiter of salvation. Furthermore, it is unfortunate that this is not the only instance where her teachings depart from Scripture.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • I’m really surprised to hear you say that Ellen White “departs from Scripture” on this fairly important topic (a pretty serious accusation against someone who is supposed to be a prophet of God). I’m also surprised by your interpretation of Scripture regarding the fate of those who have never heard the name of Jesus. Do you truly believe that, for example, all the millions American Indians who never heard the name of Jesus (before the arrival of Europeans) will be lost? – and that the same is true of all the untold millions like them who have lived in honest ignorance of the life of Jesus throughout history? Really? I think that’s a very sad view of the nature and character of God and a serious misreading of the relevant passages of Scripture…

      How can you read a passage like the one Mrs. White pens below and not recognize the truth and beauty of God’s amazing grace in it?

      “How surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations, and among the heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me”! How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His followers look up with surprise and joy at His words of approval!” – EGW, DA, p. 638

      Now, if even the heathen have the Royal Law “written on their hearts” (Romans 2:15, Hebrews 8:10) upon what basis will they be lost if they live accordingly? If they do in fact love their neighbors as themselves? Will they still be lost simply because they never had the opportunity to hear the name of Jesus or know about His life and death? – even though they strived to live as He lived and love as He loved? I suggest to you that the blood of Jesus extends even to those who live according to very little light that has been given to shine on their path in this life – regardless of their knowledge, or lack thereof, of the story of Jesus.

      The fact is that the Bible is quite clear that there will be those in heaven who will hear the Story of Salvation for the very first time (Zechariah 13:6). Everyone, in some way, receives some light from God (John 1:9). Everyone has enough light to make a moral decision for right or wrong – and they are judged according to the light received.

      Yet, you write:

      If you will look at the verse immediately preceding Romans 2:13-16, you will find Romans 2:12 stating that “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.”

      You then fail to take into account the very next verses where Paul specifically argues that the heathen are in fact capable of living according to the “Law” which is written on their hearts – “doing by nature things required by the law” (i.e., the Royal Law of selfless love towards ones neighbor).

      Of course, We aren’t saved by the law (since all have broken the Royal Law at one time or another), but by the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the behalf of every human being. How does one accept this grace? By loving whatever amount of light that has been given one to know of the Truth – by not striving against the Truth that is known. In this line, Paul goes on to argue in the following verses (Romans 2:13-16) that the Royal Law has been written on the hearts of everyone – even those who have never heard the name of Jesus. In following this Law that has been written on their hearts, even the heathen may have grace extended to them, by God, and may be saved – according to Paul. You should view that as very good news since even you don’t know all Truth…

      Ellen White is right in line with this Biblical principle. Here are a few more comments from her on this topic:

      “Wherever there is an impulse of love and sympathy, wherever the heart reaches out to bless and uplift others, there is revealed the working of God’s Holy Spirit. In the depths of heathenism, men who have had no knowledge of the written law of God, who have never even heard the name of Christ, have been kind to His servants, protecting them at the risk of their own lives. Their acts show the working of a divine power. The Holy Spirit has implanted the grace of Christ in the heart of the savage, quickening his sympathies contrary to his nature, contrary to his education. The ‘Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world’ (John 1:9), is shining in his soul; and this light, if heeded, will guide his feet to the kingdom of God.” – EGW, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 385.

      “God’s test of the heathen, who have not the light, and of those living where the knowledge of truth and light has been abundant, is altogether different. He accepts from those in heathen lands a phase of righteousness which does not satisfy Him when offered by those of Christian lands. He does not require much where much has not been bestowed.” EGW, Manuscript 130, 1899, cited in SDABC, vol. 5, p. 1121.

      “The apostle to the Gentiles, in his letter to the believers in Rome, calls attention to this characteristic of Isaiah’s teaching. ‘Isaiah is very bold,’ Paul declares, ‘and saith, I was found of them that sought Me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after Me.’ Romans 10:20.” EGW, PK, p. 367

      “As through Christ every human being has life, so also through Him every soul receives some ray of divine light. Not only intellectual but spiritual power, a perception of right, a desire for goodness, exists in every heart.” – EGW, Education, p. 29.

      “Although in the depths of heathenism, with no knowledge of the written law of God nor of His Son Jesus, they have revealed in manifold ways the working of a divine power on mind and character.” – EGW, Prophets and Kings, p. 376.

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  4. First of all, you are to be strongly commended for your steadfast advocacy of the teaching of Creationism in a Christian educational institution. There isn’t the remotest rationality behind the promotion of evolutionary theory along with the teaching of salvation through Jesus. After all, if God did not create us in the first place, why would he redeem us?

    While there are some who claim to be Christian believers who simultaneously hold to some type of evolutionary theory, the vast majority of evolutionists I encounter are those who do NOT believe in God at all. They ignore Him, deny His existence, and ridicule those who believe in Him. The term generally used for these people is “atheist”. Sadly, there are a number of former SDA’s in this category. At any rate, opening the possibility that there will be atheists in heaven not only shocks me, but again, is contrary to the words of Jesus.

    As for American Indians who existed prior to the arrival of Europeans, I am more than willing to allow an honest God to be the judge. For one thing, these folk are long gone, and their destiny is determined. They cannot be reasoned with at this point. For another, I have no say in the matter at all. Thirdly, they were not atheists. They believed in some sort of a Great Spirit. While that Great Spirit was NOT the God of the Bible, there is abundant evidence of supernatural manifestations in the lives of their leaders and witch doctors. Thus, it can be safely assumed that their “Great Spirit” was reptilian in origin. I am much more concerned about those who adhere to those forms of spiritualities today. There are many who continue to revere the Indian “culture” and its many spiritual ramifications. It is glorified in the schools and promoted strongly. Not only American Indian false spirituality, but also Hindu Indian spiritualities, such as yoga, meditation, etc. are being widely used today. Sadly, these are promoted in many SDA facilities and are also diametrically opposed to Christianity. Do you think salvation through Jesus is possible for those participating in these dark forces?

    You correctly say “Of course, we are not saved by the law. . .” The Biblical verses you quote do indeed support this. Hebrews 8:10 refers to a new covenant made with Israel which replaced the old covenant made after Egypt. That covenant is, indeed, outside the law, and only through the blood of Jesus.

    Quoting Zechariah 13:6, however, does not exactly address a covenant, but refers to the wounds in Jesus’ hands. Consider also that Zechariah lived half a millennium or more prior to the coming of Jesus.

    You quoted John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is precisely the point. Atheists refuse to confess their sins. They do not see themselves as being sinful. Furthermore, they do not believe in a Creator God, let alone a Redeemer in Jesus. If they did confess their sins to Jesus, the promise of God’s redemption is every ready to wipe their sins clean. Thus, their sins will be judged after the 2nd resurrection.

    As for Ellen White, I cannot reconcile many of her statements with Scripture. That is perhaps why The Clear Word “Bible” was published, which adds and subtracts various texts to reconcile the Word of God with EGW.

    I will let you decide whether or not she is indeed a “prophetess of God”. Consider the case of a lack of water at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, and how she directed that a well digger living in Nebraska be called to dig a well. He used the “wizard water stick” to determine where to dig the well, and indeed found water. This account is found in volume 5, pp 365, 366 of the Biography of Ellen G. White as written by her grandson Arthur L. White. Why did she call a man to dig a well who used an occult power to find water? Would God not have reprimanded her for using an alien power? Did He not condemn the use of divination of any and all types?

    Also, why did she take her own children to Dr. James Caleb Jackson in Danville, New York to have phrenology done? Phrenology is the practice of palpating the bumps on the skull to determine personal characteristics and the future. It can be correctly likened to palm reading, which is clearly an occult practice. She pronounced Dr. Jackson’s diagnosis to be good. Do you believe God winks at prophets and prophetesses who engage in Satanic powers? Does He reveal “truth” to them?

    If there was another method by which atheists could arrive in heaven, Jesus would not have had to die such a painful death on the cross. Jesus could have rightly argued that His death was unnecessary if there was a different path where unbelievers could be offered eternal life. I am confident I will not encounter any atheists in heaven. I am equally concerned about those who practice alien forms of spirituality. Thank you again for your diligent efforts in preserving the teaching of Creationism.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • I’m confused. On the one hand you seem to be willing to allow for at least some “heathen” who’ve never heard of the story of Jesus to be saved while on the other hand you seem to be arguing against this concept? You do realize that all those untold millions throughout history who have never heard the story of Jesus will either be practicing some form of “alien spirituality” or be atheistic in their thinking? There simply is no other option for those who are honestly ignorant of the Bible and the story of Jesus. Yet, Paul specifically says, in no uncertain terms, that the Law (the Royal Law in particular) has been written on their hearts and that some of these honest heathen will strive to follow this Divine light and will be saved accordingly… regardless of their other misconceptions about the actual identity of God and other aspects of His true nature.

      In short, there will only be one question asked in the judgement: Did you love your neighbor or not? Did you strive to follow the Royal Law that was written on your heart?

      Jesus specifically says that He personally identifies with the “least of these” and that how you loved and treated the “least of these” within your own sphere of influence is how you loved and treated Him. On this, therefore, hangs your eternal destiny, and mine, and the destiny of everyone who has ever lived – regardless of any knowledge of the story of Jesus. The most humble neighbors stands in the place of Jesus in this world. And, upon one’s love toward these most humble of neighbors weighs one’s eternal destiny – heathen or otherwise (Matthew 25:40).

      You write:

      You quoted John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is precisely the point. Atheists refuse to confess their sins. They do not see themselves as being sinful. Furthermore, they do not believe in a Creator God, let alone a Redeemer in Jesus. If they did confess their sins to Jesus, the promise of God’s redemption is every ready to wipe their sins clean. Thus, their sins will be judged after the 2nd resurrection.

      First off, you are quoting 1 John 1:9 here while I was quoting John 1:9 which reads, “For That One was The Light of Truth, which enlightens every person that comes into the world.” In other words, God has given every single person a measure of light by which each one will be judged. Those who love the light that they’ve received and strive to live accordingly, will be saved. Those who reject the light received, will be lost.

      As far as atheists are concerned, some atheists have been taught false ideas about God that are hateful – such as the idea that God will torture people for eternity in Hell fire. I would also reject such a God if this was the picture I was given. However, some of these same people still hear the call of the Holy Spirit to selflessly love their neighbors as themselves – according to the Royal Law (James 2:8). Paul goes on to clarify this point arguing that, “whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). If this is true, then how can those who truly love their neighbors as themselves, selflessly, be unsavable? – if they are honestly ignorant of the true identity of God? If they love what God loves, are they not following His Spirit’s leading? – and therefore in line with the voice of God speaking to their hearts? If one is following the voice of God to the best of his/her ability, what more can be asked of anyone as far as fitness for heaven?

      As far as the claims of Ellen White to have been Divinely inspired on occasion, it is quite clear to me now that you don’t believe that Ellen White was actually Divinely inspired at all – because not everything she did or said was inspired. You do understand, however, that this is true of every prophet? – to include every single one of the Biblical prophets? All were erring humans like the rest of us. They all made mistakes and had limited knowledge about many things. Yet, God did talk to these erring humans to give them privileged information on occasion. That doesn’t mean that He made them error free in everything else they did or said or believed. You have to be able to separate the Divine from the human when reading the Bible and/or Ellen White.

      Beyond this, Ellen White specifically spoke against phrenology and mesmerism as being “seized upon by Satan as his most powerful agents to deceive and destroy souls” (Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 296). And, regarding “witching for water”, Ellen White never recommended it. What she did do is recommend a well digger, Salem Hamilton, to dig the well on the property close to San Diego that she was shown (by God according to her) to purchase for the church. The idea of using a “wizard water stick” to find the best place to dig the well was not her idea or recommendation at all, but was actually thought to be an empirical “scientific” practice by many in her day and throughout much of history even into modern times (not necessarily considered to be a spiritualistic practice at the time; Link). I myself grew up working for various contractors who swore by the practice as an empirical scientific way of detecting water lines – and they were by no means spiritualistic in their thinking. They were Godly men.

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  5. Allow me to clear up your confusion. I am not willing to “allow for at least some heathen who have never heard the story of Jesus to be saved.” Rather, I prefer to not engage in speculation as to what God will do about long-departed atheists/evolutionists. Based upon the words of Jesus, I do not anticipate bumping into evolutionists stumbling around the streets of the New Jerusalem. There are too many heathen, evolutionists, atheists, and even Christians that we need to worry about who are still living. That is why you are providing a valuable service in leading people to an understanding of Biblical Creationism. I simply do not possess the knowledge, influence, or audacity to speculate on what God is going to do and what He is not going to do.

    You said that “In short, there will only be one question asked in the judgement: Did you love your neighbor or not? Did you strive to follow the Royal Law that was written on your heart?”

    While this may be the teaching of EGW or other contemporary theologians, it does not synchronize well with the words of Jesus, who maintained that there will be two classes of people–those who believe in Him and those who do NOT.

    John 3:18 “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

    John 3:16 . . . whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

    John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation: but is passed from death unto life.”

    Your assertion that people’s eternal destiny hangs on how they treated others regardless of whether they knew the story of Jesus is impossible for me to reconcile with the above words of Jesus,

    Thank you for quoting John 1:9, which simply states that Jesus is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. However, every person is not given a “measure of light”, but rather the opportunity to follow the TRUE LIGHT or to reject it. If Jesus is indeed THE TRUE LIGHT, there is no need to follow a lesser light.

    Yes, I have heard all the accusations that Biblical prophets made mistakes, as did Paul, and even Jesus. Thus, Ellen White made a lot of errors, was inconsistent, spoke against the Bible, plagiarized, participated in occultic activities, and that all this is excusable!

    Well, is it logical for her to take her own children to a phrenologist while simultaneously speaking against it? While no Biblical prophet was perfect and all lived imperfect lives and were in need of a Savior, do you know of any who participated in occult activities? There was Moses, who smote the rock more than he should have. There was Jonah, who ran away from his duty. Yes, there were many disobedient prophets, and they generally paid for their disobedience. There was King Saul, however, who did actively seek out the witch of Endor, participating in an activity that was prohibited by God. His fate was a sad one. Yet, is it somehow O.K. with God for Ellen White to direct a man to come dig a well using such a wizard water stick? Would God not have revealed to her the awful act that was about to be committed? Do you think God would warn a prophet against palm-reading? Divination of any other kind? Phrenology? Do you think God does not care if His followers use occult powers?

    You excuse the practice of using water witching because Ellen White was involved in it and because you have seen it used by “Godly men”. I actually know ministers and missionaries who have used it, but that does not mean that God condones it. Before I go any further, please be aware that I am not perfect either. I have done things in my ignorance that I had no idea were in the occultic realm. I have repented, will never do them again, and know that God forgives me just as He will forgive any other sinner who ceases to use Satanic powers.

    Please be aware that there are many, many words for water witching: divining, pendulum dowsing, radiesthesia, rhabdomancy, or map dowsing. Yes, people even place pendulums over maps to divine the location of water, oil, treasures, gold, etc. The Mormon prophet Joseph Smith used it extensively.

    I have spoken to many people over the years. Two independent practitioners informed me that it will not work for everybody. But, they said, if it doesn’t work for somebody, all that they had to do was to touch the other person’s hands and it would then work for them as well! This takes this matter completely out of the realm of science. There is a power behind it, and if it is God’s power, why do they call it the wizard stick or water witching? Why is the practice listed as an occult science? I would strongly urge you to investigate further. Ben Hester wrote a book entitled DOWSING–An expose of hidden occult forces. Find it and read it. Then ask yourself if God gives messages to prophets who use occult forces? Why would He not warn them against using such forces?

    We have THE TRUE LIGHT. We have the Bible (The greater light). We don’t need any more lights. We have truth. By all means continue your fine work of defending Creation Truth.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • You say you have no idea what God will do with those who are long dead and gone who never heard the name of Jesus or understood the true nature of God – but that was exactly who I was talking about in my presentation! Paul clearly claims that many of these will be saved if they lived according to the Royal Law that was written on their hearts. There is simply no getting around Paul’s claim here.

      Beyond this, the passages of the Bible you cite, which you say are in conflict with this idea, do not actually deal with those who have never read and understood the Bible or heard of the life of Jesus. They deal with those who are actually familiar with and understand the reality and meaning of Jesus’ life. However, specifically regarding those who have never heard the name of Jesus, the Bible is quite clear that these are judged only on the lesser light that they have been given to know – the light of the Royal Law that has in fact been “written on their hearts”. I’m sorry, but the Bible is very clear hear.

      Thank you for quoting John 1:9, which simply states that Jesus is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. However, every person is not given a “measure of light”, but rather the opportunity to follow the TRUE LIGHT or to reject it. If Jesus is indeed THE TRUE LIGHT, there is no need to follow a lesser light.

      The fact is that God can give “light to everyone” regardless if if they know the actual name of Jesus or not. Of course, you are absolutely correct that Jesus and only Jesus is the “True Light”. However, Jesus can reveal Himself to those who don’t know His name and have never heard of His life. How so? Through the Royal Law that His Spirit has written on the hearts of everyone born into this world. This Royal Law is a revelation of Jesus. Through it, one can recognize in the “least of these” the call to love and selfless service as Jesus loved and served. And, Jesus Himself claimed that all those who actually love and selflessly serve “the least of these” in this life, heathen or otherwise, will be saved since they were actually doing it to Him in the form of “the least of these”. It is His own blood that was shed which makes such a thing possible – such a thing as the ability of the Holy Spirit to speak to the hearts of humans – even those who have never heard the name of Jesus in this life.

      Beyond this, you wrote:

      “I do not anticipate bumping into evolutionists stumbling around the streets of the New Jerusalem.”

      And, of course, neither do I. Once honest evolutionists and atheists who have honestly lived out the Royal Law of love for their fellow man end up in heaven, of course they will realize the error of their ways. They will be told the story of Jesus and of the history of the planet in a way in which they can actually understand and appreciate and they will accept the goodness of the new light just like they accepted the goodness of the Royal Law that was written on their hearts – and they will be changed and be saved.

      Regarding your claims against Ellen White, I’ll point out to you yet again that she never did promote the practice of “witching” or “dowsing” for water (as referenced above) and many of those that did use this practice in her day (and our day as well) may not have understood its occult connections. Also, Ellen White may have initially been unaware of all of the implications of phrenology, but did end up speaking against the practice.

      You ask why God doesn’t step in and correct certain errors that a prophet may make? I’m not sure, but what is quite clear is that God does not inform His prophets or messengers about all of the errors in their own thinking and/or practice. He does not remove them from the realm of humanity or human frailty. The same is true for the prophets of the Bible. God doesn’t make a prophet perfect before He speaks to them. This is made abundantly clear throughout the Bible…

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  6. Interesting, but 18:50 – You really think that “whosoever believes in him shall not perish” should read “whoever does good works shall not perish”?!?! 26:45 – TOSC definitely did NOT favor women’s ordination. 28:20 – NAD is not following GC guidelines, as they allow a conference president who is not an ordained minister. “Commissioned” and “ordained” are not interchangeable.

    You seem to not understand the foundational problem with women’s ordination. It is the same as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram – will we follow God’s designed order, or will we choose our own ways and rebel against God?

    39:28 – There are plenty of 3 1/2 year time prophecies after 1844.

    41:50 – Actually, the number and size of wars has been steadily decreasing since WWII.

    Thank you for standing tall for supporting Creation as written in God’s words!

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  7. Please note that I did not say that “I have no idea what God will do with those who are long dead and gone who never heard the name of Jesus or understood the true nature of God”. Rather, I said that I prefer to not engage in speculation as to what God will do about long departed atheists/evolutionists. I will never understand why this is such a source of concern with so many people.

    Contrary to your assertion about Paul, he did indeed conform to the words of Jesus as far as obtaining salvation. In Romans 10:9, he says that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Jesus likewise said that those who accept Him as the Son of God will not be judged, but those who do not are judged already.

    Ellen White, on the other hand, taught in the 1890 Review and Herald that no sanctified tongue will ever say, “I am saved”, prior to the 2nd coming of Christ. She also taught that no man can say, “I am saved,” until he has endured test and trial, until he has shown that he can overcome tempation.” The Kress Collection, p. 120.

    Back to Paul, when the Philippian jailer asked what he should do to be saved, the response was ?Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” That was the full sum of the matter.

    You, on the other hand, are making room for atheists/evolutionists in heaven. This is a very confusing picture. Ellen White’s method of salvation differs from Jesus and Paul, and your process differs from all three.

    If you truly believe evolutionists will make it to heaven one way or another, why do you spend so much time opposing their false doctrines?

    As for Ellen White and her occult practices, please be aware that Ellen White spoke out AGAINST phrenology PRIOR to taking her children for their phrenological examinations by Dr. James Caleb Jackson in Danville, New York. If she knew it was wrong, why did she do it anyway, and even go so far as to pronounce his diagnosis to be good?

    Anyone speaking in the name of God must indeed be held to a very high standard. He/she must conform to the teachings of Jesus, especially in regard to salvation. He/she must indeed use only God’s power in personal life and NOT partake or allow the introduction of any occult activities. Of particular concern is her tendency to blame God for errors. Please see the Review and Herald, 1950, where she says regarding William Miller’s failed prophecy of October 22, 1843-1844, “The Lord showed me that the 1843 chart was directed by his hand, and that no part of it should be altered; that the figures were as he wanted them. That his hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until his hand was removed.”

    Do you really believe that God showed Ellen White that He was deceiving people into error by hiding mistakes with His own hand? I would suggest that we have all the light we need in Jesus, who we agree is the TRUE LIGHT. We come to an understanding of Him via the Scriptures and the Scriptures alone. I would urge you to read and consider what happened to a man of God in the time of Jeroboam. He departed from God’s clear instruction in spite of his good intentions. Yet, he was torn apart by a lion. This is a very sad story to be found in I Kings chapter 13.

    In closing, my sincere prayer for you is that you will continue to preach Creationism. The term “Intelligent Design” is not adequate, as it opens the possibility of an entity other than God as creator of this world. Above, stay faithful to the Bible, and the Bible alone. Do not be swayed by anybody’s teaching, regardless of claimed credentials.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • Again, you fail to deal with those Biblical passages that deal specifically with those who have never had opportunity to hear the name of Jesus. You say you have no idea why the fate of the honest heathen might be a source of concern for anyone? – which is very strange coming from a Christian. The fate of the honest heathen reflects upon the character of God and the very basis for your own salvation – the reason why you are savable. And no, salvation is not based on mere lip service that Jesus is our savior. Not everyone who says “Lord Lord” will be saved (Matthew 7:21). It is based on a love of the truth, all truth, that is given to us to understand – however little it may be. In a word, salvation is based on motive – the motive of selfless love.

      Also, even though I believe that it is indeed possible for the honest evolutionist to be saved by living according to the Royal Law, I also believe that a correct understanding of doctrinal knowledge provides hope in this life and is able to help one better deal with the struggles in this world and makes it easier for one to be saved through the hope that these doctrines provide. That is why I strive so hard to spread the good news of the Gospel message of hope (which includes the good news of God’s creative power).

      Regarding more of your arguments against Ellen White:

      Ellen White, on the other hand, taught in the 1890 Review and Herald that no sanctified tongue will ever say, “I am saved”, prior to the 2nd coming of Christ. She also taught that no man can say, “I am saved,” until he has endured test and trial, until he has shown that he can overcome tempation.” The Kress Collection, p. 120.

      You evidently haven’t read the context of these statements. While Ellen White often talked about having the “assurance of salvation”, in these particular passages Ellen White is speaking against the concept of “once saved always saved”. She is speaking against the idea that one can say “I am saved and therefore I don’t have to worry about trying to keep God commands or laws.” Here is what she said in context:

      We are never to rest in a satisfied condition, and cease to make advancement, saying, “I am saved.” When this idea is entertained, the motives for watchfulness, for prayer, for earnest endeavor to press onward to higher attainments, cease to exist. No sanctified tongue will be found uttering these words till Christ shall come, and we enter in through the gates into the city of God. Then, with the utmost propriety, we may give glory to God and to the Lamb for eternal deliverance. As long as man is full of weakness,—for of himself he cannot save his soul,—he should never dare to say, “I am saved.” It is not he that putteth on the armor that can boast of the victory; for he has the battle to fight and the victory to win. It is he that endureth unto the end that shall be saved. The Lord says, “If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” If we do not go forward from victory to victory, the soul will draw back to perdition. We should raise no human standard whereby to measure character. We have seen enough of what men call perfection here below. God’s holy law is the only thing by which we can determine whether we are keeping his way or not. If we are disobedient, our characters are out of harmony with God’s moral rule of government, and it is stating a falsehood to say, “I am saved.” No one is saved who is a transgressor of the law of God, which is the foundation of his government in heaven and in earth. – EGW, RH June 17, 1890, par. 8

      See also: Link

      As far as “departing from clear instruction”, not everything that seems “clear” to you today was just as clear to someone else in some other time and place – not even to a prophet of God. Another example of this same sort of thing is the fact that Ellen White continued to eat meat for a while after writing against it. It seems like it was hard for her to change some of her own habits to bring them in line with what God had told her to write – a very human shortcoming which actually lends credibility to the claim that she wasn’t making up the “revaluations” she was given out of her own head. Again, prophets of God remain human, subject to error and mistakes of various kinds – even open rebellion on occasion. Yet, it is still clear that God still speaks through them. Consider the stories of Jonah and Balaam as particularly clear examples of this. Therefore, your arguments that God clearly did not speak through Ellen White because of various errors she made is not a reasonable argument or else you’d have to throw out the entire Bible. You have to look specifically at what she claimed God actually said to her.

      As far as your claim that God would never deliberately allow for His people to make mistakes or reveal truth in stages in order to test the hearts of His people, you haven’t read the Bible very carefully. Remember how Nathan the prophet told David a story about a rich man taking a poor man’s sheep to feed his guests? – and how this story was deliberately calculated to trick David into judging himself? (2 Samuel 12:6-7). Only in this way would God be able to bring David into a clear realization of his own guilt and cause him to repent. The fact is that God does indeed use such tactics on occasion…

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  8. Created beings have been questioning the character of their Creator from the very beginning. The Reptile successfully convinced Adam and Eve that God had not been fair with them and that they could achieve godhood and additional wisdom by partaking of prohibited fruit. That bold lie cost them eternal life. Had they only trusted their Creator, they would still be enjoying immortality and a perfect world.

    From the moment they sunk their teeth into that forbidden fruit, they were destined to die. There was nothing they could do to prevent death. If they had lived perfect lives from that point onward, they could not have regained their paradise lost. It was completely outside their control. Likewise, we and all their descendants, are infected with the deadly virus of sin and there is NOTHING we can do of our own merit to extricate ourselves from this condition. The matter is completely outside our sphere of influence. However, God did provide for not only Adam and Eve’s redemption, but all their followers as well. It required the sacrifice of the sinless One. By paying that ransom, Adam, Eve, and all the rest of us, could be restored to an eternal life in paradise. It is a free gift, one that is completely outside anything any of us could accomplish by our own merits. We cannot just be good, or just be good enough. We would have to be perfect, and Paul assures us that none of us are perfect. I instinctively know that I am not perfect. Even if I could be perfect from this moment on, I am not going to be acceptable to God on my own merits, my own good works, etc. So, the sacrifice of Jesus is a free gift, and Jesus Himself outlined that any would only need to accept this free gift. That’s all. Paul confirmed this.

    I believe Adam and Eve accepted this free gift. I suspect they urged their offspring to accept it as well. After all, they had firsthand knowledge of what they lost, and certainly must have longed for the promised restoration and for their offspring to be part of it. While Abel obeyed God’s instructions, Cain disobeyed and decided he would offer whatever sacrifice he wanted. Sadly, much of God’s creation has followed Cain’s obstinacy. God’s required sacrifice pointed forward to the sacrifice of Jesus, through Whom eternal life would be restored.

    Initially, all that God required was faith and obedience. Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and others fall into this category. Then, God chose a special people to whom the promised Seed would come. He delivered them from Egyptian slavery just like He will deliver us from the slavery of sin. To those chosen people, He instituted a Law that was impossible to keep (As per Paul). It was a covenant between God and His chosen people, the Israelites. It involved very detailed commands that included sacrifices of all types, especially where there were infractions of the law. All those sacrifices pointed forward to the sacrifice of the sinless One, and when that sacrifice was complete, Jesus conquered the grave, made a complete atonement for the sin problem, and completed the requirements of the Law of Moses (Sinaitic Law, Torah). As we have seen, Jesus then forgave all sins of all people once and for all, from the beginning of the world until the end of the world, of any who should come to Him, believe in Him, and accept His free gift.

    Jesus replaced the Old Covenant Mosaic Law with the Royal Law, also known as the Law of Liberty. You have referred to the Royal Law multiple times, and I’m sure you see that James and I Peter refers to the Royal Law and the Law of Liberty as being the same, but in complete distinction from the “whole law” or the Sinaitic Law. This Royal Law is what Revelation 12:17 refers to–“those which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus”.

    Well, what is the Royal Law? There are only two parts, possibly three. 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself. Arguably, the third part might be Matthew 28, which is to take parts 1 and 2 to the whole world. For me, this is wonderful being description. The idea of exchanging that Old Covenant and all those messy sacrifices for believing and trusting in Jesus is indeed a beautiful gift. That is all I need to do to come into conformity with God? Nothing else? This is a promise that is almost too good to be true. Yet, it is true, as it is based upon the words of the One who made intercession for this sin problem.

    Back to the Royal Law. Remember, it had two parts. The first part was to love the Lord your God with all your heart. James and Peter were writing to believers. Christian believers. They would have already understood loving God through Jesus, which is an essential ingredient of that Royal Law. Furthermore, they were trying to draw a distinction between the Royal Law and the Sinaitic Law which was repealed at the cross, as Jesus had kept it for them. What a beautiful deliverance from a law which Paul declared could not be kept.

    So, what about pagans who keep part 2 of the Royal Law but do not keep part 1? Well, Jesus clearly says that those who do not believe in Him are condemned already. How sad. Why not accept a free gift? Why did Cain not believe and follow? I cannot explain it.

    The sad part of all this is that the old Reptile has succeeded beautifully ever since the cross in convincing people that either there is no God or that they can work out their own salvation on their own terms. All they have to do is to be good enough, keep the law to the best of their ability, etc. He is a liar. Don’t trust him.

    There is a prominent Adventist physician who today seeks the highest office in the land. He was recently asked to weigh in on the topic of torture of certain Middle East people. As a Christian, he had a beautiful opportunity to strongly oppose torture on the basis of the Royal Law of Jesus. As a physician, he had another opportunity of expressing his disgust at physicians inflicting torture on anybody. Is not their calling to heal, rather than to maim and torture? However, he completely passed up the opportunity to speak out against this evil practice. Was he consistent with part 2 of the Royal Law of Jesus?

    I have a good friend who is a devout Atheist, yet he speaks out strongly against torture and killing at every opportunity. He is an Atheist Jew who feels so strongly about Evolution that he does not think certain people are fit to be President of this country because they hold to Creationism! He tolerates me because we have so many common interests. As a matter of fact, whenever we see each other, he gives me a huge hug and we talk for lengthy periods. We talk about the arts, music, history, politics and many other subjects. Believe it or not, as a young man he studied Adventism. Whenever I try to circle around to God and the Bible, however, he resists. He will not study his own Jewish prophets, will not consider anything in the realm of the supernatural, and is convinced that when he dies, that’s it. He is now over 80, and time is running out.

    However, this friend of mine adheres to the second part of the Royal Law better than just about anybody else I know. As a young man, he lived next to the police station in a country undergoing civil unrest. He heard the shrieks of those being tortured and killed. He deplores the evils of humanity and does everything he can to alleviate suffering of any and all kinds. He donates generously. He thinks of himself as a good person, and so do I. As a matter of fact, one Sunday afternoon we attended a musical program at a church. It happened to be an SDA church, but the program had nothing whatsoever to do with religion of any kind and was not a function of the church in any way. However, even though it was a free event, he insisted on leaving a donation. He took an offering envelope, stuffed some cash into it, but then couldn’t decide where to leave it. He finally slipped it under the church office door!

    You know, I feel awful about my friend. He is such an intelligent, smart, and generous man. However, in spite of my best efforts, it appears that he will die without a Savior, even though in my opinion he keeps part 2 of the Royal Law better than just about anybody else I know.

    Pellagius was a contemporary of Augustine, and argued that Jesus did not come to die a substitutionary death, but rather, to show us how to live a perfect life. Augustine opposed this teaching, which has subsequently been labeled the Pellagian Heresy. Sadly, you and I were taught a heretical salvation doctrine which was based on the writings of Ellen White, who taught that we could never be certain of our salvation, and that even those living at the end of time will be uncertain of their eternal destiny, as they would have to live sinless lives for a period when their Intercessor was unavailable to them. If you will ask Adventists today whether or not they are saved, most will answer, “I hope so”, or “I am trying to be”. Occasionally, a bad Adventist will state unreservedly that he/she will indeed be saved because Jesus paid the price in full. How sad. We have already demonstrated that fallen humans cannot save themselves. It is a very simple matter: just accept the free gift.

    In closing, I submit that salvation is not a process, as you and I were taught, but rather, a simple acceptance of a free gift which represents the Royal Law. Part I is acceptance of Jesus as Savior and love for God. Part II is to love my neighbor as myself. If we indeed do love our neighbor as ourselves, we will add Part III, which is to share that free gift with them.

    For me, I will not question the character of God. I am sorely distressed by my many friends who are either atheists or who are trying to work out their own salvation, but I recognize that their decisions cannot be made for them. I am simply eternally grateful for a God who loved me enough to come and die in my place. What unbelievable love.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • Jesus replaced the Old Covenant Mosaic Law with the Royal Law, also known as the Law of Liberty.

      Not quite. Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Laws, but did not do away with them or replace them with something truly new as if there was something wrong the laws that God Himself originally set in place (Matthew 5:17). God made no mistake in setting up the Mosaic Laws. Also, the “Royal Law” or “Law of Liberty” has always existed and has always been the fundamental basis of the Ten Commandments. The Royal Law brings liberty to all when it is kept – and can in this way be “The Law of Liberty”. Bondage, on the other hand, comes when we do not keep it. To walk in the “Law of Liberty” and fulfill all the Law is to walk in love – for love fulfills the whole Law (Romans 13:8 and Galatians 5:14). Love as the fulfillment of the entire Law is not something “new” created after the cross. The Royal Law of Love is and has always been the basis of all morality for all time – even in Heaven. It is for this reason that no moral code can be kept by fallen humans without the help of God – not the Ten Commandments; not the Mosaic Laws; not the Royal Law itself (Matthew 22:37-40). The problem is that we are inherently selfish creatures who cannot, in and of ourselves alone, be selfless and truly loving toward our neighbors. It takes a miraculous act of God to implant the Royal Law within our hearts and another miraculous act of God to give us the moral power to actually live by this Law. We may resist God’s power in our lives, or we may accept it. That’s our part to play in our own salvation. And, in this way, even the heathen who have never heard the name of Jesus may be saved – according to Paul who argues that “the requirements of the law are written on their hearts.” It goes against the Bible to say otherwise.

      In short, everyone knows, as an internal truth, that the “Golden Rule” is good. Those who do not resist the call of the Holy Spirit to strive to live according to this Law will be credited, by God and through his Grace alone, with righteousness. Even your atheist friend, if honestly confused, can therefore be saved through the blood of Jesus if he is honestly listening to the call of the Holy Spirit regarding the Royal Law and is therefore striving to live according to all the light that he understands. If he honestly lives according to the Royal Law, he will not “die without a Savior”. God’s grace will be extended to Him through Jesus because he chose to follow the call of the Spirit. There simply is no additional requirement that the name and life of Jesus be known or understood before a person becomes savable (James 2:8). So, leave the destiny of your friend in the hands of a God who loves him much much more than you do and will do everything in His power to save him. God will save him if he would be safe in heaven once he knows the Truth and is able to recognize all of the lies of Satan that have blinded him all these years (Luke 23:34). No honest person is going to be tricked out of heaven. The lost will be lost because they love the lies that they know to be lies… i.e., they hate the Truth that they’ve been given to know and understand (Psalm 52:3). They perish because they refused to love the truth that they were given to know, be it ever so small, and so be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

      Pellagius was a contemporary of Augustine, and argued that Jesus did not come to die a substitutionary death, but rather, to show us how to live a perfect life. Augustine opposed this teaching, which has subsequently been labeled the Pellagian Heresy. Sadly, you and I were taught a heretical salvation doctrine which was based on the writings of Ellen White, who taught that we could never be certain of our salvation, and that even those living at the end of time will be uncertain of their eternal destiny, as they would have to live sinless lives for a period when their Intercessor was unavailable to them.

      None of this is true regarding Mrs. White. Again, many times Mrs. White wrote that we can indeed have an assurance of salvation on a day-by-day basis. What she argued against was the concept of “once saved always saved” (as I’ve already explained above). Mrs. White never promoted the Pelagian Heresies such as the notion that we humans can in any way earn our way to heaven or that salvation is based on anything other than God’s grace alone. Beyond this, it was Graham Maxwell, not Ellen White, who fairy recently argued within the Adventist Church that Jesus did not die a substitutionary death. Mrs. White did not promote this notion either, but strongly argued in favor of substitutionary atonement.

      Beyond this, I think we are going around in circles at this point…

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  9. Yes, a careful reading of Paul clearly shows that Jesus replaced the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law). Galatians 2:16 says: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

    The Royal Law “has always existed”? “Is not something ‘new’ created after the cross”?

    Jesus, however, described it in John 13:34 as a new commandment–“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” This is confirmed by Jesus’ message on the Mount of Blessings in Matthew 5, better known as the Beatitudes. He repeatedly said, “You have previously heard thus, but I am now telling you this.” “Moses said such and such, but now I am telling you this.” As the Son of God, He had authority to change the Mosaic Law.

    While I would very much like to believe that my atheist friend will be “saved” as per your comment, “If he honestly lives according to the Royal Law, he will not die without a Savior”, this assurance does not reconcile with the words of Jesus:
    John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
    John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
    John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he taht believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

    So, if evolutionists “atheists” are assured of salvation and will not “die without a Savior”, are you not wasting your time in trying to convince people to teach Creationism? Did not my parents waste their whole life as missionaries and church officials in trying to convert people to a belief in Jesus? Why, if all those atheists and evolutionists are going to be saved anyway, why waste your time with futile efforts. Why then, did Jesus command His disciples in Matthew 28 to carry the gospel to the whole world, if indeed everybody was going to be saved anyway?

    Why then, did Jesus have to die such a cruel death on the cross if there was another pathway to heaven? If everybody could be saved anyway, why did He have to come to this wicked world to be tortured and killed in a very agonizing way? Did not He pray in the Garden prior to His death, that if it be possible, this agony be spared Him?

    If indeed there was another pathway to salvation, God the Father must have been extremely cruel to have His only begotten Son be tortured and killed in such an inhuman way. So, according to this theory of Universalism, God becomes a fool and also cruel to force His Son to go through this pain unnecessarily. It also creates a liar out of Jesus, who clearly taught that only through Him and His atonement is eternal life possible.

    While your teaching of eternal life for evolutionists is incongruent with the words of Jesus, it likewise cannot be reconciled with the teachings of Ellen White, who taught that even the saints cannot be assured of salvation.

    Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, page 198. “The saints, in that fearful time, after the close of Jesus’ mediation, were living in the sight of a holy God, without an intercessor.”

    Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, pp. 314, 315. “Every soul that has named the name of Jesus Christ has a case pending in the heavenly tribunal. It is court week with us, and the decision passed upon each case will be final.”

    In Matthew 22, Jesus taught the parable of the King who prepared a marriage feast for His Son, and the invited guests were invited to come, as the feast was ready. They refused, however, and even killed the King’s servants. The message then went forth to anybody BOTH GOOD AND BAD on the highways and byways to come to the feast. All they had to do was wear the wedding garment. However, one chap got in wearing his own garment and was speechless when asked why he wasn’t wearing his wedding garment. He was then bound and cast out into utter darkness, where there was “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

    For me, the interpretation is self-evident. The invited guests were the Jews, the Children of the Promise, They rejected the feast (eternal life through Jesus). Then, the invitation was extended to everybody else, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. All they had to do was wear a wedding garment to cover their own filthy garment. The wedding garment was free, and available only from the King and His Son. However, those who pretended to merit attending the feast without the wedding garment and on the basis of their own “good works” were cast out into utter darkness. Those evolutionists who disdained the King obviously did not even want a wedding garment and got nowhere near the feast, as they did not want nor accept the wedding garment.

    I will pray that you will see the the words of Jesus as being free to all, yet exclusive to only those who accept the invitation and their wedding garments.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • Yes, a careful reading of Paul clearly shows that Jesus replaced the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law). Galatians 2:16 says: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

      That’s always been true… even during Old Testament times (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18). This was understood, at least by some, in the time of Christ (Luke 10:26-28). The Mosaic Laws (outside of the Ten Commandments which are eternal in nature) dealt with laws pointing forward to the coming of Christ as a “shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:17 and Hebrews 10:1) and were therefore fulfilled, not done away with, by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 5:17). To suggest that something was wrong with these laws and that is why God had to come up with something else is to suggest that God made an error and is subject to making mistakes. This simply isn’t true. God made no mistake in proving the Israelites with laws that pointed forward to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. However, these laws, while prophetic and hopeful in nature didn’t justify anyone – which is what Paul is trying to explain to those who might be tempted to think that they could earn their salvation through these laws. Of course, the same thing is also true even of the Ten Commandments. None of these laws are able, in and of themselves, to save anyone.

      The Royal Law “has always existed”? “Is not something ‘new’ created after the cross”?

      Jesus, however, described it in John 13:34 as a new commandment–“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” This is confirmed by Jesus’ message on the Mount of Blessings in Matthew 5, better known as the Beatitudes. He repeatedly said, “You have previously heard thus, but I am now telling you this.” “Moses said such and such, but now I am telling you this.” As the Son of God, He had authority to change the Mosaic Law.

      Jesus wasn’t saying anything new at all. It is just that people had forgotten the basis of the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Laws. They had forgotten that everything is based on the Royal Law of selfless love. They had forgotten that upon the Royal Law hangs all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40). This wasn’t something new. This had always been true throughout all of history back before the creation of our world. Jesus was simply reemphasizing a concept that had been lost.

      While I would very much like to believe that my atheist friend will be “saved” as per your comment, “If he honestly lives according to the Royal Law, he will not die without a Savior”, this assurance does not reconcile with the words of Jesus:
      John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
      John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
      John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he taht believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

      All these texts are true – given that one has had the opportunity to both hear and understand the truth of them and has consciously and deliberately rejected known truth. When a person has not had such an opportunity, you must deal with the words of Paul on the topic where Paul specifically argues that love fulfills the whole Law (Romans 13:8 and Galatians 5:14) and that even the heathen who have never had the written Law and who have never heard the name of Jesus can be saved by following the Royal Law that God has written on their hearts through the call and power of the Holy Spirit speaking to them (Romans 2:14-15).

      As far as your friend is concerned, you simply do not know what he really does or does not honestly understand. That is why you cannot stand in judgment regarding his eternal salvation. Only God knows the heart and moral judgment or savability is based on the state of the heart. Therefore, leave such a judgment up to God who is able to save all those who do not refuse to love the little truth that they have been given to know and understand and have shown love and mercy to others in this life. Such will receive mercy for mercy triumphs over judgement (2 Thessalonians 2:10 and James 2:13).

      So, if evolutionists “atheists” are assured of salvation and will not “die without a Savior”, are you not wasting your time in trying to convince people to teach Creationism? Did not my parents waste their whole life as missionaries and church officials in trying to convert people to a belief in Jesus? Why, if all those atheists and evolutionists are going to be saved anyway, why waste your time with futile efforts. Why then, did Jesus command His disciples in Matthew 28 to carry the gospel to the whole world, if indeed everybody was going to be saved anyway?

      Where did I ever even suggest that everyone would be saved? That’s not remotely true! Not everyone is going to be saved – for narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:14). Come on now, you know very well that I never said that all heathen or all atheists will be saved. What I said is that all those who are striving to live according to the light that they already have are savable – which is, unfortunately, a distinct minority of those who have ever lived.

      Beyond this, the Gospel message is a message of hope to those struggling in this life. It has the power to make people’s lives better here in this world and to aid them in the struggles of this life. In this way it also has the power to help people to hang on to the truth and be saved accordingly. Now, I’m not saying here that the Gospel is able to save in and of itself. Salvation is always a gift of God’s Grace. However, the Gospel message of hope makes it easier for one to accept the gift of grace by living according to the Truth that God has given one to know. And, remember, spreading the Gospel message of hope and joy also helps the messenger. Those who hide the light that they have been given and do not share it with others will see their own light dim and eventually go out altogether.

      Why then, did Jesus have to die such a cruel death on the cross if there was another pathway to heaven? If everybody could be saved anyway, why did He have to come to this wicked world to be tortured and killed in a very agonizing way? Did not He pray in the Garden prior to His death, that if it be possible, this agony be spared Him?

      I never said that there was another pathway to heaven. Jesus is the one and only pathway to heaven for all who enter there. It is just that one need not know the actual name of the pathway that he/she is actual walking upon before heaven itself is reached. Those who live according to the Royal Law in this life, even if they do not know the actual name of Jesus, are in fact listening to His Spirit and following in His Footsteps – even though they do not consciously realize it. They will one day be told, to their own surprise, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) – and will then be given the crown of life by Jesus Himself.

      Now that’s Amazing Grace…

      While your teaching of eternal life for evolutionists is incongruent with the words of Jesus, it likewise cannot be reconciled with the teachings of Ellen White, who taught that even the saints cannot be assured of salvation.

      That’s just not true – as I’ve mentioned to you several times now. You would know this if you read her writings in a bit more detail for yourself. Here are just a few of the comments she wrote regarding how one can have, right now, the assurance of salvation:

      It is essential to believe you are saved (RH, Nov. 1, 1892).

      The perishing sinner may say: “I am a lost sinner; but Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. He says, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Mark 2:17). I am a sinner, and He died upon Calvary’s cross to save me. I need not remain a moment longer unsaved. He died and rose again for my justification, and He will save me now. I accept the forgiveness He has promised.”—“Justified by Faith” (a pamphlet published in 1893), p. 7. Reprinted in Selected Messages 1:392.

      Immense interests are here involved. We are made partakers of Christ’s sacrifice here in this life, and then we are assured that we shall be partakers of all its benefits in the future immortal life, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.—Letter 9a, 1891, pp. 1, 2. (To Sister D. S. Gilbert, June 3, 1891.)

      Christ saw the helpless condition of the race, and he came to redeem them by living the life of obedience the law requires, and by paying in his death the penalty of disobedience. He came to bring us the message and means of deliverance, an assurance of salvation, not through the abrogation of the law, but through obedience made possible by his merits. – R&H, April 29, 1902

      We are not to doubt his mercy, and say, ‘I do not know whether I shall be saved or not.’ By living faith we must lay hold of his promise, for he has said, ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool’ (ST, April 4, 1892, par. 3).

      [emphasis added] See also: Link

      Now, the quotes from Ellen White that you cite are simply not in conflict with these statements if read in their proper context (particularly regarding the quotes you cite where Mrs. White is arguing against the heretical concept of “once saved always saved”).

      Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, page 198. “The saints, in that fearful time, after the close of Jesus’ mediation, were living in the sight of a holy God, without an intercessor.”

      Where does this passage say that they have no assurance of salvation? It isn’t that they have no savior at this time, it is that there is no further need for mediation or intercession because they are in fact living completely upon the saving power of Jesus and are, during this time, perfectly in line with the Royal Law – which is a perfect fulfillment of the whole Law (Galatians 5:14).

      Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, pp. 314, 315. “Every soul that has named the name of Jesus Christ has a case pending in the heavenly tribunal. It is court week with us, and the decision passed upon each case will be final.”

      Again, where does this passage suggest a lack of assurance of salvation on a day-by-day basis? The trial may be pending, but one can rest assured of its outcome as long as one remains in a saving relationship with Jesus day-by-day.

      In Matthew 22, Jesus taught the parable of the King who prepared a marriage feast for His Son, and the invited guests were invited to come, as the feast was ready. They refused, however, and even killed the King’s servants. The message then went forth to anybody BOTH GOOD AND BAD on the highways and byways to come to the feast. All they had to do was wear the wedding garment. However, one chap got in wearing his own garment and was speechless when asked why he wasn’t wearing his wedding garment. He was then bound and cast out into utter darkness, where there was “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

      Again, all this is saying is that no one will get into heaven based on their own righteousness. Everyone is dependent upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for salvation. This is standard Christian teaching…

      For me, the interpretation is self-evident. The invited guests were the Jews, the Children of the Promise, They rejected the feast (eternal life through Jesus). Then, the invitation was extended to everybody else, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. All they had to do was wear a wedding garment to cover their own filthy garment. The wedding garment was free, and available only from the King and His Son. However, those who pretended to merit attending the feast without the wedding garment and on the basis of their own “good works” were cast out into utter darkness. Those evolutionists who disdained the King obviously did not even want a wedding garment and got nowhere near the feast, as they did not want nor accept the wedding garment.

      Again, this is only true for those who have a conscious understanding of what they’re doing. For those who don’t honestly know or who have never heard, their savability is judged based on what little truth they did know and understand and how they responded to this truth in their lives here on Earth.

      Beyond this, you do realize that those who would refuse to take on the covering of Jesus’ righteousness are not truly “good”. They may have the outward appearance of “goodness”. However, on the inside they are nothing but filthy rags. Jesus compared these self-righteousness people to whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). It is only through the power of God that anyone, even the heathen who have never heard the name of Jesus, can be or do anything truly “good” (Mark 10:18).

      I will pray that you will see the the words of Jesus as being free to all, yet exclusive to only those who accept the invitation and their wedding garments.

      And I will pray that you will one day understand that those who have never even heard the name of Jesus, but have lived according to the light that they were given, will gladly accept the invitation and wear the wedding garments before walking into the wedding feast when Jesus comes again to receive all (even your confused but otherwise honest and loving atheist friend) who are pure in heart (Matthew 5:8).

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  10. If you will look at the verse immediately preceding Romans 2:13-16, you will find Romans 2:12 stating that “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.”

    Since all have sinned, the atheists who have sinned without law will indeed perish, consistent with the words of Jesus. Jesus made it very clear that those who also sinned in the law but do NOT believe in Him are “condemned already”.

    Verse 16 says that “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel”. Well, Jesus already delineated who will be saved and who will not, and it is only based upon one thing–belief and acceptance of Him as Son of God and Savior.

    While Ellen White described heathen who will not perish, she is not, after all the arbiter of salvation. Furthermore, it is unfortunate that this is not the only instance where her teachings depart from Scripture.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • I’m really surprised to hear you say that Ellen White “departs from Scripture” on this fairly important topic (a pretty serious accusation against someone who is supposed to be a prophet of God). I’m also surprised by your interpretation of Scripture regarding the fate of those who have never heard the name of Jesus. Do you truly believe that, for example, all the millions American Indians who never heard the name of Jesus (before the arrival of Europeans) will be lost? – and that the same is true of all the untold millions like them who have lived in honest ignorance of the life of Jesus throughout history? Really? I think that’s a very sad view of the nature and character of God and a serious misreading of the relevant passages of Scripture…

      How can you read a passage like the one Mrs. White pens below and not recognize the truth and beauty of God’s amazing grace in it?

      “How surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations, and among the heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me”! How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His followers look up with surprise and joy at His words of approval!” – EGW, DA, p. 638

      Now, if even the heathen have the Royal Law “written on their hearts” (Romans 2:15, Hebrews 8:10) upon what basis will they be lost if they live accordingly? If they do in fact love their neighbors as themselves? Will they still be lost simply because they never had the opportunity to hear the name of Jesus or know about His life and death? – even though they strived to live as He lived and love as He loved? I suggest to you that the blood of Jesus extends even to those who live according to very little light that has been given to shine on their path in this life – regardless of their knowledge, or lack thereof, of the story of Jesus.

      The fact is that the Bible is quite clear that there will be those in heaven who will hear the Story of Salvation for the very first time (Zechariah 13:6). Everyone, in some way, receives some light from God (John 1:9). Everyone has enough light to make a moral decision for right or wrong – and they are judged according to the light received.

      Yet, you write:

      If you will look at the verse immediately preceding Romans 2:13-16, you will find Romans 2:12 stating that “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.”

      You then fail to take into account the very next verses where Paul specifically argues that the heathen are in fact capable of living according to the “Law” which is written on their hearts – “doing by nature things required by the law” (i.e., the Royal Law of selfless love towards ones neighbor).

      Of course, We aren’t saved by the law (since all have broken the Royal Law at one time or another), but by the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the behalf of every human being. How does one accept this grace? By loving whatever amount of light that has been given one to know of the Truth – by not striving against the Truth that is known. In this line, Paul goes on to argue in the following verses (Romans 2:13-16) that the Royal Law has been written on the hearts of everyone – even those who have never heard the name of Jesus. In following this Law that has been written on their hearts, even the heathen may have grace extended to them, by God, and may be saved – according to Paul. You should view that as very good news since even you don’t know all Truth…

      Ellen White is right in line with this Biblical principle. Here are a few more comments from her on this topic:

      “Wherever there is an impulse of love and sympathy, wherever the heart reaches out to bless and uplift others, there is revealed the working of God’s Holy Spirit. In the depths of heathenism, men who have had no knowledge of the written law of God, who have never even heard the name of Christ, have been kind to His servants, protecting them at the risk of their own lives. Their acts show the working of a divine power. The Holy Spirit has implanted the grace of Christ in the heart of the savage, quickening his sympathies contrary to his nature, contrary to his education. The ‘Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world’ (John 1:9), is shining in his soul; and this light, if heeded, will guide his feet to the kingdom of God.” – EGW, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 385.

      “God’s test of the heathen, who have not the light, and of those living where the knowledge of truth and light has been abundant, is altogether different. He accepts from those in heathen lands a phase of righteousness which does not satisfy Him when offered by those of Christian lands. He does not require much where much has not been bestowed.” EGW, Manuscript 130, 1899, cited in SDABC, vol. 5, p. 1121.

      “The apostle to the Gentiles, in his letter to the believers in Rome, calls attention to this characteristic of Isaiah’s teaching. ‘Isaiah is very bold,’ Paul declares, ‘and saith, I was found of them that sought Me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after Me.’ Romans 10:20.” EGW, PK, p. 367

      “As through Christ every human being has life, so also through Him every soul receives some ray of divine light. Not only intellectual but spiritual power, a perception of right, a desire for goodness, exists in every heart.” – EGW, Education, p. 29.

      “Although in the depths of heathenism, with no knowledge of the written law of God nor of His Son Jesus, they have revealed in manifold ways the working of a divine power on mind and character.” – EGW, Prophets and Kings, p. 376.

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  11. I am experiencing great difficulty reconciling the idea that there will be “surprised atheists” in heaven with the words of Jesus. In John 3:16-18, Jesus clearly states who will and who will not inherit everlasting life. Those who believe in Him is NOT condemned “judged”. Those who do NOT believe in Him are condemned already. These words actually dispel the notion of a pre-Advent judgment. they also dispose of the concept that any who do not believe in Jesus as Son of God and as Savior can every hope to obtain eternal life.

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

    Thus, good works can never save anybody, in spite of the fact that Jesus told His followers to love their neighbors as themselves. According to Jesus, there are merely two classes: those who believe in Him and inherit eternal life, and those who refuse to believe in Him (atheists, hypocrites, do-gooders, etc) who will be condemned and not inherit eternal life. Furthermore, Jesus specifically identified a class of people who will feed the hungry, clothe the needy in His name, but will NOT be recognized by Jesus.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • It all has to do with motive (not the “works” themselves)… according to the Royal Law of selfless love for one’s neighbor (James 2:8) which is written on the heart of every human being – as Paul explains below:

      “For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”

      Romans 2:13-16

      See also:

      Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; before the words of life had fallen upon their ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to them at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God.

      How surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations, and among the heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me”! How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His followers look up with surprise and joy at His words of approval!

      But not to any class is Christ’s love restricted. He identifies Himself with every child of humanity. That we might become members of the heavenly family, He became a member of the earthly family. He is the Son of man, and thus a brother to every son and daughter of Adam. His followers are not to feel themselves detached from the perishing world around them. They are a part of the great web of humanity; and Heaven looks upon them as brothers to sinners as well as to saints. The fallen, the erring, and the sinful, Christ’s love embraces; and every deed of kindness done to uplift a fallen soul, every act of mercy, is accepted as done to Him.

      Ellen White, DA p. 638

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  12. Hey Educate Truth. Why half truths in this video? Here is a stament from White Estate on the Ordination Certificates. For a true Educate Truth, you need to tell the whole story! Is the video a pro-WO push?? Also, you left out in your list that the president of GYC, the largest youth (millenials) group in the Adventist Church spoke against WO. Among these will be a number of our future church leaders. The method of Bible interpretation is the debate behind the WO debate; left out of your video. I’m disappointed in the video.

    Question: Hope you are well today. Have a good Sabbath. A man named ___________ published a credentials paper over the Adventist Discussion group, purportedly showing that EGW was an ordained minister. It is not terribly legible, but it does look that way. He said to contact you, who had done work to show that EGW was not ordained, which is what I always thought. Do you know anything about this form? Thanks. God bless.
    Answer: Yes, I know something about Mrs. White’s ministerial credentials. Beginning in 1871 the church issued Mrs. White the credentials of an ordained minister. Was she therefore ordained? No. How do we know? From two lines of evidence, one coming from some of the credentials themselves and the other from Mrs. White herself.
    On at least one of the credentials we have for her, the word “ordained” has been carefully struck out, while on others it has not. The difference does not indicate a change of status. The word “ordained” stands unstruck on her credentials from 1883 and 1887, but it is struck out on her 1885 credentials.
    In 1909 Mrs. White filled out a General Conference “Biographical Information Blank” in her own handwriting. Item 19 asks, “If ordained, state when, where, and by whom.” On the blank Mrs. White simply inscribed an X. She did the same for Item 26, which asks, “if remarried, give date, and to whom.” Just as the X for the latter question indicated that she had never remarried, the X for Item 19 indicates that she had never been ordained.
    So why did the church give her the credentials of an ordained minister? Well, what other credentials did they have that they could give her? The church has never had “prophetic” or “messenger” credentials, so it gave her its highest credentials without an ordination ceremony having been carried out. We can see the awkwardness of the situation in the fact that sometimes they crossed out the word “ordained”–they recognized that these credentials were not a perfect fit. But in fact she needed no church credentials. For more than 25 years prior to 1871 she functioned without them.
    By the way, Arthur White included this information about the Biographical Information Blank in an article that Spectrum published back in the spring of 1972 (Spectrum, Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 8), so the information has been available for nearly 30 years. (I also included it in a two-part series I wrote for Ministry Magazine in the late 1980s.) I’m afraid it has simply been ignored by those who wish that matters had been different. Within the White Estate, over the years there have been differing opinions among the staff members about whether women should be ordained, but to my knowledge all have agreed that Ellen G. White had not been ordained. The three documents the White Estate keeps in print to send to people who have questions on related issues today all say the same thing: Mrs. White herself was never ordained.
    I hope this is helpful. Thank you for writing, and God bless.
    William Fagal, Director
    Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office
    Andrews University
    Berrien Springs, MI 49104-1400 USA
    Phone: 616 471-3209
    FAX: 616 471-6166

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • No “half-truths” were intended. While I appreciate your comments and your quote, there simply wasn’t time to include everything that might be of interest to everyone – within a 45 min summary talk on the main events and decisions of GC-2015. Also, I’m simply not aware of some things that might be interesting or relevant. For example, I’m simply not all that familiar with the views of Justin McNeilus (GYC Pres) on the WO issue…

      Beyond this, I fail to see how anything you’ve mentioned here significantly challenges the main points of my talk?

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  13. Please note that I did not say that “I have no idea what God will do with those who are long dead and gone who never heard the name of Jesus or understood the true nature of God”. Rather, I said that I prefer to not engage in speculation as to what God will do about long departed atheists/evolutionists. I will never understand why this is such a source of concern with so many people.

    Contrary to your assertion about Paul, he did indeed conform to the words of Jesus as far as obtaining salvation. In Romans 10:9, he says that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Jesus likewise said that those who accept Him as the Son of God will not be judged, but those who do not are judged already.

    Ellen White, on the other hand, taught in the 1890 Review and Herald that no sanctified tongue will ever say, “I am saved”, prior to the 2nd coming of Christ. She also taught that no man can say, “I am saved,” until he has endured test and trial, until he has shown that he can overcome tempation.” The Kress Collection, p. 120.

    Back to Paul, when the Philippian jailer asked what he should do to be saved, the response was ?Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” That was the full sum of the matter.

    You, on the other hand, are making room for atheists/evolutionists in heaven. This is a very confusing picture. Ellen White’s method of salvation differs from Jesus and Paul, and your process differs from all three.

    If you truly believe evolutionists will make it to heaven one way or another, why do you spend so much time opposing their false doctrines?

    As for Ellen White and her occult practices, please be aware that Ellen White spoke out AGAINST phrenology PRIOR to taking her children for their phrenological examinations by Dr. James Caleb Jackson in Danville, New York. If she knew it was wrong, why did she do it anyway, and even go so far as to pronounce his diagnosis to be good?

    Anyone speaking in the name of God must indeed be held to a very high standard. He/she must conform to the teachings of Jesus, especially in regard to salvation. He/she must indeed use only God’s power in personal life and NOT partake or allow the introduction of any occult activities. Of particular concern is her tendency to blame God for errors. Please see the Review and Herald, 1950, where she says regarding William Miller’s failed prophecy of October 22, 1843-1844, “The Lord showed me that the 1843 chart was directed by his hand, and that no part of it should be altered; that the figures were as he wanted them. That his hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until his hand was removed.”

    Do you really believe that God showed Ellen White that He was deceiving people into error by hiding mistakes with His own hand? I would suggest that we have all the light we need in Jesus, who we agree is the TRUE LIGHT. We come to an understanding of Him via the Scriptures and the Scriptures alone. I would urge you to read and consider what happened to a man of God in the time of Jeroboam. He departed from God’s clear instruction in spite of his good intentions. Yet, he was torn apart by a lion. This is a very sad story to be found in I Kings chapter 13.

    In closing, my sincere prayer for you is that you will continue to preach Creationism. The term “Intelligent Design” is not adequate, as it opens the possibility of an entity other than God as creator of this world. Above, stay faithful to the Bible, and the Bible alone. Do not be swayed by anybody’s teaching, regardless of claimed credentials.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • Again, you fail to deal with those Biblical passages that deal specifically with those who have never had opportunity to hear the name of Jesus. You say you have no idea why the fate of the honest heathen might be a source of concern for anyone? – which is very strange coming from a Christian. The fate of the honest heathen reflects upon the character of God and the very basis for your own salvation – the reason why you are savable. And no, salvation is not based on mere lip service that Jesus is our savior. Not everyone who says “Lord Lord” will be saved (Matthew 7:21). It is based on a love of the truth, all truth, that is given to us to understand – however little it may be. In a word, salvation is based on motive – the motive of selfless love.

      Also, even though I believe that it is indeed possible for the honest evolutionist to be saved by living according to the Royal Law, I also believe that a correct understanding of doctrinal knowledge provides hope in this life and is able to help one better deal with the struggles in this world and makes it easier for one to be saved through the hope that these doctrines provide. That is why I strive so hard to spread the good news of the Gospel message of hope (which includes the good news of God’s creative power).

      Regarding more of your arguments against Ellen White:

      Ellen White, on the other hand, taught in the 1890 Review and Herald that no sanctified tongue will ever say, “I am saved”, prior to the 2nd coming of Christ. She also taught that no man can say, “I am saved,” until he has endured test and trial, until he has shown that he can overcome tempation.” The Kress Collection, p. 120.

      You evidently haven’t read the context of these statements. While Ellen White often talked about having the “assurance of salvation”, in these particular passages Ellen White is speaking against the concept of “once saved always saved”. She is speaking against the idea that one can say “I am saved and therefore I don’t have to worry about trying to keep God commands or laws.” Here is what she said in context:

      We are never to rest in a satisfied condition, and cease to make advancement, saying, “I am saved.” When this idea is entertained, the motives for watchfulness, for prayer, for earnest endeavor to press onward to higher attainments, cease to exist. No sanctified tongue will be found uttering these words till Christ shall come, and we enter in through the gates into the city of God. Then, with the utmost propriety, we may give glory to God and to the Lamb for eternal deliverance. As long as man is full of weakness,—for of himself he cannot save his soul,—he should never dare to say, “I am saved.” It is not he that putteth on the armor that can boast of the victory; for he has the battle to fight and the victory to win. It is he that endureth unto the end that shall be saved. The Lord says, “If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” If we do not go forward from victory to victory, the soul will draw back to perdition. We should raise no human standard whereby to measure character. We have seen enough of what men call perfection here below. God’s holy law is the only thing by which we can determine whether we are keeping his way or not. If we are disobedient, our characters are out of harmony with God’s moral rule of government, and it is stating a falsehood to say, “I am saved.” No one is saved who is a transgressor of the law of God, which is the foundation of his government in heaven and in earth. – EGW, RH June 17, 1890, par. 8

      See also: Link

      As far as “departing from clear instruction”, not everything that seems “clear” to you today was just as clear to someone else in some other time and place – not even to a prophet of God. Another example of this same sort of thing is the fact that Ellen White continued to eat meat for a while after writing against it. It seems like it was hard for her to change some of her own habits to bring them in line with what God had told her to write – a very human shortcoming which actually lends credibility to the claim that she wasn’t making up the “revaluations” she was given out of her own head. Again, prophets of God remain human, subject to error and mistakes of various kinds – even open rebellion on occasion. Yet, it is still clear that God still speaks through them. Consider the stories of Jonah and Balaam as particularly clear examples of this. Therefore, your arguments that God clearly did not speak through Ellen White because of various errors she made is not a reasonable argument or else you’d have to throw out the entire Bible. You have to look specifically at what she claimed God actually said to her.

      As far as your claim that God would never deliberately allow for His people to make mistakes or reveal truth in stages in order to test the hearts of His people, you haven’t read the Bible very carefully. Remember how Nathan the prophet told David a story about a rich man taking a poor man’s sheep to feed his guests? – and how this story was deliberately calculated to trick David into judging himself? (2 Samuel 12:6-7). Only in this way would God be able to bring David into a clear realization of his own guilt and cause him to repent. The fact is that God does indeed use such tactics on occasion…

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  14. Interesting, but 18:50 – You really think that “whosoever believes in him shall not perish” should read “whoever does good works shall not perish”?!?! 26:45 – TOSC definitely did NOT favor women’s ordination. 28:20 – NAD is not following GC guidelines, as they allow a conference president who is not an ordained minister. “Commissioned” and “ordained” are not interchangeable.

    You seem to not understand the foundational problem with women’s ordination. It is the same as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram – will we follow God’s designed order, or will we choose our own ways and rebel against God?

    39:28 – There are plenty of 3 1/2 year time prophecies after 1844.

    41:50 – Actually, the number and size of wars has been steadily decreasing since WWII.

    Thank you for standing tall for supporting Creation as written in God’s words!

      (Quote)

    View Comment
  15. Yes, a careful reading of Paul clearly shows that Jesus replaced the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law). Galatians 2:16 says: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

    The Royal Law “has always existed”? “Is not something ‘new’ created after the cross”?

    Jesus, however, described it in John 13:34 as a new commandment–“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” This is confirmed by Jesus’ message on the Mount of Blessings in Matthew 5, better known as the Beatitudes. He repeatedly said, “You have previously heard thus, but I am now telling you this.” “Moses said such and such, but now I am telling you this.” As the Son of God, He had authority to change the Mosaic Law.

    While I would very much like to believe that my atheist friend will be “saved” as per your comment, “If he honestly lives according to the Royal Law, he will not die without a Savior”, this assurance does not reconcile with the words of Jesus:
    John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
    John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
    John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he taht believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

    So, if evolutionists “atheists” are assured of salvation and will not “die without a Savior”, are you not wasting your time in trying to convince people to teach Creationism? Did not my parents waste their whole life as missionaries and church officials in trying to convert people to a belief in Jesus? Why, if all those atheists and evolutionists are going to be saved anyway, why waste your time with futile efforts. Why then, did Jesus command His disciples in Matthew 28 to carry the gospel to the whole world, if indeed everybody was going to be saved anyway?

    Why then, did Jesus have to die such a cruel death on the cross if there was another pathway to heaven? If everybody could be saved anyway, why did He have to come to this wicked world to be tortured and killed in a very agonizing way? Did not He pray in the Garden prior to His death, that if it be possible, this agony be spared Him?

    If indeed there was another pathway to salvation, God the Father must have been extremely cruel to have His only begotten Son be tortured and killed in such an inhuman way. So, according to this theory of Universalism, God becomes a fool and also cruel to force His Son to go through this pain unnecessarily. It also creates a liar out of Jesus, who clearly taught that only through Him and His atonement is eternal life possible.

    While your teaching of eternal life for evolutionists is incongruent with the words of Jesus, it likewise cannot be reconciled with the teachings of Ellen White, who taught that even the saints cannot be assured of salvation.

    Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, page 198. “The saints, in that fearful time, after the close of Jesus’ mediation, were living in the sight of a holy God, without an intercessor.”

    Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, pp. 314, 315. “Every soul that has named the name of Jesus Christ has a case pending in the heavenly tribunal. It is court week with us, and the decision passed upon each case will be final.”

    In Matthew 22, Jesus taught the parable of the King who prepared a marriage feast for His Son, and the invited guests were invited to come, as the feast was ready. They refused, however, and even killed the King’s servants. The message then went forth to anybody BOTH GOOD AND BAD on the highways and byways to come to the feast. All they had to do was wear the wedding garment. However, one chap got in wearing his own garment and was speechless when asked why he wasn’t wearing his wedding garment. He was then bound and cast out into utter darkness, where there was “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

    For me, the interpretation is self-evident. The invited guests were the Jews, the Children of the Promise, They rejected the feast (eternal life through Jesus). Then, the invitation was extended to everybody else, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. All they had to do was wear a wedding garment to cover their own filthy garment. The wedding garment was free, and available only from the King and His Son. However, those who pretended to merit attending the feast without the wedding garment and on the basis of their own “good works” were cast out into utter darkness. Those evolutionists who disdained the King obviously did not even want a wedding garment and got nowhere near the feast, as they did not want nor accept the wedding garment.

    I will pray that you will see the the words of Jesus as being free to all, yet exclusive to only those who accept the invitation and their wedding garments.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • Yes, a careful reading of Paul clearly shows that Jesus replaced the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law). Galatians 2:16 says: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

      That’s always been true… even during Old Testament times (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18). This was understood, at least by some, in the time of Christ (Luke 10:26-28). The Mosaic Laws (outside of the Ten Commandments which are eternal in nature) dealt with laws pointing forward to the coming of Christ as a “shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:17 and Hebrews 10:1) and were therefore fulfilled, not done away with, by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 5:17). To suggest that something was wrong with these laws and that is why God had to come up with something else is to suggest that God made an error and is subject to making mistakes. This simply isn’t true. God made no mistake in proving the Israelites with laws that pointed forward to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. However, these laws, while prophetic and hopeful in nature didn’t justify anyone – which is what Paul is trying to explain to those who might be tempted to think that they could earn their salvation through these laws. Of course, the same thing is also true even of the Ten Commandments. None of these laws are able, in and of themselves, to save anyone.

      The Royal Law “has always existed”? “Is not something ‘new’ created after the cross”?

      Jesus, however, described it in John 13:34 as a new commandment–”A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” This is confirmed by Jesus’ message on the Mount of Blessings in Matthew 5, better known as the Beatitudes. He repeatedly said, “You have previously heard thus, but I am now telling you this.” “Moses said such and such, but now I am telling you this.” As the Son of God, He had authority to change the Mosaic Law.

      Jesus wasn’t saying anything new at all. It is just that people had forgotten the basis of the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Laws. They had forgotten that everything is based on the Royal Law of selfless love. They had forgotten that upon the Royal Law hangs all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40). This wasn’t something new. This had always been true throughout all of history back before the creation of our world. Jesus was simply reemphasizing a concept that had been lost.

      While I would very much like to believe that my atheist friend will be “saved” as per your comment, “If he honestly lives according to the Royal Law, he will not die without a Savior”, this assurance does not reconcile with the words of Jesus:
      John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
      John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
      John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he taht believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

      All these texts are true – given that one has had the opportunity to both hear and understand the truth of them and has consciously and deliberately rejected known truth. When a person has not had such an opportunity, you must deal with the words of Paul on the topic where Paul specifically argues that love fulfills the whole Law (Romans 13:8 and Galatians 5:14) and that even the heathen who have never had the written Law and who have never heard the name of Jesus can be saved by following the Royal Law that God has written on their hearts through the call and power of the Holy Spirit speaking to them (Romans 2:14-15).

      As far as your friend is concerned, you simply do not know what he really does or does not honestly understand. That is why you cannot stand in judgment regarding his eternal salvation. Only God knows the heart and moral judgment or savability is based on the state of the heart. Therefore, leave such a judgment up to God who is able to save all those who do not refuse to love the little truth that they have been given to know and understand and have shown love and mercy to others in this life. Such will receive mercy for mercy triumphs over judgement (2 Thessalonians 2:10 and James 2:13).

      So, if evolutionists “atheists” are assured of salvation and will not “die without a Savior”, are you not wasting your time in trying to convince people to teach Creationism? Did not my parents waste their whole life as missionaries and church officials in trying to convert people to a belief in Jesus? Why, if all those atheists and evolutionists are going to be saved anyway, why waste your time with futile efforts. Why then, did Jesus command His disciples in Matthew 28 to carry the gospel to the whole world, if indeed everybody was going to be saved anyway?

      Where did I ever even suggest that everyone would be saved? That’s not remotely true! Not everyone is going to be saved – for narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:14). Come on now, you know very well that I never said that all heathen or all atheists will be saved. What I said is that all those who are striving to live according to the light that they already have are savable – which is, unfortunately, a distinct minority of those who have ever lived.

      Beyond this, the Gospel message is a message of hope to those struggling in this life. It has the power to make people’s lives better here in this world and to aid them in the struggles of this life. In this way it also has the power to help people to hang on to the truth and be saved accordingly. Now, I’m not saying here that the Gospel is able to save in and of itself. Salvation is always a gift of God’s Grace. However, the Gospel message of hope makes it easier for one to accept the gift of grace by living according to the Truth that God has given one to know. And, remember, spreading the Gospel message of hope and joy also helps the messenger. Those who hide the light that they have been given and do not share it with others will see their own light dim and eventually go out altogether.

      Why then, did Jesus have to die such a cruel death on the cross if there was another pathway to heaven? If everybody could be saved anyway, why did He have to come to this wicked world to be tortured and killed in a very agonizing way? Did not He pray in the Garden prior to His death, that if it be possible, this agony be spared Him?

      I never said that there was another pathway to heaven. Jesus is the one and only pathway to heaven for all who enter there. It is just that one need not know the actual name of the pathway that he/she is actual walking upon before heaven itself is reached. Those who live according to the Royal Law in this life, even if they do not know the actual name of Jesus, are in fact listening to His Spirit and following in His Footsteps – even though they do not consciously realize it. They will one day be told, to their own surprise, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) – and will then be given the crown of life by Jesus Himself.

      Now that’s Amazing Grace…

      While your teaching of eternal life for evolutionists is incongruent with the words of Jesus, it likewise cannot be reconciled with the teachings of Ellen White, who taught that even the saints cannot be assured of salvation.

      That’s just not true – as I’ve mentioned to you several times now. You would know this if you read her writings in a bit more detail for yourself. Here are just a few of the comments she wrote regarding how one can have, right now, the assurance of salvation:

      It is essential to believe you are saved (RH, Nov. 1, 1892).

      The perishing sinner may say: “I am a lost sinner; but Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. He says, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Mark 2:17). I am a sinner, and He died upon Calvary’s cross to save me. I need not remain a moment longer unsaved. He died and rose again for my justification, and He will save me now. I accept the forgiveness He has promised.”—”Justified by Faith” (a pamphlet published in 1893), p. 7. Reprinted in Selected Messages 1:392.

      Immense interests are here involved. We are made partakers of Christ’s sacrifice here in this life, and then we are assured that we shall be partakers of all its benefits in the future immortal life, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.—Letter 9a, 1891, pp. 1, 2. (To Sister D. S. Gilbert, June 3, 1891.)

      Christ saw the helpless condition of the race, and he came to redeem them by living the life of obedience the law requires, and by paying in his death the penalty of disobedience. He came to bring us the message and means of deliverance, an assurance of salvation, not through the abrogation of the law, but through obedience made possible by his merits. – R&H, April 29, 1902

      We are not to doubt his mercy, and say, ‘I do not know whether I shall be saved or not.’ By living faith we must lay hold of his promise, for he has said, ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool’ (ST, April 4, 1892, par. 3).

      [emphasis added] See also: Link

      Now, the quotes from Ellen White that you cite are simply not in conflict with these statements if read in their proper context (particularly regarding the quotes you cite where Mrs. White is arguing against the heretical concept of “once saved always saved”).

      Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, page 198. “The saints, in that fearful time, after the close of Jesus’ mediation, were living in the sight of a holy God, without an intercessor.”

      Where does this passage say that they have no assurance of salvation? It isn’t that they have no savior at this time, it is that there is no further need for mediation or intercession because they are in fact living completely upon the saving power of Jesus and are, during this time, perfectly in line with the Royal Law – which is a perfect fulfillment of the whole Law (Galatians 5:14).

      Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, pp. 314, 315. “Every soul that has named the name of Jesus Christ has a case pending in the heavenly tribunal. It is court week with us, and the decision passed upon each case will be final.”

      Again, where does this passage suggest a lack of assurance of salvation on a day-by-day basis? The trial may be pending, but one can rest assured of its outcome as long as one remains in a saving relationship with Jesus day-by-day.

      In Matthew 22, Jesus taught the parable of the King who prepared a marriage feast for His Son, and the invited guests were invited to come, as the feast was ready. They refused, however, and even killed the King’s servants. The message then went forth to anybody BOTH GOOD AND BAD on the highways and byways to come to the feast. All they had to do was wear the wedding garment. However, one chap got in wearing his own garment and was speechless when asked why he wasn’t wearing his wedding garment. He was then bound and cast out into utter darkness, where there was “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

      Again, all this is saying is that no one will get into heaven based on their own righteousness. Everyone is dependent upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for salvation. This is standard Christian teaching…

      For me, the interpretation is self-evident. The invited guests were the Jews, the Children of the Promise, They rejected the feast (eternal life through Jesus). Then, the invitation was extended to everybody else, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. All they had to do was wear a wedding garment to cover their own filthy garment. The wedding garment was free, and available only from the King and His Son. However, those who pretended to merit attending the feast without the wedding garment and on the basis of their own “good works” were cast out into utter darkness. Those evolutionists who disdained the King obviously did not even want a wedding garment and got nowhere near the feast, as they did not want nor accept the wedding garment.

      Again, this is only true for those who have a conscious understanding of what they’re doing. For those who don’t honestly know or who have never heard, their savability is judged based on what little truth they did know and understand and how they responded to this truth in their lives here on Earth.

      Beyond this, you do realize that those who would refuse to take on the covering of Jesus’ righteousness are not truly “good”. They may have the outward appearance of “goodness”. However, on the inside they are nothing but filthy rags. Jesus compared these self-righteousness people to whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). It is only through the power of God that anyone, even the heathen who have never heard the name of Jesus, can be or do anything truly “good” (Mark 10:18).

      I will pray that you will see the the words of Jesus as being free to all, yet exclusive to only those who accept the invitation and their wedding garments.

      And I will pray that you will one day understand that those who have never even heard the name of Jesus, but have lived according to the light that they were given, will gladly accept the invitation and wear the wedding garments before walking into the wedding feast when Jesus comes again to receive all (even your confused but otherwise honest and loving atheist friend) who are pure in heart (Matthew 5:8).

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  16. Created beings have been questioning the character of their Creator from the very beginning. The Reptile successfully convinced Adam and Eve that God had not been fair with them and that they could achieve godhood and additional wisdom by partaking of prohibited fruit. That bold lie cost them eternal life. Had they only trusted their Creator, they would still be enjoying immortality and a perfect world.

    From the moment they sunk their teeth into that forbidden fruit, they were destined to die. There was nothing they could do to prevent death. If they had lived perfect lives from that point onward, they could not have regained their paradise lost. It was completely outside their control. Likewise, we and all their descendants, are infected with the deadly virus of sin and there is NOTHING we can do of our own merit to extricate ourselves from this condition. The matter is completely outside our sphere of influence. However, God did provide for not only Adam and Eve’s redemption, but all their followers as well. It required the sacrifice of the sinless One. By paying that ransom, Adam, Eve, and all the rest of us, could be restored to an eternal life in paradise. It is a free gift, one that is completely outside anything any of us could accomplish by our own merits. We cannot just be good, or just be good enough. We would have to be perfect, and Paul assures us that none of us are perfect. I instinctively know that I am not perfect. Even if I could be perfect from this moment on, I am not going to be acceptable to God on my own merits, my own good works, etc. So, the sacrifice of Jesus is a free gift, and Jesus Himself outlined that any would only need to accept this free gift. That’s all. Paul confirmed this.

    I believe Adam and Eve accepted this free gift. I suspect they urged their offspring to accept it as well. After all, they had firsthand knowledge of what they lost, and certainly must have longed for the promised restoration and for their offspring to be part of it. While Abel obeyed God’s instructions, Cain disobeyed and decided he would offer whatever sacrifice he wanted. Sadly, much of God’s creation has followed Cain’s obstinacy. God’s required sacrifice pointed forward to the sacrifice of Jesus, through Whom eternal life would be restored.

    Initially, all that God required was faith and obedience. Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and others fall into this category. Then, God chose a special people to whom the promised Seed would come. He delivered them from Egyptian slavery just like He will deliver us from the slavery of sin. To those chosen people, He instituted a Law that was impossible to keep (As per Paul). It was a covenant between God and His chosen people, the Israelites. It involved very detailed commands that included sacrifices of all types, especially where there were infractions of the law. All those sacrifices pointed forward to the sacrifice of the sinless One, and when that sacrifice was complete, Jesus conquered the grave, made a complete atonement for the sin problem, and completed the requirements of the Law of Moses (Sinaitic Law, Torah). As we have seen, Jesus then forgave all sins of all people once and for all, from the beginning of the world until the end of the world, of any who should come to Him, believe in Him, and accept His free gift.

    Jesus replaced the Old Covenant Mosaic Law with the Royal Law, also known as the Law of Liberty. You have referred to the Royal Law multiple times, and I’m sure you see that James and I Peter refers to the Royal Law and the Law of Liberty as being the same, but in complete distinction from the “whole law” or the Sinaitic Law. This Royal Law is what Revelation 12:17 refers to–“those which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus”.

    Well, what is the Royal Law? There are only two parts, possibly three. 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself. Arguably, the third part might be Matthew 28, which is to take parts 1 and 2 to the whole world. For me, this is wonderful being description. The idea of exchanging that Old Covenant and all those messy sacrifices for believing and trusting in Jesus is indeed a beautiful gift. That is all I need to do to come into conformity with God? Nothing else? This is a promise that is almost too good to be true. Yet, it is true, as it is based upon the words of the One who made intercession for this sin problem.

    Back to the Royal Law. Remember, it had two parts. The first part was to love the Lord your God with all your heart. James and Peter were writing to believers. Christian believers. They would have already understood loving God through Jesus, which is an essential ingredient of that Royal Law. Furthermore, they were trying to draw a distinction between the Royal Law and the Sinaitic Law which was repealed at the cross, as Jesus had kept it for them. What a beautiful deliverance from a law which Paul declared could not be kept.

    So, what about pagans who keep part 2 of the Royal Law but do not keep part 1? Well, Jesus clearly says that those who do not believe in Him are condemned already. How sad. Why not accept a free gift? Why did Cain not believe and follow? I cannot explain it.

    The sad part of all this is that the old Reptile has succeeded beautifully ever since the cross in convincing people that either there is no God or that they can work out their own salvation on their own terms. All they have to do is to be good enough, keep the law to the best of their ability, etc. He is a liar. Don’t trust him.

    There is a prominent Adventist physician who today seeks the highest office in the land. He was recently asked to weigh in on the topic of torture of certain Middle East people. As a Christian, he had a beautiful opportunity to strongly oppose torture on the basis of the Royal Law of Jesus. As a physician, he had another opportunity of expressing his disgust at physicians inflicting torture on anybody. Is not their calling to heal, rather than to maim and torture? However, he completely passed up the opportunity to speak out against this evil practice. Was he consistent with part 2 of the Royal Law of Jesus?

    I have a good friend who is a devout Atheist, yet he speaks out strongly against torture and killing at every opportunity. He is an Atheist Jew who feels so strongly about Evolution that he does not think certain people are fit to be President of this country because they hold to Creationism! He tolerates me because we have so many common interests. As a matter of fact, whenever we see each other, he gives me a huge hug and we talk for lengthy periods. We talk about the arts, music, history, politics and many other subjects. Believe it or not, as a young man he studied Adventism. Whenever I try to circle around to God and the Bible, however, he resists. He will not study his own Jewish prophets, will not consider anything in the realm of the supernatural, and is convinced that when he dies, that’s it. He is now over 80, and time is running out.

    However, this friend of mine adheres to the second part of the Royal Law better than just about anybody else I know. As a young man, he lived next to the police station in a country undergoing civil unrest. He heard the shrieks of those being tortured and killed. He deplores the evils of humanity and does everything he can to alleviate suffering of any and all kinds. He donates generously. He thinks of himself as a good person, and so do I. As a matter of fact, one Sunday afternoon we attended a musical program at a church. It happened to be an SDA church, but the program had nothing whatsoever to do with religion of any kind and was not a function of the church in any way. However, even though it was a free event, he insisted on leaving a donation. He took an offering envelope, stuffed some cash into it, but then couldn’t decide where to leave it. He finally slipped it under the church office door!

    You know, I feel awful about my friend. He is such an intelligent, smart, and generous man. However, in spite of my best efforts, it appears that he will die without a Savior, even though in my opinion he keeps part 2 of the Royal Law better than just about anybody else I know.

    Pellagius was a contemporary of Augustine, and argued that Jesus did not come to die a substitutionary death, but rather, to show us how to live a perfect life. Augustine opposed this teaching, which has subsequently been labeled the Pellagian Heresy. Sadly, you and I were taught a heretical salvation doctrine which was based on the writings of Ellen White, who taught that we could never be certain of our salvation, and that even those living at the end of time will be uncertain of their eternal destiny, as they would have to live sinless lives for a period when their Intercessor was unavailable to them. If you will ask Adventists today whether or not they are saved, most will answer, “I hope so”, or “I am trying to be”. Occasionally, a bad Adventist will state unreservedly that he/she will indeed be saved because Jesus paid the price in full. How sad. We have already demonstrated that fallen humans cannot save themselves. It is a very simple matter: just accept the free gift.

    In closing, I submit that salvation is not a process, as you and I were taught, but rather, a simple acceptance of a free gift which represents the Royal Law. Part I is acceptance of Jesus as Savior and love for God. Part II is to love my neighbor as myself. If we indeed do love our neighbor as ourselves, we will add Part III, which is to share that free gift with them.

    For me, I will not question the character of God. I am sorely distressed by my many friends who are either atheists or who are trying to work out their own salvation, but I recognize that their decisions cannot be made for them. I am simply eternally grateful for a God who loved me enough to come and die in my place. What unbelievable love.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • Jesus replaced the Old Covenant Mosaic Law with the Royal Law, also known as the Law of Liberty.

      Not quite. Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Laws, but did not do away with them or replace them with something truly new as if there was something wrong the laws that God Himself originally set in place (Matthew 5:17). God made no mistake in setting up the Mosaic Laws. Also, the “Royal Law” or “Law of Liberty” has always existed and has always been the fundamental basis of the Ten Commandments. The Royal Law brings liberty to all when it is kept – and can in this way be “The Law of Liberty”. Bondage, on the other hand, comes when we do not keep it. To walk in the “Law of Liberty” and fulfill all the Law is to walk in love – for love fulfills the whole Law (Romans 13:8 and Galatians 5:14). Love as the fulfillment of the entire Law is not something “new” created after the cross. The Royal Law of Love is and has always been the basis of all morality for all time – even in Heaven. It is for this reason that no moral code can be kept by fallen humans without the help of God – not the Ten Commandments; not the Mosaic Laws; not the Royal Law itself (Matthew 22:37-40). The problem is that we are inherently selfish creatures who cannot, in and of ourselves alone, be selfless and truly loving toward our neighbors. It takes a miraculous act of God to implant the Royal Law within our hearts and another miraculous act of God to give us the moral power to actually live by this Law. We may resist God’s power in our lives, or we may accept it. That’s our part to play in our own salvation. And, in this way, even the heathen who have never heard the name of Jesus may be saved – according to Paul who argues that “the requirements of the law are written on their hearts.” It goes against the Bible to say otherwise.

      In short, everyone knows, as an internal truth, that the “Golden Rule” is good. Those who do not resist the call of the Holy Spirit to strive to live according to this Law will be credited, by God and through his Grace alone, with righteousness. Even your atheist friend, if honestly confused, can therefore be saved through the blood of Jesus if he is honestly listening to the call of the Holy Spirit regarding the Royal Law and is therefore striving to live according to all the light that he understands. If he honestly lives according to the Royal Law, he will not “die without a Savior”. God’s grace will be extended to Him through Jesus because he chose to follow the call of the Spirit. There simply is no additional requirement that the name and life of Jesus be known or understood before a person becomes savable (James 2:8). So, leave the destiny of your friend in the hands of a God who loves him much much more than you do and will do everything in His power to save him. God will save him if he would be safe in heaven once he knows the Truth and is able to recognize all of the lies of Satan that have blinded him all these years (Luke 23:34). No honest person is going to be tricked out of heaven. The lost will be lost because they love the lies that they know to be lies… i.e., they hate the Truth that they’ve been given to know and understand (Psalm 52:3). They perish because they refused to love the truth that they were given to know, be it ever so small, and so be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

      Pellagius was a contemporary of Augustine, and argued that Jesus did not come to die a substitutionary death, but rather, to show us how to live a perfect life. Augustine opposed this teaching, which has subsequently been labeled the Pellagian Heresy. Sadly, you and I were taught a heretical salvation doctrine which was based on the writings of Ellen White, who taught that we could never be certain of our salvation, and that even those living at the end of time will be uncertain of their eternal destiny, as they would have to live sinless lives for a period when their Intercessor was unavailable to them.

      None of this is true regarding Mrs. White. Again, many times Mrs. White wrote that we can indeed have an assurance of salvation on a day-by-day basis. What she argued against was the concept of “once saved always saved” (as I’ve already explained above). Mrs. White never promoted the Pelagian Heresies such as the notion that we humans can in any way earn our way to heaven or that salvation is based on anything other than God’s grace alone. Beyond this, it was Graham Maxwell, not Ellen White, who fairy recently argued within the Adventist Church that Jesus did not die a substitutionary death. Mrs. White did not promote this notion either, but strongly argued in favor of substitutionary atonement.

      Beyond this, I think we are going around in circles at this point…

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  17. Allow me to clear up your confusion. I am not willing to “allow for at least some heathen who have never heard the story of Jesus to be saved.” Rather, I prefer to not engage in speculation as to what God will do about long-departed atheists/evolutionists. Based upon the words of Jesus, I do not anticipate bumping into evolutionists stumbling around the streets of the New Jerusalem. There are too many heathen, evolutionists, atheists, and even Christians that we need to worry about who are still living. That is why you are providing a valuable service in leading people to an understanding of Biblical Creationism. I simply do not possess the knowledge, influence, or audacity to speculate on what God is going to do and what He is not going to do.

    You said that “In short, there will only be one question asked in the judgement: Did you love your neighbor or not? Did you strive to follow the Royal Law that was written on your heart?”

    While this may be the teaching of EGW or other contemporary theologians, it does not synchronize well with the words of Jesus, who maintained that there will be two classes of people–those who believe in Him and those who do NOT.

    John 3:18 “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

    John 3:16 . . . whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

    John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation: but is passed from death unto life.”

    Your assertion that people’s eternal destiny hangs on how they treated others regardless of whether they knew the story of Jesus is impossible for me to reconcile with the above words of Jesus,

    Thank you for quoting John 1:9, which simply states that Jesus is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. However, every person is not given a “measure of light”, but rather the opportunity to follow the TRUE LIGHT or to reject it. If Jesus is indeed THE TRUE LIGHT, there is no need to follow a lesser light.

    Yes, I have heard all the accusations that Biblical prophets made mistakes, as did Paul, and even Jesus. Thus, Ellen White made a lot of errors, was inconsistent, spoke against the Bible, plagiarized, participated in occultic activities, and that all this is excusable!

    Well, is it logical for her to take her own children to a phrenologist while simultaneously speaking against it? While no Biblical prophet was perfect and all lived imperfect lives and were in need of a Savior, do you know of any who participated in occult activities? There was Moses, who smote the rock more than he should have. There was Jonah, who ran away from his duty. Yes, there were many disobedient prophets, and they generally paid for their disobedience. There was King Saul, however, who did actively seek out the witch of Endor, participating in an activity that was prohibited by God. His fate was a sad one. Yet, is it somehow O.K. with God for Ellen White to direct a man to come dig a well using such a wizard water stick? Would God not have revealed to her the awful act that was about to be committed? Do you think God would warn a prophet against palm-reading? Divination of any other kind? Phrenology? Do you think God does not care if His followers use occult powers?

    You excuse the practice of using water witching because Ellen White was involved in it and because you have seen it used by “Godly men”. I actually know ministers and missionaries who have used it, but that does not mean that God condones it. Before I go any further, please be aware that I am not perfect either. I have done things in my ignorance that I had no idea were in the occultic realm. I have repented, will never do them again, and know that God forgives me just as He will forgive any other sinner who ceases to use Satanic powers.

    Please be aware that there are many, many words for water witching: divining, pendulum dowsing, radiesthesia, rhabdomancy, or map dowsing. Yes, people even place pendulums over maps to divine the location of water, oil, treasures, gold, etc. The Mormon prophet Joseph Smith used it extensively.

    I have spoken to many people over the years. Two independent practitioners informed me that it will not work for everybody. But, they said, if it doesn’t work for somebody, all that they had to do was to touch the other person’s hands and it would then work for them as well! This takes this matter completely out of the realm of science. There is a power behind it, and if it is God’s power, why do they call it the wizard stick or water witching? Why is the practice listed as an occult science? I would strongly urge you to investigate further. Ben Hester wrote a book entitled DOWSING–An expose of hidden occult forces. Find it and read it. Then ask yourself if God gives messages to prophets who use occult forces? Why would He not warn them against using such forces?

    We have THE TRUE LIGHT. We have the Bible (The greater light). We don’t need any more lights. We have truth. By all means continue your fine work of defending Creation Truth.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • You say you have no idea what God will do with those who are long dead and gone who never heard the name of Jesus or understood the true nature of God – but that was exactly who I was talking about in my presentation! Paul clearly claims that many of these will be saved if they lived according to the Royal Law that was written on their hearts. There is simply no getting around Paul’s claim here.

      Beyond this, the passages of the Bible you cite, which you say are in conflict with this idea, do not actually deal with those who have never read and understood the Bible or heard of the life of Jesus. They deal with those who are actually familiar with and understand the reality and meaning of Jesus’ life. However, specifically regarding those who have never heard the name of Jesus, the Bible is quite clear that these are judged only on the lesser light that they have been given to know – the light of the Royal Law that has in fact been “written on their hearts”. I’m sorry, but the Bible is very clear hear.

      Thank you for quoting John 1:9, which simply states that Jesus is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. However, every person is not given a “measure of light”, but rather the opportunity to follow the TRUE LIGHT or to reject it. If Jesus is indeed THE TRUE LIGHT, there is no need to follow a lesser light.

      The fact is that God can give “light to everyone” regardless if if they know the actual name of Jesus or not. Of course, you are absolutely correct that Jesus and only Jesus is the “True Light”. However, Jesus can reveal Himself to those who don’t know His name and have never heard of His life. How so? Through the Royal Law that His Spirit has written on the hearts of everyone born into this world. This Royal Law is a revelation of Jesus. Through it, one can recognize in the “least of these” the call to love and selfless service as Jesus loved and served. And, Jesus Himself claimed that all those who actually love and selflessly serve “the least of these” in this life, heathen or otherwise, will be saved since they were actually doing it to Him in the form of “the least of these”. It is His own blood that was shed which makes such a thing possible – such a thing as the ability of the Holy Spirit to speak to the hearts of humans – even those who have never heard the name of Jesus in this life.

      Beyond this, you wrote:

      “I do not anticipate bumping into evolutionists stumbling around the streets of the New Jerusalem.”

      And, of course, neither do I. Once honest evolutionists and atheists who have honestly lived out the Royal Law of love for their fellow man end up in heaven, of course they will realize the error of their ways. They will be told the story of Jesus and of the history of the planet in a way in which they can actually understand and appreciate and they will accept the goodness of the new light just like they accepted the goodness of the Royal Law that was written on their hearts – and they will be changed and be saved.

      Regarding your claims against Ellen White, I’ll point out to you yet again that she never did promote the practice of “witching” or “dowsing” for water (as referenced above) and many of those that did use this practice in her day (and our day as well) may not have understood its occult connections. Also, Ellen White may have initially been unaware of all of the implications of phrenology, but did end up speaking against the practice.

      You ask why God doesn’t step in and correct certain errors that a prophet may make? I’m not sure, but what is quite clear is that God does not inform His prophets or messengers about all of the errors in their own thinking and/or practice. He does not remove them from the realm of humanity or human frailty. The same is true for the prophets of the Bible. God doesn’t make a prophet perfect before He speaks to them. This is made abundantly clear throughout the Bible…

        (Quote)

      View Comment
  18. First of all, you are to be strongly commended for your steadfast advocacy of the teaching of Creationism in a Christian educational institution. There isn’t the remotest rationality behind the promotion of evolutionary theory along with the teaching of salvation through Jesus. After all, if God did not create us in the first place, why would he redeem us?

    While there are some who claim to be Christian believers who simultaneously hold to some type of evolutionary theory, the vast majority of evolutionists I encounter are those who do NOT believe in God at all. They ignore Him, deny His existence, and ridicule those who believe in Him. The term generally used for these people is “atheist”. Sadly, there are a number of former SDA’s in this category. At any rate, opening the possibility that there will be atheists in heaven not only shocks me, but again, is contrary to the words of Jesus.

    As for American Indians who existed prior to the arrival of Europeans, I am more than willing to allow an honest God to be the judge. For one thing, these folk are long gone, and their destiny is determined. They cannot be reasoned with at this point. For another, I have no say in the matter at all. Thirdly, they were not atheists. They believed in some sort of a Great Spirit. While that Great Spirit was NOT the God of the Bible, there is abundant evidence of supernatural manifestations in the lives of their leaders and witch doctors. Thus, it can be safely assumed that their “Great Spirit” was reptilian in origin. I am much more concerned about those who adhere to those forms of spiritualities today. There are many who continue to revere the Indian “culture” and its many spiritual ramifications. It is glorified in the schools and promoted strongly. Not only American Indian false spirituality, but also Hindu Indian spiritualities, such as yoga, meditation, etc. are being widely used today. Sadly, these are promoted in many SDA facilities and are also diametrically opposed to Christianity. Do you think salvation through Jesus is possible for those participating in these dark forces?

    You correctly say “Of course, we are not saved by the law. . .” The Biblical verses you quote do indeed support this. Hebrews 8:10 refers to a new covenant made with Israel which replaced the old covenant made after Egypt. That covenant is, indeed, outside the law, and only through the blood of Jesus.

    Quoting Zechariah 13:6, however, does not exactly address a covenant, but refers to the wounds in Jesus’ hands. Consider also that Zechariah lived half a millennium or more prior to the coming of Jesus.

    You quoted John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is precisely the point. Atheists refuse to confess their sins. They do not see themselves as being sinful. Furthermore, they do not believe in a Creator God, let alone a Redeemer in Jesus. If they did confess their sins to Jesus, the promise of God’s redemption is every ready to wipe their sins clean. Thus, their sins will be judged after the 2nd resurrection.

    As for Ellen White, I cannot reconcile many of her statements with Scripture. That is perhaps why The Clear Word “Bible” was published, which adds and subtracts various texts to reconcile the Word of God with EGW.

    I will let you decide whether or not she is indeed a “prophetess of God”. Consider the case of a lack of water at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, and how she directed that a well digger living in Nebraska be called to dig a well. He used the “wizard water stick” to determine where to dig the well, and indeed found water. This account is found in volume 5, pp 365, 366 of the Biography of Ellen G. White as written by her grandson Arthur L. White. Why did she call a man to dig a well who used an occult power to find water? Would God not have reprimanded her for using an alien power? Did He not condemn the use of divination of any and all types?

    Also, why did she take her own children to Dr. James Caleb Jackson in Danville, New York to have phrenology done? Phrenology is the practice of palpating the bumps on the skull to determine personal characteristics and the future. It can be correctly likened to palm reading, which is clearly an occult practice. She pronounced Dr. Jackson’s diagnosis to be good. Do you believe God winks at prophets and prophetesses who engage in Satanic powers? Does He reveal “truth” to them?

    If there was another method by which atheists could arrive in heaven, Jesus would not have had to die such a painful death on the cross. Jesus could have rightly argued that His death was unnecessary if there was a different path where unbelievers could be offered eternal life. I am confident I will not encounter any atheists in heaven. I am equally concerned about those who practice alien forms of spirituality. Thank you again for your diligent efforts in preserving the teaching of Creationism.

      (Quote)

    View Comment
    • I’m confused. On the one hand you seem to be willing to allow for at least some “heathen” who’ve never heard of the story of Jesus to be saved while on the other hand you seem to be arguing against this concept? You do realize that all those untold millions throughout history who have never heard the story of Jesus will either be practicing some form of “alien spirituality” or be atheistic in their thinking? There simply is no other option for those who are honestly ignorant of the Bible and the story of Jesus. Yet, Paul specifically says, in no uncertain terms, that the Law (the Royal Law in particular) has been written on their hearts and that some of these honest heathen will strive to follow this Divine light and will be saved accordingly… regardless of their other misconceptions about the actual identity of God and other aspects of His true nature.

      In short, there will only be one question asked in the judgement: Did you love your neighbor or not? Did you strive to follow the Royal Law that was written on your heart?

      Jesus specifically says that He personally identifies with the “least of these” and that how you loved and treated the “least of these” within your own sphere of influence is how you loved and treated Him. On this, therefore, hangs your eternal destiny, and mine, and the destiny of everyone who has ever lived – regardless of any knowledge of the story of Jesus. The most humble neighbors stands in the place of Jesus in this world. And, upon one’s love toward these most humble of neighbors weighs one’s eternal destiny – heathen or otherwise (Matthew 25:40).

      You write:

      You quoted John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is precisely the point. Atheists refuse to confess their sins. They do not see themselves as being sinful. Furthermore, they do not believe in a Creator God, let alone a Redeemer in Jesus. If they did confess their sins to Jesus, the promise of God’s redemption is every ready to wipe their sins clean. Thus, their sins will be judged after the 2nd resurrection.

      First off, you are quoting 1 John 1:9 here while I was quoting John 1:9 which reads, “For That One was The Light of Truth, which enlightens every person that comes into the world.” In other words, God has given every single person a measure of light by which each one will be judged. Those who love the light that they’ve received and strive to live accordingly, will be saved. Those who reject the light received, will be lost.

      As far as atheists are concerned, some atheists have been taught false ideas about God that are hateful – such as the idea that God will torture people for eternity in Hell fire. I would also reject such a God if this was the picture I was given. However, some of these same people still hear the call of the Holy Spirit to selflessly love their neighbors as themselves – according to the Royal Law (James 2:8). Paul goes on to clarify this point arguing that, “whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). If this is true, then how can those who truly love their neighbors as themselves, selflessly, be unsavable? – if they are honestly ignorant of the true identity of God? If they love what God loves, are they not following His Spirit’s leading? – and therefore in line with the voice of God speaking to their hearts? If one is following the voice of God to the best of his/her ability, what more can be asked of anyone as far as fitness for heaven?

      As far as the claims of Ellen White to have been Divinely inspired on occasion, it is quite clear to me now that you don’t believe that Ellen White was actually Divinely inspired at all – because not everything she did or said was inspired. You do understand, however, that this is true of every prophet? – to include every single one of the Biblical prophets? All were erring humans like the rest of us. They all made mistakes and had limited knowledge about many things. Yet, God did talk to these erring humans to give them privileged information on occasion. That doesn’t mean that He made them error free in everything else they did or said or believed. You have to be able to separate the Divine from the human when reading the Bible and/or Ellen White.

      Beyond this, Ellen White specifically spoke against phrenology and mesmerism as being “seized upon by Satan as his most powerful agents to deceive and destroy souls” (Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 296). And, regarding “witching for water”, Ellen White never recommended it. What she did do is recommend a well digger, Salem Hamilton, to dig the well on the property close to San Diego that she was shown (by God according to her) to purchase for the church. The idea of using a “wizard water stick” to find the best place to dig the well was not her idea or recommendation at all, but was actually thought to be an empirical “scientific” practice by many in her day and throughout much of history even into modern times (not necessarily considered to be a spiritualistic practice at the time; Link). I myself grew up working for various contractors who swore by the practice as an empirical scientific way of detecting water lines – and they were by no means spiritualistic in their thinking. They were Godly men.

        (Quote)

      View Comment

Leave a Reply to Jody Johnson Cancel reply