Comment on Defining Adventism: A poll by Patrick Jones.
A good SDA professor can reject some of the 28 fundamental statements.
A good SDA professor can accept some of the 28 fundamental statements.
A heretical SDA professor could reject some of the 28 fundamental statements.
A heretical SDA professor could accept some of the 28 fundamental statements.
It just depends how carefully you read the 28 fundamental Statements.
I will show that the question posed is made by someone who has never really read the 28 fundamental statements carefully.
The 28 fundamental statements are worded in areas to mean two different things.
For instance Statement #12 is defining “the Church.” You think it is about the SDA church, but it is not. It defines “the church” as any “community that confesses Christ.” A community can mean a church system, or a local church of any denomination. Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, SDA–all are included in this definition. We believe that Catholic church fell centuries ago, and that the Protestant churches fell in 1844. We call these fallen church systems “Babylon.” In point #12 we are esentially saying that the SDA church is grouped in with Babylon. This is definitely not a true statement, and therefore a good SDA professor would have to reject this article of the 28 statments.
Instead, the definition of “the church” should be any “individual” that confesses Jesus Christ. This would include individuals in Babylon that have not received all the light of present truth, as well as the truly converted in SDA. Specifically, Rev. 14:12 defines the true visible church today.
Statement #13 is about the SDA church. It says that the SDA “remnant” church is part of the “universal” church. This can mean many things, because “universal” is another word for “Catholic”, meaning not that it is worldwide, but that it includes everyone.
Statement #14 on Unity in the church. You think it about unity in the SDA church, but it is not. It is talking about an ecumenical unity based on the Catholic concept of the Trinity–the Triune God. This is the exact language found in the 1995 ecyclical of Pope John Paul II–Ut Unim Sint.
This points us to Article #2 that defines God and uses the strange word “co-eternal” when “eternal” would do just as well, except the former agrees with Catholicism, and the latter with Spirit of Prophecy–“the Heavenly Trio.”
The 28 statements also leaves out important SDA doctrine. It never defines who the beast is, or the image of the beast, or what Babylon is. These are vital points of the Three Angel’s Messages that the SDA church was raised up to preach.
The Three Angels Messages is clear on the subject of Evolution: Worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev. 14:7.
Thus we see that the true question should be: Can a teacher in our schools openly reject the Three Angels’ Messages and represent the true SDA church?
The answer is absolutely NO.
But if you go by the 28 fundamental statements, the answer is absolutely YES. Because “the church” is not the SDA church, and most other churches that fall in the definition of fundamental statement #12 believe in evolution.
Patrick Jones Also Commented
Defining Adventism: A poll
The Bible tells us that God the Father is the Creator. Rev. 4:11. God the Father created all things through Jesus christ. See Eph. 3:9. In fact, Gen. 1:2 tells us that the Holy Spirit was involved. Gen. 1:26 tells us that the Father worked in perfect harmony with the other two members of the Godhead in the work of Creation. When we are spiritually re-created and are baptized, it is in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They work together in our spiritual re-birth. The Sabbath is the sign of God´s creative and re-creative power. Ezekiel 20:12,20.
Defining Adventism: A poll
Rich said: If these are rejected (not upheld) by our leadership and/or institutions, then the very reason for our existence as a denomination begins to unravel.
Response: The only reason the SDA church exists is to preach the Three Angels’ Messages. See 9T 19.
The SDA church does not exist to uphold man-made statements. The Bible is very clear about Creationism.
The poll question is really a Catholic question–directing our attention to statements of men. The question should not be, “How many statements can you reject?”, but rather, “How much of the Word of God can you reject?”, or “How many commandments you can reject?”, which is none. The fourth commandment is very clear about Creationism. In six days the Lord made heaven and earth.” This is exactly the same message that we find in the First Angel’s Message that the true SDA church is to preach.
“God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority–not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its support. Great Controversy, 595.
Defining Adventism: A poll
Some of the 28 statements are deceptively worded to mean two things. If they can be clarified, this poll might count for something. For example, Read carefully on the definition of “Church”. You think it is talking about the SDA church, but is it?
Recent Comments by Patrick Jones
Adventists are virtually silent
But Ron’s statement is sad, because really it is by faith that we understand.
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3.
Without faith, then, we are can’t understand the truth, and thus are ignorant of the truth. Satan deceives many with mis-interpreted facts that appear to have weight. He says you don’t need Bible faith to understand. But really it takes a faith, not of the Bible, to believe in evolution.
The gospel and Creation go together. It takes the Word of God to create this world and it takes the Word of God to re-create us. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17.
Those who by faith have surrendered their lives to the Word of God, and received its living power to overcome sin, will understand and believe in Creation.
Adventists are virtually silent
Ron’s misspelling of the word “ignorance” was no doubt accidental. It was a good example of a mutation that purely by chance happened to his sentence, which, after millions of years, and more accidental mutations, would have improved the sentence to a new level of meaning. No doubt, the final sentence would have evolved to say, “Adventists support creationism, they don’t support ignorancre.”
Student reveals true intent of LSU’s biology seminar class
Br. Louie: Not only have you taken BIO 111A, but you are taking HIS 427, a senior course for select students called “Luther and the Reformation.” Now you have personally experienced what Luther went through in fighting against a hierarchy opposed to truth. Stand firm, like Luther, on the Word of God, against the august magistrates of our time.
