Members phkrause Posted March 9, 2013 Members Share Posted March 9, 2013 Here's an interesting article I thought I'd share with you. http://www.adventistreview.org/issue.php?issue=2012-1532&page=27 Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olger Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 THANKS Quote "Please don't feed the drama queens.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 thanks for the article, it is really explaining what is happening in the churches (regrettably i don't have much experience with SDA church's, this is based on church's prior to becoming a SDA). not only was dis-unity allowed to perpetuate and grow between members - when ever we had meetings, people would get stuck on a minor issue's, and it would go around and around the table - saying the same thing over and over.. how can we fight the good fight, if we can't organize ourselves. We all have different personalities, but God has given us an example and outline and authority to grow and be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators John317 Posted March 14, 2013 Moderators Share Posted March 14, 2013 Good article by Hyveth Williams, our "old" pastor here at Loma Linda Hill Church. She makes some great points about the need for unity. Thanks for posting. Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators John317 Posted March 14, 2013 Moderators Share Posted March 14, 2013 ...how can we fight the good fight, if we can't organize ourselves. We all have different personalities, but God has given us an example and outline and authority to grow and be better. X10 Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators lazarus Posted March 14, 2013 Moderators Share Posted March 14, 2013 It seems that many in the church have forgotten this: Fourth, as “hot potato” issues are debated, remember that Ellen White said: “There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people is not proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No doctrine will lose anything by close investigation.” Quote Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence. Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Tom Wetmore Posted March 15, 2013 Administrators Share Posted March 15, 2013 Quote "Absurdity reigns and confusion makes it look good." "Sinless perfection is such a shallow goal." "I love God only as much as the person I love the least." *Forgiveness is always good news. And that is the gospel truth. (And finally, the ideas expressed above are solely my person views and not that of any organization with which I am associated.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Quote: It (unity) is not uniformity; it is the freedom to be different while being in conformity with the principles or system of beliefs of an organization. Where necessary, provisions can and should be made, or variances granted according to a society’s standard of living that does not conflict with the Word of God. To me, this was the most meaningful statement in the article. IMO, so amny of the things we get "personal" about on CA are matters of uniformity, not unity. For example - some people are dead sold on the day-for-a-year principle based on the infallible words of our pioneers and the SoP. Others aren't quite as sold on the concept. Yet, I think all of us who identify with Adventism are totally sold on the literal soon return of Jesus. Agreement on day-for-year principle=Uniformity Agreement of literal soon return of Jesus=Unity Another example - some people refuse to consider any other scenario of the end times except the RCC, led by the papist antichrist, shoving Sunday sacredness down our throats. Others consider it just one feasible scenario of end-time apostasy. What about Islam? RCC/Pope/Sunday as only possible end-time scenario=Uniformity RCC/Pope/Sunday one of many possible end-time scenarios=Unity Maybe these aren't the most glaring examples. There are many others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobRyan Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Agreement on Day for a year, 1844, IJ, Sabbath, Spirit of Prophecy, mortal state of man, Real historic Genesis account of Creation, Bible as our moral guide, sola scriptura doctrinal testing, 3 angel's messages, close of probation, markt of the beast - ALL unity. Agreement on the color of the carpet, wallpaper, when the judgment of the living might start - uniformity. in Christ, Bob Quote John 8:32 - The Truth will make you free“The righteousness of Christ will not cover one cherished sin." COL 316. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeHiscost Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 It seems that many in the church have forgotten this: Fourth, as “hot potato” issues are debated, remember that Ellen White said: “There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people is not proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No doctrine will lose anything by close investigation.” This presents to me, a quandary as I struggle with a fallen nature, having the disposition to procrastinate yet accepting by faith the new creation the Word says is reality the moment we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. The reality that being born again is not only an immediate fact upon receiving Jesus' righteousness in justification, but also a work in progress through sanctification, helps me to find the peace that passes understanding, also promised to the children of God. "Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’"Isaiah 46:10 NASB "...for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."Philippians 2:13 NKJV God cares! Quote Lift Jesus up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators lazarus Posted March 15, 2013 Moderators Share Posted March 15, 2013 Could you restate your point. I'm not fully understanding what you are saying in relation to the quote I posted. Quote Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence. Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 You are entitled to your opinion - that is what unity vs. uniformity is all about. I agree with some of your "unity" applications; and disagree with others (surprised?). For example, to me, the dividing line has to do with the answer to the question - "Is this really a salvational issue?" So for me (and I ain't saying this is true for everyone), the Sabbath, State of the Dead, Bible as moral guide (for Christians, at least)and sola scriptura (notice that excludes SoP) are salvational issues, therefore unity issues (at least for SDA's) the other things you mention are uniformity issues. At the risk of getting slammed, I think being an SDA is a uniformity issue, for the most part. There are many fine Christians in the unity of the body of Christ that are not SDA's. But that is my opinion; and opinions are like fingerprints - everyone has them; and everyone's are different. I reiterate my right to be wrong and/or change my mind concerning my own opinions at any given time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobRyan Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 You are entitled to your opinion Quote John 8:32 - The Truth will make you free“The righteousness of Christ will not cover one cherished sin." COL 316. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeMo Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Quote: In the days of the dark ages - Christians were losing their lives for refusing to pray to the dead, refusing to pray to Mary, refusing to accept the supremacy of the Pope, denying the Catholic teaching on purgatory etc. That was then and this is now. That being said, it is entirely posiible (indeed, it is prophesied) that we could return to those days in the end times. What I got out of Matt. 16 is the fact that self-righteous institutional religion "puffs" a person up. I'll take a strong relationship with God over a relationship with a religion any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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