Examine Every Belief

[Jessie-Jess]

I received this as today's devotional from the Ellen White Estate. I get them via e-mail and would like to share this one. I even shared it on in a non-Adventist community, because it's what we should all be doing as Christians, especially before we answer controversial topics such as these which are posted in these forums. I'm guilty of speaking in ignorance, too, but following this guideline, as well as praying for wisdom, can help us.

 

Examine Diligently Every Belief, April 12

 

I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness. Ecclesiastes 7:25, NKJV.

 

I have been shown that many who profess to have a knowledge of present truth know not what they believe. They do not understand the evidences of their faith. They have no just appreciation of the work for the present time. When the time of trial shall come, there are people now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. Until thus tested they knew not their great ignorance.

 

And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe; but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth. Certain it is that there has been among us a departure from the living God and a turning to mortals, putting human in place of divine wisdom.

 

God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat. The Lord calls upon all who believe His Word to awake out of sleep. Precious light has come, appropriate for this time. It is Bible truth, showing the perils that are right upon us. This light should lead us to a diligent study of the Scriptures and a most critical examination of the positions which we hold. God would have all the bearings and positions of truth thoroughly and perseveringly searched, with prayer and fasting. Believers are not to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth. Their faith must be firmly founded upon the Word of God so that when the testing time shall come and they are brought before councils to answer for their faith they may be able to give a reason for the hope that is in them, with meekness and fear....

 

With those who have educated themselves as debaters there is great danger that they will not handle the Word of God with fairness. In meeting an opponent it should be our earnest effort to present subjects in such a manner as to awaken conviction in their mind, instead of seeking merely to give confidence to the believer.—Testimonies for the Church 5:707, 708.

 

From the Devotional To Be Like Jesus, Day 71 of 335

[JoeMo]

10 hours ago, Jessie-Jess said:

(Actually Ellen White said:

"Believers are not to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth. Their faith must be firmly founded upon the Word of God so that when the testing time shall come and they are brought before councils to answer for their faith they may be able to give a reason for the hope that is in them, with meekness and fear...."

I infer here that Mrs. White was speaking of scripture, not her own writings.  If I were an unbiased 3rd party, I would likely reject any testimony not based on the Bible.  If I can't find verification in scripture, I won't use an EGW quote to try to prove a point.

[Jessie-Jess]

 

16 hours ago, JoeMo said:

I infer here that Mrs. White was speaking of scripture, not her own writings. 

That is the case. She is referring to Scripture.

[Gregory Matthews]

JoMo said in the  quote below:

I agree that we should not use an EGW quote to prove a point.  The Bible is our standard by which we should judge truth.

However, I would not reject out of hand any spiritual/religious position that was not conclusively proven in the Bible.  There are spiritual/religious positions that I take that are not essential to salvation and not conclusively proven in the Bible that I accept.

While I could give a number of examples, I shall give one:

In Matthew 27 Pilate asked the people to choose between Jesus and Barabbas.  Based upon the meanings of the Hebrew word, I, in sermons, state that Barabbas was one of the false Messiahs that existed in that time.    Well, the Bible does not directly state such and there is an argument that such was not true.  But, I believe it and proclaim it.  Regardless, this is clearly not central to faith and salvation.

 

 If I were an unbiased 3rd party, I would likely reject any testimony not based on the Bible.  If I can't find verification in scripture, I won't use an EGW quote to try to prove a point.

[phkrause]

12 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

In Matthew 27 Pilate asked the people to choose between Jesus and Barabbas.  Based upon the meanings of the Hebrew word, I, in sermons, state that Barabbas was one of the false Messiahs that existed in that time.    Well, the Bible does not directly state such and there is an argument that such was not true.  But, I believe it and proclaim it.  Regardless, this is clearly not central to faith and salvation.

Excellent point GM! I have actually read/heard that very thing on a few Jewish websites where they claim that Jesus Christ is/was not the Messiah and make reference to a number of others that they believed were! And one of them listed is Barabbas, if I'm not mistaken!!