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Would you also term the inspired words of nonSDA writers as "scripture"? (not trying to harp on the issue, but I honestly think Ellen White would be horrified to think that anyone was terming her writings as Scripture, on par with the Bible)...

rather than providing 3rd party ideas of what they *think* Alex Bryan's theology is, wouldn't it be better to ask him directly? This business of condemnation via hearsay, innuendo, and subjective analyses doesn't really cut the mustard with me. Jesus said we must become as children. Children notice everything....they don't subjectively filter things out the way adults do. It sounds to me as though the vehement critics of the ONE Project are doing some big time filtering. I wonder what might happen if those critics would do as Jesus said, and begin to look at *everything*, rather than forming a false Gestalt by taking bits and pieces of the whole.

Speaking of other non-SDA inspirational authors, I have always enjoyed reading Charles R. Swindoll's books. I don't know whether he's still active.

Not a single word of what EGW wrote should be considered as on par with the Bible unless you prefer being part of a cult. That's the dividing line between a cult and true Christianity. When a group puts a human beings writings on par with or ahead of scripture, those people are part of a cult. Mrs. White's writings are lesser than the Bible because some of the stuff she said is wrong based on current understanding. 1844, day for a year, and the "closed door", and the papacy = the AntiChrist are 4 specific examples. I could list many more, but my purpose is not to diss Mrs. White; it is to add my support to The One Project as a valid and desired grass-roots movement is Adventism. It's about time we learned that the Kingdom is about what Jesus has done for us; not what the denomination or Mrs. White has done for us. As far as an earlier comment you made about selling donuts vs. whole wheat bread. If someone comes in your "store" looking for donuts and all you have is bread, they will leave. The opposite is also true. if someone comes into your donut store looking for bread, they will go elsewhere. What's wrong with selling both donuts AND bread? What's wrong with SDAs offering both an enhanced relationship with Jesus (regardless of the denominational source - as long as they are biblical) AND the guidance of Mrs. White?

I have the whole album... Good stuff! While the album tends to blur music genre lines, it features a lot of Steve Martin's excellent banjo playing and has mostly a Blue Grass sound. It includes his classic "King Tut".

I've always wondered where non-SDAs were getting their idea that Adventists considered EGW on par with the Bible. Is that really what you've meant to write?

That is inaccurate. It is true that Ellen White does not replace the Bible, which is the standard. It is not true that Ellen White was only given for the church's developing stage. I take exception to such an implication, whether or not it was intended. Our church still needs Ellen White today, and God designs that her writings should still guide us. Blessings, Green Cochoa.

I may or may not have a legalistic bent but that depends on your definition of legalism. I don't think obedience to the law contributes to salvation. May I ask what you consider legalism? I agree that folks who experience grace produced transformation instinctively follow rules. We see evidence of that is chapter two of Roman where Paul speaks of gentiles who demonstrate they have the law of God written in their hearts by doing by nature the things contained in the law. I also agree that there is never a condition where we stop needing a savior. It will always and only be Christ's performance and sacrifice that provide salvation. I'm also not sure that the description of his experience in Romans 7 is that of a saved man. After all at the end of the chapter he expresses a great desire to be delivered from it. Personally i think the last verse of chapter 7 should actually be the first of chapter 8 where he explains how that deliverance is accomplished.

Do you expect to be coming up short, i.e. sinning, in Heaven? That makes no sense to me. OR Do you expect to NOT be obligated to keep God's law in Heaven? Again, that makes no sense. Obviously, all of us have sinned. The Bible tells us this frankly in Romans 3:23 and elsewhere. That is why Jesus died to take our penalty so that He would have the right to grant us eternal life, even though we didn't deserve it. Knowing that Jesus took our punishment, however, does not make us free to sin away all we want--that is what the Bible would call doing despite to His grace (see Hebrews 10:28-29). Contrariwise, because He first loved us, we love and obey Him. He has said to His followers, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." If we do not love Him, we will not be spending an eternity with Him, for God, in His love, knows this would be torture to us. Therefore, if we do not here and now love Him and love keeping His commandments, we cannot expect to live forever. Blessings, Green Cochoa.

Read More Daily Jesus Scripture: Psalm 19:7, 8 Starting Question: When was the last time you had a discussion about what you believe and why - with someone who believed differently than you? Jesus vs Bible Perhaps you have a friend who has challenged your view of Jesus and the Bible. I hope you do! What are you to say to someone who says, “The only reason you need the Bible - particularly the commandments - is because you have a hard heart. If you had love, you wouldn’t need the law. If you actually believed Jesus, you would live a life of love, compassion, self-sacrifice and everything else Jesus lived. You don’t need the Book. Just the Man!” Many Christians have been sold this idea from their well meaning pastors and theologians. Jesus is the answer to the meaning of life and love. So, all you need is Jesus. The Bible - especially the Old Testament - is only useful to those who do not truly believe in Jesus. The New Testament is the Bible for true Christians. It tells the story of Jesus - and He is all we need! When you actually study the life of Jesus in the context in which He lived, this argument falls apart. Putting Jesus up against the Old Testament is an impossibility. Jesus was a Jew and deeply embedded in the culture and context of the Old Testament. He loved the Bible of His day and quoted from it often. To reject His foundational documents and yet follow Him is clearly misguided. First century Israelites didn’t have the scriptures collated as one book but stored the many scrolls, written by many scribes and prophets, in various libraries. The parts of Jesus’ life which were not built on Jewish-Biblical culture were outstanding because they fulfilled prophecies from the Bible in ways the Jews were yet to understand. Indeed, Jesus is the central character of the entire Bible, both Old and New Testament. To remove Him from it - and worse, to put Him against it! - is ludicrous and removes credibility of both the Book and the Man. The purpose of the Bible is to tell the story of God's people and their interaction with Him. It is not intended to be a to do list. The Old Testament is the recorded history of the Israelites and their God. The New Testament is the story of the Early Church and her growth in identity and purpose due to the new twist in the story presented by Jesus - God in the flesh. When we misrepresent God’s Word by making it into a rule book, we drive people away. When we tell it as the grand narrative of God and His people we draw all men, women and children to Him! The purpose of the Commandments is to show people when they are living contrary to God's love and will for their lives. The Law is a transcript of the Character of God. As we see the perfect Law, we see our own imperfection - and we seek a Saviour. Jesus is the culmination - and redefining moment - of both the Bible and the Commandments. He revealed God through His Life and provided freedom from the Law through His Death. Jesus is both the Producer and the product of the Bible. Human life can be neither understood or fulfilled without both the living and the written Word of God! Reflection Question: Which of the commandments helps you understand Jesus better? Prayer time: Before you pray together, ask: What would you like to say to Jesus today? Further Reading: To Be Like Jesus - February 24 -x-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-x GET ONE OF DAVE'S BOOKS, FREE! Support this project by clicking here and pledging a small monthly amount. View the full article

i have known SDA folks who have been Sunday school teachers at Sunday churches. I thought it was wonderful. One of my SDA friends what choir leader in a Sunday church it was great. Alex came to an operating Sunday church spent time teaching them, and left them, and they continue as a Sunday Church. How does this imply he did something wrong? there was no deep research done here...

I have a friend who is up in arms about the Jesus centered movement, as though it is cheap grace, and you don't have to work to overcome, and it is a false revival just before Jesus comes... to lead all who are not faithful away from the truth that saves us. I cannot explain my confusion as she shared her struggle as to whether she is worthy of God's blessing that day because she sinned earlier in the day. We have to look away from ourselves, and let the Holy Spirit lead us to a true knowledge of our condition before God so we will run to Him for everything we need to stand before a Holy God. We cannot just try to follow everything we know to be right and do as we please to please God to our own understanding and then be satisfied that doing whatever we think is right will be good enough for God. This is Righteousness by works. The fear that people can be personally and powerfully lead by the Holy Spirit and not live by orthodoxy is the fear of the emergent church. Emergent church stuff, the silence stuff, and the centering pray stuff is nothing, falls as dust in the presence of the working of the Holy Spirit to lift up Jesus. Everything that is the working of the flesh to be religious and right finds it's true place in the Presence of the Holy God. In the presence of God is not only deepening conviction of sin, deepening of repentance, but Joy in salvation, and a fountain of Love towards God and man..

Green said: O.K. Tell us who spoke at the Seattle Conference who was attempting to lead people astray from God's saving truth. Please tell us who was not a SDA and attempting to lead people astray. Please tell us who was SDA and attempting to lead people astray. Yes, I was cynical in my comment about you giving advice to EGW. But, it caused me to get an answer from you. But, I am now confused. Just who in TOP Do you think is attempting to lead people astray at the Seattle Gathering? Do you think that Japhet and the other SDA leaders were attempting to lead people astray? Do you think that people with whom you disagree are attempting to lead others astray? By the way, as you well know, EGW clearly taught that there are people outside the SDA denomination who are honest in heart,. committed to Christ a nd attempting to do what God wants. Do you believe that you hae the ability to determine who is honest in heart and who is attempting to lead others astray? You and I disagree on some points. I, consider you to be honest in purpose. I do not consider you to be attempting to lead people astray. Do you consider me to be attempting to lead others astray? Green, I am confused. I am not being cynical in asking. I simply do not know and I would like an answer. As to people attempting to advise EGW being rebuked, some were and she followed the advice of others. But, you did not say that she rebuked all. She did not. A classic example is when she was advised to travel to Australia. She did. There are many other examples.

Because she was human, and she was WRONG. She never mentions having a vision or an angel visitor, to tell her that God is actually THREE persons of a Heavenly Trio. For 50 years she was also amendment that there are only two divine beings. In your view, she was WRONG for 50 years? And the LORD waited 50 years to CORRECT His prophet. I do not accept the writings of Ellen White as without error. I read her as I would any other Bible commentary. Many, many other writers were "inspired", but they were not infallible. Neither was Ellen White.

By quoting this verse, you are saying that a third divine being called "the Spirit of God" created this earth. But Scripture credits the creation of this earth to the will of God the Father, executed by His Son. 1 Corinthians 8:6 “ ... yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” No mention of ANOTHER divine being here. Revelation 4:9-11 “Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.’” Credit for existence and creation is given to "Him who sits on the throne". Ephesians 3:9 “ ... and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;” Hebrews 1:1-2, 8, 10 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person [singular], and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”... “And: [to the Son He says] ‘You LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands;” John 1:3 [the Word who was "with God"] “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:10 “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.” Colossians l:12-16 “ ... giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” I don't see credit for creation being given to a THIRD DIVINE BEING. Only Father and Son are credited with creation.

Green said: Green: You have both misquoted me and taken what I said out of context. I never said that EGFW was only given to guide the Church through its developing stage. Please go back and read what I said. She clearly had other functions, which I did not list. The context was that of her being canonical, which she was not. Only the Bible is canonical

Of course I disagree Green Cochoa. Many heresies were coming into "the church", as the first century messages in the Revelation attest. I personally NEVER say that a person will be saved or lost, because he believes, or disbelieves, something that I teach. The most I will say is that from my study, at this point in time, this is where I feel the weight of the evidence falls. I strongly feel the weight falls to TWO divine "persons" - God our Father and Michael His Son - who became Jesus the Christ. Ephesians 3:14 "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named" (NKJ) Revelation 5:13 "And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" What? No blessing, honor, glory, or power, to the holy spirit? No.

Any influence that would tend to remove one from allegiance to Jesus would be better to avoid. And a child of the King and disciple of Jesus has a couple of promises they can depend on. …9You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' 11"Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.…Isaiah 41 4You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.....1 John 4 …28"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."....Matthew 11 Emphasis theirs' LHC God is Love!~Jesus saves!

Then I confess my sin and ask for repentance, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Then I ask for the cleansing of Jesus' blood, which I can claim God's promise to deliver to me. …8If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us....Acts 5 31"He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32"And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."....Acts 5 7"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.…John 15 God is Love!~Jesus saves!

Gop did not give EGW to the SDA denomination to replace the Bible. The Bible is the standard. God gave her to the SDA denomination to guide it through its developing stage.

I certainly should say yes, but the truth is I won't even go to a storm shelter when a huge tornado is coming. Can't stand closed places and 105 sq feet under ground sounds much like a burial spot.

I don't have a problem with living underground. It's the 105 sq feet, that is just plain depressing.

here's a motorcycle bakery creation for you, Bravus!

I too was able to spend some quality time with Neil when he came to visit friends here in the DC area. With both of us possessing the gift of gab we did have a nonstop gabfest. It seemed we hit it off like long lost friends, kindred spirits really. In his last weeks he talked about wanting to be able to come back and visit again. Sadly it wasn't possible. I will miss him.

Having attended a one-day One Project gathering in Boulder a while back, I will attest that it was almost 100% Adventist. I will also attest that it was Adventists who care about everyone else - they want to make Adventism inclusive rather than exclusive. Knowing Jesus first; becoming SDA later.