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Gustave: I will understand what Ellen White believed on this subject. I do not have a problem with people saying that Ellen whit was wrong in a specific doctrinal position as she was not intended to fill the role in the developing SDA denomination of a final arbitrator of doctrine. Some may attempt to fit her into that role. But, that was not how she saw herself. That was not what she claimed to be. You have stimulated me to expand my thinking on this subject. for that I commend you. As JoMo essentially stated: regardless of whether or not we (I) agree with you, you are welcome here in this forum. Open communication, as it taking place here is healthy.

Little Moishie Rubenstein, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell his father that he'd dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So Mr. Rubenstein fished it out and threw it in the garbage. Moishie stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to his father’s bathroom and came out with his toothbrush. Moishie held it up and said with a charming little smile, "Abba, we better throw this one out too then, 'cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago."

Doctor Hershy Samuels was known for being an excellent pathologist and having a razor sharp wit. He was often called upon to testify in court. On one occasion in particular, Dr. Samuels was in fine form: LAWYER: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? DR. SAMUELS: No. LAWYER: Did you check for blood pressure? DR. SAMUELS: No. LAWYER: Did you check for breathing? DR. SAMUELS: No. LAWYER: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy? DR. SAMUELS: No. LAWYER: How can you be so sure, Doctor? DR. SAMUELS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. LAWYER: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless? DR. SAMUELS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere.

Sarah Reisman was at home one day sick in bed with her young daughter Rivkah. Rivkah was about four, and always wanting to be of help to her mommy. So while her mother was sick, young Rivkah got a magazine for her mom, fluffed all the pillows for her, and even made her a cup of tea. Sarah was very pleased with the tea and asked Rivkah how she had ever learned to make tea on her own. Rivkah proudly told her mom, "Well mommy, I've seen you do it tons of times. Only this time I couldn't find the strainer, so I used the fly swatter instead." "YOU WHAT!?!?!" Sarah cried. "Oh don't worry mommy,” Rivkah said. “I didn't use the new fly swatter, I used the old one."

Gustave, You and I have different views concerning the Scripture's "definition" of God. You believe the Scripture's "define" God as a Trinity. I do not.

Was listening to a psychologist talking about the stats on mass shooters going back to 1966. All but one were male. (Females are exposed to violent TV, movies, and video games, but do not turn into mass shooters.) No one political party or one specific prejudice was identified. All had been abused or severely neglected as a young child. Most Fathers were absent from the home, or were abusive. He sited the breakdown of the family, dwindling local support resources like churches, Boy Scouts, etc. etc. Coaches and sports are about the only male role models left (other than good fathers), but if a boy is not the athletic type . . . . All were loners. If we teach children from grade school on, that they evolved from pond slime and there is no supreme being who loves them - it opens the door to feelings of total abandonment, which then lead to anger, which can lead to senseless violence.

https://www.univision.com/univision-news/immigration/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-coyote-smuggling-migrants-from-mexico-to-the-united-states https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/border-czar-cartels-making-more-trafficking-humans-over-drugs-into-us https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2018/05/21/are-human-smuggling-cartels-at-the-u-s-border-earning-500-million-a-year/

I'm doing well since surgery on my foot last week. But have to wear this clunky post op shoe for a month. I did buy a zippered rain boot to wear over it, so I can walk outside. Can't neglect my flowers.

I think we talked awhile back about "would not" vs "could not". One has to do with God's all-knowledge (including the future), and the other has to do with Christ's nature (human, divine, combination, fully both). Because the LORD prophesies a thing concerning a human subject, does not mean that person has no choice. Choice is not removed because the LORD has prophesied a future action. On the other point: I believe that Jesus Christ "emptied himself" to take the form and the nature "of a servant". Of what did He empty himself? The Greek word means "void" or "empty". Jesus said, "The Father who dwells in me, does the works" (John 14:10). Why would Jesus need His Father to do the works? If He was equal in power, why not just do the works Himself? More still, if Jesus was the same divine being/person (God), then He would have no need to be indwelt by His Father (a second being). Without the indwelling of His Father - the "fullness of the God" would Jesus have been able to do the works? "The works" to include not just miracles, but also perfect conformity to the will of His Father. Did Jesus have the choice - to receive or reject the indwelling of His Father, or was Jesus (because of His existence as God) simply part of "God" with no separate identity or existence? I personally believe that Father and Son are two separate persons/beings - each with individual will. Therefore Christ could have resisted/rejected His Father's will. One does not need to suffer from "violent cognitive dissonance", to believe that God (defined as "the Father") beget a second divine being out of Himself (in His exact image), and that He "sent" His begotten "Son" into this world.

Although I can't blame it on EGW, I am suffering cognitive dissonance over this as we speak. Thanks Gustave - now I won't be able to sleep tonight! ? Seriously, Gustave, you are a valuable asset to this community. You are more than welcome to keep challenging us. Keep questioning all the answers!

Using hindsight, while I firmly believe that Christ had a free will and could have sinned, even if I'm wrong, the fact is that Christ did NOT sin; therefore we have access to the Kingdom and eternal life. Gustave made an interesting statement saying that if Jesus could sin that means God could sin. God has the ultimate free will - He can do whatever He wants. Because He is God, whatever He does is right. Sin is falling short of His target. I can't reconcile in my head how God God can have a free will, yet - by His very definition - can do no wrong. Does that make sense?

As Ive said before, if it was imposiible for Christ to sin, satan would have a legitimate gripe that Jesus did not overcome as a human. If He is indeed the second Adam, then Hw would have to have the capacity to sin. All that being said, I understand why you believe like you do. I believed the same way when I was a Catholic.