Here is a sermon for someone

[rawprawn]

When Jesus spoke about the pearl of great price, most interpet that to mean we should sell everything and follow Jesus. I think the parable is about Grace. Grace to me is the ability to let go, of everything. Imagine you have your car stolen, and instead of getting angry and upset, you just let it go. Grace is the key to peace of mind, and it is very hard to practice.

When Jesus told the parable, I think the key is in the man giving up everything he had. The Kingdom of God is approached by people who have the ability to let go of stuff, bonds that hold us hostage to things and others. Jesus demonstrated this many times. "You cannot enter the Kingdom unless you are prepared to leave your parents and siblings". It's all about letting go.

[phkrause]

I disagree that many think it has to do with selling everything, according to the SDABC it has to do with Salvation. And I for one agree as I have the feeling many others do.

[teresaq]

This is the way you challenge much of Christianity?

Well keep it up. :)

[rawprawn]

Let me clarify please pk. What I am suggesting is that many, probably most think the parable is about, as you said, salvation, following Jesus. I don't really understand what you mean when you say, "I have the feeling many others do". What feeling is that?

I don't think Jesus is suggesting that he is the Kingdom of God. I think he is suggesting in the parable that Grace is the kingdom of God. In other words, practice grace, and you will have peace on earth, regardless of what others do or say to you. I think the pearl of great price is grace. Find the pearl, and you let everything else go. I think it is important that we don't worship Jesus, rather, listen to him.

[rawprawn]

dg I think the Holy Spirit is a whole new topic. I don't believe there is an easy, or easier way. But knowing that grace is the target, affects me. I'd like to have grace.

[rawprawn]

It is how I challenge Christianity teresaq. The thing about me that most don't seem to get is that I am quite happy to be wrong. I enjoy the process of thinking and learning, and I don't have to come up with an answer. My perspective gives me the freedom to learn and change. I didn't choose to be what I am, it just is.

God is like that, the "I AM". In that statement the author of Exodus is saying, "don't put god in a box because god cannot be controlled by humans in any way". SDA doctrine is a box, a nice tidy box in which many keep god. I think that is unfortunate.

[teresaq]

Ok. I don't really know what exactly you mean by saying you challenge...

I think you have said you challenge SDA beliefs...I'm curious what you mean...Could you give an example?

(And yeah, I don't know how many times I have been wrong in "thinking for myself" but what I have learned by studying for myself instead of accepting others study without question - unless of course it made sense.!)

[rawprawn]

teresaq, I tend to challenge anything that is written or said by human beings, not just SDA's. I have very little trust in the human race. Trust is built into relationships through honesty, as you would know.

When it comes to things that have been written, especially those written many years ago, there is so much room for error and ignorance (lack of knowledge). It is my awareness of my ignorance that leaves me open to learn and be challenged.

As far as challenging SDA doctrine, that is a hard one to enter into because I do not come from the same basis as you most likely do. I don't believe that the Bible is God breathed or authoritative.

Getting down to nitty gritty, I think the doctrine of the remnant makes the SDA church a cult. It is an arrogant claim to be the one true church. It is largely based on two texts:

Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 19:10

The SDA Church claims that Ellen White is their stamp of proof that it is the Remnant Church. But that is a serious misread of the second text.

Prophecy is only a testimony after the fact. The prophecies about Jesus in the OT only take affect after Jesus death, that is when they become a testimony. The Spirit of Phrophecy the first text is refering to is the prophets of the OT. Rev 19:10 has nothing to do with the SDA Church.

[teresaq]

I think the SDA church, its doctrines, are the remnant church.

I don't think we members, necessarily, are the remnant.

Major difference.

No "brownie points" for belonging to the "right church" "keeping the right day".

We only get to be part of the "remnant people" if we actually have any interest in knowing what the law entails, 1. and finding it attractive and a goal, 2.

1. Entails being like David and actually looking at each commandment and thinking about it, letting the HS teach us.

2. Entails asking God to make it attractive to us because we would much rather be superficial.

As I understand it.

I remember wondering one time, when I read that verse again, about meditating on the law, what there was to meditate on. Don't kill, don't steal, period. I feel God said, "Glad you asked" cause I immediately started seeing how deep the law goes.

[Overaged]

If the doctrine of "the remnant;" were correctly understood by those accusing the Adventist Church; there would be no such thing as calling us a cult anymore; atleast not for that. Many people, mistakenly attach some kind of elevated status to remnant, when a church applies it to themselves, but this is a mistake. "Remnant" applies to position, not a superior status. Position refers to position in prophetic time. In other words, if a church is a remnant church; it can be thought of as the church which is in existence at the end of the prophetic period. Thats why the word remnant is used. That does not make a church a "cult."

[Ellen]

It hits me the wrong way when you say it's not important that we worship Jesus. I agree we need to listen to Him and follow His teachings but you should start you days worshiping Jesus / after all He is God.

[Gibs]

The Holy Spirit is God. Jesus Himself told us "God is a Spirit".

Jesus was the body prepared that the Father come and dwelt in as we are told in 2 Cor. 5:19, that God, was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. God with us, manifest in the flesh.

The Holy Spirit is not another God but from what Jesus tells us that is primarily what He is and this includes himself.

Truly the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the one and same God. 1 John 5:7 is correct. Jesus wasn't another God, but it was the Father in Him, The Holy Spirit isn't another God but is God and He is present in the total of his endless creation..

Just Because He represents Himself to us Triune-ly does not mean there is three Gods.

Jesus was fully God in a body that was prepared for to come and dwell with us. Col 2:9

When Jesus has the sin problem all taken care of He returns all back to the Father that He can be "all in all again". Read 1 Cor. 15:24-28, a real wake up in those verses, not many have reckoned with.

1 John 4:4

[teresaq]

So basically you see God as 1 Person manifesting Himself in 3 different ways? You believe in modalism/Sabellianism?

If that is what you believe, are you saying there was no God while "Jesus" lay in the tomb for that time period?

[Gibs]

No, Deity did not die, the man Jesus died, He had told us He had power to lay down His life and power to take it up again, that was the Father in Him.

It is impossible that Deity could die. Many do not understand that. The Father in Him when it was time raised Him then it was proven, I am the Life. He had life within Him and he proved it even before by raise Lazarus.

He laid down His human life but the Deity in Him, God, could in no way die. Possitively.

1 John 4:4

[teresaq]

Ok, but that was neither under dispute nor the question.

While the human body of Jesus, or God, lay in the tomb, where was God, in your understanding?

[Dr. Rich]

[Regarding the parable of the priceless pearl]

[Read first part of] Prov. 23:7.

This parable has nothing to do with grace. If you so strongly believe this, then where is there any grace in Matt. 25:1-13?

[Dr. Rich]

Jesus is NOT the same as the Holy Spirit, He gave the Holy Spirit as found in John 20:21-22. If the event happened as Acts 2 describes, then that spirit was not the Holy Spirit. It is no wonder the 'church' today is evil and following after a evil spirit.

[Dr. Rich]

Not so. Gen. 4:7 makes it clear that WE all have the choice to make--to obey or not to obey. It has nothing to do with letting Go control your life as God will never control anyone. God did not tell Cain to let go and allow God to control his life. In fact, NEVER did God/Jesus ever say anything about letting God control anyone's life. Being saved by grace is only for those who obey all ten of the commandments and follow the words of Jesus,

People who think that God can control their life are open for deception and for the evil spirit to control their life.

[Dr. Rich]

Is Satan now in control of this world and helps set up the rulers of the nations, or is God in control and sets up the rulers of the nations? Please give bible verses to back up your answers.

[phkrause]

I believe that God is in control. [see - ]Proverbs 8:15,16

[CoAspen]

Where are your B. verses to back up your statement??