Idolatry

[Gregory Matthews]

The following article is going to anger some.  It is blunt and many will say that it overstates. Those who agree with it may only agree with part.  In any case, it raises issues that must be addressed, regardless of the position  that one takes.  My advice:  Do not read if articles of this type are more than you are able to consider.

http://spectrummagazine.org/article/2017/08/04/church-israel-has-fallen-idolatry

[CoAspen]

Very interesting and sure to be controversial...as it is in the Spectrum Mag! But, if one were to be honest, I would believe many, many SDA's have had these conversations, even if only with their self.

[LifeHiscost]

Just another attempt by the lord of the underworld, to confuse those who do/do not yet see Jesus as their only hope for entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven.

2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.....Hebrew 12

…11He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” ....Acts 4

8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.… Ephesians 2

God is Love!~Jesus saves!  

 

[phkrause]

Thanks for the post GM. Its interesting how things go around in cycles. I don't really know this pastor from Australia, but I'm guessing he's a young pastor between 25 and 40 or so. The reason I say that is because back about 50 some years I remember pastors and church members using EGW to clobber people over the head with she said this and she said that about any number of issues. Than we have gone thru a period where a number of our evangelists like Doug Batchelor, Ken Cox, Mark Finley, the VOP head guy, for some reason his name eludes me, and a number of others, have gone to the point of hardly mentioning her name! Which actually has surprised me!! Now in the last few months or so, I heard her being used quite a bit more again. Especially in sermons and evangelistic meetings by Steve Wohlberg. If I recall hearing from sometime in the past or even lately that she was raised by God to bring the church back to the bible, the word of God, and also to fill in those hard to understand passages that many have a hard time understanding!! I can understand when people are using her to bash others over the head, but when used to help with understanding passages in the bible that are problems for many, this should be a good thing in my many years of reading the Bible!! Anyway just my 2 cents worth of thought. Probably with inflation 25 cents worth.

[JoeMo]

Very germane article.  I agree with it.  I have much respect for Mrs. White as an inspired wrier; but not as an infallible interpreter of prophecy.  I agree that much of her writing has sound Biblical support; but there are some that have crept into SDA theology that - to me at least - that have very little sound Biblical support - like a day for a year, the papacy being the beast/antichrist, and her preterist/historicist view of prophecy.  Some of us SDA's treat her as our own little pope or mother Mary.

I don't think EGW intended herself to be used this way; I think the White Estate has elevated her to this status.  I am a "Bible only" kind of guy; but in saying that I realize that many of my views of the Bible have likely been colored by my past indoctrination.

[phkrause]

I agree we should all be "Bible only!" But don't we all go to outside sources many times, when we don't understand a passage and see what they have to say? So for me, I'd rather go to someone that has actually been called by God, had visions from him, etc., and heed what they have to say above others?? I'm not saying that there are not others that have good things to say! And also I'm not saying that she is infallible!! As I've said many times, you will not find in any of her writings where she puts herself above the Bible as many other writers from other denominational have done. One example would be the talmud writers! They add stuff to the Torah and Tanach, etc., many Jews today actually take its word above the Bible!! How about the book of Mormon? Also taken above the Bible!! There are others, like the RCC which has even changed the 10 commandments, to suite itself?? No?? So there are many more examples from many different groups, this is just a few. And lets not forget Islam, they have the writings of Mohammed and than they have all there added on writings too! Depending which group your in, it seems you can pick and choose which one to follow!!