BobRyan said:
And yet not one SDA here appeals to a statement from Ellen White to make their repeated sola-scripture case for doctrine after doctrine as we discuss various ones here on CF
Hm, no you are smarter than that.
Indeed. I think some people "Wish we would" only be arguing sola-Ellen-white because then their false accusations to that effect could at least have a leg to stand on.
And what is even "better" for the false accusers is that IF IT WERE true that our best case can only be made with quotes from Ellen White - then our established practice of NOT doing that should make it ever so easy to construct a truly objective and compelling response to our positions without having to constantly limit one's self to mere pejoratives, name-calling etc.
In other words our practice here should be a "wish come true" for those who imagine that we need Ellen White to make our case.
You repeatedly argue that the law on earth is/was a shadow of the perfect immutable law in heaven.
Err... um... "no".
We argue that some forms of the OT Law are shadows that point to the death of Christ - for instance animal sacrifice laws.
Other laws are moral laws that apply to all mankind - such as the TEN for example.
The same thing Dies Domini and the Catholic Catechism states on that one specific point. As well as almost all other major denominations on planet Earth.
For this you quote ... not really a precise verse as such, but you quote verses that sound like it.
Let us examine then one passage about the law as a shadow (or something)
hebrews 10:1-2 "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins”
And if we continue quoting it - we find that it is speaking specifically of the Laws relating to animal sacrifices and offerings.
Heb 10:
3 But in those
sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for
the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,
“You have not desired
sacrifice and offering,
But You have prepared a body for Me;
6 You have not taken pleasure in whole burnt offerings and
offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come
(It is written of Me in the scroll of the book)
To do Your will, O God.’”
8 After saying above, “
Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and
offerings for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure
in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.”
He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all
time.
11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. 14 For
by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified
So, reading this verse, I get it that there is not "a perfect law in heaven".
No it is saying that the Law of animal sacrifices and offerings is not what forgives sins. Animal blood never forgave human sins - it was always the blood of Christ alone - not a goat or a bull's blood.
"
the gospel was preached to Abraham" Gal 3:8
Rather, the law is a shadow, by the fact that the sacrificial system in the law foreshadows the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
Only the animal sacrifices and offerings centered "law".
But moral law such as "Love God with all your heart" Deut 6:5, "Love your neighbor as yourself" Lev 19:18, "honor your father and mother" Ex 20:12 (Eph 6:2) are in the moral law of God written on the heart according to the OT Jer 31:31-34.
And this is what even the CCC, and Dies Domini and almost Bible scholars in almost all Christian denominations also affirm.
