Never mind what Baptists & other denominations think... Let's study God's word with a spirit that wants to learn & not because we grew up in Adventism, where we must always defend our faith even when we are in error.
So if you say the sacrifices died at the cross, how come the law has managed to live on, till this day with Adventists? Is it because you're afraid that, if we say the law died as well, it would then mean that it is now okay to steal, kill & ignore the Sabbath? You know what would do you good? For once just seriously think of your own salvation and start searching the scriptures in spirit & in truth, without looking at where Mrs White stands in all of this. It's the straight word of God that we need here and not a set of spirit of prophecy books....
I never grew up in Adventism. Here is my testimony here if your interested...
MY TESTIMONY – GOD’S SPIRIT IS TO BE OUR GUIDE AND TEACHER
I did not go to Church to find God. I began reading Gods' Word for myself at home before I ever thought about going to any Church. As I continued reading Gods' Word asking for God's guidance, my life changed forever, when I came to first know Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior for my sins. I read through Gods' Word that all of us have sinned *
Romans 3:9-23 and that sin according to the scriptures was breaking anyone of Gods' 10 commandments and not believing and following what Gods' Word says in
Romans 3:20;
Romans 7:7;
1 John 3:4.
I did not know much about the Sabbath at this stage but intellectually I believed Gods Word but it was not my experience. I had a knowledge of what sin was from the scriptures and that according to the scriptures breaking God's law was sin and all of us had sinned therefore I was a sinner. I prayed and asked God to forgive me and repented from my sins in my heart and decided to follow God through His Word. Most of this was in my mind but I did not realize to some time latter that this was never my experience. From this point forward I think God was teaching me that the more I tried to follow His Word the more he was showing me that I could not obey His Words and the more I saw myself as a sinner unable to do what God wanted me to do.
It was through Gods' law that I saw that I was a sinner under God's condemnation and death there was nothing that I could ever hope to do to save myself. The more I tried to keep Gods law the more I saw myself condemned by the law (
Romans 7) until one day this experience as painful as it was brought me to the foot of the cross crying out "Oh wrteched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death?" (
Romans 7:24). It was here looking up at the cross where I saw Jesus in my mind and heard His Word to me "the just shall live by faith." Faith in what?
I saw for the first time Jesus shedding His blood for my sins so that I could receive God's forgiveness. He gave me His life when all I had was death and by His stripes I saw for the first time I was healed. Not because of anything I had done but because He loved me and gave himself for me. This is where Gods' Law brought me. It brought me to Christ so that all I could so is call out "Lord have mercy on me a sinner". Then I looked up and could see, and my eyes were opened for the first time see Jesus dying for my sins even me, so that I could be reconciled to God. This is where my whole life changed and that change took place as I was seeking Him through his Words and believed them. This is where Gods' law brought me so that I could understand the words of Jesus in
Matthew 9:12-13 for the first time.
I was not brought up in the SDA Church. I never knew anything about it or did I know anything about it when I was in the world. I became SDA some time latter after finding it through the scriptures of Gods' Word. I did not find God's Word either by EGW or any other book. I started reading the bible after not knowing about God living in the world. Although when I was very young I went to Sunday school.
When I was reading the bible one day I came across some scripture that troubled me.
The scriptures were talking about the last days just before Jesus returned and it said that in these last days there will be many false prophets and false Christs that if it was possible they shall deceive Gods' very elect (
Matthew 24:24). At the time I read these scriptures I was not going to any Church.
I was just reading my bible at home but they troubled me very much at that time I remember because I was thinking of going out to join a Church somewhere but I did not know which one. When I read these scriptures in
Matthew 24:24 I believe God showed me their interpretation at that time as in the last days before He returns there would be many false prophets being messengers or teachers claiming they were from God that have false teachings and that the false Christs represented false Christian Churches (e.g. Christ being the head of the body which is the church -
Ephesians 5:23;
Colossians 1:18) and that many would be lost by following what these Churches were teachings.
Then as I was considering these scriptures one day, I believe God showed me all the Churches of the world all professing to be the chosen ones of God. Today in a recent consensus I remember reading that there is today somewhere around 30-40,000 different Churches all professing to be Gods true Church that have the truth of Gods' Word? Now I do no know how true those figures are but to me even if there was 20 churches all professing to be Gods' true Church that is 19 too many right?
So I was troubled because I did not want to follow false teachings and be lost to God. I prayed to God saying dear God help me. How am I going to know who your true Church is? I barely know your word and how am I ever going to find who your true Church is? I wanted to follow God but I knew I was never going to find Him if he did not help me and if he did not help me it would be impossible for me to find the truth of His Word. Looking back now with tears in my eyes I see how God answered my prayers and was with me guiding me and teaching me through His Word.
Not long after I prayed to God, as I was continuing reading His Word I came across some promises from His Word that really helped me to have believe God was leading and guiding me. These promises seemed to speak to me again just like the scripture from
Matthew 24:24 that troubled me into thinking how am I ever going to know the truth of God's Word?
These scriptures that really spoke to me next were...
John 14:26 [26], But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.
John 16:13 [13], However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
John 7:17 [17], If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
John 8:31-32 [31], Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed, [32], And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
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When I read these scriptures, it was like God knew my thoughts and how I was feeling and was talking to me through his Word personally. I now had hope and was happy and relieved that God promises to be my guide and teacher to help me to know the truth of His Word and that I did not need to be worried if I trusted Him about being deceived into not knowing what His truth is. I knew I had a part to play and that was to seek Him and claim His promises through His Word (
John 8:31-36).
I started claiming His promises above as I was reading His Word and slowly but surely started learning more of His Word. I asked God, praying dear God thank you for these promises but who is your true Church? I know I cannot find who your true Church is unless you guide me and teach me and show me who they are?
I continued over some time reading God's Word and found these scriptures which seemed to stay with me that seemed to describe who Gods Church was according to the scriptures here...
[1.] God’s people are described as God’s sheep that hear believe and follow Gods Word *
John 10:26-27
[2.] God’s people are described as God’s saints that keep the commandments of God and the faith or teachings of Jesus *
Revelation 14:12.
[3.] God’s people are described as those who the dragon (devil) is making war with because they keep the commandments of God *
Revelation 12:17
[4.] God’s people are described as having the testimony of JESUS which is the Spirit of Prophecy. They know the end day prophecies *
Revelation 19:10
[5.] God’s people are described as being blessed because they washed their robes in the blood of the lamb *
1 Peter 1:18-19;
Revelation 7:14;
Revelation 12:11;
Revelation 22:14
[6.] God’s people are described as being blessed because they keep Gods commandments and receive eternal life *
Revelation 22:14
[7.] God’s people are described as being born again and do not practice sin (breaking Gods’ commandments) *
1 John 3:6-9
[8.] The different between the children of God and the children of the devil is that the children of God do not practice sin (breaking God’s commandments) and the children of the devil do *
1 John 3:6-10.
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The question we all must consider is how do we know we know God and are Gods saints according to the scriptures? Well Gods saints are in every Church who are living up to all the light of the knowledge of Gods’ Word that God has revealed to them and in times of ignorance when we do not know any better God winks at but when God gives us a knowledge of His Word he calls all men everywhere to believe and follow it *
Acts of the Apostles 17:30-31;
James 4:17.
Many do not know that the religious teachers of the world of fallen away from God’s Word in order to follow man made teachings and traditions that break the commandments of God. BABYLON is described as being fallen. The mother church and her daughters *
Revelation 14:8;
Revelation 17:1-5. She has changed times and law *Danial 7:25 and supplanted her own day of worship for which there is no scripture in place of God’s 4th commandment which is one of God’s 10 commandments that give us the knowledge of what sin is when broken *
Romans 3:20;
Romans 7:7;
1 John 3:4.
God has his people in all of these Church’s and is calling his people out of Babylon from following the traditions and teachings of men back to the pure Word of God. *
Revelation 18:1-5. The hour is coming and now is that the true worshipers will worship God in Spirit and in truth. God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. *
John 10:16;
John 4:23-24.
What is the test to know if we know God?
1 John 2:3-4 [3], And HEREBY WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. [4], HE THAT SAITH, I KNOW HIM, AND KEEPETH NOT HIS COMMANDMENTS, IS A LIAR, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM
In times of ignorance God winks at but when he gives us a knowledge of the truth of his Word calls all men everywhere to believe and follow. God’s sheep hear His voice (the Word) and follow it.
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SUMMARY: I became a Sabbath keeper and SDA because I believe God guided me to this Church through His Word and this is my personal experience and testimony! God's Church through faith according to the scriptures keep all the commandments of God not some of them according to the scriptures and this is the difference between 99% of all the Churches of the Word. - YES the Sabbath of God's 4th commandment! 99% of the Churches of the Word are not following God's Word. God is calling His people out to return to His Word and follow Him in Spirit and in truth *
Revelation 18:4
Hope this is helpful
Take Care.
