New to SDA: Some questions

[k4c]

I'm saying a person thinking of joining a church should take a look at all the information available regarding that church. I am not saying they should research every fact about every religion in the history of the world.

It is sad that "other points of view" are so feared.

When you check out a church you compare what they believe with what the Bible says, you don't seek out back sliders in order to get their advice.

 

[EastCoastRemnant]

When you check out a church you compare what they believe with what the Bible says, you don't seek out back sliders in order to get their advice.

Thats what I'm talkin about...

 

[OldStudent]

Hi! I am very new to the SDA church (I went for the very first time to my local SDA church yesterday - 5th February - and enjoyed it very much), and have some questions which I hope you won't mind answering, please?

1. The Sabbath. I understand how important Sabbath keeping is to the church, but am confused as to what you can and can't do on the Sabbath. What constitutes work? Can I work in my garden for example, and can I write a letter to a friend? Also, when exactly does Sabbath end? Is it when I need to put on my lights or is there a set time?

I am taking your post apart and dealing with it that way.
You will discover we take the Sabbath very seriously - often too seriously.

As for what we can and can't do on Sabbath my upbringing tried to train me well as a good Pharisee on this. I tend to stay away from my defining rules for your Sabbath keeping. If you read Exodus 20:8-11 you will get Primary Source on that question.

I recently discovered this perspective on Sabbath: "God is love" 1 Jn 4:8,16. It was out of love and the need for love that God initiated creation. You will note in Ex 20:11 that God reaches back to creation as the basis for establishing the Sabbath command. God built into creation (and hence His law) a day of "rest." But I have come to cast it in the sense of a "date" with His loved ones. When you want to spend special time with your loved ones you don't pay much attention to distractions - indeed, you will probably become rather firm about quieting distractions. God set a regular date to spend special time with those He loves. I was recently startled at some discoveries when I looked at Jesus' interactions with the Sabbath.

What constitutes work? In this context it is our daily, routine work - be it employment or house work. I won't dictate on your garden because I can see personal contextual aspects that you need to judge from your relationship to God and life in general. Having said that I have had to work on Sabbath. I worked in a medical center food service. It was part of the life support. But I chose to set aside those earnings for special service for special needs. That turned out to be to provide needed funds to a student getting into Christian school.

If you would talk to the friend, would writing be a problem?

What is the time span of Sabbath? If you look at the creation record you see that the "evening and the morning was the (nth) day." If you look at the crucifixion of Jesus and note reference to Sabbath observance you will see that pains were taken even to making haste be done with preparations before dusk. So we observe Sabbath sunset Friday to sunset Saturday.

 

[OldStudent]

2. Are all SDA's vegetarian, and if not, which foods are not to be eaten?

No. Lev 11 provides guidance on animal food sources. "Kosher" preparation, however, includes clearing the flesh of its blood (Deut 12:23) - a point not often addressed. Medical guidance is finally catching up to what the church has been saying since the later 1800s that a vegetarian diet containing a variety of sources supports the best health.

 

[OldStudent]

3. Can you recommend which books about the SDA church and its beliefs I should read? I found the SDA bookstore online, but there are so many books I am confused as to which to buy! lol.

Shame on me. I haven't been looking for books of the kind you requested. But if you search on "SDA" and open the official SDA site you will find a pull down in the header "Fundamental Beliefs." There are a couple of entries where you can "get it from the horses mouth." One entry is general in nature. One is a list of 28 items. At the end of each statement is a representative list of passages from which the statement was derived. They tend to be brief and somewhat technical. As you go through them try to keep in mind a sense of His grace and love so you don't get stuck in a merely technical reduction of God.

As I recall a few years ago a book was published called "Fundamental Beliefs." It takes each point and provides added discussion. "Bible Readings for the Home," if you can find it, is also worth looking into.

I hope you can find what you are looking for.

One more observation: given that God is love and He made us in His image, it works out that He doesn't not intend the understanding of His word be a solo study. Pray that you will find yourself in the company of Godly people with whom you can trade discoveries.

 

[Shrewsbury]

OldStudent: Thank you so much for your answers to my original questions. Very informative and very interesting.

Fortunately, I have found a good SDA church local to me, where I have been welcomed and where a number of the members have taken time to speak with me and listen and teach.