BobRyan said:
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1. SDAs think that Jesus is really just an angel and not God the Son. They don't believe in the Trinity. (Yet even Walter Martin in his book "Kingdom of the cults" knew that this is not true about SDAs actually teach.)
How do you explain this angel stuff?
Michael is a form that God the Son takes for specific "conflict" purposes. For example war - in Daniel 10 and in Revelation 12 and in Jude 1 -- he is in conflict with Satan. Some have said it is his "warrior" persona. But like Genesis 18 it is simply a "form" that God the Son takes. it does not mean he is what we think of as an actual Angel.
What role do here writings play in SDA doctrine? What percentage is from EW?
If you look at the 28 fundamental beliefs all of them stand or fall - based on the Bible alone.
We accept the 1Cor 12 doctrine on spiritual gifts and prophecy and claim she is an example of a Bible-approved prophet. God did give her messages about doctrines that we already held. So in those cases we have added detail - but no doctrine that we hold is based on Ellen White so we do all of our doctrinal classes and evangelism -- sola scriptura.
Messages God gave her about the details and importance of a given Bible doctrine are helpful and in Ephesians 4 we are told that such prophetic messages are so that we are not tossed about by every false wind of doctrine that circumstances may cast about from time to time.
If you hear you correctly, it's the gospel plus your works which justify you. Is that your position?
The Gospel is the only way to get justification. But the Gospel says that a born-again believer will show their true condition "by their fruits" -- the tree is not changed by looking at the fruit. So we are talking about Romans 2:4-16.
I doubt that's an issue because most people don't think very highly of Calvinists.
All Presbyterians are Calvinists and about half of Southern Baptists are.
You do however believe that SDA is the "remnant" , and that the rest of the churches are apostate, right?
Every denomination (as a general rule) has some doctrinal statement where they differ with other denominations. And in that case each denomination claims they are right on that point -- and those that differ are wrong. We do the same thing.
But "remnant" does not mean "saved". We do not claim SDAs are the only ones saved or that all SDAs are saved.
We claim that our Revelation 14:6-12 Three Angels Message focus is the end-time last-day message from God to the world - similar to Noah's message to the world.
You would not need Ellen White - to read Rev 14. But she did get quite a few messages directly from God about what a big deal that chapter is.
BobRyan said:
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7. SDAs believe Jesus is still suffering in heaven for the Atonement of mankind. They do not believe in his once-for all completed at the cross "Atoning sacrifice".
Which of your doctrines might make someone come to this conclusion, do you think?
We teach that the 1 John 2:2 (NIV) "Atoning Sacrifice" was full and completed at the cross 2000 years ago. But we also teach that the Bible doctrine on "Atonement" as God stated it in Leviticus 16 "The Day of Atonement" - includes not only Christ as the "Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the World" -- the "Lord's Goat" in Lev 16 slain for the sins of the lost. But it also includes the work of Christ as our High Priest as we see in Lev 16 and as Paul says in Hebrews 8:1 it is the "Main Point" - the work of Christ done as our High Priest in heaven - in the heavenly sanctuary - begun when He was bodily ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.
That is a much larger Bible-context for the doctrine of ATonement - than just the events 2000 years ago.
