Hi Folks,
Reading this
makes me nervous. What do you think?
Evangelicals,
Adventists Consider Future Ties Despite
Differences
By
Christian Post
Reporter
Wed, Aug. 15 2007
11:57 AM ET
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Representatives
of the World Evangelical Alliance and Seventh-day Adventist Church recently met
for a second round of theological discussion that will serve as a key factor in
determining whether the Adventist Church will become a member of the WEA.
Theologians from
both parties met Aug. 5-10 at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich., to
discuss theological differences, common goals and whether there are enough
commonalities for the Adventists to join the WEA family.
“The progress
seems to have been that although there are these differences, which no one
wants to gloss over, that does not mean there cannot be cooperation and
fellowship in other areas, especially in moral matters,” explained the Rev. Dr.
David Parker, executive director of the WEA Theological Commission, to The
Christian Post Tuesday.
“This is similar
to other situations where denominations and religious groups may have
differences of belief but do hold common values in some areas allowing them
some measure of cooperation and joint-action,” said Parker.
A well-known
difference between Adventists and other Protestants is in regards to the
Sabbath. Adventists hold their Sabbath on Saturday rather than on Sunday.
Moreover, they believe death is a time of “sleep” until the second coming of
Jesus Christ, rather than the soul going to heaven or hell.
One of the
greatest and most divisive differences, which is the
foundation of Adventism, is the pre-Advent judgment. Adventists believe Jesus
will give the final judgment before his second coming, whereas Protestants
believe the last judgment will occur at or after the second coming.
"We were
able to share with the evangelical world the Adventist self-understanding in an
effort to eliminate prejudice and clarify questions about our message,"
said Adventist meeting organizer John Graz, secretary of the Council on
Inter-church and Inter-faith Relations of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
(CIRA), in a statement.
"Instead of
knowing about us through questionable means, this allowed us face-to-face
interaction to share where our church stands," he said.
The idea for a
WEA-Adventist dialogue came several years ago when the Adventist Church approached the WEA Theological Commission.
They wanted to be considered more as part of the mainstream evangelicalism than
they had in the past, leading them to
seek a top level theological discussion with WEA to clarify differences. The
first WEA-Adventist dialogue was held in Prague, Czech Republic, in August
2006.
“From the WEA
side, there had been approaches in some parts of the world for Adventists to join the WEA family as members of
national evangelical alliances or the like,” said the WEA’s
Parker. “And so the WEA was interested to know what the theological situation
was at the present time and whether there was enough compatibility for
Adventist to be able to sign the WEA Statement of Faith.”
Both parties are
now contemplating what appropriate steps should be taken, if any. The WEA
leadership is currently deciding whether the outcome of the theological talks
would “give sufficient warrant” for further steps and if interested Adventists
groups around the world should be allowed to join the WEA as members based on
theological compatibility. The Adventists are also deciding what the next step
should be.
Last week’s
discussions were led by Dr. Rolf Hille, chairman of
the Theological Commission of the WEA, and William G. Johnsson,
assistant to the president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
for Interfaith Relations.
Ron’s Commentary:
What really
concerns me is this:
- "The idea for a WEA-Adventist dialogue came several years ago
when the Adventist Church approached the WEA Theological Commission. They
wanted to be considered more as part of the mainstream evangelicalism than
they had in the past, leading them to seek a top level theological
discussion with WEA to clarify differences. The first WEA-Adventist
dialogue was held in Prague, Czech Republic, in August 2006."
- All church mergers have begun with such "conversation"
dialogue. That is how Eve fell. She began a dialogue with Satan.
- Ellen White says that the fallen churches, as a body, are led by
Satan, EW, 273. When the church dialogues with Satan, and expresses a
desire to be considered more a part of his mainstream Synagogue, can you
begin to see what an abomination this is to God?
- I believe huge compromises have been made by SDA's in an effort to
succor to Babylon. But the church is like a teaser who will not go all the
way, and one of these days, Babylon is going to become furious with the
church and destroy it in an Ezekiel 9 debacle. The SDA Bible Commentary
says this in the following words:
SDA Bible Commentary on Ezekiel 9:
“Six men. These executioners of
vengeance are pictured as human in form.
In primary application they represent the Babylonians, who were to
execute the divine sentence upon the city.
In secondary application they portend the agencies of judgments which,
at the close of time, will execute sentence, first upon those who have
professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people,
and later upon the wicked in general.” SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 605.
The SDA church will probably enter into the World Evangelical Alliance.
However, there is no honor among world class harlots, and the SDA church will
continue its clandestine activities in “stealing” sheep. This will finally
enrage Babylon at the very end-time, and she will become the destroyers of a
harlot sister “teaser,” who would not go ALL THE WAY with her. Satan himself
will be the master power behind that enragement.
Ron Beaulieu