Sabbath Pulpit Blog

In a very interesting move, the Allegheny West Conference has elected Pastor Frederick Russell to become its next president. What is interesting to me is that this happens during the discussion in the Adventist world over the existence of so called "regional conferences."

Russell has written an article that calls for the removal of the separated conferences in America. His plan, which looks like one of the plans presented in the General Conference document that we blogged on two years ago and can be found at this link, calls for the abolishment of both the local conference and the union conference levels and then create a new entity that is larger than a local conference, but smaller than a union conference.

In contrast, Dr. Calvin Rock disagrees with Russel. You can find his compelling piece at this link.

What to Keep in Mind

I think when we talk about the Black and White conferences we need to keep a few things in mind. First and foremost many of our brothers and sisters of other denominational traditions are being hypocritical when they condemn us for having black and white conferences. We must keep in mind that many of their denominations may not have black and white conferences, the reason being is because they have white and black Denominations. The Methodists split along the color line and so did the Baptists. Certainly today we see some black churches in predominantly white denominations, and a few in the other direction, but I have heard to many Adventists doing hand wringing when a baptist asks about Black conferences when we can at least say we didn't split the denomination itself.

Black People Can't Bear the Brunt of The Black Conference Existence

Another important point to keep in mind, Black people cannot bear the brunt for the reason for their existence. I sometimes hear black and white brothers and sisters blaming black people for the existence of "Black conferences." Their existence was due to white racism totally. This was not created by so called black racism, but white racism plain and simple. If we ever do away with them, we must recognize this and state it, if we don't it will demonstrate their need. A new way this is argued is to say "we don't' have white conferences we have black conferences and integrated conferences." This is attempting to sweep it all under the rug and blame black people for its current existence.

Structural Renewal Can't be Used to Sweep Under the Rug

Also, The real need for structural renewal cannot be used to sweep away the Black conferences without us fully dealing with why we created them in the first place.

Is it time to get rid of the Black conferences? I don't know, but I tend to doubt it. Is it time to get together and figure out when that time would be? Well it is way past time for that determination. We pray that Frederick Russell can begin that conversation in his new role.

Chapter 3 of M. L. Andreasen's book The Sanctuary Service provides a look at the priesthood in the early Jewish tabernacle services. In that chapter, Andreasen provides three prominent features of the work of the priesthood.

Mediation

The first of these features is mediation. The priesthood interceded for the sinner. The sinner must slay the animal, but the sinner could not place the blood on the horns of the alter of burnt offering or pour it out at the base of the same alter. The sinner could not go into the holy place and do the work there. The sinner needed someone to do something for the sinner in the Most Holy Place once a year. The sinner needed someone to mediate.

The lesson taught to Israel was that one would come who would intercede for humanity. That one would stand between humanity and the broken law and ultimately bring peace.

Reconciliation

The next feature is reconciliation. The sinner has had some distance placed between the sinner and God. However reconciliation was offered to Israel through the work of the priesthood. An atonement for forgiveness was offered to Israel every time they offered a sacrifice. (Leviticus 4:13, 20). Something about that work of the priesthood brought the gift of reconciliation to humanity.

Sanctification

The work of the priesthood also brought sanctification to humanity. We are able to be cleansed as a result of the work of the priesthood. Humanity may have sinned and been separated, but God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).

Especially shown in the work of the day of atonement, the priesthood (High Priest) brought cleansing to the sinner as well as the tabernacle itself.

The priesthood brought to Israel mediation, reconciliation, and sanctification. Today our great High Priest in heaven seeks to provide these benefits to us in his great work for the salvation of humanity.

M. L. Andreasen in his very helpful work The Sanctuary Service discusses two primary lessons that the sacrificial system impressed on the mind of the petitioner. The first lesson is Sin Means Death. We are told this explicitly in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is simply death. When we sin we are simply buying death, we are setting in motion a death cycle in our lives. We are simply setting ourselves up for future and sometimes present difficulties. The sacrificial system taught the petitioner clearly that sin means death.

The next thing that Andreasen notes is that sacrificial system taught is that forgiveness of sin requires confession and ministration of blood. Sin requires death, to be saved from sin requires the death of the sacrifice as well as confession of sin.

These two primary lessons were taught to those who offered a sacrifice in the typical service. Sometimes preachers note how difficult it was for those who lived under the Typical system. They "had" to bring a lamb, kill it, etc. Often preachers are attempting to describe the great difference between then and now where we presumably don't have to do any of these things, however, the system lets us know that while we don't kill a lamb, we kill the Lamb of God. While we don't go to Jerusalem, we do by faith go to the heavenly tabernacle where Christ ministers. We can never let the "ease" of our forgiveness hide from us the great cost of our salvation to the Son of God.

Thanks to Caricatures in Adventism for creating a caricature of our director on their new site. I would encourage all to go visit this new site including the post that has our director on it.

Death has taken from us another. Dr. Ken Mulzac died on July 23. He was a pastor, scholar, and teacher at the Seventh-day Adventist Seminary at Andrews University.

I can remember car-pooling with him when he first came to the Huntsville area to teach at Oakwood College(University). He certainly will be missed.

We pray for the family and we look forward to the day when there will be no more goodbyes and death will be swallowed up in victory. You can find Andrews University's statement at this link. Here is another link to discussion about Dr. Mulzac at Oakwoodite.Com

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine who was wondering about the whole issue of perfection. This is not as prevalent a subject as say a few years ago, but it still rears its head on occasion. Members can get ruffled over whether perfection is possible or not. I think that often the argument disintegrates into one side accusing the other of thinking that they have made perfection, and the other side accusing the other of denigrating obedience, and a another side saying that the argument for or against perfection is tired and irrelevant.

Do Right

Because the term "perfection" brings up so much mess, I like to use another term "obedience." I think that we need to discuss perfection. In addition, we need to stop distorting the position of those on the other side, but finally, we need to just go ahead and do right, because it is right. Whether we are grace filled believers in what some might call the "new theology" or we are the red books (or whatever color they are now) reading traditionalist, there is a place in all of our theologies for obedience.

Who believes in willful known sin? From the most evangelical among us to the most traditional among us, we all agree in setting aside willful known sin. What about Christian growth? From the most liberal to the most evangelical to the most traditional we all agree that Christians should be growing in grace and truth as time goes on.

Go ahead and Argue, But Live Out

Our discussion of perfection is very important theologically and practically, but if we just allowed the Grace of God to help us live into what we already believe then perhaps the evangelical among us will see where he has not fully appropriated the grace of God which will, once taking residence in him, lead him to growth. Perhaps the liberal will find the power to do the work of God and be a witness to the coming kingdom in this world, and perhaps the traditionalist would see God create that generation that will fully deserve the approbation of "keep the commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus."

In short, go ahead and argue over perfection, but wouldn't that discussion be a lot better if we all simply lived what we all have in common belief? If we allowed the grace of God to do its work in us and let that grace do what it will.

I am just about to turn 40 years old and thus I am not very young, but neither am I old. However, I am recognizing that certain terms are leaving the vocabulary of the Second Advent movement. One of the terms that has left our common vernacular is the Laodicean message. That message is found in Revelation 3:14-22. While growing up, I can remember hearing the term "Ladodicean" very often. The state of the Laodicean church is "lukewarm" and proud of itself thinking that it is in need of nothing. The early Adventists saw a reference to our church in this description.

Where are the Laodiceans?

Somehow this idea has lost favor. It is not that the idea is often attacked openly, like say the way that the "remnant" church concept is, in contrast it seems to be seen as a relic of a distant past we should quickly forget. But if we lose the Laodicean message, we might not have a counter to the tendency to be proud of the "triumphant" growth of institutions and membership numbers. We need a reminder that we are not about building a larger house or simply about "people in the seats," but are about warning a world of the soon coming of God's kingdom. The Laodicean message reminds us that something is wrong with an institution that looks at its exploits but ignores its great blindness.

Would that Message Strengthen our Enemies?

Certainly today it might be problematic to preach this "Laodicean message." In an era when even preachers and church leaders are leaving us for the "grace" that they found on the outside such a proclamation might "air our dirty laundry." In an era when that which makes us Adventist is attacked with great fierceness, such preaching of teh Laodicean message might be seen as giving more reason to attack. In an era when many of our preachers are preaching about "your breakthrough" and minimizing the message that we have been called to preach, the Laodicean message might excellerate that tendency. Certainly in this era we wouldn't want to attack our church.

Re-Affirm our Laodicean-ness

But maybe just maybe the key to healing our malaise and the key to our ultimate victory is found in following our ancestors in the faith and applying this message to ourselves. Perhaps it is time to reaffirm our "Laodicean-ness." When we do this, we will recognize that we are nothing apart from God. Perhaps we will recognize our inability to overcome our problems and issues when we apply the eye-salve(Revelation 3:18). Perhaps the antagonisms between historic, progressive, evangelical, mainline, and all the other groups in Adventism could be just a little less "antagonistic" if we but remember this message that inspiration has applied to us. Praise God for the message that is needed. I pray the we hear it.

In the book The Andreasen File Compiled by LMN Publishing, M. L. Andreasen talks about a Sabbath School Quarter that promised to be one that presented "Christ-centered doctrines." This is found on pages 100-103. Andreasen was surprised to find that the sanctuary doctrine, the mark of the beast, the 3 angels message, health reform, and other related doctrines were not discussed that quarter. Andreasen wonders if this was done because these are the very doctrines that cause our evangelical brothers and sisters to question our orthodoxy as Christians.

Christ or Adventism?

Over the last few years I have heard some clergy and laypeople calling for a movement away from an emphasis on such things as the Sanctuary or Prophecy to a more "Christ-centered emphasis." While I certainly would have no problem with a Christ-centered approach, in that what else can we as Christians have at our center, I would strongly state that this idea places a false dichotomy. Is there necessarily a distinction between "Christ-centered" and "Adventist fundamental?" The reason why I am writing this is because I had another conversation with a preacher who is finding the present day relevance of the Sanctuary message. He is surprised to find that it is not irrelevant or boring, but a very relevant object lesson of how Salvation and the Great Controversy works. This is in stark contrast to the multiple preachers who think that their goal of preaching the gospel requires minimizing the teachings that make us who we are.

Sanctuary is Christ-Centered

For certainly it is difficult to argue that the sanctuary is not Christ centered. With Chirst being representing as at least the sacrifice, common and high priest, and even the various pieces of the tabernacle. Certainly with Salvation being illustrated in the services of the Sanctuary, it is difficult to make the argument that it is not Christ centered. One could argue that over time some have turned it into a mathematical calculation only, but as sister white reminds us "the sanctuary having a decided relation to the people of God." is one of the landmarks of the movement.

The Real Problem

I think that it is not that these doctrines are less "christ-centered" but that they are more "precise and end-time focused." The Sanctuary reminds us that Christ is doing a work to take care of sin. The Sanctuary reminds us what Christ is doing now. The Sanctuary reminds us that there is a judgment going on. The Sanctuary fits into our "Great Controversy" idea. And all of this is Christ-centered, but what Christ is it?

And here is the issue, you may not agree with the picture it paints of Christ, you may not believe that this picture of Christ is true, but please stop arguing that this doctrine does no have Christ at its center. Take Christ away from the Sanctuary and you have nothing but a shell. However, put Christ back into that heavenly sanctuary and you begin to catch a glimpse of the message that God has ordained that we preach in these final days.

You have read all of the sites that attack her. But was she really a plagiarist? In this book, David Conklin attempts to explode the myths about her writings. Conklin explores his methodology for evaluating the charges of plagiarism in Sister White's writings.

Many attempt to accuse Ellen White of plagiarism by only comparing similarities but not differences. Such an approach can overestimate the possible plagiarism. In this book, Conklin has used an approach that emphasizes not just similarities, but also differences. This gives a well rounded discussion of the topic.

This is perhaps Ellen White's most popular work. Steps to Christ is one of the most translated religious books in history. In this relatively short work, Ellen White provides the keys and tools to gaining and excelling in one's relationship with God.

Read the book that millions have read to gain a closer walk with God. This edition has been published and formatted by SDADefend and is found here by permission.

Many have wanted to learn about the principles of Righteousness by Faith. This book provides that clearly in a concise way.

Download this important book at this link.