We Got Mail

Colleen Tinker, Feature, Letters to the Editor

Should I Be Baptized?

Colleen and Nikki, you have done so much to help me through my journey of overcoming my past, as a member of the Worldwide Church of God.  You don’t know how many nights that I have fallen asleep to your teaching on the Sabbath.  I’ve read Dale’s book, and that has truly helped. 

The Worldwide Church of God was very similar to Adventism in the sense that we were a very tight community. We also held the Sabbath as an idol. After leaving the church, I lost many friendships that were built over a lifetime. Although my family and I still have a relationship and get together, it’s been a difficult walk. My 80-year-old mother had told me that  I’m rebellious, and she tried to shame me. My sister and brothers eyes glaze over when I’ve tried to talk to them about it. I understand Paul’s anguish for  his people. I’m literally exhausted with it, but I keep hoping something will change with them. Yet, I know it’s only God and His Spirit that can lead them out of this darkness.

I have been shocked with the Christian responses to my past and find that there are a lot of people who don’t know how to deal with someone like me trying to find their way. It’s literally by the grace of God that I’m  where I am today. (My husband of 27 years died 13 years ago of a massive heart attack.).  

My question to you is: were you counseled to be rebaptized? My understanding is that it’s not necessary. But I keep revisiting this question in my mind.

Thank you for all you’ve done.

—VIA EMAIL

Response: Thank you for writing. Praise the Lord for His work in your life! 

As for baptism: we generally do recommend that people be baptized after leaving Adventism and believing in Jesus. Most people within Adventism or another cult were not baptized into the true Lord Jesus. Their baptisms were rites of cultic membership. The fact that this question keeps coming back to you suggests to me that the Lord is asking you to follow Him in baptism. I am going to attach a video from our website which will show you Nikki’s testimony at her baptism into Christ. It is a joyful experience to trust Jesus completely and to make that public confession of Him—and it is a joyful experience for believers to share that experience with you!

I hope this helps. 

New Creation, New Rules (Response to God’s Promise Unconditional)

Amen to your rebuke of replacement theory, and emphasis upon the bodily return of Christ to rule for 1000 years here on earth.

As a Baptist, I’ve been studying Adventism recently. As I look at their roots in the holiness and Millerite movements of the 1830s, I see an emphasis upon obedience to God‘s law, and also the vital necessity of watchfulness and readiness for the return of Christ. The Seventh-day Adventists have made a hash of all of these things, and Ellen G. White and all that she stands for should be repudiated.

But we ARE required to obey God‘s law. And faithful watchfulness and understanding of Old and New Testament prophecy is also vital to persevering unto salvation. It seems to me that you have moved from Adventist legalism to a once saved always saved lawless perspective upon the necessity of holy perseverance.

The two starting themes of the SDA movement were valid, even though they have been mishandled; 1) obedience to God‘s law and 2) the proper handling of prophetic truth.

—VIA YOUTUBE

Response from Jim Liley, online moderator: “It seems to me that you have moved from SDA legalism to a once saved always saved lawless perspective upon the necessity of holy perseverance.” (Just not true)

The church is a new creation and has never been under the rules and regulations of the Old Covenant. The church is subject to the Law of Christ. We are not saying there is no law.

“I don’t use the phrase Once saved, always saved, because that particular phrase isn’t in the Bible, but I do believe the Bible teaches that when a person is truly born again, he cannot fall out of salvation. Rather God keeps His people and grants them perseverance. Jesus Himself said that when. a person believes, he passes out of death into life. (Jn. 5:24) That’s a secure statement!” (C.T. YouTube) (emphasis mine) JL

“The entire false doctrine of losing one’s salvation is firmly rooted in self-righteousness.  Those who believe that salvation is lost when a believer willfully sins are calling God a liar, Who PROMISED eternal life before the world began (Titus 1:2). Romans 10:13 promises salvation to whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord. There is no added stipulation that a person must abstain from willfully sinning. Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth and the life. The Scriptures couldn’t be more clear concerning this matter. If you search the Scriptures, then you will find that salvation is of the Lord, and man has nothing to do with salvation other than to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The very fact that there will be two separate judgments, one for the saved, and another for the unsaved, evidences that believers who sin do not lose salvation. For if they did, then they would simply appear at the same judgment as the unsaved.” (Copied from YouTube comment by T. G.) (emphasis mine) JL

 

Colleen Tinker
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