HOME / PROCLAMATION MAGAZINE / 2008 / NOVEMBER/DECEMBER / LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2007
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 6

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D E P A R T M E N T S

LETTERS to the Editor

 

Adventism, Jehovah's Witnesses and the true Jesus

Thank you for your article "Discovering the Adventist Jesus" (May/June, 2007), but the enclosed booklet [a pamphlet published by the Watchtower Society] has now confused me. Could you explain Jesus' role? So many of us are puzzled. I am 74 years old and a very disappointed Seventh-day Adventist. Proclamation! is an eye-opener, and we look forward eagerly to receiving it. Thanks and may God continually bless your ministry.

Pembroke Pines, FL

Editor's response

In order to address your question which seems to stem from the contents of a tract published by the Watchtower Society, I need briefly to address the Jehovah's Witnesses' teaching regarding the identity of Jesus.

According to the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (www.carm.org), Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity, considering it to be a demonic doctrine. They believe "God is a single person, not a Trinity, who does not know all things and is not everywhere. He first created Michael the Archangel through whom He created all 'other things,' including the universe, the earth, Adam and Eve, etc."

Further, they teach that salvation would require Jesus the Messiah to be crucified. Consequently, "When it came time for the savior to be born, Michael the Archangel became a human, in the form of Jesus. Jesus grew and kept all the laws of God and never sinned. Finally, when Jesus died, it was not on a cross, but on a torture stake, where he bore the sins of mankind—but this did not include Adam's sins. Jesus rose from the dead as a spirit, not physically (his body was dissolved and taken by God) and during his visitations to people on earth, he manifested a temporary physical body for them to see and touch."(http://www.carm.org/jw/nutshell.htm)

It is possible that the Jehovah's Witnesses' teaching about Jesus seemed compelling to you partly because Adventists also claim that Michael the Archangel is Jesus. In fact, however, the Bible teaches that Jesus is eternally God—the second person of the Trinity. John 1:1-3 identifies Him this way: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." He was never an angel. In fact, Hebrews 1 clarifies that Jesus is greater than all the angels, and Jesus identifies Himself as the "I Am" whom all the Jews understood to be God (John 8:58).

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came in the flesh (Philippians 2:5-7; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 4:2). He became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13) and became our sin so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He reconciled all things in heaven and on earth by the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20) and disarmed Satan and all demonic powers by nailing the law and its curse to the cross in His body (Colossians 2:14-15). He broke down the barrier between Jews and Gentiles "by abolishing in His flesh" the law with its commandments and ordinances, making one new person in Himself out of the two who had previously been kept separate by means of the law (Ephesians 2:14-15).

Jesus opened "a new and living way" into the presence of the Father (Hebrews 10:20) and "put away sin" by His own sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26). He is the one Mediator between God and man who gave Himself as a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

He died and rose again on the third day—and He rose with a physical body that could be touched and which bore the marks of His crucifixion (Luke 24:38-40; John 20:27) and ascended to the Father in this same body in the same way He will return again (Acts 1:9-11). He is now our eternal high priest who saves us forever when we "draw near to God through Him" (Hebrews 7:24-25).

Jesus is the eternal Son of God who became human and carried our sins to the cross where He died in order to offer forgiveness to all who embrace Him as their Savior. He was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead, conquering death, defeating Satan, and providing eternal life for all who place their faith in Him. He is the eternal high priest who intercedes for us. We are eternally secure because of His blood of the eternal covenant (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Jesus is our Savior, our Substitute, our eternal High Priest whose blood ensures that all who believe in Him will have eternal life.

 

Now former Adventists

Thank you for such a quality and helpful publication. The short article on the back page of the September/ October 2007 issue, "Adventists questions my faith", was so insightful and stunning in its brevity. I so identify with Philemon Aroni.

I have received your publication since its inception and have always found an article that seemed to address issues I was "wrestling" with at the time I received the publication. I do not know whom to thank for placing my name on the subscription list; all I can say is, Thank you.

Within the last month since receiving this last issue, my wife and I now call ourselves "former Adventists". We have enrolled for the third annual Former Adventist Fellowship Weekend.

I am requesting that you add the enclosed names to your subscription list.

Ceres, CA

 

Bunch of crybabies

I am a third generation Seventh-day Adventist, and my wife has been an Adventist for 39 1/2 years. We are very happy being members of God's true church.

Just because someone in the church has ticked you off or said something to you that you did not like, seems like you ran and started your own little religion.

You and your following are disgruntled with the Adventist church—suck it up and go on with your life. Leave members of the true faith and Mrs. White alone and quit trying to prove "my" faith and Mrs. White wrong.

You know better; you know the Adventist church is the truth and Mrs. White is a true prophet from God.

When I saw an advertisement in your unsolicited magazine for a Former Adventist Fellowship weekend, it assured me all I said above is true. You did not get your way in the true church, the Adventist church, and now you are a bunch of crybabies.

I would really hate to be any of you on Judgment Day. I am an Adventist for life, and there is nothing you can say or send me that will ever change my mind. Therefore, take my name off your mailing list…

All this reminds me of a statement Mrs. White made about some people that left the church in her day and were doing exactly what you are doing—all against the church and her, making false statements about her. She states, "They want to leave the church, but they still cling on to the edges." You know who these men were.

Greenville, SC

 

Articles good

It has been well over a year since I last contacted your Former Adventist website—I don't have a computer anymore—yet Proclamation! faithfully arrives at my home.

The articles are very good, but some of the letters to the editor show me many Adventists are still held captive by another spirit and another gospel (2 Corinthians 11:1-4). Adventism teaches a salvation message and then corrupts it with the "gospel" of the 10 Commandments—one of many false teachings.

My prayer for the Adventists is that the stronghold of the spirit of error be pulled down from their minds (1 John 4:6) in the name of Jesus!

Stand firm in the Lord Jesus.

Buhl, ID

 

Satan couldn't be happier

Let's hope and pray that people like Dale Ratzlaff and Colleen Tinker are having their fun now. Satan himself could never be happier. Satan is the winner when people are drawn into his fold instead of Christ's. How stupid can anyone in their right mind be to follow after people like Dale and Colleen? Anyone who thinks that God's prophet E.G. White or God Himself is wrong had better do some soul-searching.

I'm very surprised that God don't (sic) strike you both down dead. If He did it would be well-deserved. But He won't for the same reason He didn't kill Satan in the Garden of Eden. He has to let sin run its course. Just remember, Dale and Colleen, when Christ comes in the clouds of glory, your evil teachings and evil lifestyles will be brought to a halt. Right now you both can sit back and laugh just like the people did at Noah. But when the water reached their chins, then the laughing faded away.

Wadena, MN

 

Grace defined

I just got my September/October [2007] Proclamation! several minutes ago and eagerly turned to the Adventist "glossary". I looked for the word "grace", but you didn't include it, so here it is.

Grace (Adventist): A Christian who has never heard the Adventist "truth" is under grace by virtue of his Christianity. However, once this Christian learns the Adventist "truth", grace only can continue if he/she becomes a member of the Seventh-day Adventist organization. Having become a member of Adventism, grace only can continue as long as the member stays loyal to the Adventist denomination and true to the weekly Sabbath. If, however, this person strays from the Adventist denomination yet still is true to the Sabbath (by becoming a Seventh Day Baptist, for example), they enter a state of semi-grace.

Grace (Christian): The state we as sinners are in when we accept the free gift of salvation. See the entire book of Ephesians, especially Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, "For it is by God's grace you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it" (TEV).

Grover Beach, CA

 

Happy Adventist

Please remove my name from your mailing list. I am a very happy Adventist and there isn't anything you could offer me.

Katy, TX

 

Love it

We love your wonderful magazine. Please send it to our friend.

Bellaire, OH

 

Come back to the family

I am praying for you, that you will not let pride or whatever else is driving you to be accusers of the brethren to keep you from coming back to the family. I am a member of the Adventist church, and I'm praying for you and all other offshoots that drain the strength of God's church. Remember, Satan has always been successful at dividing and conquering.

Hartland, WI

 

Dangerous situation

God's commands are for our happiness. He knows what is best for us. When we love God and appreciate salvation through Christ, to obey Him in everything is a JOY! It is not a burden.

You have become deluded into believing that you can actually have assurance of salvation, while breaking God's Holy Sabbath day. May God have mercy on you and show you your plight—and what a dangerous situation you have drifted into!

email

 

Affirming

Proclamation! continues to affirm my new understanding of the Bible. God bless your entire staff. It is absolutely amazing to see how the Holy Spirit will lead to an understanding of truth as opposed to perpetuated tradition.

Mapel Grove, MN

 

God-send

I want to thank you for all the work you do. I so appreciate your magazine Proclamation! It is beautiful, thoughtful, inspiring, challenging, and a God-send to me. Please keep up the wonderful work you do. I have a more meaningful relationship with Jesus because of you. Thank you!

Huntington Beach, CA

 

Best years of our lives

A good friend sent Proclamation! to us about four years ago. They've been the best years of our lives! Since then, we've come to rest in Jesus' full and finished atonement. God has given us peace! It's like coming out of a cave! Please pray for our parents.

Grand Terrace, CA

 

Historical issue

I have enclosed a check [for an amount] which is about as much as I can give at this time. Lari Mobley's article on "Sanctification: It's Who You Know" and Colleen Tinker's article, "In Adam or In Christ: Where Are You?" (July/August, 2006) were exceptionally well-written and thought provoking. In some ways, that entire issue was historical, for I cannot recall any other former Adventist publication proclaiming boldly the security of the believer. This emphasis is what makes your ministry unique and biblically on target.

Lake Elsinore, CA

 

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Send letters to the editor to:

Editor, Proclamation! Magazine
P.O. Box 7776
Redlands, CA 92375

Or email editor: proclamation@gmail.com

Life Assurance Ministries

Mission

To proclaim the good news of the new covenant gospel of grace in Christ and to combat the errors of legalism and false religion.

 

Motto

Truth needs no other foundation than honest investigation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a willingness to follow truth when it is revealed.

 

Message

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not of works, that no one should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9