HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2009 / FALL / ASK THE PASTOR

FALL 2009
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 4

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D E P A R T M E N T S

Ask the PASTOR

Lots of questions from the summer tour answered
Dale Ratzlaff

 

Following are a few questions we did not get to in the Q&A time on our recent Tour of Encouragement.

 

Q. Could you please discuss how we can respond to Adventist Revelation Seminars when they come to our area? Thanks.

A. A concerted effort should be made to alert the area evangelical churches that these are really Seventh-day Adventist evangelistic meetings. Some people put notices in the paper, others have passed out flyers. For help with flyers, call (909) 794-9804.

 

Q. Is it true that Walter Martin changed his opinion about the Adventist church at the end of his life?

A. We cannot give a definitive answer to this but we can say two things. First, we suggest that you watch the interview between Walter Martin and William Johnsson, then editor of Adventist Review, on the John Ankerberg show. Go to: www.lifeassuranceministries.com/ankerberg.html Second, It is clear that the authors of Questions on Doctrine, which was written with the specific intent to cause Martin and Barnhouse to think Adventists were evangelical, were not presenting a fair picture of Adventist theology. Some Adventists now admit the Adventists involved were less than honest. Go to www.lifeassuranceministries.org/Proclamation2004_MarApr.pdf for documentation on this topic.

 

Q. Do you think that Acts 15 (the Jerusalem Council) was setting aside only circumcision, or was it setting aside the whole law including Sabbath-keeping?

A. Circumcision and Sabbath stand or fall together. Circumcision qualified a person as a Jew; being Jewish mandated keeping the whole law, including Sabbath. Without circumcision, a person was not authorized to live under Jewish law. Sabbath was required only for circumcised persons who had adopted Judaism by being circumcised.

 

Q. If the Sabbath is not for Christians today, why does Hebrews 4 state, "There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God"?

A. Read the whole chapter. The "rest of God" cannot be the Seventh-day Sabbath for one enters "God's rest" the moment he/she believes (4:3). The chapter also states that Israel, Joshua, and David did not enter God's rest, but they did keep the Sabbath. The word for "Sabbath rest" used here is a unique word found only in this passage in Scripture. It refers to the rest of Grace which one can enter "Today." See Sabbath in Christ, Chapter 19 for a complete study of this chapter.

 

Q. Why focus on Adventism? How about the unbiblical doctrines in other denominations? No church is perfect.

A. We agree that no church is perfect; neither are we. My answer has two parts; first, the Christian denominations originated in the apostolic gospel which holds Jesus to be all we need for salvation because, as eternal, almighty God, He died, rose again, and ascended to the right hand of the Father in order to propitiate our sin and give us His eternal life. Adventism originated in Arianism and anti-trinitarianism, denying Jesus was the eternal, almighty God and further denying that His work of salvation is complete. For documentation see "Discovering the Adventist Jesus" here: www.lifeassuranceministries.org/Proclamation2007_MayJun.pdf

Second, because of our nurture in and study of Adventism, we feel God has given us this ministry to Adventists. Others feel called to work for Mormons, yet others Jehovah's Witnesses. In order to be effective, one must be focused.

 

Q. What do Adventists say now about Ellen White using others' writings as hers?"

A. Over the years Adventists have said several things: Ellen White said she was surprised that others before her had written what God showed her, belying the fact that those books were in her library when she wrote. Others say she only copied what God showed her to copy in vision, and she only copied a little bit. However, it has now been shown, beyond a shadow of doubt, that she copied—Adventists say "borrowed"—profusely including the errors of those from whom she was copying. See White Lie, White Washed, White Out and Ellen G. White, Her False Claims Refuted and other books on the subject at www.LifeAssuranceMinistries.com.

 

Q. Was it murder when Cain was killed?

A. Of course. God has implanted in our heart natural, moral law (see Romans 2:14). A person does not have to have a written law to know that killing, stealing, and telling lies are wrong. †

 

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More answers can be found in Dale Ratzlaff's four books available on the web at LifeAssuranceMinistries.com or by phoning (800) 355-7073.

Dale Ratzlaff is the founder of Life Assurance Ministries and Proclamation! magazine.