Tag Archives: devotion

Uncategorized

The Glorious Implication of Being ‘Born Again’

No one brags about being conceived or born.

Only a fool or madman would claim any credit for that.

How did each of us come to be? Well, Dad’s sperm united with Mom’s egg, we were conceived, and then some forty weeks later, we were born.

It is hard to imagine a more passive experience. All this happened to us and for us.

Being conceived and born is thus a gift we receive, to which we contribute nothing.

So it is with being re-conceived and re-born as a Christian.

In 1 Peter 1, Peter twice speaks of us being “born again”: Verse 3: “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be BORN AGAIN to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

Verse 23: “…You have been BORN AGAIN, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…” Peter uses the Greek verb ἀναγεννάω (anagennaō), which more accurately means to be “begotten [or conceived] again” (vv. 3, 23).

Now understand the clear implications of this: just as when we were first conceived and born again, we contributed nothing, but all work was performed by our earthly parents, so also when we are reconceived and reborn, it is a work done upon us, a gift given to us by our Heavenly Father.

We had no involvement in it.

We are purely passive.

Therefore, we are not re-conceived because of some work we performed.

We are not reborn because we made a decision to do so.

We are not born anew because we reasoned our way into it, committed our lives to God, or cooperated in our new conception and new birth.

Just as none of us decided to be conceived and born the first time, neither did any of us Christians decide to be reconceived and reborn as children of the Father.

All glory goes to God, who by the Gospel brings us to faith in Christ, generates new life within us, makes us a new creation, and causes us be born again.

God gives, we receive. And that’s that.

Pastor David Prince titled “The Glorious Implication of Being ‘Born Again’”

Uncategorized

Logos Article: Are You Making These 7 Common Evangelism Mistakes?

Here is an article written by James Rayment about evangelism, courtesy of Logos.com, the platform where I manage my biblical resources.

Introduction

I run The Al-Ma’idah Initiative, an organization that trains Christians to communicate truth to Muslims in ways that resonate. I work out of a coffee shop in Seattle, where I regularly have conversations with people from a wide range of worldviews. Over the years, my evangelism relationships have led me on extraordinary adventures—from the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico, to the deserts of Saudi Arabia—and I have seen God do amazing things.
Yet I find most Christians dread evangelism. They feel inhibited from having conversations about faith with non-believers. But in my experience, their efforts at evangelism feel unnatural and unnecessarily difficult due to some simple mistakes.
Let’s identify and address these so that you can feel more confident—and even enjoy—what God has called each of us to do.
  1. Waiting to earn the right to share
  2. Avoiding controversial topics
  3. Rejecting those who resist
  4. Losing your composure
  5. Relying on a script
  6. Outsourcing your evangelism
  7. Trying to evangelize alone

1. Waiting to earn the right to share

Many Christians feel they must earn someone’s trust before sharing the gospel with them. So instead of being upfront about what they believe, they try to avoid bringing attention to their faith, hoping that one day, when the time is right, they’ll be able to speak as a friend whose input is valued.
But building a relationship on a shallow foundation of shared activities or pop culture without anything of depth requires Christians to shrink back from their identity and God’s Spirit within them. Yet it’s precisely this Spirit and our nature as “salt of the earth” that our non-believing friends need (Matt 5:13).
Sometimes Christians have an evangelism strategy that looks like this: Be someone’s friend for years, waiting for them to face an existential crisis, at which point we swoop in and share the gospel. (In this way, we are kind of rooting for our friends’ lives to collapse, so that we can help them rebuild.) Now, such collapse certainly happens to some. But remember, not every testimony is, or needs to be, a dramatic one. For instance, although Jesus’s healing ministry is memorable, there were also thousands in the crowds who just saw him and believed.

2. Avoiding controversial topics

Growing up as a Christian in the UK, every piece of conventional wisdom I received instructed me that the best thing Christians could do was steer clear of controversial issues, as such things get in the way of our ability to share the gospel. After all, the Bible does say to avoid foolish controversies (Titus 3:9).
Yet we err when we apply this too broadly. Consider that many of the controversies modern Christians want to avoid are the very things the Bible thinks important to address. Jesus and his apostles don’t merely address salvation. They address our sinful human nature as the reason we need God’s salvation in the first place. They address sexuality, money, politics, culture, and how we are to live as transformed individuals.
While many in our culture will be offended by what the Bible has to say about these topics, others will experience God’s Word as the remedy to a sickness they could never diagnose. In fact, I would argue that our failure to apply the Bible to a host of issues has created a vacuum that non-Christians, like Jordan Peterson, are filling with Bible-adjacent ideas.

3. Rejecting those who resist

When I worked for a well-known missions agency, I was trained to categorize people into three groups: seeker, neutral, or closed. I was taught to respond to each based on their openness to the gospel.
But while this may be a natural way to deal with people, I don’t believe it aligns with what the Bible teaches.
First, according to the Bible, the reason we are saved isn’t primarily because we seek God, but because God himself seeks us: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
Further, if you look at the ministry of Jesus, some who were initially receptive to him, like Judas, later betrayed him. Others who were originally antagonistic to Jesus—like James (John 7:5) and Paul (Acts 9:1–2)—God redirected for his own purposes, making them into some of his greatest messengers.
One of my friends is from Turkmenistan. His brother-in-law was the first Turkmen to become a Christian after the fall of the iron curtain. My friend’s friend reacted, “Turkmen are Muslim! If you weren’t my wife’s brother, I would kill you right now!”
Sensible mission agencies would tell you this person is closed to the gospel and you should move on. However, being in the same family meant that there were months of heated arguments, which eventually resulted in my friend becoming a Christian—and eventually a pastor. In fact, he essentially became one of the founding fathers of Turkmen Christianity, facing imprisonment, torture, and assassination attempts. None of that has stopped him from faithfully teaching the Bible for decades and becoming the leading provider of Christian Turkmen content worldwide.
It haunts me to think about non-Christians we may have given up on due to their initial resistance. When you look at leaders like Moses (Exod 3–4) and Paul, both of these men were resistant before God intervened. And God did not squash their stubbornness and aggression; he redirected it for his glory.
http://logos.com/church?blog_campaign=l4c&blog_adtype=inline_middle

4. Losing your composure

Running a ministry to Muslims in a liberal city like Seattle, I’ve notice some interesting patterns. I’ve observed a commonality between those with revolutionary worldviews and those with Islamic ones: Both often expect me, their convinced ideological opponent, to respond to them with fear or anger. They either anticipate that I’ll bow to the inevitability of their ascendant ideology without pushback, or that I’ll react with unhinged fury, confirming their stereotype of the bigot or Islamophobe. What they are not prepared for is a jolly Christian who is friendly and honest, confident yet calm!
We’re familiar with Peter’s call to give a defense “with gentleness and respect.” But I’ve never sat through an evangelism training that emphasized courage. Yet courage is such an important part of evangelism that the Apostle Paul actually refers to it as a sign to them: “[A]nd not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God” (Phil 1:28).
Not only will being calm and courageous make us more interesting to talk to, it’s also a way of leaning on the promises of God.

5. Relying on a script

In my experience, much of the evangelism training in the Christian world—both East and West—focuses on simple methods or formulas designed to make evangelism easy to teach. There is certainly a measure of wisdom in that.
What I have observed is that many such methods, like the Four Spiritual Laws, are built for very specific contexts, like sharing the gospel with a stranger on a college campus. The downside of this simplification is that people may become well equipped to share on campus, but have a hard time adapting what they’ve learned once they leave that open marketplace of ideas (and their flexible schedules) for a more structured life with fewer natural opportunities to engage others.
The New Testament never gives us an exact formula for how to share the gospel. Instead, we see the gospel preached in different ways to different groups of people depending on context. Paul puts it this way: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col 4:5–6).
Notice Paul’s assumption: “each person” may need a different answer. Therefore, we should not be preparing to repeat the same conversation over and over, but to apply the whole counsel of God to any situation. This takes more training and discipleship than an evangelistic script can provide, but it will serve us better in the long run and make evangelism more natural.

6. Outsourcing your evangelism

Growing up in England, where there were not as many evangelical Christians around, inviting friends to church always felt difficult. For me, that meant I felt a need to explain the gospel to my non-Christian friends in a way that made sense to them, because I didn’t expect church to resonate with them.
When I moved to America, I joined a rising Seattle megachurch—one that later imploded. For my first couple of years there, I loved it, and I couldn’t wait to invite people to hear the Bible clearly preached in a way that connected with our time and place. But once problems and church drama came to the surface, I was no longer excited to bring my non-Christian friends. This gave me an important realization: If I don’t share the gospel with my non-Christian friends, there might not be anyone else who does.
At this point I realized I had been slacking. I hadn’t been working to communicate Christianity in a way that my friends would understand. I had just been inviting them to hear someone else do it.
Now, inviting your friends to church is good. But consider that you may actually be better suited to share the gospel with them then your pastor or favorite speaker might. God is capable of introducing your friend to anyone—but he chose to put you in their life.

7. Trying to evangelize alone

To counterbalance my previous point, we also need to understand that the church is one body with many parts. Your words will uniquely resonate with some people and not others, and you probably know who those people are.
But you probably also know people in your Christian community who could reach those you can’t. Perhaps there’s a way you could introduce them?
And even for those you can reach, introduce them to your Christian community. Show them that it’s not about you being exceptional, but that God is at work, not only in your life, but also in the lives of others.
After all, Jesus said: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). If your non-believing friends only encounter you alone, how would they ever get to see the love amongst Christians in action?
Jesus told his disciples he would make them “fishers of men” (Matt 4:19). Maybe we picture one guy with a line catching a single fish. But the fishing his disciples practiced was a team sport—several men shoulder to shoulder, each holding part of a net, wading through the water together.
So find your team. Walk shoulder to shoulder in speaking the truth in love to the people around you who need to know Jesus.
And I hope you have as good a time doing it as I have.
Uncategorized

Quick Notes: Ephesians

The Book of Ephesians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus, a significant city in Asia Minor. Let’s examine the two main sections: chapters 1-3 focus on teaching what God has done for believers, while chapters 4-6 provide practical guidance on living and how believers should respond practically in their own transformed lives.

Chapters 1-3: Our Riches in Christ

Paul begins by celebrating the incredible spiritual blessings believers have in Christ. He emphasizes that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, which strongly indicates that God predestined believers to come into a relationship with Him. Further, in that unity with Him, we are to be holy and blameless. Through Christ, we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and are adopted as God’s children. The Holy Spirit is given as a seal and a down payment of our inheritance — an abiding confidence in eternal life.

A key theme in these chapters is the mystery of Christ, which Paul reveals: both Jews and Gentiles are united in one body, the church, through Christ. God’s plan was always to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under Christ. This unity is a powerful testament to God’s sovereignty, wisdom and grace.

Paul prays for the Ephesians to truly grasp the immense power of God at work in them – the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at God’s right hand. He stresses that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, so no one can boast. We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.

Chapters 4-6: Our Walk in Christ

Moving from doctrine to practice, Paul urges believers to “walk worthy of the calling” they have received. This involves living out their new identity in Christ. He emphasizes unity in the Spirit, calling believers to humility, gentleness, patience, and love, working to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He highlights the various spiritual gifts given to the church – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers – all of which are designed to equip the saints for ministry and build up the body of Christ.

Practical instructions for daily living abound:

  • Putting off the old self and putting on the new self: This means renouncing former ways of life (lying, stealing, corrupt speech, anger) and embracing righteousness and holiness (speaking truth, working diligently, speaking encouraging words, forgiveness).
  • Walking in love: Imitating Christ’s selfless love, particularly in marriage, where husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and wives are to respect their husbands.
  • Family relationships: Children are to obey their parents, and fathers are not to provoke their children but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves (servants) are to obey their masters, and masters are to treat their servants justly.
  • Spiritual warfare: Paul concludes by encouraging believers to “put on the whole armour of God” to stand against the schemes of the devil. This spiritual armour includes truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God, along with prayer.

In essence, Ephesians is a powerful message about the incredible identity and spiritual blessings believers have in Christ, and the consequent call to live out that reality in unity, love, and spiritual strength within the church and in the world. It paints a grand picture of God’s redemptive plan to bring all things together in Christ.

Uncategorized

Book Review: Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God

Henry and Richard Blackaby, in their revised and expanded edition of Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, outline seven realities that describe how individuals and churches can experience God and His work. These realities provide a framework for understanding God’s activity and participating in His purposes.

Here are the Seven Realities of Experiencing God:

  1. God is always at work around you. This reality emphasizes that God is not distant or inactive, but constantly at work in the world and in the lives of individuals. Experiencing God begins with recognizing and acknowledging His ongoing activity.
  2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. God desires an intimate and personal relationship with each person. This reality highlights the relational aspect of experiencing God, where He actively seeks to connect with us in a deep and ongoing way.
  3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work. God doesn’t just want us to observe His work; He invites us to participate with Him in accomplishing His purposes. This reality emphasizes that God has a plan, and He often chooses to work through His people.
  4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. God communicates with His people in various ways. This reality underscores the importance of listening for His voice through His Word, in prayer, through the events and situations in our lives, and through the community of believers.
  5. God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. When God invites us to join Him in His work, it often requires us to step out in faith beyond our comfort zones and natural abilities. This “crisis of belief” demands a decision to trust and obey Him.
  6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing. Responding to God’s invitation and walking in obedience often necessitates changes in our plans, priorities, and even our lifestyles. This reality emphasizes the need for a willingness to adjust our lives to align with God’s will.
  7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him, and He accomplishes His work through you. The deepest knowledge of God comes through firsthand experience as we obey Him. As we step out in faith and allow God to work through us, we see His power and character in new and profound ways.

We need to listen to God for his plans for you, before you plan for God only with your ideas.

Henry Blackaby, particularly through his widely influential work Experiencing God, strongly emphasizes the critical need to listen to God for His plans for you before you create your own plans for God. This core teaching is a foundational aspect of his approach to knowing and doing God’s will.

Here’s a breakdown of how Henry Blackaby initially taught this, based on a significant scipture, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13

  • God Takes the Initiative: Blackaby consistently asserts that God is always at work and always takes the initiative in a person’s life. He created us for a love relationship and actively pursues it. Therefore, our role is not to come up with our own grand schemes and then ask God to bless them, but rather to discern what God is already doing and then join Him.
  • Focus on God’s Agenda, Not Your Own: A central theme is moving from a “self-centered” life to a “God-centered” one. This means shifting focus from “what do I want to accomplish for God?” to “what is God doing, and how can I join Him?” He argues that people often get busy doing things they think will help God, but if they haven’t first listened, they might be hindering His actual work.
  • God Reveals His Will Through Various Means: Blackaby teaches that God communicates His purposes and ways through several channels:
    • The Bible: God’s written Word is a primary source of revelation. (John 16:13)
    • Prayer: This is seen as a two-way conversation where we speak to God and also listen for His response.
    • Circumstances: The events and situations in our lives can be indicators of God’s activity.
    • The Church: God can speak through other believers and the community of faith.
  • The “Crisis of Belief”: When God reveals His invitation to join Him, it often leads to a “crisis of belief.” This is a point where one must decide whether to trust and obey God’s revealed plan, even if it seems illogical or requires significant adjustments, rather than clinging to their own pre-conceived notions.
  • Adjusting Life to God’s Activity: True discipleship involves making “major adjustments” in one’s life to align with what God is doing. This implies a willingness to alter personal plans, priorities, and even lifestyles in response to God’s leading.
  • Knowing God Through Obedience and Experience: Blackaby believes that the deepest understanding of God comes through obeying Him and experiencing Him at work through your life. You don’t fully “know” God by simply having intellectual knowledge about Him; you come to know Him intimately as you step out in faith and see Him accomplish His purposes through you, which stem from His initial revealed plan.

In essence, Blackaby’s teaching is a call to a radical shift in perspective: from planning for God based on our ideas to listening to God for His existing plans and then aligning our lives with them. This necessitates a deep, ongoing relationship with God, characterized by humility, attentiveness, and a readiness to obey.

Uncategorized

Romans 5: The Heart of the Gospel and Peace with God

Note: You can see the Bible text as you read by hovering over the scriptures or clicking them.

Faith brings joy to the believer. In Romans 5:1-11, Paul presents the gospel’s truth in ways that stretch our thinking — and bring joy into our lives as one of God’s elect. On the one hand, we are complete in Christ (our acceptance with him is secure); on the other, we are growing in Christ (becoming more and more transformed–like him).

Before we begin, I present eight brief points to help you get a Coles Notes snapshot. I encourage you to review the remaining study and increase your faith in Christ as your Redeemer.

Eight benefits of Justification by Faith in Christ as your Saviour:

  1. Peace: Romans 5:1
  2. Access: Romans 5:2
  3. Hope: Romans 5:2
  4. Patience—fruit of tribulations: Romans 5:3
  5. Love: Romans 5:5
  6. Holy Spirit: Romans 5:5
  7. Deliverance from the Great Tribulation: Romans 5:9
  8. Joy: Romans 5:11

God’s Reconciliation is toward man: Forgiveness is the key to redemption in Christ, offering us a change from enmity to friendship. Justification by faith is an act of God which is permanent. Let’s dive a bit deeper:

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter 5 begins with an affirmation of the Christian’s standing before God—that the Christian, through believing faith in Christ, has been justified and declared righteous by God, once for all. The result of this is that the Christian no longer lives under the fear of judgment and the wrath of God but has peace with God, which is not merely a subjective feeling but an objective reality. (See John 14:27)

How does being made right in God’s sight by our faith in Christ affect our relationship with God? First, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Having peace with God means no more hostility between us and God, and no sin is blocking our relationship with Him, because Christ’s atonement on the cross offers God’s forgiveness as we acknowledge that Jesus took our sins upon Himself as a propitiation for the believer’s sin. Thereby, a new relationship has been established, so we no longer dread the outcome of judgment but live under the protection established by God. 1 

Romans 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Not only has Christ made us right with God, but He has also given us personal access to God. His grace brings us into a place of the highest privilege, where we now stand, a blessing of God’s justification because of our faith. We have been brought into a place of favour with God. Instead of being his enemies, we are now his friends—in fact — his very own children (John 15:15; Galatians 4:5). Mankind was created for glory, but because of sin, had fallen “short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). It is God’s purpose to recreate his image, his glory, entirely in us so that we can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. Anticipating our future with God ought to bring great joy. We stand in God’s grace, and the outcome of our lives is secure in his hands. We no longer need to be haunted by thoughts of judgment; now we can reflect upon and respond to his grace. 3 

Romans 5:3-5 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

These verses describe the transformative process of sanctification, in which persecution and suffering lead to perseverance and hope. (see 1 Peter 1:6–7; 2 Corinthians 12:9) This process is by grace through the Spirit, evidencing the internal work of the new covenant, where God writes His law on the hearts of believers– a step-by-step transformation that makes believers more like Christ. (Jeremiah 31.33; Hebrews 8:10, 10:16,)

Followers of Christ have no reason to fear the final judgement at death or if yet alive when Christ returns on the judgment day, for they now belong to God. Indeed, they know that they have received God’s love because the Holy Spirit poured His love into their hearts at conversion—the time when they believed and accepted the salvation offered by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

Romans 5:6-8 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The death of Christ for the ungodly is the ultimate demonstration of grace. This is the expiatory sacrifice that pays the penalty Adam’s disobedience incurred, restoring what Adam robbed from God and man-obedience and life.

God’s plan, from the beginning, was to send his Son to die for us, at just the right time, referring to both the timing in history and the timing in God’s plan (see Galatians 4:4). In the face of our helplessness, God was entirely in control. The events in human history did not determine the plan of salvation; God designed the plan of salvation to happen at just the right time. We are saved only because God took the initiative and demonstrated his incredible grace and love by sending his Son to take the punishment we deserved. God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Christ’s death is the highest manifestation of God’s love for us. While we were rebellious and despicable, Christ died for us so that we could come to God, find peace with him, and become heirs of his promises. Christ did not die so that we could be made lovable; Christ died because God already loved us and wanted to bring us close to himself. 5

Romans 5:9-11 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Justification by Christ’s blood secures salvation from God’s wrath. Through Christ’s atonement, believers are reconciled to God, a key feature of the new covenant where peace and restored relationship replace condemnation.

God made us right in his sight through the blood of Christ shed on the cross (see Romans 3:25). Because God is holy, he could not accept us by simply disregarding or ignoring our sins. Instead, those sins had to be dealt with. And God did this through the sacrificial death of his Son. Again, this justification is God’s approval, given to us only based on what Christ did. God’s acquittal sets free all of us who were otherwise hopeless prisoners of sin. If Christ’s blood was shed on our behalf, then his blood will certainly save us from God’s judgment. 6 

We were enemies because we were rebels against God. Because of Christ’s death, we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son. Because Christ’s death accomplished this, his life—his present resurrection life—delivers us from eternal punishment and ensures our salvation. Knowing all that God has accomplished should cause us to rejoice. Paul has already told his readers that they should rejoice in sharing God’s glory (Romans 5:2) and in their problems (Romans 5:3). Now he exclaims that they should rejoice in God. We rejoice in God because Christ took our sins upon himself and paid the price for them with his death, instead of punishing us with the death we deserve. Through faith in his work, we become his friends and are no longer enemies and outcasts. 7 

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.

Adam’s one offence brought sin and death to all humanity. Adam was the representative head of humanity at creation, breaking God’s law and causing the imputation of guilt to all. This sets the stage for Christ as the second Adam, who rectifies this.

Sin came into the world through one man. Adam sinned against God, causing a domino effect: sin entered the entire human race, then sin brought death. Because everyone sinned, everyone also died (Genesis 2–3). Death is the consequence of being under the power of sin. It was not in God’s original plan for human beings to die, but it was the result when sin entered the world. Inevitably, the gift of life we bequeath to our children includes the ancestral sting of death. All human beings share two common characteristics: they are sinners, and they will die. 8 

Romans 5:13-14 …for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

Sin existed before the Mosaic law, but the law made sin’s nature clearer and increased its recognition. The law’s role was to multiply sin’s awareness, but it could not save — this is where grace superabounds.

God’s law was not given until the time of Moses, so the people who lived between Adam and Moses did not have any specific laws to obey or break. But sin in the world was the power or force that caused people to act independently of God. All people are under the power of sin, and all people act in rebellion against God. Sin was in the world from the beginning, but it came into sharp focus when the law was given. Adam disobeyed an explicit commandment of God (Romans 5:12). His descendants who lived prior to the time of Moses could not break any specific laws because there were none. But they still sinned, as witnessed by the fact that they all died. Adam’s descendants had sinned with Adam (Romans 5:12). Death is the result of Adam’s sin and ours, even if our sins don’t resemble Adam’s. For thousands of years, the law had not been explicitly given, and yet people died. The law was added (Romans 5:20) to help people see their sinfulness, to show them the seriousness of their offences, and to drive them to God for mercy and pardon. This was true in Moses’ and Paul’s days, and it is still true today. Sin is a fracture between us and who we were created to be. The law points out our sin and places the responsibility for it squarely on our shoulders, but it offers no remedy. The contrast between Adam and Christ is that Adam’s one act determined the character of the world; Christ’s one act determined the character of eternity. In modern terminology, we could say that Adam was a flawed prototype, but Christ was the perfect original. Just as Adam was a representative of created humanity, so is Christ the representative of the new, spiritual humanity. 9 

Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

The free gift of grace through Christ far outweighs Adam’s offence.  Christ’s sacrifice is an expiatory offering that restores and superabounds in grace, bringing righteousness and life to many. God’s generous gift of forgiveness through Christ (justification) has a greater but opposite effect than the trespass of Adam and its consequences. Yet in each case, the act of one affected the lives of many. Because of Adam’s sin, death entered the human race, and since then, all people have died (with the Bible’s exceptions of Enoch and Elijah). All people will die until the end of this age. Because of Jesus Christ, however, we can trade judgment for forgiveness. We can trade our sin for Jesus’ goodness. Jesus offers us the opportunity to be born into his spiritual family—the family line that begins with forgiveness and leads to eternal life. If we do nothing, we have death through Adam; but if we come to God by faith, we have life through Christ. 10 

Romans 5:16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

Unlike Adam’s sin, which brought condemnation, Christ’s gift brings justification (when we accept Him by faith) despite many sins. This reveals the superiority of grace over the law–where the law condemns, grace justifies. God passed judgment on Adam’s one sin of disobedience, and as a result, Adam and the entire human race received condemnation and death. Everyone since Adam has sinned, and yet Christ overcame those many trespasses and brought righteousness to those who accept him, even though they are guilty of many sins. The result of sin is death; the gift of God, His justifying sinners, results in eternal life after we physically die, and our future reigning forever with Christ. 11 

Romans 5:17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Death reigned through Adam’s offence, but believers reign in life through Christ’s abundant grace and righteousness. This righteousness is the divine property of Christ imputed to believers, fulfilling the law’s demands perfectly.

By capitulating to sin, Adam caused death to rule over the whole human race. Death is inescapable; it comes to every living thing. We all live close to the valley of the shadow of death. And the reign of death over creation began because of Adam’s sin. However, there is a remedy. Those who receive God’s wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death. What a promise this is to those who love Christ! We can reign in Christ over sin’s power, over death’s threats, and Satan’s attacks. Eternal life is ours now and forever. Though this promise will have its greatest fulfillment in the future, it will also have a significant immediate impact. In Christ, death loses its sting (see 1 Corinthians 15:50–57). We are still subject to the physical suffering and death brought by sin in the world, but we are free from the eternal spiritual separation that we would experience outside of Christ. Also, in the power and protection of Jesus Christ, we can overcome temptation (see Romans 8:17 for more on our privileged position in Christ). 12 

Romans 5:18-19 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

The parallel between Adam and Christ is explicit: Adam’s disobedience brought condemnation; Christ’s obedience brings justification and life. This underscores the heart of the new covenant, restoration, and righteousness through Christ’s obedience.

In Romans 5:18, the one trespass of Adam, as the covenantal head of the human race, brought condemnation and guilt to all people. In a similar way, Christ’s one act of righteousness (either his death as such or his whole life of perfect obedience, including his death) grants righteousness and life to all who belong to Him.

The same statement is made in different words in these two verses. Paul emphasizes the contrasting roles of two single agents, Adam and Christ. Adam’s one sin brought condemnation on the human race; this one person disobeyed God, causing all people to become sinners. But Christ’s one act of righteousness, done because he obeyed God, opened the way for all people to be made right in God’s sight and given eternal life. 13 

Romans 5:20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more…

The law increased the awareness and multiplication of sin, but grace superabounded beyond sin’s increase. The law acts like a mirror revealing sin but cannot save, whereas grace delivers and restores through Christ and the Spirit.

The law was given so that all people could see their sinfulness. The purpose of the law for his own people, the Jews, had been to make them aware of their need for salvation. Sin was present from Adam, but the giving of the law was like having a huge spotlight turned on—people’s sinfulness became all the more defined. The solution to sin was not law, but grace. No matter how much people sin, God’s incredible kindness is greater. When our awareness of sin increases, we need to ask God to help us see that his grace is always greater in its capacity to forgive than our capacity to sin. 14

Romans 5:21 …so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sin’s reign leads to death; grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life. This righteousness is Christ’s, imputed and applied by the Spirit under the new covenant, guaranteeing eternal life and victory over sin’s dominion.

Our age is characterized by sin and inevitable death; but the age to come will be characterized by grace, righteousness, and eternal life. It is common to call the ultimate struggle that is going on in the universe “the conflict between good and evil.” Paul was picturing here the outcome of the war between the Kingdom of grace and the kingdom of sin. Until Christ, the war appeared to be decided, because sin ruled over all people. But Christ’s death and resurrection provided the decisive victory by which God’s wonderful kindness rules. Under the reign of grace, a right standing is declared that will bring eternal life. This ends the first section of Paul’s letter to the Romans and his explanation of the law and its relation to salvation. But the law is not set aside as old and worthless. Paul will explain, in the coming chapters, the role of the law for believers. 15

Summary of the exegesis on Law vs. Grace and the New Covenant in Romans 5

Adam’s sin represents the breaking of God’s law, bringing condemnation and death to all humanity by imputation.

Christ as the last Adam provides an expiatory sacrifice that pays the debt Adam owed, restoring what was lost and superabounding in grace.

The Mosaic law reveals and multiplies sin but cannot save or empower obedience; it acts as a mirror exposing human failure.

Grace through Christ is a free gift that justifies many despite their offences, providing righteousness that perfectly meets the law’s demands.

The new covenant internalizes God’s law by writing it on believers’ hearts, enabling obedience by the Spirit rather than external legalism.

Believers stand in grace, justified by faith, reconciled to God, and empowered by the Spirit to live righteously, reigning in life rather than death.

Where sin multiplied, grace superabounded, showing the overwhelming power of God’s redemptive work in Christ beyond the law’s condemnation.

This exposition aligns with the broader Pauline theology in Romans, the contrast between law and grace, the representative roles of Adam and Christ, and the transformative reality of the new covenant. It underscores that grace does not abolish the law but fulfills and surpasses it by enabling true righteousness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

1 Bruce Barton et al. Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 596.

2 Douglas J. Moo, Romans, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 170.

3 Bruce Barton, Philip Comfort, et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 596–597.

4-15 Ibid

Uncategorized

How False Doctrine Influences Groupthink

The real problem with embracing false doctrine is that once it has influenced you, through your association with a group that promotes it, a spiritual paradigm becomes so ingrained that your awareness is always limited.

However much an individual may try to eliminate their unbiblical distortions and dissolve their conflict with the conscience, some element of subjective distortion and blindness must inevitably remain — at least until God cleanses you from it through the power of His Word, applied by the Spirit of the Lord.

Just as demonic influence affects an individual’s spiritual conscience, it also affects the collective conscience that develops in any human group or society. Any group of human beings—even within a church—can establish a single, undifferentiated consciousness through which each member views the world in precisely the same way. How does this work? Brainwashing begins imperceptibly when others have taught one without serious personal biblical study to affirm a biblical consensus. (Acts 17:11)

However, in any group or society that claims to hold to biblical doctrine, it is possible to assert prevailing views, even if the opinions of a minority of group members may conflict with them. Groups of human beings develop a sense of common identity, shared values, and shared assumptions of what they believe to be accurate. In this respect, they can fall prey to a collective spiritual deception and potential heresy.

The more you hear a lie, the more you’re likely to believe it. This is known as the illusory truth effect. A 1977 study discovered that when you hear something often enough, your brain starts to accept it as true, simply because it sounds familiar.

Apostle Paul warned Timothy and Titus to stand against false doctrine in his pastoral letters.

“…stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.  These promote controversies rather than God’s work, which is by faith.  The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.  They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.” (1 Tim. 1:3-7)

“Some have rejected these [faith and good conscience] and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymanaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:19b-20).

Deacons “must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” (1 Tim. 3:9).

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:1-2).

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:15-16).

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.  He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain” (1 Tim. 6:3-5).

“Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10b).

“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.  Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (2 Tim. 1:13-14).

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene.  Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:16-18).

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:23-26).

“They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres oppose the truth–men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected” (2 Tim. 3:1-8).

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it…” (2 Tim. 3:12-14).

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.  For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:2-5).

Elders “must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach–and that for the sake of dishonest gain” (Titus 1:11).

“Rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth” (Titus 1:13-14).

“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1a).

Example of the integration of false doctrine

Transcript of Phil Johnson’s YouTube on Ellen G. White’s Hypocrisies

 

Uncategorized

Romans 8: Defines law versus New Covenant grace.

Romans 8 addresses the relationship between the Spirit-led life, the law, and grace, emphasizing that believers are freed from condemnation and empowered to fulfill God’s will through the Holy Spirit. Below is an analysis of key themes and their connection to the law-grace dynamic and the new covenant, which gives the believer the power of the indwelling Spirit to overcome temptation:

Romans 8: The Spirit vs. the Flesh

Paul contrasts life “in the Spirit” with life “in the flesh” (Romans 8:1–8). Those led by the Spirit are no longer under the law’s condemnation (Romans 8:1) because Christ’s sacrifice fulfilled the law’s demands (Romans 8:3–4). The Spirit enables believers to live in obedience to God’s will, revealed in God’s Word—predominantly as expressed in the New Testament, not through legalistic adherence to the law but through a transformed heart. Jesus was instrumental in expanding the Old Covenant law’s viewpoints relating to even our thought life. (Matthew 5:28) 1

Law vs. Grace in Romans 8

The Law’s Purpose: The law reveals sin but cannot provide righteousness (Romans 8:3; cf. Romans 7:5–11). It demands obedience but cannot empower it, leading to frustration (Romans 7:18–24).

Grace Through the Spirit: Believers are freed from the law’s bondage (Romans 7:6) and empowered by the Spirit to fulfill the law’s intent (Romans 8:4). Love becomes the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14), as the Spirit produces fruit like love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22–23).

No Condemnation: Justification by faith (Romans 3:24–25) removes guilt, and the Spirit’s indwelling ensures believers are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 8:1–2).

The New Covenant in Romans 8

The new covenant, foreshadowed in Jeremiah 31:31–34 and fulfilled in Christ, replaces the old covenant’s external law with an internal transformation:

Internal Transformation: God writes His laws on believers’ hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10), enabling obedience through the Spirit (Romans 8:5–6) and progressive sanctification (Philippians 3:12-14 ). This aligns with Romans 8:4, where the Spirit empowers believers to fulfill the law’s requirements.

Security and Assurance: The new covenant guarantees forgiveness and a permanent relationship with God (Jeremiah 31:34; Romans 8:31–39). Believers are heirs of God, assured of eternal glory despite present suffering (Romans 8:17–18). Romans 8 resolves the tension between law and grace by showing that the Spirit’s work in believers fulfills the law’s intent. This aligns with the broader theme that grace does not negate the law but transforms it into heart-driven obedience. The new covenant’s promises (Jeremiah 31:31–34) are realized in Christ, who fulfills the law and secures believers’ eternal standing.

Key Takeaways

Law vs. Grace: The law exposes sin; grace provides righteousness through Christ and empowers obedience via the Spirit.

New Covenant: Internalizes God’s law through the Spirit, ensuring forgiveness and an eternal relationship with God.

Romans 8: Affirms believers’ freedom from condemnation and their Spirit-enabled ability to live righteously. This framework underscores that the law is not abolished but fulfilled in Christ, and believers participate in this fulfillment through the Spirit’s transformative work.

Caveat Warning to Carnal vs. Spiritual Believers:

Some theologians add a saved/unsaved dichotomy, arguing that Romans 8:5–8 describes two types of believers:

Carnal Christians: Those who complacently live “in the flesh” (Romans 8:5), experiencing spiritual “death” (Romans 8:6) due to unrepentant ongoing sin or lack of Spirit-led obedience, or not adhering to sound doctrine.

Spiritual Christians: Those who walk “in the Spirit” (Romans 8:4), experiencing life and peace through active reliance on the Spirit as they live in obedience.

I believe the above caveat is very important from this perspective—to urge believers to pursue holiness through the Spirit (1 Peter 1:16). I think we need to hearken to this caution, to study the reform position on spiritual regeneration as it can save us from backsliding, and focus on the study of the biblical doctrines (scripture alone defines them) relating to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

While affirming justification (Romans 5–6), we must stress having a union with Christ (Romans 8:1) as the basis for overcoming carnality. Our union is tied to the believer’s positional identity in Christ, urging a renewed commitment to Spirit-led obedience, though, as Paul taught, was progressive sanctification (Philippians 3:12-14 ).

Theological Implications

Practical holiness defines Spirit-filled living, urging believers to pursue transformative obedience rather than resting solely in positional righteousness (of being once justified by believing in Jesus). This aligns with an emphasis on progressive sanctification and the believer’s responsibility to “walk in the Spirit.”  While acknowledging sanctification, specific interpretations often prioritize justification’s irrevocable nature (Romans 8:31–39).

A balanced view corrects complacency by urging believers to actively engage with the Spirit’s work—a theme echoed in the apostles’ writings. This exegesis of Romans 8 diverges from traditional interpretations in its focus on sanctification rather than soteriology (as in the view that Justification in Christ equates positionally to once saved, always saved), particularly in how we frame the contrast between living “in the flesh” and “in the Spirit.”

Here’s a breakdown of the theological Traditional Reform difference:

Traditional Reform Interpretation of Romans 8

Saved vs. Unsaved Contrast: Romans 8:1–8 is often viewed as a contrast between believers (in the Spirit) and unbelievers (unregenerate/unbelievers in the flesh). The Spirit’s indwelling distinguishes the regenerate, freed from condemnation and empowered to obey God’s will.

The law’s inability to save (Romans 8:3) is tied to humanity’s sinful nature, while Christ’s substitutionary atonement and His imputed righteousness fulfill the law’s demands.

Over-emphasis on Justification:

Emphasis is often placed on no condemnation (Romans 8:1) as a result of justification by faith, with the Spirit’s role in sanctification often a secondary process. Justification is the critical first step in believing in Jesus. This is true, but our further sanctification towards holiness means walking in the Spirit and obeying God’s Word — which is sanctification by the Spirit. If we over-emphasize Justification, we may miss the need to obey the Word by the indwelling Spirit of Christ as we abide in Him.

I believe that once we are justified by faith, sanctification by faith continues in lock-step if we obey scripture. If we err, we confess our sin in repentance and continue on our journey in Christ.

1 Dr Donald Barnhouse

Uncategorized

Romans 7: Defines law versus grace.

St. Paul’s great chapter of Romans 7 emphasizes the transition from law to grace and the new covenant’s transformative power. His interpretation centers on the believer’s liberation from the law’s condemnation and the empowerment of the Spirit. Below is a structured analysis of his key points, an exegesis supported by Romans 7:

1. The Law’s Role: Revealing Sin, Not Saving

I want to emphasize that the law in the New Covenant remains holy, righteous and good (Romans 7:12), yet powerless to save. It exposes sin’s depth by provoking rebellion (e.g., coveting) and reveals humanity’s inability to fulfill its demands. For example, Paul’s struggle with coveting (Romans 7:7-11) illustrates how the law diagnoses sin but cannot cure it. The law aims to illuminate sin’s corruption, not provide righteousness.

2. The Marriage Analogy: Death to the Law

Paul’s marriage metaphor (Romans 7:1-6) explains believers’ freedom from the law. Just as death ends a marriage, union with Christ’s death releases believers from the law’s authority. Through Christ’s death, believers are freed from the law’s legalism and “married” to Christ, who empowers them to bear spiritual fruit.

“We were once married to sin, but sin died and when it died, sins authority died with it at the cross of Jesus Christ – with the source of sins power(law) now being dead, we who trust in Christ have been set free to marry asecond time (or to another) to Him Who is the one that God sent to setus free through Jesus Christ!” –

3. Grace vs. Legalism: Serving in the Spirit

Contrast the old way of the written code (law) with the new way of the Spirit (grace). Under the law, sin’s power dominates, leading to death (Romans 7:5-6). In Christ, believers are freed to serve God in the Spirit’s power, not through legalistic effort. This aligns with Paul’s declaration that believers are “not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

4. The New Covenant’s Victory Over Sin

The new covenant fulfills the law’s purpose. While the law exposed sin’s reign (Romans 7:13-25), Christ’s sacrifice delivers believers from sin’s dominion. The Spirit now enables obedience, replacing the law’s condemnation with grace’s empowerment. This mirrors Paul’s cry of deliverance through Christ (Romans 7:24-25).

5. The Believer’s Ongoing Struggle

Paul acknowledges the tension between flesh and Spirit (Romans 7:14-25). Even under grace, believers experience an internal conflict between sinful desires and God’s will. However, this struggle is not a defeat but a reminder of dependence on Christ’s grace for victory. The law’s role here is diagnostic, while grace provides the cure and a path to empower obedience and sanctification.

Conclusion: Romans 7 is not a prescription for legalism but a testament to grace. The law’s inability to save highlights the necessity of Christ’s work, while the new covenant’s Spirit-empowered life fulfills God’s redemptive plan. Next is Romans 8, click here to read.

Key Contrasts: Law vs. Grace

Aspect Law Grace
Reveals sin, condemns (Romans 7:7-11) Saves, empowers (Romans 7:6, 25)
Human effort (Romans 7:18) Holy Spirit (Romans 7:6, 8:4)
Death (Romans 7:10) Life, fruitfulness (Romans 7:6, 8:2)
Uncategorized

All the Promises in the New Testament

Promises in Matthew

Salvation from sin (Matthew 1:21)

Spirit baptism (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; John 7:37-39; Acts 1:5,8; Acts 2:17-21,38-39; Acts 11:16; Galatians 3:14)

Life by the Word (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4)

Protection by angels (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10-11; Hebrews 1:14)

Soul-winning power (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17)

Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3,10; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 8:11; Matthew 19:14; Matthew 25:34; Mark 10:14; Luke 6:20; Luke 12:32; Luke 13:29; Luke 18:16; James 2:5)

Comfort (Matthew 5:4; Luke 6:21; II Corinthians 1:4,7; II Corinthians 7:6)

Earth as an inheritance (Matthew 5:5)

Filling of righteousness (Matthew 5:6)

Mercy (Matthew 5:7; Luke 1:50; James 5:11)

A visible God (Matthew 5:8; Revelation 22:4)

Sonship (Matthew 5:9,45; Luke 6:35; John 1:12; Romans 8:14,16; Galatians 3:7-9,26; Hebrews 3:6; I John 3:2,10)

Blessing for persecution (Matthew 5:11)

Great rewards (Matthew 5:12; Matthew 6:4,6,18; Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:41; Luke 6:23,35; Luke 14:14; John 4:36; I Corinthians 3:8-15; I Corinthians 15:58; Ephesians 6:8; Colossians 3:24; Hebrews 10:35; James 1:25)

Greatness (Matthew 5:19; Matthew 18:4; Luke 9:48)

Forgiveness of sins (Matthew 6:14; Matthew 12:31; Matthew 18:35; Mark 11:25-26; Luke 5:24; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:38-39; Acts 26:18; Romans 3:25; Romans 4:7-8; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; I John 1:9; I John 2:12)

Necessities of life (Matthew 6:30,33; Luke 11:9-13; 12:31)

Answers to all prayers (Matthew 7:7-11; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 18:19; Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 9:23; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 18:1-8; John 14:12-14; John 15:7,16; John 16:23-26; Romans 8:32; Hebrews 11:6; James 1:6; I Peter 3:12; I John 3:20-22; I John 5:14-15)

All good things (Matthew 7:11)

Punishment in hell for rebels (Matthew 7:22-23; Matthew 8:11-12; Matthew 13:41-42,49-50; Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 3:17; Luke 12:46; I Corinthians 3:17; I Corinthians 6:9-10; James 2:13; II Peter 2:12-13; Revelation 14:9-11; Revelation 20:10-15; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15; cp. Isaiah 66:22-24)

Physical healing (Matthew 8:17; Matthew 9:29; Matthew 13:15; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 9:23; Mark 11:22-24; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 4:18; John 14:12; Acts 28:27; Romans 8:11; James 5:14-16; I Peter 2:24)

Answers to prayer according to faith (Matthew 9:29; Hebrews 11:6; James 1:5-8)

Degrees of punishment in hell (Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22,24; Matthew 12:41-42; Matthew 23:14)

Inspiration (Matthew 10:19; Luke 12:12)

Final salvation at the end of a life of sowing to the Spirit (Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:23-25; Galatians 6:7-8; I Peter 1:5,9,13)

Second coming of Christ (Matthew 10:23; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 23:39; Matthew 24:27-31; Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 26:54; Mark 13:24-27; Mark 14:62; Luke 21:27-28; Acts 1:11; Acts 3:20-21; Romans 11:26; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; II Thessalonians 2:8-12; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; Hebrews 10:37)

Exposure of all secrets (Matthew 10:26; Mark 4:22; Luke 12:3; Romans 2:12-16)

Providence of God (Matthew 10:29-31; Luke 12:6,24,28; Romans 8:28-30; I Peter 5:7)

Divine recognition (Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8; Revelation 2:5)

Divine denial (Matthew 10:33; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Luke 12:9)

Life or death (Matthew 10:39; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; John 12:25)

Prophet’s reward (Matthew 10:41)

Righteous man’s reward (Matthew 10:41)

Soul rest (Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:9)

Only one unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10)

Judgment of minutest details (Matthew 12:36-37; Matthew 15:13; Mark 9:49; Romans 2:16)

Increased or decreased blessings (Matthew 13:12; Matthew 25:29; Mark 4:24-25; Luke 8:18; Luke 19:26)

Conversion upon obedience (Matthew 13:15; Acts 3:19; James 5:19-20)

Exaltation of righteous (Matthew 13:43)

Separation of good and bad (Matthew 13:41-43,49-50)

Building of a church (Matthew 16:18)

A victorious church (Matthew 16:18)

Power to bind and loose (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18; John 14:12; John 20:23)

Rewards according to works (Matthew 16:27; I Corinthians 3:11-15; II Corinthians 5:10)

Unlimited power (Matthew 17:20; Matthew 18:18; Mark 9:23; Mark 11:22-24; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 10:19; Luke 17:6; Luke 24:49; John 14:12; Acts 1:8)

Reception of Christ (Matthew 18:5; Luke 9:48)

Salvation of the lost (Matthew 18:11; Luke 5:32; John 5:25; John 10:9; Revelation 22:17)

Divine presence now (Matthew 18:20; Matthew 20:23) and hereafter (Revelation 7:15; Revelation 21:3-7)

Material blessings (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Matthew 21:21-22)

Eternal life (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:29-30; John 3:15-16,36; John 4:14; John 5:24; John 6:27, note: John 6:47,50,58; John 8:51; John 10:27-29; John 20:31; Romans 2:7; Romans 6:22-23; Titus 1:2; I John 2:25; I John 5:11-12)

Exaltation through humility (Matthew 19:30; Matthew 20:16; Matthew 23:12; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14; James 4:10; I Peter 5:6)

A ransom (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; I Timothy 2:6)

No marriages among resurrected people (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:35)

God’s Word unchangeable (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; I Peter 1:25)

Rulership for saints (Matthew 25:21,23; I Corinthians 6:2-3; II Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10)

Atonement (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:19-20; John 1:29; Romans 3:25; Romans 5:11; Ephesians 1:7)

Food for the next life (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:16,18,30; Revelation 2:7,17; Revelation 7:11-17; Revelation 19:7-10)

Promises in Mark

Reaping what is sown (Mark 4:24; Luke 6:38; Galatians 6:7-8)

Persecution (Mark 10:30)

Signs of the gospel (Mark 16:15-20)

Promises in Luke

An eternal kingdom to Christ and His saints (Luke 1:32-33; Luke 12:32; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 22:4-5)

Deliverance from enemies (Luke 1:74)

Peace (Luke 1:79; John 14:27; John 16:33)

Joy (Luke 2:10-11; I Peter 4:13-14)

Universal salvation (Luke 3:6; Acts 10:35; Acts 13:26,47; Acts 15:17; Acts 28:28; Romans 1:16; Romans 10:9-13; Galatians 3:22)

Now is the acceptable time (Luke 4:18-19; II Corinthians 6:2)

Preservation (Luke 9:56; Luke 21:18)

Personal responsibility (Luke 12:48)

Immortality of body (Luke 20:36; Romans 2:7; I Corinthians 15:42-54; II Corinthians 5:1-8)

Wisdom (Luke 21:15; James 1:5)

Rapture of all saints (Luke 21:36; John 14:1-3; John 16:16; I Corinthians 15:23,51-58; Ephesians 5:27; Philippians 3:21; Colossians 3:4; I Thessalonians 3:13; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; I Thessalonians 5:9-10,23; II Thessalonians 2:7; James 5:7; I John 3:2)

Promises in John

Freedom from condemnation (John 3:16-18; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 9:13-15)

A state of no hunger or thirst (John 4:14; John 6:35)

The resurrection of all people (John 5:28-29; John 6:40,44,54; John 14:19; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 6:14; I Corinthians 15:20-58; II Corinthians 4:14; Revelation 20:11-15)

Assurance (John 6:37; Philippians 1:6; II Timothy 1:12; II Timothy 2:11-13; Hebrews 6:1-20; I Peter 1:5,9,13)

An indwelling Christ (John 6:56-57; John 14:23; Romans 8:10; Colossians 1:27)

Knowledge (John 7:17; John 14:20,26; I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 2:12; II Corinthians 12:8-11)

Light of life (John 8:12)

Freedom (John 8:32,36)

Honor (John 12:26; Romans 2:8-10)

Universal dealing (John 12:32)

Mansions (John 14:1-3)

Greater works (John 14:12)

Love of God (John 14:21)

Manifestation of God (John 14:21)

Abiding Presence (John 14:23; John 15:10; Philippians 4:9)

Purging (John 15:2)

Fruitfulness (John 15:5; II Peter 1:8)

The Holy Spirit in a measure (John 16:7-13; Romans 8:14-16) and in all fullness (Luke 11:13; Luke 24:49; John 7:37-39; John 14:12-18,26; John 15:26; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:16-21,38-39; Acts 5:32)

Guidance (John 16:13-15)

Promises in Acts

Justification (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 2:13; Romans 3:24-28; Romans 4:25; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:33; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:24)

Restoration of Israel (Acts 15:16-17; Romans 11:25-29; Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27)

Nearness of God (Acts 17:27; Ephesians 2:13; James 4:8)

Edification (Acts 20:32)

An eternal inheritance (Acts 26:18; I Corinthians 2:9; I Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:7)

Deliverance (Acts 26:18; Romans 8:21)

Promises in Romans

Goodness of God (Romans 2:4; Romans 11:22)

Justice (Romans 2:6,12-16; Romans 8:33; I Corinthians 3:11-15; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 11:31)

Indignation and wrath (Romans 2:8-9)

Glory and honor (Romans 2:10; Romans 8:18)

Impartiality of God (Romans 2:11)

Righteousness (Romans 3:22; Romans 4:5,16,24; Romans 5:19; I Corinthians 1:30)

Salvation by grace through faith, not of works (Romans 3:24-31; Ephesians 2:8-9; II Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 2:11-12)

God for all people (Romans 3:29-30)

Salvation from wrath (Romans 5:9-10)

Victory (Romans 5:17; Romans 8:4,13; Romans 8:37; II Corinthians 2:14; I John 5:4)

Abundant grace (Romans 5:20-21)

Newness of life (Romans 6:5-8)

A spiritual mind (Romans 8:6)

Restoration of creation (Romans 8:21; Ephesians 1:10,12; Revelation 21:3-7; Revelation 22:3)

Divine help (Romans 8:26-27,31,34; Romans 14:4; I Corinthians 10:13)

A short work of God (Romans 9:28)

Salvation of Gentiles (Romans 9:25-26; Romans 11:11-12; Romans 15:21)

Salvation of Israel (Romans 9:27; Romans 11:23-36; Hebrews 8:10-12; Hebrews 10:17)

Boldness (not ashamed of Christ, Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11; I Peter 2:6)

End of law in Christ (Romans 10:4)

Word near all people (Romans 10:8)

Simplicity of salvation (Romans 10:9-10; I Corinthians 15:2; I John 1:9; II Thessalonians 2:13)

Faith (Romans 10:17; I Corinthians 12:9)

Holiness (Romans 11:16; Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:22; cp. Hebrews 12:14)

God unchangeable (Romans 11:29)

God’s vengeance (Romans 12:19)

Blessing or cursing (Romans 13:2-3)

Joy, righteousness, and peace in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17)

Coming Messiah to reign (Romans 15:12)

Satan’s defeat (Romans 16:20; cp. Revelation 12:7-12; Revelation 20:1-10)

Promises in I Corinthians

Confirmation (I Corinthians 1:8)

God to be faithful (I Corinthians 1:9; I Corinthians 10:13; I Thessalonians 5:24; II Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 13:5)

Christ to be our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30)

Unlimited blessings (I Corinthians 3:21-23; Ephesians 1:3)

Judgeship of saints (I Corinthians 6:2-3)

Help when tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13)

9 spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 12:8-11)

Baptism in one body (I Corinthians 12:13)

Eternal love (I Corinthians 13:8)

Perfection (I Corinthians 13:10; I Peter 5:10)

We shall know as known (I Corinthians 13:12; I Corinthians 15:35-54)

Putting down of rebellion on earth (I Corinthians 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:10; Revelation 21-22)

Destruction of death (I Corinthians 15:26)

Promises in II Corinthians

All promises true (II Corinthians 1:20)

Removal of blindness when the heart turns to God (II Corinthians 3:16)

Liberty (II Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:13)

Transformation (II Corinthians 3:18)

Constant physical degeneration and spiritual renewal (II Corinthians 4:16-17)

New creation work (II Corinthians 5:17-18; Ephesians 4:24; Hebrews 8:10-12)

Divine fellowship (II Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:10; James 4:8; I John 1:7; Revelation 3:20)

Divine reception (II Corinthians 6:17)

Divine Fatherhood (II Corinthians 6:18; Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13; Hebrews 12:5-10)

Riches (II Corinthians 8:9)

Bountiful reaping (II Corinthians 9:6)

All sufficiency (II Corinthians 9:8)

Eternal righteousness (II Corinthians 9:9)

Increased righteousness (II Corinthians 9:10)

Enrichment in all things (II Corinthians 9:11)

Spiritual weapons (II Corinthians 10:4-5; Ephesians 6:10-18)

Perfect strength (II Corinthians 12:9)

Life by God’s power (II Corinthians 13:4)

Promises in Galatians

Deliverance from the present evil world (Galatians 1:4)

Abraham’s blessing (Galatians 3:14)

Heirship (Galatians 3:29; Romans 8:17; Titus 3:7)

Adoption as sons (Galatians 4:5-7,31; Ephesians 1:5)

Eternal death for sin (Galatians 5:21)

Promises in Ephesians

Redemption (Ephesians 1:7,14; Colossians 1:14; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 2:9-15; Hebrews 9:11-15)

Restitution of all things (Ephesians 1:10; Acts 3:21; I Corinthians 15:24-28; Revelation 21)

Boldness and access to God (Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-23)

Heavenly citizenship (Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20)

God’s infinite power (Ephesians 3:20)

Sealing (Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 1:13; John 6:27; Romans 4:11; II Corinthians 1:22)

Sanctification (Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:10)

Long life (Ephesians 6:3)

Promises in Philippians and Timothy

Peace shall keep you (Philippians 4:7)

Needs supplied (Philippians 4:19)

God’s will to save all people (I Timothy 2:4; II Peter 3:9; Revelation 22:17)

Profit in godliness (I Timothy 4:8)

Power, love, and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7)

Honor and usefulness (II Timothy 2:21)

Crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8)

Promises in Hebrews

Angel ministers (Hebrews 1:14)

Help in temptation (Hebrews 2:18)

Partaking of Christ (Hebrews 3:14)

A high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 6:20)

Uttermost salvation (Hebrews 7:25)

A better covenant (Hebrews 8:8-12; Hebrews 10:16-17)

A new covenant (Hebrews 8:8-12; Hebrews 10:16-17)

Personal representation (Hebrews 9:24)

Eternal substance (Hebrews 10:34)

Holy City (Hebrews 11:10-16; Hebrews 13:14)

A better thing (Hebrews 11:40)

Disciple (Hebrews 12:6,11; Revelation 3:19)

Jesus to be the same (Hebrews 13:8)

Promises in James

God to be the same (James 1:17)

Liberal answers to prayer (James 1:5-6; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 21:21-22)

Crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)

Grace (James 4:6; I Peter 1:13; I Peter 5:5)

Satan to flee when resisted (James 4:7; I Peter 5:8-9)

God to have pity on sufferers (James 5:11)

Promises in I Peter and II Peter

New birth (I Peter 1:23; I John 5:1)

Crown of glory (I Peter 5:4)

All things (II Peter 1:3)

Great promises (II Peter 1:4)

The divine nature (II Peter 1:4)

Escape from the corruption of the world (II Peter 1:4)

Security (II Peter 1:10)

Abundant entrance into the kingdom of God (II Peter 1:11)

New Heaven and New Earth (II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21-22)

Promises in I John and II John

Cleansing from sin (I John 1:7,9)

An advocate with God (I John 2:1-2)

Boldness in judgment (I John 4:17)

Witness of sonship (I John 5:10-11)

Renewed life (I John 5:16; James 5:19-20; Galatians 4:19; Galatians 6:1)

Eternal truth (II John 2)

Both God and Christ (II John 9)

Promises in Revelation

Blessing by reading (Revelation 1:3)

The tree of life (Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2)

Escape from hell (Revelation 2:11)

A white stone (Revelation 2:17)

A new name (Revelation 2:17)

Power to rule nations (Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 5:9-10; Revelation 22:4-5)

The morning star (Revelation 2:28)

White robes (Revelation 3:4-5; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 19:8)

Name retained in the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5; cp. Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:25-28)

A place in God’s temple (Revelation 3:12)

The name of God (Revelation 3:12)

The name of God’s city (Revelation 3:12)

Christ’s new name (Revelation 3:12)

The descent of the Holy City to Earth (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2,9-10)

Eternal supply (Revelation 7:16)

No more heat (Revelation 7:16)

Divine shepherding (Revelation 7:17)

No more tears (Revelation 7:17; Revelation 21:4)

Defeat of all earthly kingdoms (Revelation 11:15; Revelation 19:11-21; Revelation 20:1-10)

Rest from hard labour (Revelation 14:13)

Works will be manifest (Revelation 14:13)

Kingship and priesthood (Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 1:5-6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 22:4-5)

God’s Tabernacle with human beings (Revelation 21:3)

No more death (Revelation 21:4)

No more sorrow (Revelation 21:4)

No more pain (Revelation 21:4)

All things new (Revelation 21:5)

Water of life (Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:17)

Eternal nations to be saved and multiply forever (Revelation 21:24-27; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 22:4-5)

Eternal healing (Revelation 22:2)

No more curse (Revelation 22:3)

A right to the tree of life (Revelation 22:14)

A right to enter the Holy City (Revelation 22:14; cp. Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15)

Plagues of Revelation upon rebels (Revelation 22:18-19)

Names of rebels blotted out of the Book of Life (Revelation 22:19; Revelation 3:5; Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:25-29)

Rebels lose their right to the Holy City (Revelation 22:19)

Rebels will be denied the blessings of Revelation (Revelation 22:19)

Soon return of Jesus Christ to fulfill all the above promises (Revelation 22:7,12,20; Revelation 3:11)

Uncategorized

The Atonement of Jesus Christ: Biblical Foundations

Here, we will examine one of the Seventh-day Adventists’ primary but the most fundamental and challenged doctrines within and without the SDA establishment: the heretical Investigative Judgment (IJ). This doctrine negatively affects orthodox Christian doctrines: the Atonement, Justification by Faith, Sanctification by Faith, the Ascension, the Intercessory work of Christ our High Priest, the Trinity, and the Eschatological Second Advent.

It has caused many well-educated theologians (one, Desmond Ford,  who held five doctorates) within the SDA church to seek reform of this doctrine, which generally meets with imminent defamation and defrocking.

The leaders of the SDA church defer to their pioneers, one of whom claimed to be a prophetess — the woman Ellen G. White (EGW). Many leaders and members believe she has always and continues to offer a divine complement to Sola Scriptura (scripture alone), to the extent that they have published her entire writings in well-bound volumes: an SDA Commentary and The Clear Word Bible, which include her many untheological visions. Even the retired editor of a pastoral magazine publication referred to EGW as “my guru” on Facebook. This adherence to erroneous biblical proclamation presents a conundrum for the SDA leadership — it could split the church if they admit that she has erred at any point, especially the infamous IJ doctrine.

The number of Ellen G. White books printed by Seventh-day Adventist publishers such as Pacific Press and Review and Herald over the years is not definitively stated. Still, some data provides insight into the scope of her literary impact. EGW has probably published more volumes than all the cultic denominations combined.

  1. Volume of Publications: Ellen G. White authored approximately 100,000 pages of material during her lifetime, including 24 books in circulation at the time of her death, 5,000 periodical articles, and numerous tracts and pamphlets. Posthumous compilations have increased the total number of books in print to more than 130 titles.1  Her writings, such as The Great Controversy and other popular works like Steps to Christ (translated into over 165 languages), have seen tens of millions of copies distributed worldwide. 2

  2. Global Publishing Reach: The Seventh-day Adventist Church operates 62 publishing houses globally, producing literature in over 360 languages. Ellen White’s works have been central to the mission of these institutions. 3 

  3. Revenue Information: While specific financial data tied solely to Ellen White’s books is unavailable, Pacific Press Publishing Association has shown significant profitability. Ellen White’s writings have had a profound impact on Adventist publishing efforts globally, with millions of copies printed and distributed. However, detailed financial earnings attributed to her work are not publicly disclosed.

With this introduction, we declare that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is at the heart of Christian theology. Scripture describes it as conjoining His sacrificial death on the cross and His priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary, as He prepares His church to be with Him for their glorification.

Atonement on the Cross

1 Peter 2:24 emphasizes that Jesus bore humanity’s sins in His body on the cross, fulfilling the Old Testament imagery of a sacrificial lamb (Isaiah 53:12). His death was substitutionary, meaning He died in place of sinners, the innocent for the guilty (Romans 5:6; 1 John 2:2). This act reconciled humanity to God, enabling believers to live for righteousness and experience spiritual healing through salvation.

Leviticus 17:11 highlights the importance of blood in atonement, stating that “the life of a creature is in the blood” and that it is given to make atonement. This foreshadowed Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, whose blood obtained eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).

Atonement in the Most Holy Place

Hebrews 9:11-12 describes Jesus as entering the heavenly Most Holy Place once for all by His precious antitypical blood, securing eternal redemption. This contrasts with the repeated animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant. His priestly work fulfills and surpasses the Day of Atonement rituals outlined in Leviticus 16, where the high priest entered the earthly Most Holy Place to make atonement for the sins of Israel. Jesus’ entry into the heavenly sanctuary signifies a perfect and final act of atonement.

Hebrews 9:23-28 explains that Christ’s sacrifice purifies humanity and the heavenly sanctuary. His death was sufficient to put away sin forever, and He will return not to deal with sin but to bring salvation to those waiting for Him.

Seventh-day Adventists’ Investigative Judgement

The Seventh-day Adventist doctrine of Investigative Judgment teaches that Christ began a second phase of atonement in 1844 when He entered the heavenly Most Holy Place to cleanse the sanctuary. This belief stems from Hiram Edson’s interpretation following the Millerite “Great Disappointment.” According to this view, Jesus’ work in heaven involves examining believers’ lives to determine their eligibility for salvation before His second coming. This completely skews the truth that Jesus Christ is sufficient. Note: William Miller taught that Christ would return on October 22, 1844. He has repented of his folly, whereas Ellen G. White took Hiram Edson’s misinterpretation to the depths of false doctrine.

Rejection by Other Christian Traditions

Orthodox, Reformed, and Evangelical theologians reject this Investigative Judgment doctrine for several reasons:

  1. Biblical Finality of Christ’s Sacrifice:

    • Hebrews 9:12 explicitly states that Jesus entered the Most Holy Place “once for all” by His blood, obtaining eternal redemption. The idea of an ongoing investigative phase undermines the sufficiency and finality of Christ’s atonement as taught in scripture.

  2. Misinterpretation of Prophecy:

    • Other traditions consider Adventist reliance on Daniel 8:14 (“cleansing of the sanctuary”) a misapplication. Reformed theology interprets this passage as referring to historical events involving Antiochus Epiphanes rather than a heavenly judgment beginning in 1844.

  3. Lack of Scriptural Support:

    • Orthodox and Evangelical traditions argue that there is no biblical evidence for a two-phase atonement process or an investigative judgment occurring in heaven. Instead, scripture consistently portrays Christ’s atoning work as completed on the cross (John 19:30) and applied through faith.

  4. Theological Concerns:

    • The Investigative Judgment introduces uncertainty about salvation, which conflicts with doctrines emphasizing assurance through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Reformed theology particularly stresses justification by faith as a completed act rather than contingent on future investigative judgment.

Comparison Table

Aspect Biblical Atonement Investigative Judgment (SDA)
Finality Christ’s sacrifice was “once for all” (Hebrews 9:12) Ongoing investigative process since 1844
Scriptural Basis Rooted in Hebrews, Leviticus, and New Testament Based on an interpretation of Daniel 8:14
Salvation Assurance Assurance through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) Conditional upon judgment outcomes
Historical Development Consistent with early church teachings Developed post-Millerite “Great Disappointment”

 

In summary, while Seventh-day Adventists view Christ’s work in heaven as an investigative phase tied to eschatology, other Christian traditions reject this notion based on scriptural teachings about the sufficiency and finality of Christ’s atonement on the cross and His priestly intercession in heaven.

Recommended

 How False Doctrine Can Influence Groupthink

About Ellen G White

 

1 White Estate

2 ibid

3 Ministry Magazine