Growing in Christian Faith is Seldom Easy

It's difficult to write about the quality of one's faith. Nevertheless, it is honest and may prove beneficial to the writer and to his readers. If possible, I will try to outline my journey in the recent past and contrast it with previous states of faith I've experienced through the years.

First of all, I'd like to share a favorite text about faith and the Christian life:

... Everyone who looks to the Son [of God] and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:40

This text has been valuable to me for it presents in a nutshell the crux of the Christian life. It's simplicity delights me and gives me reason to continue pursuing the Christian life notwithstanding its challenges. Salvation is centered on Christ Jesus and not on ourselves. By directing our attention, in a variety of ways, to the Son of God and relating to him as a real and wonderful person, belief must surely follow. If it does not do so as easily as one would want, then going to Christ and asking him for help in this area is one solution to this dilemma.

There are other things one can do to foster greater saving faith in Christ. Reading the Bible or other Christian material, e.g., devotionals, is an honest first step towards having greater faith. Listening to Christian sermons whether recorded or live can also help to gain a desire to believe in Christ. Praying about what one reads or hears helps to solidify one's faith.

Living a life of faith is its own reward. Nevertheless, the quoted text rewards us with eternal life and being raised up [from death] at the last day. Again, there is a concentrated gospel message in this text that goes a long way towards simplifying the sometimes frustrating experience of living the Christian life.

Now to the problems in spite of the wonderful statements outlined above. What happens when doubt or unbelief rear their ugly heads? How to proceed. If possible, it might be advisable to talk with a trusted parent, friend or minister who you know to be a strong and loving Christian. Even though belief is the core of your problem, persist in talking to God about your problem. Because he is a loving God and has your interest in mind, he will do what you ask of him if what you need is greater faith. If new Christians believe that they have little or imperfect faith keep in mind the words of the apostle::

"... God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith." Romans 12:3 [Paraphrased]

God would hardly be a loving God if he asked us to believe in his Son for salvation and didn't meet us half way by giving us a quotient of start-up faith with which to move onto greater faith in the Christian experience.

There is still a lot more to this issue of faith, unbelief and renewal of faith, but the most important aspects, as I see them, have been outlined above. It is my sincere desire that at whatever stage you happen to be in the Christian walk, you may strengthen and find faith to meet your every need.

The Conceptual Nature of Salvation by the Cross

Salvation through Christ's death on the cross sounds wonderful. It sure beats fulfilling every OT commandment as a means to salvation. However, I am frequently mystified by the concept of being saved by Christ's death on the cross. It seems to be a conceptual reality similar to a thought experiment. One is basing an entire system of salvation and its related lifestyle and experience to an event that not one of us can empirically prove.

Additionally, it's odd, for want of a better word,  that the God who said thou shall not also died to solve the "problem " of his creatures violating the "thou shall nots". No wonder Paul says that to the Greeks the Gospel seemed like foolishness.
With science daily redefining what reality is or might be, thanks to the unfolding of String Theory, dark energy, the Multiverse and the hint of parallel worlds, all inferred by the mathematics itself, it sometimes befuddles the mind to speak of the historical act of redemption as the quintessential conceptual and theological Theory.
Nevertheless, for whatever psychological and philosophical comfort it provides, I cannot abandon my faith, however tenuous or conceptual it has become. I've seen the  practical and transformative value of  the Cross in my life and in that of  others.

Mysteries of Eternal Life

Not because we've done so much for you or for others. Not because we've refrained from doing other things that were selfish. Not because we've obeyed every last commandment we've been aware of. Save us because we could never do enough, merciful God, to deserve eternal life and unending blessings.

The Voice of the Holy Spirit Sang to Me in the Darkness

"Don't write about the Holy Spirit. Don't talk about him. He is too holy, too sacred, yes too dangerous, to even think about."

These words spoken long ago by some now-forgotten preacher still haunt me even five minutes ago as I prepared to start this post. For 20 years I had feared even saying the Holy Spirit's name lest he be offended in some way. Christ's warning about the finality of sinning against the Holy Spirit was taken to heart with a vengeance that amazes me now.

Six years ago this perplexing experience started to change. Let me share an experience that I have never heard anyone speak of before.

Out of boredom I started singing a Christian song I learned at 16 during a young people's weekend at Camp Berkshire in Wingdale, New York. I sang it both in Spanish and English as I walked my golden retriever, Callisto, on his long, long walks through concrete and green in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

It's important that I share the entire lyric as you will understand that it was the vehicle by which the Holy Spirit spoke to me and changed me almost against my will. I must state that I was bored out of my mind and had gotten bored with singing pop tunes on my long, long walks with Callisto. This song, however, sprang to life and wouldn't let go. It had a will of its own. I'd stop singing it and it reasserted itself.

It's a wonderful, wonderful life when you're with the Lord above./ It's a wonderful, wonderful life when you're saved by his love./ There's a joy that you never can tell and great peace with the Lord above./ As I walk with the Lord in my heart there's a song./ It's a wonderful, wonderful life. -- Author Unknown

Week after week prior to 2005 I had been singing this song out of habit. I'd sing other songs, secular songs, but no other spiritual songs at all. In late 2004 or early 2005 I noted something was happening or had already happened. Without explanation I had a new-found interest in rising early and spending 30 minutes reading a chapter or two of the gospels in the New Testament, e.g., Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I had no time to pray so I prayed on the way to work for 15-20 minutes.

After a few weeks of this I thought maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to attend church again. I hadn't attended church at all in over 15 years. For some mysterious reason I actually enjoyed going to church. More importantly I enjoyed reading the Bible, the writings of Ellen White and other Christan books. I played no Christian music CDs even though I probably had one or two in some bottom storage box--who knows where in my home. The new songs I sang in church, praise songs, were all I needed for my new phase.

Then it dawned on me that I had been touched by the Holy Spirit, almost without asking for it. I must share with you that I never stopped believing in God even though my impression of God was and still is imperfect and skewed by life's experiences. Out of guilt and to avoid psychological discomfort only, I  had continued for 20 long years to repeat the following words on most mornings as I drove to work:

If you then who are earthly know how to give good things to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to you if you ask him. Luke 11:13

These words were the only contact I had with God and with the religion of my parents and I was not about to give it up just in case there really was something to the God experience, salvation, heaven, eternal life, etc. It was how I convinced myself that I still held onto the only lifeline I still had in case these were more than just pleasant words written 2,000 years ago.

Three months after this change started occurring in me I was awakened in my darkened room at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. by a voice singing inside my  head. It awakened me from a deep sleep with the clarity of its melody. I had not sang these words in over 25 years. The voice grew louder and  louder and the sweetness of the words almost moved me to tears. These are the words the voice sang [I am translating from Spanish as the voice was in the tongue of the first five years of my life:]

The Shepherd loves his sheep with a paternal love. The Shepherd loves his flock with a love that cannot compare. The Shepherd loves his other sheep that are scattered and lost. He looks for them with great concern wherever they may be be.

Down on my knees I found myself thanking God for the first and only time I had ever experienced such a phenomenon. I was actually hearing God's voice and in song. This time I knew something was happening, had happened, that had never happened before--at least not like this. This was the God experience and it took me decades of my life to fall into it. This was not some transitory emotion. This really grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. This was God taking me by the hand and  leading me very much like how I walked with my dear Callisto and led him on his daily walks.

Life has been full of temptations, disappointments and yes, shocks to my system, for six years now. But what else can I do?

When you have been touched by God it is for life. You just don't turn around and go anywhere else.

If you've never been touched by God, repeat the lyrics of my childhood song about how this is a wonderful, wonderful life. May God also touch you and never stop touching you throughout your life.

Financially Independent in Seven Years: a Divine Strategy

Five years ago a book I read defined financial independence as owning your home outright by paying off the mortgage years ahead of schedule. The now-forgotten author counselled eliminating needless expenses, as well as semi-needless expenses such as buying a new wardrobe every season. She even envisioned a near future saving strategy of borrowing new music legally almost free of charge. This now exists through Pandora.com. I find music--lots of it--to be priceless to avoid stress and a host of other problems. Pandora costs $10 a month, let's me access every song I've ever loved and saves me oodless of cash by not needing to buy CDs.

I too have resolved to be "financially independent" in seven years using as many cost-cutting strategies as possible.

A spiritual formula to achieve this is as follows:

1. Have faith in God.
2. The "impossible" is meaningless as far as God is concerned.
3. One responds best to vision if it is "clear, crisp and concise."
4. There is power in prayer. 1
_______

1 "Southern Tidings" p. 25. November 2010

Should You Believe in Evolution Against All Hope?

I've believed a bit in evolution through the years what with science being something I was taught to respect. I was smug in by belief until I realized that believing in evolution would mean that God uses death to accomplish ever-evolving life.

I guess I can't fully believe in six literal days of creation either although if God had wanted to he, no doubt, could very well have created our world in six days. He can certainly destroy it in less time if he wanted to.

So I don't know what to believe regarding how we all came to be, but I, nevertheless, hang onto my belief in God because it makes me a better person than a life without God. I don't know the mysteries of life and its beginnings, but somehow that's not so important to me.

I will continue searching for an answer, but will not despair if I never find one. I ask God to sustain me as I continue my search for an answer to this vexing question. Perhaps I'll find that the answer will be the simplest one of all.

Postmodern Belief

A wonderful being such as God should exist, must exist and, therefore, does exist.

God exists because one chooses for him to exist.

For those who choose for God not to exist, he simply does not exist.

Whether he exists or not is immaterial.

The choice is yours.

Now one can go on enjoying life with this new found belief, a belief of choice.

God's Smiling Face

I never thought God smiled at me until yesterday. Let me explain. Even though I've related to God since childhood, I always thought of him as being either too serious to smile, or upset with me for what I did or did not do in my day to day life.

Yesterday, after the Sabbath ended and I continued my post-Sabbath devotions by thanking him for his being my creator, and savior, I added "friend" for the first time in my life and really felt that I meant it. When I thought of God being my friend, I smiled and felt that for the first time, perhaps, in my life I sensed God's smiling face.

I was almost choked with emotion when I realized that I had been thanking him sabbath after sabbath for being my creator and savior, but never my friend.

It isn't easy relating to a triune God. At times I've felt it necessary to address all three when praying to indicate that I had all three persons of the Godhead in my affections. I must confess that when I think of the Godhead I have warmer feelings, or more fully-realized feelings towards Jesus Christ. For three years now, I have also been having a love relationship with the Holy Spirit, who I once thought so holy that it was safer to not think of him too much, or at all, lest I accidentally offend whom I considered the most holy person of the Godhead. This was due in part to Christ's statement about the sin against the Holy Spirit being the only sin that had no pardon. How wrong I had been all my life long to stay away from the person of the Holy Spirit out of fear of somehow offending him.

Now regarding God, I come to the most complicated relationship I've had with all three persons of the Godhead. Even though all three divine Persons are God, normally when the bible speaks of God, with no other descriptive terms, it is referring to God the Father. At times in my life I've felt warm toward God, but seldom completely at ease. The reasons are many.

My own relationship with my father has been difficult in my life. Even though I have a good relationship with him now, that wasn't always the case. Whenever I used the expression "God the Father," my human father, with all his eccentricities and imperfections came to mind and influenced my conception of God.

During my late adolescence and early adulthood I had come up with the term Father Jesus and that had helped me soften the shock of using the term father to describe God.

In the past year I've sometimes felt that the term God is too generic, as historically there have been other gods, and to capitalize the term was not as endearing as speaking of Jesus Christ, or even Holy Spirit, which sounded very specific in my mind.

A few months ago I started reading Norman Vincent Peale's Power of Positive Thinking book, and the phrases, "God is on my side; God is blessing me; God is helping me; God is guiding me; God is my friend;" greatly helped me to think of God in warmer terms.

Even when I make mistakes I don't like to dwell on them. I don't linger on God's frowning face in the same way that a loving parent doesn't let a frown, or momentary relaxation of a smile, linger on their face due to their child letting them down. What good can it possibly do me to think of God as frowning on me when I fall short of his perfect ideal? I confess my shortcomings and claim his promise of forgiveness and cleansing, and continue thinking warm and positive thoughts of the God with the smiling face. That's what my God is like. His smile never fades for very long, if at all.

Thank you, God, for showing your smiling face to me no matter what else I experience or do in my life. Someday I hope to gaze on your smiling face as one gazes into the face of a good friend or loved one.

Minimizing Evil

One really must have been given the gift of love for God and faith in God in a world that's full of evil. Without that prior gift, it is well nigh impossible or unlikely that anyone would have those attitudes. Not everyone receives that gift or can live with it successfully once it's given.

Of course, you can also focus on the beauty and goodness in the world and it will partially negate the evil that is also present. Not all of life is evil unless we only focus on that side of it. Those of us who believe in God, in spite of the imperfections of living in an evil world, must really want to or need to continue believing in God regardless of the things we see and hear.

Some people would say either there is no God and all this evil is a mystery which humanity is partially responsible for. Or they would say that there is a God and he allows the evil to continue when he could very well stop it tomorrow. Or they would say that he might want to stop the evil, but is not able to do so.

Perhaps that's why some churches are full of people who want to reassure each other that in spite of the evil in life, past and present, it's still okay to believe in God and to believe that he wants the best for us at all times.

Regarding the Bible, I'm finding that I have to focus more and more on the positive parts of the Bible, the promises of hope and love while at the same time not dwelling on the negative and, sometimes unpleasant passages one sometimes comes across.

Evolutionists without a Soul

At some point you have to give up on modern science. The claims or insights mentioned in a recent New York Times article, Science of the Soul? ‘I Think, Therefore I Am’ Is Losing Force, state that the soul is simply an illusion of the brain's processes. Additionally, some animals, to a degree, can be thought of as having awareness, or what was formerly called a soul, these cutting-edge evolutionists suggest. I oversimplify for the sake of brevity.

They practically say, we've proved that not only is there no proof of a spiritual aspect to a human being, but this is conclusive evidence that God never existed, nor can ever exist. For my own speculations on the latter, please click on http://perfectfuturo.blogspot.com/2007/01/future-creates-past.html

It now becomes harder to continue being an evolutionary Christian. Such Christians will possibly take the plunge and give up on religion altogether. Others, as does one theologian mentioned in the article, proceed in another novel attempt to make sense of God and the soul, and evolution. For another novel attempt at life in a universe with an absent God, please click on http://perfectfuturo.blogspot.com/2007/06/why-are-we-here-different-approach.html

At some point you have to look inside and ask yourself what is really important. What science tells me about my lack of a soul, or what your life experience has told you, otherwise. You do have a soul. It is capable of seeking and nurturing a relationship with God.

Click on title of this post for the full New York Times article that inspired this post.

Naked did my Lord save me

Mother named me Dismas. I was very close to mother--closer than any of my brothers. Mother loved beautiful things and whenever she sang her evening songs, I was by her side even when no one else cared to hear her sing. I always thought memories of her voice would be the last thing I'd ever hear before I died.

My wife and I were childless. The problem was more with me than with my wife. The local priest had done everything he could do to remedy my marital difficulties. When word got out, accidentally, about why I had been to the priest so often, my wife and I were the shame of the town.

After many false starts, my wife and I parted ways and she remarried an older man who could give her what I could not, a son. Before I knew where I was headed I was doing odd jobs to survive. Before long, I fell in with a bad crowd and when things were at their lowest, I was imprisoned and condemned to hang on the cross.

With me were crucified two others, one of my former associates and a quiet man whom I had once heard speak by a quiet lake when I was still with my wife. I never forgot his simple words: "Come to me and I will give you rest."

As the pain ebbed and flowed I tired of hearing my fellow partner-in-crime curse and berate the quiet teacher. I told him that we deserved our punishment, but not this quiet and gentle man in the center cross. I knew that at some point they would take me down from the cross and break my legs. Before the pain made me lose consciousness and, eventually, my life, I looked at the gentle teacher and asked him to remember me as no one had ever done before in my sad life.

He looked at me and said that I'd be with him in paradise. I believed him and watched him die and cry out his painful cry of abandonment. I had hours or minutes to live, and any greater pain I would soon endure would be excruciating for sure, but the sound of his words of a future life with him, gave me hope that this would not be the end of my story.

As death wrapped its merciful arms around me, instead of my mother's songs, I remembered his kind words telling me that I'd be in paradise with him some day.

Belief in God against Hope

Even if remotely speaking, God did not exist--as so many writers are writing million sellers about these days--those of us who do believe in him would be like God, in his stead. We would be his ambassadors regardless of whether he really were out there or not. We need for him to be out there. We need for him to be here with us. Our lives have more meaning, greater beauty, and hope, if we believe and live as though there is a God.

There may well be a God, but we will never know for sure in this life. Most of us will die with that belief. But, oh, what beautiful lives we will have lived with that belief intact. That sounds like a strange kind of belief. When we read difficult texts in the bible or come across arguments against God's existence that you have to leave unanswered and "live by faith", in a way, we are doing just that, living as though God does exist. When you are kind to someone who is unkind to you, you are strengthening the reality of God. Why else behave in so selfless a manner, if it wasn't because you wanted to emulate God?

Humanity needs a perfect being with no beginning and no end. A creator, a friend, a co-traveler in life's sometimes difficult journey. Humanity needs to believe and emulate such a perfect and loving being, to offset the negative, imperfect and evil tendencies he sometimes sees inside his own heart and in those of others.

If sometimes the universe seems like an unfriendly and lonely place, with all kinds of imperfections and horrors, how much more in such an unacceptable place like our universe, is a belief in God necessary and useful. Perhaps we're here--those of us who believe in God--to carry on a hope of a belief in God whether he exists or not. Some say that God is silent and has been silent for a very long time. Be that as it may, we can carry on a belief in the ideal of God and become a much as possible like the being we call God.

Some will ask you why go through so much trouble. If you have no proof that God exits, why live as though he does? God, or the ideal of God, is the very best that humanity has ever been able to imagine about their origins and about themselves. How much better to live towards the ideal of a being like God, who loves in spite of sometimes not being loved back, instead of living without the awareness of God. Some have said that we should try to reflect God's attributes and thereby others can see God in us. In a way, we become God's ambassadors.

When you read conservative accounts of difficult verses in the Bible or when you experience or see others experiencing difficult situations, if you are a person of faith you gloss over the inconsistencies or lack of information regarding particulars, because you know you must in order to continue believing in God. You want to continue to believe in God because life without a belief in him wouldn't be the same quality of life as you've come to expect for yourself and for those you love.

When people of faith meet together in church or in groups of two, or even when a solitary believer gets down on his knees to pray and meditate on God and learn more about him, in a way they do so because there is no other way to keep alive the reality of God. When you read the Bible or other religious literature you do so to continue the habit and practice of making God more and more real by focusing your attention on him.

When You Don't Want to Love Your Neighbor

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44 (NIV)

If one feels, even out of "good motives," that one needs to do good works, whether as gratitude for the the gift of salvation, or out of fear, both are variations of salvation by works. It is Christ's Spirit of righteousness working in us supernaturally to do the impossible--doing what is good for selfless reasons--that is the genuine article. That solves the problem of the times when you consciously attempt to maintain a loving relation to God through prayer and bible study and working with Jesus, but still wind up doing things, whether accidentally, or intentionally, that are against his law. If salvation depends on your efforts, whatever the motive, love for God or out of fear, then some have a greater advantage since it's easier for some people to live a more upright life than it is for others.

If you have to repeatedly keep yourself from turning on the television to watch secular programming, out of boredom, during the Sabbath, you are living by works, and not by faith. On the other hand, if you naturally have no desire to turn on that TV or DVD player or secular radio station because it doesn't agree with you on the sabbath, then that is the genuine righteousness by faith in Christ, not in yourself and your effort to keep God's law, whatever the motive. The same goes for being faithful to your mate, or paying tithe, or loving your neighbor who hates you for no reason you can think of. If you have to grin and bear it as you make an attempt to "love your neighbor as yourself", you are not experiencing genuine righteousness by faith. And believe me, it shows. Your less-than-loving neighbor will see the phoniness of your efforts to love him in spite of his hatred for you.

If you are not genuinely able to love your neighbor, it's better to walk away and not interact with him as long as humanly possible, instead of smiling one of those phony, painful-to-watch smiles that do more harm than good.

Eradicating Legalism in the Adventist Church

"The righteous will live by his faith [alone.] Habakuk 2:4 (NIV)

Sitting in a pew near the front of the church, to not be distracted by the occasional conversations that my congregation produces frequently, I was saddened by a pre-offering appeal made by a church member. He started to rattle off a list of sacrifices, or offerings, that ancient Israelites offered when ceremonial law was still in place on planet Earth. Among those he mentioned was a special live offering for sins committed. He summed it up by saying, "so you see brethren, there are lots of sacrifices (offerings) in the bible that one should think about when thinking of what or how much to give today. I've been attending this particular church only two years and I had never heard legalism rear its ugly head as much as I did last Saturday.

While I tried to listen to the sermon as best I could, I occasionally was compelled to jot down some reflections that this offering call made on me.

I'm without a computer these days and I've got only 41 minutes left at the public library. So I apologize if these are mere reflections and nothing more. Thank you for your understanding.

There's a deadly quality to legalism. Two years ago I used to pray a strange prayer. I had forgotten it until this moment. I went something like this: "Lord, save me from legalism, which is worse than death." [I remembered the original phrase late last night. "Lord, save me from legalism, for in legalism there is only death."] I prayed that wholeheartedly. Perhaps I need to start praying that strange prayer again.

Legalism is so deadly to me that I wondered if because of it, Adventism was dying, in a limited sense? As secularism increases in society, we need less not more legalism in the Adventist church. As our youth are leaving and some never to return, legalism is, perhaps one of the causes. As Adventism splinters internally into different isms, i.e., ultra-conservatism, progressivism, cultural adventism, postmodern adventism, etc., is legalism party to blame?

Is the golden age of Adventism behind us? Was it during the 50s, 60s and 70s? Or is it still ahead of us? It is said that Adventism is fading in parts of North America, Europe and Australia. I'm told that only in the third world, parts of Africa, parts of South America, parts of Asia it is still thriving and alive. Is legalism causing that growth there and is it causing a slow death in the other declining areas? Or is righteousness by faith alive in well in the third world, but not in the places where Adventism is dying out slowly?

I'm tired of legalism. Aren't' you? What can we do about it?

It almost felt like the fear one used to get before knocking on some one's door before you gave them a smile and literature. I went to the speaker after church and I congratulated her for the good points in her sermon. I explained to her my concern with the legalism in the Adventist church and I asked her if in the future she could dwell more on Christ our righteousness. I told her I was especially concerned about the young people and how important it was for them to hear those worlds. Not appeals to give more offerings or tithes, or to come to prayer meeting more often so as not to miss out on a special blessing, or other similar mildly legalistic appeals. I told her that I never heard any sermons about righteousness by faith in Christ until I was almost 18 years of age. It was the best news I had ever heard. It made Adventism come alive for me.

Other suggestions to rid Adventism of legalism might be to email every Adventist publication or magazine and complain when you read something that smacks of legalism to you. Write Bill Knott at the Adventist Review. Write Cliff Goldstein at the Sabbath School Quarterly. Write the conference president. Tell him to keep legalism out of the publication in question and keep it out of Adventism. If you hear a church member saying anything that smacks too highly of legalism, take him aside courteously and speak to him or her of your concerns. If you lose friends in the name of ridding Adventism of legalism, those are the casualties of the war on legalism. Perhaps they were never very dear friends to begin with. Perhaps you need newer, less legalistic friends in and out of church.

Adventism needs to be simplified, cleansed, re energized. Legalism is the enemy. Righteousness by faith in Christ is our ally. These three thoughts came to me in church last Sabbath as I thought how to simplify Adventism. Look to Jesus Christ. Seek the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. Read your bible and pray.

In closing, let me speak of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is beautiful. It, however, has to be kept naturally, effortlessly, spiritually. When you have to make an effort to keep the Sabbath you are not, in fact, keeping the Sabbath. Ask God to make you holy so you can keep his Sabbath holy. Ask God to fill you with his Spirit of righteousness so you can love Christ and keep his commands. Ask him to fill you with his Spirit of love so you can treat others as you would like to be treated.

Lord, save me from legalism, for in legalism there is only death.

God bless you all. God bless Adventism.

(8th-Day) Adventist Futurism: A Manifesto

"... However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 (NIV)

1. Adventist Futurism builds on 7th-Day Adventism. In some ways it is a continuation of the original movement. In others it is the next phase or development. All of the richness and history of 7th-Day Adventism is admired, cherished and built upon. Some may see this as a heretical development. Some already think the same of progressive Adventism as well as Postmodern Adventism. Imagine how Methodists and other proto-Adventist influences must have felt when 7th-Day Adventism grew out of those movements.
2. Christ Jesus, Lord and Savior, is as important as He ever was in Proto-Adventist Futurism (7th-Day Adventism.) Additionally, all the 28 fundamentals are respected and cherished however confining they may appear to some. In some ways, the principles of Adventist Futurism are a virtual 29th fundamental. If a 28th has been added in the recent pass, no doubt one day a 29th and a 30th may also be added.
3. Emphasis is still on present truth, but as present truth becomes past truth the minute it is conceived, Adventist Futurism focuses on Future Truth which by its nature is forward leaning and always thinking of the changes of the future, both near and far.
4. It would be inconceivable for 19th Century Adventists to imagine what 21st century Adventism could ever be like. The social, cultural, scientific and technological changes that separate two centuries of Adventism are no doubt as great from those that separate 21st century Adventism (Adventist Futurism) from 22nd century Adventism. It would have been unthinkable to 19th century Adventists that the movement would see the year 2007. It is equally unthinkable to many living today that 22nd century Adventism will one day have its day.
5. (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism is future- oriented for many reasons. It is said that it is unwise to live in the past or to live only for today. Adventist Futurism lives for today, respects its rich 7th-Day Adventist history as much as possible, but lives with tomorrow's emerging realities ever in mind.
6. All of Ellen G. White's writings are treasured for any and all spiritual guidance that they can still provide in what today is a world that she never imagined would ever come to pass. While some of her writings have to be understood in their cultural setting, every attempt is made to build on, and not tear down Mrs. White's useful writings.
7. The Bible in its entirety is treasured. In the same way that the New Testament refined the Old Testament's principles, equally so does (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism refine and build on both the Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White, as well as many of the serious thinkers, pastors and teachers within historical Adventism. Special thanks is given to the following authors though by mentioning them, we in no way ally them with us nor do we ally ourselves with their body of published work or unpublished discourses or sermons. These are the men and women that have influenced in some degree, however transitory, the principles of (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism: Ellen G. White, James Londis, Jack Provonsha, Sakae Kubo, John Wood, Ronald Lawson, Ottilie Stafford, George Rice, Lynn Sauls, Ann Parrish, Margarita Merriman, Jon Robertson, Eli Siegel, Morris Venden and Jack Sequeira.
8. Adventist Futurism respects the 7th-Day Sabbath, but as the latter is locked in time and is the only commandment that is kept only for one 24-hour period, once a week, Adventist Futurism focuses on the spiritual dimension of the Sabbath day as opposed to its literal 24-hour manifestation. As technology, scientific discoveries and space exploration change our conception of time and space, e.g., the Internet, virtual reality, the decoding of the human genome, space exploration, etc., the Sabbath commandment's importance in 7th-Day Adventism is admired, but it is cautiously considered because of the strong legalistic element it has traditionally brought to Adventism. Additionally, Adventist Futurism believes that the beauty of the 7th-Day Sabbath is enhanced and celebrated by observing the Enhanced Sabbath which includes the 24-hour "Jewish" Sabbath (sundown to sundown), but adds the hours after sundown on Saturday night and ending with daybreak on Sunday morning. We also speak of the post-7th-Day-Sabbath morning to commemorate the ending of Christ's rest in the tomb. Other Adventist Futurists focus on the observance of the Endless Sabbath by virtually carrying the beauty and joy of the 7th-Day Sabbath all through the week, in effect celebrating the Sabbath day, if only virtually, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The regular Sabbath beginning on Friday at sunset then becomes the actual command performance and not the rehearsal of the previous six days.
9. If humanity's expansion continues beyond our world, as it seems to be doing, then the spiritual nature of the 7th-Day Sabbath will be more and more important. Celebrating the Sabbath on the Martian colonies in the next century, or in this one, will be 37 minutes longer than it is observed on Earth. If humanity has to find refuge underground because of the instability that terrorism continues to have on our planet, then sundown-to-sundown will have a new meaning and will only be observed by mechanical means of time measurement.
10. Just as Protestantism didn't cease to be Christianity when it broke away from Catholicism, and just as 7th-Day Adventism didn't cease to be Christianity when it grew out of the Methodist church and other groups, in like manner, (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism does not cease to be a continuation of both Christianity or 7th-Day Adventism.
11. Even though some members of society may not be welcomed in 7th-Day Adventism, or in other Christian or Jewish congregations, (8th-Day) Adventism welcomes all without condoning every aspect of certain member's life practices. Additionally, some may want to attend and feel welcomed, but not join Adventist Futurism formally. We welcome traditional, modern, liberal, mainstream, postmodern Adventists, as well as others who find something of worth in (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism. These include, but are not limited to the following groups: divorcees, cultural Adventists, intersexuals, transgender individuals, monogamous homosexualists (gays & lesbians and their children), bisexuals, common-law couples, domestic partners, persons struggling with controlled substances or other addictions (sexual, alcohol, gambling, etc.). Again, in order to not cause traditional 7th-Day Adventists to feel disrespected, we offer non-traditional inclusiveness for these groups mentioned. (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism becomes a safe haven for sinners and imperfect people, and not just a colony of morally upright and semi-perfect people.
12. Regarding life's origins, we welcome both literal creationists, as well as intelligent design believers, and, of course, Darwinian Adventists or Christians. We all believe in one God, however He created us.
13. Unlike some traditional 7th-Day Adventists, and this is said with the utmost respect and appreciation, we do not discourage the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We do not intentionally seek to speak in tongues, but if this wonderful gift returns in a valid and useful manifestation, we would not discourage its return. We foster more and more study, focus, and anticipation of the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit, Love and it's manifestations: joy, peace, self control, etc.
14. We worship the ineffable Father God who in His wisdom sent both Jesus Christ, His son, and his Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit. For all his countless blessings and gifts we are thankful.
15. We seek to understand and promote the beauty and importance of the Crucified, Risen and Glorified Christ. We seek His return, but if He delays 25, 50 or 100 years, as well as 250, 500 or 1000 years, we continue seeking Him and his daily return into our soul temple through His Holy Spirit.
16. We seek to honor proto-Adventist Futurism's past (traditional 7th-Day Adventism), but we also wish to change its future because of the danger within two or three generations of Adventism disappearing for the most part in the affluent and developed world. As the third world slowly catches up with the developed world, this danger will also become apparent in time to most of the 7th-Day Adventist body.
17. We welcome the real possibility of the prophetic gift reappearing in our midst and guiding us through the unforeseen challenges and dangers of the ever-changing future society that is already upon us because of terrorism, advancing scientific developments (cloning, virtual reality, cybernetics, etc.) and space exploration.
18. We realize that because of modern society's challenges, increasing terrorism, global warming, and other complex factors, worship may soon be only in private, local safe havens, and via the World Wide Web or it's replacement in the years to come.
19. We encourage a more democratic and less centralized church structure with adequate racial, ethnic, non-male and cultural representation of the church's worldwide membership, as well as, to a partial degree, it's informal membership (the marginalized groups previously mentioned.)
20. We extend an open door to former Adventists, as well as other spurned groups, that have grown out of traditional 7th-Day Adventism (Adventist Kinship, Branch Davidians, Shepherd's Rod, etc.). We only ask that you treat us with the same respect and consideration that we are offering you.
21. We welcome the future: all its mysteries, all its challenges, all its discoveries, all its blessings. We don't want to be locked in history, we want to make history, to change it, to improve it, to actively and creatively influence our future.

Other relevant posts:

Creating an Ideal World: Adventist Futurism
Mars Sabbath
Fear of the Holy Spirit

Why Did Christ Have to Die?

Yesterday I saw Apocalypto. The violence was unpleasant, but the total impact of the film was worthwhile. The one scene that set me thinking without warning was the most detailed and graphic depiction of human sacrifice I've ever seen on film or ever want to see again.

The shocking thing was that I thought of what made humans feel they had to appease their gods so much that a periodic supply of sacrificial victims was necessary. Human life is always precious. Those sacrificed were captured members of other tribes also trying to survive in the Mayan forests.

There was prayer throughout by the different tribes and the protagonists for their particular god or gods to protect them from the terrors and tragedies of their fight or die existence. One was made to feel that at least those not doing the sacrifice were more noble people. It was not clear that the sacrificial tribe had also a penchant for human sacrifice.

The thing that shocked me was that I briefly remembered the article I've linked at the top. (Please click on the title of this post if you wish to read that article.) A vague memory of a sentence the author made in that Adventist Today article about how Christ's sacrifice wasn't needed to appease God. Traditional Adventists or Christians say that it was the violation of the Law that had to be resolved. Of course, it bothers me at times that the Law is not a separate entity from God Himself. I say that with all respect.

I wish to continue to believe in God, so I dealt with these perplexing and unpleasant thoughts by deciding that since God sacrificed Himself He was appeasing his own need for wholeness as regards His own demands regarding his moral Law. He paid the ultimate sacrifice in that He sacrificed Himself. No one can pay a greater price.

The reason that I found all this unsettling, and I have to study, ponder and pray about this more is the following. Why is there so much blood and victims and sacrifice in the Old Testament and in God the Son's sacrifice? Why so much suffering? Why this obsession in ancient cultures as well in the Judaeo-Christian culture with blood, and victims and sacrifice and pain and loss of life? What is it about ancient man and man's perception of what the word of God says about sacrifice to appease gods or God Himself? I'm missing my own point here a bit. It eludes me because it is so uncomfortable and mysterious.

Why does anyone, ancient mankind (humankind) or God, Himself, have to sacrifice others or Himself in order to have peace? Don't get me wrong. We serve a wonderful God, but again, what is all this perplexing obsession and need for blood and more blood. I speak of more blood, or the ultimate blood loss of the Son of God, God Himself really, as the “more blood."

It almost sounds slightly unsophisticated or unnecessary, this obsession or this great need for blood or sacrifice of life. But who am I, a mere mortal and an imperfect one, at that, to disapprove of the "without blood there is no appeasement." The good thing is that we are not required to sacrifice our own children or our own selves to have peace with God.

Why oh why, Lord God, did you have to suffer so much? Couldn't you have shown us you loved us in a different way? I'm mortified that you had to suffer so much for us, and for me.

As I am wont to say often, I'm missing something here. I don't have all the pieces of the puzzle. There had to have been other solutions, other ways of saving man and womankind. But, whatever the reason that our God felt it absolutely necessary to sacrifice Himself that we might live at peace with Him, I am grateful. I hope to understand and love this God who suffered so much and who continues to suffer with us.

Does anyone out there have a solution to this unease I felt while watching so much human sacrifice and why God Himself had to sacrifice Himself, as well, for us? Yes, I know what the Bible says, but why does it say it? Why does it say it so often and so obessessivley. There has to be more to humanity's story than blood shedding and/or blood shedding or sacrifice as a means to resolution of past wrongs or of Original Sin. What am I missing here?

Instead of evolution: faith

“… Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." 2 Chronicles 20:20 (New International Version)

I pray daily that God strengthen my faith in the inspiration of the Bible, especially the book of Genesis. I have to choose consciously to continue believing that God exists, that the Bible is the Word of God and not the Word of wise men. I have to want to continue believing. Sometimes the only proof that God exists is how he’s changed my life and continues to change my life from the self-centered and vain existence I’ve lived on and off for most of my post-childhood experience.

Sometimes in my moments of doubt, or low-brow intellectual posturing, I have to fight against the nagging suggestion that Moses is the only one responsible for the entire book of Genesis. What I mean is, in weaker moments I’ve wondered if this ancient genius, who was a byproduct of an advanced civilization, Egypt, didn’t himself synthesize much or all of Genesis from his great education, as well as his original mind.

If this were the case, it explains much of the supposed problems with the two creation accounts, the beginning of sin, and why we are here. It also, of course, creates other problems: if we’re alone in the universe, then it’s up to us and no one else to solve all or some of the problems we’ve inherited and which we’ve created. If humankind fails and blows up planet earth some day, and if it turns out, we were the only intelligent life in the universe to begin with, then how pointless it all would have been. We evolved from single-celled organisms. We lived, we loved, and we died as a species. Perhaps somewhere else in the universe, the miracle of life would come into miraculous existence again. Or perhaps, after the Big Crunch, there would be a new Big Bang and the entire miracle of life just might happen again? Or perhaps we’re only one in an infinite number of universes. Perhaps somewhere in one or more of those other universes there are intelligent beings or will someday be intelligent beings who will ask the same questions we’re asking now.

I personally hope and pray that Moses didn’t originate the Torah all by himself and in effect --because of a need to create a new system of thought and culture-- the entire Judaeo-Christian belief system that has been handed down to us. I hope instead that God gave Moses all or the more essential elements of the Torah. Perhaps faith is really about not believing what you'd like to believe, but what you need to believe in order to live a meaningful life.