In the previous two posts,1 we reviewed the major systems of covenant thought in the Protestant tradition. We split the systems into categories A and B – “A” being those that affirm the perpetuity of the law and “B” representing those that reject the perpetuity of the law. We also saw how Adventism’s understanding of … [Click to read more …]
In the previous post we examined the oldest systems of Protestant covenant thought. The two systems to emerge we labeled as belonging to “Category A: Covenantalism.” They include both the Westminster Confession and the Second London Baptist Confession. We also had the opportunity to see that Adventist theology has a lot of similarities with these … [Click to read more …]
A few years ago I went through one of the most defining seasons of my life. Having been raised a Seventh-day Adventist I had come to the place where I had to confront, once and for all, the legalistic faith I had developed. The journey was both difficult and exhilarating at the same time. The … [Click to read more …]
Every Jesus-follower knows that memorizing scripture is super important to spiritual growth. Paul the apostle said “the word of God is alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12). As such, when we memorize the words of this book we are memorizing living words. These living words have many benefits – such as power over temptation (Psalm 119:9, 11), … [Click to read more …]
There are many reasons why the church needs Sabbath School. Our foundation as a denomination is an outgrowth of serious Bible study. It led to an appreciation of the Heavenly Sanctuary, an understanding of the still-binding Moral law, including the seventh-day Sabbath. It led to a proper understanding of the state of the dead and … [Click to read more …]
When I became a Christian, I often wondered what people meant when they said they were “waiting on the Lord.” From my observations, it looked to me to be a very passive activity. So I asked people what they meant by “waiting on the Lord.” Most said that they were praying and waiting for the … [Click to read more …]
When the “remnant” is brought to view in Revelation, our attention is directed to God’s intent that the movement be defined by a specific theological construct: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony … [Click to read more …]
We are studying the book of Matthew this quarter. In my Bible, the Gospel of Matthew is twenty-eight pages long and I would like to issue a challenge to our readers to read the Gospel in a week. You could actually read it in a couple of hours on a wet Sabbath afternoon. We often … [Click to read more …]
A Buddhist form of meditation called “mindfulness meditation” has taken the mental health field by storm. It has produced many well-documented positive effects and has been basically touted as a panacea for most psychological ills. In terms of popularity and buzz, mindfulness is to mental health what organic coconut water is to physical health—a somewhat … [Click to read more …]
Several years ago I was flying from Fort Worth Texas to go home to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was a short flight and I was on a commuter plane. Upon landing, instead of pulling up to the terminal like the big jets, we were let out on the tarmac. I went up … [Click to read more …]
