Bible and Creation
Bible and Creation
Isa 8:20 According - Safety
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
The Scriptures a Safeguard {GC 594}
God's Word is so powerful. It create's life. It is life. (Gen 1-2)
Our loyalty should be to the most powerful side -- God's Word.
“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Psalm 33:6
If we die, God's Word can resurrect us like Lazarus.
“Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”” (John 11:43-44 NLT)
Nothing (convenience/politics/money) and nobody else can resurrect us. So only God's Word deserves our loyalty.
33,102 verses in KJV
“One sentence of Scripture is of more value than ten thousand of man's ideas or arguments”. --7T 71
The pharisees believed their church manual and ministers manual more than the Bible.
The Bible unites God’s children.
Evolutionists have changed their dates so many times.
250,000+ paragraphs EGW writings
SOP affirms understanding of the Bible. And unites the church.
How do you know EGW is legit? If what she says is according to the Bible.
How do you know Jesus is legit? If what he says is according to Moses,Isaiah,Jeremiah, and other legit prophets before.
How do you know Moses is legit? If what he is says according to abraham, and other legit godly men before.
How do you know Isaiah is legit? If what he says is according to Moses.
How do you know Bible is legit? Because prophecies of Daniel 2 came true, archeology, changed lives.
True prophets do not contradict previous ones:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Matthew 5:17
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” Matthew 22:29
“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9
How to differentiate between “thus saith the pharisee” and “thus saith the Lord”?
Favorite academic verse:
"I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation." Psalm 119:99
Favorite academic egw quote:
"The Bible is the best book in the world for giving intellectual culture. Its study taxes the mind, strengthens the memory, and sharpens the intellect more than the study of all the subjects that human philosophy embraces. The great themes which it presents, the dignified simplicity with which these themes are handled, the light which is shed upon the great problems of life, bring strength and vigor to the understanding." {GW 99.3}
Isa 8:20 According - Safety
The Scriptures a Safeguard {GC 594}
Biblical definitions - enemy tries to change
origins, Sabbath, marriage, baptism, salvation, hell, death, life, 2nd coming, revival, ordination, elders, deaconesses, worship, tithe, socials, modesty, etc...
Laws, policies, manuals, handbook, people need changes because they are not perfect.
But the Bible is stable. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Mat 24:35
God Will Set Everything in Order
There is no need to doubt, to be fearful that the work will not succeed. God is at the head of the work, and He will set everything in order. If matters need adjusting at the head of the work God will attend to that, and work to right every wrong. Let us have faith that God is going to carry the noble ship which bears the people of God safely into port.--2SM 390 (1892). {LDE 52.1}
The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.--2SM 380 (1886). {LDE 180.5}
The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant.--Ev 707 (1892).
Unbelief - not believing what is written in the Bible & SOP
Fanaticism - believing what is not written in the Bible & SOP
Genesis 1-2 “and God said let there be…”
If we are from monkeys, why are monkeys still around?
Evening and morning emphasizes everyday means literal days, not 1000-year prophetic days.
Archeology adds more and more proof that Bible is true.
Dating system goes back to Bible times. ~2021 years from Jesus’ time.
Basis of weekly Sabbath.
Creation Sabbath - what are we forgetting? - “Remember the Sabbath…”
God prepared food before the Sabbath even if He could have effortlessly just said, “Let there be food, on the Sabbath”. Therefore, it is not the effort.
The angels who effortlessly produced manna also made the Sabbath manna on friday.
“And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” Exo 16:23
"Those who neglect to prepare for the Sabbath on the sixth day, and who cook food upon the Sabbath, violate the fourth commandment, and are transgressors of God's law." {3SG.253.2}
And let us not come to the camp-meeting to break the Sabbath by cooking on that day. The instructions which God gave to Israel should not be disregarded: “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe;” for “tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” God meant what he said; and shall we who are presenting to the people the claims of the divine law, break that law ourselves, merely to please the appetite? God forbid! I know that frequently the Lord has withheld his blessing because we have failed to honor him by keeping the Sabbath according to the commandment. There has sometimes been nearly as much cooking done on the Sabbath as on other days. I would prefer to eat bread and water only, rather than to run any risk of breaking the fourth commandment. All needful preparation for the Sabbath should be made on Friday. On Sabbath morning, if the weather is cool, let hot gruel be provided. Further than this, all cooking should be avoided as a violation of the Sabbath. {RH May 8, 1883, par. 10}
"those who employed others to perform them were as guilty as if they had done the work themselves" {DA 204.1}
"the buying and preparing of food, the readying of clothes, and all the other necessities of everyday life--will be completed before sundown Friday." http://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/documents/article/go/0/sabbath-observance/
"Those who neglect to prepare for the Sabbath on the sixth day, and who cook food upon the Sabbath, violate the fourth commandment, and are transgressors of God's law." {3SG.253.2}
"The Sabbath is not given to the repairing of garments and the cooking of food"
https://www.amazingfacts.org/news-and-features/inside-report/magazine/id/10802/t/seize-the-day--keeping-the-sabbath-holy-part-2
“Dapat tingnan ng ina na ang pagkain ay handa na.” PAGHUBOG NG LIKAS SA MGA BATA. Samahan ng mga Magulang, Tahanan, at Paaralan. Christian Home Series C, Parent Home Education Department, North Philippine Union Mission PO Box 401 Manila, Oct 30, 1968.
“Ang lahat ng paghuhurno at pagluluto para sa Sabbath ay dapat gawin sa araw bago ang Sabbath.”. Q&A portion, Central Luzon Conference Bible.
Solutions - For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:17
Education
Fruit, nuts, dried foods, bread, commercially packaged/preserved food.
Ukrainian Adventist Institute Cafeteria
Hartland College
Weimar University
Viand: Choose menu that doesn’t spoil easily (fried, sugarry, salty, no tomatoes, etc)
Universitas Klabat Cafeteria
Use refrigeration since reheating is allowed & encouraged.
Rice: to avoid Bacillus cereus poisoning, keep hot at >70C rehydrating as needed; or refrigerate at <10C, reheat
Rice: Retort packaging. E.g. Japan
MRE (meals-ready-to-eat) / Retort technology / Commercially packaged/preserved food
Army / survival food
International Space Station
all space flights
“It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord. God says: “"Them that honor Me I will honor."” 1 Samuel 2:30.” {6T 356.4}
The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. {LDE 225.2}
The habits of eating and drinking are the most difficult to overcome because Satan binds you securely to his chariot car.47Manuscript 20, 1894.
Those who don’t believe EGW will later not believe the Bible. {LDE 178-179}
When God says it, it becomes true. Woman with two mites.
How to resolve seeming contradictions?
“And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.” Ex 12:16 vs Ex 16:23
the process of resolving seeming Biblical contradictions is (same process with seeming EGW contradictions):
1) read everything ("all scripture" 2 Tim 3:16) diligence (Prov 31:5 "The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want."; Proverbs 21:5 wisdom says, "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.")
2) remember the writers/penmen are human and can commit mistakes / inaccuracies (numerical or referential) (Romans 3:23, "all have sinned")
3) figures of speech (Matthew 13:11 "why do you speak in parables?")
4) lack of space/time to write everything (Heb 11:32 "time would fail me to tell")
5) need to ask for spiritual wisdom to understand / interpret (Mat 7:17 "ask and it shall be given"; Daniel 9:23 when daniel prayed, an the explanation was sent)
6) most-recent-instruction (Deu 1:42 israel doesn't attack when God says, but attacks when God says not to). Most-recent-instruction idea makes most gray areas clear black and white. Ex: jewelry, worship, etc...
7) weigh the benefit (Luke 14:28 "count the cost"). if we believe this, what is the benefit? if that, what is the benefit?
8) quality of reference (Isa 8:20 "according to this word") also "compare scripture with scripture"
9) the more you study, the more you understand (Psalm 119:99 "I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation")
10) distinguish between scripture and comment/policy (Mat 16:6 "Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."; Isa 8:20 "according to this word")
11) God wants us to know the truth (Acts 14:17 "Nevertheless he left not himself without witness")
12) Word of God is perfect, not like comments & science (Psalm 19:7 "The law of the LORD is perfect"; Psalm 18:30 "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried"; Psalm 93:5 "Thy testimonies are very sure"; Psalm 111:7 "all his commandments are sure")
13) more references, better (2 Corinthians 13:1 " In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."; Deut 19:15 "at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established."). “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Pet 1:20
14) know / research as much as you can about the opposite side of the argument (Numbers 13:17 "Moses sent them to spy out the land"). “The first to speak in court sounds right— until the cross-examination begins.” Proverbs 18:17 NLT
Isa 8:20 According - Safety
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
