A question...
For my Christian friends. What is unique about Jesus? What would following Jesus do that no other path can do?
Eating SDA Style
(This is an essay I wrote for part of a Cultural Memoir Assignment) One former Adventist friend of mine always says, “It was the table that fed me” in referring to our shared Seventh-day Adventist background. My friend was referring to the morals, values and spirituality of Seventh-day Adventism that we still hold onto, even though we disagree with the Church in many ways. I, however, can’t help but think of feeding in the literal sense. Seventh-day Adventism did truely feed us, but in very unusual ways. Seventh-day Adventists have something they refer to as the “Health Message.” Just like the Mormons we have our very own prophet, only she was a woman and not a polygamist. Ellen White encouraged healthy living and vegetarianism in the Seventh-day Adventist church. In many ways this has been a blessing to the church. Adventists who follow the health message are some of the longest living folks in the nation. On the other hand it has brought a spirit of legalistic infighting ove
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Jesus is your Creator. He knit you together in your mother's womb. He gave His life for you. Jesus split history in two. He's the Bridegroom waiting for his bride. He's the One that is going to do away with death & tears forever. He wants to be your best friend. He wants to take your place in the courtroom of heaven & intercede on your behalf since He already took the punishment on himself. He sends His angels & the Comforter to surround & protect you & help you when you are struggling. He did not come to condemn, but to save. His birth was prophesied centuries before it happened. He fulfilled every one of the hundreds of prophecies that were foretold of the Messiah.
Following Jesus gives us the power to overcome sin & become the healthy happy fulfilled people that we were Created to be. Only He can restore us to His image. If you want to conquer something, wouldn't you want to learn from the one who conquered it all? Do you know anyone else over whom death has no power?
I can't convince you if you don't want to be convinced. All I can do is present it the way I see it & I have a hard time believing you haven't heard it all before & made up your mind regardless to push it all away. It's not my job to convince you, only to share the good news & then it's your choice. If you seek, you WILL find. If the Bible is not Truth, what is it?
I have a question for you that I've been wondering for a while now. Where does Will weigh in on all of this?
I find it ironic that Pilot asked this question of the One who said, "I AM the Way, the Truth & the Life" - "What is Truth?"
We'll have to talk more later.
I have read those books, except not all of Christ's Object Lessons. I found them both beautiful and meaningful and frustrating and infuriating. It is hard for me to reply to you because everything is tied to everything and I could write for a long time. Already I have restarted this reply several times, aiming to hit at something accurate. For me everything is very unclear. The kind of Christianity and Buddhism I practice now allows for mystery, and unknowing.
However, that kind of unknowing is not acceptable in the Adventist faith. We have to proclaim Christ and Christ alone.
How can I do that unless I have some experience which I know cannot be found elsewhere. This is why I ask the question of what can Jesus alone do. I have not seen what that is.
To answer your other question. Will and I both moving towards a more open view of grace. You would have to ask Will about his views in detail. I know they have undergone dramatic change as mine have.
Have a happy holiday season.
Ann
I did want to respond to your statement about Adventism not allowing unknowing. I've slowly been accepting over the past six months that people are not perfect. I've always put Adventists on a pedestal because they claim to have "the truth." As such, when I get hurt by people or see that they aren't perfect, I judge the church as a whole. Most Adventists don't allow questions. They don't allow deep questions, unanswered questions because they don't want to admit that they don't know everything. In turn, they judge anyone who thinks differently or who decides they want to question and decide for themselves that the Adventist church teaches truth.
I find it a sad state of affairs that people can't feel safe to question beliefs within the church. Adventism was started because people believed two things - the Sabbath and that Jesus was going to return soon. Everything else came later and it took a lot of debate and prayer and discussion to create an official list of beliefs. We should continue to accept people's questions and ponderings about life and about God and about how to live a life that is fulfilling. I think that attitude has to come from within because you aren't going to find it in many other people.
I've rambled and I'm not even sure I said what I intended to. Hopefully I made some sense. :)