Response to Todd Friel
Recently, we came
across a segment at Wretched TV
done by evangelical Christian Todd Friel on SDA’s. Colleen Tinker, a former SDA, had provided
information on SDA’s, which Todd Friel used to discredit the teachings of the
church. This was our response to Todd Friel. We did not receive a reply from his
ministry.
We liked your program
in the strange fire conference with John McArthur, where you exposed the dangers of certain practices of the charismatic movement.
Recently, we came
across a segment you did on the SDA’s. You received that information from
Colleen Tinker, a former SDA. That information is incorrect and it is
misrepresenting SDAs.
Regarding the Trinity
doctrine, Colleen Tinker states that SDA’s teach, ‘God is comprised of a unity
of three co-eternal Persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—who are one in motive
and purpose but not substance’.
This is wrong. SDA
church teaches that the Godhead or one God of the Bible consist of the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit, who are one in nature, character, purpose, but not one person.
Ellen White wrote,
Jesus said, ‘I and my Father are one. The words of Christ were full of deep
meaning as he put forth the claim that he and the Father were of one
substance, possessing the same attributes - Ellen G. White, Signs of
the Times, Nov. 27, 1893, 54.
Ellen G. White said God the Father
exalted Jesus to be His Son
Firstly, there is no such statement that
say the Father exalted Jesus to be His Son. Colleen is paraphrasing.
There is this statement: 'The exaltation of the Son of God as equal with the Father was represented as an injustice to Lucifer' (PP. 38). This exaltation is in this context: 'There had been no change in the position or authority of Christ. Lucifer’s envy and misrepresentation, and his claims to equality with Christ, had made necessary a statement of the true position of the Son of God; but this had been the same from the beginning' (PP. 38).
There is this statement: 'The exaltation of the Son of God as equal with the Father was represented as an injustice to Lucifer' (PP. 38). This exaltation is in this context: 'There had been no change in the position or authority of Christ. Lucifer’s envy and misrepresentation, and his claims to equality with Christ, had made necessary a statement of the true position of the Son of God; but this had been the same from the beginning' (PP. 38).
The SDA’s and EGW teach that, “Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent
Son of God . . In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back
through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was
not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews
were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.”—Signs,August
29, 1900 (Evangelism, 615).
Else where EGW states, ‘God is the
Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an ‘exalted
position..’. The Bible also speaks about God exalting Christ and giving a name.
"Therefore God exalted him (Jesus)
to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name"
(Philippians 2:9).
Should we find fault with Paul for
saying that God ‘exalted’ Christ ‘to the highest place’ and ‘gave him’ a name post
resurrection when He really doesn’t need exalting or any of these as He is
already divine?
EGW uses the term ‘exalted’ in the above context because Christ
had an exalted ‘position’, ‘office’ as Michael, the Captain of the armies in heaven.
Christ’s ‘exalted
office as commander of all the heavenly host were above the work of man. He was in
the express image of His Father, not in features alone, but in perfection of
character’. - Lift Him Up P. 16
Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, John
Calvin and many others identified Michael as Christ himself, the eternal Son of
God and not a created being. See this list: Non SDA sources on Michael
For EGW, ‘Christ was God essentially,
and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all,
blessed forevermore’.
Atonement is not complete
EGW said the sacrificial atonement was
complete.
"We are to rejoice that the
atonement is complete; and believing in Christ as our complete
Saviour, we may know that the Father loves us, even as He loves His Son."--Review
and Herald, Nov. 11, 1890 (emphasis supplied).
"Do you realize your sinfulness?
Do you despise sin? Then remember that the righteousness of Christ is yours if
you will grasp it. Can you not see what a strong foundation is placed beneath
your feet when you accept Christ? God has accepted the offering of His Son as
a complete atonement for the sins of the world."--The Youth's
Instructor, Sept. 20, 1900
SDA's believe and teach that we are saved by placing our faith in Jesus alone and His finished sacrificial atonement on the cross. Jesus took our sins. He places and covers us with His righteousness when we place our faith in His sacrifice.
SDA's believe and teach that we are saved by placing our faith in Jesus alone and His finished sacrificial atonement on the cross. Jesus took our sins. He places and covers us with His righteousness when we place our faith in His sacrifice.
While the sacrificial atonement is
complete, Christ’s work as our High priest is also part of atonement process as taught
in the sanctuary service and the New Testament. Hebrews 2:17 makes it clear that Christ became a
“high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement
[reconciliation] for the sins of the people”.
Why would Jesus make atonement for the
sins of the people as our high priest if the entire atonement process was completed
at the cross? The answer is there is a work that Christ does in heaven in applying the benefits of His perfect sacrifice following His FINISHED sacrificial atonement on
the cross. SDA's identify the work of Christ as our High priest as part
of the atonement process. The High Priest had a role in the atonement process according to the sanctuary service. If Jesus is our High Priest, then whatever the work He is doing behind the scenes could be referred to as part of the 'atonement' work. SDA's are simply using the language of the Bible
to appreciate the total work of Christ.
Adventists have their own Bible – the
Clear word
This is a silly argument. SDA’s do not
have their own bible. The Clear word is a paraphrase bible by a SDA called J.
Blanco. A paraphrase by definition has the ideas and thoughts of the author.
The SDA church doesn’t endorse or promote such paraphrases for study in
churches or homes.
Salvation is maintained by works
Nothing could be further from the
truth.
We do not deserve life, but only death,
and we would not be able to annul our deserved death even by a life of
perfect obedience from this point forward ( Ellen G. White, General
Conference Bulletin, March 5, 1895.)
“While we are to be in harmony with
God’s law, we are not saved by the works of the law, yet we cannot be
saved without obedience. The law is the standard by which character is
measured. But we cannot possibly keep the commandments of God without the
regenerating grace of Christ. Jesus alone can cleanse us from all sin. He
does not save us by law, neither will he save us in disobedience to law.
(Signs of the Times, July 21, 1890.)
“Believe that He saves them solely
through His grace. . . . Through faith we receive the grace of God; but
faith is not our Saviour. It earns nothing. It is the hand by which we lay hold
upon Christ, and appropriate His merits, the remedy for sin. And we cannot even
repent without the aid of the Spirit of God. [Acts 5:31 quoted]. Repentance comes from Christ
as truly as does pardon. (DA 175)
For SDA's obedience doesn't merit a
thing. It is only value!
Folks accused Jesus in the day based on
third party information. If you need to conclude about SDA’s you need to consider
everything they have said on the subject. You will be surprised they are closer
to the great men of the reformed faith than many today.