Introduction: Freedom and Joy -- Let's Begin!
Preface:
I have created this blog so that I may share the story of how I came to find salvation and true freedom in Christ and Christ alone. Absolute and utter joy is mine every day—no matter the circumstances. I am as far away from depression as is humanly possible. Yes, I am living the reality that existed only as a theoretical concept to me just a few years ago. I hope my experience will prove infectious.
In general, the first entries in this blog will focus on difficulties that I faced in finding this freedom within the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) walk—and how, through the grace of Christ, these difficulties were overcome.
Framework:
Tenet 1) It has been my experience that one of the most important tools for SDAs who seek a more robust, carefree, exciting, on-fire relationship with the Lord is intellectual honesty. Here is my working definition:
Intellectual honesty means: Whether you like it or not and no matter the cost, accepting the conclusions that are best supported by the evidence (when any conclusions whatsoever can be made)—and, as a corollary, not twisting evidence into saying something that it does not say.
Tenet 2) I have found it critical to stand by the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. As explained at the CatholicMatch website Sola scriptura is the Protestant doctrine that Scripture alone is "the primary and absolute source of authority, the final court of appeal, for all doctrine and practice (faith and morals)" and that "the Bible -- nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else -- is all that is necessary for faith and practice."[1]
All SDAs that I have ever known are more than happy to take up a discussion within the framework of Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura is important because, as so nicely explained in David DePinho's personal testimony, SDAs, when cornered in an argument, will often play the EGW “trump card” to drive their point home. SDAs themselves believe that they should be able to provide a ready defense for their beliefs without ever having to rely on the EGW “trump card”.
Now, with intellectual honesty and Sola Scriptura to guide us, I’d like to begin by showing you a number of Biblical excerpts that always made me uncomfortable until I found true salvation and freedom in Christ alone. At this point in my life I can honestly say that I am perfectly comfortable—even excited by the straightforward, direct statements and implications of these texts. I praise and thank the Lord for this blessing every day! I would love for readers to have this experience themselves.
Note that all emphases are mine and that my commentary will sometimes follow text(s) (which, unless otherwise noted, are from the NKJV of the Bible). In general the commentary consists of thoughts and arguments that went through my mind as I contemplated the issues at stake.
Let’s get started:
Hebrews
My final conclusion: If taken as it reads, this verse alone is a death-blow to the SDA doctrine of the investigative judgment (IJ). Note the past tense and use of the term “
I have read the incredibly verbose SDA arguments on how the original greek used here actually means “Holies” and therefore refers only to the “holy” and not “most holy” compartment of the heavenly sanctuary (thereby keeping the doctrine of the IJ in place).
Unfortunately, even if you grant these SDA arguments, I found that in order to maintain the IJ as doctrine I had to cast out common sense: you see, if the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary was NOT used for the once-and-for-all-time event where Christ applied his blood to obtain eternal redemption (for all those who believe in Him) as the text says, then FOR WHAT OTHER EVENT IN GOD’S GREAT UNIVERSE THAT
Well, SDAs would suggest that a judgment of salvational assignment is taking place and that this is just as integral a part of redemption as Christ’s sacrifice. In my heart of hearts I disagree with this notion, but OK… Maybe… An assignment of this sort is logically necessary (man, am I itching to bring up John 5:24 here!)… But wait: the earthly sanctuary was a model of the heavenly sanctuary. And if a judgment of salvational assignment was not the core of the High Priest’s activities in the most holy compartment of the earthly sanctuary on the day of atonement, then why should we think it to be the core of what Jesus DID (or, as SDAs would prefer, IS DOING) in the heavenly sanctuary? (Is not the earthly sanctuary modeled after the heavenly?) I’m sorry… I just can’t twist this verse into supporting or even allowing the SDA doctrine of the investigative judgment.
But this isn’t all the author of Hebrews had to say regarding the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary:
Hebrews 6:19-20 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
And Hebrews 10:19-22 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[c] we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20This is the new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us.[d] 21And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's people, 22let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. (NLT)
SUMMARY: These passages utterly contradict the SDA doctrine of the heavenly sanctuary and the 1844-initiated investigative judgment.
I have no doubt whatsoever that many SDA scholars are more than ready with long, circuitous explanations to tell me what these texts really mean. However, if such explanations are thought to be required beyond the context of the verses themselves, chances are (mostly, not always) that one may need to refer back to what it means to be intellectually honest. Remember, evidence should not be twisted to fit preconceived ideas about the way things are or the way things work. Sola Scriptura.
More texts to come...
[1] Geisler, Norman L. and MacKenzie, Ralph E., Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995).
posted by Chad Borges @ 11:14 PM
11 Comments:
What a great testimony! I, too, have discovered those same texts in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews is such a beautiful book -- a book of hope and confidence. The meaning is clear to a child if we do not try to give it a "wax nose" and twist it this way and that.
I especially like Hebrew 10:19-25, "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see what else you write.
Some fascinating material here. I had a chat along similar lines with a pastor friend of mine back in January. That covered some of the same ground. We started out talking about the 2300 days rather than the IJ and he referenced some of the same texts in Hebrews. He would agree that Jesus entering the heavenly sanctuary at the end of the 2300 days is untenable. Another thing I found interesting (sadly I don’t have a scriptural reference. I’ll need to do some homework) is that Revelation uses imagery of a throne room rather than a sanctuary for God’s presence (the most holy place). We also pondered the SDA (and other Christian?) fascination with court/trial/judgment model of salvation. There are other metaphors that should probably get equal consideration. John 12:46 and 1 Peter 2:9 use the idea of coming out of the darkness into the light.
Anyway, I found it refreshing to hear this from and SDA pastor, and to hear from him that for the most part his professors at Andrews were committed to intellectual honesty and for reading scripture for what it says rather than what they wanted to hear.
I will be looking forward to your next post.
Jeff
That is indeed refreshing to hear that some SDA pastors are committed to being intellectually honest about what they read in scripture. I can't ask for more--even if they come to different conclusions than do I!
First I would like to congratulate you in that you have found "salvation and true freedom in Christ and Christ alone". I can make the same claim while I still believe in each one of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church. In fact I hope that many if not most SDAs are experiencing the joy and freedom that can only be had through faith in Christ. Regarding your reference to Hebrews 9:12, I believe that a more accurate translation is: "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12, KJV). It is also interesting to note that the 2nd veil is only specifically mentioned once in Hebrews at which point it refers to the entrance to the Most Holy place: "And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all" (Hebrews 9:3, KJV). This seems to imply to me that (1) there must be 2 veils, the 1st being at the entrance to the holy place and (2) other references to the veil in Hebrews imply the 1st veil since the 2nd is not specifically identified. For an explanation of which part of the heavenly sanctuary Christ initially entered after His resurrection as described in Hebrews please refer to the following web link:
http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/hebrewsholies.htm
For Biblical discussions which provide support for an investigative judgment please refer to the following web links:
http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/investigative2.html
http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/Investigative_Job.html
http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/investigative3.html
Please explain what the meaning of
IJ or D. I see it mentioned a few times such as in Jeff Hardins Blog.
(We started out talking about the 2300 days rather than the IJ)
lc may,
IJ stands for the Investigative Judgment, which Seventh-Day Adventists (SDAs) believe was initiated at the end of the 2300 day prophecy found in the Bible book of Daniel chapter 8. The IJ is fundamental belief #24 of the SDA denomination, see http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html
I've copied and pasted it here, for convenience, but please check it out at the SDA site as well:
"There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord set up and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His intercessory ministry at the time of His ascension. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent. (Heb. 8:1-5; 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; 1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:12.)"
The IJ is the only doctrine that SDAs hold that is held by no other church denomination. I would also recommend doing a google search for the investigative judgment and seventh-day adventism.
I'm not sure what you mean by "D"... You'll have to explain further...
Hi Chad!
I see you have joined a growing number of former SDA's who have studied themselves away from Adventism.
Let me be clear: I have had so many negative experiences with the denomination (I am still a member, and still a Bible teacher, entering year #14 at AUA), I would NEVER try to talk you into rejoining whatever your local SDA congregation is. I honestly would just like to take your tenets and conclusions and compare them to what I know from the Bible, like a good Berean.
Just remember that fact when I raise questions, okay? I'm doing it more to satisfy my own curiosity about Bible doctrine. I have great respect for your family background and for the amazing brain God put inside you. Hopefully you will not treat my questions as an attempt to restore you to the "flock," as others here probably intend.
Okay:
I just read your first post and got stuck on the part about Jesus entering the "Holies" (which my Greek teacher and theology teachers convinced me was actually the more accurate translation of Heb 9.12.).
As I read Hebrews, it seems like the writer is drawing so heavily on the ancient tabernacle history (Exodus, Leviticus), that his intent is to compare the Exodus tabernacle history with the present-day (to him) reality of what Jesus' role of priest in heaven. I can't see where you disagree with that idea from reading what you wrote.
So, if Hebrews 9 is comparing Exodus with the inauguration of Christ's real heavenly ministry, then isn't Hebrews 9:12 reflected in the events of Exodus 40, when Moses entered the holy places (or holies; or if you wish, most holy place, which Moses definitely did enter on that first day of tabernacle ministry.)?
Looking forward to your thoughts on this,
Jim
By the way (wish I could edit my comment, but at least I can amend it...):
In the comment above, I should point out that contrary to what may seem like a firmly nailed down conclusion from orthodox church sources on the question of which apartment(s) Hebrews 9:12 refers to, I did not find the theology professors and scholars writing on the topic to be at all in agreement. Some go the way you found (Most Holy Place should be "Holy Place"; by the way, that sounded bogus to me too, or at least way too complicated). Others go the way I pointed out above (Most Holy Place should be "the holy places," i.e. BOTH apartments).
The Ministerial association and the Biblical Research Institute and the General Conference may wish to be able to present a united front on the interpretation of Hebrews 9:12. However, given the variations and nuances of thought within one college Religion dept (Southern), much less the reports I get from graduates of other colleges, from articles in academy Bible curricula, and from hearing pastors occasionally preach on it, I can assure you that the huge wall you perceive as a bastion in the form of the unanimous SDA interpretation of Hebrews is more like a leaky dike.
Anyway, I don't understand what the big deal is about the Investigative Judgment. The legalistic perversions taught in academies and colleges during the 1950's through 1980's aside, I don't believe that a majority of SDA's ever held that anything but faith alone through grace alone was the standard of judgment. And that goes for any phase of His judging work.
I know that in the twenty years I've been an SDA, and the 14 years I've taught in the high school system, I've loved Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 10:19-22 (my favorite verses in the whole Bible!), and believed and taught that whatever we may or may not understand about judgments and prophecies, salvation by grace plus nothing is the key to it all. Prophecies will one day cease to have significance because they will all be fulfilled, but the Gospel of grace and the plan of salvation has eternal consequences.
I have never been taught any other concept of salvation in any SDA institution in which I've found myself. And I have never found myself teaching anything else.
Mind you, I have developed in my appreciation and understanding of grace, especially in my grasp on how much MORE of a priority it must be for all to GET the whole Salvation - Love - Grace thing, than any other details. God's love is the Main Idea; the law, judgments, prophecies, lifestyles, all of that other stuff are details.
Sorry. This comment kinda rambled.
One last: please let me know what you think of my "real" blog, www.jimblog.net
Hi Jim, nice to hear from you!
I have just a couple of thoughts to follow up on your comments:
1) One of the biggest problems that I find with Adventism is that it will always say the right thing explicitly (theologically, or otherwise), but then turn around and imply something else with its writings and actions. My mom always warned me about "truth mixed with error". Looking back, I now see Adventism as the worst case of "truth mixed with error" that I've ever encountered.
2)You said, "So, if Hebrews 9 is comparing Exodus with the inauguration of Christ's real heavenly ministry..."
I agree with what you have to say up until this preamble to conclusion. Hebrews 9:12 describes the COMPLETION of Christ's ministry in the Heavenly Most Holy place--not the inauguration. You have to read in SDA theology to get that.
Chad, you said that "Hebrews 9:12 describes the COMPLETION of Christ's ministry in the Heavenly Most Holy place--not the inauguration." But how so? Sorry, I'm really not writing this with an SDA theology book in front of me. I'm just reading the chapter (Hebrews 9). The logical flow of the argument, when verse 12 comes along, is not describing the completion of anything. Also, you refer to it with that specific rendering "Most Holy Place," yet you haven't commented on my question. Chapter 9:1-10 develops the background info on how the old tabernacle (earthly) sanctuary worked, but only as a kind of an acted out prophecy of Jesus' future work.
Then verses 11 and onward begin developing the picture of that work that (from the perspective of the writer of Hebrews) HAD JUST BEGUN. And notice that our beloved verses 19-22 of the next chapter (10) are concluding the thought begun in chapter 9. And those verses in 19-22 are inviting believers to enter into an ongoing ministry of Christ "through the veil." There is no discussion of Christ's ministry reaching the Day of Atonement phase (i.e. the COMPLETION of his ministry). After all, if Christ completes His ministry in Heaven, what's He waiting around up there for? Shouldn't He be getting back here to take us home?? Please tell me where in Hebrews 9 or 10 you find the writer describing the completion of Christ's heavenly ministry.
Thanks,
Jim
Hebrews 7:25 makes it clear that Jesus lives forever to make intercession for us (another contradiction of historic SDA theology, since EGW says that we will stand before a Holy God without an intercessor at the end of time), so I would agree that Jesus has not stopped “working” on our behalf. I’m simply saying that the Day of Atonement, as given to the Jews, was fulfilled (past tense) by Jesus (probably following his ascension into Heaven after the resurrection), and that this is clearly described in Hebrews chapter 9.
I really can’t say any more about the rendering of “Most Holy Place” vs. “Holy Place” in Hebrews 9:12 than I’ve already said in this post—see the all caps section about 2/3 of the way down the post. As far as I know, most non-SDA Bible scholars are quite comfortable with the rendering of “Most Holy Place” since it fits perfectly with the flow of the argument and doesn’t destroy a foundational pillar of their faith. You’re right that verse 11 of Hebrews chapter 9 describes the beginning of a work of Jesus, but verse 12 describes His work that fulfilled the symbols of the Day of Atonement given to the Jews. After what Jesus did (as described in verse 12), there’s nothing left to do with regard to His Heavenly ‘Day of Atonement’ work—that was it! (Admittedly, it is succinct account, but nonetheless it is a complete account—sans SDA theology—of Jesus’ ‘Day of Atonement’ work in the Heavenly sanctuary.)
Chapter 10 verses 19-22 say nothing about an ongoing ministry of Christ that is going on “beyond the veil”—i.e., nothing that would imply an Investigative Judgment. They simply make it clear that a way has been made by Jesus (and Jesus alone) for us to proceed into the very presence of the Father which, by Old Testament symbology, was in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary.
What’s Jesus waiting around for? I believe that question is answered by 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (KJV)” I suspect that at the time near the end of this world—despite the preaching of the Gospel to the entire world—there will be relatively few people living who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior (or who ever will accept Him as their savior) and that if time were to continue, no more people would be brought into the Kingdom of Heaven… But this is just a personal theory based on 2 Peter 3:9 and Jesus’ statement about the condition of the world just prior to His second coming—see Matt 24:36-39.
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