To be honest with you, I have never been in a situation where learning about any biblical concept was unacceptable, neither have I ever been denied an opportunity to ask or investigate an issue. If what you're describing here happens in your congregation, that's concerning.
Like which one in particular?
When you say 'goes beyond what we believe', does it mean the belief is still consistent with the bible or this person has introduced their own thoughts and ideas?
I have heard concerns over the same. Knowing that God does not change slows me down from making quick judgment on certain issues. Methods of doing things change but the principle remains unchanged.
Is there any new belief that has been stifled? In such a case, I want to believe there is a procedure for doing things if we really mean well and would genuinely want to see spiritual growth in our midst. Have you shared the issues you feel need to be addressed?
Someone once told me that the day we understand everything about God, that will be the end of eternity because there will be nothing more to learn. I do agree, God is infinite. God is love and is seeking to have a loving relationship with each one of us (this is what I learnt from the book
Song of Solomon). God also says, "
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelation 3:19).
I want to believe the people care about you (simple things like noticing when you are not around should tell you that). However, you should also try to reach out and cultivate your relationships with other people. Remember this verse, "
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." (Luke 2:52). You will also find favour and good reputation with both God and people (Proverbs 3:4). Work on it. God will be with
To be honest with you, I have never been in a situation where learning about any biblical concept was unacceptable, neither have I ever been denied an opportunity to ask or investigate an issue. If what you're describing here happens in your congregation, that's concerning.
Like which one in particular?
When you say 'goes beyond what we believe', does it mean the belief is still consistent with the bible or this person has introduced their own thoughts and ideas?
I have heard concerns over the same. Knowing that God does not change slows me down from making quick judgment on certain issues. Methods of doing things change but the principle remains unchanged.
Is there any new belief that has been stifled? In such a case, I want to believe there is a procedure for doing things if we really mean well and would genuinely want to see spiritual growth in our midst. Have you shared the issues you feel need to be addressed?
Someone once told me that the day we understand everything about God, that will be the end of eternity because there will be nothing more to learn. I do agree, God is infinite. God is love and is seeking to have a loving relationship with each one of us (this is what I learnt from the book Song of Solomon). God also says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelation 3:19).
I want to believe the people care about you (simple things like noticing when you are not around should tell you that). However, you should also try to reach out and cultivate your relationships with other people. Remember this verse, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." (Luke 2:52). You will also find favour and good reputation with both God and people (Proverbs 3:4). Work on it. God will be with you.
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful reply. You asked which prophecies in the Old Testament I was referring to. Here is one: "For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south. Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, for the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. You, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah." (Zechariah 14.2-5). I know Ellen White references this verse, and says it refers to the final judgment upon the wicked. However, there is no mention of half of Jerusalem being taken, and God's people fleeing through the crack in the Mount of Olives. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan...." (Zechariah 12:10-14). Adventist teaching never includes grace being poured upon Israel, with them mourning over their piercing of the Messiah. Another is the third temple of Ezekiel in Ezekiel 44-48, the city which will be called, "THE LORD IS THERE" (Ezekiel 48.35). Zechariah 14.18 pronounces a curse on the people who are saved if they do not go up every year to worship the Feast of Tabernacles. Isaiah 66.23 reads "And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me" and Adventist teaching does not ever command to keep the New Moon. In fact, the very next verse is unexplanable. Another thing is what do the sacrifices of the Pentateuch symbolize, since they are now spiritually understand? What is the symbolism of the two bulls? The one ram? There are many more sacrifices and we do not have any idea what they mean. I will tell you what I have discovered. The burnt offering symbolized total consecration to the LORD. The ram is offered for the sin of the leadership, the priest, or the whole congregation. I am working on trying to figure out what all of the other sacrifices mean symbolically for us today. I believe in the Adventist teaching, but I think we need to push further to try to figure out the meanings of all of the Old Testament Scripture, not only one verse here or one verse there. We need to understand it ALL.
