Sunday, February 12, 2012

A summary of my beliefs

Here is a "short" version of some of my beliefs that differ with Adventism (along with a summary of the Biblical support).

---------------------------------------------
I believe that the Bible teaches an Old Covenant which faded away (2 Cor. 3, Gal. 4:21-31, Heb 8:13, Heb. 10:9) and a New Covenant (Is. 49:8, Jer. 31:31-33, Mal. 3:1, Heb 7:22, Heb. 8, Heb. 10:16) and that we as Christians are under the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:6-11, Heb. 8). I believe the NC (New Covenant) started when Jesus died (Matt. 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Cor. 11:25, Heb. 9:15-22, Heb. 12:24). I believe the OC (Old Covenant) was made between God and the Children of Israel (Deut. 5:1-6, Deut. 11:1-8, Jer. 11:2-6, Jer. 31:32, Jer. 34:13, Heb 8:9). It included the law (the whole Mosaic law, including and most specifically the 10 Commandments) (Deut. 31:26, 2 Kings 22:11 & 23:2-3 & 21, 2 Chron. 34). I believe when the Bible talks about the law it is in reference to the whole thing - not divided into moral, ceremonial, and civil sections - and that there are moral and ceremonial aspects in both the 10 Commandments and the "rest" of the Mosaic laws (Lev. 19 is full of moral laws). I don't believe the Bible allows for us to pull the 10 Commandments apart from the rest of the law and claim they are God's eternal moral laws. Deut. 12:32, 2 Chron. 31:3, 2 Chron. 33:8, Luke 2:22-24 & 39, John 10:34, James 2:8

I believe the NC is different from the OC (Heb. 8 - specifically verse 8, but the whole chapter). Since the 10 Commandments were the words of the OC (Ex. 32:15-16, Ex. 34:27-28, Deut. 4:13, Deut. 9:9-11 & 15, Deut. 10:3-8, 1 Kings 8:9 & 21, 2 Chron. 5:10 & 6:11, 2 Cor. 3:3-11, Heb. 9:4), I believe they (as a whole) don't apply to Christians but that Christian behavior is spelled out in the NT with Jesus, the disciples, and the apostles (Matt. 28:18-20, John 12:48-50, John 15, 1 Cor. 9:21, Eph. 1:9-10, 1 Thess. 4:2, Heb. 1:1-2, Heb 7:12). Many of the commands Jesus gave were included in the 10 Commandments, but many were not - They are ALL important (just read Matt. 5-7 for a few great examples). God's eternal moral law is love (Matt. 22:36-40, John 15:12 & 17, Rom. 13:8-10, 1 Cor. 13, Gal 5:6-14, Gal. 6:2, 1 Thess. 3:12, 1 Thess. 4:9, all of 1 John, 2 John 5-6). I believe that as long as we focus on the 10 Commandments and the Mosaic law we will not be able to understand the NC (2 Cor. 3:14-16).

I believe that Jesus was born under the Mosaic law (the WHOLE law) (Gal. 4:4-5) and He kept the Sabbath, Passover, was circumcised, etc. because He was under law (Matt. 8:4, Luke 2:21-24, Luke 5:14, John 7:1-14), not to set an example for us that we can keep the law (Acts 13:39, Heb. 7:11). He lived and died to save us, not to show that humans can vindicate God by proving we can keep His law perfectly (Rom. 8:3-4, Rom. 11:32). I believe the Mosaic law (including the 10 Commandments) had a very definite beginning (Neh. 9:13-14, John 1:17, Rom. 5:12-14) and ending (Matt. 5:17-18, Matt 11:13, Matt. 17, Mark 9, Luke 9, Luke 16:16-17, Rom. 10:4-5, Gal. 3:17-19, Gal. 4:21-31, Eph. 2:15, Heb. 7:28, Heb. 8:13, Heb. 9:10) and was given to show us our need of Christ (Heb 7:19, Heb. 8:5). Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17-18, Luke 24:27 & 44, John 1:45, John 5:39 & 46, John 19:28, Acts 13:29, Acts 24:14, Acts 26:22-23, Acts 28:23). We are not under that law (Acts 15, Rom. 7:4-6, Rom. 8:2, Rom. 10:4-5, 1 Cor. 9:21, Gal. 5:1-4 & 18, 1 Tim. 1:5-10).

I believe we are saved by grace alone through faith alone and that nothing we do can make us even slightly more "worthy" of being saved (Matt. 5:20, Acts 13:39, 3:20 & 28, Rom. 3:9-20, Rom. 5:8-11, Rom. 6:14, Rom. 11:6, Galatians - really the whole book!, Phil. 3:9, 2 Tim. 1:9). I believe when we confess our sins God forgives them (not that God transfers our sins into the Most Holy Place so they would one day be placed upon Satan or transfer them back to us if we don't confess all of our sins) (Psalm 103:12, Micah 7:19, 2 Cor. 5:17-21, Col. 1:21-23, 1 John 1:9). I believe the way to the Most Holy Place (direct access to God) was opened for us at Jesus' death and ascension - not in 1844 (Matt. 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45, Rom. 8:34, Eph. 2:18, Heb. 4:14-16, Heb. 6:19-20, Heb. 7:27, Heb. 8:1-2, Heb. 9:5, Heb. 9:7-8, Heb. 9:12, Heb. 9:24-26, Heb. 10:19-22, Heb. 13:11-12). Our salvation is judged by whether or not we accept Christ (there is no "Investigative Judgement) (John 3:18, John 5:24, John 6:29, Rom. 4:22-25).

I believe the Sabbath was first given to the Israelites first as a test with the manna to see if they would obey God (Ex. 16) and then as the sign of the OC (Ex. 31:13-18, Neh. 9:13-14, Ezek. 20:10-12 & 20). In addition to being a sign of the OC, two other reasons for the Israelites to keep every 7th day holy was because God was their Creator (Gen. 2:2-3, Ex. 20:11) and He rescued them from Egypt (Ex. 20:2, Deut. 5:15). The Sabbath was a shadow and Jesus is the Reality (Col. 2:16-17, Heb. 10:1). We find our rest in Jesus not in a day (Matt. 11:28-30, Gal. 4:10, Heb. 4). Under the NC it doesn't matter what day we choose to worship God (Rom. 14:5-6, Heb 10:25). The day isn't holy (Gal. 4:10) - God is holy.

Under the OC, circumcision was the entrance sign (Gen. 17:9-10, Ex. 12:48, John 7:22, Acts 15:5, Rom. 2:25-26) and Sabbath-keeping was the continuing sign (see above). Under the NC, baptism is the entrance sign (showing circumcision of the heart - Acts 2:38, Rom. 2:25-29, Phil. 3:3, Col. 2:11-13) and keeping the Lord's supper is the continuing sign (Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Cor. 11:24-26). In the NC we are not told, "Remember the Sabbath day," (Ex. 20:8) but instead, "This do in remembrance of me" (1 Cor. 11:24).
I believe we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22, Eph 4:30) - not sealed by picking the "right" day to worship on.

I believe that no food is "unclean" (that was part of the OC) (Matt. 15, Mark 7:1-23, Acts 10:9-15, Rom. 14, 1 Cor. 8:8 and all of chapter 8, 1 Cor. 10:23-31, Col. 2:16-17 & 21-23).

I believe tithing was part of the OC, and under the NC we are told to give generously and cheerfully but not given a specific formula (1 Cor. 16:1-2, 2 Cor. 8:1-15, 2 Cor. 9:1-13).

I believe the Bible teaches that when we die we depart from our bodies and go to be with God. Before Jesus, the soul went to Hades/Sheol to be "held" (Deut. 32:22, Psalm 16:10, Is. 14:9-20, Ez. 32:21, Luke 16:19-31, Acts 2:31, 1 Pet. 3:18-22, 1 Peter 4:6, Eph. 4:8-9). After Jesus conquered death our bodies die/sleep and are what is resurrected, but our soul/spirit goes to God - that certainly seems to be what the people in the New Testament believed. Matt. 22:31-33, Mark 12:26-27, Luke 8:55, Luke 16:19-31, Luke 20:37-38, Luke 23:43 & 46, John 5:24-29, John 6:50-58, John 7:37-39, John 11:25-26, John 20:17, Acts 7:55-59, Rom 8:16 & 23, Rom 8:38-39, Rom. 14:8-9, 1 Cor. 2:11, 1 Cor. 6:17, 1 Cor. 14:2, 1 Cor. 15:20-23, 1 Cor 15:35-57, 2 Cor. 5:1-10, 2 Cor. 12:1-6, Phil. 1:20-26, Phil. 3:21, 1 Thess. 4:14, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, 1 Thess. 5:10, 2 Tim. 1:10, 1 Peter 3:18-20 & 4:6,2 Peter 1:13-15, 2 Peter 2:4 & 9, Jude 6 & 14, Rev. 1:17-18, Rev. 6:8-11

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.