SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM continued
There is not the slightest hint that the Adventists have altered their views on anything
utterly mistaken and their views are repudiated. A subtle rewording will not do, as in the case of a later edition of the hook above referred to, for this older publication, a devotional book, is still today in use in thousands of Adventist homes. It is claimed that certain heretical teachings of Seventh-day Adventism somehow mysteriously “ got into print” ; that they were merely positions advocated by “ individual authors” of a “ lunatic fringe” of the denomination. The only Adventist literature that has ever come into my hands, and I have quite an exten sive library of their writings supplied to some extent by Adventists and those who have renounced Ad ventism, has been published by official Seventh-day Adventist publishing houses. Adventist Reaction to Eternity Articles Last month I made reference to official Adventist reaction to the Eternity articles as expressed by presi dent of the Adventists’ General Conference, Reuben R. Figuhr in the Adventist publication, Review and Her ald, for December 13, 1956. Some of his statements are quite significant. After much flattery for the Eternity editors, Mr. Figuhr writes: “ The great point of misunderstanding has been in the matter of Sev enth-day Adventists’ belief regarding Christ — His nature, the completeness of His atoning sacrifice, and His mission, as our sole hope of salvation. We have been charged with being legalists, who believe in sal vation by our works, either entirely or in part. This has been a point of very serious misunderstanding.” Any misunderstanding — and I do not acknowledge there has been any — has come from the simple process of our reading what the Adventist leaders themselves have written over the years. It is disagree ment, not misunderstanding! I continue to quote from President Figuhr: “On this fundamental issue, it has been so reassuring to turn to the writings of Sister White, where Christ, His nature, His mission, and the completeness of His atonement are so clearly and unquestionably set forth.” Is not this rather startling in view of the claim of contemplated changes in Adventist doctrine? For in Mrs. White’s writings one finds all of the heresies I have listed, and more! In spite of all the fanfare about an alteration of creed, we are right back where we started from. The Adventist stand has not differed from that expressed in the Adventist Review and Herald Supple ment back in 1883: “Our position on the Testimonies [Mrs. White’s writings] is like the keystone to the arch. Take that out, and there is no logical stopping- place till all the special truths of the message are gone. Nothing is surer than this, that the message and the
visions [of Mrs. White] belong together, and stand or fall together.” According to this declaration and that of Mr. Figuhr, we need consult no other books than Mrs. White’s for Seventh-day Adventist doctrine. It is as I have believed always, that Mrs. White is Seventh- day Adventism and ever shall be. So this sect is no nearer to being evangelical than it has been from the beginning. The views of Mrs. White regarding the nature and redemptive work of Christ may be reassuring to an Adventist, but they are not to one who relies upon the revelation of the Word of God and not upon man made theories. Of all the fables and vagaries ever devised by man, this sanctuary, scapegoat, investiga tive-judgment heresy is one of the worst. It ranks with the Roman Catholic view of purgatory and all such extra-scriptural ideas. Even the editor of Eternity himself called it “ the most colossal face-saving phenomenon of all time!” Because it is so inextricably woven into the teaching of the atonement of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, it cannot be dismissed as an eccentricity of a strange religious group but must be considered seri ously under the light of God’s Holy Word by which test it is proved to be completely false. Where is the Proposed Change? Before discussing this teaching in detail, I would like you to note a few more sentences selected from Mr. Figuhr’s article in Review and Herald: “With many of our [Adventist] distinct points of faith, such as the Sabbath and the state of the dead, they [ Eternity editors] continue to differ, although they recognize that not a few leading Christians have held our view on these subjects as plainly taught in the Scriptures. The sanctuary, investigative judgment, health reform, are also matters of sharp disagreement. While they do not accept Sister White as the Lord’s messenger to this people as we do, they recognize her to be a true and sincere Christian” (italics mine). There is not the slightest hint here that the Adventists have any intention of altering their views on anything. To this date, I have not seen any pub lished statement by the Adventists that included a renunciation of any heresy they have ever taught. Of course, they will have to “ spell it out,” stating in effect that “whereas we once taught such-and-such, we now renounce it utterly,” giving titles of books, names of authors, chapters and verses, if faith is to be kept with the public. I do not consider it unrea sonable to demand such evidence. That would be much more effective than abusing us and accusing us of publishing articles “ based upon publications the Adventists have officially repudiated.”
24
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker