An Unbroken Covenant
“Even when we’re right, we’re wrong.. still”. This fast is becoming the modern Christian proverb.
Something happened to me today. I received an email from the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church to which I have sent a formal request to remove my name from their membership records, as I would be joining the Seventh Day Baptist denomination. The message stated that perhaps they were going to take disciplinary action against me if I were to remove my name, and that I should keep my name on the books to avoid it. This was the advice of the secretary, who said she would need to confirm with the pastor.
This letter came several days after I sent the request, so maybe they had time to poke around on my website a bit. I believe my articles have a good spirit about them, and these things need to be discussed. Certainly I’ve never spoken openly about the things I have written here while I was attending their church, and I have always remained in good standing.
I have spoken to people who had received excommunication from the church for [according to them] simply not paying their 10% tithes to the church and others wanting a reason when they spoke up about a perceived injustice. I don’t know more than what they told me, but it seems that since I have already allocated tithe payments elsewhere nearly a year before now, the church would only have more time to make their next move.
SDAs teach (I used to teach it with them) about how the 144,000 saved men from the earth who never see death are not defiled by women, and that this symbolically references “churches” which are also known as women in the bible [5]. That they follow Christ alone and not the false teachings of their individual churches.
They have a good point. There certainly is room for the passage to be interpreted this way, but it also opens the door to what they teach as a church to also fall under this category. Do I follow Christ or do I follow Seventh day Adventism? Is not my understanding of their belief that Christ was due to come back but then took a rain check in the mid 1800’s alone reason enough to formulate that this unfaithful teaching is then also a “woman” then trying to defile me?
I believe the church may loose some blessings if disciplinary action would be taken regarding legitimate profession of faith, and in doing the right thing by not supporting what Christ told us wouldn’t happen. It’s not my defilement.
A Burden For Us All To Bear
Regardless of anyone’s stance on any of the subjects I have been writing about, it should be easy to understand that we’re looking at some of the reasons why some people who once held firm are going to fall from the faith. And yet again, for some of us, finding and talking openly about a reason to stay [in light of this new evidence] is the reason that some others who couldn’t have had faith otherwise will now be able to. To God be the glory for those who do become grafted in where others have been removed.
Let’s not make this about Seventh day Adventism (Adventism) though, since to wider Christianity, others are going through similar things. It’s because humanity is entering a new period where yesterday’s misconceptions are no longer hidden or easily concealed from those who are inquisitive.
Rather than dwell on specific issues within Adventism, I want to focus on the broader biblical question: is the scriptural narrative of humanity’s origins meant to be read literally, or symbolically? That question stretches across traditions and convictions, because it touches the very heart of whether faith is built solely on the text, or also on what Scripture says creation itself reveals about God through nature.
When I consider the implications of the new evidence discussed here on Hispattern.com — scientific or otherwise — I see it as truth for its time. Sometimes that truth may be provisional, meant for a particular era, and sometimes it may prove to be eternal. But then we must ask: what does “truth for its time” mean? Is it the ancient belief in a flat earth? A young earth? Or the reality that humanity has always struggled to grasp the cosmos, even while God remains Creator over it all?
The reality is that some of God’s servants simply will not have the eyes to see or the ears to hear beyond where they’ve landed. And that’s not necessarily a problem when they seek to remain faithful — unless they begin using their convictions to smother others. None of these interpretive positions, however, define biblical apostasy. Yet history shows that those who came first often branded those who came after as apostates. Martin Luther himself bore that label.
Sometimes the intent to smother what they themselves are not able to accept, these become like the unfaithful servant who believed that their master was hard and not easy to please. This servant hid the talents (coins) that had been entrusted to them, stopping any increase from being possible, rather than at least letting the coins gain interest in the bank.
Wouldn’t that kind of be like leaving one of your old ministry leaders with an officially bad record just because they didn’t want to make a mistake with you? That whole ordeal of realizing I didn’t want to partake in what I knew was wrong opened my eyes to a lot of new issues within Christianity that I’m now trying to solve, and the way I see it, that’s profitable for my Master –as we will find a way to reach more people in fields of knowledge that he did not originally sew seed in.
In this case I see that their silence alone would be like letting the value gain interest in the bank. Go ahead and say you don’t believe it, but leave my reputation untouched if I have not violated any policies pertaining to Christ. My wife is still SDA and I have been practicing the same courtesy of silence within the churches that I attend with her.
Let’s be straight. Keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are as relevant now as they were before God prepared some of us to accept the reality of our mission. I see this as an eternal truth.
How much more relevant is keeping the commandments and faith of Jesus when we don’t know who is who or what is what? I mean, as long as we have love in our hearts –Otherwise, beyond us being wrong, still, we are nothing.
Beyond that, how do we know what is right? And well, there are some things that are always going to be right across the entirety of eternity. That starts with love (Galations 5:22-23)
I find it essential that we remain adherent to the basic principles of love, given in writing as early as the book of Exodus. For if Jesus did it –if he himself taught it– then we should also. It is here where we can expect to be tested.
Many of those who consider themselves part of the elect chosen by God will say we still can’t be accepted into heaven based on what they perceive as apostasy. Yet like an early Christians being chastised by a Jew, we must bear it, and not resist other than to shine our light somewhere else.
Light is shining on the fact that neither the Jews nor the early Christians were able to grasp [nor were they able to once bear] the reality of where we’ve come from and how it pertains to God’s harvest. It’s shining bright as day on the matter. Some will continue saying there are plenty of ways to doubt the knowledge. They may stay if that’s where they want to have faith –but he who has eyes to see, let him see, and for he who has ears, let him hear.
I get that we had the perfect redemption story before this messed up everything –and we still have one– but Jesus said there was news his followers wouldn’t be able to bear, and that when the Spirit of Truth comes that he will convict us of sin and glorify Him.
Again, this is why some will continue believing yet not receive Gods mark, because it won’t seem important to glorify all of what Christ said after such a failure to deliver literal truth from ancient times.
“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you."
There have been things that perhaps we have been unable to hear from the mouth of Jesus because Christians would not have been able to bear it yet. I say this generally, because a large swath of the Christian faith has already generally accepted a similar understanding of our reality.
Again, some might say, “well, those Christians denominations are unfaithful”. Though maybe Paul was onto something when he mentioned we should rather focus on what we agree on. The day has come when some of us who would have been otherwise categorized as “faithful” by these, are going to remain in said faithfulness and also going to accept current knowledge [evidence we can seven see with our eyes] as truth and update our faith accordingly.
To be able to do so is within the bounds of the scriptures, but it is seemingly infinitely debatable for those who are afraid of what it means if they realize it as truth, and its implications are capable of being all the more difficult to accept. They were for me too, before accepting that we better get busy searching out the matter if the scriptures aren’t going to be undone.
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
Jesus knew there was more to tell us. We should remember it was not going to be his job to say it though –except maybe through parables where it would be safely concealed until the time was right. A prophecy about the Messiah from Isaiah shows us Jesus was here to teach us to exercise our faith, and that he wouldn’t say anything that would diminish it.
“A bent reed He will not break off And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
Jesus himself said there was more to understand and that the burden would have been too great to share it before it’s time. These burdens are then bound to happen when the time is right, when believers can bear it.
Know your Prophets
The first 11 Chapters of Genesis were likely written long after the original five books of Moses (the Pentateuch) had been established, or even after the time of Solomon for that matter [8]. Try not to ignore this part for the sake of good old fashioned faith. We can do grin-and-bear-it some other time.
Here are only a portion of the examples:
Certain vocabulary in Genesis 1-3 is used elsewhere only in books written during the monarchy or later, such as ʾēd (a mist, Genesis 2:6), neḥmād (pleasant, Genesis 2:9; 3:6), tāpar (sew, Genesis 3:7), ʾēbāh (enmity, Genesis 3:15), šûp (bruise/wound, Genesis 3:15) ʿeṣeb (labor, Genesis 3:16), tĕšûqāh (longing, Genesis 3:16). The word Shinar (Genesis 10:10; 11:2), was used by nations outside Mesopotamia “to designate the Kassite kingdom of Babylon (ca. 1595-1160 B.C.E)”; [3] consequently its use here indicates Genesis 11 was written no earlier than the date of that kingdom.
In regards to places: Genesis 11:28, 11:31 (the family of Terah and Abram is from “Ur of the Chaldees”). The Chaldea became a people in the time when Solomon was building the temple, and were actually immigrants from lands closer to Canaan [1].
Nineveh – Genesis 10:11–12 (Nimrod “built Nineveh”). Historically, Nineveh only became a major Assyrian city in the 8th–7th centuries BCE, centuries after the supposed “time of Nimrod”, leaving the location too insignificant to have been referenced by the prophet Moses. While Niniveh was built into a proto-city around 4500-4000 BCE with an area of about 0.4 square kilometers in size, archaeological survey evidence shows that Nineveh existed before this period as a small farming village between 6100 and 5100 BCE [2]. Mind you, those layers dated to ~5500 BCE exist on top of layers traditionally believed to be created over long periods post-flood by young earth creationists.
If we get into writing styles, Genesis chapter 1 (Priestly Source [7]) and 2 (Yahwist Source [6]) appear to have been written by different authors, neither of which write like the rest of Genesis. Many scholars believe that the origin story in Genesis, while based on the account in the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:11), was written post return from Babylon. The logic being that similarities throughout plus sentence structures in Noah’s flood account almost exactly copy word for word sentences in the epic of Gilgamesh [4].
**Understanding this may be necessary when considering Moses is to remain a prophet who spoke directly with God. What was written on the tablets of stone is creation happened in seven days, but there was no explanation outside of that.
The ultimate conclusion for I have read on several debates on the matter is that out of Israels many neighbors, it was Babylon who had a fully developed origin story, which may have sparked some desire for Israel to have their own upon returning from captivity after all those generations had learned the Babylonian version.
**this does not diminish Jesus' reference to the names of Noah or Abel, for "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Maybe just literal all-inclusive historical value is not an exact criteria for the primeval history narrative in Genesis.
My point is, there is room for the things I have been talking about both inside and outside of Seventh Day Adventism to be debated. And in regards to the SDA church, I am leaving because I perceive that their pride goes before them, as was written in my past blog before I received this notice from the church.
Edification for the Both of Us
So here we are, some churches saying we’re not with them so we are to be disciplined. “We”, again referencing those who want to remain faithful but are being led by God to be able to accept that more matters are yet to be searched out, and Christ glorified. A sort of early rain if you will.
Meanwhile the other churches accept that we are with them and as such would like us to come and do things a new way –the way of the gentiles. And still there are other groups, saying that we’re fools for believing in the first place.
With each of these there is a lesson of humility for the both of us.
With the one who portrays us as disobedient, they must learn the lesson of the servant who buried their talents because they believed their master was hard. I pray that others who can not accept it will just let it be, and let the talent gain interest in the bank. Let what will happen be a lesson of humility for all of us, because it is God that will bring it to pass.
We also must bear some of their chastisement, and have resolved not to judge them for what they were capable of accepting. They have accepted Christ –even to their own ability–, and we’re not going to smother that flame. Neither would have Jesus. Let it be a lesson in humility for us, and the glory to God, in being able to exercise restraint.
Moving on. With the one who accepts the body of evidence, keeps the testimony of Jesus, but teaches or believes that the law should be changed or has lost relevance. Let it be a lesson in humility, for the reward will be diminished for some and death for others.
We also must find sufficient resolve to not join them but remain [few as we may be] Spirit led, walking just as Jesus walked. May it remain a lesson in humility for us, and especially if Christ has a plan to increase his flock with this new understanding as the world increases in knowledge.
**I say ‘new understanding’ lightly, for perhaps I am only setting up one of it’s perimeters. And again, nothing is substantial with God unless it is backwards compatible with the core legacy data.
And finally. For the one who sees us as a fool for believing in Christ and a creator God, especially in light of being wrong about exactly how we got here. He too must see that God indeed is creator, and that he has sent his Son -as promised- before the harvest to prepare the way for us.
And [Jesus] was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows--how, he himself does not know. The soil produces crops by itself first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
While it may seem to the one without faith that God isn’t just taking a back seat while the crop grows, but rather doesn’t exist at all, their lesson in humility will be to also bow a knee to the Creator someday –to realize he was there for us all along, and that he was going to do what he said he would.
And Then There's Love
To all of us, let it be a lesson in humility that it was Jesus who prepared a way for us, and not of our own works. Our works exist because we knew we were safe there, they exist as a result of the Spirit received like a receipt, and because we have love. Besides that, occasionally there is little difference between the saved and lost- lest we forget the thief on the cross. May God be glorified.
Jokes on all of us it seems. God has been looking for the willing, those pearls worth keeping, something he can work with. Potentially never exactly right, but faithful in His sight.
Who, having true Love, would have a problem with putting Love first? Things like never letting go of love, or just saying we were loving for the vanity of it, or like having guaranteed rest on a weekly basis rather than working 64 years just to realize it, or a good home life, no murder, infidelity, stealing, lying, no jealousy over what is rightfully our own. All of these things are encompassed in the two greatest commandments – Love God, and love your neighbor.
These things flourish where love is present, and that’s why there was a law to reveal to us the limits love is bound to. The law that revealed our trespass into pride and selfish behavior, exceeded limits that Christ ultimately paid the price for, removing the condemnation.
Something we can all agree on as Christians is that God has been preparing mankind by showing them their weakness, teaching them the difference between what was right and wrong, and letting the refinement of that understanding mature over time. Christ was here to show us the crop was almost ready, to prove the existence of God is real, and that he is going to return for his people just before there would be noting left to save.
The Son of God has overcome darkness and death alike. These will have no power over us in that place to where we’ll go. Love, it’s going to be portable. Stay right there, in that, you’ll never be found to be wrong.
If this ministry sits well with you. it may be time to shine your light too. get in touch, I'd like to hear from you.
Citations
- Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). “West Semitic”. Glottolog 2.2. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
- Kuyunjiq / Tell Nebi Yunis (ancient: Nineveh) Archived 2020-11-05 at the Wayback Machine colostate.edu
- Sayce, Archibald Henry (1895). Patriarchal Palestine, pp. 67-68.
- Nigosian 2004, p. 40.
- Cf. [compare this with] the woman in chap. 12 and the harlot in chap.17, Jezebel in 2:20, furthermore, 2:14 and 18:2.4.
- Collins 2018, p. 71.
- Coogan & Chapman 2018, p. 48.
- Gmirkin 2006, pp. 240–241.
