In the 1950's &60's, the Church leadership opened a door that has split the church down to today, between
traditional & so-called "progressive" Adventists.
It was the attempt to placate evangelical Christians who thought negatively of Adventism--especially pastor Donald Barnhouse who had a radio show at the time.
They came up with "Questions on Doctrines" as a way to answer the evangelicals--but in the process began a slight deviation from some Biblical doctrines of Adventism.
Barnhouse wrote a piece where he wrote - "In conclusion, I should like to say that we are delighted to do justice to a much-maligned group of sincere believers, and in our minds and hearts take them out of the group of utter heretics like the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and Christian Scientists, to acknowledge them as redeemed brethren and members of the Body of Christ. It is our sincere prayer that they may be led to consider further the points on which they are so widely divergent from the rest of the Body of Christ..."
Also in the same piece he listed his 3 main problems with Adventism:
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| Barnhouse-to whom some church leaders pandered to |
It was the attempt to placate evangelical Christians who thought negatively of Adventism--especially pastor Donald Barnhouse who had a radio show at the time.
They came up with "Questions on Doctrines" as a way to answer the evangelicals--but in the process began a slight deviation from some Biblical doctrines of Adventism.
Barnhouse wrote a piece where he wrote - "In conclusion, I should like to say that we are delighted to do justice to a much-maligned group of sincere believers, and in our minds and hearts take them out of the group of utter heretics like the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and Christian Scientists, to acknowledge them as redeemed brethren and members of the Body of Christ. It is our sincere prayer that they may be led to consider further the points on which they are so widely divergent from the rest of the Body of Christ..."
Also in the same piece he listed his 3 main problems with Adventism:
"To sum up, I would say that the differences between other evangelicals and the Seventh-day Adventist position are three:
(1) The unimportant and almost naive doctrine of the "investigative judgment."
(2) The more serious doctrine of Sabbath-keeping, which is not sufficient to bar Seventh-day Adventists from the fellowship of true Christians but which makes such fellowship very difficult because of the overtones of legalism that has a tendency to gnaw at the roots of the truth of sovereign grace to unworthy sinners; and
(3) Finally, the most serious difference, to me, is their belief in conditional immortality (i.e., soul-sleeping and the anniliilation of the lost). The tact that they can name the names of famous Christian theologians or thinkers who have believed this error is no justification for our believing it, since it so thoroughly contradicts the historic biblical position." Donald G. Barnhouse
RESPONSE to his 3 complaints:
1) The Investigative Judgment is the only view of the Judgment that makes sense-or is Biblical. For how many of you out there know that today many, if not most, Christians no longer believe in a Judgment at all - OR - believe in only one phase after the 2 Advent. A Judgment that to many is simply symbolic by passing before the Great White Throne to show to all why you were saved or lost. Those views of the Judgment are neither Biblical nor logical.
But more to the point--to simplify the Sanctuary Doctrine (Investigative Judgment) is to point out that the symbolic altar of sacrifice met (& ended) at the Cross - the real sacrifice. And just like there was a real day of atonement (Judgment) there too is a literal Judgment, the Investigative phase naturally coming first, before the 2nd Advent.
2) Very simple response---IF Sabbath keeping is legalism...so is keeping the other 9 Commandments. So, feel free to steal, commit adultery, etc....just following the logic here of point number 2 of Mr. Barnhouse. .... Q: What is it about that 4th Commandment (Sabbath) that really irritates Christians in ways that the other 9 of God's Law doesn't?
3) Job tells us man is MORTAL.
Paul tells us ONLY God has IMMORTALITY.
Between those 2 pillars of the state of the dead lies soul sleep until the resurrection.
From Genesis--
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,
Genesis 3:22,23
to Revelation --
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power,..But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
Revelation 20:6,5
& the pages of Scripture in between confirm the same.
--Old Testament Example--
....for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished;
Ecclesiastes 9:4-6
--New Testament Example --
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
For David is not ascended into the heavens:
Acts 13:36/2:29,34
In closing, as some church leaders were pandering to Mr. Barnhouse in the 50's, seeking his approval, let's look at some of his beliefs.....:this is one of his that I have to strongly disagree with....
"In reviewing Mayan Indian society, for example, he admitted that “there were human sacrifices,” but immediately insisted that “the primitive religion of the Mayans was rather pure and ethical.”
“The editor visits Mexico’s Mayan ruins,” Eternity, May 1956, p. 7. Barnhouse, D.G.,/ATTAC
