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Commentary on "Preserving Relationships"
Day 7: Friday, July 13, 2012 - Further Study
Overview
As is typical, this week’s lesson ends with Ellen White quotations and “Discussion Questions”, this week about how to avoid mistakes in evangelizing and how to be more effective in discipleship and how to understand why Paul called the cross “foolishness” to the Greeks.
The summary of the lesson is that Paul had become intensely bonded with the Thessalonians in just three weeks and ultimately wrote them two letters into which he “put his heart”. Paulien ends with these words, “Meaningful evangelism must not settle for mere acceptance of Christian beliefs. The whole life—physical, mental, and emotional—is involved in Christian faith.”
Observations
Paulien’s true view of evangelism, which is explained more fully in the commentary for Day One of this week in which we have reviewed his talk given in 2008 on Paul, The Great Controversy, and The Remnant, shapes this entire week. Paulien’s “agenda” is that Adventists will become culturally sensitive and open to the beliefs and commonalities of other religions. Adventism, in Paulien’s view, is uniquely established to facilitate uniting previously disjunct religions by providing common “links” between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
Since Paulien sees the eschatological remnant as bearing characteristics from all three traditions, it is easy to see how the Adventist great controversy model provides a framework for embracing and uniting these three in a syncretistic religion that accommodates everyone.
According to Pauline, Christianity emphasizes Gospel, Grace, and Jesus. Judaism emphasizes Law, Obedience, and Sabbath, and Islam emphasizes Submission, Judgment, and Eschatology. Of course, Adventism embraces all of these nine emphases, so one can see that Adventism is poised to mediate relationships among all three and help them find common ground.
It is clear from Paulien’s talk that he does not see Adventism as fitting the classic definition of Christianity. Rather, he sees the Adventist similarities to Islam as being an advantage in accomplishing friendship and inclusion with them.
Paulien is not unique in Adventism with this view. William Johnsson has written three article in the Adventist World explaining his work with Muslims and his view of the similarities and potential for unity between Adventists and Muslims. You can read these articles here:
"Children of Abraham: How should Adventists relate to Muslims?"
"Adventists and Muslims in Conversation: Breaking down prejudice by building bridges"
"Adventists and Muslims: Five Convictions—How to build on what we have in common"
The problem with seeing any god besides the God of Scripture as the one true God is that Scripture clearly reveals a Trinity. The one true God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Father sent the Son to die a propitiatory death to reconcile humans with God. Only Christianity embraces the Trinity; other gods are not the God revealed in Scripture.
It is not enough to be monotheist. Scripture is very clear that we must believe in the Son; we must eat His flesh and drink His blood—and those who do so abide in Him and He in them (Jn. 6:53-58).
Instead of pondering Ellen White’s words, ask God to reveal what He wants you to know as you read John 3. Because of Jesus’ shed blood and resurrection, our Father had adopted us and given us new birth into His family, and He has sent His Spirit to indwell us with eternal Life and the eternal promise of our future of glory!
[3:1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” [3] Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [4] Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” [5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ [8] The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
[9] Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” [10] Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? [11] Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. [12] If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
[16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [19] And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. [21] But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
[22] After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. [23] John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized [24] (for John had not yet been put in prison).
[25] Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. [26] And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” [27] John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. [28] You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ [29] The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. [30] He must increase, but I must decrease.”
[31] He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. [32] He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. [33] Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. [34] For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. [35] The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. [36] Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Copyright 2012 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised July 10, 2012. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Camp Verde, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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