IAUA End Time Ministry
Preparing for the End of Time
The Lord is Coming! Are you ready?
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IAUA End Time Ministry |
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Preparing for the End of Time | |
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The Lord is Coming! Are you ready? | |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in
IAUA
(ee-ah-oo-ah) our Father,
Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly sabbath. I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of the Lord. I am becoming increasingly concerned over the conflict within our church over the feasts and statutes. I have spent much time in studying the issues to seek to learn how to resolve this conflict in my own life. This conflict is not new. It started even in the early church. A careful study of Acts 15 is important for you to understand the issues. I will begin a summary of the issues. The initial disagreement was over a Jewish tradition. Those who were converted to God as adults were to be circumcised. It is important to note that the statute does not say this. The statute says that the children of believing parents are to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth.
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught
the brethren, [and said], Except ye be circumcised after the
manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
It is also interesting to note that the question was taken to the church elders for discussion and guidance. This is the same counsel I find in the Spirit of Prophecy concerning dissension in the church. Failure to follow this counsel led to serious public contention which was not resolved even by the General Conference of 1888. One of many quotes to be considered. The entire chapter needs to be carefully studied for insight and guidance from the Holy Spirit. "While Christians are not to sacrifice one principle of truth, they should avoid controversy whenever it is possible to do so." {DA 434.4} The initial dispute over circumcision was expanded to include all the statutes. Apparently, the statutes were not emphasized in the initial teaching of the Gospel.
Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the
Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to
circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of
Moses.
The council recognized that salvation comes by faith and this leads to purification of the heart. They rejected the tradition of circumcising adults, upheld the early presentation of critical statutes, and affirmed that the full teaching of the statutes was available on an ongoing basis.
Acts 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain
from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from]
things strangled, and [from] blood.
The Christian walk is a continuing growth into all truth. Those who are farther along in their walk must not be critical of those who have not advanced as far. Those who are indeed farther along in their walk will carefully nurture the growth and strenghthening of the foundational faith of their brethren. They will not do the work of Satan to destroy and tear down the church with dissension and discord. The Spirit of Prophecy clearly describes that even the Saviour avoided non-critical issues in His presentations to avoid exciting dissension. Consider carefully the words of the Saviour. John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. The Seventh-day Adventist church follows the Word of God closer than any other church. God has blessed the church greatly with the Spirit of Prophecy. The church is not perfect. None of us are perfect but God accepts us as we are. There is no better place for us to be in the body of Christ. As long as the church carries the name Seventh-day Adventist it cannot turn its back on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is clearly identified by Revelation and the Spirit of Prophecy as a testing truth for the end of time. The Spirit of Prophecy points to the importance of the statutes but it does not appear that this is a testing truth for this time. Those who know and understand do well to follow their conscience but they need to beware of how they present this truth to others. The cause of God is not served by criticism, judgment, and argument. God has promised that He will provide a prophet. Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: Search your heart. The Saviour says: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone." Has the Holy Spirit called you to be a prophet of God? Has Satan recruited you to be an agent of dissension? May we all find peace and unity in the soon coming of IAUShUO (Ee-ah-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God. Shabbat Shalom
Frank T. Clark
Next: 2005-06-24 Undying Love |
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Revised 2005-06-24 |