This is a reply to the comment posted by a reader on my article titled, “Are We Being Pretentious? Who Cares?!”, which was posted last June 30, 2007. The comment states —

I agree with you. For the most part.

For the record, I don’t think it’s being pretentious, no more pretentious than calling the Bible the Book or Word of God. I was just saying that the founders of the church thought it might be construed as pretentious, as if to say all the other Christian denominations are not of God.

For while having other denominations might not be what God intended, and the walls that divide these denominations are certainly not of God, we cannot say that other denominations are not “of God.”

From my studies, I have not found a denomination or church body that has “all the Truth.” I find that every church has a different element. Some churches have a more complete view of the Truth. But so far, no-one has it 100% right. Not even us Seventh-Day Adventists.

And I find it interesting to note that neither Jesus nor His followers ever addressed the difference in sects or denominations, though in Jerusalem and in Judaism, there were certainly sects that viewed theology, the afterlife, and how we are to treat our fellow man very differently. All He said, it seems, is “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) That’s it. Not “this church’s view of You” or “this denomination’s take on the afterlife.”

I think that’s what the founders of the SDA church had in mind when they named the church. They wanted anyone and everyone to know the Saviour and didn’t want to offend any of the other churches.

And, as far as your comment about “the Seventh Day Adventist is not the true church because it was founded with the leadership of a woman which is against God’s will in the Bible,” I think it takes a very marginalized view of what God can do with the people who make themselves available to Him. Because while 1 Timothy certainly does say “I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence,” it cannot be taken as the golden standard by which all women must be measured and kept.

If we take just particular passages of the Bible and quote them, we can make any case for any topic. But taking it as a whole, we can see a much broader picture in which women can be leaders. May I direct you to the Book of Esther, a story about a woman who does NOT remain silent? Or Joshua 2, in which the prostitute Rahab saves the lives of the Israelite spies by hiding them, a story in which she very much tells them what to do? The list goes on and on. There are not many women in the Bible, but those that are, are leaders in some form or fashion.

I’m not trying to start an argument, but I find it incredibly ironic that this “debate” started over the idea of Christian pretentiousness.

Scott

Dear Scott,

I am very much saddened to know the kind of reasoning the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has taught you. I can not blame you anyway, nor judge you, because you are not the leader of this church. I only blame religious leaders because it is the kind of battle I am engaged with.

(Ephesians 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

This is the kind of war that is being waged by the ‘seeds’ of the woman against the serpent and his seeds.

(Genesis 3:15) “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

I have never taught anybody, all my life, to lift a finger against nor to harm anybody physically — not to my loved ones, especially not to the members of the Church of God International. Those that kill or harm anybody physically in the name of religion, like the Catholic Church (See reference below) are not of God.

It is idiotic to believe that you are of God, while at the same time, transgress His law, "Thou shall not kill.” Aggravating this is the next commandment, “Love your enemies.”

(Matthew 5:21, 44) “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:”

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

We may safely conclude that killing one’s enemy (especially an enemy of faith, where God is within the parameter of the dispute) is foolish!

Christians do not harm their enemies physically like the Catholic Church, that has inflicted physical harm to her enemies.

(II Corinthians 10:4-5) “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

The result of this kind of battle is not physically fatal because it brings the captives to the obedience of Christ. If you are starting arguments do not worry; I love this kind of battle.

Your view that there is no church that is 100 percent right is contrary to what the Bible teaches. The Bible has the record of the teachings of the Church of God — the Church preached by Jesus Christ and the apostles, and they are 100 percent correct, right and true! But I can not blame you because you may have realized the truth that there are errors in the teachings of your church; but to conclude that there is no church that is 100 percent right is ignorance of the Bible. Let me prove this to you.

The teaching of the Church of God in the Bible is 100 percent right.

(I Thessalonians 2:3-5) “For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:”

If the teachings of the Gospel entrusted by God to the apostles were delivered ‘as is,’ who will say that it is not 100 percent right? It is illogical to say that because God is 100 percent right! See?

God does not allow error in teachings in His Church.

(Jeremiah 26:2) “Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:”

This was the way of Jesus Christ, the highest teacher in the Church.

(John 12:49) “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”

Not a jot or tittle was omitted by Christ.

(Matthew 5:18) “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

John the beloved, wrote the same warning.

(Revelations 22:18-19) “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Heeding to all these instructions, coupled with faithfulness to God will result in a Church, with its teachings 100 percent right. See?

Your claim that Jesus neither, the apostles, did not address the difference in sects or denominations is (again) a big mistake. In fact, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that they must exceed the righteousness of the sect of the Scribes and Pharisees, while condemning the practices of these sects.

(Matthew 5:20) “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

(Matthew 23:15) “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”

Do you see the light now, Brother Scott?

Again, you're saying that what I Timothy 2:11-14 states “can not be taken as a golden standard by which all women must be measured and kept,” is (again) wrong.

The standard of all truth is God’s word and will!

Jesus Christ, the highest authority in Christianity, did not elect women apostles. Women in the first century Christian Church occupied important positions in the ministry and in the preaching of the Gospel, but not one of them was made a leader. They are ‘helps’ as it was ordained by God.

(Genesis 2:18) “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.”

This is reflected in the role women performed in the Church of God.

(Philippians 4:3) “And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.”

They helped the Apostle Paul, their leader, but did not usurp authority over the latter.

(Romans 16:1-2) “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also.”

Succorer is a helper and not a leader like Ellen G. White!

Rahab, the example you gave, is not a leader; neither is there any mention of any woman leader in the book of Esther.

I hope and pray that you may see the grace of God.

God bless,

EFS