Discovering the New Covenant by Greg Taylor - exAdventist Outreach
Discovering the New Covenant by Greg Taylor - exAdventist Outreach
Discovering the New Covenant by Greg Taylor - exAdventist Outreach
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
DISCOVERING THE NEW COVENANT<br />
The Clear Word.) This is a paraphrase <strong>by</strong> Jack Blanco in<br />
which Adventists have interpreted certain key texts to better<br />
reflect <strong>the</strong> opinions of Ellen G. White. This paraphrase was<br />
copyrighted and printed <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> denominationally owned<br />
Review and Herald Publishing Association in 1994. While<br />
<strong>the</strong> forward in that Bible points out that it is a paraphrase,<br />
many people use it as an authoritative translation. Inside <strong>the</strong><br />
dust cover is written, “Every text is phrased to make <strong>the</strong><br />
original meaning as plain as possible to <strong>the</strong> modern reader.”<br />
All one has to do is compare Daniel 8:12-14 in <strong>the</strong> CWB<br />
with ano<strong>the</strong>r translation to see <strong>the</strong> obvious twisting of <strong>the</strong><br />
original to fit <strong>the</strong> Ellen White world view. Many o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
examples could be given. 6<br />
One final point needs to be addressed. Seventh-day<br />
Adventists believe that <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>the</strong> one true church of Bible<br />
prophecy, because commandment-keeping, including <strong>the</strong><br />
seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath, is one of <strong>the</strong> marks of that<br />
church. Because <strong>the</strong> Sabbath was <strong>the</strong> “seal” or “sign” of <strong>the</strong><br />
10 Commandment Law, it must be <strong>the</strong> Seal of God.<br />
Therefore, Adventists conclude that <strong>the</strong> mark of <strong>the</strong> beast<br />
must be Sunday worship. They believe that one day soon,<br />
when all of this comes to <strong>the</strong> forefront, all Christians will<br />
keep Saturday or <strong>the</strong>y will receive <strong>the</strong> mark of <strong>the</strong> beast and<br />
be lost. 7 Anyone who leaves Adventism or has been<br />
introduced to <strong>the</strong> Sabbath but does not heed its warning, will<br />
be lost as well. It is this final claim that I will focus on<br />
primarily, as it is <strong>the</strong> key and most notable claim of <strong>the</strong><br />
Seventh-day Adventist Church.<br />
So what is one to conclude about <strong>the</strong> Seventh-day<br />
Adventist Church? Is it a mainline Christian church with a<br />
few unique doctrines or is it a cult, as some would contest?<br />
Before jumping to any conclusions, it is important to note<br />
6 For fur<strong>the</strong>r comparisons see paper discussing The Clear Word<br />
Bible <strong>by</strong> Verle Streifling posted at www.Ratzlaf.com.<br />
7 Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 440-444<br />
18
Change language