Some actual questions:
1. How is one saved according to SDA thought?
2. Is it SDA doctrine to keep kosher? I've heard some do, but that may be personal preference as one is a vegetarian out of conscience.
Anyway, good posts. You seem to know a lot, and I appreciate the detail with which you delve into Scripture. I choose the seventh day as my Sabbath, but I'm not an SDA.
Good questions.
question 1. How is one saved according to SDA thought?
First we all have sinned.
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Rom 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
To be saved we must understand what we are being saved from. Now many say sin. yes this is true but what is sin?
Is sin just an act or is it something deeper?
Rom 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Paul tells us here that sin is more than just an act. For we were made sinners by one man's disobedience. sin is something that is inherent from Adam. yet the act of sin seems to be a product of being born in sin.
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Notice that Paul said that sin came from Adam's disobedience this is important.
What did God say in the Garden of Eden?
Answer:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Notice the words: "thou shalt not eat of it". The command was do not eat from that tree.
Now What did Satan say?
Answer:
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
So now they had a choice, they could obey God or they could obey Satan. we know who they chose.
Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Both ate and thus gave their allegiance to Satan. Thus Satan became the prince of this world.
Now we have a problem, we are born under the rule of Satan. thus we are slaves to sin and unable to make ourselves free.
So what exactly have we learned so far?
Answer:
Adam Disobeyed God and thus Satan became the human master and the act of sin results.
So what is sin?
Answer:
Disobedience to God which shows that God is not our Master.
John gives us a definition of Sin.
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
So again here John says that sin is disobedience to Gods law. Adam put Satan before God. (Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.)
Remember the words of Jesus to the religious leaders:
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Notice the key here. Jesus says to follow him brings freedom. they say they are free then Jesus corrects them with these words.
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
So Jesus said the one who sins is actually a slave to sin and not free at all. then what does Jesus say?
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
So Jesus says that he offers True freedom from sin.
Now lets recap. Sin = Disobedience John says sin is disobedience to Gods Law. and Jesus said that those who sin/break the law/disobey God, are slaves to sin/Devil. so then If Jesus frees us from that slavery to Satan then we should be free from sin also.
Paul understood this concept of master’s notice his words:
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
We are either servants to sin or obedience to God.
So we know Jesus died for our sins offering a free get out of Jail card.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
notice Eternal life is a gift. we do not pay for it, it is given through the blood of Jesus Christ. That is step one praise God.
so then we are left with a problem. what happens when I accept Jesus yet I still sin even if I don't want to?
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Notice here that Paul says he delights in God’s law in the inward man. He wants to keep Gods law but sin brings him into captivity. How can he be free remembering that Jesus said he who sins is a slave to sin and again he says "No one can serve two masters.
so we have a problem. we love God, we accept Jesus as our sacrifice for our sins. But we are still slaves to sin. is that how it is meant to be?
Answer:
No, Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
How are we made free?
Answer:
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Jesus is the answer. He obeyed God perfectly so now he can do it in us.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
praise God. but how does it work.
Answer: through the Holy Spirit. Remember Jesus did not finish everything on the cross. He finished the sacrifice for sins. But now he has a high priestly Duty on our behalf.
Jesus promised that when He left he would send the Holy Spirit:
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Jesus left and sent the Holy Spirit. So what does the Holy Spirit do?
2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Wow, as I can write with a pen on a piece of Paper the Holy Spirit writes the law on our hearts. Which law?
“…tables of stone…”
The Ten Commandments are written on our hearts. This is even the New Covenant made possible through the blood of Jesus and His ministry in heaven on our behalf.
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Notice again that the commandments will be written on our hearts and in our minds. And again the scripture says:
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
The Holy Spirit will cause us to keep Gods statutes/commandments /laws.
Remember that Paul said in Romans:
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Well he answers it in chapter 8:
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Notice that in order to not obey the flesh we need to walk with the Spirit. Again Paul said:
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Notice that here Paul says that the inner man who was once week is strengthened by the Spirit and also that the spirit is the way Jesus is in our hearts by faith.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Notice how Gods people are sealed:
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Notice that the seal of God is done by way of the Holy Spirit who we have seen puts gods law in our hearts and causes us to obey God if we accept Him.
So the outward evidence of the Holy Spirit in a Christian is their obedience to God’s commandments.
Of God’s last day saints it is said:
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
And again:
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Notice that there will be two groups in the end. Those who obey God and those who do not. What are the characteristics of those who do not?
Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Notice that this group worship the beast and His image. And thus receive a mark on their hand or forehead.
What is Gods seal or mark. Obedience to Him. that is the call of the first angels message
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Notice God calls for worship to Him. notice also that there is a symbol for Gods people in their hand and forehead.
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
Notice here that the commandments of God are a sign on the hand and the forehead of those who follow him and they are in their hearts.
Well this is the short version. I could say much more and use much more scripture but that should help for now.
The point is Jesus is our salvation. And when we truly accept Jesus we accept all that he does for our salvation. It is by the blood of Christ we are saved. And by his perfect life. But be sure God did not save us 50% but 100%. He did not do a half job. God saves us from sin! not in sin. Jesus is not just the way, he is also the truth and the life. If you know your sanctuary language you would know that Jesus was referring to the sanctuary when he said that.
Psa 77:13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
Praise God for His full salvation. Praise His Holy name.
I hope this helps, I tried to make it short but still make sense, feel free to ask any questions if something is not clear.