I do not know much of the seventh day adventists,but I will address 2 things.
14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ(Colossians 2:14-17).
Jesus took the physical ordinances of the Old Testament and nailed them to His cross,taking them out of the way,because they were against us,including the sabbath days,because they could not provide spiritual salvation.
OK, Dr. Robert Thiel is not an SDA, just clarifying that but your understanding of this is incorrect...
[SIZE=+1]What Does Colossians 2:14 Really Say?[/SIZE]
It is of interest to note that the expression "the handwriting of requirements" is a Greek legal term that signifies the penalty which a lawbreaker had to pay--through Jesus the penalty was wiped out ("the handwriting of requirements"), not the law! "
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them" (Heb 10:16).
Even Protestant commentators realize this. Notice what
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible states about Colossians 2:14:
Whatever was in force against us is taken out of the way. He has obtained for us a legal discharge from the hand-writing of ordinances, which was against us (v. 14), which may be understood,
1. Of that obligation to punishment in which consists the guilt of sin. The curse of the law is the hand-writing against us, like the hand-writing on Belshazzar's wall. Cursed is every one who continues not in every thing. This was a hand-writing which was against us, and contrary to us; for it threatened our eternal ruin. This was removed when he redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, Gal 3:13. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.).
Some will argue that you still cannot keep the ten commandments (for "all have sinned"), even if they are all mentioned as being in effect after the crucifixion. Does this mean one should not try?
Furthermore, let's look at another translation:
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14, NASB)
The
handwriting of requirements (often also called the
hand-writing of ordinances) or
certificate of debt was wiped away and nailed to the cross.
Which requirements were wiped out?
Please understand that the expression "the handwriting of requirements" (
cheirógrafon toís dógmasin) is a Greek legal expression that signifies
the penalty which a lawbreaker had to pay--it does not signify the laws that are to be obeyed--only the penalty. It is only through the acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that the penalty was wiped out ("the handwriting of requirements"). But only the penalty, not the law! - Dr. Robert Thiel
10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear(Isaiah 28:10-12).
In the New Testament when you receive the Spirit,you are obeying the sabbath,and it is a spiritual rest,instead of a physical day of rest.
Sounds great, where are the scriptures that say this?
The rest that is spoken of in the New Testament...
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Now the word used here for rest is not katapao or katapausis, it is Sabbatismos. It means a keeping of the Sabbath. Here is that verse from the Diaglott...
Heb 4:9 Therefore remains a keeping of a sabbath for the people of the God.
What day do you suppose the author is referring to here?
Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Yet they would not hear,but want to tell people to keep the physical sabbath that Jesus nailed to His cross,and took out of the way.
The Bible says that which is natural is first,then that which is spiritual.
The Old Testament is physical blessings with no spiritual blessing to be saved spiritually,so the sabbath days cannot perfect anybody for salvation,which the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath.
Where does that leave Abraham? Moses? David? Elijah? Well, I am willing to bet anything up to and including a nickel that they will be in the Kingdom. How about you?
2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting(Micah 5:2).
It says that when the Son comes He will be from everlasting,which means He is God with no beginning,in which the Bible says He shall be called the mighty God,which means He will be God manifest in flesh,and the one that is to be ruler unto God,is the man Christ Jesus,which means Jesus is fully God and fully man,but never an angel.He is God in a visible manifestation.
8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever(Hebrews 13:8).
And He said this...
Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
In fact He said this...
Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
so tell me, is He the same yesterday, today and forever?
8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty(Revelation 1:8).
Jesus never changes and is always God.
Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Do you really believe what you just said?
Since Jesus is God with no beginning,and always is God,how did He turn in to an angel,and if He was an angel first,how did He turn in to God.
When does an angel have no beginning like Jesus,for they are created beings,so how was Jesus an angel first,and an angel does not turn in to God.
14That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen(1 Timothy 6:14-16).
How can Jesus be an angel,and then have this bestowed upon Him,to be exalted like this,when God said He does not give His glory to another,in Hebrews God said He never allowed any angel to sit at His right hand,and all power in heaven and earth is given to Jesus.
God said there is no God beside Him(Isaiah 44:8),and there was no God formed before Him,and there will be no God formed after Him(Isaiah 43:10-11),so Jesus cannot be an angel that turned in to God,and we know Jesus is God,for the Bible says God was manifest in the flesh.
Jesus cannot be an angel who was exalted to be God,especially when the Bible portrays Him as the Almighty,with no beginning,and the only ruler,who no man can see,and no man will ever see,which means Jesus is the invisible God who showed us a visible manifestation.
Also the Bible says the name of Jesus is the name that is above all names,not only in this world,but in the world to come,so if Jesus was an angel first named Michael,then how did He get such an exalted name,when Solomon said the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain God,so how much less this temple,but God said My name will be there,meaning that God's name represents who He is,and how can an angel named Michael,end up with a name that is above all names in the world to come.
Also the Bible says the angels are ministering spirits sent to minister to those who shall inherit salvation,and the angels desire to look in to the salvation of the saints,and the angels are last on the authority structure of God,with men and women being above them,because people will have a glorified body like God's glorified body,which the angels will never have,and rule with Jesus on earth,which the angels will never be able to do,so are people who are saved greater than Jesus when He was an angel,but we know Jesus is always greater than us,so He is always God.
17And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
21But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God(Judges 13:17-22).
In the Old Testament God appeared in flesh to Abraham,and appeared in an angel form to Monoah and his wife,for Manoah said they have seen God.
This was the Word, the One who became Jesus Christ.
The only way you can see the invisible God is if shows a manifestation of Himself,which He appeared in human form to Abraham,in which Abraham called Him LORD,and appeared unto Monoah and his wife,in which Manoah said they seen God,and that is why God said why do you ask after My name seeing it is secret.
He did not appear in human form to Moses...
Exo 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
Exo 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
Exo 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
Exo 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
He appeared to Moses in His glorified form, that is why Moses could not look on His face, it would have killed him.
When the Bible says the angel of God went before Israel,does not mean that Jesus was an angel first,but God was in an angelic form,and was God Himself leading Israel.Since God was in angelic form it was not an angel personally,and God put off that angelic form,like He put off the human form that He used to show Himself to Abraham,for it was not a real human born of parents,but a manifestation of God,like the angel that went before Israel was not a real angel created by God,but a manifestation of God.
21And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night(Exodus 13:21).
Again, this is the One who became Jesus Christ...
1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1Co 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
14And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night(Numbers 14:14).
We see that it was God who went before Israel,and the angel of God was God in an angelic manifestation,and not a created angel,but it was God Himself.We cannot see the invisible God unless He chooses to show us a bodily manifestation,so the only way Manoah and His wife,and Israel,could see God,was if God showed them a visible manifestation,which it was not a real angel,but God clothing Himself in an angel form,which Manoah said we seen God,and Israel seen God face to face.
Now I will say this, I do not agree with my SDA friends on the point of Christ being an angel, Jesus Christ was the Creator...
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
He was God Almighty, the Great I AM...
Joh 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Christ was God, is God and always will be God.
