“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepard” John 10:16
I work with a lot of people who go to church. They have a relationship with Jesus. How committed should I be to our message?  It is obvious to me that that you don’t have to have our (Adventist) message to be saved. So if you don’t have to be an Adventist to be saved, why should we seek to reach other Christians with our beliefs? How should we relate to other Christians? Are there blessings that we have that need to be shared with other denominations?

Good day Mr. Moore,

The difference between an Adventist and any other type of christian is the messages of health, the sabbath which is the only commandment with the notion to “remember” and 27 fundamental beliefs. While this message reflects the ideal that Christians should follow ,God will not deny persons blessings because they do not keep these principles. One reason is that some persons genuinely don’t know. I also have the opportunity to live in an environment that is multicultural (I live in the Caribbean) and I see God bless persons who are faithful , even though they are not Seventh Day Adventist. As such I can say that God sees more than just religion but that does not mean we should abondon the teachings of the bible. If you know better we should do better and enlighten those around us as well.

God is a particular God and we can see the precison in the old testiment when he instructs the construction of the Arc of the covenant and the creation of the temple- the Holy place and the most Holy place even when Noah constructed the Ark

Because God expects perfection from us, we should comply with His word. and to answer your question we do get special blessings on the Sabbath day. Remember He did bless and Hallow the day when He created it!!!

Hello Jewel
Health and the Sabbath are blessings we have received from the Lord and can share with people from other faith’s.

“God has children, many of them, in the Protestant churches, and a large number in the Catholic churches, who are more true to obey the light and to do {to} the very best of thier knowledge than a number among Sabbathkeeping Adventists who do not walk in the light.” --E.G. White Selected Messages

How does Revelation 14:12 apply to our message that we share to our Christian friends of other faiths?

Do we realize what is really at stake?

Danny

REVELATION 14:12

12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

The other week I realized that the program one of my friends put on my computer delivered to me stolen TV shows. Mythbusters is a good show, no commercials on this feed either...anyhow...I suspected it MAY be illegal. It was easy to justify its use “its transitory programming, only useful once, and I don’t have cable, I cant see it any other way” So I had these reasons that it was maybe OK, I didn’t want to look further. My wife asked “Is it illegal?” and I’m like “grrr” yes it was we found out. Then I’m trying to justify using it still...maybe we can just finish watching the shows that are already loaded, etc. Then finally I was like “No its illegal, God asks us to follow the laws of the land unless they go against his commandments, Ill have to uninstall the program and delete the downloaded media.

This is an example of a decision for truth. I felt very uneasy, I didn’t want to learn that it was illegal because then I knew I would have to change, I couldn’t claim ignorance about the issue. We encounter many such decisions, and it is very healthy to decide something like “I am ALWAYS going to try to find the truth, even if it is inconvenient” deciding to be ignorant is not what God wants for us. Sure we get to eat of the fruits of this earth, but it PULLS US FURTHER from the fruits of heaven. Making decisions like that is one of the ways that we will find ourselves coming closer to God, and we will find ourselves learning more as we research what we believe.

Sabbath is one of these issues. When people learn about the Sabbath they can go “I don’t think its an issue” or they can say “Yeah, I have heard about this before...lets see if it holds water when I see what the Bible has to say about it” Many people will never hear about the Sabbath at all, but they may have decided in their hearts that they want what God wants for them, they have decided to pursue truth, that is the decision God looks at in our hearts when we are judged. With this mindset examine as many religions as you like looking always for truth, Gods will, etc...and you will eventually be part of the remnant church...a large portion of which will be people from the Seventh Day Adventist faith. They are people who love the truth.

Yes Jesse Yes “people who love the truth”
Many people love the truth and have yet to hear it. We have been blessed with lot’s of truth in our message.
We seem to lead our discussions with the subject of the Sabbath and our health message.

All of us Christians live with the excitement of the truth that this world is coming to it’s end.
In Rev. 14:1 through 12 we are taught that Christ’s other sheep need to know the things that we know.

The Sabbath/Sunday controversy (Ex. 20:8-11)
The state of the dead/spiritualism controversy (eccl. 9-10)
The tithing/stealing from God controversy (Mal. 3:8-10)
Christ is ourHigh Priest/man as our priest controversy (Heb. 8:1,2)
Our body is not our own/treating it as if it is controversy (1Cor. 6:19)
How to interpret prophecy controversy
And the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan (Bible)

These are all great truths and blessings we have and need to share with other Christians.
It appears to me that most of the New Testament was written for people who already had a relationship with Christ. Paul, John , Peter and the rest wrote the truth they received from the Spirit to shed more light to those who already stood in the great light of a relationship with Jesus.

I Have been searching for a direction of how to relate all of the above to Christians of other faiths. A signpost I was given is found in Ellen White’s book Evangelism.

“You may have opportunity to speak in other churches. In improving these oppurtunities, remember the word’s of the Saviour, ‘Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.’ Do not arouse the malignity of the enemy by making denunciatory speeches. Thus you will close doors against the entrance of the Truth. Clear-cut message’s are to be bourne. But guard against arousing antagonism. There are many souls to be saved. Restrain all harsh expressions. In word and deed be wise unto salvation, representing Christ to all with whom you come in contact. Let all see that your feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace and good will towards men. Wonderful are the results we shall see if we enter into the work inbued with the Spirit of Christ. Help will come in our necessity if we carry the work forward in righteousness,mercy, and love. Truth will triumph, and bear away the victory.”

Hey Danny, that was a great post.  I love the White quote!  That is exactly how we should be working with people of faith.  Those who have a relationship with God are drawn to more truth because Jesus is the way & truth & life.  But, if the truth is poorly delivered then the delivery takes center stage rather than the truth being offered.  Jesus is also love.  Offering truth to a person for truth’s sake is NOT love.  Offering truth to a person for love’s sake IS love.

It seems there are some people who discover a truth then become arrogant and try to force their understanding on others with an air of superiority.  No truth is too hard to swallow when done so with love, humility, good timing and tact.

Great thread!

That is so true, Pastor Steve!

Many people actually like the values and believe in the values that we as Christians uphold. However some, not all, Christians “preach down to persons” who may have fallen or who may have never known of God’s love. And as a result they have decided not to be followers of Christ… the most devastating result...because they feel inferior, condemned and as though they will be forever chastised for their past , when in fact the opposite is true !

Even as this point is made, I have some people who are special to me and I want to get this very message discussed above, to them. Sometimes I feel inadequate to help them, but I know that God has given me the opportunity to share His love to these individuals. I don’ t want to misrepresent God in a way that would cause these individuals to be completley turned off like so many before so I’ve decided to slowly befriend them and eventually share how God has been a blessing to me while not having the same “air of superiority” which you spoke about. But I also don’t want to be TOO LATE!!!!

To reinforce what has already been said, it is not our job to convict the world of sin, rather the Holy Spirit’s.  Also, the Bible defines sin as when someone knows to do right and doesn’t do it, to that person it is sin.  I think that we are going to be amazed at who is in heaven… and I cannot wait for that day…

(BIG UPS TO JEWEL FROM THE CARIBBEAN!!!!  Welcome to 24-Seven Ministry Center!)

Hey Pastor G, Thanks for the warm welcome!!! This site is so cool !!! I really enjoy chatting with u guys and I learn a lot. I know that God is really blessing each and every member in 24\7 and im glad to be a part of it!!!! Have a great day all!!!

I need an honest answer. If you know someone who is doing things that are not right, however it is socially acceptable and you know that you are in a position to help the person, but not being offensive, what is the best approach to dealing with that person or group of people?

Usually I would ask that person questions about their walk with Christ first. God’s law is in our hearts. The behavior may be socially acceptable but if they have a faith background then the Spirit has already begun convicting them about this issue.

My conversation might be like this once it is appropriate to interject, “I’ve noticed in my life I get real close to God and feel like I’m totally connected with Him and then I start ignoring my walk with Him or I fall to some temptation and I find myself out of His will and doing stuff I know I shouldn’t. Has this ever happened to you?”

Wait for a response (almost always they’ll say yes of course). Continue if they don’t talk about the issue, “I’m glad I’m not the only one. Do you feel like you’re real close to God right now or do you feel this is one of those times you’re out of His will?”

If they still don’t bring up the subject then you should delicately introduce it to the conversation.

A true friend takes the risk here and does not let friends wallow in sin.

Hope that helps. God bless!

Thanks a mill!! It helps a lot!  I’ll definitely try it !

Thats a good answer. Lets bck up all of this with the Bible.

The words of the believer in these two texts are different words. Read these two sentences.

Sometimes we feel like we know it is good to tell someone something, to help make them a better person, but don’t want to hurt their feelings.
Or
We see an acquaintance cursing, and feel like asking him to stop, maybe he will feel guilty, and we may even secretly like that fact.

Think about the difference here… Both of these phrases are selfish. The one where we should say something we don’t...the other where we shouldn’t and we do.

2 Timothy 3:16
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Luke 6:37 (NIV)
37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Read Romans 14

A special friend will not hold back on a gentle nudge toward Godliness. EVEN GREATER I say, If you are in a relationship like this you yourself will take reproof, correction, teaching, and training in righteousness that your friends give you with graciousness and gratitude. So what are these relationships? When is it OK to correct?

1 Corinthians 5:9-13
9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother (believer) but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Think about this verse.

Now what does it mean to expel these believers? How do we treat them?

Matt 18:15-17
15"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.