Denominational Islands

After being born on a denominational island that had isolated itself from the 'bride of Christ' and then claimed to be the only 'true' representation of Christ's church (bride), the Holy Spirit led me out of the SDA denomination through study, prayer, and understanding the Gospel of scripture and how it was both subtly and vastly different from the gospel I was taught from birth.

I chose the picture for this blog for a few reasons. I had known there were serious problems with beliefs, doctrines, theology, and teachings of the island, but every time I would get close to discovering the truth, something blocked me, or shielded my eyes from being able to see it. The subject was changed, or a bait and switch was pulled by using a proof-texting method that misuses scripture to make it say what it really does not. I bought it for over 30 years and was in the process of trying to prove that our island was the 'remnant' island when the veil came crashing down (2 Cor. 3). The pursuit of Christ was stronger than the need for the island to be 'right' and I was drawn to a love affair with Christ that couldn't take place under the bondage present on that island. We used a lot of the same words but had totally different meanings. The little-g gospel of Adventism is not the big-G Gospel found in scripture.

So the picture is metaphoric for the isolating island SDAism (and any remnant theology group) exists on. The true Gospel surrounds the island, but the sandbags prevent it from penetrating and taking root. The horse drinks freely, but with 'wool' over the eyes it is not able to see. I was that horse, and the wool has been removed. And it doesn't matter to me if people still on the island like it or not. The Gospel of scripture is from first to last about Jesus Christ saving lost people by grace alone through faith alone in Him alone, by his perfect life, his complete atoning death, and his victorious resurrection, and he's seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father and all who believe in HIM for salvation are seated with him (saved). There is NOTHING that can be added to the Gospel and to try and say so is to say that we in some way save ourselves, no matter what theological and semantical hoops are jumped through to say otherwise.

It's Jesus ONLY. Period!

I will never be part of another 'ism'. Jesus did not start another religion or another denomination in the midst of thousands. He came to redeem lost people with his God-blood so that he could draw us to himself. We are to live in the power of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel is the power of God for our salvation. And I believe that anything that distracts from Jesus by drawing attention to some form of 'uniqueness', 'special-ness', or remnant mentality is anti-Gospel and no Gospel at all.

Pursue truth. Jesus is the truth.

Enter Blog World

After answering many questions through email over the past several years, being asked to share my story and testimony, wanting a place to just put my pondering and thoughts out there, and being urged to get a blog to do it on...today is the day. It all goes here and if someone wants to read it, agree or disagree, it will happen here rather than in a hundred individual emails.