Originally posted by SpiritualMadMan:
Yes, I am sure that is the Classical SDA line on the scriptures...
You acuse me of twisting scripture?
I used to hold the SDA in high regard...
After all it was an SDA Oral Surgeon who excised by wisdom teeth...
But, after seeing the twisted circular reasoning that you two SDA Apologists are using in a vain attempt to negate Grace...
I consider the SDA church a heretical cult that... (yadayada -- obligatory ranting deleted)
You seem to be almost "allergic" to exegesis at every turn SMM! How surprising!
Lets take the "details" of Eph 2 since you seem to be so opposed to them - and
highlight what you so desperately need to gloss over.
quote]Eph 2
11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "" Uncircumcision'' by the so-called "" Circumcision,'' which is performed in the flesh by human hands
12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
The work of Christ was to bring all men back to God - including those far away - thus abolishing the hostility between lost man and God
AND abolishing the hostility between the two groups - those in the one True Religion - the Hebrew Nation Church, and those in the Pagan religions.
Eph 2
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
We see above that BOTH solutions are mentioned - bringing them NEAR to God and ALSO drawing the two groups of people into ONE body of Christ. No longer TWO divided groups – Jews vs Gentiles!.
How is this done? By the Justification and forgiveness and New Creation that eliminates our being "children of wrath BY NATURE". By
FIRST solving the problem of the hostility between God and lost humanity. Hostility caused by the fact that God's Law shows God hating evil/wickedness
and reveals that man IS evil and wicked.
Christ abolishes the HOSTILITY in the LAW - but does not void/annul/abolish His Law that declares Him to hate evil and that Calls man to Love God Deut 6:5 and Love
his fellow man - Lev 19:18. a.He pays the debt that the Law demands (preserving the LAW while removing/abolishing the hostility it requires) and
b. TRANSFORMS the human that is BY NATURE a child of WRATH - into a child of God. One who LOVES his fellow man and loves God.
Eph 2
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
Here again we see the TWO groups “BOTH reconciled into on body TO God THROUGH the Cross” the TWO groups are NOT “God vs Man” but Jew vs Gentile! God is not “ONE man with us” rather Jews and Gentiles are now ONE that is reconciled TO GOD! So the commands/ordinances are those that SEPARTE Jews from Gentiles by Law. For example
“the Court of the Gentiles” in the temple.
The result is that BOTH those who were far (Gentiles) AND those who
Were Near have been given peace and have been reconciled to each other – they are “now one”.
The TWO groups have the ONE solution - access to God. And the TWO groups are then merged into ONE - by the New Birth
creating the NEW Heart, giving LOVE for each other and Love for God.
Faith then - ESTABLISHES the LAW of God rather than abolishing it. Romans 3:32.
The faithful are then those who live and act as those who are to be judged by that perfect Law of God. James 2.
Eph 2
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
[/quote]
See - a careful review "of the details" produces exegesis that can not be refuted by simply ranting as you do above.
The text is speaking clearly -
"Sola scriptura" WORKS!
How unsatisfying "by comparison" is your "ranting about SDAs as a very poor substitute for actually doing exegetical reviews of Eph 2".
In Christ,
Bob
