Furthermore, the Bible teaches that this sealing process is an ongoing thing and happens every time somebody professes faith or belief in the gospel. (“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed…” v.13)
This seal according to the Bible is not a visible stamp nor is it an act or a certain day of the week, but actually it is the third godhead – the Holy Spirit, that is stamped on the soul of the believer and establishes God’s ownership. (“… you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…” v.13). Evidence of the seal is seen as the bearing of fruit and not the observance of certain laws or traditions. (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…” Gal5:22)
I was born and raised in a church that teaches that God’s seal is the seventh day in the weekly calendar – Saturday, and that the sealing will only start after Investigative Judgment in Heaven and the passing of a National Sunday Law in the United States of America. This church also claims that those who go to church on the first day of the week – Sunday, are sealed by the great deceiver – Satan.
One problem I have about their doctrine is that it is not at all supported by the Bible. There is not one single verse in God’s holy book that says that the believer – the saved, is sealed because of his allegiance to the seventh day of the week or that the person becomes Satan’s property when he goes to church on the first day of the week.
The Bible explicitly teaches that the Holy Spirit is God’s seal and this is acquired by the act of simple faith in the gospel while the Seventh-day Adventist Church declares the Bible a lie by teaching that Saturday is God’s seal – not the Holy Spirit. I don’t know why my friends in this church refuse to see this truth.
only God knows..... for me ...i have great faith in HIM and keep in touch everyday ..i know He's always at my side guiding me..
ReplyDeleteWell written bro. I did not realize that about the SDA doctrine. I have relatives in Atlanta, Georgia who are SDAs but when they're in the Philippines visiting they attend worship service with me on a Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI like what you wrote about being sealed. One more scripture comes to mind: Ephesians 2:8-9 = For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is a GIFT from God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
thanks gi... the book of ephesians is one of my favorite books, second only to romans. these books are also the most misunderstood in the sda church. they insist on putting the interpretation of their prophetess over and above what is obviously said in these pages.
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