a recap of the year that was 2014

Each year is revealed one day at a time and it is only at the close of the year when the immensity of what was accomplished is realized.

At this point i stand in awe at what Jesus did for me throughout the year and how He blessed me in spite of myself.

this album will highlight the blessings that made 2014 an excitingly memorable year.

medical school batch '83 reunion in Davao city

Socii Omnium Medicorum Confraternity reunion

at frere Chris' house

the daughter and her band does a concert for 

the typhoon victims in the Philippines

 my high school batch reunion in Franklin Salvan's place

high school batch dinner at max's fried chicken Glendale LA

 my paternal side first degree cousins reunited at Irvine LA

maternal side first cousins reunited at Verdugo park Glendale LA

my sister's daughter's wedding at Bakersfield CA

my parents complete progeny reunited in Las Vegas 
after 11 years

the international coordinators team goes fishing

off Pattaya

 we celebrate kai's birthday with a budol fight

in Hua Hin

the photos show that the year 2014 was about family, classmates, fraternity, workmates, etc. It was a renewal of friendship and family bonds. It was all about hugging, kissing and reminiscing.

It can now be said that the year 2014 was good to me. Tomorrow is the start of another year and I look forward with eagerness to serve my savior - Jesus, more.

From Sabbath to Sunday

The heading of this piece was borrowed from Dr. Sam Bacchiocchi's book with the same title. I had the privileged of communicating directly with the guy, who is one of the leading theologians of the SDA church. He earned a doctorate degree from a Vatican university, making him a very credible writer on the topic (at least in the eyes of the theologians of this church).

here are the facts about this subject matter according to E.G. White.

...and according to the Catholic Church:

If you will go back to the previous blog entry: http://sunnimoreno.blogspot.com/2014/11/covenant-confusion.html, it was explained there that the Sabbath law was solely given to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai as a covenant a.k.a "The Old Covenant." Excluded from this covenant law where the Gentiles (non-Israelites).

Furthermore, in the establishment of another Covenant Jesus became the end of the Old Covenant, which was rendered "obsolete" by the creation of the New Covenant.

Ellen G. White - SDA prophetess, and the popes of the Catholic Church are not Israelites. This verse describes who they are:

Yes, that's it. Both White and the Pope are "aliens and strangers" to the Sabbath Covenant that was given only to the Israelites. This simply means that they have no business talking about a covenant that they are not a part of.

The finger-pointing and admission in this scenario only shows the partnership of these two churches in the distortion of the gospel.

salvation and baptism: SDA church vs God's Holy Word - part 3

Before the SDA church concocted its own "vow of baptism" in the early 1900's, there was a creed that the early apostles collectively composed in the first century A.D. to be affirmed by each candidate for baptism.

Here it is in Latin.

I wouldn't expect the average reader to understand it much less correctly pronounce the words. Here's the English version:

In comparison with the SDA's vow one will note the "extra baggage" that this church has heaped on the candidate for baptism, as if belief in the gospel is not enough for one to be saved.

salvation and baptism: SDA church vs God's Holy Word - part 2

Salvation and baptism are two intertwined doctrines - at least in the Seventh-day Adventist church. However, there is no such thing as a definitely "saved" Adventist, because of their unique doctrine on the Investigative Judgment, which they say is ongoing in a sanctuary in heaven and therefore there is no assurance that one is saved at the moment.

Hence baptism could only means to them as an acceptance into what they claim is the "true remnant church." They couple this with their assertion that their leaders have the authority to "bind or loose" their members to list of the saved in heaven (SDA Church Manual pp 57 - 58).

If you have read through the first part of this topic you will note that there are certain conditions that are heaped on the candidate before he is baptized. Baptism is only performed after the "vow" to believe on the 13 conditions is expressly sworn before the assembled church.

Here are the conditions in the vow that are not in harmony with the New Covenant church that the disciples established for the non-Israelite (Gentile) believers.

One will note that 7 out of the 13 conditions are not part of the gospel, but rather the doctrines that the SDA prophetess - Ellen G. White concocted.

salvation and baptism: SDA church vs God's Holy Word - part 1

I was born into the SDA church and in the 47 years as a third generation member I believed that this church was biblical in the doctrines of salvation and baptism. Here's a direct comparison of this church and the bible.

Acts 15:

Acts 16:

VERSUS

 the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual pp 32-33

the bottom line in this comparison is the simplicity of the gospel, which the SDA church lacks. to this church, the sacrifice of Jesus' is not sufficient to assure their entry into the kingdom of God.

The hour of His Judgment

Does the thought of the earth’s final judgment bring fear to you? For the average SDA, it does. Why? Because no one in this church believes that they already have final salvation. They have been taught that since 1944 a judgment scene is taking place in heaven and this will continue until a time they call “the close of probation.”

This is what the SDA prophetess - Ellen G. White, saw in her vision: 

Here are the elements of the SDA church's unique and unbiblical doctrine – “The Investigative Judgment.”

1. Time - 1844 up to the "close of probation"
2. Venue - a "sanctuary" in heaven.
3. Judge - God the Father.
4. Accused - all professed children of God from Adam to the present.
5. Accuser/prosecutor - Satan.
6. Intercessor/defense lawyer - Jesus.
7. Who is found sentenced to carry all the sin of God's people - Satan (scapegoat)

Bible facts about a judgment:

1. Time - When Jesus comes for the second time.

2. Venue - definitely not in a sanctuary in heaven. (Matthew 25)

3. Judge - not God the Father as EG White saw in her vision.

4. There is no biblical statement about an accuser or intercessor in this judgment.

5. God's children will not come under judgement contrary to the claims of the SDA prophetess. John 5:

6. Who is sentenced and made to serve the penalty for the sins of the world? Do the verses below allude to Satan as claimed by EG White?

Isaiah 53:

One noteworthy aspect of the SDA church's doctrine about the Investigative Judgment is the claim that Satan is presently in heaven, since 1844, participating in a judgment of sorts.

This doctrine makes the sacrifice at the cross needless and worthless... if only the SDA can realize this fact.

covenant confusion - conclusion

By re-writing and twisting the facts of God's covenants in the bible, Ellen G. White - SDA prophetess, unwittingly spawned confusion among her followers (the members of the SDA church). These are the results:

1. The SDAs believe that they are duty-bound by the Old Covenant and to prove that, they have taken on themselves the title "modern-day Israelites." Again they are without biblical support on this one.

2. They also proclaim that they are under the blood of Jesus - the New Covenant.

3. The bible is clear that you cannot be under two masters. 

4. There is practically no point in  holding on to a covenant that was not made for you in the first place and that was rendered obsolete by the creation of another covenant.

5. It is actually useless to the point of damning, to hold on to a covenant that is not of faith, is a curse, is considered by Paul to be the ministry of death and the law of sin and death, when God has provided a new covenant of grace for everyone by the simple act of faith... if the SDA only knew.

here are some examples showing the differences between the two covenants:

covenant confusion - 3rd part

The new covenant facts:

1. foretold in the prophet Jeremiah's time (Jeremiah 31)

2. it is the Holy Spirit written on fleshy hearts, not the previous one that was engraved on tables of stone (2 Corinthians 3)

3. the new covenant is the blood of Jesus

4. it rendered the previous covenant "old" and thus the new covenant is now the present existing covenant between God and the believer.