Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
I found a Seventh-day Adventist publication today titled “WRITTEN IN STONE!”
It is part of the “Amazing Facts Study Guide” series published by the
Seventh-day Adventists. On pages two and three it contains question three
titled, “Why did God give us the Ten Commandments?”
Here are the four answers that the SDA's provide:
- As a guide for happy, abundant living.
- To show me the difference between right and wrong.
- To protect me from danger and tragedy.
- It helps us to know God.
That's the only answers they provide to answer the question, “Why did God give us the Ten Commandments?” Yet, NONE OF THESE are the main reason WHY God gave us His Commandments!
I am not trying to be unkind, but whoever authored the preceding publication by SDA is woefully ignorant of the Word of God. They left out the most important reason of all for God giving mankind the Ten Commandments!!! For the main reason, why God gave us the Ten Commandments, please consider Galatians 3:24-26, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Clearly, the law of God (i.e., Ten Commandments) has been given to humanity by God as a measuring stick, by which when men compare themselves, we fall short of the glory of God, and see our need for the Savior, Jesus Christ. The law is our schoolmaster, showing us our sinfulness, so that we'll realize our desperate need for the dear Savior. This is the primary purpose of God's law!
Again, please consider our text passage of Scripture from Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” The law reveals man's shortcomings, showing us that we are not perfect. Therefore, we cannot get to Heaven by our own merit. We need a perfect Savior! Jesus Christ is that sinless, perfect, spotless, Savior. Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus never sinned, not even in His thoughts. Jesus had no earthly father, for God Himself in Heaven is Jesus' biological Father. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Note: All Scripture references are ONLY to the trustworthy, King James Bible.)
No man has ever been saved who didn't admit being a sinner. If we say we have not sinned, we are calling God a “liar” (1st John 1:10). Romans 3:23a declares, “For all have sinned...” In the four stated reasons for which God has given man His Ten Commandments, SDA's fail to mention that God gave His Commandments to SHOW MEN THEIR SINFULNESS... that men “MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD” (Romans 3:19). Romans 7:13b, “that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”
When Jesus dealt with the rich young ruler, He used the law the way it was intended to be used, that is, to show the young man that he had not perfectly kept God's law, and therefore could not merit Heaven. Please read, The Rich Young Ruler And Jesus.
The hardest part about getting people saved is first getting them lost! That's the purpose of God's law—To show people that they are lost sinners incapable of saving themselves!!!
The Ten Commandments bring a person to repentance, so that they'll believe the Gospel and be saved. Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) makes one of the best quotes that I've ever read on repentance:
“Which comes first, repentance or faith? In Scripture we read, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.' Yet we find true believers exhorted to 'repent, and do the first works.' So intimately are the two related that you cannot have one without the other. The man who believes God repents; the repentant soul puts his trust in the Lord when the Gospel is revealed to him. Theologians may wrangle over this, but the fact is, no man repents until the Holy Spirit produces repentance in his soul through the truth. No man believes the Gospel and rests in it for his own salvation until he has judged himself as a needy sinner before God. And this is repentance.” (Except Ye Repent, p. 16)
The Gospel of John mentions the word “believe”
or “believed” 85-times, without ever mentioning the word “repent” even once.
This is clear evidence that faith and repentance are inseparable; and that
by believing on Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, one has also repented.
Repentance is acknowledging one's sinnership—admitting that I am as dirty
and guilty a sinner as God hath declared me to be in His Word. The Law of
God was given “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may
become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). This is the true purpose of
God's law. It is unfortunate that Seventh-day Adventists teach numerous
reasons for the Ten Commandments, but leave off the main purpose for which
they were given to humanity—To lead men to repentance (a change of mind), so
that upon realizing their needy situation as a guilty sinner, they will
place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Please friend,
Make Sure You're Saved!
SDA's Teach a False Gospel
SDA's are really messed up on God's plan of salvation. Don't take my word for it, on the last page of “Amazing Facts Study Guide” (the same edition I've been quoting from), they ask 13 questions. The questions review your knowledge after reading the booklet. Question five asks, “In the judgment day I will be saved if.” And then you're given three multiple choices. The book specifies that there is only one correct answer for the three choices provided. Here are the three choices from which to choose:
- Maintain an excellent record of good works.
- I love the Lord, regardless of whether or not I obey the Ten Commandments.
- My personal love relationship with Jesus leads me to obey all His commandments.
Huh? Folks, NONE OF THESE constitute the Gospel!!! You don't get saved by doing any of those things. There is no mention of the cross! There is no mention of Christ dying for our sins! There is no mention of Christ's burial nor His bodily resurrection! I say this kindly, but truthfully, for the sake of anyone reading this... Seventh-day Adventism is a lie of the Devil!!! According to the book, answer three is the correct answer. My friend, if you have to obey all of Christ's commandments to be saved, then that is works for salvation. Romans 4:4-5 plainly teaches, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
Verse 4 is saying that if salvation comes by works, then God owes us! He would be indebted to us! Salvation doesn't work that way. Jesus has already paid for our sins with His precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19). Therefore, Jesus doesn't forgive sin! That is correct. He has already paid for our sins with His blood. So that makes eternal life and the forgiveness of sins a free gift, which we simply can receive by faith to have. God saves those who “BELIEVE” (wholly trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ! John 3:15, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Then, once a person trusts Jesus and is saved, they grow as a babe in Christ, until hopefully at some point they choose to become a disciple too. But discipleship is not required for sonship!
According to Ellen G. White, to be saved a person must obey all of Christ's teachings. SDA's teach a wrong view of repentance. SDA has another spirit, not the Holy Spirit!
Please read the doctrinally correct writing by Pastor Harry Ironside titled, “ANOTHER GOSPEL.” My intent is never to attack anyone. I have nothing personal against SDA's. I love everyone with God's unconditional love. SDA's have been misled by Satan. They publish all sorts of religious literature, but they don't preach the simplicity that is in Christ, which is the Gospel. The clarity of the Gospel is what makes it easy for people to believe. Amen! The Devil has clouded the churches, making the Gospel murky and obscured with all types of unbiblical teachings; such as, inviting Christ into one's life, surrendering all to Jesus, becoming a Christ follower, turning away from sins, confessing Christ before men, forsaking the world, making a commitment to Christ, superstitiously saying “Jesus is Lord,” being willing to turn from sins, trusting Jesus alone, asking Jesus into one's heart, et cetera. NONE OF THESE constitute the Gospel!!! “The Gospel” is Christ's DEATH on the cross for our sins, His BURIAL, and bodily RESURRECTION three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
Please read the doctrinally sound writing by Dr. Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951), one of my favorite Bible teachers, titled: “WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?”
