Hi everyone,
I found this on youtube. I think it is a great example of what Adventists believe about the end-times. Arthur and I were taught that the mark of the beast was going to church on Sunday. No, really, I am not kidding. As we were producing the book and having it edited, so many people simply did not believe I was serious. They thought perhaps I had been raised in a very fringe group of Adventists. Well, here's a typical sermon by an SDA pastor about the Mark of the BEAST!! Honestly, it is my fervent prayer that we pray for Adventists. It's easy to make fun of them, but they are my family and friends.
GET TO KNOW AN ADVENTIST TODAY!! Then you can help dispel their cherished myth that one day they will be hunted down, tortured and maybe even killed for being a Sabbatarian (like their prophetess Ellen White prophesies in her book Great Controversy.)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
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17 comments:
If you get tired of making fun of the Adventists, you can attend their great parties and join right in the fun!
http://adventistsnotcult.blogspot.com/2008/01/cadillac-jack-movies-and-fiction.html
Hey Mr. Patterson,
Why do you think I would make fun of an Adventist? Never. I was one for almost forty years; my dearest family and friends are Adventist.
But you have to admit, some of the doctrines are almost laughable if they were not so scary. You won't find me laughing, though. The fear I have witnessed by some Adventists about the "last days" breaks my heart. Why would I go to the trouble of writing a book to make fun of or hurt Adventists. I love them and want to bring the fullness of the gospel to them.
In Christ,
Teresa
Sunday worship is believed commonly among SDA's to BECOME the mark. That's what I gathered in my short stay in the Adventist church. After a time there comes a disconnect with those who worship on the first day, but go shopping on the seventh.
After a time, those who follow the Sacred Tradition of "Sunday-keeping" become the worshipers of their papal beast.
It's a way of thinking generated from Adventist practice that creates a chasm, spiritualy, socially, psychologically, and domestically.
I recall wondering when that fatal day would come when the pope and his political allies would enforce Blue Laws and encourage the persecution of Sabbatarians . . . As you said, Teresa, it would be laughable if it were not so scary.
Teresa,
All of this is nice and well but you didn't say what the mark of the beast is. If the speaker in the video is wrong what is your suggestion? At least, Steve Wolhberg is presenting arguments to build his case. And he is also making a good point: the book of Revelation is supposed to be understood. After all, it is a revelation of Jesus and it would make no sense for Jesus to send a letter to his people without giving them the mean to understand it. Jesus is not the author of confusion.
So, what is your take on the mark of the beast?
Often revelation is revealed slowly to God's people. I doubt anyone can say for certain who the antichrist is at this point, if it is indeed one single person. The Bible does give us some clues. 1. He denies Jesus Christ (I John 2:18, 22, 4:3, II John 7.) 2. He is the man of lawlessness who proclaims to be God. (2 Thess. 2:3-10) and 3. is really quite a monster in Revelation. It may very well have been the Roman Emperor Nero or Caligula. If it is someone in the future, then we can be pretty certain who he is when he shows up.
Since I have left Adventism I no longer worry about who the antichrist is. God has given me peace and joy and the confidence that he will be with me to the end of the world. I will not accidentally be deceived and fall from His loving grasp. I am his child, after all. He promised I would rejoice at his coming, not fear it. So I wait with breathless anticipation of seeing Him face to face, knowing that my faith in Him has pleased Him! (forgot my login name--so I am posting this under anonymous--but it is me!)
God bless you,
Teresa Beem
Teresa,
If Jesus made the effort to send a revelation, it is certainly not for His people to stop worrying. Yes, He will take care of His people. Yes, we can rest in our Blessed Savior. But if He deemed appropriate to send us a message, it is for a good reason. He even said that we have to calculate the number of the Beast. Revelation 13 says that it is wisdom. And if the text tells us that the times will be difficult, I guess that Jesus wants us to know that not everything will be rosy and that we have to pay attention and study. Those who have no worry when they should have at least some belong to the church of Laodicea.
You said that if the anti-christ appears in the future, we will be able to recognize him. Well, it is not sure. Some will recognize him but many will be seduced by him because he will not appear for what he is really. So, many people will be deceive.
In the time of Elijah, the people of God was following Baal in spite of the warnings of the prophet. The same thing will happen at the end. Many people will be seduced and follow the anti-christ (don't forget that prefix "anti" doesn't just mean "against". It means also "in the place of","instead". So the anti-christ is someone who is against Christ but also will take the place of Christ. This is why people will be deceived. Because the anti-christ will appear like the good guy).
God Bless.
Rev patterson,
How sad you preach about the Sunday as the mark of the beast. The Catechism of the Catholic Church stated Sunday as the day of the Resurrection of Christ, The Day the Apostles prayed and broke bread and worshiped God, its the Day of the Pentecost, etc.
if that is the day of rest for your church, thats fine, but its not the law or the Mark of the beast for all christian.
also, the Sabbath is the Sabbath of the Jewish, not ellen G White's or SDa church law. if so, why aren't the Jewish gather SDA as one of them..if you claim that the Sabbath is Saturday.
the other thing is, I was told by my family members that Constantine changed the Sabbath day and I
have tried to convince them that it wasn't Constantine after 400years later..it was the Tradition and the Teaching of the Church from the beginning esp if you read the bible in the book of Acts.. Peter broke bread and prayed, he and the apostles worshiped on teh first day of the week..not Saturday as SDA claimed. you read your Bible clearly...and there is no such thing as Mark of the beast are those worship on Sunday..that is wrong. As a Catholic like myself, I worship everyday, especially on Sunday and Saturday, and everyday...from the rising of the sun til the setting of the sun, i worship God during our Mass Celebration of the Eucharist.
oh and here are the Early Fathers Doctrines and Writings about the Sunday and how they followed it as Tradition from the early times of the Church
S SEE BELOW.
1. The Didache [A.D. 70]
"But every Lord's day . . . gather yourselves together and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned" (Didache 14 [A.D. 70]).
2. The Letter of Barnabas [A.D. 74]
"We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead" (Letter of Barnabas 15:6-8 [A.D. 74]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0230...
3. Ignatius of Antioch" [A.D. 110]
[T]hose who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e. Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death" (Letter to the Magnesians 8 [A.D. 110]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0764...
4. Justin Martyr [A.D. 155]"[W]e too would observe the fleshly circumcision, and the sabbaths, and in short all the feasts, if we did not know for what reason they were enjoined [on] you--namely, on account of your transgressions and the hardness of your heart. . . . [H]ow is it, Trypho, that we would not observe those rites which do not harm us--I speak of fleshly circumcision and sabbaths and feasts? . . . God enjoined you to keep the sabbath, and impose on you other precepts for a sign, as I have already said, on account of your unrighteousness and that of your fathers" (Dialogue with Trypho the Jew 18, 21 [A.D. 155
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0858...
5. Tertullian [A.D. 203]
"[L]et him who contends that the sabbath is still to be observed as a balm of salvation, and circumcision on the eighth day . . . teach us that, for the time past, righteous men kept the sabbath or practiced circumcision, and were thus rendered 'friends of God.' For if circumcision purges a man, since God made Adam uncircumcised, why did he not circumcise him, even after his sinning, if circumcision purges? . . . Therefore, since God originated Adam uncircumcised and unobservant of the sabbath, consequently his offspring also, Abel, offering him sacrifices, uncircumcised and unobservant of the sabbath, was by him [God] commended [Gen. 4:1-7, Heb. 9:4]. . . . Noah also, uncircumcised--yes, and unobservant of the sabbath--God freed from the deluge. For Enoch too, most righteous man, uncircumcised and unobservant of the sabbath, he translated from this world, who did not first taste death in order that, being a candidate for eternal life, he might show us that we also may, without the burden of the law of Moses, please God" (An Answer to the Jews 2 [A.D. 203]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/1452...
6. The Didascalia [A.D. 225]
"The apostles further appointed: On the first day of the week let there be service, and the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and the oblation, because on the first day of the week our Lord rose from the place of the dead, and on the first day of the week he arose upon the world, and on the first day of the week he ascended up to heaven, and on the first day of the week he will appear at last with the angels of heaven" (Didascalia 2 [A.D. 225]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0163...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0477...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0478...
7. Origen [A.D. 229]
"Hence it is not possible that the [day of] rest after the sabbath should have come into existence from the seventh [day] of our God. On the contrary, it is our Savior who, after the pattern of his own rest, caused us to be made in the likeness of his death, and hence also of his resurrection" (Commentary on John 2:28 [A.D. 229]).
8. Victorinus [A.D. 300]
"The sixth day [Friday] is called parasceve, that is to say, the preparation of the kingdom. . . . On this day also, on account of the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, we make either a station to God or a fast. On the seventh day he rested from all his works, and blessed it, and sanctified it. On the former day we are accustomed to fast rigorously, that on the Lord's day we may go forth to our bread with giving of thanks. And let the parasceve become a rigorous fast, lest we should appear to observe any sabbath with the Jews . . . which sabbath he [Christ] in his body abolished" (The Creation of the World [A.D. 300]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/1541...
9. Eusebius of Caesarea [A.D. 312]
"They [the early saints of the Old Testament] did not care about circumcision of the body, neither do we [Christians]. They did not care about observing sabbaths, nor do we. They did not avoid certain kinds of food, neither did they regard the other distinctions which Moses first delivered to their posterity to be observed as symbols; nor do Christians of the present day do such things" (Church History 1:4:8 [A.D. 312]).
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0561...
10. Eusebius of Caesarea [A.D. 319] "[T]he day of his [Christ's] light . . . was the day of his resurrection from the dead, which they say, as being the one and only truly holy day and the Lord's day, is better than any number of days as we ordinarily understand them, and better than the days set apart by the Mosaic Law for feasts, new moons, and sabbaths, which the Apostle [Paul] teaches are the shadow of days and not days in reality" (Proof of the Gospel 4:16:186 [A.D. 319]).
11. Athanasius [A.D. 345]
"The sabbath was the end of the first creation, the Lord's day was the beginning of the second, in which he renewed and restored the old in the same way as he prescribed that they should formerly observe the sabbath as a memorial of the end of the first things, so we honor the Lord's day as being the memorial of the new creation" (On Sabbath and Circumcision 3 [A.D. 345]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0203...
12. Cyril of Jerusalem [A.D. 350] "Fall not away either into the sect of the Samaritans or into Judaism, for Jesus Christ has henceforth ransomed you. Stand aloof from all observance of sabbaths and from calling any indifferent meats common or unclean" (Catechetical Lectures 4:37 [A.D. 350]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0459...
13. Council of Laodicea [A.D. 360] "Christians should not Judaize and should not be idle on the sabbath, but should work on that day; they should, however, particularly reverence the Lord's day and, if possible, not work on it, because they were Christians" (canon 29 [A.D. 360]).
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/
14. John Chrysostom [A.D. 387]
"[W]hen he said, 'You shall not kill' . . . he did not add, 'because murder is a wicked thing.' The reason was that conscience had taught this before hand, and he speaks thus, as to those who know and understand the point. Wherefore when he speaks to us of another commandment, not known to us by the dictate of conscience, he not only prohibits, but adds the reason. When, for instance, he gave commandment concerning the sabbath--'On the seventh day you shall do no work'--he subjoined also the reason for this cessation. What was this? 'Because on the seventh day God rested from all his works which he had begun to make' [Ex. 20:10]. And again: 'Because you were a servant in the land of Egypt' [Deut. 21:18]. For what purpose then, I ask, did he add a reason respecting the sabbath, but did no such thing in regard to murder? Because this commandment was not one of the leading ones. It was not one of those which were accurately defined of our conscience, but a kind of partial and temporary one, and for this reason it was abolished afterward. But those which are necessary and uphold our life are the following: 'You shall not kill . . . You shall not commit adultery . . . You shall not steal.' On this account he adds no reason in this case, nor enters into any instruction on the matter, but is content with the bare prohibition" (Homilies on the Statues 12:9 [A.D. 387]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0845...
15. STJohn Chrysostom [A.D. 395] "You have put on Christ, you have become a member of the Lord and been enrolled in the heavenly city, and you still grovel in the Law [of Moses]? How is it possible for you to obtain the kingdom? Listen to Paul's words, that the observance of the Law overthrows the gospel, and learn, if you will, how this comes to pass, and tremble, and shun this pitfall. Why do you keep the sabbath and fast with the Jews?" (Homilies on Galatians 2:17 [A.D. 395]).
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0845...
16. The Apostolic Constitutions [A.D. 400]
"And on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the Lord's day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God that made the universe by Jesus, and sent him to us, and condescended to let him suffer, and raised him from the dead. Otherwise what apology will he make to God who does not assemble on that day . . . in which is performed the reading of the prophets, the preaching of the gospel, the oblation of the sacrifice, the gift of the holy food" (Apostolic Constitutions 2:7:60 [A.D. 400]).
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/071...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0327...
17. STJohn Chrysostom [A.D. 402]
"The rite of circumcision was venerable in the Jews' account, forasmuch as the Law itself gave way thereto, and the sabbath was less esteemed than circumcision. For that circumcision might be performed, the sabbath was broken; but that the sabbath might be kept, circumcision was never broken; and mark, I pray, the dispensation of God. This is found to be even more solemn that the s abbath, as not being omitted at certain times. When then it is done away, much more is the sabbath" (Homilies on Philippians 10 [A.D. 402]).
18. ST Augustine [A.D. 412]
"Well, now, I should like to be told what there is in these Ten Commandments, except the observance of the sabbath, which ought not to be kept by a Christian . . . Which of these commandments would anyone say that the Christian ought not to keep? It is possible to contend that it is not the Law which was written on those two tables that the apostle [Paul] describes as 'the letter that kills' [2 Cor. 3:6], but the law of circumcision and the other sacred rites which are now abolished" (The Spirit and the Letter 24 [A.D. 412]).
There is no Biblical or historical support that the 7th day Sabbath was changed to Sunday or that Sunday is a holy day, and that it was changed by the Pope of Rome or the Catholic Church.
Under the New Covenant there is no command to keep the Sabbath and there are no weekly holy days. The Sabbath was never designated as a "day of worship" for Israel but a day of rest.
Christians are to find their Sabbath rest in Christ daily and not in a weekly ritual. Hebrews 4. If a church or denomination chooses to select a day or days of the week for organized church meetings this is in harmony with the Bible.
http://www.newadvent.org/utility/sea...
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/110...
God Bless
Devout Catholic Christian
Hi Teresa!WELCOME HOME!!Blessings to you and your husband!I came across your interview on EWTN!Thank you for doing something I realize was terribly difficult.I married into a SDA family.My husabnd had already made the decision to leave a couple of yrs before we met.I was never exposed to SDA ,so I knew little about them...well,being from a Catholic/Episcopalian background...you can imagine how our first family dinner went!!OMGOSH!!I do love these people,however I DO NOT,and have never agreed with SDA beliefs.However,my husband is considered a black sheep,and is lost---in their minds...it's so sad.In the + yrs we have been married,I could not get him NEAR a church.He doesn't tell much of the activities,but he has told me about the beliefs he went up against much like yourself.All his family live in another state,and I believe he deals better with it that way...I never understood the guilt they put upon him,esp. when he married me...I HAD NO IDEA!
I saw you on EWTN and recorded your interview...well,he came home and watched it.He felt your pain,and told me how hard that was for you.You said things and answered Marks questions,and he agreed with everything you said.He has never regretted leaving the SDA,not once.Thank you...please pray for his family,as we will be praying for yours.
God's Peace and Protection to you and Arthur!
may your book be a blessing!
Hello everyone!
Several people have posted since I last took a look at this blog. Let me say thank you to all of you--especially the person that took the time to post all the early proof that God's people have been celebrating the resurrection since the very beginning--ON SUNDAY!!
To the last post.... Yes, it was very difficult for me to be interviewed on EWTN. Arthur's and my families are so very hurt and by becoming Catholic we alienated many of our new Fundamentalist friends. (Don't tell anyone--but I was so nervous before the interview I hadn't eaten for 24 hours! And hadn't slept for almost 36! I was an absolute wreck, but God somehow pulled the interview off. I praise Him for that!)
God bless you all,
Teresa Beem
Teresa,
There is nothing wrong in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. But it is not an excuse to neglect the sabbath. There is nothing in the Bible saying that we should drop the 4th commandment. There is no biblical text showing that Jesus ordered to replace the Sabbath day with the first day of the week.
People who mention that the Bible speaks of the believers breaking bread on the the first day of the week forget to mention that they were doing this too during the other days of the week.
The reason why people try to rely on early testimonies (from the Fathers of the Church for example) is because they know that there is no biblical sanction for what they do.
The Bible says that obedience is better that sacrifice. This is valid today as it was valid yesterday. I know that being a SDA is not always an easy thing. But Christians are not on Earth to choose the easy way.
Still,
I have spent many chapters of our book dealing with your statements. I suggest you go to Amazon.com and type in "beem" and our book should pop up. This type of format does not easily render itself to deep theological discussions. But be certain there are incredibly valid and scriptural reasons that the Sabbath was fulfilled in Christ.
Good idea. I will try to find your book and read it.
God bless.
I stumbled upon your website and have spent the last twenty minutes reading the back and forth arguments about the mark of the beast, etc.
Reading over your discussion filled me with a deep thankfulness that I was able to escape Adventism and even the reaches of ex-Adventism. Ex-Adventism is like a disease where former adventists are still revolving their lives and discussions around Adventist issues.
I was raised an Adventist and married an Adventist minister at age 20. When I was 30, after much thought and prayer, my husband and I both left the Adventist church. My husband retrained as a psychologist and we have had a beautiful life, free of the fear and arguing that characterize both the Adventist and ex-Adventist discussions. Honestly, we rarely even think of these topics now. Your sight only came up on my screen because I, on a whim, googled an Adventist pastor that we used to know. As his name was 'Mark' your sight came up.
It's been refreshing, in a strange way, to read your endless back and forth arguing. It's a reminder that the momentous choice we made years ago was the right one.
Our lives now center on meaningful topics and real relationships with others.
I truly wish you all the best in your journey.
alicia
My husband was raised sda. I have been to several different churches, and now that i'm married i've had to go to the sda church. I dread it. I deffinetly don't go for the music, and all they ever talk about is the sabbath. I told my husban, "i honestly am only going for you, but i am not getting spiritually met". I asked him if we could go to church every other sunday. he looked sick to his stomach. i said, do you think you are doing something bad by going to church on sunday...even if we keep the "sabbath". you'll just be giving an extra day to god...even better. he is terrified to go with me. I said,"babe, that is not right that you feel like you are doing something wrong just by going to church on sunday." thats just the start of it. I don't know what to tell him to show him in the bible. with everything he sais," but the commandments never changed. although he could seem correct in this "sabbath" thing, why are sda the ONLY ones who are convicted about saturdays, but why are the only church out of all the many different churches i have been to that don't seem excited about god. their church is so drab and blaw, hems from 1740...it's horrible. I have to turn my husband. I want him to be excited about church and god, and have the light and hope that i have. i want him to see how much he is missing out on. I just don't think i have the study skills to present a debate to him that he can't confuse me on. bondage is written all over their lives. but the argument about the sabbath...i need you help because with his conviction about this, our only options of church are jews or sda. i'd rather not go to church at all, but i have a son to raise and a duty to it right.
Why do you want to encourage your husband to disobey God. Rather than trying to change his mind, you should look to encourage him and find truth for yourself.. The BIBLE specifically tells us what to do and you want him to go against God's word. why do you want to follow the crown when the crown is almost always wrong. Didn't you learn from Noah, Lot in Sodom, the three Hebrews boy in Daniel. The crowd in all these instances were wrong. Don't think that because everyone does it, it is right. Don't be deceived because people generally prefer unrighteousness than righteousness. The sabbath is in God commandments and Jesus said that his commandments will last forever. GOD DOES NT CHANGE, NEITHER HIS COMMANDMENTS. If you love your husband as you should, don't try to get him to disobey his God. by this you are acting like Delilah when she deceived Samson. search for bible truth, God will point you. NOT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SAYING OR DOING. The bible always point to truth. your's son's salvation depends on you too. Do whats best for your family and follow God and his truth, not the commandments of men.
Hello, I am a seventh day adventist. First off, I would like to say that our church does not view Ellen White as our leader, because reading other websites, people have been saying things like this. I personally believe that she was chosen as a sort of reinforcement, but not a foundation for our beliefs. Im 100% with the Bible and its teachings, and i do not rely on man. Ive been getting on youtube recently, and ive been seeing an number of videos addressing "martial law." This is when I believe that that total law will control the United States and its allies, and will have the clergy as its foundation. Having said this, this will be the time when sunday law will be passed. It will be so sudden, people will not even realise that this has come into effect.
The reason why we will hold Saturday as the Sabbath is because that will be the only way to distinguish ourselves from the law makers who established Sunday law. When that day comes, we dont want to have any connection to what is happening, and becomes a symbol for what we stand for.
Having said this, Personally I am not scared at all, and Im living my life, waiting for this day to unfold because it will mark the second comming. I believe that it states in the Bible that the first day is Sunday, and it never changed, whatever man says. Even if it is as people say "old text" I would still rather follow the Bible rather than man. If anyone would like to respond to my comment, my email is georgiadisj@hotmail.com
Thank you for your time
I am not a SDA however I believe most of what they believe- they believe the bible and are following God and Jesus' warnings of end times- and must be prepared. God provides, in his word, enough warnings of the end of times and Gods word does not lie and never fails. I do believe the true Sabbath is the 7th day of the week ( Saturday) - nothing in the bible says the Sabbath day changed. It has always been a Saturday. The Catholic Church changed the Sabbath to a Sunday- against Gods law. The only thing I disagree with SDA is what they percieve to be the Mark of the Beast. I believe many may be forced to worship on the false Sabbath ( Sunday) however I believe the Mark of the beast will be the microchip. There will come a time soon where everyone will be required to have one ( in their hand or forehead) and without it- you will not be able to do anything- buy, sell etc. At least SDA's are following Gods word more than the rest of us.
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