Personal Beliefs in Profile of a Christian and Former Seventh-day Adventist: Scribd Writer, Brian Hyde

I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and I have never regretted that. Formerly I was a Seventh-day Adventist and one who taught Adventist doctrineI have seriously regretted that! About four years ago I discovered that Ellen G White's teaching on the subject of the Godhead had ostensibly evolved over her lifetime from a sem-binitarian position to one that was full blown Trinitarian and so her writings actually reflect both positions! Hence, she contradicts not only herself but the Bible. Then further discrepancies between her teachings and the Biblical doctrine of justification surfaced. Immensely disturbed I embarked on a two year scrutiny of this and other major Seventh-day Adventist beliefs. Using the Bible as my sole source of inspiration and authority eventually arrived at the shocking conclusion that Adventist teachings are diametrically at odds with God's Word. This is especially true in respect of justification by faith. My biggest shock was discovering that EGW actually failed the biblical test of a prophetnot once, not twice but countless times! Sorry, Adventists, she is neither a prophet nor a messenger! And, if that is not enough, overwhelming evidence shows her to be, beyond any reasonable doubt, a major plagiarist. Seventh-day Adventist teachings can be summed up as an attempt to syncretise old covenant law with new covenant grace which inevitably results in legalism; a false gospel. This is, of course, nothing new: it was the Galatian heresy that Paul boldly withstood 2,000 years ago! As the wise Solomon said, There is nothing new under the sun. I have now cast off Adventist teachings like a hair shirt and today I am rejoicing in the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Doctrinally, that means I am an advocate of unconditional or "free" grace, eternal security, new covenant dispensationalism and progressive revelation which fully unfolded in the life and teachings of Christ Jesus. The focus of the message we are to bring is that God finishes the work that He begins. Before Creation began God purposed the redemption of the entire human race through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Father sent His Son and now we are justified before God in Him. The fact that our salvation was established from the foundation of the world, before we were even born, is where our security lies. Paul says that Jesus Christ is both the author and the finisher of our faith. Now, if Christ is the author and the finisher of our faith, this tells us that our salvation rests entirely upon what Jesus has done, is doing, and will do. Jesus is the Author to our salvation. What the Lord began, He also finishes. Thus we hear from the Cross, "It is finished!" Paul bears witness to this in saying: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who

began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phi 1:6 ). What then is our part? The credo of the believer's walk can be summarised as: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; ..."...as it is written, 'BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.'" (Rom 1:16-17. I am avowed, in obedience to Christ, to expose (Eph. 5:11) as error any teaching that gives the slightest hint that human works contribute to salvation. Salvation is a free gift of grace (Eph 2:8-9). If you receive a gift, you can neither add to it, nor take from it, right? It's the same with salvation. You cannot add to it, nor take from it. Christ justified all men (Rom 5:18) and all who believe will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). For these reasons I reject Lordship Salvation, Calvinism and Reformed Theologythey are a diabolical mix of law and grace. I hold, with the great Protestant Reformers, that salvation is by grace alone in Christ alone through faith alone to the glory of God alone. And what of the Godhead? I now believe there is but one true God, the Father, from who are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, the divine Son ofGod, by whom are all things and we exist through Him; that God created the world and all things through His own Word; that this Word is called His Son who was made flesh in the womb of the Virgin; dwelt among men preaching the kingdom of heaven; was crucified and then rose on the third day; ascended to the right hand of the Father; has sent the Power of the Holy Spirit to such as believe. I have also come to accept the hermeneutic that every teaching should be able to withstand the test of sola scriptura. I also hold that the veracity of the Bible finds witness in nature, history, anthropology, archaeology, and deduction or reason that is based on divine revelation. Let me add this by way of explanation with respect to divine revelation. I believe in the direct personal revelation via the agency of Christs Spirit, a revelation that will, of course, always be in harmony with His own Word. While there are many things in the Bible that do not make sense and cannot be explained by our frail human mind and must, therefore, be accepted by faith alone, I do believe that absolute truth, though not dependent on it, nevertheless appeals to our human reason. God does not bypass our brains! The truth will not only make sense but will oftentimes appeal to our intellect causing us to rejoice simple logic and sublime beauty. Certainly that has been my experience throughout my Christian life. Brian Hyde January 29, 2012
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