Amish Voice, November 2015

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The Amish Voice 4
sins are then blotted out. There is no need
to wait for a supposed investigative
judgment. And you, being dead in your
sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;
Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took it out of the
way, nailing it to his cross (Colossians
2:13-14).
Don’t be concerned if you do not fully
understand this SDA teaching on the
investigative judgment. It seems that not
many do. It is enough to know that this
teaching, one of the Seventh-Day
Adventist’s most important, is found
nowhere in the Bible and is in fact
contrary to the Bible. While the SDA
church claims that on October 22, 1844,
Jesus entered “within the veil” to the
Most Holy Place to begin the second
phase of His atoning
work, Hebrews 6:19-20
tells us that Jesus already
entered “within the veil”
at His ascension. While
the SDA investigative
judgment teaching says
that on October 22, 1844,
Jesus began the second
phase of His atoning
ministry, the Bible says
that the atoning work of Jesus is finished,
that those who put their faith in Jesus
have their sins forgiven (Colossians 2:13-
14). Jesus paid it all by His death on the
cross; there is not a part one and a part
two of the atonement. The apostle Paul
wrote: we also joy in God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now
received the atonement (Romans 5:11).
There are many problems with this
investigative judgment teaching. The
SDA church teaches that Satan is the
scapegoat who is punished for our sins.
The Bible says that Jesus is our scapegoat
who was punished for our sins: For the
bodies of those beasts, whose blood is
brought into the sanctuary by the high
priest for sin, are burned without the
camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he
might sanctify the people with his own
blood, suffered without the gate. Let us
go forth therefore unto him without the
camp, bearing his reproach (Hebrews
13:11-13).
Annihilationism
There are additional historical and
Biblical problems with the investigative
judgment teaching, but let us move on
and look at a few more problems with the
teachings of the Seventh-Day Adventist
church. The SDA church teaches that
while the redeemed will have eternal life,
those who are not redeemed will be
temporarily punished and then simply
exist no more—that there is no eternal
suffering or eternal lake of fire. In fact,
the SDA church teaches that those who
die simply remain in an unconscious state
until the judgment. They teach that our
deceased loved ones “are not burning in
hell—or enjoying the bliss of heaven
while watching us continue to suffer
through life on earth without them. They
are simply resting until God gives them
His final call ” (
en/beliefs/apocalypse/death-and-
resurrection/article/go/0/three-things-you
-should-know-about-death).
The redeemed will be resurrected and
will be given eternal life, while the
wicked will be resurrected and will be
judged and condemned to the second
death. However, the SDA church teaches
that “the second death refers to
annihilation (or extinction) of the
unrepentant, rather than a continual and
eternal conscious torment ” (http://
death-and-resurrection/article/go/0/
waking-up-to-eternity).
That is, the Seventh-Day Adventist
church teaches that there is no eternal
lake of fire; the wicked are simply burned
up and cease to exist. Let us hear God’s
Word speak on this matter. Daniel writes
that the dead will indeed be resurrected:
some to everlasting life,
and some to shame and
everlasting contempt
(Daniel 12:2). Jesus
Himself warned us: it is
better for thee to enter
into life halt or maimed,
rather than having two
hands or two feet to be
cast into everlasting fire
(Matthew 18:8). Again
Jesus tells us of everlasting fire, and that
these shall go away into everlasting
punishment: but the righteous into life
eternal (Matthew 25:41, 46). We read in
Revelation 14:10-11 that the wicked shall
be tormented with fire and brimstone in
the presence of the holy angels, and in
the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke
of their torment ascendeth up for ever
and ever.
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