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Letter of Resignation from the Seventh-day Adventist church

 

From Teresa (Tesa) and Arthur D. Beem

(Permission given to post on our web site http://www.ratzlaf.com/

 

(Emphasis is from the Beems)

November 18, 2002

 

[Dear Friends]

 

Most of you know by now that Arthur and I have removed our membership from the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This has caused much pain for us as we have gone through the process. We are also aware of the disappointment and hurt it has caused you, our dear family. For this we are truly sorry and we hope that you will continue to pray for us. The official letter is attached at the end.

We need to explain why we came to this decision so that you will be assured that was not out of spite or that we have given up on the truth of Christ. As we studied the Bible, we felt a clear separation of paths was being set before us. One was to continue in the Adventist denomination, the other, to follow where Christ was and is continuing to lead us. This juncture may never occur in your walk with Christ, nor do we feel it must. But since it has occurred in our lives, it is imperative that we follow Christ and Christ only, apart from the Adventist denomination. Please bear through the following explanation. We hope that it will convince you that our decision is not based on emotion but on scripture. Again, please understand that we are not on a quest to change anyone's SDA affiliation, only explain why we have been compelled to change ours. These things however will not keep us from worshipping with you, so feel free to invite us to your church whenever you like.

In 1997, Arthur and I were growing seriously disillusioned with the Adventist system. So we decided to begin reading the Bible and the Bible only, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us and reveal truth. This is how we began finding additional discrepancies between Adventist theology and the Bible.

These are the reasons we left the Seventh-day Adventist Church in descending order of importance: (For your convenience, at the end of the letter there are some exhausting, yet by no means exhaustive, texts on which we base our theology.)

1. Some Adventist hospitals perform abortions-on-demand. At least one that I have personally investigated does partial-birth abortions. In 2000, I (Tesa) called the General Conference about the abortion issue. Jan Paulsen's office directed me to Dr. George Reid to get the official church policy. Reid stated that the church is pro-choice and that he was disappointed that the "Washington Adventist Hospital had become an abortion mill." Please note that I am quoting him. Arthur and I have been involved with the Adventists for Life since 1985. We have seen deception from our leaders and deliberate cover-ups attempting to appear neutral on this issue while SDA institutions are actively pro-choice. No more will be elaborated on this subject, as it is too lengthy to get into in this venue. However, the murder of innocent children cannot be swept under the rug of our consciences as a small sin. We will continue to educate the SDA membership about this problem but in a capacity that will not implicate us in this crime.

2. Adventism in theory believes in Righteousness by Faith. Yet in practice it teaches righteousness by keeping the Sabbath, eating clean meats, etc. It seems to always be reinforced by the attitude that salvation is attained by belief in Christ plus keeping the law. Ellen G. White writes in 2T 505.2 "To retain pure and undefiled religion it is necessary to be workers, persevering in effort. We must do something ourselves. None but ourselves can work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This is the very work which the Lord has left for us to do." This statement is unbiblical. The Bible teaches throughout the New Testament that faith or belief in Christ saves us--period, not plus anything. Paul tells us we can be confident in our Salvation, not because of what we do, but because of what He did. Recently in an Adventist church I was told that if I felt saved that shows how truly unsaved I was.

Lest you think this an isolated incident, review what White in Christ Object lessons records on page 155, "Those who accept the Savior, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or feel that they are saved." And in the next paragraph she writes," Those who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, 'I am saved' are in danger of trusting to themselves." This is in direct opposition to the good news of the gospel. In complete contrast Hebrews 3: 14, "because we shall remain co-heirs with Christ only if we keep a grasp on our first confidence right to the end." Hebrews 13: 6, "God himself has said, 'I will not fail you or desert you', and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing; what can man do to me?" See I John 4-whole chapter; 5:1, 15. [Endnote 1 gives texts that show we can have confidence now that we are saved.]

3. A church that claims to be the sole remnant fosters pride and exclusivity. This has manifested attitudes of condemnation and arrogance toward other denominations. Christ called his disciples into unity. "They will know you are my disciples by your love one for another." We need not fear other Christians when we have confidence in the Holy Spirit in our lives. He will not allow us to be deceived by false teachings when we are in a relationship with Him. The saved of other denominations are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will live together eternally. It is a shame that SDA's are so prejudice against them. This is against all God's principles of love. Adventist paranoia has led us to reject our fellow Christians of other denominations to the point that many churchgoers believe other non-Adventist Christians to be BABYLON. (See I John 2:11; 3:10-18, 4:20: Rom.15) [End note 2]

4. The words written by Ellen White have always left us confused. Some are so inspiring and others can leave you in despair, knowing you'll never live up to her expectations. The message is a bit schizophrenic. Some of her writings are diametric to the scriptures. So several months ago we began researching her writings. We have found many puzzling things and have come to the conclusion that we will not try to judge her sincerity as a Christian. Nevertheless, we can judge her words against Biblical principles based on the standards of judging a prophet. There is enough error in her writings that we reject her as a prophet and her authority of her writings. Many Adventist still remain in the church with our view. The problem is that believing in her writings is a test of faith for a church employee. (See Fundamental Beliefs number 17.) This is profoundly inappropriate. Many have been dismissed as pastors and teachers who have rejected her writings as authoritative. Ellen White herself wrote that her writings are not to be questioned.

{5T 682} "Those who are reproved by the Spirit of God should not rise up against the humble instrument. It is God, not an erring mortal who has spoken to save them from ruin." (Context: her Testimonies)

{5T 66} "If you seek to turn the counsel of God to suit yourselves, if you lesson the confidence of God's people in the testimonies (in the context of her writings) He has sent them, you are rebelling against God as certainly as were Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

{3SM 32} "The Bible must be your counselor. Study it and the testimonies God has given; for they never contradict His word. (Again this is talking about the Testimonies written by White.)On the same page: "This (White's message) is now come before the people because it has been given to correct specious errors and to specify what is truth."

 

"If the Testimonies speak not according to this word of God, reject them. Christ and Belial cannot be united.{3SM 30} The Holy Ghost is the Author of the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy."

The next page Ellen speaks of how she received God's light. "The power of God would come upon me and I was enabled clearly to define what is truth and what is error." White claims her messages are from God and do not conflict with the Bible. Yet we found there are many things that she writes that are in direct contrast with God's word. What were we to think? The Bible says that the Holy Spirit will lead us to all truth. So we must choose to be led by Him and not Mrs. White.

5. The Clear Word Bible is promoted as a Bible paraphrase and used extensively throughout Adventist classes to replace a true translation. This is very disturbing considering that it deletes passages, adds passages and inserts Ellen White's words into the text without quotes, as if it is part of the original Bible. If the Bible is the word of God, it should not be tampered with thusly. This is a serious mistake. "You shall not add to the Word which I have commanded you, nor take anything from it." Deu. 4:2

"Every word of God is pure. Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you" Prov.30: 5, 6 See also Rev. 22:18, 19; Rom. 1:25

6. The Investigative Judgment is Fundamental Belief 23 of the SDA church. This judgment is found nowhere in scriptures. Yet Ellen White says one must believe in it. In Manuscript 760 she says that the belief that Jesus entered the second compartment of the Sanctuary in 1844 (The Investigative Judgment) is a pillar of the church and foundational truth for God's people given by an angel. She also warns us not to listen or unite with anyone who disagrees. LeRoy Froom, an Adventist leader wrote that if the church didn't have the Investigative Judgment message that, "One would have no justifiable place in the religious world, no distinctive denominational mission and message, no excuse for functioning as a separate church entity today." Movement of Destiny, p. 542 Here are some more excerpts from Whites writings about the Investigative Judgment:

I saw that as the Jews crucified Jesus, so the nominal churches had crucified these messages and therefore they have no knowledge of the way into the most holy, and they cannot be benefited by the intercession of Jesus there. Like the Jews, who offered their useless sacrifices, they offer up their useless prayers to the apartment, which Jesus has left. {Early Writings p. 261}

Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of the sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle of evil. {Great Controversy p. 425}

Paul says that in his time the judgment began with the Jews. John 5:24 records, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." I encourage you to read The Great Controversy p. 486-491. It is a bleak, tormenting time, according to White, in which the saved should search their souls for any unconfessed sin so they can stand before God blameless. God says of this time to his people, "Look up for your redemption draws nigh." We're not to fear the atonement or Christ's judgment. [Endnote 1]

There are many lesser problems we have found that on the surface seem unimportant. They become more serious when one realizes that they are a continual distraction from keeping ones eyes on Christ. Seventh-day Adventists make certain behaviors sins when they are not spoken as such in the Bible. Teaching traditions as equal to commandments was one of the problems with the Pharisees. The church usurps the authority of God. This is what we have been taught the anti-Christ does and accuse the Catholic church of doing.

7. Sabbath keeping is spoken of as THE sign of the last day remnant church. This too is unbiblical. Since the creation week and the establishment of Sabbath as a holy day, there is no Biblical evidence that this has been changed. The Sabbath's purpose was to be a symbol pointing to Christ and the rest we can now have in Him and His atoning sacrifice. Many SDA's keep it as a tribute to the law. The Sabbath can be kept rather as a celebration of faith--a rest from our work. (See Hebrews 4.) However, there is no Biblical mandate to assemble on Sabbath, nor keep the Old Testament regulations imposed on the Jews. The NT does however warn us not to judge those who do not keep the Sabbath. (Colossians 2:16, Romans 14:5)

Those who keep the commandments and testimony of Christ are the remnant. There are many people and denominations that obey God's commandments and have a personal testimony of Christ. This can be debated ad infinitum but there is not enough evidence to support the Sabbath as the ONE commandment that surpasses all others to identify the remnant. The teaching of this as truth spawns elitism and keeps ones eyes off the truth that Christ and the Holy Spirit are the seal of the New Covenant. [Endnote 3]

8. Jewelry is not condemned in the Bible. See Ezekiel 16. The Israelites were asked to remove their jewelry after they had sinned as a punishment of shame. Paul says to leave off adornment in the context of a worship service. God loves ornamentation or he would have made the streets of heaven like cardboard instead of gold. Gaudy jewelry is distasteful not immoral.

9 The clean and unclean levitical statutes are a part of the Mosaic Law that Christ fulfilled. They are not a part of the New Covenant law. Perhaps they are good dietary practices but to teach that it is a sin to eat pork is without New Testament basis. Hebrews 13: 9, "Do not let yourself be led astray by all sorts of strange doctrines; it is better to rely on grace for inner strength than on dietary laws which have done no good to those who kept them." (See I Cor. 8:8; 10:31; Col. 2:16; I Tim. 4:1-5 Rom.14) Theres also a belief, perhaps not written but in practice, that SDA's are superior to other Christians because they don't eat meat. I have heard repeatedly that EG White states that those ready for translation in the last days will be vegetarians. The high Priest, who symbolized Christ, ate red meat as a requirement of the law. Jesus we know at the very least ate the Passover lamb and fish. It is not reasonable that a church teach that eating meat is wrong when Christ himself ate it. [Endnote 4]

9. Drunkenness is clearly condemned in the Bible, but not drinking moderate amounts of wine. We have thoroughly read all of Bacchiocchi's publications on this subject but are not convinced. The New Testament states that Jesus drank wine and that his apostles did the same. In Deuteronomy 14: 26 the Lord is instructing Israel what it is to do with its tithes, "you may spend the money on whatever you like, oxen,sheep, wine, strong drink, anything your heart desires." Prov. 31:6,"Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. "Eccl. 9:7," Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works."

This is the same "wine" that is used when the scriptures condemn drunkenness. You can't have it both ways. If it is fermented in one, it must be fermented in the other. If the scriptures had meant grape juice the whole time, instead of fermented grape juice, don't you think that God would have been a bit more exact in his holy word? I cannot imagine a topic as controversial as alcohol would have been skimmed over for people throughout the ages to accidentally misinterpret. Though we live in a day where we can truly say, "Don't get drunk, it is stupid and dangerous." We cannot legitimately say, "Don't drink, the Bible unquestionably forbids it." Again, that is the church making rules where God chose not to. Who are we to compensate for God? (I Tim. 3:8, 5:23; Titus 1:7)

10. The practice of OT tithe paying is part of the Jewish laws but does not transfer into the New Testament Christian. We are to give what the Lord convicts us to give--which I believe to be much more than 10%. We are to give wherever the Lord shows us the need is. Unfortunately for the church, the Lord doesn't always tell us to give there. It is unbiblical for any church to try and extort funds by guilt. There is often confusion about which commandments and laws of the Bible are applicable today. The word "commandment" is used hundreds of times in the Old Testament. The commandments in the OT (Old Covenant) are any request that proceed from the mouth of God from Genesis to the death of Christ. The New Covenant commandments are any requests that proceed from the mouth of God from the crucifixion onward--specifically "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your strength, all your soul and all your might." And "Love your neighbor as yourself."

While Jesus was on earth He was the transition between the two covenants. His words overlap both Old and New Covenants. His words must be studied in that context. This is a simplistic answer--if you want to discuss this further of course we will be glad to. We need to keep in mind that God still commands us today. Those remnant who keep the commandments of God are not those who keep any part of the Mosaic Law but those who listen today for his commands and obey them. Jesus said his sheep will know Him because they listen for his voice.

11. In our study of prophecy, the timelines do not align like the Adventists claim. This subject is too lengthy to address here. However, it is often presented as a salvation based issue, which it is not.

12. Ellen White claims that the Sunday Sabbath and the state of the dead will be the two last deceptions of Satan. The state of the dead is a very interesting study with Biblical evidence on both sides of the issue. Since it is not clear, we cannot understand how God's people will be tested on this point to prove their loyalty to God. Read Job 14:22, Heb. 12:23; II Cor. 4-5, Phil 1:21-23, I Peter 3:19-20; Matt. 22:32, Luke

16:19-31; II Cor. 5:6-9; I Thess. 4:13, 14. (You will see that the subject can be quite confusing and unclear.) [Endnote 5]

13. There remain separate conferences for both black and white SDA Americans.

14. Dancing is across the board condemned. This is unbiblical. David and Miriam danced before the Lord. We will dance in heaven. (See Isaiah 30: 19-33)

15. According to reports at the last General Conference, 96% of all SDA evangelism is towards other Christian denominations. The Gospel was commission to be spread to the entire world, not the truth of Sabbath. If we were following the mission Christ gave us we would not be wasting our evangelism resources on the saved.

16. In practice, SDA believe that all prophetic utterances and commandments are finished in EGW. All manifestations of the Holy Spirit are not only suspect but also discarded. This is unbiblical.

17. SDA churches lack a sincere spirit of worship. While I know this is a personal judgment, it is one we have made based on experience in many Adventist churches. Traditionally they have shunned away from any physical display during worship. This is not necessarily Biblical (Ps. 63:4; 143:2, 150:4).

18. SDA's deny the Holy Spirit experience of speaking in tongues and healing.

19. The fruits of the Adventist Educational system speak volumes about this church. Being an ex SDA teacher, I (Tesa) can personally testify about the complete lack of discipline and insufficiency in the promotion of Christ-likeness.

20. The Baptismal requirements are unbiblical. We were baptized with Christ therefore it is not required for salvation though it is a wonderful statement of Christianity. SDA's teach that Christians require it. In the Adventist church you are baptized into SDAism, not into the body of Christ. They teach that only ordained Pastors should baptize. They say that only baptism by immersion is correct. These are not based in Biblical fact.

21. Ellen White wrote that the General Conference is the highest authority that God has on earth. When in conflict, "private independence and private judgment must not be maintained, but surrendered." This was again boldly reiterated at the General Conference of 2000. Arthur and I declare that our authority is the Bible and Christ. Both of these are on earth. Read I John 2:27; Rev. 1:6.

22. Many have told me that because this church is the remnant that we should stay in it because no church is perfect. We have heard the, "bloom where you are planted" adage. It is a strange and evil church that would require its members to go against their consciences (i. e. abortion issue). Loyalty to a faulty church holds no merit with Christ, only loyalty to Him.

23. The Seventh-day Adventist church came out of the Millerite movement of the early 1800's. William Miller preached that God was coming in 1844. This did not happen. It was a false prophecy. The Bible says that no man knows the hour of Christ's return. In turn, the early Adventists based their faith on a false prophecy. Which lead them to the unbiblical Investigative Judgment belief, which in turn led them to the "shut door" theory. For those of you who are not familiar with the shut door theory, it is when early Adventists, including the Whites, preached until 1851 that only those who believed in the Millerite movement would be saved and they no longer preached to anyone who had rejected the Investigative Judgment message. Take time to research this topic, it will open your eyes. False prophecy has fed false prophecy in Adventist history. Its foundation is like the house built upon sand.

So many of these small items such as dancing, wine drinking, jewelry, etc. are not in themselves so terrible to teach as wrong. The tendency for Adventists, however, is to focus on things of the Mosaic Law and church traditions to the exclusion of seeking a personal relationship with Christ. Adventism's goal seems to be morality. But Christ seeks much more than morality, He desires that His people be holy. There is a vast difference in the two. One is about self-control; one is about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and HIS control.

Often we are confronted with the accusation that if we believe the Old Law, the Mosaic Law, (including the Ten Commandments) was fulfilled in Christ that one is then free to sin. They think that those who believe themselves free of the law will gorge themselves in debauchery and wickedness. This is the pole opposite of what actually happens. When Christ lives in you, a miracle occurs! By faith in HIS fulfillment of the law and keeping our eyes on Him we are changed into his likeness. The freedom He gives us is great and His power is greater! Sin no longer rules us! We behave because Christ abides in us! We can walk in confidence that Christ has overcome sin in our lives even if the promise is not yet fully developed. To the Father we ARE perfect because he sees His Son living in us. I John 5:4.

Do you know Christ? Or do you know about Him? This is a crucial question we must ask ourselves. Evangelism is to teach about Christ but the process must not stop there. A victorious life of joy only comes when we pursue knowing Christ. The Adventist system never taught us to pursue a personal relationship with Him. They focused more on trying to please Him with our works. We found that life to be a practice in continual defeat, always examining and re-examining ourselves to see if we lived up to God's expectations. Now, we rest in Christ's righteousness, knowing that we are, "preordained to conform to the image of Christ." That is the GOOD NEWS!! That is what gives us peace, love and hope. That is what makes us praise the Lord continually. Read Romans 8:29.

As you can see, our differences are plentiful. We would also like to assure you that none of these ideas came about by reading any materials but the Bible. The Holy Spirit opened up the interpretation to us through prayer and diligent study. We subsequently have read New Covenant theology but it rather confirmed our beliefs. Our recent studies of EGW have taken us not only to her writings to corroborate what we have suspected, but we have been corresponding with the White Estate and Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi. The conclusions about her were made from examining both sides of the issue.

We are still very open to new truth and sincerely desire to know God's path for His people. If you feel that we are in Biblical error on any of these points we are eager to have a disquisition with you. As of now, we shall borrow from Martin Luther:" Here we stand, for we can do no other."

 

We love you dearly and ask God's blessing upon you.

Arthur and Tesa Beem


Endnotes (Some end notes I have quoted in context so that you can get a running start)

1. I John 4:4-5:1 "Children, you have already overcome these false prophets, because you are from God and you have in you one who is greater than anyone in this world; as for them, they are of the world, and so they speak the language of the world and the world listens to them. But we are children of God, and those who know God listen to us; those who are not of God refuse to listen to us. This is how you we can tell the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood. My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love.

God's love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; this is the love I mean not our love for God, but God's love for us when he sent his Sons to be the sacrifice that takes our sin away. My dear people, since God has loved us so much we too should love one another. (This is the part we feel explains Righteousness by Faith and gives us confidence that it is God and not us keeping any law or needing another authority outside scripture i.e. EGW to help us understand salvation or God's will or commands. This is only one of many texts that we could use. All of Galatians, Romans, II Cor. 3 to name a few support this text.) God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. We can know that we are living in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit.

We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his son as savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. We ourselves have known and put our faith in God's love towards ourselves. God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God and God lives in him. Love will come to its perfection in us when we face the day of Judgment without fear; because even in this world we have become as he is. In love there can be no fear but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love. We are to love then, because he loved us first. Anyone who says, " I love God, " and hates his brother is a liar since a man who does not love his brother that he can see cannot love God, who he has never seen. So this is the commandment that he has given us, that anyone who loves God must also love his brother. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten by God; and whoever loves the Father that begot him loves the child whom he begets. We can be sure that we love God's children if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us; this is what loving God is--keeping his commandments; and his commandment are no difficult because who had been begotten by God has already overcome he world; this is the victory over the world--our faith. "

Eph. 2:10 "You are God's workmanship, created for good works which God prepared for you in advance."

John 17: 3: And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

I Cor. 1: 8 "And he will keep you already and without blame until the last day of our Lord Jesus Christ because God by calling you has joined you to his son, Jesus Christ; and God is faithful.

I Cor. 15:58 "Never give in then, my brothers, never admit defeat: keep on working at the Lord's work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be laboring in vain.

II Cor. 12: 9-11, " My Grace is sufficient for you; my power is at its best in weakness.(Paul) For it is when I am weak that I am strong."

Gal. 2:15, "Owe acknowledge that what makes a man righteous is not obedience to the law, but faith in Jesus.

Gal. 2:21, "If the Law can justify is, there is not point in the death of Christ."

Gal. 5:16, "Let me put it like this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence"

Gal. 5: 19, "If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you."

Eph. 2: 8 "Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit. We are God's work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as form the beginning he had meant us to live it."

Eph. 3:13,"This is why we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him; so, I beg you never lose confidence just because of the trial that I go through on your account; they are your glory.

Col. 2:14, "He has overridden the Law, and canceled out every record of the debt that we had to pay, he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross;"

Heb. 12:24, 'You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with the spirits of the saints who have been made perfect." James 2:12, "Talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom, because there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves; but the merciful need have no fear of judgment."

2. I John 2:9-10, "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the dark. But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light and need not be afraid of stumbling."

I John 3:11, "This is the message as you heard it from the beginning; that we are to love one another. See I John 4 in endnote 1.

3. Romans 14:5, 6, "If one man keeps certain days as holier than others, and another considers all days to be equally holy, each must be left free to hold his own opinion,the one who observes special day does so in honor

of the Lord.

Col. 2:16, "So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon days or Sabbaths. For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself. "

4. Romans 14, "If a person's faith is not strong enough welcome him all the same without starting an argument. People range from those who believe they may eat any sort of meat to those whose faith is so weak they dare not eat anything except vegetables. Meat eaters must no despise the scrupulous; On the other hand, the scrupulous must not condemn those who feel free to eat anything they choose, since God has welcomed them. It is not for you to condemn someone else's servant; whether he stands or falls is his own master's business; he will stand you may be sure, because the Lord has power to make him stand. Ö The one who eats meat also does so in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; the one who abstains does that too in honor of the Lord" Now I am perfectly well aware, of course, and I speak for the Lord Jesus, that NO food is unclean in itself: however, if some thinks that a particular feed is unclean, then it is unclean for him" Of course all food is clean, but it becomes evil if by eating it you make somebody else fall away.

I Cor. 8:8, "Food, of course, cannot bring us I touch with God; we lose nothing if we refuse, we gain nothing if we eat.

I Cor. 10:23+, "For me there are no forbidden things, but not everything is good" Do not hesitate to eat anything that is sold in butcher's shops; there is no need to raise questions of conscience; for the earth and everything that is in it belong to the Lord. If an unbeliever invites you to his house, go if you want to, and eat whatever is put in front of you without asking questions just to satisfy conscience".. Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God. Col. 2:16, " From now onward, never let anyone else decide what you should eat or drink".. v. 20, "IF you have really died with Christ to the principles of this world, why do you still let rules dictate to you, as though you were still living in the world? It is forbidden to pick up this, it is forbidden to taste that, it is forbidden to touch something else--all these prohibitions are only concerned with things that perish by their very use.

I Tim. 4:1+, "The Spirit has explicitly said that during the last times there will be some who will desert the faith and choose to listen to deceitful spirits and doctrines that come from the devils and the cause of this is the lies told by hypocrites whose consciences are branded as though with a red-hot iron. They will say marriage is forbidden and lay down rules about abstaining from food which God created to be accepted with thanksgiving by all who believe and who know the truth. Everything God has created is good and no food is to be rejected, provided grace is said for it. The word of the Lord makes it holy.

5. Job 14:22, "They (the dead) feel only the pain of their own bodies, and mourn only for themselves."

II Cor.5: 1-10, "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down--when we die and leave these bodies--we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will not be spirits without bodies but we will put on new heavenly bodies. Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. God himself had prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know as long as we live in these bodies we are not home with the Lord. That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes we are fully confident and we would rather be away from these bodies for then we will be at home with the Lord. So our aim is to please him all ways, whether we are in this body or away from this body." I Thess. 4:14, "For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died."

Phil. 1:23, "I'm torn between two desires: sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go to be with Christ. That would be better for me." Matt. 22:32, ""so He is the God of the living, not the dead."

Note: We are not saying that we believe you go straight to heaven when you die. Looking at all the texts, we don't really know for certain. This is still a Biblical mystery. However, it seems unbelievably unfair that the state of the dead would be one of the two great deceptions--according to White--that the last days remnant would be made to stand on when many passages in the Bible are confusing.

Our official letter to remove our membership in the Seventh-day Adventist is on the following page.

 


Arthur & Teresa Beem

201 Oakwood Drive

Keene, Texas 76059

(817) 556-9926

 

February 7, 2001

 

Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church

114 South Fairview Street

Keene, Texas 76059

 

Attn.: Ron Halverson, Jr.

Dear Pastor Ron;

Robert Frost once wrote, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler. Long I stood and looked down one as long as I could" With a heavy heart, Arthur and I recognize we have come to that dreaded fork in the road. We have looked down the traditional path our ancestors have walked and have made the decision to turn to the other narrower road. It seems that our beloved church, the Seventh-day Adventist church, is diverging from Christ. This dividing of roads has put us in the agonizing position of having to decide to be loyal to our church or our God. It seems impossible to do both. We respectfully request to have our names taken off the membership of Seventh-day Adventists.

Before you toss this letter aside as just another "falling away" of disgruntled members, please let us tell you what has brought us to this point. It is a very personal decision and one we pray will not influence others to follow unless directed by the Lord. This is a crucial time in history and we must keep our eyes firmly on Jesus. Please remove our names as quietly as possible, so as not to divert any attention to the matter.

(I am sending a copy of this to the General Conference office simply because I believe it ungracious to "quit" without an explanation.) For many years, I have worried about my church. I am a fifth generation Adventist, Arthur a third. My great-grandmother began the first SDA Sabbath School in Oklahoma. My father is a pastor. My father-in-law is a pastor. I write for several Adventist publications and have taught in our schools. We were involved in children's Sabbath School and Children's Church for many years. Again, I write this only so you will know that this decision is one of calculated determination to follow Christ because my heart is breaking.

I recognize that all churches are filled with the wheat and tares and no church will ever be perfect. The Adventist church is replete with wonderful Christians and has the precious message of the Sabbath. We have been blessed by being born into her culture. However, through prayer and study of scripture we find that its beliefs are not consistently in line with the Bible.

The major issue that has compelled us to separate from Adventism is its lack of a stand against the murder of the unborn child. In its infancy, the SDA church was vehemently pro-life. James and Ellen White edited an article that stated that in the eyes of the Lord it was one of the most abominable things a woman can do. J. Harvey Kellogg was a leader in the turn-of-the-century movement against abortions. Yet by the late 1960's, our church had moved so far from its original stand that Neil Wilson, General Conference President at the time, was quoted in a major newspaper as saying that, "Although we [the SDA Church] ride the fence on this issue, we come down in favor of abortion because of the problem of overpopulation."

In 1985, I spent the year researching the subject and became increasingly horrified that our church waffled on this issue. Not only are we pro-choice in theory but some of our hospitals perform abortions-on-demand. Because of this, I began the first Adventist Pro-life organization. I was invited to speak at the General Conference Abortion Symposium in 1988 at Loma Linda University. Jack Provonsha, Gerald Winslow and Richard Fredricks were also among the speakers. Selected speeches were then put in book form and published under the title of, Abortion Ethical Issues & Options, which can still be purchased through the Adventist Book Center. My speech, in its entirety, is one of the chapters.

Later that year, I was invited to be among the voting members of a General Conference committee (chaired by Albert Whiting) that would recommend updated guidelines for the church on the subject of abortion. The guidelines that our committee revised became the 1992 official guidelines of the Adventist Church. David Newman (former editor of Ministry Magazine) and myself were the only two out of a committee of approximately twenty-five who wanted the church to stand against abortion. The meeting shattered my faith in our leaders for many reasons, but I will not elaborate on that. The guidelines, intentionally ambiguous, are at their root still pro-choice.

We have remained active in trying to change the stand of the church since that time. Knowing that most Adventist's are pro-life and unaware of the church's stand, we had hoped that it would be only a matter of educating them and they would protest. Yet, I soon learned that the ambiguity in the guidelines left most members confused, inciting little enthusiasm in this cause.

Several weeks ago, I called Jan Paulsen's office to see if there was any update on the church's position. Though President Paulsen was not there, his secretary assured me that the pro-choice position had not changed. She then advised me to get the "official" word from Dr. George Reid, head of the Biblical Research Institute. I was shocked at his admission that the church was indeed pro-choice. I told him that I was speaking at an ethics class, taught by Pastor Bill Kilgore at Southwestern Adventist University and needed a quote. He said "Adventist are pro-choice but under strict guidelines." He then went on to say that each Adventist hospital could choose to accept or reject the church's guidelines. Some Adventist hospital performed many abortions. He even said, "Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park has become an abortion mill."

That he would openly state this knowing that I was going to quote him, stunned me. Up until this point, the officials in the church had always denied being pro-choice. It dawned on me that even my conscience had been insulated by the ambiguity of the church. Now the church was openly admitting its support of abortions-on-demand directly and indirectly.

Ellen White says that we will be held accountable for the light we have been given. We are intimately aquatinted with the facts surrounding the SDA abortion guidelines therefore are obligated to act upon that light. Some have advised us to stay and fight for what is right. However, in the scriptures, Christ asks us to spread the gospel message not to reform an organization. If we are truly in the last days, our efforts are needed more urgently elsewhere.

Many Adventists excuse the stance claiming that the church should not take a position on political issues. Yet, prophecy predicts that the Sabbath will become a political issue. What will the church do then? When worshipping on the seventh day is legislated against, will we waffle on that "political issue? Are our church's beliefs becoming so diluted that uncomfortable truths are hid as not to make us look weak?

And again, I've heard people say, "Well, Tesa, no church is perfect." But would we accept that same excuse from a Baptist about the Sabbath or a Catholic about praying to Mary?

SDA's take a stand against caffeine, unclean meats, card playing, gambling, dancing, and jewelry--but not killing unborn children! Can this be possible? We claim to be commandment keeping people, we hold the Sabbath banner high, yet we are murdering children in our hospitals. There is little difference between this and the Israelites sacrificing their children to Molech. SDA's remind their Christian contemporaries of the fourth commandment but forget the sixth! To remain a member of a church that is pro-choice torments my conscience.

My dear brother Ron, We think only the very best of you. Know that we are praying for you and this church. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We thank you for your attention to this matter.

 

Yours in Christ,

Teresa (Tesa) and Arthur D. Beem

 



November 19, 2000

Members of Church Board

Hellshire S.D.A. Church

Hellshire Park

St. Catherine

Jamaica

 

Christian greetings to the members of the church board, who have been appointed by the church as guided by the divine Spirit to lead and direct the affairs of our local congregation.

It is with tears in my heart that I write this letter to you all. I love our brethren dearly; even those whom I have met in the many churches that I have been send to visit over the past few months throughout our conference. Many a times my children would say "Dad lets stay at Hellshire this week", but I would tell them that "the work of the Lord has to be finished and we have to play our part".

I became a baptized member of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church some 18 years ago and since that time I have been eagerly teaching and defending the Advent Message. In recent years however as I read through the entire pages of the Bible, I could not find Scriptures to substantively support the following SDA doctrinal beliefs:

To become a member of the God's Church one need to believe that the writings of Sis. Ellen G. White are a continuing and authoritative source of "truth".

Our Lord Jesus did not complete the work of salvation on the cross when he said it is finished, but commenced a second phase of atonement in 1844 called the "Investigative Judgment."

The past several months have been a time of much prayer, Bible study and research for me. I appreciate the support and understanding that I received from my family as I spent long nightly hours reading through the pages of voluminous materials. During this time I have:

Gone through a significant portion of the writings of Sis. White, some of which have been hidden from the general church membership. Reviewed all of the teachings of the church and doctrinal changes that have occurred over the years since 1844.

Reviewed the entire history and development of the SDA movement from the 1840s to present, from materials that are readily available and also from those that have been suppressed from the church membership. Some are still been hidden in the vault of the Ellen White's estate and is not available for viewing. Gone through testimonies of pastors and brethren who actively worked with Sis. White in the development of the Advent movement in the 1800s. Gone through the doctrinal beliefs of other churches that keep the Sabbath.

Gone through minutes of the 1919 Bible Conference, where the writings and copying by Sis. White were extensively discussed.

Gone through reports from Fannie Bolton and Marian Davis who were employed by Sis. White as literary assistants.

Gone through copies of pages from Sis. White's hand written diary. Compared Sis. White's writings with eyewitnesses reports of the same incident. For example, her version of the account of Elder Israel Dammonís arrest (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 2, pp. 40-42, 1860) verses the version of all the other eyewitnesses as recorded in an old newspaper discovered in 1986 by Bruce Weaver, a graduate student at Andrews University Seminary. Having gone through all these materials that took me over two (2) years to read (copies can be made available upon request) and having read through the entire Bible, I have come to the following conclusions:


Although the church states that the Bible is the standard of character, test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrine, Sis. White nevertheless has the final say to settle all questions regarding SDA doctrines.

That although Sis. White has compiled many spiritual uplifting materials, she is not a Prophet as indicated below and supported by Matt. 7:15, Mat 24:24, 1 John 4:1, as she:

Contradicts the Bible more than 40 times.

Contradicts her own writings many times.

Claimed to have been shown that the earlier SDA erroneous doctrine of the sanctuary message of 1844 indicating that probation and the door of mercy has been forever closed in 1844, and that no more sinners can be saved. The SDA church eventually revised this doctrine to the present teaching of the Investigative Judgment, which is still not Scriptural. She later claimed that she was shown that God caused William Miller to err.

Practiced necromancy (communication with the dead), which is forbidden according to Scriptures (Deut 18:20-23; Isa. 8:19,20). The details are found in Letter 17, 1881, pp. 2-4. (To W. C. White, September 12, 1881.)

Did not practice what she claimed was shown to her in vision and also lied about it. For example, she gave strong councils against the eating of meat in June 1863, and stated in 1870 "No butter or flesh-meats of any kind come on my table. Cake is seldom found there." Testimonies Vol. 2 pp. 487. Sis. White ate meat and oysters until 1894.

Lied extensively regarding her copying of visions from other books and stated that the Lord has shown her in vision. Had many false prophesies including that stated in Testimony Volume 1, pp. 131-132, May 12, 1856 regarding persons present at the Conference being alive when Jesus comes. Deut 18:22 condemns such practices.

Taught error about the Amalgamation of Man and Animals (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 3, pp.75, 1864.)

She continued to claim that every line she writes is directly inspired by God "It is God, and not an erring mortal that has spoken" Testimonies, Vol. III pp. 257, despite her many errors that has been shown to her. She claimed that " Those who would break down our testimony, I saw, are not fighting us, but against God," pp. 260. She called her writings the "Spirit of Prophecy" or the "Testimonies".

Taught that every Seventh-day Adventist who have died since 1844 will be resurrected before the second coming of Jesus (Great Controversy). This again is contrary to the Bible. One of the SDA offshoot movement, the Shepherd Rod uses this as proof that their leader Houteff will come back to life to lead the 144,000 to Jerusalem.

Most of the books that she claimed to have written were copied from many other sources, some of which were not even considered inspired in those days. These includes: The Great Controversy, which is largely a compilation from Andrew's History of the Sabbath, History of the Waldenses by Wylie, Life of Miller and Life Incidents by her husband Elder James White in 1868, Thought on Revelation by Smith, and other books. Estimates are that 70-80 % of her writings have been stolen from others.

That William Miller genuinely searched the Scriptures diligently. He however made several errors in his interpretations, which he later renounced. Elder James White and Sis. White however continued to promote and correct errors of the movement until the errors finally got out of control. Some of the Elders and brethren decided not to oppose her false doctrines, as they were being embarrassed by Sis. White.

The church in earlier times knew that some of the teachings were contrary to Scripture, but decided not change them as they were endorsed by Sis. White, who claimed that the Lord has shown her that these erroneous doctrines were correct. Nevertheless some of the more ridiculous ones were changed.

Many pastors have been dismissed because they have either stated their conclusion that Sis. White is not a prophet, or revealed to the SDA church, doctrines that are not consistent with Scriptures. Some have been given the choice between the Bible and the writings of Sis. White.

That entire congregations have been disfellowshipped from the denomination as a result of their stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as opposed to another Gospel that the apostle Paul counseled against (Gal 1:6).

When Pastor Walter Rae discovered that Sis. White copied other authors' books, he was shocked. He found that she used historians, theologians, doctors and so on without giving credit to them as her sources and passed it all off as what God had shown her in vision. He was then fired from the ministry after he made his finding public. He was a SDA pastor for 35 years.

That the SDA church has tried to excoriate pastors, leaders and brethren who have left the SDA church and have renounced it as error. That many pastors, leaders and brethren who have left the SDA church have difficulties adjusting to their life in Jesus Christ.

That many SDAs today set their own criteria for observing the Sabbath of the old Sinai covenant. If you believe that old Covenant Sabbath given to the Sons of Israel after leaving Egypt is still binding today, then you need to check the Scriptures on how it is to be kept.

That the SDA church always looks for disagreement, errors or problems in other denominations, though small and trivial they may be, to tear down the images of these churches so that they can feel justified in calling all Babylon (although the Books of Daniel and Revelation identifies Babylon as being the Papacy). They normally poison the minds of the brethren against all other churches. If you however ask what is the difference between the SDA church and other Sabbath keeping churches then you will hear that we have the "truth" about the sanctuary doctrine and have the "Spirit of Prophecy".

Please review with me the following statements written by Elder W.W. Prescott, one of Adventism's great educators; biblical scholar; "Review" editor; founder of two colleges and president of three; former General Conference Vice President. He helped in amending and contributing to Ellen White's literary material. Here is a portion of

a letter he wrote to W.C. White (son of Ellen G. White):

"It seems to me that a large responsibility rests upon those of us who know that there are serious errors in our authorized books and yet make no special effort to correct them. The people and our average ministers trust us to furnish them with reliable statements, and they use our books as sufficient authority in their sermons, but we let them go on year after year asserting things which we know to be untrue. It seems to me that we are betraying our trust and deceiving the ministers and people. It appears to me that there is much more anxiety to prevent a possible shock to some trustful people than to correct error.

Your letter indicates a desire on your part to help me but I fear that it is a little late. The experience of the last six or eight years and especially the things concerning which I talked with you have had their effect on me in several ways. I have had some hard shocks to get over, and after giving the best of my life to this movement I have little peace and satisfaction in connection with it, and I am driven to the conclusion that the only thing for me to do is to do quietly what I can do conscientiously, and leave the others to go on without me. Of course this [is] far from a happy ending to my lifework, but this seems to be the best adjustment that I am able to make. The way your mother's writings have been handled and the false impression concerning them which is still fostered among the people have brought great perplexity and trial to me. It seems to me that what amounts to deception, though probably not intentional, has been practiced in making some of her books, and that no serious effort has been made to disabuse the minds of the people of what was known to be their wrong view concerning her writings. But it is no use to go into these matters. I have talked with you for years about them, but it brings no change. I think however that we are drifting toward a crisis which will come sooner or later and perhaps sooner. A very strong feeling of reaction has already set in."


W.W. Prescott to W.C. White

[son of EGW] April 6, 1915

In 1982, Dr. Fred Veltman, then chairman of the religion department of Pacific Union College, was asked by the Seventh-day Adventist church to analyze the charges of plagiarism (copying) brought by SDA pastor Walter Rea and others against Ellen White. Dr. Veltman spent eight (8) years at church expense studying The Desire of Ages. His research was printed in the Adventist church's official magazine for clergy named Ministry. Here are two (2) conclusions of the Veltman report:

"It is of first importance to note that Ellen White herself, not her literary assistants, composed the basic content of the Desire of Ages text. In doing so she was the one who took literary expressions (copied) from the works of other authors without giving them credit as her sources (plagiarism). Second, it should be recognized that Ellen White used the writings of others consciously and intentionally. ... Implicitly or explicitly, Ellen White and others speaking on her behalf did not admit to and even denied literary dependency (copying) on her part." - "The Desire of Ages Project: The Conclusions," Ministry, November 1990, pp. 11.

When Dr. Veltman was questioned about Ellen White's repeated claims that she only wrote what the Lord had shown her in vision and had not copied the works of other authors, he replied: "I must admit at the start that in my judgment this is the most serious problem to be faced in connection with Ellen White's literary dependency (copying). It strikes at the heart of her honesty, her integrity, and therefore her trustworthiness." ó Ibid., pp. 14.

After prayerfully reviewing all these materials, and a detailed study of the Scriptures and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have had to rethink my position on the Sabbath, the Investigative Judgments, the seal of God as taught by the SDA in the light of the Bible. I also have to reconsider the role of Sis. White in the SDA church and the role of her writings in relation to Scripture.

As a result of fasting and much prayer for spiritual guidance, I have come to the following conclusions:

The Sabbath was part of the old covenant that has been fulfilled, made obsolete by Christ's work on our behalf. This old covenant was according to Moses in Deut 5:3 "It was not with our fathers that the Lord made this covenant, but with us." The apostle Paul states that it was added 430 years later until the Seed to whom the promise is referred is come. (Gal. 3:15-19). See also Gal. 4:21-31, 2 Cor. 3; Heb. 8. It was a shadow of thing to come, the substance being Christ (Col 2:16,17). It is now my understanding from Scripture that it is not the day that is important in the new covenant, but my relationship with Christ. The sign of the new covenant is now the Lord's Supper (do this in remembrance of me, Luke 22:19, 20), while Baptism replaces Circumcision as entrance into this new covenant. I have been brought into a greater, more glorious covenant. One that is not dependent on keeping of days, rituals or other symbols of the old covenant, but on faith in Christ, Love for God, Love for one another and live according to all the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. (Rom. 13:8-10, Gal. 3:15-19, Gal. 5, 1 John 3:22-24).

Jesus kept the Sabbath as well as all the other laws of the old covenant as he was a Jew and was not yet nailed to cross. After his resurrection he had many appearances, all of which was on the first day of the week. (Luke 24:13-33, Mark 16:12,13, Luke 24:15-31, Mark 16:14-18, John 20:26-29). The Apostles continued to go to the synagogues on the Sabbath where they could find the Jews to spread the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (first to the Jew, then to the Gentiles). The Apostles throughout the epistles taught nothing about Sabbath keeping, not even to the Gentiles who had no knowledge of keeping the Sabbath.


Sis. White is not a true prophet as the church attempts to portray, by suppressing many facts from its members.

I have found that doctrines like the 1844 Investigative Judgment, the Sabbath as the seal of God and a test of loyalty to God in the end time (the seal of God is the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption, Eph. 1:13, 14; Eph 4:30; 1 Cor. 1:21,22), and the notion that Christ atonement for our sin was not completed at the cross has no real basis in Scripture, but remained SDA doctrines because Sis. White endorsed them. As a result, I cannot in good conscience accept her interpretations of Scripture as infallible or authoritative.

Regarding the claim that the SDA church is God's lastday, true church or the "remnant church", and the view that this doctrine is supported by Rev 12:17, and Rev 19:10, it should be noted that the Revelator John used the Greek word entole for commandment. John always uses the Greek word nomos for "Law" when referring to the Old Sinai Covenant law. When John uses the word "commandment" (entole), it never refers to the Old Sinai covenant law, but usually refers to the new covenant law of love. (John 14:21,15:10,12,17, 1 John 3:23,24, 4:21, 5:2-3, 2 John 1:4-5,Rev 12:17, Rev 14:12). The Testimony of Jesus could not be

the writings of Sis. White as the church would like us to believe, but according to Scripture is the fearless proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as guided by the Holy Spirit. Rev 1:2 says "..who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus .. (See also Rev. 1:19, Rev. 6:9, Rev. 20:4)

The National Sunday Law doctrine of the SDA church is a myth and has no biblical foundation. The SDA church would want us to believe that the writings of Sis. White are inspired, and an authoritative source of "truth". The last canonical Scripture by which all faith and doctrines should be tested was written by John the Revelator about AD 90-95 , while he was on the Isle of Patmos. His last caution to us is "If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, Rev. 22:18-20. My beloved brothers and sisters, we need to stop propagating the Advent message (part of the Gospel mixed with Sis. White teachings), and instead spread the good news of salvation (Gospel), "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..", Matt. 28:18-20. Jesus also said "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nation, and then the end will come" Matt 24:14. "Watch out that no one deceives you… many false prophets will appear and deceive many" Matt. 24:5,11.

The church leadership frequently uses her writing to control the minds of the brethren. We would often say "Sis. White says or the Servant of Lord says". This normally settles the matter. We often say that the day will come when according to Sis. White "Many bright lights in the church would go out". Many will reject the "truth" and will leave the ship. But brothers and sisters, what is the "truth" ?. What is the ship of Zion? The ship of Zion is God's church, the body of Christ; Men, women, boys and girls from all nations, kindred, tongue and people who have accepted by faith the shed blood of Jesus Christ as pardon for their sins and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in their lives are living according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

If you or anyone else who might have read this letter are honest to God and need clarification or additional information, please do not hesitate to call me either directly or collect at the telephone number indicated above.

In conclusion, I respectfully request that my name be removed from the membership list of the Hellshire Seventh-day Adventist Church, for I feel it would not be fitting for me to remain a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church if I no longer hold to some of its most fundamental doctrine which is a requirement for membership.

My understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ now has brought me great joy and peace, which I have never had before. It has brought me into a closer walk with Christ.

I apologize for any pain or disappointment I may have caused you or other members of the church, but I believe I must follow the Lord's leading on this matter.

In light of my new position, kindly remove my name from the roster as speaker for Prayer Meeting, Wednesday November 22 and Divine Service, Saturday December 30, 2000.

I must say thanks to members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and in particular, The Hope SDA, The Braeton SDA, and the Hellshire SDA who have allowed me to serve in various capacities over the past 18 years, including Sabbath School Teacher, Assistant Youth Leader, Director of the Pathfinder Youth Club, Secretary and Director of Evangelism, Deacon and Elder.

Brothers and Sisters let us love the Lord thy God with all our heart and love our neighbors as ourselves.

 

Look forward for your reply.

Bro. Thomas Thompson II

 

 

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