How would we approach people whom the scriptures mean nothing to? If that common ground simply isn't there, then what?

The Apostle Paul encountered people in the Athens marketplace. Among them were certain philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoics – people who did not share the common ground of the scriptures with Paul. Ellen White wrote that Paul was "…able to meet all classes with convincing arguments in support of the doctrines he taught. Thus the apostle stood undaunted, meeting his opposers on their own ground, matching logic with logic, philosophy with philosophy, eloquence with eloquence." (AA 235) 

How did Paul do this? There must something even more fundamental than the scriptures by which we can determine if an idea or statement is true. In this study, we look at what this foundational, fundamental standard is, and show that this standard was the foundation, not only that was use by Paul, but that the SDA pioneers also used to make sound arguments in the doctrines they taught, and it is the foundation we must use as well.

 For more study on this, please see our playlist: “Experience Not Reliable – 3T 67,” https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw8ykUZG-bwexJTiTOQ-S5ON_V1zt1-hy&si=RBaXT8lv2tPGl68Q

"Materialism: Our Forgotten Foundation," https://www.bdsda.com/materialism-our-forgotten-foundation-2/

Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission -

Week 10, "Mission to the Unreached: Part 1"

 A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson.

 www.bdsda.com 

 

 

 

 

This week’s Sabbath School Lesson looks at examples of God reaching powerful people, such as Nebuchadnezzar, Naaman, and Nicodemus. In our study, we look at Naaman's request to take two mule-loads of dirt from the land of Israel back to Syria with him so he could worship YHWH instead of the other gods. This might seem a little strange to us today. But why was he thinking this? The lesson rightly points out that Naaman associated the God of Israel with the land of Israel. But actually, the idea involved here is quite a bit broader than that. It isn't just that God is connected with the land of Israel by some particular means; it is that each land is connected with a different deity. Israel was the land of Yahweh, while Syria was the land of Rimmon, which is another name for the deity Hadad, more commonly known as Baal. Naaman knew that when he went back to Syria, he was going back into Rimmon's territory and would be required to go to his temple, as he actually mentions right after requesting to take Israelite dirt to Syria (see 2 Kings 5:18). The idea that different territories are associated with different gods isn't just an idea Naaman had; it's actually a scriptural idea. We covered this in a recent study called "Are There Many gods Ruling Various Nations?" linked below, and we saw that God inheriting all of the nations is connected to the judgment which began in 1844, in the study entitled, “The Pre Advent Kingdom of Refugees and Immigrants,” also linked below. 

In this study we will see that this pre-advent judgment and pre-advent kingdom are also connected to the overthrow of the wicked gods, and that this kingdom of God wins citizens by the gospel. We will see in terms of practical reality that the way we can hasten the return of Christ is by sharing the gospel for the purpose of growing the kingdom. This is how the kingdom of the wicked gods will be overthrown, and Christ will reign forever and ever.

 For more study on this, please see: "Are There Many gods Ruling Various Nations?" https://youtu.be/LSbEUgwnyjY?si=L2J1XGdElMcxJjrJ

  "The Pre-Advent Kingdom of Refugees and Immigrants," https://youtu.be/52bgzFm5J8E?si=fymnkRi9QXqvjAcP

 

Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission - Week 9, " Mission to the Powerful"

 A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. 

www.bdsda.com Our podcast link, "Sabbath School with Branch Davidians," 

 

 

 

 

The Sabbath School lesson discusses the topic of refugees and immigrants that have been displaced by war, natural disasters, or the hope of a better future. In our study today, we look into what Micah has to say about a kingdom that is coming on the earth that people will flow into rather than be displaced from because of war or famine or lack of hope. And as we'll see, this kingdom will be established before the second coming of Christ. 

For further study, see: 

"The Stone," by Ben Roden, https://www.bdsda.com/the-stone/?highlight=kingdom

Sabbath School Q4 2023: "Mission to the Needy" - Week 8

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. 

www.bdsda.com 

Email us at [email protected] for comments and literature requests. 

 

How are we saved from eternal death? Jesus said it was by loving your neighbor as yourself. Paul said the same thing. But often, people think the main thing we need to do to inherit eternal life is to accept as truth that Jesus came to die for us, and that by merely accepting this as truth, we thereby receive Jesus' righteousness vicariously, without needing to make His righteousness our own in our daily actions, and then the whole necessity of putting others first becomes easily lost sight of. With this means of salvation in view, we might tend to think of loving others as something that is generally good to do, and something Jesus prefers, but not necessary for inheriting eternal life, not a "salvation" issue, if you will. But the whole purpose of the judgment is to evaluate our lives to see if we will be good neighbors in heaven and the new earth, or not.

In this study, we look at the imperativeness of practical righteousness, and the the inevitable result of selfishness, even of one being.

For further study, see: Jeremiah Against Orthodoxy (Ancient and Modern), https://www.bdsda.com/2023/01/24/jeremiah-against-orthodoxy-ancient-and-modern/ 

Sabbath School Q4 2023: "God's Mission, My Mission" - Week 7 

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. 

www.bdsda.com 

Email us at [email protected] for comments and literature requests. 

 

In Acts chapter 2, we see that Peter was speaking to a Jewish audience that had come from far and wide to celebrate Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks. Peter confronted their incorrect beliefs and offered new explanations for what people were seeing and experiencing.

These incorrect beliefs being confronted were the incorrect beliefs of God's denominated people at the time. And these corrections were not coming from the established religious leaders.

It's easy to read Acts 2 and imagine that we would have been the ones accepting these corrections and getting baptized into these new beliefs, but before we jump to that conclusion, let's examine ourselves for a moment. How do we handle new teachings that go against long held beliefs? And do we honestly investigate teachings that do not come from the established religious leaders in the SDA church, God's denominated people of today? Are we like the 3000 who honestly considered Peter's teachings? Or are we like the majority of the Jews, God's denominated people of that day, who rejected these new and strange teachings on the basis that they did not come from the established leadership, or went against long held ideas, or both?

Today we will look into what Ellen White had to say about how to handle what seem to be new and strange teachings that come about in the church.

For more studies on this, please see: "The King of Crises in the Seventh-day Adventist Church," by Trent Wilde, https://www.bdsda.com/the-king-of-crises-in-the-seventh-day-adventist-church-2/

Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission - Week 6, "Motivation and Preparation for Mission"

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. 

 

In this study, we going to look at the worldview mentioned by the Quarterly, or at least the part of the worldview that suggests various gods rule over various lands and their inhabitants. Is this idea only a traditional pagan worldview, or was it a view also held by the ancient Israelites, and particularly, the writers of scripture? To find this out, and to bring out the main point for this study, we look at some passages that show that the authors of Scripture used two terms translated "God" and "gods" to mean something different from what we often mean by "God" today. Our main point is that it's important to understand scripture according to its own use of terms rather than reading it through the lens of our own definitions. When we read Scripture through the lens of modern definitions, there can often be a clashes, and this can cause a lot of confusion. To avoid this, it helps to understand each author's actual message, which we hope you will all agree is important to do.

For more studies on this, please see:

 "Who are the 'sons of God' in Genesis 6?" https://youtu.be/BbizxkcTAaE?si=d_Ee3K8t1NjCtFlw

 Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission - Week 5, "Excuses to Avoid Missions"

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson.

Today we focus on something the lesson mentions, and that is what is said in Amos 3:7, which reads, "Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7 (WEB)

From this key text, we not only learn that the role of prophets is to reveal the secret things of God, but also that the Lord won't carry out his plans unless he lets his servants, the prophets, know about it first.

Also, notice how this arrangement of God revealing His secret to His prophets in connection with His deeds is spoken of as simply being how God operates. And this isn't the only passage that conveys that idea. 

Many Christians have a jaded opinion about prophets in the last days, or as SDAs, a jaded opinion about there being more prophets after Ellen's passing. But why would we even have these jaded positions? Does Scripture give us any reason for being cynical about there being end time prophets?

For more studies on this, please see:

"The 'Every Wind of Doctrine' Problem," https://youtu.be/S2unTxZhuzE?si=NdBlVypoTUldlVym

 "The King of Crises in the Seventh-day Adventist Church," by Trent Wilde,

https://www.bdsda.com/the-king-of-crises-in-the-seventh-day-adventist-church-2/?highlight=king%20of%20crises

Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission - Week 4, " Sharing God's Mission"

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. 

www.bdsda.com Our podcast link, "Sabbath School with Branch Davidians," 

https://branchsabbathschool.libsyn.com

 

 

 

How exactly Jesus is the solution to the sin problem?

Some think Jesus solves the sin problem by changing the way God looks at the sinner, while leaving the sinner still committing sin in their hearts and lives. But if sinners still sin, is that really a solution to the sin problem? No. When you think about it (and you can even see it with your own eyes today), living in a society where sin still abounds, harbored in our own hearts, but is considered understandable and "atoned for" while not eliminated in reality, doesn't make for a great society. If allowed to continue, it simply would eventually end in death for all. In other words, how is life in heaven going to be any different than life in the world today if we have not overcome every temptation to sin?

And if we are inclined to think that in heaven or in the new earth sin will not abound on the basis that we will be with Jesus, consider that Satan and some of the angels chose to sin in that environment.

Join us as we look at what scripture tells us is the only true and logical solution to the sin problem.

For deeper study, please see our study: "Are We Judged By Our Works If We Are Saved By Grace?" https://youtu.be/vrmSURoGrXg?si=caCr91s_YRHEH7ip "The Only Way to Life," by Trent Wilde, https://www.bdsda.com/the-only-way-to-life/?highlight=the%20only%20way%20to%20life   Christian Experience and Teaching, Ellen White, p. 102.2 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/11.484?hl=my+blood&ss=eyJ0b3RhbCI6NDU0NSwicGFyYW1zIjp7InF1ZXJ5IjoibXkgYmxvb2QiLCJ0eXBlIjoiYmFzaWMiLCJsYW5nIjoiZW4iLCJsaW1pdCI6MjB9LCJpbmRleCI6MTJ9#496   Ellen White's teaching on Ezekiel 9 in Great Controversy, p. 656.2, https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/133.2954?hl=slaughter+weapons&ss=eyJ0b3RhbCI6MTQ0LCJwYXJhbXMiOnsicXVlcnkiOiJzbGF1Z2h0ZXIgd2VhcG9ucyIsInR5cGUiOiJiYXNpYyIsImxhbmciOiJlbiIsImxpbWl0IjoyMH0sImluZGV4IjozfQ%3D%3D#2972

 

Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission - Week 3, " God's Call to Mission."

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson.

www.bdsda.com

 

 

 

How is the concept of judgment linked to the “everlasting gospel” in the first angel’s message? Why must the gospel be central to the idea of judgment?

 Some might say that the gospel is central to the idea of judgment because it is thought that acceptance of the gospel equals salvation from judgment, and if we don't have to be judged, there is nothing to fear about the judgment.

 Another thing people might say concerning the gospel and its relation to the judgment is that the gospel makes it so that believers won't have to be judged by what they actually do.

However, scripture is clear that all of us, including believers, are judged by our works, and each will receive according to what they have done, whether good or bad. Many passages say this. To name a few, there's Romans 2:6; Matthew 16:27, James 2:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:10.

 In this study, we look at this problem: on one hand, it is commonly thought that the gospel of being saved by grace makes it so that whether we go to heaven or not isn't determined by our works. On the other hand, Scripture plainly tells us that we are judged by our works, whether good or bad. These two ideas just don't jive.

 For deeper study, please see our study:

“The Real Meaning of Jesus' Substitutionary Death,” https://youtu.be/rQQaPMOMyTY?feature=shared

“The Truth of Sacrifice” - Oct. 1, 2015 - Trent Wilde (FOT'15 S3), https://youtu.be/0YOcg3kd74Q?feature=shared

Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission - Week 2, "God's Mission to Us, Part 2"

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. 

www.bdsda.com

 

 

 

In this study, we focus on what scripture has to say about God's nature, and by "nature" we mean the essential qualities of God that make Him what He is. In other words, our focus in this study isn't on God's actions or His character but on his *being.*

Now some might think it is unnecessary to know what God is, and some might think it is off limits to even study the topic, and some might think is just unknowable. If our intention were to search into the *mysteries* of God, then these objections would certainly be legitimate. But our goal here isn't to explain God or to invent means of answering questions we might have about the hidden aspects of His nature. Instead, our goal is simply to make sure we understand what God *has revealed* about Himself. To neglect His own explanations about Himself would be just as bad as inventing our own. Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us that the hidden things are for God, but what is revealed is for us and our children forever. So this is our question: What has God *revealed* about His nature? 

The SDA pioneers considered knowledge of what God is to be supremely important and, interestingly, they encountered the objections we just mentioned and they answered them similarly to how we just did. And, as we'll see in a moment, early SDAs did have a view regarding what God is. In fact, their view is something Ellen White referred to as a pillar of our faith, and she said it is "everything to us as a people" (Lt300-1903). For deeper study, please see our series:

The Personality of God: An SDA Pillar https://youtu.be/CJSYUSfohsQ?feature=shared See also: “Materialism, Our Forgotten Foundation,” http://www.bdsda.com/materialism-our-forgotten-foundation-2/

Sabbath School Q4 2023: God's Mission, My Mission - Week 1, "God's Mission to Us, Part 1"

A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. 

www.bdsda.com