Here is an interesting video message, about an hour in length, at Spring Council in April of this year by Mark Finley that we watched and listened to attentively in church this morning regarding "every wind of doctrine" that I challenge everybody to view:

The issue is a lot more complicated than how Mark Finley presents it. First, no SDA lives in a vacuum bereft of challenging ideas in this modern world of readily available and propositional multimedia. Unless the denomination wants to turn itself into a WACO-like cult holed up in some mountain range far away, or to foster a culture of serious mind-control, it has to accept that its membership is a body of free moral agents.

Secondly, His argument is patently hypocritical too. Weren't SDA, in their early years, a movement of strange ideas based, as they liked to claim, on the Bible? Therefore, shouldn't they be grateful for open-mindedness, for the gracious listening ear of those who refused to be cowed into conformity to the previous orthodoxy? The very courtesy they wish of others, shouldn't they extend to those who hold different points of view?
 
[*]The message of the first Christian evangelists had little to do with how SDA have redefined the GOSPEL. That first message was a personal testimony of having walked and talked with, and learned of, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God and Saviour of the World, who died, rose again, ascended on high, and will return for all those who would believe in Him as such. It's the simple idea that the beautiful, humble character of Christ should be reflected in "new creatures" through baptism as a sign of their return to God.

Acts 2:38-39 says, "Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
 
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[*]"Every wind of doctrine", therefore, are theological arguments layered on top of that Cornerstone of Christ which draw people away into divisions of denominational beliefs:

1. Who is the Beast?
2. Is the Trinity true?
3. Which day is holy?
4. Is Ellen White or Joseph Smith the last prophet?
5. How do you interpret the seven churches?
6. Is Mary a saint in heaven already?
7. etc., etc., etc. ...
 
[*]The ticket to heaven is NOT a notarized certificate of church attendance, nor is it a diploma of competence in prophetic understanding. Jesus said, "I am THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life. No one comes to THE Father except through Me." Phil. 2:9-11 says, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Beyond that, the priceless theological heritage that is ours in the Bible makes for VERY interesting and lively discussions. May it be that we can allow ourselves and others the liberty of conscience that God has granted us; but in believing in Him, we find ourselves on the Last Day in heaven -- in light forevermore where all questions will find their final answer. "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."

1 Corinthians 13

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Is this the same "James Peterson" who just tore into JAK for expressing his view on the "Bible Questions & Answers / Facts That We Can All Agree With" discussion? Just wondering, because you didn't cut him much room there...