Here's a thought: Where was the REJOICING when a practicing SINNER came to Jesus?

Oh Wait!! Sorry, ProdigalOne, I'm being negative again. You surely don't want THAT opinion.

ProdigalOne,
In light of what you just said, what would you say in regards to it's been 100 years now, a period of time Gates mentioned as being "soon"?

And regarding what APL said, although Gates did say he wasn't setting a date, (then proceeded to say maybe), when nothing happens this spring, what will others conclude about Adventists, about Gates?

My Apologies! I didn't realize I was addressing people who no longer sin! My bad.

Prodigal, you've likely seen my endorsement of Gate's overall message. But to answer your questions about why there was no urgency or alarm over the Church's sins of commission or omission but there is a strong reaction globally over a simple 1 hour and 20 minute message by a single unpaid minister, to me that's a good sign that God is speaking to us through him. It fits the Biblical pattern: God's messengers get the attention of God's people. True, false prophets sometimes get widespread attention as well. But Gate's message is the opposite of their peace and safety refrain.

I'm grateful to God for this gracious call to us. I'm cheered and invigorated by the message. Some here think this is fear mongering but the John the Beloved who wrote the most fearful prophecies in the Bible was the calmest and most hopeful. He closes the Revelation with the words, "Amen, even so, Maranatha, or come Lord Jesus". Those who are abiding in Christ will be full of loving anticipation at the thought that soon we'll be with Him, our Brother, Friend, and great God and King for ever.

It is true that we come to Jesus just as we are. It is also true that baptism is a sign of repentance. The sinner dies to her sin and is reborn as a child who seeks the Light. Yes, we should definitely rejoice when a practicing sinner comes to Jesus. But, baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. No one should be baptized who has not repented of sin. Baptizing an unrepentant sinner is claiming that there is no such thing as sin, and no need to die to it!

When the woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus, he said: “Go and sin no more”...

Please, forgive me if I am not always as patient as I should be. God is still working on me too.

Luke 6:41-42 King James Version (KJV)

41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

So, Jesus told her to do something that was impossible?

His followers are to be in the position of those who are listening for the orders of their Captain; they are to watch, wait, pray, and work, as they approach the time for the coming of the Lord; but no one will be able to predict just when that time will come; for "of that day and hour knoweth no man." You will not be able to say that He will come in one, two, or five years, neither are you to put off His coming by stating that it may not be for ten or twenty years. . . . We are not to know the definite time either for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or for the coming of Christ.--Review and Herald, March 22, 1892.

I plainly stated at the Jackson camp meeting to these fanatical parties that they were doing the work of the adversary of souls; they were in darkness. They claimed to have great light that probation would close in October, 1884. I there stated in public that the Lord had been pleased to show me that there would be no definite time in the message given of God since 1844.--2SM 73 (1885).

The Lord showed me that the message must go, and that it must not be hung on time; for time will never be a test again. I saw that some were getting a false excitement, arising from preaching time, that the third angel's message can stand on its own foundation, and that it needs not time to strengthen it, and that it will go with mighty power, and do its work, and will be cut short in righteousness. {1SM 188.3}

This is the testimony I have ever borne since the passing of the time in 1844: "Time after time will be set by different ones, and will pass by; and the influence of this time setting will tend to destroy the faith of God's people {1T 72}

"I saw some were making everything bend to this next fall; that is, making their calculations, and disposing of their property in reference to that time. I saw that this was wrong for this reason, instead of going to God daily, and earnestly desiring to know their present duty, they looked ahead, and made their calculations as though they knew that the work would end this fall, without inquiring their duty of God daily.{RH, March 22, 1892 par. 9}

Firstly, when considered on a 6000 year scale, 100 years is a drop in the bucket.
Secondly, didn’t Sister White say something to the effect that if the church had faithfully given the Midnight Cry, that Jesus would have already returned? That sounds “imminent” to me.

Do you believe that Jesus will delay His coming for another 100 years? Is it possible that He will come within the next year? 2 years? 5 years? How long should we wait, before we give the warning that His coming is “near, even at the door”? Is it possible that, as with the Midnight Cry spoken of by Sister White, God is waiting for us to step out in faith?

As for what others will think about Adventists if nothing happens this spring, the message of David Gates is not for others.

If we truly desire to attract non-Christians and those in other folds to the Adventist message, then we would be well advised to start living that message

You seem to presume to know her motives and condition of her heart. How do YOU know she WAS NOT repentant? The "inward change" is not an immediate and complete change in behavior etc. but a change in the focus of ones life. When you were baptized did you suddenly stop sinning? Be careful because I know the answer to that one:Why do you beg for forgiveness but deny it to the lesbian? Is God not still working with the lesbian, too?

I don't know, ProdigalOne. How's that working out for YOU?

It's not the one's who are engaged in celebration style, or who have left the fundamental doctrines of the church and are preaching a "peace and safety" message who have expressed a warning against Gate's message.

It is men who ARE preaching the signs of a soon coming Savior, and who ARE urging us to prepare!

Why are they concerned? Because what Gates is doing to the prophecies is WEAKENING the foundations of Adventist prophetic understanding. Something that is very important to the three angel's message.

All those who take the foundational time prophecies and "reapply" them and change them to mean something different so they will fit a "new time line" are undermining the very foundation of the message, even if they do so in the name of preaching the three angel's message.

It's sort of like taking the foundational timbers out from under a house to build an upper room, thinking they are building something better, when in actuality they are destroying the building.



Yes, we need to put away sins -- our pride, selfishness, etc. etc. The church needs to be a place where true Christian edifying love is displayed, all that is VERY important, but it's not done by undermining the prophetic foundation of the message.

I truly wish David Gates had not gone against EGW's counsel and based his message on "time setting". It was this that destroyed his credibility before. Why do it again? It would be much better to simply stick with the MESSAGE which we are told is powerful enough without trying to link it to time. Linking it to time WEAKENS it in the long run.

If Christ could have returned in the late 1800's, then setting the time of the Pope's visit as meaningful is obscuring the truth. Now is the time to know the Lord.
Could you die tonight? Why worry about the future times, now is the time.
Really? Will "others" want to join a fanatical cult?
Is the close of probation April 2019 part of the Adventist message? Nope.