Darius, I assume you are already familiar with SDA church Bible study on the remnant church. Daniel and the Revelation carries the reader from Babylon (606 BC) to the second coming of Christ and the New Earth. Certain dates and time periods have been isolated, namely, 538-1798 (1260 years) and 457-1844 (2300 years). It is natural then for Bible students to ask - Who or what is the remnant of her seed? Rev 12:17. I agree with the well gorunded studies published the SDA chuch, which identify itself as the remnant church of Revelation 12-22.

This topic is wonderful, but the conversation is fabulous!

The topic: Whose are we?
The conversation: Who we are!

Does that mean: we do our own will; we advertise ourselves; we profess to know the truth; we give credit to ourselves; we speak of our achievements…?

Was Christ who he was because: he professed to know the truth; he spoke great words; he attracted great crowds; he did marvelous miracles; he died on the cross…?

Or was Christ who he was because: he came not to do his own will; he spoke not his own words; he sought not his own glory; he did nothing of himself; he was obedient unto death - revealing his father…because of whose he was?

So, whose are we? Self-identification or 'Whose' are we?

You will hear much talk of 'who we are' rather than 'whose we are'. So you also hear a lot about 'what we believe' rather than 'thus saith the Lord'.

What does that tell about 'whose we are'?

My Lord is the King of the Universe, all I have to do is follow.

Shalom

I am startled at the accuracy with which John's has summarized this discussion. For a long time I have been trying to find the words to express exactly those sentiments. I hope everyone takes the time to give John's post a careful read.

Mike wrote:

quote:

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It is natural then for Bible students to ask - Who or what is the remnant of her seed?

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Untrue. Only we have made this an issue. Everyone understands that it is more important to identify the bolt than to be worried about the remnant of the bolt. The remnant is what is left at the end of the bolt. If Christ had returned in Paul's time then the saints who were alive then would have been the remnant. We need to stop giving the impression that there will be two groups of people going to heaven: the remnant and all the rest.

At the end of time I understand by Scripture that there will be a group of people who are characterized by the twin distinctives of (1) Keeping God's commandments including the seventh-day Sabbath, and (2) having the testimony of Jesus active in their midst—the Spirit of prophecy. I know of precisely one religious body that fits these characteristics: the Seventh-day Advnetist Church headquartered in Silver Spring, MD, USA. Is there a question concerning this?

Do you realize how long EGW has been dead? The year 1915 is a long way away to use this as evidence of "active in their midst." The truth is that anyone who accepts the Bible has the Spirit of Prophecy active in his midst. What is the difference between 88 years and 2000 years. You are so focussed on self-identification that you do not realize the folly of attempting to restrict the operation of the Holy Spirit to a wonderful woman who died almost a century ago. Do you really believe the Spirit of Prophecy stopped working after EGW died?

Darius JDPhD,
You are placing a variety of ideas and words into my mouth. I reccommend you extract these and simply go with what I asked. Again then, is there some definite, particular question you have in mind in regard to the world church's biblical understanding that at the end of time, there will be a group of people characterized by the twin distinctives of (1) Keeping God's commandments including the seventh-day Sabbath, and (2) having the testimony of Jesus active in their midst—the Spirit of prophecy?

Darius, if the SDA church is not the remnant church of Rev 12-22, then who do you believe will fulfill the warning messages of Rev 14?

John, whose we are and who we are should be one and the same - Christ's and Christians.