M: I assume you are aware of the SDA eschatological position on Rev 14:9-12 and the mark of the beast. Do you agree everyone who will be translated alive when Jesus arrives will have made the decision to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, and everyone who will be destroyed when Jesus arrives will have made the decision to reject it?

V: I am aware of this, and I agree, it makes little sense. For 2000 years it is: 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

But then, one of these days it will supposedly change into:

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized and keeps the right sabbath shall be saved; but he that believeth not and keeps the false sabbath shall be damned.

M: Tom, do you suspect there are individuals nowadays who have perfectly reproduced the character of Christ? If so, can they also simultaneously sin ignorantly? Can non-SDAs reproduce the character of Christ perfectly?

T: I think the quote is dealing with the body of Christ. I don't believe the body of Christ is doing so now.

One would think that if one reproduced the character of Christ perfectly, they would not sin ignorantly nor otherwise. But then there are some who believe they are fully perfect in the character of Christ who kill other people. Would they be sinning? Or is killing people, not sinning when it's done in their idea of a perfect character of Christ?

Do you feel the official SDA position is incorrect?

Also, do you believe people will be translated alive when Jesus arrives who never heard of Jesus and the Bible, or who never believed and got baptized, or who didn't learn how to live in harmony with everything Jesus commanded?

M: Tom, do you suspect there are individuals nowadays who have perfectly reproduced the character of Christ? If so, can they also simultaneously sin ignorantly? Can non-SDAs reproduce the character of Christ perfectly?

T: I think the quote is dealing with the body of Christ. I don't believe the body of Christ is doing so now.

M:I agree. But, moving beyond this point, I am also interested in your answers to the questions asked above. Would you mind?

I feel the official SDA position makes very little sense, based upon the available scripture evidence.

M: I assume you are aware of the SDA eschatological position on Rev 14:9-12 and the mark of the beast. Do you agree everyone who will be translated alive when Jesus arrives will have made the decision to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, and everyone who will be destroyed when Jesus arrives will have made the decision to reject it?

V: I am aware of this, and I agree, it makes little sense. For 2000 years it is: 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

But then, one of these days it will supposedly change into: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized and keeps the right sabbath shall be saved; but he that believeth not and keeps the false sabbath shall be damned.

M: Do you feel the official SDA position is incorrect? Also, do you believe people will be translated alive when Jesus arrives who never heard of Jesus and the Bible, or who never believed and got baptized, or who didn't learn

V: People to whom the gospel was never preached yes. People to whom the gospel was preached but who rejected it, no. People to whom a devilish excuse for the gospel was preached and who rejected it, possibly. I feel the official SDA position makes very little sense, based upon the available scripture evidence.

M: Tom, do you suspect there are individuals nowadays who have perfectly reproduced the character of Christ? If so, can they also simultaneously sin ignorantly? Can non-SDAs reproduce the character of Christ perfectly?

T: I think the quote is dealing with the body of Christ. I don't believe the body of Christ is doing so now.

M:I agree. But, moving beyond this point, I am also interested in your answers to the questions asked above. Would you mind?

T: I don't think it's something an individual does, but something the body of Christ does. I don't think any given single person can do this.

The aim of God's Word is to inspire hope, to lead us to fasten our hands to this Ladder and climb step by step heavenward, with ever-increasing vigor. It is the key to the sense in which we partake of the nature of God. We attain a likeness of character to God by the imparting of His own grace. In the measure of our limited powers we can be holy as He is holy and can reproduce the truth and love which exist in Him who is at the top of the ladder. As wax takes the counterpart of the seal, so the soul receives and retains the moral image of God. We become filled and transfigured by His brightness, as the cloud--dark in itself--when filled with the light is turned to stainless whiteness. {19MR 347.1}

"Verily, verily, I say unto you," Christ continued, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." The Saviour was deeply anxious for His disciples to understand for what purpose His divinity was united to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of God, that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was manifested in Him that He might be manifested in them. Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was. {DA 664.4}

Those who believe on Christ and obey His commandments are not under bondage to God's law; for to those who believe and obey, His law is not a law of bondage, but of liberty. Everyone who believes on Christ, everyone who relies on the keeping power of a risen Saviour that has suffered the penalty pronounced upon the transgressor, everyone who resists temptation and in the midst of evil copies the pattern given in the Christ life, will through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ become a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Everyone who by faith obeys God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. {HP 146.5}

So, it sounds like you disagree with the official SDA position regarding who will be translated alive when Jesus arrives. Seems to me, though, Jesus said He will return when the gospel goes to everyone everywhere. But your answer seems to suggest people will be translated alive who never heard of the gospel. Does the gospel include learning how to live in harmony with everything Jesus commanded? Or, does it exclude key doctrines like the law and Sabbath-keeping?

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Matthew
24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matthew
28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

Noting what Tom said about official SDA positions, it isnt as clear as you are suggesting what the official position is.

Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. {GC 588.1}

The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet's words: "The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:17. {GC 592.3}

Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that "all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond" (Revelation 13:16), shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death. On the other hand, the law of God enjoining the Creator's rest day demands obedience and threatens wrath against all who transgress its precepts. {GC 604.2}

With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whoever shall trample upon God's law to obey a human enactment receives the mark of the beast; he accepts the sign of allegiance to the power which he chooses to obey instead of God. The warning from heaven is: "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation." Revelation 14:9, 10. {GC 604.3}

But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected. There are many who have never had an opportunity to hear the special truths for this time. The obligation of the fourth commandment has never been set before them in its true light. He who reads every heart and tries every motive will leave none who desire a knowledge of the truth, to be deceived as to the issues of the controversy. The decree is not to be urged upon the people blindly. Everyone is to have sufficient light to make his decision intelligently. {GC 605.1}

The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God. {GC 605.2}

Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel's message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been--the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before. {GC 605.3}