Hello Thomas,


Because you are pressing this inquiry so hard in wishing to know what others would do in a situation you have brought to the forum, it would be fair for you to provide your own solution or explanation before pre-judging the anticipated actions of others.

If you have an inspired answer or explanation, please provide it. What would you advise the new believer? What would you do yourself?
Do you follow the Bible's advice? Please tell of your victories.




We are not to follow the lead of any man or woman. Only as Paul said, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" 1 Corinthians 11:1.

If we try to bring theory into practical living we will always fail. Only Christ living in us can overcome sin. When we 'at least try', we are doomed to failure. When we are changed, we will live the Bible code naturally, for it will be our new nature. We can be a new creation in Christ. Jesus said 'Ye must be born again.' All else is works of the flesh. I know of a long-time SDA who left off the third meal for over forty years. Only Christ living in us can overcome appetite.

Gordon

Of course, if there is a something in the Bible that can positively and helpfully address a certain problem/situation, well....use it, certainly.


This is a bit
but I'd like to share it anyway...


Here is a situation that happened last Friday evening. A friend of mine in his 40's experienced an acute asthma attack. He was pagan. His wish was to beseech the goddess for help....not God. Some there who were pagan did so for him. Some Christians there besought God's help for him. My friend died...neither God nor the goddess saved him. I do not know for sure, but I do believe he got more comfort out of hearing his friends calling on the goddess in whom he believed than in God, in Whom he did not.

I was not there in person. I do not know if I could've called upon the goddess for him. I DO know that I would have lit the appropriate candles and other things that would have comforted my friend. I think my prayer would have been to God requesting His gracious mercy to a good person.

charis,

What you shared reminded me of the story in the Bible of the prophet of God, Elijah, and the prophets of Baal.

In this case, the prophets of Baal didn't receive any response, whereas God responded immediately to His prophet, Elijah.

Pressing, it seems, is the best way to get an answere beyond the party line. Sometimes Id think that a honest search for Truth includes a self assesment rather than just a biblestudy. As can maybe be seen here, it may not be quite that straightforward. But I agree with you, I ought to give my reply along with the others and maybe now is a good time to do so. I dont claim that my answer or explanation be inspired, merely what I think I would do in such a situation.
I would ask about the situation and likely not know for sure what to advice. I might ask what this persons consioussness said about it, and Id advice the person to follow it (based on "whatever not done in faith...". Are you purposefully missconstructing my point here or did it just happen by mistake? Let me try again. 'Now lets see if Gregory, Avalee and Daryl will grace this thread with comments of a more personal character. If we try to linger on theory we will always turn into an image of everything that was wrong with the pharisee party of Jesus day.
It is true that only Christ living in us can overcome sin. But that is a truth that for the purposes of replying to my post works as merely a red herring. The point I apparently failed to make is that adventists in general (at least the ones Ive meet, in RL and especially online) are much more prone to talk about theory or theology, but try and ask for an example from practical living and recieve poor or stumbling answeres before a hasty retreat to the familiar grounds of theory or theology is made. In fact, a person who through Christ is living and overcomming sin ought to have much to tell about practical life and his/her experiences of it. Why does this apply so sparingly among SDA?

And the guy who left of a third meal?

This is what I would do Thomas if I were you. Tell your friend that helping others is great, and a noble deed to say the least, and that when it comes to actually helping this person pray does not mean he has to pray with him, after all prayer is an individual thing.
If he has to help this man to go and sit on the mat, or something fine no big deal. If he has to actually pray to Alah, then no I would suggest not doing that.
It seems that the caregiver's duties involve taking care for the person, having to pray to a strange god is not in the job description.
Easy as pie.
God Bless,
Will

Thomas,
I also just noticed in your post that you mentioned that:

Sounds a bit bit nasty actually. You are implying that long-time sda's live in a theoretical environment upon which their faith is based, that's exactly what its saying.
Where's that all coming from?
God Bless,
Will

That is comming from asking This question, online at this forum and also at sabbath school (which I led so it was the topic for that day) and observing the responses. Do you care to prove me wrong?

I would tell the person to go and not stress about it.... that they can have peace of mind knowing that God understands.....

Bowing or kneeling with the person is one thing, but actually praying to a false god, if even on behalf of this person, is an entirely different matter.

so then as long as that was not done, no issue?