First, I want to thank the staff of Compass magazine for allowing the publication of this series on this all-important topic. It is fair to say that not many opportunities of this nature, in a setting such as this, have been available to proponents of Last Generation Theology in recent decades within the church. The reasons why may be interesting
Objections and questions of many kinds have arisen through the years in the ongoing Adventist controversy over salvation, perfection, and the cluster of issues attendant to Last Generation Theology. A number of these objections we have addressed already in this series. What follows in the present article is an effort to consider and address other s
Like the issue of the atonement and its timing, the question of God’s vindication in the controversy with evil addresses the extent to which the accomplishment of the saving process as depicted in the inspired writings is unilateral or cooperative. The present article will address, from both Scripture and the writings of Ellen White, the central is
What if I Fail? “I write unto you, young men,” says the apostle, “because ye have overcome the wicked one.” There is a work of overcoming to be done, and it is given to the youth to experience the joys of the overcomer. Into the life of every believing child of God is to be brought the work of resisting evil. Take the promises of God, and claim the
As we noted in our last article, a popular claim among opponents of Last Generation Theology is that this doctrinal construct is based primarily on Ellen White rather than the Bible. By now it should be clear that while the writings of Ellen White strongly support this particular theology, substantial Biblical evidence in both Testaments lies at it
In the first article of our series, we quoted an Ellen White statement which contains an essential principle for understanding inspired writings. Describing inspired language, Ellen White declares: Different meanings are expressed by the same word; there is not one word for each distinct idea.[1] When studying the Bible doctrine of atonement, as ar
If God is Trinity and Jesus is the face of God, then it is indeed a benevolent universe. God is not someone to be afraid of, but is the very Ground of Being and is inherently, objectively, and concretely on our side. - Richard Rohr In the last few articles, we went on a tour through the doctrine of God, approaching it from the angle of postu
In our first article, we noted the following statement by the apostle Paul regarding the authority of all Scripture in spiritual matters: From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
Many don’t realize it, but the very first doctrine articulated in the New Testament is that of Christ’s human nature: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham (Matt. 1:1).[1] People often wonder why the writers of Scripture included those long lists of genealogies—the “begats,” as some call them. I believe on
What has come to be known as Last Generation Theology has joined spiritual gender authority, sexuality issues, the origin of life, the doctrine of inspiration, and other contemporary controversies to become a major flashpoint in the ongoing quest of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to articulate its message and mission to itself and to the world.
