Diana's Story: Blessed Assurance

Greater spiritual hunger has grown in my heart this past year than in the previous 40 put together. It all started one day, from a simple conversation with a stranger: “Let me ask you a question”, he said. “Why don’t Adventist’s drink coffee?” We were discussing the similarities between Adventism and Mormonism. As an Adventist, I was attempting to maximize the differences! 

I proceeded to tell him that while I did, indeed, have the occasional mocha, I chose to avoid caffeine based on the biblical principle that our bodies are the temples of God. “Did you know,” He asked, “that Mormonism has a ‘health message’ parallel to that in your church? Because Joseph Smith warned against the dangers of coffee drinking before science suggested it, his followers concluded that his foreknowledge was proof of his veracity as a prophet.”

The entire universe seemed to shift. I had embraced the same reasoning used to affirm Ellen White’s prophetic credentials by my family, schools and church. I took for granted that her proclamations mirrored scripture in addition to containing “special knowledge”. In fact, she had become the interpreter of scripture in my environment. Her interpretations became our understandings.

Odd what an unlikely thing God used to launch my quest for truth. He had to catch my attention. I loved my church, was raised in a good home and had many reasons to continue in my comfortable life. My father was an SDA minister. My education from kindergarten through college was in fine Adventist schools. It was my comfort zone; a culture in which my family was known and respected. While I clearly saw areas of administrative mismanagement I believed they could be corrected. Never before had I seriously questioned the core of Adventist belief. So, it was with discomfort that I made the decision to take a hard look at the objections leveled at Adventism. Without this intellectually honest investigation, I knew I could never be content.

I prayed and studied my way thru the Bible. I was humbled and grieved.  But finally those emotions gave way to joy and peace. The Holy Spirit brought such clarity! The Bible made sense like never before. It was simpler than I had previously thought. It meant what it said. I repented of my arrogance in cherishing my supposed elect status as an Adventist. I had sincerely believed that those in Sunday churches were not Bible students, otherwise they would believe in the Sabbath. Contrary to my belief, however, their conclusions were based solidly on scripture. Many of my previously held beliefs had to give way in order to conform to the word of God.

Jesus is the fulfillment of ALL of the laws. The old covenant is a shadow pointing to the new. It was put in place UNTIL Jesus, the Seed, came. Jesus IS my Sabbath rest from my own works toward salvation.

This past week I had Lasik eye surgery. Prior to surgery my vision was 20/2000. Now it is 20/20. What a great metaphor for what I’ve experienced in my walk with God through this experience of honest searching. His truth has healed my spiritual sight.