The Ten Commandments in the News! Continuously Updated News Links International Religious Liberty Association  | | | • | The Ten Commandments Commission: Where do Seventh-day Adventists Stand? |
| | | • | Religious Liberty Speaker Availability in 2007 |
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| | | | • | May 2006 NARLA Washington, DC Event Planned - Sign up now! |
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Seventh-day Adventists have long championed the new covenant promise of God to write His law upon the human heart, and in the mind, so that we experience inner transformation of character and life. Jesus clearly taught that there was no conflict between faith and works, salvation and obedience. “If you love me,” Jesus said, “keep my commandments.” John 14:15. Jesus also taught that He did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it. Mt. 5:17.
For more than a century, many Protestant churches have taught that the law of God was “nailed to the cross,” and that Christians are under no obligation to obey God’s law. Seventh-day Adventists, by contrast, have always upheld the vitality of God’s law, and insisted that it remains the enduring standard of moral and spiritual conduct.
With recent public and legal controversies over the place of the Ten Commandments in public places, and on government property, the Christian community is rediscovering and placing new emphasis on the importance of God’s law for recovering the moral foundation of American life. Seventh-day Adventists encourage all who seek to honor God’s law, and to turn attention to the importance of obedience to God.
For this reason, Seventh-day Adventist religious liberty organizations, Liberty Magazine, the North American Religious Liberty Association, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church State Council, have joined together in urging the observance of Written In The Heart Sabbath on May 6, 2006, the day before the Ten Commandments Day promoted generally in Christian churches. More information about observing this day can be found at www.WrittenInTheHeart.org. We can support the work of the Ten Commandments Commission in urging Americans to honor the Ten Commandments, and to recover its value for their own lives.
The work of the Ten Commandments Commission also extends to political issues that the Seventh-day Adventist Church does not support. The Commission is protesting Supreme Court and lower court decisions regarding the display of the Commandments on government property. They see these legal battles over the Ten Commandments as part of a war between Christians and secularists over the moral heritage of the nation. Seventh-day Adventists cannot conscientiously join in this culture war.
Seventh-day Adventists understand spiritual warfare in spiritual terms. Paul writes: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12. Seventh-day Adventists understand that the only true path to moral reform is genuine spiritual revival. The state cannot change hearts, only God can. Moral reform must come from the inside, not because of symbolic public displays, or legal and legislative reforms. We do not join in the legal and cultural battles over the public display of the Ten Commandments, not because we are indifferent to the importance of God’s law, but precisely because we recognize its sacredness and importance.
We are convinced that the work of promoting the Ten Commandments belongs to the church, and not to the state, and further, that “we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us,” including promoting a proper respect for the Ten Commandments. Philippians 4:13.
We support the petition circulated by the Hope Channel, which states:
To the Ten Commandments Commission:
As fellow believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ, we want to encourage you in your work to uphold the Ten Commandments. We agree that our society has strayed far from God. People need to accept Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation. This will prove to be the only enduring solution for our world’s problems. Recognizing your purpose is to honor God’s eternal law, we encourage you to:
• Invite Christians to repent of their sins. As Christians live according to Bible principles we will have the integrity to change society.
• Call Christian leaders to NOT teach the Ten Commandments have been nailed to the cross. We find it difficult to lead the lost to Christ and honor the Ten Commandments while the church teaches God’s law was abolished.
• Call upon believers to be loyal to all ten of God’s commandments including the fourth. The seventh-day Sabbath was given to bless society and help mankind stay connected to their Maker.
• Commit to NOT urge the government to legislate the first four commandments that define how we are to worship God. True worship can never be forced by governmental decrees. God only accepts the service of love.
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| The Annual Religious Liberty Dinner and associated events will be taking place from May 4 through May 6, 2006 in Washington, DC. All events are free for NARLA members.
On May 4, 2006, James Standish, Alan Reinach, and Lincoln Steed will present seminars on religious liberty advocacy, and recent Constitutional events.
In the afternoon, advocacy teams will meet members of Congress and their staffs to promote the Workplace Religious Freedom Act.
On Thursday evening, NARLA members are invited to attend the Religious Liberty Banquet at the U.S. Senate Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building. Senator John McCain will present the keynote address. (Reservations Required!)
Friday, Congressional staff will conduct a tour of the United States capitol building, and the day will end with a seminar presented by Angel Rodriguez, Director of the General Conference Biblical Research Institute.
Sabbath, May 6, 2006, is "Written in the Heart" --- www.WrittenInTheHeart.org Day and will include a sermon by Clarence Hodges at the Capitol Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, a seminar on prophecy and current developments, and a panel discussion with John Graz, Nathaniel Higgs, G. Edward Reid, Alan J. Reinach, and will close with a program by Nicholas Miller.
We hope that you will be able to attend this event and put your passion for religious liberty into action!
| |  Senator McCain's Speech | |
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