I mentioned polygamy because you have a theory that the last 6 commandments people know from birth, and can't ignorantly break them, but polygamy is an obvious case where this is not true.



If there were, and God were winking at them, then we wouldn't know, right? So you're asking a question that's impossible to answer.



People get offended at just about anything, even at people who are not doing anything wrong.

Regarding misrepresenting Jesus, if we do not understand God's character, then isn't it inevitable that we will misrepresent Him? At least, whenever we open our mouth and speak about Him?

If truth is progressive, if God reveals truth as mankind can bear it, shouldn't we expect the standard to rise, wouldn't God expect more of us as we draw nearer to the end of probation?

TE: I mentioned polygamy because you have a theory that the last 6 commandments people know from birth, and can't ignorantly break them, but polygamy is an obvious case where this is not true.

MM: Tom, which one of the last six commandments forbids polygamy? The seventh commandment simply forbids having sexual relations with someone you're not married to. It doesn't specifically forbid having more than one spouse. Sister White cited God's "will" and "order" for marriage by pointing out the fact God gave Adam one wife. She doesn't point out that it violates the seventh commandment.


Since polygamy was such a grievous sin and caused so much filial unrest and unhappiness, why didn't God address it, why didn't He specifically forbid it? Why didn't the Holy Spirit reveal it to them? Is it because God was willing, for a time, to "wink" at it?

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TE: "Are there any unknown sinful practices that God is willing, for a time, to 'wink' at nowadays?" If there were, and God were winking at them, then we wouldn't know, right? So you're asking a question that's impossible to answer.

MM: So, what are you suggesting? Are you saying it is possible that God is "winking" at certain sinful behaviors which offend people around us, which misrepresent Jesus, which cause people to despise the Gospel, that He is willing to allow us to go on in ignorance until He feels the time is right to reveal it to us, until the Holy Spirit can safely reveal it to us without blowing us away or causing us to lose faith?

If so, can you name any such sinful behaviors, which are obvious to people around us, but unknown to ourselves? Please understand I am talking about sinful behaviors that are unknown to us but known to others, sinful behaviors that are unknown to us because the Holy Spirit has not yet been given permission to reveal them to us. Do you know of any sinful behaviors that still fall into this category?

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TE: People get offended at just about anything, even at people who are not doing anything wrong.

MM: True. But I'm not sure how this insight is helpful. Why are you pointing this out?

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TE: Regarding misrepresenting Jesus, if we do not understand God's character, then isn't it inevitable that we will misrepresent Him? At least, whenever we open our mouth and speak about Him?

MM: "It is impossible for finite minds fully to comprehend the character or the works of the Infinite One." (SC 105) It stands to reason, therefore, we cannot, in this lifetime, fully understand God's character or kingdom. Based on what you posted above, that is, if we do not understand God's character we cannot help misrepresenting Him, is offending people inevitable, something we cannot help doing?

On the level of semantics, id say that Truth is, but our understanding of it is progressive. Other than that I do agree with what you say above. However, I retain the reservation that not everything that is pushed as truth acctually is truth.

Thomas, do you have any examples in mind, things the SDA church "push" which is not "actually" truth? Such a thing, as you know, is strictly forbidden by God on pain of plagues and death in the lake of fire.

Deuteronomy
4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Revelation
22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

No specific examples right now, no.

You're not a politician-in-training (pit) are you?

The one about honoring your mother and father.



Oh, you knew which one it was! You're right, it's this one.



Even just looking at someone with an impure thought breaks the commandment, regardless of whether you are married or not.



Well, since I just pointed out that if there were any sins that God was winking at, that we wouldn't know what they were, I could hardly point them out, could I?



Because you asked if God would permit people to do things which would offend others.



Here's the question again. People get offended at anything, so no, it's not possible that we can prevent offending people.

Regarding knowing the character of God, what I'm thinking of specifically is not knowing something about God's character, but "knowing" the reverse of what's true regarding God's character.

Her quote is addressing things we don't know. Of course, we cannot speak of that which we don't know. I wasn't addressing this, but rather saying things about God which aren't true.

Do such impure looks constitute polygamy? Where in the Bible or the SOP does it say polygamy violates the seventh commandment?


I’m not asking if you could point them out in yourself. Instead, I’m asking you to name any sinful behaviors that still fall into this category today. Are you suggesting polygamy is an example of a sinful behavior God still “winks” at today?

Keep in mind, my friend, I’m not talking about people who have never studied with a Bible worker. I’m referring specifically to people who have been properly prepared for baptism, who have experienced the miracle of rebirth, who are SDA members in good and regular standing, who are abiding in Jesus, who are walking in the Spirit and mind of the new man.


Are you saying God permits people to do things that are not wrong, things which also happen to offend people, which cause them to despise the Gospel? Do you mean something like God permitting a born again believer to obey the law? If so, it doesn’t make sense to me, because God commands us to obey the law. He doesn’t permit us to obey the law.


So, there are at least two ways the people described above can misrepresent God’s character and kingdom:1) By believing something untrue about God, and 2) By not knowing everything they can know or need to know about God? And, these things cause people to despise the Gospel. Here’s my question – Why is the Holy Spirit waiting to reveal it to them? Is the truth about God so overwhelming it would cause them to apostatize?

Why? Do you think I would make a good politician?