An Awkward Relationship: Hebrew Roots, Adventists, and Stones

A perplexing challenge to the current position of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is the focus on the Decalogue, and tedious dance with the greater Law within which the Decalogue is nestled. From birth until now you encounter the dichotomy of saved by grace and the obedience to the Law, usually referring to the Decalogue, but not always. I’ve often found myself asking how a denomination can continually pursue the law with all the evidence laid out in Scripture. 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 is an enlightening place,

“Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

“Paul isn’t talking about the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) here Steven, he is referring to the ceremonial and civil aspects of the Law,” is the response that I generally will get when debating the Seventh-day Adventist position with the Decalogue.

Paul is in fact talking directly about the Ten Commandments (Decalogue). In the same chapter, 2 Corinthians 3, Paul earlier states in verses three and four that,

“You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.”

Paul juxtaposes the Decalogue, written on stone tablets with the human heart. Drawing Jewish readers even deeper into an understanding of the New Covenant given by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and again promised to Ezekiel, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26, NASB).”

The heart of Israel was the Decalogue and all other aspects of the Law flowed out from it. We often approach Ezekiel 36:26 with an eisegetical approach, meaning we place the meaning we want on the text rather than draw what is intended from the text. The heart of stone is not often seen as the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) by Seventh-day Adventists. It is often interpreted as the unrepentant and stubborn heart. Although this is half true, it is not the full meaning. The Law hardens the heart by revealing what it can never achieve. This is why Paul clearly lays out for us that the stone tablets, the Decalogue, is the heart of stone in Ezekiel. There is no life in the Decalogue. Keeping the tenants there in does not save you, it does not even make you a good person. It manages sin, but it does not at all deal with the problem.

That problem is that Sin has permeated every aspect of ourselves, down to the mitochondria and metaphysical world we exist in. Sin is not a behaviour, it is within our very DNA. This is the lesson taught by the Crucifixion, that those who perfectly kept the Law had hardened hearts, self-righteous motivations, that they murdered the very Messiah they were desperately seeking. Their pursuit of following the Law blinded them to the reality of God in their very presence, dwelling among them in flesh.

Yet you may still have your doubts. Do not fear, I have encountered the response many many times, but thankfully Paul, in the same chapter of 2 Corinthians, does not allow us any wiggle room,

“…God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was[d]with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. 12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away (2 Corinthians 3:5-13, NASB).”

The only Law engraved is the Decalogue, which was placed inside the Ark of the Covenant. Which brings us to the need for a deeper understanding of the Old Covenant versus the New Covenant.

Under the Old Covenant, encompassing the entirety of the Law, meaning the moral, ceremonial, and civil parts, God governed His people. There was a bridge of separation between them and Himself. A reminder of this chasm was set in place every year during Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. That chasm has been crossed by Christ on the cross.

How do we know?

Because Christ states over and over again, as well as the Apostles, that He dwells within in us. This is the intimacy pointed to in the promise of the New Covenant given to Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and the promise fulfilled given to us by Jesus in the gospels and through the Apostles in the Epistles of the New Testament.

Christ could not dwell within us, nor could the New Covenant be enacted if atonement was not made complete on the cross. This points to a deeper disconnect within Seventh-day Adventism.

According to the current Sanctuary doctrine, Christ is in a very literal sanctuary in heaven, ministering the New Covenant. This is stated over and over again by Ellen White. However the very same individuals, and current basis for the denomination, states that atonement was not completed at the cross. That atonement is completed in parts. The first part was at the cross, the second part in 1844, with Christ moving from the Holy Place to the Most Holy place. Another part of the atonement is the investigative judgement, and then finally atonement is made complete when Christ is believed to place his hands on the scapegoat, placing all responsibility of sin on the scapegoat, which is believed to represent Satan, and then Satan is destroyed. According to current Seventh-day Adventist dogma, the death of Satan completes atonement and not the death of Christ. This is entirely dualistic and heretical, also complicates Scripture.

If the current Seventh-day Adventist position is true, and atonement is not completed, nor the cleansing of the sanctuary from sin, then the implementation of the New Covenant has not taken place. If the New Covenant has not taken place, then Christ cannot be ministering on behalf of the New Covenant. Thus the cycle of belief nullifies itself, does it not?

The New Covenant is only possible if Christ completed atonement at the cross, thus creating a means of intimacy with God that we were meant for, and that sin created a chasm and kept us literally, compartmentalized away from God, only accessible by works of the Law.

Yet you still may have your doubts, this is natural. Paul states that there is a veil over our eyes whenever we read or focus on the Law of Moses, Paul here demonstrates an understanding that the law creates a paradigm for people.

“…nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified (Galatians 2:16, NASB).” We need to understand what justification means. Justification means the ability to be saved. Paul is telling us that we cannot achieve the ability to be saved by observing the law of God. The only way to be justified, to have the ability to be saved, is to have righteousness. Isaiah tells us that any righteousness we can achieve is comparable to used feminine hygiene products (Isiah 64:6). Paul carries this on by stating, “ I [Paul] do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose (Galatians 2:21, NASB).”

Paul then tells us that how we obtain righteousness is not through obedience to the law, but in fact through faith in believing in God, in the promises of the gospel.

“So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore,  be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer (Galatians 3:5-9, NASB).”

Here we see established that the gospel in fact supersedes the law, a sentiment that is expounded upon by Paul further in Galatians.

 “For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:18-26, NASB).” 

Here is where I and many others who have debated Hebrew roots members or Seventh-day Adventist doctrines will encounter the illogical fallicy, “so if God did away with the law, we are free to just kill and do whatever.” And the fallicy is presented in a few varying ways but along the same lines. It is illogical because would God want us to just go around killing people, stealing, lying, cheating, having affairs, and living in idolatry? No. But is it the law that keeps us from that or is it the Holy Spirit?

See? The law does not keep us from anything. The New Covenant promises that the Spirit of God dwells inside us, communing, ministering, and leading us, because of our faith. Christ demonstrates the limitations of the law with his sermon on the mount when he states, “it has been said…,” typically pointing to an aspect of the Decalogue. Then Christ goes on and adds, “…but I say, love your enemies,….”

For those who focus on the law, it is generally very evident the extent and intimacy that they have with God. Their relationship is often strict and rigid, full of discrepancies, and void of intimacy with others, among other signs in their personal and spiritual lives.

This argument goes deep and has plagued the Christian church since it’s foundations. What do we do with the liberty found in Christ? What does that look like in methodology and discipleship?

Often Seventh-day Adventists and those who belong to the Hebrew roots movement will point to the book of James. James is addressing the other spectrum of the body of Christ, those that claim Christ and Christianity as a title and their lives do not provide the evidence necessary to support the claim. James is addressing the goats Jesus confronts in the gospel of Matthew.

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (Matthew 25:41-46, NASB).”

The goats that Christ refers to as well as James are addressing, do not act upon the words of Christ because they do not see the need to act. They simply see the need to claim to belong by word only and not by action. Christ points out that they did nothing because the goats excuse their inaction because it was not the literal Christ.

Is that not a prevalent attitude today within Seventh-day Adventism and the greater Christian body. We only act when Christ is seen literally, when it is necessary. Evidence that it is not written on the heart, it is evidence that it is not natural, that the New Covenant does not reside within the heart of the claimed believer.

When we focus on the law, we limit ourselves. I believe there is a clear warning by Paul. Our eyes are self-focused and centered. The culture apparent in many Seventh-day Adventist church bodies, administrative bodies, and members, is due to the law focused, legalistic or lighter, self-righteous approach. Causing as to become judgmental and critical. We should not fall for the fallible argument that because following Christ resembles the law, then therefore the law is a path to following Christ. Christ supersedes and fulfills the law. The law, Decalogue, ceremonial, civil, or any other within Scripture (there isn’t any), points us directly back at the Messiah, Jesus and our deep need for rescue, redemption, and reconciliation.

My beliefs should be traced outside the law. For instance, Sabbath as an observable day of rest on the seventh day of the week. If I cannot get there outside the law, then sadly it is not applicable to me as a believer. Yet, if it is demonstrated to be important outside the law, then I as a believer should take note, and prayerfully consider the implications of adopting Sabbath into my discipleship journey and pathway, or any other belief.

There is nothing I can do to obtain righteousness or the ability to save myself from the chasm that sin has caused, no day observed, no meal abstained from, only belief and faith in Christ.

Here, sadly, are statements put forward by Ellen White that counter that directly counter Paul in 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and Romans. These statements also counter James, redefining ‘the perfect law,’ which James referred to Christ and Ellen White points to as the Decalogue (Ten Commandments).

"With His own finger God wrote His commandments on two tables of stone. These tables were not left in the keeping of men, but were placed in the ark; and in the great day when every case is decided, these tables, inscribed with the commandments, will be placed so that all the world will see and understand. The witness against them will be unanswerable."--Letter 30, 1900 (19MR 265). 

"The precious record of the law was placed in the ark of the testament and is still there, safely hidden from the human family. But in God's appointed time He will bring forth these tables of stone to be a testimony to all the world against the disregard of His commandments and against the idolatrous worship of a counterfeit Sabbath."--Ms 122, 1901 (1BC 1109).

"When God's temple in heaven is opened, what a triumphant time that will be for all who have been faithful and true! In the temple will be seen the ark of the testament in which were placed the two tables of stone, on which are written God's law. These tables of stone will be brought forth from their hiding place, and on them will be seen the ten commandments engraved by the finger of God. These tables of stone now lying in the ark of the testament will be a convincing testimony to the truth and binding claims of God's law."--Letter 47, 1902 (7BC 972). 

"The holy law of the ten commandments, written on tables of stone by the finger of God, and placed in the ark, is the standard of righteousness. Before the obedient and the disobedient it will appear in the last great day, and all the wicked will be convicted. They will see that their actions proceeded from a depraved character. They will see that the part they acted served to carry on the rebellion begun in the heavenly courts. They will see all the cruelty and all the wickedness that have dishonored their Creator and brought about the wretchedness that fills the world."--Ms 5, 1904 (13MR 381).

"The Holy Spirit traced these truths upon my heart and mind as indelibly as the law was traced by the finger of God, upon the tables of stone, which are now in the ark, to be brought forth in that great day when sentence will be pronounced against every evil, seducing science produced by the father of lies."--Letter 90, 1906 (CM 126). 

"There is a sanctuary, and in that sanctuary is the ark, and in the ark are the tables of stone, [on] which is written the law spoken from Sinai amidst scenes of awful grandeur. These tables of stone are in the heavens, and they will be brought forth in that day when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, and men shall be judged according to the things written in the books. They will be judged by the law written by the finger of God and given to Moses to be deposited in the ark. A record is kept of the deeds of all men, and according to his works will every man receive sentence, whether they be good or whether they be evil."--Ms 20, 1906 (20MR 68). 

"There are abundant evidences of the immutability of God's law. It was written with the finger of God, never to be obliterated, never to be destroyed. The tables of stone are hidden by God, to be produced in the great judgment-day, just as He wrote them."--RH March 26, 1908 (1BC 1109).

"When the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened, and every man shall be judged according to the things written in the books, then the tables of stone, hidden by God until that day, will be presented before the world as the standard of righteousness. Then men and women will see that the prerequisite of their salvation is obedience to the perfect law of God. None will find excuse for sin. By the righteous principles of that law, men will receive their sentence of life or of death."--RH January 28, 1909. (1BC 1109; from Ms 117, 1908.)