101 Responses to The Samoan Sabbath Dilemma

  1. Laodi Cean says:

    This seems that it is serious dilemma in our church. Some thought the answer is simple. Some thought that it should not be simplified. If music genre and bible versions already divided many of Adventist churches, how much more this would be.
    I think issues here are
    1. Identity of Samoan church with the community in terms of the day of worship
    2. extent of the influence of governments shifting the days especially those that are in the IDL in our sabbath keeping
    3. Adventist Pioneers sabbath day legacy when they started the church in Samoa
    4. Historical changes in the IDL in that region
    5. Continuity of the 7-day cycle and whether God endowed holiness on the physical minutes of the sabbath day based on the original sabbath cycle on eden or it is endowed based on the human knowledge of time.
    (i.e. we keep the sabbath not at the same time around the world, but when God rested and blessed that first sabbath during the first Friday sunset in eden, most likely opposite region of earth where the Samoa is still in early morning of Friday)
    6. Technicalities regarding division of day in IDL (GMT, original location of Eden)
    7. Validity/Acceptability of human sincerity when detailed explanation in the Scriptures are not explicitly stated
    in this kind of modern issue
    8. The authority of the local conference/union in their territory and the extent power of the worldwide body of believers to define rules for local members

    There are many other issues but i think these ones are among prominent.Though its much convenient to stay neutral in this issue, it seems that there is no way one can compromise or be neutral in this kind of issue.

    Some questions are needed arise in my mind when I heard this story:
    1. Is it possible that the church (local, conference or world church) may decide (whatever decision it is)about this issue today and later found out that what they have made a mistake in that decision and later change it? (Our church leadership and official postions even those that are proclaimed by the highest levels are not infallible, as we can see from our history).
    2. If the church leaders or individual are not infallible, must they be obeyed based on the divine Providence that appoint them in that position so that the unity and credibility of our church can be preserved? Or must we respect the freedom of conscience and risk a major division in our church in this issue? (Remember, if we are not careful to have a clearcut explanation in the official decision, opponents of our church can capitalize this issue as an example to prove our inconsistency regarding what we believe)
    3. What could be the advised from out late messenger/prophet Ellen G. White had she had been alive she been alive during these days? (Though often times she delivered messages that is cuts our conscience which most of us do not like, how would be well if someone like her can say to us “Thus saith the Lord to the believers in Samoa and to the Adventist church as a whole…)
    4. What if this scenario happened not only in Samoa but in the whole world when an international government association like UN or G20 decide to shift the day of the whole world based scientific fact (which obviously would be a fabrication of “scientific data”) or some economic reason? How would we stand?
    5. Can I flee to Samoa to avoid persecution when worldwide Sunday law happens and at the same time keep my sabbath with a clear consience?

    I admit that I do not know now what should be the correct position of our church in this issue. But what I believe is that God has the corrects answer for these problems and because He love us so much to the extent that He gave his life for us, he would not desire to leave us divided and confuse in this serious issue, especially if all we want is to follow His will. He may just want to show us that despite our century and a half long knowledge regarding the doctrine of Sabbath, we still have many things to learn and still needed to seek diligently again our Scriptures just like our pioneers before us. May God bless our church with the knowledge of God and presence of His spirit.

  2. Meredeth Robinson says:

    (Moderator, please add brevity to your rules. The comments are too long.)

    LEAP YEAR! United States and others observe leap year every 4 years. One whole day is added to the end of February every 4 years. Are United States citizens in violation of the Sabbath?

    Unfortunately, this has been made too difficult. Any country recognizing the Gregorian calendar should observe Saturday, the 7th day, as Sabbath.

  3. Andy © says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation.

    Thanks to all of you folks of the Seventh-day Adventist People,

    I truly value all of the above posts as an excellent example of a dialog with a focus upon the truth as reflected by the Ten Commandments of the Creator… That is, as represented also by the two cherubs on the throne of the Ark of the Covenant. Remember also Jesus’ words, along that same line, per Matthew 18:20!

    Please remember also that asking questions for the purpose of finding God’s answers is that which alone can bring us the blessings intended for each and all by our Creator! Contrariwise, questioning even the possibility of finding an ultimate answer is the one certain way of retaining all of our blindness, all of our errors, and all of their specific, and undesirable, consequences…

    To my mind, there are some very vital fundamentals still missing within the above dialog… No, I do not purport to have all the answers. No way! But perhaps a tiny ray, or two, from our loving Creator may find its way unto one or two, or more among us, by means of these frail words of mine?…

    God asked Moses to build Him a Tabernacle that could be moved from place to place. The Most Holy portion of that Tabernacle was to represent the throne of God Himself. That was the reference point! Over and above all, and regarding more things than one. However, I am convinced that the Tabernacle was to be forever a prime reference point for all things pertaining to God’s own reckoning of time upon this planet Earth. Without such a localized reference point there can be no sensible unity re the beginning of any lunar month reckoning. And without such a reference there can be no unity re the IDL… Or so I see it. Unfortunately, there is no definite and final proof available to most anyone among us, re the exact whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant. Personally I may find reason for believing that it is located in Axum, Eritrea, as suggested per the evidence brought forth in Graham Hancock’s book The Sign and the Seal, but there are a host of other authors suggesting other locations for it at other places most everywhere around our planet, let alone Jerusalem…

    I believe, as God’s People, we should unite in seeking and asking God to reveal to us whatever it be His will to reveal along these lines. Yes, even the true whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant itself…

    Re the possible whereabouts of the Garden of Eden: Please remember that there is no way of knowing how far, or in which direction, the ark of Noah traveled during the year of the Flood! The ark itself can be for us the only reference provided for us by God re His own reckoning of time for that period. But the exact resting place of the ark of Noah is not exactly proven, nor do we know as yet, its true longitudinal relationship to either Jerusalem or to the Ark of the Covenant…

    Yet, I do not believe we have a reason for panic or confusion re issues such as the above, re issues pertaining to the Sabbath of the Lord! Remember Revelation 14:12!

    It follows that we must all learn to respect one another, even in spite of all our differences of opinion! If one family chooses to submit to another power, to another god than their Creator alone… Well, so be it! Cf. the 1st Commandment! From the very beginning God, our Creator, has chosen to stand behind each our covenant that we may choose for ourselves, even when such a covenant is contrary to His own instructions and guidance for us, and even when it brings us to our own demise… Cf. Genesis 2:16-17!

    Yes, covenants, and our obedience to such covenants, seem to be a foremost priority of our loving God and Creator! Please, cf. the 7th Commandment! And most definitely it is of great importance for us to live up to the promises and commitments that we make in life, most especially those that do indeed have the blessings of God!

    Re making church decisions re Sabbath worship: Please, let’s make a point out of not trespassing, either as a church or as a society, upon the sacred boundaries being defined by each our family unit… Let’s be very careful not to reiterate the impossible situations created by the idiotic rules accumulated over the centuries by various religious and other powers upon this planet!

    When it comes to making rules, or blue laws, based upon each our own species of conviction or belief, e.g. Sunday laws, that may be used for enforcing upon others things that may be contrary to religious freedom… Please remember the importance of recognizing and of respecting the immunity of each and every family unit! Or isn’t it true that the nucleus of every cell in each our body is carrying the specific imprint of our Maker – and the specific imprint of the two that were created into the image of the Family of God? That is, the sign and the seal of God Himself… Remember Uzzah! 2 Sam 6:7.

    Think about it! Selah!

We welcome your comments. Before posting, please review our Comment Guide Lines

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Click the "Preview" button to preview your comment here.

Your subscription to this entry needs to be confirmed. Manage your subscriptions.