So I'm sitting in Sabbath School a while back and we're studying Romans 10. Now, I got there late because I ate breakfast late because I got out of the shower late because I finished with devotions late because I got up late because I went to bed early. I know that doesn't make sense, but it's true. So I don't know what all the discussion was about, but what I heard didn't really need much context, it was pretty transparent.

While I was there, the discussion was on witnessing to a particular group of people. The group in question would be those that don't believe in the inspiration of the Bible. The question was posed, "How do you show someone that the Bible is inspired?" Now this is a very relevant question - basic, but relevant. Then someone else, and I cannot for the life of me remember who this individual was, said something in response to that question that blew me away. They said, "We've convinced ourselves that the Bible is inspired."

Whoa! Stop right there. Not another word. Now, I could give this person the benefit of the doubt and assume that they didn't really mean to speak heresy. However, the fact that there was a room full of Seventh-day Adventists that sat there in silence, nodding their heads and inspecting their toes, without saying a word to the contrary, is something of a confirmation that, even if he didn't mean what he said, they didn't disagree. A statement like that is very disturbing and reveals a very ignorant condition inside the church. Actually, both do.

The answer to the first is pretty simple: "Why do you believe the Bible is inspired?" Your answer to that is what you share with the "non-believer". The anonymous comment is much more disturbing. I think it reveals a danger that faces most (if I can use that word) native Adventists. From the time they were knee-high to a toad stool they've been told the "truth." But they never really connected the dots to reality. All they're left with, therefore, is half the picture. So they cling to that half with a dogmatic devotion that the thinking individual would find weak at best. And when they seek to share their faith with those people, and they're met with minimal enthusiasm, they conclude that we're presenting the wrong thing - there must be a more friendly (i.e. fluffy) message to present. I have a problem with this on two levels:

1) Where are the pastors? Where are those in charge of directing, equipping, teaching, shepherding the people? Why don't they know these things? Why aren't they being taught? What happened to the Adventist message? The truth is that pastors come out of seminary speaking greek and hebrew, and knowing how to write a sermon, but they don't know the importance of visiting their church members. They can't disciple. They don't know what the people need to hear from the pulpit. They don't know the basics of pastoring! Our universities are largely responsible for this, but we cannot lay all the blame to their charge, as the pastors themselves have responsibility. The same is true of the churches.

2) Where is your first love? While the pastors and leadership of the Adventist church share responsibility for the ignorance of the people, it is not entirely their fault. There is no reason you cannot know for yourself what you believe and understand it thoroughly enough to give an answer. I recently read that "our churches are full of people who can give no better answer for their faith than that which they've heard from the pulpit." This is shameful! Did you live in Russia, under communism, your situation might be excusable. However, you don't! You live in America where you're never more than one hotel away from a Bible. There is no excuse for ignorance today. There is no reason you should not be able to give a compelling, thorough answer for your beliefs.

Do you believe the Bible is inspired? If you really do, then read it and discover, as David said, "How precious are Thy thoughts to me."