8/14/2019 Desmond Ford - Section IV Ford Responds to Weber

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FORD AND WEBER DIALOGUE

Section IV: Ford back to Weber

Typical of Martin's courtesy and consistent with his entire character is his generous

allowance to me of the last word. I will be brief.

1. Omega was an inaccurate book, as Adventist scholars rushed to demonstrate.

2. Many Adventist scholars today concur that the starting point for the "2300 days" was

uncertain, so how could we be dogmatic on 1844?" Here are the words of the G.C. Daniel and

Revelation Committee scholars themselves, which we cited in the publication of Good NewsUnlimited magazine, November 1990, pp. 3-6:

. . . the actual wording of the command of Artaxerxes I of 457 B.C. makes no explicitmention of any order to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. . . . the validity of applying the 457B.C. decree depends upon an uncertain interpretation of Ezra 4:7-23.

Unfortunately, no explicit proclamation (to rebuild Jerusalem) is known. . . . Interpreters,therefore, have been obliged to deduce. . . . Ezra 7 mentions a third decree, issued this

time by the Persian King Artaxerxes I. . . . ASSUMING that this king is Artaxerxes I. . . .

The return of Ezra and his group of fellow Jews described in Ezra 7 APPEARS to berelated to the events recorded in Ezra 4:7-23.

We also quoted the following from the Adventist Review (Vol. 158, No. 31, 1981):

. . . it seems clear . . . it seems clear . . . Assuming . . . . suggests . . . . The Scriptures do

not offer a detailed explanation of the work that was to begin in heaven in 1844 . . . . it is

reasonable to assume . . . . The term investigative judgment is not found in the Bible. . ..(Ibid.)

3. The apostolic message of the New Testament summed up saving truth "once for all"(see Jude 3 NIV). Here, indeed, we do find reference to a DAY of judgment but no hint of one

that would take nearly two centuries or more. The New Testament's reference to that event is

always linked with the second coming of Christ and never with a simultaneous succession ofterrestrial events. All Martin says about the Jewish concept of judgment is happily true but has

no connection whatever with an INVESTIGATIVE Judgment.

There is not a single verse of Hebrews which suggests two phases of Christ's ministry inthe heavenly sanctuary. The three distinct functions of atonement that Martin mentions are never

set forth in Hebrews as having separate antitypical fulfillments. All three found their fulfillment

at the cross. (See Hebrews 1:3; 7:27; 9:8,12,23-25.)

Martin's reference to the Greek plural form for sanctuary shows an unawareness that

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Ford back to Weber - IV

Greek plurals sometimes denote intensity, not multiplicity. The plural Greek words for heaven

and for seventh day Sabbath prove this. Our own SDA commentary (Vol. 7:449) tells us that the

Greek plural for sanctuary in Hebrews has a singular meaning.

Yes, Revelation is full of Day of Atonement imagery. But if Martin applies these

references to a continual Investigative Judgment, he will have one spanning from A.D. 90 (whenthe book was written) to the present. The references are merely an expansion of the words of

Jesus about the cross found in John 12:31-33.

The application of Revelation 14:7 to an Investigative Judgment of God's people ignores

the context about Babylon's subsequent fall. See the next verse and compare 18:10, which uses

the same words as 14:7 but with reference to Babylon's fall and not to a review of the sins of the

saints.

4. SANCTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE. No one is questioning the glorious fact that

faith in Christ gives a wonderful impetus to victory over sin. But when Paul links righteousness

with faith, he is always referring to justification, not sanctification. (The Greek word forrighteousness is the same word translated as justification. See Bible translations in other

languages.) "In Christ" likewise is a formula for justification, not sanctification, and is merely asynonym. Yes, I have always believed that sanctification is an inevitable part of the justification

by faith EXPERIENCE, but one must remember the theological principle that things which must

be distinguished should never be separated. (For example, the members of the Trinity, the two

natures of Christ, etc.) Martin sees the truth of "no separation" but not as clearly the truth of"distinction."

When faith is linked with justification in the New Testament, it is in order to make thepoint that salvation is NOT by our own achievement but through our acceptance as needy

beggars of Christ's achievement. Sanctification by faith alone is not found in the New

Testament. It is the teaching of the heresy Quietism and is repudiated by the NT writers andevangelical writers in general, including Ellen White. One must beware of implying that faith is

a doing word--otherwise, you are back to the Roman Catholic theology which has sadly been

found in our lesson quarterlies of recent years and against which whole Divisions are rebelling.

My gratitude to Martin Weber for his thoroughly Christian spirit and for his openness.

We are in agreement that salvation is by grace alone, based on the blood alone, received by faith

alone, but which is always revealedby the fruitage of a holy life.

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