Advent Defense League

How misused: Repeatedly misinterpreted to distinguish between 'ceremonial Sabbaths' and the 'weekly Sabbath,' claiming only the former were abolished or are 'shadows,' thereby arguing for the continued binding nature of Saturday Sabbath observance for Christians. They fail to acknowledge Pauline epistles stating such observances are matters of individual conscience and fulfilled in Christ.

Scripture's answer: Paul explicitly states that the Sabbath (plural 'Sabbath days' includes all such observances) is a 'shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.' This indicates their fulfillment in Christ, rendering their legalistic observance unnecessary for New Covenant believers (Galatians 4:10-11, Romans 14:5).

How misused: Misinterpreted to exclude the Sabbath commandment from 'doubtful disputations' or matters of Christian liberty regarding days. ADL asserts the Sabbath is a binding moral command, not a matter of conscience, thus misapplying Paul's instruction on charity and non-judgment in disputable matters.

Scripture's answer: Paul discusses disputable matters, including the observance of certain days, and concludes that 'each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.' This passage grants liberty in such observances, affirming that observance or non-observance done 'to the Lord' is acceptable, implying the specific day is not a salvific requirement under the New Covenant.

How misused: Grossly misinterpreted to claim that the 'ministration of death' refers only to the *administration* of the Ten Commandments when written on stone, not their intrinsic moral content. They argue that under the New Covenant, the *same* Ten Commandments are simply written on the heart, thus retaining their full binding force, including the Sabbath. This contradicts Paul's clear contrast between the old covenant (of death and fading glory) and the new covenant (of the Spirit and greater glory).

Scripture's answer: Paul contrasts the Old Covenant (including the Ten Commandments) as a 'ministration of death' and fading glory with the New Covenant as a 'ministration of the Spirit' and abiding glory. While the moral principles of God's character endure, the *covenantal administration* and its detailed legal code, including the Sabbath as a sign of that covenant, are superseded and fulfilled in Christ (Hebrews 8-10).

How misused: Taken out of context to mean that the 'law' written on the heart in the New Covenant is exclusively the Ten Commandments, thereby arguing for the continuity of the Sabbath. This ignores the broader context of the New Covenant's redemptive work, which establishes the law within the believer through the Spirit's power, rather than merely internalizing an external legal code.

Scripture's answer: Jeremiah 31:33 prophesies a New Covenant where God's law is written on the heart, leading to internal obedience. While the moral principles of the Decalogue are certainly encompassed, the New Covenant signifies a radical transformation of the human heart by the Spirit, enabling genuine conformity to God's will, rather than a mere internal inscription of the Mosaic Law.

How misused: Consistently misapplied as the basis for the *Investigative Judgment* doctrine, asserting the 'cleansing of the sanctuary' refers to a post-1844 judgment of believers' records in the heavenly sanctuary. This relies on the unsupported 'day-for-a-year' principle and contradicts the New Testament's teaching of Christ's completed work of atonement and entry into the Most Holy Place at His ascension.

Scripture's answer: Daniel 8:14, in its historical and contextual setting, refers to the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary from profanation, most accurately fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanes. New Testament theology (Hebrews 9-10) describes Christ entering the heavenly Most Holy Place at His ascension, presenting His completed sacrifice for the sins of His people.

How misused: Misinterpreted to identify 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy' as specifically referring to Ellen G. White's prophetic gift, thereby elevating her writings to a divinely inspired, authoritative status as a 'lesser light' to the Bible. This distorts the biblical meaning, where the 'testimony of Jesus' primarily refers to the witness *about* Jesus Christ and His saving work.

Scripture's answer: The phrase 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy' most accurately means that the essence of prophecy, its very spirit, is to bear witness to Jesus Christ. All true prophecy points to Christ and His work, establishing Him as the central figure of God's redemptive plan. It does not necessitate a continuous prophetic office with new, extra-biblical revelations equal in authority to scripture.

How misused: Misinterpreted to suggest the possibility of death and sin in the New Heavens and New Earth, creating a convoluted defense that tries to reconcile it with Revelation's clear statements of no more death or pain. This distorts the perfect, sin-free nature of God's final eternal kingdom.

Scripture's answer: Isaiah 65:20 is a prophetic depiction of the millennial kingdom, referring to an earthly period of peace and long life before the New Heavens and New Earth. New Testament passages like Revelation 21:4 explicitly state that in the eternal state, 'death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'

How misused: Dismissed as a mere parable with no literal implications for the afterlife and used to support annihilationism. This ignores the direct and specific details of conscious suffering and memory presented, which serve as foundational indicators for the reality of conscious existence after death.

Scripture's answer: While a parable, Jesus often used real-life scenarios to convey spiritual truths. The vivid details of consciousness, memory, and communication in the afterlife present a clear picture that the soul is not unconscious after death, directly contradicting 'soul sleep' and annihilationism. The purpose is to warn against neglecting the opportunities for repentance in this life.