The second day of the Spirit of Prophecy Convention 2024 offered deeper insights and knowledge as keynote speakers delved into diverse topics related to vegetarianism, Ellen White’s teachings, the last church in the prophecy, Sabbath practices, and the apostasy and restoration of the true church.
The SOP Convention 2024 opened on Oct. 9, 2024, and will culminate on Oct. 12, 2024. Held at Adventist Academy Cebu International Church in Bulacao, Talisay City, Cebu, the event on its second day opened with a morning devotional, followed by morning and afternoon sets of plenaries.
Pastor Ildefonso Baquilabat, the president of Negros-Siquijor Mission, delivered the morning devotional message. Drawing his message from the book “Development of Seventh-Day Adventist Beliefs,” he focused on the chapter ” What is Christian in Adventism,” further bringing it down to “Being an Adventist vs. Being a Christian.”
Deeper into his message, Pastor Baquilabat defined what it means to be an Adventist, just as what it means to be a Christian. He went deeper into the meaning that not All Christians are Adventists, and not all Adventists are Christians.
“Some mindsets are still influencing the SDAs today, such as being strict with the Sabbath, strict in keeping the law, modestly conscious, and health reformer and promoter,” Pastor Baquilabat said,” but have forgotten that Jesus is the center of the message, and have forgotten the attitude and character of being His messengers.”
For the first plenary in the morning, Pastor Mark Joseph Percival Pearce, the director of EGW Research Center Avondale University in New South Wales, Australia, elaborated on “The Tests of a Prophet,” aiming to expound the tests in recognizing God’s prophet.
From the Biblical context, Pastor Pearce first pointed out that a prophet must confess that Jesus came into this world and that He is God in the flesh.
Furthermore, a prophet must confess that Jesus died to save humanity, rose on the third day, ascended to Heaven as men’s intercessor, and would come back the second time to take His people home.
“Every spirit that comes from God must confess this, and if they do not, they are not from God,” Pastor Pearce explained.
Citing the example of John the Baptist when he beheld Jesus and said, “He must increase, and I must decrease,” Pastor Pearce further stressed that genuine prophets point to Jesus and never exalt themselves.”
Moreover, Pastor James Rubrico, ministerial secretary and Adventist Mission/Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries director, discussed “The Last Church in Prophecy,’ and “The Apostasy in the Remnant Church.”
Pastor Rubrico began his message from the historical context of the prophecies in Daniel 8:14, which says, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed, which is also interpreted in the Catholic version as temple restoration.”
He explained that God sets a prophetic yardstick for pinpointing the true church in these last days, guiding listeners back into history and expounding on prophetic symbols and imageries’ historical and cultural contexts.
He then pointed to the time of temple restoration when Artaxerxes Longimanus, the king of Persia, issued a decree authorizing Ezra, a Jewish scribe and priest, to lead a group of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple.
From the restoration, he then guided the listeners to the establishment of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in 1844, wherein such establishment fit perfectly into the prophetic time frame.
Another topic that piqued the delegates’ interest was ‘Sabbath Bathing and Kneeling in Prayer,‘ by Pastor Edgar Bryan Tolentino, SOP and Adventist Heritage director of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division.
While such topics may raise varied points of view, Pastor Tolentino advised the listeners to establish the authority of Ellen White’s writings relative to those of the Bible. He also counseled them to gather all data or subjects under investigation, consider their literary and historical contexts before drawing any conclusion, and then work sensibly to determine the underlying principles and apply them personally and consistently.
Donny Chrissutianto, Ph.D., an associate professor of Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, tackled ‘Vegetarianism and Ellen G. White.” In this topic, he brought up the development of White’s understanding and practice of Adventists on diet. There was a gradual implementation of abstinence from some practices, foods, and drinks, including tobacco smoking, drinking coffee and tea, fish, and, later, swine.
Among the first reasons for the abstinence was initially due to health and cruelty to animals. However, later, the pioneers came to understand the Scripture’s light on this fully.
Later on, she emphasized that vegetarianism is the best and healthful kind of diet, lessening human suffering. For her, a vegetarian is not a total abstainer but one who does not eat flesh as a habit. It’s a matter of principle and policy. Thus, we should eat the best obtainable foods under circumstances.
The day’s event closed after an open forum coordinated by Pastor Daniel Taripe, the executive secretary and the SOP director of the Samar Mission.
To the delegates, the second day was another day of deeper exploration of Ellen White’s writings, uncovering their invaluable insights and their harmonious relationship with the Holy Scriptures.
By Nereel C. Daypuyart