Welcome back to another podcast episode of What's an Adventist?
In case you didn't know studies actually show that Adventists live anywhere between 7-10 years longer than the average world population. Is that just because Adventists eat their "veggies" or is there more to it than that? Join Jesse Sias and Samuel Ikonne as they discuss some of the principles and practices behind Adventists and health (click on title to hear podcast).
Also, this week Jesse and Sam introduce a new segment called the Adven-test. This week's question is: "What two popular cereal brands have an Adventist connection?"
If you know the correct answers (and spell them right) email us along with your mailing address at jxsias@hotmail.com for your chance to win a DVD copy of the PBS documentary, "The Adventists."
To see an excerpt of the National Geographic article featuring Adventists and longevity click here.
Regarding the phrase the "right arm of the gospel," I would like to direct your attention to the quote from EGW where this stems from. I believe the discussion in the podcast regarding the significance of this phrase (especially as it relates to personal salvation) might have been off given the context of the actual quote.
ReplyDelete"The Lord desires that with the Conference shall be connected the ability He has given Dr. Kellogg. He wants His people to make the most of the ability He has bestowed on His servants. He did not wish the medical missionary work to be separated from the gospel work, or the gospel work separated from the medical missionary work. These are to blend. The medical missionary work is to be regarded as the pioneer work. It is to be the means of breaking down prejudice. As the right arm, it is to open doors for the gospel message." {6MR 310.2}
So, first let's stop misquoting and saying it is the "right arm of the gospel." A more accurate paraphrase is "the right arm of the gospel message." The quote above helps to clarify why EGW called the health message the "right arm": it's ability to overcome prejudice so that people may be able to listen and receive the gospel message. Hence, the proper context of referring to the health message as the "right arm" is not dealing with personal salvation or stewardship issues, but in evangelism. The "health message" as the "right arm" of the gospel message was also illustrated in Jesus' own ministry when he brought physical healing as a way to reach out.
The importance of stewardship (including of our own body) is also something EGW discusses, and I think is important. I believe the podcast did a great job of commenting on that. I also don't discount how this may affect our salvation experience. I just wanted to make clear that this is not the context where EGW discusses the health message as a "right arm."
Blessings,
Roshan