Mormon Direction

Yesterday, as I finished paying for some groceries at the cash till, another lady behind me went next. The lady asked for some cigarettes and the cash till clerk asked the lady for some identification, since she looked young. As the lady was getting her identification to prove her age, the cash till clerk stated in a guilty type of tone as she tried to excuse herself, saying, “Sorry, but I have to cover my butt“.

This struck me as very interesting and odd.

In Canada, it is law in most of the provinces that a person must be 19 years of age to purchase cigarettes and all merchants are under law to confirm that age by proper identification or risk a hefty fine. The purpose of this law is to reduce the use of tobacco by younger persons. Since it is law, where is the reason to be guilty or feel bad to ask another for proper identification when the there is legal right and authority to do so?

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IN the scriptures, it is said that if we deny Christ, he would deny us (Matthew 10:33,Luke 12:9,2 Timothy 2:12) and those who deny Jesus Christ are also denying his power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). It was warned for these latter-days that many will deny him even though they profess to be with him. When hearing all the claims by Christians, one may wonder how this can happen, well it already has.

I was reading a magazine published by the Seventh Day Adventists named “Adventist World”. In it was an article titled, “Adventists and Muslims: Five Convictions – How to build on what we have in common”, written by William G. Johnsson. This article appeared OK until I came to a paragraph at the bottom of page 26. What William G. Johnsson said surprised me. In light of the intensity that most Bible only believers call themselves Christian, his paragraph on page 26 addressed the usage of the name “Christian” when interacting with Muslims. In the context of that article, William G. Johnsson wrote about how he chose to interact with those of the Muslim faith. Mr. Johnsson said,

“In meeting Muslim leaders, I emphasize from the outset that I prefer to be known as an Adventist rather than as a Christian. For Muslims the name “Christian” carries such negative associations—associations that do not belong with Seventh-day Adventists—that I would rather avoid the term. And “Adventist” captures well the driving pulse of who we are—our hope in Jesus’ return and sense of divine calling to tell it to the world.”

On-line URL: http://adventistworld.org/article.php?id=708

As I re-read that paragraph and then again the remainder of the article, I understood Mr. Johnsson to say that he does not want to be identified as a Christian because of the negative reputation it has and the negative reaction by the Muslims. Was I incorrect in reading this? To get some clarification, I emailed the magazine asking for clarification and I received an answer from William Johnsson himself and is as follows.
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Everyone deals with shortcomings about their self-esteem or self-image. How they perform at work, at home, in relationships, in their personal or public performances, whether they feel worthy or unworthy. At one time or another, if not repeatedly, everyone has some issue with their self-esteem, but in this struggle, has there been any concern about self-esteem versus faith?

When it comes to faith, it is a matter where each person must take account of themselves and evaluate the nature and degree of their self-esteem and then see how this affects their faith.

Faith is the expression and act of love, devotion and obedience to God and for him. It is the trust in his will and trust that he will help and bless. Faith is also the expression of oneself to God, the who and what we are. In this expression of oneself comes the value of oneself. This personal value is the gift that we, as sons and daughters of God, give to God.

IN the scriptures God speaks about the value of how we give a gift where he said, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (1 Cor 2.9:7). Gods speaks of the value of the heart and mind in things that we give to him and to others. Giving our faith grudgingly, is not faith at all. To exercise the commandments of God because you believe you have to, what value is this to God and his kingdom?

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