I haven't gone back to read all of the posts on this thread from the beginning so I don't know if this was brought up earlier.I have known Adventists who seem to believe that justification is a one time event that occurs when we accept Jesus, and we are "accounted" as righteous. After that, a process of sanctification starts and we gradually overcome sin until we die or we perfect our characters by the time Christ completes His ministry in the most holy place just before he returns to Earth. So after we are justified, that is, "saved" and we sin, we lose our standing with God and are in a lost condition until we repent and are justified and saved all over again. In other words, we are like yo yos after we accept Jesus. When we sin we are dishonorably discharged from God's army and expelled from his family and disinherited until we repent and are saved again. Is that a correct understanding of justification?
Stan, I also would add that when His disciples asked Jesus about the signs of His return, Jesus first warned them about being the danger of being deceived. Even the "very elect" are not immune to deception.
Matthew 24:24:For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.--------------------Now why does Jesus say it this way? It seems to me that Jesus is saying that the very elect will not be deceived. The deceptions and delusions are so great, that they would be deceived if it were possible.
I absolutely agree with your interpretation of this scripture. The very elect will not be deceived. I think in Matt. 24 Jesus warns us not to be deceived 6 times. That would be a very important message to us all to have something repeated that many times.
I think it's pretty clear from the Bible and the SOP that the elect will not be deceived. The deceptions will be so strong that if it were possible the elect would be deceived. But it won't be possible, for two reasons: 1--they love the truth; 2--they will have fortified their minds with the truths of the Bible. Ellen White says that all those who do not have those two characteristics will be deceived. This needs to be stressed more in our SS classes and from the pulpit. I'm afraid very few among our members realize how bad it will get. It's already bad. Look at what's going on over at Adventist Today and Spectrum. But I believe it will get much worse.