Question: Pastor Ronald, kung isang tao ang nagpakamatay dahil sa matinding mental problem, mapapatawad pa ba siya ng Diyos?”

Answer:

Ang tanong mo, mabigat ‘yan, pero dapat sagutin nang may katotohanan at awa. Kapag ang isang tao ay nagpakamatay, hindi lang basta kasalanan ‘yon isa itong trahedya. Isang labanan ng sakit ng isip at awa ng Diyos. Oo, ang suicide ay mali sa harap ng Diyos, kasi Siya lang ang may karapatan sa buhay. Pero… kapag may mental illness, minsan hindi na malinaw sa tao ang tama at mali. Hindi na siya nakakaisip nang maayos. Hindi niya kayang labanan ‘yung bigat ng iniisip. At tandaan natin kilala ng Diyos ang puso at isip ng bawat isa.

Sabi sa Psalm 103:14,

“Alam ng Panginoon kung paano tayo nilalang; na tayo’y alabok lamang.”

Kaya kung ang taong ‘yon ay tunay na naniwala kay Cristo, ang kaligtasan niya ay hindi nakasalalay sa huling ginawa niya, kundi sa natapos na ginawa ni Jesus sa krus. Sabi ni Jesus sa John 10:28,

“Binibigyan ko sila ng buhay na walang hanggan, at kailanman ay hindi sila mapapahamak.”

Ibig sabihin, kahit sa pinakamadilim na sandali, kung siya ay kay Cristo hindi siya bibitiwan ng Diyos. Ang biyaya ni Cristo ay mas malakas kaysa sa ating pinakamasakit na pagkadapa. Pero malinaw din ito: Hindi kailanman kalooban ng Diyos na tapusin natin ang ating buhay. Ang buhay ay regalo Niya. Ang suicide ay hindi solusyon dahil may pag-asa pa habang may buhay pa. Pero kung ang isip ng tao ay wasak na dahil sa depresyon o sakit sa pag-iisip, ang Diyos ay hahatol nang may pag-unawa. Nakikita Niya hindi lang ang ginawa, kundi ang hirap at sakit na nagtulak doon. Sabi ni David sa Psalm 139:23-24,

“Siyasatin Mo ako, O Diyos, at alamin Mo ang aking puso; subukin Mo ako, at alamin Mo ang aking mga pag-aalala.”

Ang Diyos ay marunong umunawa ng mga dahilan na hindi na natin masabi. At ang Kanyang awa ay hindi natatapos, kahit sa pinakamasakit na kwento ng buhay.

Call to Action:

Kung may kakilala kang hirap, wag mo sermonan, damayan mo. Kung may tahimik na umiiyak, lapitan mo. Kung may nakikita kang nawawala sa dilim, maging ilaw ka. Huwag nating hayaang umabot pa sila sa puntong iyon. Tayo ang kamay ng Diyos para sa mga sugatang kaluluwa. Ang buhay ay sagrado, pero tandaan ang awa ng Diyos ay mas sagrado pa.At kahit sa dilim ng depresyon, nariyan pa rin si Cristo hindi Siya lumalayo.

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Former Adventists Philippines

“Freed by the Gospel. Firm in the Word.”

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FAP Commentary on SDA Sabbath School Lesson (November 1–7, 2025) Title “The Enemy Within.”

 

🧭 Overview

This week’s SDA Sabbath School lesson focuses on Achan’s sin in Joshua 7, where Israel’s defeat at Ai was linked to disobedience within their own ranks. The lesson frames the story around the danger of sin in the covenant community, asserting that Israel’s collective failure flowed from one man’s greed. It emphasizes obedience to the covenant as the condition of divine victory and portrays Achan’s downfall as an example of how God’s people must maintain purity within the camp to keep God’s presence and blessing.

The lesson consistently draws moral parallels between ancient Israel and the modern Seventh-day Adventist Church, warning that God’s blessing and “heavenly inheritance” can only be secured through the community’s faithful adherence to the covenant.

📖 FAP Response

While the story of Achan indeed teaches us about the seriousness of sin and God’s holiness, the SDA interpretation once again filters everything through an Old Covenant framework, applying Israel’s national-covenantal dynamics directly to the New Covenant Church.

This is a hermeneutical misstep. The covenant under Joshua was conditional and corporate, tied to land, law, and lineage. The New Covenant, however, is personal, spiritual, and fulfilled in Christ (Heb. 8:6–13). The “enemy within” today is not a covenant-breaker who endangers our corporate salvation, but the indwelling sin of the flesh that Christ alone can conquer through His Spirit (Rom. 7:23–25).

The SDA lesson subtly reinforces legalistic theology, suggesting that “victory” depends on obedience to “the stipulations of the covenant.” But the gospel teaches the opposite order: Victory is the gift of grace through faith (1 Cor. 15:57), and obedience flows from that victory (Rom. 6:14–18). The Israelites fought to earn victory under the old system; the Christian fights from a position of victory already secured by Christ.

The repeated allusions to “faithfulness” as the means to “secure” divine favor reveal the ongoing tension in Adventist theology between grace and performance. It’s not that the lesson denies grace; it’s that grace is still framed as empowerment to keep the law rather than the unmerited favor that saves and transforms.

Even worse, the lesson uses corporate guilt theology to imply that one believer’s hidden sin could cause communal defeat, mirroring Adventism’s long-standing obsession with “purity” and “investigative judgment.” This mindset often breeds spiritual paranoia instead of gospel assurance.

🕊️ FAP Theological Conclusion

The true “enemy within” is not merely personal failure or moral compromise, but the human heart apart from the gospel (Jer. 17:9). The law exposes the problem, but only the cross cures it. Unlike Joshua, who uncovered sin by tribal lot, Christ bore our sin by divine grace. In the New Covenant, God no longer relates to His people through collective punishment but through individual justification in Christ (Rom. 8:1).

Adventism’s covenant framework collapses the Old and New into one continuous legal system, turning the church into “spiritual Israel” still under conditional terms of blessing. But the New Covenant declares:

“Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Heb. 10:17)

That’s not the language of probation, it’s the promise of finished redemption.

The real takeaway from Achan’s story is not “keep the covenant or you’ll lose the battle,” but “trust the God who provided the true Joshua (Jesus) who wins every battle on our behalf.”

💬 Reflection for Former Adventists

If you’ve left Adventism, this lesson may feel like déjà vu, a subtle guilt trip wrapped in moral language. It reminds you of that old feeling: “If I fail, the whole community suffers.” But Christ already carried that communal guilt on His shoulders.

The gospel frees you to face the “enemy within” not with fear of exclusion, but with faith in redemption. The Holy Spirit convicts not to condemn but to conform you to Christ. Unlike the old Joshua who judged Achan, our greater Joshua took Achan’s place.

So, when the SDA quarterly warns, “Be faithful or you’ll lose the inheritance,” remember what Peter actually says:

“An inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that does not fade away, kept in heaven for you… guarded by God’s power through faith.” (1 Pet. 1:4–5)

You’re not maintaining your salvation by obedience; you’re walking in obedience because salvation is already secured.

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Former Adventists Philippines

“Freed by the Gospel. Firm in the Word.”

For more inquiries, contact us:

Email: formeradventist.ph@gmail.com

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FAP Sunday School Lesson for November 2, 2025 — “The Heart of Prayer” Focus Passage: Genesis 18:16–33

Opening Prayer

 Lord, open our hearts to understand what true intercession means. Teach us to pray with compassion, as Abraham did. Amen.

 Scripture Reading

 Genesis 18:16–33 – Abraham intercedes for Sodom.

“The men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off. Then the LORD said, “Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham? Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. This is how the LORD will fulfill to Abraham what he promised him.” Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious. I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to me. If not, I will find out.” The men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people who are in it? You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won’t the Judge of the whole earth do what is just? ” The LORD said, 'If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham answered, “Since I have ventured to speak to my lord ​— ​even though I am dust and ashes ​— ​ suppose the fifty righteous lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for the lack of five? ” He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Then he spoke to him again, “Suppose forty are found there? ” He answered, “I will not do it on account of forty.” Then he said, “Let my lord not be angry, and I will speak further. Suppose thirty are found there? ” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” Then he said, “Since I have ventured to speak to my lord, suppose twenty are found there? ” He replied, “I will not destroy it on account of twenty.” Then he said, “Let my lord not be angry, and I will speak one more time. Suppose ten are found there? ” He answered, “I will not destroy it on account of ten.” When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he departed, and Abraham returned to his place.” Genesis 18:16-33 (CSB)

 Teaching Points

 1. Prayer is Fellowship Before it is Request

Before we ask anything from God, prayer is first and foremost fellowship, a sacred conversation between Creator and creature, Father and child, Shepherd and sheep. It’s not just about presenting needs; it’s about drawing near.

Abraham’s example is striking. In Genesis 18, Abraham didn’t approach God with a shopping list. He stood before the Lord and spoke with Him as a friend. He reasoned, listened, and interceded not from entitlement, but from relationship.

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25) That wasn’t arrogance; it was intimacy. Abraham knew God’s heart, and God welcomed his voice.

God desires partnership, not just petitions. Prayer is where we align our hearts with His. It’s where we pause, listen, and say, “Lord, what are You doing and how can I walk with You in it?” Jesus modeled this in John 15:15:

“I no longer call you servants… I have called you friends, for everything I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

So before we ask, we abide. Before we plead, we pause. Before we seek answers, we seek Him.

This truth is powerful for former Adventists and seekers alike. Many have been taught to pray out of duty or fear. But here, we remind them: prayer is not a transaction, it’s a relationship. And in that relationship, God doesn’t just hear us, He walks with us.

2. Prayer Aligns Our Heart with God’s Justice and Mercy

Prayer is not just about expressing our desires; it’s about allowing our hearts to be shaped by God's own character. When we pray, we don’t just speak to God; we begin to think with God. We enter into His heart where justice and mercy meet.

Abraham’s intercession for Sodom is a powerful example. In Genesis 18, Abraham didn’t plead for personal gain. He stood before the Lord and asked, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23). His concern wasn’t just for Lot; it was for justice, for mercy, for the possibility that even a few righteous lives might spare a city.

But notice: Abraham didn’t argue against God’s holiness. He aligned himself with it. He didn’t demand mercy at the expense of justice; he appealed to both.

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25)

This is the heart of true prayer. It’s not manipulation, it’s participation. God invites us to wrestle, to reason, to intercede. And in doing so, our hearts begin to reflect His own:

• A heart that grieves over sin

• A heart that longs for redemption

• A heart that hopes for mercy even in judgment

Prayer is where we learn to care about what God cares about. It’s where we stop asking, “Lord, bless my plans,” and start praying, “Lord, align me with Yours.” It’s where we stop seeing people as enemies and start seeing them as souls God longs to redeem.

Many former Adventists carry wounds, some from harsh judgment, others from theological confusion. But here, you can remind them: prayer is not just a lifeline, it’s a heart-shaping grace. It teaches us to love what God loves, to plead for mercy without compromising truth, and to walk humbly with the Judge who is also our Redeemer.

3. Persistent Intercession Reveals Compassion 

True prayer is not just about asking once and walking away; it’s about staying, pleading, and caring deeply. When we intercede persistently, we reflect the heart of God Himself: patient, merciful, and unwilling to give up on people.

Abraham’s example in Genesis 18 is striking. He didn’t stop at one request. He kept returning:

“What if there are fifty righteous? Forty-five? Forty? Thirty? Twenty? Ten?” Each appeal was not a negotiation; it was compassion in action. Abraham wasn’t trying to change God’s mind; he was revealing a heart aligned with God’s mercy. He cared enough to keep praying.

This is the mark of a true disciple. Real disciples don’t just pray for convenience; they intercede because they love. They stand in the gap for others, even when the situation looks hopeless.

• Moses pleaded for Israel after the golden calf (Exodus 32:11–14)

• Paul said he had “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” for his fellow Israelites (Romans 9:2–3)

• Jesus wept over Jerusalem and prayed even for His enemies (Luke 19:41; Luke 23:34)

Persistent prayer is not weakness; it’s love refusing to quit. It’s the kind of prayer that says, “Lord, I know You are just, but I also know You are merciful. And I will keep asking not because I doubt You, but because I trust Your heart.”

This truth is powerful for those who feel weary or unheard. You can remind them: God is not annoyed by repeated prayers; He is moved by them. And when we persist in intercession, we are not just praying for others, we are learning to love them as God does.

Discussion

1. How does Abraham’s example show the balance between God’s holiness and mercy? 

2. Who should we intercede for today?

 
Summary & Closing Prayer
Prayer is about sharing God’s heart. Lord, make us intercessors who carry Your compassion for

 the world. Amen.