For the last few months a strange debate has taken place between myself and traditional Adventists. I have shown the Bible does not support the Dual Law theory, which is held by traditional Adventists. I have encouraged Adventists to embrace the Bible teaching, as it is actually more consistent with other Adventist doctrines. In response traditional Adventists have tried to defend the theory. The debate is strange, however, because it does not progress.

Let us take an example of a debate one over the state of the dead.

Suppose I defend our doctrine of the state of the dead, and quote Ecclesiastes 9 in support of the doctrine:

"For the living know that they shall die but the dead know nothing" (Ecc 9:5)

Someone may oppose this view, believing that the soul is conscious after death, and cite Luke 23:43

"Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise'"

How should a debate progress? Should I continue to cite Ecc 9:5 and complain that the person I am debating with does not accept the Bible teaching? Surely the way to progress the debate is to respond to the text he has cited?

If I point out that in the original Greek the "today" may apply either to the "paradise" or to the "tell you the truth", then I have shown that an equally good translation is:

"Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise'"

Now I have shown that there is a valid translation of the text which does not prove the thief would be with Christ in paradise that day, but rather that Jesus said "I tell you the truth today" (this very day that I am being crucified and appear defeated) "you will be with me in paradise". So I have responded to the argument and progressed the debate. The person I am debating with now has to provide some additional argument to support their proposition.

Yet suppose that following my response, the person I am debating with repeats their argument using Luke 23:43, making no reference to my response. I may simply repeat my explanation. Suppose they ignore my explanation and continue to cite Luke 23:43.

Suppose that others join the debate, trying to prove the soul survives death, and all cite Luke 23:43 to support their argument. Suppose I continue to provide my explanation for this text, and no one responds to this explanation, yet continues to cite Luke 23:43 in support of their argument. How could we describe this behaviour?

Such behaviour of course is exactly what has happened with the debate between myself and traditional Adventists with regard to the law. I have repeated my points on numerous occasions, yet have had no response. I have responded to texts such as the use of "commandments" in the Gospel of John, have had no reply, yet traditional Adventists continue to cite the Gospel of John to defend their views.

Such behaviour cannot be explained in human terms. Clearly traditional Adventists have had their hearts covered with a veil. Paul describes such behaviour:

"But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read"

Yet this is not all that has occurred. Not only do we not have a progression in the debate, those opposed to the teachings of Scripture soon show another side to their characters:

"You are trying to speak to an individual who desires lawlessness and harbours iniquity within his heart. It is no use to argue with him, for he is spiritually blind."
"It is best just to ignore John"
"the Bible says that we should not debate unbelievers"
"No need to read further after reading this hog wash"
"your thoughts are ridiculous"
"I am not even going to take the time to debate this with you. I will just pass you by."
"The rest is much trash"
"Your statements just reflect how foolish you truly are"

So instead of debate we have this sort of language aimed at the teachings of Scripture. What can explain this behaviour? It cannot have a human explanation - why would we see arguments deliberately ignored, Scripture opposed with insult? Therefore the explanation must be supernatural, it must have spiritual origins, but why? For what purpose?

The veil of the law reminds us of the veil in the sanctuary:

"And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy" (Ex 26:33)

The truth we are discussing is the truth of the law in heaven and the law on earth, the earthly sanctuary and the heavenly sanctuary. We have discovered that the law of the old covenant was a shadow of the heavenly law, that the sanctuary of the old covenant a shadow of the heavenly sanctuary. Thus the veil of the law covers the truth about the sanctuary. What does Sister White have to say about this?

"Satan is constantly pressing in the spurious - to lead away from truth. The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. 'Where there is no vision the people perish' (Prov 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony" (Letter 12, 1980, Selected Messages Book 1 48).

"Satan is constantly striving in regard to the sanctuary, degrading the wonderful representations of God and the ministry of Christ for our salvation into something that suits the carnal mind. He removes its presiding powers from the hearts of believers." (Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, p.16,17 (1905); Evangelism 224, 225).

The references to the ark of the covenant and the sanctuary in the Book of Revelation refer to the day of atonement, so again we see the truth of the sanctuary being the focus at the end time. So now God is opening up to us what is happening. These truths of the law are actually important in fully understanding the sanctuary doctrine. But we know from Revelation and Sister White that this is the doctrine Satan above all else does not want God's remnant church to understand. So the question is, do we listen to Scripture or the abuse of Satan?

"The acts of sinful nature are obvious.. hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy.. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:19-23)