Christianity vs the Seventh-Day Adventist (Copy)

It is refreshing to report that the Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) were not invented by another zany cult founder. In fact, there is an ongoing debate on the status of the SDA church. Some claim that its unorthodox theological views make it a cult. While others, such as the great D.G. Barnhouse, have concluded that while many of its doctrines are peculiar and unscriptural, its basic belief in Christ as the Savior of mankind places it well on the fringes of being an actual Christian denomination. Let's begin our review with the history of this group.

The church began with the first of its four founders, William Miller (1782-1849). He was a Baptist minister who prophesied the return of Christ between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. He arrived at these dates by interpreting the 2,300 evening and morning of Daniel 8:14 to mean 2,300 years. His prediction was published and was such a sensational failure that it became known as The Great Disappointment of 1844. Miller was so publicly humiliated that he did not make another prediction for the rest of his life.

An ardent follower of Miller was Hiram Edson (1806-1882). He attempted to help Miller and his followers by stating that Miller got his facts mixed up. He asserted that Christ was never supposed to return to the earth in 1844. Instead, Christ entered the "Most Holy Place in Heaven". There He began to perform what Edson called the "Investigative Judgment". This was a time and place in which Christ considered each of His followers and determined if they were saved or unsaved. Nice save, Hiram?

The next co-founder of the church was Joseph Bates (1792-1872). He championed that the observance of Saturday as God's official day of worship was still in force, and to worship on Sunday was a "mark of the beast or apostasy" in the eyes of God. He convinced church founders, James and Ellen White, of the necessity of starting to hold church services on Saturday. To practice this was seen as the mark of true believers.

Last but not least of the founders is Ellen G. White (1827-1915). White is considered the high priestess of the SDA church. In 1855, she established the SDA headquarters in Battle Creek Michigan and came up with the name of Seventh-day Adventist in 1860. White stated that she received inspired interpretations of Scripture and published hundreds of books on various subjects including Church doctrine, visions and prophecies. Today the SDA plays down her role in establishing the doctrine of the church.

BASIC BELIEFS OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

THE TRINITY

The SDA is a nontraditional Trinitarian church. They reject the traditional definition of the Trinity.

The Traditional understanding of the Trinity is, "One God existing in three coeternal, coequal, consubstantial Divine persons: God the Father, God the Word or Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three distinct entities sharing one essence/substance/nature".

The SDA believe that the Trinity is composed of three separate beings with different bodies united only in purpose and love and not in essence or substance. So the Adventist Godhead is not Triune but Tritheism. They accept the threeness of God but deny the unity of God.

The traditional doctrine of the Trinity being composed of three separate entities of one substance was established at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.

Other major non-Trinitarian churches are: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons): The earth is ruled by three separate Gods who were once human. Jehovah's Witnesses: Do not believe in a Trinity as Jesus was once the angel Michael. Unitarians: God is one undivided being and not triune. Oneness Pentecostal: The Trinity is only a tradition of man. Other minor non-Trinitarian churches: Living Church of God, Assemblies of Yahweh, Christian Scientists, The Way International, United Church of God

JESUS

SDA members believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God incarnate who died for the sins of mankind, arose on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God as High Priest and intercessor of mankind.

INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT

This SDA doctrine is based on a vision that is said to have been given to Hiram Edson. It states that there has been an ongoing judgment of believers since 1844. Christ is in a Heavenly Tabernacle discerning true believers from false ones. Those who do not persevere to the end are not true believers and lose their salvation. From the ascension of Christ until 1844, Christ spent His time interceding on the behalf of believers. Then in 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2,300 days, He entered the second phase of His atoning ministry. This phase is one of investigative judgment and the ultimate disposition of all sin. SDA members believe this action or phase was prophesied through the Jewish Temple practice of cleansing the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. The Jews purified the Temple in Jerusalem using the sacrificial blood of animals. But Edson stated that Jesus now cleanses the Heavenly Temple with the perfect sacrifice of his own blood. The judgment separates the faithful dead from the unfaithful dead. It is the faithful dead who have kept the commandments of God and have faith in Christ that will be resurrected and translated at His Second Coming and enter the everlasting kingdom. Thus SDA members are Post Tribulation believers.

Of course this doctrine is completely without Biblical support. First, it is based entirely on the supposed prophetic and divinely inspired writings of Ellen White and not Scripture. Second, this doctrine was developed to cover up Miller's inaccurate prediction on the Second Coming of Christ in 1844. Because this prophecy was false, the SDA church reinterpreted it into Christ entering a Heavenly Tabernacle instead of the earth. Third, no other Christian denomination holds to this teaching. Fourth, this doctrine speaks against the omniscience of God who "knows those who are His" (II Timothy 2:19). And why, if Christ is God, would He need to perform this work if He already knows who His true believers are? It makes no sense. Fifth, Yom Kippur is a future prophecy concerning the persecution of the Jewish race during the Tribulation. Sixth, once a person believes in Christ, they are eternally saved through faith plus nothing else.

SATAN AS SCAPEGOAT

SDA members believe that the final blotting out of sin will occur just before Christ's Second Coming. Christ will place all the sins of mankind both righteous and unrighteous on Satan. Adventists derive this doctrine from the interpretation of the second male goat in the Jewish Temple sacrifice at Yom Kippur. A male goat is sacrificed. Then a second male goat has the sins of the people placed on it and is led into the wilderness to wander alone and die (Leviticus 16:8). In the SDA church view, Satan does not atone for sin, but he bears the punishment for his responsibility for all the sins of mankind.

The problem with this doctrine is that it is not supported by Scripture. The use of a scapegoat was a Jewish rite and shadow prophecy that ended with Jesus crucified and risen. Jesus was the male Scapegoat who died for the sins of mankind. During His crucifixion, He was the second male goat who took on the sins of mankind and spiritually wandered alone in the wilderness of sin estranged from His father. Also, the Book of Revelation tells us that Satan is eventually thrown into the Lake of Fire and that Sheol {Hell} is then drawn up from beneath the earth and also thrown into the Lake (Revelation 20:14). There is no mention in Scripture of Satan ever bearing the sins of mankind in any way, for any reason.

MICHAEL IS ANOTHER TITLE FOR JESUS

SDA members do not believe that Jesus is an angel or a created being, but that the name Michael is one of many titles He has. However, Scripture clearly states that Michael was and is an angel (Jude 9).

KEEPING THE SABBATH

SDA believe that God established Saturday as the official day of worship for mankind and that this fourth Old Testament command is still in effect. This understanding is their biggest selling point to those looking for a church home. They teach that if you are worshipping on Sunday, you are going against a Commandment of God and thus blaspheming Him. And where in the Bible did God change this Commandment? Right? No… wrong!

First, this rationale is not true. God rested on the seventh day. God declared this day a day of rest not worship. The Jews decided since they were not allowed to work on this day, they might as well worship on this day. They decided this and not God. God wants believers to worship Him every day and throughout the day (I Thessalonians 5:17). Followers should always be aware of and thankful to God as they would literally not exist without Him. The world around them would not exist without Him. They would not become immortal and have eternal life without Him.

The SDA teach that all other Christian denominations have mindlessly rejected or forgotten this commandment given to the Jews and are therefore in direct conflict with this demand by God. Now just think about that for a minute. All other Christian denominations got this major issue wrong? All of them? For the past two thousand years? How is that possible? It's not!

The truth is, all the Christian denominations have independently and carefully considered this issue since the first century and arrived at the same conclusion. Only the Jews are obligated under the old covenant with God, as His chosen people, to observe the Sabbath by resting. The church is not obligated to observe the Old Testament laws, feasts or customs. This ended with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Thus, the church is not obligated to the Sabbath and the church is dead to the law ( Mark 2:27-28; Romans7:4-6).

Sunday is now the correct day for the Christian church to worship as the Christian church is not and was never under the old Mosaic Covenant (Romans 6:14-15; Romans 14:4-5). Jesus stated that man was not made for the Sabbath or Saturday services, but that the Sabbath was made for man {to rest}. Jesus was Lord over the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Colossians 2:16-17). The Ten Commandments were created for the Jewish race to follow 'if' they wanted to be seen as righteous in the eyes of their God. But, the Jewish race has never been able to follow the Ten Commandments. The Old Testament is full of stories concerning their failure and punishment in this area. They are still God's chosen people, but they continue to this day to not keep the commandments. This is why, after 1,500 years of failure, God finally sent them their Messiah to end this continuous system of abject failure.

Jesus initiated a new, more perfect Covenant to replace the old failed covenant of Law. This New Covenant or Testament was based simply on faith in God plus nothing else. Jesus then self-sacrificed Himself to pay off the sin debts of all mankind for all times. His sacrificial blood sealed this New Covenant and His resurrection from the dead on Sunday proved that God accepted and ratified this New Covenant. So, as of Resurrection Sunday, the old requirement to rest and worship on Saturday is now null and void. The new day of worship was now on Sunday.

While Sunday is not explicitly cited in the New Testament as the official day to pray, there is a reason that Christians attend church on this day. First, most of the foundational events of the New Testament occurred on Sunday. And second, we are told that we are to pray and thank God every day of the week. First, let's look at the major events that occurred on a Sunday.

According to the Book of Genesis, Sunday was the first day of creation. Sunday is the first day of the week. Palm Sunday was the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was recognized as the Messiah. It was on Sunday that Jesus arose from the dead sealing the New Covenant of Grace and Mercy. Pentecost Sunday was the day the Holy Spirit arrived to indwell all born again Christians. Pentecost Sunday is now considered by most Biblical scholars as the official start of the two thousand year Christian Church Age. And finally, there was the Apostle John, who was the only disciple of Jesus who was not martyred. In his mid-nineties, he was imprisoned by Roman Emperor Domitian on the island of Patmos. There he lived in a cave and wrote letters to his followers. He wrote, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day" (Revelation 1:10). Obviously John's target audience was Christians so he wrote "Lord's Day" as they were familiar with the phrase. If he had meant Sabbath, he would have written Sabbath. Nowhere in Scripture is the Sabbath referred to as the Lord's Day. And on that day, John wrote that he had a great vision composed of a series of prophetic events that would occur at the end of the Age of the Rule on Mankind. This series of prophecies is known as the Book of Revelation. So, this tremendous work of prophecy was experienced by the last living disciple of Christ on a Sunday.

Last but not least, the great Apostle Paul was asked what day of the week were followers of Christ supposed to worship. He wrote that it does not matter what day a person worships God, as long as they remember to worship Him (Romans 14:5). And yet the SDA teaches that this practice of worshiping on Saturday makes them "superior Christians" and that those who pray on Sunday are apostate in the eyes of God. How unscriptural and completely insipid is this belief. The SDA got it right and all the Christian denominations of the world got it wrong? Don't think so.

At Mount Sinai, the Jews told Moses they wanted the Law of God (Exodus 19:7-8). God then created the Ten Commandments so the Jewish race would eventually come to understand that they could not keep the perfect Law perfectly. Thus, they needed a Messiah to redeem and save them from the wrath of God due to sin. Jesus kept all the Laws perfectly, was crucified and arose from the dead leaving the Law of Moses in the grave. The Commandments were perfect and worthy to attempt to keep. However, no one but Jesus was able to actually keep them. They are an unattainable goal for sinful mankind. That's why mankind needs a Redeemer. To dig up the Commandments and try to follow them is to disregard the sacrifice of Jesus who replaced the law of judgment with forgiveness. The Laws of the Old Covenant only brought failure, judgment and punishment. To insist that one must worship on Saturday to be right with God is saying Jesus did not do enough, we must still practice the Law to receive salvation. This is a foolish and ill-considered doctrine of the SDA church. God and Jesus were clear, if you break one Commandment, or even think about breaking one, you have broken all of them. There is no forgiveness and no starting over. All people break at least one law continuously, so why try to select and keep one particular Commandment when you fail the other nine over and over? And again, Saturday was to be a "day of rest" from work and not necessarily the day of worship.

The New Testament Covenant is more perfect because sinful man was taken out of the equation and replaced by the perfect man, Christ. A perfect man created a perfect Covenant of Grace and Mercy for all time. Therefore, the SDA follow an ill-conceived doctrine that insists that Christians are required to pray on Saturday with the Jews. Meanwhile, the Jews continue to reject the sacrifice of Christ and continue to completely fail to keep the law. They are instead waiting for their Messiah to finally be born in order to make Israel a leading nation of the world. How utterly absurd for Christians to follow the lead and regulations of a people who reject Christ and are temporarily spiritually blind (Matthew 15:14; Romans 11:25)!

ELLEN WHITE

SDA followers are taught that Ellen White "spoke with prophetic authority" (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). She is said to have received over 2,000 visions and dreams. She wrote forty books and 100,000 pages of Bible commentary. However, true prophets never issue false prophecies. Ellen White issued many false prophecies. The most startling one is that Satan will ultimately play a part in bearing the iniquities of mankind. This is not in Scripture so she obviously made this up. She also developed the Heavenly Sanctuary doctrine. She received royalties by her publisher for her book sales, she was paid a salary by the Church and she was also paid to be a pastor. She died in 1915 and her estate was bought by the SDA church for $90,000 dollars. That sum would be worth $2.9 million in today's dollars.

Scripture is clear that Christ bore all the sins of mankind and that the sins of believers are forgiven and remembered no more by God. The Bible says nothing about the sins of mankind being eventually transferred on to Satan nor does it say that Christ is in a heavenly sanctuary deciding who is saved and who is not. Scripture is also clear that at the Resurrection, the righteous will be instantly drawn up to Him. At that time, believers will be judged {Bema Seat Judgment} for their good works and rewarded with governance duties to be performed during the Millennial Reign of Christ on earth. They then attend the Marriage of Christ to His church followed by a reception called the Supper of the Lamb. At the end of this celebration, Christ leads His followers from Heaven down to the earth to witness His Second Coming. At that time, the Holy Spirit will instantly strike dead all the unrighteous of the earth and Jesus will reign over His followers in a peaceful Kingdom for the next one thousand years. Jesus does not have to spend time in Heaven or on earth deliberating on any issues concerning those who are and are not His people. Those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit are not struck down by the Holy Spirit at His Second Coming. Period!

WHAT NOT TO DO ON SATURDAY

SDA members are not allowed to perform any kind of work on Saturday, nor shopping of any kind, nor watching entertainment, nor dining out, nor attending funerals, nor swimming or exercising of any kind, nor watching or participation in sports games. And no yard work (ok, so I like this one). SDA members are allowed to perform humanitarian works that serve the community on Saturday. The SDA church observes the reckoning of the days of the week the same way as the Jews of the Old Testament do. Saturday begins at sundown Friday evening, and ends Saturday evening at sundown.

WHO NOT TO MARRY

SDA members are not to marry non SDA members as they can be led astray from the one and only true "Remnant Church". SDA considers itself the one and only church of Christ because of their exclusive truths. It is SDA church members that will miraculously survive the Tribulation Period and witness the Second Coming of Christ. Non Advent Christians will suffer during the Tribulation for not observing the sabbath on Saturday.

SOUL SLEEP

SDA members are taught that when a person dies, they do not go immediately to Heaven nor Hell. The body and the soul or spirit do not detach from one another at death. Instead, the body dies and the spirit or soul goes to sleep within the body. This spirit stays asleep until the Resurrection which takes place at the Second Coming {Post Tribulation}. This is yet another unscriptural teaching. And this is why the SDA church does not teach the writings of Paul. Paul tells us that at the moment of physical death, the intelligent spirit of a believer is immediately with Christ (II Corinthians 5:8). The Book of Revelation also teaches that followers of Christ, while in Heaven, attend the Wedding and Supper of the Lamb in their resurrected bodies then return with Christ to the earth at His Second Coming (Revelation 19:9; Revelation 19:11-16).

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

SDA members are not allowed to wear overtly stylish clothing, tattoos, body piercings of any kind. Also no jewelry such as wedding rings, earrings, brooches, bracelets and no perfume. Pierced ears are thought by some SDA members to be a "mark of the beast". All of these practices have been deemed by Church doctrine as a form of vain adornment and a distraction from a focus on inner spiritual devotion versus outward appearance.

WHAT NOT TO EAT

SDA members are expected to be plant based vegetarians and follow the dietary laws as listed in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus. However, some do eat meat but are forbidden to eat pork or any animal with a cloven hoof. All SDA members are forbidden to eat shellfish, rabbit and are cautioned against eating high fat dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter and whole milk. They are also not allowed to drink alcohol, tea, coffee or intake any stimulants such as soft drinks with caffeine. Needless to say, no smoking or use of any tobacco products or unprescribed drugs. While studies show that SDA members are generally 25% healthier than the average American, Jesus tells us that there is no unclean thing that goes into the mouth that defiles a person. However, unclean things can come out of a person and defile them (Matthew 15:11; Acts 10:9-16).

BIRTH CONTROL

SDA members are allowed to take birth control products. They are not allowed to have an abortion unless the pregnancy was due to rape or incest or threatens the life of the mother.

WHAT NOT TO LISTEN TO

SDA members are allowed to listen to quiet classical music. They may also listen to tranquil religious based music, but that music should not include electric guitars or drums. Drum beats are thought to harken back to pagan religious practices and can cause sexual temptations. All modern secular music is strictly forbidden as it is spiritually harmful.

NO DANCING

SDA members are absolutely not allowed to dance as a body undulating to secular music has immodest undertones and can create sexual temptations. However, lately the SDA has begun to allow some folk dancing and square dancing at celebratory events.

NO GAMES

SDA members are forbidden to play any games of cards. They also cannot play board games such as checkers or chess, games of pool, darts or shuffleboard. They cannot participate in gambling of any kind for any reason which includes sports betting, raffles and scratch cards.

PLAYING SPORTS

SDA members are allowed to play interscholastic sports. But they cannot play on Saturdays even in tournaments. They are also not allowed to celebrate victories as the value of sports is found in exercise and teamwork not winning or losing.

THEATRE

SDA members are only allowed to see G-rated movies or family rated live theatrical performances. Most television shows, books and movies are generally forbidden as they are seen as unnecessary indulgences that only distract from spiritual growth.

WOMEN

Women are instructed to be subservient to men. Women are not allowed to serve as pastors or participate in leadership roles in the church.

HOMOSEXUALS

The SDA church does not condone sexual relations between unmarried people or same sex couples. They do not conduct same sex marriages. They love the LGBTQ+ community but see their lifestyles as a sin. Practicing homosexuals are not allowed leadership roles in the church.

ANGELS

Angels are created beings that perform various tasks for God their Creator and are not to be worshiped. The word angel in Hebrew and Greek means messenger. The Book of Psalm has a verse that was originally translated to say that angels were created a little higher than man. But that is a bad translation. The actual translation is, man was created a little lower than God. This translation is further supported by Paul who wrote that the followers of Christ, known as saints, will one day judge the angels (I Corinthians 6:2).

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

All SDA members are expected and monitored to tithe at least 10% of their annual income to the church. Interestingly, 30% of all sales of Little Debbie Snacks are donated by the manufacturer/owner to the SDA church. While the factory does operate on Saturday, the bakery workers are given a special dispensation by the church. To comply with church regulations, they cover from sight the Little Debbie logos and wear special non-Debbie insignia clothing for the day.

SUMMARY

So, we can definitely say that the Seventh Day-Adventist Church is not the traditional Christian church of the Bible. It began in New Hampshire in 1844 based on a false prophet. It relies heavily on the laws of the Old Testament created specifically for the Jewish race with additional rules and regulations. However, it does teach that salvation and eternal life come only through faith in Jesus the resurrected Son of God and Messiah of mankind.

The Christian Church of the Bible was created in 33 AD with the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Christ. This Church was empowered by the Holy Spirit beginning on Pentecost Sunday, May 15th of 33 AD. It was then that the Holy Spirit arrived and began to indwell all believers in Christ. It is this same Spirit that today indwells all born again Christians (Acts 2:1-8). This Christian church is founded on the doctrine that salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ plus nothing else. This Church's philosophy is based only on what Jesus said, and conducts only those ceremonies He personally authorized during His ministry.

So, the Seventh Day Adventist church, much like the Catholic Church, believes in Christ as the Son of God and Savior of all mankind. Therefore, they are a Christian denomination. However, both churches have unfortunately decided to add many unnecessary and unscriptural rules, traditions and regulations. They have created these doctrines in an effort to help keep the church's members under the control of the church's administration. But they defend these unscriptural doctrines by teaching they help qualify and justify a person for salvation. Only Jesus is the justification for the offer of eternal life to mankind. Jesus was clear that salvation cannot be earned. It is a gift from God to mankind through faith in Him plus nothing else (John 14:6).

Bottom line, there are many other traditional Christian denominations available who are not encumbered with all the pomp, circumstance, traditions and regulations of the SDA and Catholic Church. The fact that they have blatantly added to and twisted existing Scripture in order to keep their congregations under their control should be a red flag to those seeking the simple truth of God which is...

Faith in Christ plus nothing else.