| Author | Message | ||
| Jorgfe Registered user Username: Jorgfe Post Number: 125 Registered: 11-2005 |
I am working on a small description of what I see as major unique Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, and I would be interested in any modifications that you would suggest to the following statement: ==== For review === The Seventh-day Adventist Church starts out their Statement of Fundamental Beliefs (http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/) by stating "Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed". It would be wonderful if indeed this was the case. Unfortunately a significant amount of the terminology that the Seventh-day Adventist Church uses in defining their beliefs assumes meanings different than what the rest of the Christian world thinks they are saying. The Christian world expects that they are hearing one thing when the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in fact, redefines many terms to actually mean something different. The Jehovah Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do the same. It would be more accurate if the Seventh-day Adventist Church began their Statement of Fundamental Beliefs with these words: "Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed, subject to the divinely inspired interpretation of their prophet, Ellen G. White." That would then be correct, for that explains some of the unique and un-Biblical doctrines such as the following beliefs: * Out of the entire Body of Christ, the Seventh-day Adventist Church alone is the "Remnant Church". * The Bible is in error when it states that the "Seal of God" is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Ellen White "was shown" in vision that instead of it being a "chair" that is occupied by the Holy Spirit, that it is really instead a day that God created -- the 7th day Sabbath. Conversely those who worship God on Sunday will receive the "Mark of the Beast", and this will be orchestrated by an alliance of the Roman Catholic Church, Apostate Protestantism and Spiritualism. * Michael, the Archangel, is actually Jesus. There is an ongoing "Great Controversy" between Christ and Satan. Even though Jesus is God, and Satan is an angel that Jesus created, Jesus, in the person of Michael the Archangel, is leading the good angels in combat against Satan and His evil angels. Only at Christ's Second Coming will the "Great Controversy" be complete, and God vindicated by the perfect lives of his followers. There will also be a period of time after the "Close of Probation" when there will be no heavenly intercessor. * Christ's Atonement was not completed on the cross. The Gospel as preached by Jesus, his disciples and apostles was incomplete. The Apostle Paul was incorrect in his understanding of Hebrews 6:19-20. They failed to mention that it was actually on October 22, 1844 that Christ would go from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place in a physical Heavenly Sanctuary where God the Father had a throne in the Holy Place as well as a second throne in the Most Holy Place, and where Satan would come into the Holy Place and assume the role of Jesus as High Priest when Jesus entered the Most Holy Place on October 22, 1844. This is known as the "Investigative Judgement". At this time the "books" containing our deeds and sins were opened in Heaven, and the "Investigative Judgement" consisting of a heavenly review of all of our past conscious and unconscious thoughts and actions commenced. ==== End === Thank you in advance for pointing out any areas where I seem to be in error. Gilbert | ||
| Belvalew Registered user Username: Belvalew Post Number: 925 Registered: 7-2004 |
Diet, in the form of vegetarianism, will become an issue during the "Time of Trouble," in that any person who consumes meat will not be strong enough to stand against the onslaughts of Satan during that time. Only people whose bodies have been purified by the vegatarian diet will be able to survive, the meat-eating believers will die and be resurrected when Jesus comes. | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1291 Registered: 3-2005 |
Very good points, Gilbert and Belva. If the SDA church printed out their official belief statement like they really are, then there would be no doubt about Adventism's classification. Stan | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 1052 Registered: 10-2004  |
Good list, Gilbert. There are a couple more points you may want to add. First, they don't believe that the Bible is verbally inspired and inerrant--they believe in thought inspiration, that only the thoughts are inspired, and not the words. Also, they teach that Satan is the scapegoat of the Day of Atonement, who bears the sins of the righteous, and that our sins are not actually blotted out of existence and remembered no more and our sins are not separated from us, until Satan bears the punishment for them and makes atonement for them; and that it is not safe to claim that we are saved until Satan bears our sins. The way I worded that is all from Ellen's writings! Here are a couple of horrifying quotes that say that Satan is our savior!
What blasphemy and satan worship! Jeremy | ||
| Lynne Registered user Username: Lynne Post Number: 264 Registered: 10-2005 |
Gilbert, It looks real good. I just put some references on them and played with it a little, like breaking a couple of paragraphs, just suggestions only if you like them... There was one mispelled word - judgment. Lynne The Seventh-day Adventist Church starts out their Statement of Fundamental Beliefs (http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/) by stating "Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed". It would be wonderful if indeed this was the case. Unfortunately a significant amount of the terminology that the Seventh-day Adventist Church uses in defining their beliefs assumes meanings different than what the rest of the Christian world thinks they are saying. The Christian world expects that they are hearing one thing when the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in fact, redefines many terms to actually mean something different. The Jehovah Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do the same. Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments. FUNDAMENTAL 18 It would be more accurate if the Seventh-day Adventist Church began their Statement of Fundamental Beliefs with these words: "Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed, subject to the divinely inspired interpretation of their prophet, Ellen G. White." See FUNDAMENTAL NUMBER 18, which states: As the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. That would then be correct, for that explains some of the unique and un-Biblical doctrines such as the following beliefs: * Out of the entire Body of Christ, the Seventh-day Adventist Church alone is the "Remnant Church". SEE FUNDAMENTAL NUMBER 13 * The Bible is in error when it states that the "Seal of God" is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Ellen White "was shown" in vision that instead of it being a "chair" that is occupied by the Holy Spirit, that it is really instead a day that God created -- the 7th day Sabbath. Conversely those who worship God on Sunday will receive the "Mark of the Beast", and this will be orchestrated by an alliance of the Roman Catholic Church, Apostate Protestantism and Spiritualism. (SEE FUNDAMENTAL NUMBERS 18, 19 and 20). See www.whiteestate.org (writings of Ellen White - (Book LAST DAY EVENTS, Chapter 15 - The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast, What is the Seal of God)). * Michael, the Archangel, is actually Jesus. There is an ongoing "Great Controversy" between Christ and Satan. Even though Jesus is God, and Satan is an angel that Jesus created, Jesus, in the person of Michael the Archangel, is leading the good angels in combat against Satan and His evil angels. Only at Christ's Second Coming will the "Great Controversy" be complete, and God vindicated by the perfect lives of his followers. There will also be a period of time after the "Close of Probation" when there will be no heavenly intercessor. (SEE FUNDAMENTAL NUMBER 8). * Christ's Atonement was not completed on the cross. The Gospel as preached by Jesus, his disciples and apostles was incomplete. The Apostle Paul was incorrect in his understanding of Hebrews 6:19-20. They failed to mention that it was actually on October 22, 1844 that Christ would go from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place in a physical Heavenly Sanctuary where God the Father had a throne in the Holy Place as well as a second throne in the Most Holy Place, and where Satan would come into the Holy Place and assume the role of Jesus as High Priest when Jesus entered the Most Holy Place on October 22, 1844. This is known as the "Investigative Judgment". At this time the "books" containing our deeds and sins were opened in Heaven, and the "Investigative Judgment" consisting of a heavenly review of all of our past conscious and unconscious thoughts and actions commenced. SEE FUNDAMENTAL 24 ==== End === | ||
| Lynne Registered user Username: Lynne Post Number: 265 Registered: 10-2005 |
Gilbert, The only thing I added was, other than the references was: Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments. FUNDAMENTAL 18 I think it looks funny and out of place as I read it now. It was a thought while I was hitting the return key... Lynne | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2272 Registered: 3-2004  |
This reminds of the the vocabulary list Colleen was making up with our help. Colleen, Do you have it done??? Diana | ||
| Jorgfe Registered user Username: Jorgfe Post Number: 126 Registered: 11-2005 |
Lynne -- thanks for your additions. You did quite a bit of work! The product of multiple minds is always superior to just one  It is interesting to view the Statement from this perspective, isn't it. I am trying to be as balanced as possible. Sure sounds like a cult to me. Gilbert | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3341 Registered: 12-2003  |
Diana, thank you for reminding me! I actually forgot to finish it. It'll have to wait until after The Weekend, though... I want to publish at least part of it in Proclamation... I have started work on "cleaning it up", but I actually forgot to finish it. I need to get that finished! Colleen PS--If anyone has any defnitions to add, just post them here. I'll copy them and add them to the list, but everyone reading can enjoy them, too. | ||
| Jackob Registered user Username: Jackob Post Number: 93 Registered: 7-2005 |
By the way, when the new Proclamation will be send? After the February FAF meeting? | ||
| Lynne Registered user Username: Lynne Post Number: 269 Registered: 10-2005 |
Gilbert, It didn't take me long. I know all the fundamentals and type 120 wpm It is a nice fresh new perspective, seeing the fundamentals in a new light. Yes, it sounds like a cult, but so does the Catholic church and nobody would dare call them that. The Catholic church is also the remnant. Many of my relatives believe, once a Catholic, always a Catholic. As Stan would say, these are false religions. Catholics have a pope and Adventists have sort of a little pope, Ellen White. Lynne | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2276 Registered: 3-2004 |
Colleen, do you have Christian on the list with something like this definition: anyone who is an Adventist and keeps the Sabbath. Bible only: with interpretation from EGW. God's children: anyone who believes in God according to SDA doctrine. I do not remember all the words you have. Diana | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3344 Registered: 12-2003 |
Good addition, Diana. Jackob, Proclamation is at the printer as we speak. It will mailed out toward the end of this week. | ||
| Grwaitemd Registered user Username: Grwaitemd Post Number: 15 Registered: 1-2006 |
The pioneers who started the SDA church accepted the Bible as the "only infallible rule of faith and practice". See the first published statement of faith in 1872. This statement was published in the SDA yearbooks until 1914. E.G. White in the 5th book of the Testimonies says that if her testimonies do not speak according to the Holy Scriptures we are to reject them. The Holy Scripture are not to be tested by her writings since they were never part of the canon of Holy Scriptures. Rather her writings which contain human errors are to be tested by the Holy Scriptures. Do not believe either current or former SDAs which teach otherwise. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 404 Registered: 8-2004  |
They HAVE been tested by the Scriptures, at least by some of us, and by many others, and have been found wanting. (Message edited by helovesme2 on February 11, 2006) | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 1073 Registered: 10-2004 |
Yes, since her writings do not speak according to the Bible, we have rejected them. Jeremy | ||
| Jackob Registered user Username: Jackob Post Number: 99 Registered: 7-2005 |
Grwaitemd, Have you read the preceding proposition from Testimonies vol. 5? It says about the testimonies: "Do not feel that you can dissect them to suit your own ideas, claiming that God has given you ability to discern what is light from heaven and what is the expression of mere human wisdom. If the Testimonies speak not according to the word of God, reject them. Christ and Belial cannot be united. {5T 691.2} She said that you have no right to separate her messages in divine parts and human parts. You must accept them entirely as inspired, or entirely as from Satan. There are no gray areas in this domain, and she is right at this point. She knows that she is inspired, and inspired she is, but her inspiration comes from an occult source. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3388 Registered: 12-2003 |
Jackob, you are completely right. Ellen WAS inspired, but she was not inspired by God. In order to be true to the Bible, we've had to reject her. Further, the SDA statement that the Bible is the "only infallible rule of faith and practice" is another of their subtle deceptions. "Infallible" does not mean to them "inerrant". It means the message of salvation is in it, and in its main message, it will never lead us astray. The SDA statement, however, does NOT mean that we can accept the whole Bible as it stands as applicable to us today. The SDA statement REALLY means (to them) that just as they "edit" and re-interpret Ellen to adjust for her errors, so they can "edit" and reinterpret the Bible to adjust for supposed errors. Colleen |
