Cults: Seventh Day Adventism

Basic beliefs

[1] SDA leader Ellen G. White alone possessed the “Spirit of Prophecy” which enabled her to make authoritative pronouncements, especially regarding matters not directly addressed in the Bible.

“We believe the revelation and inspiration of both the Bible and Ellen White's writings to be of equal quality. The superintendence of the Holy Spirit was just as careful and thorough in one case as in the other.” (Ministry magazine, October 1981)

[2] The “investigative judgment” and partial atonement: In 1844 Christ entered the inner sanctum of the heavenly sanctuary to begin the second phase of his intercessory work there. He is judging whether or not those who have professed faith in Him are genuinely saved or not. The SDA does not believe in the doctrine of eternal security; though saved by grace, the believer is kept by the Law.

“A Christian who through faith in Jesus Christ has faithfully kept the law’s requirements will be acquitted; there is no condemnation, for the law finds no fault in him. If, on the other hand, it is found that one has broken even a single precept, and this transgression is unconfessed, he will be dealt with just as if he had broken all ten” (Drama of the Ages, p. 351).

[3] Soul sleep: upon death, the soul is unconscious until it is reunited with the body when the latter is resurrected.

[4] Conditional immortality, annihilation of the soul, no eternal torment

[5] The keeping of the Sabbath

“... In the last days the Sabbath test will be made plain. When this time comes anyone who does not keep the Sabbath will receive the mark of the beast and will be kept from heaven” (Ellen G. White in The Great Controversy, p. 449).

[6] Other beliefs: Observance of Old Testament dietary laws, and foot washing as an ordinance

What the Bible really says

[1] The gift of prophecy was a temporary gift (1 Corinthians 13:8-10), and ceased when the canon of Scripture was completed with the book of Revelation.

[2] The believer is eternally secure (John 3:16, 6:37, 10:28-29; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 1:3 and 10:12; Colossians 2:13). All of the believer’s sin, whether past, present, and future, is forgiven at the moment of salvation. The SDA doctrine of “investigative judgment” is therefore wrong.

[3] After physical death, the soul lives on in conscious existence. The soul of the believer is in conscious bliss immediately following death (Luke 16:22; 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8, and Philippians 1:23). The soul of the unbeliever is in conscious torment (Luke 16:22-23; Hebrews 9:27).

[4] The soul of a believer or of an unbeliever is immortal.

[5] The believer is free from the Old Testament law (Acts 15:24, Romans 6:14, 7:4-6, 10:4, Galatians 3:24-25; Colossians 2:14). Christ fulfilled the Law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17-18). The believer is under the law of Christ or the “law of God” (Romans 7:251 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2).

Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament and are binding on the believer. Observance of the Sabbath, the fourth commandment, is not binding on the believer (Romans 14:5, Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:16). The early church met on Sundays, the first day of the week, and not on Saturdays (Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2).

Further study (Be like the Bereans! Acts 17:11)

There is a continuing controversy over whether SDA is a cult or not.

[1] The Seventh Day Adventists: Christian or cultic in nature? by Dr. David R. Reagan (available in PDF format in Lamplighter, Volume XXVII, July-August 2006 edition)

[2] Cults and false religions: Seventh Day Adventists, by Pastor Mark Tossell, Lighthouse Baptist Church, Phillip Bay, NSW

[3] Seventh Day Adventism, by Interfaith Evangelism (North American Mission Board)

[4] Seventh-Day Adventism: Orthodox or Cult?

[6] Seventh-day Adventism, from Apologetics Index

[7] Please surf to Sermon / Preaching resources. Sermons are also available from South McGehee Baptist Church, McGehee, Arizona; Central Baptist Church, Lowesville; First Baptist Church, Mountain View, Missouri; Swift Creek Baptist Church; Word of Life Baptist Church, Pottsville, Philadelphia; Palm Springs Baptist Church, California; South Woods Baptist Church; Grove Baptist Church, Ulster; Dudley Baptist Church, United Kingdom; Independent Fundamental Baptist Sermons, Fundamental Christian Radio Broadcasts, Off-Site Audio Page and The Christian Radio Tuner

Notes: (1) This ministry does not necessarily endorse or share all the views and opinions expressed in the materials, resources or links mentioned in these posts. Please always refer to the Articles of Faith and Biblical distinctives of Baptists when you study these materials. (2) This lesson is part of the projected 300 plus lessons. From time to time, the lessons will be updated, revised, combined, formatted, and edited to comply with the VOA Simplified English word list. Later on, these lessons will be categorized, numbered sequentially, and made available as PDF downloads.