What The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Teach & Believe
What does the Seventh Day Adventist teach and is this group Christian or they a cult? This is a controversy among Christians of all denominations and is of considerable concern to us here at Empowered by Christ ministries. To better understand exactly what the Seventh Day Adventist’s teach we will break down their teachings into two sections, Biblical and non-Biblical. It should be noted that when dealing with SDA and its members; that not every SDA church teaches or believes exactly the same on every teaching. This makes dealing with the SDA church, and its members difficult at best from an apologetic standing.
First of all, we will look at what the Seventh Day Adventist teach than complies with the bible. They believe that the bible is the inspired word of God. In doing so, they assert a Trinitarian view of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit and verify that there is one God in Three persons. The SDA teaches that Jesus is Divine in His nature, meaning that Jesus is God and has always existed with the Father.
The SDA also believes and teaches that Jesus’ sacrifice was vicarious and that Salvation is by grace alone and not earned by works. The SDA supports and teaches that Jesus rose from the dead physically in His glorified state and that He ascended into heaven with that physical body. Like many traditional Christian denominations, they teach that Baptism is by immersion.
When it comes to Eschatology, or end-times, the SDA believes in the literal and visible return of Jesus Christ. They teach that Christ will return to set up a millennial kingdom. As far as their view of end-time events they teach a Premillennial view. On the opposite end of the spectrum, dealing with the issue of Creation the SDA believe in a literal six day creation and that the earth is a young earth not old.
Now that we have examined some of the SDA’s biblical teachings, let us take some time and look at their teachings that do not aline with the bible. First they teach that the soul in mortal. The Jehovah technically Witnesses teach this same view, that the soul is not immortal and stops existing after death. This teaching in not found in Scripture anywhere and is better now in theological terms as Annihilationism. Another area of concern, along the same avenue, within the SDA is in the area of the subject of Hell. The SDA teaches that Hell is not eternal much as the Jehovah Witnesses do. They both teach that Hell is simply being buried in the ground where you were you stay in a state of "soul sleep" in which one goes to sleep until Christ’s return.
Another problem the SDA churches have is with the subject of sin and how it will eventually be placed on Satan, not the sinners or non elect. They also teach that Jesus is Micheal the Archangel, which is found nowhere in Scripture. With in some SDA churches, not all, worship must be done on Sundays. The SDA teach that worship done on any other day of the week is sinful and dishonoring to God.
One of the biggest problems with the SDA is its adherence to the words and writings of Ellen G. White, who is the “founder” of the Seventh Day Adventist movement. Ellen G. White for all practical reasons was an occultist. She appealed to the help of demons and occultic practices to obtain prophecy. Ellen G White taught there is a sanctuary in heaven where Jesus carries out his mediatorial work.
As one can clearly see while the SDA follows some of the basics of biblical teachings they are far from mainstream Christianity. Here at Empowered by Christ ministries, we do not recommend that anyone attend an SDA church and if you are attending one leave now. While the SDA is not technically a cult, they are on the border line of becoming one. The SDA while it does have some decent aspects it is so steeped in legalism that those good aspects are far out weighted by its problems.
First of all, we will look at what the Seventh Day Adventist teach than complies with the bible. They believe that the bible is the inspired word of God. In doing so, they assert a Trinitarian view of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit and verify that there is one God in Three persons. The SDA teaches that Jesus is Divine in His nature, meaning that Jesus is God and has always existed with the Father.
The SDA also believes and teaches that Jesus’ sacrifice was vicarious and that Salvation is by grace alone and not earned by works. The SDA supports and teaches that Jesus rose from the dead physically in His glorified state and that He ascended into heaven with that physical body. Like many traditional Christian denominations, they teach that Baptism is by immersion.
When it comes to Eschatology, or end-times, the SDA believes in the literal and visible return of Jesus Christ. They teach that Christ will return to set up a millennial kingdom. As far as their view of end-time events they teach a Premillennial view. On the opposite end of the spectrum, dealing with the issue of Creation the SDA believe in a literal six day creation and that the earth is a young earth not old.
Now that we have examined some of the SDA’s biblical teachings, let us take some time and look at their teachings that do not aline with the bible. First they teach that the soul in mortal. The Jehovah technically Witnesses teach this same view, that the soul is not immortal and stops existing after death. This teaching in not found in Scripture anywhere and is better now in theological terms as Annihilationism. Another area of concern, along the same avenue, within the SDA is in the area of the subject of Hell. The SDA teaches that Hell is not eternal much as the Jehovah Witnesses do. They both teach that Hell is simply being buried in the ground where you were you stay in a state of "soul sleep" in which one goes to sleep until Christ’s return.
Another problem the SDA churches have is with the subject of sin and how it will eventually be placed on Satan, not the sinners or non elect. They also teach that Jesus is Micheal the Archangel, which is found nowhere in Scripture. With in some SDA churches, not all, worship must be done on Sundays. The SDA teach that worship done on any other day of the week is sinful and dishonoring to God.
One of the biggest problems with the SDA is its adherence to the words and writings of Ellen G. White, who is the “founder” of the Seventh Day Adventist movement. Ellen G. White for all practical reasons was an occultist. She appealed to the help of demons and occultic practices to obtain prophecy. Ellen G White taught there is a sanctuary in heaven where Jesus carries out his mediatorial work.
As one can clearly see while the SDA follows some of the basics of biblical teachings they are far from mainstream Christianity. Here at Empowered by Christ ministries, we do not recommend that anyone attend an SDA church and if you are attending one leave now. While the SDA is not technically a cult, they are on the border line of becoming one. The SDA while it does have some decent aspects it is so steeped in legalism that those good aspects are far out weighted by its problems.
