Expert: Sal - 1/6/2006

Question
Sal,

I'd like to know the difference between the Catholic religion, which I currently practice, and a person that is Seventh-day Adventist.  I have been knowing a young lady who belongs to this religious group of a Central American country.  However, I have visited her church and observed a few physical things like no holy water and no statues of Christ.  I have not visited her church enough to understand their teachings and understandings.  Furthermore, I am interested in have a relationship, but from my understanding, it is better to be with someone of the same religious faith.

Can you give me any advice?


Thanks,
Gerald

Answer
Dear Gerald:

The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church has many distinctive beliefs that are not held by us Catholics. The particular belief that gives the SDA Church its name is 7th day Sabbath keeping. They believe that all true Christians must keep the Old Covenant Sabbath that is that we must worship on Saturday only. This Old Covenant law, they believe, is necessary for salvation (I have much info on the Sabbath being only for the Israelites if you would like to see it let me know). The SDA Church teaches that Emperor Constantine with the help of a pope changed the Christian day of worship from the Jewish Sabbath to Sunday sometime in the 300's A.D. this despite the evidence to the contrary (I can provide a brief list of early Christian writers who, prior to Constantine, wrote that Sunday was already the Christian day of worship).

The SDA Church teaches that one of its founders, Ellen G. White (EGW), was a prophet equal to the Bible prophets. They believe that she was inspired. She made many prophecies (I have much info on her false prophecies and Bible contradictions if you would like to see it let me know).

The SDA Church also teaches the doctrine of Soul Sleep. This is the belief that when one dies he is not judged. He simply is asleep or unconscious until Jesus returns and then he is judged. Therefore, prayer to the saints is seen as useless since the saints are supposedly unconscious (I have info on the unbiblical nature of this doctrine).

The SDA Church also teaches a doctrine that they and they alone subscribe to.  It is called the Investigative Judgment. Basically, this is the belief that Jesus upon entering heaven did not go to the Father, but entered the Holy Place in heaven. Then in 1844 Jesus finally went to the Holy of Holies to be with the Father for the first time. It was then that he began the Investigative Judgment. Jesus began investigating all people who ever lived in order to determine who belongs to God. After Jesus finishes the investigating he will return to earth (I can provide evidence that this doctrine is unbiblical if you would like to see it).

The SDA denies that there is an eternal hell(This is a popular denial among many cults).

The SDA Church is very anti-Catholic. They call the pope the anti-Christ. A relation with an SDA would be very difficult because of this belief. Please keep that in mind if you attempt a relationship with an SDA.

If I can be of further help to you please do not hesitate to let me know. I will pray for you.

God Bless You,
Sal