AboutSal Expertise I am privileged to be able to offer an alternative insight into the complicated world of Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) theology. I will rely heavily on the Bible, but will also consider history and use logic in exposing deficiencies in SDA teachings. I would ask anyone who is considering becoming a SDA or if you are already in the SDA church, but are searching for the truth, to please allow me to offer a different explanation for the claims of the SDA. Remember : "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32). I can answer your questions pertaining to the beliefs and history of the SDA. I am not able to answer questions concerning spirituality or church discipline.
Experience I have extensively studied the theology of the Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) for a number of years. I have many books and tape sets produced by experts in this field of study. I have debated current members of the SDA church. I have a great desire to help these people see the truth.
I recently came across this response to a question somebody asked:
"You seem to believe that I am a fellow Adventist. I am not a SDA. I am a Christian exposing the falsehoods of the SDA Church. I have been used by God to help people see the errors of the SDA Church and to leave its bondage for the freedom of the Gospel of grace. Much like the mixing of the two family lines above did not produce good fruit, so the SDA mixing of the Law and the Gospel does not, as a rule, produce good fruit."
May I say to you that every single denomination is not perfect, including the SDA church. Satan is working hard to cause strife and conflict between denominations, and within each denomination. I can name a plethora of errors in other denominations.
About your views on the Sabbath. Nowhere in the Bible is it stated anywhere that the coming of Jesus ended observance of the seventh day Sabbath. In fact, it is stated in Acts 13:14 that the Apostle Paul observed the Sabbath, several years after the death of Jesus: "On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down."
Also a question on your views of the Ten Commandments being 'obselete' and not necessary for Christians to follow and obey. Tell me, if God had not meant for them to stand through eternity, why did He write His commandments on STONE, rather than some form of paper? Jesus also kept the commandments, and His coming did not 'do away' with the commandments. The moment Jesus died, "The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Mark 15:38) symbolizing that the death of Jesus ended the need for ritualistic sacrificing for repentance of sins, not the ending of observance of the Ten Commandments. Also, the Ten Commandments have formed the basis of the laws of our country.
Another response to your remark about the SDA church's belief on the Sabbath. You said, "Why do SDAs believe that keeping the Old Covenant 7th day Sabbath is so important? The number one reason is because their prophetess, Ellen White, had a vision. This is also the reason why they believe that Sabbath-keeping is necessary for salvation."
This is entirely untrue. We believe in the seventh day Sabbath because the Bible states that we are to honor it as a day of rest and doing the Lord's work. Our religion is not the only one that believes in Saturday as the Sabbath. Have you ever heard of Seventh-Day Baptists or Judaism? They all have not based their belief on the Sabbath because of 'something Ellen White said' but because the Bible states it. Just as we do.
I'm sorry, but I have not found any valid Scripture-based arguments against the SDA church in your responses to questions. It seems to me that you, not the SDA church, is ignorant of the Bible and the truth within its pages.
Answer Dear Zachary:
Please do not be upset because I present arguments against what you have been taught. “Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). I pray not. I do not want to be seen as an enemy. I am just presenting a biblical alternative to SDA teachings. I am in a difficult situation. I don't want to upset you, but I must preach the truth even if it offends. “Yet preaching the gospel is not the subject of a boast; I am under compulsion and have no choice. I am ruined if I do not preach it!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Please do not be like the Jewish leaders who closed their minds to Jesus (John 9:40-41). It is not what we have been taught, it is not what makes sense to us, but it is what the Bible says that is important.
I certainly do agree that no church is perfect. However, that other churches are not perfect does not excuse the errors of the SDA church. We should want to know the truth so that we can live in it.
I never said that the coming of Christ immediately ended all Sabbath observance. The Sabbath was practiced by the Jews. Jesus being an observant Jew kept all the Jewish laws. There is no doubt that Sabbath observance continued after the Resurrection. One cannot immediately give up a practice that has been so precious. We must remember that they did not have the advantages that we have, namely, the written New Testament and centuries of reflection on the whole Bible.
What I do say is that the Sabbath was a part of, indeed the sign of, the old Mosaic Covenant. I also say that that covenant is now obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). Therefore, so is the sign of that obsolete covenant. The Bible is clear that the Mosaic Covenant “was to be valid only until the descendant or offspring came to whom the promise was given” (Galatians 3:19). Do you suppose that the sign of that covenant is still valid? If so, by what authority since the Bible says otherwise? Again, St. Paul tells us the Old Covenant is obsolete. “In other words, the law was our tutor until Christ came to bring about our justification through faith. But now that faith is here, we are no longer in the tutor's charge” (Galatians 3:24-25). When one is no longer under the tutor (Old Covenant Law) the tutor is obsolete and is dismissed. We have been given the Holy Spirit to replace the old law (Galatians 5:18). That is what the Bible says and we must accept it no matter what any church may say.
Concerning the Ten Commandments the Bible is clear that they were never meant to be eternal (2 Corinthians 3:7-11). The Ten were always “destined to pass away” (v. 11). I think that St. Paul is pretty clear here. Let us recall that the Ten were the Old Covenant (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13). And the Old Covenant is obsolete (Hebrews 8:13 & 10:9). It is irrelevant on what the Ten were written because the Bible is so clear that they are obsolete. I believe that the Ten were on stone to emphasize to the Israelites that their hearts were not for God, but their hearts were hard as stone. Later the Holy Spirit would write God's new law on the soft hearts of His people (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; 2 Corinthians 3:3). Please do not let the fact that Jesus kept the Ten confuse the fact that is so clear from the Bible--that the Ten are now obsolete. Jesus was a Jew “born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). He kept all 613 Mosaic Laws. He told other Jews to keep the Ten (Matthew 19:16-19). They were all under the law and we Christians have been freed of that law (Romans 7:6). It is irrelevant whether or not a country's laws are based on the Ten. The Bible is what is important and the Bible teaches that the Ten are obsolete.
The Ten are an immature law for spiritually immature people. Christians are asked to mature beyond the Ten. We must not put ourselves under the immature Law of Moses. We are under the mature Law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21 & Galatians 6:2). The heart of this new law is to love (John 13:34-35).
I never said that all sabbatarians keep the Sabbath because of Ellen White's vision. They do so because of a poor understanding of the Bible and/or a desire to be different than other Christians. You say that you keep the “Sabbath because the Bible states that we are to honor it.” That is true if you are a Jew under the Old Covenant. It is not true if you are a Christian under the New Covenant. We are to be judged by the words of Jesus (John 12:48) and he never commanded New Covenant Christians to keep the Sabbath. You also said that what I said about Ellen White and the Sabbath was “entirely untrue.” So is it untrue that Ellen White taught that the Sabbath was necessary for salvation? If she did then I was not entirely untrue. If she didn't, please explain her statements to the contrary.
In your opinion what would be a valid Scripture-based argument against the SDA?
