Seventh-day Adventists
Believe
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The Holy Scriptures,
Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine
inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge
necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation
of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience,
the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of
God's acts in history.
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There is one
God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal
Persons. God is immortal, all- powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever
present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through
His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service
by the whole creation.
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God the Eternal
Father is the
Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign
of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers
exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father.
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God the Eternal
Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were
created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is
accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He became
also truly man, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and
born of the virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human
being, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By
His miracles He manifested God's power and was attested as God's promised
Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and
in our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in the
heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory for the final
deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things.
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God the eternal
Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation,
and redemption. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ's
life with power. He draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond
He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and
the Son to be always with His children, He extends
spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ,
and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth.
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God is Creator
of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His
creative activity. In six days the Lord made "the heaven and the earth"
and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of
that first week. Thus He established the Sabbath
as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work. The
first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work
of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility
to care for it. When the world was finished it was "very good", declaring
the glory of God.
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Man and woman
were made in the image of God, with individuality, the power and freedom
to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible
unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath
and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence
upon Him and fell from their high position
under God. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject
to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its
consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But
God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit restores
in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of
God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their
environment.
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All humanity is
now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan
regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the
universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed
with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary,
and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit
of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human
sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering
of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide
flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the
universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated.
To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit
and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of
salvation.
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In Christ's life
of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and resurrection,
God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who
by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation
may better understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. This perfect
atonement
vindicates the righteousness of God's law and the
graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides
for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory,
reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims God's
triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement
assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship
of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow.
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In infinite love
and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so
that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy
Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions,
and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example.
This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the
word and is the gift of God's grace. Through Christ
we are justified, adopted
as God's sons and daughters, and delivered
from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified,
the Spirit renews our minds, writes God's law of love in our hearts, and
we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers
of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and
in the judgment.
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The church is
the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord
and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times,
we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship,
for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the
Lord's Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation
of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the
incarnate Word, and from the Scriptures which are the written Word. The
church is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on
the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community
of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for
whom Christ died that He might sanctifiy and cleanse her. At His return
in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful
of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle,
but holy and without blemish.
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The universal
church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the
last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant
has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour,
proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second
advent. This proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation
14; it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a work
of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is called to have a personal
part in this worldwide witness.
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The church is
one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race,
culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low,
rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all
equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into fellowship with Him
and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality
or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures
we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all.
This unity has its source in the oneness of the Triune God, who has adopted
us as His children.
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By baptism
we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of
life. Thus we acknolwedge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people,
and are received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union
with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy
Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation
of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction
in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings.
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The Lord's
Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood
of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this
experience of Communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people.
As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again.
Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession.
The Master ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing,
to express a willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and
to unite our hearts in love. The Communion service is open to all believing
Christians.
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God bestows upon
all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which
each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the
church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions
to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries
needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According
to the Scriptures, these gifts include such minstries as faith, healing,
prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion,
and self- sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement
of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for
functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic,
and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service,
to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the
faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as
faithful stewards of God's varied grace, the church is protected from the
destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from
God, and is built up in faith and love.
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One of the gifts
of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying
mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen
G. White. 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. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by
which all teaching and experience must be tested.
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The great principles of God's law are
embodied in the Ten Commandments and exemplified in the life of
Christ. They express God's love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct
and relationships and are binding upon all people in every age. These precepts
are the basis of God's covenant with His people and the standard in God's
judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and
awaken a sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all of grace and not
of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments. This obedience
develops Christian character and results in a sense of well-being. It is
an evidence of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow men.
The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform lives,
and therefore strengthens Christian witness.
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The beneficient Creator, after the six
days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath
for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's
unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as
the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and
practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful
communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in
Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a
foretaste of our eternal future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath is
God's perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people.
Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to
sunset, is a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts.
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We are God's stewards, entrusted
by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the
blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for
their proper use. We acknowledge God's ownership by faithful service to
Him and our fellowmen, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for
the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church.
Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the
victory over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the
blessings that come to others as a result of his faithful.
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We are called to be a godly people
who think, feel, and act in harmony with the principles of heaven. For
the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves
only in those things which will produce Christlike purity, health, and
joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should
meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing
cultural differences, our dress is to be simple modest, and neat, befitting
those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the
imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also means because
our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them
intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the
most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified
in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible
use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain
from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts
and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness,
joy, and goodness.
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Marriage was divinely established
in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong union between a man and
a woman in loving companionship. For the Christian, a marriage committment
is to God as well as to the spouse, and should be entered into only between
partners who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor, respect, and responsibility
are the fabric of this relationship, which is to reflect the love, sanctity,
closeness, and permanence of the relationship between Christ and His church.
Regarding divorce, Jesus taught that the person who divorces a spouse,
except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. Although
some family relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage partners
who fully commit themselves to each other in Christ may achieve loving
unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the nurture of the church.
God blesses the family and intends that its members shall assist each other
toward complete maturity. Parents are to bring up their children to love
and obey the Lord. By their example and their words they are to teach them
that Christ is a loving disciplinarian, ever tender and caring, who wants
them to become members of His body, the family of God. Increasing family
closeness is one of the earmarks of the final gospel message.
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There is a sanctuary in heaven,
the true tabernacle which the Lord set up and not man. In it Christ ministers
on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning
sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. He was inaugurated as our
great High Priest and began His intercessory ministry at the time of His
ascension. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He
entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry. It is a work
of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of
all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the
Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with
the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with
the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment
reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ
and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection.
It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping
the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore,
are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates
the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that
those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion
of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before
the Second Advent.
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The second coming of Christ is
the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour's
coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns,
the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous
living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will
die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together
with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ's coming
is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore
exhorted to be ready at all times.
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The wages of sin is death. But
God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until
that day death is an unconscious state for all people. When Christ, who
is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous
will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The second resurrection,
the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later.
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The millennium is the thousand-year
reign of Christ with His saints in heaven between the first and second
resurrections. During this time the wicked dead will be judged; the earth
will be utterly desolate, without living human inhabitants, but occupied
by Satan and his angels. At its close Christ, with His saints and the Holy
City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will then
be resurrected, and with Satan and his angels will surround the city; but
fire from God will consume them and cleanse the earth. The universe will
thus be freed of sin and sinners forever.
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On the new earth, in which righteousness
dwells, God will provide an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect
environment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in His presence.
For here God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death
will have passed away. The great controversy will be ended, and sin will
be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that God is
love; and He shall reign forever.
This summary is taken from the
book Seventh-day Adventists Believe, Review & Herald Publishing
Association