Seventh-Day Adventists

What are the beliefs (briefly) of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and how do their beliefs compare to the teachings of WELS?

In the SDA statement of “Fundamental Beliefs” (http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.htm), you’ll find many fine things with which we would agree completely. Here are some of the SDA distinctives that we find troubling, however:

  1. Perhaps the “trademark” SDA emphasis–the teaching that, at Creation, God established Saturday as a mandatory day of rest for his people of all time (compare Colossians 2:16-17). In SDA practice, there is a strong streak of legalism–i.e., the view that life with God is fundamentally about “keeping the rules” instead of about faith in Christ–in other matters, too. “The rules” have included strictures about diet, tobacco, alcohol, appropriate apparel, jewelry, tithing, etc.
  2. Baptism is a confession of faith (compare Titus 3:5), not a means of grace; and it must be performed by immersion.
  3. The bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper are “emblems” of Jesus’ body and blood, not the real thing. Jesus also instituted foot-washing as a lasting ordnance for his church.
  4. The writings of Ellen G. White (1827-1915) are an authoritative source of teaching alongside the Scriptures. The Church in General Conference session may also be led by the Holy Spirit to revise its teachings still further.
  5. In 1844, Christ in the sanctuary in heaven began a work of “investigative judgment”–i.e., the work of determining which of those who have died were righteous and may participate in the Resurrection at Christ’s coming. When he comes, the “millennium” will begin, which is explained as a 1,000-year reign of Christ with his believers in heaven (during which time the earth will be occupied only by Satan and his angels). Christ and the believers will return to earth at the end of this period, the earth will be cleansed, and this renewed earth will be the home of believers forever.

A word should be said, however, about the SDA’s many admirable educational and charitable endeavors all around the world. Additionally, there has been something of an “evangelical movement” within the SDA in recent times that has led them to put more emphasis on Jesus’ forgiveness and less on “the rules.” We pray it will continue.