Are Seventh Day Adventists Christian?

[eldermike]

Hi everyone,

I've just read over this whole thread over the SDA's and whether they are Christian, and it just makes sigh heavily and say
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they say." Yes, I'm officially a member of the SDA church, but I don't hold to all of its beliefs. My beliefs lean more toward that of Messianic Judaism.

To simply throw out the whole bunch of grapes because of one or two bad grapes (meaning doctrines) isn't the smartest thing to do. To conclude that SDA's aren't Christian because of one or two non-traditional beliefs. This was the same conclusion the Pharisees drew about Jesus and the early church.

How about attending an SDA church? Has that entered anyone's mind? It's a simple Protestant church service with traditional music. Even some congregations have more contemporary music that is sung in many evangelical churches. My point is, why not find out for yourself whether SDA's are Christians by getting in face to face contact with them.

Granted, there are SDA's who believe that they are the only true Christians, but that's just the flipside of believing that NO SDA is a true Christian. God looks on each individual's heart, not on their church membership.

Is it one's doctrinal beliefs are one's fruits that God judges us by? And please don't tell me that it's one's beliefs that determines their fruit, because that isn't always true. James says, "Do you believe there is one God? Very well. Even the devils believe, and tremble." People can have wrong beliefs and produce the fruit of the spirit, or have the right beliefs, and not produce the fruit of the spirit. That's why I laid that burden down a long time ago and left it up to the Husbandman, my Father in heaven, to judge who is producing the fruit of the spirit, and who is producing poisonous fruit.

Like I said, I don't adhere to all of the SDA church's doctrine (1844 being one of the ones I don't adhere to). I do not regard EGW as an inerrant prophet of God like some SDA's do, but I do regard her as an inspired messenger/reformer, no different from Luther, Calvin, the Wesley brothers. None of these adhered to all Biblical truth, but they did adhere to the truths they were called to "re-reveal" to the ignorant church of their day. To strictly adhere to a manmade creed is unwise, and shall I dare say, narrowminded. That goes for both SDA's and non-SDA's. I don't like the fact that the SDA church has written up a set of 27 Fundamental beliefs when its founders said that to do such a thing would result in apostasy and close-mindedness to the word of God.

I see the Laodicean mindset in both SDA and non-SDA churches. "I'm rich, increased with goods (truth) and have need of nothing." In other words, I'm rich in knowledge of the word of God, increased in doctrine, and have no more need of learning anything from the word of God. I know it all. Everything I believe is truth." No wonder Jesus said He would vomit them out of His mouth. Such an attitude is nauseating.

Jesus calls us (SDA's and non-SDA's) to buy of Him the gold of faith that works by love, so we can be truly rich, the linen of His righteousness to clothe our naked sinfulness, and the eyesalve of (dare I say it) discernment to clearly look at our beliefs and be open to correction from the word of God. Put aside all our pre-conceived interpretations, and read the word straight, without pre-written, pre-spoken commentary. You will be humbled and in awe of the amazing grace and love of our Father in heaven.

May God have mercy on us all.

Kim V.

Hi, and welcome to the forum.
I have attended many SDA services and I enjoyed them all.

Eldermike

 

[FreeinChrist]

I was a bit off then...

So basicly SDA's and Jeohova's witnesses have the same roots but different doctrines?

I should clarify a bit. The Jehovah Witnesses were founded by a Charles Taze Russell, who rejected his Congregational upbringing. He started the Herald of the Morning in 1879 which eventually became the Watchtower.

In saying that Miller's teachings led to this group's formation, it was the Advent movement that Miller began that eventually and some aspects of his teaching that appear in this group's beliefs. Perhaps it really isn't accurate to say that Miller's errors led to the eventual formation of the Jehovah witnesses.

They have some similarities to the SDA church, in that they deny eternal torment, believe in annihilation of the wicked, and believe that references to Michael are about Jesus before his birth. But the JW's see Jesus as an angel that became man, while the SDA church sees Jesus as God and that Michael is just a name before the Incarnation.
The Jehovah Witnesses do not believe that Jesus actually was resurrected and do not expect a Second coming - but they teach that Jesus returned to the temple in 1914 and cleansed it by 1918 for judgement on the sinful and on Satan's followers. The SDA church does believe that Jesus was resurrected and expect a Second Coming...but teach that in 1844, Jesus is "cleansing the sanctuary" in heaven (see a comon thread here?) but explain this to mean that since 1844, Jesus has been applying the benefits of His sacrifice to those who believe - thus it is a second phase of atonement.

In short, I believe the JW's are a cult, but the SDA church is Christian with a number of teachings that I disagree with.

 

[Andre]

Most of my friends are SDA's and there are some thing SDAs believe that I seriously disagree with. They believe in soul sleep, basically if a person die it's soul goes to sleep and you'll awake on the second coming of Christ, your thoughts at the time of your death will be the same thought when you wake up so they believe that if you are sinning or having sinfull thoughts at the time of your death Jesus will see them and you might not be saved. The bible teaches that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord 2 Corinthian 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Philipians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better.
They believe that after you acept Christ your sins will go to a different book that will be used to determine if you are saved or not, if you have too many sins you're not. (Hebrews 8:12 "FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE." Hebrews 10:17 "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."
Jeremiah 31:34 "They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

Another thing is keeping the Sabbath, they believe that it's a requirement for salvation, don't get me wrong, I don't see any problems in setting a day appart for God, the problem is trusting in it for your salvation. And they believe that they really keep the Sabbath, but they use cell phones, they use electricity, they drive their cars, if they get into an accident they will not hesitate in calling an ambulance, if you really believe that working on the Sabbath day is a sin how car you benefit from work that is a result of the sin of others?

Galatians 5:3-5
3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.
4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.

Romans 3:19-20
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 3:24-26
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

 

[ByGrace]

SDA's are not christians..they worship the same God and all..but they do not observe the festivals and Holy Days required to be classified as a christian.

They are put in the same category as JW's

What holy days and festivals do you think you have to celebrate to be a Christian?

Being a Christian is based solely on your faith in Jesus. Anything added to it is a slap to the face of grace.

 

[Brian Daniel]

My 16yo is an SDA (her dad's religion), and I'm wondering if I should be concerned about her salvation.

They can be Christians if they're saved. Her salvation doesn't depend on the group she's lumped in with, even if they might be wrong about some things.

 

[middo]

Yah i think what Brian Daniel says sums it up. Its not what church/denomination or whatever you attend, its whether you have been saved or not. Granted some of the teachings at an SDA church MAY(i say may as not all will necessarily profess the same beliefs) hinder salvation, but it really comes down to whether they believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Im sure that there are MANY SDA christians. Just because their teachings/general beliefs may not be correct in our opinion, doesnt mean all SDA's have it wrong. Its up to the individual, cant mass generalise.

 

[OnederWoman]

What holy days and festivals do you think you have to celebrate to be a Christian?

Being a Christian is based solely on your faith in Jesus. Anything added to it is a slap to the face of grace.

I asked this too... days ago on page 3 of this thread...

no...

I was not asking about the SDA's, as to what they do.... I was wanting to know what you say they DON'T do. I was asking about what festivals and holy days you observe that make you a Christian and that you think anyone else who wants to consider themselves a Christian have to observe.

I haven't received my answer yet....

 

[ByGrace]

I asked this too... days ago on page 3 of this thread...


I haven't received my answer yet....

Maybe we asked a question so simple it doesnt need an answer beyond the one we gave.

 

[1John5:3]

Above, Andre wrote, "The bible teaches that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

No it doesn't.

It says, "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."
The text itself mentions nothing about consciousness between death and the resurrection. I invite a discussion on this in another thread.

 

[1John5:3]

This online book will tell you what SDA's believe about salvation:
http://www.egwtext.whiteestate.org/sc/sc.html

 

[OnederWoman]

Maybe we asked a question so simple it doesnt need an answer beyond the one we gave.

there's no need to be rude... geez

and, no, the question was never answered as it was asked.... I'm still waiting

 

[Andre]

Above, Andre wrote, "The bible teaches that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

No it doesn't.

It says, "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."
The text itself mentions nothing about consciousness between death and the resurrection. I invite a discussion on this in another thread.

Revelation 6
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, " How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

This sounds like conciousness to me...


Luke 16

23 "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 "And he cried out and said, ' Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'

Sounds like they are concious there, and they are in a real place btw.

 

[Andre]

What holy days and festivals do you think you have to celebrate to be a Christian?

None.




Colossians 2
16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

 

[1John5:3]

Andre, what is it about "I invite a discussion on this in another thread" that you don't understand?

 

[Andre]

You didn't provide a link for it, I beleive it is important for Melani (thread starter) to know what they are teaching her daughter, and I believe that it relates to the topic of the thread.