Firstly let me say I am opposed to anyone who denies that Adventists are Christians, since Adventists agree with the CF.com Statement of Faith, which is brilliantly crafted to separate counterfeit Christian cults and heretical groups such as LDS, J/Ws and other Arians, Unitarians, Christian Science and Swedenborgians from legitimate Christians such as the Seventh Day Adventists, the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, the Baptists, the Anglicans, the Lutherans, the Non-Denominational Evangelists, the Calvinists, the Methodists, and every other group whose members can agree with the Nicene Creed and the other parts of the Statement of Faith.
Now, I don’t agree with all Adventist doctrines and I do not think Adventists should classify themselves as Sola Scriptura, but I recognize Adventists as Christians and regard you as a friend despite our differences of opinion, particularly since we agree on the most critical issues of moral theology such as the need for Christians to be pro-life, to reject the temptation to engage in homosexual acts or to perform gay weddings or blessings of homosexual unions, and so forth.
Amen -- but as Pavel illustrates, there is a lingering group out there some place that ignores what has been published by non-SDA sources affirming the Christian POV of SDA denomination. Each time I point to some evidence from outside the SDA church that it is widely accepted as a Christian denomination by scholars in other groups -- the people that Pavel thinks are joining in his POV - just seem to treat those objective evidences I point to - as "just so much inconvenient details to be skimmed past"
In response to your quote above, I believe St. Paul was referring to the explosion of Gnostic heresies and other heretical sects like the Montanists
No doubt there were some errors we do know about 2000 years later and some we do not. I am just pointing out that Paul was clear that they were coming in. In 1 Tim 1 Paul tells Timothy to remain at Ephesus since there were a lot of errors popping up there. And Paul instructs Titus to try and stem the tide of error in Titus 1. John writes in John 3 that error had taken such a firm root that people were being kicked out of local churchs for siding with the Apostles on doctrine.
The Great Controversy is a prophecy specific to Christianity in the West, which does not mean it is false, but rather, regional, and it is recognized even by Roman Catholics that prior to the Reformation and Counter Reformation they had some serious problems, during the Avignon Papacy, the corruption of the Borgias, the failed militarism of Pope Julius II, etc.
No doubt the Counter Reformation tried to address at least some of the errors that the protesting Catholics had exposed.
But as for what the Great Controversy covers
1. the rise of the Christian church,
2. the influx of errors over time,
3. the rise of great Protestant reforms, and the rise of the Adventist church in the mid 1800's
4. our current day of a widely diverse Christian church ,
5. the Rev 14 last warning message to the world,
6. the Rev 15:8 close of probation for all mankind,
7. the Rev 16 seven last plagues poured out on all mankind (saints being protected in that case as Rev 7 points out)
8. - the events at the appearing of Christ in Rev 19,
9. the events during the 1000 year millennium,
10 and details for all the remaining chapters in Revelation.
It is a very short summary of all of Christian history and future ending at the time of Rev 22
However, our disagreements aside, we both agree that Christians who agree with the CF.com Statement of Faith are Christians.
true
Indeed I think the Statement of Faith is the ideal litmus test for whether or not someone is a member of an authentic Christian church or a counterfeit church, heretical sect or cult, like the J/Ws and Mormons.
agreed though I don't use that language when I am talking to JW's or Mormons etc because I don't think it helps to reach them.
