From: Tammy R Healy
To: All Msg #184, Apr-25-93 06:10PM
Subject: 27 fundamental beliefs of SDA
Organization: Walla Walla College
From: healta@saturn.wwc.edu (Tammy R Healy)
Message-ID:
Newsgroups: alt.atheism
I was asked to post list of the SDA Church's basic beliefs. The SDA
church has always been reluctant to formalize a creed in the usual sense of
word. However, the powers that be in the church deemed it neccessary to
publish a summary of basic SDA beliefs.
These 27 Basic Fundamental beliefs aren't an officially voted statement
of the SDA church, however, they can be considered representitive of SDA
beliefs.
The book is called, "Seventh Day Adventist Believe...A Biblical
Exposition of 27 Fundamental Beliefs."
I've tried to shorten the statements in the interest of brevity. You
also might notice that many of the phrases sound like direct quotes out the
Bible, they probably are.
I apologize right now if this list sounds like a text of a
sermon. They were probably written for that purpose.
#1) "The Holy Scriptures, OT and NT, 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...The Holy Scriptures are the infallable reelation
of His will..."
#2) Belief in the Trinity--God in 3 persons, all co-eternal.
#3) "God the Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, & Sovereign of all
creation. He is just & holy; merciful and gracious; slow to anger &
abounding in steadfast love & faithfullness. The qualities & powers
exhibited in the Son and Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father."
#4) "God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ...He will come
again in glory for restoration of all things." What's in the ellipses is
basically the Apostle's Creed.
#5) "God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and The Son in
creation, incarnation, and redemption...He draws and convicts human beings;
and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent
by the Father and Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual
gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, & in harmony
with the Scriptures, leads it into all truth."
#6) "God is Creator of all things...Thus He establised the Sabbath as a
perpetual memorial of His completed, creative work...When the world was
finished it was 'very good,' declaring the glory of God."
#7) "Man and Woman were created in the image of God with individuality, the
power and freedom to think and do." After they disobeyes God, the image of
God in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants
shared this fallen nature and it's consequences...."Created for the glory of
God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their
environment."
#8) "All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and
Satan regarding the character of God. His law and His sovreignity over the
universe....This world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of
which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people,
Christ send the H.S and the loyal angels to guide, protect and sustain them."
#9) "God, through Christ's life, death & resurrection provided the only
way to atone human sin....Christ's death was an all-encompassing substitute
for us."
#10) "In infinite love and mercy, God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be
sin for us,....Abiding in Him, we become partakers in the divine nature and
have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgement."
#11) "The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as
Lord adn Saviour...The Church is the bride for who Christ died that He
might santify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present
her to Himself as a glorious Church...holy and without blemish."
#12) "The universal Church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ,
but in the last days, a time of wide apostacy, a remnant has been called to
keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant
announces the arrival of the judgement hour, proclaims salvation throught
Christ and heralds the approach of the 2nd advent. This proclamation of
His 2nd coming is symbolized by the 3 Angel's messages of Revelation 14, it
coincides with the work of judgement in Heaven and results in a work of
repentance and reform on earth. Every beliver is called to have a personal
part in this world-wide witness."
#13) "The Church is one body with many members, called from every nation,
kindred, tongue and people...We are equal in Christ...This unity has its
source in the oneness of the Triune God, who has adopted us as His own
children."
#14) Baptism by immersion. It's used as an, "acknowledgement of Christ as
Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as members by His
Church."
#15) The Lord's Supper and Footwashing ceremony before L.S. "As we joyfully
proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again...The Master ordained the
service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing to express a
willingness to serve on another in Christ-like humility...Communion Service
is open to all believers."
#16) Spiritual Gifts. God, throught the Holy Spirit, gives each believer
different spiritual gifts for them to use in His service.
#17) "one of the Spiritual gifts is prophesy. "This gift is an identifying
mark of the remnant church and was maniested in the ministry of Ellen G.
White. As the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and
authoratative source of truth, which provide for the Chruch comfort,
guidance,instruction, and correction. They also make the clear that the
Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested."
#18) "The 10 commandments are God's Law and exemplified in the Life of
Christ...Through the agency of the H.S., they point out sin, and awaken a
seise of need for a Saviour." Salvation is by faith and grace and not
works, however, the fruit of salvation is obedience to the commandments."
#19) Belief in the 7th day Sabbath.
#20) We are God's stewards. He has entrusted us with time, opportunities,
abilities, "...the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are
responsible for their proper use." We acknowledge His ownership of all
things by serving Him and our fellow man as well as giving our tithes and
offerings.
#21) "We are called to be a godly people who think and act in harmony with
the principles of Heaven....We should have high standards in regards to
amusement & entertainment. While recognizing cultural difference, our dress
is to be simple, modest, and neat...." We should reat our bodies as temples
of the Holy Spirit, by getting adequate exercise and rest, healthy diet--
abstain from unclean foods identifies in Scripture, & abstain from drugs,
alcohol and tobacco.
#22) "Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be
a life-long union between a man and a woman in loving companionship....
Divorce, except in the case of adultery is wrong and a person who divorces
and remarries committs adultery."
#23) "There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord
set up and not man." Christ minsters in the heavenly sanctuary on the
belevers behalf. He began His intercessory ministry at the time of His
ascension...In 1844, at the end of the 2300 days, He entered the Holy of
Holies and began the investigative judgement, typified by the ancient Hebrew
Day of Atonement. "This judgement 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 2nd advent."
#24) The 2nd coming of Jesus is called, "the blessed hope of the Church,
the grand climax of the Gospel...The time of that event has not been
revealed and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times."
#25) "the wages of sin is death." When Jesus returns, the righteous dead
will be glorified meet Jesus in the air. The 2nd ressurection of the wicked
will occur 1,000 later.
#26) The millenium is the 1,00 reign of Christ with His saints in Heaven
between the 1st and 2nd ressurection. The wicked dead will be judged. "The
earth will be utterly desolate without living inhabitants but occupied by
Satan and his angels." At the end of the 1,000 years, Christ with His
saints and the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, will descend from heaven to
earth. "The unrighteous dead will then be ressurected and with Satan and
his angels surround the city, but fire from God will consume and cleanse the
earth. The universe will be clean from sin and sinners forever."
#27) On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide an
eternal home for the redeemed & a perfect environment for everlasting life,
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. Al things, animate and inanimate,
will declare that God is love and He shall reign forever. Amen!"
Goodness!!!!! 167 LINES. My hands are TIRED.
I hope this helps y'all understand where I come from.
Tammy "lucky 7" Healy
