28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh Day Adventist Church
The core set of beliefs held by the Seventh Day Adventist Church is called The 28 Fundamental Beliefs and are grouped into 6 doctrines.
The Bible is the Word of God, written by men inspired by His Holy Spirit. God is a unity of 3 co-eternal Persons – God the father is the Creator and Sovereign of all creation; God the Son became incarnate in Jesus and through him all things were created. As a human being, he manifested God’s power and was attested as the promised Messiah. He died for our sins and will come again for the final deliverance; the Holy Spirit was active with the Father and Son in creation. It extends spiritual gifts to the church.
The Doctrine of Humankind – Creation, The Nature of Man
God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days and rested on the 7th. The man and woman were created with the power of free will and choice. Their sin caused their descendants to inherit sin and imperfection.
The Doctrine of Salvation – The Great Controversy, The Life, Death and Resurrection of Christ, The Experience of Salvation, Growing in Christ
The great controversy between Christ and Satan started when Satan introduced a spirit of rebellion into the world leading Adam and Eve into sin. To free his people, Christ sends his Holy Spirit to guide them to salvation. Through Christ, mankind is delivered from sin.
The Doctrine of the Church – The Church, The Remnant and its Mission, Unity in the Body of Christ, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, Spiritual Gifts and Ministry, Gifts of Prophecy
The Church is the set of believers who confess Christ as Lord and Savior. Then remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour and heralds the approach of his second coming.
Baptism is a symbol of union with Christ, the forgiveness of sins and reception of the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Supper is a participation in the emblems that signify the body and blood of Jesus. By means of his Holy Spirit, God bestows upon all members spiritual gifts such as faith, healing, prophecy and self- sacrificing. The gift of prophecy is an identifying mark of the remnant church.
The Doctrine of Christian Life – The Law of God, The Sabbath, Stewardship, Christian Behavior, Marriage and The Family.
God’s law is binding upon all human beings. He rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath as a remembrance of Creation. By faithful service, giving tithes, offerings and proclaiming His gospel, members acknowledge God’s ownership. Christian behavior should guide members to choose entertainment of the highest Christian standards. Dress is to be simple, modest and neat; and members should avoid the unclean foods identified in the Bible. Marriage was established to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman and should be entered into only between partners of the same faith. Divorce and re-marrying for reasons other than fornication is viewed as adultery. Parents are to teach their children to love and obey God.
The Doctrine of Last Things – Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary, The Second Coming of Christ, Death and Resurrection, The Millennium and End of Sin, The New Earth.
There is a sanctuary in heaven in which Christ ministers in our behalf. The completion of this ministry will mark the end of human probation before the Second Coming.
The second coming will be a literal event, visible worldwide. The righteous will be resurrected and will be taken to heaven along with the righteous living. The wicked dead will be judged during the thousand year reign of Christ. By means of fire from heaven, the earth will be cleansed forever of Satan and his angels, wicked mankind and sin. The new earth will be provided as an eternal home for the redeemed. Suffering and death will have passed away; the great controversy will be ended.
Sources Cited
“28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh Day Adventist Church,” accessed October 20, 2014, http://www.adventistarchives.org/fundamental-beliefs-of-seventh-day-adventists.pdf
