Seventh-day Adventists
accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs
to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth
here, constitute the church's understanding and expression of the teaching
of Scripture. Revision of these statements may be expected at a General
Conference session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller
understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express
the teachings of God's Holy Word.
1. The Holy Scriptures: The Holy Scriptures,
Old and New Testaments, 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. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary
for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His
will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative
revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God's acts in history.
(2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20;
John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)
2. The Trinity: There is one God: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal,
all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite
and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation.
He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.
(Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim.
1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
3. The Father: God the eternal Father is
the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just
and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast
love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and
the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11;
1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
4. The Son: God the eternal Son became incarnate
in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created, the character of
God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world
is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ.
He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived
and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly exemplified
the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He manifested God's
power and was attested as God's promised Messiah. He suffered and died
voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from
the dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf.
He will come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and
the restoration of all things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30;
14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb.
2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
5. The Holy Spirit: God the eternal Spirit
was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption.
He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ's life with power.
He draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and
transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to be
always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers
it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads
it into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter 1:21;
2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)
6. Creation: God is Creator of all things,
and has revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His creative activity.
In six days the Lord made "the heaven and the earth" and all living things
upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus
He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative
work. The first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning
work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility
to care for it. When the world was finished it was ``very good,'' declaring
the glory of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb.
11:3.)
7. The Nature of Man: Man and woman were made
in the image of God with individuality, the power and freedom to think
and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of
body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all
else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence
upon Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God
in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants
share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses
and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself
and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker.
Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another,
and to care for their environment. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts
17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1
John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)
8. The Great Controversy: All humanity is
now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding
the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe. This
conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom
of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into
rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion
into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted
in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the
created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide
flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the
universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated.
To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit
and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of
salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32;
5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)
9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ:
In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death,
and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin,
so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life,
and the whole creation may better understand the infinite and holy love
of the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of
God's law and the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our
sin and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary
and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ
proclaims God's triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept
the atonement assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares
the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth
will bow. (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22;
2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10;
Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
10. The Experience of Salvation: In infinite
love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that
in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit
we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions,
and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example.
This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the
Word and is the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are justified, adopted
as God's sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin. Through
the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds,
writes God's law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live
a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and
have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21;
John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter
2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26;
Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom.
12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)
11. The Church: The church is the community
of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity
with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the
world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction
in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service to all
mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives
its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the Scriptures,
which are the written Word. The church is God's family; adopted by Him
as children, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church
is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is
the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify
and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself
a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood,
not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts
7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22;
1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.)
12. The Remnant and Its Mission: The universal
church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last
days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep
the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces
the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and
heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized
by the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment
in heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth. Every
believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness. (Rev.
12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter
3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.)
13. Unity in the Body of Christ: The church
is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue,
and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture,
learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and
poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal
in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him
and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality
or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures
we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all.
This unity has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted
us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps.
133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph.
4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)
14. Baptism: By baptism we confess our faith
in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death
to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge
Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as members
by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness
of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in
water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence
of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and
acceptance of their teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33;
22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)
15. The Lord's Supper: The Lord's Supper is
a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus as an expression
of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this experience of communion
Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we
joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again. Preparation for
the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The Master
ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express
a willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and to unite
our hearts in love. The communion service is open to all believing Christians.
(1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)
16. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries: God bestows
upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which each
member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church
and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions
to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries
needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According
to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing,
prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion,
and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement
of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for
functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic,
and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service,
to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the
faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as
faithful stewards of God's varied grace, the church is protected from the
destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from
God, and is built up in faith and love. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27,
28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)
17. The Gift of Prophecy: One of the gifts
of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the
remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. As
the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source
of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and
correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which
all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21;
Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)
18. The Law of God: The great principles of
God's law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and exemplified in the life
of Christ. They express God's love, will, and purposes concerning human
conduct and relationships and are binding upon all people in every age.
These precepts are the basis of God's covenant with His people and the
standard in God's judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they
point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all
of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments.
This obedience develops Christian character and results in a sense of well-being.
It is an evidence of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow
men. The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform
lives, and therefore strengthens Christian witness. (Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 40:7,
8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John 15:7-10;
Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)
19. The Sabbath: The beneficent Creator, after
the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the
Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment
of God's unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath
as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching
and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of
delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption
in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and
a foretaste of our eternal future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath is God's
perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful
observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset,
is a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex.
20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17;
Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)
20. Stewardship: We are God's stewards, entrusted
by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the
blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for
their proper use. We acknowledge God's ownership by faithful service to
Him and our fellow men, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for
the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church.
Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the
victory over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the
blessings that come to others as a result of his faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28;
2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt.
23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)
21. Christian Behavior: We are called to be
a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with the principles
of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we
involve ourselves only in those things which will produce Christlike purity,
health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment
should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While
recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and
neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment
but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also
means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are
to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest,
we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean
foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco,
and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies,
we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever
brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires
our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph. 5:1-21;
Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31;
Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)
22. Marriage and the Family: Marriage was
divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong union
between a man and a woman in loving companionship. For the Christian a
marriage commitment is to God as well as to the spouse, and should be entered
into only between partners who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor,
respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this relationship, which
is to reflect the love, sanctity, closeness, and permanence of the relationship
between Christ and His church. Regarding divorce, Jesus taught that the
person who divorces a spouse, except for fornication, and marries another,
commits adultery. Although some family relationships may fall short of
the ideal, marriage partners who fully commit themselves to each other
in Christ may achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and
the nurture of the church. God blesses the family and intends that its
members shall assist each other toward complete maturity. Parents are to
bring up their children to love and obey the Lord. By their example and
their words they are to teach them that Christ is a loving disciplinarian,
ever tender and caring, who wants them to become members of His body, the
family of God. Increasing family closeness is one of the earmarks of the
final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor.
6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor.
7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)
23. Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary:
There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord set
up and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available
to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all
on the cross. He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His
intercessory ministry at the time of His ascension. In 1844, at the end
of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase
of His atoning ministry. It is a work of investigative judgment which is
part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing
of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical
service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices,
but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the
blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences
who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed
worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who
among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God
and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation
into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment 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 Second Advent.
(Heb. 8:1-5; 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; 1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13,
14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12;
22:12.)
24. The Second Coming of Christ: The second
coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of
the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be literal, personal, visible, and
worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and
together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven,
but the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines
of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates
that Christ's coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed,
and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times. (Titus 2:13; Heb.
9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44;
1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20;
19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)
25. Death and Resurrection: The wages of sin
is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His
redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people.
When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the
living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The
second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place
a thousand years later. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Ps.
146:3, 4; John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John
5:28, 29; Rev. 20:1-10.)
26. The Millennium and the End of Sin: The
millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints in heaven
between the first and second resurrections. During this time the wicked
dead will be judged; the earth will be utterly desolate, without living
human inhabitants, but occupied by Satan and his angels. At its close Christ
with His saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth. The
unrighteous dead will then be resurrected, and with Satan and his angels
will surround the city; but fire from God will consume them and cleanse
the earth. The universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners forever.
(Rev. 20; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26; Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18,
19.)
27. The New Earth: On the new earth, in which
righteousness dwells, God will provide an eternal home for the redeemed
and a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, 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. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that
God is love; and He shall reign forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:13; Isa. 35;
65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)