Seventh
Day Adventism
Brief History
Seventh Day Adventism originated in the movement of William Miller
who set the time for the end of the world to be 1843. They now claim
to be carrying on the work begun by Miller. Miller was a farmer who
lived in Low Hampton, New York. When he was a Baptist (1831), he won
50,000 people to his views regarding the coming of Christ in 1843.
When this prophecy failed, he declared he had miscalculated and he
then set the time at 1844 which also passed without incident. When
he re-set it at 1845, some of his followers divided, and out of those
fragments came Seventh Day Adventism. Adding some new doctrines (principally
Sabbath keeping - Miller had observed Sunday as the Christian day
of assembly), James White and his wife, Ellen G. White, became the
leaders of the Sabbath branch of Adventism. She wrote: "I have
seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and
that it should not be altered; that the figures were as he wanted
them; that his hand (was over and hid the mistake in some figures"
(Early Writings, p.64). "I saw that God was in the proclamation
of the time 1843" (Spiritual Gift, Vol. I, p.133). Mr. White
also endorsed the Miller movement of Adventism (Life of Miller, p.6).
Mrs. White further wrote: "As the churches refused to receive
the first angel's message (Miller's work), they rejected the light
of heaven and fell from the favor of God" (Early Writings, p.101,
quoted in Seventh Day Adventism Renounced by D. M. Canright, p.68-69).
None of those who were later the leaders of Seventh Day Adventism
such as White, Andrews, Bates and Rhodes were of any note in Miller's
movement, though they were all in it. Yet afterwards, they claimed
to be the only ones who had the right view of it, and all the rest
were "in the dark", "foolish virgisns", "apostates",
etc. (Canright, p.78-79). The word of Mrs. White came to be regarded
as the voice of God. She claimed to have had visions emphasizing the
importance of Sabbath observance, and Adventists regard her as a prophetess
and her writings as inspired (see The Visions of Mrs. E. G. White,
144 pages. In this her inspiration is defended). Her writings are
called Testimonies. "It is God and not an erring mortal, that
has spoken" (Testimonies, Vol. III, p.247. Those who oppose her
are "not fighting against us, but against God", p.260).
Her last book is The Great Controversy.
Belief System
Adventist Belief 1
- "Law of God" and "Law of Moses". These are two
different laws. Animal sacrifices and other ceremonies such as incense
were in the law of Moses and these only were taken away. God gave
the Ten Commandments, and Moses gave ceremonies such as incense, etc.
Word of God 1 - One
and the same law (Ezra 7:6, 12). Used interchangeably (Neh. 8:1, 8;
Luke 2:22-23). God gave the law of Moses (Ezra 7:6). Moses gave the
law of God (2 Chr. 34:14). Animal sacrifice was in the law of God
(2 Chr. 31:3; Luk. 2:24). The law was changed (Heb. 7:12). Christ
removed the first that he might establish the second (Heb. 10:9-10).
"Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother", the fifth
of the Ten Commandments (Mar. 7:10). Jesus said Moses gave it. Killing
is forbidden in the Ten Commandments, which Moses gave (Joh. 17:19).
Adventist Belief 2-
The Ceremonial Law only was nailed to the cross; The Ten Commandments
were not part of the Ceremonial Law, hence not removed. The Ceremonial
Law was the Book; the Moral law was on stone (Synopsis of Present
Truth p.255).
Word of God 2 - The
"Book of the Law" contained all five books of the Pentateuch
(1 cor. 14:34 refers to Gen. 3:16, Josh. 8:31 quotes Exo. 20:25; Ezra
quotes Num. 3:6; Mat. 22:36-40 quotes Lev. 19:18). The "Book
of the Law" by the ark quotes the Ten Commandments (Exo. 20:1-17;
Deu. 5:6-22). Law of the Lord contained both moral and ceremonial
(2 Chr. 31:3; Mat. 22:36-40; Lev. 19:1-37). Moral things have to do
with a man's relationship to man and are right within themselves;
ceremonial laws or religious laws are made right only by divine commandments
and deal with man's relationship with God (Mar. 2:27). The Ten Commandments
were done away (2 Cor. 3:7-11). The Ten Commandments called covenant
(Exo. 34:27-28; Deu. 4:12; 19:9; 1 Kgs. 8:9, 18; 2 Chr. 5:10; 6:11).
Covenant of the decalogue abolished (Jer. 31:31-34; Zec. 11:10-14;
Heb. 8:6-13; 9:15-17). Decalogue done away (consists of laws, statutes,
commandments - Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14-17). The whole Law done away at
the cross (Act. 15:1-11; Rom. 6:14; 7:1-7; Gal. 3:23-25; 4:1-8; Heb.
7:11-12).
Adventist Belief 3
- The Sabbath is part of the Mortal Law hence permanent.
Word of God 3 - Four
of the 10 Commandments are "ceremonial" or "religious"
in that they deal with relationship to God; six of the 10 are "moral"
in that they deal with man's relationship with man. Sabbath law is
not social, but religious. Done away as part of the Decalogue (2 Cor.
3:7-11). Blotted out (Col. 2:14-17; Hos. 2:11). Associated with meats,
drinks and feast days. Sabbath a shadow, supplanted by the substance
(Heb. 4:1-11; 10:1; Gal. 4:10, 11). Apostles never taught Sabbath
keeping, but did teach meeting on the first day of the week (Act.
20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2). No meeting of Christians after the death of
Christ was recorded as having been on a Sabbath day. Paul's preaching
was often to Jews on Sabbath in Synagogues in Acts. He preached, as
did Christ, every day and every place. All days of equal importance
now (Rom. 14:5). The Sabbath was commanded to Israel (Deu. 5:15; Exo.
31:13-17). The Sabbath was a sign between God and Israel (same latter
references).
Adventist Belief 4
- The spirit in man is only his breath, which passes out of existence
at death and is annihilated.
Word of God 4 - God
is Spirit (Joh. 4:24). We are God's offspring (Act. 17:28-29). God
is totally immortal (1 Tim. 6:16). God is Father of Spirits (Heb.
12:9). Man is made of body and spirit; both mortal and immortal (Ecc.
12:7; Act. 7:59; Luk. 23:46). Departed spirits still exist and are
conscious (Mat. 17:3 - Moses and Elijah; 1 Sam. 22 - Saul's spirit
was brought forth and spoke; Mat. 22:32 - Abraham living; Jehovah
is God of living; Rev. 6:9-11 - Souls of the dead were seen to be
alive).
Adventist Belief 5
- Ellen G. White's Testimonials are inspired like the Bible (Testimonies,
Vol. III, p.257).
Word of God 5 - "All
Things" pertaining to life and godliness given in the first century
(2 Pet. 1:3). God spoke through His Son, not through Ellen G. White,
in these last days (Heb. 1:1-2). The faith once for all delivered
(Jud. 3). "Thoroughly furnished" by scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Adventist Belief 6
- Mrs. White made false prophesies: Impossible for slavery to be done
away (Testimonials, Jan. 4, 1862, p.256, 266).
Word of God 6 - If
the prophecy come not to pass, it came not from God, do not hear him!
(Jer. 14:14ff). Teach lies, the TAIL (Isa. 9:15).
Adventist Belief 7
- The Sabbath was kept by God, and that it has been kept by man from
the creation.
Word of God 7 - Sabbath
was "made known" to Moses (Neh. 9:14). Duties of Sabbath:
No fire - Exo. 35:3; No baking or boiling - Exo. 16:23; No travel
- Exo. 16:29; Offer sacrifice - Num. 28:9-10; No work - Exo. 20:9-10.
No record of any man keeping the Sabbath or knowing of it until Moses'
time. It commemorated deliverance from Egypt (Deu. 5:15; 1 Kgs. 8:9-21).
Not given to the fathers (Deu. 5:1-14).
Adventist Belief 8
- Catholics changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.
Word of God 8 - The
Sabbath is still the Sabbath. No one changed it. The law was changed
by Christ before the Roman Catholic Church ever existed (Heb. 7:12).
Christians were taught not to keep the Sabbath (Col. 2:16). Christ
changed the day of worship (Heb. 10:9-10).
Adventist Belief 9
- Observance of the Lord's Supper at regular intervals is unimportant.
Word of God 9 - Early
Christians observed the Lord's Supper on the first day of every week
(Act. 20:7; 2:42).
