NOTICE the Roman Catholic "Trinity" doctrine as well as other errors being embraced by the GCSDA...
These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church's understanding and
expression of the teaching of Scripture.
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.
See the Official Statements page for official statements of the
Seventh-day Adventist church about current topics.
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.)