WHY I AM A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST

ACTS 24:1

A. THIS IS A BRIEF STATEMENT OF A SUMMATION OF MY FAITH
  1. I am not a Seventh-day Adventist because:
    1. I was brought up in the Lutheran faith.
    2. I do not feel that I am better than people of a different persuasion.
  2. My persuasion in being a Seventh-day Adventist is based upon:
    1. The conviction that the teaching of the Adventist church is Biblical all the way.
    2. That it is my duty, under God, to order my life in harmony with all the Bible.
B. SEVEN SPECIFIC REASONS FOR MY PERSUASION THAT THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH TEACHES THE TRUTH
  1. Our Name:
    1. Expresses a dual relationship between the soon coming of Jesus Christ and the loyalty of God's people preparing that blessed hope.
    2. We observe the seventh and last day of the week, the Lord's day - Compare Gen. 2:2, 3 with Ex. 20:8-11; Matt. 5:17-19; Luke 16:17; Isa. 56:1-7; 58:12-14; Rev. 1:10
  2. Our Creed:
    1. If you mean a set of man made rules, we have none.
    2. The Bible alone is our Creed -
      1. We reject all the so-called "holy traditions" of men - Mark 7:7-13; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; 2 Tim. 4:1-6; Isa. 29:13
      2. We accept the sixty-six books of the Bible as our supreme authority - 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Luke 24:25-28; Acts 24:14; John 7:37-39
  3. We are here in answer to Bible prophecy:
    1. The great apostasy ushering in the dark ages - Acts 20:28- 31; 2 Thess. 2:1-11; 2 Tim. 4:1-6
    2. The Reformation or Restitution of all Bible truths foretold, including the Sabbath - Acts 3:19-21; Isa. 56:1-8; 58:1, 12- 14
    3. The proclamation of the Three Angels' Message ushers in the final face of the Reformation - Rev. 14:6-12
  4. Our Platform:
    1. The Four Square Gospel -
      1. Saved by grace - Rom. 11:5, 6; Eph. 2:7, 8; Tit. 2:11
      2. Through the blood of Jesus - 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; Rom. 5:9; 1 John 1:7-9; Rom. 3:25; Rev. 1:5
      3. Through faith in Jesus Christ - Rom. 5:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 11:4, 6; Rom. 10:17
      4. By the works which are the fruit of faith in Christ - Jas. 2:24-26; Matt. 7:8-23, 26
    2. The gospel ordinances, a memorial of the great work of the atonement by Christ -
      1. Water Baptism by immersion - Matt. 16:15, 16; 28:18- 20; Rom. 6:1-7; 1 Pet. 3:21; John 3:23
      2. Feetwashing - John 13:1-17; 1 Tim. 5:10
      3. The Lord's Supper - Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 10:15, 16; 11:22-29
      4. Prayer for the sick - Jas. 5:14-17
  5. Our Standards:
    1. We believe that the effect of faith in Jesus is threefold -
      1. It will cleanse our heart.
      2. It will cleanse our body.
      3. It will cleanse our moral nature - Compare 1 Thess. 5:23 with Rom. 8:29; 1 John 3:1-3; 1 Cor. 13; Gal. 5:16-24
  6. We believe in complete separation of Church and State: Matt. 22:21
    1. The State has its function in the civil relationship of its citizens.
    2. The church's mission is to bring the gospel to all men, not bound by national boundaries - Matt. 28:18-20
  7. Our Hope:
    1. Centers in the second coming of Jesus Christ our Lord - Tit. 2:13; John 14:1-3; Jas. 5:8
    2. This hope is laid out to us in a chain of prophetic forecasts as found in Dan. 2; 7; 8; and the book of Revelation. Also in the great prophecy of our Lord in Matt. 24
    3. We, with all saints, look forward to a new heaven and a new earth which will consummate all God's promises to the saints in glory - 2 Pet. 3:12, 13; Isa. 65:15-17; 66:22-23; Rev. 2:22


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