What is Seventh-day Adventism, and what do Seventh-day Adventists believe?

Answer

Seventh-day Adventism is a branch of Christianity that holds the belief that worship services should be held on the “seventh day” (the Sabbath) rather than on Sunday. There appear to be varying levels of Seventh-day Adventism. Some Seventh-day Adventists share similar beliefs with traditional Christians, except for observing the Saturday Sabbath. On the other hand, some Adventists delve deeper into unorthodox teachings.

Seventh-day Adventism traces its origins to Adventism, a movement from the 19th century that expected the imminent return (or advent) of Jesus Christ. The followers of Adventism were known as Millerites because their movement was initiated by William Miller, a false prophet who prophesied that Jesus would return in either 1843 or 1844. When Miller’s prediction of Christ’s second coming did not materialize, the Millerites dispersed in disappointment, an event known as the “Great Disappointment.” Subsequently, a few of Miller’s followers asserted that they had received visions to explain the failed prophecy. They claimed that instead of returning to earth, Jesus had entered the heavenly temple—thus, they argued that Miller was correct, but his prophecy had a spiritual rather than a physical fulfillment. One of the individuals who defended Miller was Ellen G. Harmon, a 17-year-old who claimed to have had 2,000 visions, with the first occurring in a prayer meeting shortly after Miller’s failed prediction. Through her visions, Ellen emerged as a source of encouragement for disillusioned Millerites, uniting various Adventist factions and becoming the spiritual leader of a new religious movement.

In 1846, Ellen married James White, an Adventist preacher. They soon became convinced that observing the Sabbath was essential for all Christians. In 1847, Ellen G. White had another vision—this time confirming her belief that Sabbath observance was a fundamental doctrine. The followers under Ellen G. White’s guidance eventually formed the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. Ellen G. White’s numerous visions and writings…—she was a prolific writer—greatly shaped the doctrine of Seventh-day Adventism. Today, most Seventh-day Adventists still consider Ellen White to be a prophetess of God, even though many of her prophecies failed to come true. In fact, Seventh-day Adventists consider Revelation 19:10 (“the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”) to be a reference to Ellen G. White’s writings.

In 1855, the Seventh-day Adventists settled in Battle Creek, Michigan, and in May 1863, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was officially incorporated. In the next five decades, Ellen G. White wrote nearly 10,000 pages of prophetic material. Included in the visions was the doctrine of “The Great Controversy,” a cosmic war being waged between Jesus and His angelic army and Satan and his. Other visions dealt with healthy eating habits, which Mrs. White called “the gospel of health” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, p. 327). Seventh-day Adventism places restrictions on consuming meat, or “flesh food,” as Adventists call it. “Flesh food is injurious to health, and whatever affects the body has a corresponding effect on the mind and the soul” (The Ministry of Healing, Chapter 24: “Flesh as Food,” p. 316). It is no surprise that, after requiring Sabbath-keeping, Adventists began to add other elements of legalism into their creed.

Interestingly, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes was an Adventist creation: John Harvey Kellogg was a Seventh-day Adventist doctor in Battle Creek who wanted to manufacture a “healthy” vegetarian alternative to “unhealthy” breakfasts containing meat. Meanwhile, Mrs. White kept having visions, and she began teaching the unorthodox doctrines of soul sleep and annihilationism which contradicts Matthew 25:46.

Other problematic doctrines in Seventh-day Adventism include the teaching that Satan is the “scapegoat” and will bear believers’ sins (The Great Controversy, p. 422, 485)—this is the opposite of what the Bible says about who bore our sins «who his own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree» (1 Peter 2:24).

Jesus Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed., (1 Peter 2:24). Seventh-day Adventism also identifies Jesus as Michael the archangel «Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’ », (Jude 1:9, Clear Word Bible, published by Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1994)—a doctrine that denies the true nature of Christ—and teaches that Jesus entered a second phase of His redemptive work on October 22, 1844, as prophesied by Hiram Edson. And, of course, the Adventist promotion of Sabbath-keeping as a primary doctrine goes against the teaching of Scripture on the matter see Romans 14:5.

Seventh-Day Adventism is a diverse movement, and not all SDA groups hold to all the doctrines mentioned above. But all Seventh-Day Adventists should seriously consider the following: a recognized prophetess in their church was a teacher of aberrant doctrine, and their church has its roots in the failed prophecies of William Miller.

So, should a Christian attend a Seventh-day Adventist church? Due to the penchant of Adventists to accept extra-biblical revelation and the doctrinal issues mentioned above, we would strongly encourage believers to not get involved in Seventh-day Adventism. Yes, a person can be an advocate of Seventh-day Adventism and still be a believer. At the same time, there are enough potential risks to warn us against joining a Seventh-day Adventist church.