YOUR FRIENDS, THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS
The following material is taken from a small pamphlet
entitled, "Your Friends, the Adventists." It is published by the
Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, MD 21740.
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Like many people, perhaps you don't really know very much about
Seventh-day Adventists. There may be an Adventist hospital or school
in your town, or a Seventh-day Adventist family may live on your
street. You may have seen the name in the newspaper or even attended
an Adventist church service. And perhaps you have wondered, "Who are
Seventh-day Adventists? Where did they come from? What do they
believe? What are they accomplishing in the world today?"
This small folder will give you a quick look at Seventh-day Adventists
and answer many of your questions:
* Who are Seventh-day Adventists?
* What do Seventh-day Adventists think of Jesus?
* How did the Adventist Church originate?
* Did anyone believe Miller?
* What happened when Jesus didn't come in 1844?
* And this small group eventually became the Seventh-day Adventist
Church?
* Why did they choose the name Seventh-day Adventist?
* Did William Miller unite with the Seventh-day Adventists?
* What do Seventh-day Adventists believe?
* What are Seventh-day Adventists doing to make a better world?
* What are Seventh-day Adventists doing about sickness?
* Why do Seventh-day Adventists emphasize health?
* What are Seventh-day Adventists doing to promote health?
* What about disaster relief and those who need them?
* What about education?
* What is the church's spiritual outreach?
Who are Seventh-day Adventists?
Seventh-day Adventists are a group of conservative, evangelical
Christians numbering almost five million around the world.
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What do Seventh-day Adventists think of Jesus?
The inmost heart and central core of belief for Seventh-day
Adventists is Jesus Christ. He is the foundation of their faith. He
is the basis of their religion. All that they believe, all that they
teach, all that they do, all that they hope for, they center in Him
and in His glorious work of salvation.
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How did the Adventist Church originate?
Historically the Seventh-day Adventist Church arose because of a
renewed interest in Jesus. By studying his Bible, William Miller, a
Baptist layman living in upstate New York, became convinced that
Jesus would return to this earth around 1843 or 1844.
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Did anyone believe Miller?
Yes, indeed. At the height of this revival, hundreds of thousands
across America accepted Miller's views to some degree. Hundreds of
ministers from all different churches joined Miller in preaching the
coming, or advent, of Jesus.
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What happened when Jesus didn't come in 1844?
Many of the people were relieved and forgot all about it. Others
felt they had miscalculated the time and looked for Jesus to come at
some later date. Still others said that Jesus had come spiritually
to their hearts. A small group studied further in their Bibles and
discovered that instead of coming to this earth in 1844, Jesus had
taken a new role in heaven at that time, to begin the final stage of
His work as Mediator between God and man.
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And this small group eventually became the Seventh-day Adventist
Church?
Yes. They continued to study the Scriptures and gladly followed the
things they learned. The little group grew slowly but steadily until
in 1863 they officially organized as the Seventh-day Adventist
Church.
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Why did they choose the name Seventh-day Adventist?
The group was known already as "adventists" because they believed in
the soon advent or coming of Jesus. In fact, all those who belonged
to the movement headed by William Miller were called adventists.
After 1844 this group learned through their Bible study that
Saturday, the seventh day of the week, is the Bible Sabbath, and
that there is no Scriptural record that God ever changed it. They
began keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, and so the took the name
"Seventh-day Adventists" to distinguish themselves from other
adventist groups.
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Did William Miller unite with the Seventh-day Adventists?
No. Miller knew Jesus had not come when he had expected, but he
could see no mistake in his prophetic calculations. He died shortly
after 1844 still looking for Jesus to come at any time. Miller was
never a Seventh-day Adventist, although the church had its origins
in his movement.
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What do Seventh-day Adventists believe?
Seventh-day Adventists base all their beliefs on the Bible. The
following list, accompanied by only the basic texts, presents a
summary of the church's major points of faith. Seventh-day
Adventists believe:
Bible
That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by
the inspiration of God and are the only unerring rule of faith and
practice (2Timothy 3:15-17).
God
In the Godhead, or Trinity, which consists of the eternal Father,
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men; and the Holy
Spirit (Matthew 28:19, 1Peter 1:2).
Salvation
That salvation is a gift from God which we receive through faith.
All who enter God's kingdom must experience thenew birth and a
transformation of life and character by the re-creative power of God
through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Acts 2:37-39; Romans
3:21-26).
Baptism
In baptism by immersion after one has been taught the gospel, and
believes in Christ as Lord and Savior, repents of all sins, and
makes confession (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans
6:1-6; 10:10; Colossians 2:12).
Second Coming
That Christ, our Great High Priest in heaven, is now bringing to a
close His work as mediator between God and man, and soon He will
return to this earth in power and great glory. His coming will be
literal, personal, and visible to all (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11;
Matthew 24:30; Luke 21:27-31; Revelation 1:7; Daniel 7:8-14; Hebrews
8:1,2; 4:14-16; Revelation 14:6-20).
Ten Commandments
In the Ten Commandments as God's moral law binding on all men in all
ages (Exodus 20:3-17; James 2:10-12).
Sabbath
That the fourth commandment of the Decalogue requires the observance
of the seventh-day Sabbath, which is a memorial of Creation and a
sign of sanctification (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Ezekiel
20:12; Luke 23:56).
Nature of Man
That man by nature is mortal and God "only hath immortality." Man
receives immortality and eternal life as a gift from God only
through his faith in Christ (Job 4:17; 1Timothy 6:16; Romans 6:23;
2Timothy 1:10).
Death
Than man's condition in death is one of unconsciousness. The dead,
both good and evil, remain in the grave until the resurrection. None
go to heaven or hell at death (Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10; John 5:28,29;
1Thessalonians 4:16,17; 1Corinthians 15:51-53).
Hell
That hell will be a real lake of fire where all sinners will be
burned up, utterly destroyed, and cease forever to exist (Malachi
4:1-3; Revelation 20:14; Psalm 37:20; 2Thessalonians 1:9).
Tithe
In the support of the gospel through tithes and offerings (Malachi
3:8-11; Matthew 23:23; 1Corinthians 9:9-14).
Ordinances
In the ordinance of humility and the Lord's Supper as Jesus left
example (John 13:1-17; 1Corinthians 11:23-26).
Healthful Living
That the follower of Christ should regard his body as the temple of
the Holy Spirit and therefore abstain from all intoxicating
beverages, tobacco, coffee, unclean meats, and every soul-defiling
habit and practice (1Corinthians 3:16,17; 9:25; 10:31; Proverbs
23:29-32; Deuteronomy 14:3-20).
Christian Standards
That the followers of Christ should manifest true Christian modesty
in dress and deportment and should shun all questionable worldly
amusements such as the theater and dance (1Timothy 2:9,10; Matthew
24:37-44; James 1:27; 2Timothy 3:4,5).
Spiritual Gifts
In the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of prophecy, and
that this gift has been operative through the work of Ellen G. White
(Ephesians 4:8-11; Revelation 12:17; 19:10; Amos 3:7; Hosea
12:10,13).
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What are Seventh-day Adventists doing to make a better world?
Seventh-day Adventists uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ as the
ultimate answer for all the world's ills. But they realize that to
follow the example of Jesus, a personal work must be done to help
people right where they are.
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What are Seventh-day Adventists doing about sickness?
The church operates 162 hospitals and sanitariums around the world,
besides 310 dispensaries, clinics, and medical launches. In many
areas, these are the only medical facilities available. In a recent
year nearly seven million persons received treatment at a Seventh-day
Adventist facility.
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Why do Seventh-day Adventists emphasize health?
Seventh-day Adventists believe that the body, mind, and spirit are
inextricably knit together. They believe that the body can affect
the mind as well as the mind the body. They believe that God is
concerned that the entire man be in the best possible condition,
physically, mentally, and spiritually.
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What are Seventh-day Adventists doing to promote health?
Adventists have several community services related to health. The
Five-Day Plan to Stop Smoking is one such service. This unique plan
was developed by a Seventh-day Adventist physician and a minister.
It has proved successful everywhere it has been presented and has
helped thousands of men and women quit smoking in only five days.
The 4 DK Plan dealing with alcoholism is a similar service. Cooking
classes, heart disease teams, and narcotics education are other
areas where Adventists are working to promote public health. Also,
it was Seventh-day Adventists who developed and pioneered breakfast
cereals and nonmeat, vegetable protein sources.
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What about disaster relief and those who need them?
Nearly every local Seventh-day Adventist church has a "Dorcas
Society" (named after the lady in the New Testament who did so many
helpful things). These societies have supplies of food, clothing,
bedding, and other necessities to aid families who for some reason
need help. Similar facilities exist on a statewide level to assist
in major disasters. The church operates a large number of specially
equipped trucks to go into disaster areas with emergency services of
food, water, clothing, bedding, and first aid. It ships thousands of
pounds of clothing overseas. In an average year approximately nine
million persons of all races and creeds will be helped in some
tangible way by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The cash value of
the food and medicine alone, which are given away amounts to some
$11.5 million annually.
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What about education?
Although a relatively small church, Seventh-day Adventists operate
the largest Protestant school system in the world. Approximately
4,731 kindergarten and elementary schools, 1026 secondary schools,
and 92 colleges, specialized schools, and universities provide
education on every level. Total enrollment in a recent year was
860,232 students.
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What is the church's spiritual outreach?
Of the 229 countries in the world, as listed by the United Nations,
Seventh-day Adventists are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in
201. The gospel is preached in 619 languages. Sixty publishing
houses print the gospel in 184 languages. There are more than 34,000
organized Seventh-day Adventist churches around the world.
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