Who are the Seventh Day Adventists and what do we believe?
Our Name
The name Seventh-day Adventist signifies the two most prominent beliefs we hold. 'Adventist' reflects our ardent hope in the second coming ('advent') of Jesus. 'Seventh-day' refers to the fourth of the Ten Commandments and is the day which God blessed since the foundation of the world. This sacred day is highlighted in the Ten Commandments and we are enjoined specifically to remember it. It is this seventh day that was kept by the Jewish nation and the Old Testament saints. Furthermore it was adhered to by Jesus and his apostles as part of their heritage- running from Friday evening to Saturday evening.
The Trinity
There is one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons usually called the Trinity. God the Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ, through Whom all things were created; the character of God is revealed; the salvation of humanity is accomplished; and the world is judged. God the Holy Spirit draws men and women to Himself and gives spiritual gifts to the Church.
Christ our Hope
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 have eternal life.
Christ's Return
The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the Church, the grand climax of the Gospel. His coming will be literal, personal, visible, and world-wide. When He returns the righteous dead will be resurrected and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven. The unrighteous - those who have rejected divine grace - will die.
The Church
The Church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In it men and women join together for worship, fellowship, instruction in the Word, the celebration of the Lord's Supper, service to our neighbours, and the world-wide proclamation of the Gospel.
The Holy Scriptures
The Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures are the infallible revelation of God's will.
Baptism
Baptism by immersion is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit.
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, the great principles of God's law, are exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God's love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct and relationships. Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments, not in hopeless effort to earn salvation, but in grateful harmony with the life and will of Him whose perfect obedience has brought us confidence and acceptance as His sons and daughters.
The Sabbath
The seventh day of the week, Saturday, is observed 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. We joyfully observe this holy time from Friday evening to Saturday evening, from sunset to sunset, as a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts.
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.)
The New Earth
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide a glorious home for the redeemed with a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy and learning. God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will exist no more.
Full Statement of Fundamental beliefs
A complete statement of the 28 fundamental beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists is available as a pdf file.
More on Adventist Beliefs
A series of answers to questions on Adventist beliefs are available on the headquarters website of the Seventh-day Adventist church in the UK & Ireland. A free Bible Correspondence course that will help explain our beliefs more fully is available from the Adventist Discovery Centre.
