ALL:
In my first post on the heresy of the SDA cult, you have the ultimate definitive explanation of the characteristics of the factors that define a cult. The 'Apologetics Study Bible' is the premier work combining the Bible with Apologetics and contains the greatest minds today in the field of witnessing to the world by "Defenders" of the Faith.
The last century provided the Church the greatest opportunity to reach the unsaved, and, simultaneously, it even further offered Lucifer an equal opportunity to confuse, and deceive the world with the lies, deceptions, distortions, and disinformation. Lucifer comes to, as John 10:10 states, "...to steal, ...to kill, ...and to destroy."
If you did not print out a copy of part 1 of this series of posts, do so now, or save it to your hard drive files. If you are interested in Truth, you will find yourself coming back to it periodically. It is of utmost importance in the matter of contending for the faith. Jude 1:3 states, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Heresy is nothing new, entire books have been devoted to its cancer, especially the first two or three hundred years after the Apostles had died off. Acts 17:11 explains to us how the Bereans, were so devoutly committed to the Truth of the Scriptures. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Church has been ripped apart with a bizarre of heresies. Once traditionally Bible-sound churches are falling by the wayside to aberrant teachings, not only unheard of twenty years ago, but unforeseen and unimaginable.
I have been a reader of Five Doves since shortly after it was launched as a forum to share, compare, and reflect on your questions and interests on a myriad of topics. Its host has from time to time seen fit to cut off the dialogue when it appeared to be needed. When dealing with adherents of cults, you inevitably come to a point where you sense you are not able to convince the party, even with massive evidence on your side, that they are wrong. I've been at this so long, I can usually read between the lines and identify where a person is and what their real issue is. I am more than willing to give my time in genuine quest for truth and understanding. I keep telling myself you will always have Pharisees and legalists that lack the training or education to recognize they are wrong when it is all so self-evident to others.
I don't post on this site because I have something to sell, that is either materially or physically beneficial to me personally. When I recommend a book or a DVD, it is because I consider it an invaluable resource to our growth in the faith once delivered to the saints. As I have said before, in different ways, not everything labeled or packaged as Christian is genuine. Because there are so many deceptions and counterfeits out there, it becomes necessary to expose them for what they really are. When you keep mindful of the fact that we are going up against the greatest narcissist being in creation, the greatest psychopath conceivable, it becomes vividly important to know the Bible, the whole Bible.
"Christian" cults are not something to take lightly. They always:
1. Add to Scripture
2. Subtract from the atonement and the person of Jesus Christ
3. Multiply the requirements for salvation
4. Divide the loyalty of Christian believers
Adventists Add to Scripture:
1. Ellen White, a continuing, authoritative source of truth, was the prophetic voice whose writings determined Adventist Biblical interpretation.
2. Adventism was founded on date-setting and a refusal to repent from that error.
3. The Adventist 'Clear Word Bible' paraphrases Adventist doctrine to the Bible and is even sold in some Christian book stores.
Adventists Subtract from the Atonement and the person of Jesus Christ:
1. The "Investigative Judgment" (central doctrine of SDA cult) says Jesus' atonement was not completed at the cross.
2. Even though their official doctrinal statement of the Trinity sounds orthodox, Adventism reflects its founder's anti-Trinitarianism and Ellen White's endorsement that Jesus was originally not God Almighty but was later exalted by the Father. Today they teach that He could have sinned and could have failed in His mission to earth.
3. Soul-sleep doctrine says humans have no spirit but "breath". They die like animals and the resurrection is a re-creation out of God's memory, not the "real" person being brought back to life. The man Jesus likewise was merely "body plus breath". This doctrine denies the Biblical new birth, or the regeneration of our dead spirits by the indwelling Holy Spirit. They teach the new birth is a change of belief or attitude that happens in the cognitive mind.
Adventists Multiply the requirements for salvation:
1. Seventh-day keeping is required for true believers. Adventists teach it is the "seal" or the "sign" of the "seal" of God. They teach the Sabbath is the mark of division between those who are to be saved and those who are to be lost.
2. The Health Message advocates the Levitical food laws of the Old Testament and promotes veggie or complete veganism. This teaching aligns with their belief that man has no "spirit", so a healthy body and brain are necessary in order to properly "hear" the Holy Spirit. The Health Message further denies Mark 7:19 where Jesus declares all foods clean.
Adventists Divide the loyalty of Christian believers:
1. Adventists teach that the mark of the beast written about in Revelation is worshiping on Sunday. They believe that seventh-day Sabbath-keeping will identify God's true church, and "Sunday-worship" will be the mark of all those who will be lost. They believe that all those who worship on Sunday are following "the pope" and are participating in false religion.
2. "Remnant church" status separates them from the Body of Christ. Adventism teaches that it is the only true remnant church of Bible prophecy. Their "remnant theology" really teaches that all churches that worship on Sunday are a part of the "widespread apostasy", "Babylon", or the "daughters of Babylon". So even though Adventists acknowledge that God has His children in all churches, they add, "but through the remnant church He proclaims a message that is to restore His true worship by calling His people out of the apostasy and preparing them for Christ's return."
Let's pause here and ask that most important question of all, Why would a so-called Christian Bible prophecy web site continue to host SDA teachings, videos, spokesmen, knowing that the SDA's are identified as a cult because of their doctrines and teachings? Furthermore, in addition, through their "bump" system, they continue to push to the forefront or beginning of their site these SDA cult posts. In analyzing the subject web site, you will note an absence of the two other major cults, i.e., Jehovah Witness and Mormon cults.
Be wise as serpents and gentle as lambs!
God bless,
Pastor Bob