The Holy Scriputres, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God,
given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man
the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible
revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of
experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record
of God's acts in history.
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal
Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever
present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His
self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by
the whole creation.
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of
all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and
abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers
exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father.
God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all
things were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of
humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He
became also truly man, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human
being, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His
miracles He manifested God's power and was attested as God's promised
Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in
our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly
sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory for the final deliverance
of His people and the restoration of all things.
God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation,
incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled
Christ's life with power. He draws and convicts human beings; and those who
respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father
and the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the
church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the
Scriptures leads it into all truth.
God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the authentic
account of His creative activity. In six days the Lord made "the heaven and
the earth" and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh
day of that first week. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual
memorial of His completed creative work. The first man and woman were made in
the image of God as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the
world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world was
finished it was "very good," declaring the glory of God.
Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power
and freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an
indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and
breath and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their
dependence upon Him and fell from their high position under God. The image
of god in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants
share this fallen nature and its consequences. The are born with weaknesses
and tendencies to evil. but God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and
by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created
for the glory of god, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care
for their environment.
All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan
regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the
universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed
with freedom of choice,, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and
led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of
rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin
resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of
the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide
flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the
universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated.
To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the
loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation.
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 may have eternal life, and the
whole creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of the
Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God's law and
the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides
for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory,
reconciling and transforming. The resurrection fo Christ proclaims God's
triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement
assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of
Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow.
In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for
us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy
Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our
transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute
and Example. This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine
power of the Word and is the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are
justified, adopted as God's sons and daughters, and delivered from the
lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the
Spirit renews our minds, writes God's law of love in our hearts, and we are
given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of
the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment.
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord
and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we
are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for
fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's
Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the
gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate
Word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is God's
family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new
covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which
Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that
He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present
her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase
of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish.
The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in
the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to
keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces
the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and
heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized by
the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in
heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer
is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness.
The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race,
culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich
and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in
Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with
one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation.
Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same
faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source
in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children.
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness
of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people,
and are received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union
with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy
Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of
faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in
the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings.
The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood
of jesus as an expression of faith in him, our Lord and Saviour. In this
experience of communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people.
As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again.
Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and
confession. The Master ordained the service of foot washing to signify
renewed cleansing, to express a willingness to serve one another in
Christlike humility, and to unite our hearts in love. The communion service
is open to all believing Christians.
God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts
which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the
church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who
apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities adn
ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions.
According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith,
healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation,
compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and
encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the
Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic,
apostolic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members
for service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity
of the faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts
as faithful stewards of God's varied grace, the church is protected from the
destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God,
and is built up in faith and love.
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.
The great principles of God's law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and
exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God's love, will, and
purposes concerning human conduct and relationships and are binding upon all
people in every age. These precepts are the basis of God's covenant with His
people and the standard in God's judgment. Through the agency of the Holy
Spirit they point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation
is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the
Commandments. This obedience develops Christian character and results in a
sense of well-being. It is an evidence our love for the Lord and our concern
for our fellow men. The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ
to transform lives, and therefore strengthens Christian witness.
The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the
seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of
Creation. The fourth commandment of God's unchangeable law requires the
observance of this seventh-day Sabbath 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. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our
sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal
future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath is God's perpetual sign of His eternal
covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time
from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God's creative
and redemptive acts.
We are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities,
abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources.
We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God's
ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellowmen, and by returning
tithes and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the
support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by
God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness.
The steward rejoices in the blessings that come to others as a result of his
faithfulness.
We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with
the principles of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of
our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things which will produce
Christlike purity, helath, and joy in our lives. This means that our
amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Christian
taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is
simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist
of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet
spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy
Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise
and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from
the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages,
tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our
bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in
whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who
desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness.
Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a
lifelong union between a man and a woman in loving companionship. For the
Christian a marriage commitment is to God as well as to the spouse, and
should be entered into only between partners who share a common faith.
Mutual love, honor, respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this
relationship, which is to reflect the love, sanctity, closeness, and
permanence of the relationship between Christ and His church. Regarding
divorce, Jesus taught that the person who divorces a spouse, except for
fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. Although some family
relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage partners who fully
commit themselves to each other in Christ may achieve loving unity through
the guidance of the Spirit and the nurture of the church. God blesses the
family and intends that its members shall assist each other toward complete
maturity. Parents are to bring up their children to love and obey the Lord.
By their example and their words they are to teach them that Christ is a
loving disciplinarian, ever tender and caring, who wants them to become
members of His body, the family of God. Increasing family closeness is one
of the earmarks of the final gospel message.
There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord set up
and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to
believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the
cross. He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His
intercessory ministry at the time of His ascension. In 1844, at the end of
the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of
His atoning ministry. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part
of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the
ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service
the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the
heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of
Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who
among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy
to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the
living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith
of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His
everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving
those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal
to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ
will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent.
The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand
climax of the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be literal, personal,
visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be
resurrected, and together with righteous living will be glorified and taken
to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment
of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world,
indicates that Christ's coming is imminent. The time of that event has not
been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.
The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will grant
eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state
for all people. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected
righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet
their Lord. The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous,
will take place a thousand years later.
The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints in
heaven between the first and second resurrections. During this time the
wicked dead will be judged; the earth will be utterly desolate, without
living human inhabitants, but occupied by Satan and his angels. At its
close Christ with His saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven
to earth. The unrighteous dead will then be resurrected, and with Satan
and his angels will surround the city; but fire from God will consume them
and cleanse the earth. The universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners
forever.
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide an
eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for everlasting
life, love, joy, and learning in His presence. For here God Himself will
dwell with His people, and suffering and death will have passed away. The
great controversy will be ended, and sin will be no more. All things,
animate and inanimate, will declare that God is love; and He shall reign
forever. Amen.