The Adventist Way of Life

The following sections are taken from the Seventh Day Adventist book; “Bible Readings for the Home” and express the official SDA understanding on the topic of salvation.

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What does Paul say of the carnal mind?
“The carnal mind is enmity against God…” Rom. 8:7.

Why is the carnal mind enmity?
“For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7.

Can one please God while he is carnally minded?
“So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Rom. 8:8.

What will those receive who remain in that state?
“For to be carnally minded is death.” Rom. 8:6.
NOTE: Since the “wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23), and “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4), it follows that to be carnally minded is death. It is also sin, or a violation of God’s law.

In what way may this condition be changed?
“We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Cor. 5:20.

How was this reconciliation brought about in the case of the wicked Ninevites, when Jonah prophesied their destruction?
The king of Nineveh said, “Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hand.” “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.” Jonah 3:8, 10.

Are repentance and confession still essential to reconciliation?
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” Acts. 3:19. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

Is this work effected independently of the sinner’s action?
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. “For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Rom. 5:10.

How is the carnal mind destroyed?
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Rom. 6:6.

When the work on the part of the sinner has been thoroughly done, how complete will be the change in him?
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17.

How may we know whether or not one has experienced this change?
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matt. 7:20.

If one has a spiritual mind, what fruit will he bear?
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Gal. 5:22, 23.

What is the first result of justification?
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:1.

How complete is the justification of that person who becomes reconciled to God?
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

When thus reconciled to God, how will the individual stand?
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Rom. 8:1.

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According to God’s standard of judgment, how many can be justified?
“And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” Ps. 143:2.
NOTE: Justify. “To prove or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty; to defend or maintain; to vindicate as right; to warrant.” “To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to absolve; to clear.” — Webster

How may one become justified?
“By his knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” Isa. 53:11.

By whom and by what are men justified?
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 3:23, 24.

Why cannot men be justified by the deeds of the law?
“For by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20.

Can the unrighteous be saved?
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” 1 Cor. 6:9.

Through whose righteousness is remission of sins obtained?
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Rom. 3:24, 25.

For what was Christ made sin?
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21.

Then what may we call the Saviour?
“And this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.” Jer. 23:6.

On what condition may we obtain this righteousness and justification?
“To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Rom.3:26.

Who may obtain this imputed righteousness?
“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.” Rom. 3:22.

Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4), and by this law is the knowledge of sin. (Rom. 3:20). Can one, while persisting in sin, expect justification?
“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.” Gal. 2:17.

In order to have one’s sins forgiven, and his unrighteousness cleansed away, what is necessary?
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

Can one be purified without obedience?
“And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:9. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth,... see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” 1 Pet. 1:22.

Does the fact that we are justified, or made righteous, by faith, release us from obligation to keep God’s law?
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God for- bid: yea, we establish the law.” Rom. 3:31.

What is faith?
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1.

When one does this, and is in perfect accord with all of God’s commandments, what may he then have?
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:1.

In what way may we hold our justification and fellowship with God?
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.
NOTE: Not only is fellowship with our brethren here implied, but, as intimated in previous verses, with God and with Christ.“There is evidently an allusion to 1 John 1:3, and their fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ is expressed, so here it lies in the background, but need not be supplied. De Wette’s remark is most true; Christian communion is then only real, when it is communion with God.” –Dean Alford.How great will be the peace of mind enjoyed by those who have this experience?
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7.

What will be a prominent characteristic of those who wait for the return of their Lord from heaven?
“For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Heb. 10:37, 38.

What will accompany the faith of Jesus?
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.

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In what way has God dealt with penitent sinners?
“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” Ps.103:10.

Why has He dealt thus with men?
“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.” Ps. 103:11.

What is God ready to do for all who call upon Him?
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Ps. 86:5.

When Abraham asked God to spare Sodom if He should find ten righteous persons therein, what did the Lord say?
“And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.” Gen. 18:32.

What prayer did Moses offer in behalf of Israel?
“Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy mercy, and as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” Num. 14:19.

What reply did the Lord immediately make?
“And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to Thy word.” Num. 14:20.

When David confessed his great sin, what did God do for him?
“I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Ps. 32:5.

Does the lord forgive sins when they are confessed to Him?
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

How full is the Lord’s forgiveness, when one fulfills the conditions?
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isa. 55:7.

In what special manner has God shown His willingness to forgive the sinner?
“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8.

What does this wonderful manifestation on the part of God, vouchsafe to us?
“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Rom. 8:32.

Why has such full provision been made?
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

When the prodigal son, in the parable, repented and turned toward home, what did his father do?
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20.

Upon the son’s asking to be made only a hired servant, what order was issued in behalf of the penitent one?
“But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:22-24.

Is God willing to do for His children as earthly parents are for theirs?
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” Luke 11:13.

How many receive forgiveness from God?
“Everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matt. 7:8.

Does the Lord forget the cries of those who call upon Him?
“Can a woman forget her sucking child?…Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Isa. 49:15.