The Adventist Way of Life

I am compelled to write this message due to the poor understanding that many other Christians have regarding the Seventh Day Adventist’s view regarding salvation assurance.

First, let me say; Seventh Day Adventist’s are not Calvinists. They are also not Arminianists. Calvinists throw around the phrase, “once saved, always saved“. There is no text in God’s word that proclaims such a doctrine or the phrase. Now some have called Adventist’s “Arminianists” but that is not really correct either because many Arminianists claim that good works save people.

So what are Seventh Day Adventist’s in regards to the doctrine of salvation? We believe in salvation assurance! The Bible does not teach Calvinism nor does it teach Arminianism, it simply teaches “salvation assurance“!

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” [1 John 5:13]

So this verse tells us that we can KNOW that we HAVE salvation. It says nothing about loosing faith. Here is where we must use the whole Bible to find the answers to the questions we seek. Does the Bible proclaim that some can lose their faith?

“Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.” [ 1 Timothy 5:12]

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” [Hebrews 6:4-6]

[Please look at the following texts which talk of people losing their faith in Christ and the posibility of "falling away": Hebrews 10:26,27; Hebrews 2:3; Ezekiel 18:24; 1 Timothy 1:19; John 15:6; Hebrews 10:36; Philipians 2:12; Romans 2:6-10; Romans 2:13; 2 Timothy 4:3,4; Colossians 3:6..just to name a few.]

Now, listen close here to what I am about to say; Many Christians ( including Seventh Day Adventist Christians), do not know how somebody could become so lost after having recieved the Truth. Just because we do not understand how this can happen it does not give us liscense to create a doctrine [Calvinism or Arminianism] to explain how or how this situation could or could not happen! Does this make sense?

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” [ 2 Peter 1:20]

The Bible clearly teaches that if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour and have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, we can have salvation assurance! This is indeed Good News!

Many who claim that they know what Seventh Day Adventist’s teach say that Ellen G. White had no assurance of her salvation in Christ. Those who say such things please take time out to learn and listen.

Let us let Ellen G. White give us her own testimony:

“Faith now took the possession of my heart. I felt an inexpressible love for God, and had the witness of His Holy Spirit that my sins were pardoned. My views of the Father were changed. I now looked upon Him as a kind and tender parent, rather than a stern tyrant compelling men to blind obedience. My heart went out toward Him in deep and fervent love. Obedience to his will seemed a joy; it was a pleasure to be in His service. No shadow clouded the light that revealed to me the perfect will of God. I felt the assurance of an indwelling Saviour, and realized the truth of what Christ said: “He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” [John 8:12]“

She goes on…….

“My peace and happiness were in such marked contrast with my former gloom and anguish that it seemed to me as if I had been rescued from hell and transported to heaven. I could even praise God for the misfortune that had been the trial of my life, [here she talks about when she almost died as a child because of getting hit in the head by a rock thrown at her] for it had been the means of fixing my thoughts upon eternity.” [Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, by Ellen G. White 1915 p.39]

She also states in her book, “Steps to Christ”: “Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, “I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised.” [SC ch.6]

Many Christians wonder if their salvation is secured. The Bible answers this question for us. The Bible says, in essence, that if we are only relying on Jesus Christ and not our own works we can be sure that we have true salvation.

We also can have assurance if we “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,” but that instead we are being “transformed” by the “renewing” of our minds. [Romans 12:2]

I have assurance in my salvation because I am relying on Jesus only to save me. The minute that I begin to trust myself for salvation I fall into legalism and pride. Christians are to obey God’s moral law but not for salvation. [Matt 28:20; Jn14:15,21; Ro 2:13; 1Jn 2:3-6]

“As long as Uzziah sought the LORD, God gave him success. … But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” [2 Chronicles 26:15, NIV]

Written by, Eric William King [September 23,2007]

Also read;

Jewish nation predestined to reveal Christ!

Once saved, once lost!

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