SDA's Works-Based Assurance Of Salvation
By David J. Stewart
It is extremely difficult for most newer Christians to discern the doctrines of
devils in the Seventh Day Adventist cult. It is impossible for unbelievers to
detect them, which is why many unbelievers convert to SDA, as did the famous
radio broadcaster Paul Harvey (1918-2009). This is sad and tragic, for Paul
Harvey did not go to Heaven if he was a sincere follower of SDA (as it appears
he certainly was). One of the simplest ways to expose SDA is to focus on their
teaching and understanding of salvation itself.
The Bible teaches that salvation is a new BIRTH, which happens instantly and is irreversible. The very moment that an admitted sinner trusts upon the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving His death, burial and resurrection as payment for sins, he is saved instantly, completely and eternally. Assurance of salvation is based upon the promises of God (and not upon human effort nor performance). I KNOW I am saved because God PROMISED to save anyone who believes (trusts) upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 20:31; Acts 10:43; 1st John 5:13).
In sharp contrast, the SDA teaching of salvation is very different, where being born-again is the beginning of a PROCESS. According to the official doctrinal statement of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists...
"Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)"
SOURCE: Adventist.org: The Official Site of the Seventh-day Adventist world church
Clearly, SDA's teach that to have assurance of one's salvation, he or she must abide in Christ. No where in the Scriptures are we required to continue abiding in Christ in order to have the assurance of God's salvation. David repeatedly calls eternal life “THY” salvation, because God does the saving, not man. Our part is only to believe upon (trust upon) Jesus as the Christ Who died for our sins, was buried and arose three days later. That is the Gospel (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
Notice again the damnable heresy of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists...
"The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent. (Heb. 8:1-5; 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; 1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:12.)"
SOURCE: ibid
“The close of human probation?” This is solid evidence against the demonic cult of Seventh-day Adventism, who teach that salvation is never complete nor secured in this lifetime. There is no true assurance of salvation in SDA, because they view salvation as a process that can be lost if a person does not continue to abide in Christ.
SDA's teach that all believers are on “probation” after being born-again, and the life they live will determine whether or not Christ finds them worthy of salvation. SDA is a totally 100% works-based false religion that wraps itself deceitfully in a fraudulent shell of claiming salvation by grace through faith. SDA is empty words without conviction. Their concealed core doctrines don't support their lofty public rhetoric. SDA are liars and deceivers, children of the Devil.
The truth is that once a person becomes a born-again child of God, the Holy Spirit comes in to indwell that believer, never to depart, and the Holy Spirit seals that believer for ever (2nd Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit is our seal, God's downpayment on that which He has redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Amen! My sins were washed away by the blood of Jesus the day I was saved over 30-years ago. I was saved on the spot, irrevocably, irrefutably and irreversibly! Hallelujah!
The important thing to remember, that makes it easy to expose SDA or any other religious cult of Satan, is that salvation is a new birth, a second birth, a spiritual birth! Ye must be born again (John 3:7). The second birth is as irreversible as the first, physical, fleshly birth, when you were born into this world. Every false religion perverts the Gospel and turns salvation into a PROCESS instead of an instantaneous BIRTH. Eternal life is the gift of God (Romans 5:15; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). You receive eternal life to have it; you don't earn it to get it.
Eternal life is not a reward for good behaviour as SDA's teach. NO ONE is worthy of salvation. Salvation is receiving, not giving. Remember that eternal life is a free gift. All you do to have a gift is receive it. If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God Who died, was buried and rose again for your sins, and you make that you're hope for Heaven, then you're saved. Christ died, that's history; Christ died for me, that's salvation!
Seventh-day Adventism is easy to pick apart if you focus on their bizarre and exclusive false doctrine of “Investigative Judgment.” Back in the 19th century, a wayward minister named William Miller crunched some numbers and prophesied that the Lord would return in 1844. Over 10,000 Millerites (as they were called) quit their jobs and sold all their worldly possessions, including their homes. When Jesus didn't return, there was panic. Something had to be done quick. So someone came up with the notion that Miller had misinterpreted the prophecy, and that in actuality Christ had entered into the Holy of Holies in Heaven to begin His work of “Investigative Judgment.”
SDA's teach that every believer (those who they falsely profess to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ) are on PROBATION, because Christ is now fulfilling His work of doing an “investigation” of all believers. Here once again is the official dogma of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists...
"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."
SOURCE: ibid
Here you can plainly see that Adventists do indeed teach a works-based false plan of salvation. In order to be deemed “worthy” to partake in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:6), a believer is required to abide in Christ, keep God's Commandments and maintain faith in Jesus. That's not the Biblical Gospel. Keeping God's Commandments is not part of the Gospel. The faith that bringeth salvation does not have to be maintained to keep salvation.
The purpose of the Law is to show us our sinfulness, that all the world may become guilty before God (Romans 3:19). The Law shows us the awfulness of our sins, our misery and inability to please God in our own self-righteousness, and points us to the wonderful Savior on Calvary's tree (Galatians 3:24-25). No one is worthy of salvation.
Revelation 5:4 and 9, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. ... And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
Amen! no man is worthy, but the Lamb of God is worthy. Jesus Christ is worthy!!!
Those people who are genuinely saved (born again) will die IN THE LORD. Revelation 14:13, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Notice that a believer's works “FOLLOW,” they do not precede. We are not saved by self-righteous works.
Our works follow us to the Judgment Seat of Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:9-11). The Lord saves us by grace through faith. Salvation is instant, and we are born anew of the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). We become a member of God's family—the kingdom of God—the moment we are saved. We are spiritually the children of Abraham, with God being our same heavenly Father (Galatians 3:26-29).
SDA's will be judged at The Great White Throne Of Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15, where Jesus will “profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23).
Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
And here is the will of the Father according to the Lord Jesus Himself...
John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The will of the Father is to believe on Christ, the Lamb of God. Notice that the Bible does not say to keep all God's Commandments and to abide in Christ throughout your life to be saved as SDA's foolishly teach. Adventists are unsaved heretics, on their way to the Lake of Fire. There's only one way, and that way is Jesus Christ.
Catholics say they love Jesus, while bowing to Mary and echoing vain repetitions to “Mary, Mary, Mary.” They are in utter demonic denial of their sad and lost sinful state. Likewise, Seventh-day Adventists claim to trust upon the Lord Jesus, while also adding water baptism, keeping the Sabbath Day, tithing and all the Commandments of God to their so-called “faith.” Faith in what? Seventh-day Adventism? That's exactly where SDA's have placed their faith... in a manmade religion that is going to take them all to the fires of Hell.
I say this kindly, but with a fervent desire that some Adventists will read this article and repent toward God, believing the Gospel to be saved.
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