It was in the year 1863 when God organized and raised up the Seventh-day Adventist Church out of the Advent movement.
It was founded in 1860 and was a body of first-day Adventist Christians which was founded on the teachings of William Miller. The Seventh-day Adventist Church adopted, coordinated, and continued the reforms that were lost since the Reformation.
God’s purpose of raising up this church is to be a trumpet in proclaiming “the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6). The mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to continue the Protestant Reformation that Martin Luther and other protestant reformers started in preaching the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world.
The name “Adventist” is one that believes and is looking forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ. This teaching is the core of Seventh-day Adventism today; based on the signs and current events transpiring among us, we believe that the second coming of Jesus is imminent and even at the doors. We don’t believe He will be coming secretly (secret rapture) to take a special group of faithful Christians to heaven, while the rest of the world get a second change to get their lives right with the Lord. In 1 Peter 3:10 the word of God states that the day of the Lord comes like a ‘thief in the night’, but the rest of the verse shows that it is the end of the world by this time. When the elements melt and the earth is burned up, it will NOT be a silent or a secret event.
As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us clearly
“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:23-24).
Jesus’ second coming will not be an invisible or silent event, no matter what many prominent denominations say. The Second Coming may be an unexpected thief to many, but everyone will know about it without a doubt!
We also believe in the doctrine of the Seventh-day Sabbath. The Sabbath of the Ten Commandments and the Sabbaths of the ceremonial law distinguished God’s people, Israel, from all other nations. The Sabbaths bound them to God as his covenant people. God called the Sabbath of the Ten Commandments a sign between Him and His people forever, because it was He who sanctified them (Exodus 31:17). We also believe that the Ten Commandments are a reflection of God’s character and show us how we can live to honor God and become more like Him through our actions as well as our attitudes.
The first four commandments pertain to our relationship with God and the last six commandments pertain to our relationship with our neighbor. The word of God tells us,
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).
There is an inescapable logic to nine of the Ten Commandments. It is obvious why we should not kill, and why we should not lie to each other or steal from one another. However, the Fourth Commandment, or Sabbath Commandment, is different from the nine. There is no implicit logic in this Commandment. There is no specific reason why we should keep the seventh-day Sabbath, other than God specifically commanded us to. The Sabbath Commandment is also a test of faith more than any other Commandment.
Lastly, we believe in the teaching of the Sanctuary Message. October 22, 1844, Jesus began His work as our High Priest in the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary, doing the work of investigative judgment. When we look back at the earthly Old Testament sanctuary, and the entire ministry associated with it, it reflects the ministry of Jesus Christ on our behalf. It’s also a miniature enactment of the much greater ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, of which the earthly sanctuary was merely “a figure for the time then present” (Hebrews 9:9). The earthly sanctuary was a copy of the heavenly, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle” (Hebrews 8:5).
Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary that was not built by human hands after His resurrection and ascension into heaven (Hebrews 9:24). He paid the price of sin at the cross. Justice was satisfied, but the ministry of Christ did not end at Calvary. Sin still exists today, and sinners still have access to God through Christ. The teaching that the atonement was finished at the cross is inconsistent with the sanctuary model that God gave to us. Jesus’ death and resurrection only began His ministry in the sanctuary. He was the Lamb on the altar of burnt offerings in the outer court, but we must also travel into the Holy Place as well as the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary to understand the fullness of His ministry.
Jesus still has many roles to fulfill before sin can be fully eradicated from this world forever. We serve a risen Savior, who is our High Priest, our Advocate, or Judge, and our King who is interceding in our behalf in the sanctuary (Hebrews 8:1-2).
Brethren, these teachings, along with other cardinal teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is what makes us who we are. God has not called us to be ecumenical with other faiths or to unite with the world and its ways. Our mission and calling in these last days is to finish the work of the Reformation, giving the loud cry of the Three Angels Message, to prepare a people as well as the world for the soon return of Jesus Christ. My appeal to every church member and leader in the Seventh-day Adventist Church is that we will not forget our history. May we not forget who we are as God’s people and why God has raised us up as a movement, and that purpose is to be a trumpet.
My name is Musa Nkosi. I’m a graduate from Southwestern Adventist University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. I also serve as a Publishing Ministries Coordinator at my local church, doing the work of literature evangelism in my local community. My future goal and desire is to use my talents and abilities for the Lord’s cause in the finishing of the work.
