The
27 Fundamental
Beliefs
of the
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
1. The Holy Scriptures:
The Holy Scriptures, 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. (2 Peter 1:20,
21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1
Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)
2. The Trinity:
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.
(Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17;
Rev. 14:7.)
3. The Father:
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.
(Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex.
34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
4. The Son:
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. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30;
14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb.
2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
5. The Holy Spirit:
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. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38;
2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26,
27; 16:7-13.)
6. Creation:
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. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex.
20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)
7. The Nature of Man:
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. They 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. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps.
51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen.
2:15.)
8. The Great Controversy:
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. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32;
5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)
9. The Life, Death, and
Resurrection of Christ:
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 of 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. (John
3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15,
19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Col. 2:15; Phil.
2:6-11.)
10. The Experience of Salvation:
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. (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.)
11. The Church:
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. (Gen. 12:3;
Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph.
2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.)
12. The Remnant and Its Mission:
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. (Rev. 12:17;
14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14;
Rev. 21:1-14.)
13. Unity in the Body of Christ:
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. (Rom.
12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts
17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)
14. Baptism:
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. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts
16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)
15. The Lord's Supper:
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. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30; Rev.
3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)
16. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries:
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 and 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. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8,
11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)
17. The Gift of Prophecy:
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. (Joel 2:28, 29;
Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)
18. The Law of God:
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 of 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. (Ex. 20:1-17;
Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John
15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)
19. The Sabbath:
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. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11;
Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12,
20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)
20. Stewardship:
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 fellow men, 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. (Gen. 1:26-28;
2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23;
2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)
21. Christian Behavior:
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, health, 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 to be 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. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph.
5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20;
10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)
22. Marriage and the Family:
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. (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33;
Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph.
6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)
23. Christ's Ministry in the
Heavenly Sanctuary:
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. (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.)
24. The Second Coming of Christ:
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 the 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. (Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28;
John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess.
4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt.
24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)
25. Death and Resurrection:
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. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Ps. 146:3, 4;
John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John 5:28, 29;
Rev. 20:1-10.)
26. The Millennium and the End of
Sin:
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. (Rev. 20; 1 Cor.
6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26; Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18, 19.)
27. The New Earth:
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. (2 Peter
3:13; Isa. 35; 65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)
