THE CULTIC DOCTRINE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS
BOOK REVIEW by Karen Larrigan
A controversy has always surrounded the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church as to their place among the Christian denominations. The SDAs would like to be considered as another Christian denomination but many of the denominations are not sure if they should be.
We have received several calls from ministerial associations and other ministerial groups concerned about the aberrant (or heterodox) teachings of the SDA that other counter cult ministries have broadcast over radio and in their written publications.
In my personal experience, controversy, complex, conflict, contradictions, confusion and concern all describe the many problems associated with trying to place the SDA in their proper place. Are their teachings in line with historic Christianity or are their aberrant teachings more in line with cultic doctrines?
Finally, we have a book written by a conservative, fourth generation Seventh-day Adventist who was educated in the SDA system, graduated from the SDA seminary, was a SDA pastor and even taught in a SDA school. The book titled "The Cultic Doctrine Of Seventh-day Adventists" includes some background on the early history of the SDA church. More importantly it shows simply and clearly that their controversial teachings are in opposition to Biblical teachings.
Chapter two deals with the important issue of Ellen G. White and how the SDAs cannot separate these questionable doctrines from her writings. Also explained are the problems involved for both Christians and the Seventh-day Adventists when they claim that the "spirit of prophecy" has been in a "special sense manifested through the writings of Ellen White..."
In light of their reference to the "gift of prophecy", Chapters 3-6 of The Cultic Doctrines of the SDA exposes the great problems associated with the Great Disappointment of l844 (when Christ failed to come visibly). This error is found in the very foundation of SDA history. Chapter 6, titled "Truth Changes-Again!" and chapters 7 & 8 will be enlightening and informative to most Christian readers.
The added strength of this book is found in the chapter summary sections which quickly and clearly review the conclusions of each chapter. For example, the summary for the Chapter titled "A Broken Chain" lists four conclusive statements after showing that the "perfect chain of truth" consists of four questionable links, eight cracked links, and ten broken links making up the twenty-two assumptions (like 22 links in a chain). All must be valid if the SDA doctrines of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment (teachings introduced after the 1844 failure that Christ changed compartments in heaven and began a judging work invisibly on that date) are true Biblical, Christian teachings. One concludes they are not.
Another distinctive and controversial belief of the SDA church is the topic of the mark of the beast vs. the seal of God. It is well documented that Ellen G. White taught that the Sabbath will be the "great test of loyalty". Those who observe the false Sabbath (Sunday) will receive the mark of the beast. Those that keep the true Sabbath (Saturday) will receive the seal of God.
For the SDA the Sabbath is the great test of loyalty and yet the Bible tells us that the "test" is whether or not one has "Christ in you". (II Corinthians 13:5). The SDA refer to the seal of God for those who keep the Sabbath whereas the Bible refers to the seal of the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 1:13) for those who are His.
Of particular interest is the information classifying the three (and possibly four) groups of Seventh-day Adventists. Most of the confusion surrounding the SDAs stems from the divisions that exist today. This book clearly and concisely clarifies the three main branches of Adventism as Historic, Liberal and Evangelical Adventism. The information in this area also clarifies the "shift within the SDA church" which appears to be a "swing back" to its "hard-line" position on the historic, distinctive teachings of the investigative judgment and related teachings.
The question posed in the book is whether the "Evangelical Adventists" can really be called Adventists as "they often disagree with a number of the Fundamental Beliefs of the SDA church". We would suggest that they may be "evangelical", but if they adhere to any of the controversial teachings such as cleansing of the sanctuary, the investigative judgment, the mark of the beast/seal of God for Sabbath observance, the remnant church and the gift/spirit of prophecy referring to Ellen G. White, then they would be evangelical Seventh-day Adventists but not necessarily evangelical Christians.
Unfortunately, the SDA church now publishes two of their own Bible translations, The Study Bible and The Clear Word Bible, which further separates them from the Christian denominations.
The concept of the "remnant church" is well covered in the chapter titled the "Marks of A Cult" and will show the Christian church that although the SDA church might want to be considered just another Christian denomination, the facts of the matter are that they consider themselves the true "remnant church".
All Christian churches would need to join the SDA "denomination" as they believe that they are exclusively called to proclaim the "three angel's messages of Revelation chapter 14. (Cultic Doctrine of the SDA, pg.296-301). The various references (and footnotes) reveal the official SDA "denunciation of other Christians" and their harsh view of the "fallen churches" that reject the SDA "truths".
This information should be of particular interest to those Christians that take a sympathetic position and perhaps will enlighten them in this area.
The Christian readers will find the book factual and easy to read. We all need to seriously consider what the author has presented. The Seventh-day Adventist readers also need to give careful attention to what is presented so that they will better understand why many Christians do not accept the SDA doctrines as Biblical. Perhaps they will come to understand the Gospel in the light of the Bible rather than with the shadows of Ellen G. White's "interpretations".
The chapter titled "Living In the Judgment" should be of great interest to the SDA members helping them to understand that they truly have a "different gospel". As Christians we need to be aware that various cult groups often use the same terminology. They may "sound" Christian but in fact they have redefined the meaning of the word. In this case, Dale Ratzlaff explains (page 330) that from his experience as a teacher and pastor in the SDA church and now as a Christian that "the gospel is still misunderstood by many SDAs".
The Gospel, according to Christianity, does not include the above-mentioned controversial teachings associated with Ellen G. White. It is not likely that historic Christianity will move toward the SDA "remnant church" as the Holy Spirit in almost 2000 years has not led believers into the above aberrant beliefs, (see John 16:13) and so the move to orthodoxy must come from the Seventh-day Adventists.
One of the fascinating threads throughout this book, is the frequent reference to the analogy of a sliver. Although painful to have it removed, there will be no "healing" or correction until these false teachings are removed from the official position. This is not a book that is anti-SDA as much as it is an appeal to deal with the major doctrinal problems that separate the SDA from evangelical Christianity.
The controversy surrounding the SDA church has spanned at least 5 decades and is a complex problem that has generated much conflict in the "church" community. The author concludes the book with John 8:31-32 and the following statement "It is my sincere prayer and hope that this book may in some small way nudge the Seventh-day Adventist church toward mainstream evangelicalism".
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