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Fundamental
Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists
Seventh-day
Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold
certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy
Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the
church's understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture.
Revision
of these statements may be expected at a General Conference
session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller
understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which
to express the teachings of God's Holy Word. 
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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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