Articles:
Just WHO Are Seventh-day Adventists?
Who Are
Seventh-day Adventists?
A Brief History of One of the Fastest Growing Churches
in the World.
Facts & Figures on the Adventist Church
A Quick Look at Seventh-day
Adventists (cover of flyer) (takes time to
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A Quick Look at Seventh-day Adventists (inside
of flyer) (takes time to load)
Links:
3ABN -
24-hour Christian programming (television
and radio)
ADRA -
Adventist Development & Relief Agency
International
ADVENTIST BOOK CENTERS - Stores dedicated to provide families
with Christian books, music, ministry resources, vegetarian/health foods,
etc. Customers may order on-line and have items shipped directly to
their homes.
AMAZING FACTS
- Doug Batchelor, Pastor, seen on
such television shows as Millennium of Prophecy and Everlasting
Gospel. Author of The Richest Caveman. Reaching the world with
God's end-time message
ANGEL CO-OP Women's Ministries site is geared to equip women
outreaching for the Lord with information, inspiration and encouragement.
They also have a free e-newsletter.
BIBLEINFO.COM
- Answers to Life's BIG questions
IT IS WRITTEN
- Mark Finley, Pastor, seen on the
television show It Is Written on cable channels such as Court
TV & TBN (Trinity Broadcasting
Network)
LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY
- One of the many hospitals run by
the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Internationally known as a leader in
infant heart transplants and other health issues.
SKY ANGEL
- Christian satellite subscription
service
VOICE OF PROPHECY
- Radio, Bible School, and
Evangelistic Ministry pioneered by H.M.S. Richards, now directed by Lonnie
Melashenko
Just WHO are
Seventh-day Adventists, Anyways?
Excerpted from
www.bibleinfo.com
A brief scan
of one of the fastest growing
Christian Churches in the world today
The
Seventh-day Adventist Church adds a new member by baptism every 48 seconds
of every day, and organizes five new congregations daily.
God
Adventists base their faith in God as revealed through Jesus
Christ and as shown through the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Faith
Faith means placing complete trust in God, and accepting his
offer of salvation. Such trusting faith is fundamental to Adventist beliefs.
A living relationship with God is essential to faith.
The Bible
Written down over many years, the Bible presents the
essential truth about God. The Holy Spirit inspired human writers to reveal
the character of God and how he wishes to save all those who come to him.
The Bible explains the nature of God and the way God’s followers will behave
as a result of their relationship with him.
The Gospel
The heart of the Adventist message is the gospel, God’s good
news of salvation. Through Jesus’ death on the cross human beings may be won
back to love and trust God, and accept God’s free gift of eternal life for
all those who follow him.
Creation
Creator of the Universe, Christ formed our world in seven
days, and created the first man and woman. At the close of his creative
work, God gave the Sabbath as a day of celebration and worship.
The Sabbath
The seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) is given as a reminder of
the God who both creates and saves, and is the day God invites all to come
and worship him. Jesus observed the seventh-day Sabbath while on earth, and
Adventists follow his example in keeping the fourth of the Ten Commandments.
The Second Advent
Adventists look forward to the soon return of Jesus Christ as
prophesied and as he himself promised, but do not set any date for this
glorious event when he comes to take home all who accept him as their Lord.
Life After Death and the Future
Adventists follow Jesus in identifying those who die as
sleeping. Those who have trusted God are raised to life when Jesus returns,
and look forward to a wonderful future--eternal life in God’s presence.
Baptism and Commitment
Those who choose to accept God’s way for their lives and his
offer of eternal life demonstrate their belief through baptism (being
immersed in water), following the example of Jesus. Adventists follow lives
of commitment to God and his plan for us, which include following his
commands as being for our best good.
Education
The Adventist Church operates one of the largest educational
systems in the world, and features Universities such as Loma Linda whose
Medical Center is at the forefront of treatments such as the innovative
Proton Accelerator for cancer treatment. Through a world-wide network of
schools, Adventists seek to better humanity through providing education and
vocational training.
Community Aid
Through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency and other
programs, the Adventist Church provides practical assistance to those less
fortunate, caring for the poor and disadvantaged in many countries of the
world, without regard for race, religion or nationality. The Church also
operates youth camps, community service projects, family life counseling and
other programs to assist those wishing to overcome drug addiction and
alcohol or tobacco dependence.
The Communication of Hope
Seventh-day Adventists communicate hope by focusing on the
quality of life that is complete in Jesus. Communication is a vital aspect
of faith, sharing the good news of God and keeping the family of believers
in touch through a global system that includes satellite broadcasting, TV,
radio, print and electronic media such as the Internet and the Adventist
On-line Forum on CompuServe.
Who Are Seventh-day Adventists?
Excerpted from
www.sda.org
These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute
the church's understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture
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.)
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.)
For additional information, visit
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