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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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