15. The Central Pillar: The Heart of SDA Theology

Cultic Doctrine of Seventh-day Adventism, Dale Ratzlaff, Feature, Investigative Judgment

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate that the doctrine of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment is indeed “the foundation and central pillar of Adventism.”1 We will see that nearly every aspect of their unique message is tied to this central pillar, without which the other SDA doctrines and emphases would lose much of their significance.

The doctrine of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment is linked to the following key aspects of the SDA message.

The three angels’ messages

For all Adventists, the three angels’ messages hold singular significance. While most Evangelical Adventists would question the importance of 1844, few would diminish the centrality of the three angels’ messages.

Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come (Rev. 14:6).

From its very inception this has been the keynote of Adventism. Adventists believe this judgment is the investigative judgment which started in 1844.

Point number 13 in the Fundamental Beliefs of SDAs supports this.

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.2

The SDA seventh-day Sabbath message

A Historical Link

Early Adventists reinterpreted Miller’s 1844 message to apply to the “event” of the change of the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. Shortly after this, Ellen White was given a vision of the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary and was shown that the people of God were to be tested on the basis of their obedience to the Ten Commandments in general, and the Sabbath in particular.

After Jesus opened the door of the Most Holy the light of the Sabbath was seen, and the people of God were to be tested and proved, as God proved the children of Israel anciently, to see if they would keep his law.3

Here we find that it was through their interpretation of the sanctuary “truth” that early Adventists suddenly came to believe that God would judge them on the basis of the Ten Commandments.4

A Theological Link

Ellen White anchored this historical link as an immovable pillar of SDA theology through her visions.

But the Lord gave me a view of the heavenly sanctuary. The temple of God was opened in heaven, and I was shown the ark of God covered with the mercy seat. Two angels stood, one at each end of the ark, with their wings spread over the mercy seat, and their faces turned toward it. My accompanying angel informed me that these represented all the heavenly host looking with reverential awe toward the holy law which had beer written by the finger of God. Jesus raised the cover of the ark, and I beheld the tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. I was amazed as I saw the fourth commandment in the very center of the ten precepts, with a soft halo of light encircling it. Said the angel: “It is the only one of the ten which defines the living God who created the heavens and the earth and all things that are therein. When the foundations of the earth were laid, then was laid the foundation of the Sabbath also.”5

In the two quotations above, Ellen White links the SDA sanctuary message to the Sabbath and the investigative judgment. She states that the people of God are to be tested and proved on the basis of the Ten Commandments. Then she shows that the Sabbath commandment is the most important of the ten.

The Sabbath commandment, shone above them all; for the Sabbath was set apart to be kept in honor of God’s holy name. The holy Sabbath looked glorious—a halo of glory was all around it.6

In the writings of Ellen White we find that she speaks about this “halo” of light or glory around the Sabbath commandment at least eight times.7

The seal of God and the mark of the beast8

Revelation 14:6-12 has been linked to the 1844 movement from the early days of Adventism.9 This link, however, is not a valid link unless one accepts Adventist theology.

As we have seen, most early Adventist theology was developed using a careless, proof-text method of interpretation. There is abundant evidence, as has been shown in previous chapters, that the “cleansing” of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14 has nothing to do with the “cleansing” of the sanctuary in Leviticus 16. It has nothing to do with 1844. It has nothing to do with the ministry of Christ in heaven recorded in the book of Hebrews. We have also seen that the “judgment hour” messages of Revelation 14 have nothing to do with 1844 or the righteous, but are a last-day warning to the wicked. Adventists, however, building on 1844 theology, continue to promote the “truth” of the judgment hour of Revelation 14 as dealing only with the righteous,10 when in reality it is a warning to the wicked who are about to receive the mark of the beast. Therefore, there really is no biblical link between the investigative judgment and the seal of God and the mark of the beast. However, for Adventists, the investigative judgment is the connecting link to their message on the mark of the beast, which in turn is for them linked to the Sabbath.

The SDA concept of remnant

As the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment were cemented into Adventist theology by the visions of EGW, so also are 1844, the investigative judgment, and the three angels’ messages glued together by the “prophetic” ministry of Ellen White. This tightly-glued-together package is the holder for SDA remnant theology. This is also made clear in point No. 13 of Fundamental Beliefs of SDAs.

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.

The health message of SDAs

Ellen White on numerous occasions linked the SDA health11 message with the work of the third angel’s message, which in turn is the “judgment-hour message.”

The health reform, I was shown, is a part of the third angel’s message and is just as closely connected with it as are the arm and hand with the human body.12

The health reform is an important part of the third angel’s message; and as a people professing this reform, we should not retrograde, but make continual advancement.13

The imminent second coming of Christ

This is the very foundation of Adventism. It was the second advent of Christ which Miller predicted. The SDA church was born in the context of the soon coming of Christ and has, throughout all of its history, held this as part of its special message.

Point No. 25 in Fundamental Beliefs of SDAs not only states that Christ’s coming is near, but links this belief to the fulfillment of “most lines of prophecy” and lists Revelation 14:14-20, which immediately follows the three angels’ messages, as one of the supporting Scriptures.

The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ’s coming is imminent.14

For Adventists the second coming is the next event following the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary.

Thus those who followed in the advancing light of the prophetic word saw that instead of coming to the earth at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, into the presence of God, to perform the closing work of atonement, preparatory to his coming.15

The evangelistic mission of the SDA church

The evangelistic mission of SDAs has, since its ver beginning,16 been associated with the three angel’s messages which in turn is inseparably linked with the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment.

Everything in the universe calls upon those who know the truth to consecrate themselves unreservedly to the proclamation of the truth as it has been made known to them in the third angel’s message. That which we see and hear calls us to our duty. The working of satanic agencies calls every Christian to stand in his lot.17

The third angel’s message is the gospel message for these last days, and in no case is it to be overshadowed by other interests and made to appear an unessential consideration. When in our institutions anything is placed above the third angel’s message, the gospel is not there the great leading power.18

The Lord designs that the proclamation of the third angel’s message shall be the highest, greatest work carried on in our world at this time.19

When Ellen White refers to the “third angel’s message,” she usually includes the first and second angels’ messages with them. Under the title “Our Message,” EGW says:

The third angel’s message, embracing the messages of the first and second angels, is the message for this time. We are to raise aloft the banner on which is inscribed: “The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” The world is soon to meet the great Lawgiver over His broken law. This is not the time to put out of sight the great issues before us. God calls upon His people to magnify the law and make it honorable.20,21

Conclusion

We see that the 1844 cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment message is, indeed, the heart of Adventist theology. This is not only evidenced by the EGW quotations cited above, but can be seen by the title of a recent book by Roy Adams, associate editor of the Adventist Review.22 It is entitled The Sanctuary: Understanding the Heart of Adventist Theology23 Could this explain why denominational leaders, who know there is no biblical base for this doctrine, are so reluctant to discard this “truth”? It is intertwined so tightly with the other “unique” aspects of Adventism that to cut out this “sliver” of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment would require the removal of, or the painful separation from, a mass of connected, theological tissue. Or, to change the metaphor, the removal of this central pillar would cause the catastrophic crumbling of Adventism.24

Chapter Summary

The doctrine of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment is linked to the following:

  1. The SDA Sabbath message.
  2. The “three angels’ messages”.
  3. The “seal of God” and the “mark of the beast.”
  4. The SDA concept of remnant.
  5. The SDA health reform message.
  6. The imminent second coming of Christ.
  7. The evangelistic mission of the SDA church.
  8. The glue that links all these SDA messages together is the prophetic ministry and visions of Ellen White.

Endnotes

  1. ”The scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and the central pillar of the advent faith was the declaration: ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.’ Daniel 8:14.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 409.
  2. See also the chapter “The Third Angel’s Message,” in Early Writings, pp. 254-258.
  3. Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 164.
  4. The Sabbath “truth” was introduced to Adventists by Joseph Bates. However, like the investigative judgment, it was cemented into Adventist theology by the visions of EGW.
  5. Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, p. 76.
  6. Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 32.
  7. Ellen G. White, Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 1, p. 75; Early Writings, pp. 32, 255; Life Sketches, pp. 96, 100; Review and Herald, 1851-7-21; Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 164; Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 2, p. 82. 
  8. For Adventists the seal of God is the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, and the mark of the beast is Sunday worship. They believe the mark of the beast will not be given, however, until there is a Sunday law requiring Sunday worship.
  9. See The Present Truth, April, 1850. See Knight, Rise of Sabbatarian Adventism, pp. 186-190.
  10. “… the professed people of God.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 480.
  11. SDAs have a strong emphasis on healthful living. The principles they espouse are generally-but not always good. However, using the writings of Ellen White, they have sometimes made their health message meritorious. “The light God has given on health reform is for our salvation and the salvation of the world.” Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 7, p. 136.
  12. Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church,Vol. 1, p. 486.
  13. Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, 184-07-29.
  14. “The Second Coming of Christ,” in Fundamental Beliefs of SDAs, No. 24.
  15. Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 266.
  16. That is, after 1851, when the door of mercy was opened again.
  17. Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, p. 25.
  18. Ibid., Vol. 6, p. 241.
  19. Ibid., Vol. 8, p. 180.
  20. Ibid., p. 197.
  21. EGW later stated that the third angel’s message was justification by faith. “Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, ‘It is the third angel’s message in verity.’” Review and Herald, 1890-4-1
  22. The Adventist Review is the official organ of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
  23. Roy Adams, The Sanctuary: Understanding the Heart of Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1993).
  24. Several Adventist pastors, as well as several ex-Adventist pastors, who read the first draft of this book said that if the SDA church cut out this doctrine it would be devastating to the SDA church.

 

Dale Ratzlaff
Latest posts by Dale Ratzlaff (see all)

Leave a Reply