What About the Fourth Commandment?
Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I’ve never been Adventist, but if I understand correctly, Adventists claim that the Sabbath was established at creation when God rested from his work on the 7th day, right? Please correct me if I’m wrong.
If so, how would you address the passage below from Exodus? Especially, verse 11. I don’t know if Adventists use this verse as a proof text or not, but I came across it while listening to my Audio Bible (with no commentary), and it caught my attention because I was unaware that there might be another verse in the Bible, other than in Genesis, that may be used to support the belief of Sabbath keeping.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”— Exodus 20:8-11
Thank you so much for your time and ministry.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: Thanks for writing. Yes, the fourth commandment which you quote is Adventism’s primary argument for insisting on the sacredness of the seventh day. Today most Adventists (especially in North America) use the creation argument when they speak publicly and when they teach their members to defend their Sabbath to “Sunday Christians”. Yet the fourth commandment is the primary argument, historically, that Adventists use to insist they need to keep the Sabbath holy.
The reason they are using the creation argument in public more and more is that the fourth commandment is the sign of the Mosaic covenant of which the Ten Commandments were the central document. More and more former Adventists have been explaining that the new covenant is under a new priesthood and a new law: the Law of Christ. This New Testament argument is clearly taught throughout the epistles, with Galatians being especially clear that the law must not be added to the gospel of Jesus’ shed blood, His death and resurrection. Adventists know they cannot adequately disprove what the New Testament says, so they are trying to make the argument that the Sabbath was a creation ordinance. In fact, it wasn’t. There was no command for mankind to keep a day. God did not “give” the seventh day to Adam; it merely says He rested and declared that seventh day—which had no morning and evening boundaries—to be holy. It was His finished work which was holy, and God ceased from His work on that day.
Yet EGW says over and over that the Sabbath is the mark that distinguishes between the saved and the lost. She says over and over that only perfect obedience to the law results in salvation. The core belief in Adventism is that the Ten Commandments are demanded of each person—especially the fourth commandment—and Adventists are taught internally that they must keep the Sabbath and obey the law.
Yes, that fourth commandment is their primary argument for keeping the Sabbath—but they have no idea that the Bible teaches that the covenant God made with Israel is now obsolete because Jesus fulfilled the law and has become a priest according to the order of Melchizedek instead of Aaron. This fact is why we say that the covenants are the key to understanding the role of the law and the purpose of the Sabbath. The Mosaic covenant was given to Israel alone, and Galatians 3:17–21 tell us that it was temporary: from 430 years after Abraham UNTIL the Seed would come.
You ares stumbling onto the fact that Adventism has been adjusting their public teaching in order to deceive Christians—but internally, they have never abandoned what EGW says: the fourth commandment is for them, and it is the mark of the saved.
Podcast Helped Me Talk to Adventist
Hello! Several years ago I emailed you about an ebook I had read on Ellen White, and your reply was so helpful. I mentioned having a neighbor who is a multi-generational Adventist. Lately I began praying that conversations about faith would come up between her and me. They know we are Christians and obviously do not keep the Sabbath! I had honestly been surprised they hadn’t tried to evangelize us yet (although she did occasionally invite me to health events at their church, which I always declined).
That changed recently! And because of that, I have been reviewing some of your older podcast episodes and am wondering if you have any helpful resources or suggestions on how to approach evangelizing or witnessing to an Adventist. There is plenty of info online about how to talk to a Mormon, a JW, etc. but I have found very little specifically on this topic, and I’m curious if it’s out there!
The conversation between my neighbor and me arose because she invited me to a local event, Messiah’s Mansion. You may have heard of it. They set up a life-size tabernacle and provide tours through the structure. It’s presented in general terms, but when she invited me I looked closely at the website and could tell it was an Adventist event. I could have simply said we were busy that weekend, but instead I wondered if God was answering my prayer for an opportunity (haha!), so I decided to tell her honestly why we wouldn’t attend—because we disagree with Adventist sanctuary doctrine, essentially.
This provoked even more conversation because I invited her to explain more about what they believe regarding the sanctuary and investigative judgment (of which I’m already familiar with because of listening to your podcast!). Her answers were pretty much exactly what I expected to hear from listening to some of your episodes on the topic (it’s just a way for people to choose Jesus or not, etc.). At one point I asked how she understood the book of Hebrews, when it repeatedly states that Christ already entered into the holy place(s) and is seated at the right hand of the Father. She paused for a bit, then said, “You know, I’ve never thought about that.” Since our conversation, she tells me she has been studying those passages.
She also sent me a copy of the fundamental belief and its Scripture proofs, and I told her I would look through it. I have listened to your episodes on the fundamental beliefs.
I am considering inviting her to study the book of Hebrews with me, informally, maybe meeting weekly or semi-weekly and going over a passage together. I have no guidance or specific idea besides that! Might this be a helpful way to work through these topics with an Adventist? She went to Adventist boarding school, Adventist college, multi-generational Adventist, dedicated to their church… yet from these conversations I can tell there isn’t much biblical literacy. She even told me I’m one of the only non-Adventist people she’s had a relationship with!
This is a bit rambling, but your podcast has been immensely helpful to prepare me for these conversations and help me better understand where my neighbor is coming from! I want to continue discussing these topics with her, without beating her over the head but also while telling her the truth in love. Evangelism with an Adventist is much different than approaching someone with no faith at all! I’d appreciate any thoughts you might have on the topic. †
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