Seventh-day Adventists believe they are a chosen people with a special message from God to proclaim to the world—especially believing Christians in other churches—at this special time.1 The investigative judgment doctrine is the central pillar of that message.
I had hoped and prayed that publishing Cultic Doctrine2 would in some small way encourage the Adventist church to renounce the obvious error of their investigative judgment and move toward evangelical theology. I sent a certified letter with a copy of Cultic Doctrine to the President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists requesting clarification on a number of points.3 All I received was a terse letter written by one of his assistants saying that it was well known what Adventists believe. During the years since the first publication of Cultic Doctrine, the SDA church has continued to support this unbiblical doctrine through its Sabbath School Lessons,4 publication of new books,5 pastoral conferences,6 the wording of Daniel 8:14 in The Clear Word Bible,7 and statements by church leaders, including the president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.8
From all appearances the Adventist church has solidified its support for its historical doctrines. Therefore, in this revision of Cultic Doctrine, I am taking out the chapter, “An Appeal to SDA Leadership.” I am combining two chapters and adding two new chapters: “The Prophet, The Angel, and The Church” and “Alarm Bells—An Evangelical Wake-up Call.” I believe there is a pressing need for evangelicals to re-evaluate Adventism. As Paul Carden states,
Adventism represents a profound danger hidden in plain sight.9
The chapter, “Marks of a Cult” has been revised and updated. Several new “gospels” have recently appeared in Adventism and these are referenced in that chapter. I have added Appendix E, a list of quotations from Adventist leaders supporting the authority of the writings of Ellen G. White, and have changed the order of some chapters. Other than a few corrections and minor changes the rest of this book remains essentially the same as the last edition.
I have again chosen to use footnotes instead of endnotes. This will make it easier for the reader to have immediate access to quotations and sources that give insight and support for the statements made in the text.
When I use the terms, “Ellen White,” “Mrs. White,” “Sister White”, or “EGW” they always refer to Ellen Gould White. The terms, “Adventism,” “Adventists,” or “SDAs,” always have reference to Seventh-day Adventists or the Seventh-day Adventist church unless otherwise noted. These shortened terms are will known and often used in Adventism, and I have used them to reduce redundancy.
At times I have referenced internet websites for documentation. I recognize that these are somewhat dynamic. However, if the site cannot be found, try searching for the information on Google.
Dale Ratzlaff
Peoria, Arizona, May 2009
Endnotes
- 1844 to the second coming of Christ.
- 1996
- See the first edition of Cultic Doctrine, “Appeal to SDA Leadership”.
- http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/06c/index.html
- Clifford Goldstein’s, 1844 Made Simple and Graffiti in the Holy of Holies
- Richard Davidson, Roy Gane and Angel Rodriquez “Answers to Ratzlaff’s Challenges to Adventism”, Ministerial/Evangelism Council, held in the Double Tree Inn, Seattle, WA, April 16, 1998.
- Now titled, The Clear Word.
- “The historic sanctuary message, based on Scripture and supported by the writings of Ellen White, continues to be held to unequivocally. And the inspired authorities on which these and other doctrines are based, namely the Bible supported by the writings of Ellen White, continue to be the hermeneutical foundation on which we as a church place all matters of faith and conduct. Let no one think that there has been a change of position in regard to this.” President Jan Paulson. http://www.adventistreview.org/2002-1524/story3.html
- Ratzlaff, Foreword to Truth about Adventist “Truth”, p. 11.