HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2014 / SUMMER / ADVENTISM EXAMINED WITH RICK BARKER

Rick Barker is a native of Southwestern Ohio and facilitates a weekly Bible study for former and transitioning Adventists in the Dayton, Ohio, area. Rick graduated from Andrews University in 1987 and received a Masters degree from the University of Dayton. Rick and his wife Sheryl formally left the Adventist chuch in 2004. Prior to this they had been active in the Miamisburg and Wilmington, Ohio, churches.

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ADVENTISM'S FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF #10

EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION:
SALVATION NOT SECURE
 

Fundamental Belief #10: 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. —28 Fundamental Beliefs, www.adventist.org.

 

Comments About The Belief Statement

At face value this statement has much with which we agree, and Damsteegt’s explanation in Seventh-day Adventists Believe is even more compelling, including:

• The Holy Spirit is responsible for creating our repentance
• The faith by which we are saved is a gift from God
• We can have assurance of salvation now

Unfortunately, this statement is an example of the deceptive language common in Adventist publications. At face value it appears Adventism teaches the assurance of our salvation, but exactly the opposite is taught. Ellen White counsels,

Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved (Christ’s Object Lessons p. 155.1).

The entire concept of salvational assurance is counter to Fundamental Belief #24 concerning the Investigative Judgment. If one’s salvation is secure, there is no point in conducting any investigation. The key to understanding this deceptive language, however, is a careful look at the beginning of the last sentence where one finds that “abiding in Him” is what provides the assurance. While this statement sounds very acceptable to evangelical ears, “abiding in Christ” has a different connotation within Adventism than within evangelicalism. Within Adventism, one “abides” in Christ by living without willful sin including observing the seventh-day Sabbath. Ellen White, in fact, specifically describes this Adventist form of “abiding”:

In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ (The Desire of Ages, p. 429.1).

Each sin moves the Adventist from the position of abiding in Christ to a point of separation from Christ. Forgiveness is possible, but not guaranteed, through confession of the sin—since those who do not show sufficient repentance will not receive forgiveness. Ultimately, the only way that an Adventist can be certain that he or she is abiding in Christ is to live without sin. This theoretical sinlessness would resolve the apparent contradictions and confusion about how an Adventist can have assurance of salvation; the assurance is found in living a sin-free life. This conditional assurance is presented by Dr. Moon in his work arguing that Ellen White taught that Adventists can have assurance, if they are “living the biblical conditions for assurance” which include not “rejecting the law”.*

Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement (Testimonies For the Church, vol. 5, p. 214).

Not only must we have characters that are perfect, but “it is left to us to remedy” our sinfulness. It is apparent, even within these relatively orthodox sounding statements of the official belief and unofficial explanations, that Christ’s imputed righteousness is not sufficient for our salvation. We must also change our characters to become “fit for heaven”. The little “but" attached to the true Gospel moves it from true to false. This little “but” is enough to criticize Adventism for teaching “another gospel”.†

 

* Jerry Moon, 2003, “Are you saved? Should you say so? What Ellen White taught about assurance,” GSEM534 Lecture Outline.

 

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Adventism EXAMINED with Rick Barker