Is the SDA Church still considered a cult?

[BobRyan]

"Does the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and their prophetess Ellen G. White, teach the Biblical, orthodox doctrine of the Trinity?

Yes - and the 28 Fundamental Beliefs proves it.

Having answered that easy question - the better question is "to whom" then would the idea occur to call the Seventh-day Adventist Church "a cult" -- and should we really care?

Walter Martin addressed this question in "Kingdom of the Cults" and came to the already obvious conclusion that the Seventh-day Adventist church is a Christian organization and not at all a cult.

The fact that we are not Calvinists - not withstanding.

in Christ,

Bob

[BobRyan]

The reality is that Seventh-day Adventism is actually anti-Trinitarian and teaches Tritheism (three gods), just like the Mormons do."

Absolute fiction.

Rather the Seventh-day Adventist Church proclaims the triune God head with the Holy Spirit being "the Third PERSON of the Godhead" as Ellen White points out.

"ONE God in THREE persons" as it turns out - is not just and Adventist accepted doctrine - rather a great many Christian groups accept this basic Bible doctrine. I am surprised you are still struggling with it.

What part of this was ever even remotely confusing?

in Christ,

Bob

[Dr. Waite]

Originally Posted By: Dr. Waite

The reality is that Seventh-day Adventism is actually anti-Trinitarian and teaches Tritheism (three gods), just like the Mormons do."

Absolute fiction.

Rather the Seventh-day Adventist Church proclaims the triune God head with the Holy Spirit being "the Third PERSON of the Godhead" as Ellen White points out.

"ONE God in THREE persons" as it turns out - is not just and Adventist accepted doctrine - rather a great many Christian groups accept this basic Bible doctrine. I am surprised you are still struggling with it.

What part of this was ever even remotely confusing?

in Christ,

Bob

It is not confusing.

The SDA church teaches a 3 god family (three god beings who act as one) and this is not the doctrine of the Trinity (three persons in one god being). The SDA church has used the term Trinity in its beliefs and writings in order to appear more like other churches and therefore not raise alarms with these other churches when the SDA church harvests new members from them.

[phkrause]

The SDA church has used the term Trinity in its beliefs and writings in order to appear more like other churches and therefore not raise alarms with these other churches when the SDA church harvests new members from them.

Don't believe that for one minute. The SDA church does not want to appear like other churches, they have no need to do this.

[debbym]

Quote:

Is the Lord's messenger, speaking about the Hebrews 1 Jesus who was made much better than the angels? or Hebrews 2 Jesus who was made him a little lower than the angels?

The context of these scriptures is the incarnation of Christ, as he walked on earth, God born, from eternity he lived among us lived as a human being yet with a sinless connection to his Father. human beings are described as an order of creation below the angels, Christ came from heaven and tabernacled in human flesh, to became one with us to bring salvation to us.

in the relationship of father to son is relationship in the the same order of being. As a human parent i cannot give birth to an animal, or a plant or an alien. My human essence will only give birth to human essence, so God's divine essence could only bring forth divine essence.

so when we are born again we are born of God's will, not the will of the flesh. But we are not the only begotten, we are the reborn, in order to be redeemed. Christ was sent from heaven so that we could be born again.

There is no question that SDA's teach otherwise then the per-existence of Christ. This is a manufactured argument by those motivated to attack Adventists. you can find anything you are looking for on the web.... believe me

[BobRyan]

Originally Posted By: Dr. Waite

The reality is that Seventh-day Adventism is actually anti-Trinitarian and teaches Tritheism (three gods), just like the Mormons do."

Absolute fiction.

Rather the Seventh-day Adventist Church proclaims the triune God head with the Holy Spirit being "the Third PERSON of the Godhead" as Ellen White points out.

"ONE God in THREE persons" as it turns out - is not just and Adventist accepted doctrine - rather a great many Christian groups accept this basic Bible doctrine. I am surprised you are still struggling with it.

What part of this was ever even remotely confusing?

[debbym]

I see God as the highest order of being the source of all existence, and self existing.. three members of the triune Godhead, each fully God each fully united in mind and will and purpose, but these three are one.

1John 5:7 KJV

[Dr. Waite]

I see God as the highest order of being the source of all existence, and self existing.. three members of the triune Godhead, each fully God each fully united in mind and will and purpose, but these three are one.

1John 5:7 KJV

There is NO solid evidence that 1 John 5:7 is in the original manuscripts of the first century. Even the SDA Bible commentary admits this.

If Jesus Christ is "fully God" as the Father is "God", why did he say that he did not know the day and hour of his second coming? See Matthew 24:36

If Jesus Christ is "fully God" as the Father is "God", why does he have a God? See Matthew 20:17, Revelation 3:12

If Jesus Christ is "fully God" as the Father is "God", why did he not have the authority to determine who would sit on his right and left hand? See Matthew 20:23

If Jesus Christ is "fully God" as the Father is "God", why did all power have to be given to him? See Matthew 28:18

If Jesus Christ is "fully God" as the Father is "God", why did "life within himself" have to be given to Jesus Christ from his Father? See John 5:26

If Jesus Christ is "fully God" as the Father is "God", why will he be subject to Him who put all things under him? See 1 Corinthians 15:28

[Dr. Waite]

Originally Posted By: Dr. Waite

"Does the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and their prophetess Ellen G. White, teach the Biblical, orthodox doctrine of the Trinity?

Yes - and the 28 Fundamental Beliefs proves it.

Having answered that easy question - the better question is "to whom" then would the idea occur to call the Seventh-day Adventist Church "a cult" -- and should we really care?

Walter Martin addressed this question in "Kingdom of the Cults" and came to the already obvious conclusion that the Seventh-day Adventist church is a Christian organization and not at all a cult.

The fact that we are not Calvinists - not withstanding.

in Christ,

Bob

Bob: the SDA church teaches three beings in the godhead and which they quote EGW as the source. See 1 SAT 367 (please note that this was from a stenographers account of a sermon given by EGW and has never been authenticated by EGW)

The orthodox trinity teaches one being in the godhead and three persons.

"The early Christians were quick to spot new heresies. In the third century, Sabellius, a Libyan priest who was staying at Rome, invented a new one. He claimed there is only one person in the Godhead, so that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one person with different "offices," rather than three persons who are one being in the Godhead, as the orthodox position holds." See http://www.catholic.com/tracts/god-in-three-persons

[BobRyan]

Originally Posted By: Dr. Waite

"Does the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and their prophetess Ellen G. White, teach the Biblical, orthodox doctrine of the Trinity?

Yes - and the 28 Fundamental Beliefs proves it.

Having answered that easy question - the better question is "to whom" then would the idea occur to call the Seventh-day Adventist Church "a cult" -- and should we really care?

Walter Martin addressed this question in "Kingdom of the Cults" and came to the already obvious conclusion that the Seventh-day Adventist church is a Christian organization and not at all a cult.

The fact that we are not Calvinists - not withstanding.

in Christ,

Bob

[Gordon1]

Yes, "Trinitarianism, belief in the Trinity, is a mark of Roman Catholicism," received by all her Sunday daughters as well.

It's the ecumenical glue which establishes orthodoxy across professed Christendom.

Those outside will be, like Paul, of the hated "sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against." (Acts 28:22)

[debbym]

there are people who believe SDA is a cult and it has nothing to do with the trinity doctrine,

it has to do with having a prophet, and how people use what she wrote.

some believe she was schizophrenic, and her followers are duped and controlled by her delusions.

also people who have experienced controlling fearful SDA's have deep discomfort about the SDA church.

if you have a special diet people may see that as a cult.

if the members all look alike, talk alike, do not have individuality, if they behave like clones, people may think it is a cult.

if you talk faith faith faith and have no critical thinking, and do not use any reasoning in explaining your faith, people may think it is a cult.

if you have new doctrines that have not been around for hundreds of years, people may think you are a cult.

if you act like you are Superior, that you have secret spiritual knowledge, people may think you are a cult.

If someones sees the SDA church as a cult they may be motivated to challenge and attack the doctrines, or thinking of SDA members.

why do many people still really believe the SDA church is a cult? is it really the trinity doctrine? How do different ideas of the Godhead really impact your faith and daily walk with God? why is this related to the SDA as possibly being a cult?

[BobRyan]

According to Walter Martin's book on "Kingdom of the Cults" the SDA church is not to be considered a cult and its view on the Trinity is no problem at all.

The SDA bashers out there have been trying to get around that one ever since it came out thus their numbers have dwindled.

[debbym]

I have heard that when Christ appeared there were many false messiah's around. They had been appearing also for many years before that.

There really was a flood of errors to obscure the truth and the real Messiah when he should appear.

It worked then, and it also works now for those who say, well, there were lots of people saying they were the Messiah, this Jesus Christ was just another one of them.

same with the advent movement, there were many groups emerging around that time, the religious awakening awoke a lot of religious movements that were not true to God's word. And this is also used today to explain away the genuine working of the Holy Spirit with a group of people. The enemy of souls really has not changed much in tactic. There is a group of people today who work to attract peoples attention to the reality of accountability to God. It is still not well received.

debbym

[nuff sed]

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has not been considered a cult for many many years. Those who believe it to be a cult are woefully ignorant. Having said that... our church is a 'movement' and a "family". I don't know of any other denomination where you can walk into a church as a stranger on Sabbath morning and end up at someone's house for lunch immediately after church service. Nuff Sed

[OzarkWoman]

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has not been considered a cult for many many years. Those who believe it to be a cult are woefully ignorant. Having said that... our church is a 'movement' and a "family". I don't know of any other denomination where you can walk into a church as a stranger on Sabbath morning and end up at someone's house for lunch immediately after church service. Nuff Sed

[Kountzer]

According to Walter Martin's book on "Kingdom of the Cults" the SDA church is not to be considered a cult and its view on the Trinity is no problem at all.

The SDA bashers out there have been trying to get around that one ever since it came out thus their numbers have dwindled.

I've always wondered why Dr Walter Martin was considered the authority on this and other issues.

[BobRyan]

Well he was the first to do a thorough review - the other guys were just doing one-off hatchet jobs to preach their own preferences.

in Christ,

Bob