Are Adventists saved by works?

[Humble Disciple]

I've read the 28 Fundamental Beliefs, which say that we are saved by grace through faith, with good works as the evidence of genuine faith. With that in mind, I'm curious about these passages from the writings of Ellen White:

Quote

Only by the inexpressible anguish which Christ endured can we estimate the evil of unrestrained indulgence. His example declares that our only hope of eternal life is through bringing the appetites and passions into subjection to the will of God. 
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/130.458#500

Quote

As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected. When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God's remembrance. 
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/132.2168#2187

 

[phkrause]

From the book of James

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without ^[a]your works, and I will show you my faith by ^[b]my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is ^[c]dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made ^[d]perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was ^[e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

[Humble Disciple]

I agree that faith without works is dead, but Ellen White seems to be saying that anyone with unrepentant sin will miss their chance at the afterlife. 

[Gregory Matthews]

Your question, which is a valid one, has several aspects.  I will briefly address with some summarized statements which may leave it to you for further study.

*  One important aspect is related to the nature of sin, and the extent to which God charges us with sin.  It may be said that sin is anything that is in violation of the will of God.  Well, I do not believe that any person living today understands and is in full compliance with the will of God.  IOW, I believe that every person alive today in in some manner living outside of the will of God and therefore is a sinner.

*  I believe that the Christian life today for all persons is a life of growth, in which the Holy Spirit is in charge of our spiritual development.  This implies that each of us has more to learn as we area taught by the Holy spirit, which has not taught us everything and always has more to teach us.

*  I believe that the fundamental essence of sin is a rebellion against God.  Rebellion implies that one must understand what God wants of us.  It implies that if we do not understand what God wants of us, we are not in rebellion.  It implies that if the Holy Spirit has not convicted us of what God wants of us, we are not in rebellion. As an example, a person not convicted by the Holy Spirit on the SDA understanding of the Sabbath, is not in rebellion and is not charged by God with sin. 

*  In short, I believe that salvation is a personal choice in which individuals choose whether or not to spend eternity with God.  One who chooses to spend eternity with God is accepted into that eternity due totally to the merits of the saving ministry of Christ and totally absent from any external works of the individual.  One who chooses not to spend eternity with God is not forced to do so.  God accepts the choice of that person.  In the exercise of that choice, that person departs from the power of life that God provides every person today and that person ceases to exist.

 

  

 

[Humble Disciple]

Here's another quote from Desire of Ages:

"No man who wilfully disregards one principle of the law shall enter the kingdom of heaven."