Putt 1 Jordan Putt Mr.

Ritivoiu ENGL 102 23 January 2014 Adventists and the Doctrine of Salvation through Works A story tells of a young Adventist literature evangelist working in Indiana who was talking to a couple in their garage. After making conversation with them for a while and showing them the books that he had, they asked him what church he was with. He was a little unsure of what to say at first, and told them that the organization he was working with was Christian. After they asked again, he said, Im a Seventh-day Adventist. The man was a little bit wary. They had heard of Adventists before, but didnt know much. He began to question the canvasser, thinking he knew what the reply would be. He asked him what he would do if he saw someone dying on the street and they asked how to be saved. It seems as though this man was hoping to bring out that the Adventist belief on salvation was other than that of faith alone. Contrary to popular belief, Adventists dont believe in salvation by works. Many people think that because Adventists believe that the 10 commandments are still binding, and that God still requires Sabbath

Putt 2 observance, that the church also holds the belief that salvation is gained by those things. The purpose of this paper is to show that the Adventists are in accordance with the fact that salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ and acceptance of his sacrifice for the sin of mankind. The Bible is very clear on the doctrine of salvation. When Paul and Silas witnessed to the jailer in Acts 16.31, they told him: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (King James Bible). Paul writes that For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Eph. 2.8). Salvation is not something that mankind is capable of attaining through obedience. Works will not and cannot bring salvation, and mans best efforts will always be futile. As Isaiah said: But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isa. 64.6). Adventists believe salvation is gained solely through accepting Jesus atoning sacrifice for sin, as this quotation reads: Seventh-day Adventists firmly and wholeheartedly believe that salvation is purely a gift from God

Putt 3 in Jesus Christ. Sinful as we are, we can add nothing to the perfect righteousness of Christ, which he wrought out in his incarnation by his perfect obedience to the law of God and by his death on the cross for our sins. (van Bemmelen 181) Hans K. LaRondelle said of the Adventist belief in salvation by faith alone: Basic to Adventism is the gospel principle that human salvation is not through the law or by human works but solely through the saving grace of God (qtd. in van Bemmelen 183). Even Ellen White, one of the founders and most respected people of the Adventist church said: There is not a point that needs to be dwelt upon more earnestly, repeated more frequently, or established more firmly in the minds of all than the impossibility of fallen man meriting anything by his own best good works. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. (White 19) Many people are under the assumption that Adventists believe that they are saved by the works of the law. Because Adventists believe that the Ten Commandments and the seventh-day Sabbath are still binding. Some see this as a kind of mixed legalism (Hoekema 126), but the simple

Putt 4 belief in the validity of all ten of Gods commandments does not mean that salvation is gained through their observance. It is a paradox: two seemingly opposing ideas that are both true, and even essential to each other. In

a great example of this, Paul says: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Rom. 3.28), but then goes on to say, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law (Rom. 3.31). The Adventist belief is congruent with Pauls statements. The works of the law cannot justify, and man is indeed justified through faith alone. Despite this, this faith does not make the law void. Through faith, the law is established, or upheld. Faith expresses itself through love. Jesus said, If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14.15), and If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy

might remain in you, and that your joy might be full (John 15.14). Since the natural outworking of faith is love, and love for God gives the desire to keep his commands by his grace, it is not the works that bring salvation, but the other way around.

Putt 5 Adventists believe Pauls statement: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Eph. 2.10). When Gods gift of grace is accepted, that grace gives the love and the power to change the sinful life. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor. 5.17). The keeping of the law is part of the obedience that comes from faith that Paul talks about (New International Version, Rom. 1.5), the result of justification, not the means of justification. Many people have this misconception about the Adventist standpoint, and it is important that this issue be examined. Justification is not in any way gained by performing good deeds, and it is not gained by keeping the law. Only Christs sacrifice provided atonement and only acceptance of Christs sacrifice can bring salvation.

Putt 6 Works Cited van Bemmelen, Peter M. "Justification by Faith: An Adventist Understanding." Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 2009 (2002): 177-191. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. Hoekema, Anthony A. The Four Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-Day Adventism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1963. Print. White, Ellen G. Faith and Works. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2003. Print.