Fundamental
Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists
Seventh-day
Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain
fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These
beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church's understanding
and expression of the teaching of Scripture.
Revision
of these statements may be expected at a General Conference session
when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding
of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express the
teachings of God's Holy Word.
1.
The Holy Scriptures:
The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word
of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who
spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word,
God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation.
The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They
are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative
revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God's acts
in history.
(2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps.
119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb.
4:12.)
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2. The Trinity:
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three
co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing,
above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension,
yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship,
adoration, and service by the whole creation.
(Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14;
Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
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3.
The Father: God the eternal Father is
the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He
is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding
in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited
in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father.
(Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John
3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
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4. The Son:
God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him
all things were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation
of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly
God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ.
He
was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He
lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly
exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He
manifested God's power and was attested as God's promised Messiah.
He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in
our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in
the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf.
He
will come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people
and the restoration of all things.
(John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30;
14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11;
Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
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5. The Holy Spirit:
God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in
Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the writers of
Scripture. He filled Christ's life with power. He draws and convicts
human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into
the image of God.
Sent
by the Father and the Son to be always with His children, He extends
spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ,
and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth.
(Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38;
2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18,
26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)
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6. Creation:
God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the
authentic account of His creative activity. In six days the Lord
made "the heaven and the earth" and all living things upon the earth,
and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He established
the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work.
The
first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning
work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with
responsibility to care for it. When the world was finished it was
very good,'' declaring the glory of God.
(Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6,
9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)
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7. The Nature of Man:
Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality,
the power and freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings,
each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent
upon God for life and breath and all else.
When
our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon
Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God
in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants
share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with
weaknesses and tendencies to evil.
But
God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit
restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for
the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another, and
to care for their environment.
(Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28;
Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John
4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)
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8. The Great Controversy:
All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ
and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty
over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created
being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became
Satan, God's adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the
angels.
He
introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam
and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the
image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world,
and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood.
Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the
universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately
be vindicated.
To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy
Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them
in the way of salvation.
(Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18;
Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1
Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)
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9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of
Christ: In Christ's life of perfect obedience
to God's will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided
the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by
faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole
creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of the
Creator.
This
perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God's law and
the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin
and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary
and expiatory, reconciling and transforming.
The
resurrection of Christ proclaims God's triumph over the forces of
evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final
victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ,
before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow. (John
3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14,
15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Col.
2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
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10. The 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.
(2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7;
Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17;
Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13,
14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2;
Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)
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11. The Church:
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ
as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old
Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together
for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the
celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service to all mankind, and
for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel.
The
church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word,
and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church
is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on
the basis of the new covenant.
The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which
Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ
died that He might sanctify and cleanse her.
At
His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious
church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood,
not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish.
(Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11;
Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27;
Col. 1:17, 18.)
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12.
The Remnant and Its Mission: The universal church is
composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days,
a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to
keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant
announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation
through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second advent.
This
proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14;
it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in
a work of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is called
to have a personal part in this worldwide witness.
(Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10;
Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.)
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13. Unity in the Body
of Christ: The church is one body with many members,
called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ
we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning,
and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and
poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us.
We
are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one
fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be
served without partiality or reservation.
Through
the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same
faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity
has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted
us as His children.
(Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19,
20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col.
3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)
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14. Baptism:
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose
to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and
Saviour, become His people, and are received as members by His church.
Baptism
is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins,
and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in water
and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence
of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures
and acceptance of their teachings.
(Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33;
22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)
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15. The Lord's Supper: The Lord's Supper
is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus
as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this
experience of communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen
His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death
until He comes again.
Preparation
for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession.
The Master ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed
cleansing, to express a willingness to serve one another in Christlike
humility, and to unite our hearts in love. The communion service
is open to all believing Christians.
(1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30;
Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)
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16. Spiritual Gifts and
Ministries: God bestows upon all members of His church
in every age spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving
ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given
by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member
as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed
by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions.
According
to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith,
healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation,
compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help
and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and
endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in
pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic, and teaching ministries particularly
needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church
to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge
of God.
When
members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God's
varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence
of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is
built up in faith and love.
(Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph.
4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)
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17. The Gift of Prophecy:
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an
identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the
ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord's messenger, her writings
are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide
for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.
They
also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching
and experience must be tested.
(Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3;
Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)
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18. The Law of God:
The great principles of God's law are embodied in the Ten Commandments
and exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God's love,
will, and purposes concerning human conduct and relationships and
are binding upon all people in every age. These precepts are the
basis of God's covenant with His people and the standard in God's
judgment.
Through
the agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and awaken a sense
of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all of grace and not of works,
but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments.
This
obedience develops Christian character and results in a sense of
well-being. It is an evidence of our love for the Lord and our concern
for our fellow men. The obedience of faith demonstrates the power
of Christ to transform lives, and therefore strengthens Christian
witness.
(Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt.
5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom.
8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)
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19. The Sabbath: The
beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the
seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial
of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's unchangeable law requires
the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship,
and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus,
the Lord of the Sabbath.
The
Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another.
It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification,
a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future
in God's kingdom.
The
Sabbath is God's perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between
Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening
to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God's creative
and redemptive acts.
(Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa.
56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20;
Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)
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20. Stewardship:
We are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities,
abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its
resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge
God's ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow men, and
by returning tithes and giving offerings for the proclamation of
His gospel and the support and growth of His church.
Stewardship
is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory
over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the blessings
that come to others as a result of his faithfulness.
(Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12;
1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)
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21. Christian Behavior:
We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony
with the principles of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate in us
the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things
which will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives.
This
means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest
standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural
differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting
those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but
in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit.
It
also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit,
we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise
and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain
from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures.
Since
alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs
and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from
them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts
and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness,
joy, and goodness.
(Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph. 5:1-21;
Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20;
10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)
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22. Marriage and the Family:
Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus
to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman in loving companionship.
For the Christian a marriage commitment is to God as well as to
the spouse, and should be entered into only between partners who
share a common faith.
Mutual
love, honor, respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this
relationship, which is to reflect the love, sanctity, closeness,
and permanence of the relationship between Christ and His church.
Regarding
divorce, Jesus taught that the person who divorces a spouse, except
for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. Although
some family relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage
partners who fully commit themselves to each other in Christ may
achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the
nurture of the church.
God
blesses the family and intends that its members shall assist each
other toward complete maturity. Parents are to bring up their children
to love and obey the Lord. By their example and their words they
are to teach them that Christ is a loving disciplinarian, ever tender
and caring, who wants them to become members of His body, the family
of God. Increasing family closeness is one of the earmarks of the
final gospel message.
(Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11;
2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke
16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov.
22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)
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23. Christ's Ministry
in the Heavenly Sanctuary: There is a sanctuary in heaven,
the true tabernacle which the Lord set up and not man. In it Christ
ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits
of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross.
He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His intercessory
ministry at the time of His ascension.
In
1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered
the second and last phase of His atoning ministry. It is a work
of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition
of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary
on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was
cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things
are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus.
The
investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among
the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed
worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest
who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready
for translation into His everlasting kingdom.
This
judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe
in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God
shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ
will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent.
(Heb. 8:1-5; 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22;
1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze.
4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:12.)
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24. The Second Coming
of Christ: The second coming of Christ is the blessed
hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour's
coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He
returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with
the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but
the unrighteous will die.
The
almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together
with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ's
coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed,
and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.
(Titus
2:13; Heb. 9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7;
Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10;
2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim.
3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)
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25. Death and Resurrection:
The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will
grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious
state for all people. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the
resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified
and caught up to meet their Lord.
The
second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take
place a thousand years later.
(Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5,
6; Ps. 146:3, 4; John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess.
4:13-17; John 5:28, 29; Rev. 20:1-10.)
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26. The Millennium and
the End of Sin: The millennium is the thousand-year reign
of Christ with His saints in heaven between the first and second
resurrections. During this time the wicked dead will be judged;
the earth will be utterly desolate, without living human inhabitants,
but occupied by Satan and his angels.
At
its close Christ with His saints and the Holy City will descend
from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will then be resurrected,
and with Satan and his angels will surround the city; but fire from
God will consume them and cleanse the earth.
The
universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners forever.
(Rev. 20; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26;
Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18, 19.)
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27. The New Earth:
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide
an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for everlasting
life, love, joy, and learning in His presence. For here God Himself
will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will have passed
away. The great controversy will be ended, and sin will be no more.
All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that God is love;
and He shall reign forever. Amen.
(2 Peter 3:13; Isa. 35; 65:17-25; Matt.
5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)
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