The last in a series of three art ides / by LOUIS T. TALBOT
Why Seventh-day Adventism Is Not Evangelical
I n view of the current controversy occasioned by the recent defense* of Seventh-day Adventism by Eternity magazine, I have been endeavoring to put before the readers of T he K ing ’ s B usiness a few of the reasons why I believe that this sect is not evangelical. Only lack of space has prevented the consideration of more than eight erroneous teachings of Seventh-day Advent ism, although it is my opinion that it contains many addi tional unscriptural views. In his excellent booklet entitled, Why You Should Not Be a Seventh-day Adventist, Rev. E. B. Jones, a former missionary of that sect in India, has presented 40 Bible-supported reasons for rejecting its teach ings. So, in three brief articles, I am barely "scratching the surface” of this subject. However, in spite of the neces sarily compressed nature of this series, I trust that the eyes of some may be opened to see how infinitely remote from being evangelical Seventh-day Adventism actually is. Dr. M. R. DeHaan, distinguished teacher of the Radio Bible Class of Grand Rapids, declared: "Modern-day Seventh-day Adventism contains some truth, but it is not the truth . The fact that their- errors are covered with a veneer of truth makes it all the more deceptive, subtle and dangerous. What little tmth the Seventh-day Adventists teach is cleverly used as a disguise to cover up the many errors in their system. The history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a history of unbroken deception.”* I concur with Dr. DeHaan in these views. Consequently, I am emphatically opposed to the recent attempt of editors of Eternity to put pressure upon evangelicals to approve this sect and to receive its members into full fellowship with Bible-believing churches. Whatever motive prompted these writers to approach the top leaders of Seventh-day Advent ism, I do not know; God alone knows the hearts of men. But I do know that their action has brought confusion and harm to the church of Christ and hindered those endeavoring to lead their loved ones and friends out of bondage into the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. I should not wish to answer to God for this excursion in heresy. To my mind, it is nothing short of treason to the gospel cause, a desertion to the side of the enemy which has left aghast many of the children of God. I have in my files a letter received from one of the most honored evangelicals in this country, who writes: "This [Eternity espousal of Seventh-day Adventism] is probably the greatest shock I have received in my 35 years of ministry. I cannot conceive of any Bible-taught believers going over-
board and not detecting the subtle deception which has been characteristic of the Seventh-day Adventist movement ever since its inception. One ought to know by this time that all of their Adventist leaders’ talks are nothing, but the common practice of baiting the hook with pure truth, and then after they [the unwary] are hooked, dumping them into the creel of their numerous errors and vagaries. Surely these are the last days and it makes us tremble and cry unto God to keep us steady and give us a spirit of discern ment that we too may not be deceived. Until I have seen a flat, outright, unquestionable repudiation of the many false doctrines of Adventism, and issued officially by the denomi nation itself, I shall not believe one word of their pious talk.” This is my view as well. We can only pray that Satan, as he frequently does, may overstep himself in this instance. Let us ask God that all of this controversy and accompany ing publicity may be used to draw the attention of believers to the dangers of this sect and to put them on the alert. This stimulus to the propagandizers and proselyters is responsible for new penetration into churches, young peo ple’s organizations and mission fields where, as always, Seventh-day Adventism is working havoc. This sect has many faces. One of its most attractive is that of the Voice of Prophecy radio broadcast which operated for years without identification of any kind and, since no mention was ever made by its sponsors of the broadcast’s underlying heresies, was often mistaken for an evangelical program. Had the Seventh-day Adventist teachings of the sanctuary, investigative judgment, Sabbath-keeping, anni hilation, soul sleep and their Christ-defaming scapegoat- Satan error, been propagated, this artful radio broadcast never would have built up its vast listening audience. To illustrate how misleading this program is, the other day I was listening to it and the speaker in bland tones referred to "the blood that covers all our sins.” I wondered how many listeners were aware that Seventh-day Adventists have no assurance whatever that their sins are washed away when they take upon themselves the name of Christ. They cannot be certain they are saved until the so-called "inves tigative judgment” in the supposed "sanctuary” is completed. In this regard Mrs. White declared: "It is impossible that the sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their cases are to be investigated. . . . At the time appointed for the judgment — the close of the 2300 days, in 1844, — began the work of investigation and blotting out of sins. All who have ever taken upon themselves the name of Christ must pass its searching scrutiny” ( The
*What's Wrong with Seventh-day Adventism? From foreword. Dunham Publishing Co., Findlay, Ohio.
The King's Business/June 1957
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