What about the SDA leadership and those who are in Unbiblical Positions?

Richard Hollerman

We’ve just finished reading a long presentation of the positions, qualifications, and training of perhaps a dozen different denominational pastors, ministers, and teachers. One would think that grown men who have gone to theological schools would know better, but these leaders and dignitaries seem to have devised their own positions!

These men (who must be likable and capable), who are in a false cult that arose about 150 years ago and led by a very prolific (but plagiarizing woman) must think that they are right. But they are totally wrong. Totally. They fail to see and understand (and accept) the basics of Biblical truth. We find this utterly amazing.

We need to realize that many Adventists are pleasant, friendly, kindly, and earnest people. They care for each other and seek to win others to their viewpoint. We must not disparage those who are led to become members and who are sucked into the evil doctrines of this denomination. Although denominationalism is wrong and sinful, we are convinced that many of these winsome people are deceived or led astray by the numerous positive aspects of this group.

Hopefully, our readers are not in this strange cult—and know better. Yet, we need to say something about the truthfulness and falsity of this religious group. In the world, we know that there are now some 95,293 churches, 21 million members, 21,000 pastors, 229 hospitals, 7,000 primary schools, and about 2,640 secondary schools. This is quite impressive, isn’t it, as far as numbers are concerned.

We might also know that Ellen G. White began the denomination about 1863 (after Joseph Bates prolifically warned churches in the Eastern United States of the manifold Biblical references to Christ’s near return—or so he thought). They also know that a well-known member today in America (formerly he was in the U.S. Government) is Ben Carson. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh-day_Adventist_Church, https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Seventh-day_Adventist_Church, https://www.google.com/search?q=seventh+day+adventist+church&source=lmns&bih=694&biw=1137&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjs5MCIt9D2AhXtnWoFHW_vB3cQ_AUoAHoECAEQAA).

Let’s comment on various aspects of the Adventist Church at this time. The Seventh Day Adventist Church gets its name from the fact that they have been told that the “seventh day Sabbath” is God’s will for all people—both Jews and Gentiles and Adventists—today. The “Adventist” part of their name comes from their earnest expectation that Christ will come back again (He will have a second “advent” very soon). And, of course, “church” is a false term used by thousands of different denominations today and the Adventists are no exception.

One of the leading problem areas and a false doctrines that they tenaciously hold to is this: In the 1840s Joseph Bates was wrong in his calculations and he was right in the idea that Christ was coming back (they thought in 1843). When He did not return that year, bates recalculated and thought that Jesus would return the following year, in 1844. As I recall, this was supposed to be about August 23 of that year (the proverbial Jewish “Day of Atonement”). When He did not return on that date, there was the “Great Disappointment” (or was it a year earlier)! Those who had sold everything, donned white robes, and climbed to the top of mountains, where greatly “disappointed” and could see that they were terribly wrong.

When this disappointment happened, a small group of the “faithful” met in a home, with prayer and fasting. Ellen Garman, who had suffered a great physical defect when someone threw a stone at her as a child, fell to the floor and had a “vision” which she related to her followers. She proclaimed that they had been right earlier (about Christ’s return and the proper dates that Bates had given) and that God actually had revealed to her the true meaning of these significant prophecies.

She said that Christ had actually left the earthly sanctuary and entered the “heavenly sanctuary” where He would begin a judging of the works of those faithful who had died. Her words caught on and dozens and then hundreds believed her. Eventually thousands actually believed her words and the Adventist church was born.

Ellen Garman then married Mr. White (hence, “Ellen G. White”) who later died. Ellen lived for many years, in the middle states, then California, then Australia and elsewhere. She wrote dozens of books (sadly, many of them were plagiarized) which sold readily and White was able to gain a great following of devotees. As we read from what we wrote earlier, there are now millions of members and millions of “pastors” and “missionaries” around the world. This brings us to the present day.

One of the chief problems (and there are many, including doctrinal problems) pertains to Ellen G. White herself. Any elementary student of the Bible knows that God strictly and unambiguously says that a woman (including Ellen G. White) must not teach or preach, especially publicly and audibly! White seemed to not heed these plain scriptures and, sadly, millions of people around the world seem to denounce and overlook this fact—that God absolutely forbids a woman to teach and preach publically or even hold a “church” office of some kind.

For instance, we read this (in a plain, literal, and not a symbolic passage) in 1 Timothy 2:11-12: “A woman must quietly receive instruction (and not give it) with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. We wonder: How did White “quietly” receive instruction? How did she have “entire submissiveness” instead of exercising authority? How did she not “teach” over a man? How did she not have “authority” over a man” How did she remain “quiet” instead of publically speaking? Of course, all of this would have been impossible. She plainly violated the word of the Living God in this way.

Or what about 1 Corinthians 14:33-37, where we read:   “Women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. . . . It is improper for a woman to speak in church [the assembly].” Again, in this plain passage of Scripture, we can see that women in general (including Ellen G. White) were to remain silent and not teach in the assembly. Obviously, Mrs. White grossly violated this and similar passages from the Bible.

Again, we must wonder how 20,000 pastors and 20 million members would deliberately and purposely overlook and even violate this passage! How could they do this even though they knew that in 1844 their own founder (Ellen Garman White) violated this passage? Why didn’t one person stand up and say that he or she could not disobey God’s Word here but, instead, they were willing to obey a fallible woman instead of God!

Not only must we wonder about Ellen G. White, but what about half of the membership, composed of women, who regularly violate God’s Word here and speak publically in the assembly of the Adventists? How would they ever justify this?

We now must ask a pertinent question: If all of these 20 million people were to repent and refuse to obey this fallible and disobedient woman, what would they do? We have not spoken about all of the false doctrines promulgated by this group, but what about the teachings that they have been taught and that they know? We know that there was a rebellion perhaps a hundred years ago in the early 1900s, but this was quelled and the group as a whole went along as usual without repentance.

What happened? What about the “cleansing of the sanctuary” doctrine? What about the many other doctrines that the SDA churches promote? We could go on and on but this is sufficient for us to see that we must choose—Choose either the Word of God or the words of men.

Jesus Himself asked, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your traditions?” (Matthew 15:4). A few verses later, He charged, “You invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition” (v. 6). Note these passages from Mark: “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). “. . . Invalidating the word of God by your tradition” (v. 13; Colossians 2:8). These are pertinent passages that must be answered by conscientious Adventists!

Let’s realize that God will judge people, not according to membership numbers or the number of pastors (itself a false teaching)—but by His infallible Word. What are you relying on yourself?