My Saviour has shown me that there is no creed but that of the Holy Bible, the sure word of God. But in these last days it is important that I define my understanding of the scriptures as the Devil is leading many people to erroneous conclusions and false interpretations of His sure word.

You can be sure there is no safer ground than that of scriptures, as

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” ( 2 Tim 3:16)

but if we chose to follow any bread crumbs laid down by the devil via man laws and traditions then we shall put our salvation at great risk.

I therefore feel it necessary to declare my faith to the reader.

I have had cause to reflect upon this subject since my days as an unbeliever, and over time, and through much research I have concluded that one can only be sure of the truth by seeking out the source of all truth, and that is by the inspired word of God. My journey began in a time and place of having no confidence in man, nor in the Bible, but It has been to my great pleasure that I have been given amazing light from my Creator and my Redeemer my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is this light that assures me, and gives me confidence in the following statement. This statement is a modified version of the one given by the late Uriah Smith; entitled “The Fundamental Principles of the Seventh Day Adventist Church” The changes that I have made are few, but significant as they reflect true light as given for the last days as foretold by

Daniel 12:4 “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

  1. That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the
    Creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal;
    infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth and
    mercy; unchangeable and every-where present by his
    representative, the Holy Spirit. Ps. 139:7.
  2. That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the
    eternal Father, the one by whom he created all things, and
    by whom they do consist; that he took on him the nature of
    the seed of Abraham for the redemption of our fallen race;
    that he dwelt among men, full of grace and truth, lived our
    example, died our sacrifice, was raised for our
    justification, ascended on high to be our only mediator in
    the sanctuary in heaven, where through the merits of his
    shed blood, he secures the pardon and forgiveness of the
    sins of all those who persistently come to him; and as the
    closing portion of work as priest, before he takes his
    throne as king, he will make the great atonement for the
    sins of all such, and their sins will then be blotted out
    (Acts 3:19) and born away from the sanctuary, as shown in
    the service of the Levitical priesthood, which foreshadowed
    and prefigured the ministry of our Lord in heaven. See Lev.
    16; Heb. 8:4, 5; 9:6, 7.
  3. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament
    were given by inspiration of God, contain a full revelation
    of his will to man, and are the only infallible rule of
    faith and practice.
  4. That baptism is an ordinance of the Christian church,
    to follow faith and repentance, — an ordinance by which we
    commemorate the resurrection of Christ, as by this act we
    show our faith in his burial and resurrection, and through
    that, in the resurrection of all the saints at the last
    day; and that no other mode more fitly represents these
    facts than that which the Scriptures prescribe, namely
    immersion. Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:l2.
  5. That the new birth comprises the entire change
    necessary to fit us for the kingdom of God, and consists of
    two parts: First, a moral change wrought by conversion and
    a Christian life (John 5:3) second, a physical change at
    the second coming of Christ, whereby, if dead, we are
    raised incorruptible, and if living, are changed to
    immortality in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Luke
    20, 36; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52.
  6. That prophecy is a part of God’s revelation to man;
    that it is included in that Scripture which is profitable
    for instruction (2 Tim. 3:16); that it is designed for us
    and our children (Deut. 29:29); that so far from being
    enshrouded in impenetrable mystery, it is that which
    especially constitutes the word of God a lamp to our feet
    and a light in our path (Ps. 119:105; 2 Peter 1:19); that a
    blessing is pronounced upon those who study it (Rev. 1:1-
    3); and that, consequently, it is to be understood by the
    people of God sufficiently to show them their position in
    the world’s history and the special duties required at
    their hands.
  7. That the world’s history from specified dates in the
    past, the rise and fall of empires, and the chronological
    succession of events down to the setting up of God’s
    everlasting kingdom, are outlined in numerous great chains
    of prophecy; and that all time prophecies are now
    fulfilled except the closing scenes. Rev 10:6
  8. That the doctrine of the world’s conversion and a
    temporal millennium is a fable of these last days,
    calculated to lull men into a state of carnal security, and
    cause them to be overtaken by the great day of the Lord as
    by a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:3); that the second
    coming of Christ is to precede, not follow, the millennium;
    for until the Lord appears, the papal power, with all its
    abominations, is to continue (2 Thess. 2, 8), the wheat and
    the tares grow together (Matt. 13:29, 30, 39), and evil men
    and seducers wax worse and worse, as the word of God
    declares. 2 Tim. 3:1, 13.
  9. That the mistake of Adventists in 1844 pertained to the
    nature of the event then to transpire not to the time; that
    no prophetic period is given to reach the second advent,
    but that the longest one, the two thousand and three
    hundred days of Dan. 8:14, terminated in 1844, and brought
    us to an event called the cleansing of the sanctuary.
  10. That the sanctuary of the new covenant is the
    tabernacle of God in heaven, of which Paul speaks in Heb. 8
    and onward, and of which our Lord, as great high priest, is
    minister; that this sanctuary is the antitype of the Mosaic
    tabernacle and that the priestly work of our Lord,
    connected therewith, is the antitype of the work of the
    Jewish priests of the former dispensation (Heb. 8:1-5,
    etc.); that this, and not the earth, is the sanctuary to be
    cleansed at the end of the two thousand and three hundred
    days, what is termed its cleansing being in this case, as
    in the type, simply the entrance of the high priest into
    the most holy place, to finish the round of service
    connected therewith, by making atonement and removing from
    the sanctuary the sins of believers (Acts 3:19), and
    occupies a brief but indefinite space in the first
    apartment (Lev. 16; Heb. 9:22, 23); and that this work in
    the antitype, beginning in 1844, consists in actually
    blotting out the sins of believers (Acts 4:19), and
    occupies a brief but indefinite space of time, at the
    conclusion of which the work of mercy for the world will be
    finished, and the second advent of Christ will take place.
  11. That God’s moral requirements are the same upon all
    men in all dispensations; that these are summarily
    contained in the commandments spoken by Jehovah from Sinai,
    engraven on tables of stone, and deposited in the ark,
    which was in consequence called the “ark of the covenant,”
    or testament (Num. 10:33; Heb. 9:4, etc.): that this law is
    immutable and perpetual, being a transcript of the tables
    deposited in the ark in the true sanctuary on high, which
    is also, for the same reason, called the ark of God’s
    testament: for under the sounding of the seventh trumpet we
    are told that “the temple of God was opened in heaven, and
    there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.”
    Rev. 11-19.
  12. That the fourth commandment of this law requires that
    we devote the Sabbath, a creation ordinance unto the Lord
    our God using His Calendar (not the Papal Gregorian calendar)
    which was instituted in Gen 1:14 and re-instituted and set
    out in Exodus 12:1-51, 16:1-36, 19:1,2 with the first three
    identical and consecutive Months , to abstinence from our own
    labor, and to the performance of sacred and religious duties;
    that this is the only Sabbath known to the Bible, being the day
    that was set apart before Paradise was lost (Gen. 2:2, 3),
    and which will be observed in Paradise restored (Isa.
    66:22, 23); that the facts upon which the Sabbath
    institution is based confine it to the Seventh day as defined
    by the Creators Calendar, as they are not true of any other
    day, and that the terms, Jewish Sabbath, as applied to the
    seventh day, and Christian Sabbath, as applied to the first
    day of the week, are names of human invention, unscriptural
    in fact, and false in meaning.
  13. That as the man of sin, the papacy, has thought to
    change times and laws (the law of God, Dan. 7:25), and has
    misled almost all Christendom in regard to the fourth
    commandment, we find a prophecy of reform in this respect
    to be wrought among believers just before the coming of
    Christ. Isa. 56:l, 2; 1 Peter l:5; Rev. 14:12, etc.
  14. That the followers of Christ should be a peculiar
    people, not following the maxims, nor conforming to the
    ways, of the world; not loving its pleasures nor
    countenancing its follies inasmuch as the apostle says that
    “whosoever therefore will be” in this sense, “a friend of
    the world is the enemy of God” James 4:4); and Christ says
    that we can not have two masters, or, at the same time,
    serve God and mammon. Matt. 6:24.
  15. That the Scriptures insist upon plainness and modesty
    of attire as a prominent mark of discipleship in those who
    profess to be the followers of Him who was “meek and lowly
    in heart; “that the wearing of gold, pearls, and costly
    array, or anything designed merely to adorn the person and
    foster the pride of the natural heart, is to be discarded,
    according to such scriptures as 1 Tim. 2:9, l0; 1 Peter
    3:3, 4.
  16. That means for the support of evangelical work among
    men should be contributed from love to God and love of
    souls, not raised by church lotteries, or occasions
    designed to contribute to the fun-loving, appetite-
    indulging propensities of the sinner, such as fairs,
    festivals, crazy socials, etc., which are a disgrace to the
    professed church of Christ; that the proportion of one’s
    income required in former dispensations can be no less
    under the gospel; that it is the same as Abraham (whose
    children we are, if we are Christ’s. Gal. 3:29) when he
    gave him a tenth of all (Heb. 7:1-4); the tithe is the
    Lord’s (Lev. 27:30); and this tenth of one’s income is also
    to be supplemented by offerings from those who are able,
    for the support of the gospel. 2 Cor. 9:6; Mal. 3:8, 10.
  17. That as the natural or carnal heart is at enmity with
    God and his law, this enmity can be subdued only by a
    radical transformation of the affections, the exchange of
    unholy for holy principles; that this transformation
    follows repentance and faith, is the special work of the
    Holy Spirit, and constitutes regeneration, or conversion.
  18. That all have violated the law of God, and can not of
    themselves render obedience to his just requirements, we
    are dependent on Christ, first for justification from our
    past offences, and secondly, for grace whereby to render
    acceptable obedience to his holy law in time to come.
  19. That the Spirit of God was promised to manifest itself
    in the church through certain gifts, enumerated especially
    in l Cor. 12 and Eph. 4; that these gifts are not designed
    to supersede, or take the place of, the Bible, which is
    sufficient to make us wise unto salvation, any more than
    the Bible can take the place of the Holy Spirit; that, in
    specifying the various channels of its operations, that
    Spirit has simply made provision for its own existence and
    presence with the people of God to the end of time to lead
    to an understanding of that word which it had inspired, to
    convince of sin, and to work a transformation in the heart
    and life; and that those who deny to the Spirit its place
    and operation, do plainly deny that part of the Bible which
    assigns to it this work and position.
  20. That God, in accordance with his uniform dealings with
    the race, sends forth a proclamation of the approach of the
    second advent of Christ; and that this work is symbolized
    by the three messages of Revelation 14, the last one
    bringing to view the work of reform on the law of God, that
    his people may acquire a complete readiness for that event.
  21. That the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary (see
    proposition 10), synchronizing with the time of the
    proclamation of the third message (Rev. 14:9, 10), is a
    time of investigative judgment, first, with reference to
    the dead, and secondly, at the close of probation, with
    reference to the living, to determine who of the myriads
    now sleeping in the dust of the earth are worthy of a part
    in the first resurrection, and who of its living multitudes
    are worthy of translation, — points which must be
    determined before the Lord appears.
  22. That the grave, whither we all tend, expressed by the
    Hebrew word “sheol” and the Greek word “hades,” is a place,
    or condition, in which there is no work, device, wisdom,
    nor knowledge, Eccl. 9:10.
  23. That the state to which we are reduced by death is one
    of silence, inactivity, and entire unconsciousness. Ps.
    146:4; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Dan. 12:2.
  24. That out of this prison-house of the grave, mankind
    are to be brought by a bodily resurrection, the righteous
    having part in the first resurrection, which takes place at
    the second coming of Christ; the wicked in the second
    resurrection, which takes place in a thousand years
    thereafter. Rev. 20:4, 6.
  25. That at the last trump, the living righteous are to be
    changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and that
    the risen righteous are to be caught up to meet the Lord in
    the air, so forever to be with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:16, 17;
    1 Cor. 15:51, 52.
  26. That these immortalized ones are then taken to heaven,
    to the New Jerusalem, the Father’s house, in which there
    are many mansions (John 14:l-3), where they reign with
    Christ a thousand years, judging the world and fallen
    angels, that is, apportioning the punishment to be executed
    upon them at the close of the one thousand years (Rev.
    20:4; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3); that during this time the earth lies
    in a desolate, chaotic condition (Jer. 4:23-27), as in the
    beginning, by the Greek term “abussos” (bottomless pit,
    Septuagint of Gen. 1:2); and that here Satan is confined
    during the thousand years (Rev. 20:1, 2), and here finally
    destroyed (Rev. 20:10; Mal. 4:1); the theater of the ruin
    he has wrought in the universe being appropriately made for
    a time his gloomy prison-house, and then the place of his
    final execution.
  27. That at the end of the thousand years the Lord
    descends with his people and the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2),
    the wicked dead are raised, and come up on the surface of
    the yet unrenewed earth, and gather about the city, the
    camp of the saints (Rev. 20, 9), and fire comes down from
    God out of heaven and devours them. They are then consumed,
    root and branch (Mal. 4:1), becoming as though they had not
    been (Obadiah 15, 16). In this everlasting destruction from
    the presence of the Lord (2 Thess. 1:9), the wicked meet
    the “everlasting punishment” threatened against them (Matt.
    25:46), which is everlasting death. Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:14,
    15. This is the perdition of ungodly men, the fire which
    consumes them being the fire for which “the heavens and
    earth, which are now, . . . are kept in store,” which shall
    melt even the elements with its intensity, and purge the
    earth from the deepest stains of the curse of sin. 2 Peter
    3:7-12.
  28. That new heavens and a new earth shall spring by the
    power of God from the ashes of the old, and this renewed
    earth with the New Jerusalem for it’s metropolis and
    capital shall be the eternal inheritance of the saints, the
    place where the righteous shall evermore dwell. 2 Peter
    3:13; Ps. 37, 11, 29; Matt. 5:5.