Why should I be an Adventist?
Why is being an Adventist important? Why is it right to believe in?
17, Female
Many of the worldviews are based on partial truths.
Marxism - Egalitarianism nullfies poverty
Buddhism - Enlightenment relieves suffering
Post-modernism - Relativism liberates from modern rigidity
Mohammedanism - Religion fixes secularism
Christian Fundamentalism - Biblicism trumps liberalism.
We see that many of the worldviews out there, including christian ones (we'll get there in a little bit) - contain elements of truth, but not the whole truth.
Through Christian history, ever since reformation - Christian schools of thought (worldviews) have often asserted what is in detriment of what they ignore.
The reformation or the "emphasis" each succeeding christian worldview made up a lack of balance.
Here's an example of the worldview concerning salvation and works within christianity
Catholicism - Salvation by works - Legalism
Calvinism - Salvation without works - Cheap Grace
Arminianism - Salvation by human response - Perfectionism
Adventism - Salvation by God's works - Grace at work
Calvinists, followers of Martin Luther and John Calvin (Lutheran & Presbyterian Churches) still have a partial truth on salvation.
Arminians, followers of John Wesley (Methodist and Baptist Churches) still have a partial truth on salvation.
So, with the Advent Movement from the beginning of 1800s - God has raised up the Seventh-Day Adventist Church to emphasize truth ignored and complement the partial truth.
The Present Truth that we as the Seventh-Day Adventist Church have been blessed with are:
1. Second Coming
2. Sabbath
3. Sanctuary
4. State of the dead
5. Spirit of Prophecy
These 5 elements of truth are known as the Seventh-Day Adventist Distinctives that complement partial truths that have been taught and believed in the past.
If you have been attending the SDA Church your whole life and do not understand these distinctives clearly - now is the time for you to approach your pastor and ask him or her to teach you so that you may be able to teach and share these truths to others.
If you have any questions for Pastor Justin, please contact him at justin@englishcompass.org