CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

Advent means ‘the second coming’ The Seventh Day Adventist strongly believe in the second coming of Jesus and the fourth commandment which says in Exodus 20: 8-11, to keep God’s Sabbath holy. They worship on Saturday, and believe that the Sabbath begins from sun set on Friday and ends at sun set on Saturday.

In addition, the Seventh Day Adventist has 27 fundamental beliefs which are as follows:

1. The Holy Scriptures both old and new testament was written by God through men inspired

by the Holy Spirit.
2. The Trinity- God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit exist as one
3. God the Father is creator, sustainer and is in control of all creation.
4. Jesus – God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ.
5. The Holy Spirit works as an active person with God the Father and Son and was present with them at creation.
6. Creation – God gave a clear account of His creation of the world.
7. Man and woman were made in the image of God
8. There is a great controversy (war) between Jesus and Satan regarding the character of

God.
9. The Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
10. Salvation is a true experience.
11. Growing in Christ – By His death and resurrection, Jesus triumphant over Satan therefore

we have the power to triumphant over Satan also.

12. Church - The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and

Saviour.
13. 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.
14. Unity in the Body of Christ - The church is one body with many members, called from

every nation, kindred, tongue, and people
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. The Gift of Prophecy - One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy.
19. Law of God - The great principles of God's law are embodied in the Ten Commandments

and exemplified in the life of Christ.
20. Sabbath -The Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and

instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation.
21. 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.
22. Christian Behavior - We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony

with the principles of heaven.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. Second Coming of Christ - The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the

grand climax of the gospel.
26. Death and Resurrection - The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will

grant eternal life to His redeemed
27. 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
28. 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.

Another mark of the Seventh Day Adventist is its health message. They believe that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, unclean foods (like pork, conch, shrimp etc.) should be avoided as outlined in scripture. The diet should be as healthful as possible, with enough rest and exercise. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics should not be practiced.

Contribution to the community through Education:
The Seventh Day Adventist contributes to education through three schools.
1. Bahamas Academy Secondary (Nassau)
2. Bahamas Academy K3 – Grade Six(Nassau)
3. Grand Bahama Academy Secondary & K3 – Grade Six

Contribution to youth in the Community:
The Seventh Day Adventist contributes to the Youth through the Pathfinder club which ranges from the Busy Bees (ages 3-5), The Adventurers (ages 5-7), and the Pathfinders (7-15). The Pathfinder club take part in community services. They also have a band through which young and old can express themselves through spiritual music.

CLASS WORK
Use your textbook to complete the following:
Make a listing of all the ways the Seventh Day Adventist contributes to the Bahamian Society. You many write it in your note books with the heading in your textbooks.