Answer: That’s a simple question for me. The true religion/denomination is ours, right?Most religions/denominations believe that they are the “true” one. The reasons vary, but it usually comes down to one of the following foundations:
1. God says we’re right–it says so in the Bible.
2. We have a history of God’s activity with us.
3. Something supernatural got us going.
4. Everyone else is off; we’ve got it right.
In the United States about 150 years ago when the Seventh-day Adventist Church got started, people’s mind-set at the time was to find “truth” in the Bible. It was common to have public debates and to argue for hours. Seventh-day Adventists tended to do fairly well in such debates.
But the mind-set in the United States is quite different now. At the present time, people value openness and consider multiple answers as all possibly right. Even partially right answers are considered good; while zeroing in on only one “true answer” is thought to be too narrow-minded.
I’ve found that many teens who’ve grown up as Seventh-day Adventists want to find out how solid Seventh-day Adventist beliefs are before they make a full commitment to the religion/denomination. Sometimes they want to check out other denominations or religions and maybe experiment for a while.
I want to encourage you to be a “God-seeker” and to continue to search for a greater understanding of God, a broadening appreciation for God, and a deeper intimacy with Him. If the religion/denomination you’re a part of doesn’t lead you in these ways, what’s it doing?
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a published set of official beliefs. But the church is more than just beliefs. The people and the mission of the church are also important elements to consider. Allow me to focus on one element for a moment–the introduction to the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church as of this moment:
“Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture. Revision of these statements may be expected at a General Conference session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express the teachings of God’s Holy Word.”
For a description of each belief of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, go to www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html.
I believe each of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s fundamental beliefs. I also get excited about our introduction for two reasons: because the Bible is our source of authority, not one person or a committee; and because we can expect the Holy Spirit to continue to lead us to revise our understanding of God.
Are you open to that? Do you expect it? Or are you set in stone, and there’s nothing more for God to share with you?
I was born into the Seventh-day Adventist religion, because my parents are both Seventh-day Adventists. I chose to be a Seventh-day Adventist during my teen years. As an adult, there have been times when I disagreed with a few of the beliefs or the way some of the beliefs were presented or emphasized. I’ve considered other religions and have found some items to be attractive and other parts to be equally or more repulsive than some of the hang-ups I’ve had in Adventism.
Here’s what I can say to you: please keep searching for God yourself. When you consider the Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, look at each one and ask, “What does this tell me about Jesus?”
I’ve found that each belief of the Seventh-day Adventist Church gives me a special perspective on Jesus, sort of like looking at a large jewel from many different angles. Right now I’m appreciating the way the light catches it from so many vantage points, and I’m loving Jesus more and more.
