The Rise of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church
The roots of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church are in the Millerite movement which arose during the Second Great
Awakening. The main distinguishing characteristic of this group was
their calculation of the coming of Christ based upon the prophecies of
Daniel. They were at first accepted in the mainstream churches as
reformers but were later ostracized for setting a specific date for the
coming of Christ.
After the disappointment at the passing
of October 22, 1844, the shut-door Millerites, one of the groups that
survived, restudied their calculations and discovered that what was to
happen in 1844 was not the cleansing of the earth by the coming of
Jesus. Instead, there was to be a change in Christ's mediatorial work in
heaven. This change consisted of the final work to be done in the
redemption of man and the final judgment of the earth. This conclusion
was to build a base by which the covenants could be better understood.
The reason for this is simple. The other churches had generally
disregarded the Covenant of Grace, leaving the subject of the covenants
primarily in the areas of church organization and membership. The
doctrine of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary opened the door for
an intimate view of the closing events that would completely restore the
covenant relationship of Eden before the entrance of sin. This
understanding was not apparent to the shut-door Millerites at first;
another subject took precedence, the law. The evidence shows that the
Millerites, who became the Seventh-day Adventists, arrived at the
decision to keep the seventh-day Sabbath by an understanding of the
heavenly sanctuary and the Sabbath as an everlasting covenant given to
God’s people.29
They also believed that the health reform that had been previously
espoused during the time of Great Awakening was to be followed since it
affected one's spiritual and moral life.30
When the goal of obedience to the whole law of God and the affects of
one's daily health habits were established, many Adventist sought to
convert the world to these insights. This generally took the form of
defensive debates with those who did not see the Sabbath issue. The
Seventh-day Adventist church was in danger of neutralizing their
spiritual gains by becoming legalistic in their approach to the gospel.
Ellen White was to call the preaching of some during this time, "as
dry as the hills of Gilboa."31
A.T. Jones was to say in retrospect of
this period,
Twenty years ago God sent the
Seventh-day Adventist denomination a message of the righteousness of
God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to deliver them from any
appearance of liability to the charge of legalism … At Minneapolis,
in 1888, the General Conference 'administration' did its very best to
have the denomination committed by a vote of the General Conference to
the covenant of 'Obey and live,' to righteous-ness by works. The
attempt failed then; but from that day till this, that spirit and that
element have never ceased that endeavor; though when they found that
they could not accomplish it just then, they apparently and
professedly accepted righteousness by faith. But they never did accept
it in the truth that it is. They never did accept it as life and
righteousness from God; but only as 'a doctrine' to
be put in a list or strung as a 'subject' with other 'doctrinal
subjects.'32
Jones here has connected the problem of
legalism in the church with the message of 1888, a message that both he
and E.J. Waggoner presented. Their message was to deliver the church
from the charge of legalism. Furthermore, Jones has identified the
problem of legalism with the old covenant as well as stating that the
message of Minneapolis was the answer to avoiding the old covenant
experience. This is important to note for these connections have not
been always seen in this light. Without the unique understanding of the
covenants, the presentation of Christ's righteousness as given by
Waggoner and Jones becomes a theoretical concept that fails to capture
the heart of man and draw him back to the relationship that God wants.
Thus when one approaches the writings of these men, the covenant concept
must be always in the forefront in interpreting their views of
righteousness by faith.
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