Seventh-day Adventists base their faith and practices on the Bible, adhering to the Protestant principle of Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”). Their core beliefs, summarized in the 28 Fundamental Beliefs, serve as guidelines for interpreting Scripture and applying its teachings to daily life. These beliefs reflect the church’s collective understanding of biblical truth and how it applies to contemporary living. These beliefs offer a comprehensive view of the Christian faith as practiced by this denomination. They reveal a God of wisdom, grace, and infinite love, dedicated to restoring humanity’s relationship with Him for eternity. This exploration is designed to answer the question “What Is Sda” by diving into these core tenets.
These beliefs are not static. The church anticipates revisions at General Conference Sessions, guided by the Holy Spirit toward a deeper understanding of biblical truth and improved articulation of God’s Word.
These 28 Fundamental Beliefs are categorized into six key doctrinal areas:
- God
- Humanity
- Salvation
- The Church
- Daily Christian Life
- Last Day Events (Restoration)
God: The Foundation of Faith
Seventh-day Adventists believe in a God of love, power, and splendor. This God is a Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a unity of three co-eternal persons. God is both mysterious and infinite, yet desires a personal relationship with humanity. The Bible, considered His Holy Word, is the means through which we learn about Him.
1. Holy Scriptures
The Holy Scriptures, encompassing both the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God. Authors wrote under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, providing humanity with the knowledge necessary for salvation. These scriptures are the ultimate authority, revealing God’s will, defining character, testing experience, revealing doctrine, and recording God’s actions throughout history.
2. The Trinity
There is one God, existing as Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit, a unified entity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is infinite, beyond human comprehension, yet revealed through His self-disclosure. God, who embodies love, is eternally worthy of worship, adoration, and service by all creation.
3. God the Father
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just, holy, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The attributes and powers manifested in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also inherent to the Father.
4. God the Son (Jesus Christ)
God the eternal Son, Jesus Christ, became incarnate. Through Him, all things were created, God’s character is revealed, humanity’s salvation is achieved, and the world is judged. Jesus Christ, forever truly God, also became truly human, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a life of perfect righteousness and love, experiencing temptation yet without sin. Through miracles, He demonstrated God’s power and confirmed His role as the promised Messiah. He willingly suffered and died on the cross for our sins, was resurrected, and ascended to Heaven to minister in the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf. He will return in glory to deliver His people and restore all things.
5. God the Holy Spirit
God the eternal Spirit actively participated with the Father and the Son in creation, incarnation, and redemption. The Holy Spirit is a distinct person, co-equal with the Father and the Son. He inspired the writers of Scripture and empowered Christ’s life. He draws and convicts individuals, renewing and transforming those who respond into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit remains with God’s children, bestowing spiritual gifts upon the church, empowering it to witness for Christ, and guiding it into all truth in harmony with the Scriptures.
Humanity: Created, Fallen, and Redeemed
Humans were lovingly designed as perfect beings, created in God’s image with free will and dominion over the earth. However, sin entered through Satan’s temptation, corrupting humanity’s perfection and the world. Now, humanity is in a constant battle between good and evil. God offers redemption through Jesus Christ, promising victory over sin and death and the restoration of the earth to its original beauty.
6. Creation
Scripture reveals the authentic, historical account of God’s creative activity. He created the universe, including the heavens, earth, and sea, in a recent six-day creation, and rested on the seventh day, establishing the Sabbath as a memorial. God made the first man and woman in His image as the crowning work of Creation, giving them dominion over the world and responsibility to care for it. The completed world was “very good,” declaring God’s glory.
7. Nature of Humanity
Humans were created in God’s image, with individuality, the capacity to think and act freely. Though created free, each person is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent on God for life and breath. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence on Him and fell from their high position, marring God’s image in them and becoming subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences, being born with weaknesses and tendencies toward evil. However, God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and, through His Spirit, restores the image of their Maker in penitent mortals. Created for God’s glory, they are called to love Him and one another and to care for their environment.
Salvation: God’s Gift of Grace
Salvation is God’s response to the cosmic conflict between good and evil, originating with Lucifer’s rebellion against God. This conflict extended to Earth with the temptation of Adam and Eve. God’s love for humanity is demonstrated through Jesus Christ, who died to bear the punishment for sin. Accepting Jesus’ sacrifice allows individuals to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
8. The Great Controversy
Humanity is engaged in a great controversy between Christ and Satan over God’s character, law, and sovereignty. This conflict began in heaven when Lucifer, endowed with freedom of choice, became Satan and led angels into rebellion. He brought this spirit of rebellion to Earth, leading Adam and Eve into sin, distorting God’s image in humanity and disrupting the created world. This world became the arena of the universal conflict. Christ sends the Holy Spirit and loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain His people in this controversy.
9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ
Through His perfect life, suffering, death, and resurrection, Christ provided the only means of atonement for human sin, enabling those who accept it by faith to have eternal life and allowing all creation to better understand God’s infinite love. This atonement vindicates God’s law and character, condemning sin while providing forgiveness. Christ’s death is substitutionary, reconciling, and transforming. His bodily resurrection proclaims God’s triumph over evil, assuring believers’ victory over sin and death, and declares Jesus Christ as Lord.
10. The Experience of Salvation
In infinite love and mercy, God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent, and exercise faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. This saving faith comes through the power of the Word and is a gift of God’s grace. Through Christ, we are justified, adopted, and delivered from sin’s dominion. Through the Spirit, we are born again and sanctified; our minds are renewed, God’s law of love is written in our hearts, and we are empowered to live holy lives. Abiding in Him, we partake of the divine nature and have assurance of salvation now and in the judgment.
11. Growing in Christ
Through His death on the cross, Jesus triumphed over evil. His victory gives us power over evil forces as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. The Holy Spirit dwells within us, freeing us from our past deeds. We grow into His character, communing with Him daily, studying His Word, worshipping together, and participating in the Church’s mission. We follow Christ’s example by ministering to the needs of humanity, transforming every moment into a spiritual experience.
The Church: A Community of Believers
Following Jesus’ ministry, He commissioned His followers to share His love and promise. The Church, or Body of Christ, is comprised of individuals with unique spiritual gifts. God encourages believers to unite, support, and serve one another.
12. The Church
The church is a community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Rooted in the people of God from Old Testament times, we are called out from the world to worship, fellowship, learn from the Word, celebrate the Lord’s Supper, serve humanity, and proclaim the gospel worldwide. The church derives its authority from Christ, is God’s family, and is the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. Christ died for the church to sanctify and cleanse her, and at His return, He will present her to Himself as a glorious church, holy and without blemish.
13. The Remnant and Its Mission
The universal church is made up of all who truly believe in Christ. In the last days, a remnant is called to keep God’s commandments and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds His second coming. This proclamation, symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14, coincides with the judgment in heaven and results in repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is called to participate in this global witness.
14. Unity in the Body of Christ
The church is one body with many members, from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ, distinctions of race, culture, learning, nationality, or socioeconomic status must not divide us. We are equal in Christ, united by one Spirit, and are to serve each other without partiality. Through Jesus Christ, we share the same faith and hope and reach out in one witness to all. This unity originates in the oneness of the triune God.
15. Baptism
Through baptism, we confess faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, symbolizing our death to sin and our commitment to a new life. We acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior, become His people, and are received as members of His church. Baptism symbolizes union with Christ, forgiveness, and reception of the Holy Spirit, performed by immersion in water following affirmation of faith and repentance of sin, based on instruction in and acceptance of the Holy Scriptures.
16. The Lord’s Supper (Communion)
The Lord’s Supper is participation in the emblems of Jesus’ body and blood, expressing faith in Him as Lord and Savior. Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people during this communion. As we partake, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again. Preparation includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The service of foot-washing signifies cleansing, humility, and unity in love. The communion service is open to all believing Christians.
Daily Christian Life: Living by God’s Principles
The Bible provides guidance for daily life, exemplified by the Ten Commandments, which emphasize love for God and others. Following God leads to wholeness and balance. Christians are called to be stewards of the earth, caring for their minds, bodies, and spirits.
17. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries
God bestows spiritual gifts upon all members of His church to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and humanity. These gifts, given by the Holy Spirit, provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its functions. They include faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, service, and charity. Some are called to pastoral, evangelistic, and teaching ministries. Utilizing these gifts protects the church from false doctrine, fosters growth, and builds up faith and love.
18. The Gift of Prophecy
Scripture testifies that prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit and an identifying mark of the remnant church. This gift was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White, whose writings provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church, clarifying that the Bible is the standard for all teaching and experience.
19. The Law of God
The Ten Commandments embody God’s law, exemplified in Christ’s life, expressing God’s love, will, and purposes for human conduct and relationships, binding upon all people. These precepts are the basis of God’s covenant and the standard in God’s judgment. The Holy Spirit uses them to point out sin and awaken the need for a Savior. Salvation is by grace, not works, and its fruit is obedience to the Commandments, developing Christian character, resulting in well-being, and demonstrating love for God and others, strengthening Christian witness.
20. The Sabbath
The Creator rested on the seventh day after Creation, instituting the Sabbath for all people as a memorial. The fourth commandment requires observing the seventh-day Sabbath as a day of rest, worship, and ministry, in harmony with Jesus’ teaching and practice. The Sabbath is a day of communion with God and others, a symbol of redemption, a sign of sanctification, a token of allegiance, and a foretaste of God’s kingdom. Observing this holy time from evening to evening celebrates God’s creative and redemptive acts.
21. Stewardship
We are God’s stewards, entrusted with time, opportunities, abilities, possessions, blessings, and resources. We are responsible for their proper use, acknowledging God’s ownership through service and returning tithe and offerings for the gospel and church support. Stewardship is a privilege for nurture in love and victory over selfishness. Stewards rejoice in the blessings that come to others as a result of their faithfulness.
22. Christian Behavior
We are called to be godly, aligning our thoughts, feelings, and actions with biblical principles. We pursue Christlike purity, health, and joy, engaging in amusement and entertainment that meet Christian standards. Our dress is simple, modest, and neat, reflecting inner beauty. We care for our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, adopting healthful diets and abstaining from unclean foods, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and drugs. We engage in activities that bring our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ.
23. Marriage and the Family
Marriage, divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus, is a lifelong union between a man and a woman. For Christians, it is a commitment to God and spouse, entered only between those sharing a common faith. Mutual love, honor, respect, and responsibility characterize the relationship, reflecting the love between Christ and His church. Divorce, except for fornication, followed by remarriage constitutes adultery. Despite imperfections, commitment to each other in Christ enables loving unity. God blesses families and intends its members to assist each other toward maturity.
Restoration (End Times): Hope for the Future
God investigates before acting, demonstrating His forgiveness and giving individuals a chance to participate in His plan. Before Jesus’ Second Coming, He is investigating the entire earth, ensuring that no one experiences a fate they did not choose. Christ’s return will bring the final judgment, the destruction of the wicked, the end of death and sin, and the redemption of those who accept God’s salvation. This leads to a millennium in heaven, followed by the restoration of earth to paradise for eternity with God.
24. Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
There is a sanctuary in heaven, where Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice. He was inaugurated as our High Priest and began His intercessory ministry. In 1844, He entered the second phase of His atoning ministry, the investigative judgment, part of the ultimate disposition of all sin. This judgment reveals who among the dead are asleep in Christ and who among the living are abiding in Him, ready for translation into His kingdom. This vindicates God’s justice and declares who shall receive the kingdom.
25. The Second Coming of Christ
The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the climax of the gospel. The Savior’s coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven. The unrighteous will die. The fulfillment of prophecy indicates that Christ’s coming is near.
26. Death and Resurrection
The wages of sin is death, but God will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until then, death is an unconscious state. When Christ appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet Him. The second resurrection, of the unrighteous, will occur a thousand years later.
27. The Millennium and the End of Sin
The millennium is Christ’s thousand-year reign with His saints in heaven between the first and second resurrections. During this time, the wicked will be judged, and the earth will be desolate, occupied by Satan and his angels. At its end, Christ and the Holy City will descend to earth. The unrighteous will be resurrected and surround the city, but fire from God will consume them and cleanse the earth. The universe will be freed of sin and sinners forever.
28. The New Earth
On the new earth, where 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. God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will be gone. The great controversy will be ended, and sin will be no more. All things will declare that God is love, and He shall reign forever. Amen.
In summary, asking “what is SDA?” reveals a faith deeply rooted in scripture, emphasizing God’s love, humanity’s redemption, and the hope of a restored future. The 28 Fundamental Beliefs provide a framework for understanding their faith and living a life dedicated to God.
