Is the Seventh-day Adventist Church Really the Remnant Church?
By Pastor Ronald V. Obidos II | Former Adventists Philippines Blog
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” — Revelation 12:17
The Big Question
Isa ito sa mga core claims ng Seventh-day Adventist Church: na sila daw ang “Remnant Church” ng Revelation 12:17 ang huling natitirang iglesia na tapat sa Diyos sa panahon ng apostasiya. Kung matagal ka na sa loob, alam mo na ‘yan ang pinakagitna ng Adventist identity. Sa bawat evangelistic crusade, prophecy seminar, at baptism, halos palaging sinasabi:
“We are the remnant, called to keep the commandments and the faith of Jesus.”
Pero tanong: totoo nga ba na ang SDA ang Remnant Church ng Biblia? O ito ay isa lamang sa maraming self-claimed “last-day church” na dumami sa modern times?
The SDA Definition of the Remnant
Ayon sa Fundamental Belief #13 ng SDA:
“In the last days, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus... symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14.”
Sa madaling sabi, dalawang katangian daw ang “proof” na sila ang remnant:
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Commandment-keeping (lalo na ang Sabbath)
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The Spirit of Prophecy (na kay Ellen G. White)
Kaya ang formula nila ay ganito:
“Remnant = Sabbath Keepers + Ellen White’s Spirit of Prophecy.”
Sounds impressive, di ba? Pero kapag sinuri natin ang history at exegesis, iba ang picture.
The Historical Claims Don’t Add Up
1. The Waldenses Were Not Sabbath-Keepers
Sabi ni Ellen White sa The Great Controversy:
“Through ages of darkness... the Waldenses kept the true Sabbath.” (GC 1911, p. 65)
Pero ayon kay Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi, isang SDA historian mismo:
“I found no allusion whatsoever to Sabbathkeeping among the Waldenses.”
(Endtime Issues, No. 87)
Pati mga modern Waldensian ministers sa Italy nagsabing:
“We were never Sabbath keepers, but Reformed Protestants persecuted for our Calvinistic faith.”
At ‘yung salitang “insabbati”? Hindi ‘yan tungkol sa Sabbath galing ‘yan sa sabbatum, Latin for sandals kaya tinawag silang “sandal wearers.”
So, fake history talaga ang claim na sila ay Sabbath defenders.
2. The “538–1798” Prophecy Period is Historically Baseless
Ayon sa The Great Controversy:
“The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538 and ended in 1798.”
Pero kahit si Bacchiocchi mismo nagsabing mali ito:
“Papal primacy began as early as the second century... not 538.”
(From Sabbath to Sunday)
Ibig sabihin, ginawang exact number ang prophecy kahit walang solid na historical basis. In short, prophetic math, not historical fact.
The Exegetical Problem: Wrong Greek Word, Wrong Doctrine
Ang SDA claim:
“They keep the commandments of God” = They keep the Ten Commandments (including the Sabbath).
Pero sa Revelation 12:17, ang ginamit na word ay ἐντολή (entolē), hindi νόμος (nomos).
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Kapag nomos = Mosaic Law
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Kapag entolē = utos ni Cristo sa ilalim ng New Covenant
Pansinin:
“A new commandment (entolē) I give to you, that you love one another.” (John 13:34)
Walang New Testament author, lalo na si John, na ginamit ang entolē para tukuyin ang Ten Commandments. Kaya sa Revelation, “commandments of God” = utos ni Cristo sa bagong tipan, hindi Sabbath law ng Sinai.
The “Testimony of Jesus” Is Not Ellen White
Revelation 19:10 —
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Ang SDA interpretation: “Testimony of Jesus = Spirit of Prophecy = Ellen White.”
Pero ang Greek grammar mismo ang sumasalungat diyan.
Ang phrase na “testimony of Jesus” ay maaaring isalin na:
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“testimony about Jesus,” o
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“testimony from Jesus.”
Either way, wala itong kinalaman sa modern prophetess like Ellen G. White.
In short, the testimony of Jesus is the Gospel itself. Ang propesiya ay umiikot sa Kanya hindi kay Ellen White. Sabi nga ng New Living Translation:
“For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.”
That’s it. Wala nang mas malinaw pa.
Bible vs. Ellen White
| BIBLE | ELLEN WHITE |
|---|---|
| “In these last days, God has spoken to us through His Son.” (Hebrews 1:1–2) | “In these days, He speaks to them by the testimonies of His Spirit.” (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p.147) |
So, sino ang mas paniniwalaan mo? Si Cristo, o si White na sinabing Siya raw ang instrumento ng Diyos sa mga “last days”?
The True “Remnant” Church
Hindi denominasyon ang “remnant.” Hindi ito nakikita sa nameplate, sa Sabbath, o sa propeta. Ang tunay na Remnant ay yaong mga ipinanganak muli kay Cristo (John 3:3), mga tumatalima sa utos ng pag-ibig (John 13:34), at nabubuhay sa Grace, hindi sa Law.
Sabi ni Jesus:
“My sheep hear My voice... and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
Hindi sinabi, “they keep the seventh-day Sabbath.” Ang sabi Niya, “they follow Me.” The true remnant are those who rest not in a day, but in a Person: Jesus Christ.
Final Reflection
If you’re searching for “the true church,” wag kang maghanap ng “perfect” denomination. Human institutions will always have flaws. Hanapin mo ang mga taong totoo kay Cristo who love one another, preach the gospel of grace, and live under the law of Christ, not the shadow of Moses.
Doon mo makikita ang tunay na Remnant Church, the Body of Christ, scattered but sealed by the Spirit.
“The Lord knows those who are His.” — 2 Timothy 2:19
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