This is a short Q&A format study guide designed to help any Seventh-day Adventist members to understand why this particular doctrine, known as the central pillar of Adventism, is not only Bible-based teaching but anti-gospel.
SDA Fundamental Beliefs #24.
“Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary”
2. How important is this doctrine among the SDA?
“The scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and the central pillar of the advent faith was the declaration: ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.’ Daniel 8:14.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 409.
Note: While this is the “central pillar of Adventism,” it remains the most difficult doctrine to explain, support, or understand.
3. SDAs believe the doctrine of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment deals with the Day of Atonement as described in Leviticus 16.
“And as during the typical Day of Atonement the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary removed the sins accumulated there, so the heavenly sanctuary is cleansed by the final removal of the record of sins in the heavenly books. But before the records are finally cleared, they will be examined to determine who through repentance and faith in Christ is entitled to enter His eternal kingdom. The cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, therefore, involves a work of investigation or judgment that fully reflects the nature of the Day of Atonement as the day of judgment.” Seventh-day Adventists Believe, p. 320
4. SDA believe that when Christ ascended to heaven, he entered the “Holy Place” compartment of the heavenly sanctuary, to perform the ministry of intercession and forgiveness of sins until 1844.
“The ministration of the priest throughout the year in the first apartment of the sanctuary, ‘within the veil’ which formed the door and separated the holy place from the outer court, represents the work of ministration upon which Christ entered at His ascension. It was the work of the priest in the daily ministration to present before God the blood of the sin offering, also the incense which ascended with the prayers of Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners, and present before Him also, with the precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of penitent believers. Such was the work of ministration in the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 420.
5. SDA believes that on October 22, 1844, Christ entered into the “Most Holy Place” of the heavenly sanctuary for the first time.
“Heaven seemed open to my view, and I saw distinctly and clearly, that instead of our High Priest coming out of the Most Holy of the heavenly sanctuary to come to this earth on the tenth day of the seventh month, at the end of the 2300 days, that he for the first time entered on that day the second apartment of that sanctuary; and that he had a work to perform in the Most Holy before coming to this earth.” Hiram Edson Manuscript Fragment
6. The Bible in Hebrews 6:19-20 & Hebrews 9:12 teaches that when Christ ascended to heaven, he entered the Most Holy Place.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:19-20 NIV
“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews. 9:12 NIV
7. SDA believes that the 1844 Investigative Judgment deals only with those who have professed to believe in God.
“So in the great day of final atonement and the investigative judgment, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God.” Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 480.
8. Ellen White taught that one is accepted or rejected in the investigative judgment based upon his personal deeds, rather than through faith in Christ. This teaching, perhaps more than any other, undermines the new covenant gospel of grace.
“Day after day, passing into eternity, bears its burden of records for the books of Heaven. Words once spoken, deeds once done, can never be recalled. Angels of God have registered both the good and the evil. The mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of even a single day. Our acts, our words, even our most secret motives, all have their weight in deciding our destiny for weal or woe. Though they may be forgotten by us, they will bear their testimony to justify or condemn. They go before us to the Judgment.” Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 311.
Note: The error is not in teaching that a Christian should obey the law of Christ, but that his obedience becomes the basis of his ultimate acceptance by God. Thus, it is Galatianism, there is a mixing of faith and works as the basis of salvation.
9. We must be careful not to confuse the investigative judgment with the judgment of rewards which is taught in Scripture. SDAs hold that the investigative judgment is a salvation judgment to see who is worthy of eternal life. In the new covenant, however, salvation judgment is based upon faith in Christ and not upon works, not even works of righteousness.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV)
10. The “gospel” according to Ellen White seems to be the “good news” that Christ came and lived a life of perfect obedience to the Ten Commandment law and in so doing gave mankind an example so that they could do the same. If one has enough faith in Christ, then he, too, can live in perfect obedience to the Ten Commandment law.
“(Christ) came to this world and lived a sinless life, that in His power His people might also live lives of sinlessness.” (Review and Herald, April 1, 1902)
“Those only who through faith in Christ obey all of God’s commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression.” (SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, p. 1118).
“As the Son of man was perfect in His life, so His followers are to be perfect in their life.” Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 311
“When the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened, and every man shall be judged according to the things written in the books, then the tables of stone, hidden by God until that day, will be presented before the world as the standard of righteousness. Then men and women will see that the prerequisite of their salvation is obedience to the perfect law of God.” 1 SM 225
“Nothing less than perfect obedience can meet the standard of God’s requirement.” MH 180
“Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” Ellen G. White, Christ Object Lessons, p. 69
“As Jesus moved out of the Most Holy place, …The saints in that fearful time, after the close of Jesus’ mediation, were living in the sight of a holy God, without an intercessor.” 1SG 198.1
Note: Christ mediatorial ministry will end during the SDAs “close of probation.” The perfected SDA people didn’t need an intercessor this time since they already attained sinless perfection by perfect obedience to the 10 commandments.
11. The new covenant gospel states unequivocally that we are saved by grace.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph. 2:8–9).
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5).
12. Comparison between 1844 Investigative Judgment versus the Gospel
1844 Investigative judgment: Gospel:
Sin laden blood pollutes Blood cleanses
Sins blotted out after 1844 Sins blotted out at repentance
Emphasis on personal works Emphasis on faith in Christ
13. Ellen White taught in several places that one should never say he was “saved.” Why? Because there was no way to be sure if all sins were confessed and forsaken.
“Those who are teaching this doctrine (grace) today have much to say in regard to faith and the righteousness of Christ; but they pervert the truth, and make it serve the cause of error. They declare that we have only to believe on Jesus Christ, and that faith is all-sufficient: that the righteousness of Christ is to be the sinner’s credentials; that this imputed righteousness fulfills the law for us, and that we are under no obligation to obey the law of God. This class claim that Christ came to save sinners, and that He has saved them. “I am saved,” they will repeat over and over again. But are they saved while transgressing the law of Jehovah?—No; for the garments of Christ’s righteousness are not a cloak for iniquity. Such teaching is a gross deception, and Christ becomes to these persons a stumbling block as He did to the Jews,—to the Jews, because they would not receive Him as their personal Saviour, to these professed believers in Christ, because they separate Christ and the law, and regard faith as a substitute for obedience. They separate the Father and the Son, the Saviour of the world. Virtually they teach, both by precept and example, that Christ, by His death, saves men in their transgressions. We are never to rest in a satisfied condition, and cease to make advancement, saying, “I am saved” … No sanctified tongue will be found uttering these words till Christ shall come, and we enter in through the gates into the city of God… As long as man is full of weakness,—for of himself he cannot save his soul,—he should never dare to say, “I am saved”… No man can say, I am saved, until he has endured test and trial, until he has shown that he can overcome temptation. (Ellen G. White, Bible Echo, 1897-02-08)
14. EGW statements on salvation contrasted with Bible teaching:
EGW says the imputed righteousness of Christ is not enough to save sinners. The Bible, however, says:
“For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Rom. 5:10).
EGW calls the teaching that one can say “I am saved” a “gross deception.” The Bible says:
“…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)
EGW said as long as a man is full of weakness he cannot ever say, “I am saved.” The Bible says:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
EGW teaches that we cannot say, “I am saved,” as long as our characters are out of harmony with the law. The Bible says:
“[God], who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” (2 Tim. 1:8, 9).
EGW teaches that no sanctified tongue will ever say, “I am saved,” before the second coming of Christ. The Bible says:
“…and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:30, 31).
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 Jn. 5:13).
EGW teaches that no man can say, “I am saved,” until he has endured test and trial until he has shown that he can overcome temptation. The Bible says:
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus. 3:5).
Conclusion:
Jesus, as our substitute, was judged in our place on the cross. He has paid the price for all sin for all time. He has also provided perfect righteousness which can be credited to our account. By His death on the cross, Jesus judged Satan and demonstrated God’s justice in the way God saves sinners. The good news of the judgment is that all who believe and trust in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ can say with assurance, “I’ve been acquitted!” We have already been judged in Christ. Those who reject the gospel, judge themselves unworthy of eternal life. The second coming of Christ will be a revelation of how men responded to God’s gracious gift of salvation.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life (Jn. 5:24).
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NIV)
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