Former Adventists Philippines Official Statement: The Victory of Christ and the Hope of the Church!

Here is a draft of a "Statement of Faith on Last Things" tailored for your Former Adventists Philippines (FAP) ministry. In the future, it is envisioned that the church will bear the proposed name Grace New Covenant Church Philippines, Inc.

This is written to be theologically robust yet accessible, specifically targeting the fears instilled by SDA theology (such as the Time of Trouble and the Sunday Law) and replacing them with the hope of the New Covenant and the victory of Christ's Kingdom.

FAP Official Statement: The Victory of Christ and the Hope of the Church

A Declaration on Eschatology (Last Things)

Preamble: From Fear to Faith

We believe that the study of the End Times (Eschatology) should not produce fear, anxiety, or a "survivalist mentality." For too long, many of us were held captive by a theology of doom, anticipating a "Great Time of Trouble," persecution, and a flight to the mountains.

We reject the fear-mongering of Last Generation Theology. Instead, we embrace a biblical optimism rooted in the finished work of Jesus Christ. We hold to a Partial Preterist understanding of prophecy, a Postmillennial hope for the world, and a New Covenant framework for living.

1. The Great Tribulation is Past (Partial Preterism)

We believe that the "Great Tribulation" mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24 was not a prediction of a future end-time persecution of Sabbath-keepers, but a specific prophecy regarding the destruction of the Old Covenant Temple and the city of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The "End of the Age": When the disciples asked about the "end of the age" (Matt. 24:3), they were asking about the end of the Jewish Age (Old Covenant era), not the end of the physical cosmos.

"This Generation": Jesus clearly stated, "Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened" (Matt. 24:34). We believe He meant the generation of His contemporaries, who witnessed the judgment on Jerusalem.

Freedom from Fear: Therefore, we do not expect a future "Jacob's Time of Trouble" or a global "Sunday Law" persecution. These were fulfillments of God's divorce from Old Covenant Israel, not a threat to the New Covenant Church.

2. The Identity of the Beast and Antichrist

We reject the futurist speculation that the "Beast" or "Antichrist" is a future world leader or the Papacy enforcing Sunday worship.

Historical Context: Consistent with the Partial Preterist view, we identify the "Beast" of Revelation primarily as the Roman Empire (specifically under Emperor Nero), which persecuted the early church.

The Number 666: We understand 666 as a gematria (number code) pointing to Nero Caesar, a first-century reality, not a future microchip, barcode, or Sunday law decree.

3. The Victory of the Kingdom (Postmillennial Hope)

We reject the pessimist view that the world will get worse and worse until Jesus rescues a tiny remnant. We believe in the power of the Gospel to transform the world.

The Leaven and the Mustard Seed: As Jesus taught, the Kingdom of God grows gradually but pervasively (Matt. 13).

Christ is Reigning Now: Jesus is not waiting to reign; He is currently seated at the right hand of the Father, putting all enemies under His feet (Psalm 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:25).

The Success of the Great Commission: We believe the Great Commission will be successful. Through the preaching of the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit (not political force), the nations will eventually be discipled, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

4. The New Covenant and the Law of Christ

We believe that the Church is governed not by the Mosaic Law (Old Covenant), but by the Law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2).

No Investigative Judgment: We reject the SDA doctrine of the Investigative Judgment (1844). Believers are not being scrutinized to see if they are "worthy." We are accounted worthy solely through the imputed righteousness of Christ.

Sabbath and Salvation: The weekly Sabbath was a shadow of the rest we now have in Christ (Col. 2:16-17). We are not under the Ten Commandments as a covenant document. Our guide for holiness is the New Testament teaching of love and the Spirit, which calls us to a higher standard than the letter of the law.

5. The Second Coming and Resurrection

While we believe the "judgment on Jerusalem" (AD 70) was a spiritual coming in judgment, we strictly hold to the orthodox belief in a future, physical, and visible Second Coming of Christ.

At the end of history, after the Gospel has permeated the nations, Christ will return physically to resurrect the dead, execute final judgment, and usher in the New Heavens and New Earth in their fullness.

Pastoral Reflection for the Former Adventist

"Mga kapatid, hindi tayo tinawag ni Lord para magtago sa bundok o matakot sa Sunday Law. Tinawag tayo para maging 'Ilaw ng Sanlibutan.' The SDA Great Controversy theme taught us to be victims waiting for persecution. The Gospel teaches us that we are victors in Christ! The Kingdom is advancing. Don't waste your life preparing for a 'Time of Trouble' that already happened in AD 70. Spend your life advancing the Kingdom of Love today."

Former Adventists Philippines

​“Freed by the Gospel. Firm in the Word.”

For more inquiries, contact us:

Email: formeradventist.ph@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/formeradventistph Former Adventists Philippines Association, Inc
SEC Registration No: 2025090219381-03

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