Recently, I came across trending Facebook posts from two factions within Adventism holding opposing views on the doctrine of salvation. Both groups are Seventh-day Adventists who observe the Ten Commandments. What divides them is the question of how God saves a sinner, according to Scripture. This intra-SDA debate over soteriology actually traces back to the late 1960s and continues to this day, the two camps being the "Traditional SDAs" and the "Progressive SDAs."
What's the Difference?
What's the Difference?
Traditional SDAs hold conservative views aligned with the original founders of the SDA Church in the 1800s, maintaining strong loyalty to the writings of Ellen G. White. Progressive SDAs, on the other hand, no longer treat White as an inspired prophet but rather as an inspirational author comparable to any ordinary well-known writer. This divergence directly affects how each camp understands salvation.
The Traditionalists emphasize perfect obedience to the Law, and understandably so, because that is precisely what Mrs. White taught in several of her statements. Consider these direct quotes:
"Obedience to the law of the ten commandments is what is needed in order to be saved. This is the very requirement of God." (The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, May 5, 1898)
"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, shall be presented to the world as the standard of righteousness. At that time, men and women will see that the requirement for their salvation is perfect obedience to God's holy law. No one will be able to offer any excuse for sin. By the righteous principles of that law, the people will receive their sentence of life or death." (The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, January 28, 1909)
Mrs. White's statements here are unmistakably clear: obedience to the Ten Commandments is presented as a requirement for salvation, not a fruit of salvation, as SDA pastors and laypeople now commonly claim on social media. Some of these defenders are compensated by their conferences in the Philippines to conceal this cultic doctrine and make their church sound evangelical when, in reality, it is not. They rely on deception to gain acceptance from orthodox Christianity, which is an impossible goal unless they publicly renounce Ellen G. White and repent, just as the Worldwide Church of God did in the 1990s, after which they were finally recognized as evangelical Christians.
It is also worth noting the dates of these statements. The quotes above are from 1898 and 1909, among the later writings of Mrs. White, just years before her death on July 16, 1915. If Progressive SDAs wish to cite earlier statements that appear to favor their view, those earlier statements are simply overridden by her more recent, definitive pronouncements.
The Progressive SDA Response
Progressive SDAs selectively quote Mrs. White's writings to support the view that law-keeping is only a fruit of salvation, not a condition for it. They hide her contradictory statements to project an evangelical image. A frequently cited quote used on social media is this one:
"Although we are counseled to obey, we should not think that we can attain salvation by our good works. Salvation is the free gift of God, and it is received through faith. It is granted to the repentant soul through Christ in the great plan of redemption. But the proof of our love for Him, the evidence of our faith, is found in our obedience to God's holy law." (Signs of the Times, May 16, 1895)
I attempted to locate the original scanned copy from the Adventist Archives website but could not find it, though I did find it in the Ellen G. White app, so I believe this quotation is legitimate. Note that this statement is from 1895, earlier than the 1898 and 1909 statements we cited first. Under the standard principle that a writer's later statements carry more weight, the earlier 1895 quote is superseded by what Mrs. White wrote afterward.
A Critical Observation on Wording
Notice also that in her 1895 statement, Mrs. White never said salvation "is received through faith alone"; she simply said "through faith." This seemingly small distinction, "faith" versus "faith alone," has also been used by the Roman Catholic Church to mislead many Protestants into thinking Catholic and Protestant soteriology are essentially the same. It is no surprise, then, that many born-again Christians drift into Adventism for the same reason: a failure to carefully examine the precise biblical terminology being used.
Three Options for Adventists Genuinely Seeking the Truth
1. Stay in the SDA Church. Despite knowing that certain doctrines are erroneous and that Ellen G. White was a false prophet, one may choose to remain for the sake of family or livelihood, though this leaves one's salvation uncertain.
2. Look the Other Way. One may continue rejecting the evidence in favor of personal comfort and peace. But there is truly no peace for someone who knows something is wrong and deliberately remains in it.
3. Leave the SDA Church. Given the clear evidence of doctrinal error, especially on the critically important doctrine of salvation, the right response is to leave. Remaining when you know the truth is sin (James 4:17). The prophet they follow contradicts sound doctrine on salvation's most essential points; therefore, Ellen G. White did not speak from God. Scripture is clear: the Lord will not allow His true Church to be led by a false prophet.
A Call to Adventists
To SDA Pastors and Defenders: Stop pretending to be evangelical Christians. There are far too many former Adventists like myself who are thoroughly familiar with your talking points and recruitment strategies. Christ's warning applies directly to what you are doing: dressing in sheep's clothing while remaining wolves. You use Christian terminology like "salvation by faith," "saved by grace," and "keeping the law as fruit of salvation" to deceive the unsuspecting.
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matthew 7:15
To SDA Bible Students and Those Preparing for Baptism: Pray sincerely and ask God for wisdom as you weigh the evidence against Adventist teaching. If you are about to be baptized into the SDA Church, stop while you still can. The deeper you go into the system, the harder it becomes to leave, and the persecution you will face when you eventually do will be significant.
"For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16:18
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