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February 15, 2011

Thoughts on the SDA View of Death

Since Seventh-day Adventists believe in the liberal, unbiblical concept of annihilationism, it should not surprise us that they further believe that Satan, the fallen angel, has an actual physical body of flesh like we humans do. However, the problem is not solved because after Satan is forced to join "the beast and the false prophet" in "the lake of fire," after one thousand  years, the Apostle John declares, "...and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Rev. 20:10 ESV).  This passage certainly is not teaching the quick-fix of annihilationism. Obviously, one must be alive to be tormented.


Adventists are usually very reluctant to take an in-depth look at their esoteric teachings to discover where they  ultimately  lead them to. After all, they have been repeatedly told that they corporately hold the exclusive franchise of heaven.  Official Adventism is only one step away from embracing the notion that all punishment is inconsistent with the kind and loving nature of God.  Due to their humanistic, sentimental reasons for teaching a temporary punishment, one can thereby easily extrapolate the theory that all punishment is against the loving nature of God. Consequently, it is not surprising to discover that some Adventists already believe in a painless annihilation. All in all, they greatly minimize the stain of sin.


With merely a "painless" or "momentary" annihilation at worst after living a profane life, why wouldn't Adventists increasingly just opt for a hedonistic lifestyle? In other words, they do not believe  that the unconfessed and unforgiven sins of the ungodly are forever before the Father from this life, the duration of hell is also eternal due to the endless sinning of the ungodly in hell, and that the remaining stain of sin is a huge affront to God. Their lack of understanding the holiness of God results in a  low view of sin whereby the ungodly do not really deserve more than a transitory fate.   Moreover, their view attacks God's divine justice by insisting that God doesn't have the moral right to inflict unending punishment on the wicked. They feel compelled to arbitrarily adjust God's divine love and justice to accommodate their unique suppositions.

Jesus said that our "spirit" or "soul" cannot be literally killed (see Matthew 10:28).  Importantly, in the original Koine Greek,  the word for "destroy" (meaning "ruin") in this passage is not the same word form as "kill." Moreover, this passage very clearly teaches the dualistic nature of man; namely, body and soul.  The Bible nowhere teaches the resurrection of the soul—only the resurrection of the body. Interestingly, even though our Adventist friends believe that the body and soul are one complete, inseparable unit, they NEVER ever talk about the resurrection of the soul.

To add additional confusion to this topic, they also believe the human spirit is merely one's breath. Thus, according to their understanding, something actually does return from heaven (i.e., their spirit, life principle, or spark of life) to reunite with the body to make a complete whole again in the resurrection. Therefore, in a strange way, they also believe that the body without the soul is dead.  Matthew Henry's Commentary adds, "The soul is killed when separated from God and his love.  Hell is the destruction of both body and soul in hell...The ruin of the whole man:  if the soul is lost, the body is lost too.  They sinned together; the body was the soul's tempter to sin, and its  tool in sin, and they must eternally suffer together."

In summary, here is a quotation from Ellen White about Satan having an actual physical body unlike the other angels: "I was shown Satan as he was, a happy, exalted angel.  Then I was shown him as he now is. He still bears a kingly form.  His features are still noble, for he is angel fallen.  But the expression of his countenance is full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice, hate, mischief, deceit, and every evil.  That brow which was once so noble, I particularly noticed. His forehead commenced from his eyes to recede backward.  I saw that he had demeaned himself so long, that every good quality was debased, and every evil trait was developed. His eyes were cunning, sly, and showed great penetration.  His frame was large, but the flesh hung loosely about his hands and face. As I beheld him, his chin was resting upon his left hand.  He appeared to be deep in thought.  A smile was upon his countenance, which made me tremble, it was so full of evil, and Satanic slyness." (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 27)

Adventist dogma requires Satan having a physical body to suffer for their sins in annihilation and to thereby finally blot out their confessed sins that were only conditionally forgiven.  Shockingly, as their scapegoat, they believe Satan bears their sins by suffering in the quick-fix of annihilation. (see Great Controversy, pages 422 & 475; Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 475; Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, page 131, paragraph 3).  


Sadly, without Satan finally atoning for their sins in annihilation, our Adventist friends claim to have absolutely no hope of ever entering eternal bliss. After all, those who become citizens of heaven had their sins completely blotted out.  Amazingly, Satan has yet a powerful, salvific role to perform, according to the twisted soteriological views of Seventh-day Adventism, by his meritorious annihilation in their behalf. Thus, official Adventism claims to have two sin-bearers; namely, Christ and Satan (Satan being their final sin-bearer).  Frankly, does heresy ever get any worse than this?


Dennis Fischer
Web Chaplain 


NOTE: For more thoughts on the SDA view of death, simply click here.




courtesy of

DENNIS FISCHER MINISTRIES
Worldwide Chaplaincy Services
E-mail:  dfministries@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dfministries

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