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Johanna Hightower
Professor Ritivoiu
English 102
23 January 2014
Is Adventism a Cult?
While researching the Seventh-day Adventists religion, an individual came across a
website full of negative comments and concerns that proclaimed Seventh-day Adventist religion
a cult of Christianity. This accusation has been repeatedly attributed to Seventh-day Adventists.
In spite of these accusations, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is not a cult because their
beliefs do not agree with what the theological definition of a cult in Christianity is.
Its reasonable that the Adventist may be considered a cult because of their lack of
popularity and minority status among the Christian world. Seventh-day Adventists are a
significantly small percentage of the different Christian faiths and because of this small
percentage, little is known about them. The majority of people who know about Seventh-day
Adventists know only scant individualities about them such as: they are a group of people who
go to church on Saturday, believe in a prophet who lived during the late 1800s, and apply
scripture differently than many other denominations. Because of the scarcity of information
known about them, it is easy to make assumptions about Adventists, like of them being a cult.
The definition that will be used to show if Adventists are a cult or not, is the theological
definition stated by Kevin Lewis, associate professor of theology and Law at BIOLA University.
The definition as described in Cults of America states, A cult of Christianity is a group of
people claiming to be Christian, who embrace a particular doctrinal system taught by an
individual leader, group of leaders, or organization, which (system) denies (either explicitly or
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implicitly) one or more of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith as taught in the sixty-six
books of the Bible (Lewis 1). This two part definition can be split into, a group of people
claiming to be Christians who embrace a doctrinal system taught by an individual, group of
leaders or organization. The second part being, an individual leader, group of leaders or
organization whose doctrinal system denies one or more of the essential doctrines of the
Christian faith as found in the Bible. The definition stated above will be the premise in
deciphering if Adventism is or is not a cult.
The first part of the definition to be examined states, a cult is a group of people who
embrace a particular teaching taught by an individual leader, group of leaders or organization. To
address this part of the definition a brief history of Adventist formation is useful. The Adventist
religion was started by an earnest searching of the scripture after the Great disappointment, of
Christ not coming at the anticipated time. After the great disappointment a small group remained
faithful to the advent message studying the scripture especially those having to do with the
heavenly atonement and sanctuary; through this they came across the Sabbath truth. Texts such
as Exodus 20:8-11 commanding remembrance of the Seventh day and Genesis 2:2-3 stating
Gods rest on the Sabbath strengthened their conviction. Although there were pioneers such as
Joseph Bates, T.M. Preble and the Whites who taught the Sabbath message, this core doctrine
was set-up and based on the Bible. There are many well accepted religions which were taught by
an individual leaders or groups of leaders at their formation. Some of these religions include the
Lutheran church taught by Martin Luther, the Methodist movement taught by John Wesley, or
the Calvinist religion, taught by John Calvin. Seventh-day Adventists did have proponents who
preached the Sabbath message but the main distinctive doctrine of the religion was set-up from
and based on earnest searching of the scriptures.
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The second part of the definition states that a cult is an individual leader, group of
leaders or organization whose doctrinal system denies one or more of the essential doctrines of
the Christian faith as found in the sixty-six books of the Bible. To decipher if Adventists meet
this criteria it is necessary to know what the essential doctrines of Christian faith are. In a later
section in Cults in America, it gives a list of the essential doctrines, three will be examined in
this paper. The 3 essential doctrines are the trinity, salvation by grace through faith, and proper
significance to the work of Christ. These three essential doctrines will be examined to show
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The denial of the trinity is the first of the essential doctrines listed by Lewis. The
Seventh-day Adventist religion holds the protestant sola scriptura basis for their beliefs. There
are 28 fundamental beliefs that Adventists adhere to, the second of these discusses the trinity.
Adventists take the biblical stance on the trinity, believing that there is one God: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit, co-eternal beings working together in unity for the salvation of men. God is
immortal, all knowing, and all powerful, worthy of all adoration and praise from His created
beings. Psalms 19 depicts the heavens declaring Gods glory and the earth praising Him. In
Deuteronomy 6:4 it states, The Lord God is one God. Each branch of the trinity is expressed in
1 Peter 1:2 as it states, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through
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sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace
unto you, and peace, be multiplied. The trinity is a three in one co-eternal unit which works
together for the salvation of men and is worthy of complete glory and adoration from their
created beings.
The second essential doctrine stated by Lewis is denial of salvation by grace through
faith. The 28 fundamental beliefs address salvation by stating Adventists belief that one is saved
by grace through faith as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9, but that this state of salvation can be changed
at any time by human choice to renounce it. Salvation is accomplished by seeing ones need for
God and by faith accepting His gift of salvation. As one accepts this gift through the Spirit of
God they are born again and given a renewed mind with power to live a new life in Christ. Bible
verses that suggest Adventisms view on this is, 2 Cor. 5:17-21. It states, Therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new. Adventists believe that in Christ we are new creatures imbued with new desires, new
habits and most importantly a new heart. Other verses that validate the Adventists view on
salvation are found in: John 3:16, Gal. 1:4, Titus 3:3-7, John 16:8 and 1 Peter 2:21, 22. Contrary
to the ideas that affirm Adventisms denial of salvation by grace through faith, Adventists
believe in the biblical basis of salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.
The third essential doctrine that cults deny according to Lewis is devaluation of the work
of Christ. The work of Christ is a key doctrine in Adventist belief and history. Leading to the
great disappointment the advent movement studied the prophecies extensively, looking at the
heavenly atonement and mainly Christs work in the Most Holy Place. Christ work on the cross
and in the heavenly sanctuary is strongly believed by Seventh-day Adventists as the completion
of making us at one with the Father again. The fundamental relating to Christs work states, He
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suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead,
and ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory for
the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things (28 Fundamental Beliefs 3).
Adventists take the biblical stance that Christ took the death that belonged to humanity and gave
humanity His perfect life, received by faith in Him. Adventists believe that since the ascension of
Christ, He has been interceding for humanity and that when His ministry is finished, He will
come back to take His children home.
There are many misconceptions believed about various religions including that of
Adventist being a cult. It is reasonable for this misconception to be believed because of the
scarcity of information known about the religion. To clear this misconception a defintion be
Lewis is used to show is Adventists are or are not a cult. That definition states, A cult of
Christianity is a group of people claiming to be Christian, who embrace a particular doctrinal
system taught by an individual leader, group of leaders, or organization, which (system) denies
(either explicitly or implicitly) one or more of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith as
taught in the sixty-six books of the Bible. Although Adventists had pioneers who taught their
beliefs during the period in which they were formed, the doctrines of the church were founded
upon earnest searching of the scriptures. Adventists uphold the doctrine of the three in one trinity
as a co-eternal unit worthy of all adoration and praise. Adventists also believe salvation by grace
through the faith believed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This faith works a renewing of mind,
heart and soul. Lastly, Adventists sincerely believe in the work of Christ both on the cross and
now taking place in the heavenly sanctuary. These three essential doctrines were stated by Lewis,
were denied in the case of a cult. The Seventh-day Adventist denomination is not a cult because
their beliefs do not concur with the theological definition of a cult.
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Works Cited
28 Fundamental Beliefs. N.p.: Seventh-day Adventist Church, n.d. Pdf.
"King James Bible." King James Bible. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.
Lewis, Kevin. Cults of America. Los Angeles: BIOLA University, n.d. Pdf.
"Seventh-Day Adventist Church." Seventh-day Adventist Church Emerged from Religious
Fervor of 19th Century Article: The Official Site of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church.
N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Early Writings of Ellen G. White. Washington, D.C.: Review and
Herald Pub. Association, 1945. Print.