CHAPTER 4

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ZUKO MBEWU’S CRITICISM OF THE SEVENTH-

DAY ADVENTIST DOCTRINE OF THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGEMENT

Analysis of Zuko’s perception of the Seventh-day Adventist church

Zuko starts this paper by identifying two kinds of people in Seventh-day Adventist

church. One is born as an Adventist and others are those who came into Seventh-day

Adventists truth by reading Bible. And he adds that within these two kinds there are three

types. First type refers to the conservative group who attach their traditional and

philosophical views to the God’s word. Second type refers to liberals who takes away the

authority of scripture. Third type refers to middle ones are those who please God and stand

for the truth of the scripture. Zuko conveys that he is a convert who came into Seventh-day

Adventists truth driven by the Bible and considers himself as the third type. And claims that

traditional Adventist think that all the truth found by pioneers are good and does not believe

in further study of Bible. They place Ellen G. White writings above the scripture.1

Zuko states that the objective of his study is not to find fault in Advent movement but

hopes to show that the Bible is never wrong and pioneers does not know everything. He

wants to prove from the writings of pioneer that the concept of the investigative judgement is

created to protect the disappointment of 1844. Moreover, he states that pioneers were open to

further analysis of the doctrines that they formed, with the passing of time and with greater

light. Traditionalist holding on to pioneers position on doctrines of Seventh-day Adventists

suppresses the Holy Spirit. Traditional group believe in their Bible teachers and their

preconceived messages than Holy Spirit. Zuko’s above conviction regarding Seventh-day

Adventists are due to three experiences of his life. He shared these events in his paper.2

1
Zuko Mbewu, “The Pure Gospel of the Sancturay Vs The Theory of an Investigative Judgement,” July
13, 2019., 1-2.
2
Ibid., 2.
 First experience is he witnessed false accusation and testimony against the men of

God who uphold the Bible truth rather than the traditional position of Seventh-day Adventists

and they persecuted for upholding the scripture. Second experience is of a certain pastor

stated that Seventh-day Adventists are not protestant, and there is no link between reformers

faith and Seventh-day Adventists faith. Third experience is happened at the seminary studies.

One day he encountered master level professor and questioned him regarding his teaching

about Bible is just a book. Since he had experience as a missionary and he knows the power

of the Bible in deliverance ministry. He shares his experience happened in one of Amazon

village in driving out the demons with the Bible. He questioned this professor about his

teachings and professor acknowledged the lack of experience and stated that he was teaching

what his teachers taught him. And Zuko burdened in his heart that he is not able to have

freedom in experience the Bible. Instead, pastors and professors engulfed traditional position

of the church and they employed to do this job. This left a scar in his heart and felt that

church interpretation was above the revelation in the scriptures. This experience made a huge

impact in leaving the Seventh-day Adventist church.3 According to Zuko, the above

experience led him to study the Bible in their original language of Greek or Hebrew instead

of translated versions in English. Original versions will reveal richer and deeper knowledge.

However, some translations like English standard version (ESV), Revised Standard Version

(RSV), American Standard version (ASV) done an excellent job in translation.

Zuko claims that gospel of Jesus Christ places the investigative judgement into

humiliation and also the Seventh-day Adventist connection of historical event to every single

prophecy. One of the Biggest problems of Seventh-day Adventist is their erroneous teaching

of the investigative judgement which robs the assurance of salvation. Even their baptised

people feel they are not saved. They die with doubt of salvation. They are not realising that

3
Ibid., 4-5.
salvation comes through faith in Jesus’ atonement at the cross. Which removes the sin and

guilt from the human being. The presence of guilt removes their joy of salvation.4

Zuko’s views about the perception of Seventh-day Adventists is the result of his keen

observation and his experience happened during his days of attachment to the church. He

expresses himself as a convert who came into the Seventh-day Adventist by Bible reading

and search for the fullness of truth which is true because of his conversion from methodist.

Zuko is cautious and clear in not adding all Seventh-day Adventist into the conservative

group. He is clear from his experience that conservatives will not accept new truth even if it

comes from the scriptures. The above statement shows his assurance of his opinion about

conservative group. He agrees with the writings of Desmond Ford that complaints against

Seventh-day Adventist teachings today include the belief that they do not study the Bible

itself, and that Ellen White's comments on the Scriptures are reason to close off further

investigation.5 Zuko’s and Ford’s understanding of Seventh-day Adventists upholding the

Ellen G. White writing above the scriptures is illogical because Adventist believe in her

writings accept the Bible is the first authority since they follow her writings and this same

position is quoted by Ellen G. White in her writings as we study and obey God's Word, a

bright light will be reflected to the world and new truths will bind us to Jesus. The Bible

alone is our creed and should be our sole bond of union. We must meet all opposition and lift

up the banner on which is inscribed, the Bible being our rule of faith and discipline.6

Zuko clearly states that his objective of this paper is not to find fault in Seventh-day

Adventist movement. However, his study is disorganized by mentioning two challenges in

Seventh-day Adventist church in the introduction of his paper. According to Zuko, first flaw

is giving importance to traditional views than Bible and another flaw is giving more

4
Ibid., 4.
5
Desmond Ford, “Daniel 8:14, The Day Of Atonement, And The Investigative Judgment” , 30.
6
Ellen G. White, 1sm 416
importance to Ellen G. White than Bible. Another objective of this paper gives a feeling of

his aggressive nature to prove his point forcibly by stating that scripture provides basis for the

gospel which puts the investigative judgement into shame. Zuko’s claims of Holy Spirit

silenced by traditional points of Seventh-day Adventists does not correlate with the fact that

pioneers receive their truth based on Bible study under the guidance of Holy Spirit. In 1868,

James White explains regarding those Adventist left the original faith. He stated that the

subject of the end of the 2300 days prophecy is clearly explained in Seventh-day Adventist

truth. Denying the work of the Spirit of God in the Advent movement and attributing it to

human and satanic influences can lead to sin against the Holy Spirit.7

Zuko’s conviction of good English translation as Revised Standard version or English

Standard Versions to study the Bible sounds illogical. He does not cite any proof to support

his claim. It is interesting that Zuko’s statement of Adventist die without hope of forgiveness

of sin. The above statement cannot be proved because salvation is personal to individual, one

cannot predict another human being’s heart. Zuko’s view of gospel will be analysed in the

later part.

The researcher feels that Zuko’s thoughts are influenced and biased about Seventh-

day Adventist conservative standpoint through some bad experience he underwent during his

service in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Surprised by his conviction of conservatives

upholding the Ellen G. White writings above the scripture and his conviction of translation

versions of the Bible. He confuses by advising Seventh-day Adventist to read the Bible

continuously under the Holy Spirt. And passing of time will reveal changes to the same truth

what was once received by the pioneers from the Holy Spirit. His argument of pioneers does

not know everything blames the light received from the Holy Spirit is illogical. All his

7
James White, Life incidents in connection with the Great Advent Movement as illustrated by the three angels
of Revelation, Volume 1(Battle Creek, MI: Steam press of the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association,
1868)., 267.
convictions and perceptions give an insight about his initial spark of criticism against the

investigative judgement.