When anyone becomes a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church, they are bound to affirm their acceptance of the Fundamental Beliefs of the church which are based on the Word of God.
One of the vows they take, whether they come into the church by profession of faith or by baptism is the following;
“Do you accept the teachings of the Bible as expressed in the Statement of Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and do you pledge by God’s grace to live your life in harmony with these teachings?”(SDA Church Manual pg. 46)
Recently, I have watched what happens when a church rejects our fundamental beliefs and, in their place upholding their own idols. This happened in a church in a Conference near me, and unfortunately this is not just an isolated case.
Some time back, the leadership of this church introduced the grand idea of serving coffee in the foyer of the church. While there were some dissenting voices, this plan was approved by a majority. Those who stood for truth were marginalized and eventually forced to leave this church.
This is a rejection of our fundamental beliefs and the worship of idols. Let’s take a look at some of our fundamental beliefs. Fundamental Belief # 18 is in regard to “The Gift of Prophecy”.
“The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested.” (SDA Church Manual pg. 168) (emphasis supplied throughout this article).
Ellen White speaks with “prophetic authority” in “guidance, instruction, and correction” concerning the use of coffee and other harmful substances. When this or any other instruction is rejected, the Fundamental Belief in the Gift of Prophecy is also rejected.
She wrote,
“I have had great light from the Lord upon the subject of health reform. I did not seek this light; I did not study to obtain it; it was given me by the Lord to give to others” {Ms186-1897}.
In writing out a reproof for a certain church, Ellen White said,
“I saw that a heavy cloud was hanging over the church there… If they believed in the gifts which God had placed in the church, they knew that they must lay aside tea, coffee, and tobacco. They would not renounce all these things, therefore must fight the visions which cut off their idols” {Ms3-1861}.
She had much to say on the subject of coffee and it is clear that coffee drinking is not an option for Seventh-day Adventist Christians who are preparing to meet Jesus. She calls it a sin and an idol.
“Tea and coffee drinking is a sin, an injurious indulgence, which, like other evils, injures the soul. These darling idols create an excitement, a morbid action of the nervous system; and after the immediate influence of the stimulants is gone, it lets down below par just to that degree that its stimulating properties elevated above par” (CD 425.3).
“Those who use tobacco, tea, and coffee should lay aside those idols, and put their cost into the treasury of the Lord” (CD 425.4).
Fundamental Belief #22 concerns our Christian Behavior.
“We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with biblical principles in all aspects of personal and social life. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things that will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that... because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness” (SDA Church Manual pg. 170).
When we disregard the health message that has been given through the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible itself, we disregard not only our Fundamental Beliefs which are based on God’s Word, but we are rejecting God Himself who gave us His Word.
Coffee is classed as a narcotic of which we should abstain from.
“Concerning flesh meat we can all say, Let it alone. And all should bear clear testimony against tea and coffee, never using them. They are narcotics, injurious alike to the brain and to the other organs of the body … (CD 402.3)
Let the members of our churches deny every selfish appetite. Every penny expended for tea, coffee, and flesh meat is worse than wasted; for these things hinder the best development of the physical, mental, and spiritual powers” (CD 402.4).
Jesus said “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Our members need to be educated as to what this means, but if they insist on breaking God’s Law, here is something to think about; on page 62, the SDA Church Manual lists fourteen reasons for church discipline.
The first two have to do with the denial of our fundamental beliefs and the worship of idols. The last three have to do with the use of health destroying substances including the use of narcotics.
“The reasons for which members shall be subject to discipline are:
1. Denial of faith in the fundamentals of the gospel and in the fundamental beliefs of the Church or teaching doctrines contrary to the same.
2. Violation of the law of God, such as worship of idols, murder, stealing, profanity, gambling, Sabbathbreaking, and willful and habitual falsehood.
…
12. The use, manufacture, or sale of alcoholic beverages.
13. The use, manufacture, or sale of tobacco in any of its forms for human consumption.
14. The use or manufacture of illicit drugs or the use, misuse, or sale of narcotics or drugs without appropriate medical cause and license” (SDA Church Manual pg. 62).
What if the church members stood firm for the truth and even the pastors and church leaders who refuse to uphold our beliefs were placed under discipline by the church? What kind of message would that send?
“The church is in a great degree responsible for the sins of her members. She gives countenance to evil if she fails to lift her voice against it” {PK 651.2} (see also 3T 265-271, 5T 147.1).
No one should be above discipline when our Fundamental Beliefs founded on the Word of God are trampled upon in any way. From the member in the back pew to the elders, pastor or even Conference President, all should be held accountable to the vows they made when they became members of the church.
Satan is pleased to bring these things to the members and thereby into the church. He well knows that by imbibing in these harmful substances, Spiritual discernment will be lost, the lines between good and evil will be blurred and soon he will gain complete control over the individual.
“…Those who indulge a perverted appetite, do it to the injury of health and intellect. They cannot appreciate the value of spiritual things. Their sensibilities are blunted, and sin does not appear very sinful, and truth is not regarded of greater value than earthly treasure.” (CD 425.2)
Randy owns a construction company in Newport, Washington, and is President of Last Call Out Ministries. He is happily married to Cherie.