The Fundamental Principles book is for everyone. After the Second Great Awakening in the mid-1800’s, Bible believing Christians heard the voice of God in the first and second angel’s messages that were proclaimed far and wide. As they heard the message to return to the worship of the Creator, the one true God and to leave their creed-bound churches that had rejected the first angel’s message, they gathered together and worshiped God, usually in a home setting. At the time they came together to study the Bible and strive for unity in the late 1840’s and 1850’s, they were not organized in any formal structure. It was in these formative years, that God miraculously led the believers into an understanding of Bible truth by giving them instruction through the gift of prophecy. God did not tell them what to believe, He simply aided their own diligent efforts to study the Bible and find unity among themselves. It was during these years the doctrines that became the basis of the Fundamental Principles were established—as many as fifteen years before they organized into a body called the Seventh-day Adventists.
The Fundamental Principles are principles based on Bible truth, and as such, they are for everyone wanting to both understand the Scriptures, and participate in proclaiming the last messages of warning and mercy to the world.
“God calls upon us to make known to all men the truths that have made us what we are—Seventh-day Adventists.” (Ellen White, Manuscript 125, 1907, par. 13)
“No line of truth that has made the Seventh-day Adventist people what they are, is to be weakened. We have the old landmarks of truth, experience, and duty, and we are to stand firmly in defense of our principles, in full view of the world.” (Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, p. 17)
“Every truth that He [God] has given for these last days is to be proclaimed to the world. Every pillar that He has established is to be strengthened. We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We cannot now enter into any new organization; for this would mean apostasy from the truth.” (Ellen White, Manuscript 129, 1905, par. 6)
The Fundamental Principles defined the faith, doctrine and practice of the Seventh-day Adventists during the first fifty years of the denomination. These principle understandings of God’s Word is what the Seventh-day Adventists had been commissioned to proclaim the world. But this was not without opposition from Satan. Ellen White warned, “The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established.” (Letter 242, 1903, par. 13)
This new organization is today the corporate Seventh-day Adventist denomination. The doctrines of the first fifty years were given up, the fundamental principles have been accounted as error, and the Seventh–day Adventist religion has indeed been changed. The purpose of this book therefore, is to be an educational resource in hands of any serious Bible student, to help them see why these Fundamental Principles were based on the Bible, and return to them.
The Fundamental Principles book also contains explanatory statements from Ellen White and the Early Adventists in defense of every single point made in the 1889 Fundamental Principles. This is to prove that these Fundamental Principles are what Ellen White and the Early Adventists believed—in spite of the accusations made by the denomination today that these were erroneous doctrines—and to substantiate why Ellen White and the Early Adventists believed these Fundamental Principles were Bible Truth.
The three angels’ messages are to be proclaimed to the world—and they will be, but God will not bless those who have abandoned the Fundamental Principles that stand has the pillar and ground of the truths He has given His people to give to the world.
For more information concerning the history, corruption and ultimate restoration of the Fundamental Principles, see the section below entitled The Story of the Fundamental Principles.
“Some will take up with theories that misinterpret the Word of God and undermine the foundation of the truth that has been firmly established, point by point, and sealed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The old truths are to be revived, in order that the false theories that have been brought in by the enemy may be intelligently met. There can be no unity between truth and error. We can unite with those who have been led into deception only when they are converted.” (Ellen White, Letter 121, 1905, par. 10)
The Fundamental Principles were established point by point, and so we have divided up each of the 28 Fundamental Principles point by point, endeavoring to substantiate that each of the points made is based on the Bible and the Bible alone.
Following each point, is a section entitled “Bible Verses” that substantiates from the Bible, the veracity of the point under consideration. When necessary, notes are added to show the relationship between the verses given and to provide additional explanation and context. The Fundamental Principles are Bible truths. The Bible alone is our foundation. Not Ellen White, nor the writings of the Early Adventists. That said, we do believe in the inspiration of Ellen White and that God lead the understanding of the Early Adventists because what they professed to believe and proclaim is in harmony with the Scriptures.
The next section under each point made, is entitled “Ellen White.” In this section you will find a variety of statements from Ellen White explaining, upholding and defending the point of the Fundamental Principle under consideration. The purpose of these statements is not to substantiate the point by the merit of Ellen White’s statements, but rather to show why Ellen White believed each point made to be biblical. In recent years for example, claims have been made that Ellen White embraced the doctrine of the trinity as “new light” and that the non-trinitarian Fundamental Principles concerning God and His Son were error. Part of demonstrating the falsehood of such accusations is allowing Ellen White to speak for herself through her own writings as to both what she believed, and why she believed it. Those who believe Ellen White was granted the Spirit of Prophecy will see in her writings the voice of Jesus speaking to His people. Her writings are so full of love for God and love for man and contain profound warnings and admonitions for the erring, that we know many will see in her writings solemn insights concerning the Fundamental Principles of Bible truth.
The third and final section under each point of every fundamental principle is entitled “Early Adventists.” Ellen White wrote concerning the Early Adventists whom God led through the establishment of these truths, that “the standard-bearers who have fallen in death are to speak
through the reprinting of their writings. I am instructed that their
voices are to be heard. They are to bear their testimony as to what
constitutes the truth for this time.” (Manuscript 99, 1909, par. 49)
God gave these Early Adventists wisdom and discernment concerning the Bible and spiritual understandings that even to this day have largely been lost. By the clear instruction of God, the writings of these men was to be reproduced so that they may “bear their testimony as to what constitutes the truth for this time.” (ibid) The wisdom and understanding of these intellects far exceeds the theologians and ministers of our own time. Given that these Early Adventists passed through these experiences by which these truths were established and have a depth of understanding from which we may benefit, and because their writings bear the endorsement of God, we have included their writings in this book. Their explanations contain insights we all need to help us in our understanding of the Scriptures and of each point of the fundamental principles.
In 1905 Ellen White wrote of the experience of Seventh-day Adventists saying, “The past fifty years have not dimmed one jot or principle of our faith as we received the great and wonderful evidences that were made certain to us in 1844, after the passing of the time. The languishing souls are to be confirmed and quickened according to His Word. And many of the ministers of the gospel and the Lord’s physicians will have their languishing souls quickened according to the Word. Not a word is changed or denied. That which the Holy Spirit testified to as truth after the passing of the time, in our great disappointment, is the solid foundation of truth. Pillars of truth were revealed, and we accepted the foundation principles that have made us what we are—Seventh-day Adventists, keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus.” (Letter 326, 1905, par. 3)
These “pillars of truth,” often also called “the foundation principles,” the “waymarks,” “the platform of eternal truth,” or “the foundation principles” are the identifying doctrines upon which the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of Scripture was established. These doctrines define the Seventh-day Adventist faith. They are not the musings or theories of men, but the result of the studies of men of God as they were supernaturally directed in their study of Scripture by the gift of prophecy. Ellen White describes how God directed their studies in these words.
“At our important meetings, these men would meet together and search for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly; for we felt that we must learn God’s truth. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the word. As we fasted and prayed, great power come upon us. But I could not understand the reasoning of the brethren. My mind was locked, as it were, and I could not comprehend what we were studying. Then the Spirit of God would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to the position we were to take regarding truth and duty. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God was plainly marked out before me, and I gave my brethren and sisters the instruction that the Lord had given me. They knew that when not in vision I could not understand these matters, and they accepted as light direct from heaven the revelations given me. The leading points of our faith as we hold them today were firmly established. Point after point was clearly defined, and all the brethren came into harmony. The whole company of believers were united in the truth. There were those who came in with strange doctrines, but we were never afraid to meet them. Our experience was wonderfully established by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.” (Ellen White, Manuscript 135, 1903, par. 4)
In this manner God established the believers in an understanding of
Bible truth. What was the result of miraculous work of God in directing
the earnest studies of His people? We read “all the brethren came into
harmony. The whole company of believers were united in the truth.” (ibid) Only as the believers accepted the manifestations of the Spirit of
Prophecy as revelations from God could they come into unity—and the same
holds true today. Many today still bring strange doctrines and concepts foreign to the Bible and the writings of Ellen White into their faith and practice—and disunity is the inevitable result.
This small group of believers however, acknowledged the authority by
which they were led was the authority and testimony of Jesus Himself.
This is why Ellen White, could write “Let not erroneous theories receive
countenance from the people who ought to be standing firm on the platform of eternal truth. God calls upon us to hold firmly to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority.” (Letter 232, 1903, par. 58)
That these were the fundamental principles of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is made clear in Ellen White’s 1905 statement, “We are to hold fast the first principles of our denominated faith and go forward from strength to increased faith.” (Letter 326, 1905, par. 2) These principles are the foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist faith. They define the Seventh-day Adventist faith and doctrine as given by Jesus Himself. Any departure from it would be classified as a departure from the faith. Such was exactly Ellen White’s point when she wrote, “We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We cannot now enter into any new organization; for this would mean apostasy from the truth.” (Manuscript Releases, Vol. 20, p. 151, par. 1) Yet, stepping off “the foundation that God established” is exactly what happened. And so today, the denomination is indeed in “apostasy,” for it has forsaken “the foundation principles that have made us what we are—Seventh-day Adventists…” (Letter 326, 1905, par. 3)
In 1903, the pantheistic theories of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg brought the denomination to a breaking point. His new book The Living Temple contained ideas contrary to the doctrines that had defined the Seventh-day Adventist faith. In a letter to the brethren in Battle Creek, Ellen White warned, “If Dr. Kellogg would stand solidly with his ministering brethren, they could help him, and he could help them. But he has started on a track which if followed will lead to the tearing down of the foundation upon which our faith is based. Spiritualistic sentiments have been presented in so plausible a manner that our medical missionary workers have been fascinated by them. I pray that they will not continue to foster these ideas. Their work is now to put away from them these pleasing fables.” (Letter 275, 1903, par. 6)
What were these “spiritualistic sentiments” that Dr. Kellogg was advocating that was threatening to “tear down the foundation upon which our faith is based”? We need not wonder. Ellen White wrote, “I have been instructed by the heavenly messenger that some of the reasoning in the book Living Temple is unsound, and that this reasoning would lead astray the minds of those who are not thoroughly established on the foundation principles of present truth. It introduces that which is nought but speculation in regard to the personality of God and where His presence is.” (Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 201, par. 3)
In the same letter, Ellen White re-emphasizes the danger, saying, “Living Temple contains the alpha of these theories. I knew that the omega would follow in a little while; and I trembled for our people. I knew that I must warn our brethren and sisters not to enter into controversy over the presence and personality of God. The statements made in Living Temple in regard to this point are incorrect. The scripture used to substantiate the doctrine there set forth, is scripture misapplied.” (Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 203, par. 2) Seventh-day Adventists today happily admit that Dr. Kellogg’s pantheistic ideas were unbiblical and that the crisis was averted and the denomination saved. But was it?
In the autumn of 1903, Ellen White wrote two letters to the Autumn
Council meeting of the Seventh-day Adventists, explicitly stating that
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg’s ideas were incorrect. To the relief of many,
they joyfully expressed their gratitude to God for the arrival of these
letters, just in time to be read at the end of the meetings to avert a
church split. Dr. Kellogg recanted his views and expressed his intention
to correct the unbiblical sentiments found in his book.
About nine months later, on July 31st, 1904, Ellen White was given
further instruction from God. “It will be said that Living Temple has
been revised. But the Lord has shown me that Dr. Kellogg has not
changed, and there can be no unity between him and the ministers of the
gospel while he continues to cherish his present sentiments. I am bidden
to lift my voice in warning to our people, saying, ‘Be not deceived;
God is not mocked.’ [Galatians 6:7.]” (Letter 277, 1904, par. 21)
This warning from God revealed that Dr. Kellogg’s confession and
intention to change course was not sincere—and God even went so far as
to classify Kellogg’s course as one of mocking Him. Ellen White wrote a
month earlier, in June 1904, “I have been given light that unless Dr.
Kellogg becomes a changed man, he will become Satan’s decoy to seduce
souls away from the truth.” (Letter 399, 1904, par. 14) Sadly,
despite the pleas of Sister White and the brethren, Dr. Kellogg’s course
remained the same. While it is true that the denomination was spared
the error of pantheism, Dr. Kellogg’s course led the church into the
same danger but with a different doctrine.
The then General Conference President A.G. Daniells, wrote a letter to
Willie C. White on October 29th, 1903, merely a week after the Autumn
Council meetings, and wrote “He [Kellogg] then stated that his former
views regarding the trinity had stood in his way of making a clear and
absolutely correct statement but that within a short time he had come to believe in the trinity and could now see pretty clearly where all the difficulty was and believed that he could clear up the matter satisfactorily…
He told me that he now believed in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and his view was that it was God the Holy Ghost and not God the Father that filled all space and every living thing. He said that if he had
believed this before writing the book, he could have expressed his views
without giving the wrong impression the book now gives.” (Letter by A.
G. Daniells to W. C. White on October 29, 1903)
Ellen White had been shown the doctrinal problems with Dr. Kellogg’s book concerned “the presence and personality of God,” and so, correcting his book would necessitate a change of understanding concerning these ideas. And so, Dr. Kellogg resolved that these changes could be corrected by adopting the doctrine of the trinity. In his own words, he stated “As far as I can fathom, the difficulty which is found in the Living Temple, the whole thing may be simmered down to this question: is the Holy Ghost a person. You say no. I had supposed the Bible said this for the reason that the personal pronoun he is used in speaking of the Holy Ghost. Sister White uses the pronoun he and has said in as many words that the Holy Ghost is the third person of the Godhead. How the Holy Ghost can be the third person and not be a person at all is difficult for me to see.” (Letter, J.H. Kellogg to G.I. Butler, October 28th, 1903)
And with this, the controversy over the Holy Spirit which concerns the presence and personality of God continued to develop. But far from averting the crisis, it magnified it. Ellen White called this controversy over “the presence and personality of God” the “alpha of these theories,” warning that in time “the Omega” would follow. In May of 1904, now just seven months after the crisis at the Autumn Council meetings when Dr. Kellogg became a trinitarian, Ellen White wrote, “Living Temple contains the Alpha of these theories. The Omega would follow in a little while. I tremble for our people.” (Manuscript 46, 1904, par. 9) In July of that same year, Ellen White added, “Be not deceived; many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature.” (Letter 263, 1904, par. 15)
As the alpha contained erroneous theories concerning “the presence and personality of God,” so too will the omega—albeit to a much greater degree. While church leaders today happily report the alpha heresy was averted, they have no idea that by embracing the doctrine of the trinity they are embracing the omega of deadly heresies. They do not discern, that which Ellen White warned would happen, was not that pantheism would be embraced, but that errors concerning the presence of personality of God would be embraced—more specifically, errors concerning the presence and personality of God that contradicted the fundamental doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist faith. Sister White’s exact words were these:
“I have been instructed to warn our people; for many are in danger of receiving theories and sophistries that undermine the foundation pillars of the faith.” (Letter 263, 1904, par. 13)
“Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith concerning the sanctuary, or concerning the personality of God or of Christ, are working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to set the people of God adrift, without an anchor.” (Manuscript 62, 1905.14)
“If the ideas presented in this book were received, they would lead to the uprooting of the whole construction of the faith that makes Seventh-day Adventists a chosen, denominated people.” (Testimonies for the Church Containing Messages of Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, p. 48, par. 4)
“Many there are whom we regard as friends of the truth who are working in direct opposition to the principles of truth that have made us what we are today. Through a spirit of self-sufficiency they have been led to act a part in counterworking the instruction that God has sent through His Word and through the testimonies of His Spirit.” (Manuscript 99, 1908, par. 10)
“I was shown a platform, braced by solid timbers, the truths of the word of God. Some one high in responsibility in the medical work was directing this man and that man to loosen the timbers supporting this platform. Then I heard a voice saying, ‘Where are the watchmen that ought to be standing on the walls of Zion? Are they asleep? How can they be silent? This foundation was built by the Master Worker, and will stand the storm and tempest. Will they permit this man to present doctrines that deny the past experience of the people of God?’ The time has come to take decided action. I was instructed to call upon our physicians and ministers to take a firm stand for the truth. We are not to allow atheistic, spiritualistic sentiments to be brought before our youth. God has led us in the past, giving us truth, eternal truth. By this truth we are to stand. Some of the leaders in the medical work have been deceived, and if they continue to hold fanciful, spiritualistic ideas, they will make many believe that the platform upon which we have been standing for the past fifty years has been torn away. These men need now to see with anointed eyes, with clear spiritual vision, that in spite of all men can do, ‘the foundation of God standeth sure,’ and ‘the Lord knoweth them that are His.’” (Testimonies for the Church Containing Messages of Warning and Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, p. 38, par. 2)
“God has left His truth and its history in publications which are truth today. He has made known that we must revive the history of the past as given to God’s people. Satan will work upon human minds to bring in specious theories that will dishonor God by trying to tear away the pillars of our faith.” (Manuscript 130, 1906, par. 38)
“Let no one presume to move a pin or a foundation stone from the structure. Those who attempt to undermine the pillars of our faith are among those of whom the Bible says that ‘in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.’” (Letter 87, 1905, par. 8)
“We are not to receive the words of those who come with a message that contradicts the special points of our faith. They gather together a mass of Scripture, and pile it as proof around their asserted theories. This has been done over and over again during the past fifty years. And while the Scriptures are God’s word, and are to be respected, the application of them, if such application moves one pillar from the foundation that God has sustained these fifty years, is a great mistake. He who makes such an application knows not the wonderful demonstration of the Holy Spirit that gave power and force to the past messages that have come to the people of God.” (Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 161, par. 2)
“But since the General Conference of 1888, Satan has been working with special power through unconsecrated elements to weaken the confidence of God’s people in the voice that has been appealing to them for these many years. If he can succeed in this, then through misapplication of Scripture he will lead many to cast away their confidence in the past work under the messages. Thus he would set them adrift, with no solid foundation for their faith, hoping to bring them fully under his power. Let the attention of our people be called to the special work of the Spirit of God as it has been connected with the rise and progress of the three messages, and a blessing will result to the whole body. A revival of faith and interest in the testimonies of the Spirit of God will lead to the obtaining of a healthful experience in the things of God. Some of those who are newly come to the faith claim to have special light from God in regard to these messages, but their new light leads them to set aside established truths that are the pillars of our faith. They misinterpret and misapply the Scriptures. They misplace the messages of (Revelation 14), and set aside the work which these messages have accomplished. Thus they reject the great waymarks which God Himself has established. Since their new light leads them to tear down the structure which the Lord has built up, we may know that He is not guiding them.” (Manuscript 31, 1890, par. 7)
“We are very sorry to see the result of gathering a large number to Battle Creek. Ministers who have been believers in the foundation truths that have made us what we are—Seventh-day Adventists—ministers who went to Battle Creek to teach and uphold the truth of the Bible, are now, when old and grey-headed, turning from the grand truths of the Bible and accepting infidel sentiments. This means that the next step will be a denial of a personal God, pulling down the bulwarks of the faith that is plainly revealed in the Scriptures. In the Word is given the warning, ‘Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.’” (1 Timothy 1:4) (Manuscript 20, 1906, par. 13)
“As the points of our faith were thus established, our feet were placed upon a solid foundation. We accepted the truth point by point under the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. I would be taken off in vision and explanations would be given me. I was given illustrations of heavenly things and of the sanctuary, so that we were placed where light was shining on us in clear, distinct rays. All these truths are immortalized in my writings. The Lord never denies His Word. Men may get up scheme after scheme, and the enemy will seek to seduce souls from the truth, but all who believe that the Lord has spoken through Sister White, and has given her a message, will be safe from the many delusions that will come in these last days.” (Letter 50, 1906, par. 5)
“Dr. Kellogg has been removing the foundation timbers one by one, and his reasoning would soon leave us with no foundation for our faith. He has not received the testimonies that God through His Spirit has given. They are to him as idle tales. The books containing such important instruction are discarded because they say so much about a personal God.” (Manuscript 117a, 1903, par. 13)
“He [Satan] knows that if he can deceive the people who claim to believe present truth, [and make them believe that] the work the Lord designs to do for His people is a removing of the old landmarks, something which they should, with most determined zeal, resist, then he exults over the deception he has led them to believe…” (Manuscript 13, 1889, par. 10)
“The truth for this time is precious, but those whose hearts have not been broken by falling on the rock Christ Jesus, will not see and understand what is truth. They will accept that which pleases their ideas, and will begin to manufacture another foundation than that which is laid. They will flatter their own vanity and esteem, thinking that they are capable of removing the pillars of our faith, and replacing them with pillars they have devised. This will continue to be as long as time shall last.” (Manuscript 28, 1890, par. 7)
These and many more warnings from God, all point to an abandoning of the foundation of our faith—the foundation principles that have made us what we are. Though ministers and Adventists alike think themselves safe because they have denied the error of pantheism, they embrace wholeheartedly that which Ellen White warned would happen if they embraced Kellogg’s teachings—the departure from the truths that have made us what we are, Seventh-day Adventists. This was the far greater danger of which Ellen White consistently gave warning. Yet, the very danger she warned against for so many years, as been fully realized. Few warnings are more direct or more decided than the warning Sister White had for God’s people in 1903. In this prophecy was foretold the abandonment of the fundamental principles of the Seventh-day Adventist faith in favor of a new organization.
“The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.” (Letter 242, 1903, par. 13)
What is it that would constitute the changing of “our religion?” It would be “giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith.” She warns “the principles of truth God in His Wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded” and because “the fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error,” that “our religion would be changed.” This change has indeed occurred.
The Seventh-day Adventist denomination no longer believes in a personal God. Fundamental Principle #1 of the Seventh-day Adventists states “That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things,” whereas the new organization that has discarded the doctrines of our faith now believes “There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three coeternal Persons.” (1889 Fundamental Principles of Seventh-day Adventists; 28 Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists, 2015 Edition, p. 3)
The prophecy has been fulfilled. God has been removed. The Seventh-day Adventist religion has been changed, and her warning has come to pass, that “they will flatter their own vanity and esteem, thinking that they are capable of removing the pillars of our faith, and replacing them with pillars they have devised.” (Manuscript 28, 1890, par. 7) The replacement of a personal God who is everywhere present by His representative the Holy Spirit with a three-in-one god was not the only change. The result of embracing the doctrine of the trinity also denies that Jesus is God’s Son. The trinitarian doctrine of the co-eternal nature of Christ first invented by the Catholic bishops under the order of Constantine at the council of Nicea in 325 AD, emphatically denies the Sonship of Christ by inferring that in order to be divine, Christ must have no beginning. The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists agrees. They write, “The Son is not the natural, literal Son of the Father. A natural child has a beginning, while within the Godhead the Son is eternal. The term ‘Son’ is used metaphorically when applied to the Godhead.” (A Question of Sonship” by Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/articles/a-question-of-sonship)
The abandonment of Fundamental Principle #1 and #2 from 1889 concerning the Father and the Son are the most significant departures from the original faith and practice of Seventh-day Adventists. While these changes alone constitute a change of our religion, these are not the only changes. The Seventh-day Adventist denomination today has also abandoned Fundamental Principle #8 concerning the “man of sin” being “the papacy.” While some within denomination still adhere to this idea, the leadership has removed this doctrine as a pillar of the faith and the General Conference President, Neal C. Wilson went so far as to make this comment, saying, “Although it is true that there was a period in the life of the Seventh-day Adventist Church when the denomination took a distinctly anti-Roman Catholic viewpoint…
that attitude on the church’s part was nothing more than a manifestation of widespread anti-popery among conservative Protestant denominations in the early part of this century and the latter part of the last, and which has now been consigned to the historical trash heap so far as the Seventh-day Adventist Church is concerned.” (Neal C. Wilson, past president of the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference, Court Transcript of United States vs the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission vs the Pacific Press Publishing Association and the General Conference, Reply Brief for Defendants, p 4, Civil Case #74-2025 CBR, presided over by Judge Charles B. Renfrew, U.S. District Court, San Francisco, California, 1974-1975.)
Fundamental Principle #15 concerning the “plainness and modesty of attire as a prominent mark of discipleship” has also been forsaken. The counsel God has given concerning how to represent Him in our dress has been relegated to the same “historical trash heap” as the doctrine concerning the man of sin. Fundamental Principle #16 stating the means of support for evangelism “should be contributed from love to God and love of souls” has also been forsaken in favor of all manner of fundraisers and social events condemned by the same. Though the changes between the faith and doctrines of the early Seventh-day Adventists and the denomination of today are numerous—it is the change of the doctrine of God alone that constitutes the changing of our religion. It is impossible to change Gods, and not change religions. The doctrine of God is the most foundational and defining element of any religion, for out of one’s understanding of God will come forth his or her understanding of how to practice religion.
Though the Seventh-day Adventist denomination today has apostatized from the truth and accounted as error the fundamental principles God gave to His people and even though they think themselves “capable of removing the pillars of our faith, and replacing them with pillars they have devised,” God has promised that the Fundamental Principles will not be forgotten or forsaken.
“Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day Adventists to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been sought out by prayerful study and testified to by the miracle-working power of the Lord. But the waymarks which have made us what we are are to be preserved, and they will be preserved as God has signified through His Word and through the testimony of His Spirit. He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of faith, to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority.” (Ellen White, Manuscript 44, 1905, par. 21)
The Fundamental Principles of Bible doctrine that have made Seventh-day Adventists what we are, “will be preserved…” (Ellen White, Manuscript 44, 1905, par. 21) We firmly believe that, “The old truths, given us at the beginning, are to be heralded far and near. The lapse of time has not lessened their value. It is the constant effort of the enemy to remove these truths from their setting and to put in their place spurious theories. But the Lord will raise up men of keen perception, who with clear vision will discern the intrigues of Satan and will give these truths their proper place in the plan of God.” (Manuscript 78, 1903, par. 8) May God help all of us who firmly believe in the faith and doctrines miraculously bestowed upon the Seventh-day Adventists in the first fifty years, to do our part in fulfilling this prophecy, and restoring to the people of God the Bible truths they need in order to proclaim the three angels’ messages.
We have endeavored for five years to bring The Fundamental Principles Book to fruition, and by the grace of God, it is now a reality. We hope and pray this book will be the means of helping many wayward Adventists, or people of other faiths who have also been deceived, to step onto the platform of eternal truth—upon a correct understanding of Bible doctrine as has been miraculously testified to by the Holy Spirit.
When the Jewish religion God had established became corrupted, Christ came to separate truth from tradition. “Christ came to implant in the midst of men the great truths of which few knew the value. The Jewish nation had discarded truth for tradition. Christ declared to them, ‘Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.’ [Matthew 15:7-9.]” (Manuscript 78, 1903, par. 9)
The Seventh-day Adventist denomination has walked the same course, and so today, the same corrections are needed. It must be made plain what is tradition and what is truth—and we pray this book will make plain as the day, what those truths are that God has given to His people.
“The truth for this time God has given us as a foundation for our faith. He Himself has taught us what is truth. One will arise, and still another, with new light which contradicts the light that God has given under the demonstration of His Holy Spirit. A few are still alive who passed through the experience gained in the establishment of this truth. God has graciously spared their lives to repeat and repeat, till the close of their lives, the experience through which they passed, even as did John the apostle till the very close of his life. And the standard-bearers who have fallen in death are to speak through the reprinting of their writings. I am instructed that their voices are to be heard. They are to bear their testimony as to what constitutes the truth for this time.” (Manuscript 99, 1909, par. 49)
Before the foundation principles that have made us what we are—Seventh-day Adventists, can be restored to the world, they must first be restored in the hearts and minds of God’s professed people. To this end, it is our prayer that this book may help to restore these fundamental principles of Bible truth in your heart and mind, that others in turn may be helped heavenward through your influence.