Early Adventist Principles: Faith or Heresy?

No, those who hold to the fundamental principles established during the first fifty years of the Advent movement should not be accounted as heretics or apostates, as they are standing upon the original faith that was confirmed by the agency of the Holy SpiritSC3 119.1+1. True apostasy is actually defined as a departure from the first love and the original mystery of God in favor of human traditions and the mystery of iniquityARSH April 3, 1900, page 216.4+1.

The Foundation of the Faith

The early leaders of the movement were led by God to a platform of truth that included the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, specifically identifying the seventh-day Sabbath as a vital test of loyalty Revelation 14:12SC3 222.2. The Spirit of Prophecy was given to the church for the very purpose of achieving unity in knowledge and spirit, and those who continue to follow these original "waymarks" are following the only sure earthly guides to eternal restSC3 119.1+1. Paul himself was accused of heresy by the religious establishment of his day, yet he defended his position by stating that he worshipped God according to the law and the prophets Acts 24:14-15PROLI 149.2.

Understanding the Nature of the Atonement

The concern regarding the Trinity is rooted in a desire to preserve the dignity of the sacrifice made for our redemptionAERS 164.2.

• A Divine Sacrifice: The belief is that the Son of God, a divine and immortal being, truly died for the sins of the worldARSH November 3, 1863, page 182.11+2.

• The Risk of Trinitarian Logic: If the divine nature of Christ is said to be incapable of suffering or death, then only a human nature died on the cross, which reduces the sacrifice to a human offering—a view that matches the low standards of SocinianismAERS 164.2+1.

• The Gift of Life: Scripture teaches that just as the Father has life in Himself, He has given to the Son to have life in Himself, showing a relationship of derivation that does not lessen the Son's divinity but maintains the Father's absolute self-existence John 5:26ATO 127.1+1.

The True Meaning of Apostasy

Apostasy in a religious context occurs when the church leaves its first love and substitutes the word of God for human power and ecclesiastical creedsARSH August 9, 1892, page 499.12+1.

• Historical Precedent: The Council of Nice and subsequent councils established creeds by imperial command, leading to a "mystery of iniquity" that supplanted the "mystery of God"AMS January 16, 1890, page 19.2+1.

• The Image of the Beast: Modern movements that seek to enforce religious uniformity, such as requiring a belief in the doctrine of the Trinity as a legal or national test, are developing the "image of the beast" and represent a falling away from true Protestant and Republican principlesECE 838.1+2.

• Identifying Heresy: Historically, the term "heretic" has often been used by dominant religious powers to persecute those who simply chose to obey God's word over man-made traditionsGEP 556.3+1.

True loyalty to God consists in keeping all His commandments and the faith of Jesus, which was the same message designed to fit a people for the loud cry of the third angel Revelation 12:17GCB/GCDB 1893, page 179.12+1. Standing on the truths revealed during the formative years of the movement is not apostasy; rather, it is a defense of the everlasting gospel against the encroaching darkness of final world-wide religious coalitionsMEDM October 3, 1906, page 117.4+1.