PEOPLE OF VICTORY: The Seventh-day Adventists Reform Movement

By Marcos Peter Soares & Alexandre Arajo

Who are the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement? Who are the adventists reformers? If these questions were made to people in a social network on the internet or people passing through a busy square, it is possible that some respond with phrases similar to these: "Are They a political reform movement?", "Are members of a secret society ? "," are not that group that eats only vegetables? ".

Some people might say, "I think they are those who follow the law of Moses, the Old Testament." "They think they are saved by good works they do," or "I believe they are a cult. Beware of them! ".

For many people uninformed these can be possible answers. But they do not show the reality on the Reform Movement of Adventists. We can not condemn the people who give such answers. Probably they never took the time to read something serious about or never knew an adventist from Reform Movement Christian.

Are the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement strange people with fanatical ideas and wrong doctrines? What they believe? How they live and behave? What they offer to society? Who actually are? What makes these people are the people of victory?

How was the Seventh-day Adventists Reform Movement Origin?

Adventists from Reform are a culturally diverse family of believers who are part of a worldwide movement present in 130 countries around the globe. For a hundred years they have had fights and wins and claim to have a special mission.

The name Seventh-day Adventist - Reform Movement includes three vital beliefs. 'Adventist' reflects his belief in the proximity of the return of Jesus . ' Seventh-day ' refers to the Biblical Sabbath which from inception has been the memorial of God's creative power. And ' Reform Movement ' reflects the fact that they are a movement of people who, by the grace of God works for the return to the purity of the biblical doctrines and for an improvement of themselves and the world.

Abbreviated history of the Adventism Origin

The Seventh-Day Adventism have it origin in the United States of America with a little group that studied the preaching of William Miller (1782-1849). Miller was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on February 15, 1782. At the age of 34, he abandoned Deism to join the Baptist Church. After some time he begun to proclaim the soon retur of Jesus. His preaching caused great excitement. Its calculated that only in America there was between 50 thousand and 100 thousand of people waiting for Jesus Christ Second Coming. Miller revised his calculations and after examined a Hebrew calendar he finally came until October 22, 1844 as the correct date to that event.

But Miller committed a mistake in his interpretation. All the believers that are studying the prophecies with Miller waited the day 22 anxiously. Then the day come, but nothing happened and the believers was disappointed. This episode became known in America as the Great Disappointment, and caused most of Miller followers to abandon him. Factions developed, but one little and faithful group survived. A group formed by eleven people that including Ellen G. White, James White and Hiran Edson, after a deep study of the Bible in comparison with Millers calculations discovered that October 22 was a correct date. They found that Millers mistake wasnt the date but the interpretation about the event.

As the group of those who believed the Sabbath

and the Second Coming grew, it became apparent that they could carry out their mission more efficiently if they would organize. The first organizational step would be to pick a name for this growing movement. After many names were discussed, the appellation Seventh-day Adventist was chosen. It clearly described the denominationthose who keep the seventh-day Sabbath and look forward to Jesus soon coming. In 1860, they formally inaugurated the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

The Seventh Day Adventist denomination was organized at Battle Creek, Michigan in 1863. Some years ago started send missionaries to all continents of the world. This is an abbreviated history of the Adventism formation. From its formation in 1863, would begin in Europe 51 years after, in 1914, a religious movement knowing by Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement.

Origin of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement

From the beginning, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination announced its stand as follows: "We, the undersigned, hereby associate ourselves together as a church, taking the name of Seventh-day Adventists, covenanting to keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." J. Loughborough: The Great Second Advent Movement, p. 352.

The same position was confirmed by the Seventh-

day Adventist Church in the United States during the American Civil War.

In 1865, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists reaffirmed their original stand:

"Resolved that we recognize civil government as ordained of God, that order, justice, and quiet may be maintained in the land; and that the people of God may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty. In accordance with this fact we acknowledge the justice of rendering tribute, custom, honor, and reverence to the civil power, as enjoined in the New Testament. While we thus cheerfully render to Caesar the things which the Scriptures show to be his, we are compelled to decline all participation in acts of war and bloodshed as being inconsistent with the duties enjoined upon us by our divine Master toward our enemies and toward all mankind." The Review and Herald, May 23, 1865.

As this position of total obedience to the commandments of God was not practiced during World War I (1914-1918), a great crisis came upon the Seventh-day Adventist Church. While 98% of the members decided to obey the instruction of the officers of the denomination, taking part in the war, 2% decided to remain faithful to the law of God, upholding the original position, as taught and practiced up to that time. These faithful believers were disfellowshipped from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Europe because they chose to uphold the church's original position in regard to keeping the Law of God (all Ten Commandments).

In a booklet published by the Seventh-day

Adventist Church in Germany, they announced the following:

"In all that we have said we have shown that the Bible teaches, firstly, that taking part in the war is no transgression of the sixth commandment, likewise, that war service on the Sabbath is not a transgression of the fourth commandment." Protokoll, p.12.

In the Seventh day Adventist Encyclopedia, Commentary Reference Series, the following explanation is given:

"On the German mobilization, in August, 1914, the SDA's of that country were faced with the necessity of making an immediate decision concerning their duty to God and country when called into the armed service (see Germany, V; Noncombatancy). After counseling with the few SDA leaders locally available at that time, the president of the East German Union Conference informed the German War Ministry in writing, dated Aug. 4, 1914, that conscripted SDA's would bear arms as combatants and would render service on the Sabbath in defense of their country. . . . Admittedly, the three SDA leaders in Germany took a stand concerning the duty of SDA's in military service that was contrary to the historic stand officially maintained by the denomination ever since the American Civil War (1861-1865)." The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, Commentary Reference Series, Vol. 10, p. 1183, Edition of 1966.

In the Biblical Research Institute from the General Conference SDA website the adventist writer Gerhard Pfandl declare: From the beginning, Seventh day

Adventists in Europe experienced a number of difficulties, especially in the realm of Sabbath observance and military service. Children were required by law to attend school on Sabbath, and the work-week ended on Saturday afternoon. Adventist young men who complied with the required military service frequently went to prison for their refusal to work and fulfill their duty on Sabbath.

At the beginning of World War I, when the government placed additional pressure on our leaders, church leaders in Germany buckled and instructed church members to fulfill their military duties on Sabbath as other soldiers do on Sunday. This position on combatant service, as well as doing duty on Sabbath, stood clearly in opposition to the traditional position taken by Adventists in the past. When the German members were confronted with this new position, many began to protest vigorously. Particularly in the city of Bremen the opposition became very vocal against the churchs leadership. This situation caused the leadership to react with further actions and they disfellowshipped the protesters. (www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/independent-ministries-and-others/information-seventh-day-adventist-reform-movement)

The reformers, or the seventh day adventist reformers, suffering several persecutions and a lots of them died as martyrs during the I and II World Wars for defend the original bible principles and the original faith of the first adventists, including the Gods commandments not murder and keep the holy Sabbath. A lots of them was took and put in authorities hands, or in prisons as enemies by his own brethren and leaders of the main adventist denomination. But the reformers never denied

their faith and survive until today. For this reason, we can call them people of the victory.

In 2014, a century after the I World War, the Seventh Day Adventist German Unions wrote officially a formal apologize directed to the reformers pioneers, their sons and grandsons, recognized that the church in 1914 committed serious mistakes. Unfortunately today the same position of combatancy and a liberal theology continues in the main SDA denomination in opposition of the adventist historic doctrines.

The Reform Movement of the adventists as a spiritual movement, was born at Europe in 1914. In 2014 the SDARM celebrated its 100th anniversary as movement and its church as an international organization has been in existence for over 80 years. Actually its present in all continents. The Reform Movement was organized in a global level as a General Conference in July 1925 in Gotha, Germany. The main objective of this church was and is still to continue with the original teachings of the Seventh Day Adventism.

The Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement General Conference, its main administrative organization, first operated from Isernhagen, Germany, and then Basel, Switzerland. After World War II, the headquarters was moved to the United States of America, and in 1949 was incorporated in Sacramento, California. Because it was deemed more advantageous for a worldwide work to be situated on the eastern side of the U.S.A., the headquarters was temporarily relocated to Blackwood, New Jersey, before moving to its permanent location in Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A. If you desire to know more

about the history and the martyrs and pioneers of Reform Movement, read the books The history of Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement by Alfons Balbach, and And Follow Their Faith

Why are the seventh day adventist reform movement the people of the victory? Because during the last 100 years they have faced a lot of persecutions, troubles, two world wars but never lost their faith in Jesus promisses. They coud be disapeared during the I and II World Wars but God has protect them and guide them untill the present. Their history is a special and blessed history. So it should be presented to their sons and to the world.

What Do They Believe?

The Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement denomination is compose of people. Each person has his peculiar and unique way of thinking. Each individual, according to their culture and training, expressed different ideas and have different ways of expressing thoughts and acting in individual or collective issues. But amid all this human diversity there is a belief uniform thread that unites every adventist reformer in one faith.

So his church has a peculiar identity. Since one to another geographic pole, from Brazil to China, from the United States to Congo, from Romania to South Africa, from Peru to Philippines, from Ukraine to Australia this common thread unites the world church.

In keeping with its name the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement are Christians who believe the Bible, worshiping God, especially on the seventh day of the week (the Saturday) and preparing for the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As Christians they believe and proclaim the great fundamental truths of the Bible advocated by the pure Christianity over the centuries. Including the Divinity revealed in the persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; authority, infallibility and inerrancy of the Bible as the only rule of faith and Christian practice; salvation by grace alone; the means of grace (which are baptism, prayer, communion in the Lord's Supper, the study and meditation on the Word of God); the visible return of Jesus Christ to this world to seek His church, and the belief in a New Earth as eternal abode of the saved.

Understanding that they has a prophetic calling (Revelation 14:12, 12:17 and 18: 1) as remnant people and a special message for this time, Seventh-day Adventists from Reform Movement, seek to restore and present the world important biblical truths that they were forgot or modified throughout the history of the Christian church. Therefore they believe and proclaim a particular way: the great controversy between good and evil, the heavenly sanctuary and the investigative judgment, the return of Jesus, the Millennium, the seventh-day as the true Sabbath, the separation between the ceremonial law and the moral law of God, the remnant church and the sealing of 144.00, the prophetic gift, Christian lifestyle, the original marriage as established by God in Eden, the state of man in death among other fundamental doctrines.

What Are the People Like?

If I ask you whats the rainbows color you probably answer me that a rainbow dont have only one color but several colors. In fact in a similar way the adventists of Reform Movement as a people arent of a unique color or they dont speak only one idiom, and dont have only a unique culture. They dont come from of one nation but from all continents of the world including little or great territories, islands, isolated tribes or exotic places. And in all this diversity we can affirm that the adventist reform movement are a happy people.

The seventh day adventists reform movement are formed by a great variety of cultures, countries, peoples and different ethnic groups. They spoke different idioms around the 130 countries where they are represented.

From a humble and little beginning with tears and blood of theirs martyrs, the SDARM groused up from a group of 4.000 people in 16 countries of Europe to several thousand of friends, sympathized and baptized members spread around the world. These people worship in little or great churches and study their sabbath bible lessons in different idioms each week

According to SDARM General Conference website and secretary the SDA Reform Movement (www.sdarm.org) has already reached 130 countries and territories.

In present, their world church is geographic divided in eight regions: African Region, Asian Region, Central American Region, Eurasian Region, European Region, North American Region, Pacific Region, South American Region. The world administrative structure is organized in 21 Unions (composed by one or more countries), 20 Field Conferences, 7 Mission Fields, 36 Missions (new territories reached by the church).

Counting the baptized members with all children, teenagers Sabbath schools students subscripted and not subscripted in local churches and groups around the globe, they register over 100.000 people in each Sabbath service all weeks.

In the late Report from the General Conference Brazil holds the largest membership of any country in the world, with Romania being the second followed by Peru and Congo.

Their world headquarters registered the following statistic information: - Sababth School Students: 66,555. - Worldwide baptized membership: Almost 40.000. The total number of Worship Places is 2,672. Churches and groups: 2.713. In administrative and others occupations in the organization the number of ordained ministers is 300, ordained elders: 358, Bible workers: 909. What actually represents a number of 1567 people working directly all weeks to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The SDARM Church conduct some institutions as ministries and tools to help the mankind and to proclaim the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to all people around the world. These institutions are of different areas as

Education, Welfare / Social Work, Health, and Vegetarian Food. The SDARM has schools, clinics, centers of welfare, natural restaurants and missionary schools to support their mission and help the society.

What Is the Church Like?

The services in the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement Church can change a little in its program from continent to continent or from country to country. But in general lines they have three services per week. A prayer service (generally on Wednesdays), an worship and evangelistic service (generally in Sundays), and the main service, the service of worship, praise and doctrine (on Saturday), the Sabbath Service.

All the services are public and the entrance is free. They are opened to all, without distinction of age, sex, culture, social level, economic level, racial, religious or cultural differences. Everybody is free to worship with the seventh day adventists reform movement. At church there are a lot of songs, the Bible study and moments of prayer. The music is so special. They dont use rocks or pop rhythms, neither drums and dances is present in their worship with sacred music, but, there are a lots of harmonious solos singers, duets, quartets, vocal groups, choirs, instrumental bands, orchestras and in each country you can feel and listen its cultural marks, but always with a sacred identity that brings you to a calm and peaceful adoration.

After some period of music and prayer the minister or a lay preacher conduct the congregation in the Bible study that can vary from 30 to 40 minutes. The sermon is the main part of the service, when the Gods Word is opened and His message is listened with attention.

In Sabbath service, generally in Saturday morning, they have a special division of the service in two times. The first time is reserved to collective study of the Bible in the Sabbath School. The Sabbath School is a world bible school present in 130 countries. One of the greatest schools around the planet where the students can study in their local language the same bible lessons during a week and in Sabbath can review and discuss freely about the matters of the lesson in little or great classes in their local churches. This way, all Bible, from Genesis to Revelation has been study since 1925 for several times. Each quarterly a new series of themes are detailed studied. The doctrines, histories and prophecies of the Bible are studied by all students in their special classes. And all age (children, teenagers and adults) has its specific lessons and classes. Since babies until the old people have specific supporting. In fact the Sabbath school lessons are an important food for the spiritual health of the church.

In the second time of the Sabbath service the congregation studied the Bible together listened the minister or a lay preacher proclaim a sermon based on Bible.

All church members are invited to serve the Lord and help society around them with their gifts that are

received freely from God. So, all years during the churches reorganization lay members are elected to assume officials positions in leadership and administration of their local churches. There are different departments and ministries int the church as: elders, deacons, preachers, Sabbath school teachers, churchs director, church secretary, churchs treasurer, Sabbath school director, music director, missionary director, media director, youth director, welfare director, health director, children director, family director and etc.

So be part of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement Church as a member, never is monotone for who like activities and work using they talents and gifts to help the next one and Lords work.

What Is the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement Mission?

The mission of the Seventh-day Adventists - Reform Movement is to proclaim the gospel and the message of the soon return of Jesus to the whole world through evangelism with different media such as preaching, education, health care and humanitarian assistance to the needy. It is your mission also live as a body of believers whose love for Christ leads to the

preparation of themselves, their families, their church and their communities for the soon coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What are their Methods?

The Seventh-day Adventist Reform movement working to fulfill its mission with the methods of Christ ( healing and teaching, and then preach ) in the Holy Spirit through guide:

To affirm the biblical principle of the welfare of the person as a whole , making the preservation of physical, mental and spiritual health and healing the physical and spiritual diseases the priority of his ministry to the poor and oppressed , cooperating with the Creator in His work of restoration ;

Recognize that the harmonious development of mind and character is essential to God's plan of redemption. Advocate and promote the growth of a mature understanding of and relationship to God , His Word, and the created universe ;

accepted the gospel commission of Matthew 28: 18-20 , proclaiming to the world the message of a loving God , fully revealed in the reconciling ministry of life and atoning death of His Son Jesus.

Some of their main beliefs:

The Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement teaches certain fundamental beliefs which, together with scriptural references upon which these beliefs are based, some of them are summarized as follows:

God, the Father

There is but one God, the eternal Father, the Creator; a personal, spiritual Being, infinite in love and wisdom, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, immortal.

References: Exodus 20:2, 3; Isaiah 45:5-12, 18, 20-22; John 4:24; Psalm 139:1-12.

Jesus Christ, the Son

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, one in nature with the eternal Father. Through Christ all things were created. Retaining His divine nature, Christ took upon Himself human nature, was made flesh, and lived on earth as a man but without sin, being an example for us. He died for our sins on the cross, rose again from the dead, and ascended to the Father where He lives to make intercession for us.

References: Hebrews 1:1-3, 5; Colossians 1:15-17; Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:14; 1 Timothy 2:5; 3:16; Hebrews 7:25; John 14:6; Acts 4:12.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is Christ's representative upon earth, and is one in purpose with the Father and the Son. He is the Regenerator in the work of redemption. These three persons, God (the Father), Jesus Christ (the Son), and the Holy Spirit are the Godhead.

References: John 3:5-8; 14:16, 26; 16:7-13; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 28:19.

The Scriptures

The Holy Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the word of God. They were given by inspiration of God, contain the all-sufficient revelation of God's will to man, and are the only unerring rule of faith and practice.

References: John 5:39; 2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Luke 11:28; 16:29, 31; Matthew 22:29; John 10:35.

The Ten Commandments

The moral law, the ten commandments of Exodus 20:1-17, is an expression of God's will, covering the duty of man to God and to his fellowmen. The law is unchangeable, binding upon all men in every age, and overrules all human laws. Transgression of any commandment is sin, and the wages of sin is death. We are not saved by obedience to the law but through Christ, that through His strength we may render obedience and escape condemnation.

References: Matthew 5:17-20; 7:21; 19:17; 22:36-40; 1 John 2:3-6; 5:1-3; Romans 2:13; John 8:11; Hebrews 10:26.

The Sabbath

The fourth commandment of God's moral law requires the observance of the seventh day Sabbath. It is a sacred day of rest, a memorial of creation and a sign of re-creation and redemption as well as sanctification. It is a spiritual institution dedicated to religious worship and study. Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:1-17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20; Isaiah 58:13, 14; Mark 2:28; Hebrews 4:1-10. True Sabbath observance requires cessation of all secular work at sunset Friday until sunset Saturday. Preparation for the Sabbath is to be completed on Friday

before the Sabbath begins. Leviticus 23:32; Exodus 16:22, 23; Luke 23:54; Mark 16:1. Since Christ and the apostles always, both before and after the crucifixion and resurrection, observed the Sabbath, it is and remains the true day of rest. (Ananias and Paul could not have been guiltless before the Jews if they were not faithful Sabbathkeepers.)

References: Luke 23:56; Acts 13:42, 44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4; 22:12; 25:7, 8.

Grace and the Means of Grace

Grace means "unmerited favor." Because of sin, mankind must suffer the consequences of death. God manifests His love by extending salvation from death through Jesus Christ to undeserving sinful man. Salvation is accomplished when sinners are drawn to Christ through: (a) the word of God, (b) the Holy Spirit, and (c) the ministry of the gospel.

References: Romans 10:13-18; John 14:26; 16:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Acts 2:38-42.

The Investigative Judgment

The prophecy of the 2300 days (years, as per Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6)

of Daniel 8:14 ended in 1844, when the "cleansing of the sanctuary," or the investigative judgment began. This refers to the pre-Advent examination of the heavenly records of the lives of the professed children of God through the ages. The result of this investigation determines the destiny of each soul, either for eternal life or eternal death.

References: Ecclesiastes 12:14; Daniel 7:9, 10; Luke 20:35; Revelation 14:6, 7; 22:12. This judgment is illustrated in Matthew 22:11-14.

Present Truth

The three angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-12, together with the message of the other angel of Revelation 18:1-4, are present truth. These messages are to prepare a special group of people, 144,000 in number, for the second coming of Christ.

References: Ezekiel 9:1-7; Revelation 7:1-4; 14:1-12; 18:1-4.

The Gift of Prophecy

In keeping with the promise of God in Acts 2:17-21, the gift of prophecy was restored to Christ's church in these last days, not as a replacement of or an

addition to the Bible but as a guide and a mark of distinction to the remnant people of God. Inspired writings turn our attention to the principles of the Bible as our rule of faith and practice and help to safeguard us from misinterpreting the Word of God.

References: Numbers 12:6; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Proverbs 29:18; Hosea 12:13; Amos 3:7; Ephesians 4:8-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21.

Marriage

Marriage was ordained by God and honored by Christ to bind both parties for life. Neither divorce for the purpose of remarriage, nor common-law marriage, nor marriage with unbelievers is within the divine principle of marriage.

References: Luke 16:18; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:11, 39; 2 Corinthians 6:14.

Health and Dress Reform

Because a Christian's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, the believer will want to safeguard their health by following natural law, discarding health-destroying articles of food and unnatural habits of life, and being moderate in the use of

those things which are good. 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; Philippians 4:5. Habits of dress are an index of the character. Christian modesty and self-respect require us to abstain from the extravagant fashions of the world.

References: 1 Peter 3:1-5; Isaiah 3:16-24; 1 Corinthians 11:15; 1 Timothy 2:9.

The Millennium

After the second coming of Christ there will be a one-thousand-year period, commonly called the millennium. During

this time, while the righteous are in heaven with Christ, the wicked remain in the dust of the desolated earth. While the earth is desolate, the righteous ones will judge the wicked. At the end of the millennium, the wicked are resurrected to be destroyed by fire.

References: John 14:3; Revelation 7:9; 14:1; 20:4, 5; Psalm 46:2, 8; Isaiah 24:1-6; Jeremiah 4:23-27; 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3; Revelation 20:4; John 5:29; Revelation 20:5, 9, 14; Malachi 4:1, 3; 2 Peter 3:7-10;

The New Earth

After the cleansing of the earth from sin by fire, God will make "all things new," restoring the earth to its Edenic beauty. This new earth will then become the eternal home of the redeemed, with God reigning as supreme throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

References: 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-7; Matthew 5:5; 1 Corinthians 2:9.

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