Is religious group the Seventh-day Adventists the same as Jehovah's Witnesses?

Answer 1

Seventh-day Adventist are definitely Christian.

According to their Baptismal Vow and their list of Fundamental Beliefs, Seventh-day Adventists state the Holy Scriptures are their rule of faith. This is also in conjunction with holding that Ellen G White was "the Lord's Messenger", whose writings are, "a continuing and authoritative source of truth. . . ." per Covenant #8 of their Baptismal Vow or #18 of their list of Fundamental Beliefs.

According to their own internal survey an overwhelming majority of Adventists believe Ellen G. White had the gift of Prophecy. Although never claiming the title of Prophet personally, Ellen G White stated the title of Prophet was limited compared to the scope of her role in the Church.

Although it is frequently stated that members are not required to hold Ellen G White in veneration as a "messenger of the Lord" Ellen G White's writings own writings suggest acceptance of her gift as a test of fellowship in the church. In Pages 328-9, of Testimonies to the Church Volume One, Ellen G White wrote about those who argued or fought against the visions she received that,

"the church may know that they are not right."

Adventists as a group:In addition to the some of the primary beliefs of Orthodox Christianity, Adventists also believe--

• Christians are required to observe the Sabbath given to the Israelites in Exodus Chapter 20.
  • Worship on Sunday (Lord's Day) is "The Mark of the Beast" and Sabbath Observance is indicative of the Seal of God.
  • The anti-Christ is the Catholic Church (as an institution) headed by the Papacy.
  • The last days include religious persecution against Sabbath keepers including the institution of National Sunday Laws.
• Soul Sleep (dead are asleep in the grave until the resurrection)
  • Reject the teaching of an eternal hell.
  • In the ultimate and total annihilation of the Satan, his angels and the wicked in the lake of fire.
• Investigative Judgment / Physical Heavenly Sanctuary
  • That Christ's death on the cross while necessary only covered our sins.
  • -24. Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary:

    There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord set up and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross.

  • The final cleansing of sins began in 1844 and is currently happening in a physical Heavenly Sanctuary and will continue until just before the Second Coming.
  • The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent.
• Ellen G. White was an inspired writer given special revelations from God for his church during these last days.
  • Her writings are on par to those Prophets in the Bible.
• Dietary health laws still apply.
• When using the term "the Law" or "Law of God" are speaking EXCLUSIVELY of the 10 Commandments as opposed the Law in its entirety as recorded by Moses in the first 5 Books of the Old Testament.

Jehovah's Witnesses:JW's are a Bible-based Christian organization, that have no devotion to a particular human leader.

• Do NOT keep a weekly Sabbath.
• Believe Jesus is ALREADY invisibly "present" in Kingdom power since 1914.
• Completely reject the trinity as non-biblical.
• Believe the dead are asleep in the grave until the resurrection.
• Believe that the last days are already upon us.
• Believe that the anti-Christ is all of apostate Christendom

Seventh-Day Adventists are not known for going from house-to-house. Jehovah's Witnesses involve every member in training for their trademark ministry; from youth to those 90+ years old; every week of their life.

Answer 2

No.

The local church where "Christian," "Advent," and "Sabbath" combined was established by Christian Connection believers, a religious body that in the mid-nineteenth century was fifth in membership within the United States. Members of the Christian movement sought biblical authority for every aspect of belief. They wanted "no creed but The Bible." Thus, if they were convinced from the Scriptures of the literal soon advent of Christ and the continuing validity of the seventh day Sabbath, their heritage demanded acceptance. William Miller Because William Miller, a well-known Baptist preacher, exhibited profound knowledge of the Scriptures as he lectured upon the literal soon advent of Christ, scores of Christian Connection churches and many of its ministers and leaders became "Adventist" in the late 1830s and 1840s. The Washington, New Hampshire, Christian Connection church by the early 1840s was an "Adventist" church.

Answer 3

No. There is no link between the two religions.

Seventh Day Adventists

The local church where "Christian," "Advent," and "Sabbath" combined was established by Christian Connection believers, a religious body that in the mid-nineteenth century was fifth in membership within the United States.

Members of the Christian movement sought biblical authority for every aspect of belief. They wanted "no creed but the Bible." Thus, if they were convinced from the Scriptures of the literal soon advent of Christ and the continuing validity of the seventh day Sabbath, their heritage demanded acceptance.

William Miller

Because William Miller, a well-known Baptist preacher, exhibited profound knowledge of the Scriptures as he lectured upon the literal soon advent of Christ, scores of Christian Connection churches and many of its ministers and leaders became "Adventist" in the late 1830s and 1840s. The Washington, New Hampshire, Christian Connection church by the early 1840s was an "Adventist" church.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Charles Taze Russell (raised as a Presybyterian who later associated with the Congregational Church) who became the first president of the Jehovah's Witnesss journal "The Watchtower" was never an Adventist and voiced his disagreed with much of the Adventist teachings (notably in the physical return of Christ); that having been said, Russell's group found that there other individuals that had had similar views to theirs and publically acknowledged the value of the works of individuals such as Adventist Jonas Wendell, Henry Grew (1781-1862), Baptist Minister William Miller (1782-1849), Methodist-Episcopal minister George Storrs (1796-1879) and others.

Russell's study group of around 30 members merged with Barbours larger group in 1876 but due to a difference of opinion, the two groups split in May 22, 1879 and Russell cut of all contact with Barbour and it was at this point that Russell undertook to produce his own journal "Zion's Watchtower". The first issue was in July 1979.

The readers of "The Watchtower" formed bible study groups all over the country and sought to share the things they were learning. Russell died in 1916 but the Bible Students continued. They adopted the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931.

Answer 4

No they are not. There are significant differences in the theology of the two groups

The Adventist place no special emphasis on God's name Jehovah, but Jehovah's Witnesses highlight the divine name in their preaching work.

Seven Day Adventist SDA keep a weekly Sabbath and believe Saturday is to be observed and no work shall be performed. Jehovah's Witnesses believe the weekly Sabbath was only for the Jewish nation is is not required for Christian.

SDA's believe Jesus is God himself. JWs do believe his is God's son and not Almighty God himself. Seventh Day Adventist officially believe in the trinity. Jehovah's Witnesses reject the trinity as unscriptural.

Adventists prohibited coffee and similar drinks; Jehovah's Witnesses only prohibit eating food that has blood in it e.g. black pudding.

SDA have dietry restrictions based on Jewish law (they do not eat pork, shrimps):

Jehovah's Witnsses have no dietry restrictions (apart from a prohibition ingesting blood)

Tithes are used to pay ministers in Adventist churches whereas JW voluntary contributions are used to pay for the congregation hall needs and printing Bibles and giving international aid when needed. JW Elders are not paid.

Adventist have not religious restriction on the use of blood

Jehovah's Witnesses view blood as sacred and do not accept blood transfusions.

The Adventists claim that the writings of Ellen White are "a continuing and authoritative source of truth" whereas Jehovah's Witnesses base their faith soley on the Bible and place no man ( nor woman) in the spotlight.

The Seventh Day Adventists will participate in warfare by going into the military in "non-combatant" positions. Jehovah's Witnesses refuse both to participate in war or to "learn war".

Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in abortion whereas Adventists will allow abortion if the child is the result of rape of incest or if the child is severely disabled

Answer 5

No, the Seventh-day Adventists did not derive the tenets of beliefs from Jehovah's Witnesses since there are marked differences in their ideologies and none of their leaders looked to the Jehovah's Witnesses as a source for their doctrines.

While Charles Taze Russell (first President of the Watchtower Society) did have some contact with Adventist teachers and openly acknowledged his regard for some of their work, he was himself never an Adventist and voiced his disagreement with some of their central beliefs notably the physical return of Christ to earth. His collaboration with an Adventist minister Barbour (not a Seventh-day Adventist), ended after just two years following a difference of opinion and from the beginning the Jehovah's Witnesses have shared little over and above their basic acceptance of the Bible as the word of God in common.

Some differences:

**Seventh-day Adventists keep a weekly Sabbath and believe Saturday is to be observed and no work shall be performed. Jehovah's Witnesses believe the weekly Sabbath was only for the Jewish nation is is not required for Christians.

**Seventh-day Adventists believe Jesus is God himself. JWs do believe he is God's son and not Almighty God himself. Seventh-day Adventists officially believe in the Trinity. Jehovah's Witnesses reject the Trinity as unscriptural.

**Seventh-day Adventists discourage coffee and similar drinks; Jehovah's Witnesses only prohibit eating food that has blood in it, e.g. black pudding.

**Seventh-day Adventists have dietary restrictions based on Jewish law (they do not eat pork, shrimp, etc.).

Jehovah's Witnesses have no dietary restrictions (apart from a prohibition against ingesting blood)

**Tithes are used to pay ministers in Adventist churches whereas JW voluntary contributions are used to pay for the congregation hall needs and printing Bibles and giving international aid when needed. JW Elders are not paid.

**Adventists have no religious restriction on the use of blood (other than not eating it).

Jehovah's Witnesses view blood as sacred and do not accept blood transfusions.

**Adventists consider the Bible to be the only basis for doctrine but they also claim that the writings of Ellen White are "a continuing and authoritative source of truth" whereas Jehovah's Witnesses base their faith solely on the Bible and place no man (nor woman) in the spotlight.

**The Seventh-day Adventists will participate in warfare by going into the military in "non-combatant" positions. Jehovah's Witnesses refuse both to participate in war and to "learn war".

Answer 6

Both the Seventh Day Adventists and the Jehovah's Witnesses are offshoots from the Millerites an Adventist movement of the 19th century that followed the teachings of William Miller and focused on the second coming of Christ. However, the SDA did not come from the JWs nor the other way around.

Answer 7

It is a Christian faith. All members strive to achieve the character of Jesus the Christ, who is viewed as Lord and Saviour.
According to the official "Seventh-Day" Adventist theology, Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) worship "Jesus Christ". This version of "Jesus Christ" when officially described by SDAs include teachings not contained or recorded in the original Scriptures and are peculiarly SDA.

Examples of their distinct teachings which are not founded solely on Scripture but require and include eisegesis and visions of their Church Prophetess Ellen G White:

(i) that Jesus Christ did NOT complete the work of Salvation on the Cross

• This is based on their ideas on their Old Testament sacrificial system, where the sin of the petitioner did not disappear as the lamb was sacrificed, but instead was transferred to the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement, which Adventists equate with the end of time).
• However the BIBLE teaches that, in the most literal and complete sense, Christ "finished" His redemptive work-that of serving as the Godsent Propitiator "for our sins"-when He shed His blood on Calvary. It teaches that He suffered on the Cross "that He might bring us to God"; that "God hath reconciled us to Himself by [the 'finished' work of] Jesus Christ"; and that "through [the vicarious death of) our Lord Jesus Christ . . . we have now received the atonement."
  • See John 19:30; I John 4:10; I Peter 3:18; II Cor. 5:18, 19; Romans 5:10, 11. (Compare Romans 3:24; 5:6, 8; Col. 1:20-22 ; Heb. 9:25,

(ii) that Jesus had a fallen nature

• again according to their Prophetess' eisegisis of Scripture, if Jesus did not, his perfect life would not have been a valid substitute for the sinner's imperfect one, since he would have had an advantage over average human beings, and the fact that he was "tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin" would be meaningless)
• However, The BIBLE teaches, prophetically, that through the overshadowing power of "the Highest," Christ was to be born of the virgin Mary as "that holy thing." It teaches, historically, that during His earthly life, He was acknowledged to be the "holy child Jesus" . . . "the Holy One of God"-that He was "without sin," that He "knew no sin," that He "did no sin.
  • See Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27; Luke 4:34; Heb. 4:15; II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:22.

(iii) Satan and NOT Jesus is the final bearer of sins

• Again in the "Seventh-Day" Adventist lone interpretation this again goes back to the sanctuary system, where on the Day of Atonement, the sins of all the people were taken from the sanctuary and placed, not on the Lord's goat [representing Jesus], but on the scapegoat, who was released into the wilderness).
• While the BIBLE teaches that Christ, and He alone, is our Sin-bearer. As Aaron, in the ancient symbolic ceremonies, laid "all the iniquities" of the people "upon the head" of the "live [scape] goat," and sent him away "into the wilderness" . . . "unto a land not inhabited," just so "Jehovah hath laid on [Christ] the iniquity of us all." On bleak Calvary-"without the camp"-"that He might sanctify the people with His own blood," Jesus "suffered." There He, "His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."
  • See Lev. 16:10, 21, 22; Isa. 53:6, 11, R.V.; Heb. 13:12, 13; I Peter 2:24. (Compare Isa. 63:3, R.V.; John 1:29.

As scripture has spoken, these doctrines, are not founded on Soli Scriptura but require the proof-texting and the eisegesis of Scripture by the Adventist Church's prophet, Ellen G. White.

Answer 8

No