1. Do you accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God, and do you take it as your rule of faith and practice? 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Acts 20:32
2. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, and is the Saviour of mankind? Do you accept that Jesus took upon Himself our fallen nature, yet never partook of our sin? Have you accepted Him as your personal Saviour for salvation from sin which He offers through His grace? Will you invite Him every day to dwell in your heart through the Holy Spirit? John 1:12-13; Galatians 2:20.
3. Have you repented of and confessed all known sin to God; and do you believe that He, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you; and as far as possible, have you made reconciliation with those whom you have wronged or with those who have wronged you? 1 John 1:9, Matthew 5:23-26, Ezekiel 33:15.
4. Is it your purpose through the power of the indwelling Christ, to live surrendered to God, through which you will do His will in all things, and to keep all the commandments of God? Romans 12:1, Colossians 3:17, Revelation 14:12, Revelation 12:17, Revelation 22:14.
5. Will you daily maintain a close communion with God by personal worship in prayer and the study of God’s Word, and also provide and support family worship morning and evening in your home? Daniel 6:10, 1 Timothy 2:1, 2 Timothy 2:15.
6. Do you recognize your responsibility to share the everlasting gospel with others? Do you commit your life in witness and in example to, as far as possible, lead men and women to surrender their lives to Christ? Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15.
7. Do you believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ; that His coming will be personal, visible, and accompanied by the heavenly angels? Acts 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, John 14:1-3.
8. Do you accept that man is mortal and that he is in an unconscious state, referred to as sleep, in death? Do you reject the false doctrine of eternal burning torment? Do you believe that at the second coming of Jesus the faithful of all ages will be raised and will be caught up with the living redeemed saints to meet the Lord in the air at which time man will receive immortality? Daniel 12:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55.
9. Do you believe the great message of Christ our Righteousness? Do you believe that we are justified and sanctified only through His sacrifice and High Priestly ministry for us? Romans 5:1-9, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 5:25-27, Hebrews 13:12, Hebrews 10:10, Jeremiah 23:6.
10. Recognizing obedience is the fruit of Christ-given sanctification, do you believe that all the commandments are a transcript of His character, and the keeping of these commandments, through the power of the indwelling of Christ, is the condition of the salvation of the saints? Revelation 22:14, Revelation 14:12, Revelation 12:17, Jude 24, 1 Corinthians 10:13.
11. Do you believe that the seventh day of the week is God’s holy, sacred Sabbath day; a day of rest from all secular pursuits and of special worship to God? Do you recognize that this Sabbath begins at sundown Friday and that every preparation should be made to begin Sabbath with a welcoming worship, and that it concludes sundown Saturday with a worship of thankfulness? Luke 23:56, Exodus 20:8-11.
12. Do you recognize that the Sabbath is the Seal of God, and that Sunday worship is the pagan counterfeit described by the Bible as the mark of the Beast? Exodus 31:13, Ezekiel 20:12, 20, Revelation 13:16, Revelation 14:1, Revelation 14:9-10.
13. Do you recognize that the papacy is the great antichrist of Biblical prophecy, that it was the great persecuting power of the middle ages, and will again be the great persecuting power of God’s saints at the end of time; that it is the papacy that has changed the Sabbath and allowed many pagan errors to come into the Christian Church? John 4:2-3, Daniel 7:25, Revelation 13:1-8.
14. Do you practice the Bible plan for the support of God’s work, by rendering unto Him the tithe—one-tenth of all your increase—and sacrificial offerings as you may be able according to how the Lord has prospered you? Leviticus 27:30, Malachi 3:8-10, Deuteronomy 16:17, Luke 6:38.
15. Is it your purpose to obey the command to eat and drink to the glory of God by abstaining from all intoxicating liquors, tobacco in its forms, all unclean meats, narcotics, tea, coffee, cola drinks, and other harmful substances? 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Proverbs 23:29-30, Isaiah 66:15, 17.
16. Are you committed to following the Bible principle of modesty and simplicity in dress, refraining from the wearing of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, beads, rings and any form of adornment that draws attention to oneself, so that your influence might reflect the inner adornment of a life that will attract men and women to Jesus? Will you determine to refrain from any lack of dress or style of dress that is out of keeping with the Bible rule of modesty? 1 Timothy 2:9-10, 1 Peter 3:3-4, Exodus 33:5-6, Genesis 35:2-4, Deuteronomy 22:5.
17. Recognizing the seriousness of the call of Christ upon your life and service, is it your purpose to refrain from all worldly amusements and sinful practices such as dancing, card playing, theatre-attending, novel- reading, sports, the watching of unprofitable television programs, and by shunning all other questionable worldly amusements? 1 John 2:15, James 1:27, James 4:4.
18. Do you believe that Christ is now our ministering, heavenly High Priest, and that in 1844 he began the investigative judgment in the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary? Do you believe that it is here that Christ makes the final atonement for our sins, and where our sins are blotted out if confessed and forsaken? Daniel 8:14, Daniel 7:9-14, Daniel 7:25-27, Revelation 14:6-7, Leviticus 16.
19. Do you believe that the closing gospel message is now going to the world, and that under the power of the latter rain, those who have been truly sanctified by Jesus will give the loud cry, calling men and women out of Babylon and into God’s remnant church? Joel 2:28, Hosea 10:12.
20. Do you believe that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the remnant Church of Biblical prophecy? It is identified by the keeping of the commandments of God and having the Spirit of Prophecy. In these later days the Spirit of Prophecy has been especially manifested to the church through the writings of Sister Ellen G. White? Isaiah 56:8, Romans 9:27.
21. Do you believe in and have you accepted the ordinances of humility and the ordinances of the Lord’s Supper, symbolizing the commitment of your whole life to Jesus, and of your death to the old life of sin, and commitment to walking in the footsteps of Jesus? John 13:10-17, 1 Corinthians 11:23-33.
22. Do you believe that conversion is the new birth experience, and that unless you are born of water (forgiven and justified) and of the Spirit (cleansed and sanctified) you cannot enter into the kingdom of God? John 3:3-5, 1 Peter 1:22-23.
23. Do you believe in baptism by immersion, and is it your desire by publicly being baptized, to manifest your faith and acceptance of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 28:18-20, Colossians 2:12, Romans 6:3-5.
I will like to give you a selection from The Great Controversy of Ellen G White. Page 640-641:
Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, about half the size of a man's hand. It is the cloud which surrounds the Saviour and which seems in the distance to be shrouded in darkness. The people of God know this to be the sign of the Son of man. In solemn silence they gaze upon it as it draws nearer the earth, becoming lighter and more glorious, until it is a great white cloud, its base a glory like consuming fire, and above it the rainbow of the covenant. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror. Not now a "Man of Sorrows," to drink the bitter cup of shame and woe, He comes, victor in heaven and earth, to judge the living and the dead. "Faithful and True," "in righteousness He doth judge and make war." And "the armies which were in heaven" (Revelation 19:11, 14) follow Him. With anthems of celestial melody the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng, attend Him on His way. The firmament seems filled with radiant forms "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." No human pen can portray the scene; no mortal mind is adequate to conceive its splendor. "His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. And His brightness was as the light." Habakkuk 3:3,4. As the living cloud comes still nearer, every eye beholds the Prince of life. No crown of thorns now mars that sacred head; but a diadem of glory rests on His holy brow. His countenance outshines the dazzling brightness of the noonday sun. "And He had on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. " Revelation 19:16.
Before His presence "all faces are turned into paleness;" upon the rejecters of God's mercy falls the terror of eternal despair. "The heart melteth, and the knees smite together, . . . and the faces of them all gather blackness." Jeremiah 30:6; Nahum 2:10. The righteous cry with trembling: "Who shall be able to stand?" The angels' song is hushed, and there is a period of awful silence. Then the voice of Jesus is heard, saying: "My grace is sufficient for you." The faces of the righteous are lighted up, and joy fills every heart. And the angels strike a note higher and sing again as they draw still nearer to the earth.
The Gospel about Jesus Christ is a message of joy. He is Savior for men of all the world. A world condemned to perdition and destruction is getting a hope. Men can but feel a hope for peace and co-existence. In many ways they can have a hope for a new and better world.
But the finally hope is in the Redeemer for the world: Jesus Christ. He bare the sins of a fallen world. "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1Peter 2:24
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Isaiah 53, 11
In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:3. But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God.
Across the gulf that lay between, there could be no communion. But through Christ, earth is again linked with heaven. With His own merits, Christ has bridged the gulf which sin had made, so that the ministering angels can hold communion with man. Christ connects fallen man in his weakness and helplessness with the Source of infinite power.
Jesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by Satan. There were whole villages where there was not a moan of sickness in any house, for He had passed through them and healed all their sick. Love, mercy, and compassion were revealed in every act of His life; His heart went out in tender sympathy to the children of men. Everybody could come to him. Even little children were attracted to Him. They loved to climb upon His knees and gaze into the pensive face, benignant with love.
Jesus did not suppress one word of truth, but He uttered it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact and thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness. He spoke the truth, but always in love.
He denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity; but tears were in His voice as He uttered His scathing rebukes. It was to redeem us that Jesus lived and suffered and died. He became "a Man of Sorrows," that we might be made partakers of everlasting joy. God permitted His beloved Son, full of grace and truth, to come from a world of indescribable glory, to a world marred and blighted with sin, darkened with the shadow of death and the curse.
Our Savior will return. Before he left his disciples, he promised them to come back: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-3
We as men have Christgiven promises, before his ascension. Until will we wait and work for his sooner return. A hope will be redeemed, we cannot redeem this hope. In love will he keep his own.
I can recommend the books "Steps to Christ" (Vejen til Kristus) and "Story of Jesus" (Kristus vor Frelser) and "The Great Controversy" (Konfrontation) by Ellen G. White.