What we believe
The Bible first, and everything else from there
Seventh-day Adventists take the Bible as our only creed. The convictions below are not a substitute for Scripture — they are our attempt to say plainly what we understand Scripture to teach, and they remain open to correction by it.
Worldwide, those convictions are set out as 28 Fundamental Beliefs. What follows is a short guide to what they cover, in our own words. The full statements, with their scriptural references, are published by the General Conference.
Beliefs 1 to 5
God, and how we know anything about Him
The Scriptures
The Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, and the standard against which every teaching — including our own — must be tested.
One God, three Persons
Father, Son and Holy Spirit: a unity of three eternal Persons, infinite and beyond our comprehension, yet made known to us.
The Father
Creator and sustainer of everything that exists. Just and holy, and at the same time merciful, patient and abounding in steadfast love.
The Son and the Spirit
God the Son became human in Jesus Christ. God the Spirit inspired Scripture, draws and convicts us, and remains with the church now.
Beliefs 6 to 8
Where we came from, and what went wrong
Creation
God made the heavens, the earth and everything in them, and rested on the seventh day — establishing the Sabbath as a memorial of that work.
What a person is
Made in God’s image, with real freedom to think and to choose. Body, mind and spirit are one indivisible whole, not separable parts.
The great controversy
A conflict between Christ and Satan over the character of God, begun in heaven and now playing out here. It explains a great deal about the world.
Why it matters
These are not abstractions. They shape how we treat one another, how we treat creation, and why we keep Sabbath at all. Join us on Sabbath
Beliefs 9 to 11
Salvation is a gift, not a wage
In Christ’s life of perfect obedience, His death and His resurrection, God provided the only remedy for human sin. We are saved by grace through faith — never by our own record. The Spirit then renews us, writes God’s law of love on our hearts, and grows us into Christ’s likeness over a lifetime.
If you want to talk this through with someone, that is what we are here for.
Beliefs 12 to 18
The church, and what we do together
The church
The community of everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord — called out of the world and joined together for worship, teaching, fellowship and service.
Unity across every line
Called from every nation and people. Distinctions of race, culture, class and nationality must not divide us; we are equal in Christ.
Baptism and communion
Baptism by immersion, on a confession of faith. The Lord’s Supper, open to all believing Christians, preceded by foot-washing.
Gifts for service
The Spirit gives every member gifts to use for the good of the church and of humanity — which is what our ministries are for. See our ministries
Beliefs 19 to 23
How this shapes an ordinary week
The Sabbath
From sunset Friday to sunset Saturday: rest, worship and delight. Not a restriction but a gift, and the belief most likely to be new to a visitor.
God’s law
The Ten Commandments express God’s will for human conduct. Obedience is the fruit of salvation, never its price.
Stewardship
Our time, abilities, possessions and the earth itself are entrusted to us. We acknowledge that through tithe, offerings and service.
Health and home
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, so we care for them deliberately. Marriage and family are treated as gifts worth tending. Health and family ministries
Beliefs 24 to 28
What we are waiting for
Christ’s ministry now
Jesus ministers on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary, making the benefits of His sacrifice available to us.
The Second Coming
Literal, personal, visible and worldwide. The blessed hope of the church, and the reason “Adventist” is in our name.
Death and resurrection
Death is an unconscious rest until Christ returns, when the righteous dead are raised. There is real comfort in that for the grieving.
The new earth
An eternal home where suffering and death have passed away, the great controversy is over, and all things declare that God is love.
Still have questions
Bring them with you
Nobody has to agree with all of this to be welcome here. If you want to study any of it properly, we run one-to-one Bible studies for anyone who asks — members, visitors and skeptics alike.