Another Adventist Today Lie Baptismal vows

 Occasionally, I wander back on Adventist Today to see what the current Progressive propaganda is and imagine my surprise to see this article. 

You Don’t Have to Believe Ellen White Is a Prophet to Be an Adventist

Commentary Ellen White, spirit of prophecy, test of fellowship  By Ron Hessel  14 November 2025 

Here we read:

 And you don’t have to

There is some confusion on this, so let’s just set the record straight: you do not need to believe in Ellen White as a prophet in order to be a Seventh-day Adventist in good standing. Here is what it says in the Baptismal Vows I copied from the official church website.

“8. Do you accept the biblical teaching of spiritual gifts and believe that the gift of prophecy is one of the identifying marks of the remnant church?”

Notice that it does not say anything about Ellen White. Also notice that gift of prophecy is all in lower case—it is not capitalized. When, within our tribe, Ellen White and her work is referred to, “the Gift of Prophecy” is capitalized like a title. Otherwise, the gift of prophecy, all lower case, refers to one of the gifts of the Spirit as outlined in scripture.

The Baptismal Vows do not make us pledge allegiance to Ellen White, contrary to what some assert.

That is great, right? He has told us that the gift of prophecy is one of the marks of the remnant church and that it does not refer to Ellen White; it is just one of the many spiritual gifts! 

But what if he read further in the baptismal vows:

11. I know and understand the fundamental Bible principles as taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I purpose, by the grace of God, to fulfill His will by ordering my life in harmony with these principles. 

What do you think those "fundamental Bible principles as taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church" may be? If only there were a list or a book of the Adventist Fundamental Beliefs. Maybe they are even enumerated for convenience.

Let's see what one of the Fundamental SDA beliefs is:

The Gift of Prophecy  Z18 The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Num. 12:6; 2 Chron. 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10; 22:8, 9.)

There seems to be one more baptismal vow that seems to be related to this gift of prophecy to the remnant church, and that is the final vow:

13. I accept and believe that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the remnant church of Bible prophecy and that people of every nation, race, and language are invited and accepted into its fellowship. I desire to be a member of this local congregation of the world church. 

I wonder where they get the idea that the SDA church is the remnant church of Bible prophecy. Does it perhaps come from the gift of prophecy, which they believe is manifested in the ministry of Ellen White? Pretty sure that is the case.

But anyway, according to this article on Adventist Today, if we don't look too hard, we can say that Adventists don't have to believe in Ellen White as a prophet. 

Good to know. But you say, the first instance said fundamental principles, not fundamental beliefs. Okay, but are you sure you want to go there you can read the following articles and include the 1872 Fundamental Principles and of course the articles that oppose the transition from principles to beliefs such as: FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES vs BELIEFS - also referred to as THE TRANS-FUNDAMENTAL SOCIAL ENGINEERING OF ADVENTISM Go ahead at your own risk:)

A DECLARATION OF THE Fundamental Principles TAUGHT AND PRACTICED -BY-THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS. STEAM PRESS OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, BATTLE CREEK, MICH.: 1872.

Fundamental Principles

In presenting to the public this synopsis of our faith, we wish to have it distinctly understood that we have no articles of faith, creed, or discipline, aside from the Bible. We do not put forth this as having any authority with our people, nor is it designed to secure uniformity among them, as a system of faith, but is a brief statement of what is, and has been, with great unanimity, held by them. We often find it necessary to meet inquiries on this subject, and sometimes to correct false statements circulated against us, and to remove erroneous impressions which have obtained with those who have not had an opportunity to become acquainted with our faith and practice. Our only object is to meet this necessity. 

As Seventh-day Adventists we desire simply that our position shall be understood; and we are the more solicitous for this because there are many who call themselves Adventists who hold views with which we can have no sympathy, some of which, we think, are subversive of the plainest and most important principles set forth in the word of God. 

As compared with other Adventists, Seventh-day Adventists differ from one class in believing in the unconscious state of the dead, and the final destruction of the unrepentant wicked; from another, in believing in the perpetuity of the law of God as summarily contained in the ten commandments, in the operation of the Holy Spirit in the church, and in setting no times for the advent to occur; from all, in the observance of the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath of the Lord, and in many applications of the prophetic scriptures. 

With these remarks, we ask the attention of the reader to the following propositions, which aim to be a concise statement of the more prominent features of our faith. 

—I—

That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal, infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth, and mercy; unchangeable, and everywhere present by his representative, the Holy Spirit. Psalm 139:7. 

—II—

That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one by whom God created all things, and by whom they do consist; that he took on him the nature of the seed of Abraham for the redemption of our fallen race; that he dwelt among men full of grace and truth, lived our example, died our sacrifice, was raised for our justification, ascended on high to be our only mediator in the sanctuary in Heaven, where, with his own blood he makes atonement for our sins; which atonement so far from being made on the cross, which was but the offering of the sacrifice, is the very last portion of his work as priest, according to the example of the Levitical priesthood, which foreshadowed and prefigured the ministry of our Lord in Heaven. See Leviticus 16; Hebrews 8:4, 5; 9:6, 7; etc. 

—III—

That the Holy Scriptures, of the Old and New Testaments, were given by inspiration of God, contain a full revelation of his will to man, and are the only infallible rule of faith and practice. 

—IV—

That Baptism is an ordinance of the Christian church, to follow faith and repentance, an ordinance by which we commemorate the resurrection of Christ, as by this act we show our faith in his burial and resurrection, and through that, of the resurrection of all the saints at the last day; and that no other mode fitly represents these facts than that which the Scriptures prescribe, namely, immersion. Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12. 

-V-

That the new birth comprises the entire change necessary to fit us for the kingdom of God, and consists of two parts: first, a moral change, wrought by conversion and a Christian life; second, a physical change at the second coming of Christ, whereby, if dead, we are raised incorruptible, and if living, are changed to immortality in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. John 3:3, 5; Luke 20:36. 

-VI-

We believe that prophecy is a part of God’s revelation to man; that it is included in that scripture which is profitable for instruction, 2 Timothy 3:16; that it is designed for us and our children. Deuteronomy 29:29; that so far from being enshrouded in impenetrable mystery, it is that which especially constitutes the word of God a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, Psalm 119:105, 2 Peter 2:19; that a blessing is pronounced upon those who study it, Revelation 1:1-3; and that, consequently, it is to be understood by the people of God sufficiently to show them their position in the world’s history, and the special duties required at their hands. 

-VII-

That the world’s history from specified dates in the past, the rise and fall of empires, and chronological succession of events down to the setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom, are outlined in numerous great chains of prophecy; and that these prophecies are now all fulfilled except the closing scenes. 

-VIII-

That the doctrine of the world’s conversion and temporal millennium is a fable of these last days, calculated to lull men into a state of carnal security, and cause them to be overtaken by the great day of the Lord as by a thief in the night; that the second coming of Christ is to precede, not follow, the millennium; for until the Lord appears the papal power, with all its abominations, is to continue, the wheat and tares grow together, and evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, as the word of God declares. 

-IX-

That the mistake of Adventists in 1844 pertained to the nature of the event then to transpire, not to the time; that no prophetic period is given to reach to the second advent, but that the longest one, the two thousand and three hundred days of Daniel 8:14, terminated in that year, and brought us to an event called the cleansing of the sanctuary. 

-X-

That the sanctuary of the new covenant is the tabernacle of God in Heaven, of which Paul speaks in Hebrews 8, and onward, of which our Lord, as great High Priest, is minister; that this sanctuary is the antitype of the Mosaic tabernacle, and that the priestly work of our Lord, connected therewith, is the antitype of the work of the Jewish priests of the former dispensation. Hebrews 8:1-5, etc.; that this is the sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days, what is termed its cleansing being in this case, as in the type, simply the entrance of the high priest into the most holy place, to finish the round of service connected therewith, by blotting out and removing from the sanctuary the sins which had been transferred to it by means of the ministration in the first apartment, Hebrews 9:22, 23; and that this work, in the antitype, commencing in 1844, occupies a brief but indefinite space, at the conclusion of which the work of mercy for the world is finished. 

-XI-

That God’s moral requirements are the same upon all men in all dispensations; that these are summarily contained in the commandments spoken by Jehovah from Sinai, engraven on the tables of stone, and deposited in the ark, which was in consequence called the “ark of the covenant,” or testament. Numbers 10:33, Hebrews 9:4, etc.; that this law is immutable and perpetual, being a transcript of the tables deposited in the ark in the true sanctuary on high, which is also, for the same reason, called the ark of God’s testament; for under the sounding of the seventh trumpet we are told that “the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Revelation 11:19. 

-XII-

That the fourth commandment of this law requires that we devote the seventh day of each week, commonly called Saturday, to abstinence from our own labor, and to the performance of sacred and religious duties; that this is the only weekly Sabbath known to the Bible, being the day that was set apart before paradise was lost, Genesis 2:2, 3, and which will be observed in paradise restored, Isaiah 66:22, 23; that the facts upon which the Sabbath institution is based confine it to the seventh day, as they are not true of any other day; and that the terms, Jewish Sabbath and Christian Sabbath, as applied to the weekly rest-day, are names of human invention, unscriptural in fact, and false in meaning. 

-XIII-

That as the man of sin, the papacy, has thought to change times and laws (the laws of God), Daniel 7:25, and has misled almost all Christendom in regard to the fourth commandment, we find a prophecy of a reform in this respect to be wrought among believers just before the coming of Christ. Isaiah 56:1, 2; 1 Peter 1:5, Revelation 14:12, etc. 

-XIV-

That as the natural or carnal heart is at enmity with God and his law, this enmity can be subdued only by a radical transformation of the affections, the exchange of unholy for holy principles; that this transformation follows repentance and faith, is the special work of the Holy Spirit, and constitutes regeneration or conversion. 

-XV-

That as all have violated the law of God, and cannot of themselves render obedience to his just requirements, we are dependent on Christ, first, for justification from our past offences, and, secondly, for grace whereby to render acceptable obedience to his holy law in time to come. 

-XVI-

That the Spirit of God was promised to manifest itself in the church through certain gifts, enumerated especially in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4; that these gifts are not designed to supersede, or take the place of, the Bible, which is sufficient to make us wise unto salvation, any more than the Bible can take the place of the Holy Spirit; that in specifying the various channels of its operation, that Spirit has simply made provision for its own existence and presence with the people of God to the end of time, to lead to an understanding of that word which it had inspired, to convince of sin, and work a transformation in the heart and life; and that those who deny to the Spirit its place and operation, do plainly deny that part of the Bible which assigns to it this work and position. 

-XVII-

That God, in accordance with his uniform dealings with the race, sends forth a proclamation of the approach of the second advent of Christ; that this work is symbolized by the three messages of Revelation 14, the last one bringing to view the work of reform on the law of God, that his people may acquire a complete readiness for that event. 

-XVIII-

That the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary (see proposition X), synchronizing with the time of the proclamation of the third message, is a time of investigative judgment, first with reference to the dead, and at the close of probation with reference to the living, to determine who of the myriads now sleeping in the dust of the earth are worthy of a part in the first resurrection, and who of its living multitudes are worthy of translation-points which must be determined before the Lord appears. 

-XIX-

That the grave, whither we all tend, expressed by the Hebrew sheol, and the Greek hades, is a place of darkness in which there is no work, device, wisdom, or knowledge. Ecclesiastes 9:10. 

-XX-

That the state to which we are reduced by death is one of silence, inactivity, and entire unconsciousness. Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6; Daniel 12:2, etc. 

-XXI-

That out of this prison house of the grave mankind are to be brought by a bodily resurrection; the righteous having part in the first resurrection, which takes place at the second advent of Christ, the wicked in the second resurrection, which takes place a thousand years thereafter. Revelation 20:4-6. 

-XXII-

That at the last trump, the living righteous are to be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and with the resurrected righteous are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, so forever to be with the Lord. 

-XXIII-

That these immortalized ones are then taken to Heaven, to the New Jerusalem, the Father’s house in which there are many mansions, John 14:1-3, where they reign with Christ a thousand years, judging the world and fallen angels, that is, apportioning the punishment to be executed upon them at the close of the one thousand years; Revelation 20:4; 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3; that during this time the earth lies in a desolate and chaotic condition, Jeremiah 4:20-27, described, as in the beginning by the Greek term abussos (õóó ïò) bottomless pit (Septuagint of Genesis 1:2); and that here Satan is confined during the thousand years, Revelation 20:1, 2, and here finally destroyed, Revelation 20:10; Malachi 4:1; the theater of the ruin he has wrought in the universe, being appropriately made for a time his gloomy prison house, and then the place of his final execution. 

-XXIV-

That at the end of the thousand years, the Lord descends with his people and the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:2, the wicked dead are raised and come up upon the surface of the yet unrenewed earth, and gather about the city, the camp of the saints, Revelation 20:9, and fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. They are then consumed root and branch, Malachi 4:1, becoming as though they had not been. Obadiah 15, 16. In this everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, the wicked meet the everlasting punishment threatened against them, Matthew 25:46. This is the perdition of ungodly men, the fire which consumes them being the fire for which “the heavens and the earth which are now” are kept in store, which shall melt even the elements with its intensity, and purge the earth from the deepest stains of the curse of sin. 2 Peter 3:7-12. 

-XXV-

That a new heavens and earth shall spring by the power of God from the ashes of the old, to be, with the New Jerusalem for its metropolis and capital, the eternal inheritance of the saints, the place where the righteous shall evermore dwell. 2 Peter 3:13; Psalm 37:11, 29; Matthew 5:5. 

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Progressive Christians lying about Jesus for politics

 Someone posted this short Reel on Facebook. It is a good example of the problem of Progressive Christians who so often seem to view truth as a terribly flexible thing that can be bent to whatever purpose they choose. By leaving behind objective truth they feel they can lie about whatever they want.

This Reel has someone by the name of Rev. Dr. Caleb J Lines. Extolling the reason he is against MAGA
The Transcription from his Reel:

“You know I am anti-maga because I'm anti-Christian Nationalist, Christian Nationalism isn't Christian and It's not patriotic. Instead it is idol worship, blind loyalty to a nation or to a leader like Donald Trump as if he were God. Maga Christian nationalists stand against everything that Jesus was for because maga is for illegal detainment and deportation. When Jesus said to welcome the stranger, maga is for dismantling health care in this country. When Jesus distributed health care for free, maga is for demonizing people of color. Whenever Jesus said that we are all children of God with inherent worth and dignity, maga is for peeling away the reproductive health that we have in this country. When the Bible defines life as beginning at first breath in Genesis 2:7 Maga is for the unfettered proliferation of guns. When Jesus said that those who live by the sword will die by the sword, maga is for the criminalization of the existence of queer people which When Jesus affirmed that community in the Gospel of Matthew. So yeah, I'm anti Maga, but only because I'm pro humanity, I'm pro democracy, and most importantly, I'm pro Jesus. If you're a Christian, I hope that you're pro Jesus too. “

Lets first look at his claims for MAGA and see if any of them are true:

You know I am anti-MAGA because I'm anti Christian Nationalist. Christian Nationalism isn't Christian and It's not patriotic. Instead it is idol worship, blind loyalty to a nation or to a leader like Donald Trump as if he were God.

Maga Christian nationalists stand against everything that Jesus was for.

Because MAGA is for illegal detainment and deportation.

maga is for dismantling health care in this country.

maga is for demonizing people of color.

maga is for peeling away the reproductive health that we have in this country.

Maga is for the unfettered proliferation of guns.

maga is for the criminalization of the existence of queer people

Of course, the meaning of Christian nationalism can vary from I am a Christian and I am a nationalist as opposed to being a globalist. We don't know his definition, but if we take his list for what he says, it is a list that we don't find either Christian nationalists or MAGA people believe in.

Do either Christian Nationalists or MAGA have blind loyalty to a nation or a leader like Donald Trump? Of course not, we all just went through 4 years of the Biden Administration and covid mandates, only  Democrats were blindly loyal to their country through that. I know of no one with blind loyalty to Donald Trump. Point me out that person if you think there is even one. I know someone will point to someone in his administration and pretend that supporting the administration is somehow blind loyalty rather than doing the job they were hired to do.

Is MAGA for illegal detainment and deportation? No, they are following the immigration laws, which do include deportation and detainment before deportation.

Is MAGA for dismantling health care in this country? No, government subsidized health care may need some reforms, even Democrats believe that. But even if the country removed government-paid health subsidies, that would not dismantle health care.

Does MAGA demonize people of color? Of course not. In fact, MAGA has very high respect for people like Clarence Thomas and Thomas Sowell. The vice president is married to an Asian Indian the head of the FBI is a person of color. Where is the demonizing of people of color? Being against DEI is not a demonization of anyone; it is meant to bring back equality by not selecting for a skin color or against a skin color.

Is MAGA for peeling away the reproductive health in this country? Of course not, there has been no change to reproductive health, what this Progressive means, of course, is abortion. Maga might like to end the killing of millions of unborn babies, but all that has happened is the Federal government sent the issue to the individual states rather than as the Supreme Court years ago said it was a right in the US Constitution, which it was never found there.

Is MAGA for the unfettered proliferation of guns? That is pretty absurd, no part of MAGA says we must get Federal criminals guns as soon as they exit prison. Maga is quite happy with criminals not having guns and has been encouraging places like Chicago to reduce their gun violence.

Is MAGA for the criminalization of the existence of queer people? Like all the other lies about MAGA this is a complete fabrication. There have been no laws proposed against queer people (though Ultra Violet Queers may get some legislative actions in the future). I doubt this Rev even knows the meaning of the term queer, though I am sure he would agree with queer theology.

So we see there is a whole lot of lying going on just in his accusations against MAGA and Christian Nationalism. What about his answers to his own false statements? Was Jesus really in opposition to Make America Great Again?

Jesus said to welcome the stranger: No, in fact, Jesus does not say that; the closest Jesus gets to that is: In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus teaches His disciples that whatever they do for “the least of these,” they have done for Him. When we love and serve the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, and the stranger, we are loving and serving Jesus.” But does that mean that no country should have immigration laws or borders? If Jesus simply said, welcome the strangers, should not every Christian open their homes to every vagrant they see? If they did, Christians would not have homes very long, and they themselves would be vagrants. If the Rev disagrees, I hope he just opens his church to any stranger at any time and sees how well that goes. But countries have political systems, and our democratic Republic votes on the representatives who create the laws, and that has happened with our immigration laws. They are not always enforced such as happened in the Biden Administration.

Jesus distributed health care for free: Not really, Jesus healed some people, not all people. The woman with a bleeding disorder that was healed by touching Jesus's garment was trying to get near enough to be healed but was not able to get Jesus's attention. See also 

Mark 6:5 Even the healing from Jesus could not heal everyone during his earthly ministry. But if our lesson from Jesus is health care should be free, Doctors and nurses and caregivers should be offering their services for free. Hospitals and drug companies should offer treatments for free. The result would be the entire collapse or our health care in America.

Jesus said that we are all children of God with inherent worth and dignity. I think this is the first true thing that Rev Lines has said so far!

The Bible defines life as beginning at first breath in Genesis 2:7. Well, that didn't last long, the truth-telling. The Bible in Gen 2:7 is referring to God giving the breath of life to Adam, the first of mankind, breathed into the man by God; it is not a reference to a baby's first breath. If it were as some abortionists use this, it would be completely OK to abort a child at 9 months. Pretty much something that only a small number of Americans would agree is OK. That makes this Progressive Christian belief even at odds with the majority of American culture at large.

Jesus said that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Another rare bit of truth, but it has nothing at all to do with the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms. If you have a gun, that in no way means you will die by a gun or any other kind of violence. The Rev has again distorted the Bible text.

When Jesus affirmed that community in the Gospel of Matthew: So he has just given up now, there is no affirmation of queer people in the book of Matthew; he knows it, we all know it.

Do not be led astray by the preaching of “another gospel” in the guise of Progressive Christianity. Progressive Christianity is downstream of Progressive Politics. This is a very good example of putting politics before any kind of Biblical hermeneutics.