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Sabbath Rest Advent Church

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The Sabbath Rest Advent Church is a Christian church which has its spiritual roots in the Protestant Reformation. The church's origin is in the message of righteousness by faith which was preached in the Seventh-day Advent Church especially in 1888[1], at the Minneapolis General Conference Session of Seventh-day Adventists. This message was taken up again in the middle of the twentieth century, amongst others by F.T. Wright[2] who preached it in New Zealand, Australia and later in North and Central America, Europe, and Africa. In Germany the church activities were first led by Wolfgang Meyer and later by Andreas Dura[3] The worldwide church assumed the name of Sabbath Rest Advent Church in 1989.[4]

An explanation of the name

Sabbath Rest refers to a personal connection to God as the plan maker, problem solver, and burden bearer in daily life combined with an intelligent co-working with Him.

Advent (from the lat. adventus = coming): the active expectation of Christ’s return.

Church activities

In New Zealand the church runs a community early childhood education centre (ECE)[5] which enjoys official recognition by the government education review office.[6] Other activities include supplying the local area with a range of healthy dietary products and courses in health care.[7]

In Germany the church has a medical center with counselling and natural remedies. A natural food store keeps a range of their own fresh and baked products as well as other suppliers.[8]

The church in the USA has done several kinds of community work to help others in need as well as running fasting and hiking courses to cleanse both body and mind.[9]

In the Czech Republic the church also offers healthy products to the local communities.[10]

Current church centers

Germany, USA, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, and South Africa.

Structure

The Sabbath Rest Advent believers see Christ as the Head of the church. They believe that he organizes and unites the members through the principles elucidated in the Old and New Testament, as well as the messages he gives to the church. In each center and country, local leaders facilitate meetings and distribution of material.

The development of Bible truth

The Sabbath Rest Advent Church considers the whole Bible, the revealed word of God, as the foundation for its faith.[11] However, their understanding of this word is not seen as being static, but rather something that grows and deepens. They refer to the example of Jesus, who threw a whole wealth of new light on the writings of the Old Testament in His days, and many other messengers that God used in order to effect growth in His people, for example, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Luther, Wesley, and many others. They served as channels through whom God gave messages to the church. It was always the responsibility of the church members to test and prove the veracity of the message by the word of God.[12]; see also Acts 17:10, 11.

So today, the church believes that the task of testing and applying the message lies with each individual, and that a personal relationship with God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is necessary for this.

Since the knowledge of the word of God is seen as a continually progressing process, the Sabbath Rest Advent Church is open to any further knowledge which is in harmony with the word of God.[citation needed]

In the history of the Sabbath Rest Advent Church, F.T. Wright (1923–1997) and Andreas Dura have been messengers.[13]

Main beliefs

Apart from its spiritual foundation in Protestantism, the following points form the heart of the church's doctrine: (See also An Introduction to the Sabbath Rest Advent Church.)

The character of God

The basis for a close and trusting relationship with God is a correct understanding of His loving character. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Trinity) are the three personages of the deity and they are One in character. There is no difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. Jesus has shown that God is not a destroyer but a loving father who both gives and maintains life (see John 14:9; John 10:30), and that suffering and death are the unavoidable consequences of transgression of the moral and natural laws, but not the work of God.[14]

Sabbath rest

The church teaches that a truly personal, trusting relationship with God can only be formed when God is seen as a loving father (see Matthew 6:9) as well as the Creator of this world; One who knows best what is for the good of each individual. This leads to an experience of deep and abiding peace—the Sabbath Rest of which the Bible speaks (see Hebrews 4:9).

The keeping of the Sabbath (the seventh day; see Genesis 2:2, 3; Exodus 20:8–11), as the divine day of rest, is seen to be a sign of this relationship as well as serving to deepen the believer's connection wih God.[15]

The Rebirth

In the Bible, “sin” is described on the one hand as an action, namely as the transgression of the law (see 1 John 3:4). On the other hand, it is also declared to be a condition of slavery: “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” John 8:34. This bondage is the real problem, because the actions are merely the results of this condition. God does not condemn the sinner but offers deliverance from sin. This is apparent in the way Jesus dealt with the adulteress. The Pharisees had already judged her guilty, but Jesus set her free with the words, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” See John 8:1-11. The Sabbath Rest Advent Church understands that the deliverance that God offers is not merely the remission of guilt for actions committed, but also deliverance from the condition that repeatedly leads to transgression of the law. This is what Christ has made possible for every person through His death and resurrection (see Romans 6:5, 6).

This offer of deliverance is accepted by believing in what God has promised: a change of nature (see Ezekiel 36:26, 27)—a rebirth. As Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

By this deliverance from the ruling power of sin, the believer is enabled to follow Christ. In His life, Jesus has given a living example of what each born-again Christian can become in character.[16]

The return of Christ

The conviction of the church members that Jesus will return a second time is based on the words of the angels to the disciples when Jesus ascended into heaven: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11. The Sabbath Rest Advent Church teaches that the future does not lie in man’s ability to solve problems, but in salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The consummation of this hope will be realized at the second advent of Christ.[17]

The Sabbath Rest Advent Church believes that before Christ can come again certain conditions, laid down in the word of God, must first be met. The foremost condition is a revelation of the character that Jesus manifested when He lived on earth (see 2 Peter 3:11–13; 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13). Therefore, waiting for Christ’s return is not a passive but an active task—Christ’s followers will do the same works of love that he did when he first came to this earth two thousand years ago.

See also

References

  1. ^ Waggoner, E.J., Christ and His Righteousness; Jones, A.T., The Consecrated Way to Christian Perfection
  2. ^ docstoc.com, p. 13
  3. ^ Schmid G., Eggenberger O., Die Kirchen, Sondergruppen und religiösen Vereinigungen: ein Handbuch, p. 166
  4. ^ Sabbath Rest Advent Church, The History of the Sabbath Rest Advent Church, 2002.
  5. ^ Little Ark
  6. ^ Education Review Office, 11 May, 2011
  7. ^ Manawatu Standard, 27 October, 2011
  8. ^ Siegener Zeitung (Germany), April 8, 2006
  9. ^ Magicvalley.com September 15, 2011
  10. ^ ASO - Zdravý život
  11. ^ Sabbath Rest Advent Church, An Introduction to the Sabbath Rest Advent Church.
  12. ^ White, Ellen G., The Great Controversy, p. 292.
  13. ^ Sabbath Rest Advent Church, The History of the Sabbath Rest Advent Church, 2002.
  14. ^ Wright, F.T., Behold Your God.
  15. ^ Wright, F.T., Entering in to God’s Sabbath Rest.
  16. ^ Jones, A.T.,The Consecrated Way to Christian Perfection; Wright, F.T., From Bondage to Freedom.
  17. ^ Bliss, S., Memoirs of William Miller, p. 76.
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