CG7 on the SDAs

Rebuilt Gymnasium in Sardis, of Asia Minor

While updating an article titled, SDA/LCG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666, I noticed something that CG7 reported about how they were similar and dissimilar to the Seventh-day Adventists, so I thought that I would share some of that now.

The Denver-based Church of God (Seventh Day) teaches this about some of the similarities and differences between them and the SDAs:

- We both believe that the whole Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God.
- We both believe that salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
- We both believe that all of the Ten Commandments are standards for God’s people today and that the seventh-day Sabbath is to be observed on Saturday.
- We both believe there is no consciousness for humans between death and resurrection.
- We both believe that Jesus Christ will soon return physically to the earth.
- We both believe that the wicked will finally be annihilated, not suffer eternal torment…

Most differences between the groups involve the role and writings of Ellen G. White. Mrs. White was a founder of the SDA Church and is regarded by it as a true prophetess. The Church of God (Seventh Day) considers Mrs. White as it would any other writer since the completion of the biblical canon: Her “truth” is mixed with error. It regards neither Mrs. White nor her writings to be an expression of the “Spirit of Prophecy.” This is the fundamental difference between the two churches.

Beyond this basic difference, here are some teachings of the Church of God (Seventh Day) that are not endorsed by Seventh-day Adventists:

We believe that the year 1844 has no special significance in Bible prophecy. We believe that provision for salvation was completed when Jesus died, rose from the dead, and returned to heaven — not in 1844. Therefore, we believe that SDA teachings about the cleansing of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment are invalid.

We believe that the earth will be inhabited by the saints — not desolate — during the 1,000-year reign of Christ.

We believe that the entombment of Christ was for three full days and nights, from Wednesday evening until Sabbath evening.

We believe that the common celebrations of Christmas and Easter are seen as a compromise with pagan customs and should not be practiced by the Church.

Those of us in groups, like the Living Church of God, would agree with the above points on where we agree and disagree with the Seventh-day Adventists.

Perhaps I should also mention that the main reasons for the Church of God/SDA split were:

1) The COG did not accept Ellen White’s messages as on par with the Bible
2) The COG would not accept the name “Seventh-day Adventist”
3) The COG taught that the millennium is to occur on the earth
4) The COG taught that there is an opportunity for salvation in the age to come

Although CG7 no longer emphasizes that last point, here is some information about what the belief differences were in the mid-1800s. The SDAs have reported the following about the “CG7 group” in Marion in the 1860s that had affiliation with its Gilbert Cranmer (CG7’s currently essentially claimed founder):

The Marion party adopted the name Church of God (Adventist)…While retaining Sabbath observance, they differed in their understanding of the Millennium, favoring an earthly millennium at which time, with Christ’s presence upon the earth, all mankind will be converted. They promoted the keeping of Old Testament Feast days and advanced the unscriptural notion that Christ died on Wednesday and arose Saturday afternoon, having spent seventy-two hours, three whole days and nights, in Joseph’s tomb.

…an offshoot of this church formed adopting the named Church of God (Seventh Day ) (Standish RR, Standish C. The General Conference Confronts Apostasy. Hartland Publications, , 2006, p. 84).

Of course, Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday (for details, please see What Happened in the Crucifixion Week?). Additionally, it is not the COG position that all win be converted, it is the COG position (that LCG at least holds) that nearly everyone will be converted (please see Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants).

On matters of history, perhaps it should be mentioned that we in the Living Church of God do believe that we have direct ties to the original apostles and can trace our history from the time of Peter, Paul, and John through the faithful in Asia Minor through Europe and to the Americas (for some details, please see The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3). For specific information on the separation between the COGs and SDAs in the 1800s, please see the article The Sardis Church Era.

Three articles of possibly related interest may include:

SDA/LCG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The Living Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.