Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission

C. The Ecclesiological Self-understanding

The ecclesiological self-understanding of the Sabbatarian Adventists was a consistent extension of the Millerite views during the crisis of 1843-44. ¹ The “organized churches” were considered to be Babylon. ² J. White remarked that “the fall of Babylon commenced in the spring of ‘43 when the churches all around, began to fall into a cold state, and was complete on the 7th month ‘44, when the last faint ray of hope was taken up from a wicked world and church.” ⁴ In 1849 he compiled and edited a hymnal which included a hymn on the proclamation of the fall of Babylon referring to her “poisonous creeds” as an argument for separatism. According to Bates, the observance of the Sabbath by Adventists, as indicated in Revelation 14:12, was “demonstrated proof that Babylon has fallen.” FSDA 147.1

Adventists who remained faithful to their Advent beliefs after the Disappointment were designated as God’s people ⁶ and called the “remnant,” the “little remnant,” the “scattered remnant,” the “little flock” (Luke 12:32), or the “scattered flock.” ⁷ Adventists who rejected the Advent movement were called “the synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 3:9). ⁸ FSDA 147.2

The rejection of the validity of the Seventh Month movement and the Sabbath doctrine by the majority of Adventists contributed to a development in the Sabbatarian ecclesiology. J. White denounced the “unfaithful ones,” stating that “since the 7th month 1844, the ‘rebellious house’ of Israel, have been removing the ‘landmarks,’ and writing, and proclaiming false visions; but we all know that it has been the work of man, and not of God.” ⁹ E. G. White designated them as “nominal Adventists.” ¹ In her April 1847 vision the Sabbath was used as a criterion to indicate the ecclesiological distinctiveness of the Sabbatarian Adventists. She stated that “the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers” ² but warned against exclusivism, for “God had children, who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They had not rejected the light on it.” ⁴ These people were among the nominal Adventists and in the churches of Babylon, and would accept the Sabbath doctrine and unite with Sabbatarians in the future. FSDA 147.3

One of the earliest statements that applied the term “church” to Sabbatarian Adventists came from E. G. White, who, in January 1849, addressed a manuscript to “the church of God who keep the Sabbath-the seal of the living God.” ⁵ FSDA 148.1

Bates and others symbolized the churches from which Adventists had separated themselves as the Sardis Church (Revelation 3:1-6). The Sabbatarian Adventists he identified with the Philadelphian church (Revelation 3:7-13) and the “nominal Adventists” with the Laodicean state of the church (Revelation 3:14-22). ⁶ FSDA 148.2

Thus, the ecclesiological self-understanding of the believers developed around three concentric circles: The inner circle represented the true Israel of God, the Philadelphian church, which observed the Sabbath; the second signified God’s people among the “nominal Adventists” and in the churches, who had not rejected the Sabbath doctrine and were unaware of its implications; the outer circle embraced the remaining “nominal Adventists” and church people, who had rejected the Sabbath doctrine as binding for Christians, and equated them with unbelievers. The future prospects were a unification of all God’s people with Sabbatarian Adventists resulting in a final conflict between them and unbelievers. FSDA 148.3