Seventh-day Adventist

Hebrews shows that Christ entered God’s presence already after His ascension:

• Hebrews 6:19–20Christ has already “entered within the veil.”
• Hebrews 9:12He “entered once for all into the holy places,” having obtained eternal redemption.
• Hebrews 9:24He entered “into heaven itself… to appear in the presence of God.”
• Hebrews 10:12–14He offered one sacrifice for sins and sat down forever at the right hand of God.
• Hebrews 10:19–22Believers already have access into the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus.
• John 19:30On the cross Christ said: “It is finished!”

• Colossians 2:16–17“Let no one judge you… with regard to a Sabbath: these are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is of Christ.” The Sabbath is called a shadow, and the fulfillment is in Christ.
• Romans 14:5–6One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike; Paul does not establish one obligatory day for all.
• Galatians 4:9–11Paul warns against returning to a religious system of observing days, months, seasons and years.
• Acts 15:28–29When the apostles determined the requirements for believing Gentiles, the command to keep the Sabbath was not given.
• Hebrews 4:3“We who have believed enter that rest.” God’s rest is tied to faith.
• Hebrews 4:9–10There remains a “Sabbath rest” for the people of God: the one who has entered God’s rest rests from his own works.
• Matthew 11:28Christ says: “Come to Me… and I will give you rest.”
• John 15:4“Abide in Me, and I in you.” New-covenant life is continual abiding in Christ, not fellowship with God only one day a week.

• John 5:24The believer “has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”
• Romans 8:1“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
• Romans 8:33–34God justifies; Christ died, rose, and intercedes for believers.
• Hebrews 10:14Christ “by one offering has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
• 1 John 5:11–13The believer does not wait for a future decision about his salvation, but can already know that he has eternal life.
• 2 Corinthians 5:10Believers will indeed appear before the judgment seat of Christ for the evaluation of their life and works.
• 1 Corinthians 3:12–15A believer’s works may be tested, and he may suffer loss, “yet he himself will be saved.”

• Luke 23:43Jesus says to the thief: “today you will be with Me in paradise.” Christ promises fellowship with Him after death, not only after the future resurrection.
• Philippians 1:21–23Paul desires “to depart and be with Christ,” because that is “far better.” For Paul, death means a transition to being with Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 5:6–8Paul contrasts being “in the body” with being “with the Lord”: to be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord.
• Revelation 6:9–11The souls of the martyrs before God consciously cry out to Him and receive an answer.
• Luke 16:19–31In the account of the rich man and Lazarus, after death both are presented as being in a conscious state.
• Matthew 17:1–3Moses and Elijah appear on the Mount of Transfiguration and speak with Christ. Moses had died long before this event.
• Hebrews 12:22–23It speaks of the heavenly assembly and “the spirits of the righteous made perfect.”

• Matthew 25:46“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” The same word “eternal” applies both to punishment and to life.
• Mark 9:43–48Jesus speaks of “unquenchable fire,” where “their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.”
• Revelation 14:10–11Of those who worship the beast it is said: “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night.”
• Revelation 20:10The devil, the beast and the false prophet are in the lake of fire, where torment continues “day and night forever and ever.”
• Revelation 20:14–15The lake of fire is called “the second death,” and those whose names are not written in the book of life are thrown into it.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9Those who reject the Gospel undergo “eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”

• Mark 7:18–19Jesus teaches that food entering a person from outside does not by itself make him spiritually unclean.
• Acts 10:9–16Peter is told: “What God has made clean, do not call common.” The main purpose of the vision is the acceptance of the Gentiles, but the image is built on overcoming the former category of ritual uncleanness.
• Romans 14:2–3“One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats vegetables”; neither side should condemn the other.
• Romans 14:14Paul says: “nothing is unclean in itself.”
• Romans 14:17“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
• Colossians 2:16“Let no one judge you in food or in drink.”
• 1 Timothy 4:3–5Scripture warns against requiring abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving.
• Genesis 9:3After the flood God expressly permits man to eat animals.
• Luke 24:42–43The risen Christ eats fish before the disciples.
• 1 Corinthians 10:25–27Paul allows believers to eat food that is offered without special inquiry for conscience’ sake.

• Acts 1:5, 8Christ promises: “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” and “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
• Acts 2:1–4Believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.
• Acts 2:17–18“I will pour out My Spirit… and they shall prophesy.”
• Acts 2:38–39The promise of the Holy Spirit is given not only to the apostles, but “to all who are far off, as many as the Lord shall call.”
• Acts 8:14–17Already believing and baptized Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 10:44–46The Spirit falls on Cornelius’ household; they speak in tongues and magnify God.
• Acts 19:1–6After the Holy Spirit comes upon them, believers speak in tongues and prophesy.
• 1 Corinthians 12:7–11The Holy Spirit gives the Church prophecy, healings, miracles, tongues, interpretation and other gifts.
• 1 Corinthians 14:1“Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:39“Do not forbid speaking in tongues.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies.”
• Ephesians 5:18“Be filled with the Spirit.”

• 1 Timothy 2:11–12Paul does not permit a woman to occupy the position of a teacher exercising authority over a man in the Church.
• 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9Responsibility for governing teaching and oversight of the church is laid on elders.
• Revelation 2:20Christ rebukes the church for allowing a woman who calls herself a prophetess to receive teaching authority and lead God’s people into error.
• 1 John 4:1Any prophetic claim must be tested: “test the spirits, whether they are of God.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21“Do not despise prophecies. Test all things.”
• Galatians 1:8No subsequent revelation has the right to change the apostolic Gospel.