By Mark A. KellnerPosted January 28, 2021
Is the Seventh-day Adventist Church nothing more than a Christian cult?
That’s the claim, among others in a recent video, of Dr. Nathan Busenitz, dean of faculty at The Master’s Seminary, a 35-year-old school located in northwest Los Angeles County.
In response, Amazing Facts International has posted a new video on YouTube that addresses Dr. Busenitz’s claims point by point.
Pastor Doug Batchelor, president of Amazing Facts, says that he is concerned that people who view Busenitz’s video will not have all of the context or facts to make an informed decision. He explains, “We’re told by the apostle Peter to ‘always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you,’ but to do so ‘with meekness and fear.’ This video is not a personal attack on anyone or any institution; rather, it’s a pastoral response to what is, frankly, clear misunderstandings and straw-man arguments about the church and what it teaches.”
For instance, Dr. Busenitz faults Adventists—a global Christian fellowship of more than 21 million baptized members worldwide—for teaching fidelity to the Bible Sabbath, or Saturday as opposed to Sunday, and to biblical dietary laws; and for asserting that Christ is performing a ministry in heaven today.
Sharing excerpts from Dr. Busenitz’s video, Pastor Doug has responded to each claim. For example, to the charge of “legalism” for believing that the Sabbath day should be observed by Bible-believing Christians, Pastor Doug maintains there is not a single verse in Scripture that mentions a change in the day that God calls His people to worship; he also responds to the argument that the apostle Paul eliminated Sabbath-keeping.
For the complete response, watch the video below:
Also, look for the offer of a free resource that explains the relationship between the laws found in the Bible and the message of grace found in the ministry of Jesus.
We ask that you share the video with friends and relatives who might want to know the facts about the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Along with leading the Amazing Facts ministry for more than 25 years, Pastor Doug Batchelor serves as senior pastor of the Granite Bay Hilltop Seventh-day Adventist Church, located near Sacramento, California. He is also a frequent speaker at denominational events and conferences worldwide.