Difference Between Christian and SDA

It has been said that people who are religious or those who belong to a religious sect are well adjusted and happier than people who are not. They tend to accept and react to life’s problems and hardship in a positive way because their religion gives them hope.

One of the biggest religions in the world is Christianity and its adherents are called Christians. Christians are people who follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. They believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament Bible of Christians.

The term, ‘Christian’ came from the Greek word, ‘Christianos’ which means followers of Christ, from the word Christos meaning ‘anointed one’. In Hebrew, the word Christos means Messiah. It was first used to refer to Christ’s followers in the New Testament Book of Acts.

Christians believe in the doctrine of trinity, describing God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They believe in salvation through faith in Jesus, His historical truth, the Incarnation, and follow His ethical model.

A Christian is one who has heard the Gospel and accepts its message, accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, be baptized, and goes to church regularly. He is expected to lead a decent life and follow Jesus’ teachings and agree to his church’s creeds.

There are many branches or denominations of Christianity, namely; Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Non Trinitarians, and Protestantism, of which the Seventh Day Adventist church is one.

The Seventh Day Adventist church is different from all other Christian denominations by its observance of Saturday as the day of the Sabbath. Saturday is the original 7th day of the Judeo-Christian week.

SDA church came from the Millerite movement of the middle 1800s, when Miller predicted the second coming of Christ on October 22, 1844 based on Daniel 8:14-16.

The expected second coming did not happen and some Millerites believed that it was the interpretation of the Bible passage that was incorrect. They believed that it foretold Christ’s entrance into the most holy place of heavenly sanctuary and not of his second coming.

They still believe in Christ’s second coming and like other Christian denominations, they believe in the Trinity and the infallibility of the Scripture. The church promotes religious liberty and conservative principles and lifestyle.

One of the SDA church’s founders is Ellen G. White, whose writings are held highly by the church. For Adventists, she had the gift of prophecy and she occupied a central role in the church. They have but one creed: The Bible, and the Bible alone.

They believe that humans do not possess immortal soul and that the wicked will not suffer the torment of hell, but will be destroyed permanently and that people will be judged according to their faith.

Summary:

1. Christians refer to all people who believe in Christ as the Savior, while SDA is a Christian church.
2. Most Christians observe Sunday as the Sabbath, while SDA observe Saturday.
3. Other Christians believe that sinners will suffer in hell, but SDA believe that sinners will be destroyed permanently.
4. Most Christian denominations believe in an immortal soul, while SDA do not.