Will Only Advent Christians Be Saved?
You have read the question. The answer is…
“No.”
Thanks for reading.
I kid! Is the title just clickbait? Some might say so…but there is an important point here. Stay with me and judge for yourself.
Proposals have been brought to the table that would make the Statement of Faith and the proposed 2026 Declaration of Principles standards of membership in the Advent Christian denomination. In the course of our debate, it has become clear that some have assumed this means that the proponents of these proposals are claiming that nontrinitarians are not saved, as they would be excluded from membership. It is an interesting conclusion to draw, considering that the proposals exclude many others from denominational membership besides nontrinitarians.
Remembering the standards of membership would only apply to pastors and churches (and other denominational associations/organizations), consider the following sampling of those who would be excluded from membership in the denomination (apart from those doctrines concerning God and the person of Christ):
Those who believe the Bible is fallible, not the final authority of our faith.
Those who believe human beings are inherently immortal.
Those who deny the sleep of the dead is an acceptable position to hold.
Those who only hope for a heavenly existence and not the resurrected life.
Those who deny the visible and actual return of Christ.
Those who believe all people will be ultimately saved (universalism).
Those who believe in infant baptism.
Those who would entirely reject congregationalism (we understand there is a spectrum of congregationalist practice).
Those who believe they can approximate the time of Christ’s return (date-setting).
Those who believe Christians must worship on Saturday and observe Sabbath as a matter of the Law.
Those who would take a strident position in rejecting the legitimacy of properly instituted governments as servants of God (please note - this does not mean they are beyond critique or that this precludes conscientious objection)
Those who hold any of these positions and who apply to be an Advent Christian pastor or church would be turned away under these proposals. Are they not saved because of this? Of course not - that is not what is being suggested at all. The Advent Christian General Conference is not the Roman Catholic Church (traditionally conceived), as though you must be in communion with ACGC to be saved.
Thinking of the Roman Catholics, we could hardly imagine their priests being granted credentials as Advent Christian pastors, assuming they maintained most of their defining convictions. Are all of them saved? What do you think? Perhaps you have some concern - I do.
I have studied alongside and learned much from Roman Catholics in my ethical studies. Even so, they embrace some serious errors. I trust I will see some (hopefully many of them) in the Kingdom. But yes, I am concerned for them.
Now consider the list I gave above. In the balance, is not our understanding of God a tad more important? If Jesus is only a man, if he is not God incarnate, that’s a big deal - we dare not worship him in that case, lest we violate the first commandment. But if he is God made flesh, is it not even more consequential for us in every way? Consider even just our comprehension of God’s love for us, that he did not dispatch a mere creature to us, but came to us Himself - Immanuel. The divinity of Christ touches every area of theology because God, theos, is the very subject of theology.
So concerning the nontrinitarians, are all of them saved? What do you think? Perhaps you have some concern - I do. Obviously, people are saved apart from having an accurate understanding of the nature of God. No one is claiming otherwise. As Romans 10:9-10 tells us,
“… If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
But when grown adults, pastors, have rejected or have refused to even entertain the clear biblical evidence and reasonable explanations that testify to the trinitarian reality, should we not be concerned for them? I am. It is no small thing to deny Christ, as well as the Holy Spirit, the divine honor and worship they are due.
Just consider Acts 20, that passage in which Paul gives his final charge to the Ephesian elders. In verse 28, he reminds them that they were made overseers by the Holy Spirit (a strange way to speak of an impersonal force) to care for the church purchased by God’s own blood, a claim that clearly indicates Christ’s divinity and God’s tri-unity:
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”
Note also Paul’s instruction to that young pastor, Timothy, in 2 Timothy 1:14,
“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”
In light of these truths and this charge, I am concerned for those pastors who are willfully nontrinitarian; they are sowing confusion among Christ’s flock. Perhaps you think they are definitely saved and only sincerely confused - confused like a pastor who denies the complete authority of Scripture or who is a universalist. Perhaps you are right.
However, as with all of the cases I’ve mentioned above, this should not lead us to conclude that nontrinitarians should be members (pastors, churches, etc.) of the Advent Christian denomination. Again, we have never suggested that the membership of the denomination would include everyone who will be saved. Salvation belongs to God. Our responsibility is to be devoted to guarding and teaching the truth, especially on these vital matters. God’s mercy is wide, but we should not dare presume upon it by being lax in our charge.
Yes, it has been our tradition to include nontrinitarians in our membership. I like tradition, but I love the truth more. We have made mistakes as a denomination. Our priorities have been disordered, elevating the doctrine of Man (conditionalism) over the doctrine of God. We should care for both in their due measure. In 2026, we are trying to set things right by restoring a right order a right order to our theological commitments as Advent Christians.
I know this issue touches some of you personally - you have nontrinitarian family and friends. I am not telling you to make a judgment about anyone’s salvation. Ultimately, it’s not what you or I think that matters, but what God knows. If you are at peace about their salvation, I would nevertheless encourage you to point those who are still living to the truth. The joy of our salvation is to know God, more and more.
Of course, this also touches those of you who are in fact nontrinitarians, especially you pastors. I can only hope that even in disagreement you might see my heart here. I am concerned for you, and if you are concerned for me based on your convictions, I would completely understand. This is an important matter. I am sorry we have not always treated this matter with the urgency it deserves. First and foremost, it has been a disservice to you. Those who love, speak the truth. I am hoping we will have some opportunity to reason together before it may become necessary for us to part ways.
The Advent Christian denomination is not the end all be all. We are regularly overlooked and categorized merely as “other” among Christian denominations. Small, weak, humbled, we yet aspire to become obedient to God. A denomination, not containing all Christians, but containing those Christians committed to these essential truths which must be the bedrock of our identity as Adventists, a foundation upon which all other differences may abide.
God grant it be so.
Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.