 The Holy Scriptures lie at the foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of purpose, message, and mission. We respect the Bible as the message of God transmitted through human writers. Although the format of the Scriptures manifests itself in human language, background, and historical setting, its content consists of divine messages conveyed to humanity as a whole, and especially to believers in God. Above the diversity reflected in human language stands the unifying truth that ties together the whole into the Word of God.The Scriptures provide authentic, reliable reports of the Creator God and His activities in bringing into existence the world as well as its inhabitants. They provide knowledge of origins, give meaning to life, and disclose the ultimate destiny of humanity.Above all, the Scriptures bear testimony to Jesus Christ who is the ultimate revelation, God among us. Both Old and New Testaments bear witness to Him. For these reasons the Holy Scriptures stand as the infallible revelation of God’s will, the norm for Christian values and life, the measure of all things within human experience, and the sole reliable guide to salvation in Christ.*This statement was approved and voted by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee (ADCOM) and was released by the Office of the President, Robert S. Folkenberg, at the General Conference session in Utrecht, the Netherlands, June 29-July 8, 1995. |
The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.
