What are the differences between 7th day Adventist and Jehovah's Witness teachings?

Question

I have noticed that they both hold similar beliefs with each other in which divert from mainststream Christianity such as the belief in soul sleep and anhialationism (besides the universalists, these are about the only two "christian" groups who claim to hold to these beliefs). For instance, do the adventists also believe in a created christ or an eternally pre-existant Christ? Are there any beliefs that these two groups hold that are different from each other? Thank-you

Answer 1

This brief answer is interested only in the unique teachings of Seventh-Day Adventists, and how those unique teachings compare with Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses have other teachings which are unique to most of Christendom.

SDAs are relatively unique among Christendom in that they teach that the Ten Commandments are still in force upon Christians, and they believe Saturday must be kept as a Sabbath. SDAs believe that humans may still have "the gift of prophecy" and look to Ellen G. White as a literal prophet.

SDAs elect congregation elders, who serve for one or two years but may be re-elected. SDAs tithe. SDAs are trinitarians. SDAs permit some degree of interfaith. SDAs commemorate the Lord's Supper quarterly (using unfermented grape juice). SDAs believe that all their faithful will be resurrected to heaven.


Jehovah's Witnesses believe the Sabbath and "gifts of prophecy" ceased with Jesus' impalement and the completion of the bible, respectively.

(Colossians 2:13-16) He [God] kindly forgave us all our trespasses and blotted out the handwritten document against us, which consisted of decrees and which was in opposition to us; and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake. ...Therefore let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath

(1 Corinthians 13:8-10) But whether there are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease... For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; but when that which is complete arrives [the bible], that which is partial will be done away with [other gifts identifying Christianity as truth].


Local JW elders recommend new appointments of new congregation elders, who are (or are not) approved by the JW branch office and serve as long as they are qualified. JWs do not require tithing, nor monitor individuals' donations at all. JWs reject all interfaith.

Jehovah's Witnesses are unique from most of Christendom, including SDA, in that they teach the Jesus the Son is a distinct person from God the Father.


(John 8:42) Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth

(John 12:49) I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak

(1 Corinthians 15:28) But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him

(1 Corinthians 11:3) I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; ...in turn the head of the Christ is God

(Deuteronomy 6:4) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah

(1 Corinthians 8:4-6) There is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called "gods," whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords," there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him


Jehovah's Witnesses commemorate the Lord's Evening Meal ("Last Supper", "Lord's Supper") annually on the modern equivalent of Nisan 14, since it replaced the annual Passover commemoration. JWs use actual wine, as Jesus did.

(Numbers 9:2-3) Prepare the passover sacrifice at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day in this month between the two evenings you should prepare it

(Luke 2:41) [Jesus'] parents were accustomed to go from year to year to Jerusalem for the festival of the passover.

(Luke 22:7,19,20) The day of the unfermented cakes now arrived, on which the passover victim must be sacrificed... Also, [Jesus] took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” Also, the cup in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: “This cup [of wine] means the new covenant by virtue of my blood

JWs also teach that the vast majority of mankind will be resurrected to perfect bodies in a restored paradise earth.

(Psalms 37:11) 'the meek will possess the earth'
(Proverbs 2:21) 'upright will reside in the earth'
(Isaiah 45:18) 'God formed the earth to be inhabited'
(Matthew 5:5) 'the mild will inherit the earth'
(Revelation 21:3) The tent of God is with mankind

Answer 2

No, they are literally somewhat distinctive. seventh Day Adventists are plenty closer to mainstream Protestants, different than the actuality that they have got church on Saturday as a results of fact they suspect the unique sabbath could desire to be reported. yet they are trinitarians, they could celebrate holiday journeys and take part in politics, and are not fairly prevalent for proselytizing. Jehovah's Witnesses bypass door to door attempting to transform human beings, and don't celebrate holiday journeys or take part in politics or different issues that are too "worldly". and that they do no longer have faith interior the trinity. they do no longer notice the Saturday sabbath like Adventists, and in simple terms have their conferences on Sunday. there is somewhat plenty only 1 subject that the two have in common, and that's the doctrine of conditional immortality (meaning human beings have not got souls that are unsleeping in between dying and their resurrection, and persons who're no longer saved would be annihilated interior the tip, quite than go through eternal torment in hell).

Answer 3

There are quite a few differences.

Adventists are a lot closer to mainstream Christians. They believe in the Trinity and they can celebrate holidays. The only thing that really sets them apart is the soul sleep/annihilationism (which is one thing they have in common with Jehovah's Witnesses) and also the fact that they strictly follow all commands, which includes not eating pork and observing the Sabbath on Saturday (they not only go to church on Saturday but they also refrain from doing secular activities that entire day). Jehovah's Witnesses don't do the Saturday thing and they believe we are not under the law anymore.

Answer 4

I am JW and i can tell you that we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of Jehovah the almighty of course the son god must be a god but that doesn´t mean that they are the same person, Jesus is his first son that Jehovah began the creation process creating his only beggotten son and the rest of the thing (Angels,universe, human being) we believe that sooner the system not the earth is gonig to be change it for other kind of goverment, the Chosen Son of God will rule the earth during a period of 1000 years to fulfill the original purpose of god that is the earth becoming a great place to live, Jesus will rule with people chosen from earth , for example we don´t give tithing or keep Sabbath because both plus 600 more rules were set in the old covenant with ancient Israel, now we aere under the new covenant we believe that Jesus Began to rule in heaven (not in the earth) in 1914 for a very deep prophecy founded in Daniel and Matthews and more than dozen of chapters and verse, we do not support any kind of political movement or war supporting Israael because the term Israel is a symbol that represent people from all around the word that will rule with Jesus the number 144000 is in the bible is acountable number so looks like is literal no figurative.

Answer 5

Both religions believe in the end times when the dead will be resurrected and the earth made new again. However, the SDA's believe the earth will be destroyed and re-created to a perfect state once again while the JW's believe that, while we, as resurrected imperfect humans living on an imperfect world will gradually be made perfect just as the world will be remade perfect, into the early Eden-like condition it once was before Adam and Eve sinned.

Answer 6

Adventist's believe in the trinity like main stream Christian groups do. JWs do not put Christ as an equal with God the Father. Adventists believe that Saturday is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and that it is still to be kept holy. JWs do not. I think there are many other major differences.

Answer 7

Check out www.watchtower.org

There you can find details about the beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses, which are based on the bible, not tradition.

:o)

Homepage -> 'Browse' -> 'Activities and beliefs' -> 1st line !