Adventist baptismal vow

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The Seventh-day Adventist baptismal vow is a list of 13 belief statements which a person joining the church is expected to agree to. In Adventist understanding baptism, which is a public display of faith in Christ, is associated with officially joining the Adventist church, which is a part of the community of believers in Christ. The vow is explained in the church manual.^[1] In 2005 an alternate vow consisting of three statements was approved at the General Conference session.^[2]

1 Standard vow
2 Alternative vow
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Standard vow

The vows relate to the following topics:

Trinity
Salvation through believing in Jesus' death
Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour; rejection of sin
Righteousness of Christ; changed life through him
Bible
Ten Commandments (including Sabbath)
Jesus' Second Coming
Spiritual gifts
Supporting the church
Healthy living
Adventist Bible teachings
Baptism by immersion
Remnant church^[1]

After baptism, a certificate is given to the new member which states each point as an affirmation rather than in question form.

[edit] Alternative vow

An alternative baptismal vow was introduced in 2005 and consists of three points:

"Vow (Alternative)

1. Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, and do you desire to live your life in a saving relationship with Him?

2. Do you accept the teachings of the Bible as expressed in the Statement of Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and do you pledge by God’s grace to live your life in harmony with these teachings?

3. Do you desire to be baptized as a public expression of your belief in Jesus Christ, to be accepted into the fellowship of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and to support the church and its mission as a faithful steward by your personal influence, tithes and offerings, and a life of service?"

A caution was expressed Dr. Brian Bull on theological grounds, "who worried that placing the wording 'as expressed in the Statement of Fundamental Beliefs' led to the danger of the church turning the fundamentals into a creed."^[2] Other delegates expressed concerns that the alternative vow is not detailed enough, but it was passed because of its optional nature - the choice of which vow to use is at the discretion of the pastor preparing the baptismal candidate.