BY ALEXANDER BOLOTNIKOV

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16).*

n the fall of 1990 Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was proclaimed by his followers as the Messiah. His followers, the members of the Lubavitch/Chabad Hasidic movement, expected great miracles, the restoration of the Temple, and the complete defeat of Arabs. They were proclaiming to all Jews in the world the message that redemption had already arrived, calling them to pray and keep the commandments of God. However, in the spring of 1994 Schneerson died. None of the expected miracles were fulfilled. Nevertheless, thousands of his admirers gathered for his funeral and waited for three days at his grave to see his resurrection. They were bitterly disappointed and embarrassed.

Today in Brooklyn, New York, where the headquarters of Chabad is located, most of the adherents of the Chabad movement do not want to remember this episode in their history. Even more, no one wants to recall a similar story that occurred with their ancestors in Russia in 1844. On Yom Kippur that year, this ultra-Orthodox Jewish group was waiting for the coming of the Messiah.

But at that time they were not alone. Many Christian believers--in New England and elsewhere--were also waiting and expecting.

For Seventh-day Adventists, however, the events of 1844 are not just a piece of the history of their denomination. Those events led to the discovery of key biblical teachings and doctrines. They embodied the ultimate gospel message to be proclaimed to the entire world.

The word "gospel" comes from the Greek word evangelion, and means "good news." But what constitutes the good news? The New Testament gives us two specific descriptions. The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 says that the gospel is the good news about the death and resurrection of Jesus. This message has always been the core of Christian beliefs. Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no hope of eternal life. Without Christ's substitutionary sacrifice there is no forgiveness of sin.

In these last days the need to proclaim that gospel is more intense. John received an important message to be proclaimed at the close of the great controversy: "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water" (Rev. 14:7).

What is good about fear and judgment? It sounds paradoxical, but that's how Scripture puts it. "Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people" (Rev. 14:6). The gospel includes the teaching of God's judgment. The message of Revelation 14 is uniquely preached by Seventh-day Adventists. It is the heart of our teaching. It holds us together in the fellowship of the message we proclaim.

I am proud to be Seventh-day Adventist, because the history of this movement is characterized by an honest search for biblical truth. Scientists often say that a negative result can also constitute a result. History tells us about many discoveries that originated from mistakes. William Miller's mistake was conditioned upon certain stereotypes in the biblical interpretation of his day. For our pioneers it took courage to continue to be faithful to God when Jesus did not return as expected. The pain caused by the scoffing from neighbors and by the disappointment itself was very hard to bear. But they were looking to Jesus and searching. Adventists have nothing to hide. We rejoice in the amazing biblical discovery that emerged from the Great Disappointment. That is our common heritage, and we should not forget it.

What Makes Adventists Unique
In 1921 a Swiss former patent clerk, Albert Einstein, received the Nobel Prize for disproving a theory that had dominated science during the entire previous century. His discovery opened up for the scientific community new realities of our universe, and to some extent shaped the technological history of the twentieth century.

The discovery of Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary shattered the stereotypes in the interpretation of the work of Christ and resulted in a revolution of our understanding of the Bible and the plan of salvation. That makes Adventists unique. Many of our doctrinal teachings are common to other denominations. For instance, many Christians wait with us for the soon return of Jesus. There are Sabbathkeeping Baptists and Pentecostals. A number of Christian denominations believe that after death individuals await the judgment and don't go to hell or heaven immediately. Even many nonbelievers adhere to the principles of healthy living. But the message about Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary is not preached by any other Christian denomination. This message gave a new vision and perspective to the small group of faithful believers that remained from the disappointed Millerites. It provided them with the understanding that led to the birth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Many people ask, "What does the fact that Jesus entered upon a new phase of ministry in 1844 mean for me? How does it change my life and affect my hope for salvation?" Apparently nothing has really changed with relation to the availability of divine grace. The blood of Jesus shed on Calvary continues to bring forgiveness for our sins. The gospel of judgment proclaimed through the three angels' messages answers these questions. When Christ entered upon His new phase of ministry, He started the first stage of the final judgment. For His followers this is a message of hope pointing to the fact that the cosmic conflict is about to come to an end.

Judgment on a Positive Note
Thousands of years before the death of Jesus, the psalmist wrote: "Judge me, O Lord" (Ps. 7:8). In many countries ruled by oppressive governments, the courts of law are exclusively seen as instruments of punishment. However, in the West people often go to court to seek justice and protection. David was confident that God's judgment of him would result in his justification. In the book of Revelation John records the cry of the martyrs who suffered for Jesus through the persecution of the Middle Ages: "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" (Rev. 6:10). Having Jesus as our advocate means that we have nothing to fear, because the Ancient of Days will pronounce "judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High" (Dan. 7:22).

The salvation process of our world did not end at Golgotha. We cannot enjoy the fullness of salvation while this world suffers from the consequences of sin, and the originator of sin is still alive. Daniel clearly states that the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom only after the pre-Advent judgment. Judgment is good news because it not only focuses on the individual but also emphasizes the community of believers. Salvation is given to us as individuals, but we will not be saved alone. God's kingdom is the home for all the saved ones and is a place where everyone would enjoy eternal fellowship with God and with one another.

People often say that they need Jesus, not the doctrines. It is true that a set of dry philosophical statements does not respond to our daily needs. However, we cannot have fellowship with Jesus without the Bible. Jesus said, "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me" (John 5:39). Every passage of the Scriptures reveals to us the holy and loving character of our Savior. Every verse explains to us the plan of salvation. In order to understand the gospel, we do not need to study doctrinal or theological books, but diligently study the Word of God. The Adventist message is grounded on it. The three angels' messages, which are the cornerstone of the Adventist message and mission, reveal the plan of salvation for us living in the last days.

It has been said that a real Adventist is always a "first generation" Adventist. We have to appropriate our message personally. The Adventist faith is not a matter of birth or heritage, but a choice. It requires you to study it by yourself, to understand it for yourself, and to live up to it. The common message we have unites us in the worldwide fellowship of the Adventist family. The Adventist faith was my personal choice, a choice I made when I met the true Messiah. What about you? Have you made your personal choice to have fellowship in the faith of God's remnant?

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* All Bible references in this article are from the New International Version.

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Alexander Bolotnikov served as Old Testament teacher at Zaoksky Theological Seminary in Russia. He is currently working on his doctoral dissertation in Jewish studies, and serves as a pastor in the Greater New York Conference.