1. Holy
Scriptures:
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. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov.
30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)
2.
Trinity:
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a
unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal,
all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is
infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His
self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration,
and service by the whole creation. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2
Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
3.
Father:
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and
Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son
and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen.
1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim.
1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
4. Son:
God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through
Him all things were created, the character of God is revealed,
the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is
judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the
Christ. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the
virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human
being, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of
God. By His miracles He manifested God's power and was
attested as God's promised Messiah. He suffered and died
voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was
raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly
sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory for the
final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all
things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom.
6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb.
2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
5. Holy
Spirit:
God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son
in Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the
writers of Scripture. He filled Christ's life with power. He
draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He
renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the
Father and the Son to be always with His children, He extends
spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to
Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all
truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter
1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26;
15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)
6.
Creation:
God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture
the authentic account of His creative activity. In six days
the Lord made "the heaven and the earth" and all living things
upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first
week. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial
of His completed creative work. The first man and woman were
made in the image of God as the crowning work of Creation,
given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility
to care for it. When the world was finished it was ``very
good,'' declaring the glory of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11;
Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)
7.
Nature of Man:
Man and woman were made in the image of God with
individuality, the power and freedom to think and to do.
Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of
body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath
and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they
denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high
position under God. The image of God in them was marred and
they became subject to death. Their descendants share this
fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with
weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ
reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit restores in
penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the
glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another, and
to care for their environment. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8;
Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19,
20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)
8. Great
Controversy:
All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between
Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and
His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in
heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice,
in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into
rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of
rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin.
This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God
in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its
eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood.
Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of
the universal conflict, out of which the God of love will
ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this
controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels
to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation.
(Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom.
1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9;
Heb. 1:14.)
9. Life,
Death, and Resurrection of Christ:
In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His
suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only
means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith
accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole
creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of
the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the
righteousness of God's law and the graciousness of His
character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our
forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and
expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of
Christ proclaims God's triumph over the forces of evil, and
for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory
over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ,
before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow. (John
3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor.
5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2;
4:10; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
10.
Experience of Salvation:
In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin,
to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the
righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our
need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our
transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and
Christ, as Substitute and Example. This faith which receives
salvation comes through the divine power of the Word and is
the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are justified,
adopted as God's sons and daughters, and delivered from the
lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and
sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God's law of
love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy
life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature
and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment.
(2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John
16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5;
Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom.
8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb.
8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)
11.
Growing in Christ:
By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of
evil. He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly
ministry has broken their power and made certain their
ultimate doom. Jesus' victory gives us victory over the evil
forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in
peace, joy, and assurance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit
dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to
Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we are set free from the burden
of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the darkness, fear
of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former
way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called to
grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him
daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on
His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for
worship, and participating in the mission of the Church. As we
give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in
witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us
through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into
a spiritual experience. (Ps 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Col 1:13,
14; 2:6, 14, 15; Luke 10:17-20; Eph 5:19, 20; 6:12-18; 1 Thess
5:23; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; Phil 3:7-14; 1 Thess
5:16-18; Matt 20:25-28; John 20:21; Gal 5:22-25; Rom 8:38, 39;
1 John 4:4; Heb 10:25.)
12.
Church:
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus
Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of
God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world;
and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for
instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's
Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide
proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority
from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the
Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is God's
family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the
basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a
community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The
church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might
sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will
present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all
the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or
wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38;
Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph.
2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.)
13.
Remnant and Its Mission:
The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in
Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a
remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God
and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of
the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and
heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation
is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14; it
coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a
work of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is
called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness.
(Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter
1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.)
14.
Unity in the Body of Christ:
The church is one body with many members, called from every
nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new
creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and
nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and
poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are
all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one
fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and
be served without partiality or reservation. Through the
revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same
faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This
unity has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has
adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14;
Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27;
Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John
17:20-23.)
15.
Baptism:
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our
purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ
as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as
members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with
Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the
Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on
an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of
sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and
acceptance of their teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13;
Acts 16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)
16.
Lord's Supper:
The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the
body and blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our
Lord and Saviour. In this experience of communion Christ is
present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we
joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again.
Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination,
repentance, and confession. The Master ordained the service of
foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express a
willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and
to unite our hearts in love. The communion service is open to
all believing Christians. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt.
26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)
17.
Spiritual Gifts and Ministries:
God bestows upon all members of His church in every age
spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving
ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity.
Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each
member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and
ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely
ordained functions. According to the Scriptures, these gifts
include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy,
proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation,
compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the
help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of
God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the
church in pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic, and teaching
ministries particularly needed to equip the members for
service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to
foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members
employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God's
varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive
influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from
God, and is built up in faith and love. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor.
12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1
Peter 4:10, 11.)
18. The
Gift of Prophecy:
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is
an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested
in the ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord's messenger,
her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of
truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance,
instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the
Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience
must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev.
12:17; 19:10.)
19. Law
of God:
The great principles of God's law are embodied in the Ten
Commandments and exemplified in the life of Christ. They
express God's love, will, and purposes concerning human
conduct and relationships and are binding upon all people in
every age. These precepts are the basis of God's covenant with
His people and the standard in God's judgment. Through the
agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and awaken a
sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all of grace and not
of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments.
This obedience develops Christian character and results in a
sense of well-being. It is an evidence of our love for the
Lord and our concern for our fellow men. The obedience of
faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform lives, and
therefore strengthens Christian witness. (Ex. 20:1-17; Ps.
40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb.
8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4;
Ps. 19:7-14.)
20.
Sabbath:
The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested
on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people
as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's
unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day
Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony
with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the
Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God
and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a
sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a
foretaste of our eternal future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath
is God's perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him
and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from
evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of
God's creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11;
Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex.
31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev.
23:32; Mark 1:32.)
21.
Stewardship:
We are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and
opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of
the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for
their proper use. We acknowledge God's ownership by faithful
service to Him and our fellow men, and by returning tithes and
giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the
support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege
given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over
selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the
blessings that come to others as a result of his faithfulness.
(Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal.
3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26,
27.)
22.
Christian Behavior:
We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in
harmony with the principles of heaven. For the Spirit to
recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves
only in those things which will produce Christlike purity,
health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement
and entertainment should meet the highest standards of
Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural
differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat,
befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward
adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and
quiet spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the
temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them
intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are
to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the
unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic
beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and
narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from
them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our
thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires
our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John
2:6; Eph. 5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter
3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)
23.
Marriage and the Family:
Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by
Jesus to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman in
loving companionship. For the Christian a marriage commitment
is to God as well as to the spouse, and should be entered into
only between partners who share a common faith. Mutual love,
honor, respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this
relationship, which is to reflect the love, sanctity,
closeness, and permanence of the relationship between Christ
and His church. Regarding divorce, Jesus taught that the
person who divorces a spouse, except for fornication, and
marries another, commits adultery. Although some family
relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage partners
who fully commit themselves to each other in Christ may
achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and
the nurture of the church. God blesses the family and intends
that its members shall assist each other toward complete
maturity. Parents are to bring up their children to love and
obey the Lord. By their example and their words they are to
teach them that Christ is a loving disciplinarian, ever tender
and caring, who wants them to become members of His body, the
family of God. Increasing family closeness is one of the
earmarks of the final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt.
19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31,
32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12;
Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)
24.
Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary:
There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the
Lord set up and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf,
making available to believers the benefits of His atoning
sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. He was
inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His
intercessory ministry at the time of His ascension. In 1844,
at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered
the second and last phase of His atoning ministry. It is a
work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate
disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the
ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that
typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of
animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with
the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative
judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead
are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy
to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest
who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him,
therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting
kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving
those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have
remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The
completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of
human probation before the Second Advent. (Heb. 8:1-5;
4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; 1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13,
14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7;
20:12; 14:12; 22:12.)
25.
Second Coming of Christ:
The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church,
the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be
literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns,
the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the
righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but
the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of
most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of
the world, indicates that Christ's coming is imminent. The
time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore
exhorted to be ready at all times. (Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28;
John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43,
44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8;
Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim.
3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)
26.
Death and Resurrection:
The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal,
will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death
is an unconscious state for all people. When Christ, who is
our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living
righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord.
The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous,
will take place a thousand years later. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim.
6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Ps. 146:3, 4; John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4;
1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John 5:28, 29; Rev.
20:1-10.)
27.
Millennium and the End of Sin:
The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His
saints in heaven between the first and second resurrections.
During this time the wicked dead will be judged; the earth
will be utterly desolate, without living human inhabitants,
but occupied by Satan and his angels. At its close Christ with
His saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven to
earth. The unrighteous dead will then be resurrected, and with
Satan and his angels will surround the city; but fire from God
will consume them and cleanse the earth. The universe will
thus be freed of sin and sinners forever. (Rev. 20; 1 Cor.
6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26; Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18, 19.)
28. New
Earth:
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will
provide an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect
environment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in
His presence. For here God Himself will dwell with His people,
and suffering and death will have passed away. The great
controversy will be ended, and sin will be no more. All
things, animate and inanimate, will declare that God is love;
and He shall reign forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:13; Isa. 35;
65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.) Seventh-day
Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold
certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy
Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the
church's understanding and expression of the teaching of
Scripture. Revision of these statements may be expected at a
General Conference session when the church is led by the Holy
Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds
better language in which to express the teachings of God's
Holy Word.