Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists

1. The kingdom of grace
Immediately after the first human had sinned,
the kingdom of grace was instituted. It existed by
the promise of God. Through faith people could
become its citizens. But it was not fully established
until the death of Christ. When He cried out on the
cross, "It is finished," the requirements for the plan
of redemption were met and the new covenant
ratified (cf. Heb. 9:15-18).
Jesus' proclamation, "'The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God is at hand'" (Mark 1:15) was a
direct reference to the kingdom of grace soon to be
established by His death. Founded on the work of
redemption, not Creation, this kingdom receives its
citizens through regeneration--the new birth. Jesus
ruled, "'Unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God'" (John 3:5; cf.
3:3). He compared its growth to the phenomenal
development of a mustard seed and the effect of
yeast on flour (Mark 4:22-31; Matt. 13:33).
The kingdom of grace is not seen in outward
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