Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as the only source of our beliefs. We consider our movement to be the result of the Protestant conviction Sola Scriptura—the Bible as the only standard of faith and practice for Christians.
Over the years, our church has agreed upon key statements that summarize the principal teachings Seventh-day Adventists understand from the Bible. These statements are made collectively by a group of scholars studying and prayerfully searching the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit.
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; Isaiah 35; Isaiah 65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)