Some may be wondering why we would keep the name Seventh Day Adventist, if we are seperated from the "organized body" of believers. Well, you may or may not be reading this before "Chapter Three: The Trademark" to the left; if you are then I urge you to please go read it first.
Now then, assuming you have read the document, you already know why we hold that we are the true and actual Adventist church, as well as why the General Conference is no longer the true and actual church of Yah but merely an image to the beast. You also would know a "principle" of the matter of the name; that if we did choose to give up the name, we would be bowing to the decree of the church-state union, and taking the image's mark in the hand; going along with it in our actions.
That however is not the only reason, though it is the most obvious and scripturally supported one. Another one would include what we have said all along regarding why it is not just on any level to sue over the name - The Conference does not own the name Seventh Day Adventist.
Oh of course legally they do, and by the world's standards. By the world's standards, however, you can pay to have a star named after you - But that is not your star, nor does heaven respect your purchase when speaking of it. The name Seventh Day Adventist, we believe, was given by Yah to His faithful believers through Ellen White, as a "'Standing rebuke to the protestant world."' We say, then, that we will not give up the name that Yah has given us because man declares we must. If you will take a moment to recall, what was the charge that the chief priests and scribes gave to the apostles in Acts?
"'But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye."' (Acts 4:15-19)
What was it that they wanted the apostles to cease doing? They did not even charge them to cease performing miracles - They forbad them to speak in the name of Christ.
And what later, when they did not listen?
"'Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."' (Acts 5:26)
Is this not an exact parallel of today's situation? We are straitly commanded that we should not teach in this name - Not that we should not teach, but that we should not teach in this name. For we will fill all the world with Yah's doctrine, and we do by our presence and use of the name announce that the blood of those they are putting in prison is upon them; as well as the blood of Christ in the person of His saints.
"'We are Seventh-day Adventists. Are we ashamed of our name? We answer, 'No, no! We are not. It is the name the Lord has given us. It points out the truth that is to be the test of the churches.'"' [Selected Messages, Book 2, 384]
"'As to the name Seventh-day Adventists: I was shown in regard to the remnant people of God taking a name. . . . No name which we can take will be appropriate but that which accords with our profession and expresses our faith and marks us a peculiar people. The name Seventh-day Adventist is a standing rebuke to the Protestant world. . . . The name Seventh-day Adventist carries the true features of our faith in front, and will convict the inquiring mind."' [The Early Years Volume 1, p.438]
"'The name Seventh-day Adventist carries the true features of our faith in front, and will convict the inquiring mind. Like an arrow from the Lord's quiver, it will wound the transgressors of God's law, and will lead to repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ."' [1T.224.001]
Will we, then, cease to teach in this name? Will we cease to announce the blood of the slain is upon those who persecute them? Will we bow the decree of the image? No, we will not; For we ought to, and we WILL obey God rather than men.
Further, and this will convict even those who do not accept Mrs. White as inspired or a prophet, the name "'Seventh Day Adventist"' does not belong to the Conference for an even more obvious reason - Not ONLY because it was given to the true believers (Which we believe that we are, as you would know from reading the Trademark article) but it was given to us three years before the General Conference even existed. Yet if you look up the trademark agreement, it is licensed to the General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists. Where is the proof one might ask - that is simple, the Conference's own publications state it very clearly.
Seventh Day Adventist Church Manual* - Page 19
Introduction
Page xix
Historical Development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
"'In fulfillment of the divine plan, the Advent Movement began its prophetic journey toward the kingdom in the year 1844. Few in number, often with unhappy memories of having been cast out of their churches because they had accepted the Advent doctrine, the Movement's pioneers walked uncertainly at first. They were sure of the doctrines they held, but unsure as to the form of organization, if any, that they should adopt. Indeed, most of them so sharply remembered how strong, well-organized church bodies had used that strength to oppose the Advent truth, that they instinctively feared any centralized order and government. Nevertheless, certain pioneer leaders saw with increasing clarity that some kind of government was imperative if good order was to prevail and the Movement grow strong. Their conviction was greatly strengthened by messages coming from the pen of Ellen G. White.
The result was that in 1860 a church name, Seventh-day Adventist, was chosen and a legal body created to hold church property. This was followed, in 1861, by the organization of our first conference, Michigan. This involved the organizing of local churches, with the members signing a church covenant, and the organizing of the various churches into one united body to constitute what is now called a local conference. Action was also taken to give identifying papers to the ministers, thus protecting the churches against impostors who might seek to prey upon them.
In 1863 the General Conference was organized, thus gathering into one organization a number of local conferences which had been created by that time. This set the Advent Movement on a coordinated, organized course."' [Emphasis mine]
Once more, in the "Our History" portion of the Conference SDA website:**
"'Although the name "'Seventh-day Adventist"' was chosen in 1860, the denomination was not officially organized until May 21, 1863, when the movement included some 125 churches and 3,500 members.
In 1860, at Battle Creek Michigan, the loosely knit congregations of Adventists chose the name Seventh-day Adventist and in 1863 formally organized a church body with a membership of 3,500."' [Emphasis mine]
I hope this has given some insight into who we are and why we are who we are - as well as a fuller picture of why we will not give up the name given to us by Yah because a larger body holds a worldly license to it. Shall we cease to be called the true Israel because a country in the middle-east holds the worldly rights to the name? Shall we cease to be called the Church because the Catholic organization is by name the "universal" church? Shall we cease to be called Seventh Day Adventists because the General Conference has a worldly patent on our name? We answer, 'No, no! We will not. It is the name the Lord has given us, and we ought to obey God rather than men.'