DIFFERENCES: COG VS SDA

• Church of God - Seventh-Day Adventist Differences
  
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  A.F. Dugger, Sr. wrote a tract at least as early as 1907, later reprinted, on the doctrinal differences between the Church of God and Seventh-Day Adventists. He listed ten general points of difference143:
  1. The Basis of Faith and Belief. Since the Hope of Israel stated its beliefs were solely on the Bible, the basis of faith and belief of the Church of God has been the Bible, and the Bible only, not the additional visions of Ellen G. White.
  2. The Purpose and Place of Church Organization. Seventh-Day Adventists say that they are the true church, the "remnant people of God." They say there may be people saved that were never in their organization, but all who hear their message and have the opportunity to join them, must do so to be saved. They hold that they are the only organization God is directly leading. They reverence their organization and leaders, and the powers exercised by Seventh-Day Adventist leaders are similar to those of the Catholic hierarchy. There is a strict test of fellowship, and those not complying are excommunicated.
  The Church of God of Stanberry follows Christ, and they believe Christ has not established any exclusive church organization. Membership in an "organization" is not, and never has been, a requisite for salvation. No "organization" has divine authority. "Mutual fellowship and co-operation, with brotherly love have always characterized the true followers of Christ." The Church of God is an association of believers working together to spread the gospel, and does not claim to have all God's people. "All who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are invited to fellowship with us."
  3. The Church Name. This difference is obvious, and the reasons have hitherto been explained for the Seventh-Day Adventist - Church of God name difference.
  4. The Atonement and the Sanctuary. The 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14 are believed by Seventh-Day Adventists to have been fulfilled on October 22, 1844, while the Church of God believes they were fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes. John Reed, an early preacher for the Hope of Israel in Michigan in the 1860's, wrote an article on the Sanctuary Question ridiculing the Seventh-Day Adventist idea that Christ didn't enter the holy of holies until 1844, because Paul said Christ was at God's right hand in the first century, A.D.
  5. The Judgment. Seventh-Day Adventists believe there are three periods of judgment: investigative judgment, executive judgment and an investigative and review judgment during the 1,000 years when the saved are in heaven going over the books, deciding the amount of punishment of the wicked before they are destroyed.
  The Church of God believes in one period of judgment for all who now have the opportunity to hear the gospel and either accept or reject it.
  6. The Millennium. The Church of God believes that Christ will come all the way to earth, Zechariah 14:4, Acts 1:11. The earth was created to be the home of mankind, not to be destroyed, Isaiah 45:18. The saints will rule during the 1,000 years on the earth, Revelation 5:10, 20:6. Ellen G. White stops in the middle of the sentence in Isaiah 24:6, supposedly showing that there will be no inhabitants left on earth, during the millennium.
  7. The Second Coming of Christ. Seventh-Day Adventists and the Church of God believe the end is near, and don't set dates. Seventh-Day Adventists speak of the Advent as especially near, at any time, that Christ comes in clouds, and goes back to heaven. The Church of God teaches that the saints meet Christ in the air, and come back with him on the Mount of Olives, Zechariah 14:4, 9. The Church of God is not sure who will be on the earth besides saints, but they are to preach the gospel until Christ comes.
  8. The Time of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection. Seventh-Day Adventists hold to the Friday-Sunday mainstream Christian belief, while the Church of God believes in a Wednesday-Sabbath time element.
  9. Time of Observance of the Lord's Supper. Seventh-Day Adventists believe that there is no certain time, but follow the custom of observing it four times a year, in connection with their regular Sabbath services. The Church of God keeps it at the same time, beginning of evening, and the same day of the year as Christ did.
  10. Differences in Prophetic Interpretation. The Seventh-Day Adventist church was founded on prophecy. The Church of God is greatly interested in prophecy, but its doctrines do not depend on prophecy. The Church of God believes that the prophecy of the return of the Jews to Palestine to be a sign of the Second Advent, while Seventh-Day Adventists do not.
  
  Source: http://www.giveshare.org/churchhistory/historysdcog/history9.html