About the Book

Over the past decades, a teaching has been gaining ground in some Adventist circles — sometimes called “The Character of God” by its proponents, and sometimes called “God doesn’t kill” by those describing its central claim.

The argument runs something like this:

God is love. His law forbids killing. Therefore God cannot Himself destroy any of His creation, whether mankind, Satan, or the fallen angels. When destruction occurs in Scripture, it must be Satan doing it — God simply withdraws His protection. And because God cannot break His own law, Yeshua’s death cannot have been a substitutionary payment for sin in the legal sense; it was simply the natural consequence of taking on too much sin at once.

Tom Stapleton wrote this book in response.

He’s careful to acknowledge the impulse behind the teaching. God is love. That much is true, and Tom sees that its proponents are sincere. But he also believes the teaching, followed all the way through, leads away from Scripture and away from the gospel itself.

The danger isn’t only the first claim (that God doesn’t destroy) — it’s where that claim leads when its logic is followed consistently. By the fifth chapter of this book, the issue has shifted from “what does God do?” to “what does the cross mean?” Tom argues that the most serious error in this teaching isn’t its view of judgment, but its denial of substitutionary atonement — the heart of the gospel.

The book engages five interconnected beliefs that anchor the teaching, and examines each one against the Word. Tom uses the Bible as the primary authority throughout. Where the proponents of the teaching cite Ellen White, he engages her writings too — showing that her own words, read in full context rather than in fragments, plainly support that God Himself will destroy Satan and execute final judgment.

This is a pastoral book. Tom isn’t writing to dismiss the people who hold this teaching. He’s writing to engage the teaching seriously enough that readers can see why he believes it falls short — and so that they can answer it for themselves when they encounter it.

What’s inside

The book moves through five “false beliefs,” with an introduction and conclusion bracketing the argument:

Introduction — Understanding of The Character of God — Why this matters, and why Tom decided to write

False Belief One — God’s character is solely defined by love; He does not execute judgment by His own hand; God will not destroy — Why God’s character is revealed through all His doctrines, not solely through one

False Belief Two — God cannot remain righteous if He breaks His law — The proper reading of “thou shalt not kill” / “thou shalt not murder,” and what God’s law actually forbids

False Belief Three — Satan has done and will do all the destroying — Including a careful examination of the seven angels of Revelation 15 and 16 (God’s holy angels, not Satan’s)

False Belief Four — Satan would destroy all living if given the opportunity — Why Satan’s strategy is to deceive and recruit, not to annihilate

False Belief Five — Yeshua’s death was not substitutionary and therefore is not payment for sin — The longest chapter in the book, examining the heart of the gospel

Conclusion — Continued Learning through His Word

Appendix — Relevant Ellen White Manuscript Releases

A note from the author

Tom opens the introduction this way:

“About thirty or so years ago the doctrinal subject ‘understanding the Character of God’ came to my attention. Over the past four years I have been looking into the discussion and attempting to understand the key points made by its proponents, but have found that without exception God’s Word definitively refutes the interpretation. I stand to be corrected if necessary and pray that God will continue to guide us into all truth.”

“I have spoken with those who are for and against this issue. While I see elements of truth in this doctrine, certainly that God is love, I believe there is serious error in it.”

That posture — I stand to be corrected if necessary — runs through the entire book. Tom isn’t writing as someone who has nothing to learn. He’s writing as someone who has examined the teaching carefully, engaged its proponents directly, and concluded that Scripture does not support it.

Who is this book for?

This book is most useful for:

• Adventist readers who have encountered “The Character of God” teaching and want to test it carefully
• Anyone who has a friend or family member drawn into this teaching, and wants to understand the issues clearly enough to engage thoughtfully
• Pastors and Bible study leaders who anticipate this teaching coming up and want a careful, gentle response prepared

It is not a book for everyone. The teaching it engages is held by a relatively small number of believers. But for those who encounter it — or who care about someone who has — this book provides a scripturally rigorous, pastorally careful response.

About the author

Tom Stapleton came to Yeshua at the age of 25 through Seventh-day Adventist evangelistic meetings in 1983, and has spent the decades since studying and teaching prophecy from Scripture itself. His teaching ministry, based at Camp Tamiyd in British Columbia, weights the words of Yeshua above all other sources, and reads Scripture through the prophetic framework of the Biblical Feasts.

Tom is the author of “The Wise Shall Understand”: Daniel and Revelation, Restoration of God’s Festivals: An End Times Shadow Fulfillment, Reclaiming God’s Festivals: Understanding God’s Holy Ways Through God’s Holy Days, and (with his wife Judy) Re-Examining 1844: A Better Understanding.

Available in two formats: 1) printed copy by mail, and 2) instant PDF download. Both formats include the same content. The soft cover ships from Canada — US and international readers, please allow extra time and shipping.

A note on suggested donations

All prices are suggested donations. We trust the Spirit to lead readers to give what they’re able. If the suggested amount is out of reach, give what you can — we’ll do our best to fill your order.

Bulk orders

Many readers want to share this book with friends or family who have encountered this teaching. Contact us about discounted suggested donations for larger quantities.