This article is part one of an essay that offers some preliminary thoughts regarding the relationship of the sanctuary and systematic theology, focusing on just a few aspects which expose the relationship between the two. This article considers the nature of theological systems, issues related to an Adventist system of theology, and the relationship between fundamental theology and the sanctuary in particular, with attention to some broad, competing views of the sanctuary that are integrally related to the way one conceives of broader theological principles. This sets the stage for the second article, which will conclude the essay by discussing a number of important systematic elements that shed light on a potential systematic theology of the sanctuary.