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Posted by: skyblue888 | Thu, Sep 6, 2007 5:39 pm | Tag(s): Testimonies | Permalink |
What is the message that, if accepted, believed, and acted upon, will bring the latter rain?
“Amid the confusing cries will be borne a special testimony, a special message of truth appropriate for this time, which message is to be received, believed and acted upon.” E.G. White, Bible Commentary, Vol.7, p.984.
As far as I am concerned, for many years, I have studied the publications of the 1888 Message Study Committee. At first I was greatly helped as far as making me realize that the 1888 message was a most precious message sent from Heaven and that, sadly enough, it had been resisted by the leadership. See 1 S.M. 234,235.
Some years ago, my eyes were finally opened to see the simplicity of that message and I wondered why I had not heard about this Bible truth on this subject that is so necessary to our present and eternal welfare!
In 1950, Wieland and Short published their first edition of THE 1888 MESSAGE RE-EXAMINED. It is a very interesting book except for one thing, the message itself is missing!!! In the book, the authors state that in 1950 the message was on the verge of being discovered:
“Many even in the world are trying to discover the light which God revealed to His people in 1888. No one has so far been successful. Religious thinkers are yearning for something no one clearly understands, though it would seem that a few are on the verge of discovery.” p.242,243.
37 years later, they published their revised edition of this book and on page 184, they had this confession to make:
“It would seem that 1888 presents a problem unique in the long history of God’s confrontation with His people. There is a precious truth involved therein that seems more elusive than any in the history of past ages.” Wieland and Short, 1888 Message Re-Examined, Second Edition, 1987, p.184.
On Sabbath, May 11, 1889, shortly after the Minneapolis conference, Mrs. White, while giving a lecture in Ottawa, Kansas, said, “We do not understand the matter of salvation. It is just as simple as ABC. But we don’t understand it.” Manuscript 1, 1889.
Earlier, at a morning talk during the General Conference in November of 1883, she spoke to the ministers who had gathered there, saying,
“Some seem to feel that they must be on probation and must prove to the Lord that they are reformed, before they may claim His blessing. But these dear souls may claim the blessing even now. They must have His grace, the Spirit of Christ, to help their infirmities, or they cannot form a Christian character. Jesus loves to have us come to Him, just as we are–sinful, helpless, dependent.”
His blessing = His grace = Spirit of Christ.
This statement is a jewel but it must be put alongside a couple more statements. We must compare statement with statement as told in 1 S.M.42: “The testimonies themselves will be the key that will explain the messages given, as Scripture explains Scripture.”
Three years later, in July 4, 1892, an article written by Mrs. White appeared in the Signs of the Times in which she expressed, in clear, distinct lines, what we must do in order to obtain God’s blessing, that is, His grace, the Spirit of Christ. It must be read along with the statement we have just stated above. Here it is:
“It is not God’s will that you should be distrustful and torture your soul with the fear that God will not accept you because you are sinful and unworthy. Present your case (sinful, helpless, unworthy, dependent) before Him, pleading the merits of the blood shed for you upon Calvary’s cross.”
Say to Him, “Lord, I have no merit or goodness whereby I may claim salvation (His blessing, His grace, the Spirit of Christ to help my infirmities, to form a Christian character), but I present before you the all-sufficient merits of the all-atoning blood of the spotless Lamb of God. This is my only plea.”
If we will read these three statements in relation to the matter of salvation, we cannot help but marvel at the simplicity of the Gospel as presented in 1888. In these three statements we have the 1888 message in clear, distinct lines! No need to speculate endlessly. It is in harmony with the Laodicean message which brother Jones presented at the 1893 General Conference.
Many more passages can be quoted in support of the above but I will content myself, for now, to quoting only a few more.
”The merits of Christ’s sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf.” Steps to Christ, p.36.
If the Lord says that it is sufficient to present to Him the merits of Christ’s sacrifice in order for us to receive His blessing, His grace, the Spirit of Christ, to help our infirmities, to form a Christian character, then IT IS SUFFICIENT! He says so!!!
This was the word of the Lord in 1888:
“How long will you hate and despise the messengers of God’s righteousness. God has given them His message. They bear the word of the Lord: There is salvation for you but only through the merits of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit has been offered to you again and again.” T.M.96,97.
This is the word of the Lord, the word of our salvation. This is what we must do in order to be saved: present your helpless case before God pleading the merits of the blood that is of value beyond estimate!
“Believe it because it is the truth, because God says it, and lay hold upon the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour.” Faith and Works, p.76.
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” He is pleased with us when we believe that it is our privilege to look to Jesus, accept His merits and claim them as our own! Then “Jesus places His own merits upon us” and we are made partakers of His grace which accomplishes everything. His grace is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. See T.M.92.
The next statement is found under the subtitle REJECTING THE LIGHT. The context is 1888:
“Unless he makes it his lifebusiness to look to Jesus and to accept His merits which it is his privilege to claim, the sinner can no more be saved than Peter could walk upon the water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus.” Testimonies to Ministers, p.93.
Moment by moment, we are to come before God as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent, keeping our eyes fixed steadily upon Christ, accepting His all-sufficient merits, believing it is our privilege to claim them, and then expect His blessing, His grace, the Spirit of Christ, to help our infirmities and to form a Christian character!
“Looking unto Jesus and trusting in His merits, we appropriate the blessings of light and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Testimonies, Vol.5, p.744.
This, according to the words of inspiration, is the 1888 message in clear, distinct lines! T.M.93.
Just as simple as ABC!
Some of our teachings, which include “accepting Christ as a personal Saviour,” have, over the years, become mere cliches, the result being that many of us have only a “nominal” faith in Christ.
“Many have a nominal faith in Christ, but they know nothing of that vital dependence upon Him which appropriates the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour.” 1 S.M.389.
Thus, “The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Christ as a personal Saviour: which appropriates His merits to ourselves.” Desire of Ages, p.347.
As far as I can remember, in all the years I have been connected with Adventism, I cannot say that the teaching that we are to daily appropriate the merits of Christ to ourselves in order to receive the gift that brings all other blessings in its train has been something that has been made much of, if at all! The arch-enemy of all righteousness has cast his shadow across our pathway to intercept every ray of heavenly light. The devil is afraid that we will do just what the Lord has invited us to do: to daily appropriate the merits of Christ to ourselves. He knows that if we do this consistently, we will be greatly blessed and that the powers of hell will not be able to prevail against us!
“Habitually dwelling upon Christ and His all-sufficient merits increases faith, quickens the powers of spiritual discernment, strengthens the desire to be like Him and brings into prayer an earnestness that makes it efficacious.” E.G. White, Gospel Worker, p.66.
”You want to be like little children, hanging upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Then you will be fortified. How? The angels of God will be around you as a wall of fire; the righteousness of Christ will go before you and the glory of God will be your rearward.” Our Father Cares, p.122.
“You cannot save yourself from the tempter’s power, but he trembles and flees when the merits of Christ’s precious blood are urged.” Testimonies, Vol.5, p.317.
Thus, “Through the merits of Christ we may find the approval of God.” E.G. White, Our Father Cares, p.122.
sky
p.s. “Who can measure the infinity of Christ’s sacrifice?” The value of that sacrifice is beyond estimate; “The Father bowed in acceptance of the sacrifice.” “God bowed His head, satisfied.” Therefore, we are “to hold in abomination all other merits save those of Jesus. See G.C.221.
Thus, Mrs. White spoke of “the faith that lays right hold upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour to bring Christ’s righteousness into the life. Clothed with the robe of His righteousness and not with your own righteousness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will do… for Christ’s righteousness accomplishes everything… it is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God.” Faith and Works, p.65,66,27; T.M.92.
In 1888 Mrs. White spoke clearly:
”We have been at work on the law, the law, until we get as dry as the hills of Gilboa, without dew or rain. Let the law take care of itself. Let us trust in the merits of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. May the Lord help us that our eyes may be anointed with eyelsalve that we may see… with astonishment the utter worthlessness of creature merit to earn eternal life.” 1888 Materials, Vol.2, p.557; F.W.23.
But “When we seek to gain Heaven through the merits of Christ, the soul makes progress.” F.W.94.
”God will accept everyone that comes to Him trusting wholly in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Then loves springs up in the heart. There may be no ecstasy of feeling but there is an abiding, peaceful trust.” 1 S.M.354. And “Love is the fulfillment of the law.” Rom.13:10.
”Jesus was treated as we deserve that we might be treated as He deserves.” D.A.25.
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ehuffman | September 7th, 2007 at 7:39 pmI have also been trying to pin down the *Righteousness by Faith* message. It has occurred to me that if I am to receive this message, and share it with the world, I need to understand the essence of it!
The quotations you posted are very helpful.
Firstly, the phrase “righteousness by faith” indicates that faith is the means by which righteousness is to be obtained. Faith is the “means”, righteousness is the “end”. It helped my to discover that righteousness is not the means itself.
There are the two extremes that people often fall into - legalism and license - but RBF is neither of those.
I think there are two very helpful points to remember to keep us in the 1888 message, and out of the extremes. First, the righteousness that we are to have is real righteousness. Not on paper only (imputed), but exercised in the life also (imparted). As the apostle John pointed out, “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.”
and
“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” 1 John 3:7,10
And the second point concerns where this righteousness comes from, where it originates. It originates with Christ and comes to us. It does not originate with us. We don’t “get up” obedience and present it to God to receive His approval, but Christ lived a perfect human life so He could give that righteousness to us. And He really gives it to us! Real, actual, measurable, visible to others, righteousness. But it’s not ours, it’s His. We can’t boast about it, but we have it all the same! It actuates our members to the glory of God.
A. T. Jones compared receiving this righteousness to receiving wisdom from God. We ask God for wisdom and He gives it to us to use. It is God’s wisdom, not ours, but we can have it by faith. We benefit from it, others can see that we have it, but we can’t boast about it because it isn’t our wisdom. That illustration really helps me.
The above can only happen with our cooperation. There is work in it for us, but nothing that we can’t do.
The more I study this the deeper it goes. But it seems simpler at the same time. Many of those obscure Bible verses have begun to make sense to me now.
Daily appropriating the merits of Christ to ourselves? To me, that seems to mean asking Him to give us His righteousness, and believing that He does - and then going out and exercising that righteousness in our lives.
I agree with your statement:
“Some of our teachings, which include “accepting Christ as a personal Saviour,” have, over the years, become mere cliches, the result being that many of us have only a “nominal” faith in Christ.”
It is time that we learn how to explain what these actually mean!
God bless!
-Eric Huffman
PowerOfChoice | October 5th, 2007 at 3:22 amWhat specifics may be found in the merits of Christ?
Are those words merely beautiful words that give us each a sense of harmony and a good feeling? Or, is there a built in principle that may be applied in most every situation in life?
When I look up the word Christ in Strong’s Greek Dictionary I find a reference to the Hebrew word Messiah. So I look up the meaning of the Hebrew word Messiah in Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary. Once there a find a reference to another Hebrew word from which the first word is derived, plus the meaning ‘anointed.’ Looking up the last reference I find the meaning “rubbed in.”
When a king is being anointed, what part of his body is being anointed?
Does that tell you anything? It did me!
BTW, wasn’t it olive oil that was commonly being used in the biblical oil lamps for lighting the houses of the people?
So how many kinds of olive oil do we use for rubbing our heads, our minds…
Is it true that our minds are being rubbed in with the oil we need for keeping our lamps burning while we are waiting and working upon each our own salvation, and the solution to the problems and questions we are each facing from moment to moment in our lives?
Are we accepting the merits of Christ being constantly offered to each of us and towards the resolution of each our problem and question in life?
Or are we rejecting those merits by stating that those issues are “not a matter of salvation?”
Could it be that when being offered real salvation in the here and now we are sometimes rejecting it while waiting for something else, something fuzzy, something indefinite, something spiritual[ized] in an indefinite future?
What does Ellen White say about ’spiritualizing’ things? Did you ever look it up on the EGW CD-ROM?
Maybe you and I can both find some more “merits of Christ” in the “read books?”
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