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What is meant by the term "justification by faith"? Are we saved by faith or by grace? "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8.
Faith that justifies is a faith that works by grace. Grace is unmerited love, "gold tried in the fire". There is a connection between "justification by faith" and the last message of warning to go to a world soon to perish. This message will reveal the glory of God and lighten the whole world. The glory of God is His character of love, unmerited love for us while we were yet sinners.
Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel's message, and I have answered, "It is the third angel's message in verity." The prophet
| the sinfulness of remaining in a lukewarm condition |
declares, "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory." Brightness, glory, and power are to be connected with the third angel's message, and conviction will follow wherever it is preached in demonstration of the Spirit. How will any of our brethren know when this light shall come to the people of God? As yet, we certainly have not seen the light that answers to this description. God has light for his people, and all who will accept it will see the sinfulness of remaining in a lukewarm condition; they will heed the counsel of the True Witness when he says, "Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
The Church is presented as standing in a self-satisfied, pleased, proud, independent position, ignorant of her destitution and wretchedness. By her attitude she says, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." How many who claim to be keeping the commandments of God are in this position today! The charge against the Church is, "Thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot." But while many may be satisfied with their lukewarm condition, the Lord is far from pleased, and declares that unless you are zealous and repent, he will spue you out of his mouth. But he warns you, he entreats you. He says, "Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint
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it is the gold
of faith and love
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thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see."
The gold that Jesus would have us buy of him is gold tried in the fire; it is the gold of faith and love, that has no defiling substance mingled with it. The white raiment is the righteousness of Christ, the wedding garment which Christ alone can give. The eye-salve is the true spiritual discernment that is so wanting among us, for spiritual things must be spiritually discerned. Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.
When this was written, the church had need to be justified by faith, faith in the atoning blood of Christ. Faith that works, works by love. It is grace, the highest form of love that constrains man to good works. It is only when grace is received into the heart that man can do any good thing. Apart from Christ we can only yield to our fallen nature.
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grace....
the highest form
of love
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Jesus explained it this way. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:6,7. Paul expressed it very plainly also. "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Romans 8:5-9.
Thus, we must be born of the Spirit in order to be converted, to have eternal life. In the words spoken by Jesus to the last of the seven churches in Revelation, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, He gave the answer as to how one may be born again. It must be a confusing issue because so many do not understand what Jesus meant, even though His words are plain and straight forward. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.
Satan is a master at deception. It would be good to study the example of Israel, especially when their Messiah came to His own and His own received Him not (John 1:11). He had so
| the disciples of Jesus did not understand He had to die |
deceived them that even the disciples of Jesus did not understand He had to die. He was the Lamb being led to the slaughter, but they had been deceived about the need for a Savior who would take upon Himself the sins of the world.
Satan has had an additional 2,000 years to prepare deceptions for our day. Not only is he better prepared for us, we are 2,000 years further removed from the holiness in which God created man. Each successive generation deteriorates further and further. If we understood how perverted man has become, we would have little hope of salvation. We must be transformed in order to enter heaven.
When Adam sinned, he had no hope of eternal life at all. God had told him if he ate from the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, he would surely die. He did die, but not immediately. God gave Adam and man a second chance to gain eternal life. He was given temporal life in which he could choose another master. When he sinned, he was aligned with sin and Satan. He was at enmity with God, just as we are until we are born again. God made a promise in the hearing of Adam and Eve. He spoke to Satan "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Genesis 3:15.
Adam having a fallen nature could only sin. Separated from God he was evil. When God spoke the words to Satan, it was the first intimation of hope for mankind. This covenant made with man had conditions. Man would have the law of God written upon his heart, if he would fully surrender his will to Christ. In order for man to have this second chance, Christ would have to take upon Himself the sins of the whole world. He would suffer and die, the innocent for the guilty. If Christ would meet the conditions set forth, then man could be re-created in the image of God in which he was created, almost. His character would be transformed, but not his flesh. He could form a character far in advance of Adam's before he fell if he would fully surrender to Christ and maintain that connection. Christ would come into our world a helpless babe subject to the weakness of humanity to fight the battle of life as we must fight it at the risk of failure and eternal loss. This was the "everlasting covenant of grace."
As the Bible presents two laws, one changeless and eternal, the other provisional and temporary, so there are two covenants. The covenant of grace was first made with man in Eden, when after the Fall, there was given a divine promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. To all men this covenant offered pardon, and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Christ. It also promised them eternal life on condition of fidelity to God's law. Thus the patriarchs received the hope of salvation.
This same covenant was renewed to Abraham in the promise, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Genesis 22:18. This promise pointed to Christ. So Abraham understood it, and he trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It was this faith that was accounted unto him for righteousness. The covenant with Abraham also maintained the authority of God's law. The Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." The testimony of God concerning His faithful servant was, "Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." Genesis 17:1; 26:5. . . .
The Abrahamic covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ, and it is called the "second," or "new," covenant, because the blood by which it was sealed was shed after the blood of the first covenant.
The covenant of grace is not a new truth, for it existed in the mind of God from all eternity. This is why it is called the everlasting covenant.
There is hope for us only as we come under the Abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace by faith in Christ Jesus. The gospel preached to Abraham, through which he had hope, was the same gospel that is preached to us today. . . . Abraham looked unto Jesus, who is also the author and the finisher of our faith. FLB 77.
As we review the history of the world and see the transformation from sinner to saint in the holy ones of old, we are encouraged that God's promise is true. By His grace sinners are made holy. Not only do we see great men and women of faith, but we also see the conditions set forth for Christ having been met on the cross. Such love!
It is amazing that Israel having been entrusted with the sacred oracles of God would be the ones to murder the Son of God. How did this happen? How was it that Satan achieved such profound success with his deceptions? Let's take a look at three of the disciples who were closest to Jesus, Peter, James, and John.
At the end of a long day of ministry, Jesus led these three up a mountain just as the sun was setting. He chose these three in hopes they would be able to understand His mission and thus be better prepared for the great trial that was rushing upon them, the mocking, scourging, and crucifixion of their Lord. What they beheld upon that mount ought to have forever settled in their minds Jesus was who He said He was, God in the flesh. But, having been taught by false teachers all of their lives, they could not comprehend the mission of Christ.
"And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. And after six days Jesus taketh [with him] Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him." Mark 9:1-7.
Why did the disciples forsake Jesus when He was taken captive? Why did Peter, James, and John flee from the Son of God? Had they not seen His kingdom and His glory? They had. The promise that some standing with Jesus would see His kingdom was fulfilled when they saw the King in His glory as He will be seen at His soon coming. They also saw Moses who represented all who have died in Christ and will arise when Jesus calls them from the grave. And, they saw Elijah who represented the rest of His kingdom, those who will be translated without seeing death.
Why would these chosen men question if Jesus were really the Son of God when He hung on the cross? Did not Jesus tell them He would not only die, but be raised from the dead? "And as they came down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead." Mark 9:9.
The influences that surround us are so very important. If we have been exposed to spiritual error in the past, we must take special care to weed it out of the mind. Find spiritual associates to study and pray with. Make Jesus and His Word the foundation of your faith. Pray for the Holy Spirit before opening the Word, He is the Teacher who opens the mind to truth.
In light of the message from Jesus in Revelation three, we all ought to ask Jesus to reveal if we remain blind and naked and do not see our continual need of Jesus to do any good thing. He loves us and will be faithful to help us see who we are. We certainly have nothing to boast about. If we can clearly see a revelation of Christ, we have a true standard by which to measure our character. Compared to Jesus, who looks "good"? But, His promise is sure. If we
| It is impossible to walk on water without Christ |
will learn of Him who gave all for us, then He will put enmity in our hearts against Satan and sin. He will write His laws upon our hearts and minds and empower us to keep His commandments. As long as we will abide in Christ and He in us, then His promise that we shall not be tempted beyond what we can bear will be kept (1 Cor. 10:13). If we are tempted beyond what we can bear, His promise does not fail. It is we who do not meet the conditions set forth in Scripture. We do not maintain our connection with Christ. If we do not abide in Christ and He in us, then we cannot resist the smallest temptation. It is impossible to walk on water without Christ. We must be partakers of His divine nature in order to possess power to overcome sin. And "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Romans 8:9.
Our justification for eternal life (salvation) is dependent upon our reception of grace. When we take the third angel's message to the world, we do not begin with the last message, or the second message, we begin with the first message. "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Revelation 14:6. The gospel message is the good news of a Savior whose grace can save us from ourselves. The battle is indeed against Satan and sin, but it primarily is within, not without. The greatest battle we shall ever have to fight is the battle with self. At first it is very hard to submit to Christ's drawing, but as we learn of Him, it becomes harder and harder to kick against the pricks. Finally, when we see who we are because we have seen who He is, we give up, raise the white flag of surrender, and a peace that passes all understanding comes upon the sin sick soul.
Love, joy peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance come into the life when the Spirit takes possession of the heart. All of the fruits of His Spirit are in the life, not one is missing. As we then walk in the light of His love and counsel, we will gradually bear more fruit, that is a greater abundance of the fruits already in the life. The reward Jesus looks forward to, is to see His character revealed in your life and in mine. By His grace, we will not disappoint Him.
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