Commentary on "The Message of the Prophets"

MARTIN CAREY

 

Day 2: Sunday, March 1, 2009

In today’s lesson, the Lesson Guide looks at man’s primary problem and its cure. The problem is sin, and this is demonstrated by man’s lack of “happiness and peace of mind.” Sin also destroys human life and health, and for this, there is no medical remedy. The only remedy is found in the Cross of Christ. Ellen White is quoted saying that it is impossible for fallen man to merit salvation through his own best good works.

The writer then warns us of the twin extremes of cheap grace and legalism, where Christians often fall into either extreme. He urges us to find the “balanced Christian life,” where we have both assurance of salvation and victory over sin in our lives.

“… the faith that saves is not alone; good works follow, even though those good works, even done under the unction of the Holy Spirit, never can justify us before God.”

The author then offers hope for discouraged believers in acceptance by God, which is based only on what Christ has done, and not through our own victories over sin.

 

Problems

By only describing sin as a destroyer of happiness, peace of mind, and physical health, we entirely miss the core problems of sin as described in scripture. When Adam and Eve rebelled, they died the very same day, as promised by God. Their sin resulted in instant spiritual death, the state into which we are all born (Eph. 2:1,2). That is why we all are incapable, both Jews and Gentiles, of pleasing God. Our core problem is not our happiness, self-esteem, or behavior. Our problem is much worse than mental or physical illness. It is our dead human spirit which “lives in the passions of our flesh,” making us an “object of wrath,” deserving death by a holy Creator.

Because we are born spiritually dead, we are by nature objects of the wrath of God (Rom. 1 and 2, Eph. 2:3). It is notable that the wrath of God is not mentioned in this lesson, since for many Adventists, and Christians in general, this is considered a primitive, even “pagan” concept unworthy of the enlightened. Even so, it is central to the Bible’s understanding of our dire condition.

Ellen White contrasts Christ’s righteousness, as opposed to our “own best good works.” The lesson does not give a definition of the phrase, “righteousness by faith.” Is it entirely outside of us, as an “alien righteousness” completed 2000 years ago by Jesus Christ, or lived in us today? The author rejects those works done with the help of the Holy Spirit as justifying us before God. That is well and good, and if “alien righteousness” is what the author means, he stands opposed to many of Ellen White’s statements.

In Selected Messages book 1, Mrs. White distinguishes between mere “justification,” or pardoning of sin (6 BC 1070), and “righteousness by faith,” which includes the bringing of Christ’s righteousness into the heart and behavior of the believer, resulting in personal victory over sin. One must look at many EGW statements to understand her meanings, because she often appears to blend what has been done outside of us in Christ, and is being performed by the Spirit now in our lives, together as one process. This brings confusion to many believers. Here is an example from Mrs. White where “righteousness by faith” means what God does in us now:

“Genuine faith appropriates the righteousness of Christ, and the sinner is made an overcomer with Christ.” (1SM 363)

“We can be fitted for heaven only through the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart; for we must have Christ's righteousness as our credentials if we would find access to the Father.” (1SM 374)

Again, she applies the term to the process of sanctification, not to the finished work of Christ.

Plainly, she states that our access to God’s presence derives from a righteousness working in our lives today by the Holy Spirit. Some of her statements give confidence, others will then take it away. Her theology agrees more closely with Roman Catholic teaching, where justification is a process that includes cleansing the soul by sanctifying grace. Access to God is based on a combination of our merits and his, working together. Even though Ellen White never called it “our merits,” she meant a righteousness that resides in us, and it relies on the quality of our repentance and will.

The book of Hebrews also speaks plainly why we can boldly enter God’s presence. There you will find phrases such as, “once and for all,” or, “He sat down.” (More about that next lesson.) So we have confidence, not because of our victories, but because “by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14) It’s all done, forever. So we are confident that God will finish the good work in us that he began at our New Birth, because he could finish the work for us in Christ’s perfect life, death, and resurrection. If we rely on the incomplete work that’s in us, even 1%, we will have reason to fear.

Much easier than trying to sort out the many nuances of Ellen White’s statements, is to simply read Romans 3:21 for what it plainly says:

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”

This justifying righteousness gains us access to God, now and always. It is apart from law, meaning it is “alien;” it is safe in Heaven where we can’t spoil it, and it does not rise or fall in value with our behavior.

 

Summary

• The human problem is neither physical nor behavioral. It is our dead spirits in rebellion against God.
• The spiritual cure needed is found in the completed life and righteousness of Christ, which can become ours now and forever, by faith.
• Many of us have been taught that “righteousness by faith” means sanctification, but they also know they are not “fitted for Heaven.” Our assurance is found in His word: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” John 6:37

 

Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised March 2, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

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