The Heart of the 1888 Message

[Guest]

Thank you.

[skyblue888]

Problem with Adventism is all the focus on the last day. Take away the anxiety by correct theology about what happens, no more angst. Our goal is not to play before the symphony perfectly, but to enjoy the daily practice of sitting with the violin making sweet melody...

I really enjoy Jesus. I expect to do so for a long time. I want to have Him as my best friend forever.

mick, I hear what you are saying and I am glad you are enjoying Jesus but it is Jesus Himself who desires us to focus on last day events and you are also right that we must have the correct theology which will take away all the anxiety.

The 1888 message gave us the correct theology of the Gospel and if we recieve it, believe it, and act upon it, we will be prepared to face the storm that is coming. The correct theology is that we must have the love of God diffused through our whole being for "love is the fulfilment of the law." Rom.13;10. But in order for this love to be diffused through our whole being so as to remove all anxiety about what is coming upon the earth, we must make it our lifebusiness to look to Jesus, to His divine Person, and to appropriate His merits to ourselves. See T.M.93. Then love springs up in the heart! This is righteousness by faith!

For "Righteousness is love and love is the light and the life of God." M.B.18.

"Unless he makes it his life business to behold the uplifted Saviour and to accept the 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." T.M.93.

This last statement is the precious light of truth Mrs. White said was resisted in 1888 and in the years that followed 1888 until in 1901 she stated that we would have to remain in this world many more years because of our unbelief, because of our refusal to submit to this most simple and yet most stupendous truth. She also stated that this was the light that Satan was fighting against all the time, that every time it is presented he casts his shadow across our pathway to intercept every ray of heavenly light but especially this most special ray!

sky

"The love that Christ diffuses through the whole being is a vitalizing power. Every vital part, the brain, the heart, the nerves, it touches with healing. By it the highest energies of the being are roused to activity. It frees the soul from the guilt and sorry, the anxiety and care that crush the life forces. With it come serenity and composure. It implants in the soul, joy that nothing earthly can destroy, joy in the Holy Spirit, health-giving, life-giving joy." Ministry of Healing, p.115.

This love which is the hoarded love of eternity is shed abroad in our hearts as we come to God trusting wholly in the merits of the blood that is of value beyond estimate! See 1 S.M.354 and F.W.23.

[oldsailor29]

Regarding the rejection of this most precious message in the era of 1888 and the years that followed, Mrs. White wrote this warning to the leaders and ministers of the church: "How long will you hate and despise the messengers of God's righteousess? 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 grace of the Holy Spirit has been offered to you again and again." T.M.96,97.

Was this warning issued before they sent her to Australia and stopped sending her money?

[Guest]

I didn't know they stopped sending her money.

[skyblue888]

Originally Posted By: skyblue888

Regarding the rejection of this most precious message in the era of 1888 and the years that followed, Mrs. White wrote this warning to the leaders and ministers of the church: "How long will you hate and despise the messengers of God's righteousess? 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 grace of the Holy Spirit has been offered to you again and again." T.M.96,97.

Was this warning issued before they sent her to Australia and stopped sending her money?

According to the book, she wrote this warning in 1896. She was already in Australia. She was there from 1891 to 1900.

But we should not focus on the rejection of the precious light of truth by our own brethren (See 1 S.M.234,235) but on the message itself because it is the only remedy provided for sin.

"Faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for sin." F.W.101.

sky

*Mrs White gave another warning. She said that when the Lord would again let this 1888 light shine upon the people, that the same opposition that was manifested at Minneapolis would raise its ugly head. So if we find that it is opposed again, we should not be surprised. See 1 S.M.130,143 and T.M.467.

[jasd]

>>We must daily appropriate the merits of Christ by claiming them before our sins may be forgiven and before we are clothed with the glistening vesture of Christ's righteousness which accomplishes everything. See F.W.65,66,27.<< [ed.jasd]

So what then is [purportedly] freely given? or is it all just so much brouhaha and – conditional, after all?

What then of the doctrine that our sins were [already] forgiven at the cross?

[skyblue888]

"The storm is coming, relentless in its fury. Are you one with Christ as He is one with the Father?" E.G. White, Review and Herald, Vol.4, p.242.

"The reason so many fail to be successful laborers is that they act as though God depended on them, and they are to suggest to God what He chooses to do with them, in the place of their depending on God. They lay aside the supernatural power and fail to do the supernatural work. They are all the time depending on their own and their brethren's human powers. They are narrow in themselves and are always judging after their finite human comprehension. They need uplifting for they have no power from on High. God gives us bodies, strength of brain, time and opportunity on which to work. It is required that all be put to the tax. With humanity and divinity combined you can accomplish a work as enduring as eternity. When men think the Lord has made a mistake in their individual cases, and they appoint their own work, they will meet with disappointment."

As we habitually dwell upon Christ and His all-sufficient merits, the Lord places us close by His side encircling us with His human arm while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite! Then we are one with Him as He is one with the Father. Then we are enabled to do the works of God:

"The law of the human and divine action makes the receiver a laborer together with God. It brings man where he can, united with divinity, work the works of God. Humanity touches humanity. Divine power and the human agency combined will be a complete success, for Christ's righteousness accomplishes everything." F.W.27.

These are prophecies to be fulfilled in the near future before the close of probation.

sky

[Woody]

>>We must daily appropriate the merits of Christ by claiming them before our sins may be forgiven and before we are clothed with the glistening vesture of Christ's righteousness which accomplishes everything. See F.W.65,66,27.<< [ed.jasd]

So what then is [purportedly] freely given? or is it all just so much brouhaha and – conditional, after all?

What then of the doctrine that our sins were [already] forgiven at the cross?

Our sins were forgiven at the cross. We claim that forgiveness by repenting. We claim the merits of Christ .... salvation for us and then immediately the life of Christ is placed to our account. It looks like we lived the perfect life because it is HIS life that is judged and not our own.

"So I will be your representative in heaven. The Father beholds not your faulty character, but He sees you as clothed in My perfection. I am the medium through which Heaven's blessings shall come to you. And everyone who confesses Me by sharing My sacrifice for the lost shall be confessed as a sharer in the glory and joy of the redeemed." DA 357

"The law demands righteousness, and this the . The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner's account. Christ's righteousness is accepted in place of man's failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to a greater light. He can say with rejoicing, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7)." 1SM 367

"Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned." SC 62

"We are not to be anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute. Ye are accepted in the Beloved." 2SM 33

[skyblue888]

>>We must daily appropriate the merits of Christ by claiming them before our sins may be forgiven and before we are clothed with the glistening vesture of Christ's righteousness which accomplishes everything. See F.W.65,66,27.<< [ed.jasd]

So what then is [purportedly] freely given? or is it all just so much brouhaha and – conditional, after all?

What then of the doctrine that our sins were [already] forgiven at the cross?

Jasd, you are absolutely right. It is all freely given. The provision is there but we must do our part. "Man's part is to lay hold by faith of the merits of Christ." F.W.430. "Faith is the gift of God but the power to exercise it is ours." P.P.431.

Faith is the hand by which the soul takes hold of the remedy provided for sin. "Faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for sin." F.W.101.

"Only the merits and holiness of Christ will be recognized. But this is placed in our account in rich fullness. We may draw upon God every moment. God has pledged Himself to open before us all the riches of His grace." E.G. White, Our Father Cares, p.149.

These unspeakable gifts are available to the worse sinner, freely given. As the sinner kneels at the foot of the cross, he reaches out with the hand of faith to appropriate the merits of the Redeemer simply by claiming them and then God receives Him, justifies him, and clothes him with the robe of Christ's righteousness which accomplishes everything. Thus he may go on from faith to faith, from grace to grace and from victory to victory. See Romans 1:17.

The sinner is justified through the merits of Jesus and he is to be transformed through the merits of Jesus. By continually dwelling upon Jesus and His all-sufficient merits, he believes it is his privilege to claim them and as he does the plan of salvation becomes effective in his life, so that the law of ten precepts of the greatest love ever presented to man, becomes a promise to him, a most positive promise of its own fulfilment.

sky

"Although we have no merit in ourselves, in the great goodness and love of God we are rewarded as if the merit were our own. When we have done all the good we can possibly do, we are still unprofitable servants. We have done only what was our duty. What we have accomplished has been wrought solely through the grace of Christ, and no reward is due to us from God on the ground of our merit. But through the merit of our Saviour, every promise that God has made will be fulfilled, and every man will be rewarded according to his deeds." {RH, June 27, 1893 par. 15}

[Woody]

"Through the merits of the Redeemer, God accepts the efforts of sinful man in keeping His law, which is holy,just and good" Sons and Daughters of God p. 41

"It is God's design to restore that similitude by giving to man victory over sin and over every temptation. The restoration will be completed at the second coming." 7BC 649

"Perfection now is ours only in Christ, but the ultimate, all-comprehensive transformation of our lives into the image of God will take place at the Second Advent ...

Neither Christlike character traits nor faultess behaviour is the ground of our acceptance with God. Saving righteourness comes from the one righteous Man Jesus and is conveyed to us by the Holy Spirit. We can contribute nothing to Christ's gift of righteousness - we can only receive it. No one other than Christ is righteous; independent human righteousness is only filthy rags. " Seventh-Day Adventists Believe p. 145-6

"If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ’s character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned." CSA 30

[Woody]

"So I will be your representative in heaven. The Father beholds not your faulty character, but He sees you as clothed in My perfection. I am the medium through which Heaven's blessings shall come to you. And everyone who confesses Me by sharing My sacrifice for the lost shall be confessed as a sharer in the glory and joy of the redeemed." DA 357

"The law demands righteousness, and this the . The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner's account. Christ's righteousness is accepted in place of man's failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to a greater light. He can say with rejoicing, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7)." 1SM 367

"Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned." SC 62

"We are not to be anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute. Ye are accepted in the Beloved." 2SM 33

[skyblue888]

Red, again, I ask you, why do you keep quoting these statements as though you believed every word? you have stated on this board and other boards as well, repeatedly, that you are sinning and that you will continue to sin until you die or until Jesus comes, and now, as before, you would have us believe that the Lord will not look at your life of sin but at Jesus' merits and righteousness just because you profess to accept both? The merits and righteousness of Christ were not given so that we may continue in sin but that we may overcome as He overcame.

And in the day of reckoning the righteous will claim nothing except the merits of Christ and they will confess themselves as unprofitable servants. They will not be accepted on account of their good works which will have been wrought by the grace of the Holy Spirit, but solely through the merits of Christ and God will treat them as though the merits were their own.

sky

[Woody]

It is strange how some will spin Ellen White to support their personal theories and likings. Some will even change the words of our prophet to fit their theories and pass it off as the words of our prophet.

But then we were warned in the end times that this would happen. It is a sign of the times.

Personally I accept the words of our prophet as they stand.

But then I am not perfect. Nor will I ever be till He comes. And I don't see to many of the Saints walking around in a sinless state of perfection. So I think I am safe.

[skyblue888]

It is strange how some will spin Ellen White to support their personal theories and likings. Some will even change the words of our prophet to fit their theories and pass it off as the words of our prophet.

But then we were warned in the end times that this would happen. It is a sign of the times.

Personally I accept the words of our prophet as they stand.

Taunting again? :)

[Woody]

"Those who are saved will be saved because Jesus has paid the full debt; and man can do nothing, absolutely nothing, to merit salvation. " {ST, November 10, 1890 par. 1}

[Woody]

"So I will be your representative in heaven. The Father beholds not your faulty character, but He sees you as clothed in My perfection. " DA 357

[Woody]

"Since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly obey the holy law. We have no righteousness of our own with which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has made a way of escape for us. He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and give us His righteousness. If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned." Steps to Christ p. 62

[Woody]

"The sacrifice of our Saviour has made ample provision for every repenting, believing soul. We are saved because God loves the purchase of the blood of Christ; and not only will He pardon the repentant sinner, not only will He permit him to enter heaven, but He, the Father of mercies, will wait at the very gates of heaven to welcome us, to give us an abundant entrance to the mansions of the blest. Oh, what love, what wondrous love the Father has shown in the gift of His beloved Son for this fallen race! And this Sacrifice is a channel for the outflow of His infinite love, that all who believe on Jesus Christ may, like the prodigal son, receive full and free restoration to the favor of Heaven." (RH Sept. 21, 1886).

[skyblue888]

How i wish you truly believed these quotes Red but now you are using them to make it appear that you are a believer in righteousness by faith when the oppositite is the truth.

Why are you doing this Red?

[skyblue888]

"So I will be your representative in heaven. The Father beholds not your faulty character, but He sees you as clothed in My perfection. " DA 357

_________________________

Excellent statement! But that does not mean that they will have continued to sin till they died. Becasue if they did, the Lord will not cover them with His rightouesness.

sky

[teresaq]

Wow, so this is the message that will prepare a people for the time of trouble. I am currently reading this e-book found on one of the links Just provided. E-book What is 1888

Wow is all I can say. I am very excited right now!!!

I truly wish I would have found out what the big deal was about 1888 earlier.

anyone who wishes can read jones sermons from may 1889 here http://www.sdabol.org/sbhn/1888/1889sor.htm

that is one site of several. its as close to 88 as there is.

i found it very good. whatever is written about the message, nor anyones understanding of what the message is does not compare to the actual message.

[teresaq]

These quotes are all well and good. I have no disagreement with them when properly understood. We are to stop sinning. Christ came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law. It is the curse of the Law that was fulfilled In Christ. We are to obey but when we sin we have an advocate with the Father.

And what helps to keep us from sinning? The Holy Spirit.

thought i would let you know that im reading what you are saying and not what you are accused of saying.

it seems to me that one can be so busy defending the belief that we are to be sinless, that the same one is not aware that his/her behavior denies his/her belief.

by disrespecting, and lying about, another poster one is claiming to the world that, either they dont really believe one can be sinless, Christlike, or that one has very little idea of what Christlike is.

[Lutz13]

Originally Posted By: Lutz13

Wow, so this is the message that will prepare a people for the time of trouble. I am currently reading this e-book found on one of the links Just provided. E-book What is 1888

Wow is all I can say. I am very excited right now!!!

I truly wish I would have found out what the big deal was about 1888 earlier.

anyone who wishes can read jones sermons from may 1889 here http://www.sdabol.org/sbhn/1888/1889sor.htm

that is one site of several. its as close to 88 as there is.

i found it very good. whatever is written about the message, nor anyones understanding of what the message is does not compare to the actual message.

Thank you for the link Teresaq. Also Sky, I have been going through your booklet. Thanks for that too.

Redwood, do you trust God? Do you trust all that He says? I have faith in Him and not our own wisdom. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will keep My judgments and do them."(Ezekiel 36:27) It is that promise that tells me what God is going to do to me. While we will always have our sinful nature until we are changed. It doesn't have to always be a sinning nature. This isn't our work though. It is Christ working in us. By faith we give Him permission to do the work.

[Guest]

Amen Lutz, that's the way it is.

[skyblue888]

Originally Posted By: Redwood

These quotes are all well and good. I have no disagreement with them when properly understood. We are to stop sinning. Christ came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law. It is the curse of the Law that was fulfilled In Christ. We are to obey but when we sin we have an advocate with the Father.

And what helps to keep us from sinning? The Holy Spirit.

thought i would let you know that im reading what you are saying and not what you are accused of saying.

it seems to me that one can be so busy defending the belief that we are to be sinless, that the same one is not aware that his/her behavior denies his/her belief.

by disrespecting, and lying about, another poster one is claiming to the world that, either they dont really believe one can be sinless, Christlike, or that one has very little idea of what Christlike is.

Teresa, what on earth are you doing now? sympatizing with the wrongdoers? are you identifying yourself with those who teach that we cannot stop sinning this side of heaven? is that your message and is it part of your message to then label those who believe that we can stop from sinning through the merits of Christ to be unChristlike?

sky