skyblue888 Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 I read The Desire of Ages at least once a year. I always begin with the chapter titled Gethsemane and work my way through to the end of the book and then back to the center and from there I go either way. What a blessing this book has been to me. Some chapters I have read so many times that I stopped counting. At the end of the book I have a list of the things that have made a deep impression upon my mind and heart. But if there is one thing that I will never forget this book says concerning the only faith which pleases God. "The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him (Christ) as a personal Saviour: which appropriates His merits to ourselves." The Desire of Ages, p.347. As you can see for yourself, this statement clearly and distinctly defines for us what it means to accept Jesus as a personal Saviour. What is so amazing about this statement is that it is not a mere human definition or opinion of what faith is. In fact it is an oracle from God Himself through His servant the prophet. There is no other faith that will benefit us no matter how many might disagree or refuse to acknowledge this saving truth. God has spoken. All who by faith appropriate to themselves the merits of Jesus Christ of Nazareth are entitled to receive all the benefits of the covenant of grace! They may claim this passage of Holy Writ: "All things are yours." 1 Cor.3:21. It is just as simple as that. Everything that is needed for this life and for the life which is to come is assured to those who, with the simple faith of a little child, receive, believe, and act upon the light of this most precious truth! The Lord has made it crystal clear that unless we appropriate to ourselves the merits of Christ, we will lose all the benefits the plan of redemption has to offer. "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. In other words, "[color:#000066]We must daily apply to the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour that we may become vessels fit for the Master's use." E.G. White, Faith and Works, p.86. Thank God for the matter of salvation is truly just as simple as the alphabet! "The matter of salvation is just as simple as ABC." E.G. White, Faith and Works, p.64. sky Quote "The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.
skyblue888 Posted May 30, 2007 Author Posted May 30, 2007 "The intercession of Christ is as a golden chain fastened to the throne of God. He has turned the merits of His sacrifice into prayer. Jesus prays, and by prayer He succeeds." E.G. White, Bible Commentary, Vol.7, p.914. As our Intercessor Jesus has turned the merits of His sacrifice into prayer! In our behalf, He pleads the merits of His sacrifice before the Father and He succeeds! In other words, from the smallest benefits up to the largest blessing, all flow through that one Channel, a superhuman mediation made efficacious by the merits of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. What is our part? "Our part is to lay hold by faith of the merits of Christ." Fundamentals of Education, p.430. Christ's merits is our prayer, our only plea! Our prayer: "Lord, I have no merit or goodness whereby I may claim salvation, but I present before You the all-sufficient merits of the spotless Lamb of God. This is my only plea." We pray this prayer daily and we succeed! As we make the merits of Christ's sacrifice our prayer, our only plea, we have the approval of God and we are greatly blessed! In fact, God accepts us, forgives us, justifies us, and He loves us as He loves His only begotten Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness! And then the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace and from light to a greater light! This is sanctification. Thus it is written, "There is salvation for you but only through the merits of Jesus Christ." Testimonies to Ministers, p.97. sky Quote "The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.
David Koot Posted May 31, 2007 Posted May 31, 2007 a human author A human author? What was John? Quote
skyblue888 Posted May 31, 2007 Author Posted May 31, 2007 Ah, but why make it difficult with cut and paste from a human author when one Biblical quote will suffice, (1) example: John 3:16??? That is the 'rub' of all that goes on in these multiple topics started over and over on this Forum... ********************************************* First of all, coaspen, there is a difference between cutting and pasting to support a private interpretation and comparing statement with statement to arrive at the truth. Mrs. White was no ordinary writer. She was the messenger of the Lord unless you have not been convinced of that yet. In the book Selected Messages, Vol.1, p.42, we read, "The testimonies will be the key that will explain the messages given, as Scripture explains Scripture." This is what I have done. This is what I have done for many years. I try to stay awaw from any attempt to put any personal construction upon her writings. I always compare statement with statement on any particular subject. That's the key. It has worked for me. In the light of these statements which I have quoted, John 3:16 can be paraphrased thus: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that everyone that comes to Him trusting wholly in the all-sufficient merits of His Son shall not perish but receive the gift of the Holy Spirit which is the beginning of everlasting life." "Not one who trusts in the merits of Christ will be left to perish." Patriarchs and Prophets, p.203,432. sky Quote "The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.
David Koot Posted May 31, 2007 Posted May 31, 2007 John 3:16 can be paraphrased thus: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that everyone that comes to Him trusting wholly in the all-sufficient merits of His Son shall not perish " Kittel has a good article on pistis/pisteuw. The Hebrew concept of 'believe' as it is used here, is broader than our Western understanding. NOt merely intellectual acceptance or trust is involved, but follow-through in the life--belief accompanied by repentance. Dave Quote
skyblue888 Posted May 31, 2007 Author Posted May 31, 2007 Dave, agreed. When one trust wholly in the merits of the Saviour, God accepts him, forgives him, justifies him and loves him as He loves His only Son and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace and from light to a greater light! It is all involved in resting in the merits of Christ. "Looking unto Jesus and trusting in His merits we appropriate the blessings of light and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." 5 T 744. Mrs. White speaks 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 Christ's righteousness and not your own righteouesness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will do" For "Christ's righteousness accomplishes everything" and "His righteousness is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God." Faith and Works, p.65,66,27; Testimonies to Ministers, p.92. How's that? :) Quote "The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.
David Koot Posted June 1, 2007 Posted June 1, 2007 got to add... Add? Well, the Bible contains 66 books, and lots of pages, chapters and verses. All--all the pages, all the chapters, all the verses--have a bearing on the great religious questions of the day. It is not wise to attempt to reduce the subject to a single verse--particularly when crossing cultural lines to attempt to do so. As for the Spirit of Prophecy, that too is inspired by God. If we did need it, God would not have given it to us. Quote
David Koot Posted June 1, 2007 Posted June 1, 2007 How's that? I think that is excellent. I was quite surprised when I first read Kittel's treatment of pisteuw. As Americans, thinking and speaking in different ways than John the Hebrew, we may at times miss the full meaning of what he intended in his writings. Dave Quote
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