The 1888 message and the 1888 Message Study Committee

[David Koot]

Perhaps the best thing I could say at this point, in regard to methodology, is that each person who believes in Jesus has a calling, and receives the gospel commission. It is my hope that each one may affirmatively respond to that calling, and go out to seek souls for the kingdom of God, asking God for guidance and help, and claiming the promise of success.

As for the '1888-ers,' as I call them, one big concern I have had over the years, is that they often have conveyed the attitude that 'their way' or if you please their particular version of the 1888 message, is 'it,' and that the rest of us poor blokes need to see the light. I have not seen a qualitative difference between strong advocates of that particular message, and advocates of the Jehovah's Witness message or, for that matter, some other belief systems including the Unification Church. On a sociological level, I came to the conclusion some time ago that it is another manifestation of 'cultural ethnocentrism' (with apologies to Margaret Mead for coining the term.)

I would suggest alternatively, an approach which may perhaps be more open and broad-minded, and to beware of the belief that 'our way' is THE way to the kingdom or, indeed, to win souls for the kingdom.

Dave

[skyblue888]

The 1888 message was "most precious" in that it was just as simple as accepting the alphabet and yet so profound that, if received, believed, and acted upon, the sinner became a partaker of Christ's nature, "a nature far above that which Adam and Eve forfeited by transgression." The Upward Look, p.18.

It is no little thing that Jesus Christ should impute His own divine merits to the believing sinner. How little we appreciate the fact that Christ was treated according to our demerits that we might be treated according to His divine merits!!!

It is the good pleasure of the Father to accept us, forgive us, justify us, and transform us when we accept the merits of His Son and believe it is our privilege to claim them.

Who can fathom the unsearchable riches of Christ and yet these riches are presented to us as a gift to be grasped by relying solely upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour!

The Father has declared that "the merits of Christ's sacrifice are sufficient to present fefore Him in our behalf... to bring Christ's righteousness into the life" and "Christ's[color:#000066] righteousness accomplishes everything..." "It is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God" for "[color:#000066]Christ's righteousness imparts all the powers, all the grace, all the repentance, all the inclination, all the pardon of sins." S.C.36; F.W.65,27; T.M.92; F.W.24.

This is the message which God intended that it should come to the people as the latter rain! In this message, there is not one thread of human devising! It is the way of the Lord, the way everlasting!

"The Lord has given them His message. They bear the word of the Lord: [color:#990000]There is salvation for you but only through the merits of Jesus Christ." T.M.97.

Will we say Amen to the Lord's word or will we repeat the history of 1888 by letting prejudice and preconceved ideas prevail?

That is the question.

sky