The Interview with Dr. Kellogg

"Let us labor, therefore, to enter
into that rest." Hebrews 4:11.

"We who have believed do enter into
rest." Hebrews 4:3.

Therefore faith is the labor by which
we enter into rest as it is also written,

"This is the work of God that you believe
on Him whom He has sent." John 6:28.

Faith is God's labor for "He is the
Author and Finisher of our faith."
Hebrews 12:2.

We who believe that the MERITS of
Christ's sacrifice are SUFFICIENT
to present to the Father in our
behalf in order to obtain all the
blessings of the covenant of grace
do enter into rest, ceasing from
our own works.

Then Jesus places us close by His
side encircling us with His human
arm while with His divine arm He
grasps the throne of the infinite.

Thus we are fortified, enabled to
do the works which God before
ordained that we should walk in
them. Col.2:10.

"There is a time of trouble coming to the people of God,
but we are not to keep that constantly before the people
and rein them up to have a time of trouble beforehand.
There is to be a shaking among God's people, but this is
not the present truth to carry to the churches.--1SM
180 (1890). {LDE 17.4}

The above was written in 1890. We are now in 2012 and it
is certainly present truth.

sky

I am not worthy to be in such good
company!

In the days of Christ the religious leaders
of the professed people of God warned
the people that Jesus was a wolf in sheep's
clothing.

In the days of the Reformation the
religious leaders warned the people
that the Reformers were wolves in
sheep's clothing.

There is nothing new under the sun.

All the law and the prophets are summed up
in a few words:

There is salvation for you but only through
the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour.

What is "salvation" if it is not to receive the
gift that brings all other blessings in its train,
the gift that cannot be excelled which is worthy
of Christ's greatness and Royalty? Is it not the
gift of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the
Godhead offered in infinite plenitude?

In other to receive this most excellent gift the
sinner must, day by day, come to God just as
he is, sinful, helpless, dependent, trusting wholly
in the merits of Christ's infinite sacrifice that the
Holy Spirit may work in him both to will and to do
God's pleasure which is to fulfill all the requirements
of the law.

Is this not what it means to be clothed with the robe
of Christ's righteousness which accomplishes everything?
and is this not the third angel's message in clear, distinct
lines, the last message of mercy to the church and to the
world?

Personally, I believe that all who receive, believe, and
act upon this most precious message will become
God's spokesmen, vessels fit for their Master's use.

Someone says: you should be able to much better
explain the "merits" of Christ." It is a plural word and
therefore, you should be able to give a complete list
and description of said "merits."
__________

The merits of Christ are the merits of His infinite sacrifice,
the merits of His shed blood, the merits of His sufferings:

Do we not, by faith, see in the midst of the throne One bearing
in hands and feet and side the marks of the sufferings endured
to reconcile man to God? Do we not also see a Father, infinite,
dwelling in light unapproachable, yet receiving us to Himself
through the MERITS of His Son?

Is this not the Good News? The Father accepts us through the
merits of the blood that was shed for us upon Calvary's cross.
Is not the blood of Christ of value beyond estimate? Was it not
the Life of God in His Son that was for us poured out upon
Calvary's cross?

Is there anymore more that could be added?

Either we believe that the MERITS of Christ's sacrifice are
sufficient to plead before the Father in our behalf in order
to obtain the gift that brings all other blessings in its train
or we don't!

It is just as simple as that, just as simple as accepting the
alphabet.

Our part, which is our life business, is to lay right hold by
faith of the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. This is
what we must do in order to be saved. This is faith, even
living faith, and this faith is also the gift of God.

Today, as in 1888, we are invited to lay right hold upon the
merits of the Saviour in order for the Holy Spirit, the Third
Person of the Godhead, to bring Christ's righteousness into
our life that it may work in us both to will and to do God's
good pleasure which, again, is to fulfill in and through us all
the requirements of the law. Phil.3:9; Phil.2:13.

We lay hold of His merits by claiming them.

So, unless we make it his life business to behold the uplifted
Saviour and to accept His merits which it is our privilege to
claim, we cannot partake of the Holy Spirit in large measure
and take part in the proclamation of the last message of mercy
to the world: we cannot become fit vessels for our Master's use,
and grow up into Christ until the full corn of His character is
developed in the ear. (Mar.4:26-28)

Are these not the heavenly themes we are to dwell upon and is
it not our duty to impart that knowledge to others?

To put it another way, justice demanded the sufferings
of man but Christ rendered the sufferings of a God. He
needed no atonement of suffering for Himself. All His
sufferings were for us. All His merits and righteousness
are open to fallen man, presented as a gift to be claimed
by faith!

Either we claim the gift of His merits and righteousness or
we don't.

This is a daily matter.

Here is another refreshing way to put it. What happens
when we make it our life business to claim the merits of
the infinite sufferings that Christ had to endure in order
that we might be reconciled to God?

He places His own merits upon us and thus elevates us in
the scales of moral value, with God! Who can fathom this
gift? 2 Cor.9:15.

It is not difficult to believe that this is the Good News that
the enemy is fighting against all the time, simply because
through faith in His merits the sinner obtains the privilege
to possess Christ's nature, a nature far above that which
Adam forfeited by transgression! See 1 Cor.15:47.

This is food for thought, is it not? No wonder why the devil
and all his minions are fighting against this stupendous truth
with all their hellish power. They are determined that this
message shall be hidden from mankind at all cost. So far they
have been very successful.

But the time has come for this message to become the interest
that will prevail and the subject that will swallow up every other.

So we want to be like little children, hanging upon the merits of
a crucified and risen Saviour. Then we will be fortified. The angels
of God will be around us like a wall of fire and the righteousness of
Christ will go before us and the glory of God will be our rearward!
God will sanctify our tongues, our thoughts, our minds, that we
may dwell upon these heavenly themes and that we may impart
that knowledge to others!

Then Isaiah 60:1-5 will be fulfilled. Then men will be captivated by
the glory of an abiding Christ.

No it is not. You're completely unaware of the context of the third angel's message.

shubee

The context of the third angel's message from the book
Testimonies to Ministers, pp.93 and 92.

"Now it has been Satan's determined purpose to eclipse
the view of Jesus and lead men to look to man, and trust
in man, and be educated to expect help from man. For

years the church has been looking to man and expecting
much from man, but not looking to Jesus, in whom our
hopes of eternal life are centered. Therefore, God gave
to His servants a TESTIMONY that presented the truth
as it is in Jesus, which is THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE
in clear, distinct lines." p.93.

The context here is the 1888 message. On page 92 we
read that this message "invited the people to receive the
righteousness of Christ which is made manifest in obedience
to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of
Jesus and they needed to have their eyes directed to Jesus,
to His divine Person, TO HIS MERITS, and to His changeless
LOVE for the human family."

And then, a few lines down, we read, "This is the message
that God commanded to be given to the world. It is THE
THIRD ANGEL'S MESAGE, which is to be proclaimed with a
loud voice and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in
large measure."

On the same page, we read:

"The efficacy of the BLOOD of Christ was to be presented
to the people with freshness and power, that their FAITH
might lay hold upon ITS MERITS."

This is the CONTEXT of the THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE in
clear, distinct lines.

The message in a nutshell:

Look to Jesus instead of to man. Do not expect any help from
man. Look to Jesus and by faith lay hold upon the MERITS of
His shed BLOOD and His righteousness will be imparted to you
and it will be made manifest in obedience to all the commandments
of God.

sky

The precious truth, the most precious message that God
ever sent to His professed people is the third angel's
message as stated in Testimonies to Ministers, pp.92-93,
96-97.

"How long will you hate and despise the messengers of
God's righteousness? The Lord 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.

What is the message of God to us as stated here in the above
statement? What is the Word of the Lord that we are to bear?
It is that "the grace of the Holy Spirit that brings salvation to
all men" (Titus 2:11) is available and offered to us again and
again through the simple faith that lays right hold upon the
merits of the blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.(Rom.3:25)

May God help us that our eyes may be anointed with eyesalve
that we may discern the precious truth.

This message becomes the possession of all who receive it,
believe it, and act upon it with the simple faith of a little child.

"The sinner must ever look toward Calvary; and with the SIMPLE
FAITH faith of a little child, he must REST in the MERITS of Christ,
ACCEPTING His righteousness (through the grace of the Holy Spirit),
and believing in His mercy." Evangelism, 185.

sky

sky

My faith that God gave me the ten-fold brighter light
that William Miller dreamed about is testable and is
just like Jesus needing to say to the Seventh-day
Adventists of His day that He was the Son of God.

Shubee
__________

There were times when Jesus did confess that He was
the Son of God but only when questioned about it or
pressed hard to answer that question and even then
He did not come out and say, "I am the Son of God."
He wanted His auditors to come to that conclusion by
studying His teachings and His works. If there ever was
a man who walked upon this earth and who was unassuming
like no other (past, present, or future) it had to be Jesus
Christ of Nazareth.

The man in possession of the ten-fold light of Miller's dream
will be, like Jesus, the most unassuming. He will make no such
claim as you have made here. Such a man being the recipient
of such precious boon would be the last one to brag about it
but rather would let others decide that for themselves. And
even if others were to acknowledge the fact he would not
accept the honors and his confession would be that of the
man who does not know anything yet as he ought to know.
Imbued with the Spirit of the Gospel, the most enlightened
man will confess his ignorance and his being nothing:

"If any man thinketh he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing
yet as he ought to know." 1 Cor.8:2.

And "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing,
he deceiveth himself." Gal.6:3.

sky

Jesus Himself said, "So, when ye shall have done all those
things which are commanded you, say, We are UNPROFITABLE
SERVANTS; we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke
17:10.

The candidates for Heaven will know that they have done those
things which it was their duty to do by the grace of the Holy Spirit
which they had obtained through faith in the merits of the Saviour.
And they will know that even these good works that the grace of
the Holy Spirit will have enabled them to do will not act a part in
the salvaton of the soul or in merit. They will know that the Father
will accept them with their good works but only through the merits
of Jesus.

At the end of the day the redeemed will make this confession which
will be worthy of all acceptation: Lord we are unprofitable servants.
We have done nothing. Christ and His righteousness accomplished
everything. And if we walk through the everlasting gates it will be
solely on account of the merits of Jesus which it has been our
privilege to claim.

And the Father will say to them: Good and faithful servants, enter
in and take possession of the Kingdom which was prepared for you
even before the foundation of the world.

sky

And yet those who walked into the City through the gates
the Father will treat as though they themselves had, by
their own strength, done all these works which it was their
duty to do and will be rewarded as though the merit was
their own:

"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." Review &
Herald, June 27, 1893 par. 15

"We are accepted through Christ’s merits alone; and the acts
of mercy, the deeds of love, which we perform, are the fruits
of faith; and they become a blessing to us; for men are to be
rewarded according to their works. It is the fragrance of the
merit of Christ that makes our good works acceptable to God,
and it is grace that enables us to do the works for which He
rewards us. Our works, in and of themselves have no merit.
When we have done all that it is possible for us to do, we are
to count ourselves as unprofitable servants. Luke 17:10. We
deserve no thanks from God. We have only done what it was
our duty to do, and our works could not have been performed
by the strength of our own sinful nature." E.G. White, Bible
Commentary, vol.5, 1122.

If there is one thing I am sure of when it comes to anyone
being an instrument of God to bring a message of truth to
His people it is that he/she will be unassuming.

sky
____________

Like Elijah?

Shubee
____________

Let us not forget that both Elijah and John the Baptist had
misunderstood the nature of Christ's kingdom. Both had looked
for the high places of human pride and power to be cast down.
Both pointed to the Messiah as the One whose fan was in His
hand, and who would thoroughly purge His floor, gather the
wheat into His garner, and burn up the chaff with unquenchable
fire.(See D.A.215)

Notice these words: "Like the prophet Elijah, in whose spirit and
power he had come to Israel, he looked for the Lord to reveal
Himself as a God that answereth by fire." Desire of Ages, 215.

Then, on page 217, we read these words:

"To John was opened the same truth that had come to Elijah in
the desert, when 'a great and strong wind rent the mountains
and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was
not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord
was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire; but
the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, God spoke to the
prophet by a still small voice.' 1 Kings 19:11,12. So Jesus was to
do His work, not with the clash of arms and the overthrowing of
thrones and kingdoms, but through speaking to the hearts of men
by a life of mercy and self-sacrifice." Desire of Ages, 217.

Jesus was unassuming. Because they misunderstood the nature of
Christ's kingdom, both Elijah and John the Baptist had looked for the
Lord to reveal Himself as a God that answereth by fire and becasue
of this misunderstanding they could not reflect the character of Christ
fully.

But those who give the last message of mercy to the church and to
the world will do their work, not with fire and brimstone (pointing of
the finger, sweeping denunciations, character assassinations, etc, etc)
but they will echo the still small voice of the Holy Spirit by a life of mercy
and forgetfulness of self through the merits and righteousness of their
precious Redeemer.

sky

In the days of the Theocracy all Israel, including the prophets,
were deceived being under the influence of the falsehood that
God stood as the executioner of the sentence against transgression
which also had led them to regard God as waiting to punish the
sinner.

At the time of the first advent of Christ this false conception of
God was so entranched within the traditional teachings of Israel
that when it finally dawned on them that Jesus was never going
to be at the head of a Jewish army to chase the Romans away
and hopefully annihilate them all by calling fire from heaven to
descend upon them, they flatly rejected Him. For Jesus the
writing was on the wall. From that time on they planned the
murder of the Son of God. How could this man be the Messiah
when He refused to do what the spiritual leaders of the people
expected of Him?

The Jewish leaders failed to understand that when, after the
crossing of the Red Sea, the Israelites decided to pick up the
swords of the Egyptian soldiers which had washed up to shore
the next morning, the Lord's hands were tied so to speak and
from that time on, instead of the Lord being able to fight their
battles in righteousness, they would have to fight with the
sword like the other nations. In His goodness the Lord was
willing to go the second mile with them and consequently He
did only what a merciful and loving Saviour could do, He gave
them instructions according to the way they had chosen in the
hope that sooner than later they would see their mistake and
return to the Lord and His righteous ways. But they never did.
They fought with the sword until they declared that they had
no king but Ceasar and crucified Christ.

The most powerful evidence that the way of the sword was never
the Lord's way in the first place is found in the words of Jesus to
Peter, "Put your sword away. He who lives by the sword will perish
by the sword."

How confusing must these words have been when they fell into Peter's
ears for he had been carrying the sword all along and yet Jesus had not
spoken one word of rebuke to him. How puzzled must Peter and the rest
of the disciples have been when they heard these words for they knew
only the way of the sword. Thus those who had been called to be the
pillar and ground of the truth had become the representatives of Satan,
doing the work that Satan had desired them to do, taking a course to
misrepresent the character of God, and cause the whole nation and
the world to look upon Him as a tyrant. See Desire of Ages, 36.

sky

What are your thoughts on Ernie Knoll, sky?
_________

Ellen was very reluctant to accept the call of God and
she refused to be called a prophet. When the Lord called
Moses to speak for Him Moses excused himself as unfit.
At first Peter was not exactly a humble man but at one
time he fell at the feet ot Jesus and said, "Lord, stay away
from me. I am a sinner." And the Lord said to him, "Fear not,
from now on I will make you a fisher of men."

So humility and meekness should be the first caracteristics
of the servants of God. They will be unassuming.

If we are in Christ we will continually acknowledge ourselves
erring, helpless, condemned sinners trusting wholly in the merits
of a crucified and risen Saviour in order to bring His righteousness
into the life and His righteousness accomplishes everything.

Those who are most active for God will confess themselves as
"unprofitable servants." Luke 17:10.

The Pharisee had a high opinion of himself by comparing himself
to others. Self-esteem was at the foundation of his false hope.
But the Sadducee wouldn't dare looking up toward heaven
accusing himself and hoping for the mercy of God.

Who of these two worshipers did Jesus say went down to his
house justified?


sky

Sky, you still are using Ellen to base your facts on everything
when you know she is a false prophet. She lied and copied
most of what you read from her. Why do you still deal with her?
Also, are you saved ? Thanks

Diane
____________

Diane, you are entitled to your opinion.

I don't agree with your assessment of the writings of Ellen White
but I should be willing to die for your right to disagree with them
or whomsoever's writings it might be, even the Bible itself. You
believe in freedom of religion, in freedom of speech, don't you?

If I have spoken wrongly in my last posts, please show where I have.
It doesn't matter if I quote the words of others as long as they are in
harmony with Holy Writ.

The question is, is it the truth, is it in harmony with the teachings of
the Scriptures?

I am sorry that you have not found her writings to be a blessing to
you as they have been for me personally.

These questions you are asking about Ellen copying from other authors
is a decoy.

Am I saved? Do you realize what you are asking me? The only One who
knows about our salvation is God. He is the sole Judge of that. In the
meantime we are to cherish hope and faith, not presumption.

How unassuming is it for anyone to claim that he is saved?

sky

Sky, could you show me in the scriptures where it says that
the atonement was not FINISHED BY CHRIST ?

Skyblue888, if you claim that Jesus entered the holy of holies
in heaven in 1844, what was He doing all those years before
1844 and what happened to all the sins of those who died up
till 1844 ? Where did Jesus keep all these sins of humanity before
1844? Did He have a back pocket He kept them and what the heck
was He doing before 1844 ????? Give scriptures where Jesus was
before 1844.

"He came to earth to be our savior, not our priest. He wasn't from
the Levi tribe to be a priest. Only priest could be priest from the
tribe of Levi."

Diane
__________

Of course Diane, He was not a priest. While on earth He was
"that prophet." When He returns it will be as "King." In the
meantime He is officiating as Priest making atonement. When
the mission of the Gospel shall be completed He will make the
final atonement and probation will close and the faithful few
who shall have successfully passed the scrutiny of the
investigative judgment of the living will enter into the agony
of the time of Jacob's trouble and they will finally be translated
without seeing death.

"For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest." Hebrews 8:4.

So when He ascended up on High, as soon as the Father signified
that He had accepted the sacrifice, Christ began His priestly ministry
in the first apartment of the sanctuary above. This is in harmony
with the type. In the typical sanctuary on earth the priests officiated
in the first apartment all year long making atonement until the high
priest entered the most holy place to make the final atonement.

So Christ, before the Father, was pleading the merits of His shed
blood in the first apartment of the sanctuary above until the end
of the 2,300 day prophecy. Then He entered the Most Holy to
make the final atonement. But before He can make the final
atonement the books are opened. The lives of all who have
professed His name since Adam are examined. This is called
the judgment of the dead. This examination is to be followed
by the examination of the living when the mission of the Gospel
will have been completed.

This is clearly shown in the parable of the Wedding Garment and
in the parable of The Net.

In the parable of the Wedding Garment, at the end of the third
call, and the third call is the Loud cry, the King comes into the
room to examine the guests.(Matt.22:11) This is a work of
investigation otherwise called the investigative judgment of the
living. Those in the room who are found without the wedding
garment are cast out.

In the Parable of the Net, the casting of the net into the sea
represents the proclamation of the Gospel in demonstration and
power of the Holy Spirit during the loud cry. The net brings good
and bad fish into the loud cry church and when the boat is full it
comes to shore and there the fish are examined. The bad fish are
thrown back into the sea. This is a work of investigation.

So we see that the doctrine of the investigative judgement
(examination of the guests) is not a human invention. It is
purely Scriptural.

sky

Sky, "God has give us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
HE WHO HAS THE SON HAS THE LIFE; he who does not have
the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have
written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God in
order that your MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE."
1John 5:11-13

Diane
_____________


Of course, Diane. We have salvation and eternal life in Christ.
There is no question about that. This is the Christian's hope
through continued faith in the merits of a crucified and risen
Saviour. I am to thank God for the gift of eternal life in Christ
and yet as long as I am in this imperfect world I must never
dare to say, "I am saved" or "I am holy." Christian paradox?
Yes, absolutely.

If there ever was someone besides Martin Luther who beautifully
stated this Christian paradox it was Ellen White when she wrote
the following,

"Are you in Christ? Not if you do not acknowledge yourselves
erring, helpless, condemned sinners." 1893 General Conference
Bulletin, p.63.

If we are in Christ this is what we shall acknowledge. Remember
the parable of the two worshipers. The Pharisee was boasting of
being saved but the Publican, instead, saw himself as a condemned
sinner. Turns out the Publican was in Christ and therefore had
salvation but the Pharisee was not in Christ and therefore had a
false hope.

Notice that though the Publican was in Christ and therefore had
salvation he did not dare to say, "I am saved" as he prayed to God
in the temple. Instead he was accusing himself. His hope and faith
were in the mercy of God through the merits of His Saviour.

Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ,
who acknowledge themselves erring, helpless, condemned sinners.

Truly a beautiful Christian paradox!

This proves that Ellen spoke the truth when she wrote these words:

"We are never to rest in a satisfied condition, and cease to make
advancement, saying, 'I am saved.' When this idea is entertained,
the motives for watchfulness, for prayer, for earnest endeavor to
press onward to higher attainments cease to exist. NO SANCTIFIED
TONGUE WILL BE FOUND UTTERING THESE WORDS TILL CHRIST
SHALL COME, and we enter in through the gates into the City of
God. Then, with the utmost propriety, we may give glory to God
and to the Lamb for eternal deliverance. As long as man is full of
weakness--for of himself he cannot save his soul--he should never
dare to say, 'I am saved.'" 1 Selected Messages, vol.1, 314.

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and TRIED." Dan.12:10.

We are not beyond the reach of temptation. "Let him that thinketh
he standeth, take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor.10:12.

Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life.

Shubee, you quoted 2 Timothy 4:8:

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and
not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

Yes there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the
Lord, the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, will award me on that day--if I continue
in the faith, if I endure unto the end.

And not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.
All who have longed for His appearing will have undoubtedly remained
in the faith unto the end though tempted and tried.

And when they enter in thrugh the gates into the City of God, then
with the utmost propriety they will give glory to God and to the Lamb
for eternal deliverance, not before.

In the meantime they will be cherishing hope and faith acknowledging
themselves erring, helpless, condemned sinners.

As long as we confess ourselves as erring, helpless, condemned sinners,
trusting wholly in the merits of our Redeemer for acceptance with God,
the Lord will keep us from presumption. Being in Christ we shall ever
come to God in repentance and contrition with a despairing sense of
our own finite weakness and learn that 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.

sky