The Sanctuary Debate

AndrewK788 · May 15, 2013

I've seen a few threads over the past few months debating the role of the sanctuary service in Adventism. Most of the arguments I've seen (from both sides) tend to gravitate to what Paul did or didn't say in his many epistles. As useful as this is, it seems to me the greatest foundation to begin discussing even the existence of a heavenly sanctuary, let alone its importance, comes from our basis of Daniel 8:14. I'm just perplexed that so many arguments I've seen defending the sanctuary neglect to go to Daniel chapters 8 and 9. Maybe I'm coming at it from a wrong angle myself, so please correct me if I'm wrong in viewing it this way.

Any thoughts? Are we treading thin ice when we try to expound/defend/explain the Adventist understanding of the sanctuary while neglecting Daniel 8:14 and the 2300 day prophecy?

E.T.Elijah · May 15, 2013

I actually think it may stem from the fact that so many Adventists don't really have a good grasp of the Sanctuary message. Or any of our distinct messages for that matter. I give a Bible study after church a couple times a month and it is amazing how many of our own members have no idea what or why we believe the things we do. I don't know if it is because they have been raised in the church and have always just done things this or that way, or if they are just lazy in respect to their study of God's word, or have never really been taught to "study to show thyself approved." But I will say that anyone who really does a study, even introductory, of the sanctuary and its services would walk away blessed and have a better understanding of Christ and the plan of salvation.

ricker · May 15, 2013

AndrewK788 said:
I've seen a few threads over the past few months debating the role of the sanctuary service in Adventism. Most of the arguments I've seen (from both sides) tend to gravitate to what Paul did or didn't say in his many epistles. As useful as this is, it seems to me the greatest foundation to begin discussing even the existence of a heavenly sanctuary, let alone its importance, comes from our basis of Daniel 8:14. I'm just perplexed that so many arguments I've seen defending the sanctuary neglect to go to Daniel chapters 8 and 9. Maybe I'm coming at it from a wrong angle myself, so please correct me if I'm wrong in viewing it this way.

Any thoughts? Are we treading thin ice when we try to expound/defend/explain the Adventist understanding of the sanctuary while neglecting Daniel 8:14 and the 2300 day prophecy?

11 It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down. 12 Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?”
14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”

The resuming of the daily sacrifices in the temple happened when?

AndrewK788 · May 15, 2013

ricker said:
The resuming of the daily sacrifices in the temple happened when?

You didn't even attempt to answer any of the questions.

Obviously, this post was intended for those who hold to the Adventist understanding of Dan. 8:14 and the 2300 day prophecy that lead to 1844. I understand you don't agree with the Adventist sanctuary message. You've made it abundantly clear. I also understand your comments are a legitimate discussion, thus I'm not attempting to discard their importance (or your concerns), but that was not the purpose of this thread.

ricker · May 15, 2013

AndrewK788 said:
You didn't even attempt to answer any of the questions.

Obviously, this post was intended for those who hold to the Adventist understanding of Dan. 8:14 and the 2300 day prophecy that lead to 1844. I understand you don't agree with the Adventist sanctuary message. You've made it abundantly clear. I also understand your comments are a legitimate discussion, thus I'm not attempting to discard their importance (or your concerns), but that was not the purpose of this thread.

Sorry, continue on.

rainbowinthesky · May 16, 2013

Once we have become established upon the fact that Jesus entered the second apartment of the sanctuary above on the 22nd of October, 1844 at the end of the 2,300 prophetic days of Daniel 8:14, to begin the final phase of the atonement involving the judgment of the dead who have professed to believe in Christ since the days of Adam followed by the judgment of the living when the mission of the Gospel shall have been completed at the end of the loud cry, we are to make it our life business to dwell upon Christ and His all-sufficient MERITS which merits He is pleading before the Father in our behalf:

"The intercession of Christ in our behalf is that of PRESENTING His DIVINE MERITS in the offering of Himself to the Father as our Substitute and Surety; for He ascended up on High to make atonement for our transgressions." Faith & Works,105.

Ever since He has ascended up on High He has been pleading His divine MERITS before the Father in behalf of sinners but especially in behalf of those who believe and He has not stopped pleading them since He entered the second apartment in 1844.

This is the everlasting Gospel. Christ presents His divine merits to the Father in our behalf and as He is doing this we are to do the same.

"Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Present your case before God pleading the MERITS of the blood shed for you upon Calvary's cross." Faith & Works,106.

Other than our great need which is our utterly helpless condition, the merits of Christ are our only plea!

"God will accept everyone that comes to Him trusting wholly in the MERITS of a crucified Saviour. Love springs up in the heart." 1 S.M.354.

Notice how simple the matter of salvation is. As we come to God trusting WHOLLY in the MERITS of a crucified and risen Saviour LOVE SPRINGS UP IN THE HEART!

This, I believe, is the 1888 message of righteousness by faith.

For "Righteousness is love and love is the light and the life of God," and "the life of God in the soul is man's only hope." Mount of Blessing,18; Ministry of Healing,115.

Through faith in the MERITS of Christ, the righteousness (love) of God is diffused through the whole being. This love or righteousness is "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us." And "Love is the fulfillment of the law." Rom.3:25;5:5; 13:10.

Notice these words:

"The sinner must ever look toward Calvary; and with the SIMPLE FAITH of a little child, he MUST REST in the MERITS of Christ, accepting His righteousness and believing in His mercy." Evangelism,185, top of page.

Now this:

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

Is this not righteousness by faith according to righteousness, according to God's idea of righteousness?

In this robe of righteousness of Christ there is not one thread of human devising.

What say you?

sky

*The message invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ which is "made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God." T.M.92. It invited the people to lay right hold upon His merits that His righteousness (love) might be brought into their life and His righteousness (love) accomplishes everything as it fills up the measure of the law's requirements.

rainbowinthesky · May 17, 2013

Some may say, Please teach it from the Scriptures! But the testimonies I have quoted above are mere paraphrases of the Scriptures. In Romans 3:25 we read that "Christ is our propitiation through faith in His blood." Faith is His blood means trusting wholly in the merits of that blood that was shed for us upon Calvary's cross. As we do this the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Rom.5:5) Hence "the faith that works by love." (Gal.5:6) The faith that works by love is the faith that lays right hold upon the merits of the blood that was shed for us upon Calvary's cross. We lay hold upon the merits of that blood by claiming them. God says that it is our privilege to claim them and that unless we do this we cannot be saved!

This is the only true faith and it works obedience. It works the works of God in and through us. This is righteousness by faith according to God's idea of it. The blood of Christ is of value beyond estimate because it was the life of God in His Son. Christ's sacrifice is infinite. Therefore it is full of merits, full of divine merits and it is by appropriating these divine merits to ourselves that we can be saved.

Notice these words very carefully and prayerfully:

"We see in the midst of the throne One bearing in hands and feet and side the marks of the suffering endured to reconcile man to God. We see a Father, infinite, dwelling in light unapproachable, yet who receives us to Himself through the MERITS of His Son." A.A.333.

"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." Testimonies to Ministers,93.

The Father receives us to Himself through the merits of the suffering that Christ endured to reconcile us to God.

This is what the Reformers discovered from studying the Scriptures. One of them said,

"Father we had devised for ourselves many useless follies but You have placed Your Word before me like a torch and You have touched my heart in order that I may hold in abomination all other merits save those of Jesus." Great Controversy,221.

You have placed Your Word before me like a torch and touched my heart in order that I may HOLD IN ABOMINATION ALL OTHER MERITS SAVE THOSE OF JESUS!

The majority of the people of this earth, in one way or another, seek to gain Heaven through the merits of their good works!

The necessity of appropriating to ourselves the merits of a crucified and risen Savior is the heart and essence of the everlasting Gospel and therefore the heart and essence of the 1888 message. In 1888 this message was made so plain and clear that not one had any excuse for not understanding what it really was. Yet the Lord sent this testimony: "There is not one in one hundred who understands for himself the Bible truth on this subject that is so necessary to our present and eternal welfare." 1 S.M.360.

It was in January of 1999, after many years of agonizing search, that the Lord finally opened my eyes to this wonderful truth. I was reading Patriarchs & Prophets when I came upon this sentence:

"We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the MERITS of the crucified and risen Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this." p.203.

Did you get this? "None will ever perish while they do this." Do what? Trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour.

I wondered why I had not seen this before as I had read this book more than once. None will ever perish while they trust in the MERITS of the crucified and risen Saviour! Shortly after I read that as we come to God daily, just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent, resting in the MERITS of Christ, the Father clothes us with the robe of Christ's righteousness. Then Christ, by the Spirit, works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure and His good pleasure is expressed in the precepts of His holy law. This is how the Lord fills up the measure of the law's requirements.

This is our life business: Looking unto Jesus, accepting His merits which it is our privilege to claim. This is how we are forgiven, justified, and sanctified. As simple as that. We are to continue in this faith which will soon be spoken of throughout the whole world.

This was and still is the refreshing coming from the presence of the Lord as He intended that this message should come to His professed people as the latter rain.

sky

ricker · May 17, 2013

rainbowinthesky said:
Some may say, Please teach it from the Scriptures! But the testimonies I have quoted above are mere paraphrases of the Scriptures. In Romans 3:25 we read that "Christ is our propitiation through faith in His blood." Faith is His blood means trusting wholly in the merits of that blood that was shed for us upon Calvary's cross. As we do this the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Rom.5:5) Hence "the faith that works by love." (Gal.5:6) The faith that works by love is the faith that lays right hold upon the merits of the blood that was shed for us upon Calvary's cross. We lay hold upon the merits of that blood by claiming them. God says that it is our privilege to claim them and that unless we do this we cannot be saved!

This is the only true faith and it works obedience. It works the works of God in and through us. This is righteousness by faith according to God's idea of it. The blood of Christ is of value beyond estimate because it was the life of God in His Son. Christ's sacrifice is infinite. Therefore it is full of merits, full of divine merits and it is by appropriating these divine merits to ourselves that we can be saved.

Notice these words very carefully and prayerfully:

"We see in the midst of the throne One bearing in hands and feet and side the marks of the suffering endured to reconcile man to God. We see a Father, infinite, dwelling in light unapproachable, yet who receives us to Himself through the MERITS of His Son." A.A.333.

"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." Testimonies to Ministers,93.

The Father receives us to Himself through the merits of the suffering that Christ endured to reconcile us to God.

This is what the Reformers discovered from studying the Scriptures. One of them said,

"Father we had devised for ourselves many useless follies but You have placed Your Word before me like a torch and You have touched my heart in order that I may hold in abomination all other merits save those of Jesus." Great Controversy,221.

You have placed Your Word before me like a torch and touched my heart in order that I may HOLD IN ABOMINATION ALL OTHER MERITS SAVE THOSE OF JESUS!

The majority of the people of this earth, in one way or another, seek to gain Heaven through the merits of their good works!

The necessity of appropriating to ourselves the merits of a crucified and risen Savior is the heart and essence of the everlasting Gospel and therefore the heart and essence of the 1888 message. In 1888 this message was made so plain and clear that not one had any excuse for not understanding what it really was. Yet the Lord sent this testimony: "There is not one in one hundred who understands for himself the Bible truth on this subject that is so necessary to our present and eternal welfare." 1 S.M.360.

It was in January of 1999, after many years of agonizing search, that the Lord finally opened my eyes to this wonderful truth. I was reading Patriarchs & Prophets when I came upon this sentence:

"We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the MERITS of the crucified and risen Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this." p.203.

Did you get this? "None will ever perish while they do this." Do what? Trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour.

I wondered why I had not seen this before as I had read this book more than once. None will ever perish while they trust in the MERITS of the crucified and risen Saviour! Shortly after I read that as we come to God daily, just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent, resting in the MERITS of Christ, the Father clothes us with the robe of Christ's righteousness. Then Christ, by the Spirit, works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure and His good pleasure is expressed in the precepts of His holy law. This is how the Lord fills up the measure of the law's requirements.

This is our life business: Looking unto Jesus, accepting His merits which it is our privilege to claim. This is how we are forgiven, justified, and sanctified. As simple as that. We are to continue in this faith which will soon be spoken of throughout the whole world.

This was and still is the refreshing coming from the presence of the Lord as He intended that this message should come to His professed people as the latter rain.

sky

You use and emphasize the word "merits" a lot in this post and the one above it. I tried to look up the words "merits of Jesus" in the Bible and came up with nothing. In fact the word "merit" isn't found anywhere in the Bible. I don't know if that means anything, just pointing it out.

AndrewK788 · May 17, 2013

ricker said:
You use and emphasize the word "merits" a lot in this post and the one above it. I tried to look up the words "merits of Jesus" in the Bible and came up with nothing. In fact the word "merit" isn't found anywhere in the Bible. I don't know if that means anything, just pointing it out.

Interesting point Rick. I never noticed that the word isn't found in the Bible. It seems like (and this a generalization) that many of the times where "merit" is used, one could simply replace it with "blood" and t he meaning would essentially be the same. And we know blood is a word expounded upon at length in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.

ricker · May 17, 2013

AndrewK788 said:
Interesting point Rick. I never noticed that the word isn't found in the Bible. It seems like (and this a generalization) that many of the times where "merit" is used, one could simply replace it with "blood" and t he meaning would essentially be the same. And we know blood is a word expounded upon at length in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.

Could be. Maybe a more accurate, Biblical word could be emphasized over and over again. Perhaps I'm being picky, but I was trying to compare what rainbowinthesky and EGW said with what the Bible says, and with the difference in terminology it makes things much more difficult.

AndrewK788 · May 17, 2013

ricker said:
Could be. Maybe more accurate, Biblical words could be emphasized over and over again. Perhaps I'm being picky, but I was trying to compare what rainbowinthesky and EGW said with what the Bible says, and with the difference in terminology it makes things much more difficult.

I noticed when I Binged "merits of Jesus" I got an SDA reference, an LDS reference, and the rest of the page was Catholic references.

Yes, that is another interesting point. I took a graduate course on the Reformation and sixteenth-century rhetoric was part of it. The "merits" of Jesus and the saints was a big selling point for the sale of indulgences...

Again, I don't think the overall message is at all wrong (what EGW was saying). I am, however, puzzled with Mrs. White's choice of words in this case.

ricker · May 17, 2013

AndrewK788 said:
Yes, that is another interesting point. I took a graduate course on the Reformation and sixteenth-century rhetoric was part of it. The "merits" of Jesus and the saints was a big selling point for the sale of indulgences...

Again, I don't think the overall message is at all wrong (what EGW was saying). I am, however, puzzled with Mrs. White's choice of words in this case.

Yes, I don't think the main thrust of his posts are wrong. We are saved by Grace through faith in Jesus and His death on the cross for our sins. I love the part of us being clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness!

My worry, and please don't take this wrong, is that to me "merit" has a more "works" connotation to it, like earning merit badges in Boy Scouts and such. I just know that the Bible doesn't use the word to describe Jesus.

I'll let this lie. I don't want to derail your thread any more than I already have!

rainbowinthesky · May 18, 2013

"When we seek to gain Heaven through the MERITS of Christ the soul makes progress." Faith & Works,94.

rainbowinthesky · May 18, 2013

The following is a direct commentary upon Ephesians 2:10. "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them."

This inspired commentary clearly shows the perfect relation that exists between faith, merits, grace, works, and reward.

"In His divine arrangement, through His unmerited favor, the Lord has ordained that good works shall be rewarded. 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.

The redeemed shall be rewarded for the good works that the grace of the Holy Spirit shall have enabled them to do. And yet these good works, in and of themselves, do not act a part in the salvation of the soul or in merit.

If the saints were to be asked what right they have to enter in through the everlasting gates their only answer would be:

"Lord, Your righteousness, which we obtained through faith in Your all-sufficient merits, accomplished everything. We are unprofitable servants. If we enter in through the gates it will be solely on account of the merits of Your infinite sacrifice."

To this the Lord would then answer, "Enter in, good and faithful servants. To you the gates are open wide. Blessed are you of My Father. Take possession of the Kingdom which has been prepared for you even before the foundation of the world."

If any would entertain the thought that these good works acted a part in the salvation of the soul or in merit, they would be accused of TREASON before the bar of God's tribunal and the Lord would have say to them, "Depart from Me ye workers of iniquity. I do not know you."

sky

AndrewK788 · May 18, 2013

rainbowinthesky said:
"When we seek to gain Heaven through the MERITS of Christ the soul makes progress." Faith & Works,94.

Not sure what you're point is...

Ultimately, I don't disagree with what the quotes are saying. I just wish if we're going to pile up a plethora of quotes on the matter we could use just as many Scripture as Spirit of Prophecy. Righteousness is by faith. Certainly that faith is faith in what Christ did (His merits) and what He is doing on our behalf in the Most Holy Place. But righteousness by faith is the biblical wording, thus it would be useful to many to include those texts as well.

Anyway, back original thrust of the thread, I think my main point was this: Often sanctuary arguments center around Hebrews. My "thesis" (if you could call it that) is that we as Seventh-day Adventists make a mistake when we try to explain and defend our sanctuary understanding from only ONE portion of the Bible, such as Hebrews. We need to know what the entire Bible says on a certain topic. I think a lot of Adventists forget how sound the interpretation of the 2300 day prophecy in Daniel 8:14 is. When we take passages such as Daniel 7-9 in relation to Hebrews 9, for example, I feel we get a more accurate biblical understanding on the topic, instead of exclusively taking one at the expense of the other.

With that said, I'm all for EGW quotes rainbowinthesky . Just the intent of this thread is to connect both the Old and the New Testaments in understanding the sanctuary. I probably helped derail my thread a little myself...

God bless,

Andrew

rainbowinthesky · May 18, 2013

Originally Posted by rainbowinthesky

"When we seek to gain Heaven through the MERITS of Christ the soul makes progress." Faith & Works,94.

Not sure what you're point is...

Ultimately, I don't disagree with what the quotes are saying. I just wish if we're going to pile up a plethora of quotes on the matter we could use just as many Scripture as Spirit of Prophecy. Righteousness is by faith. Certainly that faith is faith in what Christ did (His merits) and what He is doing on our behalf in the Most Holy Place. But righteousness by faith is the biblical wording, thus it would be useful to many to include those texts as well.
___________

Andrew, how can the statement above be ascribed to me as "my point" when there is not in it one jot or tittle of my personal opinion?

You say that ultimately you do not disagree with that statement and yet you ask, What is the point?!!

Why should we mind a "plethora" of quotes on the matter since they explain the 1888 message of righteousness by faith in clear, distinct lines, not from the point of view of any human reasoning but from God's own point of view?

The Lord clearly told us that righteousness is by faith in the merits of His Son. The Lord invites us to come to Him just as we are resting in the merits of Christ's infinite sacrifice. He invites us to appropriate to ourselves the merits of Christ's shed blood.

That's the point!

This is what the Reformers of the Sixteenth century discovered from studying the Scriptures. When studying the incarnation, the life, and the sacrifice of Christ, the Holy Spirit impressed their minds with the efficacy of the blood of Christ because of its merits!

And to Mrs. White was given the same truth:

In the context of 1888, she writes,

"The blood of Christ was to be presented to the people with freshness and power that their faith might lay hold upon its merits." Testimonies to Ministers,92.

When the Reformers were impressed with this most precious truth, it is said that "They cast themselves wholly upon the merits of Jesus." The Great Controversy,74.

Let us not forget that this was said to be the most precious message ever sent to God's people and yet it has been lost sight of for more than a century.

This most precious truth has everything to do with the sanctuary truth for "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 He succeeds." E.G. White, MS 8,1892; 7 B.C.914.

Even if we could explain the 2,300 day prophecy flawlessly to prove that on the 22nd of October 1844 Jesus entered the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary above to begin the final phase of the atonement, if we do not understand how He is making atonement for our transgressions which is by pleading His all-sufficient merits before the Father and unless we make it our life business to appropriate the said divine merits by faith, by claiming them, everything we teach or do will be all be in vain.

sky

AndrewK788 · May 18, 2013

rainbowinthesky said:
Originally Posted by rainbowinthesky

Andrew, how can the statement above be ascribed to me as "my point" when there is not in it one jot or tittle of my personal opinion?

I said that because it entirely disregarded everything Rick and I had just stated about the term "merits" in relation to Mormonism and Catholicism, and then you even put merits in all caps. So yes, I would say you had a point you were trying to make. At least that was the implication I got. Sorry if I was mistaken though.

rainbowinthesky said:
You say that ultimately you do not disagree with that statement and yet you ask, What is the point?!!

Settle down. I meant no offense.

rainbowinthesky said:
Why should we mind a "plethora" of quotes on the matter since they explain the 1888 message of righteousness by faith in clear, distinct lines, not from the point of view of any human reasoning but from God's own point of view?

The only reason I would mind a plethora of quotes on the matter is because not one of them came from the Bible. You speak of God's own point of view, yet fail to use God's own Word. Additionally, this thread isn't about 1888 message. I believe you are mixing up threads. I had another thread on that issue. This thread is about the 1844 sanctuary message and it's basis from Daniel...not 1888 and righteousness by faith.

rainbowinthesky said:
The Lord clearly told us that righteousness is by faith in the merits of His Son. The Lord invites us to come to Him just as we are resting in the merits of Christ's infinite sacrifice. He invites us to appropriate to ourselves the merits of Christ's shed blood.

Right on! My only comment--as previously stated, and previously ignored--is that "merit" is not the word used in the Bible. Additionally, no Bible verses were used at all, thus the whole reason we're having this conversation at all. [/quote]

rainbowinthesky said:
Even if we could explain the 2,300 day prophecy flawlessly to prove that on the 22nd of October 1844 Jesus entered the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary above to begin the final phase of the atonement, if we do not understand how He is making atonement for our transgressions which is by pleading His all-sufficient merits before the Father and unless we make it our life business to appropriate the said divine merits by faith, by claiming them, everything we teach or do will be all be in vain.

I agree with this. But the point of this thread is the biblical basis for the 2,300 day prophecy--not Ellen White's take on righteousness by faith. I'd also like to throw this in here and I think others would agree.

All the above quotations from EGW can be correct (and I believe they are), but it only benefits someone who already believes in the authenticity of the Spirit of Prophecy being inspired of God. In other words, in trying to teach our non-Adventist Christian brethren of this truth, sharing with them EGW quotes will only turn them away. Thus, the reason I believe it is important to build a strong biblical basis for this teaching. That's all I was trying to say. Otherwise, I really don't disagree with anything you've been posting, rainbow. I just know from experience that when I'm dealing with my Baptist friends down the street, if I so much as reference EGW the walls go up and they no longer listen to anything. But if I'm talking the Bible, they're all ears.

Hope that makes sense. I'm wasn't trying to argue with anyone here... so I apologize if that's how I was coming across!

rainbowinthesky · May 18, 2013

Fair enough.

sky

ricker · May 18, 2013

rainbowinthesky said:
The following is a direct commentary upon Ephesians 2:10. "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them."

This inspired commentary clearly shows the perfect relation that exists between faith, merits, grace, works, and reward.

"In His divine arrangement, through His unmerited favor, the Lord has ordained that good works shall be rewarded. We are accepted through Christs 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.

The redeemed shall be rewarded for the good works that the grace of the Holy Spirit shall have enabled them to do. And yet these good works, in and of themselves, do not act a part in the salvation of the soul or in merit.

If the saints were to be asked what right they have to enter in through the everlasting gates their only answer would be:

"Lord, Your righteousness, which we obtained through faith in Your all-sufficient merits, accomplished everything. We are unprofitable servants. If we enter in through the gates it will be solely on account of the merits of Your infinite sacrifice."

To this the Lord would then answer, "Enter in, good and faithful servants. To you the gates are open wide. Blessed are you of My Father. Take possession of the Kingdom which has been prepared for you even before the foundation of the world."

If any would entertain the thought that these good works acted a part in the salvation of the soul or in merit, they would be accused of TREASON before the bar of God's tribunal and the Lord would have say to them, "Depart from Me ye workers of iniquity. I do not know you."

sky

I never said works were a bad thing, on the contrary I definitely believe as Christians we are called to do good works.

I just pointed out for some reason you were emphasizing and constantly repeating a word about Jesus that the Bible doesn't use.

rainbowinthesky · May 18, 2013

I never implied that you were disparaging works.

But it is the Holy Spirit who is using the word "merits" in these statements.

sky

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