What must I do to be saved?
I wrote a small pamphlet in 2,000 titled What Must I Do To Be Saved?
It can be read on my website.
I found out that the Lord answered that question in clear, distinct lines
through Mrs. White in the context of the 1888 message.
Here is an interesting comment she made about this very subject.
"There seems to be a cloudy atmosphere that has gathered about the soul of man and that has shut in the mind. It is next to impossible to break through this atmosphere of doubt and unbelief. It is next to impossible to arouse his vital interests so
that he may understand what he must do to be saved." Faith & Works,64.
On the same page she explains that the sinner need not wait until he has made a suitable repentance before He may take hold upon Christ's righteousness. On page 38 of the same book she says that some feel that they must be on probation and must prove to the Lord that they are reformed before they may claim His blessing but, she adds, these dear souls may claim the blessing even
now. They must have His grace, the Spirit of Christ, to help their infirmities, or they cannot form a Christian character. Jesus loves to have us come to Him just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent, saying, Lord I have no goodness or merit within whereby I may claim salvation but I present before you the all-sufficient merits of the all-atoning blood of the spotless Lamb of God. This is my only plea!
On page 106 of the same book, she writes, "Present your case before God pleading the
merits of the blood shed for you upon Calvary's cross."
Why? Simply because "The
merits of His sacrifice are
sufficient to
present to the Father in our behalf." Steps to Christ,36.
For "The
merits of Christ blot out transgressions and clothe us with the
robe of
righteousness woven in the loom of Heaven." Evangelism,186.
And "Christ's righteousness accomplishes everything." "It is made manifest in
obedience to all the commandments of God." Faith & Works,27; Testimonies to Ministers,92.
These statements make it clear as to what the sinner must do in order to be saved, do they not?
"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.
In the book Testimonies to Ministers, p.93 she reminds us what our
lifebusiness is, which is to look to Jesus and to
accept His
merits which it is our
privilege to
claim. Unless we do this, she continues, we
cannot be saved!
So dear brothers and sisters, What must we in order do to be saved?
sky
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Originally Posted by
Cribstyl
Here's what I would ask you to explain to me;
......And "Christ's righteousness accomplishes everything." "It is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God." Faith & Works,27; Testimonies to Ministers,92.
Is this saying that salvation is based on obedience to the law?
________________
Absolutely not cribstyl. Salvation is only through the merits of Christ. Obedience is the fruit of faith. Good works will be rewarded but in and of themselves these works have no merit toward our salvation. The merits of Christ alone are the foundation of the Christian's faith.
"Works without faith are dead, and faith without works is dead;
works will never save us; it is the
merit of Christ that will
avail in our behalf." Faith & Works,48.
In my post I had already quoted these words: "There is
salvation for you but
only through the
merits of Jesus Christ." T.M.97.
Obedience is the fruit of faith not the foundation for our salvation.
sky
Obedience? I see the law creeping in the equation.
If I lived in a foster home and the King of Kings adopted me. Grace and mercy seems to be what God is giving to me. If God saved me to be His servant, obedience to the job as a sevant will be what I will face. If God saved me to be His child, then training to be one of His heir will be what I will face. There seem to be a differance in obedience to His word and obdience to His law.
The law is a transcrip of God's nature. To save us from sin is not to save us from the law but from disobedience to the law. How can obedience to His word mean something different from obedience to His law?
"Oh, be so full of the message that it is like fire shut up in your bones, that you cannot hold your peace. It is true, men will say, 'You are too excited, and you do not think enough of the law; now, you are to think more of the law; don't be all the time reaching for this righteousness of Christ, but build up the law.'
Let the law take care of itself. We have been at work on the law until we get as dry as the hills of Gilboah, without dew or rain.
Let us trust in the merits of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. May God help us that our eyes may be anointed with eyesalve that we may see." E.G. White, 1888 Materials, Vol.2, p.557.
This is the 1888 message in a nutshell. The requirements of the law will be taken care of as we daily come to God just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent, trusting wholly in the
merits of Christ's infinite sacrifice. Then the Father receives us unto Himself and we are clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness which accomplishes everything.
This is righteousness (obedience to the law) by faith according to God's idea of it.
"You want to be like little children, hanging upon the
merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, and
then you will be
fortified. How? The angels of God will be around you as a wall of fire; the righteousness of Christ, which you claim, goes before you, and the glory of God is your rearward. God sanctify our tonges, our thoughts, our minds, that we may dwell uon heavenly themes, and that we may
impart that
knowledge to
others." E.G. White, Ms 9, 1891.
Thus the soul becomes God's fortress which He holds in a revolted world (A.A.11) and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. (D.A.324)
sky
