|
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||
Commentary on "God as Redeemer"
Day 7: Friday, January 20, 2012 - Further Sudy
Overview
Ellen White, one founder and also the prophet of the Seventh day Adventist church, penned these words:
“Oh, how inefficient, how incapable I am of expressing the things which burn in my soul in reference to the mission of Christ!....I tremble for fear lest I shall belittle the great plan of salvation by cheap words.” Selected Messages, book 3, p. 115.
Commentary
Ellen White also wrote the following:
“The archdeceiver hates the great truths that bring to view an atoning sacrifice and an all-powerful Mediator. He knows that with him everything depends on diverting minds from Jesus and His truth.” Great Controversy, Chapter 26, p. 488.
The “mission of Christ”, the plan of salvation, has always been that God would come in the flesh and die our death so that we can live; truly live, now and forever. Forever starts the moment we believe by faith. (John 5:24)
The Investigative Judgment (IJ) is a contradiction to the simple Gospel.
The Gospel says that by grace, which means undeserved favor, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are saved.
The IJ says that Jesus is still deciding who will be citizens of heaven, and who will not. It says that Jesus didn’t even start this process of decision making until 1844, and that He makes the decision for or against salvation by whether or not we confess every sin and live a life of perfection.
In contrast, the Gospels are full of Jesus’ teaching regarding His plan and purpose: to do the will of the Father. He was totally clear, totally willing, and totally sure about what business He came to take care of.
The Bible says that Jesus has been at the right hand of the Father since His ascension. In the book of Hebrews, we find that Jesus always lives to intercede for us. Hebrews also teaches us that Jesus is our guarantee of a better covenant [than the one made with Moses]. The Gospel of Jesus is such good news. As long as Jesus lives, so too will we who have put our faith in Him. We can be sure of our salvation because Jesus will never die. He is our salvation, He is our life. The Bible gives us a very different picture of the work of Christ than does the IJ.
Summary
- The Investigative Judgment and the Gospel of Scripture are contradictory. The Gospel teaches salvation by grace through faith. The IJ teaches salvation by works (confession of sin).
- The Bible says that Jesus is our intercessor and guarantee of salvation.
Copyright 2012 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 11, 2012. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
Official Adventist Resources
Standard Edition Study Guide Week 3
Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 3
Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 3
Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings
Please Support This Project
