A correct understanding of what happened when Adam sinned is of more than academic interest. Because of the Arminian theory, the common emphasis--in fact, the overwhelming emphasis--of many is placed on what man must do in order to get God to do something (i.e., grant pardon or forgiveness). As a result of this misplaced emphasis, what is commonly understood as "faith" is actually a mere self-centered grasping for personal security. This idea is not what the Spirit of Prophecy presents as "faith," or believing in Jesus. The Sprit of Prophecy says: "You may say that you believe in Jesus, when you have an appreciation of the cost of salvation."[1]
Faith includes trusting in God's pardon, forgiveness, and the gift of eternal life, but faith is more than "trust." The Spirit of Prophecy says, "You may say that you believe ... when you have an appreciation of the cost." Therefore, authentic faith must include appreciating the cost of the forgiveness. We need to comprehend and appreciate what God has already done in order to forgive our sin. If we do not understand that Jesus died that we might have both "life" and "immortality" (2 Timothy 1:9, 10), then we tend to think salvation depends primarily upon man's initiative. If this is our perspective, we have not yet apprehended genuine faith. Genuine faith is not "self seeking"--not even if what we are "seeking" is eternal life. Our motive for desiring eternal life should mature into a desire to see Christ receive His reward and God glorified. Our desire is not motivated by a fear of punishment, nor is it motivated by the hope of personal reward. Some Bible characters, who apprehended authentic faith, were even willing to be lost, if that should be required to vindicate God's name (see Moses, in Exodus 32:32, and Paul, in Romans 9:3).
It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him.[2]
After presenting the goodness of God toward Israel, Joshua called upon the people, in the name of Jehovah, to choose whom they would serve. . . . Joshua desired to lead them to serve God, not by compulsion, but willingly. Love to God is the very foundation of religion. To engage in His service merely from the hope of reward or the fear of punishment would avail nothing. Open apostasy would not be more offensive to God than hypocrisy and mere formal worship.[3]
True faith must include appreciating the great goodness of God to all mankind, both to "the just and the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). It involves understanding that God's agape always takes the initiative in the process of salvation, even on behalf of those who will never believe and be eternally saved. In other words, mature faith is Christ-centered, not selfcentered. This vital understanding is difficult to see and grasp if we take the position that "God has decreed to save through Jesus Christ those of the fallen and sinful race who through the grace of the Holy Spirit believe in Him, but leaves in sin the incorrigible and unbelieving" (First Article of Arminianism).
Both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy teach that God sent Jesus to save all mankind, whether they would accept the gift of salvation or not (see John 3:16, 17, John 4:42, John 12:47, 1 Timothy 4:10, 1 John 4:14). All have been redeemed from the penalty of their sin--the curse of the law (see Galatians 3:13). All have been justified unto probationary life (see Romans 5:18). Yet only the believers will be eternally saved (see 1 John 5:11, 12). Thus, an accurate understanding of the plan of salvation produces genuine faith. The Arminian concept tends to produce a counterfeit faith, which is very difficult to distinguish from the true and, therefore, all the more dangerous. This is what makes the Laodicean condition so difficult to cure.
Forgiveness in the Spirit of Prophecy
What is the meaning and significance of corporate justification? It means that the sins of the world have been pardoned. We have already seen that the Spirit of Prophecy does transcend Arminianism with respect to the scope of salvation. Article number one of our summary of Arminianism says, "God decreed ... to save ... those who believe." The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy teach that God has decreed and accomplished the salvation of every human soul. The whole world has been redeemed from the curse. Can we equate this aspect of salvation with the forgiveness of sins? Were we all, in a sense, "born forgiven?" If this can be shown, we shall conclude that the gospel presented in the Spirit of Prophecy also transcends Article No. 2 of Arminianism.
In the inspired writings we find the following important statements regarding forgiveness:
But forgiveness has a broader meaning than many suppose. When God gives the promise that He "will abundantly pardon," He adds, as if the meaning of that promise exceeded all that we could comprehend: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:7-9. God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness for sin, but reclaiming from sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms the heart. David had the true conception of forgiveness when he prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10. And again he says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us" Psalm 103:12.[4]
Mere forgiveness of sin is not the sole result of the death of Jesus. He made the infinite sacrifice not only that sin might be removed, but that human nature might be restored, rebeautified, reconstructed from its ruins, and made fit for the presence of God.[5]
In these two quotations we see that the Spirit of Prophecy teaches two distinct aspects of forgiveness. These aspects are also referred to as two phases of justification--"corporate universal justification" and "justification by faith." Ellen White does not use all of these expressions. Yet we see her struggling to convey the same thought. We keenly sense her difficulty, when she uses the term forgiveness to define "forgiveness." She wrote, "God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness ... ." In short, she said, "forgiveness ... is not only forgiveness ... " Although with this observation, we sense her struggle to express the concept without the convenient theological terms (corporate justification and justification by faith), the concept nevertheless comes through!
The first Spirit of Prophecy statement regarding forgiveness cited above says, "God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act." The second statement says, "Mere forgiveness of sin is not the sole result of the death of Jesus."[6] In these two statements she does not deny that forgiveness is a "judicial act" which took place at "the death of Jesus." It is a "judicial act," but the point she wants to make is that it is not only (merely) that. More is included in the concept. A second aspect to God's forgiveness exists. For it is a judicial pardon, but it is also "reclaiming from sin"--cleansing from the defilement caused by sin. It includes the removal of sin from the heart. The expression judicial act corresponds to corporate universal justification. That portion of the process called "forgiveness" has been accomplished for the whole world. In one sense, we were born forgiven. When Christ "restored the whole race of men to favor with God," He placed the blanket of corporate universal justification (i.e., judicial pardon) over the entire world.
This idea is also alluded to in another quotation, which was cited in chapter 17:
It is not because the mercy, the grace, the love of the Father and the Son are not ample, and have not been freely bestowed, that they do not rejoice in pardoning love, but it is because of their unbelief, because of their choice of the world, that they are not comforted with the grace of God.[7]
Notice that the whole world should be rejoicing "in pardoning love." Why? Because our sins have been "pardoned," or, in other words, forgiven, as a "result of the death of Jesus."[8] The only reason some do not rejoice is "because of their unbelief."[9] In order to rejoice in the truth, one must first believe the truth.
Several more statements convey the thought of a pardon for the whole world.
To every nation, kindred, tongue, and people the tidings of pardon through Christ are to be carried. Not with tame, lifeless utterances is the message to be given, but with clear, decided, stirring utterances.[10]
The Lord saw us in a sad condition, and sent to our world the only messenger that He could trust with His great treasure of pardon and grace. Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was the delegated Messenger.[11]
As God made Christ His messenger to the world, Christ has made all who claim Him as their Redeemer, to represent Christ in mercy, forgiveness, and pardon, to the world.[12]
In the preceding quotation Ellen White uses two related but distinct terms--forgiveness and pardon. These terms are not redundant. She is referring to the two distinct aspects of forgiveness.
Justification By Faith: The Second Phase
While it is clear that Ellen White sees a judicial pardon that has been extended to the whole world, she also sees and takes pains to emphasize the second phase of forgiveness (this correlates with the second phase of salvation), also referred to as "justification by faith." This phase of salvation includes deliverance from the power of sin and is applicable only to the believer. Ellen White also presents this concept in many passages, such as the following:
There are backslidden church-members and backslidden ministers who need re-converting, who need the softening, subduing influence of the baptism of the Spirit, that they may rise in newness of life and make thorough work for eternity. I have seen the irreligion and the self-sufficiency cherished, and I have heard the words spoken, "Except ye repent and be converted, ye shall never see the kingdom of heaven." There are many who will need re-baptizing, but let them never go down into the water until they are dead to sin, cured of selfishness and self-exaltation until they can come up out of the water to live a new life unto God. Faith and repentance are conditions, essential to the forgiveness of sin.[13]
Here, Ellen Whites clearly states that "faith and repentance are conditions, essential to the forgiveness of sins." A superficial reading of this statement would lead one to conclude that sin is in no sense "forgiven" until "faith and repentance" are manifest. However, if we read that statement in context, it is clear that the servant of the Lord is not speaking of the judicial aspect of forgiveness. She is speaking of rising in "newness of life" and being "cured of selfishness." This is the second phase of forgiveness. It involves cleansing sin from the heart. This is what is involved in "justification by faith." Again, she wrote: "Faith is the only condition upon which justification can be obtained, and faith includes not only belief but trust."[14] In this statement the servant of the Lord is referring to "justification by faith." The passage continues,
Many have a nominal faith in Christ, but they know nothing of that vital dependence upon Him which appropriates the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Of this nominal faith James says: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:19, 20). Many concede that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, but at the same time they hold themselves away from Him, and fail to repent of their sins, fail to accept of Jesus as their personal Saviour. Their faith is simply the assent of the mind and judgment to the truth; but the truth is not brought into the heart, that it might sanctify the soul and transform the character.
In this statement we can see that justification can come "only" through "faith." However, this statement does not negate the idea that corporate justification has been accomplished for all, because once again, it is clear that Ellen White is speaking of the second phase of the process and not the first. The second phase includes "repentance," "transformation of character," and "good works." This is what is involved in being saved from the power of sin (i.e., experiential sanctification). Note that the term sanctify is used in a manner that lends support to the idea that "justification by faith" is the process that produces "sanctification."
Notes: