As a result of rejecting truth in the 1888 message, we became vulnerable to being deceived by clever error. The pantheism heresy of the early years of this century was an "iceberg" that almost sank the good ship Zion. Inspiration identified it as the "alpha" of Satan’s long list of deceptions that were to culminate in a future "omega" error of frightening power." In fact, our constant tendency ever since the "alpha" has been to seek "light and power" from non-Seventh-day Adventist sources in understanding and communicating the gospel. A long list of deceptive ideas begin with the "alpha" of pantheism... There followed the "Victorious Life" enthusiasm of the 1920’s import from the Sunday School Times and the Keswick Movement. Spicer refuting this reliance on E. Stanley Jones’ concepts and methods borrowed from Campus Crusade for Christ; and the current "church growth" enthusiasm as indebted to non-Adventist sources. Inevitably, confusion has followed. Undoubtedly we shall soon face highly sophisticated temptations to import a "holy spirit" from the popular churches, whose Pentecostalism is sweeping the world and enticing our own pastors, conference leaders, and writers in periodicals with visions of great "church growth." Ellen White’s counsels make disturbing reading in the light of this current enthusiasm. It is suggested that the confusion within the SDA church over the meaning of "justification by faith" is the result of very widespread ignorance of the actual content of the 1888 message itself. Many have rather naturally assumed that Lutheran and Calvinist and Evangelical concepts are the substance of the 1888 message. This cannot be.
The truth of Seventh-day Adventist history does not indicate that the Lord has (or will) cast off His people. "The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat."
But the present deadlock cannot go on forever. Something will have to "give": either the conviction that "the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history" (which this author refuses to surrender); or that the church has ceased to be the agent which the Lord will employ in finishing His work on earth (again, this author refuses to accept this solution); or we shall have to surrender our spiritual pride, and let our "glory" be laid "in the dust" by accepting the full truth of the Lord’s "teaching in our past history."
This will be genuine justification by faith.