This is the supra-critical issue
“1888” will again turn the world upside down as the apostles did after Pentecost. But it flew right over “our” heads when it came!“We” supposed the truth was the same as the justification by faith held by the 16th century Reformers and the Sunday-keeping Evangelical churches of that era, but that was the most tragic misunderstanding that has come since the Great Disappointment of 1844.
“The everlasting gospel” of Revelation 14 is “the third angel’s message in verity.” And the inspired messenger also says, “The doctrine of justification by faith has been lost sight of by many who have professed to believe the third angel’s message.” “Not one in one hundred … understands for himself the Bible truth on this subject [justification by faith] that is so necessary to our present and eternal welfare.” That’s a polite way of saying that 99 out of a 100 were asleep at the time.
Did Martin Luther and the 16th century Reformers proclaim the essence of the 1888 message? If the answer is “yes,” there is no need for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to exist other than to contribute the so-called “gospel” of legalism and law-keeping.
Ellen White seems clear in context: “Luther had a great work to do … yet he did not receive all the light which was to be given to the world. From that time to this, new light has been continually shining upon the Scriptures and new truths have been constantly unfolding.” This must include “1888.”
The message of salvation has been preached in all ages; but this message [the third angel’s message which in essence is the 1888 view of justification by faith] is a part of the gospel which could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then would it be true that the hour of judgment had come.
Why is this true?
Because since 1844 we have been living world history’s cosmic equivalent of Israel’s Day of Atonement. The “new light” and “new truths” she speaks of must include a clearer understanding of justification by faith. It is parallel to Christ’s “new” work (since 1844) of cleansing the heavenly sanctuary. What wasn’t truth in Luther’s day has become truth today—this is the heavenly Day of Atonement, and of judgment.“No such message has ever been given in past ages,” she continues. Hebrews says that Noah preached “righteousness which is according to faith” (11:7), but it wasn’t in the light of the cleansing of the sanctuary. Ellen White continues: “Paul, as we have seen, did not preach it; he pointed his brethren into the then far-distant future … The Reformers did not proclaim it.” That also includes Calvin and the Wesleys.
The only conclusion possible: there is an understanding of justification by faith that is “new light” for these last days, a message that must include “showers from heaven of the latter rain,” and “the beginning” of the loud cry that will yet lighten the earth with glory. That is “1888.”
How does it differ? How does it go beyond Luther?
Although we as Seventh-day Adventists have made little if any effort to tell the 1888 view to the Catholic and Protestant world, it resolves the centuries-old conflict between Calvinism and Arminianism. It agrees with Calvinism in that Christ’s work of justification accomplished on His cross was effective, that is, He accomplished what He set out to do. It disagrees with Calvinism’s “limited atonement” confined only to the restricted “elect.”It agrees with Arminianism’s insistence that what Christ accomplished is available to “all men,” but it disagrees with its insistence that it is only available, that there is nothing in it effective for “all men” unless they do something first. “1888” says that Christ’s sacrifice has touched “every man” who has ever come into the world because mankind’s very life is the purchase of His blood. The Father can make “His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and on the unjust” only because of the “verdict of acquittal” that Christ has given to “all men” because of the cross (Matt. 5:45; Rom. 5:15-18, NEB).
E. J. Waggoner told it clearly:
“By the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” [Rom. 5:18]. There is no exception here. As the condemnation came upon all, so the justification comes upon all. Christ has tasted death for every man. He has given Himself for all. Nay, He has given Himself to every man. The free gift has come upon all. The fact that it is a free gift is evidence that there is no exception. If it came only upon those who have some special qualification, then it would not be a free gift.
It is a fact, therefore, plainly stated in the Bible, that the gift of righteousness and life in Christ has come to every man on earth. There is not the slightest reason why every man that has ever lived should not be saved unto eternal life, except that they would not have it.
Waggoner made plain that this 1888 view of justification is not the heresy of Universalism:
“Do you mean to teach universal salvation?” someone may ask. We mean to teach just what the Word of God teaches—that “the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men.” Titus 2:11, RV [the Greek sustains this rendering]. God has wrought out salvation for every man, and has given it to him; but the majority spurn it and throw it away. The judgment will reveal the fact that full salvation was given to every man and that the lost have deliberately thrown away their birthright possession.
The gift is ours to keep. If anyone has not this blessing, it is because he has not recognized the gift, or has deliberately thrown it away.
A. T. Jones loved this truth:
All that were in the world were included in Adam; and all that are in the world are included in Christ. In other words: Adam in his sin reached all the world; Jesus Christ, the second Adam, in His righteousness touches all humanity. … Does the second Adam’s righteousness embrace as many as does the first Adam[’s sin]? Look closely. Without our consent at all, without our having anything to do with it, we were all included in the first Adam’s sin; we were there. All the human race were in the first Adam. What that first Adam, what that first man, did, meant … involved us. …
Jesus Christ, the second man, took our sinful nature. He touched us “in all points.” He became we and died the death. And so in Him, and by that, every man that has ever lived upon the earth, and was involved with the first Adam, is involved in this, and will live again [1 Cor. 15:22]. … Therefore, just as far as the first Adam reaches man, so far the second Adam reaches man. The first Adam brought man under the condemnation of sin, even unto death; [so] the second Adam’s righteousness undoes that, and makes every man live again.
Why is this truth so important?
1. By recovering the truths of both Calvinism and Arminianism while rejecting their errors, “1888” rediscovers the original truth of the cross of Christ in a way that none of the Reformers were able in their day to grasp, honest though they were.2. Thus Christ actually saved the world, and in doing so, He saved “every man” in a real sense, but many people did not see it. As Paul says, “The judicial action, following upon the one offence [of Adam], issued in a verdict of condemnation, but the act of grace, following upon so many misdeeds, issued in a [judicial] verdict of acquittal. … The issue of one just act is acquittal and life for all men” (Rom. 5:16, 18, NEB).
3. “1888” grasped this truth. Christ died the second death for “every man” (Heb. 2:9). Luther almost reached this truth because he alone of the Reformers began to understand the nature of man, but as a whole the Reformation could not grasp it due to their prevailing belief in natural immortality. Their name “protestant” became “dead” (Rev. 3:1).
Likewise the Sunday-keeping Evangelicals of the 1888 era could not grasp it for the same reason. “The breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of the love (agape) of Christ was over their heads. “1888” called Seventh-day Adventists to supply what was missing.
4. The conclusion: God has entrusted to Seventhday Adventists a unique understanding of the cross that with His blessing is yet to lighten the earth with glory. This cannot be grasped except in the light of the cleansing of the sanctuary.
Long ago the importance was told us of following Christ by faith into the Second Apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and the tragedy of staying behind:
Those who rose up with Jesus would send up their faith to Him in the holiest [apartment] and pray, “Father, give us Thy Spirit.” Then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy, and peace.
I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne and pray, “Father, give us Thy Spirit.” Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love [agape], joy, and peace.
Thus we can be exposed to the extremely subtle counterfeits of a false holy spirit. Justification by faith in the light of Daniel 8:14 will save us from confusion and deception.
5. When an honest heart recognizes this ultimate truth of what happened on the cross, “the love [agape] of Christ constrains” (motivates) that soul to live “henceforth” only for the One who died our second death for us. The results, in God’s plan, are phenomenal: all Old Covenant, egocentric motivation is transcended.
The Sabbath truth, for example, comes into its own.
In the final loud cry yet to come, for which the 1888 message was only an advance billing, “the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. … A large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side.” That glorious outcome to the gospel commission was what the Lord intended “us” to see in the 1888 era. But rejecting (“in a great degree”) the beginning of the latter rain was a spiritual abortion.The Old Covenant motivation of fear will not figure in this closing work. “The grace of God that brings salvation … teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live selfcontrolled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Why this ultimate power in soul-winning? That “grace” is “much more abundant” and points to the cross: “Our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, … gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11-14, NIV; not perfection of the flesh but faith which produces perfection of Christlike character).
6. According to Ellen White’s divinely inspired prophecy in The Great Controversy, our denominational evangelism has yet to come fully into its own. When we are willing to embrace the full truth of biblical justification by faith (with its concomitant blessings of the New Covenant and the nearness of our Savior) we will have a message that will startle modern Evangelical churches.
Then the thrilling Revelation 18 prophecies of The Great Controversy will be unfolded.