Saviour of All Men
One subject that has brought about much discussion in the last few years has to do with the sacrifice of Christ and what it accomplished in the past and accomplishes today. Often much of the contention centers on Romans 5, particularly verse 18. What did Christ’s death accomplish for all men? In 1895, Ellen White wrote her well known statement of the “most precious message” sent to the Seventh-day Adventist Church through “Elders Waggoner and Jones.” She described it as the message that was to go to the world and be “attended by the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure.” A few paragraphs later, and still speaking of this message, Ellen White proclaimed: “It presents the law and the gospel, binding up the two in a perfect whole. (See Romans 5, and 1 John 3:924.) These precious scriptures will be impressed upon every heart that is opened to receive them.”Romans 5 was a chapter that Waggoner, Jones, and Prescott all preached and wrote about prior to Ellen White’s May 1, 1895 statement in Testimonies to Ministers. This Scripture represents the very heart of the gospel—what Adam’s sin did to the whole human race, and what Christ’s sacrifice did for the whole human race. 1 John 3 is a chapter of practical godliness—love in action, keeping the law—demonstrated by loving one’s brethren. According to Ellen White these two Scriptures present the law and the gospel bound as a perfect whole. God has said that he will impress these Scriptures upon every heart that is open to receive them.
There are two aspects of Romans 5: What Adam’s sin and what Christ’s sacrifice did for all men without our choice, and what Adam’s sin and what Christ’s sacrifice do that requires our choice. Thus, the truths found in Romans 5 do not do away with justification by faith—they explain the foundation for it. Christ’s death actually did something for every man, both temporal and eternal, but the fullness of this great Gift will never be fully realized or experienced without a positive response. However, the cross of Christ elicits or draws out a response from every man: “What will you do with the Gift I have given you?” It is upon this response that each man’s eternal destiny is decided. Unfortunately, “the majority spurn” their birthright of eternal life, “and throw it away.”
Just as the sin of Adam brought a “verdict of condemnation” upon all men, “even so” on His cross, Christ the second Adam, brought on “all men” a “verdict of acquittal” (Rom. 5:12-18, NEB). This is the temporary, or corporate, “justification of life” that has been given to all men (Rom. 5:18, KJV). Thus men are now born free from the condemnation of Adam and given the ability to choose.
But the “very essence of the gospel is restoration,” to be saved from sin, not in sin. One can only begin to realize the magnitude of the plan of salvation when it is understood in light of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. As mankind is brought face to face with the sacrifice on Calvary he begins “to realize the value of salvation … to understand what it cost.” Real faith comes from a heart that has an “appreciation of the cost of salvation.” The justification by faith that results from the surrender of the will to Christ, is more than just a legal pardon for past sins—the law is written on the heart so the sinner can and will stop sinning. This is the purpose of justification by faith, and yet it could never have taken place if Christ had not stepped in and paid the sinner’s debt (both Adam’s and ours), from the foundation of the world. Thus justification and sanctification by faith in their entirety constitute true righteousness by faith.
The Bible presents two aspects of the plan of salvation throughout, but most clearly in Romans 5; the gift of “justification of life” for all men, and justification by faith for all who believe. Ellen White presents these two aspects throughout her writings as well, but a failure to clearly see and keep a balanced view can lead to errors and falling into a theological ditch. One aspect of salvation does not do away with the other, but separated they can be dangerous. Christ’s corporate sacrifice for all men, misrepresented or presented on its own, can lead to cheap grace. But misrepresenting or presenting the sinner’s required response by faith without the presentation of what God has already done for all men can lead to a legalism void of true love for God and man. Both of these problems make up a lukewarm Laodicean Church. Not until we see and comprehend (judge) the love of God as “One died for all, then all died,” will we be “constrained” to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves (2 Cor. 5:14).
Following are some of Ellen White’s statements where she uses different words to describe what Christ has done, or what He is to all men. The purpose of this compilation is to show just some of Ellen White’s statements on this aspect of salvation. It is not the purpose of this compilation, however, to do away with her other statements which speak of man’s response.
For instance, speaking in a corporate sense, Ellen White clearly states: “The human race is accepted in the Beloved.” But in other places Ellen White presents balancing statements in regard to man’s response of faith, saying: “Those who do the works of Christ are accepted in the Beloved.” Both these statements are inspired and true; we don’t have to throw one or the other away. “As the Sacrifice in our behalf was complete, so our restoration from the defilement of sin is to be complete.”
Many times Ellen White includes both aspects of the plan of salvation in the same statement: “Christ has made an ample sacrifice for all! What justice required, Christ had rendered in the offering of Himself …” Here we see the corporate aspect, but Ellen White continues: “and ‘how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?’ Those who reject the gift of life will be without excuse … [John 3:16 quoted].” Thus she beautifully presents the two aspects together. Another example: “Jesus has purchased redemption for us. It is ours [the whole world’s]; but we are placed here on probation to see if we will prove worthy of eternal life.” One more example: “The Son of God suffered the penalty of sin, reconciling the world unto Himself. He who knew no sin became a sin-offering. …” But Ellen White continues: “that fallen, sinful human beings, through repentance and confession, might receive pardon.” Again, we see that both aspects of the plan of salvation presented here together. In other places Ellen White speaks to only one of these aspects, but none of these statements, either singularly or in compilation form, should be used to disprove or misrepresent the plan of salvation in its totality.
I would encourage the reader to look up the following statements and see how these complimentary aspects of the plan of salvation are clearly presented together. Because we often look for and see only one aspect—justification by faith, man’s response—I have listed below only the portion of her statements that expresses the corporate aspect—that which justification by faith is built upon—for the purpose of drawing more attention to this aspect.
“He redeemed Adam’s disgraceful fall, and saved the world.” “The Saviour of the world became sin for the race.” “He has paid the ransom money for the whole world.”
“The Jews saw in the sacrificial offerings the symbol of Christ whose blood was shed for the salvation of the world.”
“The world’s Redeemer estimates the value of the human soul by the price which He has paid for it on Calvary.”
“The entire plan of sacrificial worship was a foreshadowing of the Saviour’s death to redeem the world.”
“Satan knows that Christ has purchased redemption for the whole world, and is determined to wrest from the hand of Christ every soul that he can possibly influence.”
“He is the Maker of all mankind. All men are of one family by creation, and all are one through redemption.”
“He has signed the emancipation papers of the race.”
“Christ, the surety of the human race, works with uninterrupted activity.”
“The words spoken in indignation, ‘To what purpose is this waste?’ brought vividly before Christ the greatest sacrifice ever made,—the gift of Himself as the propitiation for a lost world.”
“On the cross of Christ the Saviour made an atonement for the fallen race.”
“Christ, the great Antitype, both Sacrifice and High Priest … for the sins of the world.”
“Before the coming of Christ to the world evidences abundant had been given that God loved the human race. But in the gift of Christ to a race so undeserving was demonstrated the love of God beyond all dispute.”
“We should cultivate true Christian courtesy and tender sympathy, even for the roughest, hardest cases of humanity … who are still subjects of grace and precious in the sight of the Lord.”
“Yes, Christ gave His life for the life of the world.”
“Thus Christ gave humanity an existence out of Himself.”
“With his long human arm the Son of God encircled the whole human family, while with his divine arm he grasped the throne of the Infinite.”
“By the lost sheep Christ represents not only the individual sinner but the one world that has apostatized and has been ruined by sin. … this little fallen world—the one lost sheep—is more precious in His sight than are the ninety and nine that went not astray from the fold. Christ, the loved Commander in the heavenly courts, stooped from His high estate, laid aside the glory that He had with the Father, in order to save the one lost world.”
“By dying for man, Jesus exalted humanity in the scale of moral value with God.”
“Through the victory of Christ, the human race was elevated in moral value, not because of anything they had done, but because of the great work that had been wrought out for them through the only begotten Son of God.”
“As man’s substitute and surety, in human nature through divine power, Christ placed man on vantage ground.”
“The human race is accepted in the Beloved.”
“And when in His dying agony the Saviour cried out, ‘It is finished,’ He drew the world back into favor with God.”
“Those who claim to be descendants of Abraham have attempted to number Israel, as though the gift of eternal life belonged to a select few. They would have the benefits of salvation limited to their own nation. But God has placed every individual of our race under divine favor.”
“‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ How many have read over this relation, and have not had their hearts stirred by its significant truths! Many have thought that it did not concern mankind; but it is of thegreatest importance to each one of them. Jesus was accepted of Heaven as a representative of the human race. With all our sin and weakness, we are not cast aside as worthless; we are accepted in the Beloved.”
“The religion of Christ uplifts the receiver to a higher plane of thought and action, while at the same time it presents the whole human race as alike the objects of the love of God, being purchased by the sacrifice of his Son.”
“Every blessing, whether temporal or spiritual, comes to us as the purchase of his blood.”
“All men have been bought with this infinite price. … God has purchased the
will, the affections, the mind, the soul, of every human being. Whether believers or unbelievers, all men are the Lord’s property.”
“Jesus has purchased redemption for us. It is ours.”
“The Son of God suffered the penalty of sin, reconciling the world unto Himself.”
“His mission was to exalt the Father’s law and make it honorable, and to justify its claims by paying with his own life the penalty of its transgression. It was thus that he made reconciliation between God and man.”
“Christ came not confessing His own sins; but guilt was imputed to him as the sinner’s substitute. He came not to repent on His own account; but in behalf of the sinner.”
“His perfection of character was placed in man’s behalf. The curse of the law Christ took upon Himself.”
“After Christ had taken the necessary steps in repentance, conversion, and faith in behalf of the human race, He went to John to be baptized of him in Jordan.”
“He proclaims Himself the Advocate of the sinful human family.”
“Christ had cast up the immeasurable sum of guilt to be canceled because of sin, and he gathered to his dying soul this vast responsibility, taking the sins of the whole world upon himself.”
“The guilt of fallen humanity He must bear. Upon Him who knew no sin must be laid the iniquity of us all.”
“When the whole world was under condemnation, Christ took upon himself the guilt of the sinner; he bore the wrath of God for the transgressor, and thus suffering the penalty of sin, he ransoms the sinner.”
“Christbecame sin for the fallen race, intaking upon himself the condemnation resting upon the sinner for his transgression of the law of God. Christ stood at the head of the human family as their representative. He had taken upon himself the sins of the world. In the likeness of sinful flesh he condemned sin in the flesh.”
“Justification is the opposite of condemnation.”
“Justice demands that sin be not merely pardoned, but the death penalty must be executed. God, in the gift of His only-begotten Son, met both these requirements. By dying in man’s stead, Christ exhausted the penalty and provided a pardon.”
“He was the surety for man, the ambassador for God—the surety for man to satisfy by His righteousness in man’s behalf the demands of the law, and the representative of God to make manifest His character to a fallen race.”
“Christ satisfied the demands of the law in His human nature.”