ADVENTISM’S NEW
VIEW
‘It’s
Beyond Belief’
JEFF
PIPPENGER
The
teaching of the second death is a pivotal understanding to the advocates of
the New View. They hold the idea that when the sinner realizes the eternal
sacrifice that Jesus gave as He died the second death in man's place, then
the sinner's heart is transformed and his motives purified and he develops a
heart appreciation for the "matchless charms of Christ." The
second death is a pillar of their teaching, and is prevalent in all their
materials. We quote here an extract from a paper prepared by Jack Sequeira
to demonstrate the significance of this teaching. The paper is designed to
present the three views of righteousness by faith within present-day
Adventism.
Before
we deal with the quotation we add that this paper incorporates a technique
found in several of the materials presented by the advocates of the New
View. This technique is called reductio ad absurdium, and is a technique
used by lawyers in a courtroom for the purpose of winning an argument as
opposed to seeking truth. It consists of defining your opponents' position
in such an inconsistent or exaggerated fashion, that when compared to your
position, it would be absurd to accept your opponents' position. We must
point out here that of the several papers prepared by those of the New View'
that define the doctrine of righteousness by faith as understood by what is
known as "historic Adventism," none have come close to accurately
presenting "historic Adventism's" true understanding of
righteousness by faith.
Let
us now return to the second death: The following quotation states the
emphasis the New View puts on this infinite sacrifice. It is point 'C' in
what the author describes as "the essence of this 1888 message."
E. H. Sequeira, How Can We Know the Truth of Righteousness by Faith? Page
9.
"(c)
By equating Christ's death on the cross with the 'second death', 'good-bye
to life forever,' the 1888 message presented the true nature of Christ's
supreme sacrifice. On the cross He actually submitted to the 'wages of sin,'
the equivalent of the eternal death, so that we might live in His place.
This was the true self-sacrificing glory of God's love manifested on the
cross, which is to have a profound effect on the believer (see The Desire of
Ages, p. 753). Such love is bound to fill the believer with a hatred of sin
itself and not merely a fear of punishment. This New Testament love produced
in the heart of the believer becomes the basis of his sanctification. Thus
love indeed becomes the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:
13-14; 2 John 6). The justice God's law demands from sinners is the 'second
death.' On the cross, Christ tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9). Since
the Reformation still clung to the immortality of the soul, the 'wages of
sin' was given a deficient definition, and the cross was robbed of its true
glory. It is only when men grasp the true dimension of Christ's sacrifice on
the cross that they will forsake and follow Him with a true faith motive.
Such a motive is essential if true sanctification is to be realized; for
without genuine faith, holiness of living becomes merely an outward show and
not a heart experience." Ibid., page 10.
There
is a certain amount of truth in this last quotation, but there are some
minor problems with some of its content. We do not want to address the minor
problems at this time, however, as they are minor, and the truth about what
happened at the cross is absolutely essential for man to comprehend.
The
point that needs to be addressed here is if the message of Jones and
Waggoner "equated Christ's death on the cross with the 'second death',
'good-bye to life forever' ," and, ..It is only when men grasp the true
dimension of Christ's sacrifice on the cross that they will forsake and
follow Him." It is interesting to note that the Bible never directly
says that Jesus died the "second death," and neither does the
Spirit of Prophecy, and neither did Jones and Waggoner. But that is not the
point. The point is this: Did the messages of Jones and Waggoner recognize
an eternal sacrifice by Jesus that was designed to change the motives of the
heart in the individual believer? The answer is Yes.
Let
us extract some of these statements from a sermon by Jones in the 1895
General Conference Session. These are from sermon 20. We are going to quote
some parts so that you can see that Brother Jones echoes the same sentiments
as are stated above by Brother Sequeira. At this point Jones is speaking
about the privilege of reflecting the image of God. He asks,
"Shall
we accept that privilege? Let us see if we can get some idea of the measure
of that privilege. What did it cost to bring that privilege to you and me?
What did it cost?- It cost the infinite price of the Son of God.
"Was
it an eternal sacrifice? . .for all eternity? That is the sacrifice that
wins the hearts of men. . . . to all eternity--that is a sacrifice. That is
the love of God. And no heart can reason against it. There is no heart that
can reason against that fact. Whether the heart accepts it or not, whether
man believes it or not, there is a subduing power in it, and hearts must
stand in silence in the presence of that awful fact. "That is the
sacrifice that He made. That is what it cost: The eternal sacrifice of One
who was with God. That is what it cost to bring men the privilege to glorify
God. "Now another question: Was the privilege there worth the sacrifice?
or was the price paid to create the privilege? Please think carefully. What
is the privilege? We have found that the privilege brought to every soul is
to glorify God. What did it cost to bring that privilege to us? - It cost
the infinite sacrifice of the Son of God. Now, did He make the sacrifice to
create the privilege, or was the privilege there and worth the sacrifice? I
see that this is a new thought to many of you; but do not be afraid of it.
It is all right. Please look at it carefully, and think. That is all that is
needed. I will say it over two or three times if necessary; for it is fully
worth it. Ever since that blessed fact came to me that the sacrifice of Son
of God is an eternal sacrifice, and all for me, the word has been on my mind
almost hourly: 'I will go softly before the Lord all my days.' . . .
"Then
who can estimate the privilege of glorifying Him? No mind can comprehend it.
To be worth the sacrifice that was paid for it--an eternal sacrifice- Oh,
did not David do well when he said, looking at these things: '0 Lord, . . .
. such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto
if? and, 'In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my
soul. '? "We never could have dreamed the privilege was so great. But
God looked upon the privilege, Jesus Christ looked upon the privilege, of
what it is to glorify God. And looking upon that, and seeing where we had
gone, it was said, It is worth the price. Christ said, 'I will give the
price.' And 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,' and
thus brought us the privilege of glorifying God. "
We
see that the sacrifice of Christ was absolutely uplifted by Jones also. As
the New View lifts up the effects of recognizing that Christ died the second
death, Jones lifts up the eternal sacrifice also and says, "That is
what wins the hearts of men," and "There is a subduing power in
it, and the heart must stand in silence of that awful fact. . . ." What
a similarity in presentations! Unfortunately they are not the same
presentation, and it is these kinds of misapplications of the message that
Jones and Waggoner brought that
destroys the credibility of those who profess to echo the message of 1888.
You
see, Jones was not talking about the second death. He was not even talking
about the cross. He was talking about the infinite sacrifice that Jesus made
when He surrendered the omnipresent aspect of His Godhood. According to
Jones, the infinite sacrifice that Christ made that is designed to change
our hearts was the understanding that Christ was to be encumbered with our
humanity forever. And that sacrifice is eternal. It was in reality an
eternal sacrifice. He did not just taste humanity, He became humanity
forever. Selah!
At
this point whether we have or have not demonstrated clearly for the reader
the errors and misinterpretations that we see in the New View we hope that
we have demonstrated the necessity for each one to study these concepts for
himself under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We cannot let any group,
ministry, church, committee, or organization determine what is truth for us
individually, no matter what title the group may have. Especially is this
fact urgent when it is in connection with such an important message as
Christ our Righteousness. We will now briefly address Beyond Belief.
On
page 7 of Beyond Belief, we are counseled to "put aside all
preconceived ideas in order to appreciate its message.
.
. New wine cannot be put into old bottles." Before one puts away his
preconceived ideas he should ascertain what kind of wine is being served.
After all, there are two kinds of wine ( Matthew 9: 17; and Revelation
18:3).
The
advocates of the New View insist that Beyond Belief is the message of 1888,
and therefore we must also ask. Is this new wine the message of Jones and
Waggoner, or is it new to their message also? We have to conclude that it is
a different wine from the message that Jones and Waggoner brought, but
perhaps not so new as many would think. The basic premise of this book may
be traced back to the approximate time of Jones and Waggoner, for it was
essentially addressed even in that day. Consider a brief passage from a book
authored by one of Jones and Waggoner's contemporaries:
"In
Jesus Christ the whole world died for its sins, and then in Jesus Christ the
whole world arose from the dead with a life that is free from sin. This is
the good news which the herald of the cross bears to the world. With the
emancipation proclamation, he goes forth proclaiming liberty to all the
world. And just as every herald of the President's proclamation of liberty
utterly refused to recognize any man as a slave, so the herald of the Gospel
must utterly refuse to recognize any man as a slave' of sin. He must
proclaim liberty to all men, tell all men that they are free notwithstanding
their hereditary or previous condition of servitude."
This
passage is of course very similar to page 8 of Beyond Belief which states,
"I believe the Bible teaches that God actually and unconditionally
saved all humanity at the cross so that we are justified and reconciled to
God by that act."
That
quotation is of course is the position of the New View and the previous
quotation is from the book, The Proclamation of Liberty and the Unpardonable
Sin, by Albion F. Ballenger, published in 1915, page 20. Maybe this new wine
is not that new. In any case let us not lay aside all our preconceived ideas
when we come to the work of a man; let us test the contents by the "law
and the testimony." It is interesting that one of the main themes
developed by Ballenger throughout his book is the emancipation proclamation
by Abraham Lincoln. This teaching is often used by the advocates of the New
View to establish their unconditional salvation, just as Ballenger does.
They use the following quotation to demonstrate that Ellen White taught a
legal, forensic justification.
Jesus
knows the circumstances of every soul. The greater the sinner's guilt, the
more he needs the Saviour. His heart of divine love and sympathy is drawn
out most of all for the one who is the most hopelessly entangled in the
snares of the enemy. With His own blood He has signed the emancipation
papers of the race. The Ministry of Healing, 89-90.
Does
Mrs. White teach that the emancipation proclamation is an illustration of a
legal forensic justification for all mankind? Consider the following
quotation:.
When
Satan was triumphing as the prince of the world, when he claimed the world
as his kingdom, when we were all marred and corrupted with sin, God sent his
messenger from heaven, even his only-begotten Son, to proclaim to all the
inhabitants of the world: I have found a ransom. I have made a way of escape
for all the perishing. I have your emancipation papers provided for you,
sealed by the Lord of heaven and earth. You may have freedom upon the
condition of faith in Him who is able to save unto the uttermost all who
come unto God by Him. A ransom has been provided at infinite cost, and it is
not because there is any flaw in the title which has been purchased for lost
souls that they do not accept it. 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. It is their love of disobedience, their
pleasure in sin, their enjoyment of rebellion, that have blunted their
perceptions until they fail to discern the things which make for their
peace. If they are lost, it will be because they will not come unto Christ
that they might have life. The Signs of the Times, June 6, 1895.
Clearly
Mrs. White viewed this illustration of Lincoln's emancipation proclamation
as a provision with conditions. Whereas the New View, and Ballenger, view it
as a legal proclamation that unconditionally saves all men. We have no
evidence, other than similarity of content that the New View has been
derived from the teachings of Ballenger, and to bring his name into the
discussion is what many would call guilt by association. Of course guilt by
association, or what is more often called circumstantial evidence, is still
evidence nonetheless. Many people have been convicted of a crime by
circumstantial evidence alone. But we feel we have already demonstrated
enough genuine problems in the New View's interpretations of Jones,
Waggoner, and Prescott that we are not just offering circumstantial evidence
alone. With that concept in mind, let us address the subject of guilt by
association.
Guilt
by Association
Let
us begin by sharing two quotations. If you are familiar with Beyond Belief
as we proceed try to remember where in the book they are found.
"When
He (Christ) died, legally the 'whole world' died. We were ruined ages
before, without our participation by the first Adam. At Calvary, without our
personal participation we were redeemed by the second Adam." And also,
"The good news declares that all men have been redeemed, that
justification has been secured for all, that the whole human race has been
restored to favor with God and that all sins . . . . are now cancelled for
the whole world."
Where
do we find these quotations in Beyond Belief? We do not. We only find the
same theological ideas. The author of these quotations is Desmond Ford.
The first is from a paper entitled, Despite a Million Sermons to the
Contrary, the Gospel Is Not Good Advice, and the second is a Ford statement
in The Theology Crisis, by Leroy Moore, page 52. This evidence may be
circumstantial also, but a fundamental theological position of Beyond Belief
and Desmond Ford is that at the cross the second Adam actually and
unconditionally provided salvation for every man. They may build houses
different from each other, but they both have the same foundation. That fact
is troubling, if only circumstantial.
Adventism's
New View More circumstantial evidence is Sequeira's dependence on Calvinistic
theologians, men like Thomas F. Torrence, Anders Nygren, John Murray, and
C.E.B. Cranfield. When you research these men's works, you find they often
cross-referenced one another; that their work focused on ecumenicalism; that
they were Calvinists in their theology; and one of the prevalent themes was
agape and Eros love. We have looked at circumstantial evidence which some
would call guilt by association. Let us consider now what might be called
guilt by unassociation.
Guilt
by Unassociation
Although
Beyond Belief uses many Adventist terms, its supporters state that the
reason it lacks in Spirit of Prophecy references is that it was designed as
an outreach book. There is only one quotation from Ellen White in the book,
but what adds to the interest of this observation is that the propagators of
the New View have handout materials encouraging people to investigate the
New View by the Bible, and the Bible alone. They of course use Spirit of
Prophecy quotations to establish this tenet, and we agree that the Bible is
the foundation of all truth, but we also remember statements, as in Maranatha, page 158:
The
very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of
the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision the people perish"
(Proverbs 29: 18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and
through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant
people in the true testimony."
The
New View advocates include in their handout material papers designed to
downplay the use of the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy. A sampling of
two quotations from one of their papers entitled E.G. White's Counsel on the
Use of Her Writings With Respect to the Bible, states:
Don't
quote Sister White. I don't want you to ever quote Sister White until you
get your vantage ground where you know where you are. Quote the Bible. Talk
the Bible. Its full of meat, full of fatness. Carry it right out in your
life, and you will know more Bible than you know now. Spallding-Magan
Collection, 174.
Believers
are nor to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes
truth. Their faith must be firmly founded upon the Word of God. Testimonies,
vol. 5, 708.
These
papers that the New View advocates print strangely leave out several other
quotations on the subject of the use of the Spirit of Prophecy. Consider the
following as a brief example:
Besides
the instruction in His Word, the Lord has given special testimonies to His
people, not as new revelation, but that He may set before us the plain
lessons of His Word, that errors may be corrected, that the right way may be
pointed out, that every soul may be without excuse. Selected Messages, book
3,31.
The
Bible must be your counselor. Study it and the testimonies God has given;
for they never contradict His Word. Ibid., 32.
The
Testimonies God has given His people are in harmony with His Word.
Testimonies to Ministers, 292.
The
problem of the Bible only is twofold. One is the preponderance of
information in the Spirit of Prophecy on the subject of justification. How
can one avoid it? It is curious to note that virtually none of the
information on justification in the Spirit of Prophecy can be bent to fit
into the New View's concept of a two-phase justification. The second
problem with the Bible alone is the willingness to use Jones, Waggoner, and
Prescott, but not Ellen White. Of course the writings of Jones, Waggoner,
and Prescott do not support the New View either, but unfortunately their
writings are not as well known, nor as easily available, as the Spirit of
Prophecy, and therefore they can be more easily presented in a false light.
Two
meetings were held in 1994 between Jack Sequeira and some prominent members
of the 1888 Message Study Committee, and a few other ministries not in
agreement with the theology contained in the book Beyond Belief The first
meeting was for a day in January; then the second meeting was two days in
February. Both meetings were at Loma Linda, California. .
At
the close of the first day of the second meeting, a motion was made that on
the following day Colin Standish do an exegesis on Romans 7 to be followed
by exegesis on Romans 7 by Jack Sequeira. The motion was passed and the next
day there came a change of the agenda. The New View advocates wanted Romans
5 to be addressed instead of Romans 7, with one interesting addition. They
made a motion that in the exegesis no Spirit of Prophecy could be used. Of
course, there followed a lively discussion on light and truth, but the
numbers were there for the New View. No Spirit of Prophecy was allowed to be
introduced in the exegesis on Romans 5. One must ask himself why? The
obvious answer to this writer is that Romans 5: 18 is too important a verse
for the advocates of the New View to be challenged by the clear testimony of
the Spirit of Prophecy. If the New View is to be accepted, Romans 5: 18 must
teach that all men are justified.
The
atonement that has been made for us by Christ is wholly and abundantly
satisfactory to the Father. God can be just, and yet the justifier of those
who believe. Here the truth is laid out in plain lines. This mercy and
goodness is wholly undeserved. The grace of Christ is freely to justify the
sinner without merit or claim on his part. Justification is a full, complete
pardon of sin. The moment a sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he
is pardoned. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him, and he is no
more to doubt God's forgiving grace. There is nothing in faith that makes it
our saviour. Faith cannot remove our guilt. Christ is the power of God unto
salvation to all them that believe. The justification comes through the
merits of Jesus Christ. He has paid the price for the sinner's redemption.
Yet it is only through faith in His blood that Jesus can justify the
believer. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 1071.
But
while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through the merits of
Christ, no man can cover his soul with the garments of Christ's
righteousness while practicing known sins, or neglecting known duties. God
requires the entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take
place; and in order for man to retain justification, there must be continual
obedience, through active, living faith that works by love and purifies the
soul. Selected Messages, book 1, 366.
It
is just impossible to make Ellen White teach that men are justified while
yet in their sins. If she did so, of course the advocates of the New View
would shout these passages from the rooftops. Instead they vote to silence
her on the subject of justification.
Christ
did not come to excuse sin, nor to justify a sinner while he continued to
transgress that law for which the Son of God was to give his life to
vindicate and exalt. Had it been possible for the law to be repealed, Christ
would have had no need to come to our earth, and to die, the just for the
unjust. God could have taken the sinner back into favor by annulling the
law. But this could not be. The law holds the transgressor in bondage, but
the obedient are free. The law cannot cleanse from sin, it condemns the
sinner. The sinner may stand justified before God only through repentance
toward Him, and faith in the merits of Jesus Christ. Signs of the Times,
July 18, 1878.
At this
point we will address a few more of the theological aberrations in Beyond
Belief We will not plumb the depths of each issue, but will simply
demonstrate them to be in opposition to truth. Many articles have been
published recently that deal with this book, and the theological positions
it presents. Also a video round-table discussion featuring Ron Spear, Colin
Standish, and Ralph Larson can be obtained from Hope International,
specifically addressing these issues in depth. The title of this video
presentation is Absolutely Beyond Belief We recommend to the reader these
sources, if a broader presentation is needed.
Rejection
of the Substitutionary Atonement of Christ
From
pages 39-47 of Beyond Belief the substitutionary atonement is rejected on
the authority of Catholic theologians. Sequeira states, "As the
Catholic theologians pointed out, it is a fundamental principle of all law,
God's or man's, that guilt or punishment cannot be transferred from the
guilty to the innocent, nor can the righteousness of one person be legally
transferred to another." Beyond Belief, 42. Let us consider a few
verses that stand against the New View and the Catholic theologians.
But
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Romans 5:8. See also Matthew 20:28, 26:28; Romans 3:25,
5:6,8, 14:15; 1 Corinthians 5:7, 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Ephesians 5:2;
1 Thessalonians 5:10; Hebrews 10:12, 1 Peter 3: 18.
These
verses present the transfer of the penalty; now consider the transfer of
righteousness.
Even
the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all them
that believe; for there is no difference. Romans 3:22. See also Romans 4:6,
5:17; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 11:7.
If
one desires to see both punishment and righteousness transferred in one
passage, consider Isaiah 53. The New View and Sequeira take the corporate
idea to an extreme that denies the biblical transfer effected at and by the
cross.
The
Lord imputes unto the believer the righteousness of Christ and pronounces
him righteous before the universe. He transfers the sins to Jesus, the
sinner's Representative, Substitute, and Surety. Upon Christ He lays the
iniquity of every soul that believeth. "He hath made Him to be sin for
us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in
Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. Selected Messages, book 1, 392.
Other
Problems
Universalist
Language
As
opposed to the true messengers of 1888 (Jones and Waggoner), the New View
sees all men as in Christ. Beyond Belief presents the New View's
universalists language also. Consider the following:
"God
has legally justified all mankind in Christ." Page 34. "First,
salvation is what God has already accomplished for all mankind in the life
and death of Jesus," Page 31, "God has legally justified all
mankind in Christ," Page 34, "All humanity was in Christ."
Page 35, "The apostle Paul describes the salvation God has already
accomplished for all humanity in the finished work of Christ as 'you in
Christ' ," Page 36, "Likewise, the Bible teaches that God has redeemed
all humanity in one man, Jesus Christ." Page 3':{. "The entire
human race is corporately one 'in Jesus Christ'," Page 37, "'What
Jesus did, we have done, because we are corporately one in Him." Page
37. "As the second Adam, Christ gathered to Himself the whole human
race and died the second, eternal death-the wages of sin." Page 86,
There
is more of this universalist teaching in Beyond Belief, but this sampling
should be enough to establish its position, Contrary to Jones, Waggoner, and
Prescott, the New View's corporate understanding does not include the
truth that to be part of the second Adam's family, the divine-human family
as Prescott called it, one must be born again by receiving the provisions of
the gospel. There are deeper ramifications to these errant positions, but we
are limited here by space and time,
Calvinistic
Language
At
the meetings in Lorna Linda in February 1994, one of the proponents stated
that he did not want to get bogged down in "babyology." To
understand why he did not want the discussion to go that direction, consider
the following quotations from Beyond Belief in terms of what happens when an
infant dies.
"All
mankind stands legally condemned because all sinned in one man, Adam,"
Page 40, "Since all of us sinned in Adam," Page 85, "Sinful
man is not lost because he has committed sins, but because he is without
Christ—that is, because he is born of Adam, and therefore stands condemned
in him even before he commits a sin of his own." Page 134.
These
of course are not all of the Calvinistic references found in Beyond Belief,
but they demonstrate where building on a false premise leads.
Contradictions
to Inspiration
We
will share a few of the contradictions found in Beyond Belief. "God had
not yet explicitly spelled out His law until He gave it to mankind as a
legal code through Moses." Beyond Belief, 53.
Adam
and Eve, at their creation, had a knowledge of the law of God; they were
acquainted with its claims upon them; its precepts were written upon their
hearts. . . . Adam taught his descendants the law of God, and it was handed
down from father to son through successive generations. . . . 'The law was
preserved by Noah and His family, and Noah taught his descendants the Ten
Commandments. Patriarchs and Prophets, 363.
"A
sinful nature, they remind us, is itself sin." Beyond Belief, 43. If
the sinful nature is sin itself, did Christ take our nature?
In
Him was no guile nor sinfulness. . . yet He took upon Him our sinful nature.
Signs of the Times, July 30, 1902.
"The
sinful nature is beyond repair; it cannot be rebuilt into something
acceptable to God" Beyond Belief, 131.
The
forgiveness of sins is not the sole result of the death of Jesus. He made
the infinite sacrifice, not only that sin might be removed, but the human
nature might be restored, rebeautified, reconstructed from its ruins, and
made fit for the presence of God. Testimonies, vol. 5, 537.
"The
Reformers, nevertheless, were ethically wrong in their definition of
substitution—that the doing and dying of Christ was accepted instead of
our doing and dying." Beyond Belief, 40.
In
dying upon the cross, He transferred the guilt from the person of the
transgressor to that of the divine Substitute, through faith in Him as a
personal Redeemer. The sins of a guilty world, which in figure are
represented as 'red as crimson,' were imputed to the divine Surety. The
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 462.
"Christ's
flesh, being our corporate sinful flesh, lusted after sin." Beyond
Belief, 147.
Prayerfully
consider the ramifications of that last statement in the light of James'
statement about lust.
Then
when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is
finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:15.
The
flesh itself cannot act contrary to the will of God. The Adventist Home,
127.
Imputed
and Imparted Righteousness
The
New View advocates separate justification and sanctification to the point
that they teach that we are saved totally by justification and that
sanctification is simply the fruit of that saved condition. Sequeira states
their position clearly in this next quotation.
"We
often describe the first aspect of salvation--the objective gospel--as the
imputed righteousness of Christ. This is what qualifies the believer for
heaven, both now and in the judgment. We describe the second aspect of
salvation--the subjective gospel--as the imparted righteousness of Christ.
This is what gives evidence of the reality of the imputed righteousness of
Christ in the life. It does not contribute in the slightest way to our
qualification to heaven; it witnesses, or demonstrates, what is already true
in Christ. Imparted righteousness does not qualify us for heaven"
Beyond Belief, 32.
The
righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by
which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven, the
second is our fitness for heaven. The Faith I Live By, 116.
The
New View teaches that sanctification does not "qualify us for
heaven," but the Spirit of Prophecy states that it is our fitness for
heaven. Consider what the two words mean. fit: adapted to an end or purpose;
becoming; suitable; qualified. -ness
n. the state of being fit. Webster's, underlining supplied. qualify:. . .to
show oneself fit. Ibid.
"The
righteousness God produces in us, on the other hand, has no saving
value." Beyond Belief, 170.
Not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He
saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Titus 3:5.
But
we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the
Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13.
Works
We
will not go in depth into the position of the New View on man's efforts in
the plan of salvation. We will let Sequeira state his case, and then follow
with a few quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy.
"If
a person does not believe that a full and complete salvation has already
been obtained in Jesus Christ, if a person believes that salvation
ultimately depends to some degree on his or her behavior, then the faith
such a person is able to generate will naturally be polluted with
self-concern." Beyond Belief, 91.
The
man who attempts to keep the commandments of God from a sense of obligation
merely-because he is required to do so-will never enter into the joy of
obedience. He does not obey. When the requirements of God are accounted a
burden because they cut across human inclination, we may know that the life
is not a Christian life. True obedience is the outworking of a principle
within. It springs from the love of righteousness, the love of the law of
God. The essence of all righteousness is loyalty to our Redeemer. This will
lead us to do right because it is right-because right doing is pleasing to
God. Christ's Object Lessons, 97-98.
None
are living Christians unless they have a daily experience in the things of
God and daily practice self-denial, cheerfully bearing the cross and
following Christ. Every living Christian will advance daily in the divine
life. As he advances toward perfection, he experiences a conversion to God
every day; and this conversion is not completed until he attains to
perfection of Christian character, a full preparation for the finishing
touch of immortality. Testimonies, vol. 2, 505.
When
He comes He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects
in our character, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and
dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished
before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy
still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in
sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of
immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy, will remain
so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects, and
give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His
refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to
be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be
accomplished for us. Counsels on Health, 44.
The
New View states we must view the work of salvation in the past tense, a
finished work. Mrs. White says we must have it accomplished for us now.
These are by no means all the problems contained in the book Beyond Belief,
or in the teachings of the 1888 Message Study Committee. But they should be
enough to raise a warning flag to the serious student. We repeat our opening
quotation:
We
must know individually the prescribed conditions of entering into eternal
life. . . . We cannot allow these questions to be settled for US by
another's mind, or another's judgment. We must search the Scriptures
carefully with a heart open to the reception of light and the evidences of
truth. We cannot trust the salvation of our souls to ministers, to idle
traditions, to human authorities, or to pretensions. We must know for
ourselves what God has said. . . . It is not to be our study as to what may
be the opinion of men, or of popular faith, or what the Fathers have said.
We cannot trust to the voice of the multitude, but we want to know what is
the voice of God, what is his revealed will. . . .The Lord positively
demands of every Christian an intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures.
Review and Herald, March 3,1887.
By
Colin Standish
The
Word of God demonstrates that the gospel of salvation encompasses both
justification by faith and sanctification by faith. Christ and the Bible
writers presented a gospel which denied the Reformational claim that the
gospel was justification alone. We will now look at the claims of the
objective gospel which is a central feature of the 1888 Study Group's
teaching and of Elder Jack Sequeira's book, Beyond Belief This latter fact
is made clear in the preface to Elder Sequeira's book:
"For
four hundred years, Protestant Christianity has been divided into two camps
regarding salvation. The first, Calvinism, confesses that Christ actually
saved human beings on the cross, but that this salvation is limited only to
the elect-those whom God has predetermined to be saved. The second view, Arminianism [the concepts of the Dutch reformer, Arminius, who strongly
opposed Calvin's concepts of predestination and once saved, always saved],
holds that on the cross Christ obtained salvation for all humanity, but that
this salvation is only a provision; a person must believe and repent for the
provision to become a reality. Both these views are only conditional good
news.
"I
believe that neither camp presents the full truth about salvation. I
believe the Bible teaches that God actually and unconditionally saved all
humanity at the cross so that we are justified and reconciled by God by that
act (see Romans 5:10, 18; 2 Corinthians 5: 18-9).1 believe that the only
reason anyone will be lost is because he or she willfully and persistently
rejects God's gift of salvation in Christ (see John 3:18,36). This is what
constitutes the three angels' messages of Revelation 14, the everlasting
gospel that must be preached to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people
before the end comes." Jack Sequeira, Beyond Belief, 7-8.
This
opening statement should have raised a red flag right at the beginning for
anyone who read it. That so many have accepted this amazing introduction,
among them many who had no difficulty rejecting the presentations of Dr.
Ford a decade or two ago, is remarkable. Let us briefly examine the three
emphasized portions of this statement in the light of divine revelation.
1.
To deny that we must believe and repent to attain salvation denies the very
gospel preached by Jesus.
Now
after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the
gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:14-15.
For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
I
tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke
13:3.
2.
The claim that salvation is unconditional is just as devoid of scriptural
foundation as is the claim that salvation does not require belief or
repentance.
There
are conditions to our receiving justification and sanctification, and the
righteousness of Christ. Selected Messages, vol. 1, 377.
Blessed
is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive
the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James
1: 12.
Hearken,
my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in
faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love
him? James 2:5.
But
as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love
him. 1 Corinthians 2:9.
For
since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the
ear, neither hath the eye seen, 0 God, beside thee, what he hath prepared
for him that waiteth for him. Isaiah 64:4.
Like
as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
Psalm 103: 13.
But
if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I
John 1:7.
And
shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:6.
Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of
life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14.
3.
The third concept is just as erroneous. While rejection will lead to eternal
loss, so will neglect.
How
shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began
to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?
Hebrews 2:3.
The
concept that we are saved unless we reject or resist is extraordinarily
dangerous. It indicates that if we make no decision we will be saved. In
reality we must accept Christ's saving grace, or we will be lost. We must
choose to be for Christ.
He
that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me
scattereth abroad. Matthew 12:30.
On
the issue of righteousness by faith there are few substantial differences
between the message of Elder Jack Sequeira and the message of Dr. Desmond
Ford.
Like
Desmond Ford, Jack Sequiera believes:
1.
The gospel is justification alone. "Justification means all of Christ's
righteousness that He provided for us so that nothing more is required of us
to qualify for heaven. In other words, we stand perfect in Him." Beyond
Belief, 103. Emphasis in the original.
2.
There is an objective gospel. "The objective gospel (the imputed
righteousness of Christ) is what qualifies us for heaven both now and in the
judgment." Ibid., 36. However, unlike Desmond Ford, Jack Sequiera also
believes in justification by faith.
3.
That sanctification is a very part of truth, but it does not contribute to
our qualification for heaven. "The subjective gospel (the imparted
righteousness of Christ) does not contribute to our qualification for
heaven; it gives evidence of the reality of Christ's imputed righteousness
in the life." Ibid.
4,
The centrality of the gospel is the "in Christ" motif. "The
central theme of the apostle Paul's theology regarding the gospel is the 'in
Christ' motif or idea." Ibid., 33.
5.
All of our salvation was accomplished 2000 years ago on Calvary logically
making the sanctuary ministry of Christ redundant in spite of the fact that
both Ford and Sequiera speak much about the sanctuary message. "All
three of these aspects of our salvation--justification, sanctification, and
glorification--have already been accomplished in the birth, life, death,
and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ibid., 30.
6.
Both teach a universal salvation. "I believe the Bible teaches that God
actually and unconditionally saved all humanity at the cross so that we are
justified and reconciled to God by that act." Ibid., 8.
7.
We can only lose salvation by active and persistent rejection of salvation.
"I believe that the only reason anyone will be lost is because he or
she willfully and persistently rejects God's gift of salvation in
Christ." Ibid.
8.
If we sin we still retain justification. "However, God does not reject
us every time we make a mistake or fall into sin. If we believe that we lose
our justification in Christ each time we sin, we completely invalidate the
truth of justification by faith." Ibid., 104.
Both
teach many concepts common to Evangelical Protestantism, Calvinism, and
Augustinian Catholicism. This position does not allow for a true Seventh-day
Adventist position on the sanctuary message despite the fact that Elder Sequeira has done a lengthy series on this message. The book Beyond Belief
significantly ignores the heavenly sanctuary message as part of the
salvational acts of God; therefore one assumes that Elder Sequeira believes
that the atonement was completed on the cross, rather than in the heavenly
sanctuary as clearly identified in the type.
And
there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in
to make an atonement in the [most] holy place, until he: come out, and have
made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the
congregation of Israel. Leviticus 16: 17.
Sister
White says that the sanctuary message is the center of our faith.
The
correct understanding of the ministration in the heavenly sanctuary is the
foundation of our faith. Evangelism, 221.
Some
have challenged this concept, saying that the cross is the center of our
faith, but, of course, the cross of Christ, His death and sacrifice, are
integral to the sanctuary message. Without the sacrifice, there would be no
administration of the blood before the mercy seat by the heavenly high
priest.
Concerning
the objective gospel, Elder Sequeira further says: "This salvation is
an objective truth realized in the earthly history of Christ, and therefore
we can refer to it theologically as the objective gospel." Beyond
Belief, p. 31..
While
he does acknowledge a subjective aspect of the gospel, Sequeira denies that
it has anything to add to the objective gospel. "Second, Scripture also
refers to salvation as what God accomplishes in us through the Holy
Spirit. This aspect of salvation is not something in addition to the
objective facts of the gospel." Ibid. The claims to an objective
justification are built around Romans 5:18.
Therefore
as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so
by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life. Romans 5: 18.
It
is argued that all humanity, past, present, and future, were justified on
Calvary. This belief is a strong pillar of the 1888 Study Committee, yet it
is not to be found in the message of the book Christ Our Righteousness, by
W. Waggoner nor is it to be found in a broad study of the Word of God.
Sister White, in the thousands of pages she wrote on the 1888 message of
Christ Our Righteousness, never once distinguishes between an objective and
a subjective form of justification.
It
is not uncommon for those who support the 1888 Study Committee to say that
there are two phases of justification: forensic (legal, universal,
corporate, temporary, judicial) justification, which is a justification
which came upon all men through the death of Jesus Christ; and justification
by faith.
Unlike
Dr. Ford's presentations, there is an emphasis on justification by faith,
but, as pointed out in the October 1993 issue of Our Firm Foundation, vol.
8, no. 10, we have seen that the forensic justification concept has no
foundation in the Bible or in the Spirit of Prophecy. We also noted that in
the end this concept begins to dominate over the only justification that
will ever save us, and that is justification by faith. This teaching leaves
US in danger of moving God's people towards a concept in which obedience is
seen to have less and less importance in the development of a people of God
who will be fit for the kingdom of heaven. The Bible is rich with statements
showing that the subjective transformation of the life is absolutely
essential in those who will be saved.
Now
unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Jude 24.
He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To
him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the
midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7.
He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He
that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Revelation 2: 11.
He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To
him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give
him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth
saving he that receiveth it. Revelation 2: 17.
He
that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not
blot out his name but of the book of life, but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels. Revelation 3:5.
Him
that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall
go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name
of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of
heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 3: 12.
To
him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. Revelation 3:21.
If
ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it
shall be done unto you. John 15:7.
And
the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
And
now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is
able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which
are sanctified. Acts 20:32.
The
picture is clear. Is the vine in the branch, or the branch in the vine?
Obviously they are in each other. There is no such thing as an "in
Christ" motif outside of a "Christ in" motif, the two cohere
together in the gospel.
In
his first epistle, John continues to emphasize the unity of the "in
Christ" and the "Christ in" message.
One
of the most important pillars of the objective gospel is the "in
Christ" motif. As Elder Sequeira says: "The central theme of the
apostle Paul's theology regarding the gospel is the 'in Christ' motif or
idea." Ibid. 33. He sees this as his fundamental concept of "corporate
oneness." The idea is that we were all "in Christ" when He
died on Calvary, when He paid the penalty for our sins.
While
Elder Sequeira also refers to the "Christ in," motif it is clear
that, like his reference to sanctification, he does not see it as essential
to the salvation of mankind. But let us look at the foundation of this
message. Christ Himself refused to separate the two components; they are
as indivisibly linked as are justification and sanctification.
And
he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby
we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John
3:24.
Hereby
know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, Because he hath given us of his
Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be
the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of
God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the
love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth
in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:13-16.
That
Paul fully acknowledged the "Christ in" and the "in
Christ" concept can be seen from some of the following texts:
He
that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
John 6:56.
I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20.
At
that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
John 14:20.
But
ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness. Romans 8:9-10.
I
in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the
world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast
loved me. John 17:23.
To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians
1:27.
Perhaps
the unity of the two is best seen in Jesus' use of the vine and branch
illustration of John 15.
Abide
in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John 15:4.
There
is no objective gospel separate from the subjective gospel. Any legal acts
of God reflect what has happened and is happening in the life of the man.
Everything that is done reflects what is taking place in the life of the
Christian. When we are justified in heaven, it is because we have repented
and confessed our sins, and we have new motives, new impulses, new desires,
a new character. When we are sanctified in heaven it is because Christ is
dwelling daily in our hearts. When our sins are blotted out in the
investigative judgment, they are not only blotted out of the books of record
in heaven, they are also blotted out of the lives of God's people.
As
in the final atonement the sins of the truly penitent are to be blotted from
the records of heaven, no more to be remembered or come into mind, so in the
type they were borne away into the wilderness, forever separated from the
congregation. Patriarchs and Prophets, 358.
The
righteous will not cease their earnest agonizing cries for deliverance. They
cannot bring to mind any particular sin, but in their whole life they can
see but little good. Their sins have gone before hand to judgment, and
pardon has been written. Their sins have been borne away into the land of
forgetfulness, and they could not bring them to remembrance. Spiritual
Gifts, vol. 3, 135.
But
while they [the saints after the close of probation] have a deep sense of
their unworthiness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins have
gone beforehand to judgment and have been blotted out, and they cannot bring
them to remembrance. The Great Controversy, 620.
With
great joy we can acknowledge that Inspiration presents a gospel that
transforms the life and fits men and women for the courts of heaven. Thus we
have to reject Elder Sequeira's statement:
"Performing
works of law is a subtle form of rebellion against God because all such
works are actually independent of Him." Beyond Belief, 97.
It
is true that the works of the law cannot save us but it is not true to say
that the works of the law by faith is a subtle form of rebellion.
Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of
Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by
the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians 2:16.
It
is works of the law through the flesh which are rebellion against God.
Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I
have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5: 19-21.
While
Elder Sequeira and the members of the 1888 Message Study Committee do speak
about sanctification, the logic of their position leads many thinking men
and women to conclude that perfection of character is not essential to
salvation. Yet Inspiration says:
And
the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant
of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of
Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17.' .
Here
is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12.
Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of
life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14.
"When
the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because
the harvest is come." Christ is waiting with longing desire for the
manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall
be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as
His own. Christ's Object Lessons, 69.
Acceptance
of the objective gospel concept will inevitably lead many to conclude that
they can be saved short of perfect obedience, the obedience that comes
through the power of the indwelling Christ, and in response to their love
for the gift of our heavenly Father. If we doubt this assertion we have only
to review the carnage caused by Dr. Ford's teachings.
In
summary, it can be said without doubt that the objective gospel is a figment
of human imagination which has arisen out of Augustinian Catholicism, and
which ultimately leads people away from the transforming power of Christ in
the life and from their preparation to be fit or qualified to walk the
streets of gold with the unfallen beings of heaven.
FOOTNOTE:
The objective gospel is a purported method of justifying man without his
knowledge or participation and thus regardless of any internal change or
transformation-sanctification. See Beyond Belief, 31-33.
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