Hebrews 10:38 : "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
1. True Faith: the foundation for true Justification by Faith, Counterfeit Faith leads to a counterfeit experience
Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
E. J. Waggoner, Present Truth UK March 8, 1894
"Have you faith in God? Do you know that you have it? Are you certain that you know what faith is? The disciples thought they had faith, but in the time of test and trial they were found wanting. Faith stands every test; but that which is not faith, does not endure the test. If you have faith, you will abide unshaken the storms and temptations of this mortal life; but if that which you think is faith is only a counterfeit of faith, when the storm beats hard your house will be overthrown. It is all-important to know now whether your house is built upon the sand, or on the solid rock. {PTUK March 8, 1894, p. 148.2}
The solid rock is the word of God; and there is no such thing as faith without this word. The rock is Christ, and Christ is the Word. John 1:1, 14. That word may not seem to you to be solid; nevertheless it is. We are not accustomed to think of words as being substantial like rocks, but this is true of the word of the Lord. That word is as substantial as God Himself. And while the earth and earthly things shall pass away and be no more, the word of the Lord will abide as firm as the eternal throne. By that word they came into existence, and by that word will they be dissolved and vanish away. {PTUK March 8, 1894, p. 148.3}
Faith is composed of two elements,—belief, and the word of God. Counterfeit faith has only one of these elements; it always lacks the word. It rests upon something else,—some feeling, or impression, or hope, or desire, or process of reasoning, or upon the word of some man. Faith accepts the word of God, no matter how it reads, without questioning. Pretended faith is often obliged to explain the word away. Genuine faith “worketh by love.” Pretended faith either works not at all, or by some motive which has its root in self. With these facts in mind, it becomes an easy thing to determine whether you have faith in God or not." {PTUK March 8, 1894, p. 148.4}
2. Christ = Word, Spirit, Life
Christ = The Word Of God, Truth, Life
Word = Truth, Spirit, Life
Spirit = Truth
Therefore, according to the axiom that two things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other, we have:- {E.J. Waggoner, CHR 47.3} Christ = Word, Spirit, Life
3. The Science of Justification by Faith
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
A.T. Jones, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, March 7, 1899
"Those who are of faith, and those alone, are the just in the earth. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.5}
Now faith is entire dependence on the word of God, that that word shall accomplish what that word says. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.6}
Isaiah 55:11: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
To be justified by faith, then, is to be justified by entire dependence upon the word of God. The just are those who are of the word of God. This is how men become just. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.7}
Men must not only become just by faith,—by dependence upon the word of God,—but being just, we must live by faith. The just man lives in precisely the same way, and by precisely the same thing, that he becomes just. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.8}
We become just by faith; faith is entire dependence on the word of God. We, being just, must live by precisely the same thing by which we become just; that is, by entire dependence upon the word of God. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.9}
And this is exactly what Jesus said: Man shall live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” When Jesus said that, it is perfectly plain that he simply said, in other words, Man shall live by faith. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.10}
There is no other way truly to live than by faith, which is simply living by the word of God. Without faith, without the word of God, men only die. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.11}
All things animate and inanimate,—sun, moon, and stars, animals and men,—all are entirely dependent upon the word of God for existence. Only in the case of men, God has bestowed upon them the wondrous gift of choice as to whether they will do so or not. This gift opens the door of faith. And when a man does choose to live by the word of God, which is the only means of life, faith—entire dependence upon the word of God—is the means by which he lays hold on the means of life. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.13}
Thus “the just shall live by faith,” and thus “whatsoever is not of faith is sin;” which is simply to say, The just must live by the word of God; and whatsoever is not of the word of God is sin. {ARSH March 7, 1899, p. 152.14}
Romans 3:26 "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
A. T. Jones, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, November 10, 1896
"Here is the word of God, the word of righteousness, the word of life, to you “now,” “at this time.” Will you be made righteous by it now? Will you live by it now? This is justification by faith. This is righteousness by faith. It is the simplest thing in the world. It is simply whether the word of God shall be true in you “now” or not. God spoke to Abraham, “Tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: ... So shall thy seed be.” And “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” “Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” {ARSH November 10, 1896, p. 717.6}
“Now,” “at this time,” it is true; it is true in him. Now, at this time, let it be true in you." {ARSH November 10, 1896, p. 717.7}
4. The Word of Eternal Life
1 John 1:1 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;"
John 6:68 "Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."
A. T. Jones, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, November 3, 1896
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Even physically, man cannot live on what has no life in it. Dead air is death to him who breathes it. Dead water or dead food likewise. Whatever we take in the way of food or drink must have in it the element of life, or else we cannot live on it. So also in order that men may live by the word of God, in the nature of things that word has in it the element of life. Therefore this word is called “the word of life.” {ARSH November 3, 1896, p. 700.1}
It being the word of God, and being imbued with life, the life that is in it is necessarily the life of God; and this is eternal life. Therefore it is truly said that the words of the Lord are “the words of eternal life.” Whenever the word of God comes to any man, at that very time and in that word, eternal life comes to that man. And when the man refuses to receive the word, he is rejecting eternal life. Jesus himself has said it: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life.” He “is passed from death unto life.” {ARSH November 3, 1896, p. 700.2}
Jesus used the example of our living by bread as an illustration of our living by the word of God. This thing was not chosen at random. In all the words of the Lord, whatever was brought into them was definitely to teach an all-important lesson. Physically, we do live by bread—using the term “bread” as embracing all proper victuals. But in order that we shall live by bread, it is essential that it be inside of us. And in order to live by the word of God, it is just as essential that it shall be inside of us. {ARSH November 3, 1896, p. 701.1}
In order to live by bread, everybody knows it must be taken into the mouth, and be properly masticated and prepared for the digestive process, and then by swallowing be committed to the digestive process, that the life that is in it may be conveyed to all parts of the system. So with the word of God; it must be received as it is in truth the word of God; it must be given a place in the heart as the word of life; then it will be found to be indeed the word of life. {ARSH November 3, 1896, p. 701.3}
In fact, in the Bible, this very idea of living bread by eating it, is carried over and applied to the word of God. Look at Ezekiel 2:8 to 3:4, 10: “But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; and he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.” “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.” {ARSH November 3, 1896, p. 701.4}
Before the prophet could speak the word of God to others, he must find it to be the word of God to himself. Before he could convey it as the word of life to others, he must know it as the word of life to himself. And in order that this should be so to him, he was commanded to eat it, swallow it, and fill himself to the innermost parts with it. He was to hear it and receive it in the heart. And this instruction is to every one who would live by the life of God. Every one who has taken upon him the name of Christ, is directed to “hold forth the word of life;” but it must be life to him in the innermost parts before he can hold it forth as the word of life to others. {ARSH November 3, 1896, p. 701.5}
“Be not wise in your own conceits.” “Be not high-minded.” Do not think it too small a thing for you to take one word of God at a time, and consider it carefully, and meditate upon it prayerfully, and receive it into your heart as the word of life to you. Do this, receive it this way, and you will find that word to be to you indeed the word of life, and the constant joy and rejoicing of your heart. Do not think this too slow a process of getting through the Bible, or through some book or chapter of the Bible. In this way you will get through it to infinitely better advantage than to run through it without comprehending it. In this way you get every word, and every word that you get is eternal life to you. For Jesus said that man shall live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” This shows that there is life in every word, and as certainly as you receive a word of it into your mind and heart, in that word and by that word you have eternal life. {ARSH November 3, 1896, p. 701.8}
E. J. Waggoner on the Catholic Church:
"There is no surer evidence of apostasy from God than a contempt for His own living Word." {PTUK September 29, 1898, p. 614.3}
5. The Word and His Righteousness
A. T. Jones, Lessons on Faith, pp. 22, 23.
Hebrews 11: 3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
"Once there were no worlds, nor was there any of the material which now composes the worlds. God set forth Christ to declare the word which should produce the worlds, and the very material of which they should be composed.
“He spake, and it was.” Before He spoke, there were no worlds; after He spoke, the worlds were there. Thus the word of God spoken by Jesus Christ is able to cause that to exist which has no existence before the word is spoken, and which, except for that word, never could have existence.
In this same way precisely it is in man’s life. In man’s life there is no righteousness. In man there is no righteousness from which righteousness can appear in his life. But God has set forth Christ to declare righteousness unto and upon man. Christ has spoken the word only, and in the darkened void of man’s life there is righteousness to everyone who will receive it. Where, before the word is received, there was neither righteousness nor anything which could possibly produce righteousness, after the word is received, there is perfect righteousness and the very Fountain from which it springs. The word of God received by faith—that is, the word of God expected to do what that word says and depended upon to do what it says—produces righteousness in the man and in the life where there never was any before; precisely as, in the original creation, the word of God produced worlds where there never were any worlds before. He has spoken, and it is so to everyone that believeth: that is, to every one that receiveth. The word itself produces it.
“Therefore being justified (made righteous) by faith (by expecting and depending upon the word of God only) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:1. That is so, bless the Lord! And feeding upon this blessed thing is cultivating faith. Lessons on Faith pp. 22, 23.
6. “The Seed-Sowing of the Gospel”
E. J. Waggoner, The Signs of the Times, November 29, 1899
"What was the seed which God cast into the ground, from which everything sprouted?—It was nothing other than the Word of God. The Word became grass and trees, just as afterwards it became flesh. {SITI November 29, 1899, p. 769.5}
Christ is the Word of God, the Word of Life, which was in the beginning, and from which everything proceeded. John 1:1-3; 1 John 1:1, 2. He is the Seed whence spring not only the plants of the field, but also the “trees of righteousness.” It was as true of Him as of the corn of wheat, that He could not bring forth fruit without yielding up His life. That which the chief priests and scribes and elders said mockingly, as a reproach, was His glory: “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.” Matthew 27:41, 42. If He had thought about Himself, and had been intent on saving Himself, He could not have saved anybody else, for without the shedding of blood, the giving of life, there is no remission. Hebrews 9:23. Nay, He would even have lost His own life if He had attempted to save it; for, having come into this wicked and lost world, there; was no possible way out except the way of the cross. {SITI November 29, 1899, p. 769.6}
But the sacrifice of Christ goes back of this present world. He was foreordained as a ransom “before the foundation of the world.” 1 Peter 1:20. In order to become a quickening Spirit, He died. Through death He destroys death and the one who had the power of it. Revelation 2:14. He is not a useless seed; He died-emptied Himself-that He might bring forth much fruit. {SITI November 29, 1899, p. 769.7}
“That which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be but a bare grain: ... but God giveth it a body.” Therefore when Christ, the true Seed, came into the world, He saith, “A body hast Thou prepared Me.” Hebrews 10:5. The sacrifice was complete. Never again does He have the form that He had before coming to this earth; He was made in the likeness of men, and it was as the Son of man that He suffered the death of the cross, and was in consequence highly exalted, receiving a name that is above every name. The work is still going on, for He is continually giving Himself for mankind; or, rather, the sacrifice, which is made once for all, is eternally efficacious and active. Everything in the universe exists, and will continue to exist, only because His life flows out to it and through it. {SITI November 29, 1899, p. 770.1}
The seed dies, and produces others of the same nature. From a single grain of corn a hundred others may come, and each one of the hundred will have the same life, and as much of it as the original seed. So it is that “unto every one of us is given to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4:7 “Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16. “In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9); and when He dwells in our hearts by faith,—when the seed springs up in us,—we also are “filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19). Every believer receives all the fulness of the life of Christ, the true Seed. {SITI November 29, 1899, p. 770.2}
“As He is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17. This necessarily follows from being born of His death. So the children of the kingdom are the good seed. Matthew 13:38. The life of the only begotten Son, who emptied Himself, passes into the Seed of the woman, the Son of man; but not merely into the Man Jesus of Nazareth, but into so many as received Him. He is the “first born among many brethren.” All who receive Him have the power given them to become the sons of God, and that power is the power of the resurrection; for it was the resurrection from the dead that proved Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. Romans 1:1-4. The seed by which we are born again is incorruptible, even the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever (1 Peter 1:23); and when that Word abides in us, it gives strength, victory over the wicked one, and preserves from sin (1 John 2:14; 3:9). {SITI November 29, 1899, p. 770.3}
7. Christ, The Indwelling Word
E.J. Waggoner, "Christ and His Righteousness" pp. 113, 114, "The Holy Spirit Works through the Word"
"Now whence comes this power? The answer is found in the words of Christ: “The words which I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” What spirit are they? The apostle Peter, speaking of the prophets, says that it was the Spirit of Christ that was in them. So, as we said before, the power of the Spirit dwells in the word. Yea, Christ Himself dwells in the word, for He is the Word.
Who can understand the mystery of inspiration?—He who can understand the mystery of the incarnation; for both are the same. “The Word was made flesh.” We cannot understand how Christ could be all the fullness of the Godhead, and at the same time be in the form of a servant, subject to all the infirmities of mortal flesh. Neither can we understand how the Bible could be written by fallible mortals, exhibiting the peculiarities of each, and yet be the pure, unadulterated word of God. But it is certainly true that the power that was in the Word that was made flesh, is the power that is in the word that the apostles and prophets have written for us.
Now we can begin to appreciate more the power residing in the word. “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” Ps. 33:6. Christ, by whom the worlds were made, upholds them “by the word of His power.” Heb. 1:3. The power that resides in the words of revelation, is the power that could speak the worlds into existence, and can keep them in their appointed places. Surely, then, it is worth our while to take time to study and meditate upon the word.
It is by so doing that we bring Christ Himself into our hearts. In the fifteenth chapter of John, the Lord exhorts us to abide in Him, and to allow Him to abide in us; and then a few verses later he speaks of our abiding in Him, and His word abiding in us. John 15:4, 7.
It is by His word that Christ does abide in the heart; for Paul says that Christ will dwell in the heart by faith (Eph. 3:17); and “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17."
E. J. Waggoner, "Christ and His Righteousness" pp. 113, 114,
8. How do we get the Righteousness of Christ?
E. J. Waggoner, General Conference Daily Bulletin, March 17, 1891
"We cannot separate the righteousness of Christ from Christ himself. Therefore in order for men to get the righteousness of Christ, they must have the life of Christ. So the free gift comes upon all men who are justified by the life of Christ. Justification is life. It is the life of Christ. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous.” These are simple and positive statements. No good can come to man by questioning them. He only reaps barrenness to his soul. Let us accept them and believe them. {GCDB March 17, 1891, p. 138.1}
There is one spotless life. There is one man, the man Christ Jesus, who resisted successfully all the powers of sin, when he was here upon earth. He was the Word made flesh. God in Christ reconciled the world to himself. He could stand before the world, and challenge any to convict him of sin. No guile was found in his mouth. He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” and by his obedience shall many be made righteous. {GCDB March 17, 1891, p. 138.5}
Then comes the question, how can this be? It is the same question that the Jews propounded to Christ, when he said, “Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood, ye have no life in you.” Said they, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat? ... ”If we will eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, we will have the life of Christ. If we have his life, we have a righteous life; his obedience works in us, and that makes us righteous. This does not leave any room for the statement that Christ obeyed for us, and that therefore we can do as we please, and his righteousness will be accounted unto us just the same. His obedience must be manifested in us day by day. It is not our obedience, but the obedience of Christ working in us. By those “exceeding great and precious promises,” (WORD) we take the divine life into us. The life we live is the life of the Son of God. He died for us, and loved us with a love that we cannot fathom. The righteousness that we have is his. THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT. He lets us get all the benefit of that obedience, because we have shown our intense desire for obedience. That is why he gives it to us. {GCDB March 17, 1891, p. 138.7}
When you go to God, take these Scriptures on your lips: “We shall be saved by his life.” “By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Take them to God in prayer. They are true, for the Lord himself has said so. How can these blessings be obtained? By faith! Take it by faith, and it is yours, and no one can take it from you. Then you will have it, although you do not understand how it can be done. When you have it, you have life. What life? The divine life. Then when you come up to the time of temptation, the time when you have usually fallen, you can tell Satan that he has no power to make you fall beneath that temptation, for it is not you, but Christ that dwelleth in you. {GCDB March 17, 1891, p. 138.8}
9. A Whole Christ
E. J. Waggoner, The Signs of the Times, November 25, 1897
"To thus be united to Christ and by the means of Christ’s life to each other, means to accept Christ in the fullest sense. To accept Christ as a Saviour, a redeemer, a way of life, an example, or a teacher, will not suffice. He declares, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. {SITI November 25, 1897, p. 722.8}
To accept Jesus Christ as the Way is to give up all our ways and yield all, willingly (for he will never compel), to his way. “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh [renounceth] not all that he hath, he can not be my disciple.” Luke 14:33. {SITI November 25, 1897, p. 722.9}
To accept Jesus Christ as the Truth, means to accept the Word of God, as God’s message through Christ to this world. For Christ is the Word, the one through whom all the Word was given. John 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6. It was his power that created all things; it was his Spirit which spake through the prophets. Colossians 1:16; 1 Peter 1:10, 11. He it is who has in all times and ages declared the Father to the children of men, whether as the Angel of the Covenant, the Pillar of Cloud and Fire, the exhaustless Rock-fountain in the desert, the Man Christ Jesus in Judea, the Inspirer of the Holy Writings, or the Sender of the Comforter, his representative. The Holy Word, with its one law and one Gospel, its one Spirit and one object, is the message of God through Jesus Christ to the sons of men. So Christ prays of those whom he would make one,
“Sanctify them through thy truth; thy Word is truth;” for by that Word was he sanctified, “that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” John 17:17-19. {SITI November 25, 1897, p. 722.10}
He therefore who receives Christ, the Truth, will receive his Word in law and Gospel, in precept and promise, with all the heart. No tradition will make void in his heart the commandments of God to render vain his worship. Matthew 15:6, 9. No sophistry of man will be allowed to nail upon the cold, dead, irresponsive arms of a cruel creed the life-giving truths of that Word. He who truly accepts Christ will take the Word of Christ into his heart, and there let its vital principles live and grow, fashioning him day by day like the Master.
That Word will be the Christ revealed in writing. And Christ will be that Word revealed in character. {SITI November 25, 1897, p. 722.11}
In the light of God’s presence in his Word the humble soul will acknowledge his sinfulness, and thereby his mortality, and look to Jesus Christ alone as the Source of righteousness and eternal life to the believer now, the Bestower of immortality at his coming. {SITI November 25, 1897, p. 722.12}
This acceptance of Christ does not mean that all Christ’s fullness must be seen and realized if we are to become one in him; for that can never be, because he is infinite. But it does mean that the believer is to accept Jesus Christ as he is, as he is revealed in his Word. He must allow no civil magistrate, no mitered priest, no human creed or council, no worldly ambition, no arts of the evil one, to come between his soul and Jesus Christ, and he will leave to prayer, study, experience, and the goodness and wisdom of Christ, to supply the fuller knowledge. {SITI November 25, 1897, p. 722.13}
Thus accepting Jesus Christ made the early apostolic church what it was, united in heart and purpose, in word and doctrine, in worship, in life. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship;” “and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; ... and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.” Thus it was in that early church. How precious to them were the truths and hopes of the resurrection, the second coming of Christ, the atonement in its fullest and strongest sense, the power of the simple Word and Holy Spirit of God in those days! Now these very doctrines are scoffed at and ridiculed and “spirited” away by those high in church councils, with but little or no protest from pulpit or press." {SITI November 25, 1897, p. 722.14}
9. New birth, a Contradiction?
Uriah Smith, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, January 22, 1857
"But John, speaking of believers, says, “Which were born out of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:13. {ARSH January 22, 1857, p. 92.14}
How can this be reconciled with other scriptures? Very easily, we think, by considering the teaching of verse 12, by which we learn again how to become sons of God; that is, by believing on his name; for “as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” 1 Peter 1:23, may here suggest itself as another text opposed to the position taken in this article: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” We must here notice the means by which this change, in the present tense, is said to be effected; it is by the word of God. This can be done in no other way than by receiving this word into the heart, and walking out by faith upon its promises. Hence we read again, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth,” etc. James 1:18. Men are employed to preach the word: accordingly we hear Paul saying to the Corinthians, “I have begotten you through the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 4:15." {ARSH January 22, 1857, p. 93.1}
10. Once Born Again, then Done?
E. J. Waggoner, Present Truth UK, August 17, 1893
"Now do not think that this being born from above is done once and then that is the end of it. Oh, no. It is enough to be born as a baby once, but we must be born from above every day. So you see you shall need to read and believe and think on God’s words very often, for it is God’s word that is the living seed that causes you to be born from above.“{PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 317.10}
1 Corinthians 15:31 "I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily."
11. Feeding and Growing on the Word
E. J. Waggoner, Present Truth UK, August 17, 1893
"Now the Lord says in 1 Peter 2:2 that after you are born from above, after you have received Jesus in your hearts, you will need heavenly milk to make you grow in the heavenly life, just as much as the little babe needs earthly milk to make it grow strong in the earthly life." {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 315.14}
What is the heavenly milk? {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 315.15}
The Lord says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere [pure, unadulterated] milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” We see, therefore, that the heavenly milk is the pure, unmixed word of God." {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 315.16}
How can that make me grow more and more like Jesus, and strong to do right?” {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.1}
By eating it (John 6.), by studying it, and thinking upon it, and just drinking it in with your mind, and desiring it more than your necessary food. {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.2}
You wonder how it can become a part of you, and make you grow better, just by letting your mind think upon it and love it. It does seem wonderful. {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.3}
But the little baby does not understand how the milk can make its body grow. It just eats and eats and grows, as a little plant, it knows not how, and we know not how. {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.4}
Thus the Lord wants you to take His living words into your heart every day, as trustfully and as faithfully as the little baby takes its milk, and His promise is, ye shall grow thereby. Men’s words will not do, God’s words alone can make you grow. {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.5}
But above all things, remember that one meal, or even one meal a week, is not enough. You must take time to feed on the milk of God’s word every day. Just as surely as you forget for one day to feed on God’s word, you will be too weak that day to overcome the temptations of Satan. {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.6}
By feeding upon the word you feed upon Jesus, and He is the only One has power to overcome Satan. So if you forget to feed upon the word you forget to have Jesus in your heart, and thus having nothing but your own weakness with which to resist Satan, you surely will be overcome. {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.7}
Then let us not be content with being born again. There will be no dwarfs in the kingdom of God. We must also feed on heavenly milk that we may grow." {PTUK August 17, 1893, p. 316.8}
12. Christ, The Word and the Bread of Everlasting Life
E. J. Waggoner, Present Truth UK, December 1, 1892
"Christ is the Word. The Scriptures are from Him, and they are life. Their life is the life of God in Christ. Whosoever, therefore, eats them eats Christ. We eat them, by believing them, and allowing them to work their own righteousness in our life. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart; for I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16. {PTUK December 1, 1892, p. 370.11}
Now the question will rise, “How is it possible that we can by believing the words of Christ, receive righteousness and life?” That is the very question that the Jews asked. No man can tell. We can only know the fact. We cannot so much as tell how the bread that we eat at our tables can become a part of our life. We know that it does so, and that satisfies us. No man was ever yet so foolish as to refuse to eat his breakfast because he could not tell how it was going to give him renewed life. He has proved that it does, and that is enough. That daily food comes direct from Christ. It is He that giveth us all things to enjoy. And as men eat the bread that comes from Him, and are refreshed, so He wants them to eat of His own body, by means of His word, the bread of everlasting life, so their souls may be refreshed. This is the word that comes to us all: “O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” {PTUK December 1, 1892, p. 370.12}
13. The Latter Rain Message: the Dew and the Rain figures for the Word, the Grace and Righteousness of Christ
Deuteronomy 32, 2: My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:"
E.J. Waggoner, Signs of the Times, January 21, 1897
"The Lord often uses the figure of the dew and the rain to describe the nature of His word,—the word by which we are born again, and grow, and are sanctified. He says by Moses: “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as showers upon the grass.” Deuteronomy 32:2. “For as the rain cometh down... so shall My word be.” Isaiah 55:10, 11. {SITI January 21, 1897, p. 35.4}
It is a divinely appropriate simile. Faraday showed that there is stored in a dew drop sufficient electric force to rend a rock. Each drop of dew or rain is bringing life and power into vegetation; and thus the force that would shatter the rock, if pent up, is working itself out in perishing delicate tissues, and caring the water of life to all animate creation. {SITI January 21, 1897, p. 35.5}
So it is God’s word. “No word from God shall be void of power,” said the angel to Marry; and the Lord says, “Is not My word... like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” The power of the word is the almighty power of God. And there is in it the same combination of power and gentleness, carried to an infinite degree. All the power is for the faint and the weary, and the word comes as a still small voice to the soul. In the heart of the believer it becomes a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. It is everlasting strength, and everlasting consolation. {SITI January 21, 1897, p. 35.6}
This mingling of gentleness and strength that is in the word, reproduces itself in those who take the word in its fullness. “I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.” Hosea 14:5. The glory of the Lord is risen upon the believer, and he will reflect the beauty and the grace of Jesus’ character. In His meekness and humility, and Divine beauty of soul, He was “the Lily of the valley;” and to those who take Him He brings the same life that He lived. They are made partakers of the Divine nature. {SITI January 21, 1897, p. 35.7}
"The office of the Spirit is to lead into all truth, and therefore to pray for its outpouring means to yield ourselves without reserve to every commandment of God. If we do this, God will give us His Spirit without measure. It will not be given simply for our pleasure, but it is given that we may be witnesses to the Lord. The pouring out of the Spirit makes known the words of God, so that we may make known to the world those words of power. {PTUK January 11, 1894, p. 22.4}
14. My word, … IT [not you] shall accomplish that which I please...
A. T. Jones, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 20, 1898
“The word of God... effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13. To depend upon it to work in you that which is well pleasing in his sight—this is faith. To cultivate this dependence upon the word is to cultivate faith. And “the knowledge of what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of cultivating faith, is more essential than any other knowledge that can be acquired.” {ARSH December 20, 1898, p. 814.12}
And the Lord said, “So shall my word be.” As the earth of itself can do nothing, so you of yourself can do nothing. And as the moisture of rain and snow from heaven makes the earth bring forth, and bud, and produce fruit, so shall my word make you bring forth the fruit of righteousness to the glory of God. “My word.... IT shall accomplish that which I please.” {ARSH December 20, 1898, p. 814.7}
15. Redemption and Creation
E. J. Waggoner, The Gospel in Creation, pp. 15-17.
"Christ is Redeemer by virtue of His power as Creator. We read that “we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins,” because that “by Him were all things created.” If He were not Creator, He could not be Redeemer." {GOSC 15.1}
"This means simply that redemptive power and creative power are the same. To redeem is to create. When we consider the works of creation, and think of the power manifested in them, we are contemplating the power of redemption. "{GOSC 16.1}
"There has been a great deal of idle speculation as to which is the greater, redemption or creation. Many have thought that redemption is a greater work than creation. Such speculation is idle, because only infinite power could perform either work, and infinite power cannot be measured by human minds. But while we cannot measure the power, we can easily settle the question of which is the greater, because the Scriptures give us the information. Neither is greater than the other, for both are the same. Redemption is creation. Redemption is the same power that was put forth in the beginning to create the world and all that is in it, now put forth to save men and the earth from the curse of sin." {GOSC 16.2}
"The Scriptures are very clear on this point. The Psalmist prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.” The apostle says, that “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,” or a new creation. And again we read, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.” {GOSC 17.1}
Now the same power that in the beginning made the earth from nothing, takes man, if he is willing, and makes of him that which is “to the praise of the glory of His grace.” {GOSC 17.2}
"Having seen that Christ, the Word, is the Creator of all things, and that He redeems by His creative power, let us now learn what the Bible says as to how He created. Here is the answer: “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spake, and it was; He commanded, and it stood fast.” It is very simple, and most wonderful because of its very simplicity. Well may we all exclaim, “What a word is this!” {GOSC 17.3}
16. The Faith of the Centurion: "Speak the Word Only"
A.T Jones, American Sentinel, October 25, 1894
"True faith, the faith that is the gift of God, the faith of which Christ is the Author, the faith of which the word of God is the channel—this faith hears the word of God and depends upon the divine power of that word itself to accomplish the thing which that word says. For when the centurion came to Jesus asking that his servant should be healed, he said to the Lord, “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Thus he expected the word of the Lord itself to accomplish that which it said when the Lord should but speak the word. And this the Lord pronounced not only “faith” but “great faith:” even such as he had not found in Israel. And this, too, in the face of the fact that the Scripture, upon the knowledge of which Israel was greatly priding itself, had long before plainly stated this very thing, in these words: “As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.” Isaiah 55:10, 11. "{AMS October 25, 1894, p. 330.6}
"There is what Jesus pronounces faith. When we find what that is, we have found faith. To know what that is, is to know what faith is. There can be no sort of doubt about this; for Christ is “the Author... of faith,” and he says that that which the centurion manifested was “faith;” yes, even “great faith.” {ARSH December 6, 1898, p. 782.7}
A. T. Jones, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 6, 1898
Where, then, in this is the faith?—The centurion wanted a certain thing done. He wanted the Lord to do it. But when the Lord said, “I will come” and do it, the centurion checked him, saying, “Speak the word only,” and it shall be done. {ARSH December 6, 1898, p. 782.8}
Now, what did the centurion expect would do the work?—“The word ONLY.” Upon what did he depend for the healing of his servant?—Upon “the word ONLY.” {ARSH December 6, 1898, p. 782.9}
And the Lord Jesus says that that is faith. {ARSH December 6, 1898, p. 782.10}
Now, brother, sister, what is faith?" {ARSH December 6, 1898, p. 782.11}
17. Ellen White and the Message of Justification by Faith
Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 38, 38
“The sower soweth the word.” Christ came to sow the world with truth. Ever since the fall of man, Satan has been sowing the seeds of error. It was by a lie that he first gained control over men, and thus he still works to overthrow God’s kingdom in the earth and to bring men under his power. A sower from a higher world, Christ came to sow the seeds of truth. He who had stood in the councils of God, who had dwelt in the innermost sanctuary of the Eternal, could bring to men the pure principles of truth. Ever since the fall of man, Christ had been the Revealer of truth to the world. By Him the incorruptible seed, “the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever,” is communicated to men. 1 Peter 1:23. In that first promise spoken to our fallen race in Eden, Christ was sowing the gospel seed. But it is to His personal ministry among men and to the work which He thus established that the parable of the sower especially applies. {COL 37.1}
The word of God is the seed. Every seed has in itself a germinating principle. In it the life of the plant is enfolded. So there is life in God’s word. Christ says, “The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63. “He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life.” John 5:24. In every command and in every promise of the word of God is the power, the very life of God, by which the command may be fulfilled and the promise realized.
HE WHO BY FAITH RECEIVES THE WORD IS RECEIVING THE VERY LIFE AND CHARACTER OF GOD. {COL 38.1}
Every seed brings forth fruit after its kind. Sow the seed under right conditions, and it will develop its own life in the plant. Receive into the soul by faith the incorruptible seed of the word, and it will bring forth a character and a life after the similitude of the character and the life of God. " {COL 38.2}
Desire of Ages, p. 175
"Those who had been bitten by the serpents might have delayed to look. They might have questioned how there could be efficacy in that brazen symbol. They might have demanded a scientific explanation. But no explanation was given. They must accept the word of God to them through Moses. To refuse to look was to perish. {DA 175.1}
Not through controversy and discussion is the soul enlightened. We must look and live. Nicodemus received the lesson, and carried it with him. He searched the Scriptures in a new way, not for the discussion of a theory, but in order to receive life for the soul. He began to see the kingdom of heaven as he submitted himself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. {DA 175.2}
Like Nicodemus, we must be willing to enter into life in the same way as the chief of sinners. Than Christ, “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Through faith we receive the grace of God; but faith is not our Saviour. It earns nothing. It is the hand by which we lay hold upon Christ, and appropriate His merits, the remedy for sin. And we cannot even repent without the aid of the Spirit of God. The Scripture says of Christ, “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31. Repentance comes from Christ as truly as does pardon. {DA 175.4}
How, then, are we to be saved? “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,” so the Son of man has been lifted up, and everyone who has been deceived and bitten by the serpent may look and live. “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29. The light shining from the cross reveals the love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist this drawing, we shall be led to the foot of the cross in repentance for the sins that have crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit of God through faith produces a new life in the soul. The thoughts and desires are brought into obedience to the will of Christ. The heart, the mind, are created anew in the image of Him who works in us to subdue all things to Himself. Then the law of God is written in the mind and heart, and we can say with Christ, “I delight to do Thy will, O my God.” Psalm 40:8. {DA 175.5}
18. Faith in Practical Application
A. T. Jones, Medical Missionary, November 1903
"You know of some failing in your life that you have been trying to overcome, but you have failed, and you have almost despaired, and do not know what to do. Read in the Bible till you find the word of God that speaks to you on that subject,—and you will find that word speaking to you on that subject,—and there is your deliverance; for that word spoken, produces in you that divine power which delivers you from that failing. That is the perfection of the Bible. The Bible is human experience written out, and there is not a single experience of man that is not written out in the Bible. You should study the Bible from beginning to end, and then, if you find something in your life that comes short, the Word of God will bring it out, and that very word will deliver you. There is the word of God spoken, and there is new life created by divine power, and you have victory over that besetment. That is the power of God through Christ, and thus we are created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works." {MEDM November 1903, p. 273.3}
19. The original SDA 1888 message on Justification by Faith vs the Protestant/Ecumenical version of Righteousness by Faith: Counterfeit always lacks the word!
E. J. Waggoner, Present Truth UK, July 26, 1894
"People seem to think that faith is fancy. As soon as you speak about the power of God’s word in them that believe, they think that you have unsettled everything. They have an idea that it is your faith that gives the efficiency to the word, and that anything else would do as well if one would only exercise his imagination. Let them try their imagination on a loaf of sand formed so as to resemble bread made from flour. All the imagination in the world will not give a man an ounce of strength from such a loaf. The more he eats, the worse off he is. But his imagination is not faith.
Faith lays hold of substance. Faith grasps realities. Faith does not clothe a worthless thing with an imaginary value, but appropriates the value that actually exist in its object." {PTUK July 26, 1894, p. 465.6}
"Faith is composed of two elements,—belief, and the word of God. Counterfeit faith has only one of these elements; it always lacks the word. It rests upon something else,—some feeling, or impression, or hope, or desire, or process of reasoning, or upon the word of some man." {PTUK March 8, 1894, p. 148.4}
Example Nr. 1 of Counterfeit Faith: Angels!
"Now, what did the centurion expect would do the work?—“The word ONLY.” Upon what did he depend for the healing of his servant?—Upon “the word ONLY. "{ARSH December 6, 1898, p. 782.9}
Example Nr. 2 Counterfeit Faith/ Justification by Faith similar to the understanding of the Sunday Churches: Only believe in Jesus, no mention of an active living faith by the Word of God.
Example Nr. 3 Counterfeit Justification by Faith with an Adventist veneer (heavily focused on Spirit of Prophecy with little emphasis on the message itself as it has been revealed through the Lord's messengers, A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner : Christ 's Righteousness comes to us by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is the Life of Christ. There is no mention anywhere throughout the 2 parts of this presentation that the way we receive the indwelling of life of Christ is through the Indwelling Word, as we have seen published in the July 1890 article of the Signs of the Times!
"We cannot separate the righteousness of Christ from Christ himself. Therefore in order for men to get the righteousness of Christ, they must have the life of Christ. So the free gift comes upon all men who are justified by the life of Christ. Justification is life.
It is the life of Christ. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous.” These are simple and positive statements. No good can come to man by questioning them. He only reaps barrenness to his soul. Let us accept them and believe them. {GCDB March 17, 1891, p. 138.1}
Then comes the question, how can this be? .... By those “exceeding great and precious promises,” (WORD) we take the divine life into us. The life we live is the life of the Son of God. He died for us, and loved us with a love that we cannot fathom. The righteousness that we have is his. THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT. He lets us get all the benefit of that obedience, because we have shown our intense desire for obedience. That is why he gives it to us. {GCDB March 17, 1891, p. 138.7}
When you go to God, take these Scriptures on your lips: “We shall be saved by his life.” “By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Take them to God in prayer. They are true, for the Lord himself has said so. How can these blessings be obtained? By faith! Take it by faith, and it is yours, and no one can take it from you. Then you will have it, although you do not understand how it can be done. When you have it, you have life. What life? The divine life. Then when you come up to the time of temptation, the time when you have usually fallen, you can tell Satan that he has no power to make you fall beneath that temptation, for it is not you, but Christ that dwelleth in you. {GCDB March 17, 1891, p. 138.8}
20. Conclusion. Justification by Faith Alone: How does it work?
- Justification by faith alone can only work through and active reliance on God's power which is found in the Word.
- It is impossible to separate Christ, the Living Word from His Written Word which is the Mind of Christ as found in the Bible just as it is impossible to separate the life of Christ from the Word of life!
- The Words of Christ are Spirit and Truth, the power of the Spirit dwells in the Word and Christ himself dwells in the Word. We can not understand the mystery of incarnation any more then we can understand the mystery of inspiration, for both are the same.
- Be aware of preachers who are teaching that all you need is the Living Word to be saved without the Written Word!
- Anyone who is trying to preach the message of justification by faith without establishing the Word as it's firm foundation is teaching a counterfeit of the truth and downgrading the message of justification by faith to the level of nominal/ ecumenical Protestantism.
- The foundations of the original message of justification by faith have been firmly established by the messengers of the Lord on the Word of God.
- Indwelling Word ministies stands for the original, pure understanding of this message, the name Indwelling Word has been inspired from the title of an article written by E. J. Waggoner and published in the Signs of the Times, July 14, 1890.
- The original periodical containing the article does not exist on the Adventist Archives, only the previous number, this suggests that there is a suppression of this truth by the Adventist Church and any ministry who is ignoring it/ does not teach it have to be a part of this suppression as well!
- The Indwelling Word understanding does away with the catholic trinity doctrine, "The Holy Spirit works through the Word" which is Christ himself, not a third district individual.
- If the Indwelling of the Spirit and Word are not the Indwelling of Christ himself, we have 2 conflicts: a) there are 2 persons abiding with us instead of one and b) two sources of righteousness, one coming from Christ himself (true righteousness) and the other one from the 3rd person of the Godhead (false righteousness).
- How do we get the Righteousness of Christ?
"In order for men to get the righteousness of Christ, they must have the life of Christ. Then comes the question, how can this be? .... By those “exceeding great and precious promises,” (WORD) we take the divine life into us." E. J. Waggoner