Gospel
Truth #9
The Bible so clearly teaches
that righteousness is by faith. Therefore the only element that God's
people need in order to prepare for the second coming of Christ is genuine
faith. The message the world needs to hear is the truth of
righteousness by faith in the light of the cleansing of the
sanctuary—"the third angel's message in verity." Faith is
understood in its true biblical sense—a heart appreciation of the agape
of Christ.
What
the Bible Says
A.T.
Jones
E.G.
White
Gospel
Truth Index |
Waggoner
Taught . . .
"The argument,
concisely stated, is this: 1. Faith in God is begotten by a knowledge of
His power [agape]; to distrust Him implies ignorance of His ability
to perform His promises; our faith in Him must be in proportion to our
real knowledge of His power. 2. An intelligent contemplation of God's
creation gives us a true conception of His power; for His eternal power
and Godhead are understood by the things which He has made. 3. It is faith
that gives victory (1
John 5:4); therefore, since faith comes by learning the power of God,
from His word and from the things that He has made, we gain the victory,
or triumph through the works of His hands. The Sabbath, therefore, which
is the memorial of creation, is, if properly observed, a source of the
Christian's greatest re-inforcement in battle" (Christ and His
Righteousness, pp. 36, 37).
"Surely all doubt as to
acceptance with God ought to be set at rest. But it is not. The evil heart
of unbelief still suggests doubts. 'I believe all this, but—.' There,
stop right there; if you believed you wouldn't say 'but.' When people add
'but' to the statement that they believe, they really mean, 'I believe,
but I don't believe.' But you continue: 'Perhaps you are right, but hear
me out. What I was going to say is, I believe the Scripture statements
that you have quoted, but the Bible says that if we are children of God we
shall have the witness of the Spirit, and will have the witness in
ourselves; and I don't feel any such witness, therefore I can't believe
that I am Christ's. I believe His word, but I haven't the witness.' . . .
"Now as to your believing
His words, yet doubting if He accepts you, because you don't feel the
witness in your heart, I still insist that you don't believe" (ibid.,
pp. 74, 75). (How Jones Understood
this Truth) |