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.
Waggoner Taught . . .
"The argument, concisely stated, is this:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)