The Seventh-day Adventist Church is repeating the history of the church in Galatia. Our divine commission is to proclaim the “third angel’s message in verity” to the world. The first chapter of Galatians contains this message. There are counterfeit ‘gospels’ that are vying for first-place and we need the Apostle Paul’s help.
The Apostle was sent from God and his words are the commandments of God (John 3:34). He tells us that there is only one true gospel, and he sets forth its genuineness at the outset. “The everlasting gospel” (first angel, Rev. 14:6) is “grace” and “peace.”
Strictly speaking, we are saved by God’s grace alone (Eph. 2:8). Christ has been given to every man (Eph. 4:7; John 1:9). If a rich man gives you a check for $1000 and you do not cash it, what have you lost?
Christ has given every man and the forgiveness of sins and the peace of reconciliation with God. He “gave Himself for our sins” (Gal. 1:4). Does it make any difference what we believe about what Christ accomplished at the cross? Has “the Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people” in these last days that honors and glorifies Christ in His sacrifice? (See Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 91.) Is He indeed “the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42) or does He merely offer to be? Are all men actually infinitely and eternally in debt to Him for even their next breath? Why can the Father send His rain and sunshine on “all men,” “the just and the unjust,” unless Christ has actually accomplished something for them all and has given them the gift?
He went to hell. He died a death in which He could not see the resurrection coming up. He poured out His soul unto death says Isaiah 53:12. There was nothing left to pour out. The last drop was drained. He emptied Himself for us. How amazing is Christ’s grace? The woman to whom Christ spoke the words, “Your sins are forgiven,” cashed the check. She received the at-one-ment with God as Christ said to her, “Go in peace” (Luke 7:48, 50).
The first angel’s message announcing the everlasting gospel has as its burden, “Fear God, and give Him glory” (Rev. 14:7). Here the Apostle Paul in Galatians ascribes the glory to God by setting forth the everlasting gospel (Gal. 1:5).
But here is a bewildering, inconsistent situation, when the genuine gospel is to be proclaimed to the world, there are counterfeits—‘other gospels’ which are not gospels nor are they good news. Their source is a fallen “angel from heaven” (Gal. 1:8). “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light ... his ministers ... transformed as the ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:14, 15). These counterfeit ‘gospels’ are the reason “Babylon is fallen” (second angel, Rev. 14:8). These “ministers” “pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:7) because the gospel of self-love “please[s] men” (vs. 10). It is based on nothing but the theories of men and is designed to attract followers to men.
There are six ‘gospels’ within the Seventh-day Adventist Church:
1. Historic Adventists are “obey and live, disobey and die.” Strictly old covenant faith motivated by self-love in fear of hell and hope of reward in heaven. It was historic Adventists who rejected the 1888 message at Minneapolis.
2. Social Gospel—humanitarianism. They want to forget about the theological squabbles regarding righteousness by faith. Just feed the world and fight for social justice.
3. Evangelical Adventists/Arminian gospel—justification by faith is