THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM

E. J. WAGGONER.

Review and Herald - 3/14/1899

Many speak, teach and firmly believe in the idea of the theme: “in Christ.” This is well and good, but it represents only part of the truth - one facet of the gospel. The complete gospel is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

We understand that the main theme of the 1888 General Conference, what was presented by the Lords messengers - Elder Waggoner and Jones - was righteousness by faith. However, what is not pointed out is that it is righteousness by faith because of Christ being in the believer - He is our righteousness.

"Salvation is not a theoretical salvation from some possible future evil, but a present salvation from a present and very real trouble.

Now the Sabbath was given as the sign of a perfect creation completed; therefore it is the sign of those perfect works restored by the cross of Christ. 

As disbelief of the story of creation hides the beginnings of this world, so disbelief of the story of the flood hides the view of the end, for the days of Noah are referred to by the Saviour as a parallel to the days of the coming of the Son of man.

As God inhabits eternity, so that all time is present with Him, so all His promises and blessings for men are in the present tense. 

AS God inhabits eternity, so that all time is present with Him, so all His promises and blessings for men are in the present tense. There can be no future or past time to Him. This makes Him “a very present help in trouble,” for we can live only in the present. 

In all this it has been shown over and over that the Gentile meets Christ in the field of the Gentile, and not in the field of the Jew. It is also demonstrated over and over that the Jew meets Christ not in the field of the Jew, but also in the field of the Gentile; exactly where the Gentile meets him, where Abraham met him, and where all, alike, and forever, must meet him—in the glorious field of “the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” A. T. Jones

Therefore, my brethren, justification by faith forever, without any works of any law of any kind whatever, —this is the only ground of hope of salvation.  A. T. Jones

At times it is useful to review some of the best articles posted to date.  There are yet hundreds of pages to go, but as of today I have chosen 4 articles that have made a difference in my life.  Daniel Peters