The Deceptive Nuances of the Grace Plus Nothing Theology Being Touted by New Movement Adventism

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What follows is an Internet dialog between a proponent of the grace plus nothing theory being taught by New Movement Adventism, and Ron Beaulieu. Karl Wagner is the proponent in this case. But let the reader keep in mind that I, Ron Beaulieu, fully believe that we are saved by grace plus nothing IF ALL THE MERITS OF GRACE are discerned and received. We will explore ALL those merits in this study. Mainstream Christianity interprets grace as PARDON only. We will see if this follows true.

Karl adamantly maintains that justification is IMPUTED PARDON ONLY, and no IMPARTATION of grace is involved. This works counter to James of Scripture saying that we are justified by faith and works.

When Paul says that we are saved by grace alone, and that not of works, it is grace alone, we must take great care in deciphering precisely all that grace implies. When this is done, one can only conclude that Paul meant works of one's own that are not grace empowered. As Karl correctly states, a proof-text without a context is a pretext. His "proof-text" without proper context is Eph. 2:8:

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

So what is the full context of this grace whereby we are saved? What are ALL of its provisions?

Rom 4:16 Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Paul was teaching it is not ONLY which is of the law (not works of law-keeping ONLY), but the faith of Abraham ALSO. Here Paul agrees with James:

Rom 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works (ONLY) he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God.

Abraham was not justified by works ONLY. He was justified by faith ALSO, and empowered works which proved his faith. Jam 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Jam 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out another way? Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law (ONLY), but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law (ONLY--ESPECIALLY ONE'S OWN WORKS NOT EMPOWERED BY THE GRACE OF CHRIST) shall no flesh be justified.

Paul wrote Galatians. Does he contradict the above verse by the following one?:

Hbr 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

The answer is no! He contradicts himself only to those who wrongly interpret Gal. 2:16, and that includes Karl Wagner, New Movement Adventism, and all of fallen, mainstream, professing Christianity.

Jam 2:24 Ye see then how that by (GRACE EMPOWERED) works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Faith by and of itself is no virtue because faith without works is dead faith. Satan has faith--he and his servants believe.

To the degree the 1888 message differs from the above texts in their context, that message is false. But it does not so differ. It is wrongly interpreted by half-truth gracers.

If Ellen White or anyone else makes statement(s) which seem to imply any contradiction of the above context of faith, works and grace, then we must abide by Scripture. However, Ellen White's statements, if interpreted so that none contradict, fully support the above texts of Scripture and their correct context, and those Scriptures fully support Ellen White in her following stand on these issues. Notice:

"We are saved through the merit of the blood of Christ, but Christ's righteousness does not cover the sin of transgressing God's law, without repentance. We must do all in our power to keep the commandments of God, and then he will impute unto us his righteousness, because we believe in Christ and seek to obey the divine law. This is the reason that Christ came to this world, that he might bring his righteousness to man, that man might lay hold of his strength, and make peace with God. God accepts the efforts of man to keep the law, because Christ imputes his righteousness to him. We could not keep the law in our own strength.{ST, September 23, 1889 par. 7).

Did Ellen White Change Her Mind About Law Keeping in 1888?

Notice the date of her statement above--September 23, 1889. Does that statement sound like the 1888 message included IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS ALONE? If "We must do all in our power to keep the commandments of God, and then he will impute unto us his righteousness, because we believe in Christ and seek to obey the divine law," then it is understood that if we do not do all in our power to keep the commandments of God, He will not impute unto us his righteousness. Ellen White says that because we believe (have faith) in Christ and seek to obey the divine law, we are THEN justified by his imputed righteousness. That is precisely the way it worked with Abraham, the father of the faithful. He believed God and because of his faith, he sought to obey God in offering up his only son Isaac. This was imputed unto him for righteousness. Notice:

Jam 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

So Ellen White's statement is not heretical. She is following James 2:23 to the word. If Abraham had refused to believe and obey God, would righteousness have been imputed unto him? Would he have been called the friend of God and the father of the faithful? Not on your eternal life! So what did Abraham do? He exercised faith and obeyed God's command to him. Then he was justified by faith and the work of obedience. As Paul says in Hebrews, God is the author of salvation unto all who obey Him. Abraham obeyed and his obedience was a condition to his justification or having righteousness imputed unto him.

So Karl Wagner's conclusion that the 1888 message of Righteousness by Faith was one of the IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST ONLY, is false. Abraham's faith was first IMPARTED, AND HIS OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMAND WAS REQUISITE TO CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS BEING IMPUTED UNTO HIM. So as Paul and James both taught, we are saved (justified) by faith and works. Paul's statement that we are justified without works of the law is misinterpreted. I repeat for important emphasis:

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law (ONLY), but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law (ONLY): for by the works of the law (ONLY--ESPECIALLY ONE'S OWN WORKS NOT EMPOWERED BY THE GRACE OF CHRIST) shall no flesh be justified.

This is the only way Paul, in Gal. 2:16, can be interpreted without being made to contradict himself! So Paul, James and Ellen White all concur! Surprise! Surprise! But not to those who rightly interpret the Word of God.

"No one can believe with the heart unto righteousness, and obtain justification by faith, while continuing the practice of those things which the Word of God forbids, or while neglecting any known duty....As God works in the heart, and man surrenders his will to God, and co-operates with God, he works out in the life what God WORKS IN by the Holy Spirit, and there is harmony between the purpose of the heart and the practice of the life. Every sin must be renounced as the hateful thing that crucified the Lord of life and glory....It is by continual surrender of the will, by continual obedience, that the blessing of justification is retained." E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 1, pp. 396-397.

Did Ellen White grow beyond her above statement? If she did, she "grew" above and beyond the Scripture's and their context that I provide above. But it is the strong belief of this writer that she never so "grew!"

Karl Wagner, Desmond Ford, and LeRoy Froom have done as many New Movement SDA's have done. They have taken a few E.G. White statements out of context with all she has said on faith and works, as well as the human nature of Christ, and perverted them to mean what their New Theology apostasy teaches. Karl does that within the confines of this study.

Also, Karl speaks of the New Movement as a favorable thing, when Ellen White said that it would remove God. This is how the New Movement advocates work to deceive.

Can Karl dispute these Scriptural and Spirit of Prophecy facts? Nay! He will just resort to the ad hominen style of attack by calling it all "a train wreck," his favorite expression against this truth. But his theology is the greatest lie since satan's lie to Eve.

Cheap grace and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans teaches that you can be justified and saved in sin without any effort FIRST to obey God, and that commandment-keeping has no relation to being justified or being saved which is what justified means. At the very LEAST, true repentance is the first EFFORT on our part to obey God, and be justified. Repentance that is not predicated upon IMPARTED faith and love is worth nothing. Faith and love will result in genuine repentance that makes great effort to turn away from sin. Then, and then only, those efforts of obedience are covered by the righteousness of Christ. Christ's robe of righteousness is not a cloak for sin. This is why God says if ye love me ye will keep my commandments. Is obedience the fruit of being justified? Nay! Justification is the result of obeying God--the proof of true faith and love which must be IMPARTED first to the believer.

Faith Must be IMPARTED before Justification Occurs

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt (GIVEN--IMPARTED) to every man the measure of faith.

If faith or belief was all that is required for being saved (justification), then Satan and his host would be saved, for Scripture says they believe. But repentance (true sorrow for sin resulting in obedience) is a requisite.

By His grace, a measure of faith is given or imparted to all men. Some men receive and exercise this faith. They prove their faith by their grace empowered works, for you see, grace is also provided for obedience:

Rom 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

The great problem associated with all of this issue of faith and works is that most professing Christians want pardon (salvation) without the gift of grace for obedience. Mainstream Christianity interprets grace as PARDON ONLY. We have seen that grace provides FAITH, WORKS OF REPENTANCE--OBEDIENCE. This is the crux of the born again experience. But as some of us realize, the foolish-virgin believers in faith ALONE without proving WORKS, are buried and come up alive at baptism. They have not died to self. They have not appropriated all the gifts of grace, but limit it to IMPUTED PARDON ONLY. That is how all the gifts of grace are turned into lasciviousness and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which God especially hates, according to Revelation, chapters 2 and 3.

We know that Paul was teaching a people who were deceived that commandment-keeping on their own steam believed they were saved by that device. Nothing could be further from the truth. Some early Seventh-day Adventists were deceived by that very error. They did not realize that they must receive all the merits of grace which include righteousness by faith and works manifested by the power of Christ's grace to transform the character.

Ellen White taught that the notion that we are saved (justified) by belief (faith without works) is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which God especially hates:

Doctrine of the Nicolaitans.--The doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has made the law of God of no effect; that by 'believing' we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned." E.G. White, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 957.

There is a variation on the theme of the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which is being taught by Karl Wagner and New Movement Adventists. They say that law keeping will be the fruit of being saved, but is not necessary to be saved or justified. Was law keeping required of Adam and Eve for eternal salvation? Was their obedience a condition to eternal life without experiencing death? Was Abraham's obedience in offering up Isaac, a condition to his being justified? Are there conditions to our being justified? Is repentance one of them? Did John the Baptist, the greatest prophet, say: Repent and be baptized? Do both repentance and baptism symbolize death to sin and raising to a new life and character with Christ's Divine Nature and Mind living in the heart of the born again Christian?

"(Jude 4).--The Sin of the Nicolaitans.--Is it [our sin] the sin of the Nicolaitans, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness." E.G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 957.

Does believing that one is saved by belief (faith) ONLY, turn all the merits of grace into lasciviousness? Gnostic--Gnosticism:

"The earliest extra-Biblical Christian writer to mention this party is Irenaeus (c. A.D. 185), who identifies the Nicolaitans as a Gnostic sect...
There is evidence also of a Gnostic sect in the 3d cent. A.D. bearing the name 'Nicolaitans.'
"...The doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of antinomianism (see SDACom 7:957). Nicolaitans of the 2d cent. seem to have continued and extended the views of the 1st-cent. adherents, holding to the freedom of the flesh, and teaching that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no relation to salvation." SDA Bible Dictionary, vol. 8 of the Commentaries, p. 770, 771. Teaching that one is justified (saved) by grace as pardon ALONE, without the deeds of the flesh empowered by the Holy Spirit, is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

Now my dialog with Karl Wagner:

Karl,

It was my understanding that Butler and Smith thought that a belief in imputed righteousness would take away from what they considered the necessity of commandment keeping. That was their great fear as I read the 1888 materials.

Now, let's examine the quote you provided, for it says everything I have been trying to say to you for over a year now! Thank you for posting it, and I am sure Paulson would thank you also! This is a keeper! It makes an absolute "train wreck" of your grace plus nothing theory!

Faith the Condition of Promise

Without the grace of Christ, the sinner is in a hopeless
condition; nothing can be done for him; but through divine grace,
supernatural power is imparted to the man and works in mind and heart and character. It is through the impartation of the grace of Christ that sin is discerned in its hateful nature and finally driven from the soul temple. It is through grace that we are brought into fellowship with Christ, to be associated with Him in the work of salvation. Faith is the condition upon which God has seen fit to promise pardon to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited, but

101
because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy
provided for sin. Faith can present Christ's perfect obedience
instead of the sinner's transgression and defection. When the sinner
believes that Christ is his personal Saviour, then according to His
unfailing promises, God pardons his sin and justifies him freely.
The repentant soul realizes that his justification comes because
Christ, as his Substitute and Surety, has died for him, is his
atonement and righteousness. " {FW 100.3}

What is the essence of the above statement?

Grace is necessary. But where is grace plus nothing implied?

Through divine grace, supernatural power is imparted to the man and works in mind and heart and character. I have argued with you and Jim Ayars, that grace involves IMPARTED POWER for obedience, Romans 1:5.

"...through the impartation of the grace of Christ that sin is discerned in its hateful nature and finally driven from the soul temple.

Karl says justification is all IMPUTED ONLY! Notice that grace is IMPARTED that sin might be discerned in its hateful nature and finally driven from the soul temple. And Karl believes and teaches that sin cannot FINALLY be driven from the soul temple this side of glorification!

How can one discern sin in its hateful nature and repent to be justified without first receiving the IMPARTED grace to discern the sin? How could one even believe without IMPARTED faith, which, according to Scripture, a measure of which is given to all men? This is why I wanted you to take my "train wreck" Karl, and deal with it point by point. If you had obliged, you would be trapped by your own rhetoric of saying that justification is IMPUTED ONLY, without any IMPARTATION OF GRACE.

"It is through grace that we are brought into fellowship with Christ, to be associated with Him in the work of salvation."

Faith is the condition upon which God has seen fit to
promise pardon to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited, but
101
because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy
provided for sin."

Abraham's faith in making his choice to obey God was imputed unto him for righteousness. If faith is a condition, and if the condition is met, it is imputed for righteousness, I would say it is important and with merit, not because we are good, but because we choose to accept the gift of faith. Some choose to receive the wooing of the Holy Spirit. That choice is imputed unto them for righteousness. That is part of righteousness by faith which leads to the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, by having our right choice imputed to us as righteousness, even though the power is not ours. We are accounted righteous because of choosing His empowerment.

"When the sinner believes (implements IMPARTED FAITH) that Christ is his personal Saviour, then according to His
unfailing promises, God pardons his sin and justifies him freely.
The repentant soul realizes that his justification comes because Christ, as his Substitute and Surety, has died for him, is his
atonement and righteousness."

Proof that the repentant soul realizes that his justification comes because Christ, as his Substitute and Surety, had died for him, is his repentance, which is a turning away from sin, and this substantiates James words of Scripture that we are justified by faith and works, the works proving our faith, as Abraham's works proved his faith as genuine. This involves more than mere lip service "belief." It involves action based on belief--the action of genuine repentance.

So now we have another CONDITION for justification--REPENTANCE. So, as I have said many times, IMPARTED FAITH AND REPENTANCE must at least ACCOMPANY IMPUTED JUSTIFICATION, because they are conditions for justification.

What has your argument changed Karl? Nothing. Your statement by Ellen White proves that there is more involved in justification and grace than ONLY IMPUTED GRACE. She clearly says that grace is IMPARTED to implement the CONDITIONS faith and repentance. That is precisely what I have been trying to say! You just fail to see the qualifying phrases in the very E.G. White statements you quote! But thank you for quoting them anyway! They prove my points.

Ron

----- Original Message -----

From: Karl

To: SDAIssues@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 10:55 PM

Subject: [SDAIssues] Re: 1888 Message

Ron, Butler and Smith never believed that self generated works could justify anyone. Show me where they believed that they on their own without the power of the Holy Spirit could generate acceptable works. You have to force this meaning into what they say just like you and Paulson force it into the scripture. You begin with a presupposition and then force the text to mean what you want it to mean. A proof-text without a context is a pretext. Again, you take repentance (and faith) and make them mean works, of the order of which they are not. These are God's works/gifts to bring one to salvation...these are not the life re-creating power which accompanies salvation and makes one a new creature. In fact, they have no merit on their own. " Faith the Condition of Promise Without the grace of Christ, the sinner is in a hopeless condition; nothing can be done for him; but through divine grace, supernatural power is imparted to the man and works in mind and heart and character. It is through the impartation of the grace of Christ that sin is discerned in its hateful nature and finally driven from the soul temple. It is through grace that we are brought into fellowship with Christ, to be associated with Him in the work of salvation. Faith is the condition upon which God has seen fit to promise pardon to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited, but 101 because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for sin. Faith can present Christ's perfect obedience instead of the sinner's transgression and defection. When the sinner believes that Christ is his personal Saviour, then according to His unfailing promises, God pardons his sin and justifies him freely. The repentant soul realizes that his justification comes because Christ, as his Substitute and Surety, has died for him, is his atonement and righteousness. " {FW 100.3} Karl -- In SDAIssues@yahoogroups.com, "Ron Beaulieu" <rsbeauli@t...> wrote: > Forum, > > Penitence comes before justification. Notice: > > "Christ pardons none but the penitent, but whom He pardons He first makes penitent. The provision made is complete, and the eternal righteousness of Christ is placed to the account of every believing soul" (1SM 393-394). > > Penitence is repentance and true repentance is a turning away from- -a ceasing from known sin. > > Ellen White is well padded by Scripture in making the above statement. Paul says that God is the author of salvation unto all who obey. James says that we are saved (justified) by faith and works. > > Ellen White supported the 1888 message. She was against Smith and Butler who believed in self-generated works in order to be justified (saved). She NEVER taught that justification was IMPUTED ONLY. If she did, your church has a self-contradicting false prophet as its founder, and you should seek some other church. There may be some of her statements which seem to imply that one is justified (saved) by the IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST ALONE, but one must take all her statements on any given issue and interpret so that none contradict. The most balanced statement by Ellen White on Righteousness by Faith is: > > The atonement of Christ is not a mere skillful way to have our sins pardoned (justification); it is a divine remedy for the cure of transgression and the restoration of spiritual health (sanctification). It is the heaven-ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may be not only upon us, but in our hearts and CHARACTERS.--Ellen White, Letter 406, 1906. SDA Bible Commentary, vol, 7a, p. 668. > > "The unconditional pardon of sin never has been, and never will be" (PP 522). Elsewhere she writes that "pardon and justification are one and the same thing" (6BC 1070). This would completely rule out any unconditional justification occurring for everyone at the cross. > The following statements also make it clear what conditions are necessary for justification to occur: > > "God requires the entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take place" (1SM 366). > > "Sinners can be justified by God only when He pardons their sins, remits the punishment they deserve, and treats them as though they were really just and had not sinned, receiving them into divine favor and treating them as if they were righteous" (3SM 194). > > "Each one has a personal battle to fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless we become co- workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory." {MH 487.2} > > "When through repentance and faith we accept Christ as our Saviour, the Lord pardons our sins, and remits the penalty prescribed for the transgression of the law" (3SM 191). The theory that the "most precious message," delivered to the church in 1888 through Jones and Waggoner, was this message of universal, unconditional justification at Calvary, is flatly contradicted by the inspired evidence. Ellen White never endorsed such a theology, nor does the Bible. > > "No one can believe with the heart unto righteousness, and obtain justification by faith, while continuing the practice of those things which the Word of God forbids, or while neglecting any known duty....As God works in the heart, and man surrenders his will to God, and co-operates with God, he works out in the life what God WORKS IN by the Holy Spirit, and there is harmony between the purpose of the heart and the practice of the life. Every sin must be renounced as the hateful thing that crucified the Lord of life and glory....It is by continual surrender of the will, by continual obedience, that the blessing of justification is retained." E.G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 1, pp. 396-397. > > "The atonement of Christ is not a mere skillful way to have our sins pardoned (justification); it is a divine remedy for the cure of transgression and the restoration of spiritual health (sanctification). It is the heaven-ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may be not only upon us, but in our hearts and CHARACTERS.--Ellen White, Letter 406, 1906. SDA Bible Commentary, vol, 7a, p. 668.

Ron,
Paulson is teaching the same thing concerning Salvation that Butler
and Smith taught when they reacted against Waggoner and Jones. As
for changes, Butler did a better job of it then Smith. Smith seemed
to make changes, but the reality was, he never changed. He died
believing just what he believed when he was railing against the
messengers of God in 1888.
The pastor who invited him announced him as being "cutting-edge." I
about fell off my seat! Cutting Edge!!!?!!! More like retro!!!
Paulson is taking backwards, not forward.
The very fact that you refer to me as "new movement" gives me the
assurance that I'm preaching the correct gospel. You say, " Paulson
interprets the 1888 message the way Ellen White and I do--that we
can overcome anything by proper faith in and love for Christ." That
was not the message of the uplifted merits of Christ that the church
needed. The message was the imputed righteousness of Christ.

STATEMENTS FROM EGW IN CONTEXT WITH 1888

" I want to say a few words to you, to tell you some things which
burden my heart. You are represented to me as not walking and
working in the light as you think you are doing. Again and again has
the Lord presented before me the Minneapolis meeting. The
developments there are but dimly seen by some, and the same fog
which enveloped their minds on that occasion has not been dispelled
by the bright beams of the Sun of righteousness. Notwithstanding the
evidences of the power of God which attended the truth which was
shining forth at that meeting, there were those who did not
comprehend it. In the blessings that have since accompanied the
presentation of the truth, justification by faith and the imputed
righteousness of Christ, they have not discerned increased evidence
from God as to where and how he is and has been working." {1888
1136.2}
"Those who, since the Minneapolis meeting, have had the privilege of
listening to the words spoken by the messengers of God, Elder A.T.
Jones, Prof. Prescott, Brn. E. J. Waggoner, O. A. Olsen, and many
others, at the campmeetings and ministerial institutes, have had the
invitation, Come, for all things are now ready. Come to the supper
prepared for you." Light, heaven's light, has been shining. The
trumpet has given a certain sound. Those who have made their various
excuses for neglecting to respond to the call, have lost much.
The light has been shining upon justification by faith and the
imputed righteousness of Christ. Those who receive and act in the
light given, will, in their teachings, give evidence that the
message of Christ crucified, a risen Saviour ascended into the
heavens to be our advocate, is the wisdom and power of God in the
conversion of souls, bringing them back to their loyalty to Christ.
These are our themes,--Christ crucified for our sins, Christ risen
from the dead, Christ our intercessor before God; and closely
connected with these is the office-work of the Holy Spirit, the
representative of Christ, sent forth with divine power and gifts for
men." {1888 1455.2}
"Many are cavilling over the truth brought to them by humble
messengers. They question, How can this message be truth? How is it
possible that by looking to Jesus and believing in his imputed
righteousness, I may gain eternal life? Those who have thus refused
to see the truth do not realize that it is God with whom they are in
controversy, that in refusing the message sent them, they are
refusing Christ." {1888 1688.1}

MORE STATEMENTS ABOUT IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS...

" The point that has been urged upon my mind for years is the
imputed righteousness of Christ. I have wondered that this matter
was not made the subject of discourses in our churches throughout
the land, when the matter has been kept so constantly urged upon me,
and I have made it the subject of nearly every discourse and talk
that I have given to the people." {FW 18.1}
"And what is it to believe? It is to fully accept that Jesus Christ
died as our sacrifice; that He became the curse for us, took our
sins upon Himself, and imputed unto us His own righteousness.
Therefore we claim this righteousness of Christ, we believe it, and
it is our righteousness. He is our Saviour. He saves us because He
said He would. Are we going to go into all the explanations as to
how He can save us? Do we have the goodness in ourselves that will
make us better and cleanse us from the spots and stains of sin,
enabling us then to come to God? We simply cannot do it." {FW 70.2}
"It is the righteousness of Christ that makes the penitent sinner
acceptable to God and works his justification. However sinful has
been his life, if he believes in Jesus as his personal Saviour, he
stands before God in the spotless robes of Christ's imputed
righteousness." {FW 106.1}
The sinner so recently dead in trespasses and sins is quickened
by faith in Christ. He sees by faith that Jesus is his Saviour, and
alive forevermore, able to save unto "the uttermost [all] that come
unto God by Him." In the atonement made for him the believer sees
such breadth and length and height and depth of efficiency--sees
such completeness of salvation, purchased at such infinite cost,
that his soul is filled with praise and thanksgiving. He sees as in
a glass the glory of the Lord and is changed into the same image as
by the Spirit of the Lord. He sees the robe of Christ's
righteousness, woven in the loom of heaven, wrought by his
obedience, and imputed to the repenting soul through faith in His
name." {FW 106 - 107}
" The grace of Christ is freely to justify the sinner without merit
or claim on his part. Justification is a full, complete pardon of
sin. The moment a sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he is
pardoned. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him, and he is
no more to doubt God's forgiving grace." {FLB 107.2}
" The thought that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, not
because of any merit on our part, but as a free gift from God, is a
precious thought. The enemy of God and man is not willing that this
truth should be clearly presented; for he knows that if the people
receive it fully, his power will be broken." {FLB 111.6}
"Having made us righteous through the imputed righteousness of
Christ, God pronounces us just, and treats us as just. He looks upon
us as His dear children. Christ works against the power of sin, and
where sin abounded, grace much more abounds. "Therefore being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein
we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom. 5:1, 2."
{FLB 112.6}
"By receiving His imputed righteousness, through the transforming
power of the Holy Spirit, we become like Him. The image of Christ is
cherished, and it captivates the whole being." {AG 96.4}
Note: here we have seen that we receive power of the Holy Spirit
because we have been saved, not in order to get saved. [refer back
to FLB, 107]

--- In SDAIssues@yahoogroups.com, "Ron Beaulieu" <rsbeauli@t...>
wrote:
> Karl,
>
> EXACTLY what do you have against Paulson. Spell it out Karl.
Tell us about his "train wreck." Tell us all what Paulson teaches
that Ellen White would be against! Bet you can't do it!
>
> You and your New Movement leaders have retrogressed to the
iniquitous doctrines of the fallen daughters of Babylon.
>
> I thought Smith and Butler changed to accept righteousness by
Faith the way Jones and Waggoner presented it. Paulson interprets
the 1888 message the way Ellen White and I do--that we can overcome
anything by proper faith in and love for Christ. That is what Ellen
White understood about the 1888 message. She certainly never taught
the grace plus nothing "gospel" you teach Karl. But as your crony
George R. says, she and her kind would probably not be accepted into
the New Movement today, and were they true to their instruction,
they would not join ANY NEW MOVEMENT.
>
> Christ's righteousness is never IMPUTED to cover wanton sinning.
Christ's righteousness--His Divine Nature, is for the purpose of
empowering the sinner to be like Him--to partake of His mind and
character. Karl, if you definition of Righteousness by Faith is
IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS ONLY, there again you are giving a one sided-
half gospel of cheap grace.
>
> Concerning prayer for Hyveth Williams, I accept God's counsel in
Jeremiah 10-15, with special emphasis on verses 14 and 15. I know
when to pray and when not to. I know the earmarks of turning back
(retrogressing) to the cheap grace iniquities of our forefathers
(fallen Protestant daughters of Rome). But I do pray for
individuals in the church who are not aware of the apostasy of the
New Movement they were never supposed to join, and that they will be
awakened to their being duped.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron