In addition, we want to give attention to what this book has to say about dates and transitions: Although it is true that in antitypical fulfillment of the wilderness tabernacle, Jesus first dedicated the entire heavenly Sanctuary to its work prior to beginning His heavenly priesthood (for more information on this, see Leviticus 8-9; 2 Chronicles 5:7-6:3; 7:1-3,9; Acts of the Apostles, page 38:3-39:1; and Studies 111-112 in our 158-page tractbook, The Biblical Sanctuary), yet the wording in this new doctrinal book on page 319/2:3-320/1:0 is such as to indicate that Jesus began His sanctuary ministry in the second apartment in 31 AD.

For your information, the modern Protestant view of this pre-advent judgment is keyed to their futurist interpretations of Bible prophecy, which they inherited from Jesuit infiltrators into their ranks. This view maintains that all of the Bible prophecies that apply to the papacy (including the little horn of Daniel 7:8 and 8:9; the man of sin of 2 Thessalonians 2:3; the antichrist of 1 John 2:18 and 4:3; the beast of Revelation 13:1-8; the scarlet woman of Revelation 18:3-4; and Babylon the Great of Revelation 18:5) do not apply to our sweet mother Rome, but rather to a sinister figure—a man of Satan—that shall mysteriously appear just before the Second Advent. This individual will be the long-anticipated antichrist! And when he appears. Christ will perform a work of "pre-advent judgment" upon him, and by so doing will deliver those loyal to God.

(In harmony with this, you will note that this new doctrinal book refers to the excesses of the papacy in earlier times, but has little or nothing to say about the possibility that it has errors today, —or that it today is part of that system called the beast and Babylon by the Revelator.)

We know from the book of Daniel (7:26) that the Investigative

Judgment will take away the dominion of the papal little horn from the lives of God’s people, and physically eradicate it at His Second Coming. In contrast, the new theology advocates among us prefer to think that the work of the pre-advent judgment is only to eliminate a mysterious little horn antichrist immediately prior to the Second Advent. They do not believe that the special work of the Investigative Judgment, that historic Adventists recognize and teach. will be done. With secret fear, they reject the very possibility of an Investigative Judgment that will examine the characters of professed Christians and the hidden secrets of their lives.

Obedience is the issue and the new theology, with its Original Sin concept, cannot accept the possibility that obedience is necessary or even possible.

With this background, let us see what this new doctrinal book has to say about the Investigative Judgment. Will it present historic Adventism or will it combine it with new theology appeasement?

The section on 317-319, describing the earthly service, is encouraging as it discusses the blotting out of the record of sin (which is the second half of the Investigative Judgment service), but no mention is made of the first half:

the investigation of the lives of the people which that service represents. (Read Great Controversy, chapters 23, 24, and 28, where you will frequently find the work of these two phases compared and contrasted.)

Although this book calls the Investigative Judgment by the new theology term, "pre-advent judgment," we are thankful that it begins the event in 1844, although there is no clear mention of when it will end. The new theology believes that the pre-advent judgment ends at about the time of the Second Coming of Christ; indeed, they are frightened at the thought of a close of probation in the near future for Adventists as well as for the world. The world for them is such an enjoyable place, they want to stick with it all the way to the Advent.)

"In 1844 Christ came to the Ancient of Days and began the final phase of His high-priestly ministry in the heavenly

sanctuary. This ministry was the antitype of the Day of Atonement cleansing of the sanctuary that Daniel 7 depicts as the pre-Advent investigative judgment."

(3 24/2:2)

"Daniel’s visions point to a pre-Advent judgment in which God will secure a verdict of condemnation upon the little horn, and thus upon Satan himself."

(325/1:3)

"While the judgment brings condemnation upon the apostate little horn power, it is ‘made in favor of the saints of the Most High." (325/1:4-325/2:0)

We can thankful for this statement: "Those who profess to be followers of God but who are living in disobedience and are not covered by Christ’s righteousness will be blotted from the book of life." (326/2:0)

Before concluding this section on the Investigative Judgment and the Sanctuary Message, let us consider one more unusual paragraph. Had you heard of the new idea that the Day of Atonement is antitypical fulfilled in (1) the Investigative Judgment (which precedes the Second Advent), (2) the Sentencing Judgment (which occurs during the Millennium), and (3) the Executive Judgment (which occurs at its close)? Here is the statement:

"The events on the Day of Atonement illustrate the three phases of God’s final judgment. They are (1) the ‘premillennial judgment’ (or ‘the investigative judgment’) which is also called the ‘preAdvent judgment’; (2) the ‘millennial judgment’; and (3) the ‘executive judgment’ which takes place at the end of the millennium." (317/2:2)

That is an incorrect statement. Yom Kipper, the typical day of atonement, applies only to the antitypical Investigative Judgment. It does not foreshadow the millennial judgment of the wicked in heaven, nor does it prefigure the final destruction of the wicked. The Investigative Judgment only relates to an examination of the lives of those who have professed faith in Christ and the true God at some point in their experience. After it is completed, those who have proved unfaithful are "cut off" (at the Second Coming of Christ), and the scapegoat (Satan) is not slain but consigned to a wilderness (at the beginning of the millennium). The sentencing judgment of the wicked occurs after that, and the final destruction of Satan and the wicked still later.

One can see how someone might fancifully project such a symbolic application as is done in the above quoted paragraph. But fanciful ideas have no place in a doctrinal book published by our church. Please brethren, let us stay with historic Adventism. To do otherwise only confuses our people. We would do better to focus our attention on getting our lives ready, our personal standards raised, and our obedience to God’s law purified before the Investigative Judgment comes to our names. Let us not cloud this grand truth by ignoring the basic part of its crucial work, and then saying that it applies to several future events that it does not apply to.

Chapter 11 of this book deals with The Church and bears that name. Three paragraphs are of special interest.

The first one (145/2:0) indicates that when decisions must be made that affect many local churches, the decisions are to be made by their representatives in attendance at larger council meeting. That is a solid, Biblical position that we heartily endorse for our church on all levels to follow. Those that make the decisions affecting the believers should be men and women duly elected by the believers to represent themselves.

If all church officers were directly elected by church members, and the decisions of those officers periodically reviewed by delegations of the members,—a host of problems would be eliminated. But, at the present time, in nearly all of our union conferences. and in all of our divisions and the General Conference as well, the officers are elected by church officers and subordinate workers, not by the members. Under such an arrangement, it is too easy for one man or a few men to determine the outcome of many decisions that are made.

The second passage (145/2:1) says that God guides the leaders of the church. But that statement must be qualified to mean that He guides them when they are living in obedience to His requirements, and willing to be guided by Him. It is an unfortunate but true fact that down through the centuries the great majority of church leaders have not been willing to let God guide them in their work. There is no doubt that His preferred plan is to guide the church through leaders that are humble and submissive to His will, as was Moses. But in most instances in Bible times—and since then,—our heavenly Father has generally had to give special messages, and initiate new things through willing, obedient laymen. Again, I say, that is not His preferred plan, but throughout most of history that is the way He has had to do it. In what respect is our time different than those that have gone before it?

The deeper question is this: By what means shall we recognize whether or not our leaders are the kind of men that we dare follow— to the same degree as men in the days of Moses could follow his lead? The answer is simple: We can only follow men as far as they follow God. First, the only men in whom we dare place our trust are those that are fully obedient to the Word of God. What are needed today are church leaders that will fall on their faces before a Bible-Spirit of Prophecy command, as Moses fell on his face before the Living Word in the cloud and pillar in His time. But men of that quality are still only human and subject to error. Second, the only men we dare respect as church leaders are those who do not pretend to be infallible. The church does not need men that only add to our church problems by attempting to cover up their mistakes instead of admitting and learning from them. And men are not needed that make all their decisions on reference only to how it will help them in their climb up the ladder of church office. What is needed are men that are willing to say "I don’t know," "I made a mistake," "What do you think we should do?" "Let’s call a meeting and ask the church members for their advice," "What does the Word of God say; whatever it says we must do it."

As one faithful church officer in Great Controversy is quoted as saying: "Follow me no farther than I have followed God." (Great Controversy, 292) That is a good statement for us all to remember. and practice.

The third quotation from this chapter on the Church is one worth commending highly to our people everywhere: "The primary duty of the elected officers [in all of our local churches] is to see that the Biblical instructions for worship, doctrine, discipline, and gospel proclamation are followed." (146/2:1) Amen, and Amen! Write that sentence down and read it to others who think that there is some other way that the local churches are to be run! Only the Inspired Word of God is to guide in all our worship, doctrine, discipline, and evangelization.

The next sentence adds this:

"Since the church is the body of Christ, they are to seek its counsel regarding their decisions and actions." (146/2:1) This is an important statement also. We are all frail and erring and make many mistakes. We should frequently gather with other believers in the Advent Message and counsel together with them. As stated in the preceding sentences of this book, the basis of these counseling sessions will be the Word of God. It is to have priority in all our discussions and to the authority of its statements we are to submit. There is never danger when our counseling together is based on a common humble, teachable submission to the Word of God. But great danger always lurks near when our counseling is based on

the erroneous idea that certain men are greater than others. In reality, he that is greatest among you will be the best grounded in the Word and your most self-sacrificing helper. But even he is subject to unexpected error. Only in God and His Word can we find our safety. Jeremiah 17:5-14.

It is marvelous what a levelizer and equalizer the Word of God makes of men submitted to it. And it is astounding how quickly men begin to think they are infallible authorities and their word alone is to rule—when they set aside that Word. Soon they are transformed from shepherds to lords over the heritage of God.

 In the chapter on The Remnant and Its Mission. we find a definition of the "remnant" on page 162/1:0: "They are made up of those ‘who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’

We can be thankful for the statement of this Biblical definition, for it identifies faithful Advent believers as the special people with a special faith and message in these last days. The new theology distinctly rejects the idea that any special group are the "remnant;" they see all Protestantism as the remnant at this time. This new doctrinal book thus has the correct view on the remnant.

 CHURCH STANDARDS (Chapter 27)

In chapter 21, Christian Behavior, we come to the section dealing with Standards. Beginning on page 281, we find discussions of the relative merits of healthful living practices (such as fresh air and sunlight), the avoidance of caffeine (281), tobacco, alcohol, hard drugs, rest (282), recreation, movies, television (283), reading, music, gambling, card playing, dancing, violent sports, nutritious food, vegetarianism (284) and unclean meats (285), condiments and spices, clothing (286), adornment, jewelry, and cosmetics (287).

and that it is "to function continuously throughout the history of the Christian church." If you will recall some of the news reports and analyses we gave in past years on the new theology. it was noted that they place heavy emphasis on being progressive, getting away from the nineteenth century and discovering greater new light today for the Adventist church. One of their spokesmen, a Bible instructor currently teaching at Pacific Union College, declared that Ellen White died in 1915 so we have no more prophet in the church and we need new prophets today. The context of his speech indicated that, by "new prophets," he meant the new theologians in our colleges who have been university-trained. Thus we find that, contrary to what we might expect, these men are very much in favor of a spirit of prophecy in the church today—but they want it to be their statements that are revered, rather than those that come from former times.

On page 217-229 we find the main section on the Spirit of Prophecy. We value the good we find in this chapter, but it does not cover the extent of our beliefs nor that of reality in regard to the Inspired Word. The Word of God is given for doctrine, correction, comfort, and guidance. But certain misconceptions exist in regard to the Spirit of Prophecy.

One is the idea that the Seventh-day Adventist Church got its doctrines only from the thanking of uninspired men.

"The founders of the church developed fundamental beliefs through study of the Bible; they did not receive these doctrines through the visions of Ellen White. Her major role during the development of their doctrines was to guide in the understanding of the Bible and to confirm conclusions reached through Bible study."

(227/1:2)

The above conclusion is based on 7 Selected Messages, Book One, pages 206:4-207:2. But if you will carefully read that passage, you will learn that Ellen White’s mind was kept from grasping doctrinal points during this formative period so that as the brethren repeatedly ran into dead-end walls in their study of Scripture, It would be obvious to them that the answers which came from the Spirit of Prophecy were God-Inspired and direct from Heaven, rather than the opinions of a woman. This passage clearly shows that our early beliefs were formulated by careful Bible study along with what you might call Spirit of Prophecy study. Yes, the insights are all in the Bible (see our large, in-depth The Biblical Sanctuary, in which we prove from the Bible alone our detailed historic beliefs in regard to the Sanctuary Message). We DID receive doctrines through the visions, and we can be thankful that we did, and unashamed of the fact. We are able to prove these points from the Bible, but we had the direct help of Heaven through the Spirit of Prophecy in first learning of them, Our historic doctrines are not something received from frail, erring men, but from the God of heaven.

The underlying problem here is an unwillingness on the part of certain of our church leaders to admit that the Spirit of Prophecy has any worth in regard to the determination of church doctrine or church standards. They flatter themselves that they themselves, in counsel with our university-trained Ph.D.s are capable of determining our beliefs. Having decided what they are to be, these doctrinal statements are published in "unofficial" doctrinal books, or presented for ratification to delegates in attendance at ten-day General Conference Sessions when there is little time to carefully consider the material presented, the sheets were not given to the delegates prior to the Session, and the delegates themselves are composed of 92-94% church officers or salaried workers who will thus tend to approve whatever their employers present to them.

We are doing this whole thing backwards. The only hope of better things is to place the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy as the leading determinants—the primary authority—in our church in regard to standards, doctrines, church policy, church conduct and penalties, and church projects.

Only God’s Inspired Word should decide the beliefs that, acceptance and adherence to, shall determine our salvation or damnation. Ellen White says that that which a man believes and then acts upon will decide whether he will be saved or lost. It is a great mistake to quote erring Protestant theologians far more than we quote the Spirit of Prophecy in this new doctrinal book, and to formulate our teachings on the notion that the testimonies are, at best, about equal to that of erring mortals in deciding the beliefs that shall save us or damn us to hell.

Another misconception frequently taught to our people is the idea that Ellen White herself told us not to use her writings for doctrinal purposes. It is true that there are certain passages in which she apparently said this, but if you will closely examine them you will find that in each instance she was referring to the giving of Bible studies and holding of evangelistic efforts for non-Adventists. When bringing others into the church, we should use the Bible only; once inside, we should study in-depth into the Spirit of Prophecy. Rejecting the testimonies is to reject the Spirit of God, we are told. To set them aside as unnecessary for our study is not a safe policy for a person or a church. The skeletal basics of our belief are to be found in the Bible; but a wealth of minute details are clarified in the Spirit of Prophecy. We are not to question why, but are to accept, learn, and obey. But in answer to that "why," our kind Father knew that we, living at the end of time, would have to confront so many errors, heresies, and dangers—both religious and secular,—that we would need all the Inspired help we could get to weather the storms in these last days. For your own study, begin with 1 Selected Messages, pages 15-76, and read it through carefully.

In concluding this section on the Spirit of Prophecy, we should note an interesting statement on page 225 of this new doctrinal book that must have been penned by one who apparently has read little in the Spirit of Prophecy: "Ellen White’s writings contain a relatively small number of predictions." (225/1:1) There are literally thousands of predictions in her writings. You will find them all through the nine volumes of the Testimonies, in the health, educational, and eschatological books, and elsewhere. The last 268 pages of Great Controversy is little more than an interconnected

collection of large numbers of predictions. Many people seem bold enough to reject the Spirit of Prophecy, but few seem brave enough to try their hand at predicting the future. But Ellen White did it, and with outstanding success.

What is Babylon? This question is dealt with on page 165/2:14. Here we find that in earlier ages some people identified it with pagan Rome, and later papal Rome; while according to this new doctrinal book it refers instead to "all apostate religious organizations and their leadership, though it refers especially to the great apostate religious alliance between the beast and his image that will bring about the final crisis described in Revelation 13:15-17." (165/2:3)

Then there is the Beast and his Image; what is that? "It [the beast] is the church-state union that dominated the world for many centuries." "The image of the beast represents that form of apostate religion that will be developed when churches, having lost the true spirit of the Reformation, shall unite with the state to enforce their teachings on others. In uniting church and state they will have become a perfect image to the beast."

(167/1)

And what is the little horn of Daniel 7? Read page 240/2:1-3. It is some kind of power that Satan uses.

No mention is made here by name of the papacy, which is the beast, and apostate Protestantism, which when obtaining government aid and sanctions in its drive to enforce Sunday observance will form an image (not become an image).

See Great Controversy, chapter 25 for our historic Adventist definitions.

But it is of interest, in view of some present controversies within our own church, that this passage does say that an "apostate religion" is that which gets the state to enforce its teachings. That is a point worth remembering as we face into the troubled future.

In summary of all that we find in this book and in its accompanying first lesson quarterly, we would say that, in regard to the papacy, the teachings of these two Adventist doctrinal publications are these:

(1) In earlier centuries of history,

the Roman Catholic power fell into apostasy and led others into it also. (2) In modern history no mention is made of any negative or evil influence on the part of Rome. (3) Catholicism is never mentioned as far as Bible prophecy is concerned and apparently is not to be found in the predictions of Daniel. Christ, Paul, or John writing in 1st John or in Revelation —in regard to the little horn, the falling away, the man of sin, the antichrist, the beast, the scarlet woman, or Babylon the Great.

We are not only entering upon an era of peace with the Evangelicals and Protestants, but we are also extending the hand across the gulf to peace with the Vatican.

Surely the coming of Christ must be near!

Genuine Christianity teaches that, although we can do nothing without the help of Christ, yet by His enabling grace all things can be done that our heavenly Father asks of us. In contrast, the new theology teaches that obedience to the law of God is something that "just comes naturally" to the born-again Christian. While genuine Christianity portrays the sincere Christian as having to rely on Jesus to give him strength to bend the oars as he rows in the direction of more perfect obedience; the new theology pictures him as leaning back in the boat with the oars loose in their sockets, as the boat drifts along with a current of imputed (and sometimes imparted) obedience.

How do the authors of this new doctrinal book view the matter:

We are told that obedience has nothing to do with salvation. "Salvation is a gift that comes by grace through faith, not by works of the law." (241/2:2) Obedience is represented as only an effect of our automatic salvation; it never has any effect on our receiving it, and doing it is "trying to earn our salvation. "People cannot earn salvation by their good works. Obedience is the fruitage of salvation in Christ. Through His amazing grace, especially displayed at the cross, God has liberated His people from the penalty and curse of sin." (244/2:4) Since obedience has no effect on salvation, those that render it only do so as a kindness to Christ.

"Believers who understand that Christ values the law and who understand the blessings of obedience will be strongly motivated to live Christlike lives." The "fulfill" in Matthew 5:17 refers not to "fill up (Greek) a perfect example of obedience for us to follow" as in historic Adventism, and not to "destroy it by His life and death" as the outright Protestants, but "fulfilled it as a requirement for our salvation by obeying it Himself," so it would not be a requirement we would have to meet. "Christ Himself fulfilled the law, not by destroying it but through a life of obedience"

But at the heart of the new theology concept of the law is the Helmut Ott and Morris Venden concept that trying to obey the law as a moral requirement only brings the condemnation of God and eventual damnation in hellfire to the one attempting such a thing. "Christians do not keep the law to obtain salvation—those who try to do so will only find a deeper enslavement to sin."

(244/1:3)

As with a number of other areas, a study into the new theology approach to law and obedience is somewhat confusing. But there is a remedy: read the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy instead, and you will find peace of heart, clarity of doctrine, certainty of salvation in a life lived in accordance with Revelation 12:17 and 14:12.

After having briefly reviewed our new doctrinal book, Seventh-day Adventists Believe, and with the knowledge that it will be used as the Senior Sabbath School lesson help for the third and fourth quarter, 1988 which will be gin in only a few weeks, let us for a few moments consider the first of these two quarterlies.

But, first, let us consider its authors.

Leo Van Dolson become the new Senior Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly editor at the very time that the Gulley Quarterly was released in 1983. Generally believed to have been saddled with something he did not want, Van Dolson gamely tried to defend it, but the quarterlies since then have usually been good ones. Now, according to page 4 (unnumbered page) of the quarterly, Van Dobson will be retiring, and a new editor, Erwin R. Game, will be taking his place. Because Robert Sanger of the Ministerial Association has had a keen interest in this new doctrinal book project, he, along with the outgoing editor and the incoming editor, are all listed as the authors of this first of the two quarterlies on our doctrinal beliefs.

Who is Robert Sanger? Those of you who read the back part of our 48-page tractbook, The Teachings of Morris Venden, will find a discussion of Sanger’s book, Marked, in which he, one of the leaders of our General Conference Ministerial Association, explains that the mark of the beast will be given to legalists who try to keep the laws of God in their own strength.

Who is Erwin Game? He was the Bible teacher at Pacific Union College that, almost singlehandedly, fought the new theology there after Ford converted most of the faculty to his way of thinking (they still have Ford as a member in good standing of their college church). At the time, we were told that Erwin had the wrong view of the nature of Christ, but we decided not to make an issue of it since he was trying so hard to defend the rest of historic Adventism at that campus. (For a record of one year at the height of the battle, when nearly a thousand Adventists on the West Coast tried vainly to expel the new theology from that institution, read our PUT Papers—Part 1-8, now in our 164-page tractbook, Our Schools Need Your Help. ) But after being relieved of his duties on the PVC faculty, Erwin then surprised us all by writing an article for Ministry magazine—that in clear-cut terms said that Christ went into the second apartment of the heavenly Sanctuary in 31 AD! We were astounded that he would do this— and that Sanger’s General Conference Ministerial Association would print it in their magazine.

Ministry. (See The Game Article, now in our 130-page tract book, Progress of the New Theology.)

Elder Game is a very kindly individual, and was much liked by the students at PUT. In view of the whole situation at PVC and afterward, we decided that if Game was off this much in theology,— just imagine what it is like at Pacific

Union College. They had to get rid of Game because, although on two points he was in agreement with them, on so many others they themselves are way out in Evangelical-land: everything is done at the cross, salvation is assured, laws and standards are no longer a matter of concern. Sin till the Second Coming, and heaven after that; get the most out of both worlds.

Elder Game will be the one to decide what goes into our Senior Sabbath School quarterlies for the next several years until he decides to retire.

And now we turn our attention to this new quarterly that you will be opening In Sabbath School class just a few short weeks from now.

Entitled, God Revealed His Love, this Senior Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly for the Third Quarter of 1988 briefly surveys the first half (pages 4-179) of the new doctrinal book.

As you initially glance through this new quarterly it will suddenly dawn on you that the large new 392-page new doctrinal book, Seventh-day Adventists Believe, is nowhere mentioned in its pages! That book has been in preparation for years, and although these two next quarterlies were especially prepared at the same time to be used with it—and will indeed be used with it as their lesson helps book,—there is no mention of the book anywhere in this quarterly! It would appear that, as the time drew near for the quarterlies to be printed, some very definite problems or hurdles of some kind stood in the way of the final revisions and printing of that doctrinal book—so that it was not certain that it could be ready in time to be used with the quarterlies, or at least this first one. What those obstacles were, we can only guess, but they must have been serious for it is indeed strange that this quarterly carries no mention of its lesson helps book—when both were prepared in tandem over a period of several years.

Here are the chapter pages in this quarterly with their corresponding doctrinal book pages:

Lesson 1: God Tells Us about His Love —page I Chapter 1: The Word of God—page 5.

Lesson 2: God tells Us about the Godhead—page 13 / Chapter 2: The trinity—page 16.

Lesson 3: God Tells Us what He Is Like—page 20/ Chapter 3: God the Father—page 28.

Lesson 4: God Tells Us about His Son—page 27 I Chapter 4: God the Son—page 36.

Lesson 5: God Tells Us about His Spirit—page 34/ Chapter 5: God the Holy Spirit—page 58.

Lesson 6: God Tells Us How He Created — page 41/Creation —page 67.

Lesson 7: God Tells Us About Ourselves —page 48/The Nature of Man—page 78.

Lesson 8: God Gives Us a World View—page 55 / The Great Controversy —page 97.

Lesson 9: God Tells Us Why Christ Died—page 62/The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ—page 106.

Lesson 10: God Tells Us How to be Saved —page 69 / The Experience of Salvation —page 120.

Lesson 11: God Tells Us About His Church—page 76 / The Church— page 133.

Lesson 12: God Introduces the Three Angels’ Messages—page 83 / The Remnant and Its Mission—page 152.

Lesson 13: God Urges Us to Unite— page 90 / Unity In the Body of Christ—page 170.

In the following lesson guides page and paragraph numbers, we count each full paragraph, but we do not count subheads or Bible verse blanks. For example, on page 8, "paragraph zero" (8:0) would be top seven lines which are not a complete paragraph. "II. Evidences that the Bible is Inspired" is a subhead and does not count as a paragraph. The five lines of Bible verse

blanks near the bottom of the page do not count either. Thus, the last paragraph on the page is fifth paragraph (8:5).

 Good background material on the doctrinal statements of our church down through the decades will be found, along with other helpful material, in our 52-page tractbook, The Doctrines of the Church.

LESSONS 1-3— THE BIBLE, THE GODHEAD, GOD THE FATHER: We found no problems, either in lessons 1-3 of the quarterly, nor in chapters 1-3 of the book. But, of course, we may be incorrect in this conclusion.

Frankly, this should give you an extra three additional weeks of peace to study through this entire doctrinal book and its quarterly comments before problems develop.

LESSON 4—JESUS CHRIST: The related book chapter touches on both the Nature of Christ and the Atonement on the Cross. We found problems in the book, but not in the lesson study.

Lesson Helps: Read chapter 23 in Great Controversy as a study help for this week’s lesson. Also read The Nature of Christ: Chapter 4 elsewhere in this set of tracts. For in-depth study, read in our 84-page tractbook, The Nature of Christ.

LESSON 5— THE HOLY SPIRIT:

We found no problems in this lesson nor in the accompanying book chapter. For many Bible and Spirit of Prophecy quotations on the Holy Spirit, read The Godhead in our 52-page tractbook, Doctrines of the Church.

LESSON 6—CREATION WEEK:

In this lesson and its corresponding chapter is to be found no statement as to when our world was created, much less the fact that it was only created about 6,000 years ago.

But aside from that point, this lesson presents the following solid position in relation to Creation Week and the fact that this world and everything in it was created within those six days: "In spite of attempts to harmonize the Creation record in Genesis with belief in long ages during which creation came about progressively, only the acceptance of Genesis 1 as an

outline of what actually took place during six 24-hour days can harmonize with the full Biblical account." (42 bottom-43 top)

Lesson Helps: An inspired commentary on this lesson will be found in Patriarchs and Prophets, chapter 2. Also read the section.

Creation Week: Chapter 6 elsewhere in this tract set. Our recently-published tract, Age of the Earth [PG-2011 contains every major Spirit of Prophecy statement about the 6.000 years since Creation.

LESSON 7— THE NATURE OF MAN: This lesson and the chapter that matches it both deal with the Nature of Man.

Since the new theology maintains that Christ took the unfallen nature of Adam, we read with interest a two-paragraph definition of what the unfallen nature of Adam of nature was like: ". . nothing that was predisposed to sin., no tendency to evil. free from any taint ..""As long as they remained in perfect union with their Creator no sin, sickness, or death could mar their happiness." (49:2) ". . no degeneration of any kind, and never had a desire to disobey God." (49:5)

Acceptable statements on the Nature of Man will be found on page 50:7; 51:3-4; and 53:7-8. A good denial of Original Sin is given on 51:3: "This does not mean that anyone is born guilty. It simply means that human beings inherit a spiritually fallen nature."

On the matter of obedience, 52:1 says that "Jesus Christ is able to deliver from the bondage of sin and create transformed natures," but in reality He enables us by His grace to obey His law; the transformation does not come by a creative act on His part—apart from our efforts. In making this comment, we are not misreading the quotation, for this concept that Christ gives us the victory apart from our own repelling and opposing it is common both to this lesson quarterly and to its companion book. Running to Jesus

—without resisting sin—as the only way to overcome sin, is the teaching presented here. An example of that theme will be found on the bottom of this page (52:0), and also in the last sentence of 54:1.

Study Helps: Chapters 30 and 32 of Great Controversy would be a helpful way to study more deeply into these important subjects. Also read The Nature of Man: Chapter 7 and The Man of Romans Seven:

Chapter 7 elsewhere in this set of tracts. For in-depth study, read The root Original Sin, and The Man of Romans Seven (both dealing with Original Sin) In our 84-page tractbook, The Nature of Christ.

LESSON 8—THE GREAT CONTROVERSY STORY: We found no problems in this lesson or in its related chapter. This I~ probably one of the nicest lessons In this quarterly. Note that on 58:1 and 59:4 sin is defined as the transgression of the law, instead of merely as "separation from God" as the new theology prefers.

Lesson Helps: Read Great Controversy, chapter 29 as an excellent commentary on this week’s lesson.

LESSON 9— THE LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST:

This lesson and its accompanying chapter both deal with the atonement made at Calvary. We study the atonement both in this lesson and chapter, and again next quarter in the lesson and chapter dealing with chapter 23 on the Sanctuary Message. But our tract commentary on the atonement in both chapters will be found clustered under chapter 23.

In this lesson, we are told about the importance of this perfect atonement (62:2), a real atonement that was provided at the cross (64:3), that it was sufficient to atone for all sin (64:6; 68:1). Page 66:1-2 brings in the factor of the heavenly application of the complete atonement at Calvary. Page 65:6 complements this point. Page 64:6 has the unusual thought that the atonement was full and acceptable "because it was (equivalent or identical to) the suffering of God."

Question Two on page 68 is quite interesting. If a person has "feelings of guilt," he should surely know what he feels guilty about, and will then go to Jesus and plead for and receive forgiveness. He will not merely recall to mind that Jesus took care of it all on the cross, and at some past time in life forgave him all his sins. This brings to view a terrible linking of new theology with Catholicism: Both teach the remission of future sins in advance, without having confessed, forsaken, and put them away!

Page 63:6 is a fine statement:

"Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers in Christ may overcome as He overcame."

Lesson Helps: You have already completed a reading of chapter 23 in the book Great Controversy; now review it and read chapters 24 and 28, in order to have a far clearer understanding of the atonement. Again read all three chapters when you come to the lesson next quarter dealing with chapter 23 of the book.

LESSON 10—HOW TO BE SAVED: All the basics of how to be saved are supposed to be in this tenth doctrinal statement. This lesson and its related chapter involve justification, sanctification, and perfection of character.

Here is "Good News Unlimited": "The good news is that Christ has paid our debt without any work or action on our part. He only asks that we reach out by faith and accept it." (70:1)

We fully acknowledge that Christ did it all, does it all, and will do it all. But he does not do it ALL apart from us and then merely hand it over; He does much of it in and through us as we actively cooperate with Him. And so shall it continue through all eternity to come. Yes, He receives all the praise and honor and glory and credit, but in His plan He designs that—in and through His enabling grace—we are to work, wrestle, struggle, and agonize also. Not all the anguish is to be His. He knows that in this way we will value more that which He imparts. Yes, we are to surrender, but we are also to work with Him in resisting sin and doing good works. Salvation is more than coming for initial conversion and reaching out and taking a free gift.

"Recognizing that He alone could pay the price for our salvation, our part is to accept redemption by reaching out the hand of faith." (70:4) "Our part is in placing our will on the side of God, in being willing to be made willing, in allowing the Holy Spirit to woo us back to God. Even in offering His inestimable gift God honors our freedom of choice. Surrendering to Christ is a work of faith. No work of ours saves us." (70:6)

The new theology always pits "God’s work" in opposition with "man’s work," with no room for "God’s work in cooperation with man’s work."

Section 4 and 5 (pages 73-74) are nice sections. Interestingly enough, Romans 7 is not mentioned in this lesson.

Paragraph 1 on page 74 speaks of the multitudes out in the world that try to save themselves by their own works. "However good in themselves, works do not make us righteous, nor do they earn merit in the sight of God. Righteousness and salvation are Christ’s free gifts. Works of faith are the result and evidence of our relation with Him." The pattern here is (1) Accept the free gift of full, complete, and eternal salvation. (2) Outflowing from that will automatically come good works. (3) There is no factor of resisting temptation, putting away old habits, etc. in all of this; just accepting the gift and living the nice life.

Lesson Helps: In preparation for this week’s lesson, read chapters 7, 8, and 9 in the book, Steps to Christ. You will also want to read the following sections, given elsewhere in this present tract set:

Justification and Sanctification. Justification, Sanctification, Perfection of Character. from us, and also in and through us. And so it shall continue through all eternity to come.

LESSON 11—CHURCH STRUCTURE AND RELATIONSHIP: We

find no problems in this lesson, while in its accompanying chapter, there are several interesting quotations which we have discussed elsewhere.

Lesson Helps: Read at random in Testimonies to Minsters for this week’s study help. You will also want to read the section, Church Structure, elsewhere in this tract set.

LESSON 12—LAST DAY EVENTS: Areas of interest in this lesson study are the remnant, sanctuary transition in 1844, second angel’s message, and nature of the loud cry. Three areas of interest in the chapter that matches this lesson are the remnant, the second angel’s message, and the fact that Rome no longer figures in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation.

On page 85 we have a landmark statement in support of the oft-disputed truth of a two-apartment Sanctuary in heaven, as well as of a ministry within the first apartment prior to 1844; a statement that goes beyond the companion chapter in the book:

"Under divine guidance, they concluded that, in 1844, the High Priest went from one ministry to another in heaven rather than from heaven to earth. Thus 1844 was the time when Christ moved His ministry from the first apartment into the second apartment to begin the investigative judgment. "(85:1) We can be thankful for that sentence.

Both this lesson and the book present an interesting concept in the paragraphs assigned to the second angel’s message. Both here (86:8-87:0) and there, we are presented with definitions of Babylon that entirely omit the Roman Catholic apostasy. This omission is in entire violation of clear Great Controversy statements in chapter 25 and 35 of that book.

Page 88:4 is a nice statement (compare Christ’s Object Lessons, page 69:1-2).

An interesting parallel is drawn in 88:7-8 between Christ "the true remnant" at Calvary, and He with the final remnant down at the end of time.

Few Adventist truths are as distinctive as our view of the Loud Cry, a period of time concurrent with the Judgment to the Living (the closing phase of the Investigative Judgment) when the faithful give the final message to all the world as though with a "loud cry" —that effectively reaches everyone on earth. It is a message given by a people that are fully living that message. Page 89:2 declares that it is primarily a message lived.

A good passage to end this lesson with: "Seventh-day Adventists believe that the remnant church faithful observes all of God’s commandments. By faith in Jesus Christ, they seek to conform to all the counsels of the Holy Spirit. They take seriously the commission to proclaim the last-day gospel to the world." (89:5).

Lesson Helps: You would do well to include, as part of your preparation for this week’s study, chapter 14 in Prophets and Kings, and chapters 35-36 in Great Controversy. You will also want to read Babylon, Beast, Image, and Little Horn: Chapter 12, 18 elsewhere in this tract set.

LESSON 13— THE NATURE OF UNITY: We found no decided problems in this lesson nor in its corresponding chapter.

Interesting paragraphs in this lesson include 90:4-5; 92:1; 93:3; 94:4; 95:1; 95:2; 95:5; and 95:7.

Lesson Helps: For an inspired commentary on this lesson, read Great Controversy, chapter 37.

THAT CONCLUDES the lessons and chapters in this first of these two quarterlies. Two of the remaining 14 chapters will be combined into one lesson in the second quarterly (probably 14-15, 20-21, or 26-27). Here is a brief overview of the concluding chapters, so you will know where to look when you receive the second quarterly and begin using it.

CHAPTER 74- 76—BAPTISM, LORD’S SUPPER, SPIRITUAL GIFTS: We found no problems with these chapters.

CHAPTER 17: THE GIFT PROPHECY: This chapter is about the Spirit of Prophecy.

Elsewhere in this tract set read:

The Spirit of Prophecy: Chapter 72, 77.

CHAPTER 18—THE LAW OF GOD: This chapter deals with the Law of God.

Elsewhere in this tract set read:

The Law of God: Chapter 18.

CHAPTER 79-20—THE SABBATH, STEWARDSHIP: We found no problems in this chapter.

CHAPTER 27— CHURCH STANDARDS: Personal standards are dealt with here.

Elsewhere in this tract set read:

Personal Standards: Chapter 27.

CHAPTER 22—MARRIAGE AND HOME: We found no problems here.

CHAPTER 23—THE SANCTUARY, ATONEMENT, AND INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT: This chapter relates closely to chapters 9 and 10.

Elsewhere in this tract set read:

The Atonement, The Two Apartments, The Investigative Judgment.

CHAPTER 24-27— THE SECOND ADVENT, DEATH AND RESURRECTION, MILLENNIUM AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED,  : We found no problems in these chapters.

It was Roy Allen Anderson, head of the General Conference Ministerial Association, that was at the heart of the Evangelical Conferences back in the 1950’s. He heartily put everything into it, and, with Reuben A. Figuhr’s full backing, pulled all the details of meetings, research, writing, and publishing together. Questions on Doctrine was the result, and we have had to live with its impact for 31 years. More recently, J. Robert Spangler, head of the same General Conference

department, with the full back of our current General Conference president, has done the same thing. Elder Spangler has given general coordination and oversight to the entire project and made its success. The result is Seventh-day

Adventists Believe, and that book will probably be with us to hinder and plague us until the Final Crisis of the Sunday Law begins.

The striking parallels of error to be found in both of those books is uncanny. It almost seems planned. The present writer believes that it was planned. Elsewhere in this study we will include quotations from Walter Martin’s February 22, 1983 speech in Napa, California, in which he revealed communications he was at that time engaged in with our General Conference leaders. The time had come for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to again put into print their open support of the teachings found in Questions on Doctrine. He was recommending to our leaders that this could most easily be done by reprinting that book, which less than five years earlier had gone out of print.

After we published this information of this new dialogue that was occurring between Martin and our General Conference leaders, we received letters from individuals who wrote to our leaders and inquired about this. Letters that they received in reply they sent on to us, and these uniformly stated that the General Conference had no plans to reprint Questions on Doctrine. And that was it.

But now, in view of this new book and its mirror image to that earlier book, it is the definite opinion of this writer that Seventh-day Adventists Believe was produced to meet Walter Martin’s demand that they put again into print the teachings found in Questions on Doctrine. His urgent request to the brethren came within a few months before work began on this new book, which has occupied the attention of the Ministerial Association and a number of our workers for several years now. The biggest doctrinal crisis of the 1950’s has been duplicated in the 1980s. It came just in time for our celebration of the 1888 Conference at Minneapolis. A hundred years ago, the question was whether we would let Christ enable us to keep the law or whether we would try to do it without His aid. Today the question is whether we need the law at all, since Christ perfectly fulfilled its demands at the cross and now imputes its righteousness to all but those Christians that seek to obey it.

Yes, It may be the opinion of this writer, but it is an opinion based on solid fact. Look about you and you will see everywhere evidence that Adventism now wants to be accepted, approved, and similar to the other churches.

Walter Martin’s veiled threats, on the other hand, were a real danger signal to the brethren. He Is the most Influential single Protestant writer on the cults in North America today. When he speaks, Protestants everywhere listen. Thirty-two years ago, in 1956, he gave us his vote of approval, and in the decades since then he has maintained it. Very likely during those years, he sent signals to the General Conference not to let Questions on Doctrine go out of print—or else. But finally in the late 1970’s, as a result of so much opposition, it was allowed to drop from the publication lists.

And then came Waiter Martin’s latest demands, which became so demanding that he openly revealed them at Napa. Martin combines the research capability of the ferret for finding out what is going on, with the ferocity of a tiger when he goes after an opponent. Have you ever heard one of his taped lectures on the Mormons or the Jehovah’s Witnesses? He alternates between hard-hitting facts, incisive thrusts. and astounding stories of deliverance from slavery. Which of our leaders wants to be on the receiving end of that onslaught? Especially since we are now entering the ecumenical era of joint Sunday services, Easter Sunrise sermons, inter-church Christmas celebrations.

But let us now turn our attention from the past to the present and the future. It is clear that we have a major problem on our hands. A big one. We were like little boys trying to poke our fingers in the dike, while the brethren back at the General Conference were excavating the dam with heavy equipment.

Without the help of God, the waters could go over our heads on this one. Every year more and more are being converted to the new theology; every year its leaders climb higher and higher in the ranks of administration, teaching, and editorship. So many want the simple kind of religion one finds in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, and instead they are being handed the devious subtitles of new theology. "Oh, Lord, it is time for Thee to work, for they are making void Thy Law]"

HOW SHOULD WE CONFRONT THIS NEW QUARREL YIN OUR SABBATH SCHOOL CLASSES? That is the immediate question. All across our land, and elsewhere in the world field, the talk show begins in only a few weeks.

Hundreds of thousands of our members will be studying the new quarterlies, reading the book, and forming decisions. What can you and I do to help them make better decisions—right in our own Sabbath School classes? I say this candidly, for we have readers who weekly attend hundreds and hundreds of local congregations each week. Conservationists are worried about the "threatened species" out in the woods;— but we have threatened belief right here in our own church! A frequently quoted Bible text by the Spirit of Prophecy Is Judges 5:23. "Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof: because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty."

There are four approaches to the problem: (1) Keep your mouth shut. That possibility matches Judges 5:23 and would constitute an act of treason against our King. (2) Become aroused enough in passion that you let them know what our leaders are doing! I want you to know that that approach is not the solution. It is not angry words, irate tones, accusatory words, and raised pitch that is needed.

This is what we would suggest that you do: In this entire study is all the information you need to alert you as to which of our teachings are under the most direct attack. In fact, this new doctrinal book gathers into one place the primary errors and pinpoints those beliefs of historic Adventism that are the most threatened. When you go to Sabbath School each week, you go armed for possible conflict. You know exactly which beliefs need to be defended, and which errors may arise. So I suggest that you carefully study ahead—a long way ahead—and become something of a doctrinal expert in these matters.

(3) Smile, be cheerful, — AND TEACH THE truth! Be friendly, be affable, and share the real "good news" —the truths of historic Adventism—with your associates in your Sabbath School class. Emphasize the RIGHT views; be able to explain in simple words why they are right. Have notations of Scripture (Bible and Spirit of Prophecy) that backs up what you have to say. Study to say it cheerfully, convincingly, and without becoming long-winded. Be a good friend sharing good things in a tone of voice that indicates you believe that you are being believed.

(4) And then there is an atmosphere of concern. Sense the environment of the situation, and bring in a feeling of concern at the right time. Try to begin your initial participation in the lesson study for that week with the cheerful sharing. But when needed—and when pressed against the wail — move into more of a concerned presentation and defense. But stay out of the harsh words, accusations, and loud tones camp if at all possible. WINNING THEM to your side is the goal, not sparks and fireworks.

THE BOOK QUESTIONS ON DOCTRINE

 Here are some interesting quotation. from the book, Questions on

Doctrine, published by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference and printed by the Review & Herald Publishing Association in 1957, at the conclusion of the Evangelical Conferences held from 1955 to 1956 in Washington D.C. For a more complete presentation, see our 120-page tract-book The Evangelical Conferences, pages 28-33. In the following group of quotations from this book, Questions on Doctrines, we have summarized Walter Martin ‘a introductory question, to each chapter. AU italics are ours.

 Introduction: "One of the largest Protestant publishing houses here in the United States planned the production of still another book. An author [Walter R. Martin] of several works dealing with the history and beliefs of certain religious groups was requested to produce this new book, the purpose of which was to present a general review of our history and belief. It was to be an objective analysis, with particular emphasis in those areas wherein Adventist teachings differ from some other Christian groups. [7:2]

"In order to be factual in his treatment of the subject this author did what authors in general have failed to do: he visited our denominational headquarters in Washington D.C., and obtained firsthand information. Moreover, he came not for just a single visit, but in company with other [Protestant] scholars made a number of trips to the General Conference covering a period of almost two years. Hundreds of hours went into research, and hundreds of books and pamphlets, both Adventist and non-Adventist, were examined. In addition there were a large number of interviews. During these many, many months of study, the major aspects of Adventist teaching were carefully analyzed. The inquiries growing out of this investigation were ultimately touched in a series of searching questions to which comprehensive answers were requested." [7:3-8:0]

"The goal was to set forth our basic beliefs in terminology currently used in theological circles. This was not to be a new statement of faith, but rather an answer to specific questions concerning our faith. [8:11

"As the work on the answers progressed, it was felt that our church members would be equally benefitted by the material being prepared, and therefore it was decided to publish the completed work in book form. So this volume came into being. While the form of the work is unusual [being replies to questions submitted by Martin], it will, we trust, meet a definite need. [8:2]

"The writers, counselors, and editors who produced the answers to these questions have labored conscientiously to state accurately the beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists.. Hence this volume can be viewed as truly representing of the faith and beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church." [8:3-9:0]

Question 3 [Chapter 31—Have Adventists changed their positions from that of earlier years, and are those earlier printed positions in agreement with their present positions? "As with various other religious groups, our early days were characterized by transition and adjustment. In those early years relatively little attention was paid to the respective merits of Arminianism in contrast with the Calvinist position. [As an example of a number of incorrect points, we will here reply to this one: Early Adventists definitely placed themselves on one side of this question, that of free will in the matter of salvation. Jakob Arminius (1560-1609), a Dutch theologian, taught that God chooses to save those who voluntarily on their part choose to come to God and accept the terms of salvation; In contrast, John Calvin (1509-1564), a Swiss theologian, taught the Roman Catholic belief of Augustine (354-430) that God only saves certain people, regardless of whether or not they want to be saved. Our Adventist forefathers may not have used complicated Protestant theological terms to describe their beliefs, but they were very much aware of the issues—and were correct in their positions.].. They [the early Adventists] did not concern themselves with "absolute decrees," "divine sovereignty," "particular election," or "limited atonement. "Nor did they first seek to define., the nature, scope, and completeness of the atonement; the relationship of law to grace . ." [30:11

"A few [early Adventists], however, held to their former views, and at times these ideas got into print. However, for decades now, the [Adventist] church has been practically at one on the basic truths of the Christian faith. [30:4-31:0]

"The very fact that our positions were now clarified seemed to us to be sufficient. Our teachings, we felt, were clear. And no particular statement of change from those earlier ideas appeared necessary." [31:1]

"But the charges and attacks have persisted. Some continue to gather up quotations from some of our earlier literature long since out of date, and print." [31:2]

Question 14—It is believed that Adventists teach salvation by grace, plus works. Is this their position now? "[Christ died] as the Lamb of God, a vicarious, completely efficacious, and atoning death for man." [151:2]

"seventh-day Adventists do not rely upon their Sabbath Keeling a means of salvation or of winning merit before God. We are saved by grace alone." [Two extreme positions are here stated, while the third correct position is not mentioned. It is this: We may not rely upon Sabbathkeeping for salvation nor seek to win merit with it, —but without it Adventists, because they know the binding claims of this requirement of God’s Law, will not be .saved.] [153:3]

Question 20—It is alleged that only Adventists constitute the "remnant church." Is this your position? "Our Lord’s sacrifice on Calvary is man’s only hope. But having been saved, we rejoice that the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in the experience of the Christian. "[189:2-1900]

"We believe that all who serve God in full sincerity. in terms of all the revealed will of God that they now understand and, are presently potential members of that final remnant company as defined in Revelation 12:17. "[That sentence will provide you with an insight of how hard they worked to gain the approval of the Evangelicals in their replies, while still holding on to historic Adventism. J [196:1]

Question 21—Do Adventists teach or believe that the members of the other churches are to be identified with Babylon, the symbol of apostasy? "We fully recognize the heartening fact that a host of true followers of Christ are scattered all through the various churches of Christendom, including the Roman Catholic communion. These God clearly recognized as His own. Such do not form a part of the "Babylon" portrayed in the Apocalypse [book of Revelation], the matter of loyalty or disloyalty to truth is; in the ultimate, a question of personal relationship to God and the fundamental principles of truth.

What is denominated "Babylon"[ in Scripture, obviously embraces those who have broken with the spirit and essence of true Christianity, and have followed the way of apostasy. Such are under the censure of Heaven." [197:11

"[Protestant] Groups and organizations such as the Fundamentalists, the International Council of Christian Churches, and the National Association of Evangelicals have withdrawn from the older organizations because of what they believed to be modernist apostasy entrenched in the controlling leadership of various denominations." [201:2]

Question 30-31—Adventists are charged with teaching that the atonement was not finished on the cross, or with minimizing it. Is this true? "Most decidedly the all-sufficient atoning sacrifice of Jesus our Lord was offered and completed on the cross of Calvary. This was done for all mankind." [350:2]

"We believe that the atonement provides an all-sufficient, perfect, substitutionary sacrifice for sin, which completely satisfies the justice of God and fulfills every requirement [for salvation]." [352:4-353:0]

"We feel it to be most important that Christians sense the difference between the atoning act of Christ on the cross as a forever completed sacrifice, and His work in the sanctuary as officiating high priest, ministering the benefits of that sacrifice. [353:3]

"When, therefore, one hears an Adventist say, or reads in Adventist literature—even in the writings of Ellen G. White—that Christ is making atonement now, it should be understood we mean simply that Christ is now making application of the benefits of the sacrificial atonement He made on the cross." [354:7-355:0]

Question 31—Was the death of Christ on Calvary a complete sacrifice that obtained for us eternal redemption—or is something else necessary after 31 A.D. in order to bring us salvation? "This sacrifice was completely efficacious. It provided complete atonement for all mankind, and will never be repeated, for it was all-sufficient and covered the needs of every soul "[357:0] [Following this, discussion is then made of the daily and yearly sacrifices in the earthly service.]

Question 33—Since Adventists believe that a complete atonement was made on the cross, why should any ministry by Christ be necessary thereafter? Surely there would be no responsibilities He would have there. "The atoning death of Christ, and His all-sufficient sacrifice for man’s redemption, is for us, as for all evangelical Christians, the central truth of Christianity - - As the perfect high priest, who has made a perfect propitiation for the sins of His people, Christ is now at God’s right hand, applying to our lives the benefits of His perfect atoning sacrifice." [369:1,370:3]

"Its better to see and study the great realities of the sacrifice and priestly ministry of Christ than to dwell too much upon the details of the typical service, which gave but an inadequate portrayal of the sacrifice and ministry of Christ. Far better to interpret the earthly tabernacle in the light of the heavenly, rather than to circumscribe the antitypical realities by the limitations of too close an application of the type.’, [379:1]

"Jesus our surety entered the ‘holy places’ and appeared in the presence of God for us. But it us not with the hope of obtaining something for us at that time, or at some future time. No! He had already obtained it for us on the cross." [381:1] [What you have just read in this one paragraph says that Christ accomplishes exactly nothing throughout His heavenly mediation in heaven—from 31 A.D., through the Investigative Judgment, and to the time when He leaves the heavenly Sanctuary.]

[The italicized portion of this paragraph gives the Protestant position on the doctrine of the Nature of Christ:] "Although born in the flesh, He was nevertheless God, and was exempt from the inherited passions and pollution that corrupt the natural descendants of Adam. He was without sin, not only in His outward conduct, but in His very nature." [383:1]

"Adventists do not hold any theory of a dual atonement." [390:1]

After typing the above quotations from Questions on Doctrine, and also the quotations from Seventh-day Adventists Believe, it appears that the errors in the latest doctrinal book are essentially equivalent in many respects to those in the earlier one, published 31 years ago.

Actually, it is but the beginning of another tragedy, for the errors in the last book produced a turbulent back-and-forth round of charges and inadequate defenses for more than two decades. The dust has barely settled when this latest book is printed for our people.

NORMAN GULLEY’S BOOK

26

According to the introduction to our new 1988 doctrinal book, Seventh-Day Adventists Believe, it was a manuscript prepared by Norman R. Gulley that was used as the basis for it. This makes the theology of Dr. Gulley very important. Here are excerpts from an earlier book by Gulley, a Bible teacher at Southern College of SDA in Collegedale, Tennessee. This earlier book, Christ Our Substitute, was published in 1983 as the Senior Sabbath School Quarterly lesson helps book for the first quarter 1983. Its many new theology teachings was met with opposition by many faithful church members at the time of its release. Now, three years later, Seventh-Day Adventists Believe, co-authored by Dr. Gulley, has been being published for use as the Senior Sabbath School lesson helps book for the last two quarters of 1988. Here are some quotations from his earlier 1983 lesson helps book, Christ Our Substitute:

This book, "Christ Our Substitute," has a two-page Introduction written by Edward Heppenstall, in which he tells us that this book "deals with issues of great importance relative to the nature and work of Jesus Christ" "Christ’s becoming our substitute must be understood as basic to the whole question of the atonement and redemption. The Son of God.. bore the moral judgment on sin." "The author holds fast to a sound view of the Incarnation [nature of Christ) as a basis for the substitutionary work of Christ."

The error of a Christ that did not become like us, linked with the error of an Atonement totally finished 2,000 years ago—is the heart of modern apostate Protestant theology. It is now being brought into our beloved Seventh day Adventist Church.

—1—

THE HUMAN NATURE OF CHRIST

 EXCERPTS FROM THE LESSON HELP BOOK FOR THE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH LESSONS

"By contrast, Seventh-day Adventists believe that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. But we can look at the phrase ‘fully man’ in two ways. Jesus had either (1) unfallen human nature, such as Adam possessed prior to the Fall, or (2) fallen human nature. Which is correct? He took both. For Christ took the spiritual nature of man before the Fall, and the physical nature of man after the Fall."—Christ Our Substitute, by Norman R. Gulley, page 33:2. (Chapter 3: Lesson help for the third lesson, January 9-15.)

Jesus took on Himself mote than out weakened physical nature; He took our fallen, sinful moral nature as well. He did not make-believe take human nature; He really took it (5BC 1130; iSM 247). He took our fallen nature (EW 152) degraded and defiled by sin (4 BC 1147) and in its deteriorated condition iSM 253). He took our nature in its fallen condition (1 BC 1085; 4 BC 1147; DA 112; EW 150; 1SM 256), with all of our liabilities (DA 117; 5 BC 1114; 1SM 226). He took the infirmities of our degenerate humanity (DA 117; MH 180); but in spite of taking our fallen nature (MM 181), He lived a sinless life.

"Jesus actually met man where humanity was—taking upon Himself all the physical results of the Fall, but not the spiritual.. Any idea that He became exactly like us in birth, including fallen human nature, receiving the results of heredity—calls in question His substitution and often leads us to consider Him only as an example to copy . . To be our Saviour it was necessary that Jesus become one with us. He had to identify Himself with us as far as His saving mission made it necessary. But He could not go beyond the requirements of His mission or He would have needed a Saviour Himself, and therefore His mission would have been a failure. Mission determined the extent of identity—not the other way around. He came to save. We must interpret all Biblical and Spirit of Prophecy sources within this theological context."—Christ Our Substitute, page 38:0-39:0. (Chapter 3: Lesson help for the third lesson, January 9-15.)

We are here told that if He had really become like us, He would have fallen anyway. The theological idea is that Christ’s mission was to somehow "save us" in spite of our sins and get us to heaven. Saving us from sin is not in the modern theological context.

"Jesus was God, but He lived as a man. His self-consciousness was not divine, but human (See A.B. Bruce, ‘The Humiliation of Christ, Eerdmans, 1955, and E. Heppenstall, ‘The Man Who Is God,’ Review and Herald, 1977, pp. 84.106.) He thought, learned, prayed, ate, slept, wept, loved, and lived as a man—as the second Adam, as a perfect, limited, unfallen man."—Christ Our Substitute, page 43:3. (Chapter 4: Lesson help for the fourth lesson, January 16-22.)

"Thus He came as the second Adam, lived a human life, died as a human—for divinity cannot die—and offered man a perfect humanity to replace his. Jesus didn’t come because He needed a perfect humanity. His divinity was enough."—Christ Our Substitute, page 44:9-45:0. (Chapter 5: Lesson help for the fifth lesson, January 23-29.)

"What kind of person is Paul describing in the struggle of Romans 7? Is it the unregenerate or the regenerate man? As W.H.T. Gairdner stated, ‘There is unparalleled disagreement’ concerning this question, and he declined to offer a solution (‘Helps to the Study of the Epistle to the Romans,’ London, 1899, p. 63). But one can be found, and we will give it later. First, though, let us look at the two traditional schools of thought (Origen; Greek Fathers; pagan authors: Ovid, Euripides, Xenophon, Seneca, and Epictetus; Latin Fathers: Methodius, and Augustine; Early modern theologians: F.J.A. Hort, C.H. Dodd, H.P. Liddon, H.A.W. Meyer, W. Sanday, A.C. Headlam, C.J. Vaughn, J.A. Beet, and the Keswick speakers; Chrysostom, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Bernard a Picanio, H.C.G. Moule, Barth, Barclay, E. Brunner, J. Murray, Schweitzer, Whitley, Kasemann, Stendahl and Sanders referred to.] . . In Romans 7 we find the Christian struggling . . The passage here speaks of the Christian experience

[following] one event in the past—the moment of conversion Jesus was never the man of Romans 7, but always the man of Romans 8. He was the first man since the fall to be utterly filled by the Holy Spirit . . The nearest human parallel to Christ was the first Adam. He came from the hands of the Creator, Christ, and was also filled with the Holy Spirit. And he, too, was unique [different than all the rest of the human race] ."—Christ Our Substitute, page 48:3-51:2. (Chapter 5: Lesson help for the fifth lesson, January 23-29.)

We do not need to know what the early or later church "fathers" had to say about Romans 7, nor do we need an understanding of the learned opinions of theologians of the past or the present. And the young people in our college classes do not need to have their minds cluttered with these speculations. In this hour just before the final crisis we need to study and memorize the Word of God. To our knowledge, the most complete compilation of Spirit of Prophecy explanation on the meaning of the Man in Romans 7, is to be found on pages 3 and 4 of FF—7 ("The Australasian Controversy, Part Three"). As usual, the Spirit of Prophecy is completely consistent within itself, and consistent with the teachings of the Bible: The Man of Romans 7 is the unconverted man. In contrast, the Man of Romans 8 is the converted man who is daily gaining victory over sin through the indwelling Holy

Spirit. (God’s Word teaches that we may have the fullness of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us also. DA 827, 671; ST 267; DA 311; eV 700; GW 308; AA 47-48; TM 392. Lk 1:15; Ac 2:4; 4:8, 31; 7:55; 11:24; 13:9,52. And here are more: Joel 2:28; Zech 12:10; Matt 3:11; Lk 11:13; 24:49; Ac 2:38. And still more: Ezek 36:27; Rom 8:9; Jn 14:17; 1 Cor 3:16.)

"If Jesus lived four thousand years after Adam, we live two thousand years farther down the line. Surely we have a much harder time than Jesus. Why, He lived a simple life—free from discos, theaters, television, city gangs, and ghettos. Even on this level, how could He be in all points tempted like as we are?

There’s another comparison that bothers me. Both Adam and Jesus were sinless before their temptations. We are not. In fact, we do not have to do anything wrong to become sinners. We are born that way. But Jesus was born sinless."—Christ Our Substitute, page 52:3, 53:1. (Chapter 5: Lesson help for the fifth lesson, January 23-29.)

We find confusing cross conversations between nameless

people in this book that subtly implant doubts and questioning where there need be no questioning. "Desire of Ages," 117:1-2 is a powerful statement of the truth about the human nature of Christ, but in order to undercut it, ridicule is heaped upon the concept given there.

And the idea that actions have no relationship to sin is also un Scriptural. Your infant child is not an evil being. He may have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him from his earliest days (read "Desire of Ages," 512:3).

—2—

THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT

EXCERPTS FROM THE LESSON HELP BOOK

 FOR THE ELEVENTH, TWELFTH, 2 AND THIRTEENTH LESSONS

"Jesus’ words ‘It is finished’ stand over against any human striving for salvation. In that cry He brought to an end the only human work that counts. Only His life and death provides salvation.

"Calvary was not a launching pad upon which man was to build his own space shuttle for heaven. No, the cross is the door to heaven, the end of the journey, not the beginning. Golgotha stands in the ashes of the tower of Babel. All human efforts must topple before the place of the skull [Golgotha]. One cannot hold a hammer in one hand while building Babel’s tower, and with the other hand cling to the cross. For the hand that bangs the nail into the tower actually drives it into Christ’s hand on the tree.

"Babel’s tower represents man’s scheme to rescue himself. ‘Build it high enough fellows—above the water line! God won’t get us next time.’ The cross is God’s plan to save man. By be-coming sin for us, in our place, He became our ark of safety from the worldwide deluge of self..

"On Calvary, the world, as it was, finished. No longer can it continue as if the cross event hadn’t taken place. It is as if the man Jesus, in the Incarnation, had come to man up out of the pit into which he fell in Eden. At Calvary he finally crossed the line back into Eden. With the cry ‘It is finished’ the world of the Fall ended. Man was at home in Eden once more—in Him!"— Christ Our Substitute, page 100:1-3,5. (Chapter 11: Lesson help for March 6-12.)

"While ‘It is finished’ warns us that sin always pays its wages, it also assures us that Someone has already paid the price. The terms are unmatchable. We can trade in ourselves for Him. He will accept our lives of failure, shame, and sorrow and substitute His success, victory, and joy. Could any better terms possibly exist? In Jesus our life as it was is finished, is done with forever..

‘It is finished’ blazes across the heavens, reaching both backward and forward in history. It goes back from crucifixion Friday to Creation Friday. On both days God gave Adam—a ladder—to the race. Christ bestowed life on Adam that first Friday, but the second Adam was life for all mankind on the second Fri. day. Creation and re-creation, or salvation, are equally God’s work for us. Just as surely as man’s creation was completed Creation Friday, so His salvation was finished on crucifixion Friday. "It is finished" points forward to the coming end as nothing new. For, in a decisive sense, it arrived at Calvary that first Easter weekend."—Christ Our Substitute, page 101:0,4-102:0 (Chapter 11: Lesson help for March 6-12.).

"If the cross cries out ‘It is finished’ over our old world as it is, then the resurrection shouts ‘It is begun’ in reference to the coming new one . . Towering over all succeeding history stands the triumphant cross and resurrection. There God spoke His ultimate word over our planet. Now it can never be the same. The battle still rages, but the victory already has been won. True, Satan still flings his fists—like a losing fighter does after the final bell—but he is finished, his doom sealed. Christ’s death accomplished two irreversible facts-a perfect human life for us [a substitutionary life in our place] and ultimate death for Satan."— Christ Our Substitute, page 1 05:1-2 (Chapter 12: Lesson help for March 13-19).

"Acts throbs with the news of a living Saviour different from the living Jesus of the other four Gospels. At last His followers now know Him. They realize that He is God. But He is also the One who has completed the work of salvation. His disciples have assurance."—Christ Our Substitute, page 111:1 (Chapter 12: Lesson help for March 13-19).

"Bob had promised to discuss some questions with which his friend found himself struggling during the first half of the semester . . ‘Listen, Bob, if Christ has accomplished our salvation through His life and death, how come He needs to minister for us in heaven? Was His mission on earth not sufficient? Does He need now to add to what He accomplished there? Is the "It is finished" of Calvary only a qualified fact after all? - - How can we harmonize a completed work at the cross with a continuing work in heaven?’ 1113:41 ‘How come we say that the cross accomplished God’s victory? Looks as though it won’t be finally realized till even after the millennium!’ [114:1] ‘In the ultimate sense Christ’s death shut Satan’s mouth and opened up the gates back into Eden for man. ‘It is finished’ really means the end of both the controversy and man’s salvation. It is only a matter of time till all the universe will see this fact.’ ‘So Christ’s post resurrection ministry doesn’t add anything to the cross, as If it were insufficient?’ Bob smiled, ‘No.’ 1114:2-4] 

One could almost see the questions running through John’s mind. ‘What is the purpose of the pre-Advent (or any other) judgment, then? -. If Christ’s ministry doesn’t add anything to the cross, does it continue His earthly ministry?’ ‘Yes, in helping people, it does.. - He [Christ] prays as our big brother to the Father, but He also prays as God. In other words, as God He does not need to pray to God to change the Father.’ 1115:1; 116:1,2] - - ‘But didn’t Christ begin something in heaven after He ascended?’ ‘Yes Christ’s ministry in heaven is not only a continuation but a beginning - - Had not Christ said, ‘I have finished the work which thou gayest me to do’ (John 17:4), and cried out, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30)? And it was [finished at the cross]’ 

John stretehed and was silent for a few minutes. Then he nodded. ‘Yes, I see now, Bob, that the sanctuary imagery is helpful . - I’m not worried about what a heavenly sanctuary means. While I know that Ellen White makes some specific statements that the sanctuary is a real place, I’m not sure that I know exactly what it is like. But I’m willing to wait till I get to heaven to understand exactly what the sanctuary there is—whether heaven itself or something symbolized by the earthly pattern [references given]. But what does bother me is the intercession of Christ. Does He really need to intercede before God? The concept reminds me of my mother trying to calm down my father when he was mad at me—or refused to let me do something.’ ‘Well, look at it this way. Christ’s intercession is part of the Godhead’s united plan to remove both segments of the sin problem. We must not shatter the unity of the Godhead in their one plan.’ 1116:3-118:0] - . John arose from his seat, and, pacing back and forth, thought a long while about the oneness in the Godhead.

"Then a pained expression crossed his face. ‘Then what is the investigative judgment all about? I rebel when I think of it.’ He kicked a stone forcefully. ‘Look at all these birds, flowers, and trees that He made for us. They show His love for us, His creation. Most important, consider Christ’s life and death for us. Why a judgment after all these evidences of love? Seems contradictory to me. He’s either for us against us. And what if I sin the day my name comes up?’ He wrung his hands nervously. ‘I hate this judgment idea! This dagger forever hanging over us. Please, Bob,’ John pleaded, ‘please help me understand, to make sense of it.’ 11181] -. ‘You know, John, the period from 1844 to the close of probation has been called (a) investigative judgment (E.G. White, "The Great Controversy," chapter 28; the term was coined in 1857 by James White: see "The Sanctuary and Atonement," pp. 566f.), (b) pre-Advent judgment (E. Heppenstall, "Our High Priest," Washington D.C.: Review and Herald, 1972, pp. 107-129), and (c) pre-Advent audit: A.V. Wallenkampf, "The Sanctuary and the Atonement," pp. 597f.).

 All these have relevance to your question. But there’s another perspective that may also help.’ ‘What’s that?’ John blurted out. After all, anything that could throw light on the subject was just what he needed. ‘I believe that we can also view this day of atonement as a ‘pre Advent wedding day.’.. ‘Pre-Advent wedding day! That’s sure a new idea to me. But I like it. Tell me more.’ . - ‘The pre-Advent inspection is to see whether those called have also accepted the free gift of the bridegroom’s wedding garment. The way to stay in the wedding and become the bride, married to Christ, is to accept His perfect life, or wedding garment . . For it is not our works that get us through the inspection, but His: His perfect human righteousness-that robe, or wedding garment, covering us. This means the pre-Advent judgment primarily concerns itself with our acceptance of Christ’s substitutionary life (and death), rather than mainly with our life . .‘ ‘That’s neat.’

"A long pause followed. ‘But doesn’t God know who have accepted Him? He knows everything; why then a pre-Advent wedding inspection?’ . . ‘Really, it is the hour of His judgment that has come. The onlooking universe has opportunity to see who have accepted Christ as their full substitute-both His death for their sin, and His life for their life. Our acceptance says something about how we view God’s justice. On the other hand, the inspection also unveils those who, although professed Christians, have actually gone about relying on their own works as if they could muster up sufficient merit to get them through without Christ’s life and death.’

"Once more John stood up and paced back and forth for a few moments. ‘Bob, I think I see it. I have been afraid of this preAdvent judgment because I have been focusing on my own miserable record. But if I accept Christ’s life—in my place,—and cling to His substitution, then I have on the wedding garment. Is that correct?’ With a smile Bob clasped his arm. ‘Yes, indeed. When we view the pre-Advent judgment in wedding-garment terms, then we see that our acceptance of Christ’s works rather than worrying over our own is the crucial point.’ [118:2; 119:1-3; 120: 1-3; 121:0-21

 "John collapsed on the park bench. ‘Man, what a relief! But what does it mean in John 12:31, "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out" (N.I.V.)? How could Jesus say that of His earthly ministry?’ ‘In one respect Calvary WAS the judgment day. Scripture couches even the mission of the Holy Spirit in judgment terms, with specific reference to judgment at the cross - - In fact, all judgment or salvation comes from either rejection or acceptance of the substitutionary judgment that Christ made for us at Calvary ‘We shall wing our way to heaven, free at last—all because of Calvary. The Second Advent is the final goal of the cross. The cross and the Second Advent are the proper context for the preAdvent judgment. They show that He is always "for us"

Christ Our Substitute, page 113:3-124:3 (Chapter 13: Lesson help for March 20-26).

BARNHOUSE’S

SEPTEMBER 1956 ARTICLE

 Donald Grey Barnhouse was a large-set man, equaling in push and energy that of his associate editor, Walter B. Martin. At the conclusion of the Evangelical Conferences, as the time neared for the release of the two doctrinal books—one by Martin and the other by the General Conference—intended to bring the Evangelical. and Adventists together, Barnhouse published in his Eternity magazine the first of what in that issue he called "bombshell articles."

The article below, reprinted from page 24 of our tract book, The Evangelical Conferences, was the FIRST inkling that many Adventist workers and members had of the two years of meetings already concluded, and the forthcoming release of the two books. This article appeared in the September 1956 issue of Eternity. To date, not a single mention or hint of what was transpiring had appeared in the pages of Anderson’s magazine, Ministry,—or anywhere else in Adventist publications for that mailer. Major doctrinal discussions and changes were in process, and only a few workers and members knew anything about it! The first Ministry mention of the matter was not to appear for three more months, and probably only then because of the furor aroused by the appearance of an entire series of six major Eternity articles on the subject.

 Yet the majority of our people never did know much of what went on, for they subscribed neither to Eternity nor to Ministry, and were not present at the subsequent indoctrination meetings conducted for Adventist workers at retreats all over the world by BA. Anderson and his co-workers.

Here is a major portion of that first article by Barn house, appropriately called by him in the same magazine issue, a bombshell:

ARE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST ADVENTIST CHRISTIANS?

new look at Seventh-day Adventism-by Donald Grey Barnhouse, Eternity Magazine.

On a second visit he was presented with scores of pages of detailed theological answers to his questions. Immediately it was perceived that the Adventists were strenuously denying certain doctrinal position which had been previously attributed to them. As Mr. Martin read their answers he came, for example, upon a statement that they repudiated absolutely the thought that seventh-day Sabbath keeping was a basis for salvation and a denial of any teaching that the keeping of the first day of the week is as yet considered to be the receiving of the anti-Christian ‘mark of the beast.’ He pointed out to them that in their book store adjoining the building in which these meetings were taking place a certain volume published by them and written by one of their ministers categorically stated the contrary to what they were now asserting. The leaders sent for the book, discovered that Mr. Martin was correct, and immediately brought this fact to the attention of the General Conference Officers, that this situation might be remedied and such publications be corrected. This same procedure was repeated regarding the nature of Christ while in the flesh which the majority of the denomination has always held to be sinless, holy, and perfect despite the fact that certain of their writers have occasionally gotten into print with contrary views completely repugnant to the Church at large. They further explained to Mr. Martin that they had among their number certain members of their ‘lunatic fringe’ even as there are similar wild-eyed irresponsible in every field of fundamental Christianity. This action of the Seventh-day Adventists was indicative of similar steps that were taken subsequently.

I discovered, however, in our long talks together that these brethren have what I think is a misconception of Calvinism. They would not find it too hard to get along with the modern Calvinism which is held by most evangelical Baptists and Presbyterians today and vice versa.

"We also disagree on the question of the Seventh-day Sabbath. A great amount of time was spent in our early meetings to spell out the fact that Adventists do not believe in legalism as a part of salvation though everything in their practice seems to indicate that they do. They recognize clearly that some of their teachers have taught the contrary, but they take a position (to us very illogical) that the Ten Commandments are to be obeyed, but that their teaching has no part whatsoever as a down payment or a part payment toward salvation which they and we in common confess to be by Christ alone on the basis of His expiatory death on Calvary.

The latter doctrine [the investigative judgment], to me, is the most colossal, psychological, face-saving phenomenon in religious history!

"Now the time has come to make known to the general public the results of the hundreds of hours of labor that have been expended by Mr. Martin and the similar time that has been put forth by many Adventist leaders.

"Mr. Martin’s book on Seventh-day Adventism will appear in print within a few months. It will carry a foreword by responsible leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist church to the effect that they have not been misquoted in the volume and the areas of agreement and disagreement as set forth by Mr. Martin are accurate from their point of view. All of Mr. Martin’s references to a new Adventist volume on their doctrines will be from the page proof of their book, which will appear in print simultaneously with his work. Henceforth any fair criticism of the Adventist movement must refer to these simultaneous publications.

"The position of the Adventists seems to some of us in certain cases to be a new position; to them it may be merely the position of the majority group of sane leadership which is determined to put the brakes on any members who seek to hold views divergent from that of the responsible leadership of the denomination.

"(1) Notably, the Adventist leadership proclaims that the writings of Ellen G. White, the great counselor of the Adventist movement, are not on a parity with Scripture..

"(2) While the Adventists keep Saturday as the Sabbath, they specifically repudiate the idea that Sabbath-keeping is in any way a means of salvation.

- It is to my mind, therefore, nothing more than a human, face-saving idea! It should also be realized that some uninformed Seventh-day Adventists took this idea and carried it to fantastic literalistic extremes. Mr. Martin and I heard the Adventist leaders say, flatly, that they repudiate all such extremes.

- Further, they do not believe, as some of their earlier teachers taught, that Jesus’ atoning work was not completed on Calvary but instead that He was still carrying on a second ministering work since 1844. This idea is also totally repudiated. They believe that since His ascension Christ has been ministering the benefits of the atonement which He completed on Calvary. Since the sanctuary doctrine is based on the type of the Jewish high priest going into the Holy of Holies to complete his atoning work, it can be seen that what remains is most certainly energetically untenable and theological speculation of a highly imaginative order.

We personally do not believe that there is even a suspicion of a verse in Scripture to sustain such a peculiar position, and we further believe that any effort to establish it is stale, flat. and unprofitable!

"To sum up, I would say that the differences between other evangelicals and the Seventh-day Adventist position are three:

"(1) The unimportant and almost naive doctrine of the ‘investigative judgment’

"(2) The more serious doctrine of Sabbath-keeping, which is not sufficient to bar Seventh-day Adventists from the fellowship of true Christians but which makes such fellowship very difficult because of the overtones of legalism that has a tendency to gnaw at the roots of the truth of sovereign grace to unworthy sinners; and

"(3) Finally, the most serious difference, to me, is their belief in conditional immortality (i.e., soul-sleeping and the annihilation of the lost)."— "Are Seventh-day Adventists Christians?," Donald Grey Barnhouse, Eternity, September 7956. pp. 6. 7, 43-

45-

ROY COTTRELL’S 1958 LETTER

 On page 60 of our tractbook, The Evangelical Conferences, we printed a letter by Roy F. Cottrell(1878-1970) prominent denominational worker of many year’s experience. However, we now see that we inadvertently wrote the a biographical notation for the wrong person—Raymond F. Cottrell, a recent associate editor of the Adventist Review. We will here supply you with a correct biography.

From 1902 to 1920, Elder Roy Cottrell and his wife served as missionaries in China, where he wrote ten books in the Mandarin language. Returning to the United States, he continued to pour out the books—i 5 books and booklets, 8 series of Sabbath School lessons, and literally hundreds of articles in our church magazines. Later, while serving as a pastor in the Southern California Conference, he learned of a talk given by R A. Anderson in the Southeastern California Conference a short time before. By this time, Elder Cottrell, a lifetime worker in the cause and a veteran writer of our church beliefs, was 80 years old. The year was 1958 and only recently had Questions on Doctrine been released.

Here is Elder Cottrell’s letter to the head of the General Conference Ministerial Association:

February 23, 1958

Elder R. A. Anderson

Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association

Takoma Park, Washington 12, D.C.

My dear Brother Anderson:—

Along the years I have held you in highest esteem, and recalling the past, I have considered your series of evening sermons at Lynwood some years ago to be the most uplifting and outstanding series of camp meeting messages, I have ever been privileged to hear.

A few days ago, an outline of your address presented to the Southeastern Conference workers, was placed in my hands, and I have been surprised and pained as I read its contents. I am writing to you as a beloved brother in the Lord, and trust you will receive it in the same spirit as it is written.

 Now I am persuaded that all who wholeheartedly accept the Spirit of Prophecy, will stand solidly on the platform of truth that has stood unshaken for over a century; and no one should attempt to change our fundamental beliefs concerning the atonement. The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy teach that there are two important phases to the atonement; that Christ’s work of atonement was begun, rather than completed, on Calvary; and that the final phase of the atonement is now being carried forward in the heavenly sanctuary.

In the ancient sanctuary service, the atonement was not made by the victim that was slain, but by the priest who carried the blood into the tabernacle, sprinkling it before the veil, and in this way making the atonement. See Leviticus 4, and "Patriarchs and Prophets," p. 354.

Concerning the latter phase of Christ’s atoning work, we read: "As in the typical service there was a work of atonement at the close of the year, so before Christ’s work for the redemption of men is completed, there is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary." GC, p. 421.

"At the termination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement."—id., p. 422.

"It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of atonement who receive the benefits of His mediation in their behalf."-id., p. 430.

"So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgement, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God."—id., p. 480.

"The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon the earth.

"The intercession of Christ in man’s behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon. the cross. By His death He began that work which after His resurrection He ascended to complete in heaven. . We are now~ living in the great day of atonement. —id. pp. 488, 489.

"The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement . . Then by virtue of the atoning blood of Christ the sins of all the truly penitent will be blotted from the books of heaven."

—P.P., pp. 357, 358."

Many similar quotations could be given, but this will suffice to present the undeviating testimony of the Spirit of Prophecy on this question. We also note the quotations that you present stating that Christ’s sacrifice was "a perfect atonement;" that the atoning sacrifice was all-sufficient; and that it need never be repeated. This is in perfect harmony with Hebrews 9:24-26.

Your presentation, however, carries the thought that the cross is central in the work of atonement. The same thought is emphasized again and again in the new book, "Questions on Doctrine;" but I am confident, dear Brother Anderson, that the emphasis is in the wrong place. Paul stated that the central feature in the work of atonement and the plan of salvation is seen in our High Priest ministering in the sanctuary above. Hebrews 8:1-5. Again note the words from Great Controversy: "The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men." It appears most unfortunate that in the portions of the book, "Questions on Doctrine." dealing with Christ’s ministry in the sanctuary, the word "atonement" appears to be scrupulously avoided. A crucified and risen Saviour was present truth in New Testament times, but in this the time of the end, Christ’s ministry in the final phase of the atonement, is present truth today for this remnant people.

We therefore must utterly deplore any attempt at downgrading and belittling the atoning work of our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. And at this late date to attempt to change the terminology regarding this great pillar of our faith, can only result in bringing in confusion and disruption.

Long years ago, the servant of the Lord declared: "Satan is striving continually to bring in fanciful suppositions regarding sanctuary, degrading the wonderful representation of God and the ministry of Christ for our salvation into something that suits the carnal mind. He removes its presiding theories invented to make void the truths of the atonement, and destroy our confidence in the doctrines which we have held sacred since the Third Angel’s Message was first given"’—Series B, No. 7, p. 17.

It would appear that in your numerous conversations with Dr. Walter Martin, you have been insidiously led to compromise the truth, so as to state it in terms acceptable to the popular evangelical churches. You have evidently endeavored to give the doctrine of the atonement "a new look;" but it appears as a doubtful, dubious look, and one of which our heavenly Father cannot approve.

During my more than a half century in the ministry, I have seen quite a number of good men, and some of them General Conference men, slip off on a tangent. Some of them returned to the full acceptance of the message, but others did not. And now, dear brother, I appeal to you to study again the great fundamental truth of the atonement. Study the counsel given on page 63 of Early Writings; and with the rest of us present those themes that will "establish the faith of the doubting, and give certainty to the glorious future."

The Lord has mightily blessed your ministry in the past, and I pray He will grant to you clear vision, and the unction of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the three-fold message with soul-winning vigor and effectiveness in the days to come.

Cordially your brother,

Roy F. Cottrell

Continue - Walter Martin's Lecture