The Nature of the Gospel

What is the nature of the gospel that makes it good news?  In his book Judged by the Gospel: A Review of Adventism, theologian Robert Brinsmead offers important insights about how the gospel can be considered good news, particularly in a church that has historically not emphasized this.  He says, “The word gospel signifies the proclamation of good news, and it has special reference to the news of victory, particularly victory in battle.  The gospel of Christ is the good news of the victory of Christ.  In our name and on our behalf He fought our great enemies–sin, death and the devil–and utterly defeated them (Colossians 2:15).  He took our sin and alienation upon Himself, reconciled us to God by His death on the cross, and by His resurrection restored the race to favor with God.  The whole deed of our salvation was accomplished and finished in the Christ event.

When we look at the New Testament passages on the gospel (such as Luke 2:10-11, Acts 13:32-33, Romans 1:1-3, Romans 5:6-10, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), it is plain that they all speak of a historical event.  When used in the proper sense (‘By this gospel you are saved’–1 Corinthians 15:1-2), the word gospel refers to what has been done and finished.  What God will do for us if we fulfill certain conditions is not the gospel.  God’s deed of redemption is something He has already done whether we believe it or not.  Our faith does not bring God’s saving deed into existence but confesses its existence.” Read on below for the continuation of Brinsmead’s thoughts on the nature of the gospel.

“Gospel preaching does not declare, ‘If you will do this or take these steps, God will do that.’ This inverts the order as if man were cause and God were response.  It is not far from the pagan idea that deity can be manipulated if man can only find the secret technique–the right prayer, right sacrifice or right incantation.  Rather, the initiative in salvation is wholly with God.  Before we thought about it or had any desire to be reconciled to Him, God acted in Christ to reconcile the world to Himself (Romans 5:6-10).  He worked out the whole matter.  Before we ever asked forgiveness, God paid our debt in the death of His Son, and in His heart forgave the sins of all men (Isaiah 44:22; Romans 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:14-20).

The gospel does not proclaim a technique whereby we may attain salvation.  Salvation by grace through faith is not salvation by technique.  How many times have we heard things like ‘three steps to salvation’ or ‘seven steps to get the Holy Spirit.’ That is not preaching the gospel but preaching law.  Anything which tells us what we must do or how we must live is law. Law has its place, but it must not be confused with the gospel.  For too long we have promoted techniques on how to get the Holy Spirit in order to ‘finish the work.’ This legalism leads the people of God into bondage.  The gospel is the good news that Jesus has won the gift of the Holy Spirit for all His people by His humiliation and exaltation (Acts 2:33).  The gift is ours through faith alone (Galatians 3:1-14).  Gospel preaching does not consist in describing the spiritual feats the believer must take to get the Holy Spirit.  It proclaims the steps Jesus has taken to win a free gift for us. ...

The New Testament everywhere testifies that whoever believes what Christ has done for him is justified and saved to life eternal.  This holy history of Jesus Christ–His life, death and resurrection–is a sheer gift to be received by faith alone.  A poor sinner does not have to look to his inward experience to be accepted of God, but he must come just as he is and accept the gift.  When Christ comes to him clothed in His gospel, the sinner simply consents to have the robe of salvation placed upon him, just as one consents to take the bread given to him at Christ’s Holy Supper.” -Robert D. Brinsmead, Judged by the Gospel: A Review of Adventism, pp. 23-24 (Fallbrook, California: Verdict Publications, 1980)

This entire book is outstanding, but is unfortunately out of print.

Testimony of an Adventist Minister

Is the heart of the gospel about Christian standards or about the imputed righteousness of Christ?  For one ordained Adventist minister and missionary physician, Dr. Herschel C. Lamp, the initial encounter with Adventism left him believing that Christian conduct, not the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, was “the main point.” Reproduced below is his testimony taken from a letter written to a church leader dated February 20, 1980.  Unfortunately in this minister’s experience, the gospel of Jesus Christ was not the central message at the time of his baptism into the Adventist church, and instead he was given a heavy dose of end-times prophecy, the investigative judgment, and a laundry list of “thou shalt nots.” From his testimony it is clear that the fruit of salvation (sanctification) took a backseat to the root of salvation (justification), and the simple gospel of Jesus Christ was replaced by unbiblical denominational distinctives.  May we learn from this minister’s experience and hold fast to the gospel of Jesus Christ, allowing the root of his righteousness to take hold in our lives, bearing fruit that is motivated not by fear but by gratitude for his finished work on Calvary.

“The East Pennsylvania Conference Bible worker gave my mother, my sister, and me Bible studies for about a full year and covered nearly every subject on which a new Adventist is supposed to be catechized, including health reform, wedding rings, other ‘Christian Standards,’ etc.

The first time I was ever in an Adventist church was the Sabbath in December of 1940 when I was baptized in the Harrisburg Church with your sister by B.P. Gernet.  I really did not want to be baptized.  I went through the rite primarily because I was afraid not to.  I knew of the coming investigative judgment, the seven last plagues, the final outpouring of God’s wrath on those who did not keep all the commandments of God and believe in the ‘Spirit of Prophecy’ (the writings of E.G. White) and I wanted to escape the fires of hell that would destroy the wicked.

Upon returning home to Carlisle that December evening I went to the home of one of my high school classmates where I played table tennis with my three best friends.  I stopped the game after a while to tell them of my baptism.  Knowing nothing of my religious studies, they asked me what this step meant.  My answer is still vivid to me–to my shame!  I told them that the significance of my becoming an Adventist was that I could no longer play pinochle, 500, and other forbidden card games, nor could I attend the movies with them, nor could I go to the dance at the Junior Prom, nor could I ever again shoot pool with them at the local pool hall!  I didn’t mention vegetarianism, abstinence from tea, coffee, and cola drinks, the avoidance of fictitious reading, etc., but it was enough to persuade them that I had lost my mind!  As a new Seventh-day Adventist, this was my testimony, my witness, my gospel presentation!  You might say that it is unfair to equate my presentation with the gospel, but where did I get these ideas?  Looking back I remember no Bible study on justification by faith in the atoning death and faultless merits of Jesus Christ that could give me the assurance of salvation apart from the works of the law.  I was simply ignorant of the gospel.

When I went away to college, I did begin to learn more about the atonement but it was always the traditional view–justification by faith is forgiveness for past sins, but after that there must be the character development of sanctification necessary to prepare one for the coming judgment and final acceptance.  Little wonder that I struggled for assurance!

While I was working in the Arizona Conference in 1972, Elder Walter, then Ministerial Secretary of the Southwestern Union, came and gave his presentation on ‘New Testament Witnessing’ at a week-long workers’ meeting.  His presentation of the assurance of salvation through justification by grace through faith in the merits of Christ was the first really clear presentation of the gospel that I had heard.  This is not just a rebuke to our system of Christian education and to the theological training of our ministers; it is also a confession of my own failure to study the standard works of Protestant scholars which I have since read and have found to contain a clear portrayal of the gospel largely unknown to Seventh-day Adventists.” -Source: Judged by the Gospel, Robert D. Brinsmead, pp. 17-18

The Danger of Casual Contact with the Gospel

Truth for Life radio ministry is an excellent series entitled “Behind the Scenes of Christmas” (available for a short time by podcast here).  In the December 21 podcast entitled, “To All Who Receive Him,” Begg expands upon these verses from the first chapter of John:

“He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:10-13 ESV)

This passage is disturbing because it shows how the people to whom God revealed himself, through the law and the prophets, did not receive the Messiah to whom the law and prophets pointed.  This message was reinforced by Jesus himself in the parable of the wicked tenants (Luke 20:9-18), arousing the anger of the scribes and chief priests (Luke 20:19).

In reviewing these texts, Alistair Begg makes a profound observation:

“The longer that somebody is able to sit and listen to the gospel and continue unconverted, despite the clarity of the Scriptures, despite the promptings of the Spirit, despite the exhortations of the preachers–the longer a man or woman sits in that position–the greater their eternal danger.”

Think of the consequences of this statement.  One can spend their entire life in church, possibly hearing the gospel thousands of times, but never respond to it.  To the unconverted soul, the gospel message grows familiar through repetition, acquiring a “been there, done that” feel while ultimately hardening the heart to the truth it contains.

In the case of Adventism, the true gospel is obscured by a host of doctrines which effectively deny the core truth – that all are sinners in need of a great Savior, and that God saves those who put their faith in Jesus regardless of their ability to keep the law or perform good works.  Among several examples, the investigative judgment stands out as the greatest gospel-obscuring teaching of Adventism, effectively rendering the Adventist gospel a non-gospel.  If the good news of the gospel is that Jesus is investigating every life, looking for an unconfessed sin that will exempt the sinner from heaven, then the gospel is not good news!

Considering Alistair Begg’s observations above, many within the Christian church as a whole are in danger of living lives of mere familiarity with the gospel, thereby denying its power.  Adventists who see their religion as a cultural identity, it would seem, are in this camp.  Of what use is a vegetarian diet and attending church on Saturday if you have not fallen under the weight of your sin and cried out in desperation to Jesus, the only one who can save you?

Furthermore, Adventists who see themselves as God’s remnant people with a special end-time message of Christ’s investigative judgment are also in danger, since their unique doctrinal views effectively undermine the true gospel.  Ironically, these individuals may have the greater potential to respond to the true gospel due to the stark differences between their current beliefs and what the Bible actually teaches.  As Romans 10:17 says, “faith comes by hearing,” and when the true gospel is preached with clarity, souls are converted from false beliefs.

Contrast this situation with that of the cultural Adventist, who may hear the gospel many times over his life but never have a flicker of response to it, instead committing himself to a lifetime of going through the motions each Saturday.

As Begg points out in his conclusion, this problem of being hardened by the gospel is the reason the Scriptures are so strong on today being the day of salvation.

“...we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says,

‘In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 ESV)

An Appeal to our Adventist Friends, part 5

The teachings of the historic Adventist church as found in the writings of Ellen White have fundamentally obscured the biblical gospel. At its most basic level, the historic Adventist doctrine of justification is ironically in agreement with the teachings of the Roman Catholic church. Ellen White said “When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man’s best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit” (My Life Today, pg. 250). This idea of justification implies that man’s “best service” must be combined with Christ’s divine merit to “make up for the deficiency” in the character of the believer, as if the believer can contribute anything to his own salvation. This is no different than the false teaching that prompted the Protestant Reformation. At the Council of Trent, the version of justification promoted by Ellen White was vigorously defended by the Roman Catholic church, pronouncing condemnation upon anyone who disagreed with it. “If any one shall affirm, that man’s freewill, moved and excited by God, does not, by consenting, cooperate with God, the mover and exciter, so as to prepare and dispose itself for the attainment of justification...let such a one be accursed!” (Council of Trent, Canon IV)

If you are an Adventist, we do not bring these things to your attention to ridicule or condemn you. We are truly concerned for your salvation if you adhere to the historic teachings of Adventism or if your understanding of the gospel has been clouded by the teachings of the Adventist church. You may be surprised to learn that the historic teachings of Adventism on justification and the gospel are more in line with Roman Catholicism than with Protestant Christianity. This difference is critical to understand because it is the heart of the gospel and it puts true faith in Jesus into sharp focus. Without acknowledging what God has done for humanity by reconciling us to Himself freely through Jesus apart from our “best efforts,” we cannot have genuine faith. If we believe that our effort in any way adds to salvation apart from what Jesus has already obtained on our behalf, we have fundamentally distorted the gospel. If righteousness could be obtained through our own effort, Jesus died for no purpose (Gal. 2:21).

If you have not done so already, we most sincerely pray that you will place your faith in Jesus Christ outside of your own efforts, acknowledging your sinful condition and your utter incapacity to save yourself. “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). Turn from your sin (including the sin of believing you can earn God’s favor) and put your faith in the Savior, who will cleanse you of all unrighteousness—past, present and future. Recognize that God made him to be sin who knew no sin (Jesus), so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). “So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:5-6). We pray that the Adventist church will turn from a gospel of works intertwined with grace and awaken to the biblical gospel of righteousness by faith alone, in Christ alone, by His grace alone, and for His glory alone. The salvation of souls depends on it.

The Hidden Gospel

Is the gospel hidden from view in the Adventist church?  This blog report describing an Adventist evangelistic crusade in Chattanooga, implies that it is. “We recently attended a big crusade in Chattanooga. It’s like watching the world series and it’s our team against everyone else. [You] should’ve heard the AMENS when the speaker shared truths that are peculiar to our denomination. However, on the one night that we heard the speaker focus on the gospel, the amens were few and far between.  Something’s WRONG with the picture when we are more excited about 29 doctrines than about Jesus Christ!”

The blog author makes a very good observation about the current state of affairs in a large part of the Adventist church. Preaching the gospel has taken a back seat to the special truths of Adventist eschatology and prophecy. The loudest amens are reserved for any teaching that affirms Adventism as the remnant church, while the gospel which has the power to save souls remains obscured from view.

A major reason for this may be that many Adventists perceive the gospel as something every Christian church has access to and has been preaching since the time of Christ.  As such, this message has become so familiar as to be almost boring. Built into this mindset is a belief that if Adventists can’t point to their unique doctrines, the church won’t look any different than the other Christian churches that have historically been referred to as “Babylon.”

The apostle Paul knew nothing of these denominational distinctives and his inspired testimony is just as applicable to today’s church as it was when he penned it to the Romans:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17 ESV)

As long as denominational distinctives are placed at the forefront, the gospel will remain hidden and the “power of God for salvation” will be in short supply.