Why is the provision of "righteousness by faith" called the third angel's message in verity? Is not the third angel's message a specific warning against receiving the mark of the beast?
Never should we forget that the expression "third angel's message" is the working program of the gospel movement for this last hour, rather than an epitome of its doctrines or a statement of its beliefs. Its objectives are clearly revealed therein, but its beliefs are all infolded and are to be sought in the key expression, "the everlasting gospel." Rev. 14:6. This is its condensed statement of belief, and its norm. The "everlasting gospel" is simply the original gospel in its purity and its fullness that Christ and the apostles defined and proclaimed, and which we are to re-enunciate. It is the same changeless gospel that Paul so fully and faithfully expounded and expanded, and which he forewarned would be perverted and constricted. And in the light of that great apostasy foretold, it is to be again believed and preached in all its pristine purity and persuasive power.
The threefold message is but the "everlasting gospel," as God designs it shall be specifically preached today. It is to be so heralded as to recover lost principles and forgotten truths, and so to correct inconcealable departures from "the faith . . . once delivered." It gives (1) to the world, the Enunciation,---"the hour of His judgment is come;" (2) to professed Christians, the Invitation,—"come out of her, My people," because of nominal Christianity's spiritual fall from gospel purity; and (3) to all touched by apostate Christendom's perversions, the Warning,—"if any man worship the beast," and so forth, he will receive the unmingled wrath of God for disobedience. And we need ever to remember that the negative warning is specifically for those who reject the positive "everlasting gospel," to proclaim which is our solemn obligation and bounden commission.
This movement is fundamentally a positive, saving message. But the faithful, fearless preaching of such involves exposure of all perversions and departures therefrom. So the negative feature is only the accompaniment of the positive corrective. Thus law and gospel have their rightful balance and relationship. Unfortunately, some heralds are so conscious of the obligation to declare the negative aspect that they fail to emphasize adequately the primary, positive side,—the changeless gospel of God's saving grace. Such a restricted presentation tends to become legalism pure and simple, or in other words, to offer salvation by human works instead of by divine grace.
Righteousness by faith is the very essence of the everlasting gospel, to preach which is our divine commission. And that righteousness by faith is neither antagonistic nor foreign to the third angel's message, but constitutes its very essence, is the unassailable declaration of the Spirit of prophecy: "Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel's message, and I have answered, 'It is the third angel's message in verity.' " —Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.
It is the undergirding principle thereof, the basic truth, the essential motive, the inner heart and vital spring of it all. Therefore the warning feature of the third angel—against the beast and everything that savors of the beast-spirit—must be against the opposite of righteousness by faith, which could only be righteousness by works. As the one is salvation by divine grace, so the other is attempted salvation by human obedience or endeavor. In the one it is wholly the power of God; in the other it is the power of man. In the first it is wholly a gift from God; in the second it is a reward of human merit. No two concepts of motivating principles could be more diametrically opposite. The one provides for keeping the commandments of God solely through the divine faith of Jesus, while the other attempts to keep the mandates of God or man by the human works of the flesh. The distinction between the two is as wide as the poles. Its cleavage is as basic as light and darkness, holiness and sin, heaven and hell. Here is an issue as grim and relentless as death and eternity. It presents the consummation of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. The antipodes are here at grips.
It is solemnly incumbent upon God's last heralds of His approaching kingdom first to sense and experience, and then to proclaim, these basic distinctions and principles. There is more in the third angel's message than simply negative denunciation of Sunday observance as the mark of religious apostasy. It is the culminating essence of the issues between salvation by human obedience and works, and salvation by grace and faith. It is the culminating climax of the two conflicting principles that have been struggling for supremacy ever since man fell from the righteousness of God. The great conflict will close over this principle, and righteousness by faith shall endure.
Righteousness constitutes the essential nature of God, and is the unchangeable requirement of God for lost man. But this is humanly impossible. Therefore the sole purpose of the gospel is to provide for man such righteousness through and only through Christ. But Satan's scheme is subtly to substitute therefor, or to intermingle therewith, righteousness by our obedience, our endeavors, our laws, our strength or merit. It is against this that the whole genius of the third angel's message is to be directed.
Now it is in the everlasting gospel that the "righteousness of God" is revealed. Indeed, righteousness is the whole issue of the gospel on the one hand, and of sin on the other. "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and. also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Rom. 1: 16-18. The two—the gospel and righteousness—are inseparable; indeed, they are identical. Therefore, in the true presentation of the positive aspect of the third angel's message, it is the righteousness of God by faith that will be declared, and it will be placed over against righteousness by works and by sight, which is its antithesis.
Righteousness is revealed in the gospel because Christ, "who of God is made unto us . . . righteousness" (1 Cor. 1:30), is the unique, central Person of the gospel. The salvation of the gospel springs from Him. Its benefits to us are all gauged exclusively by our relation to Him, not simply by sincere assent to a certain body of correct teachings. Hence any true and adequate presentation of the everlasting gospel in this day must present the third angel's message as righteousness by faith.
L. E. F.
