Editorial Keynotes

The Heart of the Everlasting Gospel

It should ever be kept in mind that I the real issue in the final proclama­tion of the everlasting gospel is the clear knowledge and the full accept­ance of the righteousness of God by faith. And what is true of the whole, is equally true of all the component parts of the gospel message. Conse­quently the basic issue of every vital truth or doctrine that is to be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations before the end comes, is the provision for obtaining the righteous­ness of God by faith. And whatever does not come within the scope of this encompassing principle becomes a non­essential, a secondary.

Righteousness by faith can be clearly set forth through any subject proper and profitable for us to present. And it can be vividly and effectually presented without ever using the ex­pression. "Righteousness by faith" is not a question of terminology, but of always recognizing and setting forth the eternal, living heart of the ever­lasting gospel in any of its phases. It is a question of understanding the basic principle and purpose of the gos­pel, and of letting that guide and per­meate in the presentation of its every aspect.

A question which has seemed to chal­lenge reply during recent years, is this: How is it possible to preach the doctrines of the third angel's message, and still preach nothing but the right­eousness of Christ, which is termed the third angel's message in verity?

But as we study what has appeared to some to be a difficult problem, we find that every phase of the third angel's message emanates from the living heart of the gospel,—the righteousness of God by faith. For example:

The basic issue of the law, the Sab­bath, and the judgment, is the right­eousness of God by faith.

The basic issue of the second advent, the millennium, and the destruction of the wicked, is the righteousness of God by faith.

The basic issue of conditional im­mortality, the nature of man, and the resurrection of the dead, is the right­eousness of God by faith.

The basic issue of the sanctuary, the atonement, and the new covenant, is the righteousness of God by faith.

The basic issue of all prophecies, whether of prophet, apostle, or Mes­siah, is the righteousness of God by faith.

The basic issue of stewardship, evan­gelism, and missions, is the righteous­ness of God by faith.

And the basic issue of regeneration, victory over temptation, and the tri­umphant life, is the righteousness of God by faith.

The foregoing enumeration is, of course, not an attempt to exhaust, but merely to illustrate the key thought. But the bounden obligation of the mes­senger in each and every instance, is to set forth these truths, singly or col­lectively, in their divinely appointed relation to the complete restoration of the righteousness of God to man. Or, to state the messenger's obligation dif­ferently, he is to present these truths as prime factors and issues in com­pleting the restoration of righteous­ness in the individual life, and conse­quently throughout the earth and the universe; and thus the mighty prayer of the ages will be answered, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

This petition "is a prayer that the reign of evil on this earth may be ended, that sin may be forever de­stroyed, and the kingdom of righteous­ness be established." This "kingdom will not come until the good tidings of His grace have been carried to all the earth. . . . Only those who devote themselves to His service, saying, 'Here am I; send me' to open blind eyes, to turn men 'from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive for­giveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified,'— they alone pray in sincerity, Thy kingdom come.' "—"Mount of Blessing," pp. 161, 166. Here again is emphasized the heart of the gospel to be the for­giveness of sins,—righteousness im­puted, which leads to inheritance among the sanctified,—the imparted righteousness of God by faith.

So we are to preach the gospel of the Sabbath, the gospel of the sanc­tuary, the gospel of the judgment, the kingdom, the law, and all the different truths comprising the component parts of the third angel's message, as radi­ating from, and a part of the heart of the everlasting gospel, which in all its fullness and reality is the provision whereby the righteousness of God may be substituted for the sin of the sinner. Such must be our procedure in order to meet the mind and the purpose of God in fulfilling our assigned commis­sion. To attempt to present any or all of these doctrinal truths as well-established and irrefutable theories, separate and distinct from the basic issue of the righteousness of God by faith, is to miss the mark, to fail of God's purpose, to jeopardize the des­tiny of our hearers, and to find at last that after we have preached to others, we ourselves have become castaways.

L. E. F.