Righteousness by Faith in Verity: Part 2

Created and Redeemed by Grace

Mankind is not only to be saved by grace; we were created by grace. What do I mean by that? There is absolutely nothing we have contributed to earn existence; life, as it is, was and still is a gift that is given wholly on the basis of who God is. God is love, and if there is one thing we can learn from Him, it is that love is not merely other-centered, but it is infinitely expandable. God created us not merely so that we could be recipients of His love, but also that we might extend it and fill the earth with His love. In fact, all things were created as an extension and, most importantly, an expression of God’s nature of love. Ellen G White writes “The work of creation was a manifestation of His love; but the gift of God to save the guilty and ruined race, alone reveals the infinite depths of divine tenderness and compassion..”¹ It is in Christ alone that we perfectly see the self-sacrificing, infinite love of the Father. 1 John 3:1. John, the beloved disciple, speaking of this love which is revealed in Christ, cried out, “Behold, what manner of love.” Herein, we see the disciple at a loss for words when looking at the enormous gift of God to humanity through Christ. Love begot the universe, and love redeemed the fallen world.

In and of ourselves, we have nothing to offer except what is given to us. It is true that we are gifted with an individuality—the power to will and to do—yet our will can only choose from what is set before it, not from anything originating within us. To put it plainly, we were made to either live in harmony with the will of God or die while attempting to live against it. Therefore, the options we have are to accept the gift of grace, to partake of the life of God, who is the only source of existence, or to reject the gift and cease to exist. This is only fitting, since God is the deviser and initiator of the plan to bring us into existence. He has every right to establish the purpose and the order of life, for He is the source of existence itself, and therefore the One who determines how life is to be governed. The sad reality is that we have chosen death. Through our shortsightedness and lust for greatness, we made the most foolish choice—a fleeting moment of self-indulgence and self-aggrandizement. We made a fatal mistake and yielded to the deception that we can maintain and preserve ourselves independent of God. Up to date, mankind is still refusing to see the obvious—our inability to renew our morally debased minds. Our godless and lifeless worldviews have so corrupted us that we have become blind to our need for salvation, blind to our need for a power outside of ourselves to heal our broken minds and liberate us from our prisons of erroneous philosophies and false, man-made theories, so-called science.

Grace, grace is pleading with all men and women, calling us to acknowledge our need, to repent of our misleading mindsets and worldviews, to change our ideologies, and to discard our theories founded and built on sand. Ample evidence is provided both in the book of nature and in Revelation (the Bible) to convince us that there is something better—no, no, no, something good. Life is not what we perceive it to be; it was intended to be a platform to receive, explore, enjoy, be fulfilled by, and distribute love. Love—what is it? It is the very nature of God. Love is a fundamental principle and characteristic of God. Therefore, love is infinite knowledge, infinite understanding, and infinite wisdom. It is merciful and yet just; it is kind and yet firm; it is humble but not timid; it is long-suffering, yet not permissive of evil. Love is power but not dictatorial; it is freedom but not chaos; it is free-spirited but orderly; it is righteous and yet gentle. Love possesses creative power but is not self-focused; it is not self-indulgent but liberal in giving. On the love of God, Ellen G. White wrote, “The love of God is a golden chain, binding finite human beings to Himself. This love passes our knowledge. Human science can not explain it. Human wisdom can not fathom it. Parents love their children, but the love of God is larger, broader, deeper, than human love can possibly be. All the paternal love that has come down from generation to generation, through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness that have opened in the sons of men, are but as a tiny rill to the boundless ocean, when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God. Tongue can not utter it; pen can not portray it. You may meditate upon it every day of your life; you may search the Scriptures diligently in an effort to understand it; you may summon every power and capability that God has given you; and yet there is an infinity beyond. You may study that love for ages, and yet you can never fully comprehend the length and breadth and depth and height, of the love of God..”² “When we seek for appropriate language in which to describe the love of God, we find words too tame, too weak, too far beneath the theme, and we lay down our pen, and say, “No, it cannot be described.” We can only do as did the beloved disciple, say, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” In attempting any description of this love, we feel that we are as an infant lisping its first words. Silently we may adore; for silence in this matter is the only eloquence..”³

All that has been said leads us to this solemn and yet glorious conclusion: that in ourselves we have neither the power nor the wisdom to restore what has been lost. We were created by grace, we have fallen through deception, and we remain in a state of blindness unless light is given to us from above. Yet the same love that brought us into existence, and that redeemed the fallen world, has not left us to perish in our condition.

Grace does not merely call—it provides. Love does not merely reveal—it restores. That which God requires of man, He Himself has made provision to accomplish. The question therefore is not whether salvation is possible, but whether we are willing to receive what has already been freely given. How then does this grace operate? What does it mean to be made righteous by faith?

References

1. Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 739, par. 2
2. Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, July 13, 1904, par. 1
3. Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, November 17, 1891, par. 13