INITIATION PHASE OF SALVATION. Justification Series 1 of the Search and Share Ministry. SERIES OVERVIEW

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1 INITIATION PHASE OF SALVATION Justification Series 1 of the Search and Share Ministry SERIES OVERVIEW The forgiveness of sin called justification has phases that we need to understand in order for us to be prepared for the final crisis and the second coming of Christ. Justification the umbrella term we will use to cover the phases of salvation: The first phase is the conciliatory and initiation of justification in which is illustrated as the sprouting a seed. The second is the retention phase which is the raising or the growing process of the plant. The next is the final stamping phase of justification, in which involve the fruit bearing and the ripening process. And the last phase is the consummatory or to bring to conclusion which is the gathering or the harvest of the fruits. The first is the sowing and the last one is the harvest. The second and the third phase is the process of sanctification which includes perfection. And the last one is called glorification. There is an initial sealing that happens in the first phase, and there is the final sealing which is before glorification. Outline: Overview 1. The Gift of Justification 2. The Value of the Gift of Justification 3. The Purpose of Justification To Justify Both God and Man 4. The New Birth Experience Required 5. The Seal was Initially Stamped 6. The Membership Citizenship is Granted Reflection OVERVIEW Men sometimes become ashamed of their sinful ways, and give up some of their evil habits, before they are aroused to manifestly come to Christ; but it is the power of the gospel, the grace of Christ, that is drawing them to make reformation in their conduct. An influence of which they are unconscious works upon the soul, and the conscience is quickened, and the outward life is amended. And as Christ draws them to look upon his cross, to look upon him whom their sins have pierced, the commandment comes home to the conscience. The wickedness of their life, the deep-seated sin of the soul, is revealed to them. They begin to comprehend something of the righteousness of Christ, and exclaim, "Was all this love, all this suffering, all this humiliation demanded that we might not perish, but have everlasting life?" They then understand that it is the goodness of God that leadeth to repentance. A repentance such as this lies beyond the reach of our own powers to accomplish; it is obtained only from Christ, who ascended up on high, and has given gifts unto men. Christ is the source of every right impulse. He is the only one who can arouse in the natural heart enmity against sin. He is the source of our power if we would be saved. No soul can repent without the grace of Christ. The sinner may pray that he may know how to repent. God reveals Christ to the sinner, and when he sees the

2 purity of the Son of God, he is not ignorant of the character of sin. By faith in the work and power of Christ, enmity against sin and Satan is created in his heart. Those whom God pardons are first made penitent. {RH, April 1, 1890 par. 5} 1. THE GIFT OF JUSTIFICATION a. Justification is wholly of Grace by God s work and not by man s work. The light given me of God places this important subject above any question in my mind. Justification is wholly of grace and not procured by any works that fallen man can do. The matter has been presented before me in clear lines that if the rich man has money and possessions, and he makes an offering of the same to the Lord, false ideas come in to spoil the offering by the thought he has merited the favor of God, that the Lord is under obligation to him to regard him with special favor because of this gift. {FW 20.1} b. Faith in Christ the only condition to received Justification Faith in Christ is the only condition upon which justification can be received; and the gift is bestowed only upon those who realize that they are sinners, and undeserving of mercy. The merits of the blood of Christ must be presented to the Father as the offering for the sins of men. When sinners seek God, and in repentance confess their sin, he pardons their transgressions, remits their punishment, and receives them into fellowship with himself, as if they had never transgressed. He imparts to them the righteousness of Christ.{YI, March 1, 1900 par. 1} 2. THE VALUE OF THE GIFT OF JUSTIFICATION The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly Father in giving His Son to die for us, should give us exalted conceptions of what we may become through Christ. As the inspired apostle John beheld the height, the depth, the breadth of the Father's love toward the perishing race, he was filled with adoration and reverence; and, failing to find suitable language in which to express the greatness and tenderness of this love, he called upon the world to behold it. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1. What a value this places upon man! Through transgression the sons of man become subjects of Satan. Through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ the sons of Adam may become the sons of God. By assuming human nature, Christ elevates humanity. Fallen men are placed where, through connection with Christ, they may indeed become worthy of the name "sons of God." {SC 15.1} Romans 5:8-11 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 3. THE PURPOSE OF JUSTIFICATION TO JUSTIFY BOTH GOD AND MAN A few details of the purpose of justification: a. To obtain forgiveness and be clothed with Christ s righteousness

3 b. To claim us as His child no longer of Satan c. To satisfy God s justice. Pardon and justification are one and the same thing. Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his Substitute and Surety. The Lord speaks to His heavenly Father, saying: "This is My child, I reprieve him from the condemnation of death, giving him My life insurance policy--eternal life--because I have taken his place and have suffered for his sins. He is even My beloved son." Thus man, pardoned, and clothed with the beautiful garments of Christ's righteousness, stands faultless before God. {FW 103.2} The sinner may err, but he is not cast off without mercy. His only hope, however, is repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Father's prerogative to forgive our transgressions and sins, because Christ has taken upon Himself our guilt and reprieved us, imputing to us His own righteousness. His sacrifice satisfies fully the demands of justice. {FW 103.3} d. To die to sin and to have new life in Christ The refining influence of the grace of God changes the natural disposition of man. Heaven would not be desirable to the carnal-minded; their natural, unsanctified hearts would feel no attraction toward that pure and holy place, and if it were possible for them to enter, they would find there nothing congenial. The propensities that control the natural heart must be subdued by the grace of Christ before fallen man is fitted to enter heaven and enjoy the society of the pure, holy angels. When man dies to sin and is quickened to new life in Christ, divine love fills his heart; his understanding is sanctified; he drinks from an inexhaustible fountain of joy and knowledge, and the light of an eternal day shines upon his path, for with him continually is the Light of life. {AA 273.2} e. To be free from condemnation and to obtain sanctification Justification means the saving of a soul from perdition, that he may obtain sanctification, and through sanctification, the life of heaven. Justification means that the conscience, purged from dead works, is placed where it can receive the blessings of sanctification (MS 113, 1902). {7BC } Justification is the opposite of condemnation. God's boundless mercy is exercised toward those who are wholly undeserving. He forgives transgressions and sins for the sake of Jesus, who has become the propitiation for our sins. Through faith in Christ, the guilty transgressor is brought into favor with God and into the strong hope of life eternal. {FW 104.1} f. To release or to Justify God from our accusation and blame When we accept Christ as our sacrifice, our substitute, our righteousness, then we behold the Father in a different light from that in which too many have regarded him in the past. We have blamed the Father for our sufferings. In ignorance and blindness to his infinite love, our hearts have been full of murmuring toward him; for the enemy had cast his shadow athwart our

4 pathway, and clothed God with his own satanic character. But Christ came to reveal the Father, to roll back the shadow that Satan had cast over humanity, that men might behold God clothed in the divine attributes of his nature. {RH, July 5, 1892 par. 8} Christ on the cross not only draws men to repentance toward God for the transgression of His law--for whom God pardons He first makes penitent--but Christ has satisfied Justice The victory gained at His death on Calvary broke forever the accusing power of Satan over the universe and silenced his charges that self-denial was impossible with God and therefore not essential in the human family. {AG 153.2} 4. THE NEWBIRTH EXPERIENCE REQUIRED a. Faith and baptism should be enclosed in repentance for a new birth Dear youth, if you are unbelieving, and feel that nothing is required of you in repentance, faith in Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and baptism unto his death and resurrection, you have no part with Christ. You are not adopted into God's family; but remain acknowledged children of the wicked one. All who live have sins to wash away. They may have good intentions, and good purposes; they may have noble traits of character and live moral lives; notwithstanding, they need a Saviour. Jesus speaks to them as he did to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?" Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." True repentance of sin, faith in the merits of Jesus Christ, and baptism into his death, to be raised out of the water to live a new life, are the first steps in the new birth which Christ told Nicodemus he must experience in order to be saved. {YI, February 1, 1874 par. 8} b. New birth in Spirit and water should lead to an obedient life The words of Christ to Nicodemus are not only spoken to him, but to every man, woman, and child, that should live in the world. "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Paul, the inspired apostle, tells us, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." We are safe in following the example of Christ. But we are not safe in pursuing any other course. "Obedience is better than sacrifice." Willing obedience on our part God requires and will accept. {YI, February 1, 1874 par. 9} 5. THE SEAL WAS INITIALLY STAMPED 1 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, [is] God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Note: Sealing has two phases: the first or the initial seal is for the entitlement or claim of the

5 property this provides the claimer the power to do what is necessary to develop the property. The last one is the guarantee that the product is finished or the property is now fully developed this provides the owner the power to claim the glory He deserves. 6. THE MEMBERSHIP CITIZENSHIP IS GRANTED Ephesians 2:8-13 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 2:9-11 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; REFLECTION God s perspective: Justification is to save sinners from sin, from perdition, and from condemnation of the law. He gives pardon for the sinners in satisfaction of justice and releases them from the power and deception of Satan. This is the gift of God, the grace through Christ that the fallen man might have a new life and new hope and to prepare him for the heavenly life. Man s perspective: Justification is the acceptance of forgiveness and a new life given by God. By this, he releases God from the unfounded accusation and blame the lies that Satan had planted in his mind regarding God s character.