The Gospel According to Ellen G. White (This document was created at the request of a public media acquaintance)

Introduction Joel 2:32 “Whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered.” 2 Peter 2:9 “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations.”

Your Real Condition – What You Cannot Do: {Christ’s Object Lessons, 96.2} “Man cannot transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power by which this change can be effected. {Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 142.1} “You are not able, of yourself, to bring your purposes and desires and inclinations into submission to the will of God; but if you are ‘willing to be made willing,’ God will accomplish the work for you, even ‘casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ 2 Corinthians 10:5.” {Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.3} “No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.” {Steps to Christ, 51.1, 2} “You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ. {Steps to Christ, 47.1} “Many are inquiring, ‘How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?’ You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.” “It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. ‘Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.’ ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ Job 1

14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.” {Steps to Christ, 18.1}

What Forgiveness Really is, and How to Obtain it: {Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 114.1} “But forgiveness has a broader meaning than many suppose. When God gives the promise that He ‘will abundantly pardon,’ He adds, as if the meaning of that promise exceeded all that we could comprehend: ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’ Isaiah 55:7-9. God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness for sin, but reclaiming from sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms the heart.” {Steps to Christ, 51.4} “Through this simple act of believing God, the Holy Spirit has begotten a new life in your heart. You are as a child born into the family of God, and He loves you as He loves His Son.” Five Simple Points: 1) “Faith, in itself, is an act of the mind.” {Manuscript Releases, Vol 9, 300.3} 2) “The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God.” {Desire of Ages, 173.1} 3) “The moment we surrender ourselves to God, believing in him, we have his righteousness.” {Review and Herald, July 25, 1899 par. 13} 4) “The righteousness of Christ, as a pure, white pearl, has no defect, no stain. No work of man can improve the great and precious gift of God. It is without a flaw.” {Christ’s Object Lessons, 115.1} 5) “Clothed with the righteousness of Christ and not your own righteousness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will do.” {Faith and Works, 65.3} Summary: We exercise faith (simple act of the mind), we are then surrendered to God, at that moment we have God’s righteousness, and nothing can improve it. We no longer depend upon what we can or will do (pray, read our Bible, go to church, watch against temptation…etc.) {Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, #9, 54.2} “The plan of beginning outside and trying to work inward has always failed, and always will fail. God's plan with you is to begin at the very seat of all difficulties, the heart, and then from out of the heart will issue the principles of righteousness; the reformation will be outward as well as inward.”

A Lesson on Dependence: {Gospel Workers, 1892 Edition 414.3-415.1} “Some who come to God by repentance and confession, and even believe that their sins are forgiven, still fail of claiming, as they should, the promises of 2

God. They do not see that Jesus is an ever-present Saviour; and they are not ready to commit the keeping of their souls to him, relying upon him to perfect the work of grace begun in their hearts. While they think they are committing themselves to God, there is a great deal of self-dependence. There are conscientious souls that trust partly to God, and partly to themselves. They do not look to God, to be kept by his power, but depend upon watchfulness against temptation, and the performance of certain duties for acceptance with him. There are no victories in this kind of faith. Such persons toil to no purpose; their souls are in continual bondage, and they find no rest until their burdens are laid at the feet of Jesus. There is need of constant watchfulness, and of earnest, loving devotion; but these will come naturally when the soul is kept by the power of God through faith.” 1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” {Prophets and Kings, 174.3} “Nothing is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that feels its nothingness and relies wholly on God.”

How we are to Regard our Feelings: {Steps to Christ, 51.1, 2} “You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ. You believe that promise. You confess your sins and give yourself to God. You will to serve Him. Just as surely as you do this, God will fulfill His word to you. If you believe the promise,--believe that you are forgiven and cleansed,--God supplies the fact; you are made whole, just as Christ gave the paralytic power to walk when the man believed that he was healed. It is so if you believe it. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, "I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised." {Review and Herald, February 28, 1907 par. 2} “The feelings, whether encouraging or discouraging, should not be made the test of the spiritual condition. By God's Word we are to determine our true standing before him. Many are bewildered on this point. When they are happy and joyous, they think that they are accepted by God. When a change comes, and they feel depressed, they think that God has forsaken them.” {Desire of Ages, 429.1} “’If Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.’ How many a sin-burdened soul has echoed that prayer. And to all, the pitying Saviour's answer is, ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’ It is faith that connects us with heaven, and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ John 6:37. Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, ‘Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.’ You can never perish while you do this--never.”

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What is My Part, and What is God’s Part? The Proportions: {Selected Messages, Vol. 1, 392.1} “It is God that circumcises the heart. The whole work is the Lord's from the beginning to the end.” {Manuscript Releases, Vol. 4, 113.3} “Man can accomplish nothing without God, and God has arranged His plans so far as to accomplish nothing in the restoration of the human race without the cooperation of the human with the divine. The part man is required to sustain is immeasurably small, yet in the plan of God it is just that part that is needed to make the work a success. {Christ’s Object Lessons, 82.2} “Whenever man accomplishes anything, whether in spiritual or in temporal lines, he should bear in mind that he does it through cooperation with his Maker. There is great necessity for us to realize our dependence on God. Too much confidence is placed in man, too much reliance on human inventions. There is too little confidence in the power which God stands ready to give. ‘We are laborers together with God.’ 1 Corinthians 3:9. Immeasurably inferior is the part which the human agent sustains; but if he is linked with the divinity of Christ, he can do all things through the strength that Christ imparts.” Who Does What? {Review and Herald, September 14, 1897 par. 14} “The whole being is to be under God's control. We must not think that we can take supervision of our own thoughts. They must be brought into captivity to Christ. Self cannot manage self; it is not sufficient for the work. Whoever tries to do this will be worsted. God alone can make and keep us loyal.” {Desire of Ages, 672.1} “There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord's promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit God works in His people ‘to will and to do of His good pleasure.’ Philippians 2:13. But many will not submit to this. They want to manage themselves. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift.” {1888 Materials, 495.3} “Faith, saving faith, is to be taught. The definition of this faith in Jesus Christ may be described in few words: It is the act of the soul by which the whole man is given over to the guardianship and control of Jesus Christ. He abides in Christ and Christ abides in the soul by faith as supreme. The believer commits his soul and body to God, and with assurance may say, Christ is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. All who will do this will be saved unto life eternal. There will be an assurance that the soul is washed in the blood of Christ and clothed with His righteousness and precious in the sight of Jesus. Our thoughts and our hopes are on the second advent of our Lord. That is the day when the Judge of all the earth will reward the trust of His people.”

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{Steps to Christ, 47.1} “Many are inquiring, ‘How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?’ You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.” Notice what the above statement says. It says to give God your “will”, your very power to decide, and the other statements make it clear that when you do this, Christ will be in “control” of you. See below: {Ministry of Healing 130.2} “The passions are to be controlled by the will, which is itself to be under the control of God.”

{Testimonies for the Church, Vol 5, 515.1} “You need to drink daily at the fountain of truth, that you may understand the secret of pleasure and joy in the Lord. But you must remember that your will is the spring of all your actions. This will, that forms so important a factor in the character of man, was at the Fall given into the control of Satan; and he has ever since been working in man to will and to do of his own pleasure, but to the utter ruin and misery of man. But the infinite sacrifice of God in giving Jesus, His beloved Son, to become a sacrifice for sin, enables Him to say, without violating one principle of His government: ‘Yield yourself up to Me; give Me that will; take it from the control of Satan, and I will take possession of it; then I can work in you to will and to do of My good pleasure.’ When He gives you the mind of Christ, your will becomes as His will, and your character is transformed to be like Christ’s character.” Closing Statements: {Review and Herald, March 10, 1904 par. 26} “He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that he can keep him from sinning, has not the faith that will give him an entrance into the kingdom of God.” Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” Matthew 9:28, 29 “Believe ye that I am able to do this? …According to your faith be it unto you.” 5

Extras {Manuscript Releases, Vol. 10, 195.2, 3} “I have thought of the request of Sister T many times since. She said, "Oh, I want that precious faith that seems so positively necessary for me. Do send me something simple that my mind can grasp, that I can take hold of this faith to believe Jesus is a present help in every time of need." We find this is the great want of the soul--something that the needy, longing soul can grasp, something easy to be understood. The great reason why many do not lay hold of this truth is that it is so easy. They think they must do some great thing, and that God expects them to go through some wonderful process in order to be converted, but when we present the truth as it is, in its beautiful simplicity, they stand amazed. ‘Is that all?’ they inquire. We need to make the way of life just as clear as it is in Jesus, that all may see the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Simply to take God at His word seems so easy they hardly dare accept it.” Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” {Gospel Workers, 1892 Edition, 103.2} “The thought that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, not because of any merit on our part, but as a free gift from God, is a precious thought. The enemy of God and man is not willing that this truth should be clearly presented; for he knows that if the people receive it fully, his power will be broken. If he can control minds so that doubt and unbelief and darkness shall compose the experience of those who claim to be the children of God, he can overcome them with temptation. That simple faith that takes God at his word should be encouraged. God's people must have that faith which will lay hold of divine power; ‘for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.’ [Ephesians 2:8.] Those who believe that God for Christ's sake has forgiven their sins should not, through temptation, fail to press on to fight the good fight of faith. Their faith should grow stronger until their Christian life, as well as their words, shall declare, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.’” {Desire of Ages, 280.1} “They insist on being saved in some way by which they may perform some important work. When they see that there is no way of weaving self into the work, they reject the salvation provided.” {Desire of Ages, 198.5} “The Saviour cannot withdraw from the soul that clings to Him, pleading its great need.” {Desire of Ages, 35.2} “The principle that man can save himself by his own works lay at the foundation of every heathen religion; it had now become the principle of the Jewish religion. Satan had implanted this principle. Wherever it is held, men have no barrier against sin.” {Review and Herald, March 27, 1888 par. 15} “There are thoughts and feelings suggested and aroused by Satan that annoy even the best of men; but if they are not cherished, if they are repulsed as hateful, the soul is not contaminated with guilt, and no other is defiled by their influence.”

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