Selected Messages Book 3

Two Excerpts From Minneapolis Sermons

[Ellen White spoke twenty times at Minneapolis, but did not there enter into presentations on righteousness by faith. Rather, she labored to lead men and women to open their minds to Bible-based truth.]

Now what we want to present is, how you may advance in the divine life. We hear many excuses: I cannot live up to this or that. 3SM 179.2

What do you mean by this or that? Do you mean that it was an imperfect sacrifice that was made for the fallen race upon Calvary, that there is not sufficient grace and power granted us that we may work away from our own natural defects and tendencies, that it was not a whole Saviour that was given us? 3SM 179.3

Or do you mean to cast reproach upon God? Well, you say, It was Adam's sin. You say, I am not guilty of that, and I am not responsible for his guilt and fall. Here all these natural tendencies are in me, and I am not to blame if I act out these natural tendencies. Who is to blame? Is God? 3SM 179.4

Why did God let Satan have this power over human nature? These are accusations against the God of heaven, and He will give you an opportunity, if you want it, of finally bringing your accusations against Him. Then He will bring His accusations against you when you are brought into His court of judgment.—Manuscript 8, 1888, Sabbath, October 20, 1888. [Her talks that were reported appear as a 60-page appendix (pp. 242-302) in the book Through Crisis to Victory.—Compilers.] 3SM 179.5

If God could have changed His law to meet man in his fallen condition, Christ need not have come to this world. Because the law was immutable, unchangeable, God sent his only begotten Son to die for the fallen race. But did the Saviour take upon Himself the guilt of human beings and impute to them His righteousness in order that they might continue to violate the precepts of Jehovah? No, no! Christ came because there was no possibility of man's keeping the law in his own strength. He came to bring him strength to obey the precepts of the law. And the sinner, repenting of his transgression, may come to God and say, “O Father, I plead forgiveness through the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour.” God will accept all who come to Him in the name of Jesus.—Manuscript 17, 1888, Sunday, October 21, 1888. 3SM 179.6