Christ Our Righteousness

Chapter 3 - Preparatory Messages

The Bible account of God’s dealings with His people is full of most helpful instruction for the remnant church. It shows that through the centuries He has had but one unchangeable, eternal purpose. He has allowed nothing to defeat that purpose. In all the crises and developments that have arisen, He has been in control. He has foreseen the perils lurking along the way, and has sent warnings to His people to guard and protect them. When they have needed messages to awaken, inspire, and regenerate them, He has raised up messengers to give the messages. The great exodus movement from Egypt to Canaan, the history of Samuel and Israel, of David and the kingdom he was chosen to establish, and the tragic experiences of Jeremiah in the kingdom of Judah, and its overthrow and captivity,-all are illustrations of this. COR 27.1

In the records of these great crises we find that God’s messages to the people were of a twofold character: First, they pointed out the deceptions into which His people were being led, and warned them of the serious results which would come unless they returned to Him; second, they revealed most clearly just what was needed to help them, and gave assurance that he would not only supply all their needs, but would also inspire and empower them to lay hold of the proffered help if they would but choose it with the whole heart. Nothing was lacking on the Lord’s side to meet fully every deception and peril by which Satan sought to ruin the people and the cause. COR 27.2

The developments and experiences connected with the coming of the message of Righteousness by Faith, in 1888, bear striking similarity to the experiences which came to the people of God in olden times. It is well to give most careful consideration to the messages of the Spirit of prophecy just preceding the Minneapolis Conference of 1888. COR 28.1