Dear Friends of “Dial Daily Bread,”
How is justification by faith more fully understood in these last days, than it was by Luther and Calvin in the 16th century? Didn't they proclaim it clearly?
Yes, they did--for their day. But they lived before "the time of the end" when "knowledge shall increase" (Dan. 12:4). Their work, which the Lord gave them, was to prepare a people to die and come up in the first resurrection (see Luke 20:35; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17). And they were faithful to the light they saw.
But now in this "time of the end," we are living in the great cosmic, antitypical "Day of Atonement." God is preparing a people to be "counted worthy ... to stand before the Son of Man," to be translated at His second coming (Luke 21:36). And there is no power in heaven or earth that can accomplish that objective except "the gospel of Christ." It alone "is the power of God to salvation" (Rom. 1:16). It's what Peter says is "the present truth" (2 Peter 1:12).
That clearer understanding of "the everlasting gospel" (Rev. 14:6) will teach God's people to sing "a new song" that "no one could learn … except the 144,000 who [are] redeemed from the earth," in whose "mouth [is] found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God" (vss. 3-5). There is not a progression of truth involved, but there is a progression in the comprehension of truth. "Knowledge shall increase."
That will be the fruitage of Christ's work as the world's great High Priest in His closing work in the Most Holy Apartment of His heavenly sanctuary (see Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:23-28; 10:18-25; 11:39, 40; 13:20, 21).
A change of character is involved, and the Bride of Christ "has made herself ready" for the long-delayed "marriage of the Lamb." For the first time in the long ages of the great controversy, she is "arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Rev. 19:7, 8).
Now the Bride is more concerned for Christ's honor and glory than even for her own salvation. That's biblical justification by faith. She "overcomes … as I also overcame" (3:21); self at last is crucified with Him.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 13, 2004.
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