Day 4 Devotional Before United Prayer: (about 2:15minutes reading)
JONES AND WAGGONER’S 1888 MESSAGE
Jones and Waggoner taught a number of biblical truths in 1888, and the years that followed. In this devotional book, Pastor Dennis Smith is focusing on what he considers to be the heart of their message—righteousness by faith in Christ. Righteousness by faith encompasses both Christ’s justifying and sanctifying righteousness. He will focus primarily on the sanctification aspect of righteousness by faith that they taught. The message of righteousness by faith comes through loud and clear in their writings. Following 1888, Ellen White also often wrote on the subject. God used the 1888 message to uplift Christ as never before to our denomination.
The core of their message contained several essential teachings. These teachings are listed below followed by quotes from Jones and Waggoner.
- In the flesh, Christ gained a complete victory over temptation and sin. He lived a perfectly righteous life.
“In Christ, the battle has been fought, on every point, and the victory has been made complete. He was made flesh itself—the same flesh and blood as those whom he came to redeem.” LESSONS ON FAITH, 129
- When Jesus died on the cross, He died for our sins and broke the power of sin in the lives of all who believe in Him. “Thus every soul in this world can truly say, in perfect triumph of Christian faith, “I am crucified with Christ;” my old sinful human nature is crucified with him, that this body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth I should not serve sin. Romans 6:6.” IBID., 114
- God calls every Christian to live a life of perfect obedience to His commandments. “Then it is plain that the first, the second, the sixth, the seventh, and the eight verses of the sixth chapter of Romans all intend that we shall be kept from sinning.” IBID., 144
- It is absolutely impossible for any man, even the most committed Christian, to live an obedient, righteous life in his own strength by trying hard to obey God’s commandments.
“Everybody has experienced it,—longing to do the good that he would, yet doing only the evil that he hated; having ever a will to do better, but how to perform it, finding not; delighting in the law of God after the inward man, yet finding in his members another law, warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin which is in his members; and at last, crying out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:14-24.” IBID., 36-37
Day 4 Prayer Focus: Pray for
- The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- Revival for yourself and the church.
- God to lead the church to understand and experience righteousness by faith so the third angel’s message will be proclaimed with a “loud cry,” under the power of the latter rain of the Spirit.
- Those on your prayer list.
Day 4 Going Deeper Discussion Questions: (based on pages 13 to 17 of “Righteousness by Faith” by Dennis Smith [pages 33 to 37 of the PDF version])
- What are the seven truths of righteousness by faith that Jones and Waggoner taught in today’s reading? Summarize in your own words each of the truths. (give opportunity for one person or more than one person to share one truth then move to the next truth.)
- What is Ellen White stating about the 1888 message of righteousness by faith in the following quotation? “This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure.”
Day 4 Heart preparation/challenge:
- Throughout the day ask God to remind you what He is speaking to you in today’s reading and going deeper discussions to help you to apply them in your life.
- Read “Righteousness by Faith” by Dennis Smith pages 19 to 22 (pages 39 to 42 of the PDF file) in preparation for Day 5.
- Prayerfully answer Day 5 discussion questions in preparation to share on Day 5 Going Deeper segment of united prayer
