Day 2 Devotional Before United Prayer: (Reading about 1:59min)
THE HEART OF JONES AND WAGGONER’S MESSAGE
These teachings on the justifying and sanctifying righteousness of Christ were at the very heart of Jones and Waggoner’s messages of righteousness by faith. Ellen White emphatically supported their teaching on this subject. “The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders [E. J.] Waggoner and [A. T.] Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God.” TESTIMONIES TO MINISTERS AND GOSPEL WORKERS, [1895], P. 91-92
WHY WAS THE 1888 MESSAGE NEEDED?
Why was this message needed in 1888? Ellen White wrote: “Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent.” IBID. Our denomination had become so doctrinally focused that Jesus had been lost in our experience and teaching. Our religion had become legalistic, which is the sure result of loosing sight of Jesus in one’s life.
LEADERSHIP’S CONCERN
Many of the leaders at the General Conference Session in Minneapolis reacted negatively to Jones and Waggoner’s message believing that receiving it would cause our denomination to move away from giving the third angel’s message, which God had called us to give to the world. Ellen White addressed this concern when she wrote: “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.”
In another place she wrote: “God gave to His servants, [Jones and Waggoner], a testimony that presented the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the third angel’s message in clear, district lines.” LETTER 57, 1895 In these statements she clearly associates the message of righteousness by faith with the third angel’s message. She also states here that this is the message that is to be “attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure,” which refers to the Holy Spirit’s outpouring of the latter rain.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 1888 MESSAGE
She also declared that the message of righteousness by faith is the message to be proclaimed with a “loud voice” (loud cry) as the latter rain of the Holy Spirit is poured out. As this amazing message of Christ and His righteousness began to be proclaimed, Ellen White believed the loud cry of the third angel had begun. Of this she wrote: “The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin pardoning Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth.” REVIEW AND HERALD, NOVEMBER 22, 1892
Ellen White clearly associated the Holy Spirit with the message of righteousness by faith that Jones and Waggoner taught: “The work of the Holy Spirit is immeasurably great. It is from this source that power and efficiency come to the worker for God; and the Holy Spirit is the comforter, as the personal presence of Christ to the soul.” REVIEW AND HERALD, NOVEMBER 29, 1892
Here she equated receiving the Holy Spirit with receiving the “personal presence of Christ into the soul.” This happens through experiencing the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it is only as Christ lives in the soul that His righteousness can be manifested in the life. Hence, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the message of righteousness by faith are inseparably linked together. Ellen White also linked receiving the baptism or infilling of the Holy Spirit with the earth being “lightened with the glory of God” (Revelation 18:1).
“When the earth is lightened with the glory of God, we shall see a work similar to that which was wrought when the disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaimed the power of a risen Saviour.” REVIEW AND HERALD, NOVEMBER 29, 1892
Day 2 Prayer Focus: Pray for
- The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
- Revival for yourself and the church
- God to lead you to understand and experience righteousness by faith
- The leaders of the church
- Those on your prayer list
Day 2 Going Deeper Discussion Questions: (based on pages 4 to 8 of “Righteousness by Faith” by Dennis Smith [pages 24 to 28 of the PDF version])
1. What is the precious message God in His great mercy gave to our denomination through Jones and Waggoner in 1888?
2. How many of you have heard of Jones and Waggoner and the 1888 messages before joining us for the 40 days of prayer?
3. What was at the very heart of Jones and Waggoner’s messages of righteousness by faith? The justifying and sanctifying righteousness of Christ?
4. When did Ellen White believe that the loud cry of the third angel had begun?
5. What did Ellen White associate with the message of righteousness by faith that Jones and Waggoner taught?
6. Ellen White equated receiving the Holy Spirit with receiving “the personal presence of Christ into the soul”. How does this happen?
7. What has your experience been with receiving the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit?
8. If your Christian experience has been richly blessed by the 1888 message of righteousness by faith, can you tell us about the difference it made for you?
Day 2 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 and to help you to apply them in your life.
Read “Righteousness by Faith” by Dennis Smith pages 8 to 11 (pages 28 to 31 of the PDF file) in preparation for Day 3.
Prayerfully answer Day 3 discussion questions in preparation to share on Day 3 Going Deeper segment of united prayer.
