既然人们一直对因信称义和成圣的重大真理感兴趣，就很应该近一步聆听主的信使历年来对这些真理的阐述。
为了提供她在本书中的教导，怀爱伦著作托管委员会工作人员按松散的年代顺序，从1881到1902年发表的十八本读物中摘录材料汇编了本书。她的讲道和文章一贯彰显律法和福音中所体现的救恩基本真理——她在适合教会阅读的《评论与通讯》和也适合世人看的《时兆》中的文章都是这样。若干精选的题目在归档为1890年第36号文稿中以明确的言论作了权威性介绍。该文稿写于1888年总会会议之后的关键时期，当时，就如她在别处所记述的，人们在“信心与行为”上处于“采取错误立场的大危险中”(《文稿》1891年23号)。她在1890年所写无标题的文稿中，言之凿凿地澄清了这些问题。
尽管怀爱伦在不同时期论述重大真理时常常走同样的路线，但是按自然的顺序阅读她的证道、文章和文稿却会获得颇有价值的见识。每一篇都对主题有平衡的论述，但往往带有一个特别的侧重点。许多内容都是全篇发表的，有些则为了节省篇幅而予以缩短，只包括有关信心与行为的部分内容——通常是主要部分。副标题和许多章标题是编者提供的。没有试图做到详尽无遗。她还有许多书籍、文章和证道涉及些重要真理。凡细读这些内容的人会清楚地看到这个主题对每一个基督徒的重要性，也会注意特别蒙主带领的那一位在阐明下文中的真理时的一贯立场。
拯救失丧人类的计划乃是基于人类单单凭信心接受基督的代为受死。亚当和他的子孙在伊甸园门口宰杀献祭的羔羊时，便得到这个教训。当摩西在旷野举起铜蛇，而被毒蛇咬伤的百姓凭信仰望这拯救的象征而得以康复时，也得到了这个教训。赐给以色列人的献祭制度所教导的也是这个教训。众先知和众使徒都教导了这个教训。我们再三受教因信靠恩得救，同时也使我们明白：
真正的信心是完全信靠基督的救恩，它会使人完全遵从上帝的律法。信心是通过行为来表现的。(《评论与通讯》1886年10月5日)。
在这本小书略为随意挑选的材料中，会见到这种平衡的论述。
自古以来，从该隐开始，大仇敌一直反对上帝仁慈的措施，引诱地上的居民接受这种主张：已经因违背上帝的律法而变成罪人的人，必须靠自己的行为获得功劳和拯救，无论是藉着苦待己身、把自己的儿女献给他自己的手所造的某个神明，去某个自己以为神圣的地方朝圣，忏悔或苦修，把钱投到教会的保险箱里，或靠自己奋发努力要过善良贞洁的生活来称义。
对于许多人来说，因信接受救恩的简单经验似乎太容易了，无数自称要跟从基督的人，实际上采取的立场是得救部分靠信基督在髑髅地的死，部分靠人的努力。
早期的安息日复临信徒看到上帝不变律法的要求时，便有了趋向于律法主义的危险。许多人的经验中一度曾结出无益的果子。但对上帝律法尽责的认识却引导人放弃罪恶，去过圣洁成圣的生活。这就是阅读有关信心与行为的这些资料的背景——这些资料是关于律法和福音的。
约在这本小册跨越的那二十年的中期，在明尼苏达州的明尼阿波利斯召开了1888年总会会议，会前有一个教牧研讨会。在这些会议上强调了因信称义的基本真理。怀爱伦把它描绘成已在很大程度上遭到忽视的一些真理的复兴。她本人在会上没有论述这个题目。她讲话的主旨乃是与会的人应当在E.J.瓦格纳长老和A.T.琼斯长老讲道时敞开心门接受从上帝的道发出的亮光。对于这种新的侧重，接受与否意见不一。有些听众高兴地完全接受了，有些则持中立态度。有些人拒绝了。一些记录表明许多人在散会离开时带着在基督耶稣里的又新又光荣的经验。
那次会议之后，通过在各教会的证道，包括怀爱伦的多次证道，也通过她笔下的文章，复临信徒们一般都蒙引导更清楚地明白和接受了因信称义。许多起先拒绝在明尼阿波利斯提出的观念的人也蒙引导接受了。
包括在因信称义要道中的基本真理是那么简明，以致不需要有怀爱伦的书籍来详尽地阐明这些真理。她的许多书籍中都渗透着这个主题，到处都有精选的例证显露出来。她确实在1893年发表了一本题为《因信称义》的小册子。这本小册被收录在《信息选粹》卷一中有五十页的那部分(第五编第六部分)，题为《基督我们的义》。我们推荐读者阅读这部分的全部内容。
住在接受基督之义的温暖中的经验，可能今天享有，明天就因粗心疏忽或自以为是而失去了。单纯的接受和信靠乃是一种个人的经验，可能相当脆弱，可能会因争论细微的神学观点而变得模糊不清。怀爱伦说：
“许多人所犯的错误，就是试图非常详尽地弄清称义和成圣之间的区别。他们在给这两个术语下定义的时候往往加入自己的见解和推测。为什么要去追求因信得义这个重大问题的细枝末节而不是灵感启示呢?为什么要去编制出细微的条目，好象人得救在于完全符合你们对这个问题的理解呢?大家的看法不可能都是一样的。”(《文稿》1891年第21号;《基督复临安息日会圣经注释》卷六第1072页)。
主的信使在本书中介绍的几个探讨真理的方法会使因信称义的重大题目保持清楚、平衡、简明。这是出版者和怀爱伦著作托管委员会的盼望。
怀爱伦著作托管委员会
1978年12月7日于美国首都华盛顿
WITH THE CONTINUING INTEREST IN THE GREAT VITAL TRUTHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH, JUSTIFICATION, AND SANCTIFICATION, IT MAY BE WELL TO LISTEN FURTHER TO THE MESSENGER OF THE LORD AS DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS SHE EXPOUNDED THEM.[1]
TO OFFER THIS PICTURE OF HER TEACHINGS, EIGHTEEN READINGS, BEGINNING WITH 1881 AND EXTENDING TO 1902, ARE HERE DRAWN TOGETHER BY THE STAFF OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE ESTATE IN UNSTRUCTURED CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE. HER SERMONS AND ARTICLES CONSISTENTLY OUTLINE THE BASIC TRUTHS OF SALVATION AS EMBODIED IN THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL--THOSE IN THE REVIEW AND HERALD FOR THE CHURCH AND THOSE IN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES APPROPRIATE, AS WELL, FOR THE WORLD. THE SEVERAL SELECTED ITEMS ARE INTRODUCED BY A DEFINITIVE STATEMENT ON FILE AS MANUSCRIPT 36, 1890, PENNED IN THE CRITICAL PERIOD FOLLOWING THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1888, WHEN, AS SHE ELSEWHERE DESCRIBED IT, PEOPLE WERE IN "GREAT DANGER OF TAKING FALSE POSITIONS" ON "FAITH AND WORKS" (MS 23, 1891). IN HER 1890 UNTITLED MANUSCRIPT, SHE IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS DROVE IN THE STAKES CLARIFYING THE ISSUES.[2]
EVEN THOUGH ELLEN WHITE OFTEN GOES DOWN MUCH THE SAME PATHS IN DEALING AT DIFFERENT TIMES WITH VITAL TRUTHS, VALUABLE INSIGHTS ARE GAINED BY READING SERMONS, ARTICLES, AND MANUSCRIPTS IN THEIR NATURAL SEQUENCE. EACH IS A BALANCED PRESENTATION OF THE SUBJECT, BUT OFTEN WITH A DISTINCTIVE EMPHASIS. MANY OF THE READINGS APPEAR IN THEIR ENTIRETY, WHILE OTHERS, FOR THE SAKE OF CONSERVING SPACE, HAVE BEEN SHORTENED TO INCLUDE ONLY THE PORTION--USUALLY THE MAJOR PORTION--RELATING TO FAITH AND WORKS. SUBHEADINGS, AND IN A NUMBER OF INSTANCES CHAPTER TITLES, HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED BY THE COMPILERS. NO ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO BE EXHAUSTIVE. HER BOOKS AND MANY OTHER SERMONS AND ARTICLES DEAL WITH THESE VITAL TRUTHS. ANYONE PERUSING THESE READINGS WILL SEE CLEARLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT TO EVERY CHRISTIAN. HE ALSO WILL OBSERVE THE CONSISTENT POSITION OF THE ONE ESPECIALLY LED BY THE LORD IN ENUNCIATING THE TRUTHS IN THE ARTICLES THAT FOLLOW.[3]
THE PLAN FOR THE SALVATION OF LOST MANKIND IS BASED ON MAN'S ACCEPTANCE BY FAITH ALONE OF CHRIST'S SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH. THIS LESSON WAS TAUGHT AT THE GATE OF EDEN AS ADAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS SLEW THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB. IT WAS TAUGHT IN THE WILDERNESS AS THE BRAZEN SERPENT WAS ELEVATED BY MOSES, AND THE PEOPLE WITH THE VENOM OF THE POISONOUS SERPENTS IN THEIR VEINS WERE RESTORED BY LOOKING IN FAITH AT THE SAVING SYMBOL. IT WAS TAUGHT BY THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM GIVEN TO ISRAEL. IT WAS TAUGHT BY PROPHETS AND APOSTLES. AGAIN AND AGAIN WE ARE TAUGHT THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, AND AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE MADE TO UNDERSTAND: WHILE TRUE FAITH TRUSTS WHOLLY IN CHRIST FOR SALVATION, IT WILL LEAD TO PERFECT CONFORMITY TO THE LAW OF GOD. FAITH IS MANIFESTED BY WORKS (REVIEW AND HERALD, OCTOBER 5, 1886).[4]
THIS BALANCED THRUST WILL BE SEEN IN THE MATERIALS IN THIS LITTLE BOOK, SELECTED SOMEWHAT AT RANDOM.[5]
DOWN THROUGH THE AGES, BEGINNING WITH CAIN, THE GREAT ADVERSARY HAS COUNTERED GOD'S BENEVOLENT PROVISION BY LEADING THE INHABITANTS OF EARTH TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSITION THAT MAN, WHO HAS BECOME A SINNER THROUGH VIOLATION OF GOD'S LAW, MUST BY HIS OWN ACTS GAIN MERIT AND SALVATION, WHETHER BY AFFLICTING HIS OWN BODY, SACRIFICING HIS CHILDREN TO SOME GOD CREATED BY HIS OWN HANDS, MAKING PILGRIMAGES TO PLACES THOUGHT TO BE HOLY, DOING PENANCE, PAYING MONEY INTO THE COFFERS OF THE CHURCH, OR JUST OF HIMSELF BY HIS OWN STRENUOUS EFFORTS TRYING TO LIVE A GOOD AND VIRTUOUS LIFE.[6]
THE SIMPLE EXPERIENCE OF ACCEPTING SALVATION BY FAITH SEEMS TO MANY TOO EASY, AND UNCOUNTED NUMBERS WHO CLAIM TO BE FOLLOWING CHRIST, VIRTUALLY TAKE THE POSITION THAT SALVATION IS PARTLY BY FAITH IN CHRIST'S DEATH ON CALVARY AND PARTLY BY HUMAN EFFORT.[7]
AS THE EARLY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS SAW THE CLAIMS OF GOD'S CHANGELESS LAW, LEGALISTIC TENDENCIES THREATENED, AND FOR A TIME YIELDED, UNPROFITABLE FRUIT IN THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY. BUT THE CONSCIENTIOUS KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S LAW LEADS TO THE PUTTING AWAY OF SIN AND TO THE LIVING OF A HOLY, SANCTIFIED LIFE. THIS IS THE SETTING FOR THESE READINGS ON FAITH AND WORKS--READINGS ON THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL.[8]
AT ALMOST MIDPOINT OF THE TWO DECADES REPRESENTED IN THIS PAMPHLET, THE GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION OF 1888 WAS HELD AT MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, PRECEDED BY A MINISTERIAL INSTITUTE. AT THESE MEETINGS EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN TO THE BASIC TRUTHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH. ELLEN WHITE CHARACTERIZED IT AS A REVIVAL OF TRUTHS LARGELY LOST SIGHT OF. AT THE CONFERENCE SHE HERSELF MADE NO PRESENTATION ON THE SUBJECT. THE BURDEN OF HER TALKS WAS THAT THOSE PRESENT SHOULD KEEP THEIR HEARTS OPEN TO RECEIVE LIGHT FROM GOD'S WORD AS PRESENTED BY ELDERS E. J. WAGGONER AND A. T. JONES. RECEPTION OF THIS NEW EMPHASIS WAS MIXED. SOME OF THE HEARERS ACCEPTED IT GLADLY AND FULLY, AND SOME TOOK A NEUTRAL STAND. SOME REJECTED IT. THE RECORDS ARE CLEAR THAT MANY WENT FROM THAT CONFERENCE CARRYING WITH THEM A NEW AND GLORIOUS EXPERIENCE IN CHRIST JESUS.[9]
THROUGH SERMONS PREACHED IN THE CHURCHES AFTER THAT CONFERENCE, INCLUDING MANY BY ELLEN WHITE, AND THROUGH ARTICLES FROM HER PEN, ADVENTISTS GENERALLY WERE LED TO A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH. MANY WHO AT FIRST REJECTED THE CONCEPT PRESENTED AT MINNEAPOLIS WERE LED TO ACCEPT.[10]
THE BASIC TRUTHS INVOLVED IN THE DOCTRINE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH ARE SO SIMPLE THAT NO EXHAUSTIVE E. G. WHITE BOOK IS CALLED FOR TO EXPOUND THEM. THE THEME PERMEATES MANY OF HER BOOKS, WITH CHOICE ILLUSTRATIONS CROPPING OUT HERE AND THERE.[11]
SHE DID PUBLISH A PAMPHLET IN 1893 ENTITLED "JUSTIFIED BY FAITH." THIS APPEARS IN THE FIFTY-PAGE SECTION OF SELECTED MESSAGES, BOOK ONE, ENTITLED "CHRIST OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." WE RECOMMEND THE READING OF THE ENTIRE SECTION.[12]
THE EXPERIENCE OF DWELLING IN THE WARMTH OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS MAY BE ENJOYED TODAY AND LOST TOMORROW BY CARELESSNESS OR PRESUMPTION. IT IS A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF SIMPLE ACCEPTANCE AND TRUST AND CAN BE SOMEWHAT FRAGILE. IT MAY BECOME BLURRED THROUGH CONTENTION OVER FINE THEOLOGICAL POINTS. ELLEN WHITE OBSERVED: MANY COMMIT THE ERROR OF TRYING TO DEFINE MINUTELY THE FINE POINTS OF DISTINCTION BETWEEN JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION. INTO THE DEFINITIONS OF THESE TWO TERMS THEY OFTEN BRING THEIR OWN IDEAS AND SPECULATIONS. WHY TRY TO BE MORE MINUTE THAN IS INSPIRATION ON THE VITAL QUESTION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH? WHY TRY TO WORK OUT EVERY MINUTE POINT, AS IF THE SALVATION OF THE SOUL DEPENDED UPON ALL HAVING EXACTLY YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS MATTER? ALL CANNOT SEE IN THE SAME LINE OF VISION (MANUSCRIPT 21, 1891; ALSO IN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BIBLE COMMENTARY, VOL. 6, P. 1072).[13]
THAT THE SEVERAL APPROACHES TO THE TRUTHS HEREIN PRESENTED BY THE MESSENGER OF THE LORD WILL KEEP THE VITAL SUBJECT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH CLEAR, BALANCED, AND UNCOMPLICATED IS THE HOPE OF THE PUBLISHERS AND----THE TRUSTEES OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE ESTATE WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 7,1978[14]
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