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Sabbath and Creation/Redemption

shermancox — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:37:27 -0800

The website 1888 Most Precious Message has posted an article by E. J. Waggoner titled "The Object of the Sabbath." In it Dr. Waggoner makes the following statement:

The Sabbath is the memorial of creation, but redemption is creation. David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart." Psalm 51:1. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature." 2 Corinthians 5:17. The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation," (Romans 1:16), and the power of God is seen only in the things that he has made. Verse 29. So the power of the gospel is the power that created the worlds. Therefore, the Sabbath, in commemoration of creation, makes known to man the power of God to save from sin. As it calls to remembrance the power of God as shown in the works of his hands, it reminds us of the words of the apostle: "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

Creation and Redemption's Connection

This statement deserves contemplation. The connection between redemption and creation is an important one. When God seeks to do something with humanity, God is not simply doing a renovation project, God is engaging in creation. God has to begin again as in the original creation. God starts over and creates in us that which is not there. The only real way to understand or see this power of God to do something with us is to look at the creation. Look at how God can take nothing and make something. And to do that we need to look at the works of God's hands.

God Making a Way

I think it is interesting that just as what God does in us through creation, God does things for us through creation. When the old folks used to say, "God can make a way out of no way," they were simply saying that the creative power of God will be used to make ways where they were not before. All this is simply to say that when we speak of miracles, we are simply talking about the creative power of God, when we speak of hope in hopelessness, we are simply depending on God's ability to create.

Remembering the Sabbath

And the only mechanism that God has given us to celebrate this creative power is the Sabbath. God has called us to remember the Sabbath so that we can remember this power that does things in us and for us and through us. God calls us to remember the Sabbath so that we can let the world know that God "can-do..." And we as a people have been called to remind the world of this fact. If it had not been for the creative power of God where would we be? If it had not been for the creative power of God I would be nothing! If it had not been for the creative power of God, I wouldn't have any hope. This is why the first angel in Revelation 14:6-7 seeks to remind humanity of creation. And one day we as a people will proclaim this message "more fully."

Audio 47 - Christ and His Righteousness Chapter 2

shermancox — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:57:07 -0700

This is Chapter 1 of the book Christ and His Righteousness by E. J. Waggoner. The chapter is entitled, "How Consider Christ."

The chapter is read by Sherman Haywood Cox II.

Download file at this link

Audio 46 - Christ and His Righteousness Chapter 1

shermancox — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:18:41 -0700

This is Chapter 1 of the book Christ and His Righteousness by E. J. Waggoner. The chapter is entitled, "Christ and His Righteousness."

The chapter is read by Sherman Haywood Cox II.

Download file at this link

Christ and His Righteousness

shermancox — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:54:01 -0700

E. J. Waggoner was one of the 1888 Messengers. It is reported that the notes of Dr. Waggoner's presentations at the 1888 Conference were turned into three books. This is one of those three books. It was the first book by the Messengers that I ever read and its power is still felt every time I pick it up.

In this book, Dr. Waggoner points to the Righteousness of Christ as our only hope to make it out of this world. Download the file here.

Bringing the Garden of Eden to America

shermancox — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:29:54 -0700

One of my favorite Authors, E. J. Waggoner had an article entitled "The Sabbath and the Cross" in The Present Truth of July 20, 1893. You can find the full article at 1888 Most Precious Message. In that article, Waggoner states:

(W)e find that the Sabbath was given to man at the close of the creation of the earth, before the fall. It is an institution of Eden. See the second chapter of Genesis. Therefore the keeping of it as it was given, must bring something of Eden into this wicked world.

Forgetting Eden

Bringing eden to this world. Our attempts at rest and to set aside earthly pursuits is not to be a burden, but to be a delight. We are called to bring Eden into this world. As we go about doing what we must do in our daily lives, we can sometimes lose the big picture. We can lose focus even as we seek to do what God would have us to do. There are many obligations of family, community, work, spirituality, and other important pursuits that we must engage in as people who are productive citizens. All of these things can easily make us forget who we are and why we are here.

The Great Reminder

The Sabbath is the great reminder, ultimately we want the endless intimate community that consist of God and humanity. We want the close communion that Adam and Eve shared as the model community of faith and love. We want to be relieved of worries about jobs. We want to set aside the paper that we just turned in but fear its quality. We want an even deeper connection to God than we could possible have during this week. And yes "we want a place where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest." Praise God that even though Adam and Eve where thrust out of Eden, they got to take a little of Eden with them in the Sabbath.

Audio 31 E. J. Waggoner - The Sabbath Rest that Remains

shermancox — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:09:59 -0800

E. J. Waggoner provides a brief exposition of Hebrews 4:9. What is the rest that remains for the people of God. The document is read by Sherman Haywood Cox II.

Download file at this link

Why You Posting Jones and Waggoner?

shermancox — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:25:51 -0800

Someone contacted me through email asking, "Why do you publish information on A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner?" The short answer is, because I love the way that they seek to teach both Gospel and Adventism at the same time. However a little more indepth answer appears below.

Importance of 1888

To answer this question, we must first recognize that many people from the different theological perspectives of Adventism see in their message, or the history of that time, a God given message. Some see in the 1888 messengers and attempt from God to shake the church out of the icy grip of legalism. Others see in it a call to bring Adventism more in line with the gospel that the other churches have taught. Others see in the 1888 message an important call to move to Christianity first before the distinctive teachings of Adventism.

As I think about the 1888 messengers, I remember a few discussions with friends. First there is the friend who said that it was only after reading these messengers that he saw how Adventist doctrines can help him in his understanding of the Gospel. Before Jones and Waggoner he saw the Sabbath as important, but not connected to the Gospel as he does now. He sees in the doctrine of the nature of humanity (state of the dead) the reality that Christ, in his humanity, decided to die a death that would mean eternal death. Some articulate this by saying that "Christ went to hell." In the Sanctuary, my friend now sees one who is looking out and working for humanity right now with a purpose that includes the cleansing of humanity.

Another friend told me that 1888 reminds him that in our "Adventist-ness" we can never lose our "Christian-ness. We are a part of that global body called Christianity and none of our doctrines can separate us from that body.

Why I Like The Messeges

Personally, I think that 1888 allows Adventism to make sense in the context of the Gospel. It emphasizes the Gospel, but it emphasizes that we look at and understand it through our Adventism. Certainly A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner are not infallible. I agree with Ellen White, God Alone is infallible. But in these writings, I see two individuals, striving to see and learn more of Jesus in our characteristic doctrines, not in spite of them. Waggoner doesn't teach the sabbath just for the sake of the sabbath. Jones doesn't teach the sanctuary just for the sake of the sanctuary. Everything is taught to gain a greater understanding of Jesus Christ and his mission.

My first attempts at looking at theology came from reading Jones and Waggoner. I will always love these three for that reason. Certainly, I don't agree with everything, but 1888 reminds me that our doctrines and teachings are not an end to themselves, but are there to help us understand Christ. Agree or disagree with them, they tried to just preach Christ and him crucified within the context of Adventism.

Lessons on Faith Podcast #5 - For Our Sake Also

shermancox — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 04:59:43 -0700

Download the Audio

Elder E. J. Waggoner looks at the story of Abraham and gleans some lessons for our spiritual life.

Lessons on Faith Podcast Episode #1 - Living by Faith

shermancox — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:50:41 -0700

Downlad the Audio

This is the first episode of the Lessons on Faith Podcast. In this episode our speaker, Sherman Haywood Cox II, reads the first chapter of the book Lessons on Faith.

This chapter by Elder E. J. Waggoner is entitled "Living by Faith." Many wonder how to live the Christian life. Is the Christian life meant to be one defeat after another? Is it even possible to think about spiritual victory when the foe is so powerful? How can we even live a victorious life?

These and other questions are answered by Elder Waggoner in this podcast.

Podcast Episode 14 - The Sabbath of The Lord by E. J. Waggoner

shermancox — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 05:39:45 -0700

Download it here

What is the Sabbath of the Lord and what does it have to do with Salvation? Waggoner begins to tackle these questions in this audio reading. Our Speaker, Sherman Haywood Cox II, reads a selection from E. J. Waggoner.