A Brief Summary of The 1888 Message

A Brief Summary of the 1888 Message
A Brief Summary of the

1888 Message
A Short History
At the General conference Session held in 1888 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, two young
men, Alonzo T. Jones and Ellet J. Waggoner, providentially conveyed to the delegates a
beautiful message of justification by faith that became controversial because some
opposed it. Many of the delegates, especially the older ministers and leaders, made the
message (and the messengers) unwelcome.
A few rejoiced and truly accepted the message. Foremost among them was a lady
sitting in the front row, Ellen G. White. No official person seems to have thought the
message important enough to take it down in shorthand and transcribe it so that
posterity could know firsthand what they said at that meeting. Hence, we do not have
the “1888 message” itself in the exact words of the two young “messengers.”
But this does not mean that we have no understanding of what the message was.
Certain facts make it possible for us to reconstruct a fair and accurate concept of what
they taught.
For example, we know from his writings what Waggoner taught in the months
immediately before the 1888 General Conference, and we know what he taught in the
weeks immediately after. We also have his book, The Gospel in Galatians, which he
presented to the conference delegates. It articulates the message he believed regarding
the gospel of justification by faith and particularly the nature of Christ and the two
covenants.
We know that Waggoner and Jones were in perfect agreement in their understanding of
righteousness by faith both at Minneapolis and for about a decade after 1888. There
were two messengers, but Ellen White spoke repeatedly of what they brought us as
being one “message.” She continued to endorse their ongoing presentations for years
after the 1888 General Conference.
Ellen White saw that the 1888 message was “the third angel’s message in verity,” “new
light,” “a message which is present truth for this time,” “light from heaven,” “the light
which is to lighten the earth with its glory.” It was not only that Jesus pardons sin; He
saves from its power and slavery even now.
The following ten “points” summarize the core of the 1888 message. We hope this will
aid in your study of Sabbath School Today.
—The Sabbath School Today Authors
www.1888mpm.org Sabbath School Today | Extra 1

What Did the Message Say?

1. Christ has already accomplished something for every human being. He died
the “second death” for “every man,” and thus has elected all men to be saved. But we
have freedom to refuse and despise as Esau despised his birthright. In that judicial
sense, Christ is indeed “the Savior of the world.” When lukewarm Laodiceans
appreciate what He has already accomplished for the world, they will better understand
faith, and how to glory only in the cross.
2. By His uplifted cross and His on-going priestly ministry, Christ is drawing “all
men” to repentance. His love is so strong and persistent that the sinner must resist it
in order to be lost.
3. It follows that it is easy to be saved and hard to be lost if one understands and
believes how good the Good News is. The only difficult thing is learning how to believe
the Good News. Jesus emphasized this truth.
4. Christ is the Good Shepherd who is not waiting for the lost sheep to find Him,
but He is actively seeking it. A misunderstanding of God’s character causes us to
think He is hiding from us, or is indifferent to us. There is no parable of a lost sheep that
must find its shepherd.
5. In seeking us, Christ came all the way to where we are, taking upon Himself “the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Thus He is a Savior
“nigh at hand, and not afar off.” He is already the “the Savior of all men,” even the “chief
of sinners.” But sinners have the freedom to refuse Him, and reject Him.
6. The New Covenant is God’s one-way promise to write His law in our hearts,
and to give us everlasting salvation as a free gift “in Christ.” The Old Covenant is the
vain promise of the people to obey, and it “gives birth to bondage.” The spiritual failures
of many sincere people are the result of being taught Old Covenant ideas, especially in
childhood and youth. The New Covenant truth is an essential element of the 1888
message, and even today lifts a load of doubt and despair from many heavy hearts.
7. Our Savior “condemned sin in the flesh,” conquering the problem for the
human race. He forever outlawed sin in the vast universe of God by defeating it in its
last lair—our fallen, sinful human flesh and nature. Because of Him there is now no
reason for any of us to go on living under the frightful “dominion” of sin. Sinful addictions
lose their grip if one cherishes “the faith of Jesus.”
8. A higher motivation becomes realized in the close of time than has prevailed in
the church in all past ages—a concern for Christ that He receive His reward and find His
“rest” in the final eradication of sin. All egocentric motivation based on fear of hell or
hope of reward is Old Covenant in nature and is less effective. The higher motivation is
symbolized in the climax of Scripture—the Bride of Christ making herself “ready” for the
“marriage of the Lamb.”

9. The Bible teaches that righteousness is by faith. Therefore the only element that
God’s people need in order to prepare for the second coming of Christ is genuine faith.
The message the world needs to hear is the truth of righteousness by faith in the light of
the cleansing of the sanctuary, which is “the third angel’s message in verity.” Faith is
understood in its true biblical sense—a heart appreciation of the agape of Christ
revealed in His cross.
10. The 1888 message is especially “precious” because it joins together the true
biblical idea of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary with the biblical truth of
justification by faith. This is truth that the world hungers to know and understand, and
longs to discover. It forms the essential element of truth that will yet lighten the earth
with the glory of a final, fully developed presentation of “the everlasting gospel” of
Revelation 18.
If you would like to read the details for each of these “points,” please go to
1888mpm.org. In the book section you will find “Ten Great Gospel Truths,” where the
teachings of the Bible, A. T. Jones, E. J. Waggoner, and E. G. White are given, along
with quotation references.

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A Brief Summary of the

www.1888mpm.org Sabbath School Today | Extra 1

What Did the Message Say?

www.1888mpm.org Sabbath School Today | Extra 2

www.1888mpm.org Sabbath School Today | Extra 3

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