The post-ascension mediatorial ministry of Christ - A study of the redemptive implications of the assertion that Christ’s mediation will climax in the cosmic judgment, Masters dissertation Craig Baxter

The post-ascension mediatorial ministry of Christ: A study
of the redemptive implications of the assertion that Christ’s

mediation will climax in the cosmic judgment
Introduction
Christ’s earthly ministry has been the main focus of Protestant theology whilst his
role as mediator at the right hand of God has received little theological attention.1
Although Protestant theology is aware of the biblical concept of Christ’s post-
resurrection mediation, it has not been integrated into their soteriology.2
This paper seeks to provide a modest contribution to the largely untouched
area of Christ’s intercessory ministry; also known as Mediation theology. The
Protestant tradition saw the initiation and recovery of the mediation motif that was
started by Luther and Calvin.3 The greatest contributors still however seem to be the
Puritans in the 17th century. In the 19th century the rise of Adventism brought about a
renewed focus on Christ’s redemptive role as ascended mediator. Thereafter the last
formidable work was approximately 80 years ago by a Prof. Joseph Jungman, a
Roman Catholic, who wrote The place of Christ in liturgical prayer. His work is still
regarded as the building blocks for Mediation theology,4 however it focuses on the
development of the first four centuries of Christianity and has no emphasis on the
impact of Protestant or Reformist movements.5
Since the writings of Ellen G. White in the 19th century, the Adventist
contributors that are worthy of recognition are Edward Heppenstall with his book,
1
Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction (Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing,
2001), pp. 411-13.
2
Bertold Hibner, `The Intercession of Christ: A Study of the Adventist Contribution to the Doctrine of
the Work of Christ', (unpublished masters dissertation, Open University, Newbold college, Oct 2002),
p. 2.
3
George R. Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs
(Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), p. 38; Clifford Goldstein, 1844 Made Simple (Ontario,
Canada: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1988), p. 12; Julian Kastrati, `The Eclipsing and
Recovery of the Redemptive Role of Christ as Ascended Mediator' (unpublished masters dissertation,
Open University, Newbold college, 2006), p. 3.
4
Kastrati, `The Eclipsing and Recovery of the Redemptive Role of Christ as Ascended Mediator', p. 5.
5
2
Our High Priest (1972). After this, contributors like Desmond Ford took radical
steps to challenge the Judgment phase within Adventist Mediation theology.
Therefore it appears profitable to attempt to understand the role of Christ as mediator
after his resurrection.
The Old Testament Mosaic sanctuary presented in the biblical account has
incredible significance for the doctrine of the Sanctuary, which is the heart of
Mediation theology as held by Seventh-day Adventists. In fact their Sanctuary
doctrine is, as referred to by James White, the central hub of the wagon wheel.6 All
other Adventist doctrine are the spokes that shoot off of the central Sanctuary hub. I
prefer to think of the hub as the table and culet7 of a diamond, whilst the other
doctrines are the many facets that reflect light from each other.
The Sanctuary doctrine is what founded the Seventh-day Adventist church and
carries with it certain significance, when Miller died his headstone had the text from
Dan 8.14 on it saying, “and unto 2300 days then the sanctuary will be cleansed”. This
significance is not greatly felt in Seventh-day Adventist churches today.8 Historically,
Seventh-day Adventists have regarded themselves as part of a restoration movement,
wanting to recover neglected truths,9 however they do not claim to make a
contribution to the doctrine on the incarnate work of Christ, but rather to his
subsequent role in applying the benefits of his death to the believer through his
ministry at the right hand of God.10
6
George R. Knight, Millennial Fever and the End of the World (Ontario, Canada: Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1993), p. 308.
7
The table is the top flat surface and the culet is the point at the bottom. This is merely a
representation and not a typological picture since a diamond has 58 facets, and this has no particular
representation in mind, however when one looks into a diamond, the many facets reflect light from
each other. Snoop, Diamond information <http://24carat.co.uk/diamondsfacetsframe.html>, 2008
[Accessed 15-02-2008]
8
Goldstein, 1844 Made Simple, p. 12.
9
10
Whilst our understanding is that Christ is applying the benefits of his death to us in a ministry of
mediation, it does not come across like this in the latest Adventist handbooks. It still talks in terms of
cleansing the sanctuary, which confuses people. Raoul Dederen, Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist
Theology (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), p. 402.; Ministerial Association, What
Seventh-day Adventists Believe (Sliver Spring, MD: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2005), pp.
347-70.
3
It has been stated, “many have lost sight of the pioneers' insights into the
sanctuary doctrine. Often without realizing it, Seventh-day Adventist members accept
views of Christ's ministry held by non-Adventist Christians”.11 The core of
Adventism, the Sanctuary doctrine, needs to be reaffirmed or thrown out, but not just
ignored, which is the present reality. In view of the fact that today Adventists need to
be assured of its brilliance in an ever-changing deconstructed post-modern world.
Today, people come to the buffet table of doctrine and take what they like and leave
what they do not understand. This paper will attempt to make Mediation theology
more understandable to the Christian world.
The purpose of the paper

Christ’s mediation motif needs further exploration. The problem that will be dealt
with is, what are the redemptive implications of the meaning of Christ’s post
ascension ministry, in the context of the Seventh-day Adventist’s salvation paradigm,
as understood by Ellen White? I will attempt to understand what is her understanding
of the eschatological dimensions of the Sanctuary doctrine with emphasis on Christ’s
post-ascension mediation.
Thus the purpose of this research is to explore the meaning of Christ’s redemptive
mediation climaxing, according to classical Adventism, in a cosmic judgment and
assess the Gospel implications?
Significance
The significance of this dissertation is to discover new relevant information and bring
harmony to existing information with regards to Christ’s post-ascension mediation
within the light of Eschatology and Soteriology. I will then analyze and critique the
findings so as to harmonize it into a language relevant for today’s postmodern mind.
Methodology
The method that will be used in this paper will be largely analytical-historical-
systematic. The study will be divided into three major parts. My method of
investigation will be to establish, firstly, a brief review of the pre-Adventist

11
Gerard P. Damsteegt, `How Our Pioneers Discovered the Sanctuary Doctrine', Adventists Affirm, fall
1992.
4
understanding on Christ’s post-ascension mediation. Secondly I will establish
the Adventist developments of the teaching on Christ’s post-ascension
mediation. Thirdly I will emphasise the redemptive meaning of Christ’s post-
ascension ministry in the context of Adventist salvation history – as understood
by Ellen White.
Limitations
The Adventist understanding of justification by faith will be assumed. Thus the
Justification implications of the sanctuary doctrine will not be debated in this study. It
will assume an imputed form of righteousness of Christ, and not a once saved always
saved, form of justification.
It will neither focus on or try to prove whether the Investigative Judgment is linked
with Dan 8.14, nor will it concentrate on the authenticity of 1844 as the start thereof.
I will merely refer to it by the terms such as ‘prejudgment phase’ and an ‘executive
judgment phase’. I will assume the sanctuary motif refers to a heavenly reality12
although expressed in parabolic analogical language with respect to a cosmic reality.
12
The brilliance of the sanctuary can be seen even before the plan of salvation was created, in Jer 17. 12
it mentions the “glorious high throne, exalted from the beginning”. Other interesting points are, the
Sumerian word for temple is “egal”, the Hebrew equivalent is “heykal”, which literally means, ‘great
house’, therefore I assume that the sanctuary is God’s great cosmic type of house. The house of a king is
a palace, but when that king is also God then it becomes a sanctuary. Richard Davidson, Professor of Old
Testament exegesis, `24 One Hour Recordings', in The Sanctuary as Understood by Seventh-day
Adventists, class recordings for the module called - The Sancturay, for Bachelor's in Theology, 24 hours
of tuition (Belgrade theological seminary: Philip Gravac, Jul. 2003)
5
A brief review of the pre-Adventist view on Christ’s post-
ascension mediation
1.1 Early church theology and practice and subsequent developments
Many theologians over the ages have questioned the significance of the idea of an
ascended Christ. James F. White in his Introduction to Christian worship connects
early Christian worship with liturgy.13 Julian Kastrati suggests that the best way to
discover the significance of the ascended Christ is by looking at early Christian
liturgy.14 Mediatorial doxologies focusing on Christ as mediating appear to be the
earliest records of Mediation theology.15 Josef Jungmann has completed an extensive
work on this question; he noted that liturgies from many different geographical areas
constantly refer to Christ’s redemptive role as ascended mediator.16 The mediatorial
theme of Christ is consistently mentioned through many early writings, this included
pope Clement, one of the Church Fathers from the second century.17 Polycarp (of
Smyrna) is another example of a Bishop who found comfort in Christ’s high priestly
intercession.18 The majority of records on early liturgies indicated that they knew
what Christ’s mediatorial role was. They assigned to him the function as our high
priest and intercessor, they realised that these two concepts were inseparable.19 The
Church Fathers reaffirmed the post ascension mediation motif up until the fourth
century, during this time Christ’s divine and human natures were presented in
harmony and in balance.20 The Church Fathers agreed with Paul who stated in 1 Tim.
2. 5 that there is one God and one mediator.21 It is notable that according to A.
13
James F. White, Introduction to Christian Worship (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000), p. 19.
14
This looks at how early Christians regarded Christ in their worship. Kastrati, `The Eclipsing and
Recovery of the Redemptive Role of Christ as Ascended Mediator', p. 10.
15
This is found in the Didache, it refers to a ‘through Christ’ motif. Other early works with similar
consistency are: The church order, Canons of Hippolitus, the Apostolic constitutions, the Epitome and
the Testament of our Lord. The common phrasing of giving thanks to God through Christ is evident in
these works. Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer (London: Geoffrey
Chapman, 1989), p. 3.
16
Liturgies that were included were Coptic and Syrian, from the East as well as the West, Byzantine,
Gallic and Roman scripts. Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer, pp. 23-24.
17
John Chapman, Pope St. Clement I <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04012c.htm>, 1908
[Accessed 22-04-2008]
18
Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer, p. 147.
19
20
Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer, pp. 154-56.
21
1 Tim. 2:5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ
Jesus, himself human.
6
Klawek, the ‘through Christ’ motif was cultivated in Greek communities especially
by Paul.22
The understanding of Christ’s natures was to be altered by Origen Adamantius, a
Platonist with traces of Stoic philosophy.23 For him Jesus was a rational principle of
Logos, which exists in a finite comprehensible world. He ascribes the mediatory office of
the Son of God to the cosmic role of the Logos instead of the incarnation.24 From this
point on Mediation theology will change from what it was originally meant in Paul’s
thinking. Almost a century later Arius acknowledged Jesus as different in nature from the
father.25 He stated that the son’s body was in human form, therefore different in nature to
the father, but his soul was the Logos that Origen alluded to.26 Consequently Arius
regarded mediation as a metaphysical function rather than a redemptive one. Thus in the
Arian view, the ‘through Christ’ motif was transmuted from being a reference to a
redemptive function – towards a cosmic function of Christ, who as a subordinate creature
served as an intermediate between distant and unapproachable deity.27 Athanasius the 1st
of Alexandria, on the other hand, opposed Arius’s views by re-asserting the full divinity
of Christ, however, he did not see the mediatorial role as important, in fact, he felt it
distracted from the equilateral tri-unity of God’s action.28 By 330 AD, theologians felt
uncomfortable with the past mediatorial doxology of and felt that the doxology
Athanasius was more correct, and consequently there came a division between
22
A. Klawek, `Das Gebet zu Jesus', Seine Berechtigung und Ubung nach den Schriften des Neuen
Testaments: Eine biblisch-theologische Studie 6/5 (1921), p. 74.
23
He was thus a pronounced idealist, regarding all things temporal and material as insignificant and
indifferent, the only real and eternal things being comprised in the idea. Various, `Wikipedia, the Free
Encyclopedia,' Origen <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origen>, 2008 (Accessed 23-04-2008).
24
Kastrati reiterated a cosmic mediation rather than a redemptive mediation for Origen, however it is
inconclusive how he reached these terminologies. Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in
Liturgical Prayer, p. 158.
25
Charles Kannengiesser, Holy Scripture and Hellenistic Hermeneutics in Alexandrian Christology:
The Arian Crisis (Berkeley, CA: Centre for hermeneutical studies in Hellenistic and modern culture,
1982), pp. 1-90.
26
27
The son had taken himself a human body and the place of the soul being taken by the Logos
Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer, p. 162. This influenced Arian
philosophy into thinking that God is transcendent, inaccessible, unknowable and impassioned.
28
Kastrati states that Athanasuis’s creed of “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”
affirmed more than the mediatorial version of “Glory to the Father through the Son in the Spirit”
could do. Kastrati, `The Eclipsing and Recovery of the Redemptive Role of Christ as Ascended
Mediator', p. 22.
7
29
theologians using different doxologies. Basil the great continued to use both
doxologies, and whilst he stated that different prepositions in doxologies should not be
used to prove different natures of God,30 the mediatorial doxology became overshadowed
and gradually receded into the background31 and was almost lost.32
After the fourth century it was noted in Syrian liturgies that the acclamation of
praise was denoted to the three divine persons, which was merely separated by the
word ‘and’.33 There was cases of an, ‘in Christ’ expression, which emerged because
of translation problems into the Syrian language, consequently the ‘through Christ’
motif was nearly lost.34 In the fourth and fifth centuries only a few isolated cases of
the, ‘through Christ’ motif, remained.35
In later Roman Mass, the Father’s name became rare. Roman liturgy did not
forget to express the divinity of the mediator and high priest, however this was
merely done to emphasise his dignity, it had no influence on the order of address and
structure of the prayer.36 The Roman Catholic Church developed their theology of
delegation as opposed to Mediation.37 They saw themselves as God’s agent on earth,
which was invested in their priesthood. The Virgin Mary was also added as a
mediation agent, she was mediator between mankind and Christ.38 Since the fifth
century Roman Catholic delegated Mediation theology remained dominant for
another thousand years until the Protestant Reformation which brought back the issue
of Mediation theology.
29
Basil the great used both, however other theologians used either the mediatorial doxology or the one
from Athanasius. Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer, p. 175; Kastrati, `The
Eclipsing and Recovery of the Redemptive Role of Christ as Ascended Mediator', p. 22.
30
Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit, translated by David Anderson (New York: St. Vladimir's
Seminary Press, 1980), pp. 1-199.
31
What became problematic was the move towards isolated prayer in formal worship, people were not
reading the Bible for themselves any more, but were viewing Church Fathers and other material as
gospel, instead of the source.
32
Jungmann Josef A., The Place of Christ in Liturgical Prayer, p. 225, 227.
33
34
35
36
37
38
Robert G. Calkins, Monuments on Medieval Art (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1979), p. 137.
8
Kastrati has rightly stated that, should the emphasis on Christ’s humanity
have remained in tact then this wound would not have festered into a split and a
division in thinking.39 The mediation motif would have remained throughout creeds
and doxologies, and there would have been no need for its recovery.
1.2 Reformation, Post-Reformation developments

Up until the sixth century AD Mediation theology seems to have been steadily
obscured, not much light would be shed for another thousand years until the
beginning of the Reformation. Martin Luther, the man who believed in Sola Scriptura
and re-established a biblical version of the doctrine of Justification, also opened the
door for a more biblical version of Mediation theology. Whilst this was not his main
focus, the themes of Justification and Mediation are closely connected; it is also
possible that the one helped build the other. He also insisted that, Christ in order to be
redeemer, had to be both God and man.40 Christ is now seen to rule the church in two
capacities namely; as true God and true man.41
The Roman empirical church saw their role to be one of delegation in terms of
mediation; they attempted to bridge the mediatorial void through its investment in its
priesthood.42 Moreover, they also assumed the Virgin Mary to be mediator between
mankind and Christ the terrifying judge. In Luther’s Works Vol 13, he states,
“St. Peter wants to lead us to the father through the Lord Jesus Christ
and sets Him up as the Mediator between God and us. Up to now
preachers have told us to call upon the saints in order that they may be
our intercessors before God. Then we hied (hurried) ourselves to Our
Dear Lady, made her our mediatrix, and let Christ remain an angry
judge.”43
Luther realised that the Catholic Church had led its congregations away from reliance
on Christ and towards a reliance on the institutions of the church. He states in The
39
40
As he put it, “baked together as one person, true God and true man.” Martin Luther, Sermons on the
Gospel of St John, edited by Jaroslav Pelikan, Luther's Works, 22 (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 1957), p. 6, William Landeen, M., Martin Luther's Religious Thought (Mountain View, CA:
Pacific Press Publishing Association), p. 63.
41
Landeen, Martin Luther's Religious Thought, p. 64.
42
43
Martin Luther, Selected Psalms II, edited by Jaroslav Pelikan, Luther's Works, 13 (Saint Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1956), p. 326.
9
Catholic Epistles of Luther’s Works Vol 30 that “Behold I come before you and
pray, not in reliance on my own petition, but my Lord Christ represents me and is my
intercessor”44
In his exposition of 1 Tim 2.5 which he considered a passage about redemption, he states
“He is clearly setting down a twofold salvation. There is a true God, who saves
all men with a general salvation; and Christ the Mediator, who saves with an
eternal salvation which also comes from God but through Jesus Christ.”45
In a letter to Luther’s mother he makes clear accusation against the Catholic Church,
he writes,
“…let your heart be moved, dear Mother. Above all be thankful that
God has brought you such knowledge and not allowed you to remain
caught in papistic error, by which we were taught to rely on our own
works and the holiness of the monks, and to consider this only comfort
of ours, our Saviour, not as comforter but as severe judge and tyrant, so
that we has to flee from him to Mary and the saints, and not expect of
him any grace or comfort. But now we know it differently, [we know]
about the unfathomable goodness and mercy of our heavenly Father: that
Jesus Christ is our mediator”.46
Whilst Luther has clear awareness of Christ as ascended redemptive mediator, he
does seem unclear as to what its redemptive significance is.
John Calvin was another Reformer who, contributed to the re-
emerging understanding of the intercessory nature of Christ’s ministry. He
emphasises the redemptive significance of Christ’s mediation role saying:
“. . . there is a necessary connexion between. . . the sacrifice of the death

of Christ, and his continual intercession. (Rom 8. 34) These are the two
parts of his priesthood; for, when Christ is called our priest, it is in this
sense, that he once made atonement for our sins by his death, that he might
reconcile us to God; and now having entered into the sanctuary of heaven,
he appears in the presence of the Father, in order to obtain grace for us,
that we may be heard in his name.”47
44
Martin Luther, The Catholic Epistles, edited by A. Hansen Walter, Luther's Works, 30 (Saint Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1975), p. 12.
45
Martin Luther, Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7, 1 Corinthians 15, Lectures on 1 Timothy, edited
by C. Oswald Hilton, Luther's Works, 28 (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1973), p. 263. In
another passage he even finds the words mediation and redemption as interchangeable, “Christ has two
functions: mediation, or redemption, and a testimony about the forgiveness of sins and mediation…”
Luther, Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 7, 1 Corinthians 15, Lectures on 1 Timothy, p. 267.
46
Martin Luther, Letters III, edited by Helmut T. Lehmann, translated by Gottried G. Krodel, Luther's
Works, 50 (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975), p. 20.
47
John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles to 1 Timothy, Volume XXI, translated by Rev. William
Pringle (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2003), pp. 60-61.
10
He, like Luther, saw the need to recover Mediation theology as he stated, “True
religion and the practice of godliness-begin with mediation or the heavenly life”.48 He
attacked what he called “the wicked sacrilege of the papists, who by making dead
saints to be companions of Christ in [mediation] transfer to them the glory of the
priesthood.”49
Calvin understood the redemptive work of Christ in terms of a threefold office
(munus triplex), prophet, priest and king.50 He also realised that the Mosaic sanctuary
was a mere ‘shadow’ of the real priesthood that would follow,51 and thus he stressed
the intercessory ministry based on the true sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Upon this
basis Calvin could call Christ, ‘perpetual intercessor’.52
Whilst Luther and Calvin’s major works are not on Mediation theology, they
did initiate a paradigm shift towards a more biblical version. Their main contribution
to Mediation theology was their rejection of the medieval delegation theology - they
saw Christ as the sole mediator between man and God and not the priestly office of
apostolic succession.
Humanists like Erasmus did not hit the mark as accurately as the ‘great two’,
he emphasized the moral and ethical aspects of Christ’s work and paid less attention
to the redemptive aspect.53 Many other reformers with a humanistic background
tended to stress the ethical rather than the redemptive aspect of Christ’s work. During
the Reformation three distinct groups emerged, the German, the Swiss and the
English; the radical wing of the English group would manifest itself as the Puritans.
48
John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles to 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon, Volume XXII,
translated by Rev. William Pringle (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2003), p. 283.
49
Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles to 1 Timothy, Volume XXI, p. 61.
50
Robert C. Sproul, Getting the Gospel Right: The Tie That Bonds Evangelicals Together (Grand
Rapids: MI: Baker Books, 1999), p. 121, Still today Norman Geisler in his brand new Systematic
Theology:, Sin, Salvation claims three aspects of Christ’s mediation, Prophet (Heb.1.2), he represents
God to man, as Priest (Heb. 9.15), he represents man to God, and as King (Ps. 2), he reigns over man
for God. Norman Geisler, Systematic Theology: Church, Last Things (Minneapolis: MN: Bethany
House, 2005), p. 225.
51
John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, 2 vols, translated by H. Beveridge (London: James
Clarke & Co., Limited, 1962), p. 2, 432.
52
Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, 2 vols, p. 2, 432.
53
Landeen, Martin Luther's Religious Thought, p. 66.
11
1.3 The Puritan contribution with regards to redemption
achieved and applied
Whilst most Reformers understanding of mediation only stretched to the immediate
redemptive aspect thereof, the gradual development in understanding helped Calvin
to recognize a two-phased connection. The Puritans54 would explore and widen this
two-phased understanding extensively. Puritan James Ussher55 states in his section on
The Mediatorial Office of Christ, “And now are we come to that part of Christ’s
mediation, which concerneth the conveyance of the redemption…”56 He recognised
more than one part and understood that there could be only one mediator57, and that
there was only one worthy to do this. He states,
“… because he was by his Office to be Immanuel, that is, he who must make
God to be at one with us. For this being his proper office, to be Mediator
between God and men, he must partake with both: and being from all eternity
consubstantial with his father…”58
Ussher clearly understood that the mediator was the reconciler59 of a group, and
should be a component of both parties and thus be able to attain to the level of both
parties. Ussher also divided mediation into two phases, Satisfaction and
Intercession,60 the former would satisfy the injustice of sin for God and the later
would demonstrate Gods mercy which would be applied through intercession to all
his children.
Puritan Mediation theology not only focused on the aspect of redemption
being achieved through Satisfaction, but also included the concept of redemption
54
Puritanism was born in Geneva, but according to Horton Davies, was christened in England. They
were regarded as the ‘champions of the authority of the pure word of God’. Horton Davies, The
Worship of the English Puritans (Westminster: Dacre press, 1948), p. 49.
55
James Ussher (1581-1656), a Calvinist, born in Dublin Ireland and educated at Trinity College and
ordained in 1601.
56
James Ussher, `The Mediatorial Office of Christ', in Introduction to Puritan Theology: A Reader,
edited by Edward Hindson (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1976), p. 118.
57
Another Puritan who felt there can be only one mediator was Samuel Hopkins, he understood
mediation to be linked to the way of salvation by Christ, he put his whole trust in Christ for pardon and
salvation” Samuel Hopkins, `Regeneration and Conversion', in Introduction to Puritan Theology: A
Reader, edited by Edward Hindson (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1976), p. 190.
58
Ussher, `The Mediatorial Office of Christ', p. 115.
59
Ussher stated, “God and we were enemies (Rom. 5. 10); before we were reconciled to him by his
Son. He that is to be our (Eph 2.14, 16) peace, and to reconcile us unto God, and to slay this enmity…”
60
12
61
being applied through Intercession. Francis Turretin, who held convictions on
mediation and sanctuary typology stated,
“It was not sufficient to obtain salvation once, unless it could be perpetually
preserved and applied. Christ obtained the former by his satisfaction, but the
latter he should procure by his intercession. By the former, he obtained
salvation; by the latter he preserves it. By the former, he purchased the right to
life and reconciled us to God; by the latter, he actually admits us to a
participation of life and continually keeps us when once established in the
grace of God”62
One can see here that Turretin also followed the two-phase understanding of
Satisfaction and Intercession; moreover, he also captured the concept of mediation
being applied repeatedly for all. Whilst Christ’s sacrifice was once, the application
thereof was continuous.
John Owen,63 one of the greatest Puritans, helped develop the ‘covenant’
theme in Puritan theology. He stated,
“Had there been no enmity, there would have been no need for a
Mediator. But the design of the covenant was to make reconciliation
and peace, and hereon depended the necessity of satisfaction,
redemption, and the making of atonement by sacrifice. Wherefore
none could undertake to be the Mediator of this covenant but He that
was able to satisfy the justice of God, glorify his government and fulfil
his law.”64
Owen, like other Puritan reformers, stated that Christ entered as our High
Priest into the holy place in the temple in heaven above to make his sacrifice
effectual unto the church, and to apply the benefits to it, and this Christ did
once for all.65 Elsewhere he states that the offering is always effectual and
needs nothing but renewed application by faith for the communication of its
effects and fruits for us.66
61
Francis Turretin (1623-1687), an Italian reformer who followed Calvin and Beza in Geneva,
educated in philosophy at the academy in Gerrit Keizer and completed theological studies at Geneva in
1644.
62
Mathew C. McMahon ‘A Puritan's Mind - Francis Turretin’,
<http://apuritansmind.com/FrancisTurretin/francisturretin.htm>, 1998 [Accessed 15 May 2008]
63
John Owen (1616-1683) was one of the greatest Puritan divines, he was born in Stradhampton
Oxfordshire, son of a country minister, at 12 he entered Queens College Oxford, received his B.A. in
1632 and M.A. in 1635, and was ordained in an Anglican church.
64
John Owen, Hebrews: The Epistle of Warning (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1977), p. 142.
65
Owen, Hebrews: The Epistle of Warning, p. 163.
66
13
67
Presbyterian/Puritan, John Flavel also broke Mediation theology up into
two sections, Satisfaction68 or Expiation and Intercession.69 For him, God sealed Jesus
for this office (Joh. 6. 27)70 of Prophet, Priest and King.71 He recognised that Jesus
was the only one qualified for the task,72 however Christ did not presume to appoint
himself but God appointed him (Heb. 5. 4-5).73
Flavel also states, “…he offered not himself as other priests did, but for us, that we
may be sanctified… Hence, Jesus Christ dedicated and wholly set himself apart to the
work of a Mediator, for the elect’s sake.”74 Flavel also recognized that Christ
achieved this mediatory role at the price equal to that of the offence between God and
man, thus making satisfaction unto God and stopping his course of justice.75 Flavel
also noted the application of Christ’s ministry, he states, “Salvation, as to the actual
dispensation of it, is revealed by Christ as Prophet, procured by him as Priest, applied
by him as a King.”76
In another place he states,
“This priesthood of Christ is that function wherein he comes before God in

our name and place, to fulfil the law, and offer up himself to a sacrifice of
reconciliation for our sins; and by his intercession, to continue and apply the
purchase of his blood to them for whom he shed it: all this is contained in
the important scripture, Heb. 10. 7-14.”77
67
John Flavel (1627-1691) is considered amongst the Puritans, Born Bromsgrove Worcestershire,
studied at Oxford, he lived at Diptford in Devon and died at Exeter in Devonshire. He was ejected in
1662 but continued to preach secretly and was a prolific and popular author.
68
John Flavel, The Fountain of Life: Presenting Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory (Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977), p. 91.
69
He also divided Christ’s office up further; 1. Excellency of the high priest’s oblation – The first part
of the priestly office, 2. Intercession of Christ – The second part of his priestly office, 3. The
Satisfaction of Christ – The first effect of his priesthood, 4. The inheritance purchased by the oblation
of Christ – the second effect of his priesthood. Flavel, The Fountain of Life: Presenting Christ in His
Essential and Mediatorial Glory, p. 4.
70
Joh. 6:27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which
the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal."
71
Flavel, The Fountain of Life: Presenting Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory, p. 64.
72
Flavel, The Fountain of Life: Presenting Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory, p. 66. Flavel
saw Christ as the Mesithz or middle person, p. 87 He was true God and true man. P. 89
73
Heb. 5:4-5 4 And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just
as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by
the one who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; Flavel, The Fountain of Life:
Presenting Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory, p. 69.
74
Flavel, The Fountain of Life: Presenting Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory, pp. 74-75.
75
76
77
Heb. 10:7-14 7 Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God' (in the scroll of the book
it is written of me)." 8 When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices
and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he
14
John Flavel had a supreme understanding of the mediation of Christ, he understood what
Christ had to do to achieve and finally apply this repeatedly at the right hand of God. Man
could not appease God in any way, he could not render to God any Satisfaction in any way;
Flavel notes that Christ’s blood was precious (1 Pet. 1. 19)78, in the sense that it was perfect
and not polluted or genetically mutated with sin.79 It is evident to Flavel that the man-God
Jesus Christ was the only one to satisfy God’s lawful requirements and is currently
mediating as the middleman for all men.
The Puritans expanded their understanding of Mediation theology beyond the
Reformation post-Reformation developments. They made a contribution by
distinguishing between redemption being achieved and then being repeatedly applied
by Christ, by his continuing intercession as the middleman between God and man.
1.4 Puritan’s Christological usage of OT sanctuary typology

Whilst Luther and Calvin considered the festivals in Lev. 23 to be fulfilled at Christ’s
death, the Puritan’s reconsidered them in the light of sanctuary typology. John Durant
in his book The Salvation of the Saints states that “it was a mistake, made by clergy
and laity alike, ‘to think all was done on the cross when Christ died’”.80
Christ’s substitutionary atonement would be unveiled within the light of the
Epistle to the Hebrews. This in itself would drive them back to the Old Testament
because of the references to OT characters and events within Hebrews.81 These
characters and events signalled a type of Christ or Christological actions. Thomas
Taylor, in his book Christ Revealed, interpreted the OT from a Christological
added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10
And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all. 11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same
sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice
for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God," 13 and since then has been waiting "until his enemies
would be made a footstool for his feet." 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those
who are sanctified.
78
1 Pet. 1:19 9 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
79
80
Taken from Bryan W. Ball, The English Connection (England: Biddles Ltd, 1981), p. 105. John
Durant, The Salvation of the Saints by the Appearances of Christ, 1. Now in Heaven, 2. Hereafter from
Heaven (n pl.: n.pb., 1653), p. 46.
81
Ball, The English Connection, pp. 106-7. The Epistle of Hebrews is full of typology, especially Heb. 11.
15
82
standpoint. He states, “Christ’s kingdom shadowed … ordains a number of
oblations; first fruits, tithes, firstborn, and many more institutions to testify their
gratitude.”83 In fact Taylor’s book has many aspects of typology and indicates that
God made sure that the Israelites would see him wherever they worked or went
during the day, he states,
“The Lord so ordered as the Jews could cast their eyes anyway
within [doores] or without but some shadow or other should meet
them, and preach unto them either Christ or some grace by Christ,
or some duty unto Christ.”84
Taylor also recognized that the furniture in the Mosaic sanctuary and the
priestly garments as typifying Christ.85
Not only Thomas Taylor’s but also Samuel Mather’s book was
written to bring out the hidden purposes of the Mosaic sanctuary and its
services. Brian Ball states that Mather understood the sanctuary to be full of
significance, but admits that without the correct interpretation, OT
ceremonial ‘looks like a heap of unprofitable burdens,’ and the sanctuary
appears like a shambles or butcher’s slaughter house’.86 Mather recognized
the application of the sanctuary typology when he states,
“The death and the blood of Christ is not enough to the cleansing
of our souls, unless the blood be sprinkled, the death of Christ
applied for us. There must be a work of application as well as of
redemption. All the precious blood that Christ hath shed will not
save a sinner, unless this blood be effectually applied and sprinkled
on the soul. Application is a great and necessary part of our
recovery and salvation, as well as the blood of Christ itself.”87
Puritan John Owen recognized the significance of the Mosaic sanctuary, he
states, “The tabernacle and all that it contained were of Christ… They were all
82
Ball, The English Connection, p. 107.
83
Thomas Taylor, Christ Revealed (Delmar, NY: Scholars Facsimiles & Reprints Inc., 1979), p. 202.
Taylor also saw Isaac as a type, raised the 3rd day as from the dead. p. 31.
84
Taylor, Christ Revealed, p. 203.
85
Taylor, Christ Revealed, p. 146.
86
Taken from Ball, The English Connection, p. 108. Samuel Mather, The Figures and Types of the Old
Testament, by Which Christ and the Heavenly Things of the Gospel Were Preached and Shadowed to
the People of God of Old (n pl.: n pb., 1705), p. 61.
87
Mather, The Figures and Types of the Old Testament, by Which Christ and the Heavenly Things of
the Gospel Were Preached and Shadowed to the People of God of Old, p. 318.
16
88
representative of Christ in the discharge of His office.” In his commentary,
Hebrews the Epistle of warning, he states that Heb. 8.589 represents Christ,90 in Heb.
9. 2491 when talking of ‘the figures of the true’ he states that the true was not shadowy
and typical like the earthly holy places were,92 recognizing the typology of the Mosaic
sanctuary and that the ‘true’ was above human creatability and concept.
John Flavel needs no mention with his book The fountain of life: presenting
Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory, this text documents his understanding of
a typical Mosaic Christ. He states, “We will inquire why it was necessary Christ
should be sealed by his Father to this work. 1. He had not otherwise corresponded
with the types which prefigured him; and in him it was necessary that they should be
accomplished.”93 Flavel noted Christ to be the ‘lamb without spot’,94 and “Christ our
Passover is sacrificed for us”.95 Like other Puritans, for him the temple was a type,96
moreover, Jonah was also a type of Christ, he states, “Our Mediator, like Jonah, his
type, seeing the stormy sea of God’s wrath working tempestuously, and ready to
swallow us up, cast in himself to appease the storm.”97 He also noted that Paul had
confirmed Christ’s office in the Epistle to the Hebrews, and that in the ninth chapter,
the typical blood sacrifices prefigured Christ’s work and actually consecrated the
heavenly things themselves signified by the types.98 He also claims that the offering
of Christ was necessary to correspond with all the types and prefigurations that were
under the Law of the OT.99 Taken from Ball, Flavel states “It was not sufficient that
88
John Owen, A Continuation of the Exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews
(Hebrews III) (n pl., n pb., 1680), pp. 309-10.
89
Heb. 8:5 They offer worship in a sanctuary that is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly one; for
Moses, when he was about to erect the tent, was warned, "See that you make everything according to
the pattern that was shown you on the mountain."
90
91
Heb. 9:24 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one,
but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
17
Christ shed his own blood on earth, except He carry it before the Lord into heaven,
and there perform His intercession work for us.”100 John Flavel thus made direct links
with Mosaic typology, foreshadowing the intercessory work of Christ.
The great Reformers understood Christ’s death to fulfil the Leviticus 23
festivals, the Puritans took the understanding a step further by distinguishing between
redemption achieved and applied, as a two-phase operation. This understanding was
comprehended through their christological understanding of the typological Mosaic
sanctuary service.
The Adventist developments of the teaching on

Christ’s post-ascension mediation
100
Take from Ball, The English Connection, p. 104. John Flavel, The Whole Works of the Reverend
Mr. John Flavel 2 vols (n pl., n pb., 1716), p. 178.
18
101 102 103
William Miller, a fulltime lecturer on prophecy, a premillennialist, and a
Historicist104 is regarded as the ‘spiritual father’ of latter Adventism105 who would
initiate the Millerite movement. Millerite developments were part of the Second Great
Awakening that started a restructuring of theological thinking in North America.106
Millerism is viewed by Everett Dick107 and Richard Carwardine108 as the final
segment, or the peak, of the Great Awakening.109 An element that helped form the
backdrop of Adventism was the Puritan influence of typology that played a large part
in shaping thought in the nineteenth century.
The Millerite application of the Puritan typological approach

The early nineteenth century witnessed much interest in prophetic study and many
books were written about prophecy. The 1260 prophetic days of Daniel had been
solved with some satisfaction, consequently theologians moved onto unlocking the
riddle of the 2300 prophetic days of Daniel 8. 14. Le Roy Froom documented more
than 65 expositors on four continents between 1800 and 1844 that predicted that this
prophecy would be fulfilled between 1843 and 1847.110 William Miller estimated that
this prophecy would end approximately around 1843 and summed up his findings in a
pamphlet entitled Letter to Joshua V. Himes called the Cleansing of the Sanctuary111
101
William Miller (1782-1849) was born in Pittsfield Massachusetts, after being an officer in the
military he married Lucy Smith and moved to a town near Poultney. He had interests in History,
writing and prophecy.
102
Reinder Bruinsma, Seventh-day Adventist Attitudes Toward Roman Catholicism 1844-1965 (Berrien
Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1994), p. 29.
103
William Miller had one major difference in his understanding of the millennium, he believed that
Jesus would return at the beginning of the millennial period rather than at the end as most of his
contemporaries thought. Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist
Beliefs, p. 37.
104
Historicism is a school of interpretation which treats the eschatological prophecies of Daniel and
Revelation as finding literal earthly fulfillment through the history of the church age and especially in
relation to the struggle between the true church and apostasy. This is aposed to a pretarist viewpoint
which believes that all Bible prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70 (the destruction of Herod’s temple) as
predicted by Jesus in Luk. 21. The futurist viewpoint states that most apocolyptic prophecies will be
just before the Second Advent.
105
Bruinsma, Seventh-day Adventist Attitudes Toward Roman Catholicism 1844-1965, p. 21.
106
Knight, Millennial Fever and the End of the World, p. 21.
107
Everett Dick, William Miller (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1994), pp. 262-65.
108
Richard Carwardine, Trans-Atlantic Revivalism: Popular Evangelicalism in Britain and America
(Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1978), p. 52.
109
110
Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, p. 44.
111
19
which summarized Millers method of arriving at his conclusions. Based on his
study of the Bible and applying his thirteen rules of hermeneutics, he lists the seven
things called Sanctuary.112 Miller eliminates all items in the list that would not need
cleansing according to his understanding and is left with two; the Earth and the
Church. He concludes from 2 Pet 3. 7113 that it will be by fire that the earth will be
cleansed, thus the cleansing of the sanctuary in Dan 8. 14 must be the cleansing of the
earth, and thus by implication according to the general understanding of eschatology -
the Second Advent.
Other passages that influenced Millers understanding of the 2300 day
prophecy was Mathew 24 and 25, the historicising of the parable of the ten virgins,
and the judgment hour message of the first angel in Rev. 14. 6,7.114 In Mat. 25. 10115
the parable explains how the five virgins went to buy oil, the bridegroom came and
the ‘door was shut’. Miller’s interpretation of the ‘shutting of the door’ was to be the
close of the mediatorial kingdom and the finishing of the gospel period at Christ’s
return.116
Connected to the message of the cleansing of the sanctuary of Dan 8.14 and
the midnight cry of Matt 25. 6117 was the first angel of Rev 14. 6,7 who proclaimed in
a loud voice that “the hour of [God’s] judgment has come”. This was connected with
an advent judgment that would take place at the second coming of Christ. As Miller
and others had calculated 1843 to be the “year of the end” of this return of Christ,
they preached aggressively to the end of what they felt was the end of the 2300-year
112
The seven items under the entry of Sanctuary were; Jesus Christ, heaven, Judah, the Temple at
Jerusalem, the holy of holies, the earth and the church. Knight, A Search for Identity: The
Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, p. 45.
113
2 Pet. 3:7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being
kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.
114
Revelation 14:6-7 6 Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to
proclaim to those who live on the earth-- to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 He said
in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship
him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."
115
Mat. 25:10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went
with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.
116
117
Matthew 25:6 But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet
him.'
20
period when Christ would return and cleanse the sanctuary. The exact date was
determined to be between March 21 1843 and March 21 1844. This general date of
Miller past and was referred to as the ‘spring disappointment’.118
Millerites were downhearted and in mid-August 1844 Samuel Snow preached
at Exeter, New Hampshire camp meeting and brought hope to the movement. He
argued on the basis of scriptural typology that Miller had made an error looking for
Christ’s return in the spring of 1844. Snow demonstrated by viewing the Old
Testament’s ceremonial festivals as types, and the ministry of Christ as the
antitypes,119 that the NT Christ had fulfilled the feasts of Passover, First fruits, and
Pentecost at the exact time when the Jews had their celebrations. Therefore he
calculated according to Karaite Jewish reckoning that Christ would return on the tenth
day of the seventh month in 1844, this was October 22.120
Whilst Snow might have given the autumn date, Miller partly takes the credit,
by stating in a letter to Himes, that connecting the ceremonies of “the typical law that
were observed in the first month … had their fulfilment at Christ’s First Advent; but
all the feasts and ceremonies in the seventh month…can only have their fulfilment in
his Second Advent.”121 Whilst Puritans grasped the redemption-achieved redemption-
applied two-phase understanding, the Millerites connected the typological application
to not only the historical event at the cross, but also to the expected historical event of
the return of Christ as understood through a typological fulfilment of the sanctuary
paradigm, this that would be the tenth day of the seventh month;122 Miller reluctantly
adopts the connection of the anti-type with historical date-setting. The logic of this
connection was that the high priest came – out of the sanctuary to bless the people on
the tenth day of the seventh month and therefore Christ would appear after the
autumnal equinox.123 By 6 October 1844 Miller was fully on board with this new
118
119
120
121
122
This would eventually become known as the seventh-month movement.
123
21
concept and dating, he states that he did not at first recognize the force of the
types.124 Their expectations were not met on October 22 and the seventh month
movement was disoriented and this is known as ‘the great disappointment’.
The Puritans understood the office of Christ as having two stages, sacrifice
and mediation. For them Christ was the typical substitutionary atonement noted from
the OT sanctuary that brought about redemption-achieved. They made direct links
with Mosaic typology as foreshadowing the intercessory work of Christ. They also
connected the redemption-applied motif with Christ’s current work. Whilst Puritans
recognized the application of sanctuary typology they did not link it to apocalyptic
prophecy within a historical-eschatological context as the seventh-month movement
had.
1.2 Millerite eschatological application of what they understood

from the Puritans
As the passing of the English crown went from the Tudors to the Stuarts, Puritan
numbers increased significantly, consequently the full content of biblical revelation
became more apparent.125 This led to an increasing awareness of the eschatological
character of scripture.126 A renewed emphasis on the second coming of Christ became
one of the major contributions of Puritanism. For them eschatology was a case of
“bringing those mysteries to light that were not discerned in former ages.”127 This
would lead to a greater eschatological understanding of the Mediation theology for
the seventh-month movement.
The Puritans recognised the two-stage application of Sanctuary typology to
Christ’s mediatorial work and thus a distinction between redemption achieved and
applied. Whilst they did connect the anti-type with a historical event and person
namely Calvary and Jesus Christ, and whilst they understood that with regards to the
124
125
126
127
Nathaniel Stephens, A Plain and Easy Calculation of the Name, Mark and Number of the Name of
the Beast (n. pl., n.pb., 1656), p. 13.
22
128
law, the most important future event was judgment, they never anticipated more
than one phase in Christ’s heavenly mediatorial ministry. Moreover, they never
connected Dan 8. 14 with a historical event and never connected all the prophetic
interpretations with secular events in history.129
The Millerites built on their understanding of eschatology by using a
Historicist scheme of interpretation for apocalyptic prophecies.130 A Historicist
scheme meant that the apocalyptic prophecies, in principle, started in the prophets’
own time (600 BC) and extended up to the goal of redemption history as evidenced in
places like Daniel 2, 7 and 8.131 The year-day principle is not specific to historicism
but was widely accepted by many Protestants,132 a concept that one prophetic day
equals one year in real time. Utilizing this year-day principle many Protestant
interpreters concluded that the completion of the 1260-day prophecy which signified
the beginning of Dan. 12. 4’s ‘time of the end’ was February 15 1798, this was when
the French general Berthier entered Rome and deposed the Pope and abolished the
papal government.133
They also concluded that the 2300-year prophecy would be fulfilled in the
Historicist rather than the Preterist perspective - that views prophecy as being
completely fulfilled in the time of the prophet. They also did not feel that a Futurist
perspective was satisfactory in terms of eschatological scope of the biblical text -
assuming that a large section of prophecy would be fulfilled near the judgment and
the Second Advent.
William Miller’s basic understanding of eschatology stems from his historic
interpretation of apocalyptic prophecy and his understanding of a premillennial134

128
129
130
Dr. L. E. Froom’s four-volume prophetic faith of our fathers establishes the historicist approach as
the norm of prophetic interpretation, it is known as the Protestant interpretation, and it is doubtful
whether the Reformation could have survived without it. Ball, The English Connection, p. 204.
131
132
John Dowling, An Exposition of the Prophecies, Supposed by William Miller to Predict the Second
Coming of Christ, in 1843 (n pl.: Providence, 1840), p. 71.
133
134
Miller’s premillennial understanding was not a new teaching, it was the dominant view of the first
three to four centuries, it found new life in the Reformation period. Melvin E. Deiter, The Holiness
23
return of Christ. This led the Millerites to understand the 2300-year prophecy to be
the Second Advent, which they understood from Dan 8.14 to be the year 1844. Whilst
Miller might have been wrong in his understanding of the eschatological goal of the
2300-year prophecy, his eschatological focus would form the basis for the later rise of
Seventh-day Adventism.135
Building on the eschatological application of Puritanism, the Millerite urgency for
mission stemmed from their understanding of eschatological application of the Midnight
Cry within the parable of the virgins in Matt 25.1-13, the Judgment Hour of the third
angel in Rev. 14. 6,7,136 and their understanding of Dan. 8. 14.137 The parable of Mat. 25
was historicised as a very present reality and a symbol of contemporary widespread
proclamation of the Second Advent.138 As a result of their dominant historical-
apocalyptic-eschatological motives for mission they felt it their responsibility to promote
the good news of the imminent Second Advent.
The seventh-month movement historicised the Puritan understanding of
Mediation theology, this led to their apocalyptic-eschatological understanding of an
imminent need for a last Midnight Cry of mission before the assumed close of
probation of mediation with a ‘shut-door’ and imminent second coming of Christ.
1.3 A two-stage understanding of the heavenly ministry of

Christ; the post-Millerite application and interpretation of the
mediation motif
The application of the year-day principle in Dan. 8. 14 led many historicists to view
the end of the 2300-days as the inauguration of some significant event such as the
cleansing or purification of the church, the restoration of true worship and the
Revival of the Nineteenth Century (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1996), p. 81. Knight, A
Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, p. 38.
135
136
Gerard P. Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission (Berrien
Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1977), p. 46.
137
Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission, p. 56.
138
Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission, p. 56, 98.
24
139
destruction of the antichrist. William Miller, with a similar logic, concludes that
the sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300-year period was either the earth or
the church, and this would be cleansed by fire according to 2 Pet. 3.7.
Along with Dan. 8. 14 and Rev. 14. 6,7, Mat. 25. 1-13 as the key factors that
led the seventh-month movement to understand this parable as the final cry of
urgency of their ‘last day mission.’140 This would finally lead to the misinterpretation
of the Second Advent as being on October 22 of 1844, which would be interpreted as
the marriage141 or wedding banquet in the parable. They saw the marriage as the final
feast in heaven. While Miller applied this parable to the general expectation of the
Second Advent, the seventh-month movement particularised and historicised it.142
They concluded that the earthly and heavenly stages of Christ’s ministry were now
complete and therefore he would execute his judgment and return to collect his
followers who would be spiritually dressed in the correct wedding attire (Mat. 22).
Consequently, the Millerites were proclaiming the Midnight Cry to awaken the
sleeping virgins of the church reflected in Mat. 25. 1-13. Whilst they scurried to make
themselves ready for the great day, they interpreted the ‘shut door’ of the parable as a
theology of mission that would only extended to Christians in the world. When the
mediatorial door was shut, the rest of the world would be lost.143
After October 22, 1844 had come and gone and Christ had not returned, the
Millerites and the seventh month movement were left in, what they felt was, complete
darkness. On Oct. 23, ‘black Wednesday’, Hiram Edson and possibly O.R.L. Crosier
went on foot to encourage the neighbours in this dark time. They were crossing a field
when Edson had what could be called a “vision” or “insight” as quoted by
Damsteegt,
139
140
141
The King James Version of the Bible uses the word ‘marriage’ here, other versions sway between
‘marriage’ or ‘wedding banquet’. The difference is crucial as they were not in the same location.
142
143
25
“…and while passing through a large field I was stopped about
midway of the field. Heaven seemed to open to my view, and I saw
distinctly and clearly that instead of our High Priest coming out of
the Most Holy of the heavenly sanctuary to come to this earth on the
tenth day of the seventh month, at the end of the 2300 days, that He
for the first time entered on that day the second apartment of that
sanctuary; and that He had a work to perform in the Most Holy
before coming to this earth. That he came to the marriage at that
time; in other words, to the Ancient of days to receive a kingdom,
dominion, and glory; and we must wait for his return from the
wedding.” 144
Edson’s “insight” or “vision” encouraged him to study the Bible extensively with
Crosier and Dr. F. B. Hahn; using Miller’s concordance approach they concluded that
the object of cleansing in Dan. 8. 14 was not the earth or the church but the heavenly
sanctuary.145 Edson blamed modern orthodoxy for their interpretation of Matt. 25.10,
which stated “the coming of the Bridegroom to the marriage would be fulfilled in the
personal Second Advent of Christ to this earth.”146 Edson placed the ‘marriage’ in the
context of Dan. 7. 13-14147 and related it to the coming of Christ as High Priest to a
second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. Therefore according to Edson/Crosier
Christ came to the “marriage” on the tenth day of the seventh month in 1844. The time
of the Second Advent was interpreted by Edson it in the context of Luk. 12. 36,148
which calls on believers to wait until Christ returns from the marriage.149 This marriage
was seen as an inauguration of Christ for his kingdom, it was a change in his high
priestly ministry, a second phase in the heavenly stage.150

144
145
Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission, p. 118; Knight,
Millennial Fever and the End of the World, p. 305.
146
147
Dan. 7:13-14 13 As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the
clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. 14 To him was given
dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His
dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never
be destroyed.
148
Luk. 12. 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding, so that they
may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks.
149
Many versions of the Bible interpret ga,mouj in Mat. 25 1-13 and Luk. 12.36 as the wedding
feast or banquet; the King James version interprets ga,mouj as marriage. With this interpretation of
entering the Holy of Holies, ‘marriage’ would be more understandable. Further study needs to be done
in this area because in the cultural wedding activities of that day, the bridegroom came to meet and
marry the bride at her parents house (ceremony), then he would take her to the banquet or feast at his
house. Ellen G. White, `To Meet the Bridegroom', in Christ's Object Lessons (London: International
tract society, 1900), p. 405; Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and
Mission, p. 118.
150
A. Hale, `Has the Bridegroom Come?' The Advent Herald IX, no. 3 (26 Feb 1845), 17-30 (p. 1, 3).
26
Later Apollos Hale published two articles providing the new hermeneutical
foundation for Mat. 25. 10, he indicated that the histiricisation of the parable had
overlooked the rules IX, X and XI151 of William Miller’s rules of Bible
interpretation.152 However the new interpretation had eliminated this inaccuracy by a
more precise application of principles of analogy of scripture and “good sense”.153
The two-stage understanding of the Puritans and Millerites of an earthly and a
heavenly ministry would now develop into a three-stage understanding; an earthly +
to ones heavenly (inauguration + cleansing), this can also be interpreted as two stages
in Christ’s heavenly mediatorial ministry.
The seventh-month movement were no longer looking for a fulfilment of the
Second Advent after the tenth day of the seventh month (the end of the 2300 year
prophecy). They continued to attempt to understand the antitypical fulfilment of the
Day-of-Atonement and its relation to the 2300-day prophecy. With the prompt of
Edson’s vision in the field, they went back to re-study these passages again and
concluded that their calculations were correct but their interpretation of the
transitional event in Dan. 8.14 and Mat. 25. 1-13 had misled them. They now
understood that Christ had entered into a different phase of his heavenly ministry. The
new horizon of search was now what this ministry might be all about. Their thoughts
would now be led to the biblical teaching of Christ as judge – and his eschatological
work as judge – and thus towards the idea of a pre-Advent phase in that judgment and
his intercession before and during this judgment.
1.4 The full developments of the two phased understanding:

This was a judgment phase that was anticipated by the
Puritan’s
Puritan John Owen stated that the Day-of-Atonement had a threefold role; to offer
sacrifices to God for the people, to bless the people in God’s name, and to judge
151
Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission, p. Appendix I.
152
153
Hale, `Has the Bridegroom Come?' p. 18, 19.
27
154
them. Puritans understood that the Day-of-Atonement signified a work of
judgment.155 Whilst their major contribution to theology was the pre-millennial return
of Christ,156 they acknowledge some form of judgment, but it is the Sabbatarian
Adventists who recognised that this judgment will at least partly have to take place
before the Second Advent, therefore they coined the term ‘Investigative Judgment’
which would later be called the pre-Advent phase of judgment.
After the ‘Great disappointment’ of the Millerites on October 22 of 1844, they
were forced to further investigate the biblical paradigm that they thought was a
reference to the Second Advent.
The Investigative Judgment was not a made up concept to help an
embarrassed movement from loosing face after this disappointment.157 This concept
was introduced before the 1844’s disappointment. As early as 1841 Josiah Litch, in
the context of a pre-millennial paradigm of the Second Advent, taught the necessity
of a pre-Advent judgment, he indicated that it must take place before the resurrection;
at the return of Christ. Later after the 1844’s disappointment, Edson, Crosier and
Hahn confirmed that the sanctuary needed to be cleansed (Dan. 8. 14), this would
later form the primary piece in the foundational understanding of the pre-Advent
judgment.
In 1845 Apollos Hale and Joseph Turner concluded from “the coming of the
bridegroom” that some change in office had taken place.158 Crosier in 1846 alluded to
the breastplate of judgment in Exo. 28. 29.159 Bates also applied this text in a similar
vain, he referred to the post-Disappointment period as the “great Day-of-Atonement”.160
When the idea of the “hour of his judgment” of Rev. 14. 7 had been interpreted by
154
Owen, A Continuation of the Exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews (Hebrews
III), p. 315.
155
156
157
Morris L. Vendon, Never Without an Intercessor (Oshawa, Canada: Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1996), p. 55.
158
159
160
Joseph Bates, `Midnight Cry in the Past', Review and Herald, Dec 1850, 21-24 (p. 22).
28
Millerites as a reference to a day of judgment, the basis for doctrine of the
development of the pre-Advent phase of judgment had been laid.161 In 1847 Bates
equated the Day-of-Atonement with this pre-Advent judgment. 162 James White
disagreed with Bates on the premise that God would know who to raise in the end
time,163 however, White came around to Bates’ understanding. He published an article
by J. N. Loughborough that linked the first angels message to the pre-Advent
judgment,164 he also associated Dan. 12. 12, 13165 with it. In 1855 Uriah Smith defined
the pre-Advent judgment on the basis of Dan. 7. 10; Rev. 20. 12; 1 Pet. 4. 17 and
1 Tim. 5. 24.166 Enoch Jacobs concluded that unless the judgment was initiated at the
transitional point of Dan. 8. 14 then the antitype has not been given.167 In their
understanding the seventh-month movement had got the dates right but misinterpreted
the symbolism and thus the predicted event. Thereafter the terminology of
“Investigative Judgment” had found its way into print for the first time in
1857.168Actually Ellen G. White used the term ‘judgment’ before using the term
‘Investigative Judgment’.169
The investigative pre-Advent judgment hinges on the eschatological-
christological understanding of the parable of the ten virgins, Rev. 14. 7; Dan. 8. 14
and the new understanding that the Second Advent was yet to come, thereby implying
that a judgment of investigation would have to take place before the Lord returned.
1.5 The impact of the Adventist thesis that cosmic judgment commences
prior to the Second Advent
Greater emphasis has been placed on our Lord’s sacrificial atonement by the wider
Christian church than on his high priestly intercession. The fuller understanding of
161
162
163
164
165
Daniel 12:12 Happy are those who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
13
But you, go your way, and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days."
166
167
168
169
29
Jesus as mediator (1 Tim. 2.5) is the distinctive contribution made by the
Sabbatarian Adventists, especially in view of the eschatological judgment embracing
the closing phase of Christ’s intercessory work.170
The main impact of the Adventist understanding of the pre-millennial
characteristics of Christ’s return – would lead to a focus on a pre-Advent phase of the
final judgment in conjunction with Dan. 8. 14, a conjunction which automatically
places an investigative judgment before the Second Advent. Furthermore it also gave
people the understanding that if there was to be a ‘cleansing of the sanctuary’, then
there must be a celestial dimension to it and not as previously thought only a
terrestrial dimension. This led people to search the Bible for evidence of a pre-Advent
phase of judgment. Crosier recognized a parallel between the priestly service in the
Most Holy in the Mosaic sanctuary and the second phase of Christ’s heavenly
intercessory ministry.171 He noted that the ‘daily service’ in Lev. 4-6 was associated
with the forgiveness of sins, while the ‘yearly service’ in Lev. 16 was associated with
the blotting out of the sins forgiven. This led early Sabbatarian Adventists to realize
that Christ’s work of mediation would enter a new phase before his return signalled
by Dan. 8. 14 and that after that transitional point was now still our mediator but
would be applying the benefits of this mediation by blotting out our sins. This a
judicial act of vindication would then only apply for people who were ‘in Christ’.
Thus the celestial ministry of Christ is still seen to be central in the judgment as he is
the judge – who acts on behalf of the saints. Christ is still depicted as representing the
believer in matters relating to God, thus his mediatorial function was seen as central
for the saints in the judgment. Thus early Adventist will see the redemptive function
of Christ in the eschatological judgment as a vital event in salvation history. The
critical issue for this study is not whether such a judgment has a pre-Advent advent or
a post-advent dimension but what the role of Christ’s mediation has in such an event
170
Herbert E. Douglas, Why Jesus Waits (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1987), p. 44.
171
O.R.L. Crosier, `The Law of Moses', in 1844 and the Rise of Sabbatarian Adventism, edited by
George R Knight (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, Feb 7, 1846), p. 39.
30
– and what it means in terms of soteriology. Actually the core question still to be
answered is: What is the soteriological meaning of Christ’s mediation both before and
during the judgment – according to Adventist theology.
1.6 The pre-1888 soteriological challenges to Adventist Mediation

theology
1.61 Early integrations of Adventist “Mediation theology” and the Wesleyan
gospel paradigm
It is important to notice that real Adventism was born in the environment of the
Second Great Awakening; an awakening driven by Oberlin perfectionism.172 This
view not only correlated with Wesleyan holiness teachings, but were inspired by it.
Furthermore, by the time Seventh-day Adventism developed in the post-1844 era, the
ruling paradigm was the American Wesleyan Holiness movement.
The “logical goal” at that time was Christian Perfection.173 The Methodist
church was bent on becoming an experiential religion with perfectionist ideals.174
Their primary aim is to bring a complacent church back, to what they considered,
New Testament standards. They called for the church to experience the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit as received by the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.175 This experience
is considered to be the second crisis176 of evangelical faith; once one has received it
then one has attained Entire Sanctification and will be confirmed as saved in the
judgment.
Wesley seems to have incited interest in his understanding of Entire
Sanctification through one of his proclamations, he states, “If there is grace for entire
172
Mark A. Noll, `Oberlin Theology' <http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/oberlin.htm>, 1977 (Accessed 24
Mar. 2009).
173
Robert Pearsall Smith claims such an experience, Melvin Deiter states,
“Suddenly from head to foot he had been shaken by what seemed like a magnetic thrill of heavenly
delight, and floods of glory seemed to pour through him, soul and body, with the inward assurance that
this was the longed-for Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The whole world seemed transformed to him, every
leaf and blade of grass quivered with exquisite colour, and heaven seemed to open out before him as a
blissful possession. Everybody looked beautiful to him, for he seemed to see the Divine Spirit within
each one without regard to their outward seeming. This ecstasy lasted for several weeks…” Deiter,
The Holiness Revival of the Nineteenth Century, p. 17, 34.
174
Deiter, The Holiness Revival of the Nineteenth Century, p. 18.
175
More commonly referred to nowadays as an ‘Acts 2 Church’. Deiter, The Holiness Revival of the
Nineteenth Century, p. 6.
176
Also referred to as the “second blessing”. Deiter, The Holiness Revival of the Nineteenth Century, p. 3.
31
sanctification at the moment of death, why is not the same grace available in
life.”177 Wesley believed it so strongly that he even preached on it and claimed to find
recipients of such grace in his lifetime. However, it would not be Wesley who would
give this new force its momentum, it would be a women named Phoebe Worrall
Palmer. She would amplify this concept of instant sanctification through total
surrender. Palmer who is also referred to as the “shepherdess”178 would introduce this
new emphasis on Wesleyan Holiness Perfection.179 There were three aspects to her
proposition: entire consecration, faith and confession. This led to her “altar” theology
of Scala sancta – of Entire Sanctification.180
The Wesleyan perfection theology was the main paradigm in which
Adventism was born. They either had to integrate or reject the Wesleyan ordo salutus
with its new Mediation theology and eschatology; a problem that led to a crisis in
soteriology in the 1880’s – that would erupt in 1888 at the Minneapolis General
Conference.
The Wesleyan salvation-paradigm basically consisted of a three-stage process.
Justification, as mere forgiveness for past sins, constituted the first step in the
salvation process being the prerequisite for the second step, which is Sanctification.
Sanctification as the next higher stage is the process by which a person is transformed
into holiness of heart and soul – the outcome of which would be “Entire
Sanctification” or “Perfection” given by an act of God. This outcome called the
Second Blessing would thus provide the perfect holiness of soul needed to pass the
test of the individual judgment at death.
The Adventist re-focus on eschatology expressed in it’s sanctuary/Mediation
theology, would in this general Wesleyan context pose a challenge – Adventist

177
178
179
180
Palmer is well known for her ‘Tuesday meetings’, public testimony which was expected to receive
and keep entire sanctification. This movement grew because of her wide scale promotion of it at
campmeetings. Milton Lorenzo Haney stated that more than any other individual; Palmer should be
considered the title of founder the modern holiness movement. Deiter, The Holiness Revival of the
Nineteenth Century, p. 23, 31, 50, 111.
32
eschatology rejects the a-historical Wesleyan view of individual eschatology at the
point of death and insist that the final judgment is a historical event through which all
must pass – before entering the age to come.181 This event has been synchronised with
the Second Advent/resurrection. Actually, the Adventist theology concerning Christ’s
mediation will draw a distinction between a pre-Advent-Advent and a post-Advent
dimension of the grand eschatological cosmic tribunal. If Adventism does not
redefine the Wesleyan paradigm of salvation then this new eschatological emphasis
will drive Adventism into a radical perfectionism as they believe that Christ’s return
was imminent182 – then the need for Entire Sanctification/perfection is an imminent
requirement for those expecting to meet the Lord in glory. Furthermore, post-1844
Adventism in it’s drive for perfection would change the Wesleyan emphasis of spirit
empowered holiness to a commandment-keeping emphasis in response to the
eschatological text in Rev. 19.12 referring to those “who obey God’s
commandments”. Thus, post-1844 Adventism would pursue a law-based
performance-based search for entire holiness/perfection within a Wesleyan three-
stage paradigm; in order to pass the test of the Investigative Judgment – in which
Christ was seen as officiating judge.
Accordingly the alignment of the Wesleyan paradigm of salvation with the
new eschatological focus of Adventism would lead them into a struggle over the issue
of salvation, a struggle exploding in the 1888 crisis. Adventism it should be noted,
did not revise the Wesleyan paradigm with its three stage approach but sought to
integrate it with it’s new eschatological insights regarding Christ’s future day of
judgment work – and thus his final mediatorial work.
181
The second coming of Christ
182
This is after the Great Disappointment period, Adventists were still hoping for the Second Coming
of Christ within their day.
33
1.62 The 1888 challenge to the pre-1888 Adventist-Wesleyan synthesis on salvation

For Adventism 1844-1888 was a lean period as far as the doctrine of Justification was
concerned.183 Within their Wesleyan Holiness paradigm, Adventist’s had lost sight of
the gospel and had become obsessed with performance-based holiness.184 However,
this was not the view of Ellen White; she had understood the balance since 1844, in
1882 at the summer camp meeting she clearly stated,
“ God has made ample provision that we may stand perfect in His
grace, wanting in nothing, waiting for the appearing of our Lord.
Are you ready? Have you the wedding garment on? That garment
will never cover deceit, impurity, corruption,
or hypocrisy…. God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him to
death for our offences and raised Him again for our justification.
Through Christ we may present our petitions at the throne of grace.
Through Him, unworthy as we are, we may obtain all spiritual
blessings. Do we come to Him, that we may have life?”185
Ellen White very clearly recognised that we are saved through the grace of Christ and
not through a human sanctification process, assumed to be completed in us on his
return. In fact Arthur Spalding states that, ‘it was the constant office of the spirit of
prophecy… to elevate to save; to cry, “Look to Jesus”; to bring souls out of their
sin’.186
The problem with pre-1888 Adventism seems clear, they thought that they
could satisfy the law of God. Uriah Smith’s view was bent towards the Holiness
movement’s; claim that one could reach perfection. His pre-1888 three-stage
approach was basically Wesleyan in nature.

183
Adventist theology from 1844 to 1950 has been confused over the relation of Justification and
Sanctification. The fundamental characteristic of this confusion is the subordination of Justification to
Sanctification. This has sometimes found expression in the definition of Justification as including
sanctificational renewal. The subordination also has a chronological aspect in that it views Justification
by imputation of the extrinsic (outside) righteousness of Christ in terms of the past only Justification
has had the status of mere, while sanctification by inner renewal has been seen as the way of
acceptance in the judgment. Hand in hand with this subordination has gone the un-Reformational
notion of here-and-now perfectionism. Geoffrey J. Paxton, The Shaking of Adventism (Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Book House, 1977), p. 77.
184
Because they were Sabbath observers this justified their position as keepers of the law even more
and they had no emphasis on relationship to Christ. George R. Knight, From 1888 to Apostasy: The
Case of A. T. Jones (USA: Review and Herald, 1987), p. 39.
185
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1876-1881), p. 220, 221. Taken from Olson A. V., Through Crisis to Victory 1888 - 1901
(Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1966), p. 27.
186
Arthur W. Spalding, Origin and History of Seventh-day Adventists (Washington, DC: Review and
Herald, 1961), p. 285. Taken from Olson A. V., Through Crisis to Victory 1888 - 1901, p. 27.
34
The 1888 General Conference (GC) session would become the forum where
the question of ‘righteousness by faith’ would show its head again.187 Ellen White
would be a mediator at this conference. She claimed then,
“The third angels message was a proclamation of the commandments of

God and the faith in Jesus Christ. The commandments of God have been
proclaimed, but the faith of Jesus Christ has not been proclaimed by
Seventh-day Adventists as of equal importance, the law and the gospel
going hand in hand.”188
Mrs. White delivered six discourses at the GC morning devotionals, speaking of the
need to be connected with Christ. Her expositions gave a great deal of emphasis to
“justification by faith alone”—an emphasis that was less dominant in her writings
prior to the 1880's.189 She did understand the concept and claimed that she had
preached on it for at least 45 years.190
Waggoner would preach ‘righteous ness by faith’ at this General Conference
session endorsed by Ellen White.191 According to Knight, the tragedy of the Minneapolis
GC was the attempt to protect Adventism’s doctrines and their interpretation.192 William
Johnsson states that the conference president George I. Butler couldn’t attend the session
due to ill health, but he telegrammed the delegates to ‘stand by old landmarks’.193 Knight
stated that Ellen White emphasised, “If their doctrines she exclaimed, produced this
pharisaic spirit in them, she wanted to be “as far from” their understanding and
interpretation of the scriptures as is possible.”194 It is within this context that Waggoner,
187
As it had in the Reformation.
188
Knight, From 1888 to Apostasy: The Case of A. T. Jones, p. 40.
189
Paxton, The Shaking of Adventism, p. 64.
190
She spoke of the truth of justification by faith as having been rescued from "the companionship of
error" and placed in its proper framework—meaning the Seventh-day Adventist framework, which
stresses the law and the gospel. Paxton, The Shaking of Adventism, p. 64.
191
She stated, “I see the beauty of truth in the presentation of the righteousness of Christ in relation to
the law as the Doctor has placed it before us. ... That which has been presented harmonizes perfectly
with the light which God has been pleased to give me during all the years of my experience. If our
ministering brethren would accept the doctrine which has been presented so clearly, —the
righteousness of Christ in connection with the law—and I know they need to accept this, their
prejudices would not have a controlling power, and the people would be fed with their portion of meat
in due season.” Paxton, The Shaking of Adventism, p. 64.
192
193
William Johnsson, `The Fragmenting of Adventism - 2: Unfinished Business from 1888',
Messenger 100 (22 Sep 1995), 4-5 (p. 4).
194
35
Jones and Ellen White would begin to preach a Christ centered soteriology and not
a law based Perfectionist soteriology.
The concept “Christ’s Righteousness” is clearly now a “label” for the
provision of Christ which qualifies a person today, tomorrow and on the day of
judgment. Whatever they understood by it – this is clearly a paradigm shift in terms
of the Wesleyan three-step approach – post-1888 Adventist understanding is a single
level approach – meaning Christ’s righteousness is not a provisional passport195 – but
the one and only passport196 – even on the day of judgment.
After the General Conference session in Minneapolis Uriah Smith later wrote
an article titled “Our righteousness again”, almost implying that the logic of the
traditional Wesleyan paradigm was accurate. He reiterated that men could not keep
the law without Christ’s help,197 meaning that it was possible through Christ to obtain
Entire Sanctification in this lifetime, through his mediation.
Jones, realizing that Minneapolis, while still troublesome for many, clearly
reveals the paradigm shift within Adventism occurring in 1888, He stated,
“... some accepted it [the message at Minneapolis in 1888] just as it

was given, and were glad of the news that God had righteousness that
would pass the judgment, and would stand accepted in His sight—a
righteousness that is a good deal better than anything that people could
manufacture by years and years of hard work. People had worn out
their souls almost, trying to manufacture a sufficient degree of
righteousness to stand through the time of trouble, and meet the
Saviour in peace when He comes; but they had not accomplished it.
These were so glad to find out that God had manufactured a robe of
righteousness and offered it as a free gift to every one that would take
it, that would answer now, and in the time of the plagues, and in the
time of judgment, and to all eternity, that they received it gladly just as
God gave it, and heartily thanked the Lord for it.”198
This statement clearly identifies the righteousness of Christ as constituting the
single passport – thereby positioning a person as right with God on an
ongoing continuous basis – thus this emphasis represents a radical break with
195
Christ’s righteousness in Wesleyan understanding was provisional until Entire Sanctification was
completed, then and only then would one be covered in the final judgment.
196
Christ’s righteousness is as significant before the judgment as it is during and after the judgment in
Adventist understanding.
197
198
36
the Wesleyan three-stage approach to salvation – in which the outcome of
sanctification forms the ultimate passport in the judgment.
Jones had a clear understanding of what was the new emphasis on 1888. Ellen
White stated that the 1888 GC session would always remembered as a painful
experience to her. After 1888 her writings had more emphasis on Christ and
his righteousness than before.199
Dr. William Johnsson states in his article, The Fragments of
Adventism 2 – Unfinished business from 1888 that this Minneapolis
conference marks the beginning of two distinct theological streams that run
side by side within the Adventist church till today.200 One gives priority to the
divine; and the other to the human - a grace or victory theme. He states that an
overemphasis of either will result in extremism. Johnsson states that the issues
at 1888 GC cut to the heart regarding the biblical teaching of Christ’s work for
us and our response to that201 - thus the issue of Christ’s representative
mediatorial work and what it might mean for past-present and future salvation
– especially his role in the judgment and what it might mean in terms of
passage in that event.
The emphasis on perfection is still evident in Adventist writings today. This
can be seen in the three Adventist authors; Herbert E. Douglas,202 Morris Venden,203
and John T. Anderson.204
Waggoner began to change from his position on “Justification by faith alone”
as early as 1891,205 Jones, a little later, it was only a handful of people who had
maintained or renewed their concept of balance between grace and law.206 One person
199
They were: Steps to Christ, Desire of ages, Thoughts from the mount of blessing, and Christ’s
object lessons. Knight, From 1888 to Apostasy: The Case of A. T. Jones, p. 50.
200
Johnsson, `The Fragmenting of Adventism - 2: Unfinished Business from 1888', p. 4.
201
Johnsson, `The Fragmenting of Adventism - 2: Unfinished Business from 1888', p. 4.
202
Herbert E. Douglas, Why Jesus Waits, pp. 29,ß48-52.
203
Morris L. Vendon, Never Without an Intercessor, pp. 49, 97-99.
204
John T. Anderson, Investigating the Judgment (USA: Review and Herald, 2003), pp. 23-24, 26, 42.
205
206
Uriah Smith did confess his error and later understood justification by faith as was known to the
founders of the Adventist church. Knight, From 1888 to Apostasy: The Case of A. T. Jones, p. 62.
37
who appears to retain a more balanced view since the 1840’s was Ellen White. She
does not appear to subordinate Justification to Sanctification, and seems to have
grasped the core theme of the Reformation; she seemed to highlight the “Christ for
me” focus as the passport and not confusing it with the “Christ in me” idea. She
appears not to give the priority to Sanctification as the passport as Adventists had up
till the 1888 crisis, but focussed on the extrinsic righteousness of Christ as a single
stage passport into the presence of God, and thus the basis for inner renewal.
Apparently, she managed to integrate her views on salvation with her understanding
of Christ as interceding mediator. Her understanding of how humans participate or
benefit from “Christ’s Righteousness” or achievements seems to be explained in
terms of her understanding of Christ’s continuing role as mediating high priest.
Clearly Ellen White, whilst being troubled by the 1888 event, never shifted
her understanding, it remained the same and she seemed disappointed that the new
understanding could not be fully grasped and thus two years after Minneapolis
Conference she stated,
“. . . justification by faith is... the third angel's message in verity ...

As yet, we certainly have not seen the light that answers to this
description. We have only the glimmerings of the rays of the light
that is yet to come to us. We are not making the most of the light
which the Lord has already given us, and thus we fail to receive the
increased light; we do not walk in light already shed upon us.”207
In Ellen White’s writings there seems to be no contradiction between the Christ’s role
as saviour and his role as judge. For Wesley, Christ ceases to be redeemer in the final
judgment; Christ is merely judge. However, in the Adventist paradigm, according to
Ellen White, Christ is saviour before, during and after the judgment. Wesleyan’s
needed Entire Sanctification to stand in the judgment but for Ellen White, Christ’s
righteousness appear sufficient. Ellen White stated this clearly when in 1892 she
wrote, "if you would stand through the time of trouble, you must know Christ, and
207
Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, 1 Apr. and 3 Jun. 1890.
38
appropriate the gift of his righteousness, which He imputes to the repentant
sinner."208
In the Wesleyan paradigm evident in Adventist thinking until 1888, Christ as
redeemer is subordinated in the judgment. After 1888 Christ is reinstalled as
redeemer in this process of judgment.
Ellen White is the longest living founder of the Adventist church – outliving
the others by many decades – a key champion of the new focus from 1888, we will
investigate her writings with regards to her understanding of Christ as mediator and
Christ our righteousness.
III. The redemptive meaning of Christ’s post-

ascension ministry as understood by Ellen White
1.1 Ellen G. White’s presentation of the function of Christ our mediator
The purpose in this section is to expose the function of mediatorial theology
according to Ellen White.

208
Ellen G. White, `The Perils and Privileges of the Last Days', Advent Review and Sabbath herald,
Nov. 22 1892.
39
Ellen White saw the ancient Mosaic sanctuary as a grand salvation
historical typological parable, mapping out Christ’s past, present and future
redemptive work as one complete unit, which when unpacked would explain the
complete mediatorial work of Christ. She equated the existence of the heavenly
sanctuary with the biblical statement found in Heb. 8. 1-5; one of her main
contributions to sanctuary theology can be found in the book called The Great
Controversy.209
Ellen White presented the earthly services as a replica of the heavenly and not vice
versa;210 she stated that Christ’s death began the work that he is currently completing in
heaven.211 Thereafter, Jesus’ ministry is located in the sanctuary in heaven - the centre for his
work on behalf of man;212 for which he became our high priest.213 The continual Mosaic priestly
ministration of sacrificial blood and the offering of incense were the central Mosaic types as seen
by Ellen White, which illustrated the soteriological function of the earthly priests replicating
Christ’s heavenly intercession. Christ was depicted as performing a ministry that continually
qualified a genuinely penitent believer as righteous before God. This post-ascension ministry is
constituting a continual application of his salvation that was provided by his earthly ministry
consummated in his crucifixion. This application secures the individual pardon and acceptance
with the father for every believer. Ellen White stated,
“It was the work of the priest in the daily ministration to present before
God the blood of the sin offering, also the incense which ascended with
the prayers of Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before the Father in
behalf of sinners, and present before Him also, with the precious
fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of penitent believers.
Such was the work of ministration in the first apartment of the sanctuary
in heaven.”214
209
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association,
1888), p. 413. The Great Controversy was revised in 1907 and 1911, Historical changes were made,
however, there were no doctrinal alterations since the 1888 edition. Gunnar Pedersen, `The Soteriology
of Ellen G. White Compared with the Lutheran Formula of Concord: A Study of the Adventist
Doctrine of the final judgment of the saints and their justification before God' (unpublished Ph.D.
dissertation, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Nov. 1995), p. 123.
210
Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Oshawa, Canada: Pacific Press Publishing Association,
1958), p. 357.
211
White, The Great Controversy, p. 489.
212
213
214
White, The Great Controversy, pp. 420-21.
40
The pre-judgment phase was typified by the ministry of the blood, incense
and eating some portion of the meat by the high priest215, he bearing the sins of the believer216
which provided the sinner with pardon and continual salvation.
According to Ellen White Christ’s high-priestly heavenly ministry had
two separate phases, that are interconnected in a specific manner: “the priests
ministered daily in the holy place, while once a year the high priest performed a
special work of atonement in the Most Holy, for the cleansing of the
sanctuary.”217 The Day-of-Atonement ministry completed the yearly-continual
ministry; therefore the continual intercession of Christ in the pre-judgment
period would be finalized through an eschatological consummative intercessory
ministry of Christ, on behalf of the believers alone. Therefore the eschatological
phase of Christ’s high-priestly ministry in the sanctuary would in principle
correspond with the service on the Day-of-Atonement of the Mosaic sanctuary
in terms of function and its meaning.218
Ellen White, like the pioneers, identified the eschatological event of Dan. 8. 14 as a
prophetic reference to the redemptive eschatological mediatorial work of Christ in God’s
heavenly court.219 She perceived two inseparable successive phases of the soteriological benefit’s
of Christ’s death, intercession prior to the judgment and intercession during the judgment – this
could lead to the misunderstanding that the first phase is something complete in itself thereby
moving into the second phase. She stated, “So Christ had only completed one part of His work as
our intercessor, so as to enter upon another portion of the work, and He still pleaded his blood
before the Father in behalf of sinners.”220 She distinguished between the earthly and heavenly
periods in Christ’s ministry as salvation-provided and salvation-applied. As Ellen White states in
215
Lev. 10. 17
216
Num. 30. 15
217
White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 352.
218
White, The Great Controversy, p. 419, 21 ,22 , 80.
219
220
41
one of her well-known books Steps to Christ, “Jesus lives to make intercession for
us”.221 He continues to apply his benefits for us before and during the judgment.
The classical Protestant tradition declares that a penitent believer’s sins are forgiven and
cancelled at the very moment a person believes in Christ, Ellen White argues that these sins are
transferred to the heavenly sanctuary and temporarily covered by Christ’s intercession but not
legally cancelled as the record of sins remain till the judgment, as symbolized by the heavenly
record books.222 She states, “Forgiveness of sins was offered to men through the intercession of
Christ in the Most Holy.”223
The importance of Christ’s intercession during the judgment phase reveals certain
features: firstly, the redemptive function of Christ continues throughout this event. He continues
to qualify believers as righteous before God as their living substitute and representative. Secondly,
the added function of Christ as judge during the forensic proceedings, does not replace his pre-
judgment intercessory role. Christ’s mediation is a means of understanding that penitent believers
are promised justification now,224 therefore his mediation is a means of which believers can feel
guilt free and thus posses present salvation. Their sins will be legally terminated at the judgment.
The function of Christ’s two-phase heavenly intercessory work is difficult for the every-
day man to comprehend, their concern is, “what is Christ doing for me now that he cannot be with
me in person?” Practical questions challenge the function of Christ’s intercession. We will now
attempt to understand Mediation theology in the light of a pre-judgment and a judgment phase.
Christ’s pre-judgment mediation according to Ellen White

Christ as our representative before the judgment
As Bertold Hibner has so aptly stated in his dissertation The Intercession of Christ,
some of the questions that come to mind when one thinks about Christ as
representative are as follows; “why does a believer need Christ’s present continued
intercessory ministry if he is justified at the very moment that genuine faith in Christ
221
Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1956),
p. 54.
222
223
224
A dissertation on Ellen White’s doctrine of the judgment and its implications with regards to
justification already exists, therefore I will not concentrate on the intricacies of Justification. Pedersen,
`The Soteriology of Ellen G. White Compared with the Lutheran Formula of Concord: A Study of the
Adventist Doctrine of the final judgment of the saints and their justification before God', pp. 1-224.
42
is born? In what sense are we to understand Christ’s intercession on behalf of an
individual sinner?”225
Ellen White makes it very clear what Christ’s present mediatorial purpose is. His
representation at the right hand of God shows the close unity with the father that only a
perfect mediator could have. In a Catholic encyclopaedia they define the perfection of a
‘mediator’ as follows: “The perfection of a mediator is measured by his influence with
the parties he has to reconcile, and this power flows from his connection with both. The
highest possible perfection would be reached if the mediator were substantially one with
both parties.”226 The fact that the God-man Christ is sinless makes him the perfect choice
of mediator for fallen humans, because of his perfection, he is immediately accepted in
the presence of the father. Ellen White states that, “Jesus will appear as our advocate to
plead on our behalf before God”.227 He can interpret and purify our prayers and converse
with God for us. She describes Christ as our representative in similar terms of the Old
Testament Mosaic sanctuary. She states,
“The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent

confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the
heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of
humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they
can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity,
and unless the Intercessor, who is at God's right hand, presents and
purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God.”228
Christ our representative takes to the father what we as sinners could never
make acceptable.
Christ represents us on a continual basis throughout his heavenly ministry.
Gunnar Pedersen, in his doctoral thesis, makes a clear statement by saying, “Ellen
White’s description of Justification is something God declares, as an objective legal
change of the sinners status before God, as opposed to a subjective character or

225
Hibner, `The Intercession of Christ: A Study of the Adventist Contribution to the Doctrine of the
Work of Christ', p. 40.
226
Joseph P. Thomas, `Mediator (Christ as Mediator),' in Catholic Encyclopedia
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10118a.htm New York>, 1911 [Accessed 27 Mar 2009]
227
228
Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, edited by Trustees of Ellen G. White publications (Washington,
DC: Review and Herald, 1958), p. 344.
43
229
physical change.” This is directly in line with Lutheran thought as opposed to the
Catholic understanding that Justification is a transformatory process.230 Christ is our
representative throughout his heavenly ministry; it is not only a one-off event that
takes place once a repentant sinner believes in him. If Justification were a one-off
event after belief, then Christ’s intercession would not be necessary after this point.
As Ellen White states, “We must center our hopes of heaven upon Christ alone,
because He is our substitute and surety.”231 Christ represents us, not only at the initial
stage of belief but throughout our faith experience with his intercessory ministry of
mediation between God and us.
Christ our representative initiates the willingness to repent. There is nothing
for us to contribute to Christ’s work as our representative. Ellen White states, “The
very first step to Christ is taken through the drawing of the Spirit of God; as man
responds to this drawing, he advances toward Christ in order that he may repent.”232
She makes it even clearer in her most well known book Steps to Christ by saying,
“A repentance such as this, is beyond the reach of our own power to

accomplish; it is obtained only from Christ, who ascended up on
high and has given gifts unto men. Just here is a point on which
many may err, and hence they fail of receiving the help that Christ
desires to give them. They think that they cannot come to Christ
unless they first repent, and that repentance prepares for the
forgiveness of their sins. It is true that repentance does precede the
forgiveness of sins; for it is only the broken and contrite heart that
will feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait till he has
repented before he can come to Jesus? Is repentance to be made an
obstacle between the sinner and the Saviour?”233
229
Pedersen, `The Soteriology of Ellen G. White Compared with the Lutheran Formula of Concord: A
Study of the Adventist Doctrine of the final judgment of the saints and their justification before God',
p. 122.
230
Ellen White’s use of ‘justification’ and ‘pardon’ are synonymous with the Protestant tradition.
p. 123.
231
White, Selected Messages, p. 363.
232
233
White, Steps to Christ, pp. 25-6. She reiterates the same point, “Christ pardons none but the
penitent, but whom He pardons He first makes penitent. The provision made is complete, and the
eternal righteousness of Christ is placed to the account of every believing soul. The costly, spotless
robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has been provided for the repenting, believing sinner, and he may
say: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with
the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10).” White,
Selected Messages, p. 394.
44
Therefore Christ as our representative provides every single step along the path to
salvation; he not only offers forgiveness of sins but provides the willingness to want
to repent.
Another purpose of Christ’s intercessory ministry is dealing with our current sins
and the guilt thereof before the judgment. Guilt is legally transferred through Christ into
the sanctuary; in his capacity as our dying substitute and living intercessor; representing
us as high priest before the father.
Therefore Christ is before the father representing the penitent sinner by achieving
pardon now, thus allowing the sinner to function in a guilt free environment until the
judgment when these sins will be legally cancelled forever. As David wrote in Psa. 51. 14,
“Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God, Thou God of my salvation: And my tongue shall
sing aloud of thy righteousness.”
Christ our representative is able to bring us before the father because of his
earthly ministry on the cross. She states, “All incense from earthly tabernacles must
be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father
the censer of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption.”234
The Wesleyan Holiness movement indicated that after initial justification in belief, one
should reach a state on this earth that would be perfect235 so as to withstand the judgment
before God. Ellen White clearly states otherwise, “The blood of Christ, while it was to release
the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand
on record in the sanctuary until the final Atonement.”236 Therefore sin is not eliminated at the
justification of belief, with Christ’s purpose of intercession merely to carry us, guilt free, until
he consummates the justification. Christ is now representing us and interceding for us in all
stages, this is his purpose before the judgment. While the transferred sins are not dealt with
forensically, a believer is, nevertheless, seen as fully pardoned and accepted before the
234
White, Selected Messages, p. 343. She also states, “The typical shadows of the Jewish tabernacle no
longer possess any virtue. A daily and yearly typical atonement is no longer to be made, but the atoning
sacrifice through a mediator is essential because of the constant commission of sin.” White, Selected
Messages, p. 344.
235
Entire Sanctification or otherwise known as the Second Blessing.
236
45
judgment. This necessitates the continual covering of sin, substitution and
representation of a believer before God, through Christ’s intercession prior to this judgment.
Therefore the logic of Ellen White’s position acknowledges the intercessory ministry of Christ
as providing full and complete salvation in terms of a believer’s present status in Christ, prior
to the judgment. She states, “As you come with humble heart, you find pardon, for Christ Jesus
is represented as continually standing at the altar, momentarily offering up the sacrifice for the
sins of the world. He is a minister of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not
man.”237 The Wesleyan Holiness movement expected to reach Entire Sanctification in order to
withstand the final judgment, Ellen White, through Mosaic typology understood that Christ’s
purpose is to represent a penitent sinner, bear their sins into God’s presence, allow them to be
guilt free enjoying the present joy of holiness, whilst being in faith union with Christ until he
would later eliminate their sins in the atonement phase of judgment. This would give the
assurety that Christ is qualified to eliminate sin and not hoping in our own actions to carry us
through this judgment phase.
Ellen White makes it clear that Jesus is our go-between, the one who can represent me by
sanitizing my prayers, She states,
“The incense, ascending with the prayers of Israel, represents the

merits and intercession of Christ, His perfect righteousness, which
through faith is imputed to His people, and which can alone make
the worship of sinful beings acceptable to God.”238
Christ’s intercession represents each individual repentant sinner before the father
with an individuality that only one who knows his children, could do.
Through Christ’s representation of each individual, he first makes us
penitent, then whilst not legally cancelling the sins until the final judgment,
disinfects and interjects our attempts by way of being the perfect mediator, to
God. While this is taking place he is simultaneously providing a guilt free joyous
environment for us to live in until our sins will be legally processed and
eradicated forever at the final judgment.
237
238
46
1.22 Christ our righteous passport
Wesleyan holiness perfection promoted a different understanding of Righteousness.
For them, after they were justified through belief in Christ, they perceived it their
life’s-goal to be sanctified until the point of reaching Entire Sanctification, then and
only then would they be able to stand in the final judgment. They felt that Christ’s
mediation at the right hand of God was to assist them attain this perfection before the
deadline of the final judgment. For them it appears not to be Christ’s righteous
passport that was necessary but rather his imparted righteousness, thereby allowing
them to stand on their own as if Righteousness was now theirs. In this sense they
would not need Christ anymore because the righteousness of Christ was inside of
them. Whilst Christ would be the one helping them toward entire sanctification
through his intercession, the attainment of perfection was still the ultimate passport in
this scheme of thinking.
Ellen White stated, “There are grand truths, long hidden under the rubbish of
error, that are to be revealed to the people. The doctrine of Justification by faith has
been lost sight of by many who have professed to believe the third angel's message.”239
Ellen White, who was brought up in the Wesleyan paradigm understood how the people
thought, she states,
“Apart from Christ we have no merit, no righteousness. Our

sinfulness, our weakness, our human imperfection make it
impossible that we should appear before God unless we are clothed
in Christ's spotless righteousness. We are to be found in Him not
having our own righteousness, but the righteousness which is in
Christ.”240
This cloak of righteousness alludes to the wedding garment of Matthew 22. Ellen
White’s example here is the biblical one that shows how a sinner cannot enter the
kingdom of heaven unless covered by Christ’s righteousness. She states, “You are not
239
240
White, Selected Messages, p. 333. She also aptly stated, “This matter is so dimly comprehended that
thousands upon thousands claiming to be sons of God are children of the wicked one, because they will
depend on their own works. God always demanded good works, the law demands it, but because man
placed himself in sin where his good works were valueless, Jesus' righteousness alone can avail. Christ
is able to save to the uttermost because He ever liveth to make intercession for us. All that man can
possibly do toward his own salvation is to accept the invitation, "Whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17).” White, Selected Messages, p. 343.
47
to depend on your own goodness or good works. You are to come depending upon
the Sun of righteousness, believing that Christ has taken away your sins and imputed to
you His righteousness.”241 Penitent sinners cannot do any deeds that will present
themselves as acceptable to the father, moreover, the righteousness that is given by
Christ is ascribed to them; it is a promise of righteousness and not a passport given to
them, but rather Christ as the passport; similar to a baby who, in bygone days, travelled
on it’s mothers passport.
If Christ’s righteousness is never mine then what is the point of his
intercession with regards to his righteousness? Can his righteousness do anything for
me now? Ellen White states that, “in ourselves we are sinners; but in Christ we are
righteous.”242 As previously discussed, the sins are taken by Christ unto himself into
the sanctuary but not deleted yet, she states, “He offers to take our sins and give us
his righteousness.”243 By taking our sins off of us now we can feel a sense of freedom,
the joy of holiness. Gunnar Pedersen aptly states, “Guilt is legally transferred to
Christ in his capacity as our representative and substitute.”244 As Pedersen rightly
states that this was not new in Protestant thinking - the transfer of sin to Christ, but
the interpretation of temporary transfer of sin to Christ in the heavenly sanctuary
before judgment was related to the Mosaic typology in the earthly sanctuary, this was
a new interpretation. Pedersen states,
“The personal intercessory function of Christ was visualized by

Ellen White as necessary for the continual imputation of his
righteousness to the believer, as Christ through this function, by
virtue of his merits and righteousness, was depicted as qualifying the
believer moment by moment as righteous before God.”245
241
White, Selected Messages, p. 328. She also says, “No man can look within himself and find
anything in his character that will recommend him to God, or make his acceptance sure.” White,
Selected Messages, p. 332.
242
243
White, Steps to Christ, p. 62.
244
p. 124.
245
p. 116.
48
This is what Christ’s righteousness does for us according to Ellen White now;
Christ’s intercession helps to take away the sinners’ attention away from themselves and
focuses on Christ’s accomplishments; thus providing present confidence of salvation. To
attain this, all we need to do is acknowledge our guilt, ask forgiveness and know that we
are justified by Christ’s robe of righteousness, there is no physical effort done on our part;
all we do is accept in faith Christ’s righteousness. Ellen White illustrates this present
confidence giving sinners a sense of freedom,
“One brother spoke of the struggle that he had experienced

before he could receive the good news that Christ is our
righteousness. The conflict was severe, but the Lord was at work
with him, and his mind was changed, and his strength
renewed.”246
This gives us strength to move foreword with ease on a thorny path of earth, she states,
“The tidings that Christ is our righteousness has brought relief to many, many souls, and
God says to His people, ‘Go forward.’”247
After the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference many people accepted a more
classical reformed understanding of righteousness by faith,248 she states,
“There is great need that Christ should be preached as the only hope
and salvation. When the doctrine of justification by faith was
presented at the Rome meeting, it came to many as water comes to
the thirsty traveller. The thought that the righteousness of Christ is
imputed to us, not because of any merit on our part, but as a free gift
from God, seemed a precious thought.--The Review and Herald,
Sept. 3, 1889.”249
Christ is our righteous substitute so that penitent sinners may rejoice in his guaranteed
righteousness and not their own. All sinners need to do is ask for forgiveness and accept the
ascribed righteousness of Christ knowing that penitent sinners ride on his passport of
righteousness and no work of their own will ever be acceptable before God. Christ qualifies a
246
In the same article she also states, “He had felt that there was no hope for him, unless he could
obtain more of the grace of Christ; but through the influence of the meetings he had experienced a
change of heart, and had a better knowledge of salvation through faith in Christ. He saw that it was his
privilege to be justified by faith; he had peace with God, and with tears confessed what relief and
blessing had come to his soul.” Ellen G. White, `Presented as Old Truth in New Framework', Review
and Herald, 23 Jul. 1889.
247
White, `Report of Campmeeting at Ottawa, Kansas'.
248
In the same article she again states “In every meeting since the General Conference, souls have
eagerly accepted the precious message of the righteousness of Christ.” White, `Report of Campmeeting
at Ottawa, Kansas'.
249
49
believer moment by moment, thus providing present confidence in salvation by
focusing on his guaranteed righteousness.
Covenant union with Christ through faith

The sanctuary of the first covenant was on earth as stated by Paul. He makes it clear
that Christ in the new covenant is our high priest who is set at the right hand of God
and is the minister of the true tabernacle, made by God (Heb. 8. 1,2). Ellen White
states that the process of the second covenant was as follows,
“As anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed upon the sin
offering and through its blood transferred, in figure, to the earthly
sanctuary, so in the new covenant the sins of the repentant are by faith
placed upon Christ and transferred, in fact, to the heavenly
sanctuary.”250
The old and new sanctuary covenants were the same in terms of form, function and meaning.251
A concept of a faith-union with Christ is strongly related to Ellen White’s emphasis of
Christ as the living intercessor and continuous qualifier of the saints. She, like Luther
identified faith as the spiritual-legal bond that unites the believer to Christ’s privileges, through
the covenant set up with humans in the time of Abraham. Faith unites us to Christ as Luther
stated, the ‘wonderful exchange’.252 While classical Protestantism states that Christ’s
righteousness is imputed through a legal declaration; Ellen White’s logic states that Christ’s
righteousness is imputed through Christ’s establishment of a legal covenant with us. She states,
“The intercession of Christ in man's behalf in the sanctuary above is

as essential to the plan of salvation as was his death upon the cross.
By his death he began that work which after his resurrection he
ascended to complete in Heaven. We must by faith enter within the
veil”.253
Due to the new covenant, we through faith hand over the guilt to Christ who
temporarily places this on himself in the heavenly sanctuary. In this way we can be at
one with God because of Christ, this is seen as a faith-union with Christ. It is also
expressed in terms of marriage.

250
251
White, The Great Controversy, p. 420; Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Ontario, Canada:
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1898), p. 652, 757.
252
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1876-1881), p. 147.
253
50
Like Luther one of Ellen White’s favourite analogies is that of a marriage covenant
and how it depicts the sacred union between Christ and penitent believers. People are joined to
Christ through formal covenant. It is his oath, promised to us from the Old Testament because of
his graciousness, Christ will stay with us and has promised us all of his benefits just as a woman
benefits from the husbands possessions. The merits of Christ are accessible to the believer before
and during the judgment. She states,
“In the Bible the sacred and enduring character of the relation that
exists between Christ and his church is represented by the union of
marriage. The Lord has joined his people to himself by a solemn
covenant, he promising to be their God, and they pledging themselves
to be his, and his alone. He declares, “I will betroth thee unto me
forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in
judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies.” [Hosea 2:19.] And
again, “I am married unto you.” [Jeremiah 3:14.] And Paul employs
the same figure in the New Testament, when he says, “I have espoused
you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ.” [2 Corinthians 11:2.]”254
The paradigm of Ellen White’s understanding of Christ’s intercession as incorporated
with her view of a faith-union with Christ implicates a covenantal-legal-relational
model of imputation. This clearly broadens the Reformer’s perspective, as it shows
how the believer shares in the righteousness of Christ by covenant union without
eliminating the essence of the basic Protestant soteriology.
The consummation of this new covenant will take place at the final judgment when
Christ declares once again his original covenant which he states in Jer. 31. 34 ‘I will forgive
their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.’255 Gunnar Pedersen summarizes it so
aptly,
“Faith is the only means by which the righteousness of Christ can

become legally effective. This logically implies that a person cannot
be saved unless they are united with the living ascended mediating
saviour, and thus the moment of union with Christ is the existential
moment of salvation”.256
254
White, The Great Controversy, p 381.
255
256
p. 54.
51
Christ’s covenant promise is to be our God, qualifying the saints through
covenantal-faith-union thus making his benefits accessible to us. Christ’s righteousness
is ascribed to us through faith-union. Christ is our continual intercessor through this
faith-union; this indicates that the imputation is a legal-covenantal as opposed to legal-
declarative. Christ’s intercession through his covenantal-faith-union makes his benefits
accessible up to and throughout the judgment.
Christ’s Judgment mediation according to Ellen White

Ellen White was convinced that Christ’s judicial intercessory work as mediator
entered its second heavenly phase when the 2300-year prophesy was fulfilled in 1844.
This is the phase of judgment which continues up until shortly before the second-
Advent.257 The purpose of this section is to establish what is taking place during this
phase according to Ellen White and how it affects the penitent believer.
2.1 Judgment as a revelatory event

The judgment will be a period when the recorded sins of each penitent believer who
is in union with Christ will be forensically eliminated through Christ’s second phase
in his heavenly ministry. The legal transfer of confessed sins from penitent believer to
Christ is not forensically cancelled until Christ’s intercession in the judgment. It will
be revealed to the universe who are right with God through Christ. Ellen White states
it like this,
“As the books of record are opened in the Judgment, the lives of all
who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning
with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents
the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living.
Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names
are accepted, names rejected.”258
This phase of judgment is for professed believers in Christ only, non-believers will be
judged at a later event. For Ellen White the judgment for believers is a definite sifting
of the truly penitent from the self-righteous believers. The father is all-knowing and
257
258
52
all-seeing, therefore this process is not for his benefit but for the revelation of the
universe.
God is not a person who conceals anything from the universe; his reign is as
the expression goes, ‘an open book’. Before the return of Christ to this earth to restore
his people to himself, there will be an open forum in which ‘heavenly beings’, as it
states in the book of Job, will be able to examine the evidence for the decisions that
God will make with regards to ‘his chosen people’.
Ellen White states,
“Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy
of holies, and there appears in the presence of God, to engage in the
last acts of his ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of
investigative Judgment, and to make an atonement for all who are
shown to be entitled to its benefits.”259
Similar in the book of Job this will be an open forum for the universe. This event
could be visualized as a courtroom. Jesus our substitutory intercessor will defend
each of his penitent believers and claim them to be his through his earthly ministry
consummated at the cross, which gives him the right to be the ultimate mediator in
the time of judgment. Christ’s mediatorial authority will reveal his ability to defend in
favour of the saints. The sentence that is pronounced in the judgment is an act of
forensic ratification of what the genuine believer has previously obtained and
possessed through faith in Christ.
Ellen White stated that the content of the heavenly records were as follows,
“Every man's work passes in review before God, and is registered for
faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Opposite each name in the books of
Heaven is entered, with terrible exactness, every wrong word, every
selfish act, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin, with every
artful dissembling. Heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected,
wasted moments, unimproved opportunities, the influence exerted
for good or for evil, with its far-reaching results, all are chronicled
by the recording angel.”260
This record depicted the lives and thoughts of all men who chose Christ. The rest will
be judged later, under full context of the law, because that is what they chose; similar
259
260
53
to Judas who fell away to go to his own place (Act. 1. 25). This appears to be a
record of condemnation but it is a record of those who have included themselves in
Christ’s intercessory ministry.
The application of Christ’s blood through his living intercession will ensure
the forensic eradication of the heavenly records of sin, which remained for justified
believers. Ellen White saw this eradication of the heavenly records as the typological
reality of the cleansing of the sanctuary during the Day-of-Atonement; she states,
“In the great day of final award, the dead are to be "judged out of
those things which were written in the books, according to their
works." Revelation 20:12. Then by virtue of the atoning blood of
Christ, the sins of all the truly penitent will be blotted from the books
of heaven. Thus the sanctuary will be freed, or cleansed, from the
record of sin. In the type, this great work of atonement, or blotting
out of sins, was represented by the services of the Day-of-
Atonement--the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary, which was
accomplished by the removal, by virtue of the blood of the sin
offering, of the sins by which it had been polluted.”261
In fact after this deletion of the sin record there will be ‘A book of remembrance’ according to
Ellen White. In this book will be documented the good deeds of those who had reverence for
the saviour of the universe (Mal. 3. 16).262
The pre-Advent judgment is a revelation of the final application of Christ’s intercessory
mediation for the penitent believers of those who have chosen Christ. It is a revealing of the
heavenly sin record so that the ‘heavenly beings’ as indicated in Job can question our advocate
in the open forum of God’s universe. This judgment is only for professed believers and is a
revelation of those who remained within the mediation of Christ; who did not rely on their own
performance but in the complete salvation plan laid down before the foundation of the world.
The records are finalized by a legal deletion of penitent believers sins and only the good deeds
of chosen believers will be remembered.
Judgment and Christ’s role as representative

Christ’s role during the judgment is seen by Ellen White as not only priestly, but also
judicial. He is our representative during this time. As Gunner Pedersen states, “She referred
261
White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 357-8.
262
54
to the mediation of Christ’s merits as the basis for a believer’s perpetual possession
of salvation, and thus his full and complete protection against the condemnatory power of
the transgressed law.”263 Whilst God continues to assess human righteousness in terms of
his divine holy law;264 Christ’s role is to consummate our promised justification into a
heavenly reality whereby we will be able to stand in the presence of God because Jesus has
atoned for our transgression of that law. Christ as advocate; defends in favour of the
penitent believer as High Priest, King and Judge.265 Ellen White states,
“Christ has made the way by dying our sacrifice, by living our
example, by becoming our great high priest. He declares, "I am the
way, the truth, and the life" (Joh. 14. 6). If by an effort of our own we
could advance one step toward the ladder, the words of Christ would
not be true.”266
The Wesleyan paradigm suggested that the mediation of Christ was there to help us
reach entire sanctification so believers could withstand the judgment. Ellen Whites
paradigm suggests that that Christ’s cross is the mediatorial bridge made by the
chasm of sin, which will have its ultimate saving impact in the judgment; and that we
can do nothing that makes us acceptable for God. She further states,
“When God pardons the sinner, remits the punishment he deserves,

and treats him as though he had not sinned, He receives him into
divine favour, and justifies him through the merits of Christ's
righteousness. The sinner can be justified only through faith in the
atonement made through God's dear Son, who became a sacrifice for
the sins of the guilty world. No one can be justified by any works of
his own. He can be delivered from the guilt of sin, from the
condemnation of the law, from the penalty of transgression, only by
virtue of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. Faith is the
only condition upon which justification can be obtained, and faith
includes not only belief but trust.”267
Ellen Whites paradigm insists on the Protestant principle of ‘justification by faith’ and
applies it to the judgment rather than the Wesleyan ‘Entire Sanctification’ paradigm.
263
p. 128.
264
Ellen G. White, Acts of the Apostles (Ontario, Canada: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1911), p. 425.
265
Hibner, `The Intercession of Christ: A Study of the Adventist Contribution to the Doctrine of the
Work of Christ', p. 48. As quoted from Hibner, The purpose of Judgment is to save the innocent from
injustice, this concept is anchored in the biblical concept ‘to judge’ which becomes the equivalent ‘to
save’ E. Berkovits, `The biblical meaning of justice', Judaism 18 (spr. 1969), 188-209 (p. 193).
266
267
55
Our role is to have faith and be justified, Christ’s role is to consummate this legal
agreement by finalizing our justification in the judgment.
Christ’s role as representative in the presence of God is one of restoration and
reconciliation. He takes our unacceptable state and makes us acceptable to God. Ellen
White states,
“Through Christ, restoration as well as reconciliation is provided for

man. The gulf that was made by sin has been spanned by the cross of
Calvary. A full, complete ransom has been paid by Jesus, by virtue
of which the sinner is pardoned, and the justice of the law is
maintained. All who believe that Christ is the atoning sacrifice may
come and receive pardon for their sins; for through the merit of
Christ, communication has been opened between God and man.”268
This is the whole purpose of salvation; to restore the relationship broken by
humans with God. Christ our representative restores and reconciles us to
God.
Another role of Christ is to delete the sin record of the penitent believer forever.
Because of his plan of salvation and his ability to transfer the sins to himself, he will be
our representative, raising his hands to Satan the accuser; thereby stating that he paid
for the penalty and therefore is able to annihilate the records.
Not only is the role of Christ to represent penitent believers while
consummating our justification in the cosmic judgment; but also to continue his
mediation with us here on earth. He intercedes by continually applying the benefits of
the believer in the heavenly sanctuary. The sinner’s sins are applied to the heavenly
sanctuary thereby transferring the guilt to Christ, thereby giving joy of holiness, thus
allowing them to perform the works of Christ.
The role of Christ during the final judgment is to represent a penitent believer
who is unworthy to represent himself in the eschatological celestial tribunal. He will
qualify this sinner by applying his mediatorial benefits of salvation and will pronounce
them as forensically ‘justified’ forever. This believer will then be able to stand in the
presence of God as covered by Christ’s righteousness. Christ’s role allows him to

268
56
eradicate the record of the sins and justify believers. His intercessory role will
continue and thereby qualifying those who are bonded to him.
Judgment as a confirmatory event

Ellen White appears to allocate a level of forensic incompleteness to the intercession
of Christ prior to the eschatological judgment. The believer however was secure
because of the promise of salvation justified in belief; Christ’s mediatorial
eschatological judgment will forensically complete and cash in the cheque of penitent
sinners being restored to man’s rightful place, through intercession in the presence of
the father. Gunner Pedersen captures this idea imminently,
“Christ according to the salvation-historical structure of the

Sanctuary Doctrine thus makes it possible to look at salvation from
the perspective of its present existential possession and its
eschatological judicial ratification without contradiction, as the
latter is seen as confirming the former. While the present
possession of salvation was thus seen as being complete through
Christ’s personal mediation, it was nevertheless being perceived as
forensically incomplete until His ultimate mediatorial intercession
at the judgment.”269
This is a confirmation for penitent believers that they will return to God’s kingdom
from which they originally came. Therefore this event is not condemnatory in nature
but confirmatory. Ellen White states it as follows,
“The deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of

earthly tribunals but faintly represents the interest evinced in the
heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life come up in
review before the Judge of all the earth. The divine Intercessor
presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in his blood
be forgiven their transgressions, that they be restored to their Eden
home, and crowned as joint-heirs with himself to the “first dominion.”
[Micah 4:8.] Satan, in his efforts to deceive and tempt our race, had
thought to frustrate the divine plan in man's creation; but Christ now
asks that this plan be carried into effect, as if man had never fallen. He
asks for his people not only pardon and justification, full and
complete, but a share in his glory and a seat upon his throne.”270
Christ confirms his followers at the eschatological tribunal, making it clear that their
life-line cheques will be cashed in for them after this work of eschatological judgment
269
p. 138.
270
White, The Great Controversy, pp. 483-4.
57
is completed for everyone; then will the believer see the kingdom of God shortly
thereafter. Condemnation does not appear to take place at this part of the
eschatological judgment; non-believers and nominal believers who chose their own
way will be judged according to the full condemnation of the law at a later event. The
pre-Advent judgment does not appear to be set up to condemn anybody.
Ellen White states, “Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the sanctification of
the truth, the believer becomes fitted for the courts of heaven; for Christ works within
us, and his righteousness is upon us. Without this no soul will be entitled to
heaven.”271 She makes it clear that the judgment will be a confirmation of how Christ
is constantly interceding for each believer; not only in heaven to God but also
downwards towards man, and the Holy Spirit is this confirmation of that in our lives
(Eph. 1. 14).
The consummation of this eschatological judgment is a process that confirms
what the penitent believer already should be assured of in his heart. It confirms the
faith union with Christ.
The eschatological judgment of the saints does not appear to have a
condemnatory but a confirmatory one, which through Christ’s righteousness allows
humans to cash in the heavenly-life-cheque before the cosmic tribunal and makes the
forensic final acclamation that the penitent believer will receive their reward of
eternal life. This event confirms a penitent believers union with Christ, before this
event the Holy Spirit is the confirmation of things to come. This confirms the penitent
believer in a new life with Christ, which he will receive shortly after this cosmic
judicial tribunal has completed all names found in the heavenly record of professed
believers.
Summary and assessment of the redemptive implications

The second phase of Christ’s ministry involves a judgment just before the second-
Advent. This judgment will be a revelatory event, it will reveal Christ’s role as
271
58
representative and confirm to the universe what people who are ‘in Christ’ already
knew.
The judgment before Christ’s return will reveal to the universe who have
chosen to remain in covenantal-faith-union with him, thereby accepting Christ’s
righteousness as opposed to their own. This judgment is only a revelatory event for
penitent believers, the people like Judas who have chosen their own way and non-
believers will be judged much later. This is a separation of the, ‘in Christ’ from the
self-righteous believers. Christ our advocate will reveal to the universe who has been
forensically declared righteous before God. In OT terms this would be the execution
of the typological Day-of-Atonement. The sins that have been on record until this
time will finally be forensically deleted, only the good deeds will be recorded in what
Ellen White calls ‘the book of remembrance’.
Whilst Ellen White claims that the judgment will be an act of forensic
ratification of what the believer has previously obtained, she does seem to portray a
very positive event in a negative light, a summary of her quote from Great
Controversy p. 482 states that every mans work passes in review before God, the
faithfulness, unfaithfulness recorded with terrible exactness, selfish acts, unfulfilled
duties, and heaven-sent warnings are recorded. Her view would seem to promote that
works will be a big part in the revelatory intercessory work of Christ; however,
depending from which viewpoint one stands is dependant on how one views this. If
one only waits for the revelation of Christ’s merits within our faith-union but is not
sharing ones faith then one could interpret her as negative. It will appear negative to
ones who choose their own selfish path, similar to Judas. Whilst he was a believer he
still chose his own path. Christ’s revelatory event does not include people who made
such choices, so whilst it is a separation of the wheat from the chaff, Christ does not
deal with the chaff now, therefore the judgment of the saints is merely a revelatory
event of the ones ‘in Christ’.

59
Christ’s main role in the final judgment is to represent the unworthy
penitent believer who continues to be in faith-union with him through this tribunal in which
the believers justification is consummated into a heavenly reality, thus allowing the believer
into the presence of God. Christ restores and reconciles the believer’s relationship with God,
similar to the Edenic state before the fall of humankind. Christ will achieve this by applying
the benefits of his earthly ministry at this judgment tribunal. Whilst he is advocating for us he
is still able to intercede for our every need of confession and reconciliation, therefore the first
phase in Christ’s ministry is not ending by his second judicial phase of ministry, his first-
phase benefits are available to sinners in the second phase; thus his intercessory role
continues throughout the judgment phase. Therefore Christ’s role in the judgment while legal
also remains priestly.
Whilst Christ is our representative, revealing his chosen ones to the universe,
it is also a confirmatory event. The intercession of Christ in the judgment will
forensically cash in the promised justification laid down by him through his
covenantal-faith-union with humanity, thereby confirming what penitent believers
already were assured of previously. The judgment of the saints is not an event that
condemns people; it confirms the union with Christ through his continual benefits of
intercession. Whilst it is logical that if a believer is not confirmed in this event he is
by default then condemned, however, the pre-Advent judgment does not appear to be
setup to condemn anybody. Condemnation comes later for people like Judas who
chose their own way; all had a fair chance at receiving salvation. Therefore it is a
self-condemnation that people not written in the book will bring upon themselves.
Christ will not try once and then dust off his feet, but will repeatedly through his
intercession approach impenitent believers. For believers, the Holy Spirit will be the
confirmation and guarantee of things to come (Eph. 1. 14).
The dispute between Ellen White and classical Protestantism concerns the
time and manner in which Christ’s benefits of redemption are seen as being applied to
60
the sinner - Christ’s intercession qualifies the believer prior to the judgment, as
opposed to the Wesleyan paradigm where Christ’s intercession prepares the believer
to withstand the judgment as perfect.
Christ our representative advocate who is currently in the presence of the
father, allows a penitent believer to access the benefits of his intercessory ministry
through a legal-covenantal-faith-union which guarantees the believer travel through
Christ’s righteous passport, thus giving confidence to a penitent believer.
3. Final summary and conclusion

The post-ascension mediatorial ministry of Christ has gone through many stages of
development and recovery over the last two millennia. A brief summary of what has
been found in the pre-Adventist view and the Adventist development of Christ’s post-
ascension mediation will follow; including a summary and conclusion regarding the
Adventist theology of Christ’s post-ascension mediation according to Ellen G. White.
Earliest records of Mediation theology were evident in church liturgy. The
roles of high priest and intercessor were inseparable. The Church Fathers expressed
their understanding of Christ’s post-ascension mediation up till the fourth century
AD; an understanding in which Christ’s divine and human natures were presented in
harmony and in balance. This position would start to be altered by Origen; for him
Christ’s mediatorial office was understood as cosmological rather than a redemptive
mediation. This would be the start of a process in which Mediation theology would be
eclipsed. Arius would push this development by redefining mediation as a cosmic
function affirming Christ as a subordinate being to God. The ‘Through Christ’ motif
changed from a redemptive function to a cosmic function, which would define him as
a subordinate being bridging the distance to a far-off unapproachable father.
Mediatorial redemptive doxology receded into the background and the Roman
Catholic theology of delegation would further eclipse Christ’s redemptive mediation.
Biblical Christological Mediation theology would lie dormant for a thousand
years till Martin Luther initiated its reformation on the principle of Sola Scriptura.
61
Whilst Catholics saw Christ as a terrifying judge, Luther remained unsure of the
significance of Mediation theology; it was never his objective to revive the mediation
motif explicitly, he brought a new understanding of ‘justification by faith alone’
which in turn would initiate a process of restoration of the obscured Mediation
theology. The reformer John Calvin would later detect a connection between the
sacrifice of Christ and his continual ministry of intercession. He also came to
understand the threefold office of Christ as Prophet, Priest And King. Luther and
Calvin thus initiated a paradigm shift back to a more apostolic understanding of
Mediation theology whereby Christ is seen as the sole mediator between God and
man and not as a function diversified through delegation to the church.
Calvin recognised a two-phased dimension in Christ’s work which the English
Puritans would later develop extensively. Puritan James Ussher understood that there is
more than one part to mediation; he called it Satisfaction and Intercession. He thus
began to distinguish between redemption achieved through satisfaction and redemption
applied through intercession.
John Flavel understood that through Christ’s perfect life he could meet the
requirements of the law in his life and thereby fulfilled the law for sinners in his death.
He understood that Christ’s blood would literally affect something in heaven thus
seeing a direct link with the Mosaic typology as a foreshadowing of the intercessory
work of Christ. Puritans would thus develop mediation a step further; they would
understand redemption achieved and redemption applied as a two-phase operation
illustrated through the typological function of the Mosaic sanctuary service. Whilst
Puritans thus connected the typological services of the Old Testament to the heavenly
reality, it was clear that they understood mediation in terms of redemptive significance.
However, Puritans did not fully develop the salvation Historical logic of sanctuary
typology; an area to be further pursued by Adventism.

62
The Great Awakening peaking with William Miller and his Millerite
movement, were influenced by the backdrop of Puritan mediation sanctuary typology.
Prophecy was their main focus of study during the nineteenth century with regards to
the imminent eschatological Second Coming of Christ, a study contributing to the rise
of Adventism. The 1260 prophetic days of Daniel had been solved with a reasonable
satisfaction, allowing them to concentrate on the then imminent 2300-day prophecy of
Dan. 8. 14. The misinterpretation of this prophecy led the Millerites to understand it as
the apocalyptic Second Coming of Christ instead of a judicial phase in Christ’s
heavenly mediatorial ministry. Whilst Puritans recognised the Christological
application of sanctuary typology, they did not link it to historical-eschatological events
the way the Millerite movement would do. Moreover the last stage in the Millerite
movement known as the seventh-month movement would formulate a two-phase
heavenly ministry of intercession, the latter climaxing in the Advent of Christ. They
actually believed that they were in the anti-typical Day-of-Atonement; the final
heavenly stage climaxing in the second-Advent.
Historically Christian theology has placed greater emphasis on Christ’s
sacrificial atonement than on the heavenly phase of his redemptive ministry. Redressing
this balance is the main contribution that Seventh-day Adventism would eventually
make to theology; a new emphasis on the heavenly mediation of Christ during the
judgment – reinforcing Christ as the sole passport at the Second Coming. Therefore the
impact of the Adventist thesis that cosmic judgment commences prior to the second-
Advent contributes to a greater understanding of Christ’s current redemptive function.
He has risen from the dead and is functioning for all penitent believers simultaneously
in God’s presence, to fulfil the work of judgment whilst continuously representing all
believers. The critical issue is not whether judgment has a pre-Advent Advent or a post-
Advent dimension, but rather what Christ’s role is during this event.
63
The ruling paradigm in which Adventism was born was Wesleyan; a
paradigm in which obtained Entire Sanctification is the ultimate passport in the
judgment. Wesleyan’s had their three-stage process of Justification, Sanctification and
Entire Sanctification. Post-1844 Adventism did not revise this Wesleyan paradigm but
by default would integrate it into their newly formed understanding of a judgment
commencing before the second-Advent. This led post-1844 Adventism into several
attempts at an Adventist perfectionist theology focusing on Entire Sanctification and
perfection as the ultimate passport in the final judgment thus eclipsing the logic of
sanctuary Mediation theology as initiated by early Adventism, which logically made
Christ the ultimate passport. Integrating the new Adventist and the Wesleyan paradigms
led to the crisis in soteriology that surfaced in the 1888 Adventist General Conference
session.
Ellen White, A. T. Jones and Waggoner helped redress the focus on Justification
within Adventism. This initiated a paradigm shift back towards a more Protestant
stance on ‘Justification by faith alone’. Whilst Entire Sanctification was the Wesleyan
passport of passage through God’s judgment, ‘justification by faith alone’ was Ellen
White’s passport. She relied on the guarantee of God and not on the understanding that
if you received Entire Sanctification then you had the confirmation of salvation. Ellen
White had a view that does not subordinate Justification to Sanctification. In Ellen
Whites writings there is no contradiction between Christ’s role as saviour and judge as
is the case in the Wesleyan paradigm. For Wesley, Christ ceases to be our advocate in
the final judgment; he is merely terrifying judge. In the Adventist paradigm, according
to Ellen White, Christ is saviour before, during and after the judgment. When pre-1888
Adventism followed the Wesleyan paradigm Christ’s redemptive role in the final
judgment was subordinated to his role as judge.
Ellen White saw the Mosaic sanctuary as the grand salvation historical
typological parable that mapped out Christ’s past, present and future redemptive
64
mediatorial work as a whole. Her main contribution to Sanctuary theology is found
in The Great Controversy. The Mosaic priestly ministration of sacrificial blood and the
offering of incense were the central types replicating Christ’s heavenly intercession.
Christ is seen as performing the ministry of continually qualifying the believer as
righteous before God. He applies salvation typologically through the daily and yearly
services. Most scholars who explain the sanctuary doctrine do so in terms of function
and not actuality.
Ellen White understood Christ as having a three-stage redemptive work climaxing
in the eschatological judgment. He would be the perfect mediator between man and God.
He would achieve this by being humanity’s representative and passport possessed
exclusively through a covenant-union with Christ which depends solely on faith-union
with Christ.
Christ represents believers continually; he initiates willingness for the sinner to repent,
after repenting the sinner experiences joy of holiness by having the guilt of repented
sins temporarily taken away by Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. These sins remain
recorded in the sanctuary till the consummative phase of judgment. This paradigm that
guilt of an individual is transferred to Christ as heavenly representative is not a new
concept in Protestant theology, Martin Luther spoke of ‘wonderful exchange’ - whilst
Ellen White spoke of sins being temporarily transferred in Christ to the sanctuary.
Ellen White understood Christ as representing believers continually before God.
Wesleyans, once justified, relied on God’s empowering for reaching spiritual perfection
so as to receive Entire Sanctification. For them the purpose of Christ’s work of
intercession was to help them attain this perfection status as the ultimate passport in the
judgment. Christ’s intercession in Ellen White’s paradigm thus qualifies the believer
prior to the judgment and during the judgment as opposed to the Wesleyan paradigm
where Christ’s intercession prepares a believer to withstand the judgment through a
state of perfection.
65
The second-phase of Christ’s heavenly ministry according to the historical-
typological Adventist model is judgment. Christ’s mediatorial role in this judgment thus
seems to represent the unworthy penitent believer who continues to be in faith union with
Christ through this tribunal; a tribunal in which a believer’s justification is consummated
into a heavenly reality, thus qualifying the believer at the second-Advent to enter the
presence of God. Christ will thus continue to apply the benefits of redemption to those
belonging to him and judge accordingly.
The doctrine of the Sanctuary, especially the pre-Advent Judgment, within
Adventism has caused much debate over the years, so much so that hardly any Bible
study on this topic is given. Ellen White attempts to reform the understanding back to a
more biblical understanding of Christ’s act of confirmation in the judgment based on
his righteousness alone as the passport held by humans through a covenant-union with
him. Currently some Adventist writers still believe in the Wesleyan paradigm of
becoming perfect in preparation for the judgment, thus there is a need to assess what
answer mediation soteriology may actually provide in terms of this question.
As is evident in Michael P.V. Barrett’s book Beginning at Moses and in other
books, some scholar’s understanding is catching up to Ellen White’s on Mediation
theology, whilst they might not see a pre-Advent judgment they are attaining the same
answers through a different approach and not using Dan. 8.14 as a base. More work is
clearly needed in unravelling this involved topic of Christ’s work for us.
This dissertation is merely a partial investigation of Adventist Mediation
theology; it has not established whether this position is totally biblical or not, this is for
further study within a Biblical Theological context. I personally however, through my
research, came to appreciate Ellen White’s position on Mediation theology as a
promissory for the future development of Adventism.

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The post-ascension mediatorial ministry of Christ - A study of the redemptive implications of the assertion that Christ’s mediation will climax in the cosmic judgment, Masters dissertation Craig Baxter

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The post-ascension mediatorial ministry of Christ: A study

of the redemptive implications of the assertion that Christ’s

Although Protestant theology is aware of the biblical concept of Christ’s post-

resurrection mediation, it has not been integrated into their soteriology.2

This paper seeks to provide a modest contribution to the largely untouched

area of Christ’s intercessory ministry; also known as Mediation theology. The

formidable work was approximately 80 years ago by a Prof. Joseph Jungman, a

impact of Protestant or Reformist movements.5

steps to challenge the Judgment phase within Adventist Mediation theology.

Therefore it appears profitable to attempt to understand the role of Christ as mediator

after his resurrection.

Mediation theology as held by Seventh-day Adventists. In fact their Sanctuary

significance is not greatly felt in Seventh-day Adventist churches today.8 Historically,

Seventh-day Adventists have regarded themselves as part of a restoration movement,

wanting to recover neglected truths,9 however they do not claim to make a

ministry at the right hand of God.10

views of Christ's ministry held by non-Adventist Christians”.11 The core of

be assured of its brilliance in an ever-changing deconstructed post-modern world.

more understandable to the Christian world.

The purpose of the paper

ascension ministry, in the context of the Seventh-day Adventist’s salvation paradigm,

as understood by Ellen White? I will attempt to understand what is her understanding

of the eschatological dimensions of the Sanctuary doctrine with emphasis on Christ’s

mediation climaxing, according to classical Adventism, in a cosmic judgment and

assess the Gospel implications?

harmony to existing information with regards to Christ’s post-ascension mediation

findings so as to harmonize it into a language relevant for today’s postmodern mind.

investigation will be to establish, firstly, a brief review of the pre-Adventist

the Adventist developments of the teaching on Christ’s post-ascension

mediation. Thirdly I will emphasise the redemptive meaning of Christ’s post-

ascension ministry in the context of Adventist salvation history – as understood

saved, form of justification.

although expressed in parabolic analogical language with respect to a cosmic reality.

ascended Christ. James F. White in his Introduction to Christian worship connects

discover the significance of the ascended Christ is by looking at early Christian

liturgy.14 Mediatorial doxologies focusing on Christ as mediating appear to be the

earliest records of Mediation theology.15 Josef Jungmann has completed an extensive

constantly refer to Christ’s redemptive role as ascended mediator.16 The mediatorial

The understanding of Christ’s natures was to be altered by Origen Adamantius, a

redemptive function – towards a cosmic function of Christ, who as a subordinate creature

the, ‘through Christ’ motif, remained.35

delegation as opposed to Mediation.37 They saw themselves as God’s agent on earth,

century Roman Catholic delegated Mediation theology remained dominant for

1.2 Reformation, Post-Reformation developments

capacities namely; as true God and true man.41

Whilst Luther has clear awareness of Christ as ascended redemptive mediator, he

does seem unclear as to what its redemptive significance is.

John Calvin was another Reformer who, contributed to the re-

emerging understanding of the intercessory nature of Christ’s ministry. He

emphasises the redemptive significance of Christ’s mediation role saying:

“. . . there is a necessary connexion between. . . the sacrifice of the death

saints to be companions of Christ in [mediation] transfer to them the glory of the

Calvin understood the redemptive work of Christ in terms of a threefold office

basis Calvin could call Christ, ‘perpetual intercessor’.52

to the redemptive aspect.53 Many other reformers with a humanistic background

redemptive aspect thereof, the gradual development in understanding helped Calvin

two-phased understanding extensively. Puritan James Ussher55 states in his section on

mediation, which concerneth the conveyance of the redemption…”56 He recognised

there was only one worthy to do this. He states,

Puritan Mediation theology not only focused on the aspect of redemption

mediation and sanctuary typology stated,

Satisfaction and Intercession; moreover, he also captured the concept of mediation

thereof was continuous.