Many Protestants and non-Catholics believe that within the Catholic understanding of Justification men have the ability to merit salvation. As Ellen White asserts:
Let the subject be made distinct and plain that it is not possible to effect anything in our standing before God or in the gift of God to us through creature merit. Should faith and works purchase the gift of salvation for anyone, then the Creator is under obligation to the creature. Here is an opportunity for falsehood to be accepted as truth. If any man can merit salvation by anything he may do, then he is in the same position as the Catholic to do penance for his sins.
This false assumption leads Protestants to condemn the Catholic understanding of Justification. However, this idea of meriting salvation is explicitly condemned by the Catholic Church.
Canon 1. If anyone says that man can be justified before God by his own works, whether done by his own natural powers or through the teaching of the law, without divine grace through Jesus Christ, let him be anathema.
Canons Concerning Justification – Council of Trent
No one agrees that one can merit salvation—it is obvious that we do not contribute to the Perfect Work of Christ on the Cross. The debate on Justification is if our response to this Perfect Work affects our Justification. If it does–the Protestants are wrong in their understanding of Justification.
Back on the topic of Ellen White– it is surprising that Ellen White is condemning Catholics for recognizing that our response to this Perfect Work affects Justification. Because, in Ellen White’s theology–she believes that based on someones response via the keeping of the Ten Commandments and other points of the Mosaic Law such as abstaining from clean and unclean animals. One can retain Justification–or a right standing with God.
The only difference between Catholics and Adventists is that Catholics teach what Scripture teaches. That our our response to the Perfect Work of Christ via obedience to the Law of Christ effects Justification. Ellen White believes that our response to the Perfect Work of Christ via obedience to the Law of Moses effects Justification. Or in other words, we are put into a right-standing with God via obedience to the Law of Moses. Which is condemned explicitly via Romans 4— where Paul explicitly exclaims that Abraham was not justified by the Law of Moses;
Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? NOT WHILE CIRCUMCISED,BUT WHILE UNCIRCUMCISED. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, THOUGH THEY ARE UNCIRCUMCISED, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
Romans 4:9-12 (NKJV)
The fact that within Romans 4, Abraham is said to be justified not by the Law of Moses (not by works) and that Abraham was justified before Circumcision destroys Ellen G. White’s false religion. This passage alone, with many other passages condemning the claim that the Law of Moses is required for Justification disproves this false claim.
If one can be Justified via the Law of Moses, you have created a contradiction within Scripture. Since Abraham is justified prior to the giving of Circumcision.
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