“God’s Justice for the Sinful Human Free Will in Ellen G. White’s Understanding”

Abstract

There is a mixed soteriological concept among the Seventh-day Adventists (SDA). Some have emphasized human effort by saying that they have a choice to be saved. Others have argued that salvation is basically legal (forensic) justification, and that human sanctification is vicariously achieved through Christ’s perfect life; Meanwhile, others downplay human effort by believing that ‘Jesus does it all’—thus, human’s part is to sit back and enjoy the ride once we have accepted Jesus. This suggests that the unity of doctrine among the SDA believers must be revisited. This paper tries to answer White’s view on human free will before and after the creation of humanity 
and its relationship to hamartiology, anthropology, and soteriology. Her view promotes divine-human synergism. However, she affirms that humanity has no part in their salvation. God’s justice is in the form of a grace that comes before the human free will to enable it to respond to the salvation offered.