THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN OF SALVATION
WAS FOR THE WHOLE UNIVERSE
by: E.G. White
Selected Quotes

1. "The plan of redemption had a much broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the earth, it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vindicate the character of God before the universe. To this result of His great sacrifice--its influence upon the intelligences of other worlds. as well as upon man--the Saviour looked foward when just before his crucifixion He said Now is the judgment of this world. nor shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me (John 12 31.32) The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not onlv make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and his Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan It would establish the perpetuity of the law of God, and would reveal the nature and the results of sin " (Patriarchs & Prophets p.68,69 - 1899)


2. "By coming to dwell with us. Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels. . . Not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe " (Desire of Ages, p.19 -1898)
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3. "To the angels and the unfallen worlds the crs~. It is finished.' had a deep significance It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished " (Desire of Ages. p.758 - 1899)


4. "Then the end will come. God will vindicate His law and deliver His people. Satan and all who have joined him in rebellion will be cut off' Sin and sinners will perish, root and branch (NI vol 4. ),--Satan the root. and his followers the branches. The word will be fulfilled to the prince of evil, Because thou has set thine heart as the heart of God, I will destroy thee, 0 covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire . . Thou shalt be a terror. and never shalt thou be any more Then the wicked shall not be yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be." they shall be as though they had not been (Ezek. 28:6-19; Ps. 37:10; Obadiah 1:6)


5. "This is not an act of arbitrars po~er on the part of God The rejecters of His mercy reap that which they have sown. God is the fountain of life, and when one chooses the service of sin, he separates from God, and thus cuts himself off from life. He is alienated from the life of God. Christ says. "All they that hate me love death." (Eph. 4:18, Prov. 8:36)
   God gives them existence for a time that they may develop their character and reveal their principles. This accomplished, they receive the results of their own choice By a life of rebellion. Satan and all who unite with him place themselves so out of harmony with God that His very presence is to them a consuming fire The glory of Him who is Iove will destroy them.
   "At the beginning of the great controversy, the angels did not understand this. Had Satan and his host then been left to reap the full result oftheir sin, they would have perished. but it would not have been apparent to heavenly beings that this was the inevitable result of sin. A doubt of God's goodness would have remained in their minds as evil seed. to reproduce its deadly fruit of sin and \\~OC.
   But not so when the great controversy shall be ended. Then, the plan of redemption having been completed. the character of God is revealed to all created intelligences The precepts of His law are seen to be perfect and immutable. Then sin has made manifest its nature. Satan his character. Then the extermination of sin will vindicate God's love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. "Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour's cross, for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out, "It is finished." (Desire of Ages p.763,764 - 1898)


6. "From the beginning it has been Satan's studied plan to cause men to forget God, that he might secure them to himself Hence he has sought to misrepresent the character of God. to lead men to cherish a false conception of Him. The Creator has been presented to their minds as clothed with the attributes of the prince of evil himself--as arbitrary, severe, and unforgiving,--that He might be feared, shunned, and even hated by men. Satan hoped to so confuse the minds of those whom he had deceived that they would put God out of their knowledge. Then he would obliterate the divine image in man and impress his own likeness upon the soul, he would imbue men with his own spirit and make them captives according to his will " ST 738(1889)
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7. "It is beyond the power of the human mind to estimate the evil which has been wrought by the heresy of eternal torment. The religion of the Bible, full of love and goodness, and abounding in compassion, is darkened by superstition and clothed with terror." When we consider in what false colors Satan has painted the character of God. can we wonder that our merciful Creator is feared, dreaded. and even hated? The appalling views of God which have spread over the world from the teachings of the pulpit have made thousands. yes millions, of skeptics and infidels. "The theory of etemal torment is one of the false doctrines that constitute the wine of the abomination of Babylon, of which she makes all nations drink." (Rev. 14:8,17:2) Great Controversy p.536 - 1888)


8. "That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. (QOD p.680)


9. "The angels ascribe honor and glory' to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven . .
   "The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb." (Signs of the Times December 30, 1889; 25T 3451 1 (5BC 1132, 7aBC 252)


10. "For centuries God looked with patience and forbearance upon the cruel treatment given to His ambassadors; at His holy law prostrate, despised, trampled underfoot. He swept away the inhabitants of the Noachian world with a flood. But when the earth was again peopled, drew away from God. and renewed their hostility to Him, manifesting defiance. Those whom God rescued from Egyptian bondage followed footsteps of those who had preceded them. Cause was followed by effect; the earth was being corrupted, "A crisis had arrived in the government of God. All heaven was prepared at the w'ord of God to move to the help of His elect. One word from Him and the bolts of heaven would have fallen upon the earth, filling it with fire and flame. God had but to speak, and there would have be thunderings and lightnings and earthquakes and destruction."
    "The heavenly intelligences were prepared for a fearful manifestation of Almighty power Every move was watched with intense anxiety. The exercise ofjustice was expected. The angels looked for to punish inhabitants of the earth.
    "The heavenly universe was amazed at God's patience and love. To save fallen humanity the Son of God took humanity upon Himself Review' and Herald July 17, 1900 (4RH 2011 4 - 201 2.1)


11. "Through the plan of salvation a larger purpose is to be wrought, more even than the salvation of man and the redemption of the earth. Through the revelation of the character of God in Christ the beneficence of the divine government would be manifested before the universe, the character Satan refuted, the nature and result of sin made plain. and the perpetuity of the law fully demonstrated.


12. "For all depends on truth in God." (Signs of the Times, Dec. }{\fs16 22. }{\fs18 191 (45T 529:1.4) "The work of God's dear Son in undertaking to link the created with the Uncreated, the finite with the Infinite, in His own divine Person is subject that may well employ our thoughts for a lifetime. This work Christ was to confirm the beings of other worlds in their innocency and loyalty, as well as to save the lost and perishing of this world. He opened a way for the disobedient to return their allegiance to God, will, by the same act, He placed a safeguard around those who were already that they might not become polluted.
    "While we rejoice that there are worlds which have never fallen, these worlds render praise. and honor, and glors' to Jesus Christ for the plar redemption to save the fallen sons of Adam, as well as to confirm themselves in their position and character of purity The arm that rais~ the human family from the ruin which Satan had brought upon the rac through his temptations, is the arm which has presersed the inhabitant other worlds from sin Every world throughout immensity' engages th and support of the Father and the Son, and this care is constantly exercised for fallen humanity. Christ is mediating in behalf of man, and the order of unseen worlds also is preserved by His mediatorial work. not these themes of sufficient magnitude and importance to engage our thoughts, and call forth our gratitude and adoration to God." (Reviev Herald. Vol. 1, p.248.2.3.4 January II. 1881 (see NIYP 254)


13. "To turn away from heaven's light and refuse the light-bearer, is take a course similar to that which Satan took in the courts of heaven when he created rebellion in the ranks of the angels. He misrepresented the character of God, and placed in a false light His gracious commandments. He evaded the truth. and subtly worked to make good appear as evil, and evil as good. He has lost none of his tact and through his agents manifests the same diplomacy and skill in evading truth, in creating false issues, in misrepresenting the message and the Messenger. Not only do we see his working in the world among those who openly oppose the truth, but also in the church his art is manifested in the divisions and controversies among those who profess to be the children of God." (Review and Herald. Vol 2. p. 604 -October 18, 1892 )


14. "Satan has ascribed to God all the evils to which the flesh is heir. He has represented Him as a God who delights in the sufferings of His creatures, who is revengeful and implacable. It was Satan who originated the doctrine of eternal torment as a punishment for sin, because in this way he would lead men into infidelity and rebellion, distract souls, and dethrone the human reason. "Heaven, looking down, and seeing the delusions into which men were led, knew that a divine Instructor must come to earth. Men in ignorance and moral darkness must have light, spiritual light, for the world knew not God, and He must be revealed to their understanding Truth looked down from heaven, and saw not the reflection of her image. for dense clouds of moral darkness and gloom enveloped the world, and the Lord Jesus alone was able to roll back the clouds, for He was the light of the world. By His presence He could dissipate the gloomy shadows that Satan had cast between man and God. Darkness covered the earth. and gross darkness the people. Through the accumulated misrepresentations of the enemy, many were so deceived that they worshiped a false god, clothed with the attributes of the satanic character." (Review and Herald. Vol. 2. p 529)

Mrs. E. G. White

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