Timothy Morse Relt 100 Dr. Gallos Book Review 4.18.

2011 Steps to Christ In her famous work Steps to Christ, Ellen White crafted one of the most definitive, yet simple explanations of basic Christianity, the character of God, the plan of salvation, and the Christian walk through life. From the beginnings emphasis on Gods love for mankind to the endings resolution regarding the joy in a Christian life, White expresses concepts and ideas replete with biblical support in a manner easy to understand. The information disclosed within the pages is equally valuable to curious non-believers, new Christians, and life-long believers alike. Through the presentation of a portrait of the life of Jesus, White helps to illustrate, as the title implies, the steps to Christ. From the beginning of the book, Ellen White addresses one of the most fundamental questions about humanity: What is the human problem, and what is the solution? In the chapter entitled The Sinners Need of Christ, White identifies the source of everything wrong in the world: Sin. The human problem is rooted in the sinful nature that is present throughout this fallen world. White continues to explain that not only are we incapable of changing our hearts, but that we are powerless to affect any sort of spiritual change in and of ourselves. Christ is the source of all good things, and we must allow ourselves to become a conduit, as we cannot ever become the source. The every-day solution to the human problem, therefore, is a constant connection with God; an uninterrupted state of communion wherein we allow ourselves to be changed by His working within us. The ultimate solution to the problem of sin, however, was accomplished by Christs death upon the cross where sin and death were stripped of their power.

So how do we accept the gift that Christ offers to us daily? How do we enter into that communion with God and allow Him to take care of our troubled humanity? In short, mankind is forever asking the question How can sinners be saved? In the chapters entitled Repentance and Confession, White outlines the plan of salvation, and how mans heart can only be truly repentant with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Great majorities of people feel repentance for the consequences of sin, but true, heartfelt sorrow is only possible through allowing Christ to inhabit the self, and illuminate the flaws of our character. In keeping with scripture, sinners can only be saved by allowing Christ to be their personal atonement for sin payment for the costs demanded by sin (Romans 6:23). For those that seek a more philosophical focus, White also discusses some of the key concepts espoused in Christianity, notably the ideas of faith and grace. Faith, she says, is allowing ourselves to take God at His word, and believing that He truly does pardon each of us individually. When we come to the Lord, we are not on probation, or being watched to determine our fitness we must have faith that God will do as He has said. That when we claim Gods offer and promise of salvation through Jesus, we have been made one with Him, and He needs no more proof to save us from our iniquities. It is this facet of Gods character that best epitomizes his immeasurable grace. His grace and love, almost a singular entity, are never in short supply. As 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. If we believe that we are strong enough on our own, we have ceased to be connected to Gods continual outpouring of grace. So where is the Christian to go after claiming the forgiveness and grace of Christ? How does the life of the Christian adapt to the love of Jesus? How does our faith merge with our obedience to Gods law? White suggests that our obedience to the law of God is, itself, an act of faith that our acceptance of His rule in the actions of our lives will result in a plan far greater than we could conceive on our own. We must accept that there are things we will never understand, and yet God will continue to provide

and care for His children, and we will receive the greatest blessing from that path relative to our obedience to Gods law, which is a literal representation of His love. From a personal standpoint, this book is powerfully challenging. In the simplest of ways, White manages to cover and discuss the major points of the gift of salvation, as well as the pitfalls that await all believers at some stage in their spiritual life. White sets the framework for a life in communion with Christ, aware of His incredible love for humanity, and actively seeking to be closer to Him. Even those that have experienced a personal, spiritual walk with Christ are reminded of the truly awesome nature of the plan of redemption, and the unerring and unfailing love of God towards humanity. Through the entirety of her work, White communicates what I would interpret to be the most important foundation of a fulfilling Christian life: a complete and total reliance on Christ. White reminds us that we must both give all that we are to Christ, and take into our being all that He is. For without Him we possess no strength, no righteousness, no power of obedience, and no chance at resisting the sinful temptations of the devil. Never should we let the mind dwell on self, but rather it should maintain a focus on God the source of all good in our lives. It is with this emphasis on the forsaking of self and acceptance of Christ to work within us a reminder present in nearly every page, that Ellen White has truly encapsulated the essence of what it means to be a Christian.