Based on the writings of Ellen White, salvation is unequivocally by grace through faith, not by works. However, true faith will always be demonstrated by a life of obedience and good works. Here’s a breakdown of the key principles: **1. Salvation is a Gift of Grace, Not Earned by Works** Ellen White is clear that human efforts cannot earn salvation. Our works are inherently flawed and insufficient to bring us into harmony with God. * “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” (MH 65.2) * "He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy." (SC 59.4) * "The merits of a crucified and risen Saviour are the foundation of the Christian's faith." (GC 73.1) **2. We Are Utterly Helpless Without Christ** Our only plea before God is our need for His redeeming power. We have nothing in ourselves to recommend us to Him. * "We have nothing to recommend us to God; the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition, which makes His redeeming power a necessity." (DA 317.1) **3. Faith is the Means of Receiving Grace** While grace is the source of salvation, faith is the hand that accepts this divine gift. * "Faith is the hand by which the soul takes hold upon the divine offers of grace and mercy." (PP 431.2) **4. Works are the Evidence of True Faith** A saving faith is not merely a belief; it is an active, living principle that results in a changed life. Obedience and good works are the natural fruit of a genuine connection with Christ. * "Man is to be saved by faith, not by works; yet his faith must be shown by his works." (PP 279.1) * "Religion consists in doing the words of Christ; not doing to earn God's favor, but because, all undeserving, we have received the gift of His love. Christ places the salvation of man, not upon profession merely, but upon faith that is made manifest in works of righteousness." (MB 149.2) In summary, you are not saved *by* your works, but a person who is truly saved *will* work. Salvation is a free gift received through faith in Christ's sacrifice, and a life of obedience is the loving response and evidence of that salvation.

Based on the writings of Ellen White, the love of God the Father for humanity is a theme of infinite and profound significance. It is described as boundless, tender, and beyond full human comprehension. Here are some key aspects of the Father's love: **1. Incomprehensible and Infinite** Ellen White emphasizes that human language and understanding are inadequate to fully grasp the depth of God's love. * "All the paternal love which has come down from generation to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but as a tiny rill to the boundless ocean when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God. Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it." (5T 740.1) * "You may study that love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of the love of God in giving His Son to die for the world. Eternity itself can never fully reveal it." (5T 740.1) **2. Demonstrated Through the Gift of Christ** The ultimate evidence of the Father's love is the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. This act places an immeasurable value on every human being. * "The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly Father in giving His Son to die for us, should give us exalted conceptions of what we may become through Christ." (SC 15.1) * Failing to find adequate words, the apostle John could only exclaim, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” (4T 563.2) **3. A Tender, Paternal, and Compassionate Love** God is portrayed not as a stern judge waiting to condemn, but as a loving Father filled with pity and compassion for His children. * “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.” (5T 315.3) * He is described as "a Father waiting with yearning love to receive the returning prodigal, not hurling at him accusations of wrath, but preparing a feast to welcome his return." (GW 157.3) * This love is a "tender pity surpassing a mother's yearning sympathy for her wayward child." (SC 15.2) **4. Revealed in Nature** The natural world is also a testament to the Creator's love and care for all His creatures. * "Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love. Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of joy. Look at the wonderful and beautiful things of nature... The sunshine and the rain, that gladden and refresh the earth, the hills and seas and plains, all speak to us of the Creator's love." (SC 9) In essence, Ellen White presents the Father's love as the foundational truth of the universe. It is a "theme for the most profound meditation" (SC 15.2) that has the power to transform the heart and bring the mind "into captivity to the will of God." (SC 15.2)