"the Protestant. “The one class of religions are those which men have invented, in all of which man saves himself by ceremonies and good works; the other is that one religion which is revealed in the Bible, and which teaches man to look for salvation solely from the free grace of God.” GC 220.1"
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
The passage emphasizes salvation through God's grace, contrasting it with salvation through works, which aligns with the core message of Ephesians 2:8 about salvation being a gift of God's grace through faith.
"“I will have none of your new doctrines,” exclaimed Calvin; “think you that I have lived in error all my days?”—Wylie, b. 13, ch. 7. GC 220.2"
"And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter."
Calvin's rejection of 'new doctrines' echoes the reaction of some Athenians to Paul's teachings about the resurrection, showing a similar resistance to unfamiliar religious ideas.
"But thoughts had been awakened in his mind which he could not banish at will. Alone in his chamber he pondered upon his cousin's words. Conviction of sin fastened upon him; he saw himself, without an intercessor, in the presence of a holy and just Judge. The mediation of saints, good works, the ceremonies of the church, all were powerless to atone for sin. He could see before him nothing but the blackness of eternal despair. In vain the doctors of the church endeavored to relieve his woe. Confession, penance, were resorted to in vain; they could not reconcile the soul with God. GC 220.3"
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
The EGW passage explicitly states that good works and ceremonies are powerless to atone for sin, mirroring the principle in Romans 3:20 that justification is not achieved through deeds of the law. The connection is direct and supports the core argument in both texts.