It is apparent that some elements of Ellen White's understanding
of the atonement are implicit in the great controversy theme,
but further clarification is necessary. Her teaching on the
atonement was essentially a further working out of the theme of
the justice and mercy as the two essential sides to the coin of
God's character of love. Furthermore, in her teaching the term
atonement was very comprehensive. It was used to express all
that the Trinity has done, is doing, and will do to reconcile
sinners (6T 364). For the reader who has sampled widely in her
writings, such a broad view of the atonement might seem a bit
elementary. But in the setting of the emerging Adventist
discussion of the atonement, her views are quite Early Adventist
Views on the Atonement In the early days of Seventh-day
Adventism certain influential writers were quite explicit that
the atonement did not refer to Christ's death on the cross, but
only to His work in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary since October 22, 1844 (see