righteousness

White Robes of Righteousness, Part I

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In studying about the final events and the final hour in which we are living, the following statement came to my attention: “The bright light going among the living creatures with the swiftness of lightning represents the speed with which this work will finally go forward to completion.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 754. Ellen White is referring in this statement to Ezekiel 1:13, part of a vision given to Ezekiel. Other references about lightning in the Bible reveal something outstanding. Matthew 28:3, speaking of the angel of the Lord, states: “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.” Why should this be mentioned? Let us consider and study this phrase and its meaning in this mighty final hour.

  1. Angels. Angels mentioned in the New Testament were dressed in white: “raiment white as snow,” Matthew 28:3; “long white garment,” Mark 16:5; “two angels in white,” John 20:12; “two men [angels] stood by them in white apparel,” Acts 1:10; “the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen,” Revelation 15:6.
  2. Jesus Christ. At the time Jesus Christ our Redeemer was transfigured, “His raiment was white as the light.” Matthew 17:2. Mark 9:3 states, “His raiment became shining, exceedingly white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.” Luke 9:29 says that as Jesus prayed, “His raiment [was] white [and] glistering.” In Revelation 1:13, 14, we read that the Son of man was clothed with a garment down to the foot, and “His head and [His] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow.”
  3. The Father. Consider now the Father, the Ancient of Days. “The Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool.” Daniel 7:9. Verse 13 tells that the Son of man joined the Ancient of days. John saw a “great white throne,” Revelation 20:11, before which man was judged, “every man according to their works.” Verse 13.
  4.  24 Elders. In Revelation 4:4, the 24 elders are “clothed in white raiment” around the throne of God.
  5. Heaven’s Horses. White signifies purity, cleanliness, godliness, and holiness and righteousness of the Lamb of God. We see in Revelation 19:11 that Jesus is riding a white horse, and that “the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” Verses 7, 8. Verse 14 tells us, “The armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”
  6. Coming of Jesus. Ellen White wrote: “Our eyes were drawn to the east, for a small black cloud had appeared, about half as large as a man’s hand, which we all knew was the sign of the Son of man. We all in solemn silence gazed on the cloud as it drew nearer and became lighter, glorious, and still more glorious, till it was a great white cloud.” Early Writings, 15. Revelation 19:11-16 describes the coming of the Lord with the angelic host dressed in white. Revelation 14:14 tells us that the Son of man is coming on a white cloud. Revelation 19:17-21 describes the destruction of the wicked who preferred to wear fig-leaf garments of their own devising to their final destruction, rather than the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness and eternal life.
  7. Earth’s Human Family. As we consider the heavenly beings the Father, the Son, and the angelic hosts as white as snow¾what does this mean to humanity and to God’s people? White is maximum lightness, holiness, godliness; it is heavenly. White is in stark contrast to black, which signifies darkness, wickedness, and hell.

When fresh snow has fallen, it is sparkling white without spot or blemish whatsoever. What God is longing to teach the human family in darkness on this earth is the contrast to the light, white heavenly atmosphere. However, before we can be dressed in garments of white in heaven, we must have garments of white on earth. If heavenly beings are dressed in all white, what does God expect of the human family?

From the Beginning

Let us begin our study at the beginning creation. Genesis 2:7 and verses 21-25 state that the Lord God created Adam and Eve, and both were naked but not ashamed. “The white robe of innocence was worn by our first parents when they were placed by God in holy Eden. They lived in perfect conformity to the will of God. All the strength of their affections was given to their heavenly Father. A beautiful soft light, the light of God, enshrouded the holy pair. This robe of light was a symbol of their spiritual garments of heavenly innocence. Had they remained true to God it would ever have continued to enshroud them. But when sin entered, they severed their connection with God, and the light that had encircled them departed. Naked and ashamed, they tried to supply the place of the heavenly garments by sewing together fig leaves for a covering.

“This is what the transgressors of God’s law have done ever since the day of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. They have sewed together fig leaves to cover the nakedness caused by transgression. They have worn the garments of their own devising, by works of their own they have tried to cover their sins, and make themselves acceptable with God.

“But this they can never do. Nothing can man devise to supply the place of his lost robe of innocence. No fig-leaf garment, no worldly citizen-dress, can be worn by those who sit down with Christ and angels at the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 311.

Adam and Eve had the white robe of innocence, the robe of light, garments of heavenly innocence, until sin entered. They possessed the white robe of heavenly purity and godliness. All heavenly beings and the contents of heaven are associated with white.

Then Came “Knowledge”

“Adam and Eve both ate of the fruit, and obtained a knowledge which, had they obeyed God, they would never have had,¾an experience in disobedience and disloyalty to God,¾the knowledge that they were naked. The garment of innocence, a covering from God, which surrounded them, departed; and they supplied the place of this heavenly garment by sewing together fig-leaves for aprons.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1084.

“Had Adam and Eve never disobeyed their Creator, had they remained in the path of perfect rectitude, they could have known and understood God. But when they listened to the voice of the tempter, and sinned against God, the light of the garments of heavenly innocence departed from them; and in parting with the garments of innocence, they drew about them the dark robes of ignorance of God. The clear and perfect light that had hitherto surrounded them had lightened everything they approached; but deprived of that heavenly light, the posterity of Adam could no longer trace the character of God in His created works.” Ibid.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they saw their nakedness immediately, and sewed fig leaves as garments. This was their own devising. (Genesis 3:6, 7.) “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou [wast] naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” Genesis 3:8-11.

Adam and Eve were hiding. As God looked for them, Adam indicated that they were afraid, because they were naked. Adam’s sin revealed it all; both to him and to us today.

Mercy of God

What a loving God we have, however, for He declared to the serpent, in verse 15, “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” God presented the gospel that though Christ would suffer for humanity’s sake on the cross (bruise His heel), Satan will suffer destruction by the cross (head to be bruised). This gave hope to Adam and to the human family. God lovingly made a coat of skins for Adam and Eve to replace the fig-leaf aprons. (Genesis 3:21.) How much God cares for His created beings!

“When the curse was pronounced upon the earth and upon man, in connection with the curse was a promise that through Christ there was hope and pardon for the transgression of God’s law. Although gloom and darkness hung, like the pall of death, over the future, yet in the promise of the Redeemer, the Star of hope lighted up the dark future. The gospel was first preached to Adam by Christ. Adam and Eve felt sincere sorrow and repentance for their guilt. They believed the precious promise of God, and were saved from utter ruin.” Review and Herald, April 29, 1875.

God pleads with His people today, through the revelation of the cross, with mercy and love. He desires the human family to reveal Christ and His righteousness. God realizes our deep need and identifies our problems and our needs.

Rags to Robes

“But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6.

An example of God’s mercy is given in Zechariah 3:3, 4. When Joshua the high priest was shown clothed with filthy garments, the Lord said, “Take away the filthy garments. . . . Thine iniquity is passed from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of garments.” So also will God take our filthy garments and we will be new creatures in Christ (11 Corinthians 5:17), and we will walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:4).

“None are so low, so corrupt and vile, that they cannot find in Jesus, who died for them, strength, purity, and righteousness, if they will put away their sins, cease their course of iniquity, and turn with full purpose of heart to the living God. He is waiting to strip them of their garments, stained and polluted by sin, and to put upon them the white, bright robes of righteousness; and He bids them live and not die.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 453.

“This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. ‘All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.’ Isaiah 64:6. Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin. But the Son of God ‘was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.’ Sin is defined to be ‘the transgression of the law.’ 1 John 3:5, 4. But Christ was obedient to every requirement of the law. He said of Himself, ‘I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.’ Psalm 40:8. When on earth, He said to His disciples, ‘I have kept My Father’s commandments.’ John 15:10. By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 311, 312.

“He [God] would have us comprehend something of His love in giving His Son to die that He might counteract evil, remove the defiling stains of sin from the workmanship of God, and reinstate the lost, elevating and ennobling the soul to its original purity through Christ’s imputed righteousness. The only way in which the fallen race could be restored was through the gift of His Son, equal with Himself, possessing the attributes of God.” That I May Know Him, 206.

God desires to restore us to the original purity of the white robe of innocence. He will change our robes of human devising, the fig-leaf garments, to His robe of righteousness, which is whiter than snow. God is longing, waiting with long patience, that His people be clothed with His perfect character, the garment of righteousness, for His coming draweth nigh.

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5:7, 8. Today is our opportunity to form this holy, righteous character for the eternal home.

Garments of Salvation

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10. God is longing to clothe His people¾He gives them the garment of salvation. Notice again¾to clothe us with the garment of salvation.

“Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2.

The garment of salvation reveals that God is our salvation, whom we trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. Thereby, we are not afraid, for God is our strength and our song, and He has become our salvation.

As stated in Isaiah 61:10, the Lord has covered us with the robe of righteousness; that is, His white raiment. We are totally in Christ, and He has become our salvation, our hope, and our guide for eternity.

Preparation

God offers much to get us started, prepared to wear that white robe. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18. Notice the longing of God to remove all sin. Notice the phrase, “white as snow,” and the word, “wool.” These are the characteristics of God the Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour mentioned above in the Word of God. They long to pass on to God’s people these qualities and purity.

David was convicted, and he longed for a clean heart and to be purged and to be whiter than snow. “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:2, 7, 10. He longed to be recreated with a clean heart and to be renewed.

“When the light from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, that has defiled every act of life. Then we shall know that our own righteousness is indeed as filthy rags, and that the blood of Christ alone can cleanse us from the defilement of sin, and renew our hearts in His own likeness.” Conflict and Courage, 292.

God’s Longing

From Isaiah 57:14, 15, we read that God “Shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name [is] Holy; I dwell in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Do not hinder anyone from growing and working in and for the Lord, for God is longing to revive His people with a humble and contrite spirit and to wash us with His own blood. “And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Revelation 1:5. Not only are we washed and regenerated by Christ our Saviour, but we are also being renewed by the Holy Spirit for the hope of eternal life: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7.

“He [Jesus] made the infinite sacrifice, not only that sin might be removed, but that human nature might be restored, rebeautified, reconstructed from its ruins, and made fit for the presence of God.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 537.

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire.” Matthew 3:11. Jesus was preparing to be baptized by John the Baptist. John the Baptist, realizing the solemnity of the baptism of Christ, proclaimed that Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire, which cleanses us and purifies from all earthliness. Verse 16 shows the work of the Holy Spirit. He descended on Jesus like a dove, as Jesus was being baptized, to demonstrate how we must be “born again.” Read John 3:3-8.

If we were born again but drifted away, we should be rebaptized. “The Lord calls for a decided reformation. And when a soul is truly reconverted, let him be rebaptized. Let him renew his covenant with God, and God will renew His covenant with him. . . . Reconversion must take place among the members, that as God’s witnesses they may testify to the authoritative power of the truth that sanctifies the soul.” Evangelism, 375.

“If we would be overcomers, we must search our hearts to be sure that we are not cherishing anything that is offensive to God. If we are, we cannot wear the white raiment that is here promised. If we would stand before God in the white linen, which is the righteousness of the saints, we must now do the work of overcoming.” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 138.

“Let us each examine ourselves carefully to see if we are in the faith; let us be diligent to make sure work for eternity. Jesus says that he will confess the name of the overcomer before his Father, and before the holy angels. If we would have our names honored before the heavenly host in the day of God, we must obtain the white raiment now. We must clothe ourselves with humility as with a garment. Every step heavenward must be a step of humility.” Ibid., 139.

To be continued . . .

A real estate broker in Collegedale, Tennessee, for 15 years, Bill Humeniuk decided to retire early so he would be able to spend more time in Bible study and working for the Lord. Five years ago, he started Advent Hope Ministries, Inc., which is primarily a “Bibles for Africa” project. He may be contacted by e-mail at: adventhope@hughes.net or at: www.biblesforafrica.org.

White Robes of Righteousness, Part II

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From the Scriptures, we read that God desires His people to be perfect, without spot or blemish: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 11 Peter 3:13, 14.

“Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27.

“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 214.

“Those who, through faith in the merits of the blood of Christ, have clean hands and a pure heart, will receive the white robe, the crown of righteousness, and the life that will run parallel with the life of God. There is no limit to the blessings that we may receive in answer to sincere, fervent prayer. The love of God to fallen man is measureless, and if our Father sees that we will not be lifted up with the blessings he has power to bestow upon us, but will receive them with humble and grateful hearts, he will abundantly grant unto us our requests. He says: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ [Matthew 7:7, 8.]” The Signs of the Times, December 23, 1889.

Soul Made White

“He [the Lord] desires us to seek for a pure, clean soul, a soul washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. It is the white robe of Christ’s righteousness that gives the sinner admittance into the presence of the heavenly angels. Not the color of his hair, but his perfect obedience to all God’s commandments, opens to him the gates of the Holy City.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 920.

“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:3, 4. Although Sardis specifically was asked to not defile their garments, this also pertains to all of God’s people. He is requesting that we walk with Him in white, to overcome, and to be clothed in white raiment. If we do this, our names will be retained in the book of life. Praise the Lord! The Lord’s white raiment is retained without one spot, defilement, or blemish. This is Christ’s righteousness and eternal life.

“Angels of God are weighing moral worth. They are watching the development of character in those now living, to see if their names can be retained in the book of life. A probation is granted us in which to wash our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. Who is doing this work? Who is separating from himself sin and selfishness?” Ibid., 960.

For Eternity

The Laodicean Church is described in Revelation 3 as being lukewarm, having need of nothing, feeling that they are okay. However, God tells them they are wretched and naked. (Verse 9.) They are not clothed with the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness. In verse 18, Jesus Himself appeals to them, “Buy of me . . . white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.” These verses say much more, but we are dwelling only on the subject of raiment—not to be naked, but clothed in Christ Jesus. Christ continues, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Verses 21, 22. God is pleading with His people, with the church of Laodicea, to listen, to hear Him. “I love you,” He is saying, “and I desire you to be with Me for eternity.”

“The gold of faith and love, the white raiment of a spotless character, and the eyesalve, or the power of clear discernment between good and evil¾all these we must obtain before we can hope to enter the kingdom of God. But these precious treasures will not drop upon us without some exertion on our part. We must buy¾we must ‘be zealous and repent’ [Revelation 3:19] of our lukewarm state. We must be awake to see our wrongs, to search for our sins, and to put them away from us. . . .” Our High Calling, 351.

“Again and again has the voice from heaven addressed you. Will you obey this voice? Will you heed the counsel of the True Witness to seek the gold tried in the fire, the white raiment, and the eyesalve? The gold is faith and love, the white raiment is the righteousness of Christ, the eyesalve is that spiritual discernment which will enable you to see the wiles of Satan and shun them, to detect sin and abhor it, to see truth and obey it.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 233.

Those who are lukewarm are not in a hopeless state. There is a chance to remedy their state. “The Laodicean message is full of encouragement; for the backslidden church may yet buy the gold of faith and love, may yet have the white robe of the righteousness of Christ, that the shame of their nakedness need not appear. Purity of heart, purity of motive, may yet characterize those who are halfhearted and who are striving to serve God and mammon. They may yet wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Review and Herald, August 28, 1894.

“Now He [Jesus] stands at the door of the heart as a heavenly merchantman; He says, ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.’ [Revelation 3:20.] ‘Open unto me; buy of me the heavenly wares; buy of me the gold tried in the fire.’ Buy faith and love, the precious, beautiful attributes of our Redeemer, which will enable us to find our way into the hearts of those who do not know Him, who are cold and alienated from Him through unbelief and sin. He invites us to buy the white raiment, which is His glorious righteousness; and the eyesalve, that we may discern spiritual things. Oh, shall we not open the heart’s door to this heavenly visitor?” Bible Echo, January 15, 1892.

“The gold that Jesus would have us buy of Him is gold tried in the fire; it is the gold of faith and love, that has no defiling substance mingled with it. The white raiment is the righteousness of Christ, the wedding garment which Christ alone can give. The eyesalve is the true spiritual discernment that is so wanting among us, for spiritual things must be spiritually discerned.” Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.

“The counsel of the true Witness is full of encouragement and comfort. . . . Purity of heart, purity of motive, will characterize every one who is washing his robe, and making it white in the blood of the Lamb.” Ibid., July 24, 1888.

“Let thy garments be always white.” Ecclesiastes 9:8. Solomon understood living in the Lord and lived to His glory during the last years of his reign. For years he had lived in sin, and he had learned that it was all vanity. He returned to the Lord in his old age, appealing to God’s people to keep their garments white, which is for eternity¾part of heaven and Christ’s righteousness.

The Dark Days

It would perhaps be helpful to review briefly the dark days of the 1260 year period mentioned in Daniel 11:29-36. We cannot here discuss the details of the horror for God’s people or the innumerable martyrs during this period of the papal rule, but read verse 35: “And [some] of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make [them] white, [even] to the time of the end: because [it is] yet for a time appointed.” Yes, some fell. The faithful were tried and purged of sin and worldliness. Purification followed; they were cleaned and made “white” until the time of the end. The 1260 years ended in 1798.

All of God’s faithful faced tribulation and purging. Praise God! They were clothed in white robes of Christ’s righteousness.

“Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:10. Here again it is mentioned that during the 1260 years (see verses 7, 9) many would be purified and made white by trials and tribulation. They were wise and understood.

Twice Daniel mentions the details of the 1260 years: God’s people understood the trials and the purging; they were tried, purged or purified, and made white. Was it worth it? Millions of God’s faithful understood and were made white.

John the Revelator, speaking of Jesus, said: “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled.” Revelation 6:9-11.

John also reveals during the fifth seal how God’s people were martyred, slain for the Word of God. They pled, “How long” will this continue, in verse 10. Ultimately, they all received a gift white robes and rested in the grave for a while, waiting for the resurrection to be robed in white for eternity.

Now is the Time

Now that we have arrived at and passed the “time of the end”¾1798 and on¾it definitely appears that the “end of time” has arrived. Mrs. White, through the Holy Spirit, pleads with God’s people that now is the time: “It is now that we must keep ourselves and our children unspotted from the world. It is now that we must wash our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is now that we must overcome pride, passion, and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake and make determined effort for symmetry of character. ‘Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.’ [Hebrews 3:15.] We are in a most trying position, waiting, watching for our Lord’s appearing. The world is in darkness. ‘But ye, brethren,’ says Paul, ‘are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.’ [1 Thessalonians 5:4.] It is ever God’s purpose to bring light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow, and rest out of weariness for the waiting, longing soul.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 215, 216.

In the final hour, just before probation closes, a trying situation will occur among God’s people. “The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out¾the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. . . . The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 911.

Now that God’s people, after much preparation, have washed their robes of character and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, they are ready for the final hour. The remnant are waiting, watching, and longing for the Lord’s appearing. They are without spot or stain of sin and exhibit the beauty of holiness.

Finally an announcement is made that the marriage of the Lamb “is” come, and His wife, the church, hath made herself ready, and that she is clothed in fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of the saints. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” Revelation 19:7, 8.

Now that the saints have fully acquired the fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of Christ, and made herself ready, Jesus is coming to gather the remnant of His wife, the church, to that eternal home.

“God is the husband of His church. The church is the bride, the Lamb’s wife. Every true believer is a part of the body of Christ. Christ regards unfaithfulness shown to Him by His people as the unfaithfulness of a wife to her husband. We are to remember that we are members of Christ’s body.” Ibid., 985.

“The church is the bride, the Lamb’s wife. She should keep herself pure, sanctified, holy. Never should she indulge in any foolishness; for she is the bride of a King. Yet she does not realize her exalted position. If she understood this, she would be all-glorious within.” Ibid., 986.

“The church is the bride of Christ, and her members are to yoke up with their Leader. God warns us not to defile our garments.” Ibid., 986.

Humanity in Heaven

John the Revelator saw something that was pleasing to his experience with the vision. “I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” Revelation 7:9. He saw God’s people from all the ages before the throne. They were clothed in white robes with palms in their hands.

“The palms signify that they have gained the victory, and the white robes that they have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ. Thank God that a fountain has been opened to wash our robes of character, and make them as white as snow.” Ibid., 970. What a victorious people dressed in white!

“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:13.

One of the elders (verse 11) asks, “Who are those dressed in white?” “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Verse 14.

Yes, God’s dear people from earth are finally in heaven before God’s throne, victorious, dressed with white raiment, washed in the blood of the Lamb. They are clothed with God’s garments of white righteousness, holiness, purity, and godliness forever. In this final hour, pray that we may wear the robe of righteousness made white as snow by the blood of the Lamb.

‘“Those with whom Christ dwells will be surrounded with a divine atmosphere. Their white robes of purity will be fragrant with perfume from the garden of the Lord. Their faces will reflect light from His, brightening the path for stumbling and weary feet.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 135.

Heaven is Waiting

God the Father, Jesus Christ our Redeemer, the heavenly angels, the 24 elders around the throne of God, and even the symbolic horses of Jesus’ second coming are all white as snow. Now, heaven is waiting for humanity to possess the garments of heaven¾the clean, white raiment.

“Blessed [is] he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:15. This shame happened in the Garden of Eden; may it not happen in this final hour. May we reveal the character of God and His righteousness to the world with our white raiment of true primitive godliness, total purity, holiness, and righteousness with the character of Christ perfectly reproduced in us.

“God places before him [the ambitious man] the highest objects of ambition a spotless white robe, a crown studded with jewels, a scepter, a throne of glory, and honor that is as enduring as the throne of Jehovah. . . .

“Jesus presents a white robe, a crown of glory richer than any that ever decked the brow of a monarch, and titles above those of honored princes. The recompense for a life devoted to the service of Christ exceeds anything that the human imagination can grasp. Christ does not call upon men to lay aside their zeal, their desires for excellence and elevation, but He would have them seek, not for perishable treasure or fleeting honor, but for that which is enduring.” That I May Know Him, 91.

“The life of God in the soul is Christ in you a well of water springing up into everlasting life. This springing up into life will refresh all who connect with you. If your character is such that God can approve, it will be a complete Christian character filled with grace that is not assumed, but that has a natural growth. If your affections are obedient unto Christ your motives pure, there will be in your life, in your every day deportment, lessons of instruction to all around you. You will be living epistles known and read of all men. Your connection with God will lift you above every thing that has a debasing tendency, your pure and uncorrupted life will be ever pointing your . . . associates upward to God and heaven saying to them you must seek peace and purity and happiness from above. Jesus is the source of your comfort strength and fortitude, amid vexation, trials and grievous temptations. . . . They need to wash their robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb.” The Signs of the Times, February 7, 1878.

The songs of our hearts should be those of George Jackson, “A Heart Like Thine,” and Elisha A. Hoffman, “Are You Washed in the Blood?”

I want, dear Lord, a heart that’s true and clean;
A sunlit heart with not a cloud between.
A heart like Thine, a heart as white as snow;
On me, dear Lord, a heart like this bestow.
When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

May it be our desire in this final hour to be clothed in the white raiment, the robe of Christ’s righteousness, which we will wear and possess for eternity in our characters.

[All emphasis added.]

A real estate broker in Collegedale, Tennessee, for 15 years, Bill Humeniuk decided to retire early so he would be able to spend more time in Bible study and working for the Lord. Five years ago, he started Advent Hope Ministries, Inc., which is primarily a “Bibles for Africa” project. He may be contacted by e -mail at: adventhope@hughes.net or at: http://www.biblesforafrica.org.

The Worthlessness of Creature Merit, Part II

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The subject matter of this article—the answer to the question, What must I do to be saved?—is one upon which Ellen White told ministers they should dwell more than any other subject. Since she said to dwell on this subject more than any other subject, how much do you think it would be profitable for you and me to think about this subject? Ellen White told us something interesting about that: “Habitually dwelling upon Christ and His all-sufficient merits, increases faith, quickens the power of spiritual discernment, strengthens the desire to be like Him, and brings an earnestness into prayer that makes it efficacious.” Gospel Workers, 166.

Efficacious means that it works—“having the power to produce a desired effect.” Your prayers work! Would you like to have that experience? Would you like to become like Christ? Would you like your prayer life to become so earnest that your prayers will actually accomplish something? Well, she says that the way that will happen is if you are “habitually dwelling upon Christ and His all-sufficient merits.”

Do not forget that adjective, “all-sufficient.” It is everything that you need to be saved; it is the only thing you need to be saved. It is the thing that will save you, when you start to dwell on it. People become alarmed when preachers start talking about this. They say, “Oh, you are doing away with sanctification!” No, we are not doing away with sanctification. This is the way it happens.

God’s Blessings

Do we not all desire to have God’s blessings in our lives? How can we have God’s blessings in our lives? Here is the way:

“Looking unto Jesus and trusting in His merits we appropriate the blessings of light, of peace, of joy in the Holy Ghost. And in view of the great things which Christ has done for us, we are ready to exclaim: ‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.’ [1 John 3:1.]

“Brethren and sisters, it is by beholding that we become changed. By dwelling upon the love of God and our Saviour, by contemplating the perfection of the divine character and claiming the righteousness of Christ as ours by faith, we are to be transformed into the same image.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 744.

How are you ever going to come into the image of Christ? You will never come into the image of Christ by trying in your own strength, but if you contemplate the Divine character, if you spend your time thinking about the merits of Christ and the love of God, something is going to happen inside that is going to change you. It is something that you cannot do, but something that He will do.

In Part I of this article (October 2007), we began to consider some questions as to how this comes together. In summary:

  1. How can we be received by our heavenly Father and adopted into His family? (See The Acts of the Apostles, 333.)
  2. Whom will God accept? (See Selected Messages, Book 1, 354.)
  3. How much does the righteousness of Christ accomplish in our salvation? (See Faith and Works, 26.)
  4. So, what do we need to do to be saved? (See Evangelism, 185.)
  5. How are our sins going to be blotted out and we be clothed in Christ’s righteousness? (See Ibid., 186.)
  6. What is the only plea we need to make to be saved? (See Faith and Works, 106.)
  7. How should you plead your case to the Father? (See Ibid.)
  8. How often do we need to have the merits of Christ applied to our cases? (See Ibid., 86.)

Our Work

  1. What is our work? There has to be some kind of work. That was asked of Jesus too. The conversation is recorded in John 6:28, 29: “Therefore they said to Him: ‘What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in the One that He sent.’

That is the work! As Ellen White expressed it, “Our work is to hang our helpless souls on His merits.” (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 247.)

The Faith That Benefits

  1. What is the only faith that will benefit us?

Ellen White answers this question: “The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him [Christ] as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves.” The Desire of Ages, 347.

What an interesting statement! You see, you must choose to believe in Jesus as your personal Saviour and choose to appropriate—that is, claim—His merits, because you do not have any merits of your own. I am not getting after you; I do not have any merits either. None of us have any, and we never will have any of our own.

In Part I we read, “There is salvation for you, but only through the merits of Jesus Christ.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 97. We also learned the worth of human, or creature merit: “Discussions may be entered into by mortals strenuously advocating creature merit, and each man striving for the supremacy, but they simply do not know that all the time, in principle and character, they are misrepresenting the truth as it is in Jesus. They are in a fog of bewilderment. They need the divine love of God which is represented by gold tried in the fire; they need the white raiment of Christ’s pure character; and they need the heavenly eyesalve that they might discern with astonishment the utter worthlessness of creature merit to earn the wages of eternal life.” Faith and Works, 23.

Sanctification

Our merit, she says, is “utter worthlessness.” But Christ has merits. It is through His merits that our sins are blotted out. It is through His merits that we are adopted into the family of God. It is through His merits, when we put our trust in Him, that changes take place in our minds through the Holy Spirit. That is what sanctification is. In sanctification, your mind is changed through the Holy Spirit.

Some people have a very shallow view of sanctification. They think that sanctification is when you change what you do on the outside. That is rubbish. Sanctification is when the Holy Spirit changes the inside of your mind. If you make all the external changes that you can make, you can only say like Paul could say when he was a Pharisee, “according to the righteousness which is of the Law, I was blameless.” He said, “I found out that was all absolutely worthless, and I considered it less than dung that I might win Christ.” (Philippians 3:6, 8.)

All the external is worthless unless the Holy Spirit changes the mind. This is what we need to work with our children too. Some people think that the way to raise children is that you train them to do the right things. No, friend, the way children need to be trained is so that they are transformed in mind by the Holy Spirit, and when the mind is changed, then they will start saying and doing the right things.

It is the same with adults. A story is related about Ellen White in the Spalding and Magan Collection, 92. Some people wrote to her one time, and they thought that Ellen White ought to do something to get the women in the Adventist church to change their dress. She wrote back to them and said, “Changing the dress will not change the heart.” I wish we could get that figured out—that changing the external will not change the heart. You have to get the heart changed, and then the outside can change.

Living Faith

  1. What is living faith?

“That living faith is essential for our salvation that we should lay hold upon the merits of the blood of the crucified and risen Saviour, on Christ, our righteousness.” Faith and Works, 64.

What is living faith? Living faith is when you lay hold of the merits of Christ. The merits of Christ, friend, are the only thing that can forgive your sins; it is the only thing that can blot out your sin; it is the only thing that can change your life. He wants to minister His merits to you through the Holy Spirit.

One of the great purposes that God through His Son gave to us the Holy Spirit is so the Holy Spirit could work in the human mind and administer the merits of Christ. Please do not say that this is not talking about sanctification or that we do not believe in it. This is it!

  1. Where is your dependence if you have living faith?

“You cannot explain this faith that lays hold upon the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour to bring Christ’s righteousness into your life. Clothed with the righteousness of Christ and not your own righteousness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will do.” Faith and Works, 65, 66.

You will not depend on anything that you can do or anything that you will do in the future. Do you not know that you cannot do anything without Christ?

The Latter Rain

  1. What will be the one subject that will swallow up every other subject during the time of the Latter Rain?

We pray about the Latter Rain; we long for the Latter Rain to come. We know that when the Latter Rain comes the work is going to be finished very, very quickly, and the Lord is going to come. That is why we want the Latter Rain.

Would you like to get out of this world? Would you like to get to a place where you do not have any of the problems, trials, troubles, struggles, and awful things that happen to you and everyone else on a regular basis? We cannot get out of this world until Jesus comes, and Jesus is not going to come until the gospel goes to all the world. The Latter Rain will actually take the gospel to every single person in the world. How is that going to happen, and what is going to happen?

“One interest will prevail, one subject will swallow up every other,—Christ our righteousness.” Review and Herald, December 23, 1890.

Simple as Possible

I am just a sinful human being, and I have no ability to touch your heart or explain the gospel so you can understand it. I have tried to make it as simple as I know how. Do you understand that it is only the merits of Christ that can save your soul and that every sinful person can be saved if he or she is willing to claim those merits and surrender himself or herself to Him?

It is not complicated. Do not let anybody tell you that it is complicated. We make the plan of salvation too complicated until people think that there must be a list a mile long of what they have to do to be saved. That is Phariseeism; that is also Roman Catholicism.

You cannot do it on your own merit, but Jesus can save you. Just put your trust in Him. If you only accept Him, no matter how bad you are, you will be saved. “Jesus came into the world,” Paul says, “to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15.

To be continued . . .

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

Pastor John Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Bible Study Guides – The Righteousness of Christ

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March 9, 2008 – March 15, 2008

Key Text

“The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.” Isaiah 42:21.

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 236–241.

Introduction

“Paul and his fellow workers proclaimed the doctrine of righteousness by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. They presented Christ as the one who, seeing the helpless condition of the fallen race, came to redeem men and women by living a life of obedience to God’s law and by paying the penalty of disobedience.” The Acts of the Apostles, 207.

1 What did Jeremiah prophesy about Jesus? Jeremiah 23:5, 6.

Note: “Jeremiah also bore witness of the coming Redeemer as a Prince of the house of David: ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.’ And again: ‘Thus saith the Lord: David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.’ Jeremiah 23:5, 6; 33:17, 18.” The Acts of the Apostles, 223.

2 How did Micah identify Jesus in his prophecy? Micah 5:1.

Note: “Had not Micah prophesied, ‘They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek’? Micah 5:1.” The Acts of the Apostles, 225.

3 What did Pilate declare about Jesus during the judgment? Luke 23:4.

Note: “Christ affirmed that His word was in itself a key which would unlock the mystery to those who were prepared to receive it. It had a self-commending power, and this was the secret of the spread of His kingdom of truth. He desired Pilate to understand that only by receiving and appropriating truth could his ruined nature be reconstructed.

“Pilate had a desire to know the truth. His mind was confused. He eagerly grasped the words of the Saviour, and his heart was stirred with a great longing to know what it really was, and how he could obtain it. ‘What is truth?’ he inquired. But he did not wait for an answer. The tumult outside recalled him to the interests of the hour; for the priests were clamorous for immediate action. Going out to the Jews, he declared emphatically, ‘I find in Him no fault at all.’ [John 18:38.]” The Desire of Ages, 727.

4 What words did Judas utter before the Sanhedrin? Matthew 27:3, 4.

Note: “As the trial [of Jesus] drew to a close, Judas could endure the torture of his guilty conscience no longer. Suddenly a hoarse voice rang through the hall, sending a thrill of terror to all hearts: He is innocent; spare Him, O Caiaphas!

“The tall form of Judas was now seen pressing through the startled throng. His face was pale and haggard, and great drops of sweat stood on his forehead. Rushing to the throne of judgment, he threw down before the high priest the pieces of silver that had been the price of his Lord’s betrayal. Eagerly grasping the robe of Caiaphas, he implored him to release Jesus, declaring that He had done nothing worthy of death. Caiaphas angrily shook him off, but was confused, and knew not what to say. The perfidy of the priests was revealed. It was evident that they had bribed the disciple to betray his Master.

“‘I have sinned,’ again cried Judas, ‘in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.’ But the high priest, regaining his self-possession, answered with scorn, ‘What is that to us? see thou to that.’ Matthew 27:4. The priests had been willing to make Judas their tool; but they despised his baseness. When he turned to them with confession, they spurned him.” The Desire of Ages, 721, 722.

5 What powerful public testimony did Peter give about Jesus? Acts 3:14, 15.

Note: “When Jesus died, the priests thought that no more miracles would be performed among them, that the excitement would die out and the people would again turn to the traditions of men. But lo! right among them the disciples were working miracles, and the people were filled with amazement. Jesus had been crucified, and they wondered where His followers had obtained this power. When He was alive, they thought that He imparted power to them; but when He died, they expected the miracles to cease. Peter understood their perplexity and said to them, ‘Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know.’ [Acts 3:12–16.]” Early Writings, 192.

6 What did the same apostle write later? I Peter 2:21–23.

Note: “Christ was holy, harmless, undefiled. He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” The Acts of the Apostles, 570.

“Christ is our Master. By definite instructions He prepared His followers for their work before leaving them. As soon as He could talk, Christ used the talent of speech, in the family circle and among friends and acquaintances, in a way that was without fault. Not one impure word escaped His lips. Never did He do a wrong action, for He was the Son of God. Although He possessed a human form, yet He was without a taint of sin.” Welfare Ministry, 286, 287.

7 What other title was prophetically applied to Jesus? Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16.

Note: “Centuries before the Saviour’s advent Moses had pointed to the Rock of Israel’s salvation. The psalmist had sung of ‘the Rock of my strength.’ Isaiah had written, ‘Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.’ Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 62:7; Isaiah 28:16.” The Desire of Ages, 413.

“But every building erected on other foundation than God’s word will fall. He who, like the Jews in Christ’s day, builds on the foundation of human ideas and opinions, of forms and ceremonies of man’s invention, or on any works that he can do independently of the grace of Christ, is erecting his structure of character upon the shifting sand. The fierce tempests of temptation will sweep away the sandy foundation and leave his house a wreck on the shores of time.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 150, 151.

8 What application did Jesus make of this prophecy? Matthew 21:42–44.

Note: “The prophets had spoken of the rejected stone; and Christ Himself, speaking on one occasion to the priests and elders, said: ‘Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.’ Matthew 21:42–44.” The Acts of the Apostles, 64.

“Christ would have averted the doom of the Jewish nation if the people had received Him. But envy and jealousy made them implacable. They determined that they would not receive Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. They rejected the Light of the world, and thenceforth their lives were surrounded with darkness as the darkness of midnight. The doom foretold came upon the Jewish nation. Their own fierce passions, uncontrolled, wrought their ruin. In their blind rage they destroyed one another. Their rebellious, stubborn pride brought upon them the wrath of their Roman conquerors.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 295, 296.

9 How did Peter apply the prophecy of Isaiah to Jesus? Acts 4:11; I Peter 2:4–8.

Note: “Peter himself, writing by inspiration, applies this prophecy to Jesus. He says, ‘If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.’ I Peter 2:3–5, R. V.” The Desire of Ages, 413.

10 What did Paul declare about the “chief corner stone”? Ephesians 2:20–22.

Note: “In infinite wisdom, God chose the foundation stone, and laid it Himself. He called it ‘a sure foundation.’ The entire world may lay upon it their burdens and griefs; it can endure them all. With perfect safety they may build upon it. Christ is a ‘tried stone.’ Those who trust in Him, He never disappoints. He has borne every test. He has endured the pressure of Adam’s guilt, and the guilt of his posterity, and has come off more than conqueror of the powers of evil. He has borne the burdens cast upon Him by every repenting sinner. In Christ the guilty heart has found relief. He is the sure foundation. All who make Him their dependence rest in perfect security.” The Desire of Ages, 598, 599.

Additional Reading

“Before the believer is held out the wonderful possibility of being like Christ, obedient to all the principles of the law. But of himself man is utterly unable to reach this condition. The holiness that God’s Word declares he must have before he can be saved is the result of the working of divine grace as he bows in submission to the discipline and restraining influences of the Spirit of truth. Man’s obedience can be made perfect only by the incense of Christ’s righteousness, which fills with divine fragrance every act of obedience. The part of the Christian is to persevere in overcoming every fault. Constantly he is to pray to the Saviour to heal the disorders of his sin-sick soul. He has not the wisdom or the strength to overcome; these belong to the Lord, and He bestows them on those who in humiliation and contrition seek Him for help.

“The Holy Spirit will be given to those who seek for its power and grace and will help our infirmities when we would have an audience with God. Heaven is open to our petitions, and we are invited to come ‘boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ Hebrews 4:16. We are to come in faith, believing that we shall obtain the very things we ask of Him.

“If you have a sense of need in your soul, if you hunger and thirst after righteousness, this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart, in order that He may be sought unto to do for you, through the endowment of the Holy Spirit, those things which it is impossible for you to do for yourself.

“If we will empty the soul of self, He will supply all our necessities.” God’s Amazing Grace, 217.

“That which should cause us the deepest joy is the fact that God forgives sin. If we take Him at His word and forsake our sins, He is ready and willing to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He will give us a pure heart and the abiding presence of His Spirit, for Jesus lives to intercede for us. But … spiritual things are spiritually discerned. It is a living, active, abiding faith that discerns the will of God, that appropriates the promises, and profits by the truths of His word. It is not because we are righteous, but because we are dependent, faulty, erring, and helpless ourselves, that we must rely upon Christ’s righteousness, and not upon our own. …

“Many feel that their faults of character make it impossible for them to meet the standard that Christ has erected, but all that such ones have to do is to humble themselves at every step under the mighty hand of God. Christ does not estimate the man by the amount of work he does, but by the spirit in which the work is performed.

“When He sees men lifting the burdens, trying to carry them in lowliness of mind, with distrust of self and with reliance upon Him, He adds to their work His perfection and sufficiency, and it is accepted of the Father. We are accepted in the Beloved. The sinner’s defects are covered by the perfection and fullness of the Lord our Righteousness. Those who with sincere will, with contrite heart, are putting forth humble efforts to live up to the requirements of God, are looked upon by the Father with pitying, tender love; He regards such as obedient children, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto them.” In Heavenly Places, 23.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit

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There is a burden that is heavy on God’s heart for this church, as well as all churches on earth, and that burden is that most professed Christians are lacking the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and also that we may sense our need for the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

It is by the working of the Holy Spirit that Christ is enthroned in the life of the believer. It is the Holy Spirit that makes a person a Christian, and it is He that cleanses the mind and regenerates the believer. What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and how is it important in the lives of the members of the church?

What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit? In Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians, Galatians chapter 5:22, 23, Paul states: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” The word “fruit” is singular. There is but one fruit of the Holy Spirit, and that one fruit includes all of the Christians graces.

In Manuscript 16, 1892, Ellen White states: “The attribute that Christ appreciates most in man is charity (love) out of a pure heart. This is the fruit borne upon the Christian tree.” Ellen G. White Comments, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1091. Also in The Review and Herald, June 5, 1888, she states: “Love is a plant of heavenly origin, and if we would have it flourish in our hearts, we must cultivate it daily. Mildness, gentleness, long-suffering, not being easily provoked, bearing all things, enduring all things—these are the fruits upon the precious tree of love.” Also in Ephesians 5:9, Paul again states: “For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” In James 3:18, the apostle shows that, “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

“Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God; and ‘God is love.’ It is conformity to the law of God; for ‘all thy commandments are righteousness;’ and ‘love is the fulfilling of the law.’ Righteousness is love, and love is the light and the life of God. The righteousness of God is embodied in Christ. We receive righteousness by receiving Him.” Sons and Daughters of God, 304.

The wise man Solomon mentions that “the wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness [shall be] a sure reward. As righteousness [tendeth] to life: so he that pursueth evil [pursueth it] to his own death.” [Proverbs 11:18-19.] It is on this basis that the minor prophet Hosea records in chapter 10:12, “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for [it is] time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”

So the result of possessing or bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit which Paul says is love will be made manifest in all acts of righteousness, goodness and truth. But why is this so? In the book Sons and Daughters of God, 80, we are instructed, “A thoroughgoing Christian draws his motives of action from his deep heart-love for his Master. Up through the roots of his affection for Christ springs an unselfish interest in his brethren.”

In the book The Acts of the Apostles, 551, 552, we are also told, “John strove to lead the believers to understand the exalted privileges that would come to them through the exercise of the spirit of love. This redeeming power, filling the heart, would control every other motive and raise its possessors above the corrupting influences of the world. And as this love was allowed full sway and became the motive power in the life, their trust and confidence in God and His dealing with them would be complete. They could then come to Him in full confidence of faith, knowing that they would receive from Him everything needful for their present and eternal good.”

Love becomes the motive power that prompts all actions, and as a consequence righteousness, goodness, and truth are the results.

“The gift of righteousness is communicated to men through the agency of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). Herein lies the difference between the ineffective righteousness man seeks through works and the effective righteousness that comes through faith. In the former the Spirit has no part, for the effort is purely human and thus independent of divine grace.” Ellen G. White Comments, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 977.

The Apostle Paul speaks of the fruit of the Spirit being “Love”, that which naturally develops in the life when the Spirit has control. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is not the natural product of human nature, but of a power wholly outside of man. In Testimonies, vol. 2, 135, we have recorded, “Love is of God. The unconverted heart cannot originate nor produce this plant of heavenly growth, which lives and flourishes only where Christ reigns.”

Selected Messages, Book 2, 187, has recorded, “Love is the fruit that is borne on the Christian tree, the fruit that is as the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the nations.”

People are referred to as trees in Scripture; Scriptural references: Judges 9:8; Judges 11:16, 17, 19; Judges 17:8; Ezekiel 17:21–24; Daniel 4; Zachariah 11:2; Matthew 3:10; Matthew 7:15–22; Matthew 12:33–35; Romans 11:17–24; Songs of Solomon 2:3; Isaiah 61:3 “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”

Isaiah 5:1–7 “Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; [and] break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.”

Matthew 15:13: “But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.”

Love, the fruit of the Spirit, is borne on the Christian tree. In Scripture, human beings are referred to as trees—either a corrupt tree or a good/righteous tree. When the life is wholly surrendered to Christ, the Holy Spirit causes the fruit of love to grow on the human tree. This fruit, in turn, when present in the life of the professed Christian brings forth or bears fruits such as joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. But this is all the product of an indwelling Christ as a result of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

So the Holy Spirit quickens the sinner; he/she responds positively to the Holy Spirit, at which time the Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner and brings Christ into the life of the born again person. Christ infuses His life into the human tree; the converted person bears the fruit of love and this fruit in turn produces the fruits of joy, peace long-suffering, etc.—the graces of the Holy Spirit. So we all can see why so many professed Christians lack the fruit of the Holy Spirit—Love.

How does man develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Paul states in Ephesians 5:9, “(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth.)” “As you receive the Spirit of Christ, … you will grow and bring forth fruit. The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character. Your faith will increase, your convictions deepen, your love be made perfect. More and more you will reflect the likeness of Christ in all that is pure, noble, and lovely. …” Sons and Daughters of God, 32.

In John 15:5, Jesus declared to his disciples, as well as us today: “I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

In Testimonies, vol. 2, 48, God’s servant states: “It is only by personal union with Christ, by communion with Him daily, hourly, that we can bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit.” The Faith I Live By, 135.

In The Review and Herald, January 24, 1893, we see this profound statement, “We may leave off many bad habits, and yet not be truly sanctified, because we do not have a connection with God. We must unite with Christ.”

The Desire of Ages, 173, tells us: “When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven.” Therefore, it is by a total surrendering of ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allowing Christ to abide in us and we in Him that this heavenly fruit will take possession of us!

“Christ Himself calls our attention to the growth of the vegetable world as an illustration of the agency of His Spirit in sustaining spiritual life. The sap of the vine, ascending from the root, is diffused to the branches, sustaining growth and producing blossoms and fruit. So the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Saviour, pervades the soul, renews the motives and affections, and brings even the thoughts into obedience to the will of God, enabling the receiver to bear the precious fruit of holy deeds.” The Act of the Apostles, 284.

Now all of this is made possible by putting self aside fully and completely. In Gospel Workers, 287, this thought is substantiated: “When one is fully emptied of self, when every false god is cast out of the soul, the vacuum is filled by the inflowing of the Spirit of Christ. Such a one has the faith that purifies the soul from defilement. He is conformed to the Spirit, and he minds the things of the Spirit. He has no confidence in self. Christ is all and in all. He receives with meekness the truth that is constantly being unfolded, and gives the Lord all the glory, saying: ‘God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.’ ‘Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.’

“The Spirit that reveals, also works in him the fruits of righteousness. Christ is in him, ‘a well of water springing up into everlasting life.’ [John 4:14.] He is a branch of the True Vine, and bears rich clusters of fruit to the glory of God. What is the character of the fruit borne?—The fruit of the Spirit is ‘love,’ not hatred; ‘joy,’ not discontent and mourning; ‘peace,’ not irritation, anxiety, and manufactured trials. It is ‘long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’ ”

Also we read in the book Steps to Christ, 58, “Those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, ‘love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’ (Galatians 5:22, 23). They will no longer fashion themselves according to the former lusts, but by the faith of the Son of God they will follow in His steps, reflect His character, and purify themselves even as He is pure. The things they once hated they now love, and the things they once loved they hate. The proud and self-assertive become meek and lowly in heart. The vain and supercilious become serious and unobtrusive. The drunken become sober, and the profligate pure. The vain customs and fashions of the world are laid aside. Christians will seek not the ‘outward adorning,’ but ‘the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.’ (I Peter 3:3, 4.)”

In his first epistle to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul sets forth the importance of that love which should be cherished by the followers of Christ. We read in I Corinthians 13:1, 2: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

“No matter how high his profession, he whose heart is not imbued with love for God and for his fellow men is not a disciple of Christ. Though he should possess great faith, and even have power to work miracles, yet without love his faith would be worthless. He might display great liberality, but should he from some other motive than genuine love bestow all his goods to feed the poor, the act would not commend him to the favor of God. In his zeal he might even meet a martyr’s death, yet if destitute of the gold of love he would be regarded by God as a deluded enthusiast or an ambitious hypocrite.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 168.

The apostle proceeds to specify the fruits of love: ‘Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not.’ The divine love ruling in the heart exterminates pride and selfishness. ‘Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.’ [I Corinthians 13:4.] The purest joy springs from the deepest humiliation. The strongest and noblest characters rest upon the foundation of patience and love, and trusting submission to the will of God.

“Charity ‘doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.’ Verse 5. The heart in which love rules will not be filled with passion or revenge, by injuries which pride and self-love would deem unbearable. Love is unsuspecting, ever placing the most favorable construction upon the motives and acts of others. Love will never needlessly expose the faults of others. It does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports, but rather seeks to bring to mind some good qualities of the one defamed.

“Love ‘rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.’ Verse 6. He whose heart is imbued with love is filled with sorrow at the errors and weaknesses of others; but when truth triumphs, when the cloud that darkened the fair fame of another is removed, or when sins are confessed and wrongs corrected, he rejoices.

“ ‘Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.’ Verse 7. Love not only bears with others’ faults, but cheerfully submits to whatever suffering or inconvenience such forbearance makes necessary. This love ‘never faileth.’ Verse 8. It can never lose its value; it is the attribute of heaven. As a precious treasure it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace. Discord and strife are the work of Satan and the fruit of sin. If we would as a people enjoy peace and love, we must put away our sins; we must come into harmony with God, and we shall be in harmony with one another. Let each ask himself: Do I possess the grace of love? Have I learned to suffer long and to be kind? Talents, learning, and eloquence, without this heavenly attribute, will be as meaningless as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Alas that this precious treasure is so lightly valued and so little sought by many who profess the faith!” Testimonies, vol. 5, 169.

In the Epistle to the Colossian Christians, Paul counsels: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye. And above all these things [put on] charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:12-15, 17.

I John 4: 7-11: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” Let each ask himself: Do I possess the grace of love?

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-822-3900.

Living by Faith

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The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17. This statement is the summing up of what the apostle has to say about the gospel. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, but only “to everyone that believeth.” In it the righteousness of God is revealed. The righteousness of God is the perfect law of God, which is but the transcript of his own righteous will. All unrighteousness is sin, or the transgression of the law. The gospel is God’s remedy for sin; its work, therefore, must be to bring all men into harmony with the law,—to cause the workings of the righteous law to be manifested in their lives. But this is wholly a work of faith,—the righteousness of God is revealed from “faith to faith”—faith in the beginning, and faith to the end,—as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

This is true in all ages since the fall of man, and will be true until the saints of God have his name in their foreheads, and see him as he is. It was from the prophet Habakkuk (2:4) that the apostle quoted the statement. If the prophets had not revealed it, the first Christians could not have known it; for they had only the Old Testament. To say that in the most ancient times men had but an imperfect idea of faith in Christ is to say that there were no just men in those times. But Paul goes right back to the very beginning and cites an instance of saving faith. He says: “by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous.” Heb. 11:4. He says of Noah, also, that it was by faith that he built the ark to the saving of his house; “by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Heb. 11:7. We say that their faith was in Christ, because it was faith unto salvation, and besides the name of Jesus “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

There are too many who try to live the Christian life on the strength of the faith which they exercised when they realized their need of pardon for the sins of their past life. They know that God alone can pardon sins, and that he does this through Christ; but they imagine that having once been started they must run the race on their own strength. We know that many have this idea, first, because we have heard some say so, and second, because there are such multitudes of professed Christians who show the working of no greater power than their own. If they ever have anything to say in social meeting, besides the ever-recurring formula, “I want to be a Christian, so that I may be saved,” they tell only of past experience, of the joy they had when they first believed. Of the joy of living for God, and of walking with him by faith, they know nothing, and he who tells of it speaks a strange language to them. But the apostle carries this matter of faith clear through to the glorious kingdom in the following most forcible illustration:—

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:5, 6.

Note the argument to prove that Enoch was translated by faith: Enoch was translated because he walked with God, and had the testimony that he pleased God; but without faith it is impossible to please God. That is enough to prove the point. Without faith not an act can be performed that will meet the approval of God. Without faith the best deeds that a man can do will come infinitely short of the perfect righteousness of God, which is the only standard. Wherever real faith is found it is a good thing; but the best faith in God to take away the load of the sins of the past will profit a person nothing unless it is carried right through in ever-increasing measure until the close of probation.

We have heard many people tell how hard they found it to do right; their Christian life was most unsatisfactory to them, being marked only by failure, and they were tempted to give up in discouragement. No wonder they get discouraged; continual failure is enough to discourage anybody. The bravest soldier in the world would become faint-hearted if he had been defeated in every battle. Sometimes these persons will mournfully tell that they have about lost confidence in themselves. Poor souls, if they would only lose confidence in themselves entirely, and would put their whole trust in the one who is mighty to save, they would have a different story to tell. They would then “joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Says the apostle, “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4. The man who doesn’t rejoice in God, even though tempted and afflicted, is not fighting the good fight of faith. He is fighting the poor fight of self—and defeat.

All the promises of final happiness are to the overcomer. “To him that overcometh,” says Jesus, “will I give to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Revelation 3:21. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things,” says the Lord. Revelation 21:7. An overcomer is one who gains victories. The inheriting is not the overcoming; that is only the reward for overcoming. The overcoming is now; the victories over the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, victories over self and selfish indulgences. The man who fights and sees the foe give way may rejoice that nobody can keep him from rejoicing, for joy comes spontaneously as the result of seeing the enemy give way. Some folks look with dread upon the thought of having to wage a continual warfare with self and worldly lusts. That is because they do not as yet know anything about the joy of victory; they have experienced only defeat. But it isn’t so doleful a thing to battle constantly, when there is continual victory. The old veteran of a hundred battles, who has been victorious in every fight, longs to be at the scene of conflict. Alexander’s soldiers, who under his command never knew defeat, were always impatient to be led into the fray. Each victory increased their strength, which was born only of courage, and correspondingly diminished that of the vanquished foe. Now, how may we gain continual victories in our spiritual warfare? Listen to the beloved disciple:—

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” I John 5:4.

Read again the words of the apostle Paul:—

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

Here is the secret of strength. It is Christ, the Son of God, the one to whom all power in Heaven and earth is given, who does the work. If he lives in the heart to do the work, is it boasting to say that continual victories might be gained? Yes, it is boasting; but it is also boasting in the Lord, and that is allowable. Says the psalmist, “My soul shall make her boast in the Lord;” and Paul says: “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14.

The soldiers of Alexander were reckoned invincible. Why? Was it because they were naturally stronger and more courageous than all their enemies? No; but because they were led by Alexander. Their strength was in his leadership. Under another leader they would often have been defeated. When the Union army was feeling panic-stricken, before the enemy at Winchester, the presence of Sheridan turned their defeat into victory. Without him the men were a quacking mob; with him at their head, they were an invincible army. If you had listened to the remarks after the battle, of the soldiers who served under those and similar leaders, you would have heard the praises of their general mingled with all their rejoicing. They were strong because he was; they were inspired by the same spirit that he had.

Well, our captain is the Lord of hosts. He has met the chiefest foe of all and has vanquished him single-handed. Those who follow him invariably go forth conquering and to conquer. Oh, that those who profess to be his followers would put their trust in him, and then, by the repeated victories they would gain, they would show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light.

John says that he that is born of God overcomes the world, through faith. Faith lays hold of the arm of God, and his mighty power does the work. How the power of God can work in a man, accomplishing that which he could not possibly do for himself, no one can tell. It would be easy to tell how God can give life to the dead. Says Jesus: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8. How the Spirit works in a man to subdue his passions, and to make him victorious over pride, envy, and selfishness, is known only to the Spirit; it is sufficient for us to know that it is done, and will be done in everyone who wanted that work wrought in him, and above all things else, and who trusts God for the performance of it.

We cannot tell how Peter was able to walk on the water, when the waves were rolling about him; but as he kept his eye fixed on the Master, divine power enabled him to walk as easily as though it were solid rock underneath; but when he looked at the waves, possibly with a feeling of pride in what he was doing, as though he himself was doing it, fear very naturally took possession of him, and he began to sink. Faith enabled him to walk on the waves; fear made him sink beneath them.

Says the apostle: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days.” Hebrews 11:30. Why was that written? For our learning, “that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4. Why, is there any prospect that we shall ever be called upon to fight armed hosts, and to take fortified cities? No: “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12); but the victories which have been gained by faith in God over visible foes in the flesh, are placed on record to show what faith will accomplish in our conflict with the rulers of the darkness of this world. The grace of God, in answer to faith, is as powerful in these battles as in those days; for says the apostle:—

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” II Corinthians 10:3–5.

It was not physical foes alone that faith enabled the ancient worthies to conquer. We read of them that they not only “subdued kingdoms,” but “wrought righteousness, obtained promises,” and, most wonderful and most encouraging of all, “out of weakness were made strong.” Hebrews 11:33, 34. Their very weakness became strength to them through faith, because the strength of Christ is made perfect in weakness. Who, then, shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? Since it is God that justifieth, and we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” Romans 8:35, 37. The Signs of the Times, March 25, 1889.

©1999 by Teach Services, Inc., and used with permission. www.teachservices.com

In 1888, the Lord brought a message of righteousness to the Church through Elders E.J. Waggoner and A.T. Jones. This message was identified as the beginning of the loud cry of the third angel whose glory was to fill the whole earth in preparation for the second coming of Jesus.

Dependable Faith

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Faith is the depending upon the word of God only, and expecting that word only to do what the word says.

Justification by faith, then, is justification by depending upon the word of God only, and expecting that word only to accomplish it.

Justification by faith is righteousness by faith; for justification is the being declared righteous.

Faith comes by the word of God. Justification by faith, then, is justification that comes by the word of God. Righteousness by faith is righteousness that comes by the word of God.

The word of God is self-fulfilling; for in creating all things, “he spake, and it was.” [Psalm 33:9.] And when he was on earth, he stilled the raging sea, cleansed the lepers, healed the sick, raised the dead, and forgave sins, all by his word: there, too, “he spake, and it was.”

Now, the same One who, in creating, “spake and it was,” the same One who said, “Let there be light: and there was light;” [Genesis 1:3.] the same One who on earth spoke “the word only,” and the sick were healed, the lepers were cleansed, and the dead lived—this same One speaks the righteousness of God unto and upon all that believe.

For though all have sinned and come short of the righteousness of God, yet we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath sent forth … to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forebearance of God.” [Romans 3:24, 25.]

In creating all things in the beginning, God set forth Christ to declare the word which should cause all things to exist. Christ did speak the word only, and all things were. And in redemption, which is creation over again, God set forth Christ to declare the word of righteousness. And when Christ speaks the word only, it is so. His word, whether in creating or in redeeming, is the same.

“The worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” [Hebrews 11:3.] Once there were no worlds, nor was there any of the material which now composes the worlds. God set forth Christ to declare the word which should produce the worlds, and the very material of which they should be composed.

“He spake, and it was.” Before he spoke, there were no worlds; after he spoke, the worlds were there. Thus the word of God spoken by Jesus Christ is able to cause that to exist which has no existence before the word is spoken; and which, except for that word, never could have existence.

In this same way precisely it is in man’s life. In man’s life there is no righteousness. In man there is not righteousness, from which righteousness can appear in his life. But God has set forth Christ to declare righteousness unto and upon a man. Christ has spoken the word only, and in the darkness void of man’s life there is righteousness to everyone who will receive it. Where before the word is received, there was neither righteousness nor anything which could possibly produce righteousness, after the word is received, there is perfect righteousness and the very Fountain from which it springs. The word of God received by faith that is, the word of God expected to do what the word says, and depended upon to do what it says—produces righteousness in the man and in the life where there never was any before; precisely as, in the original creation, the word of God produced worlds where there never were any worlds before. He has spoken, and it is so to everyone that believeth: that is, to every one that receiveth. The word itself produces it.

“Therefore being justified [accounted righteous] by faith [by expecting, and depending upon, the word of God only], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1. That is so, bless the Lord! And feeding upon this blessed thing is cultivating faith.

“The knowledge of what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of cultivating faith, is more essential than any other knowledge that can be acquired.” The Review and Herald, October 18, 1898.

Faith is expecting the word of God to do the thing which the word speaks, and the depending upon the word only to accomplish the thing which that word speaks.

Abraham is the father of all them which be of faith. The record of Abraham, then, gives instruction in faith—what it is, and what it does for him who has it.

What shall we say, then, that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the faith, has found? What saith the Scripture?

When Abram was more than eighty years old, and Sarai his wife was old, and he had no child, God “brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” [Genesis 15:5.]

And Abram “believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:2, 6. Abram accepted the word of God, and expected by the word what the word said. And in that he was right.

Sarai, however, did not put her expectation upon the word of God only. She resorted to a device of her own to bring forth seed. She said to him, “The Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.” Genesis 16:2.

Abram, for the moment, swerved from the perfect integrity of faith. Instead of holding fast his expectation and dependence upon the word of God only, he “harkened to the voice of Sarai.”

Accordingly, a child was born; but the whole matter proved to be so unsatisfactory to Sarai that she repudiated her own arrangement. And God showed his repudiation of it by totally ignoring the fact that any child had been born. He changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and continued to talk about making him the father of nations through the seed promised, and of making his covenant with Abraham and the seed that was promised. He also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, because she should “be a mother of nations” through the promised seed. [Genesis 17:16.]

Abraham noticed this total ignoring of the child that had been born, and called the Lord’s attention to it, saying, “O, that Ishmael might live before thee!” [Genesis 17:18.]

“But God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.” Genesis 17:15–21.

By all this, both Abram and Sarai were taught that, in carrying out the promise, the fulfilling of the word of God, nothing would answer but dependence upon that word only. Sarai learned that her device brought only trouble and perplexity, and delayed the fulfillment of the promise. Abram learned that in harkening to the voice of Sarai, he had missed the word of God; and that now he must abandon that whole scheme, and turn again to the word of God only.

But now Abraham was ninety-nine years old, and Sarah was eighty-nine. And, if anything, this seems to put farther off than ever the fulfillment of the word, and called for a deeper dependence upon the word of God—a greater faith than before.

It was perfectly plain that now there was no possibility of dependence upon anything, whatever, but the naked word only: they were shut up absolutely to this for the accomplishment of what the word said. All works, devices, plans, and efforts of their own were excluded, and they were shut up to faith alone—shut up to the word alone, and to absolute dependence upon that word only for the accomplishment of what that word said.

And now that the way was clear for “the word only” to work, that word did work effectually, and the promised “seed” was born. And so “through faith”—through helpless, total dependence upon the word only—“Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.”

And “therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand by the seashore innumerable.” Hebrews 11:12.

And thus was fulfilled the word spoken to Abram, when God “brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them … so shall thy seed be.”

This is a divine lesson in faith. And this is what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of cultivating faith. For this was imputed to Abraham for righteousness, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith.

Yet “it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:23–25.

And all “they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” [Galations 3:9] All they who, excluding—yea, repudiating—all works, plans, device, and efforts, of their own, depend in utter helplessness upon the word of God only to accomplish what that word says­—these are they which be of faith, and are blessed with faithful Abraham with the righteousness of God.

O, “understanding how to exercise faith: this is the science of the gospel!” And the science of the gospel is the science of sciences. Who would not strain every nerve to understand it?

When Abraham and Sarah had cleared themselves of all the scheme of unbelief which had produced Ishmael, and had stood upon faith alone—dependence on the word of God alone—Isaac, the true child of promise, was born.

In harkening to the voice of Sarai (Genesis 16:1), Abram had swerved from the line of strict integrity to the word of God, from the strictness of true faith; and now that he had returned to the word only, to true faith, he must be tested before it could be certainly said of him that his faith was counted for righteousness.

He had trusted the naked word of God as against Ishmael, and had obtained Isaac, the true child of promise of God. And now, having obtained Isaac, the question must be determined whether he would trust the naked word of God as against even Isaac himself.

Accordingly, God said to Abraham, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” [Genesis 22:2.]

Abraham had received Isaac from God, by trusting the word of God only; Isaac alone was the seed promised by the word of the Lord. After Isaac was born, God had confirmed the word by declaring, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” Genesis 21:12. And now came the word of God, Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and offer him for a burnt offering.

God had declared to Abraham, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude; “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”; [Genesis 22:18.] “In Isaac shall thy seed be called”; and now, Offer Isaac for a burnt offering!

But, if Isaac is offered for a burnt offering, if Isaac is burned up, what will become of the promise of the blessing of all nations in him? What will become of the promise, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven innumerable? Yet there stood the word, Offer Isaac for a burnt offering. Abraham had trusted the word of God only, as against Ishmael; but this is more than trusting the word of God as against Isaac; it is trusting the word of God against the word of God!

And Abraham did it, hoping against hope. God had said: Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven; In Isaac shall thy seed be called; Offer Isaac for a burnt offering. Abraham did not insist that God should “harmonize these passages.” It was all-sufficient for him to know that the statements were all the word of God. Knowing this, he would trust that word, would follow that word, and would let the Lord “harmonize these passages,” or “explain these texts,” if any such thing were needed.

Said Abraham: God has said, Offer Isaac for a burnt offering. That I will do. God has said, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called;” [Genesis 21:2.] and, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude. I interfered once in the promise, and hindered it till I repudiated all that I had done, and came back to the word only. Then, by a miracle, God gave me Isaac, the promised seed. Now he says, Offer Isaac, the promised seed, for a burnt offering. I will do it: by a miracle God gave him at the first; and by a miracle God can restore him. Yet when I shall have offered him for a burnt offering, he will be dead; and the only miracle that can restore him is a miracle that will bring him back from the dead. But God is able to do even that, and he will do it; for his word is spoken. Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude, and, In Isaac shall the seed be called. And even the bringing back of Isaac from the dead will be to God no more than he has already done; for, as to offspring, both my body and Sarah’s were as good as dead, and yet God brought forth Isaac from us. He can raise Isaac from the dead, and he will. Bless the Lord!

It was settled. He arose, and took his servants and Isaac, and went three days’ journey “unto the place which God had told him.” And when on the third day he “saw the place afar off,” [Genesis 22:3, last part, 4.] “Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” Genesis 22:5. Who will go?—“I and the lad will go.”—And who will come again:—I and the lad will go… and come again to you.” Abraham expected to have Isaac come back with him as certainly as that he went with him.

Abraham expected to offer Isaac for a burnt offering, and expected I to see Isaac rise from the ashes and go back with him. For the word of God had gone forth, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, and, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude. And Abraham would trust that word only, that it could never fail. Hebrews 11:17–19.

This is faith. And thus “the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.” James 2:23. But yet above this, “It was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed; if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:23 25.

To trust the word of God only; to depend upon the word of God only; to depend upon the word of God, even as against the word of God,—this is Faith: this is the faith which brings the righteousness of God.

This is what it is to exercise faith. This is “what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of exercising faith.” And “understanding how to exercise faith,” this is the science of the gospel. And the science of the gospel is the science of sciences. Lessons on Faith, 16–23.

[Emphasis author’s.]

©1995, TEACH Services, Inc.

Used with Permission

www.teachservices.com

God our Dependence

by

“To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, His faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5. This is the only way that anybody in this world can ever become righteous: first admit that he is ungodly; then believe that God justifies, counts righteous, the ungodly, and he is righteous with the very righteousness of God.

Everybody in the world is ungodly. “Ungodly” means “unlike God.” And it is written, “All have sinned and come short of the glory [the goodness, the character] of God.” [Romans 3:23.]

Anybody, therefore, who will admit that he ever came short of being like God in anything, in that confesses that he is ungodly.

But the truth is that everybody, in everything, has come short of being like God. For “they are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Romans 3:9–18.

Then, as there is not one on earth who is not ungodly, and as God justifies the ungodly, this on God’s part makes justification—righteousness, salvation—full, free, and sure to every soul on earth.

And all that anybody needs to do to make it all sure to himself on his own part is to accept it—to believe that God does justify, personally and individually, him who is ungodly.

Thus, strange as it may sound to many, the only qualification, and the only preparation, for justification is for a person to acknowledge that he is ungodly.

Then, having such qualifications, having made such preparations, all that is required of him to obtain justification, full, free, and sure, is to believe that God justifies him, the ungodly one.

It is quite easy for many to believe that they are ungodly, and even to acknowledge it; but for them to believe that God justifies them—that is too much.

And the sole reason why they can not believe that God justifies them is that they are ungodly, so ungodly.

If only they could find some good in themselves, or if only they could straighten up and do better, they might have some courage to hope that God would justify them. Yes, they would justify themselves by works, and then profess to believe in justification by faith!

But that would be only to take away all ground for justification; for if a man can find good in himself, he has it already, and does not need it from anywhere else. If he can straighten up and do better himself, he does not need any justification from anywhere else.

It is, therefore, a contradiction in terms to say that I am so ungodly that I do not see how the Lord can justify me. For if I am not ungodly, I do not need to be made righteous; I am righteous. There is no half-way ground between godliness and ungodliness.

But when a person sees himself so ungodly as to find there is no possible ground of hope for justification, it is just there that faith comes in; indeed, it is only there that faith can possibly come in.

For faith is dependence on the word of God only. So long as there is any dependence on himself, so long as there is any conceivable ground of hope for any dependence upon anything in or about himself, there can be no faith; so long as there is no place for faith, since faith is dependence on “the word only.”

But when every conceivable ground of hope of any dependence on anything in or about himself, is gone, and is acknowledged to be gone; when everything that can be seen is against any hope of justification, then it is that, throwing himself on the promise of God, upon the word only, hoping against hope, faith enters: and by faith he finds justification full and free, all ungodly though he be.

For forever it stands written, “To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ.” “Whom God hath set forth … to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.” [Romans 4:5; 3:22, 25.]

This is what it is to exercise faith. Are you exercising faith? For “understanding how to exercise faith: this is the science of the gospel.”

“Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1.

Since faith is the depending upon the work of God only, for what that word says, being justified by faith is simply being accounted righteous by depending upon the word only.

And since the word is the word of God, dependence upon the word only is dependence upon God only, in the word. Justification by faith, then, is justification—being accounted righteous by dependence upon God only; and upon him only because he has promised.

We are all together sinners,— sinful, and ungodly. We are, therefore, all subject to the judgment of God. Romans 3:9–19. Yet for all of us there is escape from the judgment of God, But the only way of escape from the judgment of God is to trust in God.

When David had sinned in numbering the people, and so had incurred the exemplary judgment of God, the Lord gave him his choice as to whether there should be seven years of famine, or he should flee three months before his enemies, or there should be three days’ pestilence. But David would not choose at all; he deferred it all to the Lord, for him to choose: saying, “Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great.” II Samuel 24:11–14.

When depending upon God alone, in his word, for righteousness, we have peace with God; because thus we really obtain righteousness, and “the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.” Isaiah 32:17.

When depending upon God alone in his word, for righteousness we have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ, because “He is our peace, who hath both” God and man “one,” “having abolished in his flesh the enmity” “for to make in himself of twain”—of God and man—“one new man, so making peace.” Ephesians 2:14,15.

Further, when depending upon God alone, in his word, for righteousness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, because God has “made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; … whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproachable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith”—if you continue to depend only upon God alone in his word. Colossians 1:20–23.

When he has made the way so plain, the justification so complete, and the peace so sure to all, and asks all people only to receive it all by simply accepting it from him, and depending upon him for it, why should not every soul on earth be thus justified, and have the peace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ?

This is “what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of exercising faith.” Are you exercising faith? Are you justified by faith? Have you righteousness by faith? Have you peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ?

“Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22.

Faith is complete dependence upon the word of God only, for the accomplishment of what that word says.

This being so, it must never for a moment be forgotten that where there is no word of God, there cannot be any faith.

This is shown also in the truth that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. Since faith thus comes indeed by the very word of God itself, it is perfectly plain that where there is no word of God, there can be no faith.

This is beautifully illustrated by an instance in the life of David: because David had it in his heart to build a house unto the Lord, the Lord spoke to him by the prophet Nathan, saying, “The Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. … And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.”
[I Chronicles 17:14.]

Then David prayed and said, “Now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it forever, and do as thou hast said, And let thy name be magnified forever saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.

“For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
[I Chronicles 17:23–25.]

“And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: that it may continue forever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever.” II Samuel 7:11–29.

His prayer was altogether of faith, because it was altogether the word of God: the word of God was the cause of it; the word of God was all the hope of David that the prayer would ever be answered.

He asked according to the will of God, because the will of God was expressed in the word of God. Having asked according to the plainly stated will of God, David knew that his prayer was heard. And knowing that his prayer was heard, David knew that he had the petition which he desired of him. I John 5:14. Therefore he said, So let it be. And therefore also the answer to that prayer was, and is, and forevermore shall be, sure unto David.

And this was written for our learning; that we might know how to pray in faith, and how in prayer to cultivate faith. Therefore, Go and do thou likewise. Because “the knowledge of what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of cultivating faith is more essential than any other knowledge that can be acquired.”

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Therefore the word of God is the only means of faith.

Therefore, where there is no word of God, there can not be any faith.

And where the word of God is, faith is the entire dependence upon that word for the accomplishment of what that word says.

From all this, which is the truth, it is perfectly plain that in order for any one to ask in faith, he must first of all be sure that he has the word of God for what he asks.

Having the word of God for what he asks, he, like David, can find it in his heart to pray with perfect confidence, which is only in perfect faith.

He who thus prays knows that he is asking according to the will of God: for he knows that he has the plain word of God for it.

Therefore he knows that God hears him; and knowing that God hears him, he knows that he has the thing for which he has asked; because the sole basis of his hope for it is the word which has spoken it, and which is the sole basis of his asking.

The Lord tells us thus to pray; and thus he has made provision for the steady, strong, and continuous growth of faith.

Many people pray, but do not have what they pray for, and so do not know whether they can certainly claim it; and not knowing whether they can claim it, they are all at sea as to whether their prayers are answered or not.

The Lord does not want anybody to move uncertainly. Therefore he has given his word, which thoroughly furnishes every one unto all good works, and by which are given all things that pertain unto life and godliness.

And any one who seeks in the word of God the things which God has there provided for all, and upon that specific word prays for that thing, thus asking according to the plainly expressed will of God, knows that his prayer is heard, and that he has the thing for which he prayed.

So doing, the prayers will be always certain, the life will be filled with the direct gifts of God, and the faith will be sure and strong, and will be ever increasing in strength.

Many pray the prayer of the disciples, “Lord, increase our faith.” This is well. Yet along with this, it must never be forgotten that faith comes only by the word of God. Therefore, as certainly as your faith shall be increased and it can be only by there being in you an increase of the word of God, is by harkening to that word, praying to the Lord for the thing which that word says, depending wholly upon that word for that thing, and thanking him that you have received it. Then and thus that word is received by you, and lives in you.

Thus while we can pray, “Lord, increase our faith,” at the same time we must remember that we are to build up ourselves on our most holy faith. Jude 20.

This is how to exercise faith. Faith can be exercised only on the word of God; for where there is no word of God, there can not be any faith.

And “understanding how to exercise faith, this is the science of the gospel.”

“The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17.

Who are the just?—They are only those who are of faith; because men are justified only by faith.

For though we all “have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” yet we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” [Romans 3:23, 24.]

For “to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” [Romans 4:4, 5.]

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Romans 5:1.] Those who are of faith, and those alone, are the just in the earth.

Now faith is entire dependence on the word of God, that that word shall accomplish what that word says. “It shall accomplish that which I please.” Isaiah 55:11.

To be justified, then, is to be justified by entire dependence upon the word of God. The just are those who are of the word of God. This is how men become just.

Men must not only become just by faith,—by dependence upon the word of God,—but being just, we must live by faith. The just man lives in precisely the same way, and by precisely the same thing, that he becomes just.

We become just by faith; faith is entire dependence on the word of God. We, being just, must live by precisely the same thing by which we become just; that is, by entire dependence upon the word of God.

And this is exactly what Jesus said: Man shall live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” [Matthew 4:4.] When Jesus said that, it is perfectly plain that he simply said, in other words, Man shall live by faith.

There is no other way truly to live than by faith, which is simply living by the word of God. Without faith, without the word of God, men only die.

Indeed, without the word of God, everything only dies; for in the beginning everything came by the word of God. The word of God is the origin and life of everything; for, “He spake, and it was.”

All things animate and inanimate,—sun, moon, and stars, animals and men,—all are entirely dependent upon the word of God for existence. Only in the case of men, God has bestowed upon them the wondrous gift of choice as to whether they will do so or not. This gift opens the door of faith. And when a man does choose to live by the word of God, which is the only means of life, faith—entire dependence upon the word of God—is the means by which he lays hold on the means of life.

Thus “the just shall live by faith,” and thus “whatsoever is not of faith is sin”; which is simply to say, The just must live by the word of God; and whatsoever is not the word of God is sin.

“We can not have a healthy Christian experience, we can not obey the gospel unto salvation, until the science of faith is better understood; and until more faith is exercised.”

“Hast thou faith?” Have the faith of God. Here are they that keep “the faith of Jesus.”

“The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” Romans 1:17.

Faith is complete dependence upon the word of God, expecting that word to do what the word itself says. Is there, then, righteousness spoken by the word of God, so that people can depend completely upon that word, that the word shall accomplish what the word says?

There it is. Indeed, that is the very object of the gift of Christ. For him “God hath set forth … to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Romans 3:25.

Seeing then that God hath set forth Christ expressly to declare, to speak, the righteousness of God, it is certain that the word of God has spoken, upon which there can be complete dependence, expecting that word to do what that word says. In other words, there is righteousness that can be received by faith.

Wherein is the word spoken? It is spoken in the word “forgiveness.” “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins”; “there is forgiveness with thee.”

Now what is the meaning of “forgive”? The word “forgive” is composed of “for” and “give,” which is otherwise to give for. To forgive, therefore, is simply to give for. For the Lord to forgive sin, is to give for sin. But what does the Lord give for sin?—He declares “his righteousness for the remission of sins.”

Therefore, when the Lord forgives—[He] gives for—sins. He gives righteousness for sin. And as the only righteousness that the Lord has for his own, it follows that the only righteousness that God gives, or can give, for sin is the righteousness of God.

This is the righteousness of God as a gift. All men have only sinned, and, if they are ever clear, must have forgiveness entirely free, as the forgiveness of sin—the righteousness of God as a free gift “upon all men unto justification of life.” Romans 5:18.

Every soul, therefore, who ever asks God for forgiveness of sin, in that very thing asks God to give him righteousness for sin. Every soul who asks God for forgiveness, asks it solely upon the word of God, which speaks forgiveness. And faith is entire dependence upon the word for what the word speaks. Thus righteousness is altogether of faith.

“Every one that asketh receiveth.” You have asked the Lord many a time to forgive your sins; that is, you have asked him to give for your sin. But when you ask the Lord to give for your sin, in that you ask him to give the only thing that he does or can give for sin, which is righteousness. That is what it is to ask forgiveness of the Lord.

And he does forgive—he does give for—your sins when you ask him. He says he does, and he does. “He is faithful”—that is, he will never fail—“and just to forgive our sins.” And the only thing he gives for our sins is his righteousness.

Then why not thank him for the righteousness that he freely gives for your sins when you ask him to?

Do you not see that righteousness by faith is just as plain and simple as asking God for forgiveness of sin? Indeed, it is just that.

To believe that righteousness is given to you for your sin, when you ask forgiveness—and thankfully to receive that righteousness as the gift of God,—this is what it is to exercise faith.

Yet how true it is that we suffer much trouble and grief because of our unbelief, and show our ignorance of how to exercise faith.

“Hast thou faith?” Have the faith of God. “Here are they that keep … the faith of Jesus.” [Revelation 14:12.] [Emphasis author’s.]

Taken from the book, Lessons on Faith, A.T. Jones & E.J. Waggoner.

©1995, TEACH Services, Inc.

Used with Permission

www.teachservices.com

The Gospel of Peace

by

Pope Pius XII was born in 1876. His father was an attorney and both parents were staunch Roman Catholics—a tradition that he carried on in his decision to train for the priesthood. He became a priest, and later became the archbishop of Germany; his name was Eugenio Pacelli. He created the legal agreement between the papacy and Nazi Germany in 1933 and 1934 and became the 260th pope in 1939, a position he retained during the Korean War until his death in 1958.

His personal physician, Dr. Galeazzi Lisi, wrote an article for a publication in Rome in which he described the agonizing death of Pope Pius XII and revealed the pope’s constant insecurity regarding the future. The article met with disapproval on the part of church authorities, and so the copies of the newspaper were confiscated before they could be distributed and Dr Galeazzi Lisi was dismissed from his position. After all, here is a person who is supposed to send you to heaven or hell, and as he is approaching death he is fearful and he has great insecurity regarding the future.

Dr. Walter Montano, a Protestant, and the editor of the Christian Heritage at the time, said, “Well, this is the very same thing that happened when Pope Benedict XV died in 1922.” The following appeared in the December 1958 issue of Christian Heritage:

“One can feel only a sense of pity for the last end of such a man. How is it possible that the ecclesiastical demigod who had the keys of heaven and earth is unable to use those keys to gain entrance into his own eternal salvation? What a pathetic ending for a man who has devoted his life to religion, who has directed, as they say, the bark of St. Peter, who is infallible, who has elevated the virgin Mary to a state that no other pope had dared to imagine. At the end of his life he dies in fear and agony, not knowing what the future holds in store for him. All the pomp and ceremony, all the masterfully devised rituals in his honor may impress the people, especially Roman Catholics, but they cannot gain him one inch of heaven. What about his soul and his eternal destiny? What Roman Catholic knows where this pope is right now?”

The doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church established that anyone who says “I am saved” at any time in his life commits a mortal sin. If Pope Pius XII had the courage to express faith in the One who died for our sins, if he had realized that there is only one mediator between God and man, if he had accepted the fact that Christ’s death invalidated any other sacrifice and that He died for the sins of the world, then he would not have faced a death of fear and desperation; a truly agonizing death. Instead, he would have been able to say, “I know in whom I believe.”

Do you know in whom you believe? If you had to face death today, would it be a fearful, agonizing experience, or could you say, as the apostle Paul said to Timothy just before he died, “I know in whom I believe and I know he can keep that which I have committed to Him until that day.” II Timothy 1:12.

One of the most religious men in the world who devoted his whole life to religion somehow didn’t understand the very basis of the Christian religion or the gospel. Unfortunately, this misunderstanding is not isolated to Catholicism. How can you have confidence that a certain person can give you eternal life if he does not have any confidence himself of eternal life when he dies?

“In whom we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of transgressions according to the richness of His grace which super abounded unto us in all wisdom and knowledge, having made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed beforehand in Himself so that in the management of the fullness of the times He might gather altogether all things in Christ, the things upon the heavens and the things upon the earth in Him.” Ephesians 1:7–10.

Paul says our redemption price has been paid and we have redemption now. Money has nothing to do with our redemption. There are hundreds of millions of people today who call themselves Christians who believe that their redemption lies in going through certain religious ceremonies and paying money to the church, but that is not what the Bible says.

How do we have redemption? From where does the redemption come? The Bible teaches that we have redemption through His blood. Galatians 3:21: “Is therefore the law against the promises of God? Not at all. For if a law had been given which is able to make life or to bring to life, then righteousness would have been from the law.” He goes on to show that this was not possible; there is no law that has ever been given or can ever be given that can give life. If eternal life could be given through a law or through your keeping a law, if life could be given that way, Jesus would not have needed to come and die on the cross.

But righteousness is not obtained in that way. You cannot get righteousness by going to church; you get righteousness from Jesus Christ. It is His blood that paid the price for our sins. We do not generate righteousness ourselves. Look in the book of Isaiah 64:6: “We are all as an unclean thing, all of us; all of our righteousness is as a filthy garment; then we fade as a leaf, all of us; our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Literal translation.)

What is our righteousness like? We do not have any, we cannot generate it, we cannot make it and we cannot get it for money. This false concept was one of the precipitating factors of the Protestant Reformation.

In Isaiah 55, God invites everybody who is thirsty to come, for it is not through paying money or doing good works that you can get your sins forgiven.

Romans 10:3 says: “For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” The Jews were trying to work out their own righteousness, but were unable.

Paul states clearly that righteousness is not obtained through works. In the books, Romans and Galatians, Paul explained most fully righteousness by faith. Why do you suppose that it is in the book to the Romans that righteousness by faith is explained in the most detail? God knew that it would be in the Roman church where men would depart from the truth of the gospel regarding righteousness by faith. When you depart from this, you do not have the gospel anymore and you are headed for an ending like that of Pope Pius XII. He came from a very distinguished family and was a brilliant man—a genius and talented in many areas. He had tremendous ability, but none of this helped him one bit when he came to the end of his life. Nor shall it help anyone else in the end. We may not die before Jesus comes. No matter how or when, though, the end will come and result in either eternal death or eternal life, the latter of which is unattainable unless the gospel is received and understood.

“There is not a point that needs to be dwelt upon more earnestly, repeated more frequently or established more firmly in the minds of all than the impossibility of fallen man meriting anything by his own best good works. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone.” Faith and Works, 18.

There is nothing that you will ever be able to do that will merit salvation; nothing. Salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Through His grace we are capable of good works, but the good works should not be an attempt to merit grace.

When Paul explained the gospel to the Galatians and showed them that they had strayed in this regard, he told them that they started right but now were going to try to finish the Christian experience a different way. He said that even if an angel of heaven tells you another gospel, let him be cursed. That is strong language.

The reason Paul stated it that way is because there is an angel that used to be in heaven that is telling the people another gospel all the time, including Adventists. Martin Luther believed this, and he tried so hard and never gained any assurance of salvation. That is why Pope Pius XII had no assurance of salvation when he came to his death, because he never knew if he had done enough. Martin Luther believed the same thing and was trying to work his way to salvation by doing good works. He went to Rome and, while he was there, he climbed a staircase that was supposed to have come from Jerusalem. The rumor was that these stairs had been taken miraculously by angels from Jerusalem to Rome, and ascension was supposed to offer special grace.

Martin Luther was climbing up this staircase on his knees, attempting to do everything that he knew to obtain salvation. He said later that Romans 1:16, 17 came to him, “like a thunderclap in my ear”; “The righteous man shall live by faith.” He got up and he walked back down the stairs and he never tried to earn salvation through works again. He started studying the subject in Romans and Galatians and the Old Testament concerning David. Right at this time, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church was being built in St. Peter’s Square where it still stands today, a building of enormous cost. A man by the name of Tetsel came to town and told the people that if they pay money to the church it would go towards building St. Peter’s in Rome, and for supporting this “noble cause” all sins would be forgiven immediately. The people were paying their money, and they thought their sins were forgiven. Martin Luther was outraged by this practice, and worked to put an end to it.

A war started, as Tetsel was threatened by what Martin Luther taught. In 1517, Martin Luther developed 95 theses against the selling of indulgences, and nailed it to the church door. Within a matter of days, that document had been copied and was all over town, and within a matter of about five or six weeks, it was all over Europe. The debate between the Reformation and Roman Catholicism was over the simple question, how are you saved?

“Knowing that a man is not made righteous, or justified from the works of the law, but rather through faith in Jesus Christ or the faith of Jesus Christ, and we have believed in Jesus Christ in order that we might be made righteous or justified out of the faith of Christ and not out of the works of the law.” He goes on to say that not one single person can pay for their salvation in any way. Galatians 2:16.

Paul says that no flesh will be justified, or made righteous, by works. Ephesians 2:8–10 says, “By grace you have been saved through faith and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God. Not out of works, in order that anyone should boast; for we are made in him, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand in order that we should walk in them.”

Notice the progression here in verses eight to ten; he says that you have been saved by grace. It is not of works; it is a gift. But when you have been saved, then you can do good work. It is very important not to get the cart before the horse, as they say. Yes, good works appear, but do good works appear in order that you can be justified, or do good works appear after you are justified; which is it? Do good works cause you to be saved, or are the good works the result of your being saved? Which is it; what is it saying here? Do you get the order right? You are saved by grace, and as a result of being saved, good works do follow in your life.

We can read many texts on this; let us look at the gospel of John. The writings of Paul are not the only place where the gospel appears, of course, in the Bible. John 3:35, 36, John the Baptist speaking, it says, “For the Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, or everlasting life, and the one who is disobedient to the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”

What is necessary to receive life? To believe in the Son. If you believe in Him, you have life. If you will not believe in Him, if you will not commit to Him, then you will not have life. He says the very same thing in I John 5:11, 12: “The one that has the Son has life; the one who does not have the Son does not have life.”

Teachers used to say, if you really know something, you can explain it in simple language. That is the way with the gospel. The apostle Paul, in Acts 16, explains it to a heathen man in one sentence.

Acts 16:30, 31—to the Philippian jailer—“And bringing them outside he said, ‘lords, what is necessary for me to do so that I might be saved?’ ” That is the most important question a human being can ask. What shall I do so that I might be saved? Well, Paul is going to tell him the answer; here it is, in one verse: “And they said, believe upon the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and your house.”

Could it be this simple? Look at that text; it covers everything. What do you have to do to be saved? You believe. By the way, the word “believe” means to commit. You commit to whom? It says, believe upon the Lord. Who is the Lord? The apostle Paul told him in one sentence how to be saved: believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. It is that simple; if you make the commitment to Jesus as your Lord and Savior you will be saved. Jesus—the word Jesus means “Savior,” and if you commit to Him as the Lord of your life and Savior from sin, you are going to be saved. The concept is not the complicated part: it is the execution that becomes hazy for most. It is simple, but it is hard to do. We have a natural instinct to want to be independent. You cannot be saved if you are independent of Jesus. The result of receiving the gospel: Paul mentions it in Romans 5:1; it is peace. This was the very thing Pope Pius XII did not have on his deathbed.

Paul was not in turmoil when he was going out to be beheaded; in fact, the people who witnessed his martyrdom converted to Christianity because of his quiet spirit. There is no fear, no torment, or trouble. In his face they saw that he had the peace of heaven, and many onlookers wanted to have a share of that peace. Unfortunately, the world today does not have it, and even many people who call themselves Christians do not have it. Pope Pius XII did not have it. But Paul calls the gospel the “gospel of peace,” because our God is a God of peace.

Study the New Testament, and look at the salutations that Paul gives to the churches when he writes his letters. He always gives it in a certain order. Grace and peace be to you. He never says peace and grace; why? Because you have to receive grace first or you will not have any peace, but when you receive the grace of God, when you receive the gospel, then you have peace. You do not have any peace today unless you have received the grace of God into your heart and into your life.

Many Adventists are afraid that the stock market is going to crash, and therefore they are going to have to run somewhere. Why are Adventists so fearful? There is only one thing that makes people so fearful, and that is that they have never really experienced the gospel. The apostle Paul experienced the gospel, and nothing could make him fearful; he was not troubled because they were going to chop his head off; he was not troubled because of that.

Peter knew he was going to be crucified, and yet he wasn’t troubled. In reading the history of the rest of the apostles and the early Christians, death couldn’t take their peace away; why not? Look at what Jesus said about it.

Jesus, speaking to his disciples on the night that he was betrayed, says, “Peace I am leaving with you, my peace I am giving to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27.

If you have the peace of Jesus, you are not going to be troubled or afraid. Friends, have you read prophecy; do you know what is going to happen right as we approach the end of the world? Well, what are you going to be doing as you see all these things happening that are described in the latter half of the book of Revelation? Is there fear or peace? Have the peace of Jesus, and no matter what happens on the outside, it cannot take away that peace.

Paul says in Galatians 1 that the gospel makes peace. If the gospel does not bring peace to your mind in this troubled world, then you do not really have the gospel yet. The gospel is called the good news. Is it a message about righteousness resulting in good works, leading people to strive to gain peace with God through either ceremonies or duties? That would not be good news, because that message would never bring peace; that would bring turmoil to the person who is struggling to meet the standards that are built on the system.

In The Desire of Ages, 35, 36, Ellen White says that every system of false religion is built on the doctrine of salvation by works. Every system; it is not just the Roman Catholic system, it is all systems of false religion.

This peace is the healing of the relationship between God and man, and when you have peace with God, as Paul says in Romans 5:1, then it does not matter what happens in the world outside. That is why Jesus said, in John 14:27, “I am not giving peace to you like the world gives; the peace of the world can be taken away, but the peace that Jesus gives cannot be taken away.” The apostles were always talking about it: almost every letter that Paul wrote he begins by saying, “Grace and peace to you.”

Peter preached the gospel to a heathen man who does not understand it, and the very first sermon was the good news of peace through Jesus. “We do not ask people to bring anything in their hand in an attempt to buy peace because Jesus is our peace.” Ephesians 2:14.

You and I cannot make peace with God ourselves. Not only can we not make peace with God ourselves; we are incapable of maintaining peace with God, but Jesus has made the peace for us already, and He has given it to us as a gift. This is what Paul talks about in Romans 3:24–26, 28, about how we are justified, and Romans 4:4, 5, how it doesn’t come through works; it is a gift. In Romans 3 and 4 Paul says over and over that works have nothing to do with it.

God knew there would be people who would be saying we are saved by grace and works, but that is not the gospel. If you believe you are saved by grace and works, here is the first question for you. When have you done enough works? Do you see the dilemma you are in? You will never be able to do enough works so that you feel satisfied; you will never have peace, because you do not have the gospel. Salvation by grace and works is not the gospel.

Christ’s righteousness is credited to the believer on the basis of faith alone. It is not credited to those who work to gain it, but only to those who trust in the all-sufficient Savior alone.

“Therefore what shall we say, that the nations which had not pursued righteousness have obtained righteousness, but it is the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which pursued the righteousness which is of the law, did not attain unto righteousness. Why? Because it is not of faith, but out of works; they stumbled at that stumbling stone, just as it is written, Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 9:30–33.

So, justification is by faith because it is in harmony with grace, which is the free and unmerited favor of God, and it cannot be earned or purchased or merited. Faith has no merit of itself; it performs no meritorious works to gain favor; it simply trusts in the giver of the grace, and is the only basis by which God declares a sinner righteous.

When you are justified by faith, the result is always peace inside; if you do not have the peace, you have not experienced the gospel yet. It is that simple. Paul said: the Jews want a sign; the Greeks, they want wisdom; we preach Christ and Him crucified; to the Jews, it is a stumbling block, and to the Greeks it is just foolishness, but to those of us who are to be saved, it is the wisdom of God and it is the power of God. Is that the peace that you have, or does the following quotation describe more accurately the condition of your heart right now?

“The reason for the uncertainty of the state of grace lies in this: without a special revelation nobody can, with certainty of faith, know whether or not he has fulfilled all the conditions that are necessary for achieving justification.” That comes from the Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, 262, published in 1974. If that is your belief, you will never have peace, because you will never know if you have ever done enough. So, what are the conditions to achieve justification? Is it something that you are going to have to do? No. It is when you believe in Jesus as the Lord of your life and your Savior from sin. Then you are given His righteousness, and as a result of receiving His righteousness He gives you at the same time His peace. Then you will have peace, no matter how much trouble there is in the world outside.

From now on until Jesus comes, there is going to be every manner of rumor and scare imaginable, and you are not going to make it unless you have the gospel. If you have the gospel and you have committed your life to Jesus Christ, you will have peace on the inside, and you don’t need to worry about what everybody is saying on the Internet is going to happen. You don’t have to worry, because you can have peace on the inside.

“If any man can merit salvation by anything he may do, then he is in the same position as the Catholic to do penance for his sins. Salvation, then, is partly of debt, that may be earned as wages. If man cannot, by any of his good works, merit salvation, then it must be wholly [completely] of grace, received by man as a sinner because he receives and believes in Jesus. It is wholly a free gift. Justification by faith is placed beyond controversy. And all this controversy is ended, as soon as the matter is settled that the merits of fallen man and his good works can never procure eternal life for him. … Justification is wholly of grace and not procured by any works that fallen man can do.” Faith and Works, 19, 20.

Ellen White goes on writing about this, and emphasizes it over and over again. Do you have peace inside? Do you realize that as we approach the end of the world the people of this world are going to get more and more troubled until, as Jesus said, their hearts are going to fail them for fear and for looking for what is coming on the earth? What is going to happen to you then? If you have accepted the gospel, if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He says, My peace I have given to you; do not be troubled, do not be afraid; I will never leave you, and I have given my peace to you, and you do not need to be afraid and panicky like everybody else in the world. We need to say, Lord Jesus, I am committing my life to you. I want you as my Lord and Savior from sin; I pray that you will give me that grace, that justification that will result in peace so that I do not have to be troubled like everybody else in the world. It is the most wonderful thing you can ever receive: Jesus’ peace that nobody can take away from you.

(Some Bible verses paraphrased.)

Pastor John Grosboll is director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Bible Study Guides – Justification by Faith – Righteousness for Today

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December 9, 2018 – December 15, 2018

Key Text

“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous” (1 John 3:7).

Study Help: Faith and Works, 91–94.

Introduction

“Righteousness is right doing, and it is by their deeds that all will be judged. Our characters are revealed by what we do. The works show whether the faith is genuine.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 312.

Sunday

WHY WE ALL NEED RIGHTEOUSNESS

  • To whom will righteousness be freely given? Matthew 5:6.

Note: “Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God, and ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:16). It is conformity to the law of God, for ‘all Thy commandments are righteousness’ (Psalm 119:172), and ‘love is the fulfilling of the law’ (Romans 13:10). Righteousness is love, and love is the light and the life of God. The righteousness of God is embodied in Christ. We receive righteousness by receiving Him.

“Not by painful struggles or wearisome toil, not by gift or sacrifice, is righteousness obtained; but it is freely given to every soul who hungers and thirsts to receive it.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 18.

  • Where are we to look in order to find righteousness? Isaiah 45:22–25.

Note: “In looking to ourselves for righteousness, by which to find acceptance with God, we look to the wrong place, ‘for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:23). We are to look to Jesus; for ‘we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). You are to find your completeness by beholding the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Faith and Works, 108.

Monday

CHRIST TO BE OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

  • How can we make the righteousness of Christ our own? Romans 3:24–26.

Note: “The grace of Christ is freely to justify the sinner without merit or claim on his part. Justification is a full, complete pardon of sin. The moment a sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he is pardoned. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1071.

“Christ looks at the spirit, and when He sees us carrying our burden with faith, His perfect holiness atones for our shortcomings. When we do our best, He becomes our righteousness.” Faith and Works, 102.

  • How is righteousness received? Romans 4:3–5.

Note: “Without the grace of Christ, the sinner is in a hopeless condition; nothing can be done for him; but through divine grace, supernatural power is imparted to the man and works in mind and heart and character. It is through the impartation of the grace of Christ that sin is discerned in its hateful nature and finally driven from the soul temple. It is through grace that we are brought into fellowship with Christ, to be associated with Him in the work of salvation. Faith is the condition upon which God has seen fit to promise pardon to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited, but because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for sin. Faith can present Christ’s perfect obedience instead of the sinner’s transgression and defection. When the sinner believes that Christ is his personal Saviour, then according to His unfailing promises, God pardons his sin and justifies him freely. The repentant soul realizes that his justification comes because Christ, as his Substitute and Surety, has died for him, is his atonement and righteousness.” Faith and Works, 100, 101.

“The best efforts that man in his own strength can make are valueless to meet the holy and just law that he has transgressed; but through faith in Christ he may claim the righteousness of the Son of God as all-sufficient. … Genuine faith appropriates the righteousness of Christ, and the sinner is made an overcomer with Christ; for he is made a partaker of the divine nature, and thus divinity and humanity are combined.” Ibid., 93, 94.

Tuesday

RIGHTEOUSNESS IN DAILY LIVING

  • What attitude should we have to those around us at home? Colossians 3:12, 13.

Note: “From every Christian home a holy light should shine forth. Love should be revealed in action. It should flow out in all home intercourse, showing itself in thoughtful kindness, in gentle, unselfish courtesy.” The Adventist Home, 37.

“Mutual kindness and forbearance will make home a Paradise and attract holy angels into the family circle.” Ibid., 422.

“Cultivate sympathy for others. Let cheerfulness, kindness, and love pervade the home. This will increase a love for religious exercises, and duties large and small will be performed with a light heart.” Ibid., 433.

  • What is a goal for every Christian? Matthew 5:14–16.

Note: “The first work of Christians is to be united in the family. Then the work is to extend to their neighbors nigh and afar off. Those who have received light are to let the light shine forth in clear rays. Their words, fragrant with the love of Christ, are to be a savor of life unto life.

“The more closely the members of a family are united in their work in the home, the more uplifting and helpful will be the influence that father and mother and sons and daughters will exert outside the home.” The Adventist Home, 37.

Wednesday

BEING CHRISTLIKE AT CHURCH

  • What attitude should we have toward others? Philippians 2:3.

Note: “It is not because we are righteous, but because we are dependent, faulty, erring, and helpless ourselves, that we must rely upon Christ’s righteousness, and not upon our own.” In Heavenly Places, 23.

  • What special regard should we have for one another in the faith? Romans 12:10.

Note: “As the members of a true family care for one another, ministering to the sick, supporting the weak, teaching the ignorant, training the inexperienced, so is ‘the household of faith’ (Galatians 6:10) to care for its needy and helpless ones. Upon no consideration are these to be passed by.” The Ministry of Healing, 201.

“We must obtain that measure of the grace of Christ that will enable us to dwell together in love and unity in this life, else we can never dwell together in the life to come.” This Day With God, 372.

“The closer we come to Christ, the nearer we shall be to one another. God is glorified as His people unite in harmonious action.” The Adventist Home, 179.

  • What is the evidence that we as church members have accepted Christ and are being sanctified? Ezekiel 20:12.

Note: “No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God. But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy. Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ. …

“As the Jews departed from God, and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith, the Sabbath lost its significance to them.” The Desire of Ages, 283.

Thursday

BEING A TRUE MISSIONARY TO THE WORLD

  • How can we reflect Christ and His righteousness to those around us? John 15:4, 5.

Note: “By our words and deeds we may reveal the power of the truth to transform the character. We may each reveal that we depend on Christ’s righteousness, not upon our own manufactured righteousness. We may abide in Christ as the branch abides in the vine, having such a living connection with Him that it is a pleasure to work as He worked, to be a help and blessing to our brethren. We can work the works of Christ, doing those things that are pleasing in His sight.” The Ellen White 1888 Materials, 137, 138.

  • Which attribute of God should we seek to emulate in our dealings with others? Psalms 69:16.

Note: “We should be self-forgetful, ever looking out for opportunities, even in little things, to show gratitude for the favors we have received of others, and watching for opportunities to cheer others and lighten and relieve their sorrows and burdens by acts of tender kindness and little deeds of love. These thoughtful courtesies that, commencing in our families, extend outside the family circle help make up the sum of life’s happiness; and the neglect of these little things makes up the sum of life’s bitterness and sorrow. …

“It is impossible to be in union with Christ and yet be unkind to others and forgetful of their rights.” The Adventist Home, 428.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     Where are we to look for our acceptance with God?

2    How does Jesus pardon the sinner? How complete is this pardon?

3    Where are we to begin our work as Christians, and what does this involve?

4    If we fail to live in love and unity with our brethren here, what hope do we have for our future life? How should we treat one another?

5          How can we show the love of God toward others? If we are unkind to others, what does this reveal?