Daniel 9:7 ...'O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee.' Jeremiah 23:6 ...'he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'
The two main points to do with righteousness by faith are justification and sanctification. Through faith in our Lord and Saviour,
His righteousness is 'imputed' to us and we are counted as justified. In other words, Christ's righteousness is 'credited' to us. We are looked upon as righteous through Christ and we
gain, through Christ alone, a 'right' to heaven. Just think about that for a moment. No matter what we have done in the past, if we come to God confessing our sinful and hopeless
condition, seeking His forgiveness, accepting the sacrifice of His Son for our sins, the Father then looks upon us as righteous through His Son. How amazing! What love!
Romans 5:1 ...'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.'
But this is just the beginning. We do not only receive a 'stamp of approval' through Christ, giving us a right to heaven. The righteousness of Christ is then by faith
'imparted' to us and sanctifies us, making us righteous. In other words, through faith, Christ
becomes an indwelling presence to bring about character perfection and obedience to all of God's law. This is our 'fitness' for heaven. These two main elements
go hand in hand and cannot be separated, as true faith will work and obey.
Romans 5:19 ...'For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.'
Ezekiel 36:26-27 ...'A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out
of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.'
Who was in Christ doing the works? ... "the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." (John 14:10).
And what are the works of God? Righteousness! (Psalm 145:17). Christ said that He and the Father would make their abode with us (John 14:23). Therefore, what kind of
life will we live with Christ and His Father making their abode with us through their Spirit? A righteous life! Just as through Adam's disobedience we were all MADE sinners, through
Christ's perfect obedient life in human flesh, we are MADE righteous in Him. Not just 'declared' righteous, but MADE righteous. In other words, we will LIVE righteous lives in Christ.
Do you BELIEVE in the POWER of God's Word? The same Word which created the worlds said He will create a new heart in us and 'CAUSE' us to walk
in His ways and keep His commandments. In other words, God won't just 'declare' us righteous through Christ, He will MAKE us righteous from the inside out.
The question is, do you BELIEVE in the POWER of that Word?
Hebrews 1:3 ...'Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when
he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.'
Colossians 1:17 ...'And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.'
By whom do all things 'consist' and 'hold together'? By Jesus Christ, the Son of God and WORD OF GOD. Is Jesus literally wrapping His arms around the world holding
all things together? No. All things are being upheld 'BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER.' Wow! By HIS WORD all things were created and are held together! Do you
see how much power there is in the WORD of God? Friends, that Word which created and upholds the world and keeps all things together is the same Word which said He will
CREATE a new heart in us and CAUSE us to walk in His ways and KEEP His commands. This is the righteousness by faith message. God didn't say He would just 'impute'
the righteousness of Christ to our record. He promised He would IMPART the righteousness of Christ into our very lives, MAKING us a righteous, holy, obedient,
commandment keeping people.
Psalm 37:5-6 ...'Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth
thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.'
We believe that the Word of God created the heaven and earth, but many do not believe that SAME WORD can create a new heart in us, turn us away from all sin and
cause us to live holy, righteous lives. That is not faith friends. Faith is BELIEVING in God's Word and the POWER of His Word. Do we WANT this power and true
conversion in our lives, or are we just wanting to hold onto sin?
Matthew 5:6 ...'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.'
The question is, are you 'HUNGERING and THIRSTING after righteousness'? Or are you trying to hold onto sin?!
Zephaniah 2:3 ...'Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness:
it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.'
John 7:37-39 ...'If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was
not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.'
This is the only remedy for the sickness of the professed church today. The Lord counsels us
to be clothed with His garment (Rev. 3:18), so that when God sees us at the wedding banquet, He sees us through the righteousness of His
Son. The question is, are you wearing the 'white raiment' of Jesus Christ? Are you not only 'waiting' for the Lord's return, but also allowing Christ to dwell
in you day by day, through His indwelling word and His Spirit, changing you into His image?
Galatians 2:20 ...'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.'
Our lives need to be hid in Christ. We need now to be living the faith of the Son of God. Christ, who gave His life
for us, can live in us through His word and Spirit and 'transform us by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God. (Romans 12:2)
Ephesians 4:23-24 ...'And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.'
As the apostle Paul confirmed in Romans 3:10, there is none that is righteous of himself, and in 1 Corinthians 6:9, he confirms that no unrighteous
person will enter the kingdom of God. So it is imperative that we be cleansed from our unrighteousness and clothed with the righteous garments of
Christ Jesus. Now it is clear from the Word of God that we can do nothing to save ourselves. This salvation, this grace of our heavenly Father is
freely bestowed upon us, because His own Son took the full penalty for our sin. Again, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us!
"The difficulty is, so many people try to get the righteousness of God out of the law by the law ... when the people get their minds
on works and works and works instead of upon Jesus Christ in order to work, they pervert the whole thing." (A.T.Jones, General Conference Bulletin, 1893)
The law points out sin, but cannot deliver us from sin, which is why the imputed righteousness of God is without our own works (Romans 4). The law declares
us sinners, which in turn directs us to Jesus Christ. No works of the law in of ourselves can make us justified (Romans 4). Only by faith can we be declared
righteous through Christ.
"Who then is to do the work in order that it may be good works always? Let us read again: 'If Christ is dwelling in our hearts, He
will work in us 'both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' We shall work as He works; we shall manifest the same spirit. And thus, loving Him and abiding
in Him, we shall 'grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ'. Now, then, that is what the Lord wants, that is what the mind of Christ is."
(A.T.Jones, General Conference Bulletin, 1893, p.298)
This is why we are in need of a regeneration, a new birth. Because we were born with a fallen human nature due to the sin of the 'first Adam' (Romans 5:12). So we need to be 'born again'
from this fallen nature, into another nature. Without this, the sinner will remain under the condemnation of God's changeless, holy law. As the
Word of God confirms, it is only those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh that are not condemned. Are you dear
reader living each day IN our Lord and Saviour? Are you dear reader walking after the Spirit and not the world?
Romans 8:1-6 ...'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through
the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be
FULFILLED IN US, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are
after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.'
Do you see what Paul states above? He says the righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in us. In other
words, just as Christ lived in fallen flesh and overcame all sin, so we will also overcome all sin in this flesh with Christ abiding within.
Isaiah 51:7 ...'Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of
men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.'
Now while we cannot be saved by our own works of the law, we also cannot be saved without obedience to the law giver, Jehovah ... "No repentance is
genuine that does not work reformation in the heart and mind. The righteousness of Christ is not some 'cloak' to cover unconfessed and unforsaken
sin. It does not cover continued wilful sin (Hebrews 10:26). It is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct.
Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven." (Desire of Ages, p.555-556)
Isaiah 51:7 ...'Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men,
neither be ye afraid of their revilings.'
Romans 6:1-2, 15-16 ...'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead
to sin, live any longer therein? ... What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that
to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?'
1 Corinthians 15:34 ...'Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.'
1 Peter 2:21-24 ...'For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his
steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
by whose stripes ye were healed.'
1 John 5:17 ...'All unrighteousness is sin.'
Hebrews 1:9 ...'Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity.'
When we completely surrender ourselves to Christ, a new power takes possession of the heart. A change is wrought that man can never do himself. It is a supernatural
work (Psalm 51:10). But we must submit to this transforming power in order to be covered by Christ and His righteousness. There will be an outward evidence of the indwelling
Spirit and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Those who are sanctified by the truth will be self controlled and follow in the footstep of Christ, who did no sin. They
will become "servants of righteousness" (Romans 6:18) - servants of right doing, not servants of sin.
But there is something stopping the majority from being clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The love of worldly music, entertainment, television,
movies, unhealthful food and other ungodly things have clouded the minds, keeping us in slavery to sin and Satan, and keeping us from this new birth and regeneration into the Spirit and life of Christ.
The heart that is absorbed in worldly interests CANNOT be given up to God, and therefore cannot be under the full influence of Christ. Which is why we need to
EMPTY ourselves and DIE to this flesh and sin (Romans 6:2,11).
Please don't ignore that point. The reason Jesus cannot fill many of us with His Spirit today is because we are still full of the 'junk' of the world. What
did Jesus do to save us? As Philippians 2:7 says, He 'emptied Himself' and became one of us. And this is what we must do in order for Christ to be able to
make His abode with us. We must EMPTY ourselves and surrender all to Him. THEN Christ can come and dwell with us.
This is why we must be "BORN AGAIN" - The 'old man' (sinful mind) must die, in order for the 'new man' (mind
of Christ) to live in us.
"No man can cover his soul with the garments of Christ's righteousness while practicing known sins or neglecting known duties. God requires the
ENTIRE surrender of heart, soul, mind and body before justification can take place (Matthew 22:37). And for us to be able to RETAIN justification, there must be
continual surrender and obedience to Jesus Christ, in an acting living faith that works by love to purify the soul." (Review and Herald, Nov.4, 1890)
James 2:21-22 ...'Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how
faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?'
This growth in Christ and setting apart is what we call sanctification. By daily submitting to the will of God, Jesus will sanctify
us and present us righteous before God in Himself ... "I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And
their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 10:16-17)
But do not become disheartened and overcome if you do commit sin. For we have an Advocate with God in Jesus Christ the
righteous ... 1 John 2:1 ...'My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.' ... Yet we will HATE the sin that caused the suffering of our precious Saviour, and will seek to sin no more through Christ.
When we fully submit to Jesus Christ, our hearts are united with His heart. Our will is merged with His will. Our minds become one with His mind,
and all our thoughts are brought into captivity to Him (2 Corinthians 10:5), and His words and life are lived out in us (Galatians 2:20).
This is what it means to be clothed with the garments of Christ's righteousness. Then as God looks upon us, he no longer sees the fig leaf
garment that Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves with, nor the nakedness caused by the deformity of sin, but Christ's own robe of righteousness
which is in perfect obedience to the great and holy law of Jehovah.
This message is to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour and the sacrifice He and His Father made for the sins of the
whole world. This message presents justification through faith in the surety; Jesus invites people to receive His righteousness, which is made
manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God.
"So we see that justification by faith is nothing else but bringing a person into perfect conformity to the law, Justification by faith does not
make any provision for transgression of the law." (E.J.Waggoner, Daily Bulletin of the General Conference, 1891, p.172)
It should be clear that this message is to be 'proclaimed' not just in words, but more importantly through EXPERIENCE. Just look at the 144,000 of
Revelation 14 ... 'And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written
in their foreheads ... And they sung as it were a new song ... and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed
from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were
redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.'
Now what is the difference between these and the rest of the professed Christian world? This group sing a new song which no one else could learn. They
follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have no guile in their mouths and they are without fault before the throne of God. It is CLEAR
that this group of the 144,000 saints are those who not only 'know' about the righteousness of Christ, they are EXPERIENCING it, and have gotten the
COMPLETE VICTORY over sin and the devil, while the rest of the people remain in the Laodicean, sinful state!
This is what God is waiting for. He is waiting to have a group of people who will VINDICATE His character before the devil and the universe. A people who
ARE keeping the commandments of God AND the faith of Jesus Christ. God is not simply waiting for people to 'understand' the truth. He is waiting for us to
EXPERIENCE it (James 1:22).
"When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, He will come to claim them for His own."
(Christ's Object Lessons p. 69)
Many have lost sight of Jesus. We need to have our eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His
changeless love for the human race. All power is given into His hands (Matthew 28:18), that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift
of His own righteousness to us helpless humans. This is the message that God commands to be given to the world. It is the third angel's
message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of God's Spirit in a large measure.
2 Corinthians 5:15,21 ...'And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died
for them, and rose again ... For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.'
In the heart that is touched by the love of Christ, there is begotten a desire to work for the Lord and to obey Him.
Those works are combined with faith and are the fruit of someone being in a saving relationship with Christ.
"Now let us have this word, and that will be the best close I could make to the whole thing
tonight. Steps to Christ, page 79: 'The heart that rests most fully upon Christ will be the most earnest
and active in labor for Him.' Amen ... Do not forget that now. Do not think
that the man who says that he rests wholly upon Jesus Christ is either a physical or a spiritual loafer. If
he shows this loafing in his life, he is not resting on Christ at all but on his own self.
No, sir, the heart that rests most fully upon Christ will be most earnest and active in labor for
Him. That is what real faith is. That is faith that will bring to you the outpouring of the latter rain; that
is faith that will bring to you and me the teaching of righteousness according to righteousness--the
living presence of Jesus Christ--to prepare us for the loud cry and the carrying of the third angel's message." (A.T.Jones, General Conference Bulletin, 1893, p.302)
PLEASE NOTE: We are not saying that Christ dwells in our flesh, in our muscles, legs, arms, literal heart, etc. This kind of
thinking leads to the 'holy flesh' deception. No, what we are saying is that the Spirit of Christ comes into our minds, leading us
in the truth, comforting us, helping and guiding us.
have on the garment of Christ's righteousness.
And what did Jesus say about those who do not have on the proper garments? ... Matthew 22:13 ...'And when the king came in to see the guests, he
saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was
speechless. Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.' ... Jesus confirmed that those who do not have the right
wedding garment (the righteousness of Christ) will be forever lost and cast into the lake of fire. We might 'profess' to be followers of Jesus, which is why the
man in the parable is actually AT the wedding. But a mere profession
does nothing for us. We must have the garment of Christ to be saved.