“

“It is to fully accept that Jesus Christ died as our

sacrifice; that He became the curse for us, took our
sins upon Himself and imputed (put within) unto us
His own righteousness.

“He who will lay hold of Christ’s righteousness need

not wait one moment that he himself may blot out his
own sins. He need not wait until he has made a
suitable repentance before he can take hold upon
Christ’s righteousness.
(Faith &
Works, p.70,64.)

‘THE LORD (is) OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS’. Jer.23:6.

Jesus Christ is “made unto us wisdom, and

righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”
1 Cor.1:30.

“The righteousness by which we are justified is

imputed; the righteousness by which we are
sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven,
the second is our fitness for heaven.” R. H. June 4,
1895.

By imputed righteousness, we are declared or

accounted righteous by Christ’s merits. This
comprises of the forgiveness of sins, both at
conversion when past sins are forgiven and blotted
out, and right throughout our entire life. And - “If
any man sin we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1.
Imparted righteousness is Christ’s own character
imparted to us. This is a daily growth in grace.
Character transformation is the work of a life time.

THE PRODIGAL SON and the ROBE OF CHRIST’S

RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Luke 11:18-20. - “I will arise and go to my father,

and will say unto him, father, I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee. And am no more worthy to
be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired
servants. And he arose and came to his father. But
when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him,
and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and
kissed him.” Read the full story in Luke 15:11-32.

Verse 22,24. - “The father said to his servants, Bring

forth the best robe, and put it on him. - - “For this my
son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is
found.” The father in the parable represents Christ.

“The father – takes from his own shoulders the broad,

rich mantle, and wraps it around the son’s wasted
form, and the youth sobs out his repentance. The
father holds him close to his side, and brings him
home.” C.O.L.p.203,204.

“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord

pitieth them that fear him.”

Psalm 103:13.

“Only the covering which Christ himself has provided

can make us meet to appear in God’s presence. This
covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ
will put upon every repenting, believing soul. - - What
assurance here, of God’s willingness to receive the
repenting sinner!” C.O.L.p.206.
“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy
transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins: return unto
me; for I have redeemed thee.” Isa.44:22.

“In the parable there is no taunting, no casting up to

the prodigal of his evil course. The son feels that the
past is forgiven and forgotten, blotted out forever.”
C.O.L. p.204

This is a living experience of justification by faith. As

the prodigal’s father embraced his repentant son, so
Christ receives us.

“—I will forgive their iniquity, and will remember their

sin no more.” Jer.31:34.
“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye
upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his
way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let
him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon.” Isa.55:6,7.

“It is the righteousness of Christ that makes the

repentant sinner acceptable to God, and works his
justification. However sinful has been his life, if he
believes in Jesus as his personal Savior, he stands
before God in the spotless robe of Christ’s imputed
righteousness.” S.T. July, 4, 1892.

The following is taken from ‘Pilgrims Progress’ by

John Bunyan.

“Now I see in my dream that the highway which

Christian was to go was fenced on either side with a
wall, and that wall was called salvation. Up this way
therefore did burdened Christian run, but not without
great difficulty, because of the load on his back.
“He ran thus till he came to a place somewhat
ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, his
burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off
his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to
do until it came to the mouth of the sepulcher, where
it fell in, and I saw it no more.

“Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said

with a merry heart; ‘He hath given me rest by His
sorrow, and life by His death. Then he stood still a
while to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to
him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him
from his burden. He looked therefore, and looked
again, even till the springs that were in his head sent
the waters down his cheeks.”

pp. 40,41.

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery

serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to
pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh
upon it, shall live.” Num.21:8.

“Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the

earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
Isa.45:22.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace

with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom.5:1.

“Take away the filthy garments from him. - - Behold, I

have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee, and I will
clothe thee with change of raiment.” Zech.3:4.

“All who have put on the robe of Christ’s

righteousness will stand before Him as chosen and
faithful and true.” Prophets and Kings p.587.

NICODEMUS – The NEW BIRTH PROCESS.

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God. - - Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.” John 3:3,5.

Jesus “referred to water baptism and the grace of

God. The power of the Holy Spirit transforms the
entire man. This change constitutes the new birth.”
(2 S.P.
p.127,128.)
This transformation can be illustrated by the
transformation of the caterpillar, to the cocoon, then
comes forth the beautiful butterfly.

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him,

that the body of sin might be destroyed, that
henceforth we should not serve sin.” Rom.6:6.

Past sins have been forgiven, and the sinner is now

declared righteous. He is covered with the robe of
Christ’s imputed righteousness. The old man has
been crucified WITH Christ, and the new raised to life
IN Christ. Step by step, day by day, growing in
grace, from faith to faith, from glory to glory. The
process of sanctification begins. The transformation
of character is the work of a lifetime.

“Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour,

a day, but of a lifetime. It is the result of constantly
dying to sin, and constantly living for Christ. - - It is
only by long, persevering effort, sore discipline, and
stern conflict, that we shall overcome. - - So long as
life shall last, there will be no stopping place, no
point which we can reach and say, I have fully
attained. Sanctification is the result of life long
obedience.” Acts of the Apostles, p.560,561.
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye
through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds
(sins) of the body, ye shall live.” Rom.8:13.

“He expects US to OVERCOME in His name.” (Name

represents character).
C.O.L. P.316.

We must cooperate with Jesus. By the indwelling of

the Holy Spirit, Christ gives us the strength and the
power to be overcomers. “Work out your own
salvation with fear and tembling; For it is God which
worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good
pleasure.” Phil.2:12,13.

We must choose the right because it is right. Then

pray for the power to overcome. The Holy Spirit is
the power which God gives to us to be overcomers.

“But 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.” Gal.6:14.

“For if we sin willfully after that we have received the

knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins.” Heb.10:26.

“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 faith in the Son of God.” Gal.2:20

“Let no sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that

ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. - - For sin shall
not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the
law, but under grace.” Rom.6:12,14.

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for

His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin.” 1 John
3:9.
“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature (creation): old things are passed away;
behold all things are become new.” 2 Cor.5:17.

“But while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner
through the merits of Christ, 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 the
heart, before justification can take place; and in order
for man to retain justification, there must be
continual obedience, through active, living faith that
works by love and purifies the soul. - -

“In order for man to be justified by faith, faith must

reach a point where it will control the affections and
impulses of the heart; and it is by obedience that
faith itself is made perfect.” 1 S.M. p.366.

Christians should not sin: But - “If any man sin (not
willingly), we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1.

“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made

with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God
for us.” Heb.9:24.

“Jesus stands in the holy of holies, now to appear in

the presence of God for us. There He ceases not to
present His people moment by moment, complete in
Himself.” S.T. July 4, 1892.

“Christ is pleading for the church in the heavenly

courts above, pleading for those for whom He paid
the redemption price of His own lifeblood. - - As the
high priest sprinkled the worm blood upon the mercy
seat, while the fragrant cloud of incense ascended
before God, so while we confess our sins and plead
the efficacy of Christ’s atoning blood, our prayers are
to ascend to heaven, fragrant with the merits of our
Savior’s character. - - Every sin acknowledged
before God with a contrite heart He will remove. This
faith is the life of the church.” T.T.M. p.92,93.

THE MARRIAGE SUPPER.

“Blessed are they which are called to the marriage
supper of the Lamb.”

Rev.19:9.

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king,

which made a marriage for his son. - - 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.”
Matt.22:2,11,12.

“By the wedding garment in the parable is

represented the pure, spotless character which
Christ’s true followers will posses. - - It is the
righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished
character, that through faith is imparted to all who
receive Him as their personal Savior.” C.O.L. p.310.

“We live His life. This is what it means to be clothed

with the garment of His righteousness. - -
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHT DOING.

“Every jot and title of the word of God is to be

brought into the daily practice.
- - When a soul receives Christ he receives power
to live the life of Christ.

“He who becomes a partaker of the divine nature will

be in harmony with God’s great standard of
righteousness, His holy law. This is the rule by which
God measures the actions of man. This will be the
test of character in the judgment. - - Clothed in the
glorious apparel of Christ’s righteousness, they have
a place at the King’s feast.” C.O.L. p.312-315.

“The message of Christ’s righteousness is to sound

from one end of the earth to the other to prepare the
way of the Lord. This is the glory of God, which closes
the work of the third angel.” (Rev.14:9-12.) Test.6.
p.19.

“The faith of Jesus has been overlooked and treated

in an indifferent, careless manner. - - Faith in Christ
as the sinner’s only hope has been largely left out,
not only of the discourses given, but of the religious
experience of very many who claim to believe the
third angel’s message.” 3S.M. p.168.

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that

keep the commandments of God, and have the faith
of Jesus.” Rev.14:12.

“The faith of Jesus and the keeping of the

commandments represent two important aspects of
Christian living. The commandments of God are a
transcript of the character of God. They set forth the
divine standard of righteousness that God would have
man attain to. - - Jesus came to enable men to be
restored to the divine image. He came to show men
what the Father is like. - - Through His power men are
enable to keep the divine requirements, and thus
reflect the divine image.” SDA.BC.7 p.833.

“The righteousness which Christ taught is conformity

of heart and life to the revealed will of God. Sinful
men can become righteous only as they have faith in
God and maintain a vital connection with Him. Then
true godliness will elevate the thoughts and ennoble
the life.” Desire of Ages, p.266.

“The divine picture of Christ must be kept before the

people.” 3S.M. p.169.

“Lift Him up, the Man of Calvary. Lift Him up by living

faith in God. - - Do we realize how near Jesus will
come to us? He is speaking to us individually. He will
reveal Himself to everyone who is willing to be
clothed with the robe of His righteousness. He
declares: ‘I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand.’
Let us place ourselves where He can hold us by the
hand, where we can hear Him saying with assurance
and authority: “I am He that liveth, and was dead;
and, behold, I am alive for evermore.’” 7Test. P.71.