A thought on Righteousness

[Stewart (SDA)]

Much of the language of the Old and New Testaments is framed in terms of “works”.

Even Jesus’ ‘sermon on the mount’ contains much about works. He speaks in plain terms, exhorting us to do this and do that, and why? That we might be the children of our Father in heaven. (Matt 5:45)

If a man smites us on the cheek, or if a man compels us to labor unfairly because of our religion, what shall we do? Are we going to tell the man that he will have no chance to treat us so unfairly again? No, we will not do that. Why not? Because in spite of provocation or hurt we understand that it is far better to trust what Jesus’ has taught us. We do not resist those evils because we have faith in His teaching.

We resist the Devil by doing good to those that actively hate us, and by saluting (respectfully acknowledging) the coarse and the hard and the arrogant.

If we are angry, and provoked, and hurt, that is all nothing in comparison to the teachings of our Master. We keep His "sayings", not because we feel emotions of love and loyalty toward Him; we do them because we over-rule feelings and emotions and act purely out of faith, trusting His words.

Often we will be called upon to make real, decided, efforts in the cause of God. Let us "never leave the impression on the mind [of another] that there is little or nothing to do on the part of man; but rather teach man to cooperate with God, that he may be successful in overcoming." (1SM 381)

Again and again the Bible presents a ‘works’ component. Perhaps we have gone too far the other way. "We hear a great deal about faith, but we need to hear a great deal more [than we often do] about works.” (FW 50).

"Add to your faith, virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance… brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall". (2Pet 1:5-10) Again, we "do these things", not necessarily because we feel love toward God, but because we have an abiding principle of love that over-rules emotion and apathy.

"The Lord is with you, while you be with Him, and if you seek Him, He will be found of you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." (2Chron 15:2)

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (Jas 4:8).

_________

Stewart.

[Stewart (SDA)]

It is obedience to the word of the living God that brings men into close relationship with Christ. {RH, April 17, 1900 par. 8}

I appreciate this thought Richard, thank you. I've written it in the back of my Bible as a balancing thought.

Stewart.

[Guest]

That's one for the folks that don't think obedience matters.

[Stewart (SDA)]

Is not a close relationship with Christ one of those things we can ask for, and it shall be given us (as the verse says)?

I agree too. When this is a heart-felt fervent prayer, it will certainly be effectual.

stewart

[skyblue888]

Oh what a tragedy! It is almost "taboo" to speak of the MERITS of Jesus Christ among adventists. In 30 years of my adventist life I have never heard a minister or a teacher speak of the necessity of appropriating to ourselves the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour and yet, from our own inspired writings, we read, "The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour: which appropriates His merits to ourselves." Desire of Ages, p.347. This is the only faith that will benefit us and yet when is this faith spoken of? We appropriate Christ's merits to ourselves simply by claiming them and we must do this every day. Just think! It is our privilege to claim the divine merits of the Son of God, for "Jesus was treated as we deserve that we might be treated as He deserves." Desire of Ages, p.25. Isn't this totally mindboggling!!! The Father's will is to treat us according to the merits of His son if we will only accept His merits and claim them. And He tells us that it is our privilege to claim them! Do we believe this? Whether we believe it or not, this is the message that is to sound throughout the length and breadth of the whole earth. "Unless he makes it his life business to behold the uplited Saviour and accept the merits which it is his privilege to claim, the sinner can no more be saved than Peter could walk upon the water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus." Testimonies to Ministers, p.93.

Mrs. White wrote the above words with the 1888 message in mind, which message was resisted. See 1 S.M.234,235. This message has been lost sight of ever since. This message tells us that this is the only way the sinner can be saved: he must accept the merits of Jesus Christ and claim them, hour by hour, moment by moment. Speaking about the disciples of Christ, Mrs. White wrote, "They have learned of Jesus; they have been in His school; they have been His students and have learned the lessons of Christ in regard to the living connection that the soul has with God. 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, upon Christ, our righteousness." Faith and Works, p.64.

We lay hold upon Christ by laying hold upon His merits!

We have no merit or goodness within whereby we may claim salvation. Only the merits of the spotless Lamb of God will avail with God. "Will those who set not before them the pattern, Jesus, extol your merits? You have none except as they come through Jesus Christ." R&H Sept.4,1900.

"Works without faith are dead, and faith without works is dead. Works will never save us; it is the merit of Christ that will avail in our behalf." E.G. White, Signs of the Times, June 16,1890.

This most precious message has, to a large degree, been lost sight of and it is high time that the professed people of God should pay attention to it.

This is the hope that is set before us in the Scriptures. "We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this." Patriarchs and Prophets, 203.

"Our only hope is in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour." G.C.471. If we are to have a living living connection with God we must, by faith, lay hold upon His all-sufficient merits.

But sad to say the majority of Adventists don't seem to know that Jesus Christ has merits and that it is those merits alone that we must plead before God in our behalf in order to receive the gift that brings all the other blessings in its train. Many ask, What do you mean by the "merits" of Christ? What are the "merits" of Christ? Christ is God, why should He need to have merits? Yet we read, "The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." Steps to Christ, p.36. "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."

Christ's infinite sacrifice has acquired Him a bank of merits, divine merits, and it is those merits that the Father desires to place upon us if we will simply accept the gift and claim it. "All His merits and holiness were open to fallen man, presented as a gift." E.G. White, Letter 12, 1892.

It is written that the whole world is drunk with the wine of Babylon. The main pillar of all false religions is that salvation must be obtained through merits. It is the right idea but the wrong merits. Instead of trusting wholly in the merits of the divine Redeemer, the people seek to gain the approval of God through their own merits, the merits of their good works.

"They need the heavenly eyesalve that they may discern with astonishment the utter worthlessness of creature merits to earn the wages of eternal life." E.G. White, Faith and Works, p.23.

When the Reformers discovered the "true light" (G.C.73) it is said that "they cast themselves wholly upon the merits of Jesus." The Great Controversy, p.74.

"Luther tried through works to obtain the favour of God; but he was not satisfied until a gleam of light from Heaven drove the darkness from his mind, and let him to trust, not in works, but in the merits of the blood of Christ." Spiritual Gifts, Vol.1, p.120.

Jon Calvin prayed, "O Father, we had devised for ourselves many useless follies, but You have placed Your Word before me like a torch, and You have touched my heart, in order that I may hold in abomination all other merits save those of Jesus." The Great Controversy, p.221.

Today, among those who profess to believe present truth, many believe that they are saved by grace and yet fail to appropriate to themselves the merits of Christ by which alone the grace of the Holy Spirit is promised to them.

"How long will you hate and despise the messengers of God's righteousness? God has given them His message. They bear the Word of the Lord: There is salvation for you but only through the merits of Jesus Christ. The grace of the Holy Spirit has been offered to you again and again." Testimonies to Ministers, p.96, 97.

"Looking unto Jesus and trusting in His merits we appropriate the blessings of light and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Testimonies, Vol.5, p.744.

This is the "true light," the "most precious message" the Lord sent to His professed people in 1888. The light was resisted. Will we resist it again?

"The only remedy is belief in the truth, acceptance of the light." Testimonies to Ministers, p.91. This was said in the context of the 1888 message of the merits and righteousness of Christ.

We must daily apply to the merits of Christ that we may become vessels fit for the Master's use and then He will use us as sharp sickles in the harvest field. See Signs of the Times, May 19, 1890.

sky

[John317]

That's shocking and sad, sky.

Have you ever heard of "Bill" Lehmann? He served as a pastor here at the Loma Linda Hill Church during the 1970s and 80s. He was wonderful. He often spoke of the merits of Christ and gave many sermons on righteousness by faith.

Check out: http://www.sdabeaconlight.org/

[Guest]

That's shocking and sad, sky.

Have you ever heard of "Bill" Lehmann? He served as a pastor here at the Loma Linda Hill Church during the 1970s and 80s. He was wonderful. He often spoke of the merits of Christ and gave many sermons on righteousness by faith.

Check out: http://www.sdabeaconlight.org/

Thanks for the link, but you better go take care of that tooth John.

[Gail]

It could be that pastors take it for granted that we all know how it works. But it doesn't hurt to go over it again.

The pastor in one of our local churches just completed a series about salvation that was like water in a thirsty land.

[John317]

Yeah, I know. lol My wife is saying the same thing. I hate dentists, and right now it's not hurting too much because I took two pain-killers.

[Guest]

Mrs. White wrote the above words with the 1888 message in mind, which message was resisted. See 1 S.M.234,235. This message has been lost sight of ever since. This message tells us that this is the only way the sinner can be saved: he must accept the merits of Jesus Christ and claim them, hour by hour, moment by moment.

I looked up 1SM 234,235 in my dad's old book, and he had the part about the 1888 message underlined.

[Gail]

I sympathize with you, John, about the dentist. I have an appointment in 2 hours to treat an abscess... Not looking forward to it...

[Guest]

Yeah, I know. lol My wife is saying the same thing. I hate dentists, and right now it's not hurting too much because I took two pain-killers.

I hate em too, but if you don't go now, you may wake up in the middle of the night wishing you had.

[Guest]

I had one that was killing me, and this girl told me to put oregano oil on it. So I did. It made it stop hurting, so I kept putting it on there. Now it's back to normal and I can even chew on it again.

[John317]

OK, I'm out of here. Can't put it off any more. :-)

Sorry to hear you've got to see a dentist too, Gail.

[Gail]

I've been treating mine with activated charcoal poultices, but that's another topic...

Take care, Bud!

[skyblue888]

It could be that pastors take it for granted that we all know how it works. But it doesn't hurt to go over it again.

The pastor in one of our local churches just completed a series about salvation that was like water in a thirsty land.

Gail!!! take it for granted!!!

I dont think so.

More like they have absolutely no clue, most of them anyway!

sky

[pnattmbtc]

If we are angry, and provoked, and hurt, that is all nothing in comparison to the teachings of our Master. We keep His "sayings", not because we feel emotions of love and loyalty toward Him; we do them because we over-rule feelings and emotions and act purely out of faith, trusting His words.

It seems to me that we should keep His sayings because:

1.We feel emotions of love and loyalty toward Him.

AND

2.We believe that His sayings are true.

I understand the idea that feeling emotions can vary, and regardless of our feelings, we should still do what we know by our minds is correct. I'm not taking issue with this, but the way the above is put seems to be pitting faith *against* feeling emotions, which I don't think is right either. We *should*, in general, feel emotions of love and loyalty towards Christ. Occasionally we might not, because maybe we're tired or sick and not feeling well, or whatever, but the memory of the cross, of Christ's great love for us, should stir our hearts, and gratitude is a valid reason for keeping His sayings.

[Guest]

It is not wise to look to ourselves and study our emotions. If we do this, the enemy will present difficulties and temptations that weaken faith and destroy courage. Closely to study our emotions and give way to our feelings is to entertain doubt and entangle ourselves in perplexity. We are to look away from self to Jesus. {AG 109}

Many who profess sanctification are entirely ignorant of the work of grace upon the heart. . . . They lay aside reason and judgment, and depend wholly upon their feelings, basing their claims to sanctification upon emotions which they have at some time experienced. . . . Bible sanctification does not consist in strong emotion. Here is where many are led into error. They make feelings their criterion. When they feel elated or happy, they claim that they are sanctified. {FLB 119}

[Stewart (SDA)]

I accept what you are saying Pnattmbtc. As Christians our expressions SHOULD be heart-felt; we should be "fervent in spirit", and I don't think this will happen unless there is some emotion involved. I do agree...

but emotion should never be a guiding criteria. It is a fikle, unsafe guide.

stewart

(to be continued)

[Stewart (SDA)]

Good quotes Richard, thanks again.

They bring to mind (by way of contrast) the "Babylonian" euphorias, and "flights of fancy", which so many today seem to equate with God.

I think because they are unable to be "sober", they are consequently unable to be "vigilant", and the Devil hunts them as easy prey, and takes them.

Stewart.