1889 Sermon by A.T. Jones

[Guest]

To follow along, you need to look up the texts, because he doesn't quote them all.

Sermons on Righteousness

Presented at the

Institute and Campmeeting

Ottawa, Kansas

May 11, 1889

"The Sabbath Morning Sermon" #1

By A. T. Jones

Matt. 6:33—"Seek ye first . . . his righteousness," is the

subject today. We notice first whose righteousness we are

to seek. It is God's. We must seek and find it or we will not

be saved. Nothing else will avail. We must know, however,

where to seek for it and how, because we often seek for it

in the wrong place; for instance, as many do, in the law of

God, and through keeping it. We will never find it there.

That is not the place to seek for it. This is not saying that

the righteousness of God is not there. The commandments

are the righteousness of God, but we will never find it

there. In Rom. 2:17-18, we see that the law is clearly

pointed out, through which, if we are instructed, we are

called of God. Then they, being the will of God, it would

be impossible for the Lord himself to be better than the ten

commandments require us to be. The Lord's will must be

the expression of what he is himself; hence it is impossible

he should be better than his law. To keep his

commandments, then, means that we shall be as good as

God is, so we read in 1 John 3:7: "He that doeth

righteousness, is righteous even as he is righteous."

Now see Psalms 119:138, Deuteronomy 6:35, Isaiah 59:7—the

people who do the law of God are righteous, even as God is

righteous, then to keep them means that man must be like

God in character. Then the righteousness of God is in his

law, but it is not revealed to men by the law. Romans 1:16-

17, the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel to

men, and not in the law. It is in the law, but it is not

revealed there to us because we are sinners, and sin has so

darkened our mind that we can not see it there, and

therefore our vision has to been lightened by some other

means, which is the gospel, where we must seek for it,

Romans 3:21.

The righteousness of God is made known without the law.

How? By faith in Jesus Christ, through the

gospel, and not by the law. Now read again Romans 1:16-

17, and this will be clear. To show this further, Romans

10:4. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to

everyone that believeth. Does not this say the same as the

others? We have lost often the real point in this text to use

it against those who claim the commandments are

abolished, who claim Christ ended the law, and we

claiming it means "the purpose of" the law, but the point in

this text is that Christ is the purpose of the law "for

righteousness" to us, as we can not get it by the law,

Romans 8:3.

The law was ordained to life, righteousness, holiness, justification, but because of sin it cannot be this to

us, so what it cannot do Christ does for us. Then, if we seek

it in the wrong place we lose the righteousness of Christ.

Now, righteousness must come from the same source as

does life; they are inseparable. Romans 8:3. Moses uses the

terms here interchangeably, so also Gal. 3:21 showing that

righteousness must come to us from the same source as life,

and that is Christ. Romans 6:23: this we have always

preached, but he said before this the wages of sin is death

but the gift of God is eternal life, and so we have always

claimed eternal life to be a gift, but we have not claimed

the same for righteousness as being a gift through Jesus

Christ.

Why was it necessary that something was given to

have life? Because the wages of sin was death. If a law

could give life, it would be by the law. If the law was a

secondary form and God could have made another, and

better, it would not suffice because if men could not keep

an inferior law they could not keep a superior, consequently

no law could give the life. Therefore Christ came to be the

purpose of the law to everyone that believeth.

Now we want to see what righteousness there is in the law for us, and we will become convinced it is our own, which is the

very best we can ever get out of the law. If I take the

highest and most comprehensive view of the law I can, and

live up to it, is that a satisfying of the law? No, because it is not a high enough view of it, because the mind is all

darkened by sin, and man's comprehension is not broad

enough to grasp the height and breadth of it, and so does

not meet the requirements of the law. It is our own

righteousness then, and not God's we see in the law and we

see ourselves (the extent of our vision) and not the face of

God. Often we think we do right and afterwards see it was

not so. If it was God's righteousness at that time, God

would be imperfect.

It is only in Christ that we can ever see

the righteousness of God. But God is the gospel and the

gospel is Christ, and so by the law can no man be

accounted righteous. We must then have something more

than the law to enable us to understand God's righteousness

and to comprehend the law. That something "is Christ Jesus

in whom is the fullness of the Godhead bodily." I read now

Romans 10:13; here we have a people seeking earnestly for

righteousness. Where? Their own. Did they find it? No.

Romans 9:31-32, being ignorant of Christ's righteousness.

They would not believe Christ or Paul, but sought it by the

works of the law. Now read verse 30; the Gentiles found it

having faith, and not being satisfied with their own

righteousness, as did the Pharisees who trusted in

themselves that they were righteous. This, too, is where the

law will bring us if we try to obtain righteousness through

it, but when having faith in Christ, a man sees his sins and

longs for the righteousness of God, knowing that it is the

goodness, purity and righteousness of Christ that makes

him so, he will become righteous.

Philippians 3:4-9: here was a Pharisee who lived up to

the broadest view of the law of God he could obtain and

was blameless, yet he gave it all up for Christ. Galatians

2:2; if "righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead

in vain," our own righteousness is all then we can get out of

the law, and that the righteousness of God can come only

by Jesus Christ. What is our own righteousness? Isaiah

64:5. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. We have all sinned

and come short of the glory of God. What is sin?

When Israel came out of Egypt, they knew not God, remembering

only that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had a God, but knew

nothing more. To make them understand their condition

and what sin was he took one of their own words and

applied it to his purpose. He took a word meaning "missed

its mark" and used it to express sin. Now we have all

sinned and come short—that is what Paul means—we have

"missed the mark." Then the more righteousness of the law

a man has the worse he is off—the more ragged is he. Now

turn to Zech. 3:1-8. Mrs. White declares this chapter to be a

prophecy of this present time. Here we have Joshua

standing clothed in his own righteousness and Christ takes

it off and clothes him with the righteousness of God.

Now Joshua had been doing the best he could, but would he have

been saved? No. How often we hear people say "I do the

best I can," and believe they will be saved. Joshua was

reclothed and was to stand with the angels. If then our

righteousness is all taken away and Christ clothes us with

God's righteousness, then to walk in his law, we will stand

with the angels. So then read Isa. 54:17, first part. Christ, in all his references in the New Testament, repeats only what

God had already spoken. Now Isa. 61:10, that is the song

we are to sing, therefore righteousness is the gift of God as

surely as is life, and if we try to get it in any other way we

shall fail. In Rom. 5:12-18, we read that as sin came by

one, the righteousness of one brought the free gift of life

upon men. So also Rom. 3:21-26, it was to declare God's

righteousness that Christ came. Now taking Rom. 5:13-17

we find here a free gift and notice particularly verse 17.

Righteousness is the gift of life to everyone who believeth,

and Jesus Christ will ever be the purpose of the law to

everyone who believeth. It is Christ's obedience that avails

and not ours that brings righteousness to us. Well then let

us stop trying to do the will of God in our own strength.

Stop it all. Put it away from you for ever. Let Christ's

obedience do it all for you and gain the strength to pull the

bow so that you can hit the mark. Why did the Saviour

came as an infant instead of a man? To die on the cross

would have met the penalty. Because he lived a child and

met all the temptations a child meets and never sinned—so

that any child can stand in his place and resist in his

strength; and he lived also as a youth, a man full grown,

weaving for us a robe of righteousness to cover us (not to

cover our filthy garments as that would be a mixture), takes

the filthy garment away and puts his own in their place, so

that all may have it if they will. Now if the righteousness is

the gift of God, and comes by the gospel, then what is the

use of the law?

There are several, but they may be used wrongfully.

The law entered that the offence might abound,

Rom. 3:19—the law speaks to sinners that all may become

guilty before God to show people their guilt. Now verse 20,

the law is to reveal sin to us-unrighteousness, not

righteousness—Christ reveals the latter, the law the former.

The law of God cannot allow a single sin in any degree

whatever. If it did and condoned even a single thought that

was not perfect it would sink a soul into perdition. The law

is perfect. If it accepts imperfection the Lord must accept it

and admit that he is imperfect, because the law is the

representation of his character. In the fact that the law

demands perfection lies the hope of all mankind, because if

it could overlook a sin to a single degree, no one could ever

be free from sin, as the law would never make that sin

known and it could never be forgiven, by which alone man

can be saved. The day is coming when the law will have

revealed the last sin and we will stand perfect before him

and be saved with an eternal salvation. The perfection of

the law of God is that it will show us all our sins, and then a perfect Saviour stands ready to take them all away.

When God makes known all our sins it is not to condemn us, but

to save us, so it is a token of his love for us, therefore,

whenever a sin is made known to you, it is a token of God's

love for you because the Saviour stands ready to take it

away.

That is why God has given us a Saviour and the

gospel. He wants us all to believe in him, come to him and

be saved. Read Matthew 5:6. Are there not many here who

hunger and thirst for righteousness? Do you want to be

filled? Look not then at the law, but the cross of Christ.

Read Ephesians 3:14-19: rooted and grounded in faith

through his love in our heart. Colossians 2:9-10, for we will

be complete in Christ. There is a completeness, joy, peace,

goodness, righteousness forever.

[pnattmbtc]

An interesting sermon. Some points.

1.The law is perfect, but because sin has darkened our mind, we cannot perceive the righteousness of God through it.

2.However, it is able to make clear to us our unrighteousness, in spite of our minds darkened by sin.

3.In order to perceive the righteousness of God, we need to behold Christ.

[Guest]

Thanks for the input.

[pnattmbtc]

It's an interesting theory, isn't it, that because of our sin-darkened minds, we are unable to perceive the righteousness of the law, but we are, in spite of our sin-darkened minds, able to perceive our need for Christ from it. I think Jones is correct here.

I think the same thing is true in terms of God. That is, if we consider God, apart from Christ, we are unable to perceive His character in its true form. We are able to perceive condemnation, but not grace, the same as with the law. It took Christ to bring the grace of God, or one could say His graciousness, to light. In Christ, we can perceive God's true character.

Interestingly enough, even for angels, Christ is a revelation. One of my favorite scenes in Scripture is the following:

Quote:

1And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

3And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

4And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

6And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain...(Rev. 5)

For some reason I find this incredibly beautiful that when John looked for the lion, he saw not a lion, but a lamb. This speaks to the revelation of God's character that I was speaking of.

By the way, if you (or someone reading this) is interested in pursuing this concept further, Waggoner had some great thoughts about this in his book "The Everlasting Covenant" where he talks about Sinai. Chapter 30, "Sinai and Calvary," is the one I'm thinking of. (http://www.adventpioneerbooks.net/Theeverlastingcovenant.htm)

[Guest]

It's funny you should mention that book "The Everlasting Covenant". A friend of mine recently gave me that book, and I am reading it now. I am only on chapter 7 but I like it.

[pnattmbtc]

Great! Waggoner is the only one I know of who explained the Covenants so clearly. (The chapter in PP is very good, but doesn't go into nearly so much detail).

You might want to skip to chapter 30 just for fun. It won't hurt anything to read out of order.

Chapter 9, which you're just getting to, which speaks of Abraham as the "friend of God" is one of my favorites.

[Guest]

Ok thanks, sounds like you really enjoyed the book.

[Just*]

Sermons on Righteousness

Super!

[Guest]

Sermons on Righteousness

Super!

Yes, there are four more.

[Just*]

Yes, there are four more.

I know.

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Lk 24:32

[Guest]

May 12, 1889

"Sunday Sermon on Righteousness, No. 2"

By A. T. Jones

The subject is how to obtain that righteousness of which

we read yesterday, the righteousness of God which only

will avail. Rom. 3:24, justified means accounted righteous.

How? Freely. By what means? Grace. What is grace?

Favour. Let us ever believe this text, holding fast to it

forever. In regard to grace we read Romans 11:6, which

means we are justified freely by his grace without works

otherwise it is not grace. Another reference, Ephesians 2:8-

9-5.

Now turn to Romans 4:4 with Romans 11:4. You see

then why if it be our works it is no more of grace. If we

have to work to obtain grace, then we bring the Lord in

debt to us, and if he does not pay he does us injustice. To

pay is not a favour, it is paying a debt. We are accounted

righteous freely by his grace and that not of works. I read

now Romans 9:1-2. Abraham was the father of all them

that believe—the spiritual father. Can we expect to receive

more than he did? If he was justified by works, he gloried

in himself. Now put Romans 9:2 with 1 Corinthians 1:27-

31.

The Lord has arranged it that all should glorify him and

not themselves because to glorify a sinner, a rebel, would

not be proper for a government, allowing them to come

back in harmony with it glorifying themselves. All the

woes in the world came through Satan attempting to glorify

himself. "I will be like the Most High." To allow a sinner

then to glorify himself would force pardon being extended

to Satan, also. Now, Christ is made unto us righteousness

and sanctification, and we glory in Christ and not

ourselves. If we believe on him our faith is counted to us

for righteousness. But can the Lord justify the ungodly?

Yes, Christ came to justify sinners, so read carefully this verse, Romans 4:5.

The first thing then to learn is that we

are ungodly and confess it, and God will count him

righteous. The Lord cannot justify and save any who cannot

see their true condition. There is joy in heaven over one

sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine that

need no repentance. The Saviour came not to call righteous

but sinners to repentance, then none but sinners will be

saved. Now Romans 4:16, "therefore it is of faith." Why?

That it might be by grace, "to the end that it may be sure.

Faith is the easiest and most natural thing in the world.

There is nothing wonderful about faith, as some think, and

say "I try to believe and if I can't then how can I." But we

can believe God with the same faculties we believe others.

Don't try to believe—quit it—and believe. We either

believe or don't believe—then why not believe? Believe as

a child, don't reason it out. Faith goes in advance of reason,

knowledge and all else. At school the teacher pointed out a

letter and told us "That is A," and that is all the evidence

we have of it. We believed it; now let us receive the

kingdom of heaven as we did when a child the words of

your teacher. If we reason on faith we can never believe,

because to reason faith is unreasonable because the effort

of reason always produces doubt. It begins and ends with a

"how."

Because faith is the simplest and easiest thing for

all, God put his salvation in the surest place, that we might

have it and know that he has it. Now, Romans 5:6-8-10,

Christ died for you because you are ungodly, and he died

for the ungodly, and you can be counted righteous right

now if you will believe it. Christ's death reconciled the

world unto God but it never saved any or ever can. His

death met the penalty of the law, but we are saved by

Christ's life. Read Romans 4:25. By his death then we have

reconciliation, by his life justification, and by the second

coming we have salvation—all these being necessary to

complete the plan of salvation. The law of God shows a

man to be ungodly—and as by the law is the knowledge of

sin which is ungodliness (we will call it now sin).

So turn to Prov. 28:13 (mercy being treating one better than he

deserves). Remember, believe this fully; our habit has been

to confess our sins and then doubt the forgiveness and carry

them all away with us, obtaining no peace because we

doubted. "God never appointed us to wrath."—1 Thess. 5:9.

He shows the laws to save us from them, the knowledge of

them being a token of his love, that there is Jesus to take

them all from us. He calls us to obtain salvation. So do not

take the knowledge of your sins as a token of his wrath.

"Whoso confesses his sins shall be saved."—Rom. 4:6-7.

Now 1 John 1:9, 5:17, "If we confess our sins he will

forgive and cleanse us from all our sins." Believe this fully

and go free. How many go to the soul confessing and never

believe they are forgiven? To believe part of the word and

not all is infidelity. "Man shall live by every word that

proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord." To confess a sin

and not believe in its forgiveness is infidelity. Don't wait

for feeling—that has nothing to do with faith. How can

anyone know how he ought to feel when sins are forgiven?

If you trust to feeling you are like a wave of the sea tossed

by the winds to and fro. Often revivalists tell mourners how

he felt when he was forgiven, and they try to feel as he did

and fail, as no two can ever feel just alike and so no one

can tell if converted. Faith does not rest on evidence. If it

rests on the reasonableness of a thing, it rests on reason and

not faith. If it rests on the confidence we have in the person,

and that person contradicts himself, then where is faith? If

one says, I will do some great thing, and I believe him; if

he comes again and says something that uproots all he

previously said, what am I to do? Now let me prove this:

Abraham was justified by faith and it was counted to him

for righteousness. Read the account of it, Gen. 15:5 and

onward. Sometime after that Isaac was born and growing

up Abraham was told to offer him up, directly against the

promise. Where did his faith come in? By believing the

promise independent of appearances. That was faith

furnishing its own evidence. Abraham believed it until all

came right because God had promised it would. Now turn

to Romans 4:16-22;

Abraham against hope believed in hope, his faith furnishing the hope, confidence and evidence. Never let our feelings, then, have any control over our faith. Feelings belong to Satan. Relegate them to him.

"The just shall live by faith." Brethren, let us live that

way. When we believe it puts Christ in place of the sin and

when Satan comes to attack us he finds only Christ, and

then we have the victory over Satan, not delivering us from

temptation, but giving us power to conquer temptation, and

gaining the victory so that particular temptation never

comes again. We are conquerors there forever. If you want

feeling about this, praise the Lord because he ever pardons

your sin and because you believe his promise, and there

will be feeling enough within you to be satisfactory. Look

for God, and he will put a song in your mouth. Now, do

you believe my opening text, that we are justified freely.

Often we sin and feel so ashamed and bad over it we wait a

few days to get a little better before we go to the Lord for

forgiveness. We try to make ourselves good first. There is a

tendency in every soul to this. That is justification by works

the same as fasting or punishing oneself first. This is the

root of monkery and all the penances in the Catholic

church. Then, if we do not want to be papists, let us quit.

We have done no better, but the sin has lost the horror

before us, and we are better in our own eyes, and then

confess only our surface sin, so the Holy Spirit shows us

again the sin that was covered up. Now the only way to get

rid of it is to confess it at once, because the Lord shows us

a sin just as it is, and right then, so that he can forgive it

fully and completely. When we try to catch up our sin by

doing better, we are putting on more and more of the filthy

rags spoken of by Isaiah, which is our own righteousness.

Let us read Revelation 3:11-18. Let us trust the Lord and

believe his promises.

[Guest]

May 13, 1889

"A Sermon on Righteousness, No. 3"

By A. T. Jones

This morning we will study some texts that speak to us

of faith, what we are to do with it and what it will do for us.

Romans 5:1 to be justified is to be accounted righteous and

this by faith. Romans 4:5; Romans 3:22. This righteousness

is to take the place of all our sins, remember. Now see what

the Lord will do with our sins, Isa. 1:18. The latter

condition is just the opposite of the first—the sins no matter

how deep the colour will be made white as snow. We are to

be clothed with white raiment, our scarlet sins to be

changed, our filthy stained garments to be changed like

wool, white as snow. When we ask to have our sins taken

away it is asking to be cleansed. What does it mean to be

made white as snow? Mark 9:3. That is the garment that is

to be put upon us—whiter than any fuller can make them.

This is the blessed promise. Faith says that this is so, Isa.

44:22. The Lord has paid the ransom by the death of Christ,

now he says return unto me, I have redeemed thee. All the

thick, black clouds have gone—blotted out. Micah 7:18, 19

passed by the transgression of what? The remnant? Those

who keep the commandments and have the faith of Jesus.

That is a promise to us. He is fixing them up for Himself.

He is taking their sins from them. He delights in treating

them better than they deserve. He delights in us when we

believe in Him. All our sins are to go into the depths of the

sea, the deepest depth we can conceive of. Is not that a

blessed promise? Psalm 103:11,12. Who can conceive the

distance of heaven from us, so great is God's goodness and

mercy towards us. Don't we want to worship such a Lord as

that?

Do we want to offend such a God as that? No, we

want to be like Him. Now how far is the east from the

west? Suppose we walk out looking for the west, how long

shall we seek it? Eternally. Then so far are sins to be from

us, as long as we believe it. Have faith then and keep them

eternally away from you. Why should we not have peace?

Faith then gives us peace. God gives us the Holy Spirit as a

seal of his righteousness. We must ask for the Holy Spirit

to receive it. Luke 11 9-13. How must we ask? James 1:6,

Gal. 3:13, 14, the blessing of Abraham was righteousness

through faith, Rom. 4:21-25.

What does God promise us in reference to our sins?

They shall be white as snow. Then we are righteous. He

says he will blot out the thick clouds of our sins. If we

believe it then, we are righteous. By Micah he says our sins

shall go into the sea. Do we believe it? Then we are

righteous. Our sins are to go from us an eternal distance.

Do we believe God can do this? Then we are righteous.

Now the promises were not written out for Abraham's sake

alone, but for our sakes to whom it shall be imputed, if we

believe on Him who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead.

Romans 10:10. Then how are we to have righteousness?

By faith. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with

God—now read Galatians 3, again. We receive the seal of

it by faith. Another step we want to take when we receive

the promise by faith. Romans 5:1-5, we get into the grace

of God by faith (whatsoever is not of faith is sin), and we

must rejoice. Why should we not? What have we to

complain of? What have we to do but rejoice? The Lord is

good. Rejoice anyhow. Rejoice in tribulations also, because

the Holy Ghost sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts.

Don't get a wrong turn here. It is not love for God (though

that will be there), but the Holy Spirit puts God's love in

our hearts. God gave his Son when man was enmity toward

him, because he loved them, and when his love is in our

hearts they will go out towards mankind in love as his great

heart has done. The evidence we want is to have the love of

God in our heart.

Now Gal. 5:22. How shall we be good? Have the spirit

of God in our hearts. Do we want the other virtues? These

are all the fruit of the spirit of God. We can't have the fruit

unless we have the tree—for it is God that works within us

both to will and to do of his good pleasure. John 14:21-28.

The Lord went away but promised to send the Holy Spirit

to manifest him. Is that not what we learned yesterday?

Where do we abide? At our homes. We are sojourning here.

"We will come unto him and abide with him." Eph. 3:14-

21.

We begin, then, at the 16th verse, which speaks of the

family of God, not two, but only one, some in heaven, the

balance on earth—this is a prayer for us—that we be

strengthened by the spirit, that Christ may dwell with us by

our faith. How can we know that which passeth

knowledge? Why, only by faith and then we know it. Now

verse 20.

Paul could not find words to tell what he wanted

to, and failed to express it all. The Lord says he will do all

we ask or think. Do we believe it? Then we can get from

him all we ask or think, further exceedingly abundantly

beyond what we can ask for or think, according to what

power? The power working within us. And what is this?

Our faith. Well, then, that is all the limit put upon God—

the power of God being limited only according to the

measure of our faith. Then, brethren, let us have faith. God

is able to do all he promises. Romans 1:16-17. Many do not

know what this expression "from faith to faith" means.

We begin with faith, and the exercise of that faith will develop

the capacity to exercise faith tomorrow—so that we grow

from faith to faith, from today's to tomorrow's —therefore

we grow in faith, and from grace, favour, power with God,

to grace, and in knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us

exercise our faith then, and it will develop power—the

power of God unto eternal salvation. Why, then, should we

not rejoice?

Now faith works, Galatians 5:6. Here is where

the work comes in, and is the only work acceptable to God,

for it is of God, but works without faith are our own. James

2:18. Well let it do this for it is true, the man who has the

most faith will do the most acceptable work to God. Work

is of no value except it have faith, and faith without works

is valueless. Works will tell the amount of faith we possess,

1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11. Now comes

obedience. Where?

Romans 16:25-26, all made manifest for the obedience of

faith—then all short of this faith is sin,

that is, "comes short" of the perfection of the law of God,

according to the view of God—not intentional sin, perhaps,

but short of the glory of God, and is not obedience—for

without faith it is impossible to please God. So, then, our

obedience comes in after we have faith, and God's spirit is

dwelling within us. Do you not see now that we have to be

made good before we can do good? If then you want to do

better get more of Jesus Christ in your heart. It is all well

enough to want to do better, but go first to Jesus to be made

better. Romans 1:5, margin, also Timothy 6:12.

A battle is to be fought, and the beauty of it all is there is

a victory to be won, 1 John, 4:4. Mark what "overcome"

means; "to conquer," "veni, vide, vice." I came, I saw, I

conquered, is what Caesar wrote home to the senate. I

came, I overcame, I conquered is the literal translation.

Then to overcome is to conquer—but it does not protect

from temptation and battles, but it fits us up and enables us

to fight, and gives us the victory, all through faith. Is not

faith, then, a glorious thing? Ephesians 6:10-18. After

having conquered be able to stand when the battle is over

(see margin of verse 13), having the righteousness of God

as our armour, and above it all the shield of faith to not

only stop the fiery darts of the enemy (which if they strike

us create a flame within us), but it quenches them—puts

them out. Hebrews 2:5 to Hebrews 2:1-3 (sic).

Paul says Christ partook of our suffering and took upon him the

bondage of death to rescue us from death, and took upon

him our nature that he might be a merciful and faithful high

priest, so that having stood in our place, remember that he

stood there before we did, and if we put him between us

and the temptation, it vanishes, and we conquer in him.

That is the shield of faith. Another thing, brethren, the heart

is purified by faith and the pure shall see God. Matthew

5:8; Acts 5:8-9. It is made pure and kept pure by him. How

is it done? There is no "how" to faith; but let us read Luke

8:13-18. Why did he not say before this who touched him?

Because the touch of the woman was the touch of faith and

drew virtue from Him. Faith reaches out to Christ and

virtue comes in response as surely as it did on that woman,

and this is not all. Luke 6:19: Touch him by faith and virtue

will come to all and make you faithful, i.e., full of faith.

Christ was faithful; his faithfulness comes to us in

answer to our faith and that makes us faithful. It is only by

his obedience that we are made righteous. Then when I

have anything to do, let my faith reach out to him and bring

faithfulness from him to enable me to do it. Faithfulness,

that only can do it. If we want to be good let our faith touch

him, and goodness comes to us and makes us good; if we

want to be righteous, in answer to our faith, power comes

to us and makes us righteous.

In answer to our faith as it grows, more and more of his power and goodness will come to us, and just before probation closes we shall be like him indeed, and then we shall be keeping the

commandments of God in fact, because there will be so

much of him in us that there will be none of ourselves

there. That is when we get to the place where we keep the

commandments of God, and there is the beautiful promise,

"Here are they that keep the commandments of God and

have the faith of Jesus." We must reach that place yet.

There is too much self glorification, too much self

confidence, but let our faith come to him. Then that is

sanctification, that is what the 26th chapter of Acts tells us,

verse 18; also John 17:19. That is genuine sanctification.

When that comes it will be all right. Get all that kind of

sanctification you can. Faith is actually a something, a

reality, and when it touches Jesus Christ, in response to it

virtue comes from him and makes us what we want to be.

Get that into your minds, brethren, and let us understand

what faith is. Let our faith touch him and draw from him

virtue, goodness, righteousness, and every good and perfect

gift will come to us. Then the glory, the praise and the

honour is Christ's, and let us give it to him. Then if there be

any virtue at all it is Christ's virtue that makes us acceptable

to God in any way whatever. A text to sum up this matter is

Heb. 10:37, 38.

[teresaq]

the pioneers of our church started off as the church of philadelphia. they discovered the sabbath and in their efforts to present and uphold the law of God started drifting from preaching "Christ and Him crucified" until they didnt recognize it when jones and waggoner were called of God to present it and bring us back to presenting "Christ in the law".

Brethren, shall we not all of us leave our loads there? and when we leave this meeting, may it be with the truth burning in our souls like fire shut up in our bones. You will meet with those who will say, "You are too much excited over this matter. You are too much in earnest. You should not be reaching for the righteousness of Christ, and making so much of that. You should preach the law." As a people, we have preached the law until we are as dry as the hills of Gilboa that had neither dew nor rain. We must preach Christ in the law, and there will be sap and nourishment in the preaching that will be as food to the famishing flock of God. We must not trust in our own merits at all, but in the merits of Jesus of Nazareth. Our eyes must be anointed with eye-salve. We must draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to us, if we come in his own appointed way. O that you may go forth as the disciples did after the day of Pentecost, and then your testimony will have a living ring, and souls will be converted to God. {1888 560.4}

it is such a beautiful message! it is the message we are to give to the world, the loud cry, the latter rain, the 3 angels message...

Christ and His righteousness--let this be our platform, the very life of our faith.--Review and Herald, Aug. 31, 1905. {Ev 190.2}

Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel's message, and I have answered, "It is the third angel's message in verity."-- Review and Herald, April 1, 1890. {Ev 190.3}

This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded 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 His Spirit in a large measure. {Ev 190.4}

The uplifted Saviour is to appear in His efficacious work as the Lamb slain, sitting upon the throne, to dispense the priceless covenant blessings, the benefits He died to purchase for every soul who should believe on Him. John could not express that love in words; it was too deep, too broad; he calls upon the human family to behold it. 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. Centuries, ages, can never diminish the efficacy of this atoning sacrifice. The message of the gospel of His grace was to be given to the church in clear and distinct lines, that the world should no longer say that Seventh-day Adventists talk the law, the law, but do not teach or believe Christ. {Ev 191.1}

The efficacy of the blood of Christ was to be presented to the people with freshness and power, that their faith might lay hold upon its merits. . . . {Ev 191.2}

For years the church has been looking to man, and expecting much from man, but not looking to Jesus, in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. Therefore God gave to His servants a testimony that presented the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the third angel's message, in clear, distinct lines. --Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 91-93. (1896) {Ev 191.3}

Those who have held the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end will be wide-awake during the time that the third angel's message is proclaimed with great power. During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of God have crowned with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere. {RH, October 13, 1904 par. 4}

The saving knowledge of God will accomplish its purifying work on the mind and heart of every believer. The Word declares: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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." This is the descent of the Holy Spirit, sent from God to do its office work. The house of Israel is to be imbued with the Holy Spirit, and baptized with the grace of salvation. {RH, October 13, 1904 par. 5}

[teresaq]

Matt. 6:33—"Seek ye first . . . his righteousness," is the subject today.

We notice first whose righteousness we are to seek.

It is God's.

We must seek and find it or we will not be saved.

Nothing else will avail.

We must know, however, where to seek for it and how, because we often seek for it in the wrong place;

for instance, as many do, in the law of God, and through keeping it.

We will never find it there.

That is not the place to seek for it.

This is not saying that the righteousness of God is not there. The commandments are the righteousness of God, but we will never find it there. In Rom. 2:17-18, we see that the law is clearly pointed out, through which, if we are instructed, we are called of God. Then they, being the will of God, it would be impossible for the Lord himself to be better than the ten commandments require us to be. The Lord's will must be the expression of what he is himself; hence it is impossible he should be better than his law. To keep his commandments, then, means that we shall be as good as God is, so we read in 1 John 3:7: "He that doeth righteousness, is righteous even as he is righteous."

Rom 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, Rom 2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

[pnattmbtc]

Nice choice of fonts, Richard. Made it easy to read. Appreciated.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

OH, I'M SICK OF SERMONS. DON'T WE HAVE ENOUGH TO LISTEN TO NOW WITHOUT HAVING TO READ SOMETHING FROM THE 19TH CENTURY??

[Guest]

Who said you had to read it?

[teresaq]

OH, I'M SICK OF SERMONS. DON'T WE HAVE ENOUGH TO LISTEN TO NOW WITHOUT HAVING TO READ SOMETHING FROM THE 19TH CENTURY??

that made me feel sad since it meant so much to me when i came across it about a year ago.

how do you feel about those 2000 year old+ sermons? just teasing. :)

[teresaq]

richard how would you feel about putting up the last two in shorter segments?

[Guest]

You mean cut em in half? I guess I could.

[teresaq]

im thinking like what i did a few posts back with a couple of paragraphs.

i say that because that way each thought could be presented and given time to sink in. its just a suggestion. :)

[teresaq]

Now see Psalms 119:138, Deuteronomy 6:25, Isaiah 59:7—the people who do the law of God are righteous, even as God is righteous, then to keep them means that man must be like God in character.

Then the righteousness of God is in his law,

but it is not revealed to men by the law. Romans 1:16- 17,

the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel to men,

and not in the law.

It is in the law, but it is not revealed there to us because we are sinners, and sin has so darkened our mind that we can not see it there, and therefore our vision has to be enlightened by some other means, which is the gospel, where we must seek for it, Romans 3:21.

Psa 119:138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.

Deu 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

[teresaq]

Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

The righteousness of God is made known without the law.

How? By faith in Jesus Christ, through the gospel, and not by the law. Now read again Romans 1:16- 17, and this will be clear. To show this further, Romans 10:4. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Does not this say the same as the others? We have lost often the real point in this text to use it against those who claim the commandments are abolished, who claim Christ ended the law, and we claiming it means "the purpose of" the law, but the point in this text is that Christ is the purpose of the law "for righteousness" to us, as we can not get it by the law, Romans 8:3.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Rom 8:3 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:

[Guest]

May ?, 1889

"The Evening Sermon, No. 4"

By A. T. Jones

1 John 5:4, "And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith." Faith is victory. There is a warfare before us, a conflict to engage in, but I am glad we may have victory. The eleventh of Hebrews is all on faith and seems to be written with especial reference to Christ's

second coming as shown by the last of the preceding chapter. "For yet a little while and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

We believe that the coming of the Lord is near. We have believed this for a long time, and as time passes and the evidences of this event multiply we are confirmed in this belief, "that he who shall come will come quickly, and will not tarry." To the people living at this time it is said, "now the just shall live by faith." It is faith that saves, but works come in as the result and fruit of faith. Your faith will be shown by your works. It is the connecting link between God and man. We read the promises of God and become

partakers of the divine nature. God speaks, faith claims, and we become possessors of that which God promises, and without it we cannot please God. We cannot honour God with our own ways.

Faith is that which takes hold of present truth and acts upon it. There is much that people call faith that is not faith at all. To believe what God has not said is not faith at all. I may believe it but not by faith, because faith must have God's word to rest upon. Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain. Cain's was rejected because he did not offer that which expressed a faith in the Christ. Abel brought a lamb, the blood of which

was offered in expression of his faith in the blood of Christ.

We can worship, we can pray, and not have faith. Noah became heir to righteousness by faith. When the Lord told him that he was going to destroy the world, did it look reasonable? Do you suppose the learned men, the D.D.'s. looked upon those things as reasonable? All arose and rejected the message of warning, but on the word of God Noah built the ark, preached the truth and was saved by faith while those who reasoned were lost. Faith keeps apace with the progression of the truth of God. "Abraham went out not knowing whither he was going." Was not that very foolish? He went on a thus saith the Lord. He was just simple enough to do as God commanded, and to believe that when God had more instruction for him he would receive it.

Moses in the midst of darkness and apostasy stands a monument of his faith. Satan did not want a delivery of Israel, but he cannot hinder the work of God. Although educated in the courts of Pharaoh Moses chooses rather to

suffer the reproach of Christ than to command the riches of Egypt. Unbelief does not make such choices. Moses knew of the promises God had made to the fathers and by faith he cast his life among his own people. So again we see that faith takes hold of the word of God.

Coming to our own time. A great majority of people in all ages have made the sad mistake of not understanding the times in which they lived. This is shown by the time of Noah and the time of Christ. Christ said on one occasion: "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day the

things which belong unto thy peace. But now they are hid from thine eyes. . . . because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation." The Jews prided themselves on being the children of Abraham, the sons of God; yet they did not understand their own time. In their day we would think by

the great professions of faith that the world would be filled with it; but we read: "When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith in the earth?" We trace the lines of prophecy down through Daniel and Revelation and we find we are always brought face to face with the fact that we are on the

brink of the eternal world.

to be continued.........

[Guest]

This knowledge brings upon every man a solemn responsibility. Most of my audience believe this. Then our works should correspond. Faith is victory. Abel triumphed, and died a martyr to his faith. Noah was victorious, and his faith carried him over the waters of the flood to this side. The Israelites conquered at the Red Sea, by marching straight up to the waters without knowing how they were to pass. God's word never fails.

May he forgive us for all our doubting which makes his word a lie.

If we live in the last days of the world's history, has he a

work for this day? He doeth nothing in secret. Turn to Rev.

14:6, and we have three messages. The first angel proclaims the preaching of the gospel to all peoples because of the coming of the day of judgement.

The second announce the fall from grace of God's church, and the third angel warning against the work of the apostate power that

shall seek to deceive the people of God. What is the nature of this message? "To every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." Has this message been given? In 1844 we have the work of William Miller and others leading out in this country, the work of Irving and Wolff in Europe, and in all countries we find the same work done.

In northern Norway we find people who remember well the preaching of that time from this text. In Denmark we find the same. So the whole world has received the message. Afterward comes the second message: "Babylon is fallen." All acknowledge this to be the fall of the popular churches and the coldness and corruption of the churches. Take the third message and we find the prophecy of the making of an image to the Papacy.

We have preached this for forty years, and the time was when people laughed us to scorn for doing so; for preaching what we now see fulfilling in the national reform movement. Our own presence here tonight proves the fulfilment of that prophecy which says: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." To

deny this truth is to deny your own existence. "The gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all nations as a witness; then shall the end come."

The same work which is going on in this country is going on in Europe, and we there witness the power of the truth. In Russia the work is going on in spite of their stringent laws. God is in this work and may we believe it. But we are not to the end yet. There

are millions that have not received the good news of salvation. When I sense it, I say, "God, tarry yet a little time, that these souls may be warned.

Noah, in the eyes of the world, built a monument to his folly when he built the ark, but he believed God, and I thank God for his faith. His faith deserves an eternal monument. We want more missionary spirit, that we may act like living men, living Christians, real and genuine. We want the victory, and pray that we may be faithful. God help us to be faithful, and to consecrate all to the work of God.

Let us have some of the consecration of the martyrs and be ready to lay all on the altar of God. Shall we not make the truth we believe a living reality? We have a warning to give; many of us have laboured, prayed and sacrificed for the work, but let not our courage fail till our ark is built. May God help the work and bless the people in Kansas, that with others we may at last come off victorious.