Friday: Further Thought – Righteousness by Faith Alone
Further Thought: “The danger has been presented to me again and again of entertaining, as a people, false ideas of justification by faith. I have been shown for years that Satan would work in a special manner to confuse the mind on this point. The law of God has been largely dwelt upon and has been presented to congregations, almost as destitute of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His relation to the law as was the offering of Cain.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
I have been shown that many have been kept from the faith because of the mixed, confused ideas of salvation, because the ministers have worked in a wrong manner to reach hearts. The point that has been urged upon my mind for years is the imputed righteousness of Christ. . . .
“There is not a point that needs to be dwelt upon more earnestly, repeated more frequently, or established more firmly in the minds of all than the impossibility of fallen man meriting anything by his own best good works. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone.” — Ellen G. White, Faith and Works, pgs. 18, 19.
“The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son.” — Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 367.
Discussion Questions:
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Summary: Peter’s behavior in Antioch suggested that ex-pagans could not be true Christians unless they were first circumcised. Paul pointed out the fallacy of such thinking. God cannot pronounce anyone righteous on the basis of that person’s behavior, for even the best humans are not perfect. It is only by accepting what God has done for us in Christ that sinners can be justified in His sight.
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In Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians.
They breathed, lived and talked Christ
What do we do today?
We talk and our own words condemns us (hypocrites)
We live convincing ourself He who told us be ye Holy as I am holy did not and could not really mean that.
We breath immorality and have no life
If I be lifted, I will draw all men unto myself.
If you don't like the fruit be grafted to the correct root because you see the fruit is the result of the root.
By faith alone, so that I may not become bewitched by Satan into believing that salvation is of my merits. Faith in who? Jesus, who is the sweetist name I know. He is just the same as His holy name. And someday I shall see Him face to face
To thank and praise Him for His wondrous grace, Which He gave to me, when He made me free, John 8:32,36.
Now that does not imply that I will wait to see Him till I get to heaven , the contrary, I saw Him as He is. As I prayed, read His word, and reviewed this weeks lesson with blogs.
I think the quote from Ellen White mentioned in the lesson today needs to be coupled with the following quote found a little later in the passage in order to present balance to the Righteousness by faith concept.
Christ Our Righteousness
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14, 15). Repentance is associated with faith, and is urged in the gospel as essential to salvation. Paul preached repentance. He said, “I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20, 21). There is no salvation without repentance. No impenitent sinner can believe with his heart unto righteousness. Repentance is described by Paul as a godly sorrow for sin, that “worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
By the inner work of the Spirit of Christ it is possible for humans to perform the Righteousness of Christ in our lives. Of course, even this doesn't atone for our past sins, but repentance from our sins and the performance of Christ's Righteousness is expected when we have been pardoned. Otherwise, we just come under condemnation again every time we repeat the sin we were pardoned for. We crucify Him afresh needing pardon again.
"The sinner cannot bring himself to repentance". "Is it the work of a sinner or the gift of Christ"? Acts 5:31 and the article by EGW, "A new life(Revival and beyond), page 20". I have mentioned this before and I pray for the gift of repentance. "No man can repent of himself and make himself worthy of justification". This make 2peter 3;9 even more more applicable.
Beautiful, blessed thought Paul. Thanks for sharing. The goodness of God leads us to repentance. Romans 2:4.
"In freeing our souls from the bondage of sin, God has wrought for us a deliverance greater than that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Like the Hebrew host, we should praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice for His "wonderful works to the children of men." Those who dwell upon God's great mercies, and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts, will put on the girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. The daily blessings that we receive from the hand of God, and above all else the death of Jesus to bring happiness and heaven within our reach, should be a theme for constant gratitude. What compassion, what matchless love, has God shown to us, lost sinners, in connecting us with Himself, to be to Him a peculiar treasure!" - Patriarchs and Prophets, 288, 289.