Becoming Righteous-5 quotes

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would....Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-17, 19-25.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25.

3) If we are clothed in Christ's righteousness, then the Father mercifully does not investigate beneath this covering of the Lamb, but accepts us as being faultless and perfect in Christ “with exceeding joy”!

This is not talking about someone who stops the warfare, refusing to advance upward, and instead has chosen to sin, because Christ’s robe of righteousness will never cover anyone who practices a known sin. But this is talking about advancing upward on this straight and narrow pathway, not walking in our flesh, but doing our best to walk in the Spirit and working to overcome our defects and faults of character. And then, if we should come short of perfection, Christ will make up the difference with His precious righteousness!

“Who shall ascend [advance upward] into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Psalms 24:3-5.

4) After we have done our best, if we still come short of perfection in any area, God understands where we are in our growth process of sanctification, and He mercifully accepts us as still being perfect in our Beloved Saviour!

“Talk of His love, talk of His goodness, talk of His power, for He will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear. In Christ is our righteousness. Jesus makes up our deficiencies because He sees we cannot do it ourselves.” Manuscript Releases, vol 4, p 179.

“Jesus loves His children, even if they err. They belong to Jesus and we are to treat them as the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ. Any unreasonable course pursued toward them is written in the books as against Jesus Christ. He keeps His eye upon them, and when they do their best, calling upon God for His help, be assured the service will be accepted, although imperfect.

“Jesus is perfect. Christ's righteousness is imputed unto them...Jesus makes up for our unavoidable deficiencies. Where Christians are faithful to each other, true and loyal to the Captain of the Lord's host, never betraying trusts into the enemy's hands, they will be transformed into Christ's character. Jesus will abide in their hearts by faith.” Selected Messages, Book 3, p 195-196.

“...wherein you are too feeble to do the work as thoroughly as if you were well, Jesus' precious mercy and merits supplies the deficiencies on the part of His repenting, humble ones.” Ellen G. White in Europe 1885-1887, p 89.

“Many feel that their faults of character make it impossible for them to meet the standard that Christ has erected; but all such ones have to do is to humble themselves at every step under the mighty hand of God. Christ does not estimate the man by the amount of work he does, but by the spirit in which the work is performed. When He sees men lifting the burdens, trying to carry them in lowliness of mind, with distrust of self, and with reliance upon Him, He adds to their work His perfection and sufficiency, and it is accepted of the Father. We are accepted in the Beloved. The sinner's defects are covered by the perfection and fullness of the Lord our righteousness. Those who with sincere will, with contrite heart, are putting forth humble efforts to live up to the requirements of God, are looked upon by the Father with pitying, tender love. He regards such as obedient children, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them.” Manuscript Releases, vol 11, p 284-285.

5) You have the assurance that you can indeed come directly before God at any time of need without having any fear of being rejected because you couldn’t do a better job at walking at that particular time!

“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, 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....Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” Hebrews 10:14-17, 19-24.

6) “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him...” Colossians 2:6-10.

The Greek word for “complete” is “pleroo”, and it translates and means “to level up, complete, fill up, make full, perfect” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, word #4137). So you are complete, leveled and filled up fully to the standard of perfection and righteousness in Jesus Christ at every step in this Christian walk if you do your best and not give in to your past life of sin! The Lord Jesus Christ is your Helper all along that narrow pathway, and He will continue to make up your deficiencies of character each and every step of the way until you become “a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” growing “up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:13, 15).

7) “First [comes] the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Mark 4:28-29. Thus at every step and at every stage of growth and development in your Christian walk up this straight and narrow pathway, you stand perfect and righteous and complete before the Father in Christ Jesus. Just like with the corn in the husk: while it was growing towards becoming that perfectly formed full corn in the ear, it was perfect at each stage of development because it was following the will of God! The same with our growth and development -- we are perfect in Christ at each stage of maturity, if we do the best that we can do in following the will of God.

“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth [up that straight and narrow path], and grow up as calves of the stall.” Malachi 4:2.

“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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17.


	"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries home \| Sermon Quotes BECOMING RIGHTEOUS, part 5 quotes 1) You cannot both walk in the Spirit and fulfill the lusts of the flesh at the same time! “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would....Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-17, 19-25. If we walk in the Spirit, then how many victories over the evils of our past life in the flesh can we obtain through faith? “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23. 2) Christ makes up the difference between where our best efforts ended and what the standard of perfection is! “For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.” Psalms 18:30-32. “...their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25. 3) If we are clothed in Christ's righteousness, then the Father mercifully does not investigate beneath this covering of the Lamb, but accepts us as being faultless and perfect in Christ “with exceeding joy”! “The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness...” Jeremiah 51:10. “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever...” Psalms 138:8. This is not talking about someone who stops the warfare, refusing to advance upward, and instead has chosen to sin, because Christ’s robe of righteousness will never cover anyone who practices a known sin. But this is talking about advancing upward on this straight and narrow pathway, not walking in our flesh, but doing our best to walk in the Spirit and working to overcome our defects and faults of character. And then, if we should come short of perfection, Christ will make up the difference with His precious righteousness! “Who shall ascend [advance upward] into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Psalms 24:3-5. 4) After we have done our best, if we still come short of perfection in any area, God understands where we are in our growth process of sanctification, and He mercifully accepts us as still being perfect in our Beloved Saviour! “Talk of His love, talk of His goodness, talk of His power, for He will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear. In Christ is our righteousness. Jesus makes up our deficiencies because He sees we cannot do it ourselves.” Manuscript Releases, vol 4, p 179. “The grace and perfection of Christ make up for our deficiencies; his character and righteousness are imputed to his believing, obedient children.” Youth’s Instructor, May 14, 1884. “Jesus loves His children, even if they err. They belong to Jesus and we are to treat them as the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ. Any unreasonable course pursued toward them is written in the books as against Jesus Christ. He keeps His eye upon them, and when they do their best, calling upon God for His help, be assured the service will be accepted, although imperfect. “Jesus is perfect. Christ's righteousness is imputed unto them...Jesus makes up for our unavoidable deficiencies. Where Christians are faithful to each other, true and loyal to the Captain of the Lord's host, never betraying trusts into the enemy's hands, they will be transformed into Christ's character. Jesus will abide in their hearts by faith.” Selected Messages, Book 3, p 195-196. This making up of our deficiencies in our walk with God on this straight and narrow pathway, even includes any deficiencies in our work and service for God. “...wherein you are too feeble to do the work as thoroughly as if you were well, Jesus' precious mercy and merits supplies the deficiencies on the part of His repenting, humble ones.” Ellen G. White in Europe 1885-1887, p 89. “Many feel that their faults of character make it impossible for them to meet the standard that Christ has erected; but all such ones have to do is to humble themselves at every step under the mighty hand of God. Christ does not estimate the man by the amount of work he does, but by the spirit in which the work is performed. When He sees men lifting the burdens, trying to carry them in lowliness of mind, with distrust of self, and with reliance upon Him, He adds to their work His perfection and sufficiency, and it is accepted of the Father. We are accepted in the Beloved. The sinner's defects are covered by the perfection and fullness of the Lord our righteousness. Those who with sincere will, with contrite heart, are putting forth humble efforts to live up to the requirements of God, are looked upon by the Father with pitying, tender love. He regards such as obedient children, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them.” Manuscript Releases, vol 11, p 284-285. 5) You have the assurance that you can indeed come directly before God at any time of need without having any fear of being rejected because you couldn’t do a better job at walking at that particular time! “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, 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....Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” Hebrews 10:14-17, 19-24. 6) “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him...” Colossians 2:6-10. The Greek word for “complete” is “pleroo”, and it translates and means “to level up, complete, fill up, make full, perfect” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, word #4137). So you are complete, leveled and filled up fully to the standard of perfection and righteousness in Jesus Christ at every step in this Christian walk if you do your best and not give in to your past life of sin! The Lord Jesus Christ is your Helper all along that narrow pathway, and He will continue to make up your deficiencies of character each and every step of the way until you become “a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” growing “up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:13, 15). 7) “First [comes] the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Mark 4:28-29. Thus at every step and at every stage of growth and development in your Christian walk up this straight and narrow pathway, you stand perfect and righteous and complete before the Father in Christ Jesus. Just like with the corn in the husk: while it was growing towards becoming that perfectly formed full corn in the ear, it was perfect at each stage of development because it was following the will of God! The same with our growth and development -- we are perfect in Christ at each stage of maturity, if we do the best that we can do in following the will of God. “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth [up that straight and narrow path], and grow up as calves of the stall.” Malachi 4:2. “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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17. “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18.