Introduction to Righteousness by Faith

SPEAKER B Jesus promised his disciples in Acts One eight, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all here and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Welcome to. You shall receive power. And here are your hosts, Ettienne McClintock and Colin Hone. SPEAKER C Greetings and a warm welcome to the program. Colin and I are glad you can join us again today as we study 50 Days Prayers and devotionals to prepare for the latter rain and Christ return book written by Pastor Dennis Smith. Now the previous programs we covered quite a few topics that relate to prayer and the importance of prayer. But we're starting a new set of programs at the moment, still part of the devotional, but it now is going to deal of this beautiful topic of righteousness by faith, christ our righteousness. And today we're basically going to do some introduction to righteousness by faith. And then in the subsequent weeks we'll be looking to unpack that a little bit further as the programs go to air. But just before we start, will you please join us as we just bow before God in prayer? Father in heaven, what a beautiful topic we have to study now in the next few programs. The message of righteousness by faith or justification by faith and faith in Jesus Christ and his merits. And Father, as we start looking at the Bible and start unpacking us, give us wisdom and understanding, may we get the fundamentals of salvation correct as we search the Scriptures. May the spirit of truth bless us, abide with us, and may we receive a fresh anointing of your Spirit to lead us into all. Truth is our prayer in Jesus name, amen. SPEAKER A Great. SPEAKER C So Colin, I'm looking forward to unpacking this a little bit more. We're looking at the introduction, this is day 25 of righteousness by faith. And look there are some beautiful texts we're going to look at today. SPEAKER D There certainly is righteousness by faith. This has been an incredible martin Luther discovered justification by faith and what an incredible revelation of God's word it was for him, where it freed him from the burden. Where Martin Luther was know back then the monks would have to whip themselves and hurt themselves and say penance to try and amend for their sins. And the beautiful discovery of righteous by faith and justification by faith aspect of righteous by faith. And so we want to unpack what is righteous by faith. Okay, and what is sin. We also want to look at what sin is. SPEAKER C Well you've got to understand what sin is if you want to really understand the remedy for sin. SPEAKER D That's exactly right. SPEAKER C And his righteousness. SPEAKER D First of all, what would you say the word righteousness means? SPEAKER C Okay, well, I sometimes break it down to something simple, righteousness is right doing, but if you want to know what righteousness according to the Bible, there's a couple of texts that come to mind. Psalms 119, verses 172, where it says, all thy commandments are righteousness. SPEAKER D So God's law is righteous. SPEAKER C They are the principles of righteousness. Righteousness is actually self sacrificing love or unselfish love. They are the principles of unselfish love. They are the principles of God's government. They are actually the constitution of God's government. And that is what we receive by faith. That righteousness, that love, that actually can answer the demands of the law. Because by nature we are egocentric, we're selfish, and God wants to transform and change our lives. SPEAKER D Because I know in the Bible it says that our righteousness is like filthy rags. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D So basically we don't have any righteousness. SPEAKER C We have none that can answer the demands of the law because of the weakness of the flesh. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D I mean, I've been a Christian for what, 25 years now, and I know from personal experience the guilt, frustration and sadness that comes in being a Christian when sin seems to be the rule rather than the exception. So I'll ask you another question. What is sin to the Bible? What does the Bible say sin is? SPEAKER C Look, that is such an important question and we got to make sure we get that answer right in the Scriptures, because if you get that wrong, you're going to fall to pieces in a lot of other aspects of your theology. SPEAKER D So understanding righteousness and understanding sin, understanding. SPEAKER C Sin, what they are. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C So the clearest definition we have in the Bible, we actually find in the Epistle of John. That's the first epistle of John. So that's towards the end of the Bible, let me just page there and we'll get to it. And it's first John, chapter three. And we're going to read verse four. Now, I'll read from the new King James and then I'll tell you what the King James says. Verse four says, for whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness and sin is lawlessness. Now the King James says, whoever commits sin also transgresses the law and sin is the transgression of the law. So that is the clearest definition we have in regards to what sin is. If you want to know what sin is, you've got to look at the law of God. The law of God are the principles of righteousness, are the principles of love. And anything that doesn't measure up is classed as sin. SPEAKER D So breaking God's law is sin. SPEAKER C And that text should actually make it very clear it's lawlessness. It is transgression of the law. For example, if you were to take the law out of the way, sin would cease to exist. The law is the means by which we understand that we are sinners and that we need a savior. And if you go to Romans chapter. SPEAKER D Four, we're going to go Romans, chapter four. So what you're saying is the law defines what sin is. SPEAKER C That's right? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER E All right. SPEAKER C So if you bring any other definition contrary to the word of God, it is a pseudo definition, is not the right definition. Now, if you take the Law out of the way, if the Law defines what sin is, if you take the Law out of the way, then you also remove what sin is. And I look at the text that we have in the Gospel. Well, not the gospel. It's the epistle of Romans. Sorry? The epistle of Romans. Romans, chapter four and verse 15. It says, therefore, where there is no Law, there is no transgression. So, in other words, you know, the. SPEAKER D Transgression is committing sin, isn't it? SPEAKER C Transgression, yes. Sin is the transgression of the Law, as the King James says. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C See, if you take the Law out of the way, there's no sin. In other words, there are some Gospels out there who that may say that Jesus has come to take away the Law. SPEAKER D I've heard that many times. Certain Christians have said the Law's been done away with. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D So the Bible says that the Law's been done away with, so has sin's been done away with. SPEAKER C So why would you need a Savior? SPEAKER D Well, if there's no Savior and there's no Saviour, there's no what? No grace. SPEAKER C That's right. You don't need grace anymore, because the Law's been done away with. So I would propose to people that Jesus didn't come to take away the Law. He came to fulfill the Law. SPEAKER D Well, he said that, didn't he? SPEAKER C Yeah. SPEAKER D I do not think I've come to. SPEAKER C Destroy the Law or the prophets. SPEAKER D I've come to fulfill it. In other words, I've come to keep it. That's right, yes. Because I remember, I think in Psalms, he says, thy Law is written on my heart. It talks about this future messiah. It says, God's Law will be written on his heart. I delight in the law of God. SPEAKER C That's right. Now, there's also another thing that Jesus says, I just want to go to Matthew because we'll go back to Romans, but I want to go to Matthew chapter five. Because Jesus teachings and that's the teachings that we want to have in our lives as well. The teachings of Jesus are very important, but Jesus teachings regarding the law is very important, and we need to take a notice of that. Now, Matthew, chapter five and verse 17, jesus says, and we just quoted it before, do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. And then he elaborates on what he means. He says, for surely I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled. So while there's still a heaven and there's still an earth, not one jot or one tittle. So that is the dotting of an I or the crossing of the T within the writings of the Law will pass away till all be fulfilled. So while heaven and earth remain, the Law remains. That's what Jesus is saying. SPEAKER D So the Ten Commandments still remain? SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D All ten of them or just nine out of ten? SPEAKER C Well, I would say it's the whole commandment because, I mean, the importance of it is brought out even by the Book of James. He says that if you offend in one of the commandments, you're guilty of all. SPEAKER D There you go. SPEAKER C So you can't take any of the commandments away. They're a whole. And look, Jesus even elaborates further. In verse 19 of Matthew, chapter five, it says, whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments. So that answers your question there. Colin breaks one of the least of these commandments and not only breaks them, but teaches men so. So this is now not talking about the transgressors of the Law. It's also about the teachers of the Law and teaches men so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. So Jesus is clearly explaining the Law there, the importance of it and the perpetuity of the Law. It is more enduring than heaven and earth. SPEAKER D So when John talks about we're just talking back in John chapter one. John, chapter three. Yeah. First John, chapter two, verse 28, when he says, now little children abide in him. That when he appears. This is when Jesus returns. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D We may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at his coming. So it's talking about his second coming. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practice righteousness is born of him. So it's saying that those who remember Jesus will be practicing righteousness or obeying God's law. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C Yes, that's exactly what it is saying. So they'll be like Jesus when he comes. That's what it's saying there. But even in that same verse there, in Matthew chapter five, the verse 20, straight after the first three we just quoted, jesus says to him, for I say to you, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. So this pseudo righteousness that the scribes and the Pharisees had wasn't good enough. SPEAKER D It seems like it was an external. SPEAKER C It wasn't the heart was not renewed, but externally they appeared to be obedient and righteous and pious people. SPEAKER D So it also says in the Bible, I've noticed, says that no one is righteous except for God and Jesus. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D So therefore, if he is the only one as righteous, then how do we receive that righteousness? And we're going to talk about that. Know, there's some Bible texts that I read that I've read that I go, wow, the standard seems high. SPEAKER C The standard is very high. It's higher than we can imagine. SPEAKER D Yeah, like in Romans, chapter six, verse six, it says that knowing this, that an old man is crucified with him, obviously crucified with Jesus, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. So what's that talking about? SPEAKER C Okay, look, that's very important. The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. Now it requires death because it says without the shedding of blood, there's no remission for sins. Now we know that Jesus was the only one who could actually die for our sins. He could take our sins upon him and yet be resurrected because he committed no sin. If we had to die for our own sins, we would die. And that would be it. There'd be no resurrection. But through Christ we can receive eternal life. But when Christ died, we were crucified with him. And the reason for that is that the body of sin may be destroyed, that our old man would be crucified so that we can be raised to newness of life. SPEAKER D Is that talking about self dying to self? SPEAKER C That is talking about self. SPEAKER E Yes, it is. SPEAKER C So if we can reconcile ourselves to the death of Christ by faith, we can also reconcile ourselves to the resurrection of Christ. So when the old man is crucified, there's more than that. There's also a new man. And then as the old man was crucified with Christ, the new man is also raised by Christ. But the old man is crucified that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be enslaved by sin or serve sin as slaves to it. SPEAKER D And I think it talks about flesh. SPEAKER C Yes, it's talking about the flesh serving. SPEAKER D The flesh, where the new man is through the spirit. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C Maybe we should unpack what the Bible means when it refers to flesh. Yes, flesh is actually talking about our fallen human nature. SPEAKER D So we have a sinful nature. SPEAKER C Yeah, we have a fallen nature. That's what we inherit from. SPEAKER D So when our parents and their parents are going right about you're going right. SPEAKER C Back through to Adam. So when Adam had children, he'd already sinned, both him and Eve. They could only pass on what they had, which was a spiritually dead genetic code. Yes, we were physically alive. We made physically alive through him. But you'll see that Adam was created in the likeness and the image of God. And if you go to Genesis, chapter five, then it says that Adam had children in his own likeness and image, but that was after he'd sinned. So he only passed on that corrupted seed which was weak in the mind. In other words, when Adam and Eve were created, the mind, which is the higher power, actually had full control over the appetites of the flesh. What they saw, what they ate, what felt good, that was all under the control of reason and all under the control of righteous reason. We as fallen human beings now have inherited that flesh, but the fallen nature, but the mind is weak, so it becomes a slave to the appetites of the flesh. So the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, as we read in one John, chapter two, those things now control the mind, so we are enslaved by it. SPEAKER D Is that what it means by then? What you're saying is that's the old man, that is the old man that needs to be crucified amen. SPEAKER E Christ. SPEAKER C That's right. So that old man cannot attain to righteousness. Doesn't matter how hard he tries. That old man's righteousness is filthy rags. But if that old man dies, then what happens is we are raised into newness of life by the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the Gospel power. SPEAKER D And that's what Jesus said. By being born again. SPEAKER C Absolutely, by being born again. SPEAKER D Born of what, though? SPEAKER C Water and the spirit. SPEAKER D Because before you're saying you're born of the flesh because you need to be born again to inherit the kingdom of God, didn't he? SPEAKER C That's right. Well, he's talking to Nicodemus, wasn't he, and saying that you need to be born again. And then he says that which is born of the flesh is flesh. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C And that which is born of the Spirit is. But we have to be born of the spirit. So that is the newness of life. We receive the life of Christ because the Holy Spirit actually brings Christ to us. That represents Christ. It doesn't speak of Himself as we've studied in previous lessons. SPEAKER D I love it. I love it. So that's what it means by me. Crucifying him, crucified with him. And I think Paul also says it's not I that live anymore, didn't he? SPEAKER C But Christ lives in me. That's right. SPEAKER D So who's living in Paul now? Christ now is Christ righteous? SPEAKER C 100%. SPEAKER D So if Christ is living in you, are you righteous? SPEAKER C You have to be as long as self is dead, because if you've been married to Christ, because I mean, the relationship with Christ is actually symbolized by marriage. In the Bible, in Romans, chapter seven, it talks about marriage and it talks about the first husband and the second husband. The second husband is very clear. If you look at it there, it's talking about Jesus Christ. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C The first husband is our fallen human nature. That's our default position. We're born with that. SPEAKER D The flesh. SPEAKER C Yeah, but the flesh, there's a law. He says, there's a law in my flesh, the law in my members striving against the law of my mind. So this is a person now that knows the law. He's given his heart to the Lord, but the flesh is not dead, so he hasn't denied self completely. And the law of the first husband, which is the law of sin and death, rules over him. So all the good things that he wants to do, he can't do, and all the bad things he doesn't want to do, the things that he hates, those are the things that he does. SPEAKER D I think Paul calls him a carnal Christian that is living by the flesh, claiming Christ, but still living by the flesh. And so what we want to do is be a spirit filled Christian and we want to die or be crucified with Christ. So it's not I that live, that Christ that lives in us. SPEAKER C Christ's death is our death, christ's life is our life. And we see that by faith. SPEAKER D And I guess is that what Paul means in Romans chapter six, verse eleven and twelve, where he says, likewise, reckon yourself also to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And he goes on to say, let not sin, therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lust thereof. So again it's saying the same thing here. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C Yes, look. And all those verses in Romans chapter six are an encouragement for us if we receive them by faith. SPEAKER D Because it can be a discouragement. SPEAKER C If you don't want to believe it, it's going to be a big discouragement. SPEAKER D Yeah, I used to read and say, well this sounds impossible. I must admit. I used to read this and say this seems impossible, the standard is high. SPEAKER C But the thing is we cannot attain to it. We've got to bring that so clear in our mind that our righteousness is as filthy rags. That's why we need to die to self. The demands of the law is death to the sinner. When Christ died, we died with him. We need to take self out of the way. Self is the biggest liability there would be and our warfare will be with self. And we don't believe in one saved, always saved. We believe we come to the Lord and we need to receive baptism daily. We need to die to self daily. But Romans chapter six, verse seven says, for he who has died has been freed from sin. SPEAKER D So the first point though, what do you have to do to be free? SPEAKER C You need to die. SPEAKER D That's the tough part, isn't it? Because our natural sinful nature doesn't want to die to self, does it? SPEAKER C No it doesn't. SPEAKER D It doesn't want to be crucified. SPEAKER C So we're talking about a spiritual death here. Just in case people misunderstood what we're saying, we are reconciling ourselves to the death of Christ on the cross, although it was 2000 years ago. It can be a present thing in our own experience with the Lord. SPEAKER D And again it says in Romans chapter six, verse 14, for sin shall not have dominion over you, for we are not under the law, but under grace. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D What does that mean? SPEAKER C Well, what that means is that the grace of God is more powerful than sin. And being under the law means under the condemnation of the law. It can even mean under the works of the law because those who are under the works of the law, trying to attain righteousness by their own works, their righteousness is filthy rags. That's why self has to die. Self has to get out of the way so we can receive the perfect. SPEAKER D Righteousness of Christ by faith and other ones. Like we go back to that first John, chapter three, amazing chapter where it says in verse nine, whoever's been born of God, so if you've been born of God, does not sin, for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he has been born of God. So living by the Spirit and Jesus living through you, that is the key to all this, isn't it? SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C And the thing is, it talks about those who have been born of God. So the new birth is essential. But the new birth doesn't happen if there's not a death first has to be a death. So, you know, that's why baptism and baptism by immersion is so important, because that's the only true symbol of being reconciled to God's, christ's death. As you immersed under the water, so plunge right under there, you died itself, you've been buried, you hold your breath. It's a cessation of life. You hold your breath so that symbolizes death. And then as you come out of the watery grave, you are raised to newness of life. And the water, obviously the washing is a symbolism of being washed free from your sins because of the death that we received through Christ. And then of course, the new life. SPEAKER D Because of the resurrection, reverence of the death and the resurrection. And then it talks about the baptism holy Spirit is when you're born again and have the Holy Spirit amen. Jesus living in you through the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D It's all good news. And I love what it says in one John, chapter three, verse four, we were talking about whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness and sin is lawlessness. So it's defining that sin is a transgression of God's law. But I love verse five and you know that he talking about Jesus was manifested and actually he became a man to take away our sins and in Him there is no sin. So then it goes on. Whoever abides in him does not sin. SPEAKER C Because Christ has taken away the sin. SPEAKER D Because he doesn't sin. If Christ is living in you, he will seek out to keep God's law, which is the opposite of sin, isn't it? SPEAKER C Absolutely. Look, Christ came to take away a sin and it was taken away through death. And if we died with Him, then we are crucified with Christ. It's no longer us that lives, but Christ that lives in us. And this is just such an important teaching. He came to take away our sins. He is a savior from sin, not in our sins. And I sometimes get a little bit concerned when people take a subjective view of the Gospel, because we've all been there, we've all tried to do the right thing and we haven't been able to find it. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C And then, based on our experience, we now want to reinterpret the Scripture. What we have to do is we got to understand the power of God, the creative power of God, that when he speaks and he commands something, it happens, it stands fast. SPEAKER D Does that take? SPEAKER C Absolutely. SPEAKER D Because, you know, let's be honest. We look at our own lives and I look at my past life. I can't speak for you, but I can speak for my past life. And I'm sure many listeners can relate to this, that when we look at our past lives, we don't really see anything good, eddie and we see this constant actually falling. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D But their promise is, if we believe by faith in Christ righteous, that not only he's paid the penalty for our sins and we would use terminology like justification, but he also imparts his righteousness so that he can live and dwell in us. SPEAKER C And God wants that intimate so that. SPEAKER D We can obey God and keep the law. SPEAKER E Yes. Amen. SPEAKER D I love it. I love it. Which is the new covenant, isn't it? SPEAKER C It is the new covenant, yes. SPEAKER D Which has been available because of Christ's death on the cross. It talks about paul talks about in Hebrews, chapter eight, he says in Hebrews eight and ten, he says that the new covenant is that God wants to write his law on our mind and our hearts. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Before he wrote it on stone. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D Tommy wants to write it on our mind and hearts. That means to me is giving us a desire to obey Him, changing our hearts. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C Our relationship to the law changes through Christ. When it was written on tables of stone, it was the ministration of death to us because we cannot attain to that standard. But if we've died with Christ, we've been crucified with Him. We've been raised in newness of life. There's the text in Romans, chapter eight, verse two. It says that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. So we've been set free change our relationship with the law, changes in Christ. We receive it now put into our minds, written in our hearts, and we live by those principles. And you were just reading before there in one John, chapter three, and that's a great passage of Scripture, but it says, little children, this is First John, chapter three, and verse seven. Little children, let no one deceive you. So please, when the Holy Spirit speaks through his apostles and it says, do not make sure that no one deceives you, we got to pay attention because there will be deception on this point. Let no one deceives you. He who practices righteousness is righteous just as he being Christ is righteous because Christ lives in them. We cannot practice righteousness apart from Christ. We cannot practice righteousness apart from Christ within us. SPEAKER D Well, righteousness according to the Bible. I read we normally read Galatians 522 when we look at the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, temperance, long suffering, et cetera. But also in Ephesians, chapter five, verse nine, it says that the fruit of the Spirit is righteousness. SPEAKER C Yes, it is. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And Godliness. So basically, to receive that righteousness, that's imparted to us, it's a fruit of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D You can see, though, that people have read these verses that we just read in Romans, romans, for example, and one John 319, that it can be discouragement if you don't understand sure. What it's like. I mean, I must admit, and I've also read some of the I'm talking about a struggling Christian here, and we're all struggling, but I've also found and when we read in the writings of Ellen White, some things that are hard to understand. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D For example, in Christ Object, this is page 338 30. What does it say there? SPEAKER C Yes, it says, moral perfection is required of all. Wow, that's a big statement, isn't it? Never should we lower the standard of righteousness in order to accommodate inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. SPEAKER D Is that what you see maybe happening in the Christian world? Is that what we've done? SPEAKER C I've been there myself. Absolutely. What we want to do is excuse it, because self is not dead. We struggle continually. SPEAKER D So we need to somehow we see. SPEAKER C The standard, but we don't have the know how or we don't have the. SPEAKER D How to how to. So therefore, we've almost invented another gospel that's right. Duplicate ourselves so that we feel okay about it all. SPEAKER C That's right, yes. But the conscious is never soothed and there's never that peace that God wants to give us that passes all understanding. But let's read on. It says there never should we lower the standard of righteousness in order to accommodate inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. We need to understand that imperfection of character is sin. All righteous attributes of character dwell in God as a perfect, harmonious whole. And everyone who receives Christ as a personal savior is privileged to possess these attributes. SPEAKER D So how do we receive those attributes? SPEAKER C By receiving Christ as personal savior. SPEAKER D And how do we receive Christ? How does Christ live in us? SPEAKER C By faith. SPEAKER D By faith. SPEAKER C Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. As we read the word of God, and we read all these beautiful things about Christ, the power of God, the wisdom of God, we can attribute that by faith and expect God to do what he said he would do because we cannot do it of ourselves. SPEAKER D And I guess that's what it means. And when Paul talks. In two Corinthians 318, he says, we're changed from glory to glory, which God's glory is his character. SPEAKER C We got to keep on beholding. SPEAKER D All these attributes are God's character of his righteousness. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D That we're changed from glory to glory or into the character of God or Christ by beholding Jesus. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D We spending time with Jesus. SPEAKER C Yes, we need wisdom here to understand these things. One Corinthians, chapter one, and verse 30 says, but of him you are in Christ Jesus. Him being God the Father who became for us is that Jesus became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Four things there that we have from Christ. SPEAKER D He became those things for us, and he wants to impart those things to us as a gift. SPEAKER C He authored all those things on our behalf. And this is when we receive Christ. We receive the whole package. If we're accepted by faith, if we have a partial faith, we're only going to partially receive some of the benefits. We want to receive all of Christ Jesus. Dear listener, that was the first half of our program, so we're going to go for a quick break and we'll come back after these short messages. SPEAKER A The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. These things you will not be broken and contrite heart. You 50 117. SPEAKER C That was broken and contrite hard. SPEAKER D For more of her music, visit Jacquelinejewell.com. SPEAKER C Welcome back to you shall receive power with Colin and Etienne. We're glad that you're still with us. And we are now continuing our study here on Introduction to Righteousness by Faith. And so far, Colin, we've looked at a very high standard in the Bible. We've looked at what sin is. We've touched on faith a little bit and we've touched on righteousness. And that our righteousness is his forthy rags. And while self is alive, that is the best we can do. It's never good enough. So self has to die. We got to deny our self, take up our cross daily, as Jesus says there in Luke, chapter nine, verse 23, and follow Him. But self denial is part of the. SPEAKER D Process that seemed what I got out of this study is that we need to be crucified or old man has to be crucified with Christ, or like Paul says paul says it's not either live anymore. But the old Paul was dead, and so this new Paul was Christ living in him. He says not either live that Christ lives in me. The life I now live, I live until the Son of God. So we've got through that. And some of these statements can be very, very challenging. And we also read in the writings of Ellen White. Again, here's another one from Desire of Ages, page 123. It says, the prince of the world cometh, said Jesus, talking about Satan, and has nothing in me. This is in John, chapter 14, verse 30 and then she goes on to say there was in him nothing that responded to Satan's sufficiency he did not consent to sin nor even by thought did he yield to temptation. But listen to this last part that she comments. She says so it may be with us. Now you read that and you go wow is that possible? Is that possible? Because many people are saying it's impossible. SPEAKER C You know what of ourselves it is. And this is the thing we got to ascend above human weakness and the way we do it is not to try and grit our teeth and try harder. It's actually by surrender it's by giving in but to the Lord, not to the sin. SPEAKER D But many people have taken this and look at these things and say well that's impossible. Let's just reinvent the gospel and just say but you know if it was. SPEAKER C Possible for us Colin why would we need faith in a higher power? This is the thing it is an impossibility for us. So don't think it's possible. If it was possible you wouldn't need faith. You go and save yourself. SPEAKER D Well you wouldn't need Jesus would you? SPEAKER C Well that's right you don't need Jesus. And the thing is I'm not saying we don't need Jesus of course we need Jesus. But then if you think it through to its logical conclusion if it was possible and you subjectively can look at your own experience and then come up with a theology you actually are denying faith. That's really what it comes down to. Yeah. SPEAKER D And what about this one manuscript page 161 written in 1897 by Ellen White. She says he who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that he can keep him from sinning has not the faith that will give him an entrance in the kingdom of God. Now I'm sure a lot of people will have a problem with that statement. Sure Edin but let's just unpack it again. It says he who has not sufficient faith in Christ so what's the first step? You have to have faith in Christ. SPEAKER C In Jesus? SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C The power of God and the wisdom. SPEAKER D Of God to believe that he can keep him from sinning. So whose role is it to keep us from sinning? According to just what she's commented it's. SPEAKER C Christ through the Holy Spirit that he. SPEAKER D Can keep him from sinning. Has not the faith that will give him an entrance in the kingdom of God is a pretty serious statement there. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so I guess for many people Eddie and again discouragement can set in and that a victorious life that the Bible and the spirit of prophecy appear to call they basically have just said they call Christian seems impossible to attain. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And sometimes it's really easy to begin reasoning. Perhaps such statements about victory are simply an ideal that the Christian has strived to attain. This is the ideal. But God knows it's actually impossible to live this kind of victorious life and he covers us with the righteous of Christ. After all, what else could he say? Eddie he certainly cannot condone sinful behavior and the only kind of life he can tell the Christian or call the Christian is one of complete. So, you know, you can see how people can go down this road yes. And say, well this is impossible and the Bible's saying that it's spirit of prophecy, but this is impossible. And so we just reason that God's just saying this to look, I think. SPEAKER C The Gospel is something that we got to study and discover. We shouldn't create our own gospel because that will be a humanistic gospel. We've got to take the Bible at face value and read it as it is. If it's definitely not symbolic and it's a literal interpretation of I think that is the way to read the Bible. When Jesus says, if you love me, keep my commandments, he meant exactly what he said and love is the fulfilling of the law. But just a comment in regards to being discouraged and finding that your own experience doesn't measure up. If people would only get completely discouraged in their own abilities and therefore lay it on the altar, lay it on the cross, die with Christ so that self is denied and self is taken out of the way, that is really the way to go. I believe the Gospel, fully understood, lays the glory of man in the dust. He who humbles himself will be exalted and he who exalts himself will be ABAZED. The Bible says we need to humble ourselves. Let God exalt us, let the glory and the righteousness of Christ be evident in our lives. SPEAKER D Absolutely. Christians of past generations, the Lord has given us many examples in both the Bible and the history of individuals who have learned the lessons in life as they struggled to enter in this victorious life the Bible calls them to attain. So the Bible and the spiritual prophecies are making it clear as yes, okay. But what we want to know is how. And I love what they've written. Maybe this could help you. One Corinthians, chapter ten, verse eleven. St. Paul tells us that these things happen for our examples. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And I want to talk about an example of a missionary in China in 19th century called J. Hudson Taylor. He was a well known missionary in China and Taylor talked about he experienced this frustration and confusion and discouragement at the beginning of his service for the Lord. At the age of 37 he shed his most inner feelings with his mother in a letter. And we read this letter. He reads of these feelings of failure and defeat he felt because of his inability to be faithful to his Lord in all things. And this is what he wrote my own position becomes continually more and more responsible and my need greater of special grace to fill it. But I have continually to mourn that I follow at such a distance and learn so slowly to imitate my precious Master. I cannot tell you how I am buffeted sometimes by temptation. I never knew how bad a heart I had. Yet I do know that I love God and love his work and desire to serve Him only in all things. And I value above all things that precious Savior in whom alone I can be accepted. Often I'm attempted to think that one so full of sin cannot be a child of God at all. But I try to throw it back and rejoice all the more in the preciousness of Jesus and the riches of that grace that has made us accepted in the beloved. Beloved he is of God. Beloved he ought to be of us. But, oh, how short I fall here again. May God help me to love Him more and serve Him better. Do pray for me. Pray that the Lord will keep me from sin, will sanctify me holy, will use me more largely in his service. Now that's what he wrote. Now, John McCarthy, a fellow missionary in China, wrote to Taylor a letter describing a recent understanding he had come to concerning victory over temptation through Christ. And this is what he wrote in the letter McCarthy wrote to Taylor. He said this to let my loving Savior work in me his will, my sanctification, is what I would live for by his grace. Abiding not striving or struggling, looking unto Him, trusting Him for present power, wrestling in the love of an almighty Savior, in the joy of complete salvation from all sin. This is not new, and yet tis new to me. I feel as though the dawning of a glorious day has risen upon me. I hail it with trembling, yet with trust. I seem to have got to the edge only but of a boundless sea, to have sipped only but of that which fully satisfies. And here he says it Christ literally. All seems to me now the power, the only power for service, the only ground for unchanging joy. May he lead us into the realization of his unfathomable fullness. Not striving to have faith, but looking off to the faithful one. Seems all we need are resting in the loved one entirely for time and for eternity. What a beautiful letter. Beautiful letter that he responded. And so I see God uses a letter to open Taylor's eyes to the wonderful truth of abiding in Christ and abiding and Him abiding in us. Yes, the truth of this mystery of the believer's union with Christ. And I believe from that day forward Taylor's walk with God was one of peace, rest and victory in Christ. And this amazing change could be seen by his colleagues in the ministry who said later on they looked out and said mr. Taylor went out a new man in the new world to tell what the Lord has done for his soul. And then Taylor writes to his sister another letter and explains this wonderful truth he discovered and the marvelous experience he was having with the Lord. Do you want to read that to us? SPEAKER E Sure. SPEAKER C So this is now Taylor, subsequent to that letter from McCarthy, which encouraged him and showed him the experience with the Lord. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C It says, as to work, mine has never been so plentiful, so responsible or so difficult. But the weight and strain are all gone. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER C What a statement. The last month or more have been perhaps the happiest of my life. And I long to tell you a little of what the Lord has done for my soul. I do not know how far I may be able to make myself intelligible about it, for there is nothing new or strange or wonderful, and yet all is new in a word. Whereas once I was blind, now I see. SPEAKER D So keep going. What do you say? SPEAKER C When my agony of soul was at its height, a sentence in a letter from dear McCarthy was used to remove the scales from my eyes and the Spirit of God revealed the truth of our oneness with Jesus as I had never known it before. McCarthy, who had been much exercised by the same sense of failure, but saw the light before I did, wrote and he says I'll quote from memory but how to get faith strengthened not by striving after faith, but by resting on the faithful one? Praise God. As I read, I saw it. If we believe not, he abide a faithful. I looked to Jesus and saw, and when I saw, oh, how joy flowed. I thought, I have striven in vain to rest in Him. I strive no more, for he has not promised to abide with Him, never to leave me, never to fail me, and deary he never will. SPEAKER D Wow. And so Taylor got it, didn't he? He was abiding in Christ and resting in his faithfulness. SPEAKER C But it's interesting. Unless we have the same experience, this will be some strange language to us. Yes. We've got to taste and see that the Lord is good. And I like the fact that he actually says that. It's not until he stopped striving and gave up, but the giving up was to God. He surrendered to the Lord that he experienced that abiding peace. SPEAKER D I love it. And he went on his letter describe how the Lord had opened up his understanding concerning Christ's words, that he is the vine and the believers are the branches. He wrote, oh, the joy of seeing this truth. And this is what he wrote. He says, the sweetest part, if 1 may speak of one's part being sweeter than another, is the rest which full identification with Christ brings. I am no longer anxious about anything. He wasn't anxious about anything anymore, as I realized for this. For He I know is able to carry out his will, and his will is mine. It makes no matter where he places me or how. That is rather for him to consider than for me. For in the easiest positions, he must give me his grace. And in the most difficult, his grace is sufficient. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D I think Hudson and Taylor found the secret of victory in his walk with God and great peace. Know in all circumstances for the service Christ. And you know what? Here's the good news. God offers to each of his children the same victory and peace. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D I don't know about you, Eddie, but do you desire such victory and peace? I know I do. SPEAKER C Absolutely. SPEAKER D And I know that those listening do desire such victory and peace. And my prayer is that you will find this victory that is only found in Christ a joy that seems so impossible to attain before. And I believe that when the Christian discovers this glorious truth of Christ in us yes, the hope of glory. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D You'll follow the similar path of their fellow travelers. They have accepted Christ as their Savior, number one, but they were burdened, so they accepted Christ as Savior. But they were burdened and bewildered by their Christian walk that was so sporadic. And maybe you've accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, but you're bewildered by your Christian walk that it's so sporadic yes. In obedience and unfruitful service. And they longed for this consistent, faithful walk with their Lord, but they never found it. They struggled with their besetting sins, but the sin seemed to win the battle. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Maybe you feel that and you're experiencing that. They prayed, they studied their Bibles, but they didn't seem to bring the victory they longed for. And after perhaps years of struggle, they came to the point of despair and weariness. Their sense of failure was overwhelming. And this life of continual victory over sin seemed impossible to attain. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Then one day they discovered the reality of this mystery of union with Christ, christ living in them. And once they discovered this, they were amazed at how simple this marvelous truth was. Yet it has eluded their understanding for years, and it's eluded many Christians for many years. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C Look, I didn't know this when I was baptized 35 years ago. Now. It's not until later that I discovered this. And all of a sudden, the peace. SPEAKER D Of truth of Christ in us, the hope of glory. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And after this scrubby, your life is never the same. Their joy in the Lord was deep and abiding. Their life was now consistently victorious, even over besetting sins. They no longer felt burdened or anxious in their service for the Lord. They weren't worried about wherever they were. And their service became the most fruitful for the Lord. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D So let's talk about this simple or yet elusive truth. And here it is. The truth is edin. There's no righteous in this earth except for the righteousness of Christ. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D You just got to come to that realization. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D There's no righteousness in this earth except the righteousness of Christ. And that Jesus has provided both justifying and sanctifying righteousness. SPEAKER C Jesus is the complete package. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D Given them both. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D Now, a lot of people have just rested in the first part, but they haven't got the second part. So Jesus provides both justifying and sanctifying righteousness for believing Christians. Christ justifying righteous and substitutionary death frees us from the guilt and penalty of sin. SPEAKER C Very important points. So not only from the guilt, but also from the penalty of sin. SPEAKER D Yes, he's freed us from that. But not only that. Christ sanctifying righteous enables the believer to live a life in obedience to God, and how, as he learns how to let Christ live out his righteousness in and through Him, how to experience to the fullest Christ's abiding presence. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C So Christ is a saviour from not only the penalty and the guilt of sin, but also from the power of sin. SPEAKER D Yes. So his sanctifying or imparted righteousness will enable us to live a life of obedience to God. And the only way you can do that is how you learn to let Christ live out his righteousness, remember his righteousness in and through us, how to experience this abiding presence of Christ. So the truth of abiding in Christ and his abiding in us, and how we to experience the victorious Christian life is so simple, yet it's so elusive, that most Christians have never discovered it to the fullest. They just haven't. SPEAKER C Yeah, that's true. SPEAKER D And today, God, I believe, is calling us to this amazing experience in Christ. Why? Why do you think he's bringing this truth out? Because Jesus is coming soon. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D And all those who already meet Him will be just like Him. Remember, in one, john, three, two that's. SPEAKER C Right, you just read it before. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER D Those who are ready to meet Jesus will be just like Jesus. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C They will see him as he is. SPEAKER D And the reason they're just like Jesus, because it is Jesus living his life or living out his life and his righteousness in and through them. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C What a close union between us fallen erring human beings and our Savior. SPEAKER D Amen. And their daily experience will have become one of complete victory in Christ if they'll be just like Jesus when he comes. Therefore, this wonderful Biblical truth is of no small consequence to Christians living in our day. Jesus is coming soon and I believe he's calling us to a much higher experience with Him than most have ever had. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D And so this abiding and experiencing Christ in us, the hope of glory, is called the mystery of the Gospel. SPEAKER C It is the mystery that's right. SPEAKER D And you know that in the Book of Revelations. Let's look it up. This in Revelations, chapter ten, verse seven, right? It talks about the 7th angel is about to sound and 7th trumpet and this is announced just before Jesus returns. So this is just before Jesus returns. It says let's read it what it says just before Jesus returns. This is going to be revealed. SPEAKER C It says, but in the days of the voice of the 7th angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished as he hath declared it to his servants, the prophets. SPEAKER D Wow. So just before Jesus comes, the mystery of God will be revealed all right. To the world. SPEAKER C Yeah, that's what it's saying. SPEAKER D Yeah. And so when this truth is understood and discovered, the believer will proclaim from the deaths whose heart Christ did it all. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D The deliverance Christ gives lays all man's boasting in the dust. That's what isn't that what Paul says in one Corinthians, chapter one, verse 29 to 31? SPEAKER C It says, and no flesh should glory in his presence, but of him you are in Christ, who of God has made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. That according as it is written. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. SPEAKER D And what is this mystery of the Gospel found in Colossians, verse 127? SPEAKER C It is Christ in us, our hope of glory. SPEAKER D That's it. That's the only hope of glory. SPEAKER C That union with Christ. What a privilege. When I came to the Lord, not the first time or the second time, but probably around the third, because I've sort of come to the Lord in cycles, and then I've sort of fallen away and come back to the Lord. I think it was the third time I discovered this truth. And the close, intimate relationship with the Lord, the love, the joy, the peace that comes with this connection with God I didn't even know was on offer. It's not until I experienced it that I actually saw in the scripture what was actually meant. But it's because I was desperate. I had been sinning and failing and sinning and failing. SPEAKER D Sounds like you were the man in Romans, chapter seven. SPEAKER C I could relate to that because I knew the law and I knew that the Law and the Commandments were holy and just and good, but I had no ability to attain to it. And I would grit my teeth and try harder. I would even pray, and I'd read my Bible. But I didn't have the understanding, therefore, I didn't have the faith to rely on Christ fully and not on myself. SPEAKER D Many times, especially over the last 150 years and even throughout the centuries, this message has come to God's people. Yes. And it's come to God's people. But sometimes there's been a twist on it in the past. Certain people have come with this. This is what we need to achieve and believe. And they've tried through their own efforts to achieve it. SPEAKER C They've presented the standard, but they haven't presented the faith component and the power of God and the power of His Word. SPEAKER D Yeah, they've basically said, we need to do this on our own, we need to achieve this, which is, we're going to talk about this, which is by their own efforts. Well, their righteousness are like filthy rags. You can't do it. When I learned this truth at the end, it was just like liberating, because I too was like the man in Romans chapter seven, things I want to do, I didn't do, and the things I don't want to do, I kept on doing right? SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER D It wasn't until I read Romans eight and understood this truth of Christ in you, the hope of glory and his righteousness. He is the only one righteous and he'll give that to us. SPEAKER C It is a supernatural process. We cannot do it of ourselves. That's why we need faith. SPEAKER D That's right. And so keeping the God's commandments, which people say it's impossible to keep God's commandments, but Christ kept the God's commandments. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D So if he's living in us, won't he seek to keep God's commandments? SPEAKER C Of course he will. You can't separate obedience or righteousness from Christ. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C The Lord is our righteousness. And I quite often think that even as much as we see in the Bible, and as you study and you grow in grace and grow in knowledge, the Bible says we are to grow up into the stature and the fullness of Christ. It says that in Ephesians chapter four, that we come to a unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure and the stature and the fullness of Christ. But in Ephesians that's Ephesians chapter four, verse 13, ephesians, chapter three. And verse 20 says now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. So in other words, God can do more than we can think of and even more than we ask for. And we've got some big things to ask of the Lord at times, but he can do so much greater than that. It says we ask or think according to the power that works in us. This power is the power of recreation, regeneration, and God is able to perform a task in us he's already demonstrated in Jesus that is impossible for us to perform. And you mentioned there before in the lesson, Colin, about Jesus being the vine and we are to be grafted into the vine. John chapter 15 and verse five. Jesus says, I am the vine, you are the branches. Now, quite often we'd think we're the vine and we're going to try in our own righteousness, but it doesn't work that way. We are merely grafted and we are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him. So Christ in us, and us in Christ. So there's that close, intimate connection says bears much fruit. Now, if we disconnect from the vine as a branch, we can't bear any fruit whatsoever. And then jesus makes this beautiful statement. He says, for without me you can do nothing. SPEAKER D You can't bear fruit without Christ living in you. SPEAKER C That's right, yes. It's incredible. Now even in verse four, we had to step back. It says, abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. In other words, your righteousness is as filthy rags unless it abides in the vine. Neither can you unless you abide in me. And we should imprint that without Jesus we can do nothing. SPEAKER D And so how does Christ abide in us? SPEAKER C By faith. SPEAKER D Through faith? SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C By grace? Through faith, yes. SPEAKER D But is it not through the Spirit? SPEAKER C Oh, amen. Yes, I see what you mean. SPEAKER D Yeah, absolutely. So he abides in us through the Holy Spirit. We abide him through the Word and prayer. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D Okay. And by surrender. But he abides in us through the Holy Spirit. And that's why we need a daily fresh baptism, Holy Spirit, because Paul says if I die daily, guess what? We need to have Christ live in us daily. SPEAKER C Daily as well. That's right. We need to be filled full daily. And that text that you quote quite often, not to be drunk with wine, which is dissipation, but to be filled, be filled with the Holy Spirit. And that is a continuous filling of the Holy Spirit. So as we were given to the Lord this morning through prayer and consecration, so through the day that is to continue as well, continuously being filled with the spirit of book. The Gospel of John actually refers to Jesus as the Word and talks about the power of God's Word. It says, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and then the Word created all things and then the Word became flesh. So we receive Christ through his word, like he was saying before. But Jesus says there in regards to the truth, and the truth being able to set us free, he says to his disciples and to those who believed, if you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. So how are we disciples? By abiding in the word of Jesus. And if we do that, then he says, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. SPEAKER D And also remember, David said, if Jesus is the Word and David says, thy Word is on my heart, that I may not sin against you. SPEAKER E Against you. Amen. SPEAKER D See, there's the secret again by having the Word Christ abiding in the heart. And how does Christ abide in the heart? All right. The word by the word. Yes, he is. The word is through the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C Well, thank you for that, Colin. We're just going to take a break and share our contact details with you. If you want to give us any feedback or you want a copy of the book that we're using, 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to. Prepare for the latter rain and Christ soon return. And there's also some other books which we may share with you at some other stage. There's one, for example, by Dennis Smith, which you can also find at your ABC. It's called Spirit Baptism and abiding in christ. That's a good little book and will encourage you to get a copy. They're not very expensive either. So if you go to your ABC, contact your local ABC Adventist Book Center, you will be able to get a copy of these books. We'll be back right after the short message. Thank you for joining us on You Shall Receive Power. If you would like more information about today's program or if you have any questions, please contact 3ABN Australia Radio by Phoning 024-973-3456. Or you can send an email to [email protected]. You can also contact us on our 3ABN Australia radio Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you SPEAKER C Welcome back to you shall receive power. We're just closing off our study today and that was a very powerful study, Colin. The standard is higher than we can even think. Matter of fact, even if we ask or think to ask things of the Lord, god has so much more that he can give us. And that is such an encouragement to know that by surrender to the Lord, we'll be able to obtain the victory through Jesus Christ by faith. Now, we looked at what sin was, we looked at what righteousness was. We also looked at what we are to experience by surrender to Christ, by receiving Him christ in us our hope of glory as we look forward to the imminent return of Jesus Christ. So Colin, any closing remarks from you? SPEAKER D I think what Jesus said in Luke chapter eleven, he just said ask six times. He says ask, seek. And he says, what is he saying? Ask for ask for the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER D When you ask for the Holy Spirit, you're asking for Christ to live out his life in and through. You know, I really encourage the listeners to ask Christ to abide in your heart. Ask daily for the baptism. Holy Spirit of Christ in you the hope of glory and rest in that. Ask for his righteousness. And as you continually do that, as you abide in Him, as you behold Him, he will change you. Remember, he will change you into the likeness of Jesus, into his image. And all you got to do is surrender and ask and remind me of. SPEAKER C The beautiful text about let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. That's Ephesians, chapter two, verse five. And then once you get to about verse twelve and verse 13 and so on, it says there that it is God who works in you both to will. So first of all, to have the desire, and then the second, the ability to do according to his good pleasure. SPEAKER D It's all about him. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C It's all about Jesus. And I pray that God will bless you. That Jesus would dwell in your hearts by faith as well. That you'll receive the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit and have the fruit of the Spirit in your love, love, joy, peace, faith, gentleness, meekness and righteousness. And righteousness. We look forward to catching up with you next time as we unpack more about righteousness by faith in our subsequent programs. God bless you. Until then. SPEAKER C You've been listening to a production of. SPEAKER D Three ABN Australia radio.