Receiving Righteousness by Faith
by Ellen White
The religion of Jesus Christ. . . is the immediate, voluntary, trustful surrender of
the heart to God - a coming into union with Christ in confidence, affectionate obedience
to do all His commandments through the merits of Jesus Christ. It is a decisive act of the
individual, committing to the Lord the keeping of the soul. It is the climbing up by
Christ, clinging to Christ, accepting the righteousness of Christ as a free gift. The will
is to be surrendered to Christ. Through faith in the righteousness of Christ is salvation.
1888 281
There is need of constant watchfulness, and of earnest, loving devotion: but these will
come naturally when the soul is kept by the power of God through faith. We can do nothing,
absolutely nothing, to commend ourselves to [354] divine favour. We must not trust at all
to ourselves nor to our good works; but when as erring, sinful beings we come to Christ,
we may find rest in His love. God will accept every one that comes to Him trusting wholly
in the merits of a crucified Saviour. Love springs up in the heart. There may be no
ecstasy of feeling, but there is an abiding, peaceful trust. Every burden is light; for
the yoke which Christ imposes is easy. Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a pleasure.
The path that before seemed shrouded in darkness becomes bright with beams from the Sun of
Righteousness. This is walking in the light as Christ is in the light. 1SM 353
In order to meet the requirements of the law, our faith must grasp the righteousness of
Christ, accepting it as our righteousness. Through union with Christ, through acceptance
of His righteousness by faith, we may be qualified to work the works of God, to be
colabourers with Christ. 1SM 374
Brethren and sisters, it is by beholding that we become changed. By dwelling upon the
love of God and our Saviour, by contemplating the perfection of the divine character and
claiming the righteousness of Christ as ours by faith, we are to be transformed into the
same image. 5T 744
The righteousness which Christ taught is conformity of heart and life to the revealed
will of God. Sinful men can become righteous only as they have faith in God, and maintain
a vital connection with Him. Then true godliness will elevate the thoughts and ennoble the
life. Then the external forms of religion accord with the Christian's internal purity.
Then the ceremonies required in the service of God are not meaningless rites, like those
of the hypocritical Pharisees. DA 310
It is thus that every sinner may come to Christ. "Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."[1 TITUS 3:5.] When Satan
tells you that you are a sinner, and cannot hope to receive blessing from God, tell him
that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to God;
but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition, that makes
His redeeming power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the cross
of Calvary and say,--
"In my hand no price I bring;
Simply to Thy cross I cling." DA 317
This truth (sabbath), with others included in the message, is to be proclaimed; but the
great centre of attraction, Christ Jesus, must not be left out. It is at the cross of
Christ that mercy and truth meet together, and righteousness and peace kiss each other.
The sinner must be led to look to Calvary; with the simple faith of a little child he must
trust in the merits of the Saviour, accepting His righteousness, believing in His mercy.
GW 156
[28.7] My ideas concerning justification and sanctification were confused. These two
states were presented to my mind as separate and distinct from each other; yet I failed to
comprehend the difference or understand the meaning of the terms, and all the explanations
of the preachers increased my difficulties. I was unable to claim the blessing for myself,
and wondered if it was to be found only among the Methodists, and if, in attending the
advent meetings, I was not shutting my self away from that which I desired above all
else,--the sanctifying Spirit of God.
[36.1] (Later, through a dream) ...the beauty and simplicity of trusting in God began
to dawn upon my soul.
[39.2] Faith now took possession of my heart. I felt an inexpressible love for God, and
had the witness of His Spirit that my sins were pardoned. My views of the Father were
changed. I now looked upon Him as a kind and tender parent, rather than a stern tyrant
compelling me to a blind obedience. My heart went out to Him in deep and fervent love.
Obedience to His will seemed a joy; it was a pleasure to be in His service. No shadow
clouded the light that revealed to me the perfect will of God. I felt the assurance of an
indwelling Saviour, and realised the truth of what Christ had said: "He that
followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John
8:12.
[39.9] My whole endeavour was to do the will of God, and keep Jesus and heaven
continually in mind. I was surprised and enraptured with the clear views now presented to
me of the atonement and the work of Christ. LS 28,36,39
Righteousness is obedience to the law. 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,
and loves him as He loves His son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness. RH
NOV.4,1890 (FW 101)
The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been - just what it was in
Paradise before the fall of our first parents, -perfect obedience to the law of God,
perfect righteousness. [62.7] If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour,
then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous.
Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just
as if you had not sinned. SC 62
Knowing himself to be a sinner, a transgressor of the holy law of God, he (the sinner)
looks to the perfect obedience of Christ, to His death upon Calvary for the sins of the
world; and he has the assurance that he is justified by faith in the merit and sacrifice
of Christ. He realises that the law was obeyed in his behalf by the Son of God, and that
the penalty of transgression cannot fall upon the believing sinner. The active obedience
of Christ clothes the believing sinner with the righteousness that meets the demands of
the law. SD 240
The sinner's position before God is then that of one whose sins are forgiven, whose
transgressions are covered, and he becomes a partaker `of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust' [2 Pet. 1:4]. A new element of
life and power is imparted, which cannot be accepted and received by man until he views
Christ as his only hope; then through Christ he discerns the magnitude of his guilt in
transgressing the law of Jehovah. ST NOV.16,1891
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