The message, in clear, distinct lines...

[rainbowinthesky]

I don't know of no other author who has ever stated the matter of salvation in clearer or more distinct lines:

"Faith without works is dead and works without faith are dead. Works will never save us. It is the MERITS of Christ that will AVAIL in our behalf." Faith & Works, 48.

The works that the grace of the Holy Spirit enables us to do, as we daily exercise the faith that lays right hold upon the MERITS of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour, (Rom.3:25), do not act a part in the salvation of the soul or in merit. These good works God will reward but in and of themselves they have no merit.

"We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph.2:10.

In His divine arrangement, through His unmerited favor, the Lord has ordained that GOOD WORKS shall be REWARDED. However we are ACCEPTED through Christ's MERITS alone, and the acts of mercy, the deeds of love, which we perform, are the fruits of faith, and they become a BLESSING to us, for men are to be REWARDED according to their works.(Rev.20:10,11)

It is the FRAGRANCE of the MERITS of Christ that makes these good works acceptable to God, and it is the GRACE of the Holy Spirit that enables us to do those very works for which He rewards us.

But these works, in and themselves, have no merit. When we have done all that it is possible for us to do through the grace of the Holy Spirit,, we are to count ourselves as "unprofitable servants." (Luke 17:10)

When it shall all have been said and done, we will deserve no thanks from God. We will have only done what it was our duty to do, and our good works could not have been performed in the strength of our own sinful nature.

See Bible Commentary, Vol.5,1122.

If we entertain any thought of any of these good works acting a part in the salvation of the soul or in merit, at the bar of God's tribunal, we shall be accused of TREASON! See Faith & Works,24.

There is salvation for us but only through the MERITS of Jesus Christ.

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[HEsTiLLALiVe]

Beautifully written from HIS perfect TRUTH. Praise YAHUSHUA forevermore!!!!

 

[rainbowinthesky]

Beautifully written from HIS perfect TRUTH. Praise YAHUSHUA forevermore!!!!

Amen! More grace to you!

sky

 

[rainbowinthesky]

"'I want,' says one, 'to reason out this matter.' Well, reason it out if you can. The wind bloweth where it listeth. You hear the sound thereof but you cannot explain it. No more can you explain the things of God upon the human heart. You cannot explain THIS FAITH that LAY RIGHT HOLD upon the MERITS of the blood of a crucified and risen Savior TO BRING Christ's RIGHTEOUSNESS into your life. Clothed with the righteousness of Christ and not your own righteousness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will do," for "Christ's righteousness accomplishes everything." Faith & Works,65,66,27.

I do remember sharing the above with you which clearly states that in order to bring the righteousness of Christ into your life you must lay hold by faith of His merits.

I do remember asking you this: How can both be one and the same when one is the means by which the other is appropriated?

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THE MERITS & RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST

All agree that we cannot earn the righteousness of Christ and that there is no virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited (F.W.100,101) but with the simple faith of a little child we must lay right hold of the MERITS of a crucified and risen Savior and then we shall be fortified. How? The angels of God will be around us as a wall of fire, the righteousness of Christ goes before us, and the glory of God is our rearward.

Notice these words very carefully and prayerfully:

"You want to be like little children, hanging upon the MERITS of a crucified and risen Saviour, and THEN you will be FORTIFIED. How? The angels of God will be around you as a wall of fire; the righteousness of Christ goes before you and the glory of God is your rearward. May God sanctify our tongues, our thoughts, our minds, that we may dwell upon heavenly themes, and that we may IMPART that KNOWLEDGE to others." Ms 9,1891.

So it is that "The Testimonies themselves will be the KEY that will EXPLAIN the messages given, AS Scripture is explained by Scripture." 1 Selected Messages,42.

Let us look at a few more statements that clearly show the necessity of appropriating to ourselves the MERITS of a crucified and risen Savior in order that His righteousness may be imputed and imparted to us.

"The MERITS of Christ blot out transgressions and clothe us with the robe of righteousness woven in the loom of Heaven." Evangelism, 186.

Here again we see that the merits of Christ and His righteousness are not one and the same thing.

By faith, one must first lay hold of His merits in order to receive the forgiveness of sins, in order to be justified.

"The sinner is JUSTIFIED through the MERITS of Jesus and this is God's acknowledgment of the perfection of the ransom paid for man." F.W.107).

It is the same with the imparted righteousness of Christ. "We are to be TRANSFORMED through the MERITS of Christ."Our Father Cares,204.

We read earlier of the faith that lays right hold upon the MERITS of the blood of a crucified and risen Savior TO BRING Christ's righteousness into the life and that His righteousness accomplishes everything.

As we make it our life business to CLAIM the MERITS of a crucified and risen Savior, the Lord imputes and imparts His own righteousness to us and His righteousness accomplishes everything as it made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. (T.M.93,92)

Hence we read, "It is the merit of Christ that will avail in our behalf." Faith & Works,48.

It is the merit of Christ alone that avails for us the righteousness by which we are justified and sanctified.

Here is another way of saying the same thing:

"Looking unto Jesus, and TRUSTING in His MERITS, we appropriate the blessings of light and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Testimonies, Vol.5,744.

This is how the Spirit of the Lord put it to the leaders some years after 1888:

"There is SALVATION for you but only through the MERITS of Jesus Christ. The grace of the Holy Spirit has been offered to you again and again." Testimonies to Ministers, 97.

"Salvation" or "righteousness" or "the grace of the Holy Spirit" are one and the same. It is obtained as we continually RELY SOLELY upon the MERITS of a crucified and risen Savior.

So these statements make it crystal clear that unless we make it our life business to appropriate Christ's merits to ourselves, we cannot be saved any more than Peter could walk upon the water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus. (T.M.93)

Otherwise we have only a "nominal" faith.

"Many have a NOMINAL FAITH in Christ, but they KNOW NOTHING of that vital dependence upon Him which appropriates the MERITS of a crucified and risen Savior." 1 S.M.389.

Therefore "The only faith that will BENEFIT us is that which embraces Him as a personal Savior: which appropriates His MERITS to ourselves." Desire of Ages,347.

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