The Law of God in Relation to Righteousness by Faith

The Law the Mirror

“As he [the sinner] beholds the righteousness of Christ in the divine precepts, he exclaims, ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.’ As the sinner is pardoned for his transgression through the merits of Christ, as he is clothed with the righteousness of Christ through faith in Him, he declares with the psalmist, ‘How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.’ ‘More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.’ This is conversion.”-The Review and Herald, June 21, 1892.COR 116.1

The Law Demands Righteousness

“The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it.”-The Review and Herald, November 4, 1890.COR 116.2

“Notwithstanding all the profession of lip and voice, if the character is not in harmony with the law of God those making profession of godliness bear evil fruit.”-The Review and Herald, May 7, 1901.COR 116.3

The Only Provision for Meeting the Demands of the Law

“Man cannot possibly meet the demands of the law of God in human strength alone. His offerings, his works, will all be tainted with sin. A remedy has been provided in the Saviour, who can give to man the virtue of His merit, and make him colaborer in the great work of salvation. Christ is righteousness, sanctification, and redemption to those who believe in Him, and who follow in His steps.”-The Review and Herald, February 4, 1890.COR 116.4

“By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garments of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us, He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.”-Christ’s Object Lessons, 312.COR 116.5

“The only way in which he [the sinner] can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to greater light. He can say with rejoicing, ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.’”-The Review and Herald, November 4, 1890.COR 117.1

“Christ gave His life as a sacrifice, not to destroy God’s law, not to create a lower standard, but to maintain justice, and to give man a second probation. No one can keep God’s commandments except in Christ’s power. He bore in His body the sins of all mankind, and He imputes His righteousness to every believing child.”-The Review and Herald, May 7, 1901.COR 117.2

“The law has no power to pardon the transgressor, but it points him to Christ Jesus, who says to him, I will take your sin and bear it Myself, if you will accept Me as our substitute and surety. Return to your allegiance, and I will impute to you My righteousness.”-The Review and Herald, May 7, 1901.COR 117.3

“The death of Christ was an argument in man’s behalf that could not be overthrown. The penalty of the law fell upon Him who was equal with God, and man was free to accept the righteousness of Christ, and by a life of penitence and humiliation to triumph, as the Son of God had triumphed, over the power of Satan. Thus God is just, and yet the justifier of all who believe in Jesus.”-The Great Controversy, 502, 503.COR 117.4

The Divine Plan in Presenting the Claims of the Law

“If we would have the spirit and power of the third angel’s message, we must present the law and the gospel together, for they go hand in hand.”-The Review and Herald, September 3, 1889.COR 118.1

“Many sermons preached upon the claims of the law have been without Christ, and this lack has made the truth inefficient in converting souls.”-The Review and Herald, February 3, 1891.COR 118.2

“In presenting the binding claims of the law, many have failed to portray the infinite love of Christ. Those who have so great truths, so weighty reforms, to present to the people, have not had a realization of the value of the atoning Sacrifice as an expression of God’s great love to man. Love for Jesus, and Jesus’ love for sinners, have been dropped out of the religious experience of those who have been commissioned to preach the gospel, and self has been exalted instead of the Redeemer of mankind.”-The Review and Herald, February 3, 1891. The Remnant Church In Grave Danger Conditions Pointed OutCOR 118.3

Spiritual Paralysis

“All through our churches there are those who are spiritually paralyzed. They do not manifest spiritual life.”-The Review and Herald, May 24, 1892.COR 118.4

Spiritual Lethargy

“The slumbering church must be aroused, awakened out of its spiritual lethargy, to a realization of the important duties which have been left undone. The people have not entered into the holy place, where Jesus has gone to make an atonement for His children.”-The Review and Herald, February 25, 1890.COR 118.5

Spiritual Blindness

“There are many, many professed Christians who are waiting unconcernedly for the coming of the Lord. They have not on the garment of His righteousness. They may profess to be children of God, but they are not cleansed from sin. They are selfish and self-sufficient. Their experience is Christless. They neither love God supremely nor their neighbor as themselves. They have no true idea of what constitutes holiness. They do not see the defects in themselves. So blinded are they, that they are not able to detect the subtle working of pride and iniquity. They are clad in the rags of self-righteousness, and stricken with spiritual blindness. Satan has cast his shadow between them and Christ, and they have no wish to study the pure, holy character of the Saviour.”-The Review and Herald, February 26, 1901.COR 118.6

Spiritual Drouth

“We need the Holy Spirit in order to understand the truths for this time; but there is spiritual drouth in the churches, and we have accustomed ourselves to be easily satisfied with our standing before God.”-The Review and Herald, February 25, 1890.COR 119.1

Churches Dying

“Our churches are dying for the want of teaching on the subject of righteousness by faith in Christ, and on kindred truths.”-Gospel Workers, 301.COR 119.2