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Covered by Christ’s Righteousness, August 5
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of
the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith.
Philippians 3:9
.
Joshua, standing before the angel of the Lord with defiled garments,
represents those whose religious life has been faulty, who have been overcome
by Satan’s temptations, and are unworthy of God’s favor. Today human beings
stand before God with defiled garments. All their righteousness is “as filthy
rags” (
Isaiah 64:6
). Satan uses against them his masterly accusing power,
pointing to their imperfections as evidence of their weakness. He points
scornfully at the mistakes of those who claim to be doing God service. They
have been deceived by him, and he begs for permission to destroy them.
But they trust in Christ, and Christ will not forsake them. He came to this
world to take away their sins, and to impute to them His righteousness. He
declares that through faith in His name they may receive forgiveness, and
perfect Christlike characters. They have confessed their sins to Him, and have
asked for pardon, and Christ declares that because they look to and believe
on Him, He will give them power to become sons of God.
Their characters are defective, but because they have not trusted in their
own merits and excused their sins, because they have asked for forgiveness
through the merits of Christ, the Lord receives them, and rebukes Satan.
Because they have humbled themselves, confessing their sins, He refuses to
listen to the enemy’s accusations. He has abundantly pardoned the penitent
ones, and will carry forward in them His work of redeeming love if they will
continue to believe in Him and to trust Him.
Those who, by divine grace, have gained the mastery over their faults, are
to teach others how to overcome, pointing them to the Source of strength. To
every converted soul is given the privilege of helping those around him who
do not rejoice in the light in which he is standing. They also may know the
joy that has come to him. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (
John 1:12
).
They may take their place in the world as God’s light bearers.—
Letter 173,
August 5, 1903
, to “My Dear Brethren.”
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