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Christ’s Robe of Righteousness Is for the Repentant, December
30
Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the
Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has
pronounced against you.
Jeremiah 26:13
, NKJV.
Although as sinners we are under the condemnation of the law, yet Christ, by
His obedience rendered to the law, claims for the repentant soul the merit of His
own righteousness. In order to obtain the righteousness of Christ, it is necessary
for the sinner to know what that repentance is which works a radical change of
mind and spirit and action. The work of transformation must begin in the heart,
and manifest its power through every faculty of the being; but human beings are
not capable of originating such a repentance as this, and can experience it alone
through Christ, who ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
humanity.
Who is desirous of becoming truly repentant? What must they do? They must
come to Jesus, just as they are, without delay. They must believe that the word
of Christ is true, and, believing the promise, ask, that they may receive. When
sincere desire prompts people to pray, they will not pray in vain. The Lord will
fulfill His word, and will give the Holy Spirit to lead to repentance toward God
and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. They will pray and watch, and put away
their sins, making manifest their sincerity by the vigor of their endeavor to obey the
commandments of God. With prayer they will mingle faith, and not only believe in
but obey the precepts of the law. They will announce themselves as on Christ’s side
of the question. They will renounce all habits and associations that tend to draw the
heart from God.
All sinners who would become children of God must receive the truth that
repentance and forgiveness are to be obtained through nothing less than the atone-
ment of Christ. Assured of this, they must put forth an effort in harmony with the
work done for them, and with unwearied entreaty they must supplicate the throne
of grace, that the renovating power of God may come into their souls.
Christ pardons none but the penitent, but whom He pardons He first makes
penitent. The provision made is complete, and the eternal righteousness of Christ
is placed to the account of every believing soul. The costly, spotless robe, woven
in the loom of heaven, has been provided for the repenting, believing sinner, and
everyone may say: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my
God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness” (
Isaiah 61:10
).—
Selected Messages, book 1, 393,
394
.
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