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Christ’s Object Lessons
of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience
to the law of Jehovah.
The guests at the marriage feast were inspected by the king. Only
those were accepted who had obeyed his requirements and put on the
wedding garment. So it is with the guests at the gospel feast. All must
pass the scrutiny of the great King, and only those are received who
have put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness.
Righteousness is right doing, and it is by their deeds that all will be
judged. Our characters are revealed by what we do. The works show
whether the faith is genuine.
It is not enough for us to believe that Jesus is not an impostor, and
that the religion of the Bible is no cunningly devised fable. We may
believe that the name of Jesus is the only name under heaven whereby
man may be saved, and yet we may not through faith make Him our
personal Saviour. It is not enough to believe the theory of truth. It is
not enough to make a profession of faith in Christ and have our names
registered on the church roll. “He that keepeth His commandments
dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth
in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.” “Hereby we do know
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that we know Him if we keep His commandments.”
1 John 3:24
;
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John 2:3
. This is the genuine evidence of conversion. Whatever our
profession, it amounts to nothing unless Christ is revealed in works of
righteousness.
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The truth is to be planted in the heart. It is to control the mind and
regulate the affections. The whole character must be stamped with
the divine utterances. Every jot and tittle of the word of God is to be
brought into the daily practice.
He who becomes a partaker of the divine nature will be in harmony
with God’s great standard of righteousness, His holy law. This is the
rule by which God measures the actions of men. This will be the test
of character in the judgment.
There are many who claim that by the death of Christ the law was
abrogated; but in this they contradict Christ’s own words, “Think not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets.... Till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law.”
Matthew 5:17, 18
. It was to atone for man’s transgression of the law
that Christ laid down His life. Could the law have been changed or set
aside, then Christ need not have died. By His life on earth He honored