“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the Commandments of GOD, and the faith of Jesus . . . Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may Rest from their labours; and their works do follow them . . . !” Revelation 14:12-13
“The great field of the Promises of God has been presented before us, and by these we are to lay hold of Faith, Hope, and Love. In these graces (divine Influences upon the heart), the church may shine forth and present to the world a living representation of the Righteousness (character) of Christ . . . . For this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith !”
– In Heavenly Places p.106 & I John 5:4
“And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. And that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises . . . !”
Hebrews 6:11-12
So many thousands of souls living in darkness and fear and doubt. So many struggling in the fight for the assurance of Eternal Life . . . looking for a ray of hope in this world of darkness. Now, in the days of which the prophets of old foretold, we are to share the last message of mercy with a world dying in sin. We are to be as lights shining in the darkness, “that we may shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness, and into His marvellous Light !” ref: Matthew 5:14-16 & I Peter 2:9.
Yet so many of us, in realizing our wretched filthiness, and unChrist-likeness, cry out in despair, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death ?” We know that we have set before us Christ Jesus. The perfect pattern and example of how we may overcome. But so few have looked to the Life of Christ and by faith learned to appropriate it as their own.
Listen to the Words of our Saviour . . .
“Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions (rebellion, revolt, apostasy) and our sins be upon us, and we pine away (are consumed) in them, How should we then live ? Say unto them, As I Live, saith the Lord GOD (Adoni Yeh-ho-vee’) . . . For the Just shall Live by faith !”
Ezekiel 33:10-11 & Romans 1:17
Many from a sincere heart, looking to Christ, say: “I know that He did it, but how can I?” They believe that Christ won Eternal Life, and the right to be raised again from the dead because of His strict adherence to the law. And knowing this, they then fall back in fear and doubt, as they see their own lives marred with the stains and record of sins.
But is this Scripture? Is this accurate from the Word of GOD ?
Or have we placed the ox in front of the cart ?
Did Jesus ‘earn’ the resurrection by His works? Or has the LORD opened the windows of heaven in this final generation, and shed forth greater Light than ever before, in revealing His Righteousness in the work which He and His Son wrought upon Calvary two thousand years ago? A Light which is said to permeate the messages of Revelation 14, and which will swell to the
loud cry of the 4th angel.
“For as many as are of (by) the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified (declared innocent, holy, righteous) by the law in the sight of GOD, it is evident: for the Just shall live by faith !”
Galatians 3:10-11
When we read these Inspired Words throughout the third chapter of Galatians it is easily seen and agreed, that the issue which is paramount is the rights, and inheritance as children of Abraham; and therefore children of Almighty GOD. So as we read let us continually keep before us this thought.
It is about the Son Promised to Adam and Eve, Who will crush the serpent’s head, and take back the dominion lost through Adam’s fall. It is about the Son Promised to Abraham, and the Blessing which was sworn by the LORD with an Oath, to all His descendants. Those who would take hold of His Promised Word by faith, and “who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham !” ref: Romans 4:12.
For as many as are children of God (by the works of the law) are under it’s curse. For if we are guilty of one, then we are guilty of all ! ref: James 2:10.
Now we know beyond any shadow of a doubt that Christ Jesus did not yield to sin, even once, while He was here as a man. Yet we also know from the Scriptures that He was “made in the likeness of sinful flesh.” “But now we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death . . . that He by the grace of GOD should taste death for every man! . . .
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death (dying) He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil . . . !” Hebrews 2:9-14
“For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the Seed of Abraham . . . And made Himself of no reputation, and took on Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross . . . !”
Hebrews 2:16 & Philippians 2:7-8
Even the death of the cross ?
So what made Christ Jesus’ death on Calvary different from the hundreds, and thousands of others who had also suffered the cruel fate of dying on a cross ? Was He just one of many ?
“And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree . . . His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; for he that is hanged is accursed of God . . . !”
Deuteronomy 21:22-23
*And it is for this reason that even in the early days of our own country, that one was looked upon as ‘without hope’ of any Divine forgiveness, if his crimes were so great that he was sentenced to hanging upon a tree !
So look at what Great Salvation the LORD has wrought for us in His Son on that day !
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, GOD sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and (in exchange) for sin, condemned sin in the flesh . . . !” Romans 8:3
And although Christ Jesus “did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in His mouth,” yet upon Him were laid the sins of the whole world. He did not just pay the penalty for our transgressions and iniquities, but He actually bore our sins in His Own body, and took the punishment which we deserve upon the tree !
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in Him !”
II Corinthians 5:21
“Who His Own Self bare our sins in His Own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed . . . !” I Peter 2:24
“Surely He hath borne (to lift, to take away) our griefs (weakness, sickness, affliction, disease), and carried our sorrows (anguish): yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of GOD, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions (rebellion, apostasy), He was bruised (beaten repeatedly) for our iniquities (perversity, mischief): and the chastisement of (discipline, instruction which bought) our Peace was up Him; and with His stripes we are healed (cured, made whole) !
ref: Matthew 8:16-17 & I Peter 2:24
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all ! . . . for it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief (worn, afflicted, wounded, weak, sickness, travail): when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His children (seed) . . . and shall be satisfied !”
Isaiah 53:4-12
“For as many as are of (by) the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written . . .” Galatians 3:10 &
Deuteronomy 27:26
“Now I say, That the Heir . . . But last of all He sent unto them His Son, saying, They will reverence My Son. But when the husbandmen saw the Son, they said among themselves, This is the Heir; come let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance . . . as long as He is a child (under 30 years of age), differeth nothing from a servant, though He be Lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of The Father . . .
ref: Matthew 21:37-38 & Luke 3:23
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world (ref: Hebrews 9:1-10). But when the fulness of the time was come, GOD sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. To redeem them (also) that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are now sons, GOD hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father !
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of GOD through Christ !” Galatians 4:1-7
For “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. That the Blessing of Abraham might come on* (cause to be, generate, bring into being) the gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through faith . . . !” Galatians 3:13-14
“For the Promise, that he should be heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his Seed through the law . . . which Seed is Christ (the Anointed) . . . but through the Righteousness of faith (believing God’s spoken Word). For if they which are of (by) the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the Promise made of none effect . . .
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by Grace; to the end (even this last generation) the Promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all . . . !” Romans 4:13-16
“For the law (instructions in righteousness) was given by Moses, but Grace (the Divine Influence) and Truth (Verity) came by Jesus Christ !” John 1:17
“The means by which we can overcome the wicked one is that by which Christ overcame,– the power of the Word . . . Through faith in these Promises, every man may be delivered from the snares of error and the control of sin !” – Desire of Ages p.259
“Christ overcame Satan on every point ! The wily foe could not induce Him to swerve from His allegiance to
the Father. “Get thee behind Me, Satan,” Christ said; “for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” The Captain of our Salvation overcame for us; Satan left the field a conquered foe!
But the strain upon Christ had left Him as one dead. “And, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.” Their arms encircled Him. Upon the breast of the highest angel in heaven His head rested. Divine consolation flowed into His soul. The foe was vanquished. Humanity was placed on vantage-ground. Christ had conquered. Those who became partakers of the Divine nature would be able to resist the temptations of the enemy. ref: II Peter 1:4
Christ lived a human life that He might be man’s example in all things. He endured temptation even as every human being must endure. He believed God as we must believe ! He learned obedience even as we are required to learn obedience. And He overcame as we must overcome (by faith). His path lay through manifold temptations; therefore He knows how to succour those who are tempted !”
– Bible Echo, September 3, 1900
And it is for this reason that He is called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS !
For He won the victory for both Jew and Gentile, those who were under the law, and those who have sinned without the (instruction of the) Law. For there is none righteous, no not one . . . “That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God . . .
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified (declared innocent, righteous and holy) in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now, the Righteousness of GOD without (aside from) the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets . . . .
Even the Righteousness of GOD which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe: for their is no difference . . . !” Romans 3:19-22
“Knowing that a man is not justified (declared innocent, righteous or holy) by the works of the law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ (Yehushua ha Moshiac) . . . . Even we which have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified (made holy, righteous and innocent) by the Faith of Jesus . . . !” Galatians 2:16
For “here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the Commandments of GOD (Jehovah, Yehuwah), and the Faith of Jesus . . . . That they may Rest (Sabbath) from their labours; and their works do follow them !” Revelation 14:12-13
and ref: Hebrews 4:1-10