|
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||
Commentary on "In the Loom of Heaven"
Day 3: Monday, March 28, 2011 - Imputed Righteousness
Overview
Quoted from today’s lesson:
Imagine it like this: Jesus strips away your old stained garments, your filthy rags, and wraps you in the robe of His perfect righteousness, His perfect holiness, His perfect record of law-keeping. He wraps you in it and then whispers in your ear, “Now, you are perfect. I have given you My perfection. Please wear this robe, and don’t let it slip away from you.”
Observations
The first point we need to make concerns the ‘perfect record of law-keeping’ of Jesus Christ referred to in today’s lesson quote. Jesus clearly stated that he came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it in the following passage:
“Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. (Matt 5:17-18 HCSB)
What Jesus said is that once the (Mosaic) law is fulfilled it would pass away. The question that should be asked is; When will this happen, or, has it happened already? In any case, Adventist theology contradicts the clear statement of Jesus when they assert that the Mosaic Law is eternal. Another question that should be to ask is; Has the Mosaic Law been fulfilled? If not, when will it be? What does it mean in Rom. 10:4 where is says ‘Christ is the end of the law’?
The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:24-26 HCSB)
Why is it so hard to understand that the law has been fulfilled so we are no longer under ‘our guardian’, the Mosaic Law? Since this is so, what does our ‘perfection’ have to do with keeping or not keeping the Mosaic Law?
As today’s lesson title correctly infers, our righteousness is imputed upon us by Jesus Christ. But, then suggests that we must not let it slip away. It is a bit of heresy to suggest that what God does we can undo or alter. According to Eph. 1:3-6 those who are in the kingdom of God were predestined and adopted (into the family of God) through Jesus Christ before the time of creation. Is there anyone or anything that can separate a Christian from the love of God?
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Romans 8:31-35 HCSB)
Summary
- Jesus Christ states that he came to fulfill the law. This means he did what no sinner could ever do or ever will be able to do. Never does the bible teach what only Jesus could do we could also do. In fact, the bible clearly states the righteousness of all sinners is as filthy rags. All sinners includes the entire human race from Adam right down to our present day population on this fallen earth.
- Jesus did fulfill the (Mosaic) law and it longer has the function of being our guardian under the Old Covenant.
- There is nothing that can separate a Christian from the love of God. The imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in the life of a sinner was elected and foreknown by God before the foundation of the world. It is foolishness to suggest that there is any power that can negate the will of God.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised March 22, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
Official Adventist Resources
Standard Edition Study Guide Week 1
Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 1
Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 1
Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings
Please Support This Project
