M: Arnold and Rosangela, I am beginning to believe you two believe born-again believers are incapable of experiencing "righteousness and true holiness".
A: They are capable, but only by receiving it from God. It is imputed righteousness and holiness.
Are you suggesting they are incapable of "experiencing it"? That is, Jesus can only impute it because they cannot in reality experience it?
M: You seem to believe the fruit of abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature is sinful.
A: I don't know if I would call it sinful, but it surely needs to be covered by Christ's righteousness in order to be acceptable to God.
Why are you hesitant to call it "sinful"?
M: If so, how does it differ from other sins?
A: These sins are unavoidable, and are covered by Christ's blood if the sinner is making every effort to obey. Other sins are avoidable.
Ellen wrote:
The only definition of sin given in God's Word is transgression of the law. It is not excusable, and has no defense or justification. {PC 167.5}
There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christlike life, is accessible to every repenting, believing child of God. {DA 311.3}
What kind of sins do you think are "avoidable"? And, once they are avoided, is the fruit tainted with sin? Can't win for losing, right. That is, if we fail to avoid avoidable sins we are guilty of sin; nevertheless, if we succeed . . . well, we're still guilty of sinning.
M: And, where in the Bible does it say Jesus perfumes our sins?
A: The altar of incense, the morning and evening sacrifices.
Are you sure the sacrifices perfumed sin? Seems to me the blood and righteousness of Jesus substitutes righteousness for sin. In other words, His blood pays the penalty for our sins, satisfies the loving demands of law and justice, so that our sins no longer exist. The byproduct of atonement is righteousness - not sin. Thus, He perfumes "righteousness and true holiness" - not sin. Ellen wrote:
Unless their minds and hearts are filled with the pure, unselfish, sanctified love that Christ revealed, they will fall under Satan's power, and will do and say and write strange things, to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. {RH, June 30, 1910 par. 14}
He that abideth in Christ is perfected in the love of God, and his purposes, thoughts, words, and actions are in harmony with the will of God expressed in the commandments of His law. There is nothing in the heart of the man who abides in Christ that is at war with any precept of God's law. {RC 59.4}
It was impossible for the sinner to keep the law of God, which was holy, just, and good; but this impossibility was removed by the impartation of the righteousness of Christ to the repenting, believing soul. The life and death of Christ in behalf of sinful man were for the purpose of restoring the sinner to God's favor, through imparting to him the righteousness that would meet the claims of the law, and find acceptance with the Father. . . Having suffered the full penalty for a guilty world, Jesus became the Mediator between God and man, to restore the repenting soul to favor with God by giving him grace to keep the law of the Most High. {ST, June 20, 1895 par. 8}
Everyone who by faith obeys God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. {HP 146.5}
But every one who believes in Christ, every one who relies on the keeping power of a risen Saviour that has suffered the penalty pronounced upon the transgressor, every one who resists temptations and in the midst of evil strives to copy the pattern given in the Christ-life, will through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ become a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Those only who through faith in Christ obey all of God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. {8MR 99.2}
1. Their minds and hearts are filled with the pure, unselfish, sanctified love that Christ revealed.
2. Their purposes, thoughts, words, and actions are in harmony with the will of God expressed in the commandments of His law.
3. There is nothing in the heart of the man who abides in Christ that is at war with any precept of God's law.
4. They experience righteousness that meets the claims of the law, and find acceptance with the Father.
5. Jesus restore the repenting soul to favor with God by giving him grace to keep the law of the Most High.
6. They reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression.
Jesus so thoroughly restores them that their obedience and righteousness is in harmony with the law and is acceptable and pleasing to God. They experience sinlessness like Adam did before he sinned. You two seem to be saying, No, their righteousness is tainted with sin and unacceptable and displeasing to God.