The idea that righteousness, which is a result of abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature, is somehow less righteous than the righteousness Jesus rendered while here in the flesh is unbiblical.


While they are abiding in Jesus and partaking of the divine nature they are as pure and righteous as Jesus was.

But only because His blood and merits are applied to their obedience. Without Christ's blood and merits, their obedience is not acceptable to God. Do you agree?

I agree.


It's true that all we do is by the grace of God and that "Without me ye can do nothing." But saying we are merely the conduit makes obedience completely impersonal. There is a personal aspect in obedience. Human effort must be combined with divine power. Ellen White speaks about this over and over again. It seems to me this emphasis is lacking in Liversidge's view.

Paul holds up the standard of perfection and shows how it may be reached. "Work out your own salvation," he says, "for it is God which worketh in you." The work of gaining salvation is one of copartnership, a joint operation. There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. {AA 482.2}

The moment the sinner believes in Christ, he stands in the sight of God uncondemned; for the righteousness of Christ is his: Christ's perfect obedience is imputed to him. But he must co-operate with divine power, and put forth his human effort to subdue sin, and stand complete in Christ. {FE 429.3}

He saw that man had become so weakened by disobedience that he had not wisdom or strength to meet the wily foe, and this is why the Son of God takes upon himself man's nature, and, gaining the victory in our behalf, brings to us divine power, that, combined with human effort, will enable us to overcome. There is, then, no ground for men to take glory to themselves. For every blessing which they enjoy, for every good quality which they possess, they are indebted to the grace of Christ. ... As one becomes acquainted with the history of the Redeemer, he discovers in himself serious defects; his unlikeness to Christ is so great that he sees the necessity for radical changes in his life. Still he studies with a desire to become like his great Exemplar. He catches the looks, the spirit, of his beloved Master. By beholding, by "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith," he becomes changed into the same image. It is not by looking away from him that we imitate the life of Jesus, but by talking of him, by dwelling upon his perfections, by seeking to refine the taste and elevate the character, by trying, through faith and love, and by earnest, persevering effort, to approach the perfect Pattern. By having a knowledge of Christ,--his words, his habits, and his lessons of instruction,--we borrow the virtues of the character we have so closely studied, and become imbued with the spirit we have so much admired. Jesus becomes to us "the chiefest among ten thousand," the One "altogether lovely". {RH, March 15, 1887 par. 10-12}

No, I don't agree. I believe Jesus' blood and righteousness covers our pardoned sins. His blood is not needed to cover the obedience and righteousness we experience as a result of abiding in Him and partaking of the divine nature. The passage I posted above say so.

We are accepted through Christ's merit alone; and the acts of mercy, the deeds of charity, which we perform, are the fruits of faith; and they become a blessing to us; for men are to be rewarded according to their works. It is the fragrance of the merit of Christ that makes our good works acceptable to God, and it is grace that enables us to do the works for which He rewards us. Our works in and of themselves have no merit. {AG 331.3}


There are many... who compare themselves to Christ, as though they were equal with him in perfection of character. This is blasphemy. Could they obtain a view of Christ's righteousness, they would have a sense of their own sinfulness and imperfection. There is not a case recorded in the Bible, of prophet or apostle claiming, as do the "holiness" people of today, to be without sin. Daniel humbled himself before God, to confess his sins and the sins of his people. Paul had a very humble opinion of his own advancement in the Christian life. He says, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: . . . but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And John declares, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." {RH, March 15, 1887 par. 11}

Some quotes which seem to say the opposite of what you are saying.

"Conduit" was my language. But perhaps that's the part that's not feeling completely right. Perhaps he does not emphasize the struggling and striving required in our participation. I'll have to think about that more.

In light of R's quotes, do you believe that this side of eternity, we can be as righteous and pure and holy and perfect as Jesus was?

The quotes dealing with the holiness movement discuss an entirely different issue. It is true, though, we can never "equal the pattern", however, we can and must, by the grace of God, imitate the character Jesus. It is blasphemous, as you know, to say otherwise. And, the fact the righteous results of abiding in Jesus have no "merit" is obvious. But to say it also means such results, such fruitage is sinful and, therefore, requires the covering blood and righteousness of Jesus to make it acceptable to God is unbiblical. Again, the righteous results of abiding in Jesus are pure and pleasing to God because they are sinless and made fragrant by the merits of Jesus.

Mike,

You are contradicting yourself. What is sinless doesn't need to be made fragrant by the merits of Jesus. Had there been no sin, there would have been no need for Christ's merit.

How can the works of sinful beings be sinless?

Yes, we imitate Jesus, but never equal the Pattern.

Can the requirements of God's Law be fulfilled by anything less than Christ's perfect Pattern? He obeyed God completely, all the time. Will the law be satisfied by anything less than complete, constant obedience?