This preface is to prepare the readers for the tremendous evidence of the rejection of the greatest message that God has ever entreated to His people and His workers. In every generation the requirements of salvation has always been the same--living in obedience to all known truth by the power of the Holy Spirit--victory over sin and all temptation is God's requirement so He can be absolutely sure that there will never be another revolution like the one that has existed for 6,000 years.
Not only was the righteousness of Christ rejected by faith, but also the merits of Christ's sacrifice could not be understood by all who had legalistic minds. The legalistic mind is the natural mind.
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:12-14).
Without this great sacrifice, there was no salvation for the human family. The love of God was revealed in giving His Son to this sin cursed planet called Earth. It is the merits of His great sacrifice that now must be comprehended and practiced in our daily lives.
"Nothing is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that feels its nothingness and relies wholly on the merits of the Saviour. By prayer, by the study of His word, by faith in His abiding presence, the weakest of human beings may live in contact with the living Christ, and He will hold them by a hand that will never let go."[1]
"As your soul yearns after God, you will find more and still more of the unsearchable riches of His grace. As you contemplate these riches you will come into possession of them and will reveal the merits of the Saviour's sacrifice, the protection of His righteousness, the fullness of His wisdom, and His power to present you before the Father 'without spot, and blameless' [2 Peter 3:14]."[2]
"Through the merits of Christ, man is to show by his obedience that he could be trusted in heaven, that he would not rebel."[3]
The righteousness of Christ by faith is accessible to every human being. It will bring holiness and perfection by sanctification by faith through the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit.
"Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself."[4]
Perfection and holiness is demanded. It is not what we do, but what we are willing to let God do in us.
"The Christian's life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit."[5]
We earnestly pray that this booklet will find the seeker for truth.
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).
It will take all of our heart, soul, mind and body, self-denial and sacrifice to prepare our lives for eternity.
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