What is "Imparted" Righteousness?

The righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted by God. It is the reason He is not willing that any should perish; otherwise, your "fitness" for heaven. Therefore if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5.17-18. Righteousness within is testified to by your righteousness without. If your heart has been renewed by the Spirit of God, your life will bear witness to the fact. The contrast will be clear and decided between what you have been and what you are. The things you once hated you now love, and the things you once loved you hate. The proud and self-assertive become meek and lowly in heart. The vain and supercilious become serious and unobtrusive. The drunken become sober, and the profligate pure. The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. The less you see to esteem in yourself, the more you will see to esteem in the infinite purity and loveliness of our Savior.

The faith in Jesus Christ that saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many. "Believe, believe," is their cry; "only believe in Christ, and you will be saved. It is all you have to do." Yes, true faith trusts wholly in Jesus Christ for salvation, yet it leads you to perfect conformity to the law of God. Your faith is revealed by your works. And the apostle John declares, "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" 1 John 2:4.

It is unsafe to trust to your feelings or impressions; these are unreliable guides. If an inquirer after salvation asks, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" the modern teachers of sanctification would answer, "Only believe that Jesus saves you." But when Jesus Christ is asked by an actual lawyer this question He said, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" And when the questioner replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, ...and thy neighbour as thyself," Jesus said, "Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live" Luke 10:25-29.

Obedience to God's commandments is sanctification. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world." John 17.17-18. Sanctification is not instantaneous but a continuous step by step work, just as your obedience to God's Word is continuous. It is impossible to be sanctified in ignorance of the truth let alone by violating one known precept; but by obedience to God's commandments, the truth will sanctify your soul. We must cling to the teachings of the Bible and not follow the customs and traditions of this world. When those who are sanctified discover what is the Word of the Lord, they take their stand on the side of the truth. This is your fitness for heaven.

True sanctification is evidenced by your conscientious regard for all the commandments of God, by a careful improvement of every talent, by your circumspect conversation, by revealing in every act the meekness of Jesus. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18.3-4. How will you know this conversion has taken place in your life? Because it will be seen of others. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4.13. The Pharisees and those who heard the disciples boldly proclaim Jesus as the Messiah interpreted it that they had been with Jesus and learned of Him. They talked just as Jesus talked. This settled it in their minds that they were converted and had learned of Jesus.

Believing a lie will not put any one of us in the way of being sanctified. Should every minister in the world tell you that you are safe in disobeying a single precept (commandment) of God's holy standard of righteousness, it does not lessen your obligations nor make your guilt less, if you reject a plain "Thou shalt" or "Thou shalt not." Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar. Romans 3:4 You need not think that because our fathers did a certain way and died happy, you may follow in their footsteps and be accepted in rendering the same service and doing the same works that they did. We have more light than they had in their day. We must accept and improve the light that shines upon our pathway as faithfully as they accepted and improved the light that fell upon their pathway in their generation. You shall be judged according to the light that shines into the soul-temple today.

There is an atmosphere that surrounds every human soul and that atmosphere is a heavenly atmosphere or a hellish atmosphere. Either we are on Christ's side of the question or on the enemy's side. And if you are continually drawing rays of divine light from glory there is an atmosphere that surrounds your human soul. Angels of God are round about you. Your very attitude, your very words, witness genuine conversion to all who come within the sphere of your influence. If Christ is in your heart, He will appear in the home, at work, in the marketplace, in the church. The power of the truth will be felt in elevating, ennobling the mind and softening and subduing the heart, bringing the whole man into harmony with God. He who is transformed by the truth will shed a light upon the world. He that has the hope of Jesus Christ in him will purify himself even as He is pure.

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever." 1 Peter 1.23. Those who are converted to Jesus Christ are, "as new-born babes," to "grow up" to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. As with life, so it is with growth. It is God who brings the bud to bloom and the flower to fruit. It is by His power that the seed develops, "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Mark 4:28. Jesus bids you "consider the lilies how they grow." Luke 12:27. The plants and flowers grow not by their own care or anxiety or effort, but by receiving that which God has furnished to minister to their life. The child cannot, by any anxiety or power of its own, add to its stature. No more can you, by anxiety or effort of yourself, secure spiritual growth. The plant, the child, grows by receiving from its surroundings that which ministers to its life—air, sunshine, and food. What these gifts of nature are to animal and plant, such is Jesus Christ to those who trust in Him. As the flower turns to the sun, that its bright beams may aid in perfecting its beauty and symmetry, so should you turn to the Sun of Righteousness [Jesus], that heaven's light may shine upon you, that your character may be developed into the likeness of Jesus.

Jesus teaches this same thing when He says, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.... Without Me ye can do nothing." John 15:4, 5. Your growth in grace, your joy, your usefulness,—all depend upon your union (soul's rest) with Christ. It is by communion with Him, daily, hourly,—by abiding (soul resting) in Him,—that you are to grow in grace. He is not only the Author, but the Finisher of our faith. It is Jesus Christ first and last and always. He is to be with you, not only at the beginning and the end of your course, but at every step of the way.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11.28-29. Again Jesus invites, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor... and I will give you rest." Again, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." Again, "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." Matthew 11:28; Psalm 37:7; Isaiah 30:15. This rest is NOT found in inactivity; for in the Savior's invitation the promise of the soul's rest is united with His call to labor: "Take My yoke upon you: ... and ye shall find rest." Matthew 11:29. The soul that rests most fully in Jesus Christ is most earnest and active in service to others.

What is the secret to overcoming sin? We become overcomers by helping others to overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Love to Jesus will be manifested in a desire to work as He worked for the blessing and uplifting of humanity. Jesus said, "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28. This was the one great object of His life. Everything else was secondary and subservient. It was His meat and drink to do the will of God and to finish His work. Self and self-interest had no part in His labor. No sooner does one come to Christ than there is born in your heart a desire to make known to others what a precious friend you have found in Jesus; this saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in the heart. If we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ and are filled with the joy of His indwelling Spirit, we shall not be able to hold our peace. If we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good we shall have something to tell others.

While you are to be in harmony with God's law, you are not saved by the works of the law, yet you cannot be saved without obedience. The law is the standard by which character is measured. Yet we cannot possibly keep the commandments of God without the regenerating grace of Christ. Jesus alone can cleanse us from all sin. He does not save us by law, neither will He save us in disobedience to law.

True sanctification is nothing more or less than to love God with all your heart, to walk in His commandments and ordinances blameless. Sanctification is not an emotion but a heaven-born principle that brings all your passions and desires under the control of the Spirit of God; and this work is done through our Lord and Savior. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1.22