CONTENTS
Chapter 1: The Bible’s Testimony for the Life and Death of Christ Alone
Chapter 2: A Divine and Personal Encounter with the God of the Bible
Chapter 3: The Positive Consequence of My Encounter and of His Righteousness
Chapter 4: The Complete Work of Christ is God’s Grace Alone
Chapter 5: The Mechanism of Empty Hands of Faith Alone
Chapter 6: The Favor of God for Possessors of His Complete and Divine Merit
Chapter 7: The Definition of the Gospel: The Gospel is His Total Meritorious Righteousness Alone
Chapter 8: The Wrath and Displeasure for Those Who the Spirit Does Not Apply the Work of Christ Alone
Chapter 9: Abraham’s Imputed Righteousness by Faith Alone
Chapter 10: The Judgment of Sin upon Christ Alone and the Transference of His Holistic Moral Virtue to the Believing Ones
Chapter 1: The Bible’s Testimony for the Life and Death of Christ Alone
"But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed..." (Rom 3:21-25). "...But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works…" (Rom. 4:5-6). Only the righteousness of Christ avails before God the Father: "...and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith..." (Phil. 3:9).
The divine authority of the teaching of Christ’s active and passive obedience is the precedence of the Divine Word. The Divine Word presents this doctrine of the active obedience of Christ as His perfect and sinless life, and it also presents the doctrine of the passive obedience of Christ as the perfect death of the divine and eternal Son of Man.
The Lord Jesus Christ had to be God and man at the same time to fulfill the law’s demand, because He entered into humanity and took upon flesh as the eternal Second Person of the Trinity. Only the God-man has the divine righteousness to meet the perfect and holy standard of God. If God made me sinless today, I would fail as a substitute. We needed God to take upon flesh; so, that He would fulfill all holy righteousness. A Christian sinner or a sinless saint could not fulfill what only God Incarnate could do. We must understand that the Lord Christ is uniquely set apart, because He existed from everlasting to everlasting. I will never be God, because I was never self-existent. I am a creature, but the Lord Jesus is alone the inherent God-man. In order to satisfy God’s demand for perfect holiness we need His divine virtue, because only God could supply that. God supplies sinners with the holy virtue in and of Himself, because this alone is pleasing to Him alone. The so-called “goodness” of man falls infinitely short from the perfect standard of goodness in God the Holy Trinity.
The doctrine of His unified righteousness is taught through the pages of the Bible, because God supplies Adam and Eve with a covering of animal skin. It is a divine picture of the set apart righteousness of the eternal King-Messiah. This holy virtue of complete righteousness alone is the basis for redemptive pleasure with God. Thus on this basis alone we are able to commune with Him who is holy.
Chapter 2: A Divine and Personal Encounter with the God of the Bible
I found myself before God and on my knees. I saw something like a face and a bright light of pure white light around me. I saw God give me a bright-light covering, and He would put it on me and took it off of me. When He put it on me, He looked pleased. When He took it off of me, He looked angry. He did this several times to me, and desired that I learn a lesson in trusting Him for His complete and authentic righteousness. This happened at the 1994 assault against me.
These day’s people do not believe God is able to reveal Himself to someone, because of sola scriptura. I hold to the doctrine of the Bible alone, because the Divine Word is truly all-sufficient. I understand the view that discourages His personal revealing of Himself, but what happens when He comes to confirm His Word alone and testify of the glory of its trustworthiness of it alone? Surely there are abuses; I wonder in what area of theology sinners have not abused!
The encounter spoke to my heart in showing me the essential and crucial way of His righteousness alone, because God does not honor sin-tainted, self-righteous merit of any kind! God confirmed the Bible’s teaching of the grace of the Gospel, because it alone can save lost sinners. We desperately need the God-man’s unified virtue, because we do not have the right kind of righteousness God requires.
Do you see yourself as one whom does not have His righteousness? Are you not fearful of His divine anger? He looks at you and sees a “goodness” that is not really good, because only His virtuous holiness is accepted as inherently authentic.
Chapter 3: The Positive Consequence of My Encounter and of His Righteousness
The positive consequence of my encounter of Christ’s complete righteousness is acceptance with God, because it is the foundation and grounds of spiritual life.
The next positive consequence of my encounter of Christ’s unified righteousness is to be acquitted on the Last Day, because God cannot condemn Himself. That is, His meritorious virtue given to us by the pure grace of faith alone.
The life I lead is a life that is determined by His righteousness, because I will not seek my own merit. As the Bible is all-sufficient for faith and morals, so to, the Christ of the Bible is all-sufficient in His overall work of divine redemption for His people.
I know His garment of moral virtue is all-sufficient for me in my standing before God, because it came from within Himself. So-called “virtue” of sinners fails at every level to adequately meet the holy demand of God in utter sinlessness in true divine power. The “hope” of man’s religion is replaced with the certainty of admittance to the gates of heaven. Only a true acceptance with God is the bulwark of divine and holy peace, because Christ alone is the eternal source of peace. I will wear His garments of righteousness alone for all eternity, because He alone is my all-sufficient Surety!
Chapter 4: The Complete Work of Christ is God’s Grace Alone
The work of Christ is His life and death, because this is what the Bible records for us. The work of Christ is God’s awesome grace, because by it we meet God’s demand for perfection due to His Son’s merit alone. This is grace supreme; grace unknown; grace abounding and grace penetrating! The work of Christ is not separated from His passive and active obedience, but all of it is grace. It is grace all-sufficient, because it is all we need to stand before God through His Son alone. The grace of excess merit of sinners will not suffice as grace, because true grace is only found in His unified work. Christ perfectly fulfilled the demands of the Law of God, because it was impossible for any sinner to meet that requirement. Christ perfectly died and paid full satisfaction for sin to God the Father as a ransom, because no burnt offering could cleanse sin; and provides a set apart righteousness. There will never be a time in heaven where it will fail, because it lasts through life and forever. It is truly the grace of His righteousness that avails alone before God through the Only-Beloved Son.
Chapter 5: The Mechanism of Empty Hands of Faith Alone
It is only the grace of the empty hands of faith alone where we do what God desires us to believe in His blessed name. It is not by works of satisfaction where we gain acceptance before God, but only by the monergistic grace of God the Spirit. This is where we gain the faith of heaven, and profess the Christ with St. Peter. Faith can only come by the regenerating work of the Spirit of God, because it is in this where we flee to Christ as our Savior. Faith is the means or the instrument whereby we become right before the Father, because it alone fits in the holy plan of grace. We do not bring with us our works, because His work does not need adjustment or addition. It is complete. Do you have the faith to apprehend His righteousness? Reflect much on this today!
Chapter 6: The Favor of God for Possessors of His Complete and Divine Merit
The approval of God rests with those who have His righteousness alone, but it is not a mix of the religious works of man (i.e., the sacraments, confession, penance, etc). God’s endorsement of Christ’s merit shows the only acceptable way of spiritual salvation, because no other kind of “righteousness” will do. Those who have His righteousness are forgiven and cleansed, because of His awesome kindness. Purgatory is not necessary, because the total righteousness of the Son is all-sufficient. It is enough to get you to heaven, because God will not reject His own merit. Adding to the Son’s merit nullifies it, and subtracting from it improperly divides His virtue. The favor of God is alone with His ones who are possessors of the grace of the Son’s sustaining merit.
Chapter 7: The Definition of the Gospel: The Gospel is His Total Meritorious Righteousness Alone
These days the Gospel is misrepresented, because people are not cautious in how they define it. Very simply, the Gospel is Christ’s complete, unified work. Spiritual salvation or justification is by the work of Christ alone. This is the definition of the Gospel. We lack a perfect, divine life; and we lack an appeasing sacrifice. We are all spiritual beggars, because we are of those who lack complete goodness in total perfection. The Gospel is becoming right with God by His Son through His Spirit, because God works in a Trinitarian fashion in the work of holy redemption. People fail at defining the Gospel, because the attention is man-centered. Let us look to a Christ-centered Lord who is enough for eternal bliss! This is the Amen Gospel.
Chapter 8: The Wrath and Displeasure for Those Who the Spirit Does Not Apply the Work of Christ Alone
The fury of God rests with those who do not have His Spirit, because they do not have His complete work. Repentance and faith is the evidence of the work of God the Spirit, because He produces the fruits of obedience by a heart of flesh. The Spirit comes in regeneration and applies the work of Christ to the sinner, because only the Spirit and the Word could change a stony heart.
I spent time under God’s condemnation, because I was not born again. These days people think they can pray the “sinner’s prayer,” because they believe it is by the cooperation of man. I doubt that any would come to faith, because free will is limited to rebellion. Our intentions and motives are corrupt, because we are not good. Many today have false professions, because so many think they made a decision for Jesus.
Are you born again? Do you have the Spirit of God? A heart that knows of his or her deadness in sin is further evidence that God is at work. The only response to the wrath of God is the eternal Son of Man, because through His work He makes certain the grace of repentance.
Chapter 9: Abraham’s Imputed Righteousness by Faith Alone
The Old Testament saints walked by faith in the eternal Son of God, because He provided His righteousness for His own. Abraham believed God and it was accounted as righteousness by the means of faith, because of the all-powerful Spirit and His all-penetrating Word. It is lie when people act like the saints of old were not saved in the same way as we are, because God’s spiritual plan for spiritual salvation is the same. Every saint has the imputed righteousness of Christ, because He accepts it alone. Abraham did not produce excess merit, because no saint has done this. The righteousness of Christ suffices for God’s people, because it is the highest and purest standard.
Chapter 10: The Judgment of Sin upon Christ Alone and the Transference of His Holistic Moral Virtue to the Believing Ones
The sin of the elect only was placed upon Christ alone, because it needed to be punished according to justice. Christ provided His righteousness alone to His believing ones, because only it is the holiest of virtues. Our sin was taken upon Himself, because He became a curse for us. By faith, we receive the transference of the grace of righteousness through the Son by faith alone. The elect will never receive punishment of any sins in heaven, but God chastens all of His sons and daughters in this life. The elect carry His matchless robes of pure merit upon themselves, because Christ gave it to them through the application by His Spirit and Divine Word.
Do you have your sin taken upon Christ? And did He suffer in your place? Do you have His unified work of merit in the holiest righteousness?
