Part Two What results from putting to death our adamic personality?...

Our righteousness shall exceed by far the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees because our righteousness is Christ Himself: first, in removal of condemnation; then, in an indwelling power to love righteousness and hate iniquity. The Holy Spirit is bringing us to the condition of total righteousness of personality and behaviour. This is the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

Such is the grace available to us in this life. Let us turn now to the redemption, the liberation, the salvation that will be brought to us with the return of Christ from Heaven.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation (Hebrews 9:28).

We believe in and stress the release and blessings Christ brings to us today—right now! Nevertheless the writings of the Apostles point clearly toward the salvation, the redemption, the release that will be brought to a climax with the filling of our mortal body with resurrection life.

There are many such forward-looking passages, including Hebrews 9:28 (quoted above). Notice carefully:

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith (Galatians 5:5). "Wait for the hope of righteousness by faith." Can you see in this verse the future aspect of righteousness, the righteousness that is to come?

The future righteousness is not only an ascribed righteousness for we have that already. Rather it is a righteousness of behaviour, a white robe symbolizing the desire to serve God in holiness.

The Apostle Paul looked at righteousness as being the marvellous reward Christ will bring with Him when He appears "the second time without sin unto salvation."

There are at least three aspects of the salvation, the liberation, the redemption, the righteousness, that Christ will bring to us when He returns from Heaven:

The sentence of "not guilty" in the Day of Judgement.

The resurrection of our mortal body, the removal of the remaining sinful tendencies from us, and the filling of us with His Presence so we love righteousness and hate iniquity.

The authority and power of righteousness so we can rule the world in righteousness, enforcing the laws of the Kingdom of God.

The sentence of "not guilty" in the Day of Judgment. The blood of the Lamb of God makes possible an expunging of our record so it is as though we never have sinned.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9)

The resurrection of our mortal body, the removal of the remaining sinful tendencies from us, and the filling of us with His Presence so we love righteousness and hate iniquity. The Scripture makes reference to the "white robe" of the saint. The white robe is a symbolic portrayal of the removal of sinful tendencies and the possession of the righteous Nature of Christ.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

We must be found "worthy" of the white robe (Luke 21:36; Revelation 3:4). The white robe of righteous conduct will not be given to the lukewarm believer.

Notice the description of the firstfruits of the Wife of the Lamb at the appearing of Christ:

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [righteous deeds] of saints (Revelation 19:8).

The Greek term translated "righteousness" in the above verse does not refer to ascribed righteousness but to righteous behaviour and should be translated righteousness's or righteous deeds.

Revelation 19:8 means every righteous behaviour accomplished in the saint on earth, as Christ lives in and through him, is woven into a garment with which the saint will be clothed at the return of the Lord.

Here is the righteousness of God: we are clothed in our own Christ-wrought righteous behaviour. It is true that we reap what we have sown.

If Christ is being formed in us and is dwelling in us, honest, upright character begins to appear; kindness and mercy begin to be demonstrated; our walk begins to be one of faithful, humble dependence on the Lord.

When the Lord appears we shall be clothed with the upright character we have exercised on the earth, the compassion and kindness we have shown, and the faithfulness to God’s will that has been true of us—all of which have proceeded from Christ’ own Character and Virtue.

We have done what we could, with His help. Now Jesus will finish the work by removing all remaining traces of sin and rebellion and clothing us with a spiritual body free from sin and ready to serve God. Are you satisfied with the thought of being clothed with your own behaviour?

It is the overcomer, the conqueror, who receives the white robe of righteous behaviour.

Think about the following words directed toward the believers in Sardis:

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy (Revelation 3:4).

Can you see in the above verse that if we defile our garments (walk in unrighteousness) today we will not be granted the white robe of righteous behaviour in the Day of Christ?

If we desire to receive righteousness in the Day of the Lord we must walk in righteousness today. We must demonstrate our worthiness by walking with Him today, washing our robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.

There is a very important scriptural concept that seldom is mentioned in Christian circles. It is that salvation comes at the end of our discipleship, not only or even primarily at the beginning. The Christian message stresses we are saved the moment we receive the Lord Jesus. This is true to a certain extent. However, much more is stated in the Scripture about salvation in the Day of the Lord than about our initial step of coming to God through Christ.

Consider the following:

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22)

"He that endureth to the end shall be saved." What does this mean?

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11)

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; (Hebrews 3:14)

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39)

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (I Peter 1:5)

And if the righteous scarcely be saved [is saved with difficulty], where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (I Peter 4:18)

If we would think of salvation as a process, a program that has a specific beginning, a specific plan for change, and a specific conclusion, an alpha and an omega, we would be closer to the Scriptures in our understanding. It is possible to begin the program of salvation and then to fail the course.

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. (Jude 1:5)

Because of man’s love for himself the modern stress is "once you are saved you cannot be lost." Not only is this doctrine totally unscriptural but it is leading countless believers to destruction."

The Scripture, Old and New Testament, speak clearly that yesterday’s righteousness does not cover today’s wickedness. Salvation is a program, a process. We can begin and then back out any time we choose. But only those who persevere to the end of the course will be saved.

The five steps of death to sin we mentioned previously help us wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb. Washing our robes involves more than a passive acceptance of "Christ’s righteousness." It includes thorough repentance and a laying hold on God until we overcome, through His grace, the problems with which we are (or should be) wrestling. The promises are to "him that overcometh."

We are not suggesting the believer should be losing his or her peace by wrestling vainly against sin. The Lord’s victorious saints learn when to press the battle and when to rest in the Presence of the Lord.

The following verse reveals the sublime rejoicing of the saint at the moment of his or her resurrection to righteousness:

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels (Isaiah 61:10).

The authority and power of righteousness will be issued to us so we can rule the world in righteousness, enforcing the laws of the Kingdom of God. The nature of the Kingdom of God is first, righteousness (Romans 14:17).

The Lord Jesus will rule the creation in righteousness and we, as His coheirs, will govern with Him.

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment (Isaiah 32:1). The sceptre of Christ’s throne is that of righteousness.

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom (Hebrews 1:8).

The issue of righteousness, of performing God’s will in the earth, is a question of power.

The authority of Satan was destroyed on the cross of Calvary. Satan no longer can make any lawful claim on the creation.

But Satan’s power (the amount of power Christ allows Satan to exercise, because all authority and power in Heaven and on the earth is held by Christ) prevents us and the nations of the earth from practicing righteousness. We are in a spiritual warfare.

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members (Romans 7:23).

We Christians do not behave righteously at all times and cannot command the nations of the earth to act righteously because we do not possess enough power to enforce our will over our own body or over the governments of the world. But to those who are willing to receive the fullness of Christ, God will issue the crown—the authority and power—of righteousness in the Day of the Lord.

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also love his appearing (II Timothy 4:8).

In the Day to come when Paul or some other saint issues a righteous law to a nation of the earth, obedience to that law will be enforced by the powerful angels who do God’s will.

The saints will rule the world in righteousness. The moral law of God will be enforced by the government located in the city of Jerusalem. If you are a believer in Jesus, prepare yourself today to rule, or else to be ruled, in righteousness.

Under the new covenant the Lord God brings us all the way from miserable servitude to sin to glorious royal authority in righteousness. We proceed to this righteousness by the crucifixion of our old nature and the creation of the righteous nature of the Lord Jesus in us.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (Romans 6:6).

When we die with Christ on the cross we become legally dead from God’s standpoint. The purpose of our death to the Law of Moses is that we may be free to marry (come into perfect union with) the Lord Jesus. It is our union with Jesus that brings forth the fruit of righteousness in our personality.

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God (Romans 7:4).

Because we are dead with Christ we are released from the guilt imposed by the Law.

Because we affirm and live as though every part of our former personality has died with Christ, every part of our personality is now eligible and available to receive the fullness of the Divine Virtue of Christ. The fullness of Christ produces in us the fullness of righteous behaviour—now and at His glorious appearing.

If Christ the Lord is dwelling in us, and we are an eternally inseparable revelation of His Being and Life, God Almighty will entrust to us in that Day the fullness of authority and power, causing us to shine in righteousness as the stars of the heavens (Daniel 12:3).

Our God is a God of righteousness. There is no sin whatever in Him. We are being created in His image as Christ is being formed in us through the various workings of the Holy Spirit of God.

"That henceforth we should not serve sin." This has been God’s objective from the beginning.

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