No one has anything in him out of which righteousness can be made. Thus the righteousness of God is put, literally, into and upon all that believe. Then they are both clothed with righteousness, and filled with it, according to the Scripture. In fact, they then become "the righteousness of God" in Christ. And how is this accomplished? God declares His righteousness upon the one who believes. To declare is to speak.
Abraham expected to offer Isaac for a burnt-offering, and expected then to see Isaac rise from the ashes and go back with him.
"The knowledge of what the Scripture means when urging upon us the necessity of cultivating faith, is more important than any other knowledge that can be obtained."
Faith is the depending upon the word of God only, and expecting that word only, to do what the word says.
In 1898 and 1899, A. T. Jones wrote, in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, a series of articles on Faith.
He used a statement by Ellen G. White as the basis for this series and they are well worth the reading and understanding.
Faith is the expecting the word of God to do what the word says, and depending upon that word to do what the word says.
When this is clearly discerned, it is perfectly easy to see how it is that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Faith is the expecting the word of God to do what it says, and the depending upon that word to do what it says.
As that is faith, and as faith comes by the word of God, it is plain that the word of God, in order to inculcate faith, must teach that the word has in itself power to accomplish what itself says.
WHEN the centurion said to Jesus that he need not "come and heal" his servant, but that if he would "speak the word only," the servant would be healed, Jesus "said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."
My heart is full of thanksgiving to God this morning. I can not tell of so long an experience as some of these who have spoken before me; but I know that God is almighty now. He is good to-day. ''What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." Goodness and mercy have followed me continually, and never more than since the last General Conference and during the last year.
The mystery of God is God "manifest in the flesh." 1 Tim. 3:16.
But as God is manifested only in Christ, the mystery of God is God manifest in Christ in the flesh. Matt. 11:27; 1 Tim. 3:16.
And the mystery of God being God manifest in Christ in the flesh, when this mystery reaches men, it is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. 1:26, 27.