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Commentary on "In the Loom of Heaven"
Day 5: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 - Clothes Make the Man
Overview
These excerpts come from today’s quarterly lesson:
Yes, by faith we are covered in the righteousness of Christ, His “robe of righteousness” as it is called. We now are born again and have a new life in Christ. No question, then, that our lives will reflect the garment that we wear.
In receiving Christ’s robe of righteousness, we have made a 100 percent commitment to let Him work His attributes of character into our lives. We totally are justified by grace, the work of a moment, and also have been
given a power to obey that is assimilated over time and coined as the work of a lifetime. Why would we ask for more? “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13, NKJV). Certainly that would mean, if nothing else, the power to obey His law.
Observations
Several questions come to mind when reading these statements taken from today’s lesson.
Just what is meant by being ‘born again’ and having a ‘new life in Christ’ when, according to Adventist theology, a person doesn’t know they are saved and in the kingdom of God unless they pass examination when their name comes up during the Investigative Judgment. Yes, in John 3:1-7 Jesus teaches that we must be born both of water and of the Holy Spirit which brings life to our spirit if we are to become part of the kingdom of God. Then, in John chapter sixteen we learn this involves the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Eph. 1:13 and 4:30 where we learn that the Holy Spirit is also the Seal and assurance of our salvation. There is a contradiction with how this lesson uses the expression ‘born again’ when we compare it with the Adventist doctrine of the Investigative Judgment. The bible teaches that we are born again and receive the Seal of the Holy Spirit the moment we become a Christian, not some hopeful time in the future when and if we pass an investigation.
Only by taking Phil. 4:13 totally out of context can anyone presume to interject the keeping of the law into this verse. In verse twelve Paul says “I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot.” Being content with whatever your living conditions are is a completely separate topic from law keeping.
Now, there is one other curious problem. In Isa. 61:10, it is the bridegroom who is clothed in a robe of righteousness. Jesus Christ, of course, is our bridegroom. We the church are the bride, not the groom. In keeping with New Covenant typology, it would be better to refer to the righteousness of Jesus Christ we are now clothed with as ‘the breastplate of righteousness’ which is part of our ‘whole armor of God’.
Summary
- In scripture being born again is in reference to the regenerative indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit where our human spirit is brought to life, as promised by our Savior Jesus Christ. At the same moment this happens the Holy Spirit becomes the Seal of our salvation and is our assurance of eternal security.
- In Phil. 4:13 Paul is making virtually no reference to the keeping of the law.
- In Isa. 61:10 the expression ‘robe of righteousness’ is used but refers to the bridegroom which in New Covenant typology would be Jesus Christ not Christians who would be the saints at the wedding supper of the Lamb mentioned in Rev. 19:7-8.
- The best typology or metaphor of the righteousness of Jesus Christ worn by Christians is called our ‘breastplate of righteousness’ and is part of a complete suit of armor.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised March 22, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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