“We have no righteousness of our own with which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has made a way of escape for us. . . . If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ’s character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.
“More than this, Christ changes the heart. He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. . . .
“So we have nothing in ourselves of which to boast. We have no ground for self-exaltation. Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and in that wrought by His Spirit working in and through us.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, pp. 62, 63.
“The light given me has been very forcible that many would go out from us, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. The Lord desires that every soul who claims to believe the truth shall have an intelligent knowledge of what is truth.”—Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 363.
Discussion Questions:
Read again the memory text: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). What does this mean? What does it mean that Christ became sin for us, and how should that help us understand the substitutionary nature of the Cross? Also, what does it mean to be “made the righteousness of God in him”?
Dwell more on the question of “once saved, always saved,” which many Christians believe. Why do we believe that this is a false doctrine? What obvious dangers does it present to someone who believes this? How can we, even while rejecting that doctrine, still have assurance of salvation?
How “grounded and steadfast” (Col. 1:23, NKJV) in your faith are you? How well do you know what you believe and why you believe it? What can you do to know better what you believe? And why is it so important that you are “grounded and steadfast” in the faith?
Supplemental EGW Notes
God’s Amazing Grace, “God’s Justice Vindicated,” December 31, p. 373.
Sons and Daughters of God, “Defenders of the Faith,” September 19, p. 269.\
The above quotations are taken from Ellen G. White Notes for the Sabbath School Lessons, published by Pacific Press Publishing Association. Used by permission.