This impacts our theories regarding the atonement, doesn't it?

There comes a time, a point, when "defective, but loved and wanted" doesn't cut it anymore. Eventually people have to die to sin and awake to righteousness. They cannot continue to indulge our defects and imperfections, irrespective of God's offer to empower them to overcome them, without grieving the Holy Spirit, without passing the point of no return, without incurring the wrath of God.

You're right, though, some people do not experience episodes of high energy happiness as they progress from one stage of perfection to another. "This sanctification is a progressive work, and an advance from one stage of perfection to another." {ML 250.4} Listen:

Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, a day, but of a lifetime. It is not gained by a happy flight of feeling, but is the result of constantly dying to sin, and constantly living for Christ. Wrongs cannot be righted nor reformations wrought in the character by feeble, intermittent efforts. It is only by long, persevering effort, sore discipline, and stern conflict, that we shall overcome. {FLB 116.5}

The children of God may rejoice in all things and at all times. When troubles and difficulties come, believing in the wise providence of God, you may rejoice. You need not wait for a happy flight of feeling, but by faith you may lay hold of the promises and lift up a hymn of thanksgiving to God. {HP 123.2}

I find that I have to fight the good fight of faith every day. I have to exercise all my faith, and not rely upon feeling; I have to act as though I knew the Lord heard me, and would answer me and bless me. Faith is not a happy flight of feeling; it is simply taking God at His word--believing that He will fulfill His promises because He said He would. {OHC 119.5}

I saw that the christian should not set too high a value, nor depend too much upon a happy flight of feeling. These feelings are not always true. I saw that it should be the study of every christian to serve God from principle, and not be ruled by feeling. By so doing, faith will be brought into exercise, and will increase. {2SG 261.1}


Because God requires perfection of character. No one will be saved without it. Satan know this and he works tirelessly to deceive us - "if possible even the very elect" will be deceived. No one will be able to endure the time of Jacob's trouble unless they are convinced they are blameless in the sight of God. Therefore, it is important to know we are right with God. Listen:

Yes, it is true the 144,000 will pass through this experience. But this is a unique experience. It doesn't reflect what life is supposed to be like now or afterward. If so, none could endure it long enough to hold out until death or until Jesus returns. We're not to go around like that poor wretched soul in Pilgrim's Progress lamenting our wicked past. Nor are we to go around lamenting our wicked potential. While abiding in Jesus it is our privilege to revel in the joy of Jesus. Again, while abiding in Jesus, that is, while abiding in Jesus.


Why, then, does it say, "the fine linen is the righteousness of saints"?


Not Christ outside of us, but Christ in us, the hope of glory. The work of salvation is not a superficial work. It is a total recreation. Listen:

Everyone who by faith obeys God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. {HP 146.5} NOTE: Adam's righteousness did require mediation or filtration.

Those only who through faith in Christ obey all of God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. They testify to their love of Christ by obeying all His precepts. {6BC 1118.10}

The only condition upon which the freedom of man is possible is that of becoming one with Christ. "The truth shall make you free;" and Christ is the truth. Sin can triumph only by enfeebling the mind, and destroying the liberty of the soul. Subjection to God is restoration to one's self,--to the true glory and dignity of man. The divine law, to which we are brought into subjection, is "the law of liberty." James 2:12. {DA 466.5}

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One of the things God must do to win the great controversy is produce 144,000 sinners turned saints who stand before the Universe without spot or blame. He cannot win the GC by simply covering sinners who are full of spots and blame with the robe of Christ's righteousness. If this were possible He would have done it a long time ago with A&E and ended the GC then and there. True, people need the robe of Christ's righteousness to cover their past pardoned sins, but they also need to be free of sin, not only in the legal sense, but also in the real sense.

why is it assumed people have not become free of sin before the 144,000? the standard has always been to give up all known sin. and as far as ive seen God has been pretty good at pointing out unknown sin, at least in my life, and im fairly positive in others lives as well. i would think we are probably the generation-being laodiceans-that have one foot on this earth and the other wobbling in heaven. hence we have to go through the time of trouble.

on another note, convicted does not necessarily mean:

"Since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly obey the holy law. 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. He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and give us His righteousness. 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." Steps to Christ p. 62

"So I will be your representative in heaven. The Father beholds not your faulty character, but He sees you as clothed in My perfection." DA 357

"The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner's account. Christ's righteousness is accepted in place of man's failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness" 1 SM 367

This is a good point. Our problem has always been one of not seeing God correctly, not with Him seeing us as we are. The solution isn't to give God "Jesus glasses" so He sees us in some way that we are not, but *we* need the "Jesus glasses" so we can see God as He really is.

I think it's because people don't believe God's character is such that He would accept someone such as they are. It seems odd that people would feel this way, given how Jesus treated people, and that Jesus was the revelation of the Father, but many people feel this way.

Ty Gibson has some interesting ideas as to why this is the case. He discusses this in his book "See With New Eyes."

Regarding the wedding garment, here's a nice quote:

That's an interesting quote. So, is such a person, clothed in Christ's righteousness, abiding in Jesus? WDYT, MM?

I think it's because, in view of God's holiness, it's a human need to not feel unclean before God. This can be clearly seen in Isaiah's experience:

"So I said: 'Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.'
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged'" (Isa. 6:5-7).

So, those who have a sense of God's holiness will always be conscious of their sinfulness. But this must be tempered by the assurance that God doesn't look at their sinfulness, and that their sins are covered by Christ's righteousness.