This amazing prophetic statement in the book of Isaiah, says it all! ".. .The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us). He will eat curds and honey (still be an infant) when he knows how to REFUSE THE EVIL and CHOOSE THE GOOD..." (Isaiah 7:14-15) Jesus alone passed the test! He alone met the requirement to enter the kingdom. He alone achieved a perfect pride free righteousness. Jesus is the only one who ever will. THIS IS THE TRUTH, and it must be absolutely true in our heart. We must once and for all get passed the false idea that there is something, anything, within us that can be holy. Pride will always soil our efforts.
"All our righteousness are as filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6) This understanding is absolutely essential. Our foundation can be true, only if there is nothing of us in it. Even my very best attempts at making myself righteous and holy, will only smell like filthy rags to God. We must settle it once and for all! I have no hope... I cannot meet God's requirement... I cannot pass the test... EVER!
Despite what the Christianity of today teaches, Christ is not a way shower whom we can imitate unto our own independent righteousness and holiness. It is a false hope based on the false foundation of pride. If we cling to it, even slightly, we are at risk of hearing in that day, "I never knew you, depart from me..." "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh, for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of good is not." "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:18, 24) "...You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free..." "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be freeindeed."(John 8: 32, 36)
The truth that sets us free is not a doctrine, a discipline, or a lifelong process. It's a person... the person of Jesus! Knowing the truth, is knowing Jesus, and knowing Jesus sets us free. "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith, that I might know Him..." (Philippians 3:8-9)
Salvation comes down to this truth... not what I am, but who you are Lord. You are righteous and holy. I am not! There is no room for PRIDE, in a person who knows THE TRUTH.
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