Daniel's prophecies are plain. Jesus urges us to "read" them and "understand" them (Matt. 24:15). As clear as sunlight is the one about the "cleansing of the sanctuary" (8:13, 14): "unto 2300 days: then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Obviously that's "the true sanctuary [tabernacle, tent] which the Lord pitched, and not man" at His office in heaven (Heb. 8:2). And it's equally obvious that the "cleansing" of the heavenly sanctuary cannot be done until first the hearts of God's people on earth are cleansed.
Therefore it follows as surely as day follows night that the great High Priest is working through the Holy Spirit to minister much more abounding grace to enable them to "overcome even as [Christ] overcame" (Rev. 3:20). Again it's obvious--that is, to overcome sin in the fallen, sinful flesh or nature which they have inherited from the fallen Adam, "even as" the Savior "condemned sin" in that same "likeness of sinful flesh" in which the Father "sent" Him to save the world (Rom. 8:3). And of course verse 4 follows verse 3, so there the Holy Spirit announces to the world the glorious results of the Plan of Redemption finally demonstrated beyond dispute: "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us."
The word for "righteousness" there is special--dikaiomata, which means Christ's righteousness finally lived out in the "flesh" of those who believe in Jesus. In other words, in plain and simple language, it's righteousness "imparted," not merely "imputed" in a legal sense. Babylon's "gospel" of justification by faith goes as far as "imputing" legally Christ's righteousness (dikaiosune) to those who believe; but their actually living it out in the flesh isn't possible (says Babylon) until they are glorified at the coming of Jesus, and their sinful nature is finally zapped by replacing it with a sinless nature. In other words, Babylon's gospel is clear: you can't overcome SIN as long as you are still in your fallen, sinful flesh. Only Christ "condemned sin" in that sinful flesh; you can't.
But the biblical gospel of justification by faith proclaims better good news: "the Savior of the world" saves His people FROM sinning while still in this world with the fallen nature of Adam. They too "condemn sin" in that flesh. How? By receiving, opening the heart to, "the faith OF Jesus" (Gal. 2:16; 3:22).
And the last link in the good news story: that same dikaiomata (imparted, not merely legally-imputed righteousness) is seen in the wedding garment worn by the bride of Christ at the long-delayed "marriage of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:7, 8). That's happening now, not tomorrow.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 19, 2006.
Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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