Whenever people are confused about how perfect we can be, and how we can be perfect when we know we are sinning, one thing is at the root of it. A focus on human performance–Russian Lady story.

We have nothing to offer God. "God, I'm giving myself to you." Lucky God!

1SM 344

The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the Intercessor, who is at God's right hand, presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ's propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.

Oh, that all may see that everything in obedience, in penitence, in praise and thanksgiving, must be placed upon the glowing fire of the righteousness of Christ. The fragrance of this righteousness ascends like a cloud around the mercy seat."

Why did she say that? Aren't those good things? Why would they need to be forgiven? "Think of the kindest, nicest thing you ever did for anyone and God will forgive you for that too."

Why? What is sin? Sin is the transgression of the law–what does it actually say? Whoever sins also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. Sin is not a misdeed, breaking a rule, sin is a condition, lawlessness. What is the law? Love. So sin is lovelessness. Love is a relationship, so sin is a broken relationship. Rom 14:21 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. When the relationship is broken, we can't do anything right.

Adam's sin was that He didn't trust God's work to be good enough. Our sin is the same. Do we trust God to justify us completely or do we need to help him? But even if we trust God's work to be good enough, you and I have a history of sin already and habits of sin, it's comfortable, so after we start trusting God, we still suffer the effects of having been out of relationship with Him–but we won't forever. God is in the 100% restoration business.

Do you understand now how it is that even when I'm being 'good' by the world's standards it's filthy rags to God. Even my prayers–the prayers of believers are filthy before God. So I need a forgiveness that's a lot better than a 'clean slate.' I need a bullet-proof mark proof, slate, because I am not capable of keeping it clean. That's justification.

2Cor 5:21–God took the only perfect one ever to walk this earth and made Him to be sin for me. Not to be a sinner. He did not become a sinner, He became sin itself for me. He became me, and he was judged, what was the verdict? Guilty. And the sentence? Death.

NAU 1 John

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

Sabbath and unity through diversity–it marks our unity with God even though we have diverse work. Man was to rule this world for God. God needed man to do that and still does–He's voluntarily made Himself interdependent with us, yet His work and ours are different.