Does God demand that we become perfect before He comes? That thought can leave a tight feeling in the stomach when we sense the difference between our personal behavior and the flawless life of Jesus. Perfect in Christ relieves this anxiety. It shifts attention from our behavior to Christ’s work for us in Heaven. Helmut Ott carefully examines the writings of Ellen White and reveals her teachings about what Jesus is doing in the sanctuary to make up for our deficiency and secure our salvation. He says: “Because we are fallen; nothing we render to God is acceptable on its own merits. The Father recognizes only what we bring to Him through the merits of His Son. Our divine High Priest gives His personal righteousness to us in order to make up for our mistakes and render our service; our obedience; and our worship entirely pleasing to the Father.” Ott goes on to say that “the Father’s inheritance is not restricted to those who achieve sinless perfection. God holds each child responsible only for what He knows is reasonable to expect of him at every advancing step of his experience. Christ’s merits make up for him at every advancing step of his experience. Christ’s merits make up for his shortcomings. Therefore; the spiritual babe in Christ and the seasoned Christian alike can have full assurance of their continuous acceptance with the Father because of Jesus Christ.”
