Whatsoever is done out of pure love, be it ever so little or contemptible in the sight of men, is wholly fruitful; for God measures more with how much love one worketh, than the amount he doeth.
Ellen G. WhiteRead
The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven, the second is our fitness for heaven.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Righteousness is both credited to us and developed in us, distinguishing our eligibility for heaven from our suitability for it.
Ellen G. White's quote emphasizes the dual aspects of righteousness in a spiritual context. It suggests that while we may be declared righteous through faith, which grants us a place in heaven, true sanctification involves the inner transformation that makes us truly worthy of that heavenly existence. The distinction between being justified and being sanctified highlights the difference between legal standing before God and the moral condition of our hearts.
Themes
RighteousnessJustificationSanctificationHeavenSpiritual Growth
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon about faith, one could use this quote to illustrate the difference between being saved and living a holy life.
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