1. Joshua the high priest appeared before God as a filthy sinner. He was then clothed in Christ's righteousness (clean robes), after having been stripped of his filthy garments (Zech 3:1-7). This event was symbolic and prophetic pointing to the coming of Jesus Christ Who would live a perfectly righteous and holy life in behalf of His people. Thus, all those in Christ are judicially clean and acceptable before God.

2. Paul writes "to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord" (2Cor 5:8; cf. Ps 73:23-26). We also read of the souls of martyrs being in heaven with God (cf. Rev 6:9-11) and they like Joshua the high priest were clothed with a 'white robe'.

In all these instances we find sinners in heaven, who at death immediately went to be with Christ, Who sits at the right-hand of God. What we believe is that Christ's substitutionary atonement is all sufficient to meet ALL the demands of the law and to cleanse us from ALL sin. The result of one being in Christ by a true living faith and that alone, is the saved sinner is reconciled to God and adopted into His family as righteous children who are guaranteed their full inheritance at the Last Day. There is no need of any purgatory. For how would a sinful individual make right even for just one sin? It is Christ and His righteousness which is required, for all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

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simul iustus et peccator

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