As for me, I believe that Christ did what He did to give me the power to become actually holy, not to have me considered holy.
This is a slap in the face of God (so to speak). I know you don't mean it to be, but it IS !!! Look, Dave, to say that you want the power to become actually holy rather than be clothed with HIS righteousness is an INSULT to Jesus. He took your sin that you might have HIS righteousness. Have you ever given someone a gift, only to have them refuse to take it? What an insult it is!
I think I may have used verbal shorthand here. I didn't mean to say that "I" would have the power to make me holy, I meant that the power of Christ, working through me will make me actually holy. Does that make a difference?
As for the rest, which is better, to accept a gift which changes your life, which makes you actually innocent, actually pure, actually worthy to stand in God's Presence. Or to be content with being acquitted, being in Heaven with flaws and blemishes, but "let off" because of Christ.
I will choose to have my soul actually cleaned, thank you.
SD
Yes, it does---but He is already doing that through His Spirit within the child of God: John 15:5; 2 Cor 4;7,10,11; 2 Cor. 12:9; Gal. 2;20; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 2:10; Phil.1:6; Phil.2:13; Phil.3:9; Phil. 4:13; Col. 1:11; Col. 1:29; Heb, 13: 20-21; 1 Pt. 1:3; Jude 24; 1 Jn 3:3
which is better, to accept a gift which changes your life, which makes you actually innocent, actually pure, actually worthy to stand in God's Presence. Or to be content with being acquitted, being in Heaven with flaws and blemishes, but "let off" because of Christ. I will choose to have my soul actually cleaned, thank you.
From my reading of the scriptures, I would say that neither option is plausible, and you omitted the real option, which is to enter God's presence clothed in the righteousness of Christ---His righteousness is my righteousness because we have been united by baptizm into death...and resurrection.