Righteousness Part 2

To continue in this topic, let's go deeper into what God has provided for us in Christ Jesus. We should remember, as Mrs. Sheila Atchley pointed out in her recent blog, righteousness is not some thing that grows in us. It is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us righteousness, wisdom, sanctification, and everything else that pleases God. HE is righteousness incarnate, and all who have faith in Him, who are placed in Him by God, are righteous. 1 Corinthians 1:30 states all this, including the fact that of Him(God), we are in Christ Jesus. We can't even boast of our faith that got us into this grace by which we stand. Vs. 31 states :

"Therefore, as it is written, ' Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.'"


God chose the foolish and base things of the world to confound the wise, so that no flesh can glory, or boast, in God's presence. Paul said that even Abraham had no place to boast before God, though he had some good works.

"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to Him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts in the One who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.' "

These passages of Scripture so blow me away. They are my bread in times of discouragement. Why? Because I love to sin and get away with it? Baloney! God is my witness, how I have hungered, and thirsted, and mourned for righteousness, from the viewpoint of knowledge of my wicked heart. And Jesus said that is a blessed condition in which to be, for I shall be filled, says He. And filled with Him I am! I know now more than ever what the writer meant by: "..that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." And this verse follows yet another instance of Christ bearing our reproach. Then we get to translate this grace to one another:

"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."

How has Christ welcomed us? With forgiveness, with grace, with love which covers a multitude of sins. How much more should we welcome one another, as we all stand in the same grace together, who belong to Jesus, who love Him because He first loved us, the called and chosen saints of God?

Righteousness

Righteousness

What is righteousness? It is something we will not enter heaven without, Jesus makes that clear. So it is upon us to know what this really means. Dictionary meaning of "righteousness":

"The state of him who is as he ought to be; rightness; one who is acceptable to God; morally just"

Jesus said," Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will in no case enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

So what does that mean? How does the Bible describe the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees? First, Jesus said they say one thing, but do another. So, they are hypocrites. Secondly, even what they did do as acts of righteousness were only insignificant deeds in God's eyes, that omitted what were the more important aspects of the will of God. They tithed of every minute possession, such as spices, while neglecting faith, justice, and mercy.

So, the answer is to just get better at obeying the "greater commandments" of the law? No. One scribe answered correctly on which were the greatest commandments: love God with all you are, and love your neighbor as yourself. But with such an answer, Jesus only told him that he was "not far from the Kingdom".

The key to the difference between "not far from" and actually being a part of the kingdom of heaven lies in the fact that knowing the will of God only condemns us the more when we have knowledge of it, but don't do it. The Bible declares that none is righteous (no not one, it says). All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, his glory meaning us glorifying him in loving him or attaining his righteous standard. Knowing that we should love God above all we are, but not doing it, brings great condemnation. Our good attempts earn us no points on judgment day. Isaiah declares by the Spirit of God:

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

It can't get any clearer than that. Jesus Christ's blood is for each and every person. All stand in dire, indispensable need of it. Even as a Christian, our righteous acts do not commend us to God; only the righteous blood of Jesus can do that. But it is clear that all who are begotten by Him will be like him. 1 John says:

 

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

And

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

 

Righteous living, springing from a righteous heart, springing from the life of Christ within us, is the result of eternal life abiding within us, not the cause of it. Trying to do "righteousness" as a way to trick yourself into thinking you have eternal life is a blind method employed by Pharisees since time began. The tree is good or it is bad. God alone can change the nature of anything, anyone. Only God in Jesus Christ can resurrect a dead spirit, with its dead works, its dead religion, its worthless fruit.

Trusting God in the Midst of Mystery

It's common to every man and woman to have moments in life where their faith is tested due to befuddlement as to what God is up to in their circumstances. Or in the circumstances of those whom they care about. It's also easy for us to tell others our opinions about why we think they are going through the things they are. Remember Job's "friends"? They were ignorant counsellors, to whom God replied basically "Shut up, you have no idea what you're saying, and you misrepresent what I have planned to bring about in this." That's why it is important for us to know and admit that some things are a mystery to us, and maybe God means it to be that way for now. We are given a behind-the-scenes look at how the scenario with God and Satan played out concerning Job. But in the end of the book, God doesn't give Job the whole story or any real explanation even. He simply reveals his majesty and wisdom and strength to Job. By this he brings him to a place of repentance, humility, and trust. He learns that God is good, and that only God can justify a man, and not the man himself, though Job was a mighty good one by human standards. He also blesses Job more in his latter days than he had ever before.

So then, if we wish to glorify God, it is not upon us to fully explain him and his methods, for we can not. But we can proclaim his goodness, faithfulness and majesty, and lift up Jesus, the Son of God, the mediator of the New Covenant, who by himself purged our sins and is seated at the right hand of the Father where he makes intercession for us day and night. And he promises:

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." - Romans 8:28-29

First Entry

Well, I was told I should do a blog sometime back by Pastor Tim. It seemed like a nice idea, but never took the time. So here is my first entry! It is late and this will be short.

As of late, I have had the Lord Jesus flooding me with his truth, his promises, and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. I hope that, as the Lord encourages me, I may also encourage any who might read this blog. May he use it all to is glory.