  
|
Thoughts on the Righteousness of God I was asked by a young lady to give my views on the distinctions between righteousness and holiness. She was longing for the holiness of God and recognized that she, like the rest of us, fell far short. I replied that she was in good company. The apostle Paul who had been caught up to heaven still longed for the righteousness of God. He felt that He hadn’t gotten a hold of that which had gotten a hold of Him. His cry was, "That I may know Him" (Php. 3:10-13). It has been said that the closer we get to God and comprehend His righteousness and holiness, the more we are aware of our own lack. The subject is much broader than I can cover here. Righteousness simply means to be in right standing with God. We are given the covering of the righteousness of Christ when we come to Him in repentance and faith believing. It doesn’t mean that we have arrived at absolute perfection with nothing else to do. We walk by faith and do our best to see that our actual righteousness matches that which was imputed to us by faith. Of course this can only be accomplished by the Spirit of God. Holiness is obtained as we walk in the righteous of God which was purchased for us by Jesus. To be holy is to be wholly set apart for the Lord Jesus. We’ll touch on this next week. Regarding Righteousness: First of all, I have no inherent righteousness apart from Christ Jesus. Jesus was made sin for me that I might be the righteousness of God in Him (II Cor. 5:21). Note the “in Him.” That’s all important. Reading Romans 3:21-26, we see that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that we receive the righteousness of God when we exercise faith in Christ Jesus. We are declared justified in the eyes of God because of the redemptive work of Jesus at the cross when He made the one time required payment for sin (propitiation) on our behalf. This is often referred to as imputed righteous. The extreme view expressed by some is that when God looks at me, He only sees the blood of Jesus. Some would say that once I’ve confessed the Lord, I can do anything that I like and God doesn’t notice. That friend is an insult to the cross of Jesus. Absolutely, God sees the blood, but He also sees our present state of living. Am I availing myself of the benefits of the shed blood of Jesus? Am I walking in daily repentance? Am I walking in the Spirit so that I will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16) ? John said that if I say I have no sin, I deceive myself and the truth is not in me. He also said that if I say that I know the Lord but do not keep His commandments, the truth is not in me (I John 1:8;2:4). Keeping the Lord’s commandments does require a bit of effort on my part. No, I can’t make myself righteous by doing notorious works, such as knocking on doors or passing out tracts, but I must make a conscience effort to avail myself of all the provisions of God’s grace. Paul instructs to put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11). We are to make the effort to put off our old man who is deceitful and corrupt (Eph. 4:22). We are also to put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth (Col. 3:8). This is only accomplished by the Spirit of God, but we do have to cooperate. I Tim. 6 lets me know that if I flee from evil lusts, then I can follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. God has cleansed me by the blood of Jesus, but He leaves the choice up to me as to whether I want to stay clean. I John 1:7 tells me that if I walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. Conversely, if I don’t choose to walk in the light, I am showing disregard for the blood of Jesus and it can do nothing for me until I have a change of heart. If I choose to walk in the Spirit, then I will manifest the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Gal. 6:22-23). If I make the conscience effort to come out from and be separate from the world, God will receive me (II Cor. 6:17). If I avail myself of the blood of Jesus to cleanse myself from all filthiness of the flesh, I will perfect holiness in the fear of God (II Cor. 7:1). Philippians 3:9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Next Week: Some Thoughts of Holiness. Free Ebooks That You Can Download. An Expository Study on the Book of Colossians The I AMs of Jesus Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@About-Him.Com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe to About-Him Devotional Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries The purpose of About-Him.Com is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ whom we preach as the Almighty God manifest in the flesh. It is our desire that everything presented on these pages increases your faith in our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Home About Us About His Word Bible Studies Flash Movies Guest Writers Humor Links Midi Music Songs of the Church Thoughts on the Life of Christ Weekly Devotions Audio Devotionals Topical Studies Contact Last modified: 10-05-2011 Contact us About Him! Ministries |