02-06-2019
Matthew 6:33 New King James Version (NKJV)
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
2 Timothy 4:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Ephesians 6:10-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [b]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
God has given us the full armour of God. Part of the armour of God is the breastplate of righteousness. The armour of God is given to protect us from the wiles of the devil. The reason that He gives us six pieces is He knows the devil will attack us in six areas of our lives. These six pieces correspond to the six areas of the devil's attack on the church and people in general. The devil attacks truth and he brings deception and lies. There is so much fake news these days so truth is compromised. He attacks us in our righteousness, our peace (our emotional well-being), our faith (disappointments that will lead to disillusionment and will breed doubt and unbelief and we lose our faith), in our mind (our salvation) and in our speech (we are meant to be speaking God's Word rather than our negative words. We often curse ourselves because of the wrong words that we speak. God wants us to cleanse our lips so that we have the sword of the Spirit).
As Christians, we often think that our righteousness is based on following rules and laws, good works, fasting and praying. These are all good disciplines but they do not amount to righteousness in our lives.
Jesus taught a different kind of righteousness.
Matthew 5:20 New King James Version (NKJV)
20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
The Pharisees too fasted and prayed and obeyed laws.
Jesus died on the cross and imputed righteousness to us.
But Jesus was referring to a different kind of righteousness.
Many of us have an Old Testament understanding of righteousness.
We say that Christianity is based on relationship. Through Jesus, we have a relationship with God. And we tell the people that. But yet in practice and in our mindset and in our hearts, we often miss the point: Righteousness is actually based on relationship with God and man, based on the two commandments that Jesus gave us.
When it is based on grace, it is presumptuous righteousness.
Romans 5:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Righteousness is based on relationship with the Father through Christ who has reconciled us to God through His death and resurrection.
Luke 10:27 New King James Version (NKJV)
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
The true definition of righteousness is right standing with God and man. It is not what we do but how we relate to God and others. It's who we know that counts.
In the Prodigal Son story (Luke 15:11-32), we see that the father-son relationship is highlighted. It is actually more about the father than of the son. It is about the graciousness and magnanimity of the father.
In the trinity, we see the relationship between God the Father and His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Malachi 4:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
It is about God sending the spirit of Elijah to turn the hearts of one generation to the next generation. It is bridging the generation gap and healing relationships.
Exodus 20:1-17 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Ten Commandments
20 And God spoke all these words, saying:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of [a]bondage.
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor [b]serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting[c] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
The Ten Commandments were not merely strict laws given to Israel or the world. They are guidelines to maintaining healthy relationships. Four of them relate to God and rest relate to man.
The commandments to love God and love your neighbour complete the Ten Commandments.
God is more interested in our relationships with God and others than in us obeying the laws of God.
James 2:23 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [a]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
This was before the Mosaic laws. Abraham had the righteousness of God simply because he was a friend of God.
The whole purpose of Jesus coming and dying on the cross for us is so that we can establish that relationship with God the Father and have a healthy relationship with one another.
When we think of righteousness, we miss the point. We think it is about living legalistic and self-righteous lifestyles.
Matthew 5:23-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Many a time we have a good relationship with God but deep in our hearts, we have issues with our brothers and sisters. Does God deem us righteous just because we can come into His presence but couldn't be bothered with our relationships with others? We have to be reconciled with those who have hurt us and those whom we have issues in our hearts with before God can deem us as righteous.
Matthew 7:21-23 New King James Version (NKJV)
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Jesus' death on the cross has imputed righteousness but we have work out with fear and trembling in terms of our relationship with God and others.
Luke 11:21-22 New King James Version (NKJV)
21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his [a]spoils.
Your strength is not based on how strong or how good you are. Your spiritual strength is based on the armour of God. If your armour is displaced or removed, then you are totally exposed and the devil can come in to invade your life and to divide your spoils. If we have poor relationship with God and with others, our breastplate of righteousness is removed and we become very vulnerable to the enemy.
Luke 2:52 New King James Version (NKJV)
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Righteousness is through relationship. The Pharisees did not have a good relationship with God and neither did they have a good relationship with the people. But Jesus grew in favour with His relationship with God and men.
Luke 11:4 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
[a]But deliver us from the evil one.”
We can say we have a good relationship with God whom we can't see. There are a lot of people who fast and pray and do all the so-called holy and religious stuff and even preach and be called by all kinds of titles such as apostles prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. What's important is whether that person has a genuine relationship with God and hears God and whether he gets on well with other people and treats other people well or not.
John 13:35 New King James Version (NKJV)
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
What kind of righteousness do we have?
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