"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
We have been taking about becoming righteous, how we can, the road that must be followed and the benefits that will be reaped for following the righteous model of Jesus.
Let's take this one step further. What about our legacy? When I think about legacy, the name Billy Graham comes to mind. Here is a man that has done everything in his power to follow the command of the "Great Commission" for God. "Go and make disciples..." It is hard to put a fine pencil to the number of people that have been impacted from his evangelistic efforts. I have witnessed stadium upon stadiums of people listening to him preach and responding to the call to submit themselves to the call of God to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior. He...has "run the good race."
There are others. Rick Warren. Joel Osteen. Charles Stanley and his son Andy Stanley, a man I have seen personally preach. I could go on for sure, but these men are additionally representative of those who have "followed the call" toward reaching the masses. While these men are humble and have willfully agreed to submit and commit their entire beings to the will of God, I feel certain even they have asked the question, "What's in it for me?" What follows this question becomes an answer that is eternally based in their quest for God. Their thinking is vertical, not horizontal. Their reward is also eternal. They have a different perspective than others who have not submitted their lives fully to God.
What is important to note, is that we all can submit. We are all called in different ways. We all have different skills. We all have a race to run; for God.
Paul writes in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not be weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." This is where persistence comes in. That drive. The intestinal fortitude at your very core as you search for His purpose and deploy the strategies that He has laid out for you; effectively.
As a precursor to the idea of the effectiveness that Paul seeks to measure, look no further than Matthew 6:33. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to us as well." While Matthews gospel verse relates mostly to the very necessities required to live, it is much more. Matthew 6:25-34 is affectionately labeled the "Do Not Worry" passage.
God promises to clothe us. He promises that we will be fed. He uses the "birds of the air" as a representation of His goodness. Read verses 30-33 together. "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith? So do not worry, saying 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
The question at the end of verse 26 reads, "Are yo not much more valuable than they?"
So the question becomes, "What makes us more valuable?"
My gut reaction is this: We are able to "go and make disciples." I am not saying that a man or woman can't look at a bird in the air and say to himself, "There can be no other explanation that God created such a fine specimen as that." Birds, mountains, hillsides, the sea, mothers and fathers and babies. God made all, and God made them all equally precious; perfect in His eye.
But it is us who have ears. Us who have eyes. Us who have a mouth. We are biologically superior and therefore equipped to be the mouthpiece of God. We are His evangelists.
We can therefore see how becoming righteous and displaying righteousness; representative of God the Father and Jesus Christ, becomes of critical importance. Like Paul, it is our measure of effectiveness. It is imperative in our ability to reach others for the Kingdom of God.
Since we are all equipped differently, it is natural that our skills and abilities are different. Each one of us is equipped with different tools. Using our perspective; understanding what those skills are, will help to mold and shape what our "jumping off" point should be, based on the underlying foundation that God has laid out for us in the form of our unique gifts. We can't all be Billy Graham, or Rick Warren or Joel Osteen. What we can do is use what we have been given, to the best of our ability, for His good and His purpose.
What legacy do you want to leave?
A legacy is defined differently by all. For some, it is to leave their children with business skills. For some, money. For some, the ability to reach fame. All of these remain horizontal. While wealth can be transferred, it is not eternal. It may last for generations, but should that perspective shape our goals, desires and dreams?
My grandfather is the one person in my family who had the largest, and will have the longest lasting effect on what I want to achieve. He never had a job that paid more than $12,000 a year. Yet he remained fiscally responsible and wealthy in his own right. My mother and her sister never wanted. They were fed, clothed, and never felt unsafe as the basic necessities were never jeopardized. They never felt as though they had to do without.
He, unfortunately, knew what it was like to go without. Born in 1922, he was old enough at the age of 7 to understand the ramifications of the Great Depression. It shaped him. He was a member of the United States Army, served in World War II. He served exactly 3 years and 16 days in the South Pacific fighting the Japanese, and came home alive. Many of his friends and soldiers would not be so fortunate. He worked hard until the age of sixty-five and retired.
However, I think of his legacy as eternal. He was a "Man of God!" He attended church. He tithed. He sang in the church quartet. He gave to others who would otherwise go without. And not to say that he was better than any other in his family, but he outlived all his brothers and sisters and even nieces and nephews.
Why did God allow this to happen? Because he had not finished "running his race." He was with us just shy of the age of 94. He was blessed with 2 children, 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren at the time of his death. But it was his legacy that would remain.
He instilled in me the value of going to church. Of supporting the church. Of being involved in the church. And the benefit of reaching out to others who need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the community of the church.
One of his greatest displays of fostering a lasting legacy hangs in the church; that of the stain-glassed windows. As I mentioned previously, he lived frugal and saved many hard-earned dollars so that his family and those within his sphere of influence would not have to go without. In his nineties, it was painfully evident that the church windows would not remain unless a major restoration project took place. Many of you reading this can appreciate the beautiful hues and colors and patterns of stain-glassed windows. They are representative of a craftsmanship and an art that has not remained.
In the United States, there are more bars than churches. Sad, but true. Sure, my opinion may be skewed by the fact just reported that I am a Christian; but I feel sure many of the founding fathers would also shake their heads at the glaringly obvious changes that have taken place. The pledge of allegiance is not recited in most of our schools. Prayer in schools and even public places is more than just frowned upon; to some, it is prohibited. What happened to "freedom of religion" anyway?
Let my rant stop, and my focus regained.
My grandfather left a legacy that will remain. Not just with me and my mother, aunt, uncles, cousins and my nieces and nephews; but also those around him. It is not the money that has transferred, not the home that his grandfather built that my brother owns, not the giant maple that is in the front yard and not the gifts he bestowed upon others.
It is much more.
Psalms 37:28 reads, "For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish.
Let's also look at Romans 2:6 written by Paul. "God "will repay each person according to what they have done."
When I think about my grandfather, I have heartfelt feelings, at my very core, that I will always be blessed. He was faithful. He was kind. He did for others before himself. He submitted to the will and direction of God the Father. This alone gives me a feeling of stability. Because he was faithful, I have faith that I will always have my basic needs met. His faithfulness, becomes the legacy that is left behind.
The best part: I see the blessings each day. He did right by us, and forever we will be blessed by his blessings. He prayed, he followed, he led and we are the ones who will on earth and in heaven benefit.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Righteousness: Part V
While righteousness itself is not mentioned in the 9 qualities listed within the "fruits of the Spirit," it can be reached by one or a combination of some. Remember the "sum of the parts" theory?
In Romans 1: 17 we found, "The righteous will live by faith," and in Proverbs 21:21, "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Faith, gentleness and love are presented as things that can be obtained, again, by someone who pursues righteousness in 1 Timothy 6:11. To me, I can see a pattern forming in just the few verses we have covered in this chapter.
It seems prudent to me to share the definition of pursue, so let's go back to our trusty dictionary. Looking at two parts from the Oxford English Dictionary we find the following: 1) to follow or chase (someone or something), and 2) to continue or proceed along (a path or route.)
These two definitions, in combination once again, become extremely powerful when pursuing righteousness. Think of it like this; God wants us to chase him. Using the "fruits of the Spirit," independently and together in some cases, gives us the continuation; the process of "moving along," in our walk with God. Like anything else, we want to strive for perfection. All things aside, no one is perfect. There was only one blameless and perfect person who gracefully walked this earth. Jesus Christ. It is our pursuit, however, the process toward using the appropriate tools that He has equipped us with, and striving harder each day in those that do not necessarily come easy or natural to us, that God is interested in.
The great author Malcolm Gladwell said that it takes ten-thousand hours to become an expert in your craft. Be it playing the violin, designing buildings as an architect, or in my case, writing. I probably will not spend ten thousand hours penning this book, but it is the combination of my experience since becoming serious to my craft back in 2006, that accounts for the hours required to make me proficient. At least more experienced than some, who have spent one-thousand hours. To become a subject-matter-expert (SME) in any field requires time and hard work.
Back to our "fruits."
In speaking about the idea of the "pursuit of perfection," Paul writes in the second sentence of Galatians 2:2, "I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain." Paul constantly evaluated his purpose with a keen eye. He not only wanted to follow Jesus and His command to spread the Gospel story; he wanted to proceed, continually, until his mission was complete.
A good example is when he returned to Jerusalem after fourteen years. In the first sentence of verse two Paul says, "I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles." This verse precedes the second above, and is the entirety of Galatians 2:2.
While we will never reach the blameless and sinful walk that Jesus exemplified, the pursuit of perfection is what we wants to see. Are you reading the Bible each day? Are you building strong and uplifting relationships with those in your community? Are you learning from other Christians. And are you sharing your story with those that you can make a meaningful impact in their growth and development?
At the end of the Gospel of Matthew we find verses 16-20 which embody, succinctly, the command known as the "Great Commission." It can truly be summed up in verse 19. We read in Matthew 28:19, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
These verses follow Jesus's Judas betraying Jesus, the Last Supper, His arrest, Jesus's judgement before the Sanhedrin for supposed blasphemy, Peter denying Jesus 3 times, His crucifixion and death on a cross, His burial and His resurrection.
The point I am making is that pursuing Jesus, using the principles laid out in the "fruits of the Spirit," will draw us closer to Him. It is not about claiming Him, it is about having and developing a relationship. It is about growth. It is about community. And it is about evangelism.
We can find the tools in our proverbial "tool box." The proverbial arrows in our quiver." Some we will simply have to sharpen; while others we will have to study and put into action to develop. Our God is an on time God. He will submit to, and bring to us His presence at the exact moment, and at the exact time that we need him.
Start with reading the Bible. Move on to your "community of faith." Develop and hone your God-given skills and abilities. Define your mission. Go to the people; the masses.
Start small. As we "win" at the mile-markers in our race, He will grow and develop us to reach the next. Think of your "race" as stepping stones. Some will be smaller to climb, others larger. Having faith in the process, waiting on God's instruction and following through with evangelism will allow you to reach "higher highs." A great friend once told me that God will repeatedly show us the lessons that we need to learn until we learn them. We will be frustrated somewhat, as we learn. It is that faith in the process that will foster growth.
You may start by studying the "fruits of the Spirit." Each of these principles, independently, or in combination, will help you grow. Call on God first for guidance. He is our ultimate authority and our ultimate teacher.
He will make the roadblocks smaller and smaller as we learn until we can hurdle them and go onto the next in our race.
In Romans 1: 17 we found, "The righteous will live by faith," and in Proverbs 21:21, "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Faith, gentleness and love are presented as things that can be obtained, again, by someone who pursues righteousness in 1 Timothy 6:11. To me, I can see a pattern forming in just the few verses we have covered in this chapter.
It seems prudent to me to share the definition of pursue, so let's go back to our trusty dictionary. Looking at two parts from the Oxford English Dictionary we find the following: 1) to follow or chase (someone or something), and 2) to continue or proceed along (a path or route.)
These two definitions, in combination once again, become extremely powerful when pursuing righteousness. Think of it like this; God wants us to chase him. Using the "fruits of the Spirit," independently and together in some cases, gives us the continuation; the process of "moving along," in our walk with God. Like anything else, we want to strive for perfection. All things aside, no one is perfect. There was only one blameless and perfect person who gracefully walked this earth. Jesus Christ. It is our pursuit, however, the process toward using the appropriate tools that He has equipped us with, and striving harder each day in those that do not necessarily come easy or natural to us, that God is interested in.
The great author Malcolm Gladwell said that it takes ten-thousand hours to become an expert in your craft. Be it playing the violin, designing buildings as an architect, or in my case, writing. I probably will not spend ten thousand hours penning this book, but it is the combination of my experience since becoming serious to my craft back in 2006, that accounts for the hours required to make me proficient. At least more experienced than some, who have spent one-thousand hours. To become a subject-matter-expert (SME) in any field requires time and hard work.
Back to our "fruits."
In speaking about the idea of the "pursuit of perfection," Paul writes in the second sentence of Galatians 2:2, "I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain." Paul constantly evaluated his purpose with a keen eye. He not only wanted to follow Jesus and His command to spread the Gospel story; he wanted to proceed, continually, until his mission was complete.
A good example is when he returned to Jerusalem after fourteen years. In the first sentence of verse two Paul says, "I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles." This verse precedes the second above, and is the entirety of Galatians 2:2.
While we will never reach the blameless and sinful walk that Jesus exemplified, the pursuit of perfection is what we wants to see. Are you reading the Bible each day? Are you building strong and uplifting relationships with those in your community? Are you learning from other Christians. And are you sharing your story with those that you can make a meaningful impact in their growth and development?
At the end of the Gospel of Matthew we find verses 16-20 which embody, succinctly, the command known as the "Great Commission." It can truly be summed up in verse 19. We read in Matthew 28:19, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
These verses follow Jesus's Judas betraying Jesus, the Last Supper, His arrest, Jesus's judgement before the Sanhedrin for supposed blasphemy, Peter denying Jesus 3 times, His crucifixion and death on a cross, His burial and His resurrection.
The point I am making is that pursuing Jesus, using the principles laid out in the "fruits of the Spirit," will draw us closer to Him. It is not about claiming Him, it is about having and developing a relationship. It is about growth. It is about community. And it is about evangelism.
We can find the tools in our proverbial "tool box." The proverbial arrows in our quiver." Some we will simply have to sharpen; while others we will have to study and put into action to develop. Our God is an on time God. He will submit to, and bring to us His presence at the exact moment, and at the exact time that we need him.
Start with reading the Bible. Move on to your "community of faith." Develop and hone your God-given skills and abilities. Define your mission. Go to the people; the masses.
Start small. As we "win" at the mile-markers in our race, He will grow and develop us to reach the next. Think of your "race" as stepping stones. Some will be smaller to climb, others larger. Having faith in the process, waiting on God's instruction and following through with evangelism will allow you to reach "higher highs." A great friend once told me that God will repeatedly show us the lessons that we need to learn until we learn them. We will be frustrated somewhat, as we learn. It is that faith in the process that will foster growth.
You may start by studying the "fruits of the Spirit." Each of these principles, independently, or in combination, will help you grow. Call on God first for guidance. He is our ultimate authority and our ultimate teacher.
He will make the roadblocks smaller and smaller as we learn until we can hurdle them and go onto the next in our race.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Righteousness: Part IV
Yesterday I mentioned that we would talk about the "fruits of the Spirit." Many of you have either heard this verse, read it, or both. It is also found in Galatians. Let's have a look.
Galatians 5:22-23 reads, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law."
There are plenty of verses that coincide and run parallel to this verse. Again, one of the most known is the following from John 15:5. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
Look at Ephesians 5:8-13. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible - and everything that becomes illuminated becomes a light.
In this passage, in parentheses, Paul makes a reference to the qualities that one can embody from the "fruit of the light." That is, ones whose eyes have been opened. The transformation from "darkness to light" when accepting the Father and becoming a Christian. Goodness. Righteousness. Truth.
Just 2 verses further, we read, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Galatians 5:15-17
Before we can display the actions and attitude of righteousness, much is required. Not impossible, but a change in a former mindset, and strong working knowledge of the inner working parts in the Bible is a must.
It may seem that John 15:5 could be thought to be "all encompassing," but that would not be the case. Righteous behavior requires a heightened and thorough understanding. John 15:5 is an excellent place to start; however. It can be a foundational building-block. Christians must have a desire to dig deeper, delve in, gain knowledge and perspective toward the goal of becoming an evangelist. I pray that I am promoting and providing a text worthy to put "arrows in your quiver" for God.
Righteousness may be defined as being "morally justifiable" or "acting in accord with divine law," but again, I make the case that it is much more.
In the corporate world there is a saying. The whole is worth less than the sum of the parts. This reference can be easily explained by providing an example using the company General Electric. While in recent years they have sold some of their "business units," I can remember a time when the company had twelve separate and independently operating businesses. GE Finance. GE Avionics. GE Power. You get the idea.
In the finance world, it is a general practice for someone covering the company as an analyst to determine the worth of the company not solely based on the totality of corporation, but also by placing a value on the independent entities. In this way, adding the sum of each business, under the lens of what another company might acquire an individual "business unit;" more often than not (with respect to private valuation) becomes a figure larger than just the number of shares outstanding, multiplied by the cost per share on the open market. This figure is derived based on what each separate business would be worth in a private acquisition by another company; hence, the sum of the parts being worth more than the whole.
The "fruits of the Spirit" are not governed by law. They are each independent in their own right. Love. Joy. Peace. Forbearance. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. And finally self-control.
All are independently important. All can be independently displayed. It is their value, separately, that makes the sum of the parts worth more than the whole. Try one of them today. Be cognizant and aware of how small acts of say, kindness, are received by others.
As Christians, it is important for others to see God in us. Doing so, and having our display recognized by others as such, will not only help others, but just as important it will help ourselves. Be humble in the idea that you also will reap the benefits. It will increase the faith within you; continuing on your journey to effectiveness in your growth and walk with God.
We will continue to examine these individual parts in the next few subsections. That being said, start today by exhibiting just one, and be amazed by where it will take you in your relationship with others.
Most all of us have been to a wedding. We have heard 1 Corinthians 13:3. This is your reference point for the "fruits of the Spirit to become evident, properly displayed and received by others.
Be reminded, "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love I gain nothing."
Follow down to the first sentence in verse 8: "Love never fails."
Class dismissed.
Galatians 5:22-23 reads, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law."
There are plenty of verses that coincide and run parallel to this verse. Again, one of the most known is the following from John 15:5. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
Look at Ephesians 5:8-13. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible - and everything that becomes illuminated becomes a light.
In this passage, in parentheses, Paul makes a reference to the qualities that one can embody from the "fruit of the light." That is, ones whose eyes have been opened. The transformation from "darkness to light" when accepting the Father and becoming a Christian. Goodness. Righteousness. Truth.
Just 2 verses further, we read, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Galatians 5:15-17
Before we can display the actions and attitude of righteousness, much is required. Not impossible, but a change in a former mindset, and strong working knowledge of the inner working parts in the Bible is a must.
It may seem that John 15:5 could be thought to be "all encompassing," but that would not be the case. Righteous behavior requires a heightened and thorough understanding. John 15:5 is an excellent place to start; however. It can be a foundational building-block. Christians must have a desire to dig deeper, delve in, gain knowledge and perspective toward the goal of becoming an evangelist. I pray that I am promoting and providing a text worthy to put "arrows in your quiver" for God.
Righteousness may be defined as being "morally justifiable" or "acting in accord with divine law," but again, I make the case that it is much more.
In the corporate world there is a saying. The whole is worth less than the sum of the parts. This reference can be easily explained by providing an example using the company General Electric. While in recent years they have sold some of their "business units," I can remember a time when the company had twelve separate and independently operating businesses. GE Finance. GE Avionics. GE Power. You get the idea.
In the finance world, it is a general practice for someone covering the company as an analyst to determine the worth of the company not solely based on the totality of corporation, but also by placing a value on the independent entities. In this way, adding the sum of each business, under the lens of what another company might acquire an individual "business unit;" more often than not (with respect to private valuation) becomes a figure larger than just the number of shares outstanding, multiplied by the cost per share on the open market. This figure is derived based on what each separate business would be worth in a private acquisition by another company; hence, the sum of the parts being worth more than the whole.
The "fruits of the Spirit" are not governed by law. They are each independent in their own right. Love. Joy. Peace. Forbearance. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. And finally self-control.
All are independently important. All can be independently displayed. It is their value, separately, that makes the sum of the parts worth more than the whole. Try one of them today. Be cognizant and aware of how small acts of say, kindness, are received by others.
As Christians, it is important for others to see God in us. Doing so, and having our display recognized by others as such, will not only help others, but just as important it will help ourselves. Be humble in the idea that you also will reap the benefits. It will increase the faith within you; continuing on your journey to effectiveness in your growth and walk with God.
We will continue to examine these individual parts in the next few subsections. That being said, start today by exhibiting just one, and be amazed by where it will take you in your relationship with others.
Most all of us have been to a wedding. We have heard 1 Corinthians 13:3. This is your reference point for the "fruits of the Spirit to become evident, properly displayed and received by others.
Be reminded, "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love I gain nothing."
Follow down to the first sentence in verse 8: "Love never fails."
Class dismissed.
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Righteousness: Part III
This morning I wondered how many times the word righteousness appears in the Bible. With the friend of nearly all these days; Google, and an article written by J. Hampton Keathley III, I found my answer rather quickly.
The word righteousness alone appears thirty-four times. In it's different definitional forms; including righteous and the actions of being morally justifiable, the numbers swells to sixty-four. Paul must have found the word itself, and its instruction thereof, critically important.
In Part I, I pointed out that it was mentioned in his final charge to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Just a few verses later in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
And just before, in his final charge at the end of his first letter to Timothy, we see "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith," 1 Timothy 6:11-12.
What I gather from just these 3 verses, is that gaining righteousness requires persistence. It is not easily obtained. He charges Timothy to pursue and train. We also see that the crown of righteousness is an obtainable reward that we can someday lay at the feet of the righteous Judge, Jesus Christ.
Galatians is where to start if you want to study righteousness in depth. We also see many verses in Romans, highly regarded as his greatest work. Paul many times throughout his letters speaks about his heart for Rome.
Studying Galatians gives us a picture of two things: a combination of Jews and Gentiles confused about the process to come to Christianity, and a people to struggled with the conversion based on a long, running belief in the Mosaic Law. Legalists are a hard bunch to covert.
Three verses in Galatians seem to provide and foundation and preview by Paul which could, and eventually would, provide for radical change among the people of Galatia.
Galatians 2:15-16 says, "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."
Secondly, Galatians 3:10-14 recounts, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, "The person who does these things will live by them."
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
And finally, in Galatians 5:13-18, we see a summary of our freedom from the law which can be directed to the Spirit, in light of what Christ did on the cross; and then live by faith, accessing the power of the Holy Spirit.
It says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
In these 3 verses, we see small steps required to be righteous, or displaying an air of righteousness in our acts and deeds among one another. A basic requirement - of course - is that we must believe in Christ Jesus, becoming Christians. We can then be redeemed by the Book of the Law, given to Abraham, accepting Jesus's death on the cross as substitution for our freedom. Finding life through faith in Christ allows us to harness that freedom, allowing us the opportunity to find righteousness with the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
We'll continue our study on righteousness by examining the "fruits of the Spirit," as a guide and guardrails for righteous works; not under the law, but gaining perspective for following the lead of Paul and Christ in our daily lives.
The word righteousness alone appears thirty-four times. In it's different definitional forms; including righteous and the actions of being morally justifiable, the numbers swells to sixty-four. Paul must have found the word itself, and its instruction thereof, critically important.
In Part I, I pointed out that it was mentioned in his final charge to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Just a few verses later in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
And just before, in his final charge at the end of his first letter to Timothy, we see "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith," 1 Timothy 6:11-12.
What I gather from just these 3 verses, is that gaining righteousness requires persistence. It is not easily obtained. He charges Timothy to pursue and train. We also see that the crown of righteousness is an obtainable reward that we can someday lay at the feet of the righteous Judge, Jesus Christ.
Galatians is where to start if you want to study righteousness in depth. We also see many verses in Romans, highly regarded as his greatest work. Paul many times throughout his letters speaks about his heart for Rome.
Studying Galatians gives us a picture of two things: a combination of Jews and Gentiles confused about the process to come to Christianity, and a people to struggled with the conversion based on a long, running belief in the Mosaic Law. Legalists are a hard bunch to covert.
Three verses in Galatians seem to provide and foundation and preview by Paul which could, and eventually would, provide for radical change among the people of Galatia.
Galatians 2:15-16 says, "We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."
Secondly, Galatians 3:10-14 recounts, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, "The person who does these things will live by them."
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
And finally, in Galatians 5:13-18, we see a summary of our freedom from the law which can be directed to the Spirit, in light of what Christ did on the cross; and then live by faith, accessing the power of the Holy Spirit.
It says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
In these 3 verses, we see small steps required to be righteous, or displaying an air of righteousness in our acts and deeds among one another. A basic requirement - of course - is that we must believe in Christ Jesus, becoming Christians. We can then be redeemed by the Book of the Law, given to Abraham, accepting Jesus's death on the cross as substitution for our freedom. Finding life through faith in Christ allows us to harness that freedom, allowing us the opportunity to find righteousness with the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
We'll continue our study on righteousness by examining the "fruits of the Spirit," as a guide and guardrails for righteous works; not under the law, but gaining perspective for following the lead of Paul and Christ in our daily lives.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Righteousness: Part II
Yesterday we began our study of the word righteousness. We started with some basic definitions from the Oxford and Merriam-Webster dictionaries. We dug deeper in scripture and found connected words - words like faith, justifiable, morality and love. What I want to offer today is some examples of people and actions in the Bible that were credited by others as righteous.
So the question becomes, "Who in the Bible was righteous?"
In a similar period of prophetic ministry like Paul - just over twenty years- we find Ezekiel. He was tasked with providing perspective in the form of warnings, so that the people of Babylon might turn to obedience and worship in God.
He writes in chapter 14:12-14, concerning the coming destruction in Jerusalem, "The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men - Noah, Daniel and Job - were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord." "
These are some very strong words. And in this example, we find three men that were credited, by God, for being righteous.
In Genesis, God made a covenant with Noah. Those who believe in this passage of scripture can even see the resemblance, and believe, every time we see a rainbow in the sky.
Genesis 9:12-17 says, "And God said, "This is sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set a rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on earth."
So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on earth."
I find it highly improbable, without coincidence in particular, that the word everlasting is used in verse 16. The fact that God uses the word everlasting when speaking to Noah, is irrefutable truth that God reigns. The Lord promised; and He keeps his promises.
When thinking of Daniel, the story that resonates in the minds of most is his interpretation of the dream had by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He had dreams that troubled him greatly. He called on astrologers, enchanters, magicians and sorcerers. None of these were equipped to interpret his dream. But there was one, Daniel; who was able.
Unlike the king, Daniel called upon the Lord for wisdom and guidance.
Daniel 2:19-23 reflects his faith in God.
"During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised God and said, "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank you and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." "
Daniel did not summon astrologers, enchanters, magicians or sorcerers as his advisors. He instead, rather appropriately, called on Almighty God for guidance and direction. His request was specific. Directed toward one God, and God fulfilled his request.
Have you ever heard of the Stone Age, Bronze Age or Iron Age? My first thought is a resounding, "Yes." You were most likely taught about these periods in your high school history class. A look in Daniel 2 provides a direct prophecy, fulfilled thousands of years later, of those periods in time. What we need to be reminded of, and remember, is that it was prophesied, and the prophesy in approximately 600 BC, was known by Daniel.
Daniel's interpretation of the dream of the king, is found in Daniel 2:27-45. He remained righteous in his faith, and in his actions, and would be rewarded by the Father.
Daniel 12:8-13 affirms the outcome.
"I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
"From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of 1,335 days.
"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
How about Job?
Job is a unique example in the Bible. In the book of Job, the Lord allows the devil to test Job's faith. Job 1:8 says, "Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "
A messenger comes to Job to tell him that all of his oxen and donkeys have been stolen and his servants slaughtered. Another comes immediately after saying his sheep and servants were burned from a blaze of fire. Still another comes at the same time to report that his camels were taken and his servants, "put to the sword" in Job 1:17.
Finally, it is reported that, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you! ," in Job 1:18-19.
This was all done by Satan, whom the Lord allowed to test his righteousness, character and faith. But Job, even through suffering, pain, the loss of his livelihood and even his sons and daughters; may have cried out in misery and anger, but he did not waiver in his faith in the Lord.
In Job 29:14, he says, "I put on my righteousness as clothing; justice was my robe and my turban."
What we can learn through the examples in the book of Job, is that suffering will undoubtedly come. We may be tested, we will be disciplined; but it is our job to call on the Lord, remaining faithful.
So what can we learn from the examples of Biblical righteous men?
Rulers will rule, and perhaps even prosper, for a time. Power is not for those who will use it in unjust ways.
All of the advisors in the world will remain ineffective, if their guidance is not found in the principles of God.
Look no further than Daniel 12:3. "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
So the question becomes, "Who in the Bible was righteous?"
In a similar period of prophetic ministry like Paul - just over twenty years- we find Ezekiel. He was tasked with providing perspective in the form of warnings, so that the people of Babylon might turn to obedience and worship in God.
He writes in chapter 14:12-14, concerning the coming destruction in Jerusalem, "The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men - Noah, Daniel and Job - were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord." "
These are some very strong words. And in this example, we find three men that were credited, by God, for being righteous.
In Genesis, God made a covenant with Noah. Those who believe in this passage of scripture can even see the resemblance, and believe, every time we see a rainbow in the sky.
Genesis 9:12-17 says, "And God said, "This is sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set a rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever a rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on earth."
So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on earth."
I find it highly improbable, without coincidence in particular, that the word everlasting is used in verse 16. The fact that God uses the word everlasting when speaking to Noah, is irrefutable truth that God reigns. The Lord promised; and He keeps his promises.
When thinking of Daniel, the story that resonates in the minds of most is his interpretation of the dream had by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He had dreams that troubled him greatly. He called on astrologers, enchanters, magicians and sorcerers. None of these were equipped to interpret his dream. But there was one, Daniel; who was able.
Unlike the king, Daniel called upon the Lord for wisdom and guidance.
Daniel 2:19-23 reflects his faith in God.
"During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised God and said, "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank you and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." "
Daniel did not summon astrologers, enchanters, magicians or sorcerers as his advisors. He instead, rather appropriately, called on Almighty God for guidance and direction. His request was specific. Directed toward one God, and God fulfilled his request.
Have you ever heard of the Stone Age, Bronze Age or Iron Age? My first thought is a resounding, "Yes." You were most likely taught about these periods in your high school history class. A look in Daniel 2 provides a direct prophecy, fulfilled thousands of years later, of those periods in time. What we need to be reminded of, and remember, is that it was prophesied, and the prophesy in approximately 600 BC, was known by Daniel.
Daniel's interpretation of the dream of the king, is found in Daniel 2:27-45. He remained righteous in his faith, and in his actions, and would be rewarded by the Father.
Daniel 12:8-13 affirms the outcome.
"I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
"From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of 1,335 days.
"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
How about Job?
Job is a unique example in the Bible. In the book of Job, the Lord allows the devil to test Job's faith. Job 1:8 says, "Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "
A messenger comes to Job to tell him that all of his oxen and donkeys have been stolen and his servants slaughtered. Another comes immediately after saying his sheep and servants were burned from a blaze of fire. Still another comes at the same time to report that his camels were taken and his servants, "put to the sword" in Job 1:17.
Finally, it is reported that, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you! ," in Job 1:18-19.
This was all done by Satan, whom the Lord allowed to test his righteousness, character and faith. But Job, even through suffering, pain, the loss of his livelihood and even his sons and daughters; may have cried out in misery and anger, but he did not waiver in his faith in the Lord.
In Job 29:14, he says, "I put on my righteousness as clothing; justice was my robe and my turban."
What we can learn through the examples in the book of Job, is that suffering will undoubtedly come. We may be tested, we will be disciplined; but it is our job to call on the Lord, remaining faithful.
So what can we learn from the examples of Biblical righteous men?
Rulers will rule, and perhaps even prosper, for a time. Power is not for those who will use it in unjust ways.
All of the advisors in the world will remain ineffective, if their guidance is not found in the principles of God.
Look no further than Daniel 12:3. "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
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