Personal Righteousness in the Light of His Second Coming

“Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation [is] near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.” (Isa 56:1 AV)

There are good motivations to live right before the LORD.  Above is just one of them.  Knowing the appearance of our LORD Jesus Christ is eminent, the body of Christ should seek to live and do right.  Salvation spoken of above is not eternal salvation.  It is salvation from Israel’s captors.  Babylon and Assyria, and by extension Persia, held Israel captive for over two hundred years.  Was about to give his prophecy of the times preceding the coming of the Messiah.  There was every hope that the physical duress under which the nation of Israel suffered would soon come to an end with the appearance of the Messiah.  He would save them from Gentile oppression.  He would establish righteousness once and for all in a nation called to be the righteousness of God.  This is the promise of God.  The N.T. saint can also assume the same promise.  At least in principle.  By life or by death, our salvation is near.  Either Jesus will come back in our lifetime, or we will pass as all others have passed.  Either way, our eternal salvation and never-ending righteousness are nearer than when we first believed.  If so, it makes perfect sense to prepare for that eventuality.

Most of us can identify with this one.  When we approached the end of a school year and our finals were looming before us, how many of us did not study to get the best possible grade?  I think there were those who tried to ace everything they attempted because it would factor into future decisions.  The college they would attend, the ability to advance in their studies.  That sort of thing.  Then there were those who didn’t care if they passed.  All they wanted to do was to get through the years before them before they dropped out.  They didn’t care if they had to repeat a grade because when they turned the appropriate age, they were getting out anyway.  These two groups were the minority.  The rest of us studied to pass.  We learned more so get a good grade that we could live with.  We did not study to get the highest grade possible.  The closer we got to graduation, the less and less we tried.  We knew we would pass.  We knew we would graduate.  We knew that last test of our scholastic career would have almost no impact on what our future held.  So, we did the best we could do without stressing out about it.

This is not so with meeting our LORD.  We will meet Him face to face and, although we will be transformed into His image, our goal should be to do as best we can until that becomes our state.  Knowing that the finish line is at hand, then why not change?  Part of the salvation experience is repentance from sin.  Our attitude regarding sin changes.  We are convicted regarding it and we realize it is our sin that separates us from the LORD.  We understand that our sin is the cause for pending eternal damnation.  Guilt and shame are more than we can bear.  So, we cry out for mercy.  He forgives and restores.  If that is the case, why wouldn’t we continue the process of cleansing from sin?  If righteousness and judgment are within sight, why wouldn’t we strive to experience both as soon as we can?  That is the missing ingredient in our presentation of the gospel.  Sin is a minor issue while heaven is the major one.  We have it backwards.  Sin is the major issue.  Heaven is the minor one.  Who we dwell with is far more important that where we dwell.  Knowing God intimately and deeply because our sins are washed by the blood of Christ is the most important factor of salvation.  If we have this relationship, the closer we got to its consummation, the more we should desire His righteousness.

Constants in an Inconsistent World

“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” (Isa 54:10 AV)

The promise is important to remember because of the context in which it is found.  This passage is considered a tribulation passage.  It is a promise to the people of Israel that no matter what they may be experiencing in the present, there is a promise of kindness and peace.  Mercy is there regardless of what they may perceive.  This is the promise that may be what Israel needs while the world wars against them.  This promise may be that promise that gets them through the years waiting for the return of Jesus Christ.  In principle, this promise applies to the New Testament saint as well.  Regardless of what we may perceive, the covenant of God’s peace and mercy has not ceased.  We are children of the most High.  We are brothers and sisters of Christ.  There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. 

Life is full of trouble.  Just ask Job.  This can cause us to make assumptions that simply are not true.  We have a very warped sense of how life should be.  We think very black and white.  If we do everything right, then the LORD blesses.  If we do not, then the LORD punishes.  If there are blue skies and warm days, God must be pleased.  If there are storms about, then God must not be pleased.  That is actually a very pagan way of thinking.  This is how those who live in spiritual darkness perceive the world around them.  If bad things happen, their gods are angry.  If good things happen, their gods are pleased.  Life doesn’t work like that.  Jehovah God does not work like that.  Bad things can be a result of God’s displeasure, but not always.  There are steps of faith that are hard to endure.  There are circumstances that exist, like death, which are part of our human existence.  Adam and Eve brought death into the world and even if we were to do everything perfectly right, death would still occur.  Illness is a part of a fallen world.  Things breaking are part of the second law of thermodynamics.  God may cause or allow unsavory things to happen, but that does not mean we have to right to doubt His mercy and kindness.

The frailty of our hearts and minds requires us to be reminded of such a great truth.  This does not give us cause to continue in folly that may require correction.  A loving Father would do not different.  His mercy and kindness would demand such a response.  It is in these trying times when we begin to doubt God’s mercy and kindness where we need this reminder the most.  It takes several things to live in this truth.  Perception of what the kindness and mercy of God might look like must change.  What we consider being an unkindness may actually be just the opposite.  A sleepless night striving over circumstances we wish could be different might just be the mercy of God.  Giving God the benefit of the doubt and seeking a change in perception helps.  But more importantly, knowing that perfection is a promise held off until eternity.  God never promises a perfect and trouble-free life.  Nowhere in the Bible does God promise the human experience can be free from all trouble.  That is both unrealistic and presumptuous.  Living in this truth is a matter of spiritual maturity.  It is the willingness to take God at His word that He is kind and merciful, regardless of what our observations may indicate.  It is refusing to react to our trouble by fussing over it.  Rather, being content in the heart and mind resting in the kindness and mercy of God is the key to a life that blossoms unto God’s blessing.

Well?

“Wherefore, when I came, [was there] no man? when I called, [was there] none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because [there is] no water, and dieth for thirst.” (Isa 50:2 AV)

The manifestation of their unbelief was the absence of men willing to trust Him.  Hence the four questions at the beginning of the verse.  Specifically, trust in God to deliver.  Isaiah is preaching to Israel and Judah.  The deliverance is from Assyria and Babylon.  The challenge is simple.  God promises to deliver if they will repent of their sin and walk with Him in obedience and faith.  Without them pleading for God’s help, God comes to them and offers it.  He promises to honor His covenant with the people and conquer Israel’s enemies for them.  All they need to do is trust Him and follow.  Yet, there is no man.  Why?  According to this verse, they simply did not trust Him.  They did not trust Him to deliver, or did not trust Him enough to follow.  Either way, taking God up on His offer was a matter of belief.  One cannot help but see the similarities in the context of salvation.

We knock on hundreds of doors a month.  We talk to several people living behind those doors.  Very rarely do we get the opportunity to share the entire gospel with those whom we speak.  The excuses are many and varied.  But they all have the same cause.  There is no faith to repent and trust Christ.  It doesn’t matter what the specific cause might be.  The underlying cause is always the same.  One cannot help but notice the method here as well.  Mankind, in his fallen nature, will not naturally seek after God.  The soul will not seek out to find God.  In our sin, we run from Him.  Not to Him.  Just as the LORD went to Israel and Judah with the offer of deliverance, the church must go to the world with the same.  It is the nature of mankind to reject the grace of God.  They want nothing of it.  In pride and rebellion, they seek to redeem themselves.  Yet, just like Israel and Judah to Assyria and Babylon, they will fail.  Only God can deliver from such a formidable enemy.

The lost are not the only ones who struggle with faith.  Israel and Judah are not the lone possessors of unbelief.  The saint can struggle here, too.  We may have enough faith to cry out to the LORD for deliverance from hell, but how often do we listen for and heed His call of deliverance from an unholy or unproductive life?  How often do we take God completely at His word and respond with unhesitating faith?  When was the last time we mused over the power of God being far greater than our strongest sin or biggest fear?  How often do we read the word of God and simply choose to trust it, regardless of what we think or how we feel?  God is very gracious to every human soul.  He owes no one anything.  He is God the Creator and we owe Him everything.  Yet, He reaches down from heaven and offers to help.  We, in our pride, think God is too small.  The questions above are rhetorical.  They are asked not for an answer.  Rather, they are asked for a reaction.  That reaction is to quit our fussing and trust God.

Voices of Deliverance

“Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it [even] to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.” (Isa 48:20 AV)

What a verse!  Isaiah looks forward to the time when the 70 years of captivity to Babylon are over.  Cyrus the Persian declares Israel can return to Palestine and rebuild the temple.  Artaxerxes the Mede decrees that Nehemiah can return to repair the walls of Jerusalem.  It is actually a sad thing to learn how many returned compared to how many remained dispersed.  A fraction of those who gained their freedom returned with joy to fix what they had done wrong.  How like today’s churches, Israel was in the past.  Only a fraction who truly appreciate what God has done for them in deliverance from sin will go forth and praise the name of the LORD to a lost and dying world.  Having gained their freedom, Israel sings with joy.  They flee from their captors.  They want nothing to do with those who used an and abused them.  At least a few of them did.  The rest were content to remain in pagan lands under the influence of pagan people.  They abandoned their heritage and calling.  At least to the degree that they were not fully committed.  Sure, they still remained orthodox Jews while dispersed throughout the world.  But they never stood for God among a hate-filled world.  Only those who knew what God had done for them, appreciated it, and took advantage truly fled the influence of their captors for a chance to praise God and live according to His word!

Just about this time of year, there are students running from school buildings throwing papers, notebooks, or tests in the air.  Held captive for almost ten months, they have a few months of freedom to do as they please.  No teachers.  No homework.  No schedule.  No studying.  Nothing but warm summer days, bike rides, a day in the park, or a dip in the pool.  Free at last!  Just about this time of year, there is an auditorium filled with your people wearing square hats on their heads.  These hats have only one function.  They are a onetime use item.  Years of hard work point to this single day.  The student counts down the years.  He or she counts down the days.  Commencement day arrives.  Now the student is dressed in a robe.  He or she sits through an hour or two or four of educated people droning on about how important life-choices will be.  They give hope and dreams to the young men and women who will venture into adult life.  That is not where their mind resides.  Only one thing in on their minds.  It is not a career.  It is not marriage.  It is not a new place to live or an apartment of their own.  The only thing on their mind is when the announcement of the class of whatever year it is presented by the chancellor is made, hats will fly!  The celebration of accomplishment and freedom commences.

Jesus has delivered us from far worse than Babylon or a biology class.  Calvary has freed us from far worse than living in a foreign land or having to take finals.  The offering of Jesus Christ has delivered us from sin, hell, and the fear of death.  We are free indeed.  If that is the case, I think a celebration is in order!  There should be a natural reaction to the understanding of how free Calvary has made us.  Isaiah looked ahead.  He saw what would transpire when Israel was set free.  And here is another thought.  The fact that the extreme minority was the one rejoicing at their divinely sent deliverance did not take away from the degree of that celebration.  Yes, all Israel should have returned in rejoicing and praise.  But Isaiah saw a few.  And a few were so impressive in their gratitude and praise that it made all the difference.  So, if you are one of the few, keep it up.  You are making a difference.  The man of God notices.  God is pleased and grateful.  The world will take note.  God’s work will get done.  If you are in the majority and do not feel especially grateful for what God has done, why not?  Get excited.  Show your appreciation.  Tell others what God can do for them!  Praise be to God.

Drop The Water!

“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:” (Isa 44:3 AV)

This promise is to believing Israel.  It is prophetical.  This prophecy regards redeemed Israel at the time of their Messiah.  It is a promise from God to His people that when the Messiah comes, they will be tenderly cared for.  God will fill their water basins, streams, rivers, and lakes.  He will water the land that it will bring forth abundantly.  But most of all, He will spiritual fill them like no one else can.  They will have learned through hard lessons of rejection that God is the best choice for them.  They will repent of the rebellion and place all their trust in the LORD Jesus Christ.  God will honor the covenant He made with them thousands of years prior and water the land both literally and spiritually.  Does that mean the New Testament saint has no application here?  Not at all.  Jesus says the same thing.  “In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” (Joh 7:37 AV) And again, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Re 22:17 AV) The idea is simple.  Those who thirst after the presence, strength, blessings, etc. of God will be satisfied by the fountain He provides.

Where I live, the ground can get dry and cracked.  We are coming up on that season.  It rains and rains for several months.  It snows for four months.  When June through August come about, all it takes is a couple of hot weeks with no rain and the ground looks like the salt flats of the desert west.  It astounds me every time I see it.  My mind cannot compute the dryness of the ground compared to all the moisture it receives in the spring, fall, and winter.  How can the ground dry out so much?  How can it turn into a surface harder than a rock?  It doesn’t make sense.  I tried to grow a bush.  Failed twice.  Two times I tried to grow a bush that needed shade and plenty of water.  Both died.  I watered and watered it.  I tried to keep it alive.  But the nature of the soil meant that all that water was draining away.  The ground got dry and cracked, anyway.  Now I am on my third try with a different species.  This bush has tripled in size in just two short months.  I think we might have a keeper.  Watering is still essential.  Water is everything.  If that plant does not have water, it cannot survive.  Sound familiar?

When I read this verse, I could not help but internalize the truth.  There are times when my soul is dirt dry.  There are times when ministry, life, or the world sap almost everything I have.  I need a deep draw of water.  The picture I get in my head is a summer downpour.  Living close to Niagara Falls, the majority of my childhood, we have these awesome summer downpours.  The sky would be blue, littered with puff clouds.  Suddenly, we would have a downpour under a blue sky.  There would be one or two puff clouds from which this shower came.  It was really cool.  We would run around in the rain to cool off and the steam would rise from our blacktopped streets.  Soaking wet, we would cool off.  That is what the presence of God is like.  This is what He has promised.  Amid the troublous times of life, He sends His showers of strength, refreshing, and blessing.  God is good!  All the time!

Self-inflicted Wounds of the Talebearer

“The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” (Pr 26:22 AV)

At first glance, we might assume the object of the tale is the one injured the most.  However, the Hebrew word used here suggests it is the teller and the hearer who suffer the innermost injury.  The suggestion is the object of gossip is not hurt nearly as much as the teller and hearer of such words.  Gossip has a way of causing deep rooted damage.  Gossip, often shaped by envy, malice, pride, and the such cause damage because it stirs up within the teller and hearer deeper sins of the heart.  They cause the teller or hearer to ruminate on information, true or false, that they believe harms the object of their gossip, but in reality, hurts themselves a whole lot worse.  Talebearing may feel satisfying at first.  Given time, the habit of gossip leads to very serious damage to the soul.

The thing about gossip is the expected end never comes to pass.  The one telling the gossip and the one entertaining it often expect injury to occur to the object of their gossip.  Gossip seeks to elevate self beyond a realistic view of oneself.  Its intent is to limit one while exalting self.  Gossip is the lazy man’s way of building value in himself.  The reason it causes so much harm to the teller and the hearer is that it gives a false sense of accomplishment.  When the object of that gossip goes on with life and is successful in spite of it, the teller and the hearer must entertain feelings of injustice, envy, and anger.  The telling of a tale was intended to inflict injury that never came.  It never does.  In fact, the object of gossip benefits from the gossip.  He or she learns who can and cannot be trusted.  He or she knows where true loyalties lie.  The subject of gossip benefits from clarity.  Those who are prone to believe the worst always will.  Hearing and believing gossip is a matter of the heart.  Not a matter of the facts.

Talebearing may feel satisfying in the short run.  But in the long run, it does great harm.  We have all been the victims of talebearing.  Over time, we have come to realize the damage that we thought was done was actually far less than we initially believed.  It is the damage done in the soul of the bearer and hearer that is long-lasting and deep.  Most have been a talebearer from time to time.  It is often shrouded in what we would consider ‘spiritual speak’.  Prayer requests, counsel, etc can often lead to talebearing.  We must be careful.  The damage to our own souls is serious.  It is long-lasting.  It goes very deep.  The tongue is a prominent member.  Often seen as injurious to others, it can be more so to self.  Loss of credibility, fellowship, and even one’s own peace are the casualties.  Talebearing is often seen as a one-way street when considering the damage it can do.  But it is not so.  The subject of gossip is hurt if only in the short run.  The revealer of secrets and the receiver of secrets are hurt far worse.

The Greatest Gift From God

“He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (Ps 24:5 AV)

If you could ask and receive anything from the LORD, what would it be?  Would it be enough riches to satisfy all needs and desires?  Would it be success in the goals of life?  Would it be a spouse or children?  Grandchildren?  Health?  Wisdom?  What would it be?  Verses three and four reveal the key to residing in the presence of God.  Our verse above reveals the cause for desiring that presence.  We key in on the first reason.  Blessing.  We all want the LORD to bless us.  We want all those things listed above.  But what if the LORD said you must prioritize blessing and righteousness?  Which would come first?  What if the absence of blessing, which would be a blessing in itself, brought righteousness?  Would we still desire righteousness more than blessing?  What is it we want most of all from a God who can give us the desires of our heart?

Note in particular that righteousness is received.  By nature, we are not righteous.  We are wicked.  Thanks to our first parents, we were born with a predisposition to sin.  That is our natural desire.  It is not that we are completely incapable of doing the right thing.  God holds all souls accountable for the choices they make.  Only if we were free to make those decisions would we then be made accountable.  It is just that we prefer, overwhelmingly, to choose the wrong thing.  Therefore, for righteousness to come, it must come from God.  By nature, it cannot come from us.  This is accomplished in different ways.  The first and most obvious is the offering of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus Christ died for our sins, and we accepted Him as our offering for that sin, the Father gave to us the righteousness of Jesus and gave to Jesus our wickedness.  When the Father looks upon those who have trusted Christ, He sees us as holy and as righteous as His own Son!

But we often forget that practical righteousness is given with equal grace as saving righteousness.  We participate in saving grace by forsaking (repenting) of our sin and trusting by faith that Jesus paid our debt.  It isn’t that much different once we are a child of God.  To live in divinely granted righteousness, we must forsake our sin and trust the LORD to lead us into righteousness.  Living righteously in our own strength and devices is just as impossible as saving ourselves from sin by living in righteousness.  We simply do not have the ability.  It is something God does for us and through us.  Righteousness is a gift given by grace.  Righteousness for salvation, and righteousness for living.  If that is the case, I will pose the question again.  What is the most important desire of your heart?  If we hate sin as we say we do, then righteousness should be at the top of the list.  The previous two verses mention the manner in which someone gains audience with God.  It is by righteousness.  If we want the presence of God, being right and living right is the highest standard.  Yet is there something higher than simply living right?  I believe so.

The child of God, if he truly does love God, seeks to please Him.  The motive for righteousness isn’t a sense of self-worth.  It is not to escape the guilt or embarrassment of failure.  The purest motive for seeking righteousness is that we might please the Father by being so.  Desiring righteousness should be the highest aspiration in the heart of God.  The greatest of all motives should be to who appreciation for the Father and express the deepest level of love.  Righteousness.  No greater possession can a soul have than the permanent state of perfect holiness.  All other blessings aside, Christlikeness is the greatest of all.  That is for what David wished.  It was not the kingdom.  It was not many wives.  It was not children.  It was not wealth or health.  What David wanted the most was to possess and live in the righteousness of almighty God.