
Power of Righteousness Part Two
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:1-3)
Many of you will read this and think, oh, so what is that supposed to mean to me? Believe me, it means more to you than you think. Foregoing God’s Righteousness for your own self-righteousness is as important now, if not MORE important than it was for the people of Israel. I encourage you to read on and then repent.
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, his first command to us is to seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness (Matt 6:33). It’s a new way forward for us to live, according to the spirit, and He will address all of our needs in the physical world- reliance on Him first, and He meets our needs. His yoke on us is easy; keep God’s Righteousness, and His burden is light. Walk in the Light as he is in the Light (no pun intended).
Too many Christians are walking in spiritual darkness, believing that their righteousness is God’s righteousness when it isn’t. Just as the religious leaders were self-righteous in their perversion of the law when Jesus first came, religious leaders today are self-righteous in their perversion of Grace and Truth, (John 1:17) and it will be their downfall in the end.
They say that everything goes, everything is cool and right in God’s eyes. It isn’t. That is a false doctrine- among many others.
(Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1)
Here are two examples that I witnessed or was directly involved in:
- No place in Scripture tells us to celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas. In fact, Jeremiah chapter 10 verses 2-4 says, “Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with an ax. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.”
Look familiar? Look like the Christmas tree?
“Christmas Day” is celebrated on the same day as the equinox, the pagan day of the Sun god and the longest day of the year. And it is more about sharing worldly physical gifts than worshipping the Lord or God. I once was in an evangelical church on the Sunday before Christmas. The Pastor said that he had a short conversation with a church member before the service about this very thing. And how the member questioned whether the church should be celebrating Christmas. The Pastor told the congregation (to which he got a rousing response) that, “God doesn’t give a fig when we celebrate the birth of Jesus as long as we do.”
God gives a fig about EVERYTHING! Here’s a man who won’t be seen in the Kingdom. Unfortunately, those who gave the rousing response won’t either unless they repent. Self-righteousness over God’s Righteousness. The Lord said, clearly and plainly, “Learn not the way of the heathen.”
- There is a reference to Easter in the New Testament. Let’s see what it says:
“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. (emphasis mine) Acts 12:1-4
First off, just because it is in the Bible does NOT make it a Christian holiday. In fact, Herod, and those who were with him, who were celebrating Easter, were neither Christians nor Jews. He did not celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
How could this Holiday and Holy Days come together?
“Easter’s origins are intertwined with both pagan and Christian traditions. The word “Easter” is derived from the name of the pagan goddess Eostre, associated with spring and fertility, and the celebration of the spring equinox. While many pagan traditions, like the Easter bunny and egg-laying, are linked to Eostre, the Christian holiday of Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christianity adopted and adapted some pagan customs, integrating them into its own traditions.”(Google)
I was in a Baptist church helping mix the sound to prepare the worship team for Sunday service. The Pastor’s wife (a Baptist Bible College graduate) asked me about my Christian education. I shared with her some of the studies that I took in my time at college. As it was the Wednesday before Easter service, I shared with her the scripture regarding Acts 12. She responded with, “We adopted it.” She was adamant and did not want to discuss it. I left immediately, never to return. Self-righteousness over God’s Righteousness.
I do not celebrate either of these holidays. I don’t say this to be prideful. It is not right by God. So, it’s not right by me. These are only two examples of self-righteousness over God’s Righteousness today. But telling others doesn’t seem to matter. They simply can’t accept the truth. It contradicts everything they were taught. Too many are tied to tradition and are not open to the truth (grace and truth came by Jesus).
“Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mark 7: 1-9 emphasis mine)
Are you holding onto the false traditions of a dying church today?
Jesus said that many would come to him and say Lord, Lord, to which he would say, Get away from me, I don’t know you. Christians believe that he isn’t referring to them, BUT you are precisely the people he’s talking to. From the religious leaders who will tell him all the wonderful things that they did in his name, to those who blindly follow them, your time in eternity is not where you think it will be.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.” (emphasis mine) (Jeremiah 23:16-22)
“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:3)
Jesus said that the straight and narrow is the path to the Kingdom, and few will find it. This should scare you – it scares me, and it grounds me. God presents us with an opportunity, a call to His Righteousness. If we fail, He may give us a chance at repentance- may.
The most important two-letter word in the New Testament is the word if:
“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou (meaning YOU) continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:22 emphasis mine)
God is merciful. Every time you fly face-first into self-righteousness like a Pelican, He is there ready to pick you up and remind you that you are a Lion on the earth under His rule and righteousness in your life. It’s up to you to repent.
“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:34)
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)
I’ve found that when I drift from His Righteousness, it nags me. It won’t let go. Why? Because he loves me. It doesn’t happen as much as it used to because I can recognise it and swiftly correct it. I learn and I grow from it.
“He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.” Proverbs 21:21
Our ability to make choices is rooted in the soul. The flesh does not make choices. If my mind commands my hand to pick up a pen and write a letter, it does so. It cannot say to the brain, “I’d rather use a computer, or do something else today.” Our spirit also does not make choices when it is walking in God’s Righteousness. Towards the end of his life, Smith Wigglesworth would say that during his crusades, his healing ministry, he often felt that he didn’t know he had a body. He was walking so close to God in the spirit.
I want to urge you today to repent!!! Look at your life today and your past, and if you find something self-righteous in yourself, change it, go back, and fix it.
But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. (Ezekiel 18:21-22)
However:
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness (self-righteousness), and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. (Ezekiel 33:13)
Adam’s yoke was easy; stay in right standing with God (follow God’s Righteousness), and his burden was light (name the animals. I think he got Lion right but missed on Pelican (that’s an inside joke)). But he failed; Eve chose self-righteousness, and he paid the price. The fruit of the tree was good for food, it was pleasant to the eyes, and it was desired to make one wise, pride of life (self-righteousness. 1 John 2:15-17). We don’t know for sure, but God never spoke to Adam again in the Scriptures after he and Eve were banished from the Garden. That is spiritual death and blindness, which we see throughout the Bible.
I can’t encourage you enough. Don’t seek to be called; study to be chosen.
As Don Potter sings, “It’s time to get right with God; it’s time to get real about Jesus.”
Here are some scriptures on righteousness (emphasis will be mine):
(Job 32:1-2) So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
(Ezekiel 18:22) All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him; in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. REPENT.
(DANIEL 12:3) And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness (God’s Righteousness) as the stars for ever and ever.
(Hosea 2:19) And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness (those walking in God’s Righteousness), and in judgment (between self righteousness and God’s Righteousness), and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
(Matthew 5:6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness (God’s); for they shall be filled. (with the Holy Spirit)
(Matthew 5:10) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness (God’s) sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:20) For I say unto you, That except your righteousness (aligned with God’s) shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (self-righteousness), ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(Romans 5:18) Therefore as by the offence of one (self righteousness) judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness (God’s) of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
(Romans 14:17) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness (God’s), and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
There are so many more.
The Power of Righteousness, or rather, our righteousness aligned with God’s Righteousness and not our own, can be established this way;
- Reflection and repentance- time of reflection of our past mistakes and repenting of those (getting right with God and others), and daily reflection and repentance. Where did I miss God’s righteousness and how do I make that right? You will find that once you come to peace with your past, your walk each day becomes easier in God.
- You can quote me as saying, “seek not just to be called, but study to be chosen.” Here, you will begin to understand His Righteousness and see throughout the Scriptures how self-righteousness causes spiritual blindness, and how this is reflected in today’s church life. And how aligning with God’s Righteousness is to be sought first.
- Put your trust in God. He loves you, and you will come to the place where the JOY of the Lord will become your strength.
- Ultimately, you will discover that walking in God’s righteousness, through genuine reflection and repentance, studying His Word, hearing His voice, and placing your trust in Him truly empowers your life now and in eternity.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness (Mat 6:33), and walk, “In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our lives.” (Luke 1:75).
I love you, and I miss you. May God greatly enrich you with love, righteousness, and peace.
i-CH