Righteousness (4)

The Church is protected in His righteousness

(Continued from part three…)

4)            Some people should be careful lest the righteousness of their hortatory be mere religious quackhood of Pharisaical brassbound; that of Sadducean myopia or the proclivious excessiveness of the boldacious Scribes of Matthew 5:20, “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The Scribes and the Pharisees were too legalistic. So soaked inebriately in the legalism of Judaism, the quackhood of religious sanctimonious facade had become their masquerade. They had fashioned their own theological stance. Exhibitionism has taken over righteousness as the ordered norm.

                Righteousness is not a visibility of a worn toga. It is the covering raiment for the regenerated soul. Not visible to the naked eyes, it becomes apropos for the corporeality of the redeemed to interpret the honourificabilitudinitatibus of the new man in Christ. Who is this new man? He is revealed in Colossians 3:9-10, which reads, “…seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” The new man is the creation of the Lord Jesus of whom the Scripture says, “…and without him was not any thing made that was made” [John 1:3]. The new man’s spiritual locale is found in his Maker. 2Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” The new man is eternally in Christ for two reasons: Christ is eternal –the everlasting Father of Isaiah 9:6–; the word ‘new’ (of 2Cor. 5:17) is the Greek kainos (kai-nos’) ‘new (especially in freshness).’ The Eternal Father sees the newness of this freshness ceaselessly. On His eternal right hand sits Christ the Preserver of the redeemed newness.

 JEHOVAH TSIDKENU

                The word ‘image’ of Colossians 3:10 is eikon (ei-kone’) ‘1. a likeness 2. (literally) statue, profile 3. (figuratively) representation, resemblance.’ If he possesses the likeness of Him that created him, simple logical understanding demands that he should bear the fruit of his Maker to prove the verity of his newness. Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” It is not a matter of law, which is compulsorily cleft onto à la religion. Our righteousness is a walk with the Lord. Galatians 5:16-18, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Righteousness has separated us from the fleshly proclivity of our old man, found in Galatians 5:19-21, “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,” propelled by the workings of demonism.

                The new man in Christ is the man of Psalm 1:3. The life of the new man strictly becomes the business of the Divinity. John 15:2 “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” The words ‘taketh away,’ airo (ai’-ro), means: ‘1. to lift up 2. (by implication) to take up or away 3. (figuratively) to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind) 4. (specially) to sail away (i.e. weigh anchor) 5. (by Hebraism) to atone for sin.’ Airo, contextually, is not of the Hebraic definition of ‘atonement.’ What more proof do we need to show that the life of the new man is strictly the business of the Divinity when ‘purgeth’ is kathairo (ka-thai’-rō) means: ‘1. to purify. 2. (specially) to trim back from superfluous or dispensable growth (down to the essential). 3. (spiritually) to trim and purify?’ Those who misrepresent Jesus are the likes of Judas Iscariot, the heretic Simon Magnus and the rich man who denied the mendicant Lazarus a good life: they were removed, being useless.

                You can put on the righteousness of Jesus by getting born again. Say this simple prayer, meaning it from your heart:

“Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”     

  (…to be concluded…)

Read part three here

Click here to read the concluding part 5

Righteousness (3)

In Jesus we become the righteousness of God (2Cor. 5:21)

(Continued from part two…)

3)            “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness” [Romans 6:19]. The word ‘yield’ is paristemi (par-is’-tay-mee) (or prolonged paristano par-is-tan’-o): ‘1. to stand beside 2. (transitively) to exhibit, proffer 3. (specially) recommend 4. (figuratively) substantiate 5. (intransitively) to be at hand (or ready), aid.’ Righteousness is truly an exhibitory stand that substantiates your new life as a born again child of the Almighty. You are already saved. What is expected is your Godly exhibited stance. The ‘righteousness’ here is dikaiosunē and the ‘holiness’ is hagiasmos (hag-ee-as-mos’) defined by Thayer Definition as: ‘consecration, purification; the effect of consecration; sanctification of heart and life.’

                It is not our righteousness, as the Bible instructs in Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true.” The verb ‘put on’ is enduo (en-doo’-o) ‘to invest with clothing.’ The adjective ‘new’ is kainos (kai-nos’) ‘new (especially in freshness);’ and ‘create’ is ktizo (ktid’-zo) ‘to fabricate, i.e. found (form originally).’ Righteousness is a toga, a state of being, as a matter of fact. It is a toga that remains ever fresh all because the eternal LORD keeps it an eternal reality. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” The truth is that one cannot hunger after these virtues without being born again.

“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” [2Peter 3:13]. Whose righteousness? God’s, of course! The word ‘dwelleth’ is the Greek katoikeo (kat-oi-ke’-ō): ‘to house permanently, i.e. reside.’ An inherent permanence of righteousness does not mark the ways of the present progenies of Adam. It was lost in Eden. If man, through the spiritual rejuvenation, finds in the soteriological package a Godly righteousness, it is most definitely, of the finished work of the Author of salvation -Jesus Christ. In the next 14^th verse of 2Peter chapter 3, the writer mentions ‘without spot and blameless.’  

Someone may ask what it means to be ‘without spot and blameless,’ and whether it implies the loss of heavenly citizenry or not. It does not. Spots and blames rob one of crowns in heaven. 1Corinthians 3:12-15, “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13) Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14) If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15) If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

                The righteous walk receives the crowns of gold, silver or precious stones; while that of unrighteousness is reduced to worthless ashes of the hay, wood and stubble. Verse 15 intimates of a loss and that nevertheless his salvation is a surety. It is a gift. The word of God says, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29). ‘Gifts’ is charisma (khar’-is-mah) ‘1. a (divine) gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion) 2. (specially), a (spiritual) endowment 3. (subjectively) religious qualification 4. (objectively) miraculous faculty.’ The abstract ‘calling’ is klesis (klay`-sis) 1. a calling 2. (specially) a divine calling 3. (figuratively) an invitation 4. (by extension) a name.’

The adjective ametameletos (am-et-am-el’-ay-tos) is the Greek for ‘without repentance,’ meaning: ‘irrevocable.’ Soteriology is firmly fashioned in absolute security, courtesy of Divine protocol. Apostles, pastors, evangelists, teachers (of the word) and prophets are called forever. I cannot read of any man of God who retired out of old age. When the Nigerian government tried to make an incursion into the ecumenism, it was Pastor E.A. Adeboye, head of the RCCG that unfortunately succumbed to that pressure by someone who (unfortunately still, a pastor of RCCG) that tried to enforce the ungodly incursion. In the same vain, an unregenerated soul, heeding the call to become a Christian, can never lose this new status of Divine Paternity of the Most High Jehovah. Amen!

THIS IS CHRISTIANITY. JESUS DIED TO BRING IT INTO REALITY.

                You can put on the righteousness of Jesus by getting born again. Say this simple prayer, meaning it from your heart:

“Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”     

  (…to be continued…)

Read the 2nd part here

Righteousness (2)

”…took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

2)            The Spirit of God no doubt led Paul into a future erroneous didacticism when he lashed at his converts with, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2) This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh” [Galatians 3:1-3]?

Desiderius Erasmus

                Armed with the influence of Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536) and Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) –Humanists, who were also church going teachers of Bible–, a man called Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) taught ‘conditional predestination’ to lay the foundation for Arminianism, made global by his friends, called The Remonstrance, after his death. The Remonstrance issued a five doctrinal points known as Arminianism. The fifth teaches that having been “incorporated into Christ by true faith,” Christ “keeps them from falling” only if they continue to believe. Their cautious implication is that if a person does not continue to cooperate with Christ he will become “devoid of (saving) grace.” In scriptural honesty, I do not know of any verse that supports this fifth point of Arminianism. You can either be a Bible believing Christian or a follower of Arminianism. Selah!

                “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” [2Corinthians 5:21]. Our righteousness is resident in Him, the Holy One of Israel. The word ‘righteousness’ is dikaiosunē (dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay). From Thayer Definition it is: ‘in a broad sense, state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God.’ Strong’s Definition has this: ‘equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification.’

                We have in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Our sinful nature, because it happens to be what we are innately guilty of, attracts the ‘wage’ of ‘death.’ We get paid for our wrongdoings. When it comes to ‘righteousness,’ however, it is not of our toil. Jesus toiled for it, so we can only be a recipient of it through the Divine generosity of being a ‘gift.’ A gift is not an original ownership of the recipient. ‘Gift’ of the above verse is charisma (khar’-is-mah): ‘1. a (divine) gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion) 2. (specially), a (spiritual) endowment 3. (subjectively) religious qualification 4. (objectively) miraculous faculty.’ The Greek charisma comes from charizomai (khar-id’-zom-ai) ‘to grant as a favor, i.e. gratuitously, in kindness, pardon or rescue.’ Grace, as we understand it, is an unmerited favour.

                The spiritual rebirth of our celestial regeneration that leads to our righteousness is brought to pellucid understanding in Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9) Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The word ‘grace’ is charis (khar’-ece): ‘1. graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act 2. (especially) the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life 3. (also) gratitude.’ A different ‘gift’ in verse 8 is the Greek doron (do`-ron), which means: ‘a present, specially, a sacrifice.’ In verse 9 there is ‘works’ which in Greek is ergon (er’-gon): ‘1. toil (as an effort or occupation) 2. (by implication) an act.’ Kauchaomai (kau-khah’-om-ai) is the Greek for ‘boast’ and means: ‘to vaunt {in a good or a bad sense}.’ Now, the word ‘walk’ of the 10^th verse is an interesting peripateo (per-ee-pat-eh’-o): ‘1. to tread all around, i.e. walk at large (especially as proof of ability) 2. (figuratively) to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary).’ Peripateo comes from peri (per-ee’) and pateo. Peri means ‘1. (properly) through (all over), i.e. around 2. (figuratively) with respect to’ and pateo (pat-eh’-o), ‘to trample {literally or figuratively},’ comes from a derivative meaning a “path.”

Righteousness is a gift from Jesus

                Not of pious toils of the believer’s faith, but by the graciousness of the Divine influence upon the heart of the believer is the submission of verse eight of the 2^nd chapter of Ephesians. There is not even any room for righteous boasting. Extravagant self-praise is what the scripture views of it. This ‘walk’ of the 10^th verse reminds me of Enoch’s. That walk and this one in this 10^th verse is nothing short of ‘a lifestyle.’ The Hebrew ‘walk,’ halak means ‘lifestyle.’ Our righteousness is, ergo, an interpretation of the righteousness of Christ, in which we are wrapped. A lifestyle that points at the Lord Jesus. Amen.  

                You can put on the righteousness of Jesus by getting born again. Say this simple prayer, meaning it from your heart:

“Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”      

(…to be continued…)

Click to read part one

Read part three here

Righteousness (1)

The LORD Jesus, our righteousness.

1)            Led, avidly, by Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, founder and the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, many other churches treat righteousness and holiness as the two-in-one vehicle that takes one to heaven, making it the main Christian focal point. Huge mistake. Jesus is the knowledge and deed that opens the gates of heaven, leading to eternal peace. The scriptural understanding of these churches is that you must continue to lead a personal righteous and life of holiness to gain entrance into heavenly bliss. What, therefore, is righteousness? What is holiness? How are these dyadic virtues of Divinity attainable?

            “By the things we constantly do,” the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, will most definitely asseverate. This is the clearest indication of the fact that it is by works. Works? Nay! Let us understand how righteousness is attained from the Pauline extrapolative didacticism of Romans 4:2-4, 2) “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” The word ‘righteousness’ is dikaiosunē which is ‘justification’, by definition. Abraham received ‘justification’ by faith and not by works. Is it not a scriptural foregone conclusiveness of Isaiah 64:6 that ‘all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags’? The Hebrew for ‘righteousnesses’ is tsedâqâh (tsed-aw-kaw’) ‘rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity).’ The legality of the terms and conditions of one’s justification before the thrice holy Jehovah is the application of faith.

                If it is by works, then, God has entered into indebtedness soteriologically speaking. Will God owe anyone? The Divinity does not owe anybody, can never owe anybody. Soteriology is strictly by faith, lest any should boast. Amen.

            If the Lord, who is ‘our righteousness’ in Jeremiah 23:6, is also ‘our life’ in Colossians 3:4, then my total exclusion in the acquired toga of righteousness is clearly stated in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Paul drives it home, crossing every ‘t’ and dotting every ‘i’ in the next verse, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21). ‘Frustrate’ is the Greek atheteō (ath-et-eh’-o): ‘to set aside, that is, (by implication) to disesteem, neutralize or violate.’ The grace of God is the active ingredient that makes each one of our salvation, justification and sanctification a possibility. Righteousness comes with the total package of salvation. It is an inherent nature of the saved individual. It is not earned, it is an imputation.

God’s wondrous works

                Zacharias pointed out the necessary outwardness of our piety, saying: “In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life” [Luke 1:75]. The reason for this show of the inherent ‘righteousness’ is simply that it is our duty to interpret righteousness for the beneficial digestion of what we are to their blind ocular perception. Our Christian lives are interpretation of the righteousness of Christ, our Dwelling. In Greek the word ‘holiness’ is hosiotēs (hos-ee-ot’-ace) ‘piety towards God, fidelity in observing the obligations of piety, holiness.’ From the heathen, with whom God had no spiritual transaction of any covenant, God expected no piety. To the Israel of His covenant, even before the parturition of the patriarchal twelve, God said, “….Be ye holy; for I am holy” [1Peter 1:16]; taken from Leviticus 11:44. God was careful not to say it to the Egyptian, Roman, Indian or Chinese. Only to one nation of Israel He had the covenant, ergo, Paul will often write, “First to the Jew then to the Gentiles.”

This cup is the New Testament in my blood

                Soteriological attainment had to be modified by the original enactor when Jesus intimated, “the new covenant…” in Luke 22:20, “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” The Greek for ‘testament’ is diathēkē (dee-ath-ay’-kay): ‘properly a disposition, that is, (specifically) a contract (especially a devisory will); a compact, a covenant.’ The Greek diathēkē comes from diatithemai (dee-at-ith’-em-ahee) Thayer Definition: ‘1. to arrange, dispose of, one’s own affairs a. of something that belongs to one b. to dispose of by will, make a testament 2. to make a covenant, enter into a covenant, with one.’Strong’s Definition: ‘to put apart, that is, (figuratively) dispose (by assignment, compact or bequest).’ Man’s pious ritualism will not attain soteriology. If it had become God’s business, then it must be understood that only the Members of the Trinity are involved in the establishment, execution and maintenance of soteriological grace. “By grace; through faith, it says, not of work lest any man should boast” [Ephesians 2:8-9]. ‘Lest’ is the Greek hina me (hin’-ah may’) ‘in order (or so) that not.’ ‘Any man’ is tis (tis’) ‘some or any person or object;’ and ‘should boast’ is kauchaomai (kau-khah’-om-ai) ‘to vaunt.’

                You can put on the righteousness of Jesus by getting born again. Say this simple prayer, meaning it from your heart:

“Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”      

(…to be continued…)

Click here to read the 2nd part

“…and under his wings shalt thou trust”