One Reason to Rejoice

What do I want to communicate: God restored our friendship with Him, through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Introduction

John Calvin once wrote,

300 Quotations for Preachers from the Reformation Pleased with Our Righteousness until We Look to God

So long as we do not look beyond the earth, we are quite pleased with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue; we address ourselves in the most flattering terms, and seem only less than demigods. But should we once begin to raise our thoughts to God, and reflect what kind of Being he is, and how absolute the perfection of that righteousness, and wisdom, and virtue, to which, as a standard, we are bound to be conformed, what formerly delighted us by its false show of righteousness will become polluted with the greatest iniquity; what strangely imposed upon us under the name of wisdom will disgust by its extreme folly; and what presented the appearance of virtuous energy will be condemned as the most miserable impotence. So far are those qualities in us, which seem most perfect, from corresponding to the divine purity.

In Luke 18:9, Jesus told a parable about a Pharisee and tax collector,

Luke 18:9 CSB

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:

During this time, Jesus and Paul both warred against the influence of Second Temple Judaism. Second Temple Judaism and the national attempt to preserve tradition by the reinterpretation of Moses’ law and the legalistic motif. Consequently, Paul often reminded the churches, we are not saved by our own righteousness (Philippians 3:9, c.f. Romans 3:19-20, Isaiah 64:6).

Paul’s teaching is heavily reliant on Isaiah’s prophecy, which sums up man’s condition (see Isaiah 64:4-7). It is important to realize, the existence of man’s righteousness. Yet, it is more important to recognize Isaiah’s appraisal of man’s righteousness. For, it is not as some have said, “We have no righteousness.” Rather, it is Isaiah’s argument that we have righteousness, but they are “filthy rags.”

Filthy rags is a very direct way of saying, “We are ceremonially unclean.” That is, the nation of Israel who was chosen to be God’s representatives in the earth, a kingdom of priests, is ceremonially unqualified to represent God in the way He has purposed. They are menstruation rags who are unacceptable for service in God’s work. The problem with our righteousness is that it does not qualify for the work God has assigned.

The Blood

The blood accomplished:

Made us right with God (justification)

Saves us from condemnation

Restores our friendship Simple responsibility: Rejoicing

Rejoicing