Oaks of Righteousness
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3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
In Christian ethics we ask what does the whole Bible teaches us about which acts, attitudes, and personal character traits receive God’s approval and which ones do not.
Simple because it is our desire to do what it is that pleases Him.
It is important for the Christian so that we can better know God’s will, and so that each day we can,
10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
God delights in His own moral character, which is supremely good, unchanging, and eternal.
God’s character is to be formed in man.
His moral standards for human beings flow from his moral character, and therefore they apply to all people in all cultures for all of history.
7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face.
We talk last week about the process of sanctification and how it does not come instantly and how you are what you behold
You behold sin, you will continue in you sin.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Look at John words in
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Jesus says,
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
On the sermon if the mount Jesus says,
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
A desire for righteousness is a blessing.
This is not self righteousness of action and good deeds alone, be a desire for His kingdom to manifested in the believer.
The very foundation of God’s kingdom is righteousness.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
Meaning God will do right and because he will always do right we can trust Him.
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
So what is Righteousness?
Let me say this first, the reason no one want to talk about righteousness is because no one is perfect. we all make mistakes we are all prone to sin and to sin badly.
Righteousness is a pursuit.
look at Proverbs 21:21
21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.
A self-righteous person is defined as one who is confident in his/her OWN righteousness; a self-righteous person also shows superiority above all others, especially if they have a different opinion than theirs.
6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
This righteous by work, and life outside of relationship with God.
3 Principle of Righteousness
Separation
Separation
Dr. Carrol Thompson in his book “You can be Righteous” states,
“God brought forth everything on a principle of separation, establishing an order in creation that preserved all He made Separation is the first principle of righteousness. On the first day of creation God brought forth the light that separated darkness from darkness, and it was the first day. On the second day God separated the waters from the waters, and space above the earth was formed. On the third day waters were separated from waters and the earth appeared. And on each succeeding day in all that He made, life was separated from life in all its forms. This is righteousness coming through order.”
He goes on to say,
“God is righteous, the sun comes up every morning, the earth maintains its orbit around the sun, the clouds water the earth and the earth blossoms. Because God is righteous, there are no monsters, no crossing over of life forms. Kind produces kind, and all is good, just as it was when created. God set everything in its order, so life was established. This is righteousness.”
mixture is contrary to righteous.
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
The enemy want to destroy righteousness and the testimony of the believer.
The believer is to be separate.
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. 18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
When we continue to engage with evil we lose our ability to discern what is evil.
notice what Isaiah said to a nation that had lost their discernment
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Notice what Paul says the results of Righteousness are for the believer.
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. 18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
2. Obedience to His Word
2. Obedience to His Word
5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
God desired to separate a people for Himself who would be formed by His righteousness.
The condition for that formation would be obedience and keeping covenant with Him.
The Law is a revelation of God righteous. What he approve and does not and in it we see God’s character revealed.
Grace does not set aside God’s laws and believer must not be lawless.
4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
3. Reconciliation to God
3. Reconciliation to God
This is the beauty of the Gospel. Our righteous God came down from His throne to an unrighteous man. Why, to make us righteous.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
“Grace is the lovingkindness of the Lord to the unrighteous. One must not mistake this response of mercy as God setting aside righteousness. This has been the mistake of the present day church. Grace is the disposition of the Lord that makes it possible for the unrighteous to be righteous. This does not come by God merely wiping the slate clean through forgiveness. Grace is more than pity. Grace comes through the Cross which deals with all of man's unrighteousness. It was grace that brought the Son of God into the world. Grace laid upon Him the sin of every man. Grace offers the remission of sin to every sinner.” Carroll Thompson
Grace and truth work together to establish righteousness
Psalm 85:10–11 (NASB95)
10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.
When grace and truth came together in Christ, righteousness came to man. When righteousness was brought forth on earth, the peace of reconciliation was released in heaven. Every sinner who allows truth to spring up in him, will receive
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the instrument of this reconciliation
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
It is through reconcilation the full revelation of God’s righteousness is brought forth.
ill close with this verse as we see the purpose of grace
Titus 2:11-14 (NASB95)
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.