Obedient to the Heavenly Vision

We've all heard of the vision that the apostle Paul had on the road to Damascus, before he knew the Lord. At that time he was still a staunch Jewish Pharisee, known as Saul of Tarsus, who was persecuting the followers of Jesus Christ, imprisoning them and putting them to death. It was then that the Lord Himself appeared to Saul in a vision, which is recorded in Acts 9, 22, and 26.

When Paul testified before King Agrippa, he recounted the incident like this:

"While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 'But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'" (Act 26:12-18)

The Vision
First of all the vision included the light from heaven that Saul saw, which was brighter than the midday sun, shining all around him and his traveling companions. Secondly, the vision also included the message that the Lord spoke to Saul. The light he saw was Christ Himself appearing to him in glory right there on the road, so it was a heavenly vision. The Lord's glory that emanates from His presence is extremely bright and heavenly!

The Lord answered Saul's question, "Who are You, Lord?" by saying, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." In saying so, the Lord was telling Saul that when he was persecuting those Christians, he was persecuting Jesus. Whatever Saul had done to one of the least of these brethren of Christ, he had done it unto Jesus Himself. That's how closely the Lord identifies Himself with His people.

The Lord explained the purpose for which He was appearing to Saul: "For this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you." The Lord appeared to Saul to appoint him as both a minister and a witness to both the things he had seen that day and even more things the Lord would yet reveal to Saul in future appearances.

The Lord promised to rescue Saul from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom He was sending him. And here is the reason the Lord was sending him to the Gentiles: to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Jesus. Saul's testimony and ministry would open the spiritual eyes of the Gentiles for a specific reason. Their eyes would be opened so that they would turn from darkness to light, from satan to God, and so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Christ.

That's just what the Lord did through Paul's life and He is still using Paul's life and teachings to do that. In fact, it is still the Lord's desire to do the same thing through His people today. When people's eyes are opened, and they turn from darkness to light and from satan to God, then they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance.

Obedience to the Vision
Now that we have established what the vision was, which was Christ and the things He spoke to Saul, let's consider what he did with that vision. Paul told the king, "So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance." (Act 26:19-20)

These famous words are a testament to the life of Paul the apostle. He could honestly say before the king and all those present, "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." (Ac 26:19). Paul had done just what the Lord commanded him to do way back when He first appeared to him. He had been obedient since that time, and continuing on throughout the course of his life. Can we say the same thing Paul did that we have not been disobedient to the heavenly vision?

Listen to the way Paul obeyed the vision: he "kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance." (Ac 26:20) His message was the same everywhere he went, that the people he was speaking to should "repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance." That's a very simple practice, isn't it? He did not fail to tell his hearers that they must repent (i.e., to change your mind and turn from sin), and that they must turn to God through faith in Christ. That part is not disputed by most evangelical Christians, but what about the last part? He told his hearers that once they repent and turn to God, they must perform deeds appropriate to repentance. This is the part that is missing from so much evangelical preaching today.

Paul's message of repentance was quite similar to that of John the Baptist, who said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," telling them to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance." (Matt 3:2,8). As I have said before, this is what Jesus also preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 4:17). Or as it says in Mark's gospel: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mar 1:15). It's also what He commanded the apostles to preach as well. "They went out and preached that men should repent." (Mk 6:12). And after the Lord's resurrection He explained that the Law and Prophets proclaim that repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in Jesus' name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luk 24:47). And after He ascended into heaven, the apostles continued with the same message. Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Ac 2:38).

Just as John the Baptist told his hearers that they must repent and bear fruit in keeping with repentance, likewise Paul told his hearers that they must "repent and turn to God, they must perform deeds appropriate to repentance." This message was a fulfillment of the heavenly vision he was given. By preaching that message, the Holy Spirit enabled people who heard him to turn from darkness to light and from satan to God and to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith.

Persecution for Obeying the Vision
Paul's obedience to the vision did not come without persecution. The Lord told him when He appeared to him that He would rescue him from the Jews and Gentiles to whom He was sending him, which implied that the people to whom the Lord was sending him would seek to harm him. So as he went through life obeying the vision, people did persecute him for it, and the Lord did rescue him from them. Paul said to Agrippa, "For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death." (Act 26:21). The reason to which he was referring was the fact that he had been obedient to the vision and preached the gospel; that is why the Jews seized him (Ac 26:6-7,19-20; 28:20b).

It's interesting to note that if Paul had been primarily interested in defending himself before the king, he could have explained that the Jews saw him walking around Jerusalem with Trophimus the Ephesian, and that when they had seen Paul enter the temple courts, they had supposed that he had brought that Gentile man into the temple with him, which would have been a violation of the Law and defiled the temple (Act 21:29). If he had mentioned that fact, it may have helped his defense. But Paul was more interested in witnessing Christ to the king than he was in giving a strong defense on that occasion. He knew that the real reason why the Jews had seized him was ultimately because he preached Christ as Lord.

Moreover, we have a record in Scripture of the many other times both Jews and Gentiles plotted and tried to kill him, as well as the other instances when he was flogged and put in prison for his obedience to the vision, and how the Lord rescued him out of all those situations as He had promised.

The gospel is not a popular message. People don't like being told they need to repent, turn to God through faith in Christ, and produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Governor Festus was no exception, as he sat there listening to Paul speak to King Agrippa. He tried to shut Paul right down, saying in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad." (Act 26:24).

Sometimes people will think you are insane when you are obedient to the vision and proclaim the true gospel message. But Paul assured Festsus that he was not insane, saying, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth." (Act 26:25). What an excellent response! Paul was simply uttering words of sober truth, which Festus and Agrippa didn't want to hear, but that didn't make him insane. It meant that he was obedient to the vision. Although others would see the purpose of such a hearing before the secular authorities to defend themselves, Paul saw it as an opportunity to be a witness for Christ.

He continued witnessing to the truth before the King and pressed on with his challenge to him saying, "For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do." (Ac 26:26-27). He wasn't going to be hindered from witnessing to the king by the governor's attempt to insult and embarrass him.

Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian." (Ac 26:28, NASB). Other versions have Agrippa asking Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (Ac 26:28, NIV). If the NASB translation is correct, the king was essentially saying (either facetiously or sincerely) that it wouldn't be long before Paul persuaded him to become a Christian, if he kept up preaching to him like that. And if the NIV is correct, then the king was asking Paul if he really thought he could persuade him to become a believer in such a short time as that brief hearing. Whichever way you translate the king's reply, one thing is certain in my opinion -- Paul was getting through to him and he was coming under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I am not saying the king was responding to that conviction properly by repenting at that moment, but Paul's preaching was having a powerful influence on him.

And Paul said, "I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains." (Act 26:26-29). In other words, that was Paul's desire and prayer to God, which he in all likelihood had prayed the Lord would do even before he stood before that court and testified that day. Paul's heart was that the king, the governor, and everyone in that courtroom would come to know Christ. For the Lord had declared at the time of Paul's conversion that he would proclaim the name of Jesus to the Gentiles and their kings (Ac 9:15).

Likewise, Paul's behavior had been consistent during that whole period of imprisonment, including the time when Governor Felix was in office. He preached to the governor, rather than offer him a bribe that may have gotten him released. Scripture states: "But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, 'Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.' At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him." (Act 24:24-26).

Do you notice how the governor became frightened by Paul's speaking about faith in Christ? He was particularly disturbed by his discourse about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, and he shut him right down! That's because he was coming under the conviction of the Holy Spirit for sin, and he didn't want to repent, so he pushed the Holy Spirit away. And since Paul never offered him the bribe he was hoping to receive, Paul remained in prison for the next two years. Felix also did the Jews a favor and left Paul in prison at the end of those two years, when Porcius Festus succeeded him as governor, rather than release him (Act 24:27). Apparently Paul was used as a political pawn in that instance, because he didn't compromise but remained obedient to the heavenly vision, just as he was later persecuted when his preaching brought King Agrippa and Governor Festus under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Paul never chose the easy way out, but rather the straight and narrow path of obedience to the Lord.

Matching Up the Vision with Its Fulfillment
I would like to share one final observation, by demonstrating how the vision the Lord gave to Saul was fulfilled.

Vision of Christ	Fulfillment of the Vision
"...rescuing you..." (Ac 26:17)	The Lord rescued Paul many times from Jews and Gentiles who seized him and tried to kill him, including when the Roman soldiers rescued him in Jerusalem (Ac 21:31-33), which led to the imprisonment he was under at the time he spoke to King Agrippa. In fact, the Lord also rescued Paul by allowing him to appeal to Caesar and be taken to Rome away from the Jews who wanted to kill him (Ac 25:12).
"the Jewish people and...the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you" (Ac 26:17)	Paul "kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles..." (Ac 26:20)
"to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light..." (Ac 26:18)	Paul preached "that they should repent.." (Ac 26:20), which corresponds with people's eyes being opened and their turning from darkness to light.
"...so that they may turn from ...the dominion of satan to God..." (Ac 26:18)	Paul preached "that they should...turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance." (Ac 26:20). This corresponds with them turning "from the dominion of satan to God."

Other Supporting Scriptures
There are many other Scriptures that show Paul's commitment and dedication to fulfilling the heavenly vision, but here are just three:

"For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" (1Co 9:16, NIV)

"I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it." (1Co 9:23)

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." (Ac 20:24, NIV)

There was clearly no greater priority in Paul's life than preaching the gospel. In fact, that was his only aim.

Putting it All Together
We've seen from Scripture that Paul the apostle was not disobedient to the heavenly vision of Christ nor to the assignment he was given. What about you? Are you being a witness for Christ and proclaiming the unpopular message of the gospel that men, women, and children should repent and turn to God through faith in Christ, and perform deeds appropriate to repentance? I, too, must ask myself this same question, which is sobering and challenging. This message may not be popular with most people, but it's the only way for them to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified through faith in Christ. It's the true gospel, and Paul was not ashamed of it, because it is the power of God unto salvation. Therefore neither should we be ashamed of it, but rather be obedient to that heavenly vision.

Epilogue
After I wrote this article, I asked my children which book of the Bible they are reading for their Life Transformation Groups that they meet in. My three girls meet together each week in one group, and my two boys meet together in another. Both the boys and the girls coincidentally just happened to be reading through the book of Acts right now for their Scripture reading in both groups. Coincidentally I have also been reading through the book of Acts myself in my own private Bible reading. So I asked the girls which chapters they had read today and they said 26 through 27. Coincidentally I had actually read chapters 22 through 26, and it was my reading of chapter 26 that inspired this article. Yet another coincidence was the fact that the boys had just read Acts 9 today about Paul's heavenly vision on the Damascus road.

Since they did not know I had just written this article before dinner, I did not tell them so, but asked them each what they got out of their reading. My sixteen-year old daughter Faith talked about Paul's defense before King Agrippa and how he had appealed to Caesar. I sat and listened to her without saying a word to anyone about this article, just to see what they would say. Then I asked my eighteen-year old daughter Hope what she got out of her reading, and she began to emphasize repeatedly how "Paul was not disobedient to the vision." She also made the observation about how Paul had been more interested in winning souls when he stood before Agrippa and Festus than he was with defending himself, and how he had not mentioned the fact that the Jews had supposed he took a Gentile into the temple. It was her comments about that which led me to come back to this article and add the second paragraph containing that observation in the section entitled "Persecution for Obeying the Vision." It was also her comments to me about Paul's discourses with Governor Felix on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, which led me to come back to this article and add the final two paragraphs at the end of the final section entitled "Persecution for Obeying the Vision."

I want to thank my daughter Hope for her insightful observations, which further enhanced this article, and to give God all the glory for obviously leading me to write this article this evening before dinner, in light of the way He confirmed it so powerfully after our meal at the dinner table.

Attribution Notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, where noted, copyright Lockman Foundation, used by permission. Other Scriptures from The Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Image of chalk drawing entitled "Yeshua Encounters Saul on the Road to Damascus." Artwork by L. Henry (Hank) Jones, taken from John David Pitcher Jr.'s Jerusalem Channel. Used according to Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes. Other image of Saul on the Road to Damascus taken from The Book of Acts -- Visual Bible.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like The False Gospel without Repentance, Repentance That Leads to Life, Popularity of the Gospel, Persecuted or Popular?, Your Rewards are Based on Your Practice, The Obedience of Faith, Is Obedience Optional?, Obedience by the Spirit, Chosen for Obedience, Doing What is Right, Being a Witness for Christ, The Sin of Silence, Life Transformation Groups, The Conditional Security of the Believer, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Practicing Your Righteousness, Spiritual Do-It-Yourself, The Ways of Life, Faith Works!, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Abominations in the Sight of God, Pleasing the Lord, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, A Personality Profile of the Apostle Paul, and the other posts available through the links on the Home page.  You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." You can find more devotional content from my daughter Hope on her blog, Words of Hope.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Him.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Life by the Spirit, Not Under the Law

I would like to encourage you today to consider what the apostle Paul taught us about living by the Spirit rather than under the Law. He taught this all throughout his epistles, but he emphasized it very much in his letter to the Galatians.

Despite having come to Christ, the Galatians were foolishly turning back to special days, months, seasons, and years, as well as circumcision, in order to be justified before God. However, these are merely shadows and types found in the law that point to the realities found in Christ. He wrote to them:

"Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by human effort?...But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!" (Gal 3:3; 4:9-10, NIV 1978)

As he wrote to the Colossians, "These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." (Col 2:17, NIV). We no longer need to turn back to shadows when we have Christ. Reality is found in Christ!

Paul taught that we are justified by faith and not by observing the law. He told of one incident when he had said these words to the apostle Peter, who was being influenced by Judaizers: “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified." (Gal 2:15-16, NIV).

He said, “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses." (Ac 13:38-39, NIV). Or as the 1978 NIV puts it, "Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses." (Ac 13:39, NIV 78).

Paul clearly described his relationship to the law as having died to it. “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:19-20, NIV). Notice he said it was through the law that he died to the law.

However, he also said it was through the body of Christ that we died to the law. "So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God...But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." (Rom 7:4,6. NIV)

Paul explained that righteousness cannot be gained through the law. "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal 2:21, NIV). "Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because 'the righteous will live by faith.'” (Gal 3:11, NIV). He said it this way to the Romans: "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin...For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." (Rom 3:20,28, NIV).

Paul proved from Scripture that not only is it impossible for anyone to be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law, but anyone who relies on the works of the law is under a curse. He wrote: "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'" (Gal 3:10 NIV). So not only is it a bad idea to rely on the law for justification, but it will actually bring a curse on you.

Dear people, we are set free from the curse, since Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. Paul said, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" (Gal 3:13, NIV 78).

Be careful that you are not trying to be justified by the law, or else you will alienate yourself from Christ and fall from His grace. "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." (Gal 5:4, NIV).

We need to understand that we are no longer under the law's supervision. As Paul said, "Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law." (Gal 3:25, NIV 78). That means we don't need it's shadows and types, since we live by faith in Christ. We no longer need circumcision, which has no value in Christ. The only thing that counts now is faith expressing itself through love. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Gal 5:6, NIV). What counts is a new creation! "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation." (Gal 6:15, NIV).

The one command that sums up the entire law is "Love your neighbor as yourself." Paul said, "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Gal 5:14, NIV). By obeying this command, you fulfill the entire law. "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Gal 6:2, NIV).

But love is not something the flesh can produce, because it is a fruit of the Spirit. You can only produce love if you are living by the Spirit. Conversely those who live by the Spirit won't gratify the desires of the sinful nature, but will bear the fruit of the Spirit, against which there is no law. "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." (Gal 5:16, NIV). As long as you are living by the Spirit, you won't be able to sin or violate the law of God. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23, NIV). There is no law against anything the Spirit of God produces in your life as you live to please Him.

That's why we must always sow to please the Spirit. "Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." (Gal 6:8, NIV). Without faith, it’s impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

In all of this, let's remember that we don't nullify the law by this faith, rather we uphold the law (Rom 3:31). "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." (Rom 2:13, NIV).

Just because we are under grace and not under law, that does not mean we should continue to sin. "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!" (Rom 6:14-15, NIV).

Obedience is Essential for Disciples
I have written in many of my articles about the Law and the Spirit, and the need for obedience, which I would encourage you to read at the links below, especially the first two in the left-hand column:

Is Obedience Optional? The Law of Christ  The Law Fulfilled in Us The Law Established Through Faith The Cost of Discipleship The New Covenant Costly Grace Deleted Scriptures in the Bible? Faith Works! The Obedience of Faith Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth? Law of Love in the New Testament Righteousness by Faith and Not Law Wesley and Henry on the Gospel Law

The Law is Good if Used Lawfully      Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God Aim for Perfection Righteous Deeds and White Robes Doing What is Right Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice Partaking of the Divine Nature Walking in the Perfect Will of God Pressing on Toward the Goal Obedience by the Spirit The Spirit's Law of Life The Spirit of the Law What Then Must We Observe? The Flesh vs. the Spirit

Putting it All Together
If you have come to know Christ as your Lord and Savior and you have been born again, then you have died to the law and are redeemed from its curse. You are no longer under its supervision. You have died to what once bound you. You have been released from the law so that you serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. You no longer need the shadows and types that were found in the rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices of the law, because you now have the realities of those things, which are found in Christ.

If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! No one who relies on the law is justified before God, and no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law. Those who seek to be justified by the law are under a curse. They have become estranged from Christ and fallen from grace.

We maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Indeed the righteous will live by faith. Just as we come to Christ by faith and are born of the Spirit, we must continue to live by faith and live by the Spirit. After coming to Christ by the Spirit, we cannot attain our goal by human effort, no matter how valiantly we may try. Yet we have an obligation to obey God's commandments and we fulfill the entire law by loving our neighbor as ourselves. We fulfill it by bearing one another's burdens.

This is why we need to read the Word of God, press into the Lord in prayer, really get to know Him intimately, and seek to please the Spirit. Then we will bear the fruit of the Spirit against which there is no law.

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like By the Spirit of God Alone, Led by the Spirit - Part I, Led by the Spirit - Part II, Baptized with the Spirit, Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit: What's the Difference?, and the other posts available through the links on the Home page.  You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Him.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Righteous Will Shine Forth as the Sun

The Lord Jesus said "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Mat 13:43)

He used this term “the righteous,” which is found all throughout the Scriptures back to the book of Genesis. It is found before, during, and after the Law of Moses in the New Covenant, so it is not a legalistic term.  For all that the righteous do is by faith, as Paul said, “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, ‘The righteous man shall live by faith.’" (Gal 3:11)

This term, “the righteous,” refers to those who serve the Lord, and live in such a way that has His approval.  They live according to the pattern of God's Word, doing His will. As I explained in my previous article, “Practicing Your Righteousness”, these are the ones who are doing righteous deeds, such as prayer, fasting, worship, Bible reading, giving tithes and offerings, not stealing, not accepting bribes, serving in the Church, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, entertaining strangers, visiting those in prison, and giving to the poor.

When Jesus described the final judgment, He said, "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' (Mat 25:34-40)

Whenever the righteous do these things to one of the least of the Lord’s brothers, they do it unto Him. However, the wicked are the ones who do not do these things. "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Mat 25:46).  We like the part about the righteous going away into eternal life, and shining forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. We as Christians all like to assume we are among the righteous.  But the Lord looks at our deeds, not just our beliefs. Are you truly one of the righteous?

Peter said, “And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?” (1Pe 4:18) Therefore, we know that it is with difficulty that the righteous are saved. It’s through many hardships and trials that we enter the kingdom of God. Peter was referring to the suffering of the righteous when he said that, and the fact that judgment begins with the household of God (1 Pe 4:17). But he also referred to the Lord’s righteous ways that we must live by. This is evident in other parts of His epistle, when he speaks about obeying Jesus Christ (1 Pe 1:2), obeying the truth (1 Pe 1:22), being holy even as the Lord is holy (1 Pe 1:16), putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander (1 Pe 2:1), abstaining from fleshly lusts (1 Pe 2:11), living as aliens and strangers, keeping your behavior excellent (1 Pe 2:12), doing good deeds (1 Pe 2:12; 3:11), doing right (1 Pe 2:15,20), and living to righteousness (1 Pe 2:24), keeping your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies, and being zealous for what is good (1 Pe 3:13), being of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer (1 Pe 4:11), and remaining fervent in your love for one another (1 Pe 4:8). And Peter says that God impartially judges each man’s work (1 Pe 1:17). Therefore, it is evident that when Peter said it is with difficulty that the righteous are saved, he was referring to the exemplary kind of behavior required of the righteous.

In the third chapter of his epistle, he says:

For, "The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the lord is against those who do evil." (1Pe 3:10-12).

In this passage, Peter was quoting Ps 34:12-16, in which David used the term “the righteous” four times (Psa 34:15,17,19,21). So Peter was very intentional in his use of the term “the righteous” in his epistle, and he used it with the same meaning that David did when he used it.  He was not merely referring to those who possess positional righteousness, but to those who practice righteousness.

Other Scriptures About the Righteous
Before my conclusion, I would like to list for your benefit most of the Scriptures in the Bible, which I have not already mentioned, that refer to “the righteous.” If you will take the time to read through these, I believe you will be edified, and then I will make my closing remarks.

Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? (Gen 18:23)

"Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" (Gen 18:25)

"Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty. (Exo 23:7)

"You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. (Deu 16:19)

"If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, (Deu 25:1)

then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. (1Ki 8:32)

then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, punishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. (2Ch 6:23)

"Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way, And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger. (Job 17:9)

"The righteous see and are glad, And the innocent mock them, (Job 22:19)

"He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But with kings on the throne He has seated them forever, and they are exalted. (Job 36:7)

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. (Psa 1:5)

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.
(Psa 1:6)

For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield. (Psa 5:12)

O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds. (Psa 7:9)

If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?" (Psa 11:3)

The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates. (Psa 11:5)

There they are in great dread, For God is with the righteous generation. (Psa 14:5)

Let the lying lips be mute, Which speak arrogantly against the righteous With pride and contempt. (Psa 31:18)

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry. (Psa 34:15)

The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. (Psa 34:17)

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. (Psa 34:19)

Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned. (Psa 34:21)

The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth. (Psa 37:12)

Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked. (Psa 37:16)

For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous. (Psa 37:17)

The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives. (Psa 37:21)

I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. (Psa 37:25)

The righteous will inherit the land And dwell in it forever. (Psa 37:29)

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice. (Psa 37:30)

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble. (Psa 37:39)

You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah. The righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying, "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire." But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.  (Psa 52:3-8)

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. (Psa 55:22)

The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. (Psa 58:10)

And men will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely there is a God who judges on earth!" (Psa 58:11)

The righteous man will be glad in the LORD and will take refuge in Him; And all the upright in heart will glory. (Psa 64:10)

But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness. (Psa 68:3)

May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous. (Psa 69:28)

In his days may the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace till the moon is no more. (Psa 72:7)

And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. (Psa 75:10)

The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (Psa 92:12)

They band themselves together against the life of the righteous And condemn the innocent to death. (Psa 94:21)

Light is sown like seed for the righteous And gladness for the upright in heart. (Psa 97:11)

For he will never be shaken; The righteous will be remembered forever. (Psa 112:6)

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. (Psa 118:15)

This is the gate of the LORD; The righteous will enter through it. (Psa 118:20)

For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous, So that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong. (Psa 125:3)

Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name; The upright will dwell in Your presence. (Psa 140:13)

"Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Your name; The righteous will surround me, For You will deal bountifully with me." (Psa 142:7)

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous; (Psa 146:8)

So you will walk in the way of good men And keep to the paths of the righteous. (Pro 2:20)

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. (Pro 3:33)

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. (Pro 4:18)

The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger, But He will reject the craving of the wicked. (Pro 10:3)

Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. (Pro 10:6)

The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot. (Pro 10:7)

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. (Pro 10:11)

The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment. (Pro 10:16)

The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little.
(Pro 10:20)

The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding. (Pro 10:21)

What the wicked fears will come upon him, But the desire of the righteous will be granted. (Pro 10:24)

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. (Pro 10:25)

The hope of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation of the wicked perishes. (Pro 10:28)

The righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not dwell in the land. (Pro 10:30)

The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. (Pro 10:31)

The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted. (Pro 10:32)

The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place. (Pro 11:8)

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. (Pro 11:9)

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. (Pro 11:10)

Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered. (Pro 11:21)

The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. (Pro 11:23)

He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. (Pro 11:28)

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls. (Pro 11:30)

If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner! (Pro 11:31)

A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved. (Pro 12:3)

The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. (Pro 12:5)

The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand. (Pro 12:7)

The wicked man desires the booty of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. (Pro 12:12)

An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. (Pro 12:13)

No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble. (Pro 12:21)

The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray. (Pro 12:26)

The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked goes out. (Pro 13:9)

Adversity pursues sinners, But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. (Pro 13:21)

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. (Pro 13:22)

The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, But the stomach of the wicked is in need. (Pro 13:25)

The evil will bow down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. (Pro 14:19)

The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, But the righteous has a refuge when he dies. (Pro 14:32)

Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked. (Pro 15:6)

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. (Pro 15:28)

The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. (Pro 15:29)

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. (Pro 17:15)

It is also not good to fine the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. (Pro 17:26)

To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. (Pro 18:5)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe. (Pro 18:10)

The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity. (Pro 21:15)

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous is in the place of the upright. (Pro 21:18)

All day long he is craving, While the righteous gives and does not hold back. (Pro 21:26)

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. (Pro 23:24)

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not destroy his resting place; (Pro 24:15)

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion. (Pro 28:1)

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves. (Pro 28:12)

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; But when they perish, the righteous increase. (Pro 28:28)

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan. (Pro 29:2)

By transgression an evil man is ensnared, But the righteous sings and rejoices. (Pro 29:6)

The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor, The wicked does not understand such concern. (Pro 29:7)

When the wicked increase, transgression increases; But the righteous will see their fall. (Pro 29:16)

An unjust man is abominable to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked. (Pro 29:27)

I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. (Ecc 3:17)

Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions. (Isa 3:10)

"Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful. (Isa 26:2)

The way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level. (Isa 26:7)

The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, (Isa 57:1)

Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have set forth my cause. (Jer 20:12)

Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous; (Lam 4:13)

"However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself." (Eze 3:21)

"Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life, (Eze 13:22)

"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. (Eze 18:20)

and say to the land of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I am against you; and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. (Eze 21:3)

"Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. (Eze 21:4)

"When I say to the righteous he will surely live, and he so trusts in his righteousness that he commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but in that same iniquity of his which he has committed he will die. (Eze 33:13)

"When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, then he shall die in it. (Eze 33:18)

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them. (Hos 14:9)

Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for money And the needy for a pair of sandals. (Amo 2:6)

For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate. (Amo 5:12)

Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted. (Hab 1:4)

"Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. (Hab 2:4)

So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. (Mal 3:18)

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Mat 5:45)

"So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, (Mat 13:49)

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, (Mat 23:29)

"It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luk 1:17)

"And you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luk 14:14)

having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. (Act 24:15)

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." (Rom 1:17)

Jesus Did Not Come to Call the Righteous to Repentance
One final point I would like to mention is that Jesus said He did not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners. 

In Matthew's gospel, He said, "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mat 9:13).

In Luke's gospel, He said, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luk 5:32)

In Mark's gospel, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mar 2:17)

I realize someone might use that as a reason to argue that somehow the Lord loves sinners and not the righteous.  But that's not what He meant.  The abundance of Scriptures I have just cited from the Old and New Testaments, including the words of the Lord Himself, prove that He loves the righteous. So what did He mean then?

The Lord meant by this that if someone considers himself righteous in his own eyes, as did the scribes, Pharisee, and experts in the law, then He was not calling them to repent and follow Him. Those who are self-righteous, content to have a righteousness of their own that comes from the Law, and outwardly pious cannot be saved, because they rely on themselves and do not submit to God's righteousness. They reject God's authority.

Therefore, He was calling sinners to repent and follow Him. These are the people He spent time with, because they were heeding His call to repent and follow Him. The reason is that as long as you think you are a good person or a righteous person, and you do not see your need for Jesus, you cannot be saved. You must admit you are a sinner and repent of your sins, asking the Lord to forgive you and to come into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Only then can He cleanse you of your sins and give you His perfect righteousness. Once you do so, then you are righteous in God's sight, and the righteous should not sin, according to Ezekiel 3:21; 18:24; 33:12; and 1Jn. 2:1.

The apostle John said you may not sin:

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous;" (1Jn 2:1)

"If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1Jn 2:29)

"Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;" (1Jn 3:7)

"not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous." (1Jn 3:12)

It cannot be more plain and clear that the righteous practice righteousness and the wicked practice evil.  Therefore, Jesus never condoned sin when He said he came to call sinners. For He came to call sinners to repentance, which requires that you depart from sin and follow Him.  The righteous walk by faith in the ways of the Lord.

Putting it All Together
There are so many wonderful promises for the righteous contained in God’s Word. I hope that these have blessed you, and I hope that you will lay hold of these promises for yourself, appropriating them to your life by faith.  But more importantly, I hope that I have proven from Scripture that the righteous are those who practice righteousness. Everyone who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous (1Jn 2:29; 1Jn 3:7). Not every so-called Christian or person who was once "saved" is among the righteous.  So let us make every effort to be found spotless and blameless in the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns. As Peter wrote:

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” (2 Pe 3:13-14, NIV)

Only the righteous will inherit eternal life. Only the righteous will dwell with the Lord in glory forever. Only the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The Scripture says that heaven is home of the righteous whose spirits have been made perfect.

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.” (Heb 12:22-25).

See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. They did not escape when they refused to obey Moses who warned them on earth, and much less will we escape if we refuse Him who warns us from heaven. He is coming right away, but He is only coming for the righteous, those who are truly holy. You ought to live holy and godly lives. Bear in mind that it's difficult for the righteous to be saved. Therefore, repent and seek the Lord while He may be found. Call on Him while He is near, so that you may live a life worthy of His glory, worthy of the calling you have received, and receive the reward of the righteous to enjoy throughout eternity.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. The Good Samaritan by Dan Burr of Dan Burr Illustration copyright 2013 used by permission.  "Welcome My Child" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this article, I also recommend Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Practicing Your Righteousness, Doing What is Right, Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Faith Works!, The Judgment Seat of Christ, The Obedience of Faith, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, and The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer. Other related articles are available on the Home page. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Practicing Your Righteousness

I’d like to discuss the righteousness of three men found in Scripture – Noah, Job, and Daniel. These men, who lived so long ago, are still godly examples for us as Christians today.

There is a righteousness that is imputed to the believer as part of his justification by faith in Christ.  It is the righteousness of God, and although it does not belong to the believer, it is attributed to him. But there is also a righteousness that is imparted to the believer as part of his sanctification, which is also by faith. This has to do with the righteous acts of the saints, practiced by faith in God through the power of the Holy Spirit, for which God confers, gives, or bestows righteousness to the saint for his or her godliness.  This second kind of righteousness that is imparted in connection with sanctification is the kind I would like to focus on right now.

There are many references to this practical righteousness in the New Testament, but a few examples will suffice. For instance, Jesus taught us the level of righteousness required to enter the kingdom of heaven. "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  (Mat 5:20).  While the scribes and Pharisees had a righteousness that comes from the Law, they did not have God’s righteousness that comes by faith in Christ. But they also practiced their righteousness before men to be noticed by them. Therefore, the Lord said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 6:1).  Immediately after saying this, he gave three examples of practical righteousness, namely prayer, giving to the poor, and fasting.

Once you have been justified by faith and received the gift of God’s righteousness in Christ, you must practice your righteousness.  That involves doing righteous deeds, such as prayer, fasting, worship, Bible reading, giving tithes and offerings, not stealing, not accepting bribes, serving in the Church, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting those in prison, and giving to the poor (Mt 25:35-36).  The Lord calls this "your righteousness."

In Revelation, John mentioned the reward the saints receive for this practical righteousness.  He wrote: “Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.’ It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev 19:6-8).

As Matthew Henry said, "God takes notice of the good that is in his servants, to their honor and benefit."

Don’t Trust in Your Own Righteousness
Now I would like to turn to the Old Testament for some passages about practical righteousness, which teach us more about what it is and warn us not to trust in it. Ezekiel wrote:

"But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period-- if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully--he is righteous and will surely live," declares the Lord GOD. (Eze 18:5-9).

In that passage, we learn that when a man is righteous and practices righteousness, then He is considered righteous in God’s sight.  Several examples of righteous deeds are given. However, listen to the following warning against trusting in your own righteousness:

"And you, son of man, say to your fellow citizens, 'The righteousness of a righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he will not stumble because of it in the day when he turns from his wickedness; whereas a righteous man will not be able to live by his righteousness on the day when he commits sin.' "When I say to the righteous he will surely live, and he so trusts in his righteousness that he commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but in that same iniquity of his which he has committed he will die. "But when I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and he turns from his sin and practices justice and righteousness, if a wicked man restores a pledge, pays back what he has taken by robbery, walks by the statutes which ensure life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. "None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced justice and righteousness; he shall surely live. "Yet your fellow citizens say, 'The way of the Lord is not right,' when it is their own way that is not right. "When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, then he shall die in it. "But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and practices justice and righteousness, he will live by them. (Eze 33:12-19).

While a sinner who turns from his sin and serves God in righteousness will live, the same cannot be said of the righteous man who commits sin. The Lord says a righteous man will not be able to save his life by his righteousness on the day when he commits sin. Put differently, a righteous man will not be able to live by his righteousness on the day when he commits sin. When the righteous man trusts in his righteousness such that he commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; rather he will die in that same iniquity of his that he has committed. This is the danger of getting comfortable once you become justified as a Christian, and thinking that from now on the matter of sin will never have any bearing on your salvation.

Job was a righteous man

Job is a good example of a righteous man.  He was a man of integrity, who prayed and interceded diligently for his children, feared God, and turned from evil.  “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (Job 1:1)

The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." (Job 1:8).

"As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (Jas 5:10-11).

Job was godly, harmless, true, abstaining from all evil, and clinging to innocence.  He endured suffering patiently and practiced righteousness.

Noah was a righteous man
Another excellent example of a righteous man was Noah.

“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.’"  (Gen 6:5-7)

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” (Gen 6:8-9)

“Then the LORD said to Noah, ‘Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.’” (Gen 7:1).

“Noah did according to all that the LORD had commanded him.” (Gen 7:5)

“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Heb 11:7)

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;”  (2Pe 2:4-5)

So the Scriptures say that Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time. He was a preacher of righteousness, who walked by faith with God and did according to all that the Lord commanded him.

Daniel was a righteous man

Another excellent example of a righteous man was Daniel. He prayed on his knees three times a day, even when it was illegal to do so, and the penalty for it was death. He continued as always giving thanks, making petition and supplication to God three times a day.

“Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.” (Dan 6:10-11)

He refused to defile himself with the king’s meat and wine, preferring instead to fast and pray.

“But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.” (Dan 1:8)

Daniel possessed an extraordinary spirit, and was known as a man who served God continually. He was faithful. Even his enemies could find neither grounds for accusation against him, nor any evidence of corruption in his conduct.

“Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, ‘We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.’" (Dan 6:3-5)

No negligence or corruption was found in him.  He was reliable and did not do anything wrong or dishonest. Daniel was an excellent example of a righteous man. By his faith, he shut the mouths of lions (Heb 11:33).

Noah, Daniel, and Job
In fact, God Himself recognized the righteousness of these three men. And it's worth noting that two of them -- Noah and Job -- lived before the Law of Moses was given, which proves that righteousness does not depend on the Law. We saw that Noah found favor with God and the Lord saved him and his whole family from the flood that destroyed the earth.  Job’s health and possessions were restored to him and God answered his prayers for his friends. Daniel had dreams and interpretations of dreams. God protected him from the mouths of the lions, and answered his prayers. The Lord also spoke to Ezekiel about these three men and their own righteousness.

“Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, ‘Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,’ declares the Lord GOD. ‘If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land and they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, though these three men were in its midst, as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, “Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,” even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it, even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness." (Eze 14:12-20)

The point that God was making here to Ezekiel was that when He decides to bring judgment on a country, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves.

This reminds me of when Abraham said to the Lord, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen 18:23). Abraham interceded for Lot and managed to get God to spare him from the judgment that was about to come upon Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord still brought judgment on those cities, but spared Lot and his family.

Likewise, when God has determined to bring his judgment down on a place, even the presence of these three righteous men altogether – Noah, Daniel, and Job – would not stop Him from carrying out His plan.  Those men by their righteousness would only save themselves. And in fact, Daniel was carried away into exile along with the other Hebrews when God sent the Babylonians to bring judgment on Israel during this period when Ezekiel received this message.  Daniel’s life was spared and it went well with him in captivity, partly because of his righteousness. But his presence did not spare the nation from God’s judgment.

How This Righteousness Works 
I'd like to touch briefly upon how this righteousness works, because it is such a foreign concept to most people these days in the Church. The Bible teaches us that your faith and your deeds work together and your faith is made complete by what you do (Js 2:22). James also taught, "that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." (Jas 2:24).  He said our righteous deeds are part of our justification.  King Solomon referred to this as God "justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness." (1Ki 8:32; 2Ch 6:23). We are justified not merely by having a certain opinion about Christ, or profession of Him, or by believing without obeying, but by having the kind of faith that produces good works. These are works of self-denial like the ones produced by Noah, Daniel, and Job, as well as others like Abel, Abraham, Lot, and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The apostle Peter said we must die to sin and live for righteousness (1 Pe 2:24). Therefore, we must sow in such a way as to receive a harvest of righteousness (Js 3:18). The one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward (Pr 11:18, NIV; Gal 6:9).

Putting it All Together
My point in all of this is that in addition to the righteousness imputed to us when we are justified by faith, which does not belong to us, but is God’s perfect righteousness, there is also a practical righteousness that is given or bestowed by God as we grow in sanctification, which is the character of Christ. This is what Jesus called “your righteousness.” The Lord said we need to practice our righteousness, and taught us how to do so in a way that pleases God. Noah, Daniel, and Job were good examples of how we as disciples of Christ should practice our righteousness. And He is coming with His reward to render to every man according to his deeds. "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” (Rev 22:12).

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. The Good Samaritan by Dan Burr of Dan Burr Illustration copyright 2013 used by permission. The Daniel in the Lions' Den painting is by Briton Rivière (1890) and is in the public domain.  The Noah painting is by Joseph Anton Koch circa 1803 courtesy Wikimedia. Painting of Job and his Friends by Ilya Repin, 1869, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this article, I also recommend Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Doing What is Right, Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice, The Righteous Will Shine Forth as the Sun, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Faith Works!, The Judgment Seat of Christ, The Obedience of Faith, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, and The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer. Other related articles are available on the Home page. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.