MORE ON RIGHTEOUSNESS; CAN THE BELIEVER BE MORE RIGHTEOUS?
A QUICK FLASHBACK...
A few days back I wrote this piece where I referred to the Father of the Lost Son in Jesus' parable of Luke 15. You can trace it on my wall titled WHO IS OFFENDED AT BEING SAVED ETERNALLY? THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE PRODIGAL FATHER, THE LOST SON AND THE OFFENDED BROTHER.
The father gave the son the 'best robe' which I likened to Christ's righteousness. I said the son must have returned in a filthy rag having been with pigs. I said 'filthy rag' is the best of man's (self) righteousness. What I did not point out is that the big brother (who represents the Pharisees and Scribes or legalists) was not with filthy rag. But he was not with the best robe either. That is the danger of self-righteousness. You think it is not dirty, so you never have a need for another. And you never get the 'best robe'. Legalists don't value Christ's righteousness much. They are not in filthy rags, so what. They have their own righteousness.
But what they do not know is this, even that robe of self righteousness is done away with. It was okay in the Old Covenant, but since Christ came self-righteousness became sin. Hear what Jesus said,
John 15:22 KJV
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
Matthew 23:27-28 (KJV)
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
ANOTHER PARABLE
Matthew 22 (KJV)
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
ONCE AGAIN, JESUS WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE PHARISEES IN THE PARABLE. THEY REJECTED THE INVITATION TO THE 'WEDDING WHERE ALL THINGS ARE READY' (See Mat 22: 4, 5 ...and all things are ready: come unto the marriage...But they made light of it ... ). THAT IS THE CASE OF THE LEGALIST. THEY MAKE LIGHT OF CHRIST'S FINISHED WORK.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT ALL THAT WILL QUALIFY ENTRANCE INTO THE WEDDING IS YOUR 'GARMENT'. THE MAN WHO WAS BURNED UP FOR TURNING UP FOR THE WEDDING DID NOT COME NAKED. IT IS JUST THAT HE DIDNT COME IN THE WEDDING GARMENT. NO OTHER RIGHTEOUSNESS IS REQUIRED IN GOD;S KINGDOM. ONLY CHRIST'S. Enough said.
MORE RIGHTEOUS?
WELL, YOU WILL NEVER FIND THAT PHRASE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. MORE RIGHTEOUS? WHAT ARE YOU COMPARING? THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS. THAT IS THE VERDICT OF SCRIPTURES BY THE END OF LAW'S TENURE.
Romans 3:9-10 (KJV)
9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
OKAY, DID YOU CHECK?
THERE IS 'MORE RIGHTEOUS' IN THE OLD COVENANT OF COURSE. THEY HAD TO GENERATE THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUS NESS AND THEN COMPARE WITH THAT OF GOD. WE DON'T HAVE SUCH CONFLICT. YOU ARE EITHER RIGHTEOUS OR YOU ARE NOT. AND WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD! IN CHRIST.
LET US SEE A FEW OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES OF 'MORE RIGHTEOUS'...
Genesis 38:26
And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I...
1 Samuel 24:17
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I...
1 Kings 2:32
And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he...
SO THEY COMPARE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND MAKE GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS A STANDARD
Job 35:2
Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?
EACH MAN GENERATED HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY WORKS (OF THE LAW)
Psalm 15:2
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
Job 34:5
For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.
Job 32:1
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
AND THEY KNEW THE DIFFERENCE; BETWEEN THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THAT OF GOD
Psalm 31:1
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in THY righteousness.
Psalm 18:24
Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to MY righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
BUT SCRIPTURES SAY CLEARLY THAT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BELIEVER'S RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THAT OF GOD. IN FACT, THE BELIEVER HAS NO RIGHTEOUSNESS OF HIS OWN AT ALL! ALL HE'S GOT IS GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST ALONE. THAT IS WHY HIS ENTIRE LIVING IS BY FAITH!
SCRIPTURES...
2 Cor 5:
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
YOU SEE, OUTSIDE CHRIST THERE IS NO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND IN HIM THERE IS NO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, NO SUCH COMPARISM OF 'MORE OR LESS RIGHTEOUS' AMONG BELIEVERS.
Luke 18:9
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others...
THE PHARISEE WERE STILL IN THE OLD ORDER AND CHRIST SAID 'CANCELED. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY ANYMORE'.
AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE RIGHTEOUS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT? BELIEVE IN CHRIST!
John 16:
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Romans 3:22
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
IN FACT, PAUL SAID ANY THING CALLED 'MY RIGHTEOUSNESS' IS OF THE ORDER OF THE LAW. NO SUCH PHRASE ANY MORE IN THE NEW ORDER! ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH!
Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
IF YOU ARE FOUND IN CHRIST, YOU CANNOT HAVE YOUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS ANYMORE. THAT IS OF THE LAW. IN CHRIST, WHAT YOU HAVE IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD ALONE WHICH IS BY FAITH.
THESE THINGS ARE HARD TO TEACH BECAUSE OF THE DEPTH OF ERROR THAT THE CHURCH HAVE WALLOWED IN FOR SO LONG.
Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing
CONCLUSION.
YOU CANNOT BE MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN YOU ALREADY ARE IN CHRIST. PERIOD.
- Adeolu O. V
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