Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 6; Psalm 89; Isaiah 34; Revelation 4
And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us. (Deuteronomy 6:25)
If an Israelite kept the whole law perfectly it would be righteousness to him. Righteousness is a requisite for entering into the presence of God. Do you have righteousness? Another way of asking the question is to inquire, "Do you see yourself as a good person?" The problem for the Israelite is the same problem you and I have. We have not kept the whole law. We have not observed all the commandments that God has commanded us.
We have broken the Ten Commandments. We have told lies, stolen, blasphemed God's holy name, and coveted those things that we don't have but our neighbor does. Even if we have not actually murdered, the Bible says:
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15)
Jesus says that lust is adultery in God's eyes:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28)
For some odd reason, we think God will settle with 51% righteousness on our part. We know we haven't kept the whole law, but we've done pretty good. However, God says we must do all these commandments before the LORD our God. The apostle Paul realized his inability to do all the commandments of God. Notice what he says:
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: (Philippians 3:9)
Paul knew better than to trust in his own righteousness which came about by keeping the law. He knew he had broken the law. What about you? Have you kept the whole law? The Bible tells us:
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)
So whose righteousness are you standing in? If you are standing in your own righteousness, you have a problem. Unless you have perfectly kept God's law at every point, you are guilty before God and under a curse.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)
Or are you standing in the righteousness of Christ? This is the righteousness which comes by faith. Jesus Christ perfectly kept the whole law and he is righteous. The Bible tells us that if we will trust him, he will impute his righteousness to us. Do you trust you or Christ? I'm trusting Christ!
In Christ,
Rody
