Seek After His Perfect Righteousness

This morning we're going to be talking about the righteousness of God. So, we have a relationship with God the Father that is very unique. It is built on a sacrifice that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ made that would enable us to have that connection again.

Truly He has reconciled us to God the Father and made us whole again, put us back in the proper perspective in terms of our relationship with God.The instructions from Him and the Father is that we would seek after this perfect standing with Him, this righteousness which is from above where He resides. We're physical, God made us such, and even that had a purpose. God is above all!

So everything that we do is aspiring onto that standard that He has established for us so that we can live and dwell with Them.

John 3:22: "After these things, Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea; and there He stayed with them and was baptizing. And John [the Baptist] was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim because there was much water there..." (vs 22-23).

Baptism requires full emergence, so you need plenty of water to conduct it.

"…and the people were coming and were being baptized, for John had not yet been cast into prison. Then there arose a question between the disciples of John and some of the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, 'Rabbi, He Who was with you beyond Jordan, to Whom you have borne witness... [John's whole purpose was to bear witness of our Lord and Savior] …behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him.' John answered and said, 'No one is able to receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven" (vs 23-27).

Now at that point, John is recognizing the Authority that is above all—the Authority that is with God the Father—so:

"…'No one is able to receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear witness to me that I said, "I am not the Christ," but that I am sent before Him'" (vs 27-28). And John did proclaim that!

Verse 29: "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the voice of the bridegroom; in this then, my joy has been fulfilled."

It's a great analogy! John recognizes his work and his standing in relationship to that One Whom he was announcing, and that is Jesus Christ!

Verse 30: "It is ordained that He increase… [Oh yes, He will increase on out into eternity!] …and that I decrease. He Who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth. He Who comes from heaven is above all; and what He has seen and heard…" (vs 30-32).

This is what Jesus brought to us, the very Word of God the Father that had been given to Him to preach to us, to announce to us, to let us know that we are being drawn to something very special. He wants us to recognize our purpose. Jesus Christ came to do so much in revealing not only the Father, but:

• His entire plan
• His purpose
• greatly expand upon an understanding of the love of God toward us

"…this is what He testifies; but no one receives His testimony. The one who has received His testimony has set his seal…" (vs 32-33).

This is a part of that connection that I wanted to bring out; Thinking the thoughts of God, I just expressed to you the very purpose for which God created us. These are:

• the things of God
• the thoughts of God
• the purpose of God
• the plan of God
• the way of God

All of these things are very much important for us to comprehend in our walk with God!
God is not just an idea to us:

• God is Creator
• God is Sustainer
• God is Power
• God is the ultimate above the entirety of the universe

We are created beings for His purpose!

We are very fortunate to understand what that purpose is as members of God's Family having His Spirit to be able to do so. Yes, seeking after His righteousness!

Verse 34: "For He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God; and God gives not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loves the Son… [keep that in mind] …and has given all things into His hand. The one who believes in the Son has everlasting life; but the one who does not obey the Son…" (vs 34-36).

• it's not just believing
• it's not just hearing the Word

It is obeying the Word, the Son of God!

"…but the one who does not obey the Son shall not see life, for the wrath of God remains on him" (v 36).

We are all, each and every one of us, subject to the law of sin and death. Jesus Christ came. He came so that we could have the means of escaping that.

• you still have to choose
• you still have to do
• you still have to walk
• you still have to act

God has called us specifically to comprehend that!

It is very important for us to comprehend that God is above all, and we are aspiring to that which is above where He is, and Jesus Christ that is right hand.

This is this goes back in a way to John 3:16 and expounds it even greater. He was sent by the Father specifically for us.

Ephesians 4:1: "Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, am exhorting you to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called."

• What is that calling, brethren?
• Is it just for salvation?

No, not just for salvation!

• God is saving us for a purpose
• He is working with us for a purpose

Salvation includes preparation and preparedness for that purpose! God wants us to walk worthily of that calling!

Verse 2: "With all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (vs 2-3).

Remember, Jesus Christ is coming with fullness of Spirit! Then after returning to the Father on the Day of Pentecost, sending back that power, sharing that power, given to Him by the Father so that He could give it to us. We cannot receive it without Christ.

Verse 4: "There is one body and one Spirit, even as you were also called in one hope of your calling… [What is that hope?]: …one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God…" (vs 4-6).

Aspiring to the perfect righteousness of Him, of God! Jesus Christ's instructions to us connected us to the Father in a very unique way of understanding.

Verse 6: "One God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all, and in you all."

So, that is the interconnectivity that we have from my chair here in Michigan to wherever you are in the world listening to this message. To all the Family of God throughout the world, wherever God's Spirit is working and molding and shaping and perfecting his people.

Verse 6: "One God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all, and in you all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ" (vs 6-7).

• God recognizing what you need
• God recognizing where you were
  • bringing you out of that
  • bringing you to Him
  • working in your life
  • molding and shaping you
  • developing you into something totally new
  • more aware
  • wiser with Godly wisdom
  • truth
  • understanding
  • strength

God truly is—within His work in our lives—perfecting us to that end product that He needs.

Verse 8: "For this very reason, He says that after ascending on high…"

This is after Christ has finished that work that the Father sent Him to do, and He went back to the Father and is seated at the right hand of God.

"…He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. Now He Who ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He Who descended is the same One Who also ascended above all the heavens so that He might fulfill all things" (vs 8-10).

That fulfilling of all things is to recognize, and I emphasized this in previous messages, that the work of Jesus Christ:

• didn't end with His death on the cross
• didn't end with His resurrection from the dead
• didn't end with Him receiving His priesthood

He is seated at the right hand of God!

I'm thankful for the understanding that has come out in messages this year from Fred and others. The right hand of God is the work of God, it carries out God's purpose. He is continuing to work at the right hand of the Father on our behalf. A part of that work is His officiating as High Priest, advocating and relaying to the Father our needs:

• advocating on our behalf
• helping us
• strengthening us
• enabling us
• perfecting us
• correcting us
• doing those things that this fleshly body needs to have done
• officiating in our lives the things that need to be done for us
• to grow in knowledge and grace
• to grow in truth and understanding
• to grow in Christ

Yes, having the mind of Christ within us, as the Scripture says!

God is doing this wonderful work. He was given charge by the Father to perfect us, the very children of God. Christ revealed to us that we are to become perfect!

• that life is exemplified
• that life is witnessed

He walked the perfect life in the flesh!

But He has called us to be perfect, not just as He was, but as He is now!

• our hope is in the resurrection of Christ from the dead
• our hope is in the resurrection, the changing of this physical, vile body that we are into that perfect spirit being that God is

That is what He wants us to truly comprehend!

• He wants us to strive
• He wants us to fight
• He wants us to seek it out

So that our minds are always, always inclined to do that which is from God! We want to continue in this relationship with God to do those things.

Matt. 5:48—many of us are familiar with this Scripture, but I want to read it into the record. God tells us He expects us to be perfect, and it is written here:

Matthew 5:48: "Therefore, you shall be perfect, even as your Father Who is in heaven is perfect."

A tall order? Yes! But we have the resources and the help to get there. We have the resources and the help to make it, to become this perfect thing that God wants us to be! There are some exercises that are being fulfilled. There are mechanisms in place that are spiritual in nature.

God the Father and Jesus Christ is working it out, and they're going to get it done. We understand it, and we're growing in that understanding more and more each day. So, this call to perfection is unique!

Col. 3—let's read this into the record. Consider this for ourselves in the standing that we currently have before God:

Colossians 3:1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ…"

Those who have been baptized in Christ have set our seal that He is Truth, that He is the Way, He is the Life! "…if you have been raised together with Christ…"

Paul expounds things in such a way because he came from a really, really dark place into the Light of God. He was very, very repentant in understanding the blindness that he was under. But as he's writing these epistles, there's a unique connection to God, a unique desire for God.

Colossians 3:1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your affection…" (vs 1-2).

• everything within you

all of your

• emotion
• passion
• drive
• energy
• desire

Verse 2: "Set your affection on the things that are above, and not on the things that are on the earth."

• do not get caught up in the cloudiness, the darkness of this world
• do not get caught up in the glitter that is this world

Why? Because spiritually speaking, the old man sought after those things! The new man seeks the things above, where Christ is!

Verse 3: "For you have died, and your life has been hid together with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, is manifested, then you also shall be manifested with Him in glory" (vs 3-4).

So he tells us in the remaining verses, and I won't take time to read them, to put out of our lives any and all things that are, that causes a division between that goal and us!

All these things that are listed below, all the sins of the flesh, all the weaknesses of the flesh, cry out to God that He might come into your life with so much Light that that darkness is washed away permanently.

Obviously, it won't be totally done until this flesh is gone and we become spirit. But we are striving after that day. We are striving in everything to be there. Christ's work at the right hand of the Father is a united effort on both Their parts. From the beginning They have had you and me:

• in Their mind
• in Their plan
• in Their purpose

Yes, we are uniquely created for a purpose by God, unlike anything else in the creation of God! Jesus Christ is a Forerunner of everything we are seeking after. He was the First, and we are seeking after Him and His resurrection is our hope.

We're going to understand something a little in addition to that, because everything is centered around God and we understand that God is love. To be made perfect in love is to walk without fear! There is no fear in the love of God!

John 4:11—this is the woman at the well: "The woman said to Him, 'Sir, You have nothing with which to draw water, and the well is deep; how then do You have the living water?'" Christ was sent by the Father in the flesh:

• to dwell among us
• to be a Light for us
• to reveal the Father to us

Verse 12: "Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it, and his sons, and his cattle?' Jesus answered and said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; rather, the water that I will give him shall become a fountain of water within him, springing up into everlasting life'" (vs 12-14).

The work of God within us is being transformed. We are being transformed into something that goes on and on. Something that produces a positive result, not just in our lives, but it affects those around us.

In that day we shall live with Christ and exist as He is and be a part of the solution that He and the Father is executing upon the earth; springing up into everlasting life for all.

Verse 15: "The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give me this water, so that I will not thirst or need to come here to draw water.' Jesus said to her, 'Go, call your husband and come back here.' The woman answered and said, 'I do not have a husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You have spoken well in saying, "I do not have a husband"'" (vs 15-17).

But God, God is truly doing an incredible work that we are so much a part of.

Verse 21: "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. You do not know what you worship. We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth; for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in Truth'" (vs 21-24).

This Spirit and Truth existence in relationship with the Father is a part of that perfecting that God is doing in us. There's no more darkness in our life.

• we have Truth
• we have Light
• we have power

all supplied from the Father through Christ for us, because the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. So, here is the standard once again.

God is spirit. We are aspiring to become more like Him. We have the Spirit of God within us; it is working. We are striving to become spirit as God is spirit. That perfection that God is looking for comes through that. Those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.

• that's what we are striving to do
• God is defined by His Law

John 14:8: "Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and that will be sufficient for us.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long a time, and you have not known Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; why then do you say, "Show us the Father"?'" (vs 8-9).

• you understand the oneness of Christ and the Father
• you understand the relationship between God and the Begotten of God—'We are one.'

• what They are, we want to be
• what They speak, we want to hear
• what They do, we want to emulate
• what They believe, what They say, we embrace as Truth

All of this is based on faith!

We have set our seal, our hope! Everything that is us is banking on that. No matter what we see in the world around us, let's not let it detract us from this goal, this purpose!

Verse 10—He told Philip: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?…."

Even at that time, and even for us now, we are in Christ! We are in the Father and the Father is in us.

• Does not the Father dwell in you through the Holy Spirit?
• Does not the Father work in your mind and in your heart?
• Is Jesus Christ not within you through the Spirit
  • so that you desire to obey God?
  • so that you desire to have His mind in you?

This is all the work of the power of the Holy Spirit that came to us from on high, and for you and I, through the laying on of hands.

"…The words that I speak to you, I do not speak from My own self; but the Father Himself, Who dwells in Me, does the works" (v 10).

The Father Himself Who dwells in you and me is doing the work. Jesus Christ also being part of that solution is also influencing your development, your thinking, your heart.

Verse 11: "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; but if not, believe Me because of the works themselves."

Let's look back at the work of God in our individual life.

• Do we believe God?
• Has he made such great strides in your life?

I can attest and say and state for sure that He has brought me a mighty long way from where I was to where I am. With that, not giving up, not being satisfied. I don't want to get lost in the here and now. This is not enough, it is not done for you and I, yet.

We can't say that it is finished, yet. But an incredible portion has been provided. We are striving. It is out there. Christ will return one day and we're looking forward to that day, and we're striving after that.

Verse 12: "Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me shall also do the works that I do; and greater works than these shall he do because I am going to the Father."

What an incredible Truth to comprehend. Our elder Brother lived a perfect life so that we can have access to this. He—our elder Brother—died on the cross and now is alive, and He's talking to us through these words today.

Verse 13: "And whatever you shall ask in My name, this will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

You see the relationship. Christ came for a purpose; the Father sent Him. Now, brethren, let's avail ourselves to this Truth. He is indeed alive at the right hand of God the Father. He and the Father are:

• still working in our lives
• still have work to do
• still performing that work

The work of God is ongoing! Remember, it goes into eternity!

Verse 14: "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

That's not a blank check for things that don't make any sense, because it has to be according to God's will! So, we ask and pray for God:

• to give us His will
• to help us to understand His purpose

according to His will, all things be done! Here's a key part of it.

Verse 15: "If you love Me, keep the commandments—namely, My commandments."

God is still emphasizing His perfection is in His Law.

Verse16: "And I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that it may be with you throughout the age."

• God's Spirit is not in short supply
• God's Power is not in short supply

• if you need more of it
• if you need its influence in your life to be great

you have to ask God for it, for wisdom

• if it's to give wisdom
• if it's to give strength
• if it's to give healing for you

Pray!

Verse 17: "Even the Spirit of the Truth… [that is to understand God's Word] …which the world cannot receive because it perceives it not, nor knows it, but you know it because it dwells with you, and shall be within you."

We understand for us is within us; We have the Spirit of God! Christ says, this is how He stays connected to us:

Verse 18: "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."

Christ is with us; He is with us every day! Let's not forget that.

Verse 19: "Yet, a little while and the world shall see Me no longer; but you shall see Me. Because I live, you shall live, also."

Do we experience the life that is Christ in us today?

Verse 20: "In that day…"—this day that we're now walking in for us!

Having received the Spirit of God that He's talking about here, we have it now. We were baptized the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given; the Church began. We are members of God's Church. All of these things have been fulfilled and are yet being fulfilled in us!

Verse 20: "In that day, you shall know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. The one who has My commandments…" (vs 20-21)—who has His Law and is keeping them!

Now, this is not just Law-keeping for the sake of Law-keeping, this is:

• living by the Word of God
• believing Him
• walking in His way
• thinking His thoughts
• valuing the things that He values

As this world gets darker and darker and darker, your life will stand out like a sore thumb. God is telling us, don't deviate from this Truth ever!

• the Commandments of God
• the Way of God
• the Truth of God

Verse 21: "The one who has My commandments and is keeping them, that is the one who loves Me, and the one who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him."

That's from the very mouth of Christ! That's from Christ's own mouth.

• it didn't stop at His death
• it didn't stop at His resurrection
• it didn't stop with Him ascending to the to heaven

No, it is ongoing today! That is the work of God in our lives! That love continues, and our responsibility is:

• to love Him
• to believe
• to receive the Word
• to listen
• to hearken
• to do

So, our walk is not just thinking the thoughts, our walk is also doing the things of God!

• manifested in our words that come out of our mouths
• manifested in the things that are in our mind and heart
• manifested in the work of our hands as we get busy doing the things that God has called us to do

God is defined by His Law!

Let's get one of the Psalms in here to help us in this journey of being perfected by God's Holy Spirit while dwelling within us. Everything that is from God is perfect. So, let's define some of it:

Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God…"

They're perfect! They are not fully being utilized for their total use, yet; but God is still doing that work.

"…and the firmament proclaims His handiwork. Day after day they pour forth speech, and night after night they reveal knowledge" (vs 1-2).

We have an opportunity to see more of that language  in the heavens, because of the telescopes and the things that we're able to see now with the James Webb telescope. We see that beauty and that wonderful marvel that is. Our Earth itself and its rotation in the orbit, just one micron away too much and things can go wrong! But God holds it perfectly in store!

Verse 3: "There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth and their words to the ends of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man set to run a race, its going forth is from one end of heaven, and its circuit is to the other end. And there is nothing hidden from its heat. The Law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the Testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple" (vs 3-7).

So we have in v 7 two immutable things: God's law, which is perfect, and His Testimony, which is sure. They are:

Verse 8: "The precepts of the Lord…"

• What do we think on?
• Do we think on the wisdom of this world?

or

• Do we think on the perfect wisdom and knowledge of God?

The whole Book of Proverbs is telling you the wisdom that is from God.

• these precepts of God
• these ideas
• these understandings
• these Truths of God
• these things that are from God's Throne
• these judgments of God

"…are right. rejoicing the heart; the commandments of the LORD are pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean…" (vs 8-9). That's good!

There's a sermon recently entitled To Fear God {transcriber's note—unsure that this is the correct title; could not find} but not be afraid. You are in this perfect relationship with God and God has this in your eyes and your mind and your heart. You have the desire to honor him, to fear Him—it's is clean.

"…enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether" (v 9).

We have all of these things described for us because they are the things that define who we are today. They define:

• where we're going
• how we're living
• how we're thinking

I'm going to get that reference in here because these things are good and sweet; the taste is incredible.

• this is what we eat
• this is what we consume
• this is our bounty

Verse 10: "More to be desired than gold, yea, much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Oh, cleanse me from my secret faults; and keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; do not let them rule over me; then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer" (vs 10-14).

My thoughts as we were talking about in the sermon last evening. My ways, the work of my hands is toward God!

Verse 14: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD… [recognizing Who God is] …my Rock and my Redeemer."

There is the work of Jesus Christ and His continuing work today at the right hand of God the Father.

Psa. 18—let's talk about this wonderful way of God as defined here; the way of God.

Psalm 18:20: "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness…"

• there is a Righteousness of the Law
• there are righteous works that are from God that we ought to do

We are here today doing our righteous work, which is from God, and that is to keep the Sabbath, because God said do. He said keep, and:

• we honor God
• we believe God
• we are experiencing the blessings of being here

Verse 20: "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness…"—and any and all the righteous works, which are from God that we do! There is a Righteousness of the Law.

"…according to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me, for I have kept the ways of the LORD…" (vs 20-21).

• it's something you do
• it is something you choose and you follow and you walk in it

"…and have not wickedly departed from my God" (v 21)—stay away from sin!

• it separates us from the Father
• it separates us from our brother/sister

Yes, He is there as a propitiation for sin, not so that you can keep sinning, but that you can have a lifeline to pull yourself out of sin.

Verse 22: "For all His ordinances were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity" (vs 22-23)—because the flesh is pulled in a different or opposite direction!

IF you don't control it, if you don't give the reigns over to God and let Him guide you.

Verse 24: "Therefore, the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes."

• What is he seeing in you?
• What is he hearing in you?

Verse 25: "With the merciful, You will show Yourself merciful; with an upright man You will show Yourself upright; with the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the crooked You will show Yourself cunning; for You will save the afflicted people, but the haughty eyes you will bring low" (vs 25-27).

Get rid of pride! You cannot step up before God, bringing yourself as though you can lift yourself up and tell God to pay attention to your righteousness without Him.

Verse 28: "For You will light my lamp; the LORD my God will make my darkness Light… [God is the source of true Light] …for by You I have run through a troop; and by my God I have leaped over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect…" (vs 28-30).

We want God to guide us in that way. We want God to make that way synonymous with who we are. Because the next phrase in the verse:

"…the Word of the LORD is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him, for who is God besides the LORD?" (vs 30-31). No one!

• the Lord is the Lord
• God is God

"…Or, who is a Rock except our God?" (v 31).

Do you stand on, hope in, trust in anything other than Him Who is at the right hand of the Father, Him Who sent Him to be at His right hand? They are our salvation!

Verse 32: "The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect… [God is doing this wonderful work] …Who makes my feet like hinds' feet… [strong; the strength of a horse is in his hind feet] …and sets me on my high places" (vs 32-33).

God is doing that work. His knowledge is without question. Job talks about the knowledge of God and wisdom.

Job 36:4: "For truly my words are not false; He who is perfect in knowledge is with you. Behold, God is mighty, yet He does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding" (vs 4-5).

Job 37:14: "Hearken to this, O Job; stand still, and consider the wonderful works of God. Do you know how God directs them, and causes the lightning of His cloud to shine? Do you know the balancing of the clouds, the wonderful works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?" (vs 14-16).

If we can read the Scriptures and we can comprehend the words, we want God to help us to see and truly understand. That is the key, to not only have the words, but to understand the word with wisdom and forethought so that we can live it.

The perfect righteousness of God is truly, truly expressed in the Psalms. There are references throughout the Scripture pertaining to God's righteousness, because He is righteous!

I took a moment and went through several verses and I summarized them. It revealed an incredible thing and you could do that throughout the Scriptures. This is the righteousness that we need and it can only come from God!

We want God in our life and we want to understand this righteousness that we should be, that we're striving for. We have the primary righteousness thing that really makes this relationship that we have with God possible, which is the Righteousness of Faith, the imputed righteousness.

That is our faith, that God imputes the righteousness of Christ to us. Let's not forget that. I don't think for a moment that I can conjure up to work in activity, ever how perfect I would be able to do them; I don't think for a moment that that righteousness will ever justify me for salvation! Christ and God the Father has that covered, and:

• I believe in the blood of Christ
• I believe in His Righteousness imputed to me

That doesn't mean that I can stop and sit and wait. God says to me,' I have work for you to do, and you need to be:

• doing it
• growing
• overcoming

So, there is that!

Psalm 4:1: "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness. You gave me relief when I was in distress; be gracious to me, and hear my prayer." God is the Author of our righteousness!

Verse 2: O sons of men, how long will my glory be put to shame?…."

• God didn't make us for sin
• God didn't make us so that we could give homage to idols: sticks and stones

or in this world today

• all the flashy things in society
• riches
• status

God didn't make us for that!

He says to us, "…How long will you love delusions and seek after lies? Selah" (v 2).

How long, brethren?Think on it!

Verse 3: "But know that the LORD has set apart the Godly for Himself. The LORD will hear when I call to Him. Tremble… [that is fear] …and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." (vs 3-4).

Get your mind engaged and be still. To be still is to say:

• trusting God—letting God do His perfect work in your life
• stop fighting God
• get out of the way—so that God can do His work in your life

Verse 5: "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness…"

Going against the grain of the flesh and doing the things that are of God. Sacrifices of righteousness requires you to destroy fleshly things, put them away and pick up the mantle of God's Truth in His way.

"…and put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, 'Who will show us any good?'.…" (vs 5-6).

We need some good today; God's hand and intervention today. Who will come and fight in this world of darkness and foolishness? Today many will say that.

"…LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us" (v 6). We need some Light in this crazy dark world that we live in today!

Verse 7: "You have put gladness in my heart… [I am rejoicing in this knowledge] …more than when their grain and their wine increased." Do you see the connection?

• this is good
• this is plenty
• this is a good harvest of Truth from the Word of God

Verse 8: "I will both lie down in peace and sleep, for You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety."

• I run to God for safety
• He is my safety
• we pray for this
• we thirst for this
• we cry out to God for this

By grace, He gives it!

• He gives good things
• blessings
• plenty
• the best things.

James was correct. He tells us:

James 1:16: "Do not deceive yourselves, my beloved brethren."

Don't deceive yourselves into thinking that any other source can bring this. Align yourself truly and squarely with God's purpose for you and His Plan in your life so that He can perfect:

• His Truth in you
• His Way in you
• His perfect righteous character in you

Verse 17: "Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation, nor shadow of turning. According to His own will, He begat us by the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all His created beings. For this reason, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, because man's wrath… [man's frustration and anger, as it might be against the sin we see in the world] …does not work out God's righteousness" (vs 17-20). God will get it done!

So we have as a summary, try to just summarize this from what was expressed in the Psalms; all that is good is from God!

• Psa. 4:1-5—God responds to the prayers of the righteous
• Psa. 5:8—He leads us in the righteousness by His Spirit and His Law
• Psa. 7:8-11, 17—He shall judge us in righteousness, and He does every day
• Psa. 9:8—even the whole world is judged according to God's righteousness
• Psa. 11:7—Only righteousness can stand before Him!

That's why we have the imputed righteousness of Christ now, and that's why we will be born into His Righteousness, fully given in that day!

• Psa. 15:1-5—He dwells with the righteous! That's us! He does not dwell with the wicked. He dwells in us because He has imputed the righteousness of Christ to us! Therefore, He dwells in His Church!
• Psa. 17:15—Only the righteous shall inherit God's Kingdom
• 1-John 3:1-2
• Psalm 18:20-24—He will reward us according to our righteous works, which are from Him
• Psalm 22:22-31—We shall give glory and praise to
• Him in that day; the day of His return
• Psalm 23:3—He has set before us today a path of righteousness. We are to walk in it, and He leads us in it.
• Psalm 24:3-4—We must watch daily. We must be cleansed daily in the blood of Christ and remain unspotted from the world.
• Psalm 31:1—He wants us to never be ashamed because we take refuge in him. This is a Truth and a Promise. He says we shall never be ashamed.
• Psalm 33:1-5—God loves righteousness and justice
• Psa. 35:24-28—He judges righteously
• Psalm 36:6-12—His righteousness fills the universe, it fills all things
• Psalm 37:4-7—If we are trusting in Him, if we are faithizing in Him, that is, doing what we believe is true, faithizing in Him and living by Him

I have given several messages, brethren, over the last two years on this understanding of:

• Rrighteousness that is in God
• Righteousness that is imputed to us
• Righteousness of the Law

Many of these topics!

Psalm 40:9: "I have preached righteousness in the great congregation… [that is you; God's Church] …lo, I have not kept back my lips, O LORD, You know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not hidden Your loving kindness and Your Truth from the great congregation" (vs 9-10).

Brethren, it's right here in God's Word in the book of Psalms is full of it. Seek it out. Like hidden treasure, go find it; get a serving of it and enjoy it.

• Psalm 45:4-7—This is part of the Gospel of Christ.

God's Word is Perfect Righteousness. In us, that is the work of God. All of this:

• for the Father
• for the purpose
• for His purpose for us

Let's not forget this wonderful Truth!

We read James 1:16 before. The point that this verse kind of conveys for us is that this perfection that we are striving to is not achieved by man's efforts without Christ, but it's achieved by God.

The Father is perfect! To die in Christ to be committed to a new life raised and hold of the glory of God. That as the Father raised Christ from the dead, He will change our vile bodies in the day of Christ. God is imputing that righteousness to us today.

James 1:19: "For this reason, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, because man's wrath does not work out God's righteousness. Therefore, having rid yourselves of all filthiness and all the abounding of wickedness around you, then in meekness accept for yourselves the implanted Word, which is able to save your lives. Then be doers of the Word, and not only hearers, deceiving your own selves, because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, this one is like a man considering his natural face in a mirror. Who, after looking at himself, went away and immediately forgot what he was like. But the one who has looked into the perfect law of freedom, and has continued in it, this one himself has not become a forgetful hearer, but is a doer of the work…." (vs 19-25).

This work God is doing in you, you be doing it, exercising it, and it become a part of who you are!

"…This one shall be blessed in his actions" (v 25).

This is what God has called us to! There are many other verses and I won't have time, but I just want to say this:

We walk according to the spirit and not according to the flesh. The spirit is perfect, and God has given it to us so that we can achieve Matt. 5:48 and become perfect, even as our Father Who is in heaven is perfect!

So, let's keep striving after that!

Scriptural References:

• John 3:22-36
• Ephesians 4:1-10
• Matthew 5:48
• Colossians 3:1-4
• John 4:11-17, 21-24
• John 14:8-21
• Psalm 19:1-14
• Psalm 18:20-33
• Job 36:4-5
• Job 37:14-16
• Psalm 4:1-8
• James 1:16-20
• Psalm 40:9-10
• James 1:19-25

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• John 3:16
• Psalm 4:1-5
• Psalm 5:8
• Psalm 7:8-11, 17
• Psalm 9:8
• Psalm 11:7
• Psalm 15:1-5
• Psalm 17:15
• 1-John 3:1-2
• Psalm 18:20-24
• Psalm 22:22-31
• Psalm 23:3
• Psalm 24:3-4
• Psalm 31:1
• Psalm 33:1-5
• Psalm 35:24-28
• Psalm 36:6-12
• Psalm 37:4-7
• Psalm 45:4-7

AJ:bo/po
Transcribed: 10/28/24

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