The Righteousness of God is a pure truth. Its what makes him right in judging us and allowing justice to be portrayed in our society because he knows that which is right. Once we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we must begin a life of righteousness. It is your choice to pursue it, but you will find that the life of righteousness brings you close to God. You slowly become one with God we are in him and he is in us so much more so when we follow righteousness.
There are three parts to this life of Righteousness:
The Path-
The path is a narrow path that leads to heaven once the road ends, aka we die. Because it is narrow that means we essentially need to be focused and keep on the path for it is easy to stray from such a narrow path.
Romans 6:13b-14 says, "...offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."
So we need to focus on the road and use all that has been incorporated into our entire person as tools for our progression on the path of Righteousness.
Romans 4:4,5 says, "Now then a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."
On the path our faith is a key tool in the journey along the road of righteousness. Our trust in God moves us along further.
Isaiah 42:6, "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; i will take hold of your hand." and Psalm 37:25, "I was young and now i am old, yet i have never seen the righteous forsaken..."
God will over see you as you progress along the path of righteousness. Not only will he never forsake you, but he will also remain with you holding your hand every step of the way. Praise be to God! For that is how personal he is.
Trials and Tribulations-
Suffering For God:
Romans 8:17, "...indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
1 Peter 4:13-14, "...rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and God rests on you."
Matthew 5:11, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
John 15:20-21, "...If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you in this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me."
Matthew 24:9, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me."
We will inevitably be persecuted because of Christ and who he is. The word of righteousness is paved with suffering, but we rejoice because when we do it for him we also share in his glory and are honored by God. Many are our rewards in heaven as Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount.
Deliverance of Suffering:
Job 36:15, "...those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction."
2 Corinthians 4:8-9, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
While we suffer God is always there to help us so rather than blame him for something we must seek to speak and talk with him while we suffer. So that when our suffering ceases our relationship with him is so much more. then only way to move steadily on the path is to hold God's outstretched hand through it so that things will result in it.
Result of Suffering:
Romans 5:3-5, "...we also rejoice in sufferings, because we know that sufering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Through our suffering we do indeed not only grow in our relationship with God, but also in characteristics of him such as persevernace and character. His love becomes more meaningful and ultimately the path doesnt look so difficult after all because we now understand how close God really is.
The Path is Over(Heaven)-
2 Peter 3:13, "...in keeping with his promises we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."
Philippians 3:20, "...our citizenship is in heaven."
This is our future as Christians that we will be welcomed and received into the Kingdom of God in heaven, the home of righteousness. In heaven all good will be made complete as will our righteousness, but evil will be done away with. In Ezekiel 18:20b God tells Ezekiel that, "The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him." and in I Corinthians 3:13 Paul writes, "the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
How will you be come out of the fire?
With rewards or barely escaping the flames.
P.S. I am not preaching just putting all this stuff that is floating down in my head down So you are free to comment or something, but please do not be too harsh.
The heart of God is a most amazing thing. It contains love at its purest form and most complete stage. It is within each and every christian at some level and our pursuit to know God releases this love in a steady stream as we learn about him we begin to feel him. His heart begins to surround each and every part of our being and soul. He clothes us with his love in a most holy way that sometimes cannot be expressed in words, but with "groans" from the Spirit. The entire presence is overwhelming once we allow ourselves the piece of mind to open up to God. So the love of God requires personal time with him, a profound and wonderful thing and idea. The process of allowing God into our souls is time consuming, but once we begin to grasp his love we can understand the meaning of a pure and holy passion, which in all intensive purposes is God.
To all my dear friends let us swim together in the sea of God's love.
