I am still looking at Saints and Righteousness and how they marry up. Today I will look at GODS Righteousness because when we have become One with HIM we acquire all that HE is, as One being. But first for the writing of Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace and how all that I have been sharing come together in the LORD Christ our anointing. I will as usual use the ESV translation and as the LORD leads edit where and when HE gives me utterance.
"Every Spiritual Blessing Ours in Christ"
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)
"Living day by day by Grace is essentially about developing an Intimate Relationship with the LORD. "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." We have considered in part some of the radical extent of this Intimacy through the intriguing phrase "in Christ." "You also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, even to Him Who was raised from the dead" (Romans 7:4). Through this profound uniting with Christ, astounding spiritual riches are now ours.
This is why Paul offered grateful praise to the ascended Lord: "Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul's thanksgiving was for what the Father has given to us: "Who has blessed us." Notice, the verb is in the past tense — this has already happened. What is it that has already been given to us? It is "every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenly places." Think of it. This truth is staggering in its implications. Every Grace resource that heaven has to offer is already ours here on earth, in the present NOW of the "I AM". This does not mean that we are fully aware of all that has been given to us. Certainly, it does not mean that we are experiencing all of these Promised Blessings. Yet, it does mean that they are all ours to draw upon for fullness of life here on earth!
The reason these rich blessings are ours is that they all reside in Christ. In Christ is Forgiveness, Righteousness, and Wisdom. Also, love, joy, and peace are found in Him. In Christ dwells victory, discernment, and courage. Moreover, compassion, strength, and perseverance are part of Who He is. All this and far more is found in Christ. "For it pleased the Father that in Him [in Christ] all the fullness should dwell" (Colossians 1:19). Now, we dwell in the place ("in Christ") where all of this richness resides: "Who has Blessed us with every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." All these Spiritual Resources of the kingdom of heaven are now ours "in Christ." "And of His fullness we have all received, and Grace for [upon] Grace" in John 1:16."
Righteous of GOD or the GOD of all Righteousness:
Ezra 9:10-15 "Now, O our GOD, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments, which You commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, 'The land that You are entering, to take possession of it, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness. Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.' After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, shall we break Your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? O LORD, the God of Israel, You are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before You in our guilt, for none can stand before You because of this."
Psalm 48:9 and 65:5 "We have thought on Your steadfast Love, O God, in the midst of Your temple. As Your name, O GOD, so Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with Righteousness. Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments! Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that You may tell the next generation that this is GOD, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever."
Psalm 65:5-8 "By awesome deeds You answer us with Righteousness, O GOD of our Salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one Who by His strength established the mountains, being girded with might; Who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at Your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy."
Psalm 97:1-6 "The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him; Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries all around. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His Righteousness, and all the peoples see His Glory."
Tsadhe.
Psalm 119:137-144 "Righteous are You, O LORD, and right are Your rules. You have appointed Your testimonies in Righteousness and in all Faithfulness. My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget Your words. Your promise is well tried, and Your servant loves it. I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts. Your Righteousness is righteous forever, and Your law is true. Trouble and anguish have found me out, but Your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live."
Psalm 145:17-21 "The LORD is Righteous in all His ways and kind in all His works. The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear (worship and revere) Him; HE also hears their cry and saves them. The LORD preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked HE will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless His Holy name forever and ever."
Jeremiah 23:5-6 and 1John 2:29 "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I Will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which He will be called: 'The LORD is our Righteousness.'
1John 2:28-29 "And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when HE appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that HE is Righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices Righteousness has been born of Him."
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