The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Tiimothy 4:8,
"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
A crown of righteousness.... what is "righteousness"? The definition in the dictionary is "free from quilt or sin... morally right or justifiable." Very simply it means to be in good standing with God. However, it can be a term used to describe the standing of someone in relation to something or someone else (not necessarily God): a good standing. A good standing in the community can be thought of as having a righteous standing with that community.
Who or what that something or someone is that extends the standing is all important. To have a good standing with someone corrupt, lazy and shiftless doesn't mean much, but to have a good standing with God is everything.
The whole notion of being "righteous", of having "a righteous standing" is rampant in our current culture. The term is not used, but the evaluation and designation inherent in the concept of having a "righteous standing" is applied to everybody, in terms of our culture. Think of the political candidate that may "misspeak", violating some "politically correct" perspective.
Politically correct speech is a big example of this. In our culture, "climate-change deniers" like me are not considered to have our "head right." We are not considered to have a right standing with our culture. "Homophobes" (whether you are afraid of homosexuality or just disgusted with it doesn't matter) is a term used to designate one's righteous standing with today's pop culture. Racist, bigot, misogynist, "one-percenter", are all terms used to describe someone's lack of "righteousness" with today's society.
Of course, these examples of evaluating everyone's "rightness" or "righteousness" are based on our culture's perspective on what is just, fair and appropriate - how we measure up with what our culture deems appropriate and "good". Considering the reality that our culture's standards are simply the collective expression of the sinful nature of society, I'm not too worried whether I fit in, and I hope you are not as well.
Where the culture has absolutely no basis for its fickle, capricious, fluid and inconsistent standards to evaluate someone's good standing, and particularly when there is no reasonable justification for the supposed standards, how different it is when the Scriptures speak of a standing of righteousness with God: it is always based on God's expression of himself within its pages. If God considers us acceptable to him - it is everything!
God never changes, so what he finds as acceptable never changes. He won't "evolve" on the question of same-sex marriage. What he finds acceptable is rooted in his never changing character and nature. When we are righteous in his sight, we have his acceptance, he makes a place for us in his family, he gives us eternal life in his kingdom.
Unfortunately for me, I don't measure up to God's standards. I have thought, said and done things that God finds sinful. The life I have lived does not merit me God's acceptance, a place in his family, eternal life. What my life merits me is a place in the "fiery lake of burning sulfur" that is mentioned in Revelation 21:8.
Very, very fortunately for me is that God loves me. He loves all of us and sent his Son, Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for every one of my sins and every one of your sins. Having all my sins paid for provides me with a right standing with him, provides me all he has promised for those having that right standing with him, the standing of a "crown of righteousness." This he offers us if we simply place our faith and trust in him.
"But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Romans 3:21-11. How wonderful is that?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
A crown of righteousness.... what is "righteousness"? The definition in the dictionary is "free from quilt or sin... morally right or justifiable." Very simply it means to be in good standing with God. However, it can be a term used to describe the standing of someone in relation to something or someone else (not necessarily God): a good standing. A good standing in the community can be thought of as having a righteous standing with that community.
Who or what that something or someone is that extends the standing is all important. To have a good standing with someone corrupt, lazy and shiftless doesn't mean much, but to have a good standing with God is everything.
The whole notion of being "righteous", of having "a righteous standing" is rampant in our current culture. The term is not used, but the evaluation and designation inherent in the concept of having a "righteous standing" is applied to everybody, in terms of our culture. Think of the political candidate that may "misspeak", violating some "politically correct" perspective.
Politically correct speech is a big example of this. In our culture, "climate-change deniers" like me are not considered to have our "head right." We are not considered to have a right standing with our culture. "Homophobes" (whether you are afraid of homosexuality or just disgusted with it doesn't matter) is a term used to designate one's righteous standing with today's pop culture. Racist, bigot, misogynist, "one-percenter", are all terms used to describe someone's lack of "righteousness" with today's society.
Of course, these examples of evaluating everyone's "rightness" or "righteousness" are based on our culture's perspective on what is just, fair and appropriate - how we measure up with what our culture deems appropriate and "good". Considering the reality that our culture's standards are simply the collective expression of the sinful nature of society, I'm not too worried whether I fit in, and I hope you are not as well.
Where the culture has absolutely no basis for its fickle, capricious, fluid and inconsistent standards to evaluate someone's good standing, and particularly when there is no reasonable justification for the supposed standards, how different it is when the Scriptures speak of a standing of righteousness with God: it is always based on God's expression of himself within its pages. If God considers us acceptable to him - it is everything!
God never changes, so what he finds as acceptable never changes. He won't "evolve" on the question of same-sex marriage. What he finds acceptable is rooted in his never changing character and nature. When we are righteous in his sight, we have his acceptance, he makes a place for us in his family, he gives us eternal life in his kingdom.
Unfortunately for me, I don't measure up to God's standards. I have thought, said and done things that God finds sinful. The life I have lived does not merit me God's acceptance, a place in his family, eternal life. What my life merits me is a place in the "fiery lake of burning sulfur" that is mentioned in Revelation 21:8.
Very, very fortunately for me is that God loves me. He loves all of us and sent his Son, Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for every one of my sins and every one of your sins. Having all my sins paid for provides me with a right standing with him, provides me all he has promised for those having that right standing with him, the standing of a "crown of righteousness." This he offers us if we simply place our faith and trust in him.
"But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Romans 3:21-11. How wonderful is that?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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