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 Psalm 118:19-21,
"Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation."
My best definition for "righteous" is having a right standing, a good standing, with the Lord. It doesn't mean a person is perfect, have never sinned or even be the best "do-gooder" in town. It is a condition or state of being a person enters into when they place their faith in Jesus Christ.
A "righteous" standing with God is had by embracing Jesus Christ in faith. We have all sinned and we all deserve God's judgment of us for that sin when we leave this life. All that changes when we embrace Jesus Christ in faith.
Paul tells us in Romans 3:22-25 "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith."
Acquiring this righteous standing with the Lord is that gate the psalmist speaks of. Jesus taught in his sermon on the mount, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." The few that Jesus spoke of are those who choose to embrace him in faith.
Only two gates that all people will pass through as they leave this life. The gate for the righteous and the gate for those without that right standing with God. "I [Jesus Christ] am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.
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 reply and let me know.
"Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation."
My best definition for "righteous" is having a right standing, a good standing, with the Lord. It doesn't mean a person is perfect, have never sinned or even be the best "do-gooder" in town. It is a condition or state of being a person enters into when they place their faith in Jesus Christ.
A "righteous" standing with God is had by embracing Jesus Christ in faith. We have all sinned and we all deserve God's judgment of us for that sin when we leave this life. All that changes when we embrace Jesus Christ in faith.
Paul tells us in Romans 3:22-25 "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith."
Acquiring this righteous standing with the Lord is that gate the psalmist speaks of. Jesus taught in his sermon on the mount, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." The few that Jesus spoke of are those who choose to embrace him in faith.
Only two gates that all people will pass through as they leave this life. The gate for the righteous and the gate for those without that right standing with God. "I [Jesus Christ] am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.
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 reply and let me know.
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