HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Just Doing What is Right)
ROBE OF
“RIGHTEOUSNESS”

                     

         “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Luke 12:31).

Righteousness – Righteousness – Righteousness! What does that
word mean to you? Me?  Righteous? Surely not me.

         So often we think it either means something unobtainable for us, or we connect it with the word “self-righteous”. It has become a very complicated word.
         There was a time I connected it with perfection and I was walking in a spirit of unworthiness. I saw all of my imperfections and couldn’t understand how I could ever be righteous before God. It distressed me.
         Then, one morning, the Holy Spirit helped me draw a mental picture of how I became the Righteousness of God.   I saw a bottle and it was full of sin. Then He showed me what happened when I gave my life to Jesus and reminded me what Jesus did for me on the cross.
         In a sense, He took that bottle and poured out all of my sins.  Then, in that empty bottle, He poured His Righteousness into it (me). So, I always know it is His Righteousness that abides in me…never my own. My righteousness at the point of Salvation, was poured out as filthy rags.
         “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17).
         “Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Romans 3:22).
           When I looked in my concordance, there were two pages in fine print, giving scriptures on “righteousness”. Above these were the scriptures for “right”…which seemed to simplify this long word for me.
         Deuteronomy 32:4 says, “…a God of TRUTH and without iniquity, JUST (fair) and RIGHT is He.” He does what is Right.
         So “Righteousness” is not such a scary word after all. It is a simple word of doing what we know to be right.
         In Jeremiah 31:33, God speaks of the new covenant He made with Israel and is now working in our lives since Salvation. “I will put My law in their inwards parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God and they will be My people.” It is now written on our hearts to know and desire to “Just Do What is Right.” Doing what is Right, is Righteousness.
         We learned in religious terms that Righteousness is “Right Standing Before God.” WOW! That can be scary if we think we are responsible to do this on our own.
         NO! He took our SINS and made the Great Exchange of pouring His Righteousness into us so that we became His sons and daughters…His SEED; completed at the cross.

ROBES
 OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

    

         As I read this morning in Matthew 22, the parable of the wedding feast prepared by the King for His Son, I understood for the first time, verse eleven. The guest who did NOT have on a wedding garment came to the feast but had disregarded the King’s provision, since such garments were normally supplied by the Host. This reference seems to be to the “Robe of Righteousness” which we must receive from the Lord in order to attend the Marriage Feast.                           

                   

         Isaiah 61:10 describes the “Robe of Righteousness”. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation, He hath covered me with the “Robe of Righteousness”, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” Verse 11, “…so the Lord God will cause Righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”
         I began thinking about the “Robe of Righteousness” some years ago when I heard a preacher describe his visit to Heaven. He said he saw many people in white gowns but others had on beautiful robes. AS I personally pondered the difference, I decided that those who wore the white robes, were wearing the Garments of Salvation. That was good, but the ones who wore the beautiful Robes of Righteousness were only those who agreed to receive them. Not because of their good works, but because they accepted the TRUTH, that God had covered them with the Robe of Righteousness. And they could agree to wear it with the dignity provided by God.
         They too, would be the ones looking for the great Marriage Feast of the Lamb…as He celebrates with His Bride.
         I pray today that you will wear your “Robe of Righteousness” with Great Joy and Gratitude because your Father, the King, has chosen to bestow it upon you. To dress in spiritual rags at this point of revelation would not show Honor to our Lord. Through Christ Jesus, you show forth the Righteousness of God. Christ in you the hope of Glory.

         Wear your spiritual “Robe of Righteousness” today…just because…

IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND

[An Angel Food Card]