Humility fulfills all righteousness Part 3 (what and who is righteous) Cry for revival prayer. September 9, 2020


15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. Matthew 3:13-15

Last week, In the second part of this series, I talked about “Fulfilment”. We compared God’s definition of fulfilment with human view of satisfaction. Prophet Isaiah proclaimed that before God, human accomplishment is less than vanity. Isaiah 40:17 Therefore Jesus came to fulfil all righteousness for the great cause – of the Kingdom of God.

Today we are looking at the “all righteousness” which Jesus said must be accomplished. He was not trying to promote the religious righteousness or rights (which was familiar to the Jews at the time), but instead he came to execute the righteousness of God. Human standard of morality and justice is not the same as the righteousness of God. Human judgement is corrupt by nature, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; Romans 3:10 Therefore Jesus came to fulfill all the righteousness of God, so that man can be worthy of it, for the sake kingdom of God. So, what is the righteousness of God, who is righteous, why, and how Jesus fulfill all righteousness? We are going to see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ answered these questions.

We begin with What is righteousness.  20 For I say to you, (Jesus said) that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20 This implied that the moral, social and religious standard of man fall short of the righteousness of God. Prophet Isaiah said “… we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness’s are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6 Man is considered capable of some righteousness, but his right standing is not enduring and unreliable. Only the righteousness of God endures forever and guarantee everlasting life in the kingdom of heaven. (essentially God is righteousness, He is the only standard of righteousness) God defines righteousness as a steadfast obedience to Him, his word, and His will. He said “ 13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. Ezekiel 33:13” Therefore the righteousness of God is a consistent relationship with God, and His kingdom. The righteousness of man violates even his own standard and judgement. But the righteousness of God is pure, holy, and everlasting. it is about who you are before God and your relationship with Him and his kingdom.  Next, who then is righteous? Only God is righteous, and whoever He attributed His righteousness. For example, “… the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. James 2:23 As a result, the righteousness of God is a gift not a medal of religious honor. 7 Even the “Ten commandments” cannot make you righteous. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. Romans 8:7 Long before Christ, David said, “Blessed is the man whom God imputed righteousness” Psalm 32:1-3 The righteousness of God is more than what you do or do not do, it is  who you are before God or who you become by faith in Jesus.  Therefore God offers His righteousness as a gift , “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:” Romans 3:22 We are justified only by faith in Christ Galatians 3:24 we have to be made righteous before God because righteousness is of God. This is the reason Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness. next week we shall see how and why of the righteousness of God. Meanwhile if you have any concern, you can call upon Jesus right now by yourself and I am sure He will answer you. God bless you.

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