Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
The Theology of the plan of God. Part 5. How to live in the righteousness of God.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
“With all saints” – sun pasin tois = “in the presence of all the saints.”
The Doctrine of the Theology of God’s Perfect Plan.
Point 1. Definition and Description.
Christian theology is simply an attempt to understand God as He is revealed in the Bible through our Mentor God the Holy Spirit.
Every member of the Trinity indwells every believer during the Church-age, which is a radical change from anything in the past and a part of the uniqueness of the Church-age.
Point 2. The Essence of God is necessary to understand the Theology of God’s Perfect Plan.
1. God is sovereign.
 Sovereignty = God is supreme in rule and has authority over all things, DEU 4:39; 1SA 2:6-8.
2. God also is perfect righteousness. There is no one Holy like the Lord, 1SA 2:2, LEV 19:2.
How can we who are imperfect ever have fellowship with God who is totally perfect? God took cognizance of this fact and billions of years ago He made a provision to solve our problem.
REV 13:8 The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world.
The righteousness of God is not something we should shrink away from in fear and guilt; it is active and motivated in all that He does, including saving us.
PSA 103:13-14 Just as a father has compassion on {his} children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are {but} dust.
If you shrink away from the essence of God in time, and that includes His righteousness and holiness, then you will end shrinking from Him when the eternal state begins at the Judgment Seat of Christ for you.
1JO 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
He nevertheless maintains a relation to fallen creatures; not by ignoring the depravity of man with a passive indifferent attitude, but by being so active with His love and faithfulness to do something about man’s ultimate problem of sin.
The righteousness of God alive in us is not manifested by forsaking sin or sinless perfection. God’s righteousness in us is manifested by our love, faithfulness, and character and integrity toward one another, including love toward self.
God’s righteousness is not maintained or sustained by separation from other beings, but by loving others and providing a solution to man’s problems.
If you have the very righteousness of God in you, and you have, if you have been JOH 3:3, you are part of the solution and not the problem.
Self-righteous people are a part of the problem.
Those who live in righteousness of God are a part of the solution.
MAT 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
The righteousness of God is inherent, uncreated, and untarnishable; and this is observed in every divine attitude and action.
EPH 1:4 He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.
The righteousness of God embraces not only His devotion to that which is good and holy, but is also the very basis and force of His hatred and rejection of that which is mean and evil.
There is “IN” divine righteousness the capability for reaction toward others which is both positive and negative.
His righteousness is not a self-righteousness that marks and accuses or condemns others, but rather a righteousness that desires to help others with His grace and mercy.
“Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex.”
“True happiness and humility longs for repetition.”
Bearing one another’s burdens is a manifestation of the righteousness of God in us.
Forsaking and judging a person who is caught or trapped in a burden is a manifestation of self-righteousness which is disgusting to God, ISA 64:6.
1CO 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
It’s impossible to reveal God’s perfect righteousness in you without having love and compassion for others.
True righteousness does not look down their nose at others who appear to be worse than themselves.
True righteousness is a very relaxed and wonderful state to be in as well as wonderful people to be around.
The righteousness of God is related to His work, His ways, and His faithfulness not the creature’s work, ways, and faithfulness.
Faithfulness is mentioned along with perfect righteousness because when we think of God’s righteousness we must think of how much He loves us because He wants us to just like Him.
1JO 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.
ROM 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
2CO 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
God is perfectly righteous and from His perfect righteousness and holiness He is compelled in
ROM 8:29 For us to become conformed to the image of His Son,