The Righteousness of Saints Part III

 

The Righteousness of Saints Part III

 

Revelation 19:8

 

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

 

The righteousness of God is a Person, the name of that Person is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6). The righteousness of God is inherent in Jesus of Nazareth who is the Mediator between God and man, the “Daysman” for whom Job longed in the days of his calamities, as it is written: “If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both (and make peace between us, Ephesians 2:14: writer). Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me” (Job 9:30-33) (that is, it was not yet so in the experience of Job: writer). Jesus of Nazareth is that Daysman being the God-Man, the Mediator of the everlasting covenant of grace. Christ Jesus is the Propitiation for the elect of God who made satisfaction to the divine law and justice of God for the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Christ Jesus is the Substitute who endured the curse of the law in the stead of the Israel of God (Galatians 3:13). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Surety (Hebrews 7:22) who stood in the law place (the place of a convicted and condemned malefactor) of the children of God and drank the cup of suffering and death to the infinity of its emptiness for the cup of wrath must be perfectly empty and perfectly clean at the consummation of the work of the Surety of the election of grace, who are the children of the covenant of grace (Acts 3:25).

 

The righteousness of God is firmly established as the ground of salvation through Christ’s doing and dying which is imputed to the account of the saints of God by the Father. And this righteousness is the wedding garment, the fine linen, clean and white of the church of God. As it is written by the prophet Isaiah: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, (shall be made the righteousness of God in Christ, II Corinthians 5:21: writer) and shall glory” (Isaiah 45:22 -25).

 

This righteousness of God, was witnessed by the law and the prophets, as it is written: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets” (Romans 3:21). In part II of this title, witness was borne by the promise of God to our first parents. That promise was that the Seed of woman should bruise the head of the serpent. The serpent was Satan in a serpentine form, (Genesis 3:15). In this article the promise as witnessed by Moses in the law, will be observed in the prophets, as  witness was borne in the prophecy of Daniel: as it is written: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24).

 

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” Seventy weeks (Seventy sevens, or Seventy heptads of years which is 490 years) is a certain time and at the end of that set time and in the fulness of that particular time (Galatians 4:4), which is here called seventy weeks, the prophecy will have been finished. At the end of that time the Seed of woman will have accomplished the bruising of the serpent’s head, the thing that was promised according to the witness of the law by Moses is here prophesied by the prophet Daniel. That which was to be accomplished and in fact has been accomplished in the bruising of the serpent’s head is: (1.) “to finish the transgression” (2.) “to make an end of sins” (3.) “to make reconciliation for iniquity” (4.) “to bring in everlasting righteousness” (5.) “to seal up the vision and prophesy” (6.) “to anoint the most Holy”. The scriptures have recorded the accomplishment of each of these objectives in the Person of our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 The bruising of the head of the serpent: was promised in the witness of the law and prophesied of in the witness in the Prophets. In this article the prophesy of Daniel will be considered. Satan was the instrumental cause of the transgression of the law which was given Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent beguiled the woman and she did eat of the forbidden fruit and she gave it to her husband and he did eat of the fruit that God had forbidden. In this it may be observed that our own actions and influences are not without their consequences. We may negatively affect our own loved ones through our unbelief. For even the elect, redeemed, and regenerated, children of God have a battle with unbelief. And there are some who know the truth of the gospel but fear to share it with those they love because the gospel of God is offensive to the flesh and believers in some instances may be afraid to offend their loved one. Our Lord has said: “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye (believers: writer) are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God” (Isaiah 43:9-12). Believer will you honor men or will you be a faithful witness to the truth of God? “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).  Let us return to the subject in hand.

 

The first goal of Messiah was “to finish the transgression” There can be no transgression of a law that has been perfectly fulfilled and acknowledged to have been fulfilled by the law giver. This was accomplished by the cross death, the resurrection, the ascension, and the session of the Savior at the right hand of the Majesty on high, for the saints of God. And He did all this “for Us” the children of the everlasting covenant, as it is written: “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 6:20). And not only fulfilled but it is also taken out of the way, having been nailed to the cross of Him who fulfilled that law (Colossians 2:14). “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26). Our Lord Jesus Christ was “cut off out the land of the living” as it is written: “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken” (Isaiah 53:8). Jesus of Nazareth the Messiah was cut off but not for Himself. He was cut off for the elect of God. Not for all and every man, but for those whom the Father called “my people” having chosen them in Christ and having given them to Christ before the foundation of the world according to His everlasting love. For He loved His elect as He loved the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:23; Jeremiah 31:3; I John 4:10, 19; Romans 8:28-39; II Timothy 1:8-10).

 

Christ died with all His members in Him, (I Corinthians 12:12, 27; Colossians 1:18; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:23). When the True Vine died all the branches died with Him, As our Lord Jesus said: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). The apostle Paul has written: “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). To be crucified with Christ is to be put to death under the law in Christ and with Christ, for Christ was “made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). To be crucified with Christ, is to be put to death in Christ. Just as the branches of a vine die with the vine. Those who die with the True Vine are dead with the True Vine, that is they are “dead with Christ” as it is written: “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him” (Romans 6:8). The elect of God are dead with Christ, having been crucified with Christ. The elect of God are “dead to the law” as it is written: “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Romans 7:4). And since the elect of God are dead to the law, they are “not under the law but under grace” as it is written: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Now “the motions of sins, which were by the law” are not invigorated and excited into action by the restraints and prohibitions of the law (Romans 7:5) “for where no law is, there is no transgression” (Romans 4:15). It is not possible that those who are no longer under the law should transgress the law. It is therefore evident that the transgression is finished, and that the transgression was finished by our Lord Jesus Christ, the promised Seed of woman.

 

 It is impossible that the elect of God should be able to transgress the law of God (in a judicial way) as it is written: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). In a judicial way, that is, in a way that could bring themselves under the condemnation and curse of the law of God, and under the wrath of God. For God has said “their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). And it is written: “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:8). God will not impute sin to those for whom His Son died, whose sins His own Son has put away forever through His sufferings and death in their room and stead. The righteousness of God would be totally opposed such actions. The wrath of God, for all the sins, of all the elect of God, in all ages, was fully exhausted upon our Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary.  Christ Jesus being the covenant Head of the People of God and the Surety of the everlasting covenant of grace. The Lord saith: “In that day sing ye unto her, (The church of God: writer) A vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together” (Isaiah 27:2-4).

  

Let us bear in mind, however, that God will and does correct His children with the rod of His familial discipline, as it is written: “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Hebrews 12:5-11).

 

Now our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, has finished the transgression “through death” as it is written: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). And the church of God has “fellowship in His sufferings” as it is written: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). The church of God is partaker of that finished work of Christ, having no sin nor any sins imputed to them because they are “dead with Christ” (Romans 6:8) having been in covenant union in Christ “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). As it is written: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).

 

Add to the things that have been written that Our Lord Jesus Christ has “abolished death” it is written: “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (II Timothy 1:10). “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4) having nailed the law to His cross, as it is written: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:14). The law is the ministration of condemnation and death to the fallen sons of Adam, as it is written: “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory” (II Corinthians 3:6-9).

 

“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). The “ministration of death” (II Corinthians 3:7) was given by Moses, but the “ministration of righteousness” was given by Jesus Christ, as it is written: “For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory” (II Corinthians 3:9). The ministration of death through the law of Moses was exceedingly glorious in itself, as it is written: “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12), but the glory of the ministration of death by the law of Moses had no glory when compared with the glory of the ministration of righteousness which is by Jesus Christ, as it is written: “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth” (II Corinthians 3:7-10).

 

The saints of God are clothed with the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness that is the provision of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written: “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. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” (Isaiah 61:10-11). All the children of the everlasting covenant “shall be taught” that Jesus of Nazareth is “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). And all those whom God has “predestinated to the adoption of children” (Ephesians 1:5) having chosen them in Christ (Ephesians (1:4) shall be given the Spirit of truth (Ezekiel 36:27; and John 14:17; Jeremiah 32:39-40) as it is written in the prophets: “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 54:13-17). The promise as witnessed by the prophet is brought into the New Testament by the apostle John, as it is written: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me” (John 6:44-45).

 

Believers are made so by the Spirit of God, for God has said, “I will put my Spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:27) not because of anything being foreseen in those in whom God will put His Spirit, for it is written: “Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel” (Ezekiel 36:32). God puts His Spirit in the hearts of those whom He has loved in Jesus Christ without beginning, as it is written: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3). God has loved the partakers of His election of grace as He loved the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore calls them to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus, as it is written: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (II Thessalonians 2:13-14). And God has promised by His holiness that the heirs of promise shall endure as the days of heaven, as it is written: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah” (Psalm 89:34-37).

AJ Ison

See the writer’s blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the true gospel preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.

 

 

 

 

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