“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song: He also is become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 sp
There is a great hymn which begins: “When morning gilds the skies, my heart awakening cries, ‘May Jesus Christ be praised.'” Why is this declaration by the hymnwriter so very important? it is because of the reality that the mercies of the unchanging, sovereign, and glorious God, are new and fresh every morning. From everlasting to everlasting, unchanging, His goodness is an eternal constant. His love never ceases to dominate the revelation of Himself to men. And the unveiling of His salvation in every dimension, with regard to His righteousness, is beyond the grasp of sinful men. And yet, every morning, God draws near, to lift the heart and mind of man, even his very soul, to heights of wondrous knowledge of Himself, that the natural and proper response in the heart will be the song, that praise to the God of our salvation, the cry of the great revelation by God in Christ, His mercy and grace: “May Jesus Christ be praised.” None other is so worthy, none other is so great and blessed, but the Father, who loving the Son, would lift Him up before us by the Spirit, for us to rejoice in, delight ourselves in, and appropriate Him for life, light, and love. His indeed is the glory and honor, and power and dominion. But, how is this great and wonderful God to be known, not just by the truth revealed, but by the power that He gives to believe?
The path to God is one of righteousness. What does this mean in its most basic form? If one takes the whole of men’s imaginations, speculations, any and every idea and thought of God, specifically in regard to know what is right in His sight, and if all is gathered in the picture of a wide and twisted path upon which all sinners walk, we would have before us that which cannot please God, and certainly not that by which sinful man can truly know Him. Why? It is because of this matter of “righteousness,” or, that which is right in the sight of God, as opposed to what sinful man declares as right. Why is it that sinful man is not right in the sight of God? Simply put, the “knowledge,” which manifests itself in everyone doing that which is right in his own eyes, is born out of an unacceptable source. Its origin not in God, but in imperfect, rebellious men towards God.
The story of the birth of America was in great part because of men and women who, by the grace of God, came to see that their thoughts, in and of themselves, were not of God, the Eternal King. However, they desired the freedom to seek God according to His truth in Christ alone. They sought the liberty to pursue God with a free conscience, rather than being forced to think according to the dictates and domination of sinful men. They wanted the freedom to think and live according to God’s truth, His righteousness.
“Righteousness” is a word that expresses the whole of that which God deems right and holy, having its origin in Him, and declared in Christ. Everything, and idea, which militates against the truth as revealed in Christ, is NOT right, good, and holy. With regard to the salvation that God offers sinful man, He works to reveal His righteousness, first by the revelation of Himself in creation, then by the Law revealed to Moses, but then, and foremost, by the revelation of Christ, the very perfect and full expression of God’s righteousness in the flesh. This knowledge of God’s truth, as revealed in Christ is that message we call the Gospel. Revealing the sinfulness, and lostness of man, who lives in his unrighteousness, God comes with healing in His wings, forgiveness in His heart, to give His perfect righteousness to the one who will truly seek Him.
Father, Fill us with Thy righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.