BLESSED---RIGHTEOUSNESS

BLESSED--- RIGHTEOUSNESS

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

We are continuing our pursuit of the meaning of ATTAINING TO KINGDOM STATURE.

In this segment we will explore what we have referred to as ACQUIRED RIGHTEOUSNESS, which we need to desire and seek for, after the Righteousness of Jesus has been IMPUTED to us at Calvary. Imputed righteousness will assure us a place in Heaven, but it will NOT guarantee us entrance into the Kingdom of God.

You see, Jesus came to earth to SEEK and to SAVE that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). All of humanity was lost in their sinful condition. Any human being can be saved by simply acknowledging Jesus to be the Son of God and accepting the forgiveness that He has offered to us.

We feel that right here is a good time to remind ourselves of what John 1:12 says. Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power (privilege, authority) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (emphasis added)

As I have previously pointed out, a great gulf exists between having our sins (nature of sin—rebellion) forgiven, and having been really born again of the Spirit of God. We are forgiven in an instant, but the NEW BIRTH is a process of refinement of character and learning the Nature of God and the WAYS of GOD as the Holy Ghost teaches us.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and LEARN OF ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Emphasis added)

1Jo 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

1Jo 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Nothing that is degrading or harmful to others will ever gain entrance to citizenship in the Society of the Kingdom.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I did, before my pacemaker was implanted, go through the airport scanners before a flight. They would detect anything they were designed to find—with unerring accuracy. GOD’S WORD will provide us with the same type of protection from “ourselves”. The Law of God in our hearts will protect us from others and protect others from what may be luring within us.

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; (if they seek for it) and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait (difficult, confining) gate (hunger and thirst after righteousness) for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (I can not see My Own Likeness in you. I still see your self-life)
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. (Attendance awards)
Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (you did as you pleased—you did not desire character refinement)
Luk 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. (sins forgiven, but could not enter the Kingdom of God)
Luk 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, (all over the world) and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (unfit for service)

1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

When I was a young man I tended to worry about some of these things—fearing that I might lose my Salvation if they were still a part of my makeup. I feel that many today are laboring under the same wrong impression about their relationship to God. While I realize that a person would be capable of “backsliding” and annulling the Forgiveness of God, John Dearing told us in 1939 that it would be much harder to do than many are teaching today. You would want to “bring your lunch”, because God will put every obstacle He can in your way to keep you from turning away from Him. It would take a strong, deliberate intent on your part to get the job done. He has a tremendous investment in you and me.

But it is not so when we consider an entrance into KINGDOM STATUS, or being “fit for the Kingdom” (see Luke 9:62) There is where we run into the “flaming sword” that guards the “Paradise of God” as the Kingdom is described.

1Jo 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.

Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Heb 12:11 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.

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.