CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

PAUL tells us in 2 Tim. 4:8 of the “crown of righteous! Righteousness means the ability to stand in the Father’s presence without the sense of inferiority or Sin Consciousness.

It is to be the crown of the believer’s life. I have been greatly exercised of late about this fact of our acting the part of a Righteous man. In I John 2:29, the Spirit through John tells us about doing Righteousness. That means doing the works of a man who has no sense of guilt or fear of God, fear of disease, fear of circumstance, or fear of man.

Doing the work of a Righteous man would mean a fearless life of intercession, a fearless testimony of the grace of God, a fearless walk in the presence of the world, and a fearless fellowship with the Father. It is using our Righteousness as Jesus used it.

I know this is a new thought, but it is a suggestive one. The very theme of the book of Romans is the showing of God’s ability to set a man right with Him, to declare him Righteous and to make him Righteous so that he can stand in the Father’s presence without the sense of quilt.

He triumphantly shouts, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 8:1. He asks this question, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth?” God did not fail in His Redemptive work. Jesus did not fail. The Spirit has not failed in His work. The Word has not failed to make good in every case where it has been used. Let us begin at the basis of it. Isaiah 32:17 is a prophetic statement in regard to Righteousness.

“And the work of righteousness shall be peace.”
It is the peace of God which passes all understanding. It fills the heart the moment we become New Creations. The moment we receive Eternal Life, that moment we become the Righteousness of God. We are made out of Righteousness and holiness of truth. Eph. 4.24. “And the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.”

Just the moment we are justified or made Righteous in Christ, that moment quietness comes and confidence fills our hearts. The rest of God, the peace of God, the quietness of God fills our spirits.

Isa. 62:1 throws added light on God’s purposes in Redemption. “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth.” He is not going to hold His peace until the hour comes when man can be the Righteousness of God in Christ.

That Righteousness is going forth as brightness, and her salvation, the New Creation, as a lamp that burneth. How true that was on the day of Pentecost! Rom. 3:26 (Marginal Translation), “That he might himself be righteous, and the righteousness of him that bath faith in Jesus.”

We have been justified freely by His grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Cor. 5:21 has become a reality. “Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus was made sin with our sins. He was made weak with our weaknesses. He was made a failure with our failures. He was made sick with our sicknesses. He was made unrighteous with our unrighteousness. After He put all that away, satisfied every claim of justice, was made alive, made Righteous in Spirit, then by the New Birth He made us the Righteousness of God in Him. We stand before God as His own Righteousness. We are created in Christ Jesus. It is all of God-“not of works lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:8-10. How it thrills the heart to think that it is not of man. Man has no glory in it. It is all of God. It is the grace of God unveiled. It is the love of God mightily exercised to set us right with Himself.

Now we can understand 1 Cor. 1:30, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” All this is from God. All this belongs to us. “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

God is satisfied with what He did in the New Creation as He was satisfied with what He did in the first Creation. He is not ashamed to be called our Father.
Jesus is not ashamed to be called our Lord and Saviour, our Redeemer and our Righteousness. They are not ashamed of what they have done. Rom. 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” 33rd verse, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” Who elected them? God did.

There is only one person in the universe that can bring a charge against us, and that is Jesus. Jesus will not bring a charge against us because it was He who died for us. Now He ever lives to make intercession for us at the Father’s right hand.
Who recreated us? God did. Who gave us Eternal Life? God did. Who made us sons and daughters of God? God did. It is all of God. We are accepted in the Beloved, and the Father rejoices over it. We are His own children.