When we, who are God’s people, called by His name… live out the righteousness that we have been created in Christ Jesus to be and do, when we do those good works God has prepared in advance for us to do, then as we do the things it should be our desire to do them as Jesus did and teaches us to do…
A reminder… righteousness?
What is that righteousness we’re talking about? Paul explains it in Corinthians when he says that Jesus is our righteousness. That being said then, that righteousness is everything we are meant to be, and created to be, in Christ Jesus. In other words, our righteousness is our likeness to Jesus – what he said how he said it, what he did and how he did it, we are created in Christ Jesus to be like Christ Jesus and our righteousness is his righteousness and his righteousness is the incredible kindness goodness humility gentleness and grace with which he lived – and that by mercy.
2Corinthians 5:21. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
And that is how we are to be and act.
And this righteousness is nothing that we can be or do in and of ourselves
An act of righteousness then is an act of grace in response to grace - it is a humble recognition of having been made righteous through no act of my own - that righteousness is grace, the gift of grace, by grace
And this realization of this righteousness being a gift of grace should cause us to be and to act, humbly.
Before God, about self, and toward others - we should in turn, be so very careful observing our attitude, position, and posture as we go about this life and the opportunities set before us.
Jesus knew and knows the difficulty of “seeing others as better than yourself…” to “not look only to your own interests but also the interests of others”, to “...not think too highly of yourself, but to think of yourselves with sober judgment… and others as being better than yourself.” (Matt 5; Luke 6; Rom 12; Phil 2)
Having mercy, grace, and love extended to you, to extend mercy, grace, and love to others and that being first and foremost, to imitate God in the dignifying of others - treating Him with honor worthy a King and Savior while treating others with the value ascribed to them by God Himself.
Matthew 6:1-17
1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
When we act, how are we to act? “Who” are we to act (like)? Like Jesus! Being imitators of God as dearly loved children - because that is what we are! (Matt 5:48; Luke 6:36; John 1:12; Rom 8:16; Eph 1:5; 5:1; Phil 2:15; James 1:18; 1Pet 1:23; 1John 3:1-3)
And that includes giving like Jesus, praying with and like Jesus, sacrificing our pleasures like Jesus (Phil 2:6-7).
So...
What is an act of righteousness? It is the living out of Jesus’ character and nature - His righteousness and goodness - that He has created us to be. In other words, it is living out our newly born and created nature - the nature of Jesus in us by, in submission to, the power of the Holy Spirit. This is our actual and real freedom in Christ! (John 1:12-13; 3:3,5,16; 2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:16; Eph 2:8-10; then: Rom 1:17; 3:21; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:21; Gal 5:1,5, 13-14, 16, 22-25; 2Peter 1:1-5)
Realize Whose you are and for Whom you live - for it is “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)
Recognize in Whose name you go
Humbling ourselves, living modestly
That we would go to our Father, seeking His face
Pray to Him - heartfelt and honest; simple and expectant
Petition - calling out, bringing our requests
Pray - engaging with Him in an exchange of wishes
Intercede - according to His will, affirmed by His word
Be grateful - genuinely thankful in and for all things
Repentant: Turn from our own sinful ways, not only by stopping but returning to our Father turning toward Him and His way and ways
Open to hear
Ready to stop
Quick to take responsibility
Honest to confess
Willing to change
Raring to go
Fast: to deny oneself of something of value or pleasure for the purpose of seeking after God, concentrating on our relationship with God, finding our sustenance, our quenching, our pleasure in Him and our relationship with Him, and our discerning more clearly His will - “His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
And, God will hear and respond… (2Chron 7; Jer 29; Isa 58; Ps 51; Ps 1)
When? When will God act? When we act: approach Him with a humble heart, seeking His face, express to Him our hearts, and turn back toward Him - He will respond according to His will and we will be glad.
And all of this is something we can do as we are led or prompted and do as we understand
