Righteousness, righteousness
Is what I long for.
Righteousness
Is what I need.
Righteousness, righteousness
Is what you want from me.
–Sonic Flood, Holiness (on their debut album)
I’m at one of those points where I don’t have a lot to say yet. Just questions.
Why does righteousness disappear when not replenished, like water in a flowerpot?
Why do we so easily become victims of forces that we once knew to be within our control?
Why do we ignore the important-but-not-urgent disciplines that keep us on track?
Why is hypocrisy easier than righteousness? Why does the façade take less work to maintain than the reality?
Why isn’t righteousness urgent? Why does it not scream out to us when we are separated?
Why does righteousness depart so painlessly and quietly?
Why are self-justifying thoughts easier than prayer?
Why do you forgive, O God, and give us the option of returning to you?
Why does righteousness disappear when not replenished, like water in a flowerpot?
It is His Righteousness that we need to embrace. Our righteousness will always FAIL! It breaks my heart when I see so many struggle with their own righteousness which in reality is self-righteousness. As for me I have given up on my righteousness and embraced His.
Why does righteousness depart so painlessly and quietly?
Thank God when your righteousness departs! Now the only thing left is His Righteousness. Now I know what most of the responses to this are or will be but think about what most people are focusing on in these types questions. They are focusing on self instead of Him. Christianity today has made this all about us, when the reality is none of it is about us but about Him and Him Crucified. When I truly got hold of that fact after 30 years of struggling it was a day like no other before. I no longer think or worry over my righteousness or daily disciplines or any of the other things that substituted for Jesus and Him Crucified. To most that may seem lazy and slothful but believe me when I tell you It is for Freedom that Christ has set you FREE. I love my Lord Jesus more today than at any point in my 50 years of life. Thanks for listening to the ramblings of an old heretic.
Grace & Peace
Geo
Because true righteousness does not come from us, but from God. So long as we live in Him and He in us, righteousness shows. The only way to be given this righteousness is to depend and trust and believe in Him. Any righteousness that is not from God is as filthy rags before Him.
Because we only thought they were within our control. In reality, we were in their control but didn’t know it.
Because we think we can do it on our own. We think we don’t need God once He’s saved us, and we fail to understand that salvation is continuing, that saving faith is in the present tense.
It isn’t. It just seems so because we want to be the ones doing, and not the ones receiving God’s grace.
Same answer. So long as we leave our egos at the door, truth is far easier than trying to maintain a facade.
It does. “Wisdom cries out in the streets” - but when you’re in rebellion, you don’t want to hear.
It doesn’t. Not really.
Because we idolize ourselves.
Because for Him to do anything less would not fully show his Holiness, Mercy, and Justice.
The answer to all but the last can be summed up in a short pithy sentence. Most of us are worshipping ourselves instead of God. What we think is righteousness really isn’t; it’s wishful thinking.