Righteousness Saves
Copyright ©2020 by The Good Elder. All rights reserved.
In the times of today, many people are being challenged to see and acknowledge long overlooked or ignored injustices in society. This is proving to be difficult because daily revelations are shattering illusions that many people have lived by and held dear. These ones are coming to realize that doing what is right can seem pointless or fruitless, especially when so many others around us are not doing right. But, God blesses the righteous with salvation, even (or especially) when they do right in the midst of wrong.
As we consider the political gridlock that has besieged our country for decades now, as forces act to keep our government from working in good faith in the best interests of the people, it can be tempting to become discouraged. We have stood by and watched as sensible acts to improve access to health care and lower its costs have been blocked by corporate lobbyists, how common sense gun laws have been blocked, how laws to ensure equality have been blocked, how laws to ensure a more equitably distribute wealth, or to reign in the abuses of law enforcement have been blocked. We have witnessed how the Republican party is blocking an open and fair trial of Trump that would hold him accountable for just some of his misdeeds while in office.
We have watched as overt bigotry and racism has reappeared in "civilized" society. We have seen video evidence of law enforcement officers abusing their power, and, in some cases, killing unarmed and non-violent people; while "the system" (until very recently) has gone out of its way to avoid prosecution for these offenders, or to even hold them accountable in any way.
Many of those who are in favor of what's right are standing by, observing this organized evil on display, and are feeling angry, helpless, powerless, disenchanted, disenfranchised, unheard, and ignored. Perhaps we've even turned to the LORD in prayer, and yet wondered if He has heard our prayer, since improvements to this status quo seem to be slow to come (if at all).
What we're seeing, however, is not new to the human race. Nor does it herald a bleak future from which we cannot be delivered. In fact, if we have studied the Bible, we will understand that a devastating end is far from assured. In fact, as Jesus taught (Matthew 24):
[15] "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, [it is a sign of the coming of the King.]
...
[27] For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
But, until His glorious coming, as we press on until that perfect day, my message to us today is that righteousness saves!
We have heard about the wickedness of King Manasseh, the ruler who sat on the throne of Judah for 55 years, and whose wickedness was so great until it provoked the LORD to destroy Judah, just as He had scattered Israel. Shortly after Manasseh ruled, his grandson, Josiah ascended to the kingship. During the course of his reign, they discovered the book of the Law, which they read to Josiah; and Josiah was moved to rend his clothes. Knowing the history, Josiah petitioned the LORD to see what would come of Judah.
The Word of the LORD came to Huldah, the prophetess, for Josiah, saying:
[18] ...Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
[19] Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
[20] Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place.
The LORD had already spoken in the days of Manasseh, saying (2nd Kings 21):
[12] ...Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
[13] And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
[14] And I will forsake the remnant of Mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
[15] Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked Me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.
So, even with this bleak, albeit deserved decree against Judah, Josiah's righteousness saved him from having to witness the destruction of his kingdom, and enabled him to avoid the suffering of the siege and the captivity.
I have often said, "Sometimes, when NOTHING happens, it is a blessing!" And in the case of King Josiah, that was precisely the case! The boring mundanity of running a kingdom--collecting taxes, building and maintaining the infrastructure, restoring the Temple--was a tremendous blessing for Josiah!
In our lives, the routine monotony of going to work, paying bills, buying groceries, getting our cars repaired, and watching the latest sitcom on TV are, to some, a tremendous blessing! We have the luxury to not be preoccupied with thoughts of our impending destruction, or worries about our immediate safety, or about daily provisions... or even whether there is someone in this world who cares about us, loves us, and wants the best for us!
In the cycles of time, God has set in motion a degree for all nations that have caused Israel to serve them: "...that nation whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward, they shall come forth with great substance." The judgment that is due to the United States, indeed, to the entire Roman Empire, and all unjust nations could come down and affect (and even destroy) us, too! The signs are all around us that "the devil's time is up" and that "judgment has begun."
We scurry around about our daily business, some in blissful ignorance, others in agonizing worry, as if the truth of the Bible is somehow relegated only to ancient times, even as we again live in the last days. As we remain disconnected from these ancient truths, we likewise remain disconnected from the power that is available to us to be found worthy and to escape all these things that shall come (and are coming) to pass. Thus, if it were possible, many of the very elect would be fooled into believing that their plight is an inescapable doom, that perpetual worsening is inevitable, that judgment and accountability will never happen, and that God has cast away His people.
But, as Josiah shows us, as David shows us, as Ruth shows us, as Esther shows us, as Judah shows us, as Noah shows us; righteousness saves!
So, why am I hopeful about salvation, and why am I encouraging you to contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints?
Again, if we go to the Bible, we see that, in order for there to be any evil work, the evil ones must be united. We read in Genesis 11:
[6] And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
We see today that evil people are standing in unison, not because what they're doing is right, or even because they like what they're doing; but if they stand together, there is nothing that can be restrained from them. They look unbeatable, to he point where they are no longer hiding their nefarious agenda, even to the point of giving the "villain speech" (like in the movies) as they move in to deal a final blow.
Many of us spend too much time and energy worrying about and trying to defeat a united front that even God respects, evil though it may be. When our efforts appear to be fruitless, we can feel defeated and lose hope. We can doubt and question whether God heard us or cares about us. But the LORD, through the Psalmist reminds us, "...our Help cometh from the LORD!"1 The LORD, through Micah, tells us what our focus should be (chapter 3):
[8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
This is a test of faith, i.e. whether we believe that these spiritual tools that God has given us to use, will be enough.
Prophet William S. Crowdy exhorted this followers to "prepare to meet your God." This means that our focus should be on our own righteousness; because the Psalmist tells us that (Psalm 15:2) "He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart" are the only ones who can abide with the LORD.
Certainly, we extend the hand of aid and fellowship to those in need; but we cannot and should not place the needs of others above our own. And, we certainly don't delay or forsake our own growth and improvement trying to convince someone else to do right!
Israel is not called to TELL people the Way; Israel was chosen to SHOW the way by being a Light.2 The way to show this Light is by being righteous! Live right! Do right! Let one's actions do the talking. We must challenge the negative assumptions and the stories we believe about ourselves, the ones that, while limiting, are so comfortable and familiar, the ones that keep us afraid of moving forward, the ones that "go bump" in the night, the ones that hide behind that scary door in our minds and hearts. If we take the time to clean out that closet, we'll make room for more God and more Light!
We will never convince another to live and do right by talking, pointing, blaming, and judging, while neglecting our own righteousness. We can waste our lives away, distracted by our compulsion to tell someone else what they ought to do, and disheartened because they won't do; because in order to do this, we have to stay stuck with them. But, I say in the words of that old jubilee song, "Fare thee well sinner! I'm gonna leave you behind!"
Lest we forget, although the righteous of Babel may not have been able to restrain the wicked, God was still able to undo their machinations. The lesson for us, which is repeated throughout the Bible is this: "The battle is not yours, but God's!" Even in their union, God can AND WILL destroy it--and them! Even in their smug arrogance, God will unravel them and their agenda!
Instead of worrying and fretting, remember the words of the Psalmist (Psalm 37):
[39] But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: He is their strength in the time of trouble.
[40] And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.
Thus, I say again, as Daniel shows us, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego showed us, as Jeremiah, Elijah, and Obadiah showed us, righteousness saves! Thus did John leave on record (Revelation chapter 22):
[14]Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
1See also Psalm 121.
2See also Isaiah 42:5-7.
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