Righteousness Reasoning (Part 3)

"And as it was in the in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:" - Luke 17:26.

I suddenly remembered this verse, as I was meditating on what Noah would have done all those years, as he patiently prepared the ark, and went about preaching righteousness (2 Pet 2:5). The ark is now prepared - which is the cross of Jesus Christ. All who believe in Him would be saved.... All these thoughts passed through my mind, when I heard the Lord speaking to me: "So, how will the days of the Son of Man be?"

I was ready with an answer. I must have gone through these verses a hundred times since Sunday School. I started, "They were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage and ..." when I sensed the Lord looking at me with a smile. I paused and looked at Him; surely I am not wrong... these are written in the following verses for all to see. What is it you are smiling about, Lord? And I heard Him say with that same quizzical smile, "Son, aren't you missing something?"

And suddenly it hit me. How could I have MISSED THAT!

It reminded me of a story, where a Biker on his motor-bike would cross an international border with a huge sack of sand tied to the pillion seat. And every time, the soldier would check the sack and find nothing but sand, and would allow the Biker to pass. Finally frustrated, one day the soldier would ask, "What are you smuggling anyway? I know you are!"
To which the Biker smiles and says, "I don't mind telling you, since this is my last consignment; all these months I was just smuggling the bike!"

What! How obvious once you know it. Yes, this is how we miss the obvious part when we read Luke 17:26. This was the reason the Lord had a quizzical smile as He looked at me.

The coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah. And in the days of Noah, THERE WAS A PERSON CALLED NOAH. This is the obvious conclusion.

Where are the "Noahs" today? Where are they who does what Noah was doing - preaching righteousness. The ark is already prepared in the cross of Jesus Christ. But where are the RIGHTEOUSNESS PREACHERS?

When you see the church and preachers preach on the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS (Rom. 5:17), then you know that the days have come for the Son of Man to return. Amen. Come Lord Jesus!

Noah found grace (incredibly the first occurrence of the word GRACE in the Scriptures) in the sight of the Lord. And he became the HEIR of RIGHTEOUSNESS according to faith. As it is written,

"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of righteousness WHICH IS ACCORDING TO FAITH" - Heb. 11:7

Again, What does the Scriptures say, "Abraham believed God and IT was accounted to him for RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Rom. 4:3 and Gen. 15:6)

Don't miss out on the obvious. Know what to preach - the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God. Would you like to see Jesus' return? REALLY? Start to preach RIGHTEOUSNESS.

RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD.
RECEIVED as a GIFT. In
RESPONSE to FAITH.
RANSOM paid by JESUS
REVEALED  through His Spirit.

Believers become heir of RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Righteousness Reasoning (Part 2)

Why do we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ? All authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth. Therefore (it follows that, that is why) we go and preach the gospel.

But what exactly is the gospel of Jesus Christ that we preach?

I know many would say that there is forgiveness of sins because of the blood of Jesus Christ, which He shed for you and me on the cross of Calvary. Or that we have everlasting life in believing in the Son of God - Jesus Christ, and so we can go to heaven when we die.

I know all this is true. But really, if you ask me, there are other religions too that speaks of "Heaven" or "Moksha" or "Salvation" or "Nirvana" which we can attain by penance and good-living; and there are some who do believe that if you dip yourself in a particular river, all your sins will be gone. Really?

Then, how is the "Christian" gospel better than these? How do we really convince that there is one earthly life-and no physical re-births, when we do speak of being born-again in the spirit? How do we say sins being forgiven is important, when people have devised other "means" of obtaining "cleansing" for the sins committed by them?

I WILL TELL YOU HOW.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." - Romans 1:17.

What? Righteousness does NOT come by right-doing? No, brother. It does NOT. You mean there is a righteousness that we can receive irrespective of what we have done or not done. Yes, sister. "
"By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight...But now the righteousness of God apart APART FROM THE LAW (i.e. apart from doing good or doing bad) is revealed... even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, TO ALL and ON ALL WHO BELIEVE." - Romans 3:20...22.

Believe what? Believe that redemption is in Christ Jesus' shed blood, and you will be justified from all things from which you could not be justified by law.

I can understand forgiveness of sins by the blood of Jesus. But receiving righteousness - isn't it stretching things a bit too far?

No brother. That is the gospel (good news) that no other religion, no other faith can give. One Man's (Jesus') righteous act on the cross, has forever taken the power of condemnation and guilt away from those who believe, and we receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17).

This is the gospel Noah (probably the first preacher) preached! (2 Peter 2:5) A preacher of righteousness when Jesus was not even revealed. Surely he did not preach that the world was going to end and all life will be destroyed. He was preaching about that ark that he was building that would save all men, if they would only come inside! But not one of them believed him! That is the story of the cross of Jesus - the ark built for you and me; saving us eternally, if only you would believe.

This is the gospel Paul preached. (Acts 24:25) Felix and his Jewish wife-Drusilla, was hearing Paul concerning the faith in Christ. And Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. I believe that is the order to preach the gospel - righteousness (the faith), self-control (the fruit) and the judgment to come (the finish).

Dear one, why don't you receive the gift of righteousness? I believe-I receive. Amen.