Sunday, September 29, 2019 - The Value of Righteous Living
Pastor Roger Marcos
Sept. 29, 2019
Malcolm McNair put it this way : To look is one thing, to see what you look is another, to understand what you see is third, to learn from what you understand is still something else, BUT TO ACT ON WHAT YOU LEARN IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS.
Greetings:
“Righteousness Exalts A Nation, But Sin is a Reproach to Any People.”
Pro. 14:34 NKJV-
Righteousness exalts a nation. There are reasons why we are having the problems all over the gloves because of the absence of God in life.
America’s only hope is found in this verse. Our nation had a godly founding. It has had a glorious past. But if the Lord tarries, what kind of nation will our children inherit?
George Washington: It is impossible to rightly govern the world-without God in the Bible.
Alexander Hamilton said, “People get the government they deserve.” If we want to know what’s wrong with our nation, we need to look in the mirror. Something has happened in America since 1776.
It appears that most Americans believe the economy is the top issue. But I had rather leave my children and grandchildren the legacy of a godly nation than great wealth to be squandered in a godless society. No, righteousness is our greatest need.
You cannot have true liberty without true righteousness, men and women living responsibly under God as citizens of both His kingdom and this great country
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2
What is righteousness and what does it mean to be righteous?
Righteousness is the perfect holiness of Christ. It is an essential attribute to the character of God; quite literally meaning “One who is right”. Think of it as the polar opposite of sin. To commit sin is to go against God’s design for our lives, therefore righteousness is the only living standard that is acceptable for us to stand before the Father.
The word "righteousness" is translated from dikaiosune and is defined as "the character or quality of being right or just; it was formerly spelled `rightwiseness,' which clearly expresses the meaning. Righteousness embraces the idea of the right knowledge in the mind, leading to the right action in life" (W.F. Vine). Hence, righteousness is doing right and refers to the state of one who is such as he ought to be before God and man.
“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God IMPUTETH righteousness without works” Romans 4:6
What in the world does that big word mean . . . IMPUTETH? The word “impute” means “to pass to one’s account, to count over” It means that Jesus places His righteousness upon our record when we trust upon Him for salvation.
Romans chapter four speaks concerning Abraham, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was COUNTED UNTO HIM for righteousness” Romans 4:3
... Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”
IMPUTED:
“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was IMPUTED to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be IMPUTED, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” Romans 4:22-24
I. The Value of Righteousness In Noah’s Time. After the fall of man in the garden of Eden a dramatic life was totally change because of that MISTAKE made by the couple. As a result of that sin first murder recorded in the book of Genesis 4:8 Cain Killed His brother Abel.
Genesis 1 talked about God Created Man in His Image, In Chapter 2 talked about the Serpent that tempts Eve, Chapter 3 talked about Curses Resulting from sin, that day of the fall of man all trouble in life arises and no one can stop even the pain. In Chapter 4 testify the brutal outcome as CAIN KILLS HIS BROTHER.
Now, tells me how Noah’s managed to live in righteousness in this kind of a Society. Upon knowing all of this ordeal became a lesson for him to make a better world in his time. In order to find out after the fall of man- Noah stood out- bringing the Value of righteousness, yes righteousness matter today unto eternity.
The Bible talked about Noah’s life living to a dark-ages. Noah was "A Just Man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God" Gen. 6:9
Adam and Eve failed, but Noah, never been affected focusing in God in his daily work as the bible outline being a trusted man of integrity in term of righteousness.
In time of Noah, promote righteous living, in time of Noah, promote to walked with God and that’s what he done in his 950 years of living.
Genesis 6:5 then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every “intent” NKV- Inclination NIV- Imagination KJV- of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Noah's righteous conduct, amidst wickedness. caused him to find "grace in the eyes of the Lord" Gen. 6:8
Noah's righteousness is demonstrated in the fact that he did "all that God commanded him" Gen. 6:22
While every living substance was destroyed upon the face of the ground, righteous Noah and his family were saved. 1 Pet. 3:20
II. The Value of Righteousness In Abraham Time. He walked with God too, as Noah’s did. The world he was unimaginable because of wickedness. He in-counter a life challenges like in his old age without son- then God gave Isaac and at the sudden God told him to offer. He walked in faith and righteousness with God without a double mind.
Abraham's supreme test of righteousness came during his mature life in his willingness to offer up Isaac, his only son, whom he loved passionately and in whom all his expectations centered Gen. 22:1-10; Heb. 11:17-18
The Scripture says, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed (Accounted) unto him for righteousness: and he was Called the Friend of God" Jas. 2:23
Righteousness is seldom easy, but through Abraham's faith and righteousness he became the friend of God and the one through whom Jesus, the Savior, came. So in Abraham time righteousness matter why because without valuing that righteousness the seed never came and that seed stated in the book of... Galatians 3:16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, He does not say, And to seeds as of many but as of “One” And to your Seed WHO IS “CHRIST”.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, Titus 2:11-12 KJV
III. The Value of Righteousness Today. As demonstrated in the past, righteous living is still of great value. The value of righteousness today is seen in the fact that:
Righteousness gives us access to God. When we do right, or live according to the Gospel of Christ, God's eyes are over us; his ears are open to our prayers. 1 Pet. 3:12
Jesus Said: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matthew 23:27-28 KJV
Righteousness bears good fruit (Prov. 11:30). Righteous living is not only profitable to you, but to others. You can win others to Christ through righteous living. Jesus taught that his disciples are the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world" (Matt. 5:13-14). Further, the work of the righteous is peace (Isa. 32:17). No money on earth can buy true peace. True peace comes only to the righteous!
Righteousness will be crowned. Since Paul "kept the faith" there was laid up for him a "crown of righteousness". 2 Tim. 4:8
The righteous can "look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof there is no death". Prov. 12:28
Are We Numbered among God's Righteous?
Righteous living, amidst wickedness, is the only thing that will mean anything eternally! You will either die the death of the righteous or the death of the wicked Num. 23:10
The Choice Is Yours.
Ezek. 33:11 Tell them that as surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing sinners die. I would rather see them stop sinning and live. Israel, stop the evil you are doing. Why do you want to die?
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, Titus 2:11-12 KJV
Please, for your sake and the sake of all future generations, do what the Bible says and be what it makes you, living righteously,
Lastly: LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY while we have been given the Chance!