Loving what is right . . .

Watching or reading mysteries usually gives me pleasure because justice is done in the end. Yet lately, the crimes committed are beginning to bother me so much that the good feeling of seeing the criminals caught and stopped isn’t satisfying. I don’t want to read or watch some of those fiction stories as much. I’ve stopped watching most of the news also. While keeping up with what is going on fuels my prayers, it also stresses my heart.

Today’s devotional is about Jesus being a lover of righteousness. It begins with these verses:

But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” (Hebrews 1:8–9)

Righteousness is not a concept common in real life, never mind how much fiction writers can make it happen. This morning’s newspaper featured several events that made my stomach churn. One of them was the death of a person being arrested by several policemen who seemed to be abusive. Another is the violence in Gaza and Israel. Another is reports of shady dealings involved elected government officials.

While the Bible tells Christians to pray for people in leadership, this becomes increasingly difficult when corruption happens and what the Bible calls good is ridiculed by those who choose what God forbids as being the best way to live.

The devotional writer says that the King of kings, Jesus Christ, is the only leader who has a perfectly right attitude toward righteousness. I cannot help but think, “And look what happened to Him” as the leaders in His day crucified Him — and as God planned His death so that sinners like me could live. The righteousness of Christ, the sinless One, was not rewarded, at least not then. Everyone, including His disciples, turned away as He died.

Yet He rose from the dead and now rules from an eternal throne as God and King. His story is not a plot found in fiction. It has elements of the most amazing mystery of all: the sinless One took the penalty for those who are guilty that we might be forgiven and be transformed to be like Him and live forever.

Jesus lived a righteous life and loves righteousness. Yet His story tells me that righteousness is not just about how I should live, but suggests a sacrifice, even a death, that others might live. This morning I read:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24)

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6)

The protagonist in fiction might give time, energy, and resources to find the culprit and bring justice to the crime, yet that detective or whoever it is does not give their life to make it happen. True righteousness is living in faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. This goes beyond making the world a better place to live. It could lead to persecution and death in a physical sense, but certainly means a death to all that my old life may have desired. This is not a movie or a novel but a reality: those who want to live a righteous life must first belong to Jesus and die to self.

That means saying NO to much more than the sin most people consider the biggies. Instead, it means saying NO to self, and recognizing that righteousness is hearing and obeying Jesus, even saying “Not my will but thine be done” — which is the example He sets for what it means to love righteousness.

This also means hating lawlessness and all that is wrong. This is a black and white concept:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 2:15–16)

PRAY: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23–24)

PONDER: Psalm 119 and ask if I can say the same things as the psalmist about loving the law and the righteousness of God.

 

 

Laying Down the Law?

I woke up thinking about rules. My role in a non-profit organization is that of governance, meaning I’m supposed to make sure everything is done according to their rules. I keep telling them they picked the wrong person. I’m not interested in “do not do . . .” rules as much as “do this” statements that enable the membership to be creative in their duties.

This is biblical. Even the OT with all its laws and commandments has many positive ‘rules’ about how to behave. When Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37–40) He was giving those who heard Him the freedom to express the love of God and others in varying ways. Love is not necessarily about “Do not cook on the Sabbath” or “Speak softly to the elderly.”

Of course, “Do not murder” and “Do not steal” is part of God’s law of love, yet so are many other things. The Jewish religious leaders came up with more than six hundred more rules, putting a heavy burden on the people. I look at the thick binder of bylaws, policies, and procedures and hear a new rule formed at almost every meeting and feel that same kind of burden. Not only that, the negative do-not rules are still broken. The people need a different goal than being told what to avoid.

Of course, the gospel is the answer for righteous living and a book of “do this” rules will not make anyone godly, yet I see a difference between the appeal to do right and warnings to avoid doing wrong.

The psalms are full of both, yet mostly encourage readers to see that God’s commands are good for them, not a list of rules hanging over their heads. David wrote this: “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.” (Psalm 19:9) He wanted readers to remember that God’s rules are not lies, nor are they written to lead them into sin. Here are more descriptions of how the writer considered God’s ‘rules’ as good:

Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. (Psalm 119:89)

Therefore, I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:128)

Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. (Psalm 119:137–138)

Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. (Psalm 119:142)

The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (Psalm 119:160)

While I would like to see the non-profit group change their laws and rules into more positive statements, I also realize that a truth about spiritual ‘rule’ may also apply to these by-laws and procedures. Jesus was talking to unregenerate people when He said this:

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil … [who] does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. … He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason, you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” (John 8:43–47)

My pride knows that it is easy to be bound up in that “I am right” mode to the point that righteousness cannot be seen for what it is, and being positive is not helpful if motivated by catering to others, or giving them license to do whatever they please. To suggest a change in how ‘rules’ are worded may offend whoever worded them and cause more problems than it solves.

PRAY: Jesus, I just glanced at my open Bible and read this: Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears because people do not keep your law. (Psalm 119:134–136) Loving You and loving others is not as easy as writing the words. You know, as I also know, that misunderstandings happen. The enemy does not want anyone, both believers and non-believers, to hear and trust You, to love truth, to love and trust one another, or to abandon all selfish reasons for trying to control everything. He lies to keep us from living positively and in godly ways. I need Your great wisdom for the assignments that fall on me!

PONDER: Some people try to please all and end up pleasing no one. I don’t want to be a people-pleaser that puts God’s will in second place. He says He will give me words to say when I need them. With these thoughts and my responsibilities as the “governance” person, I’m praying Jesus will help me be like Him rather than like a Pharisee.