Monday, April 8, 2013

Established in Righteousness -- Standing Against Reproach

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54: 14)

What comes first? Righteousness!

Who establishes us in righteousness? Jesus does:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5: 21)

What does His righteousness, His full acceptance of us, cause us to withstand?
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Oppression, in the original Hebrew, means "extortion." Normally, extortion only works if someone  has done something wrong, and for fear that their wrongdoing will come to light, they pay someone off. In effect, the root cause of the terrors and fears is an inner reproach, an inner shame which we fear will see the light of the day

Yet "righteousness" saves us from this "extortion" because through Jesus' death we are cleansed, and still more cleansed, from all sin:

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)

We walk in the Light, which is Jesus (John 8: 12), and in His Light there is no shame or darkness, for all our sins have been paid for and continue to be washed away.

Jesus has paid for any and all sin in our lives, so therefore anyone who would threaten us with reproach will get nowhere, because we are covered in Him.

Then Isaiah prophesied:

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. " (Isaiah 54: 17)

"No weapon prospers against you" -- so, the threats may rise up, but by resting in His righteousness, you will prosper and their reproach will fail.

"Every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn." The reproach of men against you will fall against them. Peter explains:

"But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

"If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." (1 Peter 4: 13-14)
By the reproach of men, the Spirit of God is manifested in our lives, and His grace abounds to our favor (2 Corinthians 12: 10).

This righteousness is an inheritance from God, not something that you have to earn. So, stand firm in God's righteousness, and watch as all reproach falls flat.

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