GOD-SEEKERS SEEK TRUTH IN CHURCHES,
FROM ENLIGHTENED TEACHERS, GURUS, OR WISE MEN.
RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS PROMISE EARNED RIGHTEOUSNESS.
IS RIGHTEOUNESS EARNED BY DISCIPLINES AND CONFORMITY
TO THE RULES OF THEIR SECT?

THE MYSTERY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Some topics covered in this chapter:

A Fallen Human Race
The Righteous Line
The Deliverer and Lawgiver
The Gospel is the Gospel of Righteousness
The Mystery of the Cross
The Exchange of Righteousness at the Cross
Jesus Judged Not Guilty
God Extends His Hand to us in Peace
The Power of a Newly Formed Spirit
Righteousness is Without Cost to Us

The way of God is a mystery. The Truth of God is veiled. The Holy Spirit reveals it. The knowledge of God is free to all. But, the knowledge of God is hidden or veiled until the veil is removed by the Spirit of Christ Jesus. We who are of the faith may say, "I was once blind, but now I see." It is God's will that we should not be ignorant of spiritual matters -" (1 Corinthians 12:1.)

The message of the Gospel bears witness that Jesus is alive and has sent an awakening and life-giving spirit to bring us into knowledge of the Son of God and the rich spiritual inheritance which is afforded in the knowledge of Christ.

He has brought us into new dimensions of liberty, peace and righteousness. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink (ordinances of religious performance or behavior) but righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit.

The Way of Righteousness

God who made heaven and earth is a Holy and Perfect Being, full of love, mercy and full of Glory and full of Power. He wants to share His LIFE with His creation. The Word of God that says he created Man and the Worlds for His pleasure and Joy.

This God-created man (Adam) was directed to live in perfect harmony in an earthly domain. God gave Adam authority to rule and reign in this world. The earth was to be a blessing to humankind. Nothing was present to limit that fruitfulness and felicity that God had wished to lavish upon his creation.

A Fallen Human Race - Separated from the Life of God

After the "temptation" and the "fall" of the race of Adam we see the rulership of this earth given to the Devil, Satan, by default. Satan, the Devil, appeared as a seducer and a deceiver to the couple in the garden. If Adam had taken authority over the situation he could have banished Satan permanently and blocked any of the kind of hassles or interference, but such was not to be the case.

Prior to this time, wickedness, pride and rebellion entered into a spirit being, Lucifer. This arch angel was deceived into believing that his own glory was equal to his creator. Lucifer was cast out of the heaven of God. Though exact time and the details are debated, we know that Lucifer was exiled, cast down to Earth. Since then the earth has born the consequences of Satan's presence in disruption and contamination.

The Bible traces man from a certain time period, the Adamic age. (Ezekiel. 28, Isaiah 14). Mankind was created good and perfect. We believe the Biblical account of creation. To contend with the Book of Genesis is to contend with every doctrine which is written in the whole Bible. Human knowledge and understanding and science will ultimately bear witness of the accuracy of the creation account though at the present, we are not able to sort out all of the evidence sensibly. Adam, was God's first man. Perfect, in a perfect world. Adam and his mate were given authority in their world and told to have dominion, be fruitful, multiply; God was their friend and provided all things for them (Eden). Because of the subtlety of Lucifer, mankind was tempted, fell from dominion, and was cursed. (Genesis Chapter 1;2;3).

The Bible is the story of how God is reclaiming the earth, and preparing people, once more, to be His personal pride and possession. In God's plan (Revealed in the Holy Bible) God chose a people, had a plan, and a had time-table for his actions.

God Chooses a Man
God chose the patriarch Abraham and his descendants; God chose Moses; God chose David and his descendants; God chose Mary of Nazareth to impregnate and supernaturally bear God's son; God sent His begotten son who had been foretold by holy prophets and in full detail. It was foretold who he was to be, where he was to be born; and what his mission and calling were to be.

The Righteous Line
Righteousness is right-standing with God. The Bible teaches that no man since Adam has ever been righteous before God on the earth. None are righteous, not even one; every man turns aside to his own way, no one seeks God." (paraphrased, Psalm 14, Psalm 53)

God chose to grant righteousness through one man of his own chosing. Abram who was later renamed Abraham, was to become the father of all persons of faith and obedience. (See Genesis 12-24.) He was the 'father' to the righteous line of inheritance which was later to produce the "Christ."

God made a covenant with Abraham. Through the line of Abraham a righteous "olive tree" was planted in the earth. The descendants of the line of Abraham were righteous only by virtue of covenant rights though not righteous in spirit.

The Deliverer and Lawgiver
Moses was selected by God to deliver his covenant people from the bondage of Egypt, which was the first captivity. Moses' deliverance pre-figures the deliverance of the whole race of humanity from Satan's rulership. God brings his people out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders and with an outstretched arm. He brought them out and he continues to bring them out, with the intention of having a favored and a particular people of his own, a special treasure in the earth. God declares that his people are to be a nation of worshipers, they are to be kings and priests. (Exodus 19.)

The laws of Moses could not make man good inside. They could still not be made spiritually righteous. It was necessary for God to provide a priesthood (the Levites of Israel) to perform blood sacrifices in order to cover the sins of the people. (Hebrews 1,2,3,4) The law made it possible for God to manifest to the people of covenant in limited ways.

Yet, no man was made righteous under the law. As is noted in the letter to Galatia, the law was really given for one man who would fulfill its provisions in entirety. Jesus who was without fault under the law, fulfilled the law. (Galatians 3;15-20)

The Gospel is the Gospel of Righteousness
What is the Gospel of Righteousness? That God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
(2 Corinthians 5:19) The Gospel is good news. We hear it called "good news" but few of us know how deep are its blessings and how wonderful are its provisions!Men and women could now have access to God. They could hear from God and communicate directly with Him. They could even be called "sons and daughters of God". They could know and experience God through the same spirit that was in Jesus Christ.

The Mystery of the Cross
The cross of Jesus' crucifixion is the core of the mystery of the Gospel. The covenant was expressed and sealed formally in the upper room at the Passover Seder hosted by Jesus before his betrayal. Drinking the wine and bread, the symbol of of covenant, Jesus announced the new covenant in his blood as he sat with his Jewish friends and disciples at the Pesach (Passover) feast. He presented himself to his disciples as the sacrificial Lamb of God, the "delivering" sacrifice who would set every captive free, whose own blood would be applied to the post and the lintel (the cross) so that the angel of death and judgment would pass over them. Jesus was the lamb who would take away the sins of all mankind as the prophet, John the Baptist, announced in an earlier day.

Here in the Passover meal the cup was drunk and the bread was broken fulfilling the everlasting covenant that Moses received in Egypt. A lamb had been chosen from among the flock, a lamb without blemish, a perfect lamb was sacrificed and consumed and all who participated were delivered from bondage and brought out of Egypt to serve God.The breaking of the matzo was a picture of the body of Christ to be carried within each and every participant at the table of fellowship. The wine presented the power of the blood that would be shed to free us from fallen man's sin condition.

The Exchange of Righteousness at the Cross
On the cross, Jesus, a man who knew no sin became sin for you and me. He would bear the curse of sin as the Father offered him to pay our dept. We who knew no righteousness had the entire list of all of our offenses, our un-righteousness, and our sentence of death, nailed to His cross!

How did this exchange happen? The devil waged a continuos campaign to destroy God's seed (Jesus) from ever being manifested. For the two thousand years from Abraham's time to Jesus' time Satan has waged a campaign to sidetrack the plan and purposes of God, set in motion through his people, Israel. Finally, in the fulness of time, the seed of the woman came into the earth, born of a virgin, fulfilling numerous prophecies; A child was born, a son was given. Upon him rests the hope of the gentiles; In him the fall and rising of many; In him the righteous branch from the stem of Jesse, In him the righteous servant; In him the lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

The time came to accomplish this. A plan was thus orchestrated: An unbelieving religious tradition rejected Jesus. Deceitful witnesses came forward to condemn him. Caesar's representative tried him. In the court of Pilate he was found guilty. Men (soldiers) and magistrates (Pilate) and a betrayer (Judas Iscariot) were all used by Lucifer to destroy the Son of Man.

Lucifer however made a serious tactical error! A man without sin became sin. "He was made sin for us,- cursed is every man who hangs on a tree"(cross.) We without righteousness could now receive it as a free gift. He bore for us the penalty, the pain, the guilt, the shame, the fears; through all manner of torture and anguish. We then, would not need to face these curses. (Isaiah 53).

Jesus Judged "Not Guilty"
A man without sin was not subject to death, according to scripture -"The soul that sins shall die," (Ezekiel 18,4.);and, "He who was without sin was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him," (2 Corinthians 5:21). as God's perfect life would preserve him. Thus Jesus voluntarily gave up his life. God raised him up from the world of the dead, the world of spirits. Death could not hold him! He was raised gloriously from death to live again. By the shedding of his own blood, he entered as a high priest into the Holy Place in the heavens to reign as a high priest over a new covenant! (Epistle to the Hebrews)

Jesus is now alive. He is now enthroned as both king and as the great High Priest. Now he is alive and reigns in power.

He returned from death to tell his disciples, "All power in heaven and earth are given unto me." Earlier, in the beginning of the Gospels we see that the realm of earthly authority belonged to Lucifer. (See Matthew 4:9 or Luke 4:6)

Lucifer is still called the Prince of the power of the air and the God of this world. He exercises his authority in the children of disobedience, those who are not yet redeemed.

The authority of Jesus' position is now Universal and Eternal. Jesus shares this throne with no other entity or name. Every spirit knows him and his authority. It remains that the vast majority of people in the earth, even professing Christians are the only ones ignorant of this truth.

God Extends His Hand to us in Peace
Because of the exchange made at the cross we have a obtained a New Covenant from God. This is the covenant that recognize and give assent to when we take the bread and the cup of the new covenant. Religiously it is called "Communion," the Last Supper but it is that which Jesus said it is. A new covenant in his blood. It is the culmination and fulfillment of the Passover, which is eaten and drank as often as we desire to "show the Lord's death until he comes." A new life with God is possible, a new life not only with God but IN God was made possible through faith. Because of this new covenant, WE can pray the disciple's prayer,
" - Our Father in Heaven -". Without this exchange at the cross no person would be able to say the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples.

Do not for a moment believe that we are inherently the sons of God, for this is ignorance and deception. He who was without sin was made sin for us, that we may become the righteous of God in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Righteousness:The Power of a Newly Formed Spirit
Righteousness is granted through faith in Jesus Christ. A mighty spiritual force penetrates the veil of darkness, blindness, ignorance and separation from God and begets inside of the believer a spiritual life. We are assumed into Christ (the living Power of God) forever. The father records a name in a book of Life in a heavenly place, "begotten in the Lamb -- Holy unto the Lord!"

Righteousness is Unearned,Righteousness is Without Cost to Us
Now righteousness is a gift. It has come to us from Jesus only. There is no cost but to believe. The word of God is very clear on this matter. Though the gift of God is entirely free and open, there is no other option upon the earth by which we can obtain it. There is no other Gospel. There is no other name, no other Jesus. There is no other Spirit other than Christ's Spirit of compassion and forgiveness which ushers in the redeemed life.

"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."(Mark 16:16) and (John 3:18)
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:19) "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Alas, without receiving the free gift of righteousness, we face a terrible penalty of those who reject the Son of God. We must then continue on the pathway of death and damnation. The consequence of reject the Savior is judgment and separation from God, Hell. Saying this, instantly brings Satan's words into our minds, "Did God really say this, surely won't die and be condemned." (See Genesis chapter 3:4.) Our reason wants to agree with Satan. This is the flesh exalting itself over the cross and it is the place where the final temptation is encountered. Faith in the veracity of the Word acknowledges this terrible consequence, there is judgment facing each who chooses to trust in themselves. God does not recognize man's righteousness.

Hearing: True hearing is a spiritual process. Beyond the function of the natural ear, the Spirit of God empowers us to hear.

Go to Mysteries, Chapter 4

E Book 1:
The Gospel Without Religion

E Book 2:
A Disciples Handbook

E Book 3:
Mysteries in the Bible

Index to all Charles Pinkney Christian Titles