Taking The Right Road To Peace.
Isaiah 32:17–18
Theodore Roosevelt said, “If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness.”
The good news is that you don’t have to choose, because righteousness and peace always travel together!
Righteousness produces peace.
Isaiah tells us, Isaiah 32:17...The fruit of righteousness will be peace.
Isaiah 32, is a part of the Prophecies about Judah and Israel.
Isaiah 32:17–18NKJV “Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,”
I state, “There is no way to have peace, to live in peace, without living a righteous life.” P.H
Psalm 85:10NKJV Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.
The principles of righteousness and peace, go together, Isaiah 60:17bNKJV ...I will also make your officers peace, And your magistrates righteousness.”
James 3:18NKJV “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Remember, from last week, The Hebrew for Peace is, Shalom. In Israel, Shalom is an announcement of, well- being, wholeness, and God’s favor.
Listen to Simeon’s prayer while holding baby Jesus. Luke 2:28-32NKJV he (Simeon) took Him (Jesus) up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
We all face major decisions in our lives, where we must choose which road to travel:
Robert frost, in his poem, The Road Not taken, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
So what do we need to know about righteousness?
1. First, Righteousness defined, The Greek word used in the New Testament means, the character or quality of being right, or just.
The English word was originally spelled, Rightwiseness, expressing the meaning. There is wisdom in doing things right in the eyes of God.
Righteousness includes the nature of God, His faithfulness and truthfulness, as well as the requirements of God found in Scripture.
God promises incredible blessings on righteousness in Scripture:
2 Timothy 3:16-17NKJV All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Sin is transgression of God’s law, 1 John 3:4, 7NKJV “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” 7 “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous
1 John 5:17NKJV “All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.”
Therefore, the standard of righteous living is found in the scripture:
The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness, 1 Samuel 26: 23.
He guides me in paths of righteousness, for his name sake, Psalm 23:3.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry, Psalm 34:15.
I have never seen the righteous forsaken are their children begging bread, Psalms 37:23.
A righteous man will be remembered, forever, Psalms 112:6.
He, (God) blesses the home of the righteous, Proverbs 3:33.
Righteousness exalts, a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people, Proverbs 14:34.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, Matthew 5:6.
Seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well, Matthew 6:33.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective, James 5:16.
I found humor this, and thought it was very appropriate for righteousness:
It’s so true. People have different views of righteousness.
A Catholic priest, a protestant minister, and a Jewish rabbi wanted to see who was best at their job. So they went into the woods, found a bear, and attempted to convert it. Later they got together.
The priest begin, “When I found the bear, I read to him from the catechism, and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his first communion.”
The minister said, “I found a bear by the stream and preached God’s word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.”
They both looked at the rabbi, who is in a wheelchair, and a body cast. Looking back, he said, “I shouldn’t have started with the circumcision.”
2. Righteousness declared and deposited.
Righteousness is a gift from God. When you receive Jesus, as your Savior, God does 2 things.
1. He declares you right in His sight.
2. He deposits the righteousness of Christ to the account of your life.
Hear me, Self-Righteousness is inadequate for our Salvation:
Psalms 143:2 “Do not bring your servant in the judgment, for no one leading is righteous before you.”
Isaiah 64:6 Our righteousness is as filthy rags compared to God’s holiness.
Jesus knew we needed a righteousness greater than that of the scribes and the Pharisees, which only God could give, Matthew 5:20.
Romans 3:10 Keeping the law can’t make us righteous.
Titus 3:5 We were saved by God’s mercy, not because of righteous things we have done.
Only God can make a person righteous. Abraham believed the Lord, and God credited to him as righteousness, Genesis 15:6.
This statement is repeated in Romans 4:3, and Galatians 3:6, to connect the words, believe and righteousness.
* You believe your way to righteousness, you don’t behave your way there. You can never be righteous enough to atone for your own sins. P.H
But when we believe in Jesus Christ, God forgives us of our sins, and gives us the righteousness of Jesus as a gift! -Romans 10:8-12.
Habakkuk 2:4NKJV “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
This thought came to me, Pride, the middle letter is i.
We read the same truth: The righteous will live by his faith.
This passage is found 3-times in the New Testament, Romans, 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38.
Righteousness is a gift from God, Romans 5:1NKJV Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Listen to this powerful statement, This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, Romans 3:22.
Paul’s old transformation, from a man who relied on his own righteousness as a Pharisee, to a man who depended on the righteousness of Jesus Christ, it’s powerful.
He shares his experience in, Philippians 3:7–9NKJV But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
3. Righteousness is a gift based on the atonement of Jesus Christ through faith in Him.
Just a reminder, the reason God can declare us righteous is because Jesus paid the penalty of our sin on the cross, to free us from guilt and shame.
2 Corinthians 5:21NKJV For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The phrase, to be sin, for us, means to be a sin offering. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. When He died, the only clothing He had was a white seamless robe!
Revelation 19:8 states, we are clothed in white robes, representing righteousness!
4. Righteousness developed.
We have to grow in righteousness. Ephesians 4 22–24... We have to put off the old man and put on the new man...
Sometimes godly people do ungodly things. That’s because we are weak, and we still battle the old nature.
When we fail, we need to confess our sins and be cleansed from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1:9.
Author and pastor, Charles Allen says we need to ask 4 questions, when making moral decisions that will help us lead a righteous life:
1. Would you need to keep it a secret?
2. Where will it lead me?
3. Which is your best self?
4. What would the person you admire the most do if he or she were in your situation?
For us, that person is Jesus.
What would Jesus do in this situation?
How would He respond to this temptation? How would Jesus treat this person?
These are the questions that lead to a righteous life. P.H
Benediction.
