Jesus Calls Us Into A Love Relationship With Him, And To Be Clothed With His Garment of Righteousness -- Part 1275

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ and called to be an apostle separated unto the gospel of God (which He had promised afore by His prophets in the holy scriptures) concerning His only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead, by whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ ..." (Romans 1:1-6)

"Wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of [this calling] and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ." (II Thessalonians 1:11)

In the world today, there are those who rely on the ten commandments as their personal measure of rightness, and sadly, that same mindset is taking hold in the modern day religious community today. Scriptures that confirm that "by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves -- it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast -- are being discarded in favour of mixing the new testament wine with the old covenant rituals. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:36-39) 

Be conscious of a couple of points here. First, the law and ten commandments were never given to the Gentiles. The law was given to God's chosen people in the old covenant -- the Israelites. Second, Jesus satisfied the precepts of the law on the cross, when He shed His precious blood for us. 

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you ALL trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days], which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ." (Colossians 2:13-17)

This means that when men try to beguile you with enticing words, or conversely, attempt to entangle us once again into bondage, we are still to remain in the steadfastness of our faith in Christ. 

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ. 

For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Him from the dead." (Colossians 2:6-12; Romans 6:3-14)

Jesus satisfied the law, and when we turn to Him, taking on His name in water baptism, He quickens "us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus -- that in the ages to come, He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:5-7)

But man's disconnect with the Lord God began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. Throughout the old testament, we see God's chosen people falling into sin and idol worship, and thus, never reaching the promised land. There are exceptions, as outlined in Hebrews 11 whereby we see some who remained in good standing because of their faith.

But as a collective, God's chosen people did not willingly respond to His goodness and grace, even though they were never without. As a consequence, He said that they would never enter into His rest. Instead, He would give His rest to another people, who were not His people. Us -- you and I, who desire to be filled with His joy and peace and mercy and love. 

But as we understand from the old testament, sin divided man from God. In actuality, sin is breaking the law of God. It separates us from knowing God personally. And, as sin and transgression play out in our society, sin binds us spiritually, emotionally and mentally. Thus, from a legal perspective, we were damned. Like the laws of this world, when we transgress them there is a punishment. The same applies to God's law. When we break God's law, we are separated from God, resulting in death. (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23; Isaiah 59:2; Matthew 25:46)

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

But God loved us beyond measure. So much so that He decided (even before the world was formed) to love a people who were not His people -- the Gentiles -- us. His desire was for us to become "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called." (I Peter 2:9)

Paul wrote, "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward, how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel." (Ephesians 3:2-6)

We are the new chosen of the chosen when we ask Jesus to become Lord in our heart and lives. But righteous, not of our own doing, but because of the blood sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. 

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His stripes you were healed. Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (I Peter 2:23-24)

And herein lies the issue. The world focuses on the ten commandments because they do not understand that the commandments were given to His chosen on the old testament side. But to us -- the Gentiles -- after the cross, the law serves only as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But AFTER THAT FAITH HAS COME, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:24-25)

(Note that if one continues to judge others according to the law/ten commandments, then they will be judged by the same measure they use. (Matthew 7:1-6) This does not refer to those who proclaim themselves to be teachers/preachers/apostles/evangelists/prophets, etc. because there is a host of other scripture pertaining to them but I digress).

Referring to the rituals of the old testament -- "Then, verily, the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary for there was a tabernacle made: the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shew bread, which is called the sanctuary, and after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all. Now when these things were thus ordained the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which He offered for Himself and for the errors of the people; the Holy ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing." (Hebrews 9:1-8)

As noted here, all things are cleansed with blood and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:1; Hebrews 9:22) 

"For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people saying, "This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover, He sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these ... for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others, for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this is the judgement, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He offer appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:19-28)

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins." (Hebrews 10:1-2)

Thus, "for this cause He [is/was made] the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood," (Hebrews 9:15-18)

We see this when Jesus gave up the ghost on the cross. The veil of the old covenant was torn from top to bottom.

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent." (Matthew 27:51)

"And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." (Mark 15:38)

"And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst." (Luke 23:45)

"By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh." (Hebrews 10:20)

This explains why "their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ." (II Corinthians 3:14)

But again, I digress.

"But Christ as a son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6) This same God, "who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by [His] Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds, who being in the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:1-12) 

Until all His enemies have been made His footstool. (Hebrews 1:13)

This is why we need to escape the righteous judgement of the law and accept the sacrifice that our Lord God made when He became our Saviour on the cross. 

"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14)

"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." (Romans 5:9)

"And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed." (I Peter 2:23)

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 5:21)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:1-18)

God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)

"For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the church; who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased [the Father] that in Him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, by Him, [I say,] whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven, and you that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight -- if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven ..." (Colossians 1:16-23)

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross meant that our sins were imputed to Christ and thus He Himself who knew no sin cancelled out our debt -- "blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14-15)

"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." (I Peter 2:24-25)

"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." (II Corinthians 5:2) 

The sacrifice that God made on the cross was a legal sacrifice. Therein, He has declared, "It is finished." Our debt of sin has been satisfied -- paid in full -- when we turn to Jesus in our hearts, and allow Him to reign supreme in our lives.

"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)

He paid the price for our sin once and for all. Our sins -- past, present and future, so that we would no longer be burdened by our wrongs, but could press toward the mark of our high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

How? "By abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace." (Ephesians 2:15) 

"Glory to God in the highest, peace and good will to all." (Luke 2:14) Our sins legally satisfied when we accept Jesus into our hearts, and follow through by being baptized in His precious name. (Acts 2:36-38) Being clothed in His garment of righteousness.

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference - for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 

Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, [I say], at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 

[Is He] the God of the Jews only? [Is He] not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, seeing [it is] one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith. God forbid; yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:21-31)

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 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." (II Corinthians 5:10-21) 

Does that mean we should go and sin? Of course not. What it means is that sin shall not have dominion over us when we yield ourselves to our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ. The key being we "were" the servants of sin, "but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you, being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18)
And finally, one last scripture for clarity (that sadly, has so often been taken out of context), reducing our personal invitation to the most elaborate wedding feast of all time -- the marriage of the Lamb of which we -- the true church/body of Christ has made herself ready (arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints -- Jesus within our hearts) to that of relationships in the world. (Revelation 19:7-9)

Please note also that this instruction is given to those who knew the law -- the Israelites -- so that there is no confusion between the old covenant instruction and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in the new testament.

"Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives, but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then, if while her husband lives, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress,, but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Wherefore, my brethren, YE ALSO ARE BECOME DEAD TO THE LAW BY THE BODY OF CHRIST that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, "Thou shalt not covet." But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died, and the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:1-25) 

But here is the key point for all of us to remember -- "THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT -- FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH ..." (Romans 8:1-39)

Thus, "I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

Press into Jesus because He never fails. Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Gain an understanding by studying His Word as doth a workman approved unto God, rightly discerning the truth. (II Timothy 2:15) Remain steadfast in the apostles doctrine, becoming a flow through to the world around you. (Acts 2:36-47) Stand in the offering plate.