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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Scripture or Myth?, #3
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (I Corinthians 11:31,32)
Now think about this. If the above is true, if God sees us only through Christ, there never can be an occasion for a Christian to repent. If God does not see our conduct but only the righteousness, holiness, and obedience of Christ, of what are we to repent? Of the righteousness, holiness, and obedience of Christ?
Do you believe we can sin, wallow in moral filth, disobey Christ, and God sees only the righteousness, holiness, and obedience of Christ? If you do not, then you do not agree with one of the principal tenets of current Christian teaching.
Now let us apply the blazing sun of the Scriptures to the concept that God does not see the personality and behavior of the believer but only the righteousness of Christ.
The Scripture teaches otherwise. Error often is unbalanced truth. What basic truth has been perverted into the idea that God does not see the behavior of the believer?
The Lord Jesus made an atonement for us on the cross of Calvary. His holy blood was offered to appease the wrath of God concerning the sins of mankind, especially of the believer. By His wounds we were healed. Christ was offered in our place, the Innocent on behalf of the guilty.
When we receive the Lord Jesus, God forgives our sin, accepting as payment the sacrifice of His Son. Christ went to the cross. We go free. Our unrighteousness is covered by the atoning blood and we now through prayer can enter the Most Holy Place in Heaven and receive forgiveness, wisdom, and strength to help us in our struggle against worldliness, sin, and self-will.
It is this concept of our being covered by the atoning blood of the cross that has been twisted into the doctrine that God does not see the behavior of the believer but only the righteousness of Christ.
The idea that God does not see the character and actions of the believer but only the Virtue of the Lord Jesus is totally contrary to the intention of God as well as to the entire New Testament. A device more effective in destroying the work of righteousness in the believer could not be imagined.
The very verse that speaks of healing by Christ's wounds informs us that the purpose of our healing is that we shall proceed to live righteously!
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 2:24)
We were forgiven and healed so we should "live unto righteousness." This means we should practice righteousness. It does not signify that Christ is righteous and therefore we are righteous. This one verse alone does away completely with the doctrine that God does not see our behavior but the righteousness of Christ.
To be continued.