Exactly how is a child of God differentiated from the
child of the devil!
It is stated quite explicitly, “This is how we know who
the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does
not practice righteousness is not of God; nor is anyone who does not love his
brother” (1John 3:10).
As clearly stated there are two definite signs that
differentiates the child of God from the child of the devil and they are
synonymous to the two great commandments which Jesus Christ spoke about when He
said; “The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God,
the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with
all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the
first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these"
(Mark 12:29-31).
Practicing righteousness therefore is the outward and
visible expression of one’s love towards God as alluded to by the Palmist David
who wrote; “My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are
righteousness.” And Jesus Christ Who said; “"If you love Me, keep My
commandments” (Psalms 119:172; John 14:15).
It is therefore imperative that we all who profess to
love and believe in Jesus Christ know for certain how to express our love,
gratitude, adoration and reverence to Jesus Christ since it is stated quite clearly
that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not
honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” And; “Whoever denies the
Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father
also” (John 5:23; 1John 2:23).
It is therefore incumbent on everyone who profess to
believe in Jesus Christ to know for sure what is this act of righteousness that
if not practiced does not make the individual a child of God and on the other hand
when practiced makes one a child of God and righteous, even as Christ Himself
is righteous as we have been duly admonished by the apostle John saying; “Little
children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous,
just as He is righteous” (1John 3:7).
It is therefore
imperative for all of us professing to be believer in Jesus Christ to know for
certain this act of righteousness that when practiced makes us a child of God
and differentiates us from the child of the devil. One thing for certain that
this act of righteousness cannot be our own righteousness, since it is clearly
stated that, “We are all like an unclean thing and all our righteousness are
like filthy rags. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind,
take us away.” We are all under the power of sin as it is written; “None is
righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God, all have
turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does good, not even one”
(Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-12).
Neither can it be righteousness from keeping the law,
because it is again stated quite clearly that; “Israel, who pursued a law of
righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by
faith, but as it were based on works. They stumble over the stumbling stone.”
It is well understood that, “No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight
by observing the law; rather, through the law they become conscious of sin”
(Romans 9:31-32; Romans 3:20).
What therefore is this act of righteousness which, when
practice differentiates God’s children from the children of the devil? The act of righteousness
which when practice differentiates the children of God from the children of the
devil and makes the individual righteous even as Christ is righteous is having
faith in the act of righteousness by which man was imputed with righteousness and
true holiness. And since faith without works is dead, it means practicing and
demonstrating this faith by whatever symbol that proclaims this act of
righteousness.
It is clearly stated that, “As the result of one man’s
act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just
as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also
through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous” (Romans
5:18-19).
The act of righteousness which imputed righteousness and
brought life to all men, is the offering of the body of Jesus Christ which He
offered to the Father as a sweet smelling aroma, and which satisfies His will,
that is, paying in full the demands of sin, which is death.
Righteousness has been attained on this basis from the
very inception of humanity beginning with Abel. Immediately after we are given
the two signs which differentiate the children of God from the children of the
devil we have been admonished saying;, “for this is the message which you have
heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, and not be like Cain
who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because
his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous” (1John 3:11-12)
So the million dollar question is, what was the reason
why God regarded Abel’s offering, and commended him as being a righteous man and
on the other hand, disregarded the offering made by Cain and regarded as of the
evil one?
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To be continued
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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