In pursuing a higher learning, a
Godfearing individual should, shun the desire to be rich, and the love of money
by which men fall into temptation, into a snare, and into many senseless and
hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction, and aim at the
six(6) things that are truly worthwhile and re-assuring. They should make it
their aim to pursue:
1. Righteousness
Which is the state or condition
which has been imputed to man by God’s grace; but nevertheless, has to be
developed and perfected by practicing the law of righteousness. As it is
written: “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray, he who practices
righteousness is righteous just as He is righteous” (1
John 3:7).
Incidentally, this righteousness is
not based on man’s standard of right and wrong for there is a way which seems
right to a man, but its end is the way of death. This righteousness is based
entirely on all of God’s commandments, which according to the scriptures, “All
your commandments are righteousness.”
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of
our righteousness because His death fulfilled the righteous requirements of the
law, by paying the penalty of sin in full, which is death, and conferred His
righteousness to all those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of
the gift of righteousness, and will reign in life through the one man, Jesus
Christ.
As the result of this one act of
righteousness, justification which brings life, came for all men. As the
scripture clearly states; “But now, the righteousness of God apart from law has
been made known, to which the law and the prophet testify. This righteousness
from God; comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans
5: 17-19; 3: 21-22).
This righteousness has not only
been imputed, but has to be practiced as well, because we have been duly
admonished saying; “you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to
righteousness.’ And, “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices
righteousness is righteousness just as He is righteous” (1
John 2:29; 3:7).
This act of righteousness is the
only righteous act that can produce holiness, because according to the prophet Issiah “But we are all like an unclean thing and all our righteousness are
like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf and our iniquities, like the wind, have
taken us away.” Also, “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in
His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Issiah
64:6; Romans 3:20)
Therefore, this act of
righteousness is to become slaves to God as priests, to offer to Him His food
for His offerings at its appointed time, and having become slaves to God, the
benefit we reap leads to holiness, and the result is everlasting life.
To be continued
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With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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