Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Our foundation

  • righteousness and Justice
  • God's sovereignty
  • Unity
  • Love 

    Righteousness and Justice
    To be just, or righteous, is to have that character that leads one to always do that which is right.
       The Righteousness or Justice of God is that attribute that leads Him always to do right. It is not to be limited, as it so often is in modern theological usage, to His punitive justice
    According to Jesus’ words, it refers to whatever conforms to the revealed will of God, whatever has been appointed by God to be obeyed by man, and the sum total of the requirements of God and man’s duty to God. We could say that righteousness is the morally right way to think or act in accord with God’s character, will, and law.
    In our day it’s more about what a person perceives, feels or thinks is justice (man’s relative justice) and less about God’s absolute justice. It should not surprise us that in today’s world of relativism, humanism, secularism, and even spiritualism, in which man is placed at the center of the universe, most people do not truly want equal justice for all; they want justice for themselves or their cause, whatever it might be. Consequently, people see things differently, even when faced with the same set of facts. Simply, they see it through their prism, based on a variety of factors such as one’s culture, religion, race, sex, world view or life experiences, to name a few.
    When people are protesting or having demonstrations they never cry out for righteousness. In fact, in our modern day of enlightenment, the word righteousness is almost never used, except perhaps by some Christians. In our everyday language, especially what comes through the news media, righteousness is a forgotten word, and yet, righteousness is the only way to true and equal justice. We could say that righteousness is what defines justice. It is the moral foundation for justice.
    Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; lovingkindness and truth go before You. How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all the day, and by Your righteousness they are exalted. (Psalm 89.14-16 NASB)
    Today, the nations of the world think they are better off without God ruling in the affairs of men, but it is only when the Lord establishes His throne of righteousness and justice on this earth that mankind will come into true joy and gladness it will bring peace on earth, and the earth will be full of the lovingkindness of the Lord; something that man has not known and it also extends to all creation.

Sovereignty of God
We acknowledge God as having absolute authority, rule, and governance over all that exist.
God’s sovereignty consists in the right of dominion and rule over all. His kingdom is over all, He is the God of the whole earth, He alone is God of all the kingdoms of the earth. He removes kings and sets up kings, for as the Most High He rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He wills. He sets up over them even the lowest of men. It is He who gives even to ungodly men the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory. He overthrows the throne and strength of kingdoms (Deut. 4:35, 39; II Kings 5:15; 19:15; Isa. 37:16; Dan. 4:17, 25; 5:18, 21; Hag. 2:22 Isa. 54:5).
He also exercises government over all in accordance with His perfections and in accordance with the rights that are His because of His ownership of all and the right of dominion over all. This sovereignty He exercises with omnipotent and irresistible efficiency. The mighty hand of God is the executor of His will. He is the great, the mighty, and the terrible. There is none that can deliver out of His hand for He frustrates the devices of the crafty and the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong. He breaks down and it cannot be built up again. There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against Him. None can stay His hand, nor say unto Him, what doest Thou? (Deut. 10:17; 33:26; Job 5:12, 13; 12:14; Prov. 21:30; Dan. 4:35; Isa. 31:3).
It is God who provides for all. It is God who gives rain upon the earth, and sends water upon the fields. He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. (Job 5:10; Matt. 5:45; Ps. 104:4; 14:24; 65:11; Hos. 2:8).
The powers of civil government are ordained by God to be the ministers of equity and good and peace for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well (Rom. 13:3; I Pet. 2:14). Corrupt government which violates the very principles of government itself is still within the government of God and fulfils His sovereign purpose. (Isa. 10:12).

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