When the Lord says that we are "blessed" when we hunger after righteousness, what kind must He be speaking of?
There is ONLY one kind-that which is by FAITH. Not one, no not one, human soul possesses even a tiny amount of innate, natural righteousness. The Bible says that "all alike have sinned," and "all the world (has) become guilty before God."
Rom 3:23
When we as a people get serious about receiving the gift of salvation, we'll confess that we need it. And in turn, those who are converted are created anew, given a new heart. (Heartburn for those of you who were at SW last week)
John 3:3-8;Psalms 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26.
In Revelation 3:14-21 talks about the Laodicean Church, us you and me!!
I can only talk of me. I've been thinking I don't feel hungry or thirsty. The Good Lord is describing how I feel wealthy in my understanding of the gospel, when I'm desperately "poor!" The Bible has a special message, a special happiness that comes to those who feel this spiritual appetite. Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6
What kind of happiness will we have when we learn to feel hunger?
Familiar truths of the Bible will come alive before our eyes! Scriptures that we may have learned as a little child will burst upon us with a new meaning. We will KNOW Christ Himself is leading us by His Holy Spirit. Yes Lord, the divine teacher will be at our side. When this happens, it will be a automatic response to talk to someone about His goodness. Its His work to fill us, as our love appreciation for him increases. Our study time will give us joy to our heart as we get to know Jesus better!
The Great Physician is tell me of my condition, He's describing how I feel wealthy in my understanding of the gospel. When in reality I'm desperately "poor." I say "I have the truth, I understand the doctrine of righteousness by faith. The feeling of satisfaction will doom me (us) if we're not careful. He says that we (I am) "wretched, and miserable, and poor." If this is my condition how will the world take notice??!!
Our good Lord is not criticizing or fault finding me, He's a physician who is telling me the truth of my condition. You see, He's telling me I need immediate surgery (which I just had yesterday) my surgery was for a hernia. His surgery is all about saving my and your life!!
This is a message of His love Revelation 3:19
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
God's last message is to be simple, beautiful, and always interesting. The future in God's plan HAS to be good news!!
When we as his people start to discover His most precious message, we'll see it DIFFERS from what is commonly assumed to be the doctrine of righteousness by faith. We find that popular ideas outside the Bible have infiltrated our thinking. This manmade thinking has us thinking that Christ is far away and distance, unconcerned about us. The truth about Him is Good News far better than most of us can imagine! The revelation of "Jesus our righteousness" discloses Him as a Saviour at hand and not far off.
Can a sick person be healed by force feeding? In an emergency it may be necessary. A healthy person eats two to three meals a day. Why? We eat because we're hungry, our appetite drives us to eating.
That hunger is what the TRUE GOSPEL activates in the believing persons heart. If the hunger is NOT there, the reason has to be one of two problems.
A) He or she has NOT understood how good the Good News is; Heaven forbid!!
B) He or she has rejected it.
The Lord says:
"To you who fear My name the Son of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fat calves."
Malachi 4:2
The "healing" activates the growth! To "fear" His name does not mean to be afraid that He will zap you if you don't shape up. What it means is to reverence His character. How does that become possible? Only when we see and appreciate His goodness, and again, that in turn depends on comprehending what happened at the His cross. This is the "healing" process. This love that was revealed and shown at the cross helps to heal us.
"All things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore we are a ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21
This pure gospel I'm talking about, reconciles the alienated heart to God through the blood of the cross, implanting a hunger for the word of God and a yearning to talk with the Lord that can never be fully satisfied until we meet Him face to face. As physical hunger drives what to eat, so reconciliation with God, or receiving the atonement, motivates us to search the Bible hungrily!!
Christ's love is active, not passive!! He takes us by the hand to lead us. "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand." Isaiah 41:13
Don't resist His leading or turn away!! He promised to send us the Holy Spirit, and that He would abide with us forever.
May the Good Lord bless you!
Kevin