Learning to Love Righteousness

Awhile ago I was asked to preach one message in a series called "The Life of God in the Soul of Man". It was a series about how the character traits of God are evidenced in us, albeit imperfectly... a search for the Imago Dei that went beyond the typical. Anyway, I was so excited about the topic and was eagerly anticipating which character trait I would get to talk about ... mercy, lovingkindness, longsuffering, grace, compassion ... each one seemed like it would be an awesome assignment. Instead, I was totally disappointed to be assigned 'the righteousness of God'. I was so bummed I actually pouted for a few days. I tried to think of good reasons why I could exchange topics with another speaker or even get out of the commitment. To me, righteousness evoked thoughts of the judgment and wrath of God ... characteristics I tried not to think about and, to be honest, didn't much care for. I think when I talked to others about God I was even a little embarrassed about how angry and wrathful God is about sin. It was like I thought he couldn't control his temper very well or something. Or that he was too particular. So I moped a bit but eventually dug into the Scriptures. The prep for that talk was a life-changing experience for me. I learned, like Dan talked about today, that I was so content enjoying my identity as a sinner saved by grace that I didn't see myself as God sees me ... as a saint. I thought it was real great that I could identify with other sinners and have understanding and compassion for them. And it was. But it wasn't so great that I wasn't aspiring to be 'holy', something that seemed too elusive for a sinner. Before that talk I told myself in the mirror morning and evening, "I am a sinner saved by grace" lest I ever forget my dependence upon the gracious God who saved me. After that talk, I switched my morning message to myself to "I am a saint!" This has radically changed how my start my day. I am a saint and can confidently live my life as one who is justified and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live as Christ would have me live. Of course, at night, I still remind myself that "I am a sinner, saved by grace". I think the main thing I learned was that if I say I love God, I can't pick and choose from the charater traits that appeal to me. I am learning to love God's wrath and judgment and intolerance of sin in the same way that I love his mercy and compassion. After all, without righteousness, he wouldn't be God. And without his judgment of sin, we would never know the tremendous lengths to which he would go to bring us back to him. If we don't get the righteousness of God, we don't totally get grace either. I'm a sinner and a saint at once. Another great paradox of faith.

LO