Post by Zac Loh on Dec 3, 2008 12:11:39 GMT -5
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; (Psalm 89:14a)
If we don’t understand the righteousness and justice of God, we would not understand the love of God.
The limit of our comprehension of the righteousness and justice of God will be the limit of our comprehension of the love of God.
Why did it cost God the Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sin? What kind of sacrifice would be acceptable? Because of the righteousness and justice of God the Father, it cost the sacrifice of the holy sinless spotless God the Son. Jesus endured the suffering, and the shame. The heavenly divine Prince took the form of an ordinary human being. Tortured, laughed at, and spat on. He was hung on a tree. He was publicly prosecuted as a common criminal. In actual reality, the sin of the world was placed upon Him. He was nailed at the cross for our sin.
There are two sides to everything. A coin has two sides. And there are two sides of God. On one hand, God is righteous and just. On the other, He is love (1 John 4:8). This is a divine balance.
Jesus sacrificed Himself to satisfy the righteousness and justice of the Father God. Yet, it was love for us, that motivated the Father to surrender Jesus (John 3:16). It was righteousness and justice which required the price of love.
God the Father’s throne is the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). But His throne rests on the foundation of righteousness and justice. For righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
We were first drawn by the love of God. Now, to draw nearer to God, we need to understand His righteousness and justice.
Mercy and truth go before Your face. (Psalm 89:14b)
We are closer to God. We have entered the throne room of God, and stood on the foundation righteousness and justice. Now we’re approaching His throne, and we’re coming before God the Father face-to-face.
It is imperative to understand the righteousness and justice of God. Without it, we would never be able to stand in the throne room; we would never be able to walk towards God; and we would never be able to be close to God face-to-face.
Many who experienced being in the awesome presence of God knows what I am talking about. God is present before your face. Or rather you are before God’s face. You can sense the awesome presence of God before you. You just want to wait in quietness, in holy awe.
This is when we are not fellowshipping with God at a distance, but as close to Him as face-to-face.
To be at this place, we are to be covered in His mercy and truth. We hide ourselves in His mercy and truth. Nothing but mercy and truth will flow from Him. Otherwise, we will be destroyed there and then. In His mercy and truth, we are hidden. It’s not that we entered His throne room without His mercy and truth. But this is when we experience the fullness of His mercy and truth.
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
We died to our fleshly self religious performance in order to satisfy what we think is God’s concept and standard – of righteousness and justice. Only Christ was truly righteous and just, who was able to satisfy the Father, having lived the perfect earthly life and offered Himself up as a perfect sacrifice.
The top lid cover of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle – was called the Mercy Seat. This was where, in the Old Testament, God met His people. It was on top of this Mercy Seat that God’s awesome presence came and dwelt.
It is God’s mercy and truth that we are able to come near Him. Mercy is akin to grace. And we can never have truth without His grace. We have come to the throne of grace.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17).
The law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. We have walked on God’s righteousness and justice. Now we are before the Father, so full of grace and truth that we are hidden.
My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah (Psalm 89:34-37)
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
We have come to God’s throne. We have come before Him face-to-face. Now, we hear Him speak heart-to-heart.
This is a holy moment. Holiness, as well as evil, comes from the heart. This will be the right time to get our heart circumcised, removing impurities. For when God speaks, He purifies.
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. (John 17:17-18)
Truth is when God speaks. When you come before His face, you were getting the spiritual flow of mercy and truth. You were getting ready for Him to speak. Because of His mercy, He reveals the truth to you, to correct your ways. Because of His mercy, He purifies you.
This is the place of consecration. A consecrated life draws God’s favor like no other. At this spiritual place, in God’s awesome presence, God Himself speaks His personalized promise directly to us. It is very much different from the practice of name-it claim-it appropriate-it personalized-it of Bible promises. It is definitely greater than scriptural positive thinking. Let’s enter into the Holy of Holies, and hear God speak His blessing to us. For it shall be fulfilled!
If we don’t understand the righteousness and justice of God, we would not understand the love of God.
The limit of our comprehension of the righteousness and justice of God will be the limit of our comprehension of the love of God.
Why did it cost God the Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sin? What kind of sacrifice would be acceptable? Because of the righteousness and justice of God the Father, it cost the sacrifice of the holy sinless spotless God the Son. Jesus endured the suffering, and the shame. The heavenly divine Prince took the form of an ordinary human being. Tortured, laughed at, and spat on. He was hung on a tree. He was publicly prosecuted as a common criminal. In actual reality, the sin of the world was placed upon Him. He was nailed at the cross for our sin.
There are two sides to everything. A coin has two sides. And there are two sides of God. On one hand, God is righteous and just. On the other, He is love (1 John 4:8). This is a divine balance.
Jesus sacrificed Himself to satisfy the righteousness and justice of the Father God. Yet, it was love for us, that motivated the Father to surrender Jesus (John 3:16). It was righteousness and justice which required the price of love.
God the Father’s throne is the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). But His throne rests on the foundation of righteousness and justice. For righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
We were first drawn by the love of God. Now, to draw nearer to God, we need to understand His righteousness and justice.
Mercy and truth go before Your face. (Psalm 89:14b)
We are closer to God. We have entered the throne room of God, and stood on the foundation righteousness and justice. Now we’re approaching His throne, and we’re coming before God the Father face-to-face.
It is imperative to understand the righteousness and justice of God. Without it, we would never be able to stand in the throne room; we would never be able to walk towards God; and we would never be able to be close to God face-to-face.
Many who experienced being in the awesome presence of God knows what I am talking about. God is present before your face. Or rather you are before God’s face. You can sense the awesome presence of God before you. You just want to wait in quietness, in holy awe.
This is when we are not fellowshipping with God at a distance, but as close to Him as face-to-face.
To be at this place, we are to be covered in His mercy and truth. We hide ourselves in His mercy and truth. Nothing but mercy and truth will flow from Him. Otherwise, we will be destroyed there and then. In His mercy and truth, we are hidden. It’s not that we entered His throne room without His mercy and truth. But this is when we experience the fullness of His mercy and truth.
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
We died to our fleshly self religious performance in order to satisfy what we think is God’s concept and standard – of righteousness and justice. Only Christ was truly righteous and just, who was able to satisfy the Father, having lived the perfect earthly life and offered Himself up as a perfect sacrifice.
The top lid cover of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle – was called the Mercy Seat. This was where, in the Old Testament, God met His people. It was on top of this Mercy Seat that God’s awesome presence came and dwelt.
It is God’s mercy and truth that we are able to come near Him. Mercy is akin to grace. And we can never have truth without His grace. We have come to the throne of grace.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17).
The law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. We have walked on God’s righteousness and justice. Now we are before the Father, so full of grace and truth that we are hidden.
My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah (Psalm 89:34-37)
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
We have come to God’s throne. We have come before Him face-to-face. Now, we hear Him speak heart-to-heart.
This is a holy moment. Holiness, as well as evil, comes from the heart. This will be the right time to get our heart circumcised, removing impurities. For when God speaks, He purifies.
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. (John 17:17-18)
Truth is when God speaks. When you come before His face, you were getting the spiritual flow of mercy and truth. You were getting ready for Him to speak. Because of His mercy, He reveals the truth to you, to correct your ways. Because of His mercy, He purifies you.
This is the place of consecration. A consecrated life draws God’s favor like no other. At this spiritual place, in God’s awesome presence, God Himself speaks His personalized promise directly to us. It is very much different from the practice of name-it claim-it appropriate-it personalized-it of Bible promises. It is definitely greater than scriptural positive thinking. Let’s enter into the Holy of Holies, and hear God speak His blessing to us. For it shall be fulfilled!