Self-Righteousness!

By Pastor Bill Taylor

A publication of My Father's House, inc. Volume 7/Issue 7

Prophecy: Those who seek My righteousness, seek to do what’s right in My sight. They ask Me to show them what’s right. They trust Me to give them the light and strength to do what’s right so they can please Me and I don’t disappoint them. I give them what they seek so their righteousness is of Me. Their love is of Me. For they love what I love. Their words are from Me for they speak what I speak. The affections of their hearts are Mine. For I put My desires within them. And they’re indeed My children, My people, so those who judge them judge Me. Those who come against them come against Me. For what’s in them is My Spirit. And who’ll judge God and prosper? Who can come against Me and prosper? For My children bear My Spirit and they’re the apple of My eye. They’re witnesses of My righteousness in this unrighteous world. And I shall uphold them and indeed I do uphold them. For they’re Mine and woe to them who touch My children, saith the Lord.  (Prophecy delivered at “My Father’s House”)

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, haven’t submitted to the righteousness of God. (Rom10:3) Many people think they know what self-righteousness is but most are guilty of it and don’t even know they’re guilty. Most accuse others of being self-righteous while not realizing their own self-righteousness. One work of the Holy Spirit is to expose self-righteousness so those who are in it will become guilty before God, acknowledge their sin and repent. It’s God’s purpose to bring people to repentance, and to do that they have to be brought under conviction. But without the law men can’t be brought under conviction. Whatever the law says it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. (Rom3:19) The law is still in effect as far as its usefulness for showing one his guilt. For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one point is guilty of all. For He who said, “Don’t commit adultery,” also said, “Don’t murder.” Now if you don’t commit adultery, but you do murder, you’ve become a transgressor of the law. (Jms2:10,11) If you show partiality you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (v9) The law convicts. The law shows you you’re a transgressor and wrong in your relationship to God. So you should fear God and repent. The fear of God is to recognize God will punish what’s wrong. If we fear an unrighteous being like the devil it’s because he may injure us wrongfully but if we fear God it’s because He’ll punish us righteously if we don’t behave right.

The purpose of God is to make all the world guilty. It’s to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the Helper  won’t come to you; but if I depart, I’ll send Him to you. (Jn16:7) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. And when He comes, He’ll convict the world. (v8) How is the world to become guilty before God? Because the Holy Spirit will convict the world. That’s why it’s so important that He come and our job is to be helpers of God in bringing conviction upon the world. (2Cor6:1) Of course that means each individual in the world has to see his sin and turn from it if he’s to be saved. So, conviction is for everyone.

Too many churches think conviction is meant only to bring unbelievers to admit Jesus is Savior. But there’s a great need for conviction in the churches even though they confess Jesus. The Lord is terribly offended with the self-righteousness in “believers” who claim to be “saved” but are basing many judgments upon their own intellectual understandings of God’s Word and not upon the witness of the Spirit of Truth, and who aren’t acknowledging the righteousness which comes from God. (Phil 3:9) The Holy Spirit will convict the church of its self-righteousness just as much as He’ll convict the world of its self-righteousness because self-righteousness is the exaltation of your judgment above God’s. Self-righteousness is the sin of making yourself god and judge in your own eyes when you’re not fit to judge because you’re basing your judgment upon something that’s not in line with what truly is of God. All the ways of man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits. (Pr16:2) Any man who’s righteous in his own sight will be convicted because if he’s not in the righteousness that comes from God, his righteousness isn’t acceptable. For There’s none righteous, no not one; there’s none who seeks after God. (Rom3:10,11) Men can’t have any righteousness in God’s eyes if they’re not seeking God’s righteousness; finding out what God’s righteousness is. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Mt6:33)

All our righteousness is like filthy rags. (Is64:6) In any prison you’ll find murderers who consider themselves to be righteous in comparison to others who are worse than them. Self-righteous men elevate themselves in comparison to others. Comparing yourselves among yourselves which is unwise. (2Cor10:12) Self-righteousness is someone comparing himself to others and thinking himself better than them according to his own standards and not according to God. Murderers may say, “I’m better than a child molester.” And child molesters think, “I’m better than a murderer.” Each has an opinion of himself as being better than someone else. So “I’m not the worst sinner in the world.” In the end there’ll only be one man in hell; the worst sinner in all the universe and everyone else is better than him! This is the error men fall into in judging their own righteousness and thinking of themselves as there’s some good in me; I’m not as bad as the other guy. But God’s going to bring all men to conviction that they’ve been unrighteous in dealing with God and their fellow man. You’ve been unrighteous in the way you’ve judged others. For in the judgment you judge you’ll be judged. (Mt7:2) Then if I’m not judging with righteous judgment, God will hold me guilty of misjudging. So what kind of judging am I doing?

 In one sense it’s not possible for humans not to judge, because we’re often in situations where life requires us to judge. But Jesus is teaching us not to judge others unrighteously. If you judge unrighteously you’ll certainly be judged by God righteously and the fact that you slandered someone or dealt with them in an unholy manner will require God in His justice to punish you. You’re inexcusable oh man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same thing. (Rom2:1) An unrighteous judge often does the very thing he’s judging someone else for. If someone erroneously accuses you of not being meek they aren’t being meek for in bringing an unrighteous accusation it shows they’re proud and exalting themselves to judge others and that’s not meekness.

Recently we had a “to do” in the nursing home. The accusation was “You’re interfering with the lives of people in here.” The truth is we only visit people who want our company. We were minding our own business visiting a sister in the Lord when this woman who accused us of interfering interfered with us! Such people don’t understand how they’re bringing judgment on themselves because the very thing they accuse us of is what they’re doing. Many call us heretics because we don’t agree with them but they haven’t read or understood God’s Word and they don’t agree with it so who are the real heretics? They say we’re judgmental when we speak the Truth in love and they’re being judgmental. They call us a cult but we know God and they’re the ones who don’t know Him, who worship Him as a cult. Inevitably God will prove everyone who misjudges to be false witnesses and He’ll bring their sins upon them. One means by which He does this is by having them stumble upon Christ, even the righteousness of Christ in you (if He indeed dwells in you) because they never understand true righteousness and always misjudge it. They misjudged Jesus and hung Him on a cross, but God convicted them of their misjudgment and brought their guilt upon them so many could come to repentance. (Act2:37,38) God will do that with every man, woman and child in this world. (Rom5:19) At some point everyone will bow the knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord. (Rom14:11) When they confess Jesus is Lord, they’ll also recognize it’s been Christ in the true believers they’ve judged wrongly. When they judge wicked people wrongly they bring the same judgment upon themselves with which they judge others. (Rom2:1-3) But they get into even worse trouble when they judge the righteous wrongly (2Th1:6) because when they judge the righteous they’re judging God. The righteous are righteous because God is in them therefore the things they do are the righteousness of God. Don’t you know your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who’s in you, whom you have from God, and you aren’t your own? (1Cor6:19)

God’s first purpose in bringing men under conviction is to save them by causing them to see they’ve been wrong so they can repent. In bringing all the world to see their guilt, He’s helping them repent. He must show them their sin so they can get out of self-righteousness and see they’ve been wrong in their way of living and judging others. It’s always self-righteousness that judges others wrongly because those others don’t attain to the judge’s standard of righteousness when, in fact, the judge’s standard (self-righteousness) isn’t God’s standard. So all unrighteous judges aren’t living up to God’s righteousness and are as guilty as the ones they judge and even more if in fact the one they judge is actually doing God’s will. When the Pharisees judge Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, their self-righteousness is sin, while Jesus has the true righteousness that comes from obeying God. So when they wrongly judge Him guilty they prove themselves to be worthy of the very judgments they’ve applied to Him. Whatever judgment isn’t from the Spirit is self-righteous and will bring shame. Only that judgment which is of the Spirit will stand. Of course God can’t judge anything against Himself. The Spirit is God and anything of the Spirit must be acceptable. There’s therefore now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Rom8:1) So whatever judgment goes on in the church, where people have opinions, personal interpretations of God’s Word, etc., and are judging others by their standards but aren’t seeking God as to what they should be thinking and depending upon Him to show them how to interpret His Word properly, they’re going to bring judgment upon themselves even while they profess themselves Christians and claim to be standing on God’s Word. (1Cor11:31,32) Just like the Pharisees thought they were standing on the Word of God when they rejected Jesus as Messiah because in their self-righteous interpretations of the Scriptures, they didn’t see God’s righteousness. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, haven’t submitted to the righteousness of God. (Rom10:3) They judged Jesus not to be up to the standards of their self-righteousness. But He was fully meeting the standards of God’s righteousness and it was they who didn’t meet God’s standards. That’s still the battle today. It’s not for you to think in your own intellect you understand God’s standards but it’s for you to know by the Spirit what God is doing and what He expects and what His righteous judgment really is. As Jesus says, “Yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I’m not alone, but I’m with the Father who sent Me.” (Jn8:16) So if your judgment is coming from God, if you’re saying, “Lord, You know all things, what’s really going on in this situation?” If you’re trusting the Lord to show His judgment then your judgment too will be true. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He’ll not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears. (Is11:3) Remember the word I spoke to that legal “Mennonite” who came to our church. God had already seen what was in his heart and caught him before he ever opened his mouth. (Jesus knew their thoughts. Mt12:25) And it turned out what I said was exactly what was in his heart because the judgment was coming from God. God doesn’t like presumptuous people coming into His church, thinking they know something and exalting themselves above the tested and approved leadership of men chosen by God. (Gal 2:4,5)

He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. (Jn7:18) The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son. (Jn5:19,22) So when the Son does judge it’s the Father judging through Him. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I don’t seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. (Jn5:30) In all these things we can see when someone’s in the Spirit, they aren’t trying to promote themselves or pushing their own way or doing something selfish like lifting themselves above someone else, but they’re doing what God is doing. So they’re seeking God’s will and not their own and their judgment comes from God. When their judgment is from God it must be righteous and is in fact the righteousness of God in them. It will stand up in God’s courts that the Spirit-led person didn’t seek his own but the will of God and didn’t stand in his own wisdom but sought the leading of the Spirit so indeed his judgment was of God and of course correct. The Spirit-led man won’t be ashamed in the day of judgment that he’s misjudged because this is what much of the condemnation in that day will be – misjudging! Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they’ve committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” (Jude 14,15)

Much of the condemnation in that day will come from those who misjudged what was of God saying it wasn’t God. And God is going to show it was God and they’ll be deeply convicted – that’s the judgment of the cross; Christ condemning sin in the flesh. (Rom8:3) The conviction that came on the day of Pentecost was when the Jews saw it was God Himself they’d judged and crucified. By judging God guilty, they proved themselves guilty. Indeed they were the ones who didn’t know God and sinned against God. The things they judged in themselves to be righteous turned out to be unrighteousness. And the ones they judged not to be righteous turned out to be righteous. The same lessons pertain to us that there’s only going to be one righteousness that stands and it’s the righteousness of God in Christ. That’s the only righteousness that will uphold you in the judgment.

If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he doesn’t know it, yet he’s guilty and shall bear his iniquity. (Lev5:17) Ignorance is no excuse “though he doesn’t know it, yet he’s guilty.” Many so-called “christians” today are grievously sinning and don’t know it, but they’re guilty. Such people are storing up wrath for themselves. (Rom2:5) Every idle word men speak is going to be required of them. (Mt12:36) Though you didn’t know you did wrong at the time, when your eyes are opened you must repent. He’ll bring to the priest a ram without blemish from the flock, with your valuation, as a trespass offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him regarding his ignorance in which he erred and didn’t know it, and it will be forgiven him. (Lev5:18) Wrong is wrong! Sin is sin whether or not you know it. When you do know it you must repent or you’ll die in your sins. God is blessing when He exposes your sins so you can repent! Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there’s any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Ps139:23,24) A real Christian wants to know what he needs to repent of so he can be clean! (Jn3:21) Even today I occasionally have thoughts of things I did when I was a sinner. And I know those things are under the blood, but when I recognize an old sin I still confess it and I say, “Lord, forgive me. I’ll never do that again. I abhor my sin.” A real Christian doesn’t cover or ignore his sins as if, “I’m under the blood now, it doesn’t matter anymore.” If I can see my guilt, then I confess and repent. I ask, “Lord, don’t ever let me be that way again.” God is continually cleansing us on that line. (1Jn1:7) When you recall those sins you did before, acknowledge your wickedness and confess your guilt then you can say, “I thank you Lord for the blood of Jesus and I repent.” Because even if you didn’t know it at the time you were guilty. And when you find out, you must confess your guilt. (1Jn1:9)

The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty... (Num14:18) You might think that “by no means clears the guilty” means God doesn’t forgive, but it means He holds the sinner guilty until he repents. Because of the blood of Jesus if we have a true repentance, we’ll be forgiven and if we’re forgiven, we’re now innocent. Even Paul didn’t “forget” his sins but glorified God for saving him in spite of them. Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; (1Tim1:13) For I’m the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1Cor15:9) Paul remembered his sins and was grateful to God for forgiving him. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten he was cleansed from his old sins. (2Pt1:9)

Don’t malign a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be found guilty. (Pr30:10) One who criticizes a true servant of God is cursed; and what causes one to do this is often judging God’s man by a self-righteous standard that doesn’t concern God. (See Num12:1-10) Miriam had no business judging Moses concerning his marriage to the Ethiopian woman. That was her self-righteousness. If God had a problem with Moses He’d have spoken to Moses Himself (v8) and that’s what you’d better remember when dealing with a true man of God. God has called me. He’s raised me up in His “My Father’s House” and Glory of His Grace ministries. He leads me and instructs me. Now what makes you think I need to listen to you to do right! If God had a problem with me He’d tell me Himself. He wouldn’t tell you! It’s self-righteousness and evil surmisings that lead people to criticize true men of God – not the Spirit!

I acknowledged my sin and my iniquity I haven’t hidden. I said, “I’ll confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin! (Ps32:5) To save people has everything to do with getting them to acknowledge their sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight-- that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. (Ps51:3,4) “Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you’ve transgressed against the LORD and haven’t obeyed My voice” says the LORD. “Return, O backsliding children, and I’ll give you shepherds according to My heart, who’ll feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jer3:13-15) “Confess your sins, repent and I’ll straighten things out” is God’s cry. There are many such scriptures. We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we’ve sinned against You. (Jer14:20) “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet they’ll be as white as snow; though they’re red like crimson they’ll be as wool.” (Is1:18) “Let Me show you what’s wrong,” God’s saying. “If you’ll admit you’ve done wrong and repent, I’ll wash you, cleanse you and make you white as snow. I’ll straighten it out if you’ll only acknowledge what’s wrong.” I’ll return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they’ll seek My face; in their affliction they’ll earnestly seek Me. (Hos5:15) God has to afflict them until they admit their sin. Only if they’ll admit it can He do something for them. I’ve blotted out like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I’ve redeemed you. (Is44:22) At the cross the blood of Jesus opened up forgiveness so we can be reconciled to God. All things are of God who’s reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the Word of reconciliation. Now then, we’re ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. (2Cor5:18-20)

 “They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, may he return to her again?’ Wouldn’t that land be greatly polluted? But you’ve played the harlot with many lovers; yet return to Me,” says the LORD. (Jer3:1) “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel, I won’t cause My anger to fall on you. For I’m merciful,’ says the LORD…” (Jer3:12) Return, you backsliding children and I’ll heal your backslidings. (Jer3:22) “If you’ll return,” says the LORD, “Return to Me; and if you’ll put away your abominations out of My sight, then you won’t be moved.” And you’ll swear, “The LORD lives” in Truth, in judgment, and in righteousness. (Jer4:1,2) If you return, then I’ll bring you back; you’ll stand before Me; if you take out the precious from the vile, you’ll be as My mouth. Let them return to you, but you must not return to them. (Jer15:19) God wants to save people but they must repent and return to Him. He won’t save you if you continue your way in self-righteousness. You must come back to Him and His way to be saved. All Israel will be saved, as it’s written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He’ll turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” (Rom11:26) When will Israel be saved? When they return to Him. Afterward the children of Israel shall return. (Hos3:5) After they go through the holocaust! After they abide without prince, sacred pillar, ephod or teraphim. (Hos3:4) The Jews have had no temple for over two thousand years but when God finishes these chastenings Israel will return and seek the Lord. They’ll fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days. (v5) That’s yet to be fulfilled but it’s certainly approaching fulfillment.

Come and let us return to the LORD; for He’s torn but He’ll heal us… (Hos6:1) He’s torn for what purpose? To bring the backslider home. So the prodigal will see his sin and repent as in Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your Word. (Ps119:67) God afflicts in righteousness to save! O Israel, return to the LORD for you’ve stumbled because of your iniquity; (Hos14:1) I’ve seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they also strengthen the hands of evildoers, so no one turns back from his wickedness. (Jer23:14) Fake prophets pat the sinner on the back and tell him God loves him when he’s doing evil. The pride of Israel testifies to his face, but they don’t return to their God... (Hos7:10) Even when they see their sin, the proud won’t repent. In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance… (2Tim2:25) A true servant of God is bringing people to repentance. Your prophets have seen false and deceptive visions; they haven’t uncovered your iniquity to bring back your captives, but have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions. (Lam2:14) Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. (Is58:1) Truly I’m full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. (Mic3:8)

God is making all the world guilty. (Rom3:19) Every knee will bow, every tongue confess that Jesus is indeed Lord. (Phil 2:10,11) His righteousness is the only good and all who oppose the righteousness of God in following their own righteousness will be rejected as unfit for God’s Kingdom because self-righteousness always ends up being shown for what it is which is sin. We’re all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is like filthy rags; we fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Is64:6) The Hebrew words translated “filthy rags” actually mean “menstrual coverings,” as a woman uses special garments during her times so do carnal and unrighteous men contrive “good works” to camouflage their iniquites. Such “good works” don’t change the nature of a man like the new birth “old things are passed away – all things are new” (2Cor5:17) but they leave the carnal nature intact, just covering it with a disguise as if to say, “look at how good I really am” – while underneath the impurities of sinful flesh continue to flow. (Mt23:27) Today’s “churches” are filthy with self-righteousness. They “tickle ears” (2Tim4:3,4) telling men their sins are forgiven while not turning them away from sin. They claim their members are “saved” but leave them sinners. (1Jn3:6) Find a “church” that’s actually trying to become a glorious church without spot or wrinkle (Eph5:27) or actually working to perfect their members in Christ. (Col 1:28) They don’t even think of such things. They’re completely wrapped up in self-righteous traditions and have no regard for the will of God or His righteousness. 

Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly. (Ps6:10) Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against me. (Ps35:26) As the true Body of Christ, our righteousness is Christ’s righteousness in us. It’s not a covering – it’s a new nature – a fountain of righteousness – living waters that flow from the well spring of Christ’s Spirit. (Jn7:38) Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life. (Ps40:14) Jesus warns “They’ll put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think he offers God service. And these things they’ll do because they haven’t known the Father nor Me.” (Jn16:2,3) Show me a sign for good that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed... (Ps86:17)  Let the proud be ashamed for they treat me wrongfully with falsehood… (Ps119:78) These who proudly trust in their own righteousness and treat us wrongfully will soon be shamed. He’ll say, “Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength.” To Him men will come and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him. (Is45:24) This speaks of Christ and those “in Him” the true believers who trust in God’s righteousness, not their own. Behold, My servants shall eat, but you’ll be hungry; My servants shall drink, but you’ll be thirsty; behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you’ll be ashamed; (Is65:13) Hear the Word of the Lord, you who tremble at His Word. Your brethren who hated you, who cast you out for My name’s sake and said “Let the Lord be glorified that we may see your joy,” but they’ll be ashamed. (Is66:5) God will show the difference between their false righteousness and Christ’s true righteousness. He upholds His people! O Lord the hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be ashamed. Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth... (Jer17:13) It’s a departure from God to judge what’s right yourself instead of seeking His righteousness. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; (Pr3:5) Yet they didn’t obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. (Jer7:24)

Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. (Ezek43:10) When the true church, God’s temple, is walking in the Spirit and the righteousness of God, the false church should recognize they haven’t measured up to God’s standards and be ashamed and convicted. God often uses His righteousness in His saints to convict sinners and save some by turning them from their sins. Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. (1Pt3:16) If your good conduct is in Christ, whose righteousness is it? It’s His conduct – it’s His righteousness – “that they may be ashamed.” God will shame those who revile what’s really God’s good in us and expose their self-righteous opinions and prejudices.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Ps23:2,3) How can God lead you in paths of righteousness unless you obey Him; not your understanding but His Word and His Spirit? In You, O LORD I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness. (Ps31:1) Many churchy people think “I’m a Christian so I’m automatically in Christ’s righteousness.” But NO!  I’m in His righteousness because I’ve prayed for Him to show me how to do things. And because the things I do come from Him, by His Spirit, I’m in His righteousness. I’m not living according to what I think but I’m saying, “Lord what would you have me to do?” And He’s showing me.

Often self-righteous people have had opinions about what they thought was wrong, when God has done things through me even I didn’t understand at the time. But I knew He was doing it. So when they’d revile me or criticize, I could truthfully say, “God did it not me.” But Jesus answered them, “My Father’s been working until now, and I’ve been working.” “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (Jn5:17,19) God knows what’s really in the hearts of men and reacts accordingly. I’m not obeying man’s ideas of righteousness but God’s because He’s the One I’m praying to and trusting to guide me to shepherd “My Father’s House” for His glory. In the judgment the wicked will find out it wasn’t Bill Taylor they were fighting but Jesus. It’s His righteousness they’ve resisted. Religious leaders often try to make people follow their own pharisaical version of righteousness. But God doesn’t play that game. He can use us anyway He wants. God audibly instructed me not to read religious commentaries and such things when I was young in the Lord, yet many “believers” are jumping into man’s commentaries and then pushing their heretical views upon the brethren. Their doctrines aren’t from God, but from man. Is it because I’m better than them, wiser, more holy that God saved me from the many fallacies in those commentaries? I’d have fallen into the same trap they’ve fallen into except for one thing – God stopped me! He didn’t stop me because I was smarter, He stopped me because I was called. And the one God calls, He upholds. Who He doesn’t call He lets run on their own. (Mt15:14) And they do run but they won’t get anywhere because it’s not according to him who runs but according to God who calls. (Rom9:16) The one He calls He equips. So what I do isn’t according to my righteousness but His.

In following His call I become an example of His righteousness not my own. In myself I’m no better than any other man. My goodness is completely of Him. Why? Because God chose to call me and that’s all there is to it.  There’s no more to it but there’s no less to it. But today’s “churches” are filled with “leaders” who don’t believe in callings. They believe in earnings. They believe in earning your position, running for your position, working to get your position and they’re all trying to climb on top of each other to obtain a high position that doesn’t belong to them because God never gave it to them. They can’t stand it when God gives the position to someone who hasn’t done what they’ve done, gone to seminary or studied the commentaries and courses they have, because to them that isn’t fair. “I worked so hard what right does so and so have to that position?” - that’s self-righteousness! For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, haven’t submitted to the righteousness of God. (Rom10:3) That’s why the Jews rejected Jesus. His position was given. He didn’t earn it. And according to their standards that isn’t fair. The Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” Jesus answered “My doctrine isn’t Mine, but His who sent Me.” (Jn7:15,16) But there’s another aspect of the calling of God. The ones He chooses will show themselves worthy. In the end everyone will agree God called the right ones. The one God chooses does the job. Jesus is the perfect Messiah. God chose the right one to be Messiah. But those who try to earn their positions always prove themselves unworthy. No matter how hard they work they can’t live up to God’s requirements. They can’t accomplish what God empowers His chosen ones to do, because not being called, they don’t have God’s grace. The one who’s appointed by God is supported by the grace of God. (1Cor15:10) This is a powerful Truth. Find out what God’s called you to because if you answer properly in that His grace won’t fail you. But don’t run for what He hasn’t called you to because without His grace you’ll not succeed. You’ll get in the way of those He’s called and end up fighting against God. 

In You O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; (Ps31:1) Oh that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I wouldn’t be ashamed, (Ps119:5,6) Today the Psalmist’s prayer is answered. If you keep God’s Word, you can have faith to be led by the Spirit, and He’ll direct your ways. I’ll speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and won’t be ashamed. (Ps119:46) Behold, I’ll lift My hand in an oath to the nations, and set up My standard for the peoples; they’ll bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers; they’ll bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you’ll know that I’m the LORD, for they’ll not be ashamed who wait for Me. (Is49:22,23) Our sons and daughters are our Spiritual descendants who are sons of Abraham by faith. (Rom4:16;Jn8:39) They have the same Spirit in them we have because they’ve listened to the things God has preached through us and received them. I’ll make those of the synagogue of satan, who say they’re Jews and aren’t, but lie -- I’ll make them come and worship before your feet, and know I’ve loved you. (Rev3:9) For the Lord God will help me, therefore I won’t be disgraced... I won’t be ashamed. (Is50:7) Don’t fear for you won’t be ashamed; neither be confounded for you won’t be put to shame... (Is54:4)

God’s true people are His witnesses. “You’re My witnesses,” says the LORD, “and My servants whom I’ve chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I’m He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor will there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there’s no savior. I’ve declared and saved, I’ve proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you’re My witnesses,” says the LORD, “that I’m God.” (Is43:10-12) But you’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you’ll be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Act1:8) God needs witnesses to convict the world of their sin so all the world will be guilty before God. (Rom3:19) To convict them He has to show them they’re terribly wrong in a way they can plainly see it. One way He can do that is to let them stumble in misjudging His witnesses. When sinners accuse each other of being wicked even though they may be hypocrites and wicked themselves it’s not something that can usually convict them but when they wrongly accuse the righteous of being wicked, God can convict them very deeply. That’s what happened at the cross. They accused Jesus of being wicked and crucified Him but God raised Him from the dead and by that Jesus was justified and His persecutors were shown to be murderers of God. By His resurrection, those who believed in Jesus were proven to be the righteous. (Rom4:25) While those who participated in His crucifixion or spoke evil of Him were exposed as unrighteous. (Jn7:12) That’s what struck to the hearts the three thousand on the day of Pentecost – they were convicted by the Holy Spirit of what they’d wrongly done to Jesus when Peter showed them the Truth. (Act2:36,37)  So one way God brings conviction on the guilty is to let them stumble in something that proves to be so obviously a sin they can’t deny it. They’ll put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming whoever kills you will think he offers God service. And these things they’ll do because they haven’t known the Father nor Me. And when He’s come, He’ll convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they don’t believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (Jn16:2,3,8-11) When unbelievers self-righteously persecute one who’s truly righteous, then the Holy Spirit can prove they’re wrong and deeply convict them. Even most “believers” in the contemporary “churches” are trusting in their own understanding of what righteousness is which isn’t God’s righteousness, it’s still self-righteousness. In their own minds they’re judging by things they don’t really understand. Intruding into those things which he hasn’t seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. (Col 2:18) Desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. (1Tim1:7) So they become judges with evil thoughts instead of doers of the Word. (Jms2:4;4:11) For example most “believers” today seem to think that speaking the Truth in love (Eph4:15,25) means telling everyone how much you love them. The scriptures affirm God’s love for the saints. (Jn16:27) Jesus commands us to love one another. (Jn13:34) Paul often reminds the churches of his love for them. (2Cor12:15) Yet Godly love isn’t in word only but in deed. My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in Truth. (1Jn3:18) The predominant message of speaking the Truth in love is that our behavior must be acceptable to God. But I say to you that whoever’s angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, “You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire. (Mt5:22) That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Col 1:10) That we must be holy! Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. (Heb12:14) Because it’s written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1Pt1:16) That we must be perfected in Christ. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Col 1:28) Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Rom13:14) Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph4:24) Speaking the Truth in love includes admonishing (Col 3:16) and even rebuking. (2Tim4:2) It’s false prophets who speak “love” to the people in such a way as to make them think God accepts them and will give them peace even if they continue in their sins. Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You won’t see the sword, nor have famine, but I’ll give you assured peace in this place.’” And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I haven’t sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.” “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I didn’t send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’ – By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!” (Jer14:13-15)

Telling people you love them is speaking LOVE but not necessarily TRUTH IN LOVE. Speaking of God’s LOVE without warning of His judgment can cause people to perish in their sins because they don’t feel they need to fear a God who loves them so. To speak God’s love in a way that makes sinners feel they don’t need to repent is the work of the false prophet. Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they haven’t uncovered your iniquity, to bring back your captives, but have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions. (Lam2:14) I haven’t sent these prophets, yet they ran. I haven’t spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they’d stood in My counsel, and caused My people to hear My Words, then they’d have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.” (Jer23:21,22) It takes the Spirit of Truth to SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE. And the Spirit of Truth has been sent to CONVICT the world of Sin, and Righteousness and Judgment. (Jn16:8) People need to know there is indeed a JUDGMENT to come and they’ll perish in that JUDGMENT if they don’t repent of their SINS and get into the RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ. THAT’S A TRUTH that needs to be spoken in love! To speak the Truth for the purpose of SAVING people is SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE. If anyone among you wanders from the Truth, and someone turns him back, let him know he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (Jms5:19,20) Doing this is SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE; Love covers a multitude of sins. (1Pt4:8) James is talking here to church people not unbelievers.

Every true prophet and preacher in the bible preached about Judgment to come and the need for Righteousness, and against Sin! They’re all SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE! As he (Paul) reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I’ve a convenient time I’ll call for you.” (Act24:25) John the Baptist preached “Brood of vipers! Who told you to flee from the wrath (judgment) to come? Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance!” (Mt3:7,8) Jesus preached, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” (Mt4:17) He warned again and again about the necessity of righteousness and the certainty of coming judgment. For I say “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you’ll by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven.” (Mt5:20) Every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you’ll know them. (Mt7:19,20) The word LOVE doesn’t even occur in the book of Acts. Every sermon preached by Peter and Paul, speaks of Judgment and is a call to repentance! The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. (Act2:20) The scriptures prove SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE isn’t merely saying “I love you.” or “Jesus Loves You!” which can be very counter productive to salvation if it causes people to be comfortable in their sin. Love does no harm to its neighbor. (Rom13:10) Speaking “love” so as to cause a neighbor to perish in his complacency is doing him harm and can’t be love. But speaking judgment in such a way as to cause him to repent is doing him great good and is therefore LOVE.

So how terribly have the churches erred in this matter? Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. (Phil 3:17) Paul is a pattern of what he preaches. When Paul preaches SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE we can look at the pattern of how Paul is SPEAKING to see what he means. When we do that we can see SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE is speaking so as to convict people of SIN, Righteousness and Judgment by the Spirit of Truth. That’s what Paul and the other true men of God do. But what contemporary “christians” have done is interpreted Paul’s teaching according to their own understanding telling everyone “they love them and God loves them” without warning them of God’s judgment which isn’t the way to convict people to get them saved. So they’ve missed the correct interpretation of Truth in love and have become enemies of the Spirit of God, having been working against God’s purposes instead of with Him. They’ve scattered instead of gathered because instead of going to the scriptural pattern, Paul for example, to find out how to interpret and obey God’s commands, they’ve trusted in their own understanding, which is self-righteousness. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, haven’t submitted to the righteousness of God. (Rom10:3) They judge others according to their own idea of what love is, saying if we rebuke someone we aren’t “loving” them when God commands us to reprove, rebuke, exhort. (2Tim4:2) So like the Pharisees they’ve not known the scriptures and have slandered the guiltless. (Mt12:7) These modern Pharisees think we’re supposed to love everyone in such a way as to ignore their sins. I’ve written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who’s sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a person. (1Cor5:11)

Copyright © 2006 My Father's House Incorporated