In 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, Paul declares:

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We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (NIV).

Paul was very firm on the church reflecting the character of Christ. Paul emphasized the importance of the church, believers, and those that spread the gospel resembling Christlike attitudes and behaviors so that the message did not become tainted by the negative behaviors of the messenger. In other words, if you are preaching the gospel, spreading the gospel, and proclaiming the gospel but are acting in complete contrast of what you are preaching, spreading, and proclaiming, people can blame it on the gospel, causing the reputation of all believers to be discredited.

 

Far too often one Christian can cause all Christians to be viewed as being hypocrites. We might have all had personal experiences in which someone who proclaimed holiness might have come at us 'the wrong way' and it caused us to maybe slack up on attending certain services, participating in certain church activities, step down from a church auxiliary, find a different church, or give up on God altogether. Hey, it happens. And it not only happens in the church concerning believers,

but it happens in our daily lives in some facet or to some extent. We all might have blamed an entire sports team for one player's fumble. We might have blamed an entire corporation for the behavior of one employee. We might have labeled all men the same because of one man's actions. We might have labeled all women as being the same because of the actions of one woman. We might label all teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, and first responders the same due to the behavior of one.

And regardless of what side we're on, whether we're the one placing the label or being labeled, that label can be hard to look past, let go of, and hard to overcome.

 

On last week, we started exploring the breastplate of righteousness and how the belt of truth helps us to uphold our righteousness. As we spoke on truth, while there are many dictionary definitions of truth, we used the following foundation:

 

Truth is defined as:

• "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6 (KJV)

 

There are so many pillars in the bible that awaken our consciousness, encourage us, and give us hope, but let's take some time to reflect on that one individual who is more than a pillar but he is the chief foundation in which all of our salvation rests. He is the "PERFECT" example of righteousness. He is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

We are all different. None of us are going to act out our salvation or wear our righteousness in the same way. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, Job, and Paul were all great men of God. They are firm examples of faith. Yet they are all different in nature. Job was considered by God Himself, to be "perfect and upright" (KJV)/ "blameless and upright" (NIV), and even in being considered as such, we see that there were still things that Job had to learn about God, just as we too must learn and come into the knowledge of things concerning the character, attributes, and power of God. Trials have a way of making us wrestle with ourselves, with those around us, and with God, trying to figure out the whys, find the if, ands, and buts, and dissect our behaviors, attitudes, salvation, and righteousness trying to figure out, "HOW DID I GET HERE?"

 

In reflecting on Paul's call to remain firm in the gospel and conduct ourselves as representatives of the gospel despite what we might face, I began to think of the life of Paul and many others and how they were firm examples of how to stand amidst many of those experiences of joy and sorrow, and comfort and pain that Paul speaks of. And as I began to write, I was drawn back to the belt of truth and as I began to reflect, Jesus is the one example that flawlessly fits across every single experience that Paul highlights in his letter to the church.

 

In thinking of Jesus as "THE TRUTH" and if we were to really reflect on any attribute in the bible that we are to portray, any character that we should exhibit, or any behavior or attitude that we should act out or act upon, THERE IS AN EXAMPLE IN THE WORD OF HOW JESUS DID AS SUCH. This makes it even more awe-inspiring as to why Jesus was rightfully considered by God and could boldly proclaim himself as "THE TRUTH". There is no example of righteousness that we can't tie back to Jesus.

It is important to recognize this as we learn how to properly secure our breastplate of righteousness and uphold it with the belt of truth.

 

Let's begin to reflect on 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 and explore examples of this acted out in the life of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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Exploring the "TRUTH" in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10                 

 

(v.4) in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;

 

"Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp." -John 10:39 (NIV)

 

"Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin...So from that day on they plotted to take his life...Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples."

-John 11:45-47,53-54 (NIV)

 

"Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him."

-John 12:37 (NIV)

 

Before ever been arrested and enduring the physical brutality, Jesus lived a life that was full of its own troubles, hardships, and distress that he had to endure. Jesus was constantly being plotted against by the chief priests, Pharisees, elders, and teachers of the law. They feared that they would lose their position and power if people continued to believe in and follow Jesus. Jesus also had to endure much rejection, ridicule, blasphemy, and judgment from those who didn't know him and at times even from those who knew him. However, Jesus did not allow man's unbelief to deter him. Jesus continued the work and continued to operate in his calling.

 

(v. 5) in beatings, imprisonments and riots;

 

"Jesus replied, 'Do what you came for, friend.' Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him."

-Matthew 26:50 (NIV)

 

"Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?..."

-Matthew 27:11 (NIV)

 

"Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified."

-Matthew 27:26 (NIV)

 

"They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him."

-Matthew 27:30-31 (NIV)

 

Jesus seemed to cause an uproar in many of the places that he went but not always for the same reason. There were times that people were so amazed by Jesus that they marveled at him, holding on to every word that he spoke. There were those who wholeheartedly believed in Jesus and wanted to be in his presence. There were many of those in the bible that went wherever it was that they knew Jesus would be because they wanted him to perform a miracle in their lives. And on the contrary, there were those uproars that started due to the disbelief of those who hated him, envied him, and saw him as an impostor and threat. Yet, Jesus remained firm in who he was, and he did not allow the hatred of his haters to cause him to not act out of love. Jesus was always a firm example of love. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus states, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," (NIV). As he hung on the cross and was mocked and insulted, Jesus' reply was, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34, KJV).

 

(v. 5) in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;

 

"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry."

-Matthew 4:1-2 (NIV)

 

"At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them."

-Matthew 12:1 (NIV)

 

"Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

-John 20:30-31 (NIV)

 

Jesus was most definitely about his Father's business. Jesus labored for the gospel. He fulfilled what God had called him to do on the earth and on the cross. Jesus reached and preached by the multitudes and he also had those one-on-one touchpoints with many individuals, as shared with us throughout scripture. Just because Jesus was the Son of God, that does not mean that he did not sleep. While he doesn't sleep now and remains very much awake like his Father, when Jesus walked the earth, he had to allow his natural body to rest because he was still in a fleshly body although he was born of the Spirit. Jesus had to eat, sleep, and take care of himself just as we must do the same.

 

Jesus worked diligently, eagerly, willingly and relentlessly. Jesus though he slept, also had sleepless nights. Especially that one night in which his spirit was so vexed that he asked his Father if the cup could be removed and then surrendered to his Father's will so that his purpose might be fulfilled. Jesus had moments in which he hungered. Jesus also had moments in which he willingly gave up food because he was more concerned about the "WORK" of his Father. The Word of God does not contain every detail about Jesus' life, whom he healed, or the miracles that he performed. John 20:30-31 tells us that there were many more signs that Jesus did that were not recorded in the bible. But even in only reflecting on what the Word of God tells us, none of us can challenge that Jesus' job was not hard and that it was not well done!

(v. 6) in purity, understanding, patience and kindness;

 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

-John 3:16 (KJV)

 

The Father and the Son are one. In thinking about purity, patience, and kindness, John 3:16 flawlessly speaks to that. God in all His Righteousness had enough love for us and was understanding, patient, and kind enough to save us from ourselves. God knew that we were all doomed unless someone could fulfill the law that our flesh would never have allowed us to fulfill. God loved us so much that even in knowing that we would still fall short on the daily, He gave us a chance to get it right. God created His Son, sent him to us, and allowed him to be crucified and die so that He could raise Him up and give us life! Jesus accepted his call and gave up his life for a people that he knew were undeserving. But due to the grace and mercy that rested in him through his Father, Jesus put himself on the frontline to fight for us, to conquer, and to give us victory. What would life look like if we had the tolerance, love, patience, and kindness for one another that God and Jesus has for us? What would it look like if we could be as forgiving to ourselves and others as God and His Son was and still is to us?

(v. 6) in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

 

"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand."

-John 3:35 (NIV)

 

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."

-John 15:9-10 (KJV)

 

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations."  (reference also, Isaiah 42:1)

-Matthew 12:18(NIV)  

 

Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit. He was the Son of God who was given to us because of God's love for us. Jesus, being the perfect example of what love is, always acted out of love in all that he did. Jesus was loving, caring, compassionate, kind, and had a genuine concern for others. He had compassion for the poor, the needy, the outcast, the lost, and the sinner. Jesus was always led by the Holy Spirit and willingly followed. Jesus had no desire to create his own agenda. Jesus instead followed and acted upon God's agenda for both him and us. Because it was love that caused God to send Jesus to us, love was at the foundation of every message that Jesus gave, every person whom he healed, and every miracle that he performed. Everything that God sent Jesus to do was all because God was trying to teach us the truths of who He was and the truth of who His Son was so that we might accept it and be saved. Unlike the chief priests, the Pharisees, the elders, and the teachers of the law, Jesus did not create his own doctrine or manipulate God's doctrine, but he spoke truth that was wholly aligned with the commands and instructions of God by the Holy Spirit that rested in him. God gave us Jesus because He loved us and He gave Jesus all power and authority because of His love for him.

 

(v. 7) in truthful speech and in the power of God;

 

“I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."

-John 8:26 (NIV)

 

"So Jesus said, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.' Even as he spoke, many believed in him."

-John 8:28-30 (NIV)

 

"Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."

-John 14:10-11 (NIV)

 

In everything that Jesus did, he did it in truth and in love by the Holy Spirit that dwelled within him. There was nothing that Jesus did that was done for self-appeasement or self-gratification. All that Jesus did was done so that he could please God, teach and spread the truths of God, and bring glory to the name of God. Every truth and command that he taught, every miracle that he performed, and every person that he healed, he did it all in and through the power of God and God alone. There are many things that Jesus could have spoken and much that he could have said, but he always chose to trust God and give others the word exactly as God had given it to him to speak.

(v. 7) with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; We'll navigate this facet later on in our discussion...

 

(v. 8) through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;

(v. 9) known, yet regarded as unknown;

 

"When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, 'Who is this?' The crowds answered, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

-Matthew 21:10-11 (NIV)

 

"Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. 'By what authority are you doing these things? ' they asked. 'And who gave you this authority?”

-Matthew 21:23 (NIV)

 

"Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.' He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith."

-Mark 6:4-6 (NIV)

"From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over."

-Matthew 26:16 (NIV)

 

"Jesus replied, 'The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

-Matthew 26:23-24 (NIV)

"When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

-Matthew 27:35-37 (NIV)

 

"Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!' In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 'He saved others,' they said, 'but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.”

-Matthew 27:39-43 (NIV)

We see that Jesus remained firm in his righteousness and did not waver in what he was called to do whether he was accepted or rejected, supported or betrayed, considered honest or a liar, considered to be legit or a fake, or whether he was defended or insulted. Jesus stood firm in his righteousness and in proclaiming who he was. And he never steered away from it. When some became upset concerning the words that Jesus spoke, he did not abandon the truth in order to please the people. He spoke whatever God had given him to speak and was unapologetic if it rubbed people the wrong way. The chief priests and the elders were concerned with control and glory being brought to their name. They were stuck on the recognition of their titles. But Jesus declared whom he was not to bring glory to himself but to bring glory and honor to the name of God and whether praised or defamed, he kept at it. As Jesus hung on the cross in pain and agony, not even the insults that he faced could make him deter or let go of who he knew himself to be. Jesus might have felt forsaken, but he knew the certainty of who he was and held on to that fact.

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(v. 9) dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 

 

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit."

-Matthew 27:50 (NIV)

 

"The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

-Matthew 28:5-7 (NIV)

 

"As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. 'Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

-Acts 9:3-6 (NIV)

 

If we really reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus, as much as they beat him, struck him, and put him in all sorts of physical agony, they did not have the power nor authority to take his life because it was by God's design that he give it up. Man thought that they had won, but even after the brutality of the physical pain that they had placed upon him, the strikes or blows did not take him out, but he gave up his spirit. The brutality of what Jesus endured in his natural body would have caused anyone to come

to their demise at the point of the direct blow or strike. BUT NO, GOD DESIGNED IT SO THAT JESUS GAVE UP HIS LIFE! And although he died, we know that he lives on.

 

One of the most profound moments in the bible as it concerns Jesus' transition into who he always proclaimed himself to be and what he always proclaimed that he would do is quite easy to miss and disregard and it is found in Acts 9. Acts 9, is not just another narrative but it really speaks to Jesus' transition from physical to spiritual being. It speaks to Jesus stepping into that heavenly role of authority from on high.

 

We know that there were those who physically saw Jesus with their natural eyes when he rose and appeared to them. We know that there were those who received the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended. However, in Acts 9, here it is, Jesus speaking to Saul (who would become known as the Apostle Paul) from heaven. Jesus is no longer on earth proclaiming who he is and the truth of the gospel itself, but he is now speaking to Saul from above, commanding him to go and proclaim his name and spread the gospel. Jesus was no longer just commanding his disciples what to do by physically being with them, but he was now sitting

on high orchestrating and commanding all people and all things, just as he had proclaimed that his Father had given him the power and authority to do.

 

We see Jesus wholly operating in the dominion that he always proclaimed was his, and he is doing so not by physically being on the earth but by looking down upon it. Acts 9 shows us that JESUS IS REIGNING! And just as he had promised, though he was no longer on the earth, he was sending the Holy Spirit to continue the work through those who believed and through those whom he had chosen. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to teach Paul all that he needed to know about the gospel and to give him revelation that he could then teach to the people. Jesus had been crucified, died, and had risen and was now positioning and calling forth a whole new army of disciples. JESUS WAS LIVING ON! THE TRUTH therefore, WAS ALSO LIVING ON!

 

(v. 10) sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything

 

"Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy."

-John 16:20 (NIV)

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"But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, 'Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others."

-Mark 12:42-43 (NIV)

 

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor."

-Mark 4:18 (NIV)

 

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

-Matthew 6:3-4 (NIV)

 

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

-Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

 

"In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

-John 16:23-24 (NIV)

 

"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

-John 17:22-23 (NIV)

 

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

-Matthew 28:18 (NIV)

 

​Jesus, in trying to provide comfort to his disciples and prepare them for his crucifixion which lied ahead, expresses to them that amongst many other things, their grief would turn to joy. There were a lot of things about the sacrifice that Jesus would have to make on our behalf, that his disciples did not understand. The disciples believed in who Jesus was but still did not understand the depth of who he was and what that would mean for them and others. Jesus tried to make his disciples understand that they would indeed be sorrowful because he was going to be taken from them, but that there was a joy in the fact that he was going to be taken away. That joy would be that in Jesus being taken away, we would all be set free. His disciples would feel the loss because the one whom they followed would no longer physically walk and commune with them, but the whole world would gain and rejoice from what they had to lose; and Jesus would gain because of what he had to give up. The world would receive salvation.

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The world would gain because the poor, the needy, the undervalued, and the overlooked, would now have access and riches that no man could control or block. Because the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ gave him all power and authority, that means​ that no matter what we physically have in our bank accounts and no matter how few assets we might own, WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN CHRIST AND LACK NOTHING because he takes care, covers, and provides for those who love, obey, and follow him. Jesus takes care of those that commit to him and live their lives accordingly. Because of Jesus sacrificing his life, those who love, follow, obey, and have faith in him, have riches that not even kings are privy to.

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Our joy is that God does not restrict us from him based on demographics or any other manmade stereotypes. God judges the heart. He knows our effort. Let's consider Mark 12, and the story of the poor widow who put but two mites in the offering box while all the others put in large offerings. Out of all the people who gave, the poor widow was the one who caught Jesus' attention. While everyone else gave out of their wealth she gave out of her poverty. She gave all that she had.

 

Jesus does not simply judge us based on our actions and our works, but he considers our hearts and our intent. Jesus knows when we are holding back. He knows when we are not trying to get right, follow his commands, have faith in and trust him. And he also knows when we are giving him all that we have in us. When God sees us putting forth the effort and striving for righteousness, He will honor that and He will help us to stay the path. But we must hold on to Him, trust Him, and allow His Spirit to lead and guide us. No matter how the world judges what we do, what we give, or how we live, JESUS KNOWS OUR SACRIFICE! WE DON'T HAVE TO CONSIDER OURSELVES BENEATH ANYONE! Deuteronomy 28:13 reminds us that if we keep the commands of God, "the Lord will make [us] the head and not the tail; [we] shall be above only, and not be beneath," but we must be careful to observe and act upon what God commands of us (NKJV). We must be obedient without wavering.

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Jesus, the baby boy who was born in a manger, the son whose earthly father was a carpenter, had nothing that man would have considered to be that of a king. Yet, he had everything that he needed because he had the Spirit of the Father working in and through him and he had all the authority that God had given him. BUT MAN, SIMPLY COULD NOT see him beyond the son of a carpenter. Jesus grew up and walked the earth without wearing royal attire or living in a palace BUT LOOK AT HIM NOW! JESUS OWNS ALL! The Son of a Carpenter is SITTING ON HIGH!

 

 

Verse 7: with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;            

"But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

-John 16:7-11 (NIV)

 

"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

-John 17:15-19 (NIV)

 

Righteousness cannot be a half-hearted approach. You cannot have one hand in and one hand out. You cannot be righteous on one day and sinful on the next. You cannot neglect righteousness to appease your flesh and expect to be able to withstand the attacks that come against you. Every weapon that you use in battle must be a weapon of righteousness. If we can take just a moment and be blunt so that we can drive home the point, some of us are praying for a breakthrough and 'cussing' the people out who we think are hindering our breakthrough. Some of us are fasting yet 'turning up' having a wild time or indulging in sins and temptations as a means of dealing with the stress and pressure of what we are facing. Some of us are reading our bible searching for truth yet intentionally manipulating the truths that we find to make it easier for us to abide by. Some of us are asking others, "What Would Jesus Do", but are secretly plotting to get even with the people that have wronged us. Far too many of us are trying to fight the battles of life with flesh in one hand and righteousness in the other, but we must recognize that IT SIMPLY WILL NOT WORK! It'll be much like oil and water. And don't think all of this means that we have to be perfect because we don't. However, WE MUST BE FAITHFUL AND COMMITTED!
 

It is by and through Jesus (who is the way, the truth, and the life) that the Holy Spirit can dwell within us. The Holy Spirit teaches us and helps us to distinguish between right and wrong from the context of sin and righteousness. The Holy Spirit gives us knowledge, wisdom, and discernment. The Holy Spirit helps us to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, true and false, and spirit and flesh. The Holy Spirit awakens our consciousness concerning the things that we do, the decisions that we make, and the thoughts and emotions that we internalize.

 

Jesus was condemned and now sits in the judge's seat. In John 17, Jesus expresses something that is pertinent to our discussion of righteousness being upheld by truth. In John 17:15-19, Jesus prays to God about his disciples telling Him to protect them and to sanctify them by "TRUTH". He tells God that His word is "TRUTH". Jesus tells God that he sanctified himself so that his disciples too could be "TRULY" sanctified.

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To be sanctified is defined as:

• to make something pure or holy,

• to make something seem right or legal; to give official approval to something,

• to set apart or make holy,

• to purify or free from sin ,

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• to praise and celebrate him as a holy being; to acknowledge and honor his holy majesty, and to reverence his character and laws.

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Let's really reflect on what Jesus is saying about sanctification and truth and reflect on the definitions of sanctification and our discussion of righteousness being upheld by truth:

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"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." John 17:17 (NIV)  

​In other words: Make them pure and holy (sanctify) by your truth, your word is truth (your commands are truth; your instruction is truth, I, your Son, am the truth)

 

God's truth is our guide as to how we are to live holy. God's truth is our guide as to how we as believers should live our lives.

1 John 2:4-6, tells us that, "Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did"(NIV). Holiness rests in our love for God and our ability to follow His commands. Holiness rests in our ability to abide by God's instructions. We are made holy through Christ. We are sanctified through Christ by way of the Holy Spirit through salvation. Those who don't believe in the Son are considered sinners because salvation comes about by our faith in him and the confession and repentance of our sins. There is no salvation apart from Jesus. There is no truth in us if we live our lives contrary to how Jesus lived his. God gave us an earthly example for a reason. Jesus was the "PERFECT" earthly example that living in righteousness could be done. It is very much possible to live a life that is pleasing and acceptable to God despite the giants, trials, and tribulations that attack us. It is very much possible for us to steer away from sin. It is very much possible for us to withstand temptations. Jesus did it and then he was crucified, died, rose, and conquered all so that we might be able to do the same.

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In other words: Set them apart (sanctify) by your truth; I am the truth

It is through the "TRUTH" (Jesus), that we receive salvation. We are then set apart from the rest of the world making us a part of the family of believers in which we then take on the identity of such by how we live our lives. Scripture consistently reminds us that we as believers are set apart. Scripture often emphasizes the fact that as believers, we are in the world but not of the world. 

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​"For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." John 17:19 (NIV)

In other words:  Purify them and free them from sin (sanctify) by your truth (the truth of who I am)

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In John 8:32, Jesus expresses, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (NIV).  In order for us to be sanctified, Jesus first had to be sanctified. Many at that point had been baptized by water, but it was through Jesus that man would be baptized by the Holy Spirit. In order for Jesus' disciple to be truly sanctified, in order for us to be truly sanctified, Jesus first had to walk the earth in righteousness being the perfect unblemished sacrifice that would be given for us, then he had to be crucified, die, rise, and ascend becoming no longer flesh but a complete spiritual being which then gave us the access and gift of being interconnected with him and his Father by grace through our faith. We could not be purified or set free until Jesus, the perfect and holy sacrifice, gave up his life on our behalf.

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Verse 7 of this passage found in 2 Corinthians 6, is of great importance and value because it reminds us of the importance of a complete and wholehearted righteousness. It reminds us that God requires a full commitment from us. We cannot pray to God and place our trust in man. We cannot seek God for counsel and then act based on what pleases man.  We cannot follow God but then allow ourselves to be led and persuaded by the opinions, trends, and standards of the world. In 2 Corinthians 6, it reminds us not to be yoked with unbelievers (v.14). If we reflect on Matthew 11:28-29 in which Jesus instructs, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (NIV), Jesus is telling us to bring all those things that weigh us down to him. Jesus is telling us to take ourselves out of the bondage of people, circumstances, and things and allow him to lead, guide, and steer us. As believers, we might quite often find ourselves being under the yoke (bondage) of things that are contrary to God, His commands, and His will and purpose for us. And for many of us, the truth is that we might not even be aware or conscious that we are doing so. This is why abiding in God is important so that He can give us the spiritual insight and discernment to pick up on and recognize those things that are not of Him and to help us to recognize those things that try to hinder us and steer us away from Him. We must be careful not to place things above God. We must be careful not to worship or idolize people and things. We must be careful not to reverence anything or anyone higher than God.

 

In 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, Paul warns us saying:

         What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has

         said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.' Therefore, 'Come

         out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.' And, 'I will be a Father to               you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty (NIV).

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We cannot commit to God while holding on to the ways, practices, and standards of the world. We cannot serve God yet worship other gods. We cannot worship God while at the same time worshipping other people and things. IT SIMPLY WILL NOT WORK TO OUR BENEFIT NOR WILL IT PLEASE GOD! And it will completely destroy our RIGHTEOUSNESS!

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Throughout scripture we are constantly reminded not to steer from the ways and commands of God to the right or to the left:

 

Don't Turn from God's Commands

"So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left."

-Deuteronomy 5:32 (NIV)

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​"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." -Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

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Don't Turn from Wisdom

"Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." -Proverbs 4:27 (NIV)

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Love God Wholly

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." -Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV)

 

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." -Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

 

Whether God's commands and instructions, whether wisdom, love, or any other attribute that God requires of us, we must fully act these things out. We cannot take a half-hearted approach to our righteousness. Anything that is not full righteousness is not righteousness at all.

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The Righteousness of "TRUTH"            

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The righteousness of truth...The only truth in which righteousness rests is within the truths of God. Therefore, if we wholeheartedly accept, believe, and act out God's truths, then righteousness is made real within us.

 

In reflecting on Jesus as "THE TRUTH",

the righteousness of "truth",

the righteousness of Jesus,

is made clear to us throughout scripture.

 

We see the concrete truths of how "THE TRUTH" himself lived his life. We read how Jesus overcame trials, tribulations, and hardship. We see Jesus pressing toward the mark in both good and bad times. We see him not wavering in his faith whether people accepted or rejected the truths that God had given him to speak. We see Jesus not abandoning the assignment that God had given him even when that assignment resulted in uproars, the threatening of his life, his arrest, and his crucifixion. We see Jesus standing firm both in and on his message of who he was and relentlessly proclaiming that message even it meant sleepless nights or moments of hunger. We see Jesus always acting from a standpoint and foundation of love regardless if the same was reciprocated to him. We see Jesus always putting God at the forefront of all that he did and always giving God the glory in every message that he delivered, every work that he did, and every miracle that he performed. We see Jesus never working in opposition of the Spirit of God. We see Jesus never wavering in embodying or spreading the truth. JESUS WAS THE COMPLETE TRUTH! And because Jesus was "THE TRUTH" and acted out his life as such, embodying a righteousness that was based on the truths of both whom he and God were, it made it possible for Paul and all the others that he had called and chosen to proclaim his name to do the same. It made it possible for us to do the same.

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Paul was able to take such a firm stand and require boldness and a full commitment from us to live righteously because Jesus did it first therefore, paying the price that would allow us to be able to do it too.​ Jesus put not one stumbling block in our way that would cause us to look at his life and discredit any facet of how he lived it out. Jesus carried weapons of righteousness in his right hand and in his left. There was not one part of Jesus' life that we could look at that would cause us to discredit his ministry. Jesus submitted himself to righteousness in every way.

 

Paul did not live a completely perfect life as Jesus did. Paul was a persecutor to the saints. Paul's intentions were to destroy the followers of Christ and dismantle the church. However, Jesus changed Paul's path and Paul accepted the detour. Once Paul came into the knowledge of the truth concerning God and His Son, he then committed himself to spreading that truth to all whom God saw fit for him to share it with. And though he was not perfect like Jesus was, he wholly dedicated his life to God when Jesus changed his path. Paul put no stumbling blocks in anyone's way so that the gospel that he preached would not be tainted or discredited by how he lived his life. Paul pressed and persevered through good and bad times. Paul stood firm and kept spreading the gospel despite trials, troubles, beatings, imprisonments, and riots. Paul kept doing God's work regardless of how hard it was and regardless of if it meant sleepless nights and moments of hunger. And Paul did so in love, patience, and kindness. Paul did God's work by the Holy Spirit and in the truths and power of God. Paul kept and used weapons of righteousness in both his right and left hands. Regardless of what it looked like and regardless of if people accepted and believed or rejected and denounced his message, he kept moving in faith.

 

If we reflect on 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, it sends a similar message to the one found in Philippians 4:12, in which Paul states, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (NIV). Because Paul understood who his strength was and where his strength came from and because Paul understood who was in complete control of not just the circumstances involving his life but in control of all things, Paul did not have to worry, be turned aside, focus on what he didn't have, or fear what stood against him. Paul did not have to abandon the mission that God had sent him on because he knew how to allow God to be his strength, he knew how to gives his cares to God, and he trusted God to lead, guide, and take care of him. Paul understood how to uphold his righteousness and strengthen his righteousness by dwelling in the truths of God. Paul understood how to dwell in "THE TRUTH". What About You?

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God's Truths and "THE TRUTH"               

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We must understand that God is truth and His Son, our Savior, is "THE TRUTH". There are no discrepancies in or amongst the two. None of us are capable of perfection. None of us are going to be able to live Jesus' life out exactly as he lived it. We are going to have blemishes. We are going to have our flaws. Our natural and spirit man are going to war with one another. However, we are obligated and very much capable of living our lives on the same principles, commands, teachings, and instructions that Jesus lived his life on. We are obligated and very much capable of embodying, developing, and maintaining the attributes and character of Christ. BUT WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT HIM! Righteousness is not possible without Christ. Our righteousness is not sound unless it is rooted in truth, and not just any truth, but God's truth. 

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​In order for our righteousness to be solid and remain firm we must seek, know, accept, and operate in all truth.

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"The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous."

- Psalm 19:9 (NIV)

 

​"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;" 

-Psalm 37:23 (NIV)

 

"The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm." 

-Proverbs 12:7 (NIV)

 

"You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." 

-Matthew 10:22 (NIV)

 

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ..."

-2 Corinthians 1:21 (NIV)

 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

-Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

 

Everything about God is righteous. All of God's truths are righteous. All of God's commands and instructions are righteous. Although we are not perfect, when we fear God, delight in and trust Him, and dwell in Him, He orders our steps and makes each step that we take a firm one. When we dwell in God and choose righteousness, He protects, covers, and shields us. Righteousness is not just a command, but it is a weapon. Righteousness is not just a command, but it is a gift. Righteousness is not just a command, but it is a release because it frees us from the bondage of being enslaved to man and the things of the world. Righteousness is a command, but it is a command that saves us and gives us life, which is why we must act upon Paul's instruction to, "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around [our] waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,"

Ephesians 6:14 (NIV).​​