Except Your Righteousness Shall Exceed . . . 24

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:7,8)

God is interested in righteous behavior. Imputed righteousness is a legal state that remains in force only as long as the personality of the believer is being changed from worldliness, lust, and self-will into the moral image of Christ. When no progress is being made in actual righteousness the believer comes into condemnation and stands in danger of being destroyed by the fire of God rather than being set free from bondage.

Notice, in the following passage, that God first will remove offenses from His Kingdom, and then after that those who offend. If we are willing to be separated from that which offends God, then it will not be necessary for God to separate us from His Kingdom.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)

First, "all things that offend." After that, "them which do iniquity."

The purpose of belief in Jesus is to free us from the things that offend God. If our faith in Jesus does not free us from unrighteous behavior, then we are in clear danger of being gathered out of God's Kingdom when the Lord returns. Unless our behavior is more righteous than that of the scribes and Pharisees we will not be permitted to remain in the Kingdom of God.

Paul warned the Christians in Galatia that if they did not through the Spirit turn away from the works of the flesh they would not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

"Shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

The world is waiting to see the good works of the Christian people. The good works of Christian people are the light of the world. When there are no good works there is no light. The moral strength of the Christian churches has been so weakened that the secular governments, having no light of good works to follow, are descending into a horrible abyss of moral filth and perversion.

The day of redemption from sin was prefigured in the Levitical Day of Atonement (Leviticus, Chapter 16).

Two goats played the major role in the Day of Atonement.

The first goat was slain and its blood was sprinkled upon and before the Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place. The slain goat portrays the atonement for sin that was made for us by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

The second goat was not slain. The high priest laid his hands on the head of the living goat and confessed over it the sins of Israel. Then the "scapegoat" was led away into the wilderness.

The second goat portrays the salvation that is to be revealed to us in the last time.

To be continued. Except Your Righteousness Shall Exceed . . . 25