LEARNING TO BE RIGHTEOUS

LEARNING TO BE RIGHTEOUS            Thursday – September 16, 2010

“See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright-- but the righteous will live by his faith” – Habakkuk 2:4

Christian author Stuart Briscoe explains that, as a young man, he joined the Marines.
“Their magnificent dress uniform attracted me, and I thought that I would get one of those uniforms immediately. But they didn't give me one for months.
When I asked about it, they told me, 'You are a Marine. The moment you walked through the gates, you became a Marine. You are a Marine to stay.' I said, 'Give me another uniform, then.' They said, 'You are not fit to wear one yet.'
They continued, 'First we will have to do something about your back, about your chest, about your shoulders. We'll have to teach you how to march, how to walk, how to look like a Marine, and how to behave like a Marine. THEN you can wear the uniform.'
I was a Marine the moment I was sworn in, but it took me a long, long time to wear the uniform.
In the same way, ‘I was sanctified the minute that I was washed (in the blood of Christ). But it will take me the rest of my life to learn how to behave in a sanctified way!’

We grow in righteousness when we live by faith in Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, ask the Lord how you can trust Him more. 

“The essence of faith is being satisfied with all God is for us in Jesus.” – John Piper 

God’s Word: “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” – Romans 1:17